NBA playoff futures: We call dibs on the Dubs

After a long and controversial All-Star break, the NBA will return to action this Thursday with a loaded 12-game slate. We're excited to get back to the daily grind of betting on the NBA, but before we do, let's look at the remaining schedules and target a few futures to sweat out down the stretch of the regular season.

Orlando Magic over 45.5 regular-season wins (-106 FanDuel)

The Magic were one of the hottest teams in the NBA leading up to the All-Star break, winning seven of their last 10 games to build some momentum for the final stretch. Orlando currently sits in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference standings, but it should be able to improve its position with the easiest remaining schedule in the league, per Tankathon. 

The Magic don't have to play the Boston Celtics the rest of the way, and they still have three games left against the Charlotte Hornets, two against the Detroit Pistons and two against the Toronto Raptors. Orlando can easily go 16-11 to finish the season. 

Golden State Warriors to make the playoffs (+120 DraftKings)

Another team that's just starting to hit its stride, Golden State went 8-2 in its 10 games leading up to the All-Star break. The Warriors also ranked fourth in the NBA in net rating over that span.

We trust Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry to figure this thing out, and we're already seeing signs of a team that's peaking at the right time. The Warriors are 10th in the Western Conference standings right now, but they're only five games back of the No. 6 seed. Even if they end up in the play-in, this veteran-laden team should find a way to crack the playoff bracket. 

Jalen Williams to win Most Improved Player (+2500 Bet365)

Let's try for a bigger price with our third future. 

Tyrese Maxey is the clear betting favorite to win Most Improved Player, but the Philadelphia 76ers will likely struggle down the stretch with no Joel Embiid and the ninth-toughest remaining schedule in the NBA. Meanwhile, Jalen Williams is starting to play his best basketball of the season. The sophomore standout has improved his scoring from 14.1 points per game to 19.2 and his three-point shooting percentage from 35.6 percent to 45.3 percent.

Williams is going to finish strong against a weak schedule, while Maxey could limp to the finish line and lose all the momentum he built up in the first half of the season. 

In the news ...

No. 15 Creighton snaps No. 1 UConn's 14-game winning streak — Another No. 1 team goes down in college basketball. On Tuesday night, Creighton demolished UConn, 85-66, as 2.5-point underdogs to snap the Huskies' 14-game losing streak. The Bluejays went 14-of-28 from three to open up a big lead they wouldn't surrender. Still, UConn is the +500 betting favorite to win the national title. 

College Football Playoff approves 5+7 format for 2024 season — The College Football Playoff unanimously approved a 12-team playoff model this week. In the 5+7 format, the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams will crack the CFP in 2024 and beyond. Georgia is the +330 betting favorite to win it all next season, followed by Ohio State (+475) and Texas (+750).

Tony Finau looks to repeat at the Mexico Open at Vidanta — The PGA Tour heads south this week for the Mexico Open at Vidanta, and there's no secret who's the favorite in the weak field. Tony Finau, who won this event last year and finished second in 2021, is the +900 betting favorite to repeat at Vidanta Vallarta. Due to the wide-open field, we're looking further down the odds board for our outright selections and long-shot targets this week.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jack Dougherty