NBA Betting is Back - Odds To Make The Playoffs After 8 Game Season Restart

Last Updated on June 8, 2020

The NBA is back! Basketball is set to resume at the end of July, which includes an eight-game sprint for playoff seedings and for a few teams to get into the playoff race. This will mean there will be a vast number of games to wager on in a short period of time in July and August, something that has never happened before. With the new NBA schedule comes new betting markets, including betting on which teams will make the playoffs. Let’s take a look.

The NBA’s Board of Governors has voted to approve the league’s 22-team format to restart the 2019-2020 season in Orlando, source tells ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 4, 2020

NBA Betting – Odds To Reach Playoffs

Team	To Reach Playoffs	To Miss Playoffs
Brooklyn Nets	-10000	+1200
Memphis Grizzlies	-150	+112
New Orleans Pelicans	+400	-670
Orlando Magic	-10000	+1200
Phoenix Suns	+6000	–
Portland Trail Blazers	+450	-835
Sacramento Kings	+1100	-10000
San Antonio Spurs	+1300	-10000
Washington Wizards	+1100	-10000

At DraftKings Sportsbook, there are quite a few betting markets already available to wager on for the NBA’s return to play. The most interesting is the “To Reach Playoffs” futures market which consists of nine NBA teams that are vying for the last few playoff spots before the NBA Playoffs begin. Of the nine teams available to wager on, the most interesting is the Memphis Grizzlies at -150 to reach, but +112 to miss the playoffs. The Grizzlies are right on the fence, and have a solid young core of players that will be in the playoff hunt for years to come. Also, is there some other motivation for the future too?

I.e., if Memphis misses the playoffs, their first-round pick — owed to Boston with top-6 protection this season, unprotected next season — becomes a lottery pick. https://t.co/KLy6ZZsiY1

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) June 4, 2020

Bet on the NBA Finals Odds

Team	To Win NBA Finals
Los Angeles Lakers	+250
Milwaukee Bucks	+250
Los Angeles Clippers	+333
Houston Rockets	+1300
Boston Celtics	+2200
Toronto Raptors	+2200
Denver Nuggets	+3000
Miami Heat	+3000
Philadelphia 76ers	+3000

NBA bettors can also still wager on who will win the NBA Finals, with quite the selection of teams. The Lakers and the Bucks are co-favorites at +250 to win the NBA Finals, but the Los Angeles Clippers are right behind them at +333. This will be a betting market to monitor given the new structure and plenty of rest since March, when the NBA season was suspended.

NBA Returns July 31st

Target NBA schedule from '19-'20 to '20-'21 season

∙ Training camp – July 9-11
∙ '19-'20 season – July 31-Oct. 12
∙ Draft lottery – Aug. 25
∙ NBA Draft – Oct. 15
∙ Free agency – Oct. 18
∙ '20-'21 training camp – Nov. 10
∙ '20-'21 season start – Dec. 1

(via @wojespn) pic.twitter.com/H1C8N60DKn

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 4, 2020

The NBA is officially back, after the Board of Governors approved the NBA’s return plan to resume the season starting July 9th (training camp) with the season beginning on July 31st. This is terrific news for the sports betting community, as bettors can wager on everything from the NBA Finals to the above market of making the playoffs. In addition, this schedule outlines what is to come for the next NBA season, which could start on December 1st. The coronavirus pandemic was brutal without the NBA for a few months, but the only silver lining would be that we will only not have basketball for a short layoff after the 2020 NBA Finals.