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The first round of the NBA playoffs is winding down, but there are a few games of interest on Tuesday. With three games total, here are the best NBA playoff bets to consider for the night.
Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets Preview
Best Bet: OVER 231 Points
One of our favorite bets for the entire first round has been the over in this Celtics-Nets series, now in Game 5. The over has hit in three straight games, and we’ll be sticking with the pick on Tuesday night.
The reasoning is simply the advantage each offense has from the three-point range. Both Boston and Brooklyn are a top-ten team from deep, going against defenses that struggle to shut down the outside shot.
The over has hit in three straight, most recently a monster Game 4 that saw 267 total points. Jayson Tatum has been putting the Celtics scoring on his back, with 50 and 40 points in his last two.
For the Nets, their three-headed attack scored at will in Game 4 and all have the potential for big games on Tuesday.
Beyond the total points, consider hedging this total, which is admittedly the highest of the series, on a few player props. Players like Tatum, Evan Fournier, Joe Harris, and James Harden prefer to do their scoring from three.
The game flow should play right into these players’ hands, and their overs are all worth a look.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Denver Nuggets Preview
Trail Blazers vs. Nuggets Predictions
Best Bet: Nuggets -1.5
The Nuggets-Blazers series heads back to Denver for Game 5, tied up 2-2. Each team has won once at home and once on the road, so the home-court advantage isn’t the foundation of this pick.
Denver still feels like the superior team here, and at just -1.5, the spread is extremely reasonable.
Nikola Jokic leads a Nuggets offense that ranks sixth in the NBA. This offense matched up on Portland’s 27th overall defense should come out on top more often than not.
In Denver’s two wins, the offense scored over 120 points. In their two losses, they average 102 points.
This pick is built on the offense coming to play, and we’ll be betting on a return to form in Game 5 on Tuesday.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Preview
Best Bet: UNDER 207 Points
The Lakers and Suns are in one of the best series of the first round, currently tied two games apiece headed into Game 5.
The under has been the preferred pick in this series, 3-0-1 overall. The basis for the pick is built on strong defense and slow pace of play.
Coming into the first round, Los Angeles’ defense ranked second overall in the NBA, with Phoenix’s defense ranked sixth.
Both teams also play a slow brand of offense, bottom-ten in pace of play. Together, it makes for a solid under pick.
The under hit in Game 4, with the Suns winning 100-92. All four games have been low-scoring, with the highest total being Game 2’s 211.
The added injury status of Anthony Davis only adds to the value for an under. If Davis were to miss time, the Lakers offense would seriously struggle to score on this defense.
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