By ESPN, 2026-04-18 21:30:00
NBA季后赛将于周六拉开帷幕，并于6月中旬的总决赛后落下帷幕。
哪些球队值得一路看好挺进总决赛？哪些黑马值得关注？谁又是总决赛MVP的最具价值人选？
以下是埃里克·穆迪 (Eric Moody)、埃里克·卡拉贝尔 (Eric Karabell)、吉姆·麦考密克 (Jim McCormick) 和 史蒂夫·亚历山大 (Steve Alexander) 为大家解答这些问题，并提供他们对首轮各系列赛的最佳投注建议。
赔率由 DraftKings Sportsbook 提供，可能会有变动。
NBA季后赛圆桌会议
如果你在季后赛开始前只能进行一项投注，那会是什么？
圣安东尼奥马刺夺得NBA总冠军 (+500)： 我认为他们是最好的球队。他们在常规赛统治了俄克拉荷马城，而维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 是联盟中最具威胁的球员。我认为他们在季后赛会摘掉“保护手套”，让文班打满全场。如果斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 和文班都发挥出巅峰水平，马刺将夺得总冠军。 —— 亚历山大
马刺夺得西部冠军 (+330)： 和亚历山大一样，我非常看好马刺。他们常规赛的净效率排名第三，且对阵头号种子雷霆取得了4胜1负的战绩。文班亚马本赛季场均贡献25.0分、11.5个篮板和3.1次盖帽，是球队的核心。值得注意的是，自2018年勇士卫冕以来，联盟在七年内出现了七个不同的冠军。 —— 穆迪
波士顿凯尔特人夺得东部冠军 (+160)： 凯尔特人通往总决赛的道路比雷霆更清晰，且赔率更具吸引力。西部赛区拥有几位“地球最强球员”的有力竞争者，而东部则只有波士顿和一系列年轻或有缺陷的竞争对手。凭借联盟第二的进攻和第四的防守，波士顿在季后赛临近时只会变得更强。 —— 麦考密克
凯尔特人系列赛击败费城76人 (-900)： 尽管伤病缠身，76人仍打进了季后赛，这值得称赞。但在乔尔·恩比德 (Joel Embiid) 缺阵的情况下，我不认为他们能从凯尔特人手中拿走超过一场胜利。凯尔特人赢得该系列赛的赔率为-900，虽然我不想承认，但这赔率感觉还是有点低了。 —— 卡拉贝尔
哪支球队是投注NBA总决赛冠军的最佳价值选择？
底特律活塞 (22-1)： 他们本赛季无疑是东部表现最好、最稳定的球队，唯一的阻碍是季后赛经验。J.B. 比克斯塔夫 (JB Bickerstaff) 是一位扎实的主帅，而凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham) 在赛季后期之前一直是MVP候选人。我不知道他们能否在七场系列赛中击败波士顿、俄克拉荷马城或马刺，但在+2200的赔率下，我愿意一试。 —— 亚历山大
活塞夺冠赔率怎么会是+2200？不，我并不是仅仅因为他们战绩最好就认定他们能代表东部，或者认为他们在东决能击败凯尔特人。但他们的赔率竟然比克利夫兰骑士和纽约尼克斯还要差，而后者在近年的季后赛中一无所获？这在我看来完全不合理。 —— 卡拉贝尔
纽约尼克斯 (18-1)： 在审视东部联盟时，人们很容易因为关注凯尔特人、骑士和活塞而忽视尼克斯。然而，纽约常规赛的进攻效率排名第四，防守效率排名第七。这非常值得注意，因为过去25个冠军中有22个在防守效率上排名前十。尼克斯还拥有杰伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 和卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 两位精英进攻球员。这是一支可能带来惊喜的球队。 —— 穆迪
波士顿凯尔特人 (+550)： 相信我，如此真诚地相信波士顿的夺冠潜力让我感到很纠结。我喜欢马刺的赔率，但他们要在西部突围进入总决赛必须经历重重考验。这支波士顿核心团队的经验和谋略具备真正的冠军潜力。获胜的逻辑很简单——西部冠军在经历了一系列漫长而艰苦的系列赛后会疲惫不堪，而波士顿将以逸待劳。 —— 麦考密克
进入季后赛，你最喜欢的冷门投注是什么？
