The NBA season is down to its final few days, and teams are trying to either get ready for the playoffs or play out the string. Two teams on the coming night’s schedule are almost completely assured of making the playoffs. One team still has a little bit of work to do, but its odds are improving. A fourth team in this doubleheader knows that it will be staying at home during May and June.
San Antonio Spurs @ Dallas Mavericks
Thursday, 8:05 PM ET
NBA Basketball Betting Odds: Dallas -2
This is one of those games in which the successful nature of one team might militate against its chances of victory. San Antonio is 60-18 entering this game, three games ahead of Oklahoma City (21 losses) in the race for the number one seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs have just four games left in their season, which means that they would need to lose three of their remaining four games in order for Oklahoma City to catch them. This is just not a very likely thing, and since San Antonio hosts both Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers in the coming week, it is very likely that the Spurs can get their remaining allotment of needed wins in other games. They don’t have to beat Dallas here on the Mavericks’ home court. Dallas is locked in an urgent competition with Phoenix and Memphis for one of the last two playoff spots in the West. The Mavericks are fighting for survival, whereas the Spurs are playing for a seeding and home-court advantage, both of which they’re already very likely to get. Dallas is the team with a competitive advantage here. That will probably make the difference on Thursday.
NBA Betting Pick: Dallas -2
Denver Nuggets @ Golden State Warriors
Thursday, 10:35 PM ET
NBA Basketball Betting Odds: Golden State -12
The Golden State Warriors are extremely likely to make the playoffs, but they still have to make it official. The Warriors, like other teams, won’t want to have to leave their situation in a state of uncertainty any longer than is absolutely necessary. That’s going to be a real motivator for Golden State in this game in Oakland. The Warriors have just endured a shakeup to their coaching staff, with assistant coach Darren Erman being fired just a few weeks after another assistant, former NBA player Brian Scalabrine, was reassigned to the NBA Development League and the Warriors’ affiliate in that part of the professional basketball structure. One could say that Golden State is going through a lot of painful transitions and disruptions, thereby making the Warriors susceptible to a letdown in this game. That’s certainly possible, and some bettors are going to think about these developments when they make their play. However, Denver isn’t nearly as good as Golden State. The Nuggets are limping toward the finish line and are going through a road game with tired legs. Golden State wants to get ready for the playoffs. This is a game the Warriors should win.
NBA Betting Pick: Golden State -12
