NBA In-Season Tournament 2023: Bracket, Semifinals Schedule, Betting Odds

The NBA's master plan for the In-Season Tournament seems to be paying off. The quarterfinals provided some electric environments, especially Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the Indiana Pacers knocked out the Boston Celtics.

Only four teams remain in the tournament -- the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, New Orleans Pelicans, and Los Angeles Lakers. The semifinals and championship game will take place at a neutral site in Las Vegas.

This could be the final test for the inaugural In-Season Tournament. Will the game atmosphere still impress? Will the players' effort level still be as good as it gets? Thursday's slate will likely answer those questions.

Ahead of the semifinals, let's look at FanDuel Sportsbook's latest NBA In-Season Tournament odds for the semis and the tournament as a whole. Stay tuned for a breakdown of the remaining four teams.

NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals: Date, Time, and Spread

Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks

• Date: Thursday, December 7th
• Time: 5:00 p.m. ET
• Spread: Bucks -4.5 (-114)

New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers

• Date: Thursday, December 7th
• Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
• Spread: Lakers -1.5 (-112)

NBA In-Season Tournament Betting Odds

With only four teams remaining, the odds to win the tournament are rather close. We do have two clear top favorites to win the In-Season Tournament, though. Check out the lines for the tournament winner.

NBA In-Season Tournament Analysis

The Bucks and Lakers are favored in the semifinals and are the top two options to win the tournament. It makes perfect sense when you consider these teams' season goals compared to the realistic ambitions of the Pacers and Pelicans.

Milwaukee (+440) and Los Angeles (+2100) are among the seven shortest odds to win the NBA Finals, per FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA Finals odds. Plus, both squads are among their respective conference's top four seeds. Indiana (11-8) is -154 to make the playoffs while New Orleans (12-10) is -118 to earn a postseason berth. These are borderline playoff teams against legit title contenders.

However, the In-Season Tournament feels like a stage where teams with a slim chance of winning the NBA Finals can shine.

Let's break down each matchup. Who seems bound to play in the championship game?

Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks Analysis

The Pacers-Bucks game could be about as fun as it gets.

Both teams are among the top three in offensive rating (Indiana 1st; Milwaukee 3rd). Led by Tyrese Haliburton, who has a league-best 126.7 offensive rating and 11.9 assists per game (APG), the Pacers amass 128.4 points per game (PPG) -- the best mark in the Association. The Bucks are not far behind at 122.3 PPG.

Both defenses are also among the bottom 10 by defensive rating. With each team also among the top five quickest paces, this matchup's total could soar. The 254.5 over/under is not a surprise by any stretch, and the over could still be a solid bet.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.2 PPG, 10.7 rebounds per game (RPG), and 5.2 APG, putting him firmly in the regular-season MVP conversation at +1000. Indiana has the third-worst defensive rating, and their starting power forward, Obi Toppin, has a 123.4 defensive rating. Giannis could continue to add to his In-Season Tournament MVP case.

Damian Lillard has also drawn some hype for the In-Season Tournament MVP after totaling 30.0 PPG during In-Season Tournament games so far. This is a good matchup for Dame. Haliburton (119.5 defensive rating) and Bruce Brown Jr. (120.0 defensive rating) both have defensive ratings of over 119.0, giving Lillard the chance to feast.

Haliburton also has a favorable matchup as Milwaukee's starting backcourt of Lillard (115.6 defensive rating) and Malik Beasley (116.2 defensive rating) have underwhelming defensive ratings.

The stars should be out for the Pacers-Bucks, and that should give us plenty of points.

New Orleans Pelicans at Los Angeles Lakers Analysis

While Milwaukee is favored by 4.5 points in the first semifinal game, the Pelicans-Lakers affair features a smaller spread, with Los Angeles favored by 1.5 points. This could be a near toss-up game with New Orleans ranked 13th in numberFire's nERD-based power rankings while LA is 18th.

The nightcap of the doubleheader could bring a contrasting style compared to the night's opener. The Pelicans-Lakers clash has a much lower total at 230.0, and both squads are among the top half in defensive ratings and for the fewest points in the paint allowed per game.

The battle in the paint could be brutal as New Orleans averages the ninth-most points in the paint while Los Angeles totals the sixth-most. Of course, each team has star players who regularly attack the rim.

For reference, Zion Williamson (22.7 PPG) has shot 205 of his 283 field goal attempts (FGA) within five feet of the basket, converting 65.4% of the shots. The Lakers' Anthony Davis (23.0 PPG) takes 76.0% of his shots within 10 feet of the basket while cashing in 60.2% of those looks.

Brandon Ingram is in the In-Season Tournament MVP conversation after totaling 27.4 PPG during tournament contests. He is coming off a 30-point outing and will likely be guarded by LA's Taurean Prince, who has the second-worst defensive rating among LA's starters (112.6).

Among the Lakers, LeBron James also has the lowest odds to win the In-Season Tournament MVP. He has totaled 26.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 8.2 APG during In-Season Tournament play, showing off his excellent all-around game. The task of slowing James will likely be given to Williamson, who has a 115.7 defensive rating.

Ultimately, this should be a physical game that's won in the paint. Los Angeles could be the best choice to cover the spread since they average the 4th-most defensive rebounds per game, compared to New Orleans holding the 14th-best mark. Gaining an upper hand in the possession battle during a defensive slugfest is vital.

Looking for the latest NBA odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the NBA betting options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.