Tuesday Night NBA Projections. A Solid Betting Analysis

Submitted by Sack on Mon, 04/13/2015 - 15:00

Tuesday NBA: Will Roy Hibbert Stop the Wizards and help the Pacers get into the playoffs? Will the Boston Celtics be able to hold on to their playoff spot when they face the Raptors? Will Blake Griffin and the Clippers be able to clinch the second spot in second spot in the Western Conference?

These are the questions that are on the minds of NBA fans, as the season draws closer to an end, and we will address them in our NBA projections. Despite the fact that the regular season ends on Wednesday night, there are still a lot of questions up in the air, which will affect the final NBA rankings. In the East, the Raptors are still fighting with the Chicago Bulls for the third spot in the East, which will give the team that ends up with it a favorable matchup in the first round, against the Milwaukee Bucks, instead of a series against the Washington Wizards.

The Boston Celtics are currently 7th in the East, but they haven’t clinched the spot yet, so the game against the Raptors is very important to them. The Los Angeles Clippers are currently third in the Western Conference, and have an opportunity to move past the San Antonio Spurs, who have climbed into second place, if they can get the win over the Suns on Tuesday night. Here is a look at which teams are the NBA favorites for Tuesday night.

Toronto Raptors vs Boston Celtics

This is the toughest of the three NBA projections, the Raptors have played themselves out of their slump, and are once again looking like one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. They have won six of their last eight games, including their last three, and they ended the Miami Heat’s playoff hopes when they defeated them in their last game. Their last loss was a one point home loss to the Celtics, so they will have some extra motivation going into this game.

The Boston Celtics continue their surprising run, and are currently in the seventh position in the Eastern Conference. They have a great opportunity to clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Raptors, which will set them up with a first round series against the Cavaliers or the Atlanta Hawks, depending on where they finish in the standings. The Celtics are one of the hottest teams in the East, they have won six of their last seven games, and four games in a row, which included road wins at Toronto and Cleveland, which shows that they can play with any of the best teams in the league.

Game Picks and Predictions

The Celtics defeated the Raptors on the road, and are still fighting for their playoff lives, so I’m picking them to get the win at home against Toronto.

Washington Wizards vs Indiana Pacers

This is going to be a great opportunity for the Pacers to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Wizards are locked into fifth place in the East, because they are too far behind the Bulls and Raptors and too far ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks. This means that the team will likely rest a lot of their starters, which will make this an easier game for the Pacers, who are still hoping to clinch the final spot in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards have been playing very well lately, and the team has won five of their last six games, and should be heading into the playoffs with a lot of confidence, regardless of which team they will face in the first round.

The Pacers have definitely been a totally different team since Paul George returned to the lineup. At one point, making the playoffs seemed like an impossible dream, but right now, it is a dream that is within reach. The Pacers have won their last five games, which has kept them in the playoff hunt, despite the fact that Boston and Brooklyn have both been playing well right now, winning seven of their last 10 games. If the Pacers win out, and either one of the teams ahead of them lose a game, they will be able to clinch a playoff spot.

Game Prediction

The Pacers are a desperate team right now, and they will find a way to win this game, so my money is on them.

Los Angeles Clippers vs Phoenix Suns

This should be the easiest of the NBA projections, because the Clippers are a much better team than the Suns, but in reality, that isn’t the case. While the Clippers might have a more talented team, this is basketball, and any team can defeat another on any given night. The Clippers definitely need this game more than the Suns, because it helps them move closer to getting home court in the playoffs until the Western Conference finals, which is something that will make a difference for the team, because despite having the second best road record in the league, it is more difficult to win in front of a hostile crowd in the playoffs, than it is in front of your home crowd. Other than the Spurs, there is no hotter team in the NBA right now. The Clippers have won13 of their last 14 games, and will be one of the most feared teams to play once the playoffs start.

The Suns have been eliminated from playoff contention due to a late season slump, but they can still hurt the Clippers’ hopes of clinching the second seed in the West, if they can get the win on Tuesday night. In order to do so, the Suns will have to play much better than they have been lately. The Suns have lost nine of their last 10 games, and the team is currently on a four game losing streak, so they have a tough task ahead of them. They will be back at home after a four game road trip, which might make a difference.