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NBA In-Season Tournament Odds: Who Are the Favourites?
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The principle of the brand-new and inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament format has gone down well in basketball fan circles, who appreciate adding some extra interest to the early portion phase of the season.
With the group stage wrapped up, the knockout stage is set. Early favourites among NBA bookies include the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks, both leading the way at the top of the market.
2023 In-Season Tournament Bracket
The groups are over, and it was a thrilling contest - with some narrow victories in the final game round.
The Sacramento Kings beat the Warriors 124-123 to top Group C, while a 106-103 result for the Minnesota Timberwolves against Oklahoma City clinched the Phoenix Suns a Wild Card spot. The Celtics, the Bucks, the New York Knicks, the New Orleans Pelicans, the Indiana Pacers, and Los Angeles Lakers have also made the next stage.
Now the group stages are finished, the bracket has been established - here are the upcoming games:
West: Quarter-Finals
- Pelicans vs Kings: Monday 4th December at 10 pm ET from the Golden 1 Center.
- Suns vs Lakers: Tuesday 5th December at 10 pm ET from the Crypto.com Arena.
- West: Semi-Finals - TBD vs TBD
East: Quarter-Finals
- Celtics vs Pacers: Monday 4th December at 7.30 pm ET from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
- Knicks vs Bucks: Tuesday 5th December at 7.30 pm ET from the Fiserv Forum.
- East: Semi-Finals - TBD vs TBD
Championship Final
- TBD vs TBD - Saturday, 9th December at 7.30 pm ET from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
NBA In-Season Tournament Odds
| Team |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Pelicans | 53.50 | 13.00 | 51.00 | 50.00 | 50.00 | 13.00 |
| Sacramento Kings | 40.70 | 6.00 | 41.00 | 40.00 | 40.00 | 6.00 |
| Phoenix Suns | 8.02 | 7.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 | 7.00 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 19.86 | 6.50 | 19.00 | 19.00 | 19.00 | 6.50 |
| Boston Celtics |
4.60 | 4.00 | 4.50 | 4.60 | 4.60 | 4.00 |
| Indiana Pacers | 210.00 | 13.00 | 251.00 | 220.00 | 220.00 | 13.00 |
| New York Knicks | 52.00 | 15.00 | 15.00 | 50.00 | 50.00 | 15.00 |
| Milwaukee Bucks |
5.16 | 4.30 | 5.00 | 5.20 | 5.20 | 4.30 |
Understanding In-Season Tournament Odds
Online sportsbooks and NBA sports betting apps begin posting odds for this tournament during the prior offseason, allowing bettors to lock in their bets ahead of time. However, as the regular season progresses and various factors come into play, these odds are subject to change.
Player transfers are major factors affecting the odds for the In-Season Tournament. Throughout the season, teams may make trades or sign players from other leagues, which can impact their overall performance and chances in the tournament. Sportsbooks will take these changes into account and adjust the odds accordingly.
Player performance and improvement also play a crucial role in the odds for the In-Season Tournament. As the season goes on, some players may experience slumps while others may see significant improvements in their game. Sportsbooks will monitor these trends and adjust the odds based on each team's current roster and individual player performances.
Injuries are another critical factor that can significantly impact the odds for the In-Season Tournament. If a star player on a top-ranked team gets injured, their chances of winning the tournament may decrease, causing sportsbooks to adjust their odds accordingly.
The odds aren't always based on on-court or off-court shenanigans - it can be as simple as mathematics. For example, suppose bettors start backing one team en masse (a betting volume - or handle in bookmaker parlance). In that case, the odds will naturally shorten as the bookmakers ensure their margin remains intact. Remember, the bookmaker's margin is the deviation of the odds offered from the 'true price'.
You can learn more about how odds work using our betting odds calculator - simply input your bet, your odds, your stake, and see how much it will return if it comes in. Remember, the best way to make the most of your betting balance is by claiming the best betting bonuses - it gives you better bang for your buck.
In-Season Tournament Favourites
After the group stage, a few teams are catching the eye - most of them are from the Eastern division.
MightyTips takes a look at the best betting odds available at the moment:
Boston Celtics (Odds: 5.0)
The Celtics have the best record in the NBA this season at the time of writing (14-4) and can thank Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porziņģis for their relentless good form. The five of them are in astonishing point-scoring verve - when all of them are in play, they average more than 28 points per 100 possessions.
