The Pacers travel to New York to take on the Knicks in Game 1 of their 2nd Round Playoff.

The Knicks progressed through to the 2nd round after seeing off the 76ers in six games, with Jalen Brunson averaging 29-4-7 across the series.

Meanwhile, the Pacers saw off a banged up Bucks outfit in six, with Tyrese Halliburton averaging 16-6-9.

Indiana won the regular season series between this pair 2-1, with one of those wins coming at MSG.

I’m backing the underdogs to cover here.

Same Game Multi
Pacers to Cover (+6) $1.90
Myles Turner Over 16.5 Points $1.82

The Timberwolves will be looking to double down on their extraordinary efforts in Game 1 and take a 2-0 lead in this series.

Easier said than done, as 2x MVP Nikola Jokic and co rarely get beaten twice on their home floor.

Minnesota played just about the perfect game in the opener, with Anthony Edwards dropping a post-season career high 43 to help his side to a 7-point victory.

Alternatively, Jamal Murray was kept scoreless in the first half of action, before returning a modest 17 points.

I’m backing the Nuggets to get this series back to level term, winning game 2 by 1-10 points.

The Nuggets host the Timberwolves in the first game of the 2nd round of playoffs.

Minnesota swept the Suns 4-0 to reach this stage, with Anthony Edwards averaging 31-8-6.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets muscled past the Lakers 4-1, with Jokic averaging 28-16-10, while Jamal Murray dominated in the clutch.

Nicola Jokic has cashed in against the Timberwolves this season, averaging 33-12-4 across four games.

The Timberwolves looked good in round 1, but they’re set to run into the defending champs and best player in the league.

I’m taking Denver to cover at home.

MY BETS:
Nuggets (-4.5) $1.92
Jokic Over 50.5 PRS $1.90
Murray Over 6.5 Assists $1.78
McDaniels Over 9.5 Points $1.90
Same Game Multi $8.82

The Mavs play host to the Clippers in Game 6, where they’ll attempt to seal the series win.

Dallas claimed a comprehensive 30-point victory over the Clips in Game 5, with both PG13 and Harden failing to fire in the absence of Kawhi.

Leonard will likely be out again for this one or playing on a banged-up knee.

Luka loves the big occasion, and I think the star guard will end the Clippers season here.

Dallas to Cover.

The Cavs head to Orlando with a chance to wrap up their first round series 4-2.

The Magic have dominated the Cavs in their previous two home fixtures and were unlucky not to steal game 5 in Cleveland, falling short by one point.

This series feels destined to go to a Game 7, I’m taking the Magic to continue their destructive home form.

Orlando to Cover.

The Celtics can wrap up their first round series against the Heat with a win at home here.

Despite dropping game 2, Boston has largely dominated this series, winning games 1 & 3 by 20-point margins and game 4 by 14 points.

The Eastern conference 1 seeds will head into game 5 without the services of Porzingis, who sprained his ankle last time out.

This will see Al Horford move into the starting five, and see a substantial uptake in minutes.

Al has averaged 8-7-2 on 26 minutes across the first four games, I’m expecting him to eclipse those figures here.

The Clippers and the Mavericks head to LA with their series locked at 2-2.

The Clips led Game 4 by 31 points in the 2nd quarter before the Mavs rallied, taking the lead momentarily in the 4th, to no avail, as LA claimed a 5-point victory.

PG13 and Harden put up 33 points each in Game 4, a feat unlikely to be repeated.

While Luka looked far from his best, despite finishing with a 29-point triple-double.

The Mavs have more upside heading into game 5, with Kawhi out injured the Clippers will be asking too much of Harden and Paul George on the Offensive end.

I have the Mavs to cover!

It’s do-or-die for the Sixers as they head to MSG down 3-1 in their first round series against the Knicks.

Despite being 3-1 down, the 76ers have not been embarrassed, with all three of their defeats coming in close contests.

New York have been killing Philly on the boards in recent games, generating a host of 2nd chance scoring opportunities, an area Nick Nurse will have to address.

I’m backing Embiid to have a massive game in the paint here, helping Philly fight to see game 6.

Cavs vs Magic head into game 5 with the series poised at 2-2.

Both sides have taken care of business at home so far, though the Magic has done so in emphatic fashion, winning game 3 by 38-points and game 4 by 23!

It’s hard to imagine Cleveland rebounding from those embarrassing defeats.

