The final day of the NBA regular season brings suspense as multiple playoff scenarios unfold.
In the West, two teams have surpassed 60 wins, the reigning champion Thunder and the rising Spurs, who are leading the pack.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have moved past any concerns about a championship hangover, once again leading a highly competitive conference.
They are currently listed at +135 to repeat as champions on FanDuel Sportsbook, with SGA also close to joining Nikola Jokic as one of the few players to earn back-to-back MVP awards.
Many expect a showdown between Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs and the Thunder in the playoffs. San Antonio has dominated Oklahoma City this season, winning four of their five matchups.
The question is whether both teams will still be in contention come late May, when the West Finals are scheduled to start.
A specific combination of outcomes from Sunday’s 15-game slate could determine the answer.
Also, at first glance, one team in the Mile High City boasts a pair of All-Stars with championship experience who could derail the Thunder-Spurs collision course.
The Nuggets have quietly climbed the standings to third and, with a league-best eleven-game winning streak entering Sunday, are a team to watch.
Nikola Jokic’s exceptional talent on the court often leaves us speechless. As the season ends, he currently averages a triple-double of 27.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game.
Once the season wraps up on Sunday, he is poised to make history as the only player to lead in both rebounds and assists per game in a season—an achievement not seen since Wilt Chamberlain’s feat in 1967.
Jamal Murray is also enjoying a breakout season, with career-bests of 25.4 points and 7.4 assists. When dialed in, this duo is very difficult to contain.
The Nuggets can secure the third seed by defeating the Spurs on Sunday, which would likely set up a first-round matchup against the Wolves. However, if the Nuggets lose and the Lakers win, the Nuggets would drop to the fourth seed and face Durant’s Rockets.
Either way you slice it, they will likely start by facing Minnesota or Houston, which is favorable for them since they went 3-1 against each in their four-game regular-season matchups.
Betting on the NBA?
Recall that last postseason, the Nuggets and Thunder went seven games, with Denver leading 2-1 at one point before OKC closed them out at home. They also perform well against Wemby and the Spurs, notching two nail-biting victories over San Antonio this season.
Now that key rotation players (Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Payton Watson and Christian Braun) are healthy, David Adelman can mix and match versatile lineups to support Murray and Jokic.
I believe their chances to reach the West Finals at +210 are worth a gamble.
The Play: Nuggets to advance to Western Conference Finals (+210, FanDuel)
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Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.
