Playoff Implications on NBA Regular Season Finale

LeBron and the Lakers will be watching the scores today as their playoff spot will be determined by games they aren't playing in.

Meg Oliphant/CBS Sports

After an exciting season for the NBA and its fans, the playoffs are finally around the corner.

This season has been unique with Covid-19 restrictions, schedule changes, and a record setting number of injuries. Today (May 16) is the last day of the regular season, and the outcome of today's games have serious playoff implications.

After a trial run in last year's bubble, the play-in tournament will be sticking around. The play-in tournament is a new system in place for the NBA this year, it comes with controversy, but it definitely adds a lot more excitement for the end of the regular season. The teams involved in this tournament are the seventh through tenth seeds in each conference.

In the tournament's first two games, the seventh seed will be playing the eighth seed, and the ninth seed will be playing the tenth seed. The winner of the seven-eight game secures the seven seed. The eighth/final seed will be played for by the loser of the seven-eight game, and the winner of the ninth-tenth seed.

Starting in the Western Conference, sitting at the 8th seed is the Golden State Warriors, who are riding the red hot hand of Stephen Curry, who will finish off the season as the league scoring leader.

The 9th seed is the Memphis Grizzlies, led by Ja Morant but accompanied by great depth with young players possessing huge potential. The Grizzlies and Warriors face-off tomorrow for that eighth seed. Betting odds have the Warriors winning at 4.5 point favorites at -110, meaning that if you bet $100, you will win $90.91. Continuing in the Western Conference.



Moving on to the seventh seed, the Lakers currently sit at the seventh seed and come into the playoffs finally healthy with their key pieces. The Lakers and the Trail Blazers both have a 41-30 record.

Portland plays Denver today, and if they win they surely avoid the play-ins. But if Portland loses, paired with the Lakers win against New Orleans today, then the Lakers rise to the sixth seed, and Portland falls to the seventh seed. The Lakers are ten-point favorites(-110) to beat the Pelicans. Portland is five-point underdogs against Denver, so Portland may fall to the seven seed at the end of the day.

The Eastern Conference is similar with a three-way tie in the records between the eight to ten seeds. The Hornets and the Wizards face off this afternoon, and the winner secures the eighth spot. The Wizards hope to get Bradley Beal back who is dealing with hamstring tightness, if not the Wiz look for Russell Westbrook to finish off another historic season.

The Hornets have been one of the most exciting teams in the NBA this year, a fast-paced team with many high flyers. With a backcourt of LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier, they'll cause problems for the Washington defense. The Wizards are five-point favorites for the game today. The ten-seed Pacers play the Raptors today, a win will raise the Pacers to the nine-seed, which will give them homecourt in the first play-in. The loser of the Hornets-Wizards game today will fall to the tenth seed.

According to Vegas, the seventh seed Celtics have an 83% chance of making the playoffs, eight seed Hornets have a 48.6% chance, nine seed Wizards with a 35.1%, and finally the ten seed Pacers with a 33.4% chance. In the West, the seventh seed Lakers have an 86.6% chance, the eight seed Warriors at 64.4% chance, Grizzlies at 38.5%, and finally the Spurs at 17%.

Especially in the West, the play-in tournament holds serious implications for the matchups for the top seeds. The play-in tournament will host a bunch of dangerous teams, like the Warriors who have been on fire and still can have Stephen Curry drop sixty points on any night. Also the reigning NBA champions, the Lakers, get all their healthy stars back, and can likely pull off a first-round upset against the top seeds.


Look for our Eastern and Western Conference breakdowns later this week once the NBA Playoff brackets are set.

With Football and March Madness in our rear-view window, you must think that there is nothing good to bet on these days. However, there’s so much going on right now that even we are having a hard time keeping up!

So, we sent our sports editors to chase down all of the best sports to bet on to help you out.

First things first, you’ll want to make an account with FanDuel Sportsbook — a legitimate and easy way to put your money where your mouth is and bet on just about every sport, including:

  • NFL
  • NBA
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • UFC
  • and the PGA Tour

With FanDuel, enter your name, credit card, and social security number — that’s to ensure you're not a coach or player. Then you’re good to start placing bets with the most user-friendly sports betting app out there. You’ll find an easy-to-navigate interface and in-depth tutorials on every type of bet you can make. Plus, they are always offering amazing promotions. Right now, they are offering new users their No Sweat $1,000 promotion. This means you will get up to $1,000 back in Bonus Bets if you lose your first bet!

