At the onset of the week, the Oklahoma City Thunder holds the best NBA betting record in the league and has already clinched a postseason berth. They are followed closely in the Western Conference by the San Antonio Spurs, who have also secured their spot.
The middle of the West remains highly competitive as the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves are all within striking distance of each other for home-court advantage. At the bottom of the Western bracket, the Phoenix Suns and LA Clippers occupy the final guaranteed spots. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers are currently positioned for the play-in tournament.
By contrast, in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons lead the online wagering pack and have clinched their postseason position. The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks follow in second and third place, respectively. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic are also firmly in the mix for top seeds. The race for the final guaranteed playoff spots involves the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Charlotte Hornets are battling to stay in the play-in range as the regular season concludes.
Several teams have been officially eliminated from playoff contention, including the Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, and Indiana Pacers.
Analysis of NBA championship odds shows the Oklahoma City Thunder as favorites, followed by the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets. The upcoming SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament is scheduled for April 14-17. And then the first round of the playoffs officially begins on April 18.
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Biggest Disappointments This Season
The Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers stand out as the biggest disappointments of the season after being the first teams mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. Sacramento entered the year with a high-priced veteran core, including Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine. But they collapsed following the departure of De’Aaron Fox and a franchise-record 15-game losing streak.
The Indiana Pacers fell even further from NBA betting odds grace after a 2025 run to the NBA Finals due to a season-ending injury to Tyrese Haliburton and the loss of Myles Turner in free agency. In a similar way, the New Orleans Pelicans have also failed to meet expectations. Persistent health issues for Zion Williamson and a lack of depth following the Derik Queen trade left them near the bottom of the Western Conference. Finally, in Dallas, the Mavericks have struggled as they try to integrate rookie Cooper Flagg into a lineup hampered by injuries to Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II.
Key NBA Matchups This Week
The NBA schedule from March 16 through March 22 features several matchups that will directly impact the final playoff and play-in seeding. Consider that one of the most critical stretches involves a home-and-home series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets on March 16 and March 18. These games are vital because both teams are currently neck-and-neck for the fourth seed in the Western Conference, which determines home-court advantage in the first round.
In the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic enter a March 16 game against the Atlanta Hawks on a seven-game winning streak. Specifically, this contest is significant for Orlando as they try to climb into the top three while Atlanta fights to solidify their spot in the play-in tournament.
On March 17, the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to face the Milwaukee Bucks in a game that could decide future playoff tiebreakers for the Cavs. Following that, Cleveland faces another high-stakes game against the Magic on March 18, which could serve as a preview of a 4-versus-5 first-round playoff series.
The week concludes with a major cross-conference showdown on March 22 when the Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Boston Celtics. Correlate that this game features a marquee individual matchup between Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Brown. And it carries weight for Minnesota as they attempt to chase down a higher seed in the West.
Additionally, the San Antonio Spurs face the Sacramento Kings on March 17, and the Minnesota Timberwolves play the Golden State Warriors on March 20. Both games have massive implications for the Western Conference playoff bracket.