Their recent taming of the Chicago Bulls, which landed them a place in the knockout round, has got people talking. They needed to win against the Bulls - what's more, they needed to win by 23 points or more to guarantee progression. It was a bulldozing - winning 124-97 in what was a relentless attacking exhibition.
They will take some stopping!
Milwaukee Bucks (Odds: 5.0)
The early stage of the season is yet to go to plan for the Bucks (11-6), who have a bottom-half defence and are struggling to find fluidity. They are yet to give their Greek scoring machine, Giannis Antetokounmpo, the support he needs.
However, he showed he could carry his teammates when required with a dominant 33-point display in the Bucks' victory over the Miami Heat. That result cemented their spot in the quarter-finals, and it would be difficult to rule them out of Championship glory.
Sacramento Kings (Odds: 7.0)
The elephant in the room with the Kings is the offence - where has the record-breaking attacking prowess gone? Last year, they recorded the highest offensive rating by a team in league history with 119.4, breaking the record initially set by the 2020-21 Brooklyn Nets. This year, they are floundering - last month, they registered 103.8 points per 100 possessions, which is the poorest return in the league.
Injuries to De'Aaron Fox and Keegan Murray may not have helped, and they will hope to rediscover their incisive best with brainiac creator Domantas Sabonis continuing to hit the levels of last year.
If they can rediscover their hoop-finding form, the Kings could take their place on the Championship throne.
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NBA In-Season Tournament Explained
It's new, it's shiny, it's intriguing - but while the initial feedback for the tournament has been positive, there remains some light confusion on how it works.
Here's a brief explainer:
Group Stage
The season's group stage consists of six groups, with five teams in each group. These groups are divided by conference and tiers, ensuring a competitive balance among all participating teams. This means that teams with similar records from the previous season are grouped together, giving them an equal opportunity to advance to the next round.
After completing the group stage games, teams will be ranked based on their records. The top team from each group will move on to the Knockout Round, along with two Wildcard teams. This method ensures that the most deserving teams advance to the next round, making for an exciting and fair competition.
Teams will then be reseeded for the Knockout Round based on their overall records, with higher-ranked teams facing lower-ranked teams.
Knockout Stage
The Knockout Round of the NBA Playoffs consists of six group winners and two wildcard teams, one from each conference. These eight teams compete in a single-elimination bracket, with homecourt advantage given to the teams with the best records in their respective conferences. This means the higher-ranked team will host the game in their own arena.
The Knockout Round is divided into quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals. The location of the semi-finals and finals varies each year, with the NBA selecting cities to host these games based on factors such as fan attendance, venue availability, and overall excitement for the event.
Aside from competing for the ultimate prize of becoming In-Season Tournament champions, teams also have the opportunity to win individual awards during the Knockout Round. These awards include the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award, the Finals MVP award, and the Defensive Player award.
In-season MVP Odds
| Player | |
|
 |
 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic Denver Nuggets C |
2.36 | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.40 | 2.40 |
| Luka Doncic Dallas Mavericks PG |
5.60 | 5.60 | 6.00 | 6.00 | 6.00 |
| Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers C |
7.80 | 7.80 | 8.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 |
| Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics SF |
9.40 | 9.40 | 9.00 | 9.00 | 9.00 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo Milwaukee Bucks PF |
11.00 | 11.00 | 11.00 | 11.00 | 11.00 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City Thunder PG |
11.00 | 11.00 | 11.00 | 11.00 | 11.00 |
| Kevin Durant Phoenix Suns SF |
23.00 | 23.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 | 21.00 |
| Anthony Edwards Minnesota Timberwolves SG |
26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 |
| Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors PG |
29.00 | 29.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 | 26.00 |
| Tyrese Haliburton Indiana Pacers PG |
30.00 | 30.00 | 31.00 | 31.00 | 31.00 |
| Devin Booker Phoenix Suns SG |
30.00 | 30.00 | 29.00 | 29.00 | 29.00 |
Conclusion
There you have it - our brief breakdown of all you need to know about the In-Season Tournament. The appeal has been such that there are reports the contest has attracted interest from streaming giants such as Netflix.
People have been tuning in to watch in their millions. The sport is now competing more with the dominant NFL for viewing figures over the winter months, and there is intrigue in the tournament setup.
It is tricky to see how the Celtics don't come out on top with their firepower and form, but the beauty of knockout basketball is the unpredictability that comes with it. Whether you are betting with crypto or real money, always ensure you do so responsibly.
