The NBA Playoffs are in full swing with several exciting first round games happening tonight. The Hawks and Celtics start the day in Boston at 7:00 PM and the Clippers and Suns conclude the day with a 10:00 tip-off in Phoenix. With several big games on tonight, here are my NBA best bets to make.
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Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics under 230.5 (-110)
The Celtics host the Hawks for Game 2 with a 1-0 series lead after demolishing them in Game 1 and covering the 9-point spread. The Hawks don’t have an answer for the Celtics defensively. Boston will be able to score. I’m also not sure that the Hawks have an answer offensively against a very stout Boston defense. While I don’t expect Atlanta to be 5/29 from three-point range again, Atlanta has only exceeded their season scoring average once this season against the Celtics, and still lost the game by nine points. Atlanta is a bad road team and Boston’s defense only allows 110 points per game at home.
I don’t like laying this many points. There’s too much variance. But Boston won and covered all three regular season matchups against Atlanta. The Hawks don’t matchup well with Boston and it will take an incredible shooting night from more than just Trae Young for them to keep this close. Atlanta is shooting just 32% from deep against Boston over their last 10 matchups. I don’t expect that to change. So, let’s look to the under here as Atlanta won’t be able to do their part to push this over 230.
Check out our Hawks-Celtics Same Game Parlay at +584 odds
New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers under 214 (-110)
The Knicks surprised some with their Game 1 performance in Cleveland. Statistically, it wasn’t pretty for the Knicks. They only shot 42% from the field and 27.6% from beyond the arc. They also allowed Donovan Mitchell to score 38 points. Where the Knicks dominated and where the real problem for the Cavaliers is on the glass. New York out-rebounded Cleveland 51-38. That can’t happen again if the Cavs want to win the game, let alone cover it. The Knicks have out-rebounded Cleveland in all five meetings this year.
There is a “zig-zag” feeling in the NBA playoffs at the very beginning of playoff series. The opposite of Game 1 happens often in Game 2. There is a lot of money coming in on Cleveland to cover this number. The Knicks are still one of the best road cover teams in the NBA, so I won’t bet against them in this spot. But as long as they hold a significant edge in rebounding, that will limit the Cavs overall scoring enough for me to take the under in Game 2. If the Cavs keep the rebounding edge close, they likely cover, and the total goes over.
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Los Angeles Clippers vs Phoenix Suns under 225.5 (-110)
Game 2 between the Clippers and Suns will take place in Phoenix as Kevin Durant and company try to avoid an 0-2 hole. Oddsmakers have left both the side and the total in the exact same place as they did in Game 1, which is telling, at least for the side, given the Suns lost the game outright. Durant had an impressive stat overall finishing one rebound away from a triple-double, but he was held scoreless in the 1stand 3rd quarters. That can’t happen again if the Suns hope to win, let alone cover.
Kawhi Leonard was fantastic dropping 38 and Los Angeles will likely need a similar performance in order to keep he game close and that’s why I’m taking the under. Leonard can carry his team every night, but I’m sure that the Suns will key on him and force someone else to beat them. Both of these teams place and emphasis on defense and with this total being almost identical, any sort of regression from Leonard should likely keep this under the total.
Check out our Clippers vs Suns predictions
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