The NBA In-Season Tournament’s Final Group Stage Night, Odds

A lot of questions were asked about the value of having a soccer-style tournament in the NBA while the regular season is happening. With the group stage almost complete, the experiment appears to be a relative success. Fans are showing up, the teams look to be giving it a fair shake, and we are now facing an evening of basketball during which some teams’ dreams of winning a trophy will come to a crashing end. Rather exciting stuff.

Let’s take a look at the big games, what’s on the line, and some interesting odds. Here are our overall NBA odds and props.

NBA In-Season Tournament Final Group Game Odds

Eastern Conference

Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Eastern Group A)

Group A has a lot to play for. The Pacers went a perfect 4-0 and are already through to the next round. Atlanta, Cleveland, and Philadelphia are thus looking to finish second in Group A and earn the line Wild Card spot. The 76ers are 2-2 and have no more games to play, but the Cleveland Cavaliers would do themselves a huge favour by defeating the Hawks tonight to go 3-1. The Hawks and Trae Young are the second-highest scoring team in the NBA, whereas Darius Garland and the Cavs come in with a reputable defence.

Charlotte Hornets vs. New York Knicks (Eastern Group B)

Surprisingly, Charlotte is not done for at 1-2, although given that LaMelo Ball is out with an ankle injury, their odds aren’t great. If the Bucks defeat the Heat, the Knicks (2-1) don’t stand a chance of winning the group, no matter how badly they squash the Hornets. RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, and Julius Randle will need big figures tonight because the Wild Card spot is far from guaranteed with their +6.0-point differential.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat (Eastern Group B)

In the short history of the rivalry between the Bucks and the Heat, there are already many stories to tell. They dance anew this evening. A Milwaukee win seals Group B given that Giannis Antetokounmpo and company are already 3-0. The Heat could win the division if they obliterate the Bucks…which they have a history of doing we might add. It won’t be easy. It’s Milwaukee’s +13.0 point differential versus Miami’s +3.7.

Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics (Eastern Group C)

The Chicago Bulls are going through a miserable spell, sitting at 0-3 in the tournament and obviously already eliminated. Tonight’s game is ostensibly to pick up a regular calendar win and find momentum. It won’t be easy as they visit the Boston Celtics (2-1). The latter are undefeated at home so far but have not secured their place in the knockout phase for this event. Should they lose and Brooklyn (2-1) win, they’ll be bounced out. They also have a slightly weaker point differential than the Nets, so Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the gang will have to get busy. Of note, the Magic are idle, having already played four times (3-1).

Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets (Eastern Group C)

This contest features a similar context to the one we just discussed. Because the Celtics opened their tournament journey with a victory over the Nets, Brooklyn sits in third place whereas Boston is second. The Nets can take the division if they win by slaughtering the Raptors. The Magic is in first place, but only with a +5.5 point differential. Toronto isn’t a great scoring club, but nor does Brooklyn have a terrific defence. This is a tough one to predict.

Western Conference

Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks (Western Group B)

The host Mavericks are playing for pride tonight, but the Houston Rockets (2-1) could accomplish a few things. For one, a win would be a feather in their cap in the battle of Texas teams. Two, if they buzzsaw their regional rivals, they can leapfrog the New Orleans Pelicans (3-1) for first in the group and automatic passage to the next round.  Houston’s point differential is +5.3, whereas New Orleans, idle tonight, is +8.3. Lastly, while the grander significance of the In-Season event remains to be judged, it would certainly be a nice sign of improvement for a franchise that was largely a farce the past few years.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Western Group C)

OKC is already finished but the Timberwolves (2-1) have all to play for. Their fate won’t be decided until the Warriors-Kings match is done, so they’ll have a television in the locking room after the game, especially if they beat the Thunder. Minnesota’s resounding defeat to Sacramento last Friday hurt badly as well. That pretty much negated the chances of winning the group since the Kings own the head-to-head. What’s more, Minnesota’s point differential is a weak -1.0.

Golden State Warriors vs. Sacramento Kings (Western Group C)

This is arguably the game of the evening and a wonderful way to cap off a busy Tuesday in the NBA. A Warriors (2-1) victory changes the group’s complexity entirely. They could jump from third to first as owners of the tie-breaker versus Sacramento (3-0). A Golden State loss will almost destroy any hope of getting to the knockout round, except for a lot of other teams losing by a lot of points. It may be a little early in its existence for the NBA In-Season Tournament to carry much meaning, but knocking the Warriors out of the competition would feel good for the Kings.