The NBA playoffs begin on Saturday
Now that the 2025 NBA postseason has begun, the basketball betting market is hotter than ever. CBS Sports will be providing daily picks for the duration of the postseason. Sam Quinn will make at least one pick for every game between now and the NBA Finals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged 8.5 assists per game since Damian Lillard went down, effectively absorbing all of Lillard’s playmaking responsibilities in addition to his own considerable scoring duties. Given the poor state of Milwaukee’s shooting right now, Indiana is probably going to help off of Antetokounmpo plenty in this one, and his favorite passes come after he’s collapsed the defense and set up a teammate from deep. I’m expecting Indiana to build a wall against the two-time MVP, and for him to respond by emphasizing his passing in Game 1. The Pick: Antetokounmpo Over 7.5 Assists
Ty Lue has a bit of a history in the postseason of starting out with relatively basic strategies before busting out his more exotic adjustments a game or two later. With that trend, I’m guessing he’s going to give Ivica Zubac a chance to guard Nikola Jokić straight up for at least a game with the idea being that if the Clippers stay home on everyone else and stop his teammates, it doesn’t matter how much he can score. Whether that works over the whole series remains to be seen, but it should lead to plenty of Game 1 scoring. The Pick: Jokić Over 27.5 Points
Jalen Brunson was a little shaky in his four games back following a sprained ankle in the last week of the season. A week of rest probably helped, but he’s still about to run into Ausar Thompson on Saturday. His brother might be the more famous of the two, but several metrics suggest that Detroit’s Thompson twin is the better defender, which is saying quite a bit, as I picked Amen as the Defensive Player of the Year. Until I know Brunson is healthy and able to deal with one of the best defenders in the NBA, I’m inclined to take his unders. The Pick: Brunson Under 27.5 Points
Our first non-prop of the playoffs is a Laker Game 1 victory. Luka Dončić has played eight playoff games against Rudy Gobert. He’s won six and lost the other two by six combined points. He loves hunting Gobert on the perimeter. The Lakers have hunt-able defenders for Anthony Edwards as well, but given the number of poor shooters they play, the Lakers are going to be far more comfortable doubling. Good luck doubling Dončić with LeBron James and Austin Reaves on the floor. I’m predicting an opener in which the Lakers stifle Edwards with help-defense and dominate with their ball-handling in half-court settings. The Pick: Lakers -4
