With close to 30 games left in this year’s NBA basketball betting season, both teams and sportsbook fans alike are trying to milk the remainder of the season as best they can. For NBA franchises that means vying to secure the highest playoff seed possible and for players it simply means to strive for the most lucrative winnings possible.

In the West, the upper echelons of the conference are all but locked up. The Warriors are at the top of the Western Conference and enjoy a 4 game lead over the Spurs, a 7 game lead over the Rockets, and a 12 game lead over the Clippers. But in the East things are much more competitive.

Those who bet on NBA have surely been following the Cleveland Cavaliers’ January struggles that have allowed the Boston Celtics to sneak within 2 ½ games of the reigning NBA champions. Likewise, the Cavs have a 5 game lead over third-place Washington, and a 6 ½ game lead over the Atlanta Hawks. With these figures in mind, it’s safe to say that the East is much more likely to get shaken up over the coming weeks than the West.

The Hawks will get a chance to get their take of the action Wednesday night when they travel to Los Angeles to face off against the Clippers at the Staples Center. This will mark the second time this season that Atlanta and Los Angeles have faced each other, with the Clippers winning the first round in a decisive 115-105 manner. Let’s see if the sportsbooks will predict a similar result this time around.

NBA BASKETBALL BETTING ODDS – REGULAR SEASON – February 15^th

Los Angeles Clippers -2½ (-110) 212½ (-110) -140

Atlanta Hawks +2½ (-110) 212½ (-110) +120

Indeed Los Angeles has come into Wednesday’s contest as the sportsbook favorites. The Clippers, led by 6-year veteran Blake Griffin, have fought their way to a 34-21 record that ranks them 4^th in the Western Conference as well as 2^nd in the Pacific Division. The Clippers hit a rough patch mid-January, early February, when they posted a 2-7 record through nine games. However, the Clippers have been able to turn it around since then and have won three in a row. Los Angeles will be looking to qualify for the postseason for the 6^th straight year.

The NBA basketball betting underdog Hawks will be riding into this contest with a 32-23 record that ranks them 4^th in the East and 2^nd in the Southeast Division. Throughout this season, the Hawks have struggled to find consistency; at times racking up an impressive win streak and at others dropping way too many losses to account for. In their last 7 games, Atlanta has posted a 4-3 record that is an accurate representation of how they’ve performed this entire season. The Hawks have enjoyed a 16-12 away record this season and will be looking to avenge the loss they suffered to the Clippers at home earlier this season.