The NBA playoff picture is taking shape, and we are starting to get an idea of some of the match-ups we will see next month. Milwaukee is likely to win the Eastern Conference, and the Bucks will probably be playing whichever team can get closest to .500 in the Southeast Division, while Toronto looks set to finish second and will likely play either Detroit or Brooklyn. In the West, the situation is more muddled, but we know that Golden State and Denver will likely finish 1-2 in some order, yet who they will play is a far bigger question. More of the pieces will fall into place tonight.
NBA Opening Lines at BookMaker.eu
Philadelphia 76ers at Charlotte Hornets (PHI -1, O/U 225)
There has already been some movement in this game. For whatever reason, Charlotte opened as a one-point favorite over Philadelphia, but that line has since been flipped. Now, the 76ers are one-point favorites even though they won’t have their best player. Philly is starting to ensure that Joel Embiid will be ready for the playoff grind. Embiid was oft-injured over his first few seasons in the league, but he has stayed healthy this year and the Sixers don’t want any possible setback in the last few weeks of this campaign.
Houston Rockets at Atlanta Hawks (HOU -7.5, O/U 232.5)
Don’t be surprised to see a lot of sharp action on Atlanta tonight. Houston has lost four of its last five road games in Atlanta, and the Rockets are likely to end up as the No. 3 or the No. 4 seed. It’s possible that James Harden has the night off for rest too. Houston wants Harden ready for the postseason and with another road game on deck tomorrow night, the Rockets might not give their superstar much action.
Los Angeles Lakers at Milwaukee Bucks (MIL -13, O/U 236)
Expect this line to come down a few points even with the Lakers slumping. LeBron James will want to show Milwaukee that he is still the best player in the league, and the Bucks might not have MVP frontrunner Giannis Antetokuonmpo tonight. They already won’t have top defender Malcolm Brogdon for the rest of the regular season, so this could be a potential upset spot.
Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves (GS -5.5, O/U Check Back Later)
The Warriors have no more breathing room in their bid to finish with the best record in the Western Conference. Losing to San Antonio last night left them tied with Denver for the top spot in the conference, so they need to finish strong. Getting healthy may be the bigger priority though. Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins have been dinged up, and Andre Iguodala is questionable tonight too.
Brooklyn Nets at Sacramento Kings (SAC -4, O/U 232)
The Kings have essentially waived their playoff hopes goodbye now that they are six games behind the Clippers for the No. 8 spot with 13 games to play, but this team could be the first to finish above .500 in 13 seasons. Sacramento has been miserable since the mid-2000s, finishing no better than 38-44 during this stretch. There has already been some sharp action on the Kings that has moved the line from 3.5 to 4 and the total from 231.5 to 232.
Indiana Pacers at Los Angeles Clippers (LAC -5, O/U 219)
This is a very tough spot for the Pacers. They played on the road against Portland last night, and for those unfamiliar with the West Coast, its quite the haul from Portland to Los Angeles. Indiana plays tough night in and night out, but the Clippers are 8-2 over their last 10 games and are surging. Their could be some sharp money on the Clip Show throughout the day.
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