洛杉矶湖人夺得NBA总冠军 (150-1)： 如果卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic)、勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 和奥斯汀·里夫斯 (Austin Reaves) 都能保持健康并并肩作战，湖人可以与任何对手抗衡，且拥有丰富的季后赛经验。虽然我不确定他们能否坚持到全员齐整，但总是有可能的。 – 亚历山大
尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic) 夺得总决赛MVP (10-1)： 约基奇刚刚打出了NBA历史上最伟大的统计赛季——他是自威尔特·张伯伦 (Wilt Chamberlain) 以来第一位同时领跑篮板榜和助攻榜的球员，且创下了历史最高的效率值 (Box Plus/Minus)。他是罕见的能凭一己之力对抗雷霆和马刺的进攻引擎。如此高的赔率说明了丹佛的晋级之路有多艰难，但想象一位处于巅峰期的历史级巨星能做到什么总是很有趣。 -- 麦考密克
明尼苏达森林狼夺得NBA总冠军 (100-1)： 好吧，除了活塞之外，森林狼的赔率看起来也相当高，毕竟他们仅在一个赛季前就打进了西决。好吧，首轮超越丹佛掘金是一个挑战，但森林狼不是在两个赛季前的第二轮就击败过掘金吗？ —— 卡拉贝尔
如果你现在必须投注一位总决赛MVP，你会投给谁？
维克托·文班亚马 (+500)： 文班亚马是本次季后赛最令人兴奋的球员。我认为马刺将不再限制他的出场时间，并在季后赛中彻底释放他，以期夺得总冠军。他在攻防两端无所不能，身边还有卡斯尔、达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)、德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell)、迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 等优秀队友，马刺丰富的季后赛历史也可能对他们有利。如果马刺夺冠，文班将成为MVP。 - 亚历山大
波士顿的塔图姆夺冠会很有诗意，他以+1100的赔率排在第四。但我认为西部头名才是联盟最强的。也许是拥有谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 的雷霆，但我也有点喜欢赔率为+500的文班亚马。让我们期待文班接管联盟。 —— 卡拉贝尔
杰森·塔图姆 (Jayson Tatum) (11-1)： 塔图姆的赔率很有吸引力。根据市场情况，凯尔特人很有可能代表东部参加总决赛。自从去年跟腱断裂复出后，他表现出色，本赛季在16场比赛中场均贡献21.8分、10.0个篮板和5.3次助攻。如果波士顿重返总决赛，塔图姆也会有额外的动力，因为杰伦·布朗 (Jaylen Brown) 在凯尔特人2024年的夺冠征程中拿走了总决赛MVP。 —— 穆迪
谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (+130)： 归根结底，我认为雷霆会卫冕。雷霆夺冠的赔率为+110，这让押注谢伊更具吸引力。雷霆深厚的阵容中似乎不太可能有其他球员的表现能盖过吉尔杰斯-亚历山大，从而夺走比尔·拉塞尔NBA总决赛最有价值球员奖。 -- 麦考密克
西部联盟最佳投注建议
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
1号种子俄克拉荷马城雷霆 vs 8号种子凤凰城太阳
雷霆系列赛4-1获胜 (+205)： 雷霆在常规赛五次交手中以3-2领先太阳，但他们的胜利是统治级的，包括49分和27分的大胜，这表明当俄克拉荷马城全员齐整时，双方差距明显。虽然凤凰城拥有多名可以防守吉尔杰斯-亚历山大的球员和强大的三分火力，但俄克拉荷马城制造失误和控制节奏的能力应该会盖过这些优势。这支雷霆队在全明星赛后的净效率排名第三，巩固了其在这一对决中的优势。 —— 穆迪
4号种子洛杉矶湖人 vs 5号种子休斯顿火箭
