For every basketball fan, the NBA regular season is a 6-month long journey with each team playing a whopping 82 games of 48 minutes or more if there’s an overtime. However, fans do notice that the regular season rolls by almost too fast. And yet again we are at the same stage on the calendar where the finish line is in sight. Although there are clear favourites in certain areas, others show no shortage of intrigue.
Let’s talk about the best odds in the NBA on the MVP award, focus on the playoff and the play-in picture as well as more relevant info.
The last day of the NBA 2023-24 regular season
The last day of this NBA regular season will be the 14th of April, 2024. It is an interesting day because all 30 teams will lace up and face off. Eastern Conference squads start at 8 and the West starts at 10:30.
Some games will hold incredible value, others will just mark the last time you’ll see your favourite ball players that season. Last day games for the 2023-24 NBA Regular season:
8:00 PM games
- Wizards @ Celtics – a battle of the best team in the regular season vs a very disappointing Washington squad.
- Hornets @ Cavaliers – Cavs try to hunt down the best possible playoff spot
- Hawks @ Pacers – the Indiana Pacers team seeks to avoid having to fight in the play-in
- Raptors @ Heat – the Miami team is readying their firepower for the Play-in
- Bulls @ Knicks – Playoffs-bound Knicks host play-in bound Bulls at the MSG
- Bucks @ Magic – a fierce matchup for position
- Nets @ 76ers – can the 76ers bump up their position after the return of Joel Embiid?
10:30 PM games
- Nuggets @ Grizzlies – Memphis host the defending champions who probably rest as much as possible before the playoffs
- Suns @ Timberwolves – an explosive Western conference head-to-head
- Pelicans @ Lakers – a tough game as both teams balance between the play-in and the last playoff spot
- Mavericks @ Thunder – battle of 2 top MVP candidates or the Mavs trying to improve their playoff seeding
- Pistons @ Spurs – the Wemby show vs the struggling Pistons
- Jazz @ Warriors – can the Bay hold on to their play-in hopes?
- Rockets @ Clippers – a show-stopping offence vs some of the best individual defenders in LA
- Trail Blazers @ Kings – the Kings desperately need wins for home-court advantage in the play-in.
MVP picture – who’s going to win it?
The MVP debate this season seemed to be swaying in the direction of the 76ers’ center Joel Embiid. But with his amazing stats, the center suffered an unfortunate meniscus injury that has sidelined him from the race. Since we have a new eligibility rule requiring players to participate in at least 65 games to be considered for season awards, new frontrunners emerged.
Embiid’s injury has thrusted a few candidates to the front of the pack
Returning MVP Nikola Jokic from the Denver Nuggets
Stats: 26 PPG, 12 RPG, 9 APG, 57 % FG
Nikola Jokic Leads Nuggets Comeback In TRIPLE-DOUBLE Performance! 👀 | March 11, 2024
Rapidly emerging superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) from the Oklahoma City Thunder
Stats: 30 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 6 APG, 53 % FG
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander December Highlights | Kia NBA Western Conference Player of the Month#KiaPOTM
The ever-dangerous Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks
Stats: 34 PPG, 9 RPG, 10 APG, 49 % FG
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s MONSTER 46-PT DOUBLE-DOUBLE! 😤| March 1, 2024
Luka Dončič from the Dallas Mavericks
EVERY POINT From Luka Doncic’s INSANE 73-PT CAREER-HIGH Performance! 🔥 | January 26, 2024
ESPN’s straw poll indicates Jokic having the best odds of all the NBA (0.13/1). The Serbian horse-racing enthusiast, part-time center for the Denver Nuggets seems to be quite ahead in the lead with a significant margin in total and first-place votes. However, the super-human stats and efforts of the Slovenian Luka Dončič have propelled him to No.2 with 7.5/1 odds.
SGA’s outstanding performance this season, coupled with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s success, keeps him contention and the bookmakers have the Canadian guard at 16/1. The Greek Freak could be in the mix, but his team record since the firing of Adrian Griffin has been very troubling, so he’s probably not a real candidate. Other notable mention in the MVP talks is Jayson Tatum. The best player from the best team.
The Play-in storylines
Eastern Conference Play-ins
Right now, we have 6 total teams competing not to be in the East’s play-in. The Bulls and the Hawks are guarantees, but the Heat, 76ers, Pacers and Cavs are all trying their best to avoid an extra hard game before the playoffs. Even the Magic aren’t 100 % safe.
The Bulls and the Hawks will be sure-fire underdogs in any kind of matchup. The Atlanta team has one of the weakest defenses and the Bulls have been very up-and-down. As of now, it seems that the 7th and 8th squads (whoever takes that spot) will advance but only time can tell.
Western Conference Play-ins
Historically, at least for the past few decades, the Western Conference has been a lot more competitive in the Regular season than their Eastern counterpart. It reflects in stats too. Out of the last 30 NBA champions:
- 19 came from the West
- 11 came from the East
So, it’s no surprise that the Play-in seems very competitive. If we don’t expect Dallas Mavericks to crumble like a house of cards, the competitors are: Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. The Suns currently have the best odds to avoid the NBA Play-ins. However, the final matchups will likely have a lack of concrete favorites. Unless the Kings play the Lakers (because AD struggles against Sabonis), no one is likely to have a huge edge. It might come down to just which role or star player manages to explode for 35+.
Most Likely Teams in the 2024 Conference Finals
It is risky to pinpoint exact matchups for the conference finals. As we know, the tide can turn quickly. Unexpected injuries like that to Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard in 2017 as well as a miracle run of the Toronto Raptors in 2019, headed by the same Kawhi Leonard serve as great examples.
The strength of teams like the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and the surprising Oklahoma City Thunder suggests potential high-octane clashes in the Conference Semis as well as the Finals. The East could see a showdown between the Celtics with the arguably deepest roster this year and the experience of Milwaukee’s superstar duo. The Magic, Knicks, 76ers and Heat are serious threats too.
In the West, the Nuggets, powered by Jokic, and the Thunder, riding the wave of SGA’s breakout season, could create a memorable series. But how about the Timberwolves, Mavs, Clippers? Maybe the Lakers can surprise us?
