NBA Picks for May 9 - Best Bets for Thursday's NBA Playoff Games

We’re back with two games for our best bets for Thursday's NBA Playoff games. While Wednesday’s NBA slate featured just one game, it was a good one.

The Knicks have routinely played in the most entertaining games all postseason, and Game 2 vs. the Pacers was no exception. Despite missing Jalen Brunson for the second quarter and OG Anunoby for most of the second half, they secured a victory and improved to 2-0.

Despite Tom Thibodeau playing his best players for upwards of 48 minutes, the Knicks continue to outlast their opponents down the stretch.

Thursday features two No. 1 seeds looking to grab 2-0 leads. The Celtics and Thunder took care of business in Game 1, so we’ll see if the Cavaliers and Mavericks can put up a better fight in Game 2.

Let’s dive into my favorite betting options for Thursday’s slate.

Best Bets for Thursday's NBA Playoff Games

Cavaliers +13.5 at Celtics (-105; Caesars)

My respect for the Celtics is second to none at this point. I’ve bet them to win this series in five games or less, and if they play their best basketball, there’s not a team in the league that can hang with them for 48 minutes.

They’re that good.

Still, I expect the Cavaliers to play a bit better than they did in Game 1 and at least keep this game competitive. The Celtics likely won’t be quite as proficient offensively, particularly Jaylen Brown. He was 12-18 from the field and 4-6 from 3-point range, while Derrick White continues to shoot the lights out.

Additionally, getting back Jarrett Allen would be a huge boost to the Cavs’ chances. He was one of their most important players during the regular season, with the team increasing their Net Rating by +4.0 points per 100 possessions with Allen on the floor. The Cavs were outrebounded 55-38 in Game 1, and Allen would certainly help close that gap in Game 2.

Ultimately, I’m going to lock this play in at +13.5 and hope that Allen returns to the lineup. If he does, we’ll likely get a smidge of closing line value.

More NBA Bets for Thursday, May 9th

Mavericks +5.5 at Thunder (-110; Caesars)

Game 1 obviously wasn’t ideal for Dallas, but they were at a significant rest disadvantage in that matchup. The Thunder swept their first-round series vs. the Pelicans, so they had more than a full week off before Game 1. Luka Doncic also turned in his worst performance of the postseason, and I don’t expect that to continue. I targeted the Mavericks before the series started, and I’m not ready to abandon ship.

Aaron Wiggins Over 2.5 rebounds (+100; FanDuel)

Wiggins has established himself as one of the Thunder’s most important reserves. He led the bench players with 22.8 minutes in Game 1 vs. the Mavericks, and he responded with five boards. Wiggins saw a few more minutes than usual with the game turning into a blowout, but he should still see around 18-20 minutes in Game 2.

Ultimately, Wiggins has grabbed at least three boards in all but one postseason contest this season, so this number feels too low.

Gordon Hayward Under 0.5 assists (-125; BetMGM)

I rode this prop successfully in Game 1, and I’m going to ride it til she bucks me. Hayward simply isn’t a part of the Thunder’s rotation at the moment. He played just seven minutes in Game 1, and he wasn’t particularly active when on the court. NBA.com credited him with just one potential assist, and he’s had zero dimes in three of his past four games. With his minutes continuing to decline, I’ll take my chances once again.

2024 NBA Playoffs Bets Record

Yesterday: 1-2 (+0.525 units)
Futures: 3-2 w/ three pending (+0.25)
Playoffs: 25-25 (-0.805 units)