总局数大于5.5 (-115)： 由于多名关键球员受伤，湖人面临明显的不确定性，但他们拥有勒布朗，而火箭毕竟是客场作战。我预计这将是一个漫长的系列赛，东契奇将产生影响。 —— 卡拉贝尔
火箭系列赛4-2获胜 (+250)： 在东契奇和里夫斯无限期缺阵的情况下，很难看到湖人爆冷击败火箭的路径。詹姆斯仍然保持着精英水准，但他身边的角色球员表现乏善可陈。火箭在赛季末表现强劲，全明星赛后进攻效率排名第九，防守效率排名第十。在这种情况下很难支持湖人。 —— 穆迪
3号种子丹佛掘金 vs 6号种子明尼苏达森林狼
安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 成为系列赛总得分王 (+130)： 约基奇当然是一个数据怪兽，但爱德华兹有望承担起尽可能大的得分重任。爱德华兹在2023年季后赛输给丹佛的系列赛中场均得到31.6分。在2024年森林狼复仇成功时，他场均得到27.7分。他在这里会得到很多分。 —— 卡拉贝尔
掘金4-2获胜 (+450)： 全明星赛后掘金一直是进攻巨兽，进攻效率排名第三，且拥有系列赛最强球员约基奇。约基奇和贾马尔·穆雷全赛季都在统治对手，丹佛在常规赛对阵明尼苏达也取得了3-1的战绩。掘金以12连胜结束了常规赛。虽然森林狼的防守效率排名第11，但丹佛的创造投篮能力和经验应该足以克服这一点。 —— 穆迪
2号种子圣安东尼奥马刺 vs 7号种子波特兰开拓者
马刺横扫 (+175)： 马刺是夺冠热门之一，在文班亚马身后拥有一支火力十足的阵容。虽然他们没有太多季后赛经验，但开拓者除了目前表现出色的朱·霍勒迪之外也处于同样境地。但我认为本赛季我们甚至还没见过马刺使出全力，一旦他们发力，他们将非常难以被击败——哪怕只是一场。 —— 亚历山大
德尼·阿夫迪亚 (Deni Avdija) 成为系列赛总得分王 (+145)： 阿夫迪亚本赛季场均24.2分，使用率31.0%。文班亚马在很多方面影响比赛，但马刺并不总是依赖他得分。阿夫迪亚和开拓者的情况则不同。这是一场艰难的对决，但他应该会有大量的出手次数。 —— 穆迪
德尼号列车即将开往德克萨斯。这位场均突破次数领先全联盟的禁区冲击者——其走上罚球线的频率全年仅次于东契奇——在内线将面临联盟最强护筐手的挑战。阿夫迪亚的使用率和得分策略相结合，使他在面对赔率为-175的系列赛热门文班亚马时成为一个有趣的对冲选择。谈到他在本系列赛的潜力，阿夫迪亚在本赛季对阵圣安东尼奥的两场比赛中场均得到33分。 —— 麦考密克
东部联盟最佳投注建议
Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images
1号种子底特律活塞 vs 8号种子奥兰多魔术
活塞夺得东部冠军 (+500)： 活塞是本赛季的大惊喜，他们确实赢得了东部最多的比赛。拥有坎宁安和扎实的防守，骑士和尼克斯——这些在近年季后赛中表现令人失望的球队——赔率却更好，这感觉不公平。也许活塞无法击败凯尔特人或任何其他球队。但也说不定他们能行！ —— 卡拉贝尔
系列赛总局数小于5.5 (-110)： 活塞的防守和深度给魔术制造了难题，尤其是在奥兰多本赛季表现挣扎的半场进攻中。底特律在赛季末表现强劲，最后10场比赛进攻效率排名第八，防守效率排名第二。坎宁安和杰伦·杜伦应该会在这个系列赛中大放异彩，活塞控制节奏的能力应该会导致一个较短的系列赛。 —— 穆迪
4号种子克利夫兰骑士 vs 5号种子多伦多猛龙
系列赛总局数小于5.5 (-110)： 由多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell) 和詹姆斯·哈登 (James Harden) 领衔的骑士进攻，加上他们的深度，将是猛龙难以招架的。克利夫兰在关键时刻的表现也非常出色，而多伦多缺乏一个真正的头号得分手。这个系列赛可能会很快结束。 —— 穆迪
多诺万·米切尔在首轮场均得分30+ (+225)： 本赛季当哈登在场时，骑士每百回合进攻效率高达132分。这非常出色，甚至是历史级的。哈登不仅能退居二线，还能成就高得分队友，这一直是他转型为组织核心后的职业生涯标签。米切尔掌握着克利夫兰进攻引擎的钥匙，这套体系目前的运行效率处于顶级水平。多伦多的后场缺乏足够的人员来跟上米切尔，去应对肯尼·阿特金森计划中的重重掩护和误导战术。 —— 麦考密克
