2024 NBA Playoffs Betting Online
The 2024 NBA Playoffs are down to the conference semifinals. The Boston Celtics had the top record in the NBA and they remain the favorites to win the NBA title. The Oklahoma City Thunder claimed the top seed in the Western Conference, but the Thunder are not the second choice in NBA Playoff odds. That honor goes to the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets who are the No. 2 seed in the West. After the Celtics and Nuggets, it is the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are playing Denver in one of the Western Conference semifinals, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks who are meeting in the other Western Conference semifinal, the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers who are playing in one Eastern Conference semifinal and then the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are the longshot, as they face the Boston Celtics in the other Eastern Conference semifinal.
As the 2024 NBA Playoffs continue with the conference semifinals, it is clear that Boston is the top choice in the Eastern Conference. No other team is given much of a chance against the Celtics. It is a different story in the Western Conference. The Nuggets are a slight favorite to come out of the West, but it would not be a shock if Minnesota beat them in the conference semifinals. The Thunder and Mavericks have a lot of star power and it is definitely not unthinkable that one of those two teams could come out of the West.
NBA Betting Lines
NBA Championship Betting Odds
| ODDS TO WIN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP 2023/24 |
| Boston Celtics -144 |
Dallas Mavericks +808 |
Denver Nuggets +300 |
| Indiana Pacers +10000 |
Minnesota Timberwolves +800 |
New York Knicks +2700 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder +2250 |
- |
- |
*Odds as of Friday, May 17, 10:00 AM ET
Eastern Conference Semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers
BOS Wins 4-1
| GAME/LOCATION |
DATE / TIME (ET) |
SCORE |
| Game 1 (at Boston) |
Tue, May 7 |
BOS 120, CLE 95 |
| Game 2 (at Boston) |
Thu, May 9 |
BOS 94, CLE 118 |
| Game 3 (at Cleveland) |
Sat, May 11 |
CLE 93, BOS 106 |
| Game 4 (at Cleveland) |
Mon, May 13 |
CLE 102, BOS 109 |
| Game 5 (at Boston) |
Wed, May 15 |
BOS 113, CLE 98 |
The Boston Celtics are heavy favorites to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Not only are the Celtics favored to beat the Cavaliers, Boston is favored to win the NBA title. The Celtics averaged 120.6 points per game this season, 2nd in the NBA and they gave up just 109.2 points per game, 5th in the league. Jayson Tatum led the team at 26.5 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game, while Derrick White led the team with 5 assists per game.
Boston won two of three vs. Cleveland in the regular season and they covered the spread in both of their home wins. The Cavaliers are led by Donovan Mitchell who averaged 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field against the Celtics in three games this season. Cleveland did beat the Celtics once this season and they won by limiting turnovers, making 11 steals, and riding a hot shooting night (20 of 42 from three).
(2) New York Knicks vs. (6) Indiana Pacers
NYK Leads 3-2
| GAME/LOCATION |
DATE / TIME (ET) |
SCORE |
| Game 1 (at New York) |
Mon, May 6 |
NYK 121, IND 117 |
| Game 2 (at New York) |
Wed, May 8 |
NYK 130, IND 121 |
| Game 3 (at Indiana) |
Fri, May 10 |
IND 111, NYK 106 |
| Game 4 (at Indiana) |
Sun, May 12 |
IND 121, NYK 89 |
| Game 5 (at New York) |
Tue, May 14 |
NYK 121, IND 91 |
| Game 6 (at Indiana) |
Fri, May 17, 8:30 PM |
- |
| Game 7* (at New York) |
Sun, May 19, 3:30 PM |
- |
* If Necessary
The Pacers won the season series against the Knicks, winning two of the three games. They outscored the Knicks by an average of 123.3-115.3. All three games occurred before the All-Star break. It will be a battle of point guards in the matchup between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton, who were teammates on the East All-Star team a few months ago, square off against each other. Although each approaches the work in a different way, each has been the team's driving force. Haliburton is a lanky, pass-first player who led the Pacers, as the team averaged 123.3 points per game this season. Strong and bulky, Brunson improved his play this season. Against the Pacers this season, Brunson averaged 35.7 points, shot 49.4%, and earned 10 trips to the foul line per contest. Haliburton led Indiana in scoring with an average of 19.7 and 13.3 assists in games against New York.