Here’s what’s heatin’ up:

Basketball: NBA Player Combos

A popular strategy is betting on whether a player will score a certain amount of points, grab a certain amount of rebounds, or dish out a certain amount of assists. For instance, say you bet that LeBron James will hit a PRA (total Points, Rebounds, and Assists in the game) over 44.5. Therefore, if his PRA is 45, you win your bet, but if it is 44, you lose.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple bets on one game with bets on another game for a chance at an even bigger payday using FanDuels Same Game Parlay Features!

Hockey: Total Shots On Goal

A “shot on goal” in hockey refers to a statistic that counts any shot that hits the net or the goalie. So, bet on the number of shots an NHL player will attempt “on goal” in the game. When a player takes a shot and is completely off — missing the net — or the goalkeeper — entirely — this won’t count toward a shot on goal. Did you know there are no regulation-draw markets in pro hockey? A hockey game is held in 3 periods. But when teams are tied at the end of the 3rd period, the winner is decided in overtime or in a shoot-out — which often leads to a nail-biting finish.

Soccer: Total Shots

Bet on the number of shots a soccer player will attempt “on goal” over the course of the game. Just like in hockey, if a player takes a bum shot it’s not counted toward a “shot on goal” or your bet. But there have been some surprising goals that can make you a few bucks.

Golf: Over/Under Birdies

A bet we see a lot lately is “whether a player will achieve “over X / under X” birdies. A birdie is a term for a score of one under par. This is when a player’s golf ball hits the green — close to the hole — in fewer shots than it usually takes to complete the hole. Here’s a hot tip: So, bet on exceptional golfers who you think can complete all 18 holes in under 72 shots, especially at Augusta National!


Baseball: NRFI

Believe it or not, the MLB is home to one of the most popular betting props - the NRFI, the MVP bet for our time. It stands for "No Run First Inning".

With the NRFI, you don't have to waste four hours anxiously waiting to see who the winner is. Instead, you only need six quick outs at the beginning of the game, with 89 percent of the game still remaining.

Simply put, it’s revolutionized how people view baseball. For such a brief time-investment, NRFI transforms the most sleepy sport in the world into the most intense and electric betting out there. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and give you a hit of instant gratification when you win!

Just because March Madness is behind us doesn’t mean your sports betting fun is on pause until ‘24.

Make FanDuel Sportsbook your place of the year, no matter the sport or the game.

So March Madness is over, and either you won big or died trying. Whatever the case may be, now that the hoopla of the tournament is behind us, you may be thinking that there’s nothing exciting to bet on before the ramp-up to the NBA Playoffs. However, there’s so much more going on post-March Madness than you might realize.

So, we sent our sports editors to chase down all of the best sports to bet on now that the winning team has been crowned.

First things first, you’ll want to make an account with FanDuel Sportsbook — a legitimate and easy way to put your money where your mouth is and bet on just about every sport, including:

  • NFL
  • NBA
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • UFC
  • and the PGA Tour

With FanDuel, enter your name, credit card, and social security number — that’s to ensure you're not a coach or player. Then you’re good to start placing bets with the most user-friendly sports betting app out there. You’ll find an easy-to-navigate interface and in-depth tutorials on every type of bet you can make. Plus, they are always offering amazing promotions. Right now, when new users bet $5, they get $150 in Bonus Bets, win or lose!

It’s post-March Madness- Here’s what’s heatin’ up:

Basketball: NBA Player Combos

A popular strategy is betting on whether a player will score a certain amount of points, grab a certain amount of rebounds, or dish out a certain amount of assists. For instance, say you bet that LeBron James will hit a PRA (total Points, Rebounds, and Assists in the game) over 44.5. Therefore, if his PRA is 45, you win your bet, but if it is 44, you lose.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple bets on one game with bets on another game for a chance at an even bigger payday using FanDuels Same Game Parlay Features!

Hockey: Total Shots On Goal

A “shot on goal” in hockey refers to a statistic that counts any shot that hits the net or the goalie. So, bet on the number of shots an NHL player will attempt “on goal” in the game. When a player takes a shot and is completely off — missing the net — or the goalkeeper — entirely — this won’t count toward a shot on goal. Did you know there are no regulation-draw markets in pro hockey? A hockey game is held in 3 periods. But when teams are tied at the end of the 3rd period, the winner is decided in overtime or in a shoot-out — which often leads to a nail-biting finish.

Soccer: Total Shots

Bet on the number of shots a soccer player will attempt “on goal” over the course of the game. Just like in hockey, if a player takes a bum shot it’s not counted toward a “shot on goal” or your bet. But there have been some surprising goals that can make you a few bucks.