3号种子纽约尼克斯 vs 6号种子亚特兰大老鹰
系列赛总局数大于5.5 (-160)： 老鹰虽然是被看低的一方，但他们正打出全联盟顶尖的表现。他们在过去24场比赛中取得了19胜5负的战绩，虽然尼克斯在常规赛系列赛中2-1领先，但他们的两场胜利都仅赢了3分，包括4月6日108-105的险胜。老鹰应该已经准备好迎接挑战，尼基尔·亚历山大-沃克 (Nickeil Alexander-Walker) 和杰伦·约翰逊本赛季基本上是不可阻挡的。如果这个系列赛没打到至少六场，我会非常惊讶。 —— 亚历山大
尼基尔·亚历山大-沃克成为系列赛三分球命中总数第一 (+100)： 在一个精彩的突破赛季中，谢伊的表弟投中了NBA第四多的三分球，并且在2025-26赛季场均至少出手8次三分的球员中命中率最高。亚历山大-沃克在本月初对阵尼克斯的比赛中刚刚砍下36分，并投中了7记三分。布伦森的三分出手更少、难度更大，且命中率低于亚历山大-沃克。在平手赔率下，对于一个我难以预测结果的系列赛来说，这是一个有趣的玩法。 —— 麦考密克
2号种子波士顿凯尔特人 vs 7号种子费城76人
总局数小于5.5 (-190)： 全员健康的凯尔特人，拥有塔图姆、所有的三分射手和防守者，应该能够迅速碾压没有恩比德、伤病缠身的76人。 —— 卡拉贝尔
杰森·塔图姆系列赛得分最高 (+350)： 塔图姆感觉几年前被“抢走”了总决赛MVP奖杯，自从跟腱断裂复出后，他看起来状态极佳。他能否在得分上超过泰瑞斯·马克西、保罗·乔治 (Paul George) 和队友杰伦·布朗还有待观察，但我预感塔图姆将倾尽所有，在波士顿的胜利中打出一个伟大的系列赛。 —— 亚历山大
保罗·乔治成为系列赛三分球命中总数第一 (+370)： 乔治本赛季的三分出手占比达到了职业生涯新高的49.7%，他本赛季基本上有一半的投篮是在外线完成的。虽然对乔治来说这是一个奇特且缩水的赛季，但他作为76人次要得分手和主要空间拉开者的作用在这一系列赛中是不言而喻的。球队只需要乔治创造牵制力来参与竞争。我也喜欢马克西在这个类别的+220赔率，而对阵凯尔特人的对冲点则是他们深厚的三分射手群。 —— 麦考密克
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：2026 NBA playoffs betting guide: Best bets on champion, Finals MVP and each first-round series
2026 NBA playoffs betting guide: Best bets on champion, Finals MVP and each first-round series
The NBA playoffs tip off Saturday and conclude with the NBA Finals in mid-June.
Which teams are worth backing on all the way to the NBA Finals? Which long shots deserve your attention? And who holds the best value for Finals’ MVP?
Here are Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Steve Alexander to answer those questions and provide their best bets for each first-round series.
Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook and subject to change.
NBA playoffs roundtable
If you could only make one bet prior to the playoffs starting, what would it be?
