SportsLine’s top five NBA experts are winning at a 69.4% clip and are up $8,990 this season, and they have identified nine best bets for the NBA Playoffs
The 2025 NBA Playoffs begin Tuesday with two Play-In Tournament games and concludes in June when one team lifts the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who finished with the league’s best record (68-14), begin the playoffs as the favorites to win the NBA title, at +170. Meanwhile the defending champion Boston Celtics are the second choice, at +220. They are followed by the Cavaliers (+650), Lakers (+1400) and Warriors (+1700).
Accordingly, the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the favorite to win the Finals MVP award, at +190, just ahead of the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (+290). The Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (+1000), the Celtics’ Kristaps Porzingis (+2000) and the Warriors’ Stephen Curry (+2200) round out the top five choices in the Finals MVP odds.
There are thousands of futures bets available for the NBA Playoffs, but SportsLine’s top five basketball experts have narrowed down the options to nine best bets. Below the experts, who collectively have won at a 69.4% clip and are up $8,990 this season, provide their best bets analysis for each. Check out NBA picks from even more SportsLine experts here.
Mike Barner (+2966) 184-133-1
NBA Finals winner: Celtics (+220)
I’m picking the Celtics mainly because I think getting to the NBA Finals is easier in the Eastern Conference than the Western Conference. The only real threat to the Celtics is the Cavaliers. As good as the Thunder have been, I think the West is more up-in-the-air. I also don’t fully trust Jalen Williams in a big spot yet. If Kristaps Porzingis can stay healthy, the Celtics are going to be difficult for any team to beat in a seven-game series.
Clippers to win series against Nuggets (+130)
The Clippers closed out the regular season with eight straight wins. Kawhi Leonard is healthy, and they finished the season with the third-best defensive rating in the league. The Nuggets just fired their coach, and Jamal Murray battled a hamstring injury down the stretch. Despite the Nuggets having home court advantage, I like taking a chance on the Clippers and their defense at plus odds.
Larry Hartstein (+1937) 53-27
NBA Finals winner: Thunder (+170)
The Thunder posted the best point differential in NBA history. They own the NBA’s best defense by far. There’s no question OKC is the best team. The question is: Can the Thunder overcome their relative lack of playoff experience? I say yes, in part because of their unmatched depth. When OKC exited in the Western Conference semifinals last season, it didn’t have Isaiah Hartenstein or Alex Caruso, among other current key contributors. Only six other NBA teams have won as many games (68) as the Thunder did. Four went on to win the NBA title.
Bucks to win series against Pacers (+190)
The Bucks don’t have homecourt advantage, but they dominated the season series with Indiana and have a healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo. He didn’t play in last year’s 4-2 series loss to the Pacers in this same round. Milwaukee has won eight straight. With Antetokounmpo (30.4 points per game, 11.9 rebounds per game, 60.4 field goal percentage) playing at an MVP level and attracting multiple defenders, the Bucks’ sharpshooters are getting great looks. Milwaukee leads the NBA at 38.5% from deep, with AJ Green, Gary Trent and Kevin Porter all hitting at least 40.8%. Bobby Portis is back from suspension, and there’s a chance Damian Lillard (blood clot) could return. This will be a long series, but the Bucks match up well and the Greek Freak isn’t going to waste this chance after injuries wiped out his last two postseasons.
Alex Selesnick (+1776) 126-89
NBA Finals winner: Nuggets (+2500)
I think this is a great price to back the best player in the world, on a team with championship-caliber players and experience. Nikola Jokic is coming off arguably the best offensive season in league history. While the Nuggets’ lack of quality depth certainly proved to be a weakness during the regular season, it’s less of an issue in the postseason as teams tighten up their rotations and rely less on their benches. Denver’s Ball Arena is a very tough environment for visiting teams. Playoff basketball has taught me that the best player in any given series usually prevails. While the timing of the firing of coach Mike Malone was certainly less than ideal, we’re still looking at a championship-experienced roster led by the best player in the world who is at the peak of his powers. Ultimately, I believe these odds are simply too long.
Lakers vs. Timberwolves series Over 5.5 Games (-170)
This looks like it’s going to be a very competitive series between two evenly matched teams. The Lakers have gone 18-10 since acquiring Luka Doncic and have gone from looking like they might struggle to advance from the Play-In Tournament, to a viable title contender. While Minnesota didn’t get as much attention as L.A., the Timberwolves looked terrific down the stretch, going 16-4 over their final 20 games. I also think the Wolves match up well against a Lakers frontcourt whose starting center is Jaxson Hayes; Minnesota’s size and frontcourt depth could be a real problem. I am also confident that Anthony Edwards has another gear that he will go to. This series looks destined to go seven games.
Matt Severance (+1171) 191-122-1
Celtics exact round of elimination: Eastern Conference finals (+320)
I don’t believe that Boston repeats as Eastern Conference champion, much less NBA champion. At full strength, the Celtics are more than capable, but Jaylen Brown is not close to full strength with his knee issues. He was the Celtics’ primary defender on the opposing team’s top scorer in the 2024 playoffs. And can we really trust Kristaps Porzingis to stay healthy?
Boston will face a tricky matchup in Round 1 against Orlando or Atlanta, with both having success against the Celtics this season. Then the Knicks likely will be waiting in the East semifinals. As long as it stays healthy, Cleveland should coast to the East finals, and it also has the Twin Towers duo of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to deal with Porzingis.
I loved the Cavaliers’ trade for De’Andre Hunter as the primary motivation behind that deal at the deadline was for Hunter to defend Jayson Tatum and/or Brown in a possible playoff matchup. Cleveland to win the East is only +225 so I like this prop better as this is a better price for the same result.
Prop Bet Guy (+1140) 132-105
NBA Finals winner: Celtics (+190)
As we flip the switch from regular season to the playoffs, I’m still convinced that the reigning champion Celtics are the team to beat. Despite taking their foot off the gas at times during the regular season, Boston still ranked in the top four of both offensive and defensive efficiency. Jaylen Brown’s balky knee does bother me, but Boston should have the luxury of easing their star back into action during the first round. Plus, the added elements of Payton Pritchard’s emergence and Kristaps Porzingis’ health adds layers to this team that were missing during last season’s title run. The Thunder and Cavs were nice regular season stories, but I have the Celtics hanging banner No. 19 after this playoffs.
NBA Finals longshot: Clippers (+4500)
Somewhat quietly, the Clippers have put together a solid second half of the season (19-9 since the All-Star break). Kawhi Leonard shed his minutes limit and looks like the superstar he is (25 points per game since the break); James Harden has put together an All-NBA campaign; Norman Powell had a legitimate case for All-Star consideration midseason; and Ivica Zubac has had a profound impact both defensively and as Harden’s pick-and-roll partner. The Clips drew the Nuggets, who are mired in dysfunction right now, in the first round. A second round series against the Thunder wouldn’t be a cake-walk, but as long as fun-guy Kawhi is playing at this level, I think L.A.’s “other” team has a shot.
