Below we take a look at the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook in the Eastern Conference as the NBA prepares for its restart on July 30 in Orlando, Fla. Place your bets here. You can also download the DK Sportsbook app.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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NBA Eastern Conference - Race for the No. 8 Seed
- BKN Nets (-250)
- ORL Magic (+200)
- WAS Wizards (+2100)
Analysis
BKN Nets (-250): We may as well refer to Brooklyn as its G-League affiliate Long Island Nets since that’s basically what this roster has come to. The Nets will be restarting play without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie, among several others. Instead, we’re looking at a team that’s going to be led by Caris LeVert, Joe Harris, Jarrett Allen and the ageless Jamal Crawford. The Nets seem like a lock and are my pick for the 8-seed, purely by default. They’re currently the 7-seed, a half game up on the Magic, but I fully expect this team to drop. Luckily for Brooklyn, the Wizards are equally depleted and too far behind in the standings, so the Nets will go ahead and nestle their way in as the 8-seed.
ORL Magic (+200): The Magic are currently holding the 8-seed, but I don’t expect them to hold onto it much longer. Of these three teams, Orlando is the only one returning with a fully healthy roster with the likes of Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and Markelle Fultz. I see at least three winnable games on their schedule (playing the Nets twice and the Kings), which should be enough to catapult them above Brooklyn in the standings and secure that 7-seed. Yes, the +200 odds make it interesting should you think the Nets’ junior varsity team can put it together, but I just don’t see that happening (sorry Nets fans).
WAS Wizards (+2100): As a bettor, it frustrates me that Bradley Beal and Davis Bertans aren’t playing because if they were I’d love this pick. To add onto this, the statuses of Thomas Bryant and Gary Payton II are both up in the air after they tested positive for COVID-19. Alas, we’re looking at a team similar to the Nets, just a shell of its original roster. This Wizards group, unfortunately, is the least talented of the NBA bubble teams, so I don’t see any miracles happening here.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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