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NBA Western Conference Clinch & Elimination Scenarios Tonight

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated04 Apr 2023

NBA Western Conference Clinch & Elimination Scenarios Tonight

NBA Western Conference teams are focusing on playoff clinch and elimination scenarios tonight. The Denver Nuggets will secure the No. 1 seed with a win over the Houston Rockets or a Memphis Grizzlies loss.

The Phoenix Suns will clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Golden State Warriors loss. Likewise, the Sacramento Kings win their third Pacific Division title and eighth division championship in franchise history with a win or Phoenix loss.

According to some NBA betting sites, the Milwaukee Bucks are the top favorite to win the championship. Sportsbooks are giving the Celtics second-shortest odds, followed by the Suns and Nuggets.

Next, the Utah Jazz are eliminated from playoff contention with a loss, an Oklahoma City Thunder win, and a Minnesota Timberwolves win. Utah trails the 11th-seeded Dallas Mavericks by one game in the Western Conference standings. The Jazz play the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at 9 p.m. ET. They need a few things to go right to qualify for the Play-In Tournament.

Following the Lakers matchup, Utah is scheduled to play OKC at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 6. On Saturday, Apr. 8, the Jazz will then face off against Denver at 3:30 p.m. ET. For the regular-season finale, Utah will have a rematch against the Lakers this Sunday, Apr. 9 at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Western Conference Clinch, Elimination Scenarios Tonight, Play-In Tournament is Tuesday, April 11 through Friday, April 14

For the Nuggets-Rockets matchup, NBA sportsbooks show Denver as a nine-point favorite away. The tip-off time is 8 p.m. ET. The Nuggets are on a 10-game win streak versus Houston. Of course, the Rockets have not defeated Denver since Jan. 22, 2020, when Houston won 121-105 at Toyota Center with Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

Additionally, the Grizzlies are scheduled to play the Portland Trail Blazers at 8 p.m. ET. Oddsmakers list Memphis as an overwhelming 17.5-point favorite at home. Portland is 2-11 in its past 13 contests. However, the Blazers are 2-1 in their last three head-to-head meetings versus Memphis.

Furthermore, the Suns are a 19-point favorite at home over the San Antonio Spurs. This game will air live at 10 p.m. ET from Footprint Center. Phoenix is projected to win, San Antonio will cover, and the point total will go over 235.5. Not to mention, the Suns have won the last eight meetings. The Spurs have not defeated them since Apr. 17, 2021.

Equally important, NBA fans and analysts are excited for tonight’s Kings-Pelicans contest at 8 p.m. ET. New Orleans is a four-point favorite at home. While the Pelicans are 7-3 in their past 10 games, Sacramento is still projected to win, cover the spread, and the total is expected to go under 236.

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