Get Ready for Action: NBA 2024 Playoffs Betting Tips & Conference Winner Predictions (April 20 – June)
We are just hours away from the start of the craziness of the 2024 NBA postseason. The 2023–24 NBA season has been an entertaining one so far and full of surprises. The Golden State Warriors will miss the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2021, while the Denver Nuggets are the defending champions after beating the Miami Heat in last year’s finals.
NBA Playoffs 2023/24: Key Info
The 2023-24 NBA regular season ran from October 24, 2023, to April 14, 2024. This is the 78th NBA season, and it had a lot of interesting records broken. LeBron James became the first NBA player in history to score 40,000 career points. The top draft pick, rookie Victor Wembanyama, took the league by storm. The French player became the youngest center to record a triple-double in the NBA, as well as the youngest player to score 20 points and 20 rebounds in a single game.
The 2024 NBA playoffs will kick off on Saturday, April 20, and the finals will be played in June. The NBA playoffs opening matchup will be held at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, as the Cleveland Cavaliers will host the Orlando Magic in game 1 of their series.
ℹ️ Tournament: | National Basketball Association (NBA) 2024 Playoffs |
🏟️ Venues: | Venues across the United States |
🗓️ Dates: | 20 April – June 2024 |
NBA 2024 Season Winner Odds
Here’s a look at the 2024 NBA playoffs odds for the winners of the NBA Championship from the best basketball bookies:
The bet on Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets will be the most widespread punts throughout the NBA postseason 2024. The Celtics had by far the best record in the NBA this season (64-18), while the Nuggets will try to make history by winning back-to-back championships. The Los Angeles Clippers are the only team in the top five favorites that have never won the title.
The Milwaukee Bucks made a huge trade this season to acquire Damian Lillard, so it will be interesting to see how they perform in the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks are the hottest team in the NBA right now, and they will be looking to carry that form into the playoffs.
NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs 2024 Betting Preview
2024 NBA Eastern Conference Winner Odds
Here’s a look at the NBA playoffs odds 2024 to win the NBA Eastern Conference from the latest basketball sportsbooks:
The Boston Celtics are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. They have the best roster and depth in this conference, and they are the most consistent as well. The Philadelphia 76ers will rely on reigning MVP Joel Embiid to stay healthy in the playoffs, as he was injured for most of the season. The Milwaukee Bucks won the Eastern Conference only once in the last five decades. The duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard is a dangerous one, though. This is the second consecutive season for the Cleveland Cavaliers to get into the playoffs, but they haven’t been at their best lately.
Eastern Conference 2023-24 Regular Season Overview
The 2024 NBA playoff bracket picture is now clear after the end of the play-in tournament. The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Miami Heat in the play-in Eastern Conference to get the No. 7 seed, but the Heat came back for their second game to beat the Chicago Bulls and win the last spot and the No. 8 seed.
There are a lot of key injuries in the Eastern Conference this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is doubtful to play in Milwaukee’s first game, while the Miami Heat are expected to miss Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier for a while. The New York Knicks’ Julius Randle is out for the season.
2024 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference Predictions
Philadelphia 76ers to Win Eastern Conference @ 8.50 (15/2)
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The Philadelphia 76ers are unbeaten since getting Joel Embiid back from injury, winning nine consecutive games. Tyrese Maxey also stepped up big time for the 76ers this season, as the team has a great record of 30-7 when Maxey and Embiid play together. The addition of Kyle Lowry to the team made them more solid defensively, and they have some good shooters, such as Kelly Oubre and Buddy Hield.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic: Series Total Games – Under 5.5 @ 2.40 (7/5)
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are a much better team in this series. The Orlando Magic have been really good defensively this season, but they will struggle to score over the Cavaliers, as Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have the physicality and height to match up with them. The Cavs have the best player in this series, Donovan Mitchell, and they have more depth as well, so they can win the series in under six games. This is our 2024 NBA playoffs bet of the day.
NBA Western Conference Playoffs 2024 Betting Preview
2024 NBA Western Conference Winner Odds
Here’s a look at the NBA 2024 latest odds for the winners of the Western Conference this season:
The Denver Nuggets haven’t changed their championship-winning roster from last year much. Nikola Jokic is still doing his thing, and he is the favorite to win the NBA MVP Award. There are a lot of questions about the availability of the Los Angeles Clippers’ key players, but they are a dangerous team when healthy. The Oklahoma City Thunder surpassed the Nuggets on the last day to top the Western Conference with a 57-25 record, and they have a young team that is hungry for glory. The Phoenix Suns have the big trip of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, so their chances will always be there to win the conference.
Western Conference 2023-24 Regular Season Overview
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans and earned the No. 7 seed in the West. The Golden State Warriors got knocked out of the play-in tournament in a big upset, while the Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings to earn the No. 8 seed. The Minnesota Timberwolves have allowed the fewest points in the NBA this season.
The key injuries in the Western Conference have Zion Williamson of the Pelicans, while Kawhi Leonard is questionable to participate in the first game for the Clippers. Anthony Davis is expected to be ready, while Jarred Vanderbilt is still out for the Lakers.
2024 NBA Playoffs: Western Conference Predictions
Dallas Mavericks to Win Western Conference @ 8.0 (7/1)
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The Dallas Mavericks are legit this season. They finished the regular season with a very good 50-32 record, and they ended the season with an impressive 16-4 run. The bonus for inplay betting odds for the Mavs in the Western Conference is enticing, as they have two of the best players in the league, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. These two are always clutch in the playoffs, so if both of them keep their good form, they will have good chances.
Denver Nuggets vs Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers (+1.5) Series Games Handicap @ 2.25 (5/4)
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Everyone is ruling out the Los Angeles Lakers in this matchup, and that’s why they might prove the fans wrong. The Lakers reached the Western Conference final last year and pushed the Nuggets to six games, and they have improved a lot this season as well. The Lakers went on a 21-10 run after the NBA trade deadline, and they have been very good offensively with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the court. The Nuggets are the favorites to win the series, but the Lakers can at least push them to a game seven and cover the spread.
Recommended NBA Playoffs 2024 Betting Picks
The NBA playoffs are always full of surprises and unexpected events, and that’s why we are going with the 76ers and Mavericks to make some noise. Make sure you use our 2024 NBA playoffs predictions and bet on them at the best basketball sportsbooks to have more fun watching the games.