Finally, there is light at the end of the NBA tunnel. The season restart schedule has been released and will run from July 30 through August 14. The restart is quite ambitious as most days will have games run from noon to 9 p.m. ET. Specifically, These NBA betting matchups are known as “seeding games.”
At the end of the schedule if the ninth-place team is within four games of the eighth-place team they would meet in a play-in. In that play-in, the ninth-place team would have to beat the eighth team twice in a row. From there the regular eight-team best of seven conference playoffs will begin.
Disparity on Schedule Difficulty
Already there is complaining in some circles about a disparity of schedule. When you compare the combined sports betting record of the various teams there is a difference in difficulty. For example, the New Orleans Pelicans have the easiest schedule with opponents that have a combined winning percentage of .495. Considering that the eight worst teams in the league won’t be present that’s quite a break.
By contrast, the Toronto Raptors have the most difficult schedule with opponents at a combined .638-win percentage. The Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers all have combined schedule difficulties of .600 or greater.
Extending that is the fact that the NBA has long been a haven for conspiracy theorists. Nothing would please the Association more than to have Zion Williamson and the Pelicans make a playoff run. Williamson spiked TV ratings when he entered the Pelicans lineup before the shutdown. Owing to his strong play did New Orleans rapidly emerge as a bottom tier contender.
Re-Opening Night Set for Thursday, July 30
Initially, the NBA will employ Williamson and the Pelicans in the first game back. New Orleans will face the Utah Jazz on July 30 at 6:30 p.m. ET. TNT will provide the telecast. Western Conference standings have the Pelicans four games out of the final playoff spot held by Memphis. Utah is comfortably in fourth place in the West.
Second, on the ledger, that night will be the Clippers and Lakers at 9 p.m. ET. The battle of LA will be on TNT as well. Once again NBA commissioner Adam Silver and his marketing men have hit a home run. The Lakers lead the Western Conference standings with the Clippers next at five games behind. Naturally, television ratings should be a bonanza.
Friday’s Loaded Card Offers Three TV Matchups
Following that star-studded Thursday is a Friday loaded with six games on the docket. These NBA odds matchups will run from 2:30 p.m. ET through 9 p.m. ET. There are three key games that will be televised.
NBATV will offer the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trailblazers at 4 p.m. ET. The Grizzlies are 32-33 and were fading when play stopped. Notice how the NBA will have a play-in for a ninth-place team within four games of eighth. That describes Williamson and the Pelicans! However, Portland could throw a wrench into that as they are 29-37. Three games separate the Trail Blazers from the Grizzlies.
Also highlighting the Friday card is a playoff rematch between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. ESPN will televise the action at 6:30 p.m. ET. Milwaukee leads the Eastern Conference by seven games over Toronto. Boston is third in the East, 10 games behind the Bucks. But the Celtics play a tenacious team brand of defense that could be an asset in the compressed schedule.
Last on the card for Friday is the Texas shootout between the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks. ESPN will bring the action at 9 p.m. ET. Many consider the sixth place Rockets a potential dark horse with scoring machine James Harden. Dallas is seventh in the West and trails Houston by a game and a half.
In this situation, the NBA is putting its best foot forward with games that will draw eyeballs and betting handle!