One key will be the Pacers' O versus the Knicks' D. In 82 games during the regular season, the Pacers were only held below 100 points once. The Pacers scored 30 points or more in eight of the twelve quarters in which the two teams faced off. The knicks will rely on OG Anunoby who is a tenacious and adaptable defender. He only faced Indiana once, and that was back in November of last year when he was still with Toronto. After his transfer to New York, he did not participate in any of the three meetings against the Pacers. Anunoby could be matched up against Pascal Siakam, his former Raptors teammate.
Eastern Conference First Round
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat - BOS Wins 4-1
(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers - NYK Wins 4-2
(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Indiana Pacers - IND Wins 4-2
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Orlando Magic - CLE Wins 4-3
Western Conference Semifinals
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks
DAL Leads 3-2
| GAME/LOCATION |
DATE / TIME (ET) |
SCORE |
| Game 1 (at Oklahoma City) |
Tue, May 7 |
OKC 117, DAL 95 |
| Game 2 (at Oklahoma City) |
Thu, May 9 |
OKC 110, DAL 119 |
| Game 3 (at Dallas) |
Sat, May 11 |
DAL 105, OKC 101 |
| Game 4 (at Dallas) |
Mon, May 13 |
DAL 96, OKC 100 |
| Game 5 (at Oklahoma City) |
Wed, May 15 |
OKC 92, DAL 104 |
| Game 6 (at Dallas) |
Sat, May 18, 8:00 PM |
- |
| Game 7* (at Oklahoma City) |
Mon, May 20, 8:30 PM |
- |
These teams have not met in the playoffs since 2016 when it was the Thunder winning in five games. The Thunder won three of the four meetings this season and they have won five of the last seven. It will be a matchup between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic. Both of them will have help, as Gilgeous-Alexander has Jalen Williams, while Doncic has Kyrie Irving. The Thunder are the youngest team in NBA history to win a playoff series and they are favored to win this series against the Mavericks.
Dallas has improved their defense of late, as they held the Clippers to fewer than 95 points in three games in their series. The Thunder also played excellent defense in the first round, as they held New Orleans to just 93.5 points per 100 possessions. OKC had the league’s fourth-ranked defense in the regular season. It will be a tougher challenge for OKC in this round, as they will have to contain Doncic and Irving.
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (3) Minnesota Timberwolves
Series Tied 3-3
| GAME/LOCATION |
DATE / TIME (ET) |
SCORE |
| Game 1 (at Denver) |
Sat, May 4 |
DEN 99, MIN 106 |
| Game 2 (at Denver) |
Mon, May 6 |
DEN 80, MIN 106 |
| Game 3 (at Minnesota) |
Fri, May 10, |
MIN 90, DEN 117 |
| Game 4 (at Minnesota) |
Sun, May 12 |
MIN 107, DEN 115 |
| Game 5 (at Denver) |
Tue, May 14 |
DEN 112, MIN 97 |
| Game 6 (at Minnesota) |
Thu, May 16 |
DEN 70, MIN 115 |
| Game 7* (at Denver) |
Sun, May 19, TBA |
- |
* If Necessary
The teams split their season series with each team winning twice. They finished just a game apart in the regular season. Minnesota rolled over Phoenix in the first round, while Denver took out the Lakers. There is not much doubt that the key matchup in this series will be Nikola Jokic against Rudy Gobert. Jokic has scored 20 or more points in 24 straight playoff games. He will face a tough test against Gobert who is going to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Minnesota led the league in defense this season, allowing 106.5 points per game.
Jokic has scored at least 30 points, and had 10 rebounds and five assists in 30 NBA Playoff games, fifth-most in NBA history. He averaged 33.3 points on 58.4% shooting against Minnesota during the regular season. Anthony Edwards was excellent against Phoenix, averaging 31 points per game. Denver held him to just 20.8 per game in the regular season.
Western Conference First Round
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans - OKC Wins 4-0
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers - DEN Wins 4-1
(3) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (6) Phoenix Suns - MIN Wins 4-0
(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks - DAL Wins 4-2
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