Fifteen teams have locked in their spot to the NBA Playoffs, and now a pair of Western Conference foes will square off in a play-in tournament to secure the final bid.
The current eighth-place Trail Blazers enter today’s showdown with one more win (35-39) than the Grizzlies (34-39). If Portland wins this afternoon’s contest, it clinches a playoff spot. If Memphis is victorious today, it forces an elimination game tomorrow to determine who stays in Orlando and who goes home.
William Hill has odds posted for today’s play-in game, as the Trail Blazers are 6-point favorites (-280 on the moneyline) over the Grizzlies. The total is currently residing at 230.5 points.
The Trail Blazers have compiled a 5-2 record in the bubble, giving them a shot at a seventh straight postseason appearance. Portland has been living on the edge of late, as five of its seven affairs have been decided by five or fewer points. It certainly helps to have Damian Lillard running the show, though, as the superstar point guard broke an NBA record by scoring 154 points in the final three games of the regular season.
The Grizzlies went 2-6 in the NBA seeding round, however Memphis owned the tiebreaker over the also 34-39 Suns due to a 3-1 record vs. Phoenix in the regular season. Memphis split its final four games to earn a play-in spot, defeating the Thunder last Friday and the Bucks on Thursday. Against Milwaukee, rookie Ja Morant and big man Jonas Valanciunas became the first Grizzlies teammates to each rack up triple-doubles in the same game.
One William Hill New Jersey bettor is confident that there will be a fast start in this one, placing $5,000 on over 58 points in the first quarter for a total potential payout of $9,545.
Check out the current odds at William Hill for today’s play-in game between the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies below.
Bet NBA with William Hill, America’s #1 sportsbook.
