Pacers, Hawks and Wizards Open as Odds-on Favorites to Make 2021 Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament
- The NBA play-in tournament is here to stay – seeds seven through ten in each conference will go into a short knockout series to decide who takes the final playoff spots
- Pre-season odds favor the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards to be involved
- See the opening odds for all Eastern Conference teams below
Training camps are underway. Pre-season exhibitions are a matter of days away. The 2020-21 NBA season is almost upon us – it will be a season like no other, and the first to have a pre-arranged play-in tournament after the league experimented with the format during the truncated 2019-20 campaign.
The seven and eight seeds play one game, with the winner taking the seven seed in the playoffs. The nine and 10 seeds play a game, too, with the winner facing the loser of the seven-eight matchup. The winner of the final game will take the eight seed. Effectively, the seven and eight seeds get two opportunities to win one game, while the nine and 10 seeds have to win two in a row to earn a post-season berth.
A play-in provides a fresh betting market to consider in the NBA playoff odds.
2021 Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks | -115 |
| Indiana Pacers | -115 |
| Washington Wizards | -110 |
| Orlando Magic | +100 |
| Chicago Bulls | +155 |
| Charlotte Hornets | +160 |
| Philadelphia 76ers | +280 |
| Toronto Raptors | +280 |
| Detroit Pistons | +360 |
| Miami Heat | +370 |
| Boston Celtics | +410 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | +500 |
| New York Knicks | +600 |
| Brooklyn Nets | +1000 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | +1800 |
Odds taken from FanDuel on Dec. 9th
Don’t Underrate the Pacers
The Hawks got a lot better over the offseason. Indiana is perceived as the weakest of the East’s top seven. The Wizards just traded for Russell Westbrook after extending Davis Bertans. Their backcourt is arguably the best in the conference and anything less than a play-in spot would be a terrible season.
All three of the teams favored by FanDuel are unsurprising, though perhaps the Pacers could feel hard done by. Indiana was fourth in the East last season and fifth in each of the two seasons before. Uncertainty comes with a change of coach, and it’s unclear what the future holds for Victor Oladipo, but their postseason shortcomings should not distract from their ability to accumulate regular season wins. This is still a talented group.
It’s fair to see the Pacers settling as the seven or eight seed, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them fighting for homecourt in the first round once again. They are the worst value of the three odds-on teams.
Hornets and Bulls Represent Value
There’s understandable skepticism about the Bulls. Lauri Markkanen took a step back, and they are short on playmaking. With Billy Donovan in charge, though, this unquestionably talented young core should take a step forward in 2021. They were 11th at 22-43 last season – they’re a sneaky pick to finish in the top two play-in spots.
There’s plenty of upside on that roster, and it’s hard to judge the team, or individual players, fairly after the turbulent 2019-20 they endured. They’re worth backing at +155.
Just behind at +160, the same goes for the Charlotte Hornets. For all the justifiable criticism of the Gordon Hayward contract, he makes this team better. Hayward joins a roster that has its fair share of upside in LaMelo Ball, Devonte’ Graham, PJ Washington, Malik Monk and Miles Bridges.
Both Chicago and Charlotte represent decent betting options even if it takes a bit of imagination to see them as playoff teams.
Odds Movement
Barring major injuries, drastic odds movement is unlikely before the start of the season. Obviously a James Harden trade would see the Sixers’ odds lengthen significantly, but other than that, it’s a question of where the money will be wagered. Could a swell of Knicks optimism see their price shorten? Will bettors heavily back the Wizards at that price?
The prospect of Beal and Westbrook could see a lot of support. While their odds to make the playoffs at -110 don’t represent great value, backing them to land in the play-in looks a really good bet at this point. The defensive end is still a concern, but they project to be an elite offensive team and that alone should be enough to make the play-in.
There will always be speculation about the Knicks. The sheer size of their fan base could make the odds move, and with several other bad teams in the East, it’s not impossible to convince yourself they can reach the 10 seed. Those who like the look of the Knicks at +600 might be better off moving quickly.
Sam Cox is a freelance writer and sports junkie, who has spent the past several years immersed in the online gaming industry. He has worked with 888sport, Oddschecker, and Colossus Bets to name a few. Based in the UK, Sam also runs Franchise Sports with his brother.
