NBA Wednesday Tips: Title favourites Milwaukee Bucks on brink of top seed

With just four days left in the NBA regular season, it’s time for the contenders to make a last push for the play-offs and potentially challenge the Milwaukee Bucks for top seed.

Chicago Bulls @ Milwaukee Bucks

Tipoff: 12.30am Thursday BST

The Bucks have a big prize on offer when they host the Bulls on Wednesday night. Win, and the number one overall seed for the NBA Playoffs is theirs. With the 76ers knocking off the Celtics on Tuesday, the math is simple now. With a 31-8 home record this term, it’s a valuable post-season asset to possess. 

Milwaukee is third in defensive rating from a campaign in which Khris Middleton has so far played just 32 games. It’s why they’re 4.2 favourites in the NBA Championship odds and 2.3 in the NBA Eastern Conference betting.

Only their occasionally baffling lapses give pause for thought in the East race, but then they whacked the C’s by 41 points last week. Does that underline a true gulf in class between the top two? Or are the Sixers worth a punt at 5.3 to head the Conference despite a patchy run-in towards the playoffs? If consistency is any guide, it’s still the Bucks’ race to lose. 

They will expect to clinch against the Bulls, who are now locked into the play-in berths following a Tuesday thrashing in Atlanta - they are almost certainly destined to travel to Toronto as the tenth seed. They’re long shots to survive beyond that, and a wild 3.6 to trouble Milwaukee. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double in the Bucks’ 140-28 win over Washington on Tuesday and his team were up by as much as 24 with Middleton resting. Assuming that was more precautionary than a concern, that is ominous for the rest of the NBA. 

Prediction: Over 232.5 points @ 2.02 

Sacramento Kings @ Dallas Mavericks

Tipoff: 2.30am Thursday BST 

What a feel-good story the Kings have been this season. Ending their playoff drought – finally! – after 16 years, Sacramento is all but locked into third seed in the West with an offence that’s consistently been the highest-performing in the league, averaging 121.4 points per night.

They will go into the post-season in form, too, with 12 wins out of their last 17 games which has sealed a first Pacific Division title in 20 years. The markets regard Mike Brown’s men as no-hopers in the NBA Western Conference odds at 20. That’s surely an over-reaction, given how open that race will be.

Dallas is the anti-Kings, the feel-bad tale of the past two months. Three straight losses – and seven losses out of eight – have dumped the Mavs out of even the play-in berths. Hope remains alive, but only just. Luka Doncic has insisted he won’t be shut down for the season with one eye on the Draft lottery ahead. 

And the Slovene still has a slim shot at overhauling Joel Embiid for the scoring crown. Points should be at a premium - with a basketallooza of over 248.0 priced at 2.1.

Prediction: Kings +3 @ 2.34 

Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers

Tipoff: 3am Thursday BST

The Clippers have already clinched the season series over the LA Lakers after victories by four, 13 and 22 in the previous three ‘derbies’. Yet, bragging rights in the City of Angels may rest on the outcome of Wednesday’s clash between the neighbours with high stakes at play.

With both tied on 41-38 records, a victory for the Lakers would – in a scenario that seemed improbable for most of this term – elevate them into sixth seed in the West and the potential haven of an automatic playoff spot.

Given that the Lakers will come off a grueling overtime win over Utah less than 24 hours before, in which LeBron James hit the game-winner, that is a tough ask, even if the Purple and Gold are 6-5 in back-to-backs.

The LA Clippers have the benefit of rest – a boon for their injury-plagued roster – which is why they’re 1.64 for a win that could move them into fifth seed. The Lakers could still choose to rest their stars and play the long game with home dates against Phoenix and the Jazz (again) to come.

Prediction: Clippers -4.5 @ 2.06  

NBA Wednesday Tips

Chicago Bulls @ Milwaukee Bucks: Over 232.5 points @ 2.02
Sacramento Kings @ Dallas Mavericks: Sacramento Kings +3 @ 2.34
Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers: LA Clippers -4.5 @ 2.06