Best NBA Playoff Bets for Friday, May 9th: Cavaliers, Thunder in Must-Win Spots

Today’s conference semifinal games are going to be crucial for the participants. Cleveland needs a win to avoid a 0-3 hole, and Denver needs to bounce back from that massive loss in Game 2. But does that need make them one of today’s “Best NBA Playoff Bets?”

Let’s dive in and find out. Here’s my list of the best NBA playoff bets for Friday, May 9:

Cleveland Cavaliers (-2.5) vs. Indiana Pacers (+126), o/u 229.5

Over 229.5 at -110 (odds via DraftKings)

The Cavs nearly won Game 2 despite dealing with injuries to several key contributors. Whether they get anyone back or not, Cleveland will be playing with the hunger of a team trying to avoid a hole no one has ever climbed out of — the dreaded 0-3 deficit.

With Evan Mobley not being 100 percent if he does play, the Cavs will struggle to slow down the Pacers on the offensive end. As long as Donovan Mitchell is active, Cleveland will score points. The over has hit in both games this series and is 4-1 on the season between these two teams.

Donovan Mitchell, under 3.5 made 3-pointers at -140
It’s tempting to go for the over under the assumption that Mitchell will likely be looking to put on a show tonight. However, there’s no denying how poorly he’s been shooting from behind the arc — 2-for-18 in the series. It won’t get easier with the series in Indianapolis.

Oklahoma City Thunder (-5) vs. Denver Nuggets (+170), o/u 233.5

Oklahoma City -5 (odds via DraftKings)
Game 1 in this series was a solid basketball game. Game 2, however, was more of a masterclass by the Thunder, who scored 87 points in the first half alone. OKC could have gone scoreless in the third and still held a lead going into the fourth.

It’s not unheard of for a series to go back and forth in the playoffs with teams trading off dominant performances. Denver certainly has the personnel to put up a good fight, especially at home — and they will — but they’ll fall short to the vastly superior team.

Nikola Jokic, over 8.5 assists at -140
To record 10+ assists at +115
With how Game 2 played out, it’s reasonable to think Nikola Jokic will be more determined to get to the basket himself in Game 3. Yes, but part of what makes him one of the best players in the NBA today is that he knows when to share the ball — and does so.

In two games at home vs. OKC this season, he recorded 16 and 13 assists. After posting just six in Games 1 and 2, expect him to step his game up in that regard tonight. This game will see a similar performance from him.