NBA Best Bets for April 15: Who Will Advance to the NBA Playoffs?
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Spread Astaire
- April 15, 2025
Top NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies +7 (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
The NBA regular season is over and the playoffs are here. The NBA begins its playoff format with a play-in tournament. This one game, winner-take-all format will decide the 7th and 8th seeds in each conference.
First, the 7th place team will play the 8th place team for the 7th seed. The loser of this game faces the winner of the 9th place team against the 10th place team for the 8th seed. So, whoever loses tonight will still have another crack at the playoffs on Friday.
However, especially in the Western Conference this year, having the 7th seed is eminently preferable than landing at 8 because the #1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder have the highest net rating in NBA history. So, these teams will be putting it all on the line in these exciting games. With so much to play for, who should you back to make winning NBA picks?
Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 – 07:30 PM EDT at Kia Center
Defense Meets Offense
Both of these teams have had interesting seasons. Orlando started out hot, but a spate of injuries pushed them back in the standings. The Magic will be missing Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner in tonight’s game.
Still, the Magic have a chance to make noise with solid defense and featuring the dynamic Paolo Banchero on offense. The Magic win through their defense, and they will face a tough task going against the prolific offense of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Atlanta Hawks are currently stuck in this range. They’re good enough to make the playoffs, but not good enough to be a true contender. The Hawks lack secondary scoring options and are mediocre defensively.
The Hawks seemed to be punting on the season when they sent De’Andre Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the added depth that Caris LeVert and Georges Niang have provided ended up making this a solid trade for the Hawks. However, once again, they traded offense for defense.
So here we have a matchup of contrasting styles. The Orlando Magic play slow, are excellent on the defensive end, and can struggle to get good looks offensively. The Atlanta Hawks play fast and are excellent on the offensive end, yet have trouble getting stops. This contrast to style should make for a fun game, and whoever is able to impose their will and style of play on their opponent will have the advantage.
Magic Time
I will bet the Magic to advance to the playoffs and cover the spread in this game at top sportsbooks. The Magic were 11-4 ATS in the last 15 games of the season, including 4-2 ATS in their last six home games. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks are 1-4 SU against playoff teams.
If you take out the games when Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner missed, and just sort by the games they played, the Magic have a much higher net rating than their full season number. This gives us an opportunity. This line is mispriced.
The Magic will put the defensive clamps on the Hawks, and the Hawks do not have enough defense to shut down a solid team. Take the Orlando Magic.
NBA Pick: Orlando Magic -5 (-115) at BetOnline
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Golden State Warriors
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 – 10:00 PM EDT at Chase Center
Grizzlies Finding Themselves
The fact that this is a play-in game shows how absolutely stacked the Western Conference is. The Miami Heat were able to make the NBA Finals from the play-in spot 2 years ago, and both these teams have the same opportunity, especially the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors have been excellent since acquiring Jimmy Butler. Although the Warriors suffered a tough overtime home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday to put them in this position, the Warriors are still a team to be reckoned with, and no team is going to want to face them in the playoffs.
The Memphis Grizzlies have an identity problem after firing their head coach Taylor Jenkins. The team wants to build around Ja Morant, but there are questions on whether you can build a championship caliber team around a smaller guard who’s not the best on defense.
However, the Memphis Grizzlies still play basketball the right way and have a solid line up. The Grizzlies will be hoping to keep Jaren Jackson Jr out of foul trouble, as he is a key to their defense.
Grizzlies Ain’t Scared
The Grizzlies have defeated the Warriors as an underdog in the play-in tournament before. They will hope to get another upset as they come into this game as significant underdogs. However, history has shown that in one game, winner take all formats, anything can happen, which is why these games are so exciting and fun.
I like the Memphis Grizzlies to keep this game close. Warriors’ star forward Jimmy Butler banged up his knee in the last game on Sunday against the Clippers and may not be at 100%. The Grizzlies like to get up and down the floor, play at a fast pace, and score, which should help them when catching a lot of points.
Even though the Grizzlies ended their season on a slump, they are a solid basketball team that has defeated the Warriors in this tournament before. The Grizzlies will keep this close. Take the Memphis Grizzlies.
NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies +7 (-110) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