San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA championship (+500): I think they’re the best team. They dominated Oklahoma City in the regular season and Victor Wembanyama is the most dangerous player in the league. I think they’ll take the kid gloves off and let him play max minutes in the postseason and if Stephon Castle and Wemby both play at peak levels, the Spurs are going to win it all. – Alexander
Spurs to win the Western Conference (+330): Like Mr. Alexander, I’m very bullish on the Spurs, who finished the regular season third in net rating and went 4-1 against the top-seeded Thunder. Wembanyama anchors the roster after averaging 25.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 3.1 BPG this season. It’s also worth noting that since the Warriors’ 2018 repeat, the league has seen seven different champions in seven years. – Moody
Boston Celtics to win the Eastern Conference (+160): The Celtics have a clearer path to the Finals than the Thunder, but at much better pricing. The Western bracket features several candidates for best player on Earth, while the East has Boston and a series of young or flawed contenders. Fueled by the league’s second-best offense and fourth-best defense, Boston only gets stronger as the playoffs approach. – McCormick
Celtics to win series over Philadelphia 76ers (-900): Kudos to the 76ers for making the playoffs despite so many injuries, but I don’t see how, with Joel Embiid not playing, they can take more than a game or so from the Celtics. The Celtics are -900 to win that series, and it feels – I hate to admit – a bit low. – Karabell
What team is the best value to bet on to win the NBA Finals?
Detroit Pistons (22-1): They were easily the best and most consistent team in the East this season and the only thing holding them back is playoff experience, JB Bickerstaff is a solid coach and Cade Cunningham was an MVP candidate until late in the season. I don’t know if they can beat Boston, OKC or the Spurs in a seven-game series but at +2200, I’d be willing to find out. – Alexander
How are the Pistons at +2200 to win the Finals? No, I do not merely assume they represent the East just because they had the best record, or that they will beat the Celtics if they face off in the East Finals, but to have worse odds than the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, who have won nothing in recent playoffs? I don’t see that one making sense. – Karabell
New York Knicks (18-1): When looking at the Eastern Conference, it’s easy to overlook the Knicks with the Celtics, Cavaliers and Pistons drawing most of the attention. However, New York finished the regular season ranked fourth in offensive rating and seventh in defensive rating. That’s notable, as 22 of the last 25 champions finished in the top 10 in defensive rating. The Knicks also feature two elite offensive players in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. This is a team that could surprise. – Moody
Boston Celtics (+550): Trust me, it hurts to believe so sincerely in Boston’s championship potential. I am a fan of the Spurs at their price, but they face a gauntlet in the West just to reach the Finals. The experience and guile of this Boston group has genuine championship potential. The premise for this paying off is simple – the Western finalist arrives weary from a series of long, grinding series, and Boston will be waiting, fresh and ready. – McCormick
What’s your favorite long shot bet heading into the playoffs?
Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA championship (150-1): If Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves are all able to get healthy and play together, the Lakers can hang with anyone and have a lot of playoff experience. And while I’m not sure they’ll stay alive long enough to have their full team at their disposal, there’s always a chance it could happen. – Alexander
Nikola Jokic to win Finals MVP (10-1): Fresh off the greatest statistical season in NBA history – he was the first player since Wilt Chamberlain to lead the league in both rebounds and assists, and the best Box Plus/Minus ever recorded – Jokic is the rare offensive engine who might be able to overcome the Thunder and the Spurs. Getting such long odds speaks to just how difficult Denver’s path proves, yet it’s always fun to imagine what an inner-circle, all-time great in the heart of his prime might do. -- McCormick
Minnesota Timberwolves to win the NBA championship (100-1): Well, other than the Pistons, these seem like rather long odds for the Timberwolves, after that franchise did manage to advance to the West finals only one season ago. OK, so getting past the Nuggets in Round 1 will be a challenge, but didn’t the Wolves beat the Nuggets in Round 2 only two seasons ago? – Karabell
If you had to bet on a Finals MVP right now, who are you betting on?
