This week marks the NBA Play-In Tournament, which is kind of like a teaser for the upcoming playoff weekend.
On Tuesday, the Hornets will face off against the Heat in Charlotte, an elimination game for both teams. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers and Suns will compete for the No. 7 spot in the Western Conference. Then, on Wednesday, the Magic will take on the 76ers in the East, while the Warriors will go head-to-head with the Clippers in another elimination matchup.
Come Friday, the winner of the Heat vs. Hornets will challenge the loser of the Magic vs. 76ers for that final Eastern playoff spot, while the victors of the Warriors and Clippers duel with the loser of the Suns and Blazers in the West.
As it stands, there are still 20 teams vying for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Let’s rewind a bit and break down each team’s chances at clinching the NBA Championship.
NBA Championship Odds
| Team | Championship Odds |
|---|---|
| Thunder | +115 |
| Spurs | +550 |
| Celtics | +550 |
| Nuggets | +900 |
| Cavaliers | 14/1 |
| Knicks | 18/1 |
| Pistons | 20/1 |
| Rockets | 60/1 |
| Timberwolves | 80/1 |
| Hawks | 125/1 |
| Wizards | 150/1 |
| 76ers | 175/1 |
| Lakers | 200/1 |
| Magic | 250/1 |
| Raptors | 250/1 |
| Clippers | 600/1 |
| Warriors | 600/1 |
| Heat | 600/1 |
| Trail Blazers | 1500/1 |
After the games on Sunday, some teams saw their championship odds shift a bit. The Thunder and Spurs have moved further apart, while the Rockets and Hawks have gained some ground. Meanwhile, the Lakers and 76ers have slipped down the list.
Favorites
The Thunder have held the top spot all season long and are the No. 1 seed, giving them home-court advantage throughout the NBA Finals. This team, which has claimed back-to-back titles since 2019, looks poised to make another strong playoff run. If they win their first series, they would match up against either the Lakers or Rockets in the next round instead of facing the Spurs or Nuggets until the finals.
The Spurs will kick off their playoff journey against either the Suns or Trail Blazers. Both of those teams have young talent mixed with some veterans, making for an interesting match-up. It seems likely the Spurs will meet the Nuggets in the second round, a series that could definitely steal the spotlight.
Challengers
The Nuggets, Knicks, and Cavaliers are also in the mix. Although the Nuggets dropped to 6th place after the All-Star break, they rebounded well to end the season as the 3rd seed in the West. Nikola Jokic is looking like an MVP candidate again after recovering from an injury, and it appears that, as a team, they’ve finally regained their health heading into the playoffs.
The Knicks seem to be in strong form after victories over the Hawks and Celtics, earning them the third seed in the East. They will encounter the Hawks in the first round, and if all goes well for both, they might meet the Celtics next.
Then there’s the Cavaliers, who could play spoiler in the Eastern Conference. They will face off against the Raptors, a squad that seems the most vulnerable among the top contenders. If the Cavs advance, they might take on their rivals, the Pistons, in the second round. Their season series has been evenly matched, but both have faced challenges since James Harden’s trade to Cleveland. It’s been close, that’s for sure.
Long Shot
A few teams are facing uphill battles. The Lakers, for instance, would need swift recoveries from both Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves to stand a chance against the Thunder. The Rockets have their own hurdles, needing to establish a solid defense that can withstand the popular Thunder, though their late-game performance has proven problematic.
The Hornets—often seen as the underdogs in the play-in tournament—require two wins to make it to the playoffs, but they would face stiff competition from the Pistons. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, have been finalists in the Western Conference for two consecutive years, putting them in contention. It’s going to be tough meeting the Nuggets in the first round, but they’ve taken them down before, and Anthony Edwards seems confident enough to believe he’s the best player on any court. With odds at 60-1, they could surprise everyone.
