The NBA Playoffs officially begin this Saturday, with an excellent 4-game slate on the schedule for today. So, our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified all the best value on the board.
Our betting experts have looked over the odds and made 6 NBA picks for today's contests. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Saturday, April 19.
NBA Best Bets for First Round Playoff Games: Saturday, April 19
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 1 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
| 3:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Clippers vs. Nuggets
By Joe Dellera
The Denver Nuggets face off against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday afternoon, and the player that I’m targeting is the MVP candidate Nikola Jokic.
Jokic has been insane this year for the Nuggets, and he has specifically excelled in this matchup against Ivica Zubac this season.
This season, Jokic has made 7, 2 and 2 three-pointers against the Clippers. The drop coverage that they play is susceptible to the Nuggets and Jokic, as he’s willing to let it fly.
Jokic has 2+ three-pointers in six straight games against the Clippers, and I expect him to help stretch the floor for Denver today.
Pick: Nikola Jokic Over 1.5 Three-Pointers Made (-145)
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Bucks vs. Pacers
Without Damian Lillard, who has been ruled out for at least game one, Kevin Porter has been a crucial part of the Bucks offense.
Over the last five games, he has averaged 20.2 points per game. Even with Bobby Portis back, he's playing somewhere in the 25 to low 30 minute range off the bench for the Bucks.
Porter is arguably the most important player for the Bucks in this series if they are going to compete with Dame banged up, and he's going to have every opportunity to score against the 7th-fastest paced team in the league in Indiana.
Pick: Kevin Porter 10+ Points (-140)
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Clippers vs. Nuggets
The playoffs are a completely different animal compared to the regular season, given the intensity and scrutiny that each possession brings. Players tend to put forth more effort defensively, and the referees are less lenient when calling fouls.
Teams that finished sixth or higher in the conference also enter the playoffs with significant rest, considering they last played on Sunday. Yet while these are exceptional athletes, there’s always a potential for a bit of rust in the series opener.
I expect that to be the case when the Nuggets host the Clippers for Game 1. We have a total of 224.5, and the under is an intriguing option at that price. Los Angeles ranks in the bottom third of the league in terms of pace (98.2 possessions per game) and boasts the third-best mark in Defensive Efficiency with a 109.4 rating.
The biggest matchup of the series will likely occur inside the paint between Denver’s Nikola Jokic and the Clippers' Ivica Zubac. Both players can play with their backs to the basket, and it wouldn’t surprise me if we get more of a traditional throwback game of basketball from decades ago.
The recent history between these teams could also prove to be worthwhile, considering the under is 6-3-1 in the last 10 meetings.
Pick: Under 224 (-110)
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Lakers vs. Timberwolves
We're all expecting Luka Doncic to get his — and he will — but the Minnesota Timberwolves will also need to account for Austin Reaves, outside of the obviously (LeBron James).
Reaves has had success against the defense before and after the trade. In his only game with Doncic against Minnesota, he had 23-6-5 in late February. He also had 18-6-6 in December.
Moreover, for as good as Minnesota's defense is, the Lakers will be looking to use their creativity on the perimeter to help spread out the Wolves' wings and potentially draw Rudy Gobert out of position, and Reaves should play a sizable role in doing so.
In a pick your poison offense, Reaves will benefit from playing alongside James and Doncic, as he did when it was James and Davis, getting five or more dimes in nine of his last 18 postseason appearances.
Pick: Austin Reaves Over 4.5 Assists (+110)
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Clippers vs. Nuggets
By Alex Hinton
Last Sunday, Kawhi Leonard delivered a vintage performance in a big spot. He had 33 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. In the process, he helped the Clippers avoid the Play-In and get a week of rest before this matchup with the Nuggets.
The Clippers closed the regular season by 18 of their last 21 games, including 13 of the last 14 that Leonard played in. In that span, he averaged 26.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. He cleared this line in nine of those games and now Leonard gets a favorable matchup against Denver.
