As the NBA regular season enters its final month, the anticipation for the playoffs is reaching a fever pitch. The playoff picture is starting to take shape as teams secure their postseason berths, setting the stage for an exhilarating postseason.
With the season concluding April 13, the top six teams from the Western and Eastern conferences will secure their playoff spots. All eyes will be on the play-in tournament, during which teams ranked seventh to 10th will battle it out for a chance to continue their postseason journey. The top two teams in each conference will complete the eight-team bracket within their respective conferences, with the playoffs beginning April 19.
Three teams have already secured their spots in the playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers have already clinched their division and boast the NBA’s best record. while the Boston Celtics are in pursuit of their 19th championship. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the best in the West and striving for their first title with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge.
Here are the current NBA power rankings according to championship odds are we head into the final weeks of the season.
NBA power rankings according to odds
Here are the updated NBA power rankings according to championship odds at BetMGM.
5. Denver Nuggets (+1200)
The Denver Nuggets have a few weeks to improve their position in the postseason standings, and with Nikola Jokic leading the charge anything is possible. Although Jokic is dealing with ankle and elbow injuries, he has stated that he is playing the best basketball of his life. He is averaging 29.1 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game. With the support of Jamal Murray, the Nuggets aim to perform well in the final stretch of the season to secure a favorable playoff spot.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (+1000)
The injury-ridden Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a challenging position as they head into the final weeks of the regular season. LeBron James has been ruled out due to a groin strain he sustained in early March, but he continues to make progress in hopes of returning soon. He is not the only Lakers player affected by an injury; Austin Reaves is dealing with a calf injury, Luka Doncic also has a calf injury, and Rui Hachimura is sidelined for at least a week due to a knee injury.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (+500)
The Cleveland Cavaliers are finishing the regular season on a high note, having set a franchise record with 16 consecutive victories. They find themselves in a strong position as they head into the playoffs, as they were the first team to secure a playoff spot and could potentially become the top seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time since the 2015-16 season, when they won the championship.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder (+225)
The Oklahoma City Thunder have secured a playoff spot after a close victory against the defending champions, the Boston Celtics. They are now aiming to clinch the top seed in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season. The Thunder are led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, a front-runner for the MVP award who is having an outstanding season, averaging 33 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game.
1. Boston Celtics (+215)
The defending champions, the Boston Celtics, are pursuing their 19th title after securing a postseason berth. With this achievement, the Celtics extend the league’s longest active streak for consecutive playoff appearances to 12 seasons. They clinched a playoff spot even without their star center, Kristaps Porzingis, who had been sidelined for eight games due to illness. Fortunately for the Celtics, Porzingis has now returned to the lineup.