The final night of the 2016-17 NBA regular season is upon us. For 27 teams, their fates are decided, either as a lottery team or a playoff team. Three teams, the Pacers, Bulls, and Heat, are playing for the final two spots in the Eastern Conference Playoffs tonight.
The good news for the Pacers and Bulls is that their opponents — the Hawks and Nets, respectively — are resting their best players tonight to avoid injury before the playoffs (Hawks) and offseason (Nets). Many teams are giving their stars the night off, which most fans won’t care about, but for five teams there are degenerates in the desert and elsewhere with win total future bets that will go one way or the other based on tonight’s outcomes.
The Warriors, Celtics, Nets, Hawks, and Raptors all still have not clinched an Over or Under for their preseason win totals on Bovada. Golden State has 66 wins, with their total set at 66.5. Boston has 52 wins, with their total set at 52.5. The Nets have 20 wins, with their total set at 20.5. The Hawks have 43 wins, with their total set at 43.5. And Toronto has 50 wins, with their total set at 50.5.
The Warriors, Hawks, and Nets are all resting key players, with the Hawks being the most aggressive with most every starter sitting. Those with a season total Under for Atlanta and Brooklyn probably feel pretty good right now. Boston plays a Milwaukee team resting four starters and still need a win to guarantee the top seed in the East, so Celtics Over bettors have to feel good right now. The Warriors are resting Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green, but are playing the tanking Lakers, so you have to give the edge to the Over.
Per usual, the oddsmakers were very close on most of the totals set this year, and overall there have been 12 teams to go Over and 13 teams to go Under this season. The biggest misses by the book at Bovada were Houston (10 wins Over through 81 games), Minnesota and Orlando (both 9.5 games Under through 81 games), Detroit and New York (both 8.5 games Under through 81 games), and Milwaukee (7.5 games Over through 81 games).
Casinos and sportsbooks stay open and those buildings in Las Vegas are tall and shiny for a reason. Never forget why.
