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On Tuesday, we see the start of the final week of the regular season in the NBA, which means that the playoffs are almost upon us. Some of you probably already have an idea of which team you think will end the season as the champion, but I’m sure there are also plenty of you waiting to see what the final bracket looks like before wagering on the outcome of the NBA Finals. I tend to fall into the latter category, and while there are a couple of teams who are very much on my championship radar, I do want to know their potential path to glory before dropping any money. With that in mind, we thought it might be fun to look at the standings now and make some NBA betting predictions before the playoffs begin, keeping in mind that these might change once the matchups are set.

NBA betting tips heading into the postseason | NBA Odds and Lines

Play-In

Let’s start by looking at the play-in tournament in both conferences, with the East pretty much set in stone at the moment. The 4 teams sitting in the play-in over in the Eastern Conference are going to be the ones that stick. Of that group, I really like the Raptors to get out and into the first round. The Bulls are on a roll at the moment, winning 7 of their last 10, so they might end up being the second team to move on.

Things are much tighter in the West, but if I go with the teams in there now, the Lakers look like a good bet to get past the play-in, as they are starting to roll. Despite being on a skid at the moment, I think the Minnesota Timberwolves might also get out, assuming they stay in that group of 4.

Eastern Conference

Looking at it now, it does seem as though the Bucks and Celtics are on a collision course to meet in the Conference Final. If you are looking for a potential spoiler, I think you have to look at the Cleveland Cavaliers, as they have one of the best conference records. The New York Knicks seem to be rounding into form at just the right time, so they could be a factor. I would have said the 76ers if you had asked me about a dark horse a couple of weeks ago, and they might still be if they can snap out of this slump and win some games ahead of the postseason. All in all, I have a hard time not picking the Bucks to represent the East.

Western Conference

Unlike the Eastern Conference, I don’t think we really have a very clear favorite in the West. The Denver Nuggets are the obvious pick, going in as the #1 seed, as well as the best conference record in the West, but the majority of the teams here seem pretty evenly matched. The Grizzlies have to be seen as a threat, but I am looking at the Phoenix Suns right now. They have been killed by injuries all season long, but the are healthy and will have some of their key players feeling pretty damn fresh heading into the postseason. I have to take the Suns to make the run to the NBA Finals.