NBA Betting Guide for Play-In Tournament: Do-Or-Die Time

The NBA Play-In Tournament has arrived, so as the postseason here alas, here is everything you need to know for the first set of games.

Kicking off tonight, the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans will square off with the Lakers holding the advantage in the season series 3-1. The winner of this one gets the Denver Nuggets in the first round, so could there be any incentive for either team to lose in order to dodge the reigning champions? I think so, as a matchup with the young Oklahoma City Thunder is much less frightening. 

The Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings will follow with the 9-10 game with the loser heading home. These two clubs split their season series, but the Warriors have been playing much better basketball down the stretch, winning 10 of their last 12 and being a much better road team in the process. On the other hand, the Kings have lost seven of their last 11 and almost appear to be ready to move on to their vacations. Does this Kings’ squad have any life to combat the Warriors’ last stand?

Briefly looking at tomorrow, the Philadelphia 76ers will carry their eight-game winning streak into their matchup with the Miami Heat, but it remains to be seen if this Heat squad has any postseason magic left in them. Following that, the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks will face off in a battle of two teams that should be entering full-blown rebuilds by the weekend.

It’s going to be a fun few days of NBA hoops, so let’s lock in, enjoy the games, and pump out some winners!

Dunk on the sportsbooks tonight! Grab SportsGrid’s free NBA picks, NBA props, and NBA SGPs.

SportsGrid’s NBA Betting Guide for Play-In Tournament

Featured Same-Game Parlays: +925 Lakers-Pelicans | +800 Warriors-Kings

Tonight’s Headliners: Top Props | Best Bets | Ranking the 8 Play-In Teams

Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET: No. 8 Los Angeles Lakers @ No. 7 New Orleans Pelicans: Betting Preview 

• Spread: Pelicans -1.5 | Moneyline: Pelicans -120 | Total: 224.5
• Where to Watch: TNT | Location: Smoothie King Center (New Orleans, LA)

Lakers Last 5 ATS: 2-3 | Pelicans Last 5 ATS: 3-2

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: Lakers +1.5 (5-Stars) | OVER 224.5 (2-Stars)

SportsGrid’s Top Player Props: Anthony Davis UNDER 13.5 Rebounds (5-Stars) | Trey Murphy III OVER 2.5 Three-Point FG Made (5-Stars)

Tuesday, 10:00 p.m. ET: No. 10 Golden State Warriors @ No. 9 Sacramento Kings: Betting Preview

• Spread: Warriors -2 | Moneyline: Warriors -138 | Total: 223
• Where to Watch: TNT | Location: Golden 1 Center (Sacramento, CA)

Warriors Last 5 ATS: 1-4 | Kings Last 5 ATS: 3-2

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: Warriors -2 (2-Stars) | OVER 223 (4-Stars)

SportsGrid’s Top Player Props: Brandin Podziemski OVER 5.5 Points (5-Stars, +110) | Domantas Sabonis OVER 18.5 Points (5-Stars)

Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. ET: No. 8 Miami Heat @ No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers: Betting Preview

• Spread: 76ers -4.5 | Moneyline: 76ers -198 | Total: 207
• Where to Watch: ESPN | Location: Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia, PA)

Heat Last 5 ATS: 3-2 | 76ers Last 5 ATS: 5-0

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: 76ers -4.5 (1-Star) | OVER 207 (5-Stars)

SportsGrid’s Top Player Props: Jimmy Butler UNDER 23.5 Points (5-Stars) | Kelly Oubre Jr. OVER 13.5 Points (5-Stars)

Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. ET: No. 10 Atlanta Hawks @ No. 9 Chicago Bulls: Betting Preview

• Spread: Bulls -3 | Moneyline: Bulls -148 | Total: 220.5
• Where to Watch: ESPN | Location: United Center (Chicago, IL)

Hawks Last 5 ATS: 1-4 | Bulls Last 5 ATS: 3-2

SportsGrid’s Best Bets: Bulls -3 (2-Stars) | UNDER 220.5 (2-Stars)

SportsGrid’s Top Player Props: Dejounte Murray OVER 5.5 Assists (5-Stars) | Nikola Vucevic UNDER 11.5 Rebounds (5-Stars)