- With three game two matchups today in the NBA, spreads and money lines have mostly adjusted from last game’s results.
- Betting on the underdog has yielded profit after the first set of games, with both the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers pulling out narrow victories over their favorited opponents.
- With all teams facing conference opponents, plenty of regular season data helps predict money lines and spreads.
BOSTON – The NBA Playoffs continue Tuesday with the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Phoenix Suns hosting the three games on the docket. The latter two were upset in game one, but history shows that teams in their position will typically come back in dominant fashion.
Following the pair of upsets to begin the series, all three of the favorites sport odds that are -235 or shorter, still a ways away from being considered a close game. The spreads found on online betting sites tell much of the same story, being six points or greater in every game.
NBA 4/18 Playoff Games Odds
| Matchup: | Money Line: | Spread: | Total: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks @ Boston Celtics | Celtics (-575) vs Hawks (+400) | Celtics -10.0 | 230.5 |
| New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers | Cavaliers (-235) vs Knicks (+195) | Cavaliers -6.0 | 214.5 |
| L.A. Clippers @ Phoenix Suns | Clippers (+280) vs Suns (-360) | Suns -8.0 | 225.5 |
Celtics Look to Once Again Dominate Hawks
After a strong 13 point victory this past game, there is little reason to believe that the Celtics will slow down in any way. During the season with starters playing, the Celtics easily beat the Hawks both times to the tune of a nine and 25 point win.
With the spread being -10.0 at -110 odds, it can be clearly seen that the Celtics are a well-oiled machine with their eyes set on the ultimate prize of a championship. The Hawks are likely the best possible matchup personnel-wise that the Celtics could have hoped for.
With the second rated defense in the league along with the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Hawks do not feature many answers to slow them down. The Hawks also feature the worst defense of any playoff team, ranking just 22nd in defensive rating.
All of this combined should allow the Celtics to once again thump the Hawks and go up in the series 2-0 in dominant fashion, meaning their spread of -10.0 is the top play in the matchup.
Knicks Hope to Continue Momentum after Game One Win
The Knicks pulled off quite the upset against the Cavaliers last game, which has actually been a trend throughout the season. Over their last five matchups this year, the Knicks won four straight heading into this game while only losing once back in October.
In addition, the Knicks also covered the spread against the Cavs in the last four games by significant margins. Now with a spread of six at NBA online sportsbooks, the Knicks may be in a prime position to keep the game close if not outright win it.
While the Knicks do have great +195 odds to win the game outright, history has shown that teams who lose at home in the first playoff game over the last two years are 10-1 in game two. This makes the Knicks money line a risky proposition but does make their spread the likely best game prop available.
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With just -110 odds to cover a spread of six points, the Knicks can be expected to keep the game close if not push for a victory as they will look to shock the NBA world that has largely counted them out.
Clippers Aim for Fourth Straight Win Over Phoenix
Last game, Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers pulled of a big upset by beating the Suns 115-110. Now in game two it seems that online sportsbooks have refused to shift their thinking, with the Suns once again being eight-point favorites.
With Kawhi Leonard scoring a whopping 38 points last game, his efforts both on offense and defense can help to keep the game close. While Paul George is unlikely to be back for the series, the Clippers looked to their role players to step up. This also went well for them in game one, with Eric Gordon, Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell and Terance Mann all scoring 10+ points.
Westbrook had a down game last time around, but even getting him to his season averages should help close the gap, especially as he continues to dish out assists to open teammates. All of this make the Clippers at +8.0 a nice play with -110 odds.
Lastly, for those looking to get risky, a parlay with the Celtics, Knicks, and Clippers spread combine for +596 odds. If all these teams perform as expected tonight, it could mean big bucks for bettors willing to put a unit or two on the parlay.
Jeremias began writing 4 years ago after beginning his career at Florida State University. He mainly focuses on using analytics and statistics to educate readers on trends and discoveries to get a leg up on sportsbooks. He mainly focuses on NFL, NHL, and NBA. During his free time, you can find him researching, writing, and betting on various sports.
