Andrew Ortenberg
Show Bio
It’s a special time of year. The NBA playoffs are here, and they might offer the best set of matchups that we’ve seen in quite some time. Both conferences have plenty of intrigue, and there will almost certainly be at least a couple of upsets when the dust settles. Things get unpredictable in the postseason; not every favorite is going to emerge victorious.
There are a ton of bets to make on any series, including straight up series prices where we’re just betting on teams to advance. So which are the most likely to see a big upset? Let’s dive in.
Minnesota Timberwolves +260 over Memphis Grizzlies
We’ll start with this #2/#7 matchup in the West. These teams looked pretty evenly matched when they played this season, so getting +260 with the Timberwolves is very appealing. Minnesota and Memphis played four times during the regular season, and each side won twice. Three of the games were nail-biters that came down to the wire, and one was a blowout that Minnesota won by more than 40 points. And Ja Morant and Memphis’ starters played in that one, it wasn’t because of luck.
Speaking of Morant, he played in only one regular=season game as a tune-up after coming back from his latest injury. As such, there’s a chance he’s not quite 100 percent back to himself at the start of this series. And you should sleep on the Timberwolves at your own peril. Minnesota just beat the Clippers in the play-in, giving them some momentum entering this one.
They impressed in the play-in against a scrappy Los Angeles squad. Perhaps most importantly, they managed to get the win despite Karl Anthony-Towns scoring just 11 points before fouling out. Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell both stepped up big time, and Edwards made it clear with his 30 points that we don’t have to worry about the moment being too big for him. It’s gotten overlooked amidst all the other storylines, but the T-Wolves have had the most efficient offense in the NBA over the last couple weeks.
Dallas Mavericks +245 over Utah Jazz
Sticking in the West for our second upset pick, the Mavericks certainly shouldn’t be counted out just because of the injury to Luka Doncic. Doncic is going to miss Game 1, but he may be back as soon as Game 2 and will surely play at some point. Dallas has made major strides and is capable of weathering the storm without him against a Jazz team that is threatening to come apart at the seams.
Utah spiraled down the stretch, blowing a bunch of big leads and losing a ton of games they should’ve won. There’s been a lot of talk of locker room dysfunction, with reports emerging of serious friction between Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. Head coach Quinn Snyder has recently been openly connected to the Lakers’ coaching opening. Does this feel like a team that should be such a heavy favorite in the first round?
Just a couple of weeks ago, the Jazz were riding a five-game losing streak. The Mavs, on the other hand, finished the year playing their best ball. For some reason they haven’t been getting talked about with the league’s upper echelon, but Dallas has gone 36-12 in its last 48 games.
Pickswise is the home of free NBA picks and predictions. Make sure to also check out our NBA parlays and NBA prop bets tabs for more expert picks.
