Inside the NBA: Key Match Ups and Betting Odds From Around the League
Published February 26, 2018 by Sol FH
As the competition in the NBA gears up, let's take a look at the important games set for this week.
With only one month and change left in the NBA 2017/18 Regular Season, we have seen teams begin to turn it up a notch. The leaders of a couple months ago are no longer on top and the competition is getting fierce. In the East, we have been lucky to see the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics de-throne the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time in a few years, and, in the West, we have seen the Houston Rockets take over top-spot held by the defending NBA Champions, the Golden State Warriors.
This Week's Highlights
There are a few key games this week beginning tonight at 00:30 GMT including the Knicks vs Warriors and the Raptors vs Pistons, and later, at 2:00 GMT we are treated to the Jazz vs Rockets.
Knicks vs Warriors
The Knicks are in 11th place in the East and are definitely not going to make it to the playoffs this year, but, the reason this is an important game is that if the Warriors win, they will get back into first place. Sitting just 0.5 games back of the Rockets means that a win will move them into the top spot, at least until we learn the outcome of the Jazz v Rockets game later tonight. The Warriors have beaten the Knicks 7-straight times and are the obvious favorites to win tonight's game, listed by Betfair Sports as outright favorites boasting odds of 1.09 to the Knicks' 8.50.
Raptors vs Pistons
The Raptors are on top of the Celtics by 0.5 games, but they are playing incredibly well lately. Other than a freak loss to the Bucks in OT the other night, Toronto had won seven-straight including a dominating 4th quarter performance over the Celtics last week. The Pistons have dropped their last two games and are in 9th place in the East, but that doesn't mean they couldn't surprise the Raptors like the Bucks did. At 888 Sport, the Raptors are in the driver's seat at 1.16, while the Pistons are at 5.75 for the outright win.
Jazz vs Rockets
The way that James Harden is playing nowadays and the chemistry that the Houston Rockets are enjoying for the second-half of the season has been inspirational, to say the least. They are now over the Warriors...yes, over the Warriors! The Rockets have won twelve straight games and are now the team to beat in the NBA. The beat the Warriors near the end of January, and then beat the Spurs and the Cavs respectively. There is no doubt that the Rockets are going to the playoffs, it is just unsure yet if they will have home-court advantage. Betfair Sports posts attractive odds in their favor at 1.75, but, the Jazz are not far behind at 2.15. After 12 wins, the Rockets could be suffering from fatigue.
