NBA Play Off Predictions
The NBA season is followed closely by fans around the world, not just in the USA – and it’s no surprise. With a standard 82 games played by each team in a season, there’s plenty of action for fans to get stuck into. The playoffs are without a doubt the most exciting event in NBA and determine which team becomes champion. Placing your bets on who you think is going to make the playoffs, and which team is going to do well according to Props means you can make your favourite games even more exciting. Below, we’ll take a closer look at some NBA playoff predictions based on the current season.
What are the playoffs and how do they work?
Before we dive into predictions for the playoffs this year, it can be a little confusing if you’re not sure how it works. The playoffs take place at the end of the season and are used as a way of determining the Champion of the NBA. They comprise of 16 teams, 8 from each conference, and are played in a best-of-7 series. The first round in the playoffs sees the 1st-seeded team against the 8th, the 2nd against the 7th, and so on. The winners of these games then move on to the conference semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the 4 teams that are left then go head-to-head in another series of best-of-7. The winners then move to the final, which is another best-of-7 series. The team that comes out on top will then be crowned the NBA champion. This usually takes place throughout April, May, and June and boasts some of the most exciting basketball that is highly anticipated each year by fans across the world.
NBA Play Off Predictions
So as we come ever closer to the end of the regular NBA season, more of us will be wondering – who is likely to end up in the finals this year? To find out more about who we think could reach the playoffs, read on as we take a look at some of the teams that are taking the NBA season by storm so far.
Milwaukee Bucks
There’s no denying the quality of basketball the Bucks are playing this season, and their position at the top of the Eastern Conference shows it. With 47 wins out of a total of 65 games played, and only 18 losses, they’re showing NBA fans everywhere that they mean business in the last few weeks of the season. The PCT sits at .723, which is the highest in both the Eastern and Western conferences. The Bucks were on a huge 16-game unbeaten run until they were knocked off track by the 76ers, which has without a doubt contributed to the success we’re seeing from them this season. They’re going to be serious contenders when it comes to the NBA championship in 2023.
Celtics
Sitting under the Bucks in the Eastern Conference league is the Boston Celtics, with just 2 fewer wins so far this season. Having won 45 of their games so far, it’s easy to see how they’ve made it to the top 3 in the table. However, the Celtics are currently on a losing streak, coming unstuck in 3 of their last matchups against the Cavaliers, the Knicks, and the Nets. Whilst their lead may be hard to catch, if their losing ways carry on they mind find themselves slipping down the table. We’re sure that the Celtics will still feature in the playoffs – but how far will they go?
Kings
In the Western Conference, the Sacramento Kings are currently 2nd in the league below the Denver Nuggets. They’re currently on a winning streak after taking the victory over the Pelicans. Previously to this, they were on a winning streak of 5 before admitting defeat to the Timberwolves by a tight 4 points. Whilst it’s likely that the Kings will make it to the playoffs this year, the margins at the top, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place is incredibly tight, with the Kings and Grizzlies on the same number of wins and losses and PCT, and the Suns not too far behind. These last couple of weeks could be crucial when it comes to separating the top 4 in the Western Conference.
Lakers
The LA Lakers are having a better year in 2023 than the previous 2 with a current PCT of .485, but they’ve still suffered more losses than they have won. The Lakers are currently on a 2-win streak, but their previous matchups have been peppered with losses to the likes of the Timberwolves, the Grizzlies, and the Trail Blazers. The Lakers are currently 9th in the Western Conference with the New Orleans Pelicans hot on their tails, and on a level playing field when it comes to points. The Lakers are going to have to pull off some wins in the coming months to qualify for the playoffs. If they stay in the same position, they’ll head into a play-in tournament between the 7th and 10th seeds of each conference. Will they have a chance at becoming NBA champions?