Updated Odds to Make NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs With 5 Games to Play
- The Orlando Magic have a favorable final five games
- Brooklyn and Miami will be tested with formidable foes
- Who will claim the final two playoff spots in the East?
The West is settled, but there’s still some jockeying left to do in the NBA’s Eastern Conference playoff picture.
As the calendar turns to April, two teams will be left playing the fool, while two others will move from the exhilaration of getting into the dance, to massive betting underdogs – easy feed for the big fish of the conference – in a matter of days.
For now, let’s sort out the present, and read on to find out which of the two current teams sitting pretty is about to get ousted.
Odds to Make 2019 NBA Playoffs
| Team | Record (Standing) | Odds to Make Playoffs | Odds to Miss Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Nets | 39-38 (7th) | -500 | +300 |
| Miami Heat | 38-38 (8th) | +170 | -250 |
| Orlando Magic | 38-39 (9th) | -500 | +300 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 35-41 (10th) | +1200 | -2500 |
*Odds taken April 1, 2019
Charlotte Hornets
The Bugs will most definitely miss the playoffs after getting crushed in Golden State last night.
Despite an impressive four game winning streak, with wins over Boston, Toronto (at the buzzer!) and San Antonio in overtime, they sit at just 35 wins.
You have just witnessed the most absurd NBA buzzer beater in a long time
Jeremy Lamb keeps the Hornets in playoff race with THIS pic.twitter.com/3EAQFrKEUw
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 25, 2019
The loss to the Warriors was going to be tough, but what really hurts is the momentum-killing loss to a Lakers squad that had nothing to play for the previous game.
Orlando Magic
Sitting just one game out of seventh place, there is no team hotter right now out of this group than the Magic, who’ve reeled off wins in seven of their last eight games, with key victories over Philly, Miami and Indiana along the way.
Nikola Vucevic has tied Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady for an impressive franchise feat ?#Magic #Puremagic pic.twitter.com/7daT9gfhi0
— Magic Nation (@MagicNationCP) March 27, 2019
Their offense revolves around the stellar play of all-star Nikola Vucevic, who’s averaging 20 points and 12 rebounds on 51.7% shooting this season.
But a team ranked 25th in the NBA in scoring relies on their ability to defend and not hurt themselves. The Magic are fifth in points allowed, and are in a tie for third in the NBA for fewest turnovers per game.
Miami Heat
What a difference a month makes. The Heat disintegrated in February, going just 3-9 and looking like a write-off for the playoffs.
But March has been quite the turnaround. They went 11-4 to move back to .500 on the season, with eight different players leading the team in scoring during that stretch.
?BALL HARD D. WAITERS?
Dion dropped a season high 28 points on the Knicks in last night's victory to go with 6 assists.
?? #HEATHighlights pic.twitter.com/cvWe7bwnXV— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 31, 2019
The veteran bench unit tandem of Goran Dragic and Dwyane Wade has also been fire, which they’ll need to keep up as Miami has a killer closing month.
It begins with a home-and-home against Boston tonight. And they close out the year with Toronto, Philly and Brooklyn, which could very well be a winner-makes-it to the playoffs game.
23 PTS | 12 REB | 11 AST@Goran_Dragic records his second career triple-double in the @MiamiHEAT win vs. DAL! #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/YOoW4s0aga
— NBA (@NBA) March 29, 2019
If that’s the case, the stakes will be extra high, as we could very well be watching the final game of Wade’s illustrious career.
Brooklyn Nets
Take a second to marvel at the Nets’ resurgence. With nary a draft pick after a disastrous deal with the Celtics five years ago, they’ve rebuilt through discarded draft picks and potential-laden fliers.
20 third quarter points for D'Angelo Russell ❄️ pic.twitter.com/toB0I4lZRp
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 31, 2019
D’Angelo Russell was a first-time all-star this year, and the favorite to take home Most Improved Player honors leads a team talented enough to make an opponent uneasy in the playoffs – if they can get there.
Heading to Brooklyn tonight and as the Nets have a 78% chance of making the playoffs, I have a stress level of 100%
— Bobby Stack (@stackgainsgreen) April 1, 2019
They’ve gone 3-5 in their last eight, and all room for error is gone. Plus, no team has a tougher closing five games. Brooklyn plays Milwaukee, Toronto, Milwaukee and Indiana. If they can survive that, they’ll have Miami in a crucial closer on April 10.
What’s the Best Bet to Make?
Taking Charlotte to miss the playoffs (-2500) is a lock, but doesn’t bring much value.
Instead, take the feisty Heat (+170) to navigate their tough schedule into the playoffs, while also taking Brooklyn to miss (+300). The Florida teams will advance, but Orlando at (-500) isn’t as enticing.
so if the magic, heat, and nets are all tied at the end of the year and miami beats brooklyn on the last day of the season, the magic get the 7 seed, miami gets the 8th seed, and brooklyn falls out of the playoffs.
— Fultz4thewin (@ilikethisteam11) April 1, 2019
Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