Victor Wembanyama (+500): Wembanyama is the most exciting player in these playoffs, and I think the Spurs are going to stop limiting his minutes and will turn him loose in the playoff in hopes of winning it all. He can make all the plays on both ends of the court and surrounded by quality teammates like Castle, De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, Dylan Harper and more, and the Spurs rich playoff history could work in their favor here. If the Spurs win it all, Wemby will be the MVP. - Alexander
It would be quite poetic for Boston’s Tatum to win it, and he has the fourth-best odds at +1100, but I think the top West team is the best in the league. Maybe that is the Thunder with the obvious pick of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but I kind of like Wembanyama at +500, too. Let’s go with Wemby taking over the league. – Karabell
Jayson Tatum (11-1): Tatum’s odds are intriguing, and based on the market, there’s a strong chance the Celtics represent the Eastern Conference in the Finals. He’s looked sharp since returning from last year’s torn Achilles, averaging 21.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 5.3 APG in 16 games this season. There’s also added motivation for Tatum if Boston gets back to the Finals, as Jaylen Brown took home Finals MVP during the Celtics’ 2024 title run. – Moody
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+130): When it comes down to it, I think the Thunder will repeat. A Thunder championship is priced at +110, which makes this play for Shai even more inviting. It doesn’t feel very plausible that another member of the Thunder’s deep roster would outperform Gilgeous-Alexander enough to secure the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. -- McCormick
Best bets for the Western Conference
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Phoenix Suns
Thunder to win series 4-1 (+205): The Thunder went 3-2 against the Suns in five regular-season meetings, but their wins were dominant, including blowouts by 49 and 27 points, showing a clear gap when Oklahoma City is at full strength. While Phoenix has multiple defenders for Gilgeous-Alexander and strong 3-point shooting, Oklahoma City’s ability to force turnovers and control tempo should outweigh those strengths. This Thunder team ranked third in net rating after the All-Star break, reinforcing its edge in this matchup. – Moody
No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets
Total games over 5.5 (-115): There is obvious uncertainty surrounding the Lakers because of several key injuries, but they do have LeBron, and the Rockets are, after all, the road team here. I expect a long series and for Doncic to impact it. – Karabell
Rockets win series 4-2 (+250): It’s difficult to see a path for the Lakers to upset the Rockets with Doncic and Reaves out indefinitely. James is still playing at an elite level, but the supporting cast around him leaves a lot to be desired. The Rockets closed the out the season strong, ranking ninth in offensive rating and 10th in defensive rating post All-Star break. It’s difficult to back the Lakers in this scenario. – Moody
No. 3 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards series leader in total points scored (+130): Jokic is a statistical monster, of course, but look for Edwards to handle as big a scoring lead as possible. Edwards averaged 31.6 PPG in a playoff series loss to Denver in 2023. He averaged 27.7 PPG when the Wolves got revenge in 2024. He is going to score a lot here. – Karabell
Nuggets 4-2 (+450). The Nuggets have been an offensive juggernaut post-All-Star break, ranking third in offensive rating, and they have the best player in the series in Jokic. Jokic and Jamal Murray have dominated opponents all season, and Denver also won the season series 3-1 against Minnesota. The Nuggets closed the year on a 12-game winning streak. While the Timberwolves rank 11th in defensive rating, Denver’s shot creation and experience should be enough to overcome that. – Moody
No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 Portland Trail Blazers
Spurs sweep (+175): The Spurs are one of the favorites to win the title and have a roster full of firepower behind Wembanyama. And while they don’t have much playoff experience, the Blazers are in the same boat outside of Jrue Holiday, who is playing very well right now. But I don’t even think we’ve seen the Spurs pull out all the stops one time this season, and once they do, they’re going to be very tough to beat – even one time. – Alexander
Deni Avdijaseries leader in total points (+145): Avdija has averaged 24.2 PPG this season with a 31.0% usage rate. Wembanyama impacts the game in so many ways, but the Spurs don’t always rely on him as a scorer. That’s not the case for Avdija and the Blazers. It’s a tough matchup, but he should see a high volume of field goal attempts. – Moody