Golf: Over/Under Birdies

A bet we see a lot lately is “whether a player will achieve “over X / under X” birdies. A birdie is a term for a score of one under par. This is when a player’s golf ball hits the green — close to the hole — in fewer shots than it usually takes to complete the hole. Here’s a hot tip: So, bet on exceptional golfers who you think can complete all 18 holes in under 72 shots, especially at Augusta National!


Baseball: NRFI

Believe it or not, the MLB is home to one of the most popular betting props - the NRFI, the MVP bet for our time. It stands for "No Run First Inning".

With the NRFI, you don't have to waste four hours anxiously waiting to see who the winner is. Instead, you only need six quick outs at the beginning of the game, with 89 percent of the game still remaining.

Simply put, it’s revolutionized how people view baseball. For such a brief time-investment, NRFI transforms the most sleepy sport in the world into the most intense and electric betting out there. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and give you a hit of instant gratification when you win!

Just because March Madness is behind us doesn’t mean your sports betting fun is on pause until ‘24.

Make FanDuel Sportsbook your place of the year, no matter the sport or the game.

So March Madness is over, and either you won big or died trying. Whatever the case may be, now that the hoopla of the tournament is behind us, you may be thinking that there’s nothing exciting to bet on before the ramp-up to the NBA Playoffs. However, there’s so much more going on post-March Madness than you might realize.

So, we sent our sports editors to chase down all of the best sports to bet on now that the winning team has been crowned.

First things first, you’ll want to make an account with FanDuel Sportsbook — a legitimate and easy way to put your money where your mouth is and bet on just about every sport, including:

  • NFL
  • NBA
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • UFC
  • and the PGA Tour

With FanDuel, enter your name, credit card, and social security number — that’s to ensure you're not a coach or player. Then you’re good to start placing bets with the most user-friendly sports betting app out there. You’ll find an easy-to-navigate interface and in-depth tutorials on every type of bet you can make. Plus, they are always offering amazing promotions. Right now, when new users bet $5, they get $150 in Bonus Bets, win or lose!

It’s post-March Madness- Here’s what’s heatin’ up:

Basketball: NBA Player Combos

A popular strategy is betting on whether a player will score a certain amount of points, grab a certain amount of rebounds, or dish out a certain amount of assists. For instance, say you bet that LeBron James will hit a PRA (total Points, Rebounds, and Assists in the game) over 44.5. Therefore, if his PRA is 45, you win your bet, but if it is 44, you lose.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple bets on one game with bets on another game for a chance at an even bigger payday using FanDuels Same Game Parlay Features!

Hockey: Total Shots On Goal

A “shot on goal” in hockey refers to a statistic that counts any shot that hits the net or the goalie. So, bet on the number of shots an NHL player will attempt “on goal” in the game. When a player takes a shot and is completely off — missing the net — or the goalkeeper — entirely — this won’t count toward a shot on goal. Did you know there are no regulation-draw markets in pro hockey? A hockey game is held in 3 periods. But when teams are tied at the end of the 3rd period, the winner is decided in overtime or in a shoot-out — which often leads to a nail-biting finish.

Soccer: Total Shots

Bet on the number of shots a soccer player will attempt “on goal” over the course of the game. Just like in hockey, if a player takes a bum shot it’s not counted toward a “shot on goal” or your bet. But there have been some surprising goals that can make you a few bucks.

Golf: Over/Under Birdies

A bet we see a lot lately is “whether a player will achieve “over X / under X” birdies. A birdie is a term for a score of one under par. This is when a player’s golf ball hits the green — close to the hole — in fewer shots than it usually takes to complete the hole. Here’s a hot tip: So, bet on exceptional golfers who you think can complete all 18 holes in under 72 shots, especially at Augusta National!


Baseball: NRFI

Believe it or not, the MLB is home to one of the most popular betting props - the NRFI, the MVP bet for our time. It stands for "No Run First Inning".

With the NRFI, you don't have to waste four hours anxiously waiting to see who the winner is. Instead, you only need six quick outs at the beginning of the game, with 89 percent of the game still remaining.

Simply put, it’s revolutionized how people view baseball. For such a brief time-investment, NRFI transforms the most sleepy sport in the world into the most intense and electric betting out there. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and give you a hit of instant gratification when you win!

Just because March Madness is behind us doesn’t mean your sports betting fun is on pause until ‘24.

Make FanDuel Sportsbook your place of the year, no matter the sport or the game.

Terms & Conditions: 21+ and present in CO, IA, IL, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA or WV. New users only. Must wager in designated offer market. $10 first deposit required. $150 max bonus. See full terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call: 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, IL, VA), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).