The knockout round of the inaugural NBA In-season Tournament began with an upset at home, a road upset, a blowout from a home favorite and a final quarterfinal that came down to one last shot and a memorable blown call.
That’s how we’ve reached to the Final Four. Phoenix was foiled by officials granting a late timeout that shouldn’t have been awarded, helping the Lakers to survive the closing stages of their hard-fought win.
The Suns did themselves no favors with sloppy turnovers and Kevin Durant’s game-tying 3-point attempt before the buzzer came up woefully short, but there’s no question that L.A., the “home” team as action tips off in Las Vegas, arrives following a controversial finish.
New Orleans pulled off a 10-point win in Sacramento to earn its spot opposite the Lakers, while Central Division foes Milwaukee and Indiana held serve at home to come out of the East side of the bracket. The Bucks scored 146 points in crushing the Knicks, while the Pacers were the first to punch their ticket to the semis courtesy of an upset over the favored Celtics in Indianapolis.
NBA In-Season Tournament semifinal betting odds and predictions hinge on whether you believe it to be inevitable that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will ultimately square off against LeBron James and Anthony Davis to determine the first NBA Cup winner, or whether you see a way either the Pacers or Pelicans can alter that collision course.
Pacers vs. Bucks odds, prediction: Point spread, moneyline, total
Milwaukee played one of its best games on Tuesday, scoring a season-best 146 points and finishing 23-for-38 from 3-point range to pull away from New York, improving to 10-2 over its last 12 games. The Bucks have scored at least 130 points in seven of their last eight wins and continue to see stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard improve in how well they’re meshing together.
Adrian Griffin is still just over a month into his first head coaching job, and Khris Middleton is still getting ramped up, having not yet played 30 minutes in a single game this season as he comes off of offseason knee surgery. Tendinitis has cropped up here and there, but he enters Thursday’s in-season tournament semifinal having played 25 or more minutes in three straight games for the first time since April’s playoff loss to Miami.
Middleton tied a season-high with seven assists against the Knicks and comes into this game having made four of his last seven 3-pointers, also a season-best over a two-game stretch. The Bucks are in the midst of getting their three All-Stars going and are doing so while Brook Lopez has blocked seven shots over his two December games and now leads the NBA in that category.
The team’s new backcourt starter not named Lillard is on a heater, too. Since an 0-for-3 effort from 3-point range on Nov. 11, Malik Beasley has hit a 3-pointer in 12 straight games, shooting 47-for-96 (49 percent) from beyond the arc in that stretch.
Depth has been limited due to Jae Crowder and Pat Connaughton being sidelined with injuries, but younger role players like Marjon Beauchamp, AJ Green, and rookie Andre Jackson are getting their chance.
Related: Best NBA betting apps | Latest NBA betting promo codes and bonuses
Having the deeper group is where the Pacers do have an advantage over the Bucks, in addition to the presence of a savvy, veteran coach in Rick Carlisle. He’s won a championship and is now looking to push the right buttons in leading the biggest underdog left in the field to the first ever NBA Cup.
In November, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton joined Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the only players in league history ever to average 25 points and 10 assists while shooting over 50 percent from the field and over 40 percent from 3-point range. He returned from a one-game absence due to illness in Monday’s upset of the Celtics and produced his first career triple-double (26 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists), getting the job done without committing a single turnover.
The Pacers have already beaten the Bucks in this season’s only meeting, rallying from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit after blowing an 18-point lead in an epic 126-124 result on Nov. 9. Antetokounmpo scored 54 points, but it wasn’t enough as Haliburton finished with 29 points and 10 assists.
Six Indiana players scored in double-digits and Lillard didn’t play in that loss at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, so it won’t be easy to pull off another upset in Las Vegas.
Pick: Bucks
Pelicans vs. Lakers odds, prediction: Point spread, moneyline, total
Conspiracy theorists instantly cried foul over that timeout LeBron James was granted in bailing out Austin Reeves at the other end of the floor in the LA’s quarterfinal win. Replays showed that the ball was already loose, so the NBA was accused of wanting Laker Nation there at all costs.
There’s no question that Las Vegas is partial to the Lakers in ticket count, both at the sportsbook and at the arena, but the Lakers still put themselves in position to win thanks to James continuing to whip Father Time.
Davis had another big night and Reeves came off the bench to help hold off a Phoenix comeback with one big shot after another. They’re now being tasked with finishing the job at T-Mobile Arena, where you’re guaranteed to see a lot of fans clad in purple and gold.
The Lakers reached the conference finals in their first year under Darvin Ham after struggling during the regular season, so this campaign is all about coming together faster and getting a much deeper roster galvanized.
It’s probably no coincidence that James has valued these in-season tournament games above all others, hoping to get his younger teammates some championship experience. L.A. is a perfect 5-0 in the event and now looks to land a spot in Saturday night’s final by knocking off a young, deep Pelicans squad.
More NBA wagering: Latest NBA betting lines | 2024 NBA Championship odds
New Orleans needed a Rockets loss to the Mavs on the final night of group play just to advance into the quarterfinals, where they made the most of their opportunity with a 127-117 upset.
After opening the season with a number of key reserves unable to play due to injuries, Willie Green now has almost everyone available with the exception of veteran forward Larry Nance, Jr. and shooter Matt Ryan. He’ll look to utilize his depth to help trip up L.A. in what’s undoubtedly going to feel like a road game.
Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and dished out six assists, his fourth straight game with at least that many, in helping take down the Kings. The ex-Laker will need to be at his best as a scorer and facilitator to pull off an upset of his former team.
Zion Williamson, who closed November out by exploding for 33 points, hitting 11 of 12 shots from the field in a win over the 76ers, is as healthy as he’s been in years. He’ll be a handful in a game where whoever dominates the paint likely advances.
Williamson will now share the court with James for the first time since Nov. 2022. That game went to OT despite Ingram’s absence, and the Pels are actually 5-4 over their last nine against the Lakers. Facing them for the first time this season in Las Vegas, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see an upset.
Pick: Pelicans