The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are the favorites for the NBA in-season tournament
The Boston Celtics (+300 odds) and Milwaukee Bucks (+340 odds) are the two favorites to win the inaugural NBA in-season tournament.
Eight teams qualify for the knockout phase of the tournament, which uses a single-elimination format, starting with the quarterfinals on Monday night.
The semifinals are set for Thursday in Las Vegas, with the championship game scheduled for Saturday night in Sin City.
Current Season NBA Championship Odds
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The Indiana Pacers (10-8) host the Celtics (15-4) on Monday night and the Bucks (14-6) host the New York Knicks (12-7) on Tuesday night. Eastern Conference team championship bracket.
The Sacramento Kings (11-7) host the New Orleans Pelicans (11-10) on Monday night and the Los Angeles Lakers (12-9) host the Phoenix Suns (12-8) in the Western Conference on Tuesday night.
Boston Celtics +300
The Celtics currently hold the best record in the NBA with a 0.789 winning percentage. They are the consensus favorite to win the NBA championship, with odds of +370.
The new Celtics' defense ranks second in the Eastern Conference, allowing 107.4 points per game. Leading the team is the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum (27.4 points per game) and Jaylen Brown (21.8 points per game).
The Celtics acquired center Kristaps Porzingis in an offseason trade. The "unicorn" averaged 18.9 points and 6.7 rebounds per game.Porzingis is currently out with a calf injury and is not expected to participate in in-season games.
The Celtics scored 155 points against the Pacers in early November in their only meeting of the season.
Milwaukee Bucks +340
The Bucks are led by the dangerous and dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.9 points per game) and Damian Lillard (25.5 points per game). In rookie head coach Adrian Griffin's first season, the Bucks are the third-highest scoring team in the NBA this season (121.1 points per game).
The Bucks' forward bench is a little thin.Jae Crowder is recovering from surgery to repair stomach/torso damage.
The Bucks won their group and will host the Knicks on Tuesday. Their home record this season is 9 wins and 1 loss. The Knicks are now the best defensive team in the league.
Los Angeles Lakers +550
The struggling Lakers have a perfect 4-0 record in the group stage and will face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night in Hollywood.
LeBron James, who turns 39 at the end of the month, leads the Lakers with 24.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. A healthy Anthony Davis is averaging 22.9 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
Point guard D'Angelo Russell is the Lakers' third-leading scorer, averaging 171 points per game. Despite the ongoing trade rumors surrounding the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, Russell remains focused.
Sacramento Kings +550
The Kings were the NBA's surprise team last season, finishing third in the Western Conference playoffs. They hope to build on last season's success by winning their first in-season tournament.
Point guard De'Aaron Fox is having an MVP-worthy season and is the fourth-highest scoring player in the NBA. Fox averaged 30.3 points per game and shot a career-high 37% from three-point range.
Big man Domantas Sabonis averaged a double-double of 18.6 points, 11.8 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. Shooting guard Malik Monk was named Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 14.4 points per game, including 41.3 percent shooting from 3-point range.
Phoenix Suns +650
The Suns may have the most dangerous one-two punch in the Western Conference in Kevin Durant (31.0 points per game) and Devin Booker (27.9 points per game). Booker was slowed by a sprained ankle but scored 34 points in Game 1 on Saturday.
The Suns will be without All-Star guard Bradley Beal this week. Beal played in just three games this season before being sidelined with a back injury. He has been looking to make a bigger impact since joining the team in an offseason trade with the Washington Wizards.
The Suns are just 5-5 at home this season but are 7-3 on the road and are one of the best teams in the NBA. They visit Los Angeles on Tuesday to face the Lakers in the quarterfinals.
New Orleans Pelicans +1200
The Pelicans know their fate depends on the health of Zion Williamson. The All-Star power forward missed 53 games last season with a hamstring injury but has avoided injury so far this season. Williamson averaged 23.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game for the Pelicans, shooting 56.7% from the field.
Small forward Brandon Ingram was hampered by a toe injury last year, but he has been outstanding this season, averaging 23.4 points per game.
The Pelicans will add veteran shooting guard C.J. McCollum who did not make the roster for the in-season tournament.McCollum is still recovering from a collapsed lung.
Indiana Pacers +1300
The Pacers are the highest-scoring team in the NBA this season (128.8 points per game), making them a must-watch team on TV. The Pacers have scored more than their points total in 16 of 18 games this season.
The Pacers are just 10-8 on the season as their defense is porous and allows a league-worst 125.9 points per game.
The Pacers have eight players averaging double figures, including six averaging at least 12.7 points per game. Point guard Tyrese Haliburton leads the Pacers with 27.0 points and 11.8 assists per game.
The Pacers lead 4-0 in the group stage and face the Celtics at home tonight. The quarter-finals are expected to be a penalty shootout with a total score of 242.5.
New York Knicks +1400
The Knicks are the fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference this season, with a winning percentage of 70% led by All-Star forward Julius Randle. Randle underwent ankle surgery in the offseason and has been slow to recover.
Point guard Jalen Brunson is having a strong second season with the Knicks, leading the team with 24.9 points per game.
Shooting guard RJ Barrett (18.6 points per game) battled migraines, which caused him to miss some games this season. Barrett is expected to compete in the in-season tournament.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau is a defensive guru, and not surprisingly, the Knicks have the best defense in the NBA, allowing 105.5 points per game.
The Bucks defeated the Knicks in their only game of the season. But Brunson extended the lead to 45 points with a loss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPr3ur7qr0g&ab channel=NBA
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