NBA Playoffs Review And Preview Of A Potentially Exciting End To The Season

The NBA Playoffs are now here and we are in the midst of the first round of games in both the Western and Eastern Conference.

In what has been a dramatic, unusual and sometimes downright crazy season, we are now down to the nitty gritty – the part of the year when the big players need to stand up and be counted if they are to lead their team to the promised land of the NBA Championship game.

In this article, we are going to take a quick look back at how the regular season finished in both conferences, before we review how the Play In Tournament panned out, and how the first couple of games in the First Round of the Playoffs have gone.

Then we will look forward to the remaining First Round Games and then who will make into the Conference Semi Finals, Final and then the NBA Finals for the two Conference Champions.

Bet365 Sport has extensive betting available on the NBA throughout the playoffs and regular season and you can also still bet on which team will be the outright winner of the Playoffs and each Conference with the betting site.

So let’s begin with a quick look back at how the season finished and who were the teams to make it into the Playoffs.

NBA Regular Season Review

Teams finishing 1^st to 6^th in each Conference qualified for the NFL Playoffs 1^st Round.

Teams finishing 7^th to 10^th in each Conference qualified for the NBA Play In Tournament which will decide which two of the four teams in each conference Play In touraments will make it into the First Round.

Eastern Conference Regular Season Final Table

Eastern Conference Play In Results

• Chicago Bulls 109-105 Toronto Raptors (Raptors eliminated, Bulls move onto 8^th seed game)
• Atlanta Hawks 116-105 Miami Heat (Hawks become 7^th seed, Heat move onto 8^th seed game)
• Chicago Bulls 91–102 Miami Heat (Bulls eliminated, Heat become the 8^th seed)

Western Conference Regular Season Final Table

Western Conference Play In Results

• Oklahoma City Thunder 123-118 New Orleans Pelicans (Pelicans eliminated, Thunder move onto eighth seed game)
• Minnesota Timberwolves 102-108 Los Angeles Lakers (Lakers become 7^th seed, Timberwolves move onto eighth seed game)
• Oklahoma City Thunder 95–120 Minnesota Timberwolves (Timberwolves become 8^th seed, Thunder are eliminated)

NBA Stars Of The Season

Points Per Game

1. Joel Embiid (76ers) – 33.1
2. Luka Doncic (Mavericks) – 32.4
3. Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers) – 32.2
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder) – 31.4
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks) – 31.1

Assists Per Game

1. James Harden (76ers) – 10.7
2. Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers) – 10.4
3. Trae Young (Hawks) – 10.2
4. Nicola Jokic (Nuggets) – 9.8
5. Chris Paul (Suns) – 8.9

NBA All Star Game Starters

Western Conference

• LeBron James (Lakers)
• Stephen Curry (Warriors)
• Luka Doncic (Mavericks)
• Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
• Zion Williamson (Pelicans)

Eastern Conference

• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
• Kevin Durant (Nets traded to Suns)
• Kyrie Irving (Nets traded to Mavericks)
• Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
• Jayson Tatum (Celtics)

NBA MVP Finalists

• Joel Embiid (76ers)
• Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)

NBA Playoffs Round 1 – Eastern Conference

Brooklyn Nets (6) v Philadelphia 76ers (3)

• Game 1 – 76ers Win 121-101 (0-1)
• Game 2 – 76ers Win 96-84 (0-2)
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

Atlanta Hawks (7) v Boston Celtics (2)

• Game 1 – Celtics win 112-99 (0-1)
• Game 2 – Celtics win 119-106 (0-2)
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

Miami Heat (8) v Milwaukee Bucks (1)

• Game 1 – Heat win 130-117 (1-0)
• Game 2 – To Be Played
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

New York Knicks (5) v Cleveland Cavaliers (4)

• Game 1 – Knicks win 101-97 (1-0)
• Game 2 – Cavaliers win 107-90 (1-1)
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

NBA Playoffs Round 1 – Western Conference

Golden State Warriors (6) v Sacramento Kings (3)

• Game 1 – Kings win 126-123 (0-1)
• Game 2 – Kings win 114-106 (0-2)
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

Los Angeles Clippers (5) v Phoenix Suns (4)

• Game 1 – Clippers win 115-110 (1-0)
• Game 2 – Suns win 123-109 (1-1)
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

Minnesota Timberwolves (8) v Denver Nuggets (1)

• Game 1 – Nuggets win 109-80 (0-1)
• Game 2 – To Be Played
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

Los Angeles Lakers (7) v Memphis Grizzlies (2)

• Game 1 – Lakers win 128-112 (1-0)
• Game 2 – To Be Played
• Game 3 – To Be Played
• Game 4 – To Be Played
• Game 5 – To Be Played
• Game 6 – To Be Played
• Game 7 – To Be Played

*All Games 5, 6 and 7 are only played if no team has won four games at that point in the series. As soon as a team wins four games, they win the series and move into the Conference semi finals.

Who Do Bet365 Back to be NBA Champions?

Bet365 currently have the Boston Celtics to be the 27/10 favourites to win the NBA Championship ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks (33/10), Phoenix Suns (11/2) and Philadelphia 76ers (6/1)

If you fancy a flutter on the remaining games in the NBA season, check out the wide range of bets available at bet365 Sport over the coming few weeks.