NBA betting: Two long shots getting hot ahead of the play-in tournament

While the Philadelphia 76ers are listed at DraftKings at 19-1 odds of being NBA champions, their current form makes us think they may be worth putting some money on. The Sixers are on an eight-game winning streak after upending the Brooklyn Nets 107-86 in their regular-season finale and even got the big win with Joel Embiid watching from the sidelines. 

It's debatable whether the Philly would be a lock for the first round of the playoffs had Embiid been healthier this season since they were 31-8 with him in the lineup and 16-27 without him. But the 2023 NBA MVP is expected to be in the lineup against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on Wednesday, and there is a strong belief that Philadelphia is the team to bet on. 

"While the Heat shouldn't be counted out, it's hard to trust a team that ranks 26th in the NBA in points per game (110.1) to keep up with the scoring duo of Embiid and Tyrese Maxey," Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman wrote. 

Fellow scribe Kyle Irving went on to compliment how well Embiid has played since returning from his knee injury.

"Philadelphia didn't lose a single game after Embiid returned," he wrote. "He picked up right where he left off, averaging 30.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks in the five games he played. He also handled a semi-regular workload, averaging 30.5 minutes played in those games."

Out West, it's the Golden State Warriors who are making a case to have another long playoff run — despite being 80-1 long shots at DK to go all the way and favored at -425 to not even make it to the first round.

The Dubs have had a rollercoaster of a season dealing with injuries, drama and last-minute losses that made making the play-in their best option. But things are looking up for Steve Kerr's squad as young players like Jonathan Kuminga are stepping up to the point that Steph Curry doesn't have to swoop in and save the day on a nightly basis.

Because of that, the Warriors are on an 8-2 run heading into the play-in tournament where they will face a Sacramento Kings team they defeated in the first round of the playoffs last year.

"Just as we saw in Game 7 a year ago, the Warriors simply have more experience playing in must-win games like this. Even on the road, Golden State was unphased competing in a rocking Golden 1 Center in front of a crowd that hasn't seen a playoff series win since 2004," Sporting News said.

"The Warriors are playing better basketball to close the 2023-24 season, winning 10 of their last 12 games. The same cannot be said for the Kings, who lost seven of their last 11 games with a chance to claim a top-six seed and avoid the Play-In Tournament altogether."

When it comes to the play-in tournament, it can be better to bet on the hot team than the team oddsmakers have favored since the beginning of the season. Consider the 76ers and the Warriors when you place your bets ahead of the NBA play-in tournament.