I’m backing the confident young Magic core to cover the line as away underdogs.

OKC will be out to complete a sweep of the Pelicans when the pair take to the court in New Orleans.

The Thunder won games 2 and 3 by 20+ points, and look a league above their first round opponents.

Without the services of an injured Zion Williamson, the Pels seem to have tossed in the towel.

I’m backing OKC to move onto the 2nd round of the play-offs completing a 4-0 sweep over the Pels.

Nuggets vs the Lakers returns to Denver, where the reigning champs have the chance to progress through to the 2nd round in five games.

The Lakers last win in Denver cam back in April 2022, losing seven straight since.

LA’s victory in game four came off the back of 20+ point performances from both Russell and Reaves, a pair which have been wildly inconsistent in the post-season.

The Nuggets are a different beast in Denver and I’m backing them to pick apart this Lakers outfit piece by piece until there’s nothing left.

The Celtics vs Heat series heads to Miami for Game 3 with both sides sitting on a win a piece.

The Celts were shocked in Game 2 in Boston, losing by 10 points despite being -14 point favourites!

Boston has all the advantage in regard to talent and depth, what they don’t have is that HEAT Culture, that Dog, and Erik Spoelstra.

It’s hard to see the Heat getting blow-out at home.

The Lakers are staring down the barrel of suffering a second straight playoffs sweeping at the hands of Denver.

Despite AD and LeBron playing their socks off in game 3, the Lakers had no answers for the Nuggets starting five.

With LA’s defence hyper focused on the exploits of Jokic and Murray, the likes of Gordon and Porter Jr. enjoyed a field day, scoring 29 & 20 points respectively.

I think if safe to say the Lakers are shell shocked, Darvin Ham is simply out of ideas, and unless the Nuggs have a absolute stinker, I can’t see them avoiding the sweep.

The Mavs and the Clippers head into Game 3 with the series tied at 1-1.

Luka Doncic (32) and Kyrie Irving (23) combined for 55 of the Mavs 96 points in game 2, and the duo are expected to take the lion share of shots throughout the series.

The Clips shot at a woeful 36.8% from the field and 26.7% from deep and were only bettered by 3 points in game 2.

With another game under Kawhi’s belt, I believe the Clippers will be humming at both ends of the court and have them covering the +4.5 point line on offer.

The T-Wolves take a 2-0 advantage into game 3 in Phoenix.

The Suns have been thoroughly outplayed in the opening two fixtures, losing by 25 & 12 points.

Phoenix looks seriously rattled in this series, struggling to match the size and tenacity of their younger opponents.

I’m backing the T-Wolves to make a big statement on the road, covering as underdogs.

The Knicks head to Philadelphia with a 2-0 series lead.

New York stole victory from what looked to be an unwindable position in Game 2, trailing by 5 points with 30 seconds to spare, the Knicks rallied late knocking down 8 unanswered points to win by 3.

They’ll start Game 3 as +4.5 point underdogs, a position they’ll  surely relish in front of a hostile Philly crowd.

The Knicks have continue to find a way to win despite playing below their best, I’m backing Brunson to lift his output in Game 3, helping his side cover the +4.5 point spread.

10 straight wins over the Lakers and the bookies only have the Denver Nuggets heading into Game 3 as (-1) point favourites!

The Lakers blew a 20-point lead in Game 2, eventually going down to a Jamal Murray buzzer beater.

Jokic had a lazy 27-20-10 in game 2, and he looked like he had more to give.

I think the Lakers are mentally cooked here, any belief they can beat the Nuggs has well and truely been extinguished.

The Celtics look to go 2-0 against the Heat, when the pair meet at TD Garden.

Boston has been far and away the best side throughout the entire season, and will be confident in sweeping a Miami side without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier.

The Celts were 20-point victors in game one, with Tatum (23), Porzingis (18), White (20) and Brown (17) all dropping 15+ points.

I can’t see the depleted Heat making this a competitive fixture, I’m taking the Celts in a blowout.

OKC and the Pelicans take to the court for game two after the Thunder pinched the opener by two points.

Both young outfits displayed obvious nerves in game one, the Pels shooting a rank average 38.5% from the field, while OKC hit at a clip of 43.5%.

Jonas Valanciunas’s work on the glass was a massive reason NOLA were competitive in G1, collecting 20 rebounds, 9 of which were on the offensive end.

I’m backing Val to have his way in the paint again, picking up 16+ rebounds.