NBA Acca: Sign off the regular season in style with four-timer
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It’s the final night of the NBA regular season and, rather than a slate full of dead-rubbers, there is plenty to play for as far as postseason spots are concerned.
Picking out four sides who need a win to either clinch or better their playoff futures, news.ladbrokes signs off on regular-season accumulator duties with the below four-fold:
The Pelicans know a win will secure them the final Western Conference playoff spot at the expense of the Oklahoma City Thunder, but will find that task tough to handle against the best team in the league right now.
There’s still plenty for the defending champs to play for too, besides keeping their 11-strong streak rolling into the postseason.
A win will give them the number two seed heading into the playoffs but a loss, along with other permutations, could see them slide as low as sixth.
The third seed in the Eastern Conference lies between the Raptors and the Chicago Bulls. A Toronto win and Chicago loss puts that honour with the Canadians, who should have enough to hold up their end of the bargain even if star man DeMar DeRozan doesn’t play.
The Hornets are on a five-game skid as they head into their season finale and played without three starters and their sixth man last time out.
While the Pelicans face the toughest possible opposition to hold on to their playoff berth, the competing Thunder have the league’s worst side to skittle.
The Timberwolves have the NBA’s worst record this season having won just 16 games in the campaign and currently own the longest losing streak in the game, of 11.
With Russell Westbrook in inspired form – he’s averaging 32 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in seven games during April – OKC look to have too much with just one man for the sorry T-Wolves to handle.
The Pacers have the inside line on the eighth seed in the East and will claim it with a victory over the banged-up Grizzlies, who have already booked their playoff spot.
Marc Gasol, Jeff Green, Mike Conley and Tony Allen are all suffering with injuries heading into the encounter and it could be that Memphis looks to preserve their health for a playoff run, rather than putting them at risk in pushing for the second West seed.
Either way, take the Pacers on the positive side of the handicap as a safeguard.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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