The Deni Train is coming to Texas. The league leader in drives per game, this downhill bully – who got to the line at a rate only Doncic surpassed all year – faces a new challenge with the league’s best rim-protector in the paint. Avdija’s combination of usage and scoring strategies make this a fun counter to Wembanyama as the series favorite at -175. Speaking to his potential in this series, Avdija averaged 33 points in two showings against San Antonio this season. – McCormick
Best bets for the Eastern Conference
Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images
No. 1 Detroit Pistons vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic
Pistons to win the Eastern Conference (+500): The Pistons were big surprises this season, but they did win the most games in the conference. With Cunningham and a solid defense around him, it feels unfair that the Cavaliers and Knicks – who have disappointed in recent playoffs – boast better odds. Maybe the Pistons can’t beat the Celtics, or any other team. Or maybe they can! – Karabell
Series total under 5.5 games (-110): The Pistons’ defense and depth create a difficult matchup for the Magic, especially in half-court situations where Orlando struggled this season. Detroit closed the year strong, ranking eighth in offensive rating and second in defensive rating over its final 10 games. Cunningham and Jalen Duren should prosper in this series, and the Pistons’ ability to control the tempo should lead to a short series. – Moody
No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors
Series goes under 5.5 games (-110): The Cavaliers’ offense, led by Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, along with their depth, will be too much for the Raptors to handle. Cleveland has also been exceptional in clutch situations, while Toronto lacks a true go-to scorer. This one could be over quickly. – Moody
Donovan Mitchell to average 30+ PPG in Round 1 (+225): The Cavaliers posted an offensive rating of 132 points per 100 possessions with Harden on the floor this season. That’s good, like historically good. Harden’s ability to not just defer, but celebrate his high-scoring peers has been a signature of this career transition as a playmaker. Mitchell has the keys to the scoring engine in this Cleveland offense, one that currently operates in the 100th percentile. The Toronto backcourt lacks the personnel to keep up with Mitchell through the gauntlet of screens and misdirections Kenny Atkinson has planned. – McCormick
No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks
Series goes over 5.5 games (-160): The Hawks are underdogs, but they are playing some of the best ball in the NBA right now. They’re 19-5 in their last 24 games and while the Knicks won the regular-season series 2-1, their two wins were both by just three points, including a 108-105 win on April 6. The Hawks should be up for the challenge and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson have basically been unstoppable this season. I’d be very surprised if this series doesn’t go at least six games. – Alexander
Nickeil Alexander-Walker series leader in total 3s made (+100): An awesome breakout season saw Shai’s cousin make the fourth-most 3s in the NBA and shoot the best efficiency of any player averaging at least eight attempts per game from deep during the 2025-26 campaign. Alexander-Walker just dropped 36 points, sinking seven from 3-point range against the Knicks earlier this month. Brunson shoots fewer, takes more difficult threes and does so at a lower percentage than Alexander-Walker. At even money, this is a fun play for a series that is otherwise difficult for me to predict. – McCormick
No. 2 Boston Celtics vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers
Total games under 5.5 (-190): The healthy Celtics, with Tatum and all the 3-point shooters and defenders, should be able to roll over the unhealthy 76ers, sans Embiid, and quite quickly. – Karabell
Jayson Tatum scores the most points in the series (+350): Tatum feels like he was robbed of his Finals MVP Award a couple of years ago, and has looked fantastic since returning from his torn Achilles. Whether or not he can outscore Tyrese Maxey, Paul George and teammate Jaylen Brown remains to be seen, but I have a feeling Tatum is going to leave it all on the floor and have a big series in a Boston win. – Alexander
Paul George series leader in total 3s made (+370): With a career-high 3-point attempt rate of 49.7%, George is lofting essentially half of his shots from deep this season. While it’s been an odd and abbreviated season for George, his utility as a secondary scorer and primary floor-spacer for the 76ers in this series is undeniable. The team simply needs George to create gravity to compete. I like Maxey at +220 in this category too, while the hedge against the Celtics is their deep collective of shooters. – McCormick
By ESPN, via ESPN