NBA Play-In Tournament Odds: Lakers, Bulls Favored For Playoff Prelude
The regular season's getting ready for its home stretch after the recent All-Star break, and Sportsbooks have NBA Play-In Tournament odds live as teams continue to jockey for postseason positioning.
This NBA futures market has added a wrinkle of intrigue for bettors in recent seasons, and while several teams appear to be more or less locks for this season's play-in, there are still plenty of factors that could shake up the odds over the next month-plus.
As the fight for an NBA playoff spot intensifies, bettors can back the following teams' NBA odds to land in the 2024 Play-In Tournament.
2024 NBA Play-In Tournament odds
Eastern Conference play-in
| Team |  |
 |
 Chicago Bulls |
-750 | -700 |
 Atlanta Hawks |
-425 | -400 |
 Philadelphia 76ers |
-215 | -210 |
 Indiana Pacers |
+100 | -125 |
 Orlando Magic |
+100 | -105 |
 Miami Heat |
+175 | +155 |
 Brooklyn Nets |
+190 | +155 |
 New York Knicks |
+800 | +900 |
Western Conference play-in
| Team | |
|
 Golden State Warriors |
-1,200 | -700 |
 Los Angeles Lakers |
-900 | -650 |
 Sacramento Kings |
-195 | -230 |
 Dallas Mavericks |
-195 | -170 |
 Phoenix Suns |
+120 | -115 |
 New Orleans Pelicans |
+140 | +100 |
 Utah Jazz |
+1,200 | +900 |
 Houston Rockets |
+1,000 | +1,000 |
Odds as of February 22, 2024.
2024 NBA Play-In Tournament favorites
Eastern Conference
At least two teams appear to be destined for the Play-In Tournament out East: The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks, who sit ninth and 10th, respectively, with a significant cushion to break into the Top 6. Both front offices had stunningly quiet trade deadlines, and the overwhelming play-in odds are a testament to each franchise's commitment to mediocrity.
Currently slotted for the other two spots are Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers. Philly's seen as an easy mark to likely lose ground with would-be MVP Joel Embiid sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Indiana's a slim favorite over the Miami Heat, and tied with the Orlando Magic, despite holding a half-Game edge for the No. 6 seed (thus avoiding the play-in). As of February 22, the Magic and Heat own the first and fourth-easiest schedules remaining, per Tankathon, which definitely factors into this price.
Western Conference
Out West, the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors are both mortal locks for the play-in, occupying the ninth and 10th seeds, with a several-game cushion over the Utah Jazz, who, per Tankathon, have the sixth-toughest remaining schedule. Either of the former champs would have to go on a serious tear to catch the 6-seed — one that their aging and inconsistent rosters may not be built for.
The current 7 and 8-seeds also figure to hold steady, with the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings also slotted as odds-on favorites. The margins are slim though; with the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans just a game up on Dallas for the No. 6 seed. The Suns, in particular, face the toughest remaining schedule, and the durability of their stars is a constant concern.
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What is the NBA Play-In Tournament?
The NBA Play-In Tournament is a relatively new wrinkle in the league's playoff format. Instead of the Top 8 teams all being guaranteed playoff spots, the 7-through-10 seeds in each conference are entered into a mini-tournament, taking place shortly after the regular season's conclusion.
NBA Play-In Tournament format
Here's how the Play-In tournament works:
The 7 and 8-seeds earn double-elimination status and play each other, while the 9 and 10-seeds play in a single-elimination Game. The winner of the 7-8 Game earns the No. 7 seed, while the loser of the 7-8 Game then plays the winner of the 9-10 Games for the No. 8 seed.
From there, the playoffs begin in earnest, following the traditional bracket format.
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NBA Play-In Tournament schedule
The 2024 Play-In Tournament will take place on April 16-19, with matchups to be announced.
| Date | Matchup |
| April 16 | TBA |
| April 16 | TBA |
| April 17 | TBA |
| April 17 | TBA |
| April 19 | TBA |
| April 19 | TBA |
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When was the NBA Play-In Tournament introduced?
The Play-In Tournament was introduced, in a beta concept form, for the 2020 season as part of the league's plans for a bubble re-launch during the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic — originally just with the 8 and 9-seeds playing.
After positive initial impressions from both fans and media, the Play-In Tournament was expanded to its current format and introduced, however unideal the timing, for a 2020-21 season that was already marred by pandemic absences and injuries.
NBA Play-In Tournament trends
- 2023 marked the first upsets in the opening round of games, with the lower seed taking three of the four games.
- 2023 was fruitful for the eventual success of play-in teams, with the 7-seed Los Angeles Lakers going on a run to the Western Conference Finals, and the 8-seed Miami Heat making it all the way to the NBA Finals.
NBA Play-In Tournament Odds FAQ
The play-in is a new mini tournament that decides the No. 7 and 8 seeds for the playoffs in each conference.
The Nos. 7 through 10 seeds in each conference are entered into the play-in.
The Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers are the most likely teams to be in each conference's play-in.
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