Night Two of the NBA Play-In Tournament features a pair of star-studded affairs. First, Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic will take on Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers. In the nightcap, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors will tangle with Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Below, we will deliver a betting preview of both Wednesday games.
Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers
Start time/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video
Point spread: 76ers -2.0
Moneyline: Magic (+110), 76ers (-130)
Total: Over 220.0 (-110), Under 222.0 (-110)
The Magic are one of the tougher teams to figure out.
Orlando endured a six-game losing streak in March, but rebounded with a five-game win streak to start April. Finally, on the last day of the regular season, they lost to a Celtics squad that gave its entire starting lineup the night off. It was a meaningful game for the Magic, too, as this Play-In Game against the 76ers would have been in Orlando instead of Philly had they beaten Boston.
Philly has also been a tough team to judge, mostly due to its injury issues. Joel Embiid is again on the shelf, this time with an appendicitis issue, and he is not expected to play Wednesday against Orlando.
The Sixers have spent the past few weeks beating up the dregs of the league, but have struggled against tougher competition. In their final five games of their regular season, Philly lost to the Pistons, Spurs, and Rockets, but beat the Pacers and Bucks.
Jamahl Mosley’s Magic are 38-44-0 against the spread so far this season, while Nick Nurse’s Sixers are 43-39-0 ATS.
Orlando games have gone Over the projected total 44 times this season, and have gone Under the number 38 times. Sixers games have gone Over 40 times and have gone Under 42 times.
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers
Start time/TV: 10 p.m. ET, Prime Video
Point spread: Clippers -5.5
Moneyline: Warriors +175, Clippers -210
Total: Over 220.5 (-110), Under 220.5 (-110)
If there is one team that Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers are happy to see in this Play-In Tournament, it’s the Warriors. The Clips have dominated Golden State in recent years, having won nine of their last 10 meetings. Golden State’s only victory over the Clippers in that span came this past October (98-79 Golden State win in San Francisco).
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr said that Steph Curry, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford will all be on minutes restrictions against the Clippers on Wednesday, despite it being an elimination game. That doesn’t mean that Curry is going to sit half the game, it’s just unlikely that he’ll play close to the full 48 minutes like he normally would in a win-or-go-home game. In five games since his return from injury, Curry has averaged 26.7 minutes per game and 20.2 points.
While the injury bug has feasted on the Warriors all season, the Clippers have been relatively healthy. Leonard played in 65 out of 82 regular season games this season and enjoyed the best scoring season of his storied career, averaging 27.9 points per game.
The Warriors are literally limping into the Play-In Tournament as they are an ugly 6-16 since the beginning of March. The Clippers, meanwhile, are a respectable 15-9 in that span.
Golden State is 35-47-0 against the spread so far this season, while the Clippers are 42-40-0 ATS.
Betting the Over on Warriors games has been kind to NBA bettors this season, as Golden State has gone Over the total 48 times so far this season. It has gone Under the number 34 times. Clippers games have gone Over 40 times, and Under 42 times.
How does the NBA Play-In Tournament work?
There are eight teams total that participate in the NBA Play-In Tournament, with four in the East and four in the West.
This year’s Eastern Conference Play-In teams are the 76ers (7 seed), Magic (8 seed), Hornets (9 seed), and Heat (10 seed). The Play-In teams in the West are the Suns (7 seed), Trail Blazers (8 seed), Clippers (9 seed), and Warriors (10 seed).
Teams that are 7 seeds face teams that are 8 seeds in the “first round.” Teams that are 9 seeds face teams that are 10 seeds, initially.
Teams that win the 7/8 game advance to the NBA Playoffs and will face 2 seeds in the first round of the traditional playoff field. The loser of the 7/8 game must play another Play-In game, against the winner of the 9/10 game.
For instance, let’s say the Sixers beat the Magic Wednesday night.
In that scenario, Philly would advance to the NBA Playoffs to face the 2 seeded Celtics. The Magic would then have to play a second Play-In game, against the winner of the Heat and Hornets.
Now let’s say the Hornets beat the Heat. The Heat are eliminated, as the loser of the 9/10 game goes home for the season.
The Magic would then face the Hornets on Friday night in a second Play-In game.
Let’s say the Magic win this game. In this scenario the Magic would move on to face the 1 seeded Pistons in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. The Hornets would be eliminated.
