NBA Playoff Picks: Best Bets for Pistons vs Magic and Nuggets vs Timberwolves

Nothing says drama quite like a No. 8 seed being up 2-1 on a No. 1 seed in the first round of the NBA Playoffs or a No. 2 seed facing elimination in Game 5. Anything can happen in the postseason, though, right? The biggest question now is what the NBA Best Bets will be for Monday’s playoff games.

Will Orlando take one step closer to history? Will Minnesota make history and eliminate the Nuggets, becoming just the eighth No. 7 seed to knock off the No. 2 seed in the first round? Good questions, now let’s talk answers.

Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic

Defensively, the Pistons are playing better than they did during the regular season. The offense just isn’t giving the defense enough help. Orlando, on the other hand, has five players averaging in double digits in the series, and the Magic are playing much better on defense in this series than they ever did during the regular season.

Cade Cunningham has stepped up his game, averaging 31 points per game, but he’s not getting enough help on the scoreboard. Jalen Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game this season. He’s averaging 9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in this series.

My Pick: Orlando ML at +135 (bet365)

There is a chance this game will play out similarly to Game Four between the Knicks and Hawks: New York dominated and led by 21 points going into the fourth quarter before winning 114-98. But I’m not sold on the idea. Yes, Detroit has several players underperforming, but the Magic defense deserves a lot of credit for stepping up.

The chance they do it again (unlike the Hawks) is good enough to make Orlando ML a solid value play.

Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves

It is not uncommon to see a team down 3-1 and facing elimination come out strong in the elimination game and roll to an easy win. That may very well happen in this game, but not necessarily because the Nuggets get their act together and start playing as fans expect. No, it will likely be more because the Timberwolves lost Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo to injuries in Game Four.

Edwards wasn’t putting up a ton of points like he often does, but he was the facilitator for the offense. So, not only will they lose his points, they’ll miss him creating shots for everyone else. His absence will also allow the Denver defense to focus a little more on Ayo Dosunmu.

My Pick: UNDER 222.5 at -114 (FanDuel)

I want to believe more in Denver to get it together and dominate this game and the rest of the series. While I believe they’ll win this game, I don’t have enough faith to believe they can cover a 10.5-point spread. However, the UNDER has paid off in three of four games. Minnesota’s scoring is going to slip for this game.

While Denver could make up the difference and send the final score over the total, they have given us no reason in this series to believe it will happen.