The Utah Jazz remain the team to catch in the Western Conference after a strong recovery following defeat at the Denver Nuggets last month.
The Los Angeles Lakers briefly moved to the top of the Western Conference standings on January 31 after the Jazz’s 11-game winning streak came to an end at Denver.
However, Quin Snyder’s men have bounced back in the meantime, picking up four successive victories to return to the summit and they are priced at 14/1 to win the NBA Championship outright, while they are 27/4 to claim the Conference title.
The Jazz will hope to maintain their winning run when they play host to Eastern Conference powerhouse the Boston Celtics on Tuesday. The Jazz are six-point favourites and are 25/27 to cover the handicap.
The Lakers remain the favourites to win the Championship outright at 37/20, despite some unconvincing performances recently, needing overtime to see off Oklahoma City Thunder 119-112 on Tuesday, while they were also taken to OT by the hapless Detroit Pistons on February 7.
They also have momentum on their side as they ride a five-game winning streak to keep the pressure on their conference rivals, moving to 19-6 on the year, half a game back on Utah.
The Los Angeles Clippers have also enjoyed a strong start to the season and won’t give up on the west without a fight. Two straight defeats have left them at 17-8 and they are 13/5 to win the Conference championship.
Nets Seeking to Stop Losing Streak
The Brooklyn Nets looked set to be serious contenders this season with their ‘Big Three’ of Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and James Harden, however, they have slipped off the pace in the Eastern Conference over recent weeks.
After losing three of their last four engagements, Brooklyn sit third in the standings. Despite their struggles, they remain 7/4 favourites to win the Eastern Conference.
Wednesday’s trip to rock-bottom Detroit offers Brooklyn the perfect opportunity to break a two-game losing streak.
The Nets are 2/7 in the Moneyline and Detroit are 14/5, while the visitors are 25/27 with a -7.5 handicap in the Point Spread.
Kings Can Frustrate 76ers
Sacramento Kings have pieced together a four-game winning streak to climb up to seventh in the Western Conference, earning a 113-110 victory at Los Angeles Clippers last time out.
With a playoff spot now in their possession, they welcome Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia 76ers to Golden 1 Center on Wednesday.
The Kings boast a strong recent record when hosting the 76ers, winning three of the past four meetings on home soil.
They have been building momentum in California over recent weeks, beating Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics and New York Knicks and are seeking a fourth successive home win.
Sacramento Kings are priced at 33/20 in the Moneyline with the 76ers available at 20/39, while the hosts are 50/57 to cover the five-point handicap.
Point Guard De’Aaron Fox has been one of the Kings’ top performers this season and can be backed at 23/20 to manage over 7.5 assists, something he has achieved on six occasions during the regular season.
*All odds correct at time of writing