NBA Playoffs Betting Guide: Friday
The NBA Playoffs have been underway for almost a full week. In that time, we’ve seen some riveting matchups and heart-pounding finishes.
But there’s always money to be made, and with three more playoff games Friday night, there’s plenty of opportunity. Here’s a guide on everything you need to know about tonight’s games to make educated bets.
Celtics vs. Hawks
Boston is favored on the spread at -5.5 and on the moneyline at -220. Atlanta is +5.5 on the spread and +184 on the moneyline. The over/under for the game is 228.
This NBA matchup between the 2-seeded Boston Celtics and the 7-seeded Atlanta Hawks has been far from competitive thus far, with the higher seed taking a commanding 2-0 series lead. However, the Hawks recognize game 3 as a must-win, as no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series. They’re also at home, which is sure to give them an extra jolt.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been their usual NBA selves so far in this series, with Tatum averaging 27 points per game and Brown posting 23.5. The wild card here has been Derrick White, who is currently averaging 25 points per game. Strangely, Dejounte Murray has been Atlanta’s top NBA performer with 26.5 points per game, with Trae Young averaging 20 a game.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks
The New York Knicks are favored at -1.5 on the spread and -124 on the moneyline. Cleveland is the underdog at +1.5 on the spread and +106 on the moneyline. The over/under for the game is 211.
Vegas predicts this will be a tight game, and that’s understandable, given the equally-matched NBA teams. However, Cleveland absolutely dominated game 2. Despite the series being tied at 1-1, the Cavaliers’ momentum cannot be understated.
Point guard Jalen Brunson has been the top performer for New York with 23.5 points per game, followed by Julius Randle with 20.5. Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell has been the best player on the floor thus far, posting 27.5 points per game. The Cavaliers’ next-highest scorer is Darius Garland with 24.5, though he had an underwhelming game 1 performance.
Nuggets vs. Timberwolves
Denver is favored at -2 on the spread and -134 on the moneyline. Minnesota is +2 on the spread and +114 on the moneyline. The over/under for the game is 222.
Though the Nuggets lead this series 2 games to none, they haven’t dominated games quite like their series lead might indicate. In game 2, the Timberwolves erupted for 40 points in the third NBA quarter to storm back from a double-digit deficit and take the lead. Ultimately, the Nuggets pulled it out, but Minnesota will be looking to continue what they did right in game 2 in front of their home crowd.
Denver’s top scorer has been Jamal Murray, who is currently averaging 32 points per game. Nikola Jokic is behind him with 20 PPG, though he’s posted an impressive 11.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game as well. Anthony Edwards is the leading performer for Minnesota with 29.5 points per game. Rudy Gobert is the second-highest scorer for the T-Wolves with 13.5.
