The battle for the playoff and play-in spots is heating up here in the NBA as we approach the final few days of the 2022-23 season.
All clubs have at least six more games to play, and all of them are considered must-wins for those who are still in the hunt, although the same can’t be said for the lottery-bound teams.
Compared to days past, we’ll only have two games tomorrow featuring the Celtics, Bucks, Pelicans, and Nuggets.
The Bucks and the Celtics are the first two teams to clinch their playoff spots, while the Nuggets also did it recently. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are fighting tooth and nail to get into the top six of the Western Conference.
So, needless to say, tomorrow’s another big day. Continue to read below as SBOTOP previews tomorrow’s two-game slate.
Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks
The Celtics and the Bucks have the best records in the league right now, and we’re about to see another huge showdown on Friday night at the Fiserv Forum.
Right now, the Bucks (55-21) are on top of the Eastern Conference standings, but the Celtics (52-24) can surpass them, especially if they win this game.
These two teams have split their previous two meetings this season, each winning at home. The Celtics secured a 139-118 victory in Boston on Christmas Day, and then the Bucks got the next one with a 131-125 win on Valentine’s Day.
The Celtics were complete during the Christmas game, but it wasn’t the case during Valentine’s Day, as Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Al Horford sat out, which led to the loss. The good news is that both teams are at full strength this time.
Boston’s NBA 2023 odds of passing Milwaukee were dampened when they lost to Washington on Wednesday.
The Celtics were trailing by double digits at halftime, and their deficit ballooned to as many as 23 points in the third period, which snapped their three-game winning streak.
Jayson Tatum had 28 points for the Celtics in the losing effort, while co-star Jaylen Brown had 18.
Milwaukee, on the other hand, boosted their lead over Boston when they beat Indiana 149-136. Jrue Holiday scored a career-high 51 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Khris Middleton was inactive against the Pacers due to load management because this was the front end of a back-to-back. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should be good to go for tomorrow, which would be a huge boost for Milwaukee.
There’s no love lost between these two teams given their previous battles in the postseason, so this feels like a playoff game because this might be a preview of the 2022-23 ECF.
New Orleans Pelicans @ Denver Nuggets
Like the Bucks in the Eastern Conference, the Nuggets don’t have plans to take their foot off the gas as the regular season winds down. Right now, they’re on top of the Western Conference with a 51-24 record, which is only three games ahead of the Grizzlies.
Denver are on a four-game winning streak, but they face the prospect of missing the services of their two-time MVP, Nikola Jokic.
Jokic is on the Nuggets’ injury report with a questionable tag due to a calf injury. Since this is the front end of a back-to-back, there’s a possibility that he will have the day off.
The Serbian center has played in 67 games this season, and the last time he sat out a game was on February 5th in their blowout victory against the Hawks.
Should Jokic not play tomorrow, the Nuggets will rely on Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. to shoulder the offencive load and create new NBA 2023 highlights.
Murray has scored at least 25 points in three of his last five games and has dished out seven or more assists in seven of his last eight. The Canadian point guard has healthy averages of 20.1 points and 6.2 assists this season.
Porter Jr. is also having a nice bounce-back campaign, averaging 17.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in 58 games played.
If the Pelicans are going to beat the Nuggets and eventually make the playoffs, it will likely be on the back of Brandon Ingram’s spectacular play.
Ingram was named Western Conference Player of the Week after leading the Pelicans to a 3-0 record in Week 23, averaging 31.3 points, 10 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game.
The highlight of his week was when he recorded his first-ever triple-double against the Spurs, where he had 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE BASKETBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
