Spurs/Thunder 8:30: Thunder should have All Star G Jalen Williams (hamstring) back on the floor. And OKC rolling in playoffs with a sweep of LA; however, that winning momentum can be stalled out with long layoffs as history dictates. Spurs coming off a dominating performance of Minnesota and going into this one confident knowing they beat OKC 4 of 5 times during the regular season. Wemby is playing with ultra confidence, and he's got a strong supporting cast and bench. We'll take the points. 

Spurs/Wolves 9:42: Wolves should go small tonight; after all, Gobert gives them absolutely nothing offensively, and he's only effective defensively in backside help. Wembanyama absolutely abusing him on both ends of the floor. Wolves more effective when Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, Shannon, Conley or even Dosunmu on floor. Wolves were in this position before in the 2024 Semi Finals after getting blown out by Denver in Game 5 before winning Game 6 and delivering Game 7 win at Denver. Minnesota's veteran team should keep it ultra-competitive vs Spurs on this floor in which they've won 5 of the last 6 SU. 

Wolves/Spurs 8:00: Spurs dangerous off a loss and will have Wemby (no suspension) after he landed that vicious elbow. But don't dismiss the Wolves, which have a veteran playoff team. Just need Randle to add a higher percentage of made buckets to compliment Edwards. The steady supporting cast of Reid, McDaniels and Shannon have been playing well. And if Gobert can have a big game, T Wolves may even get an outright here. We'll take the points. 

Pistons/Cavs 8:10: I had the Cav's in Game 3 and they delivered; however, it was a sweat and almost too close for comfort. Cunningham was killing them late while Reed added quality minutes off the bench. Pistons' defense can really lock down in the second half. That was never more apparent than in the opening round against Orlando. And they're showing that ability against Cleveland. Mitchell is having trouble shaking free and Harden struggled most of the game until that final stretch. We'll look for the Pistons to be more poised down the stretch here and cover. 

Spurs/Wolves 7:42: Wolves dug a big hole early in Game 3 but showed grit coming back to make a serious game out of it. Unfortunately, Wembanyama stole the show late and closed it out. Wolves are a veteran team that has plenty of playoff experience on their roster and should find a way to eke out a win here; after all, they're 4-1 SU at Minnesota in this series in the Wembanyama era. Need Edwards to get more support from Reid, McDaniels and even talented but historic playoff no show - Randle. Take the points. 

Detroit/Cleveland 3:00: No excuses for Cleveland here. They hung tough in Detroit on Thursday but missed shots late while being unable to control Cunningham. Cavaliers are 4-0 at home in the playoffs and should turn it up several notches. Harden has yet to show he's a big game player and must step up his game while eliminating turnovers. Mitchell should take over this game late while Mobley and Allen have to be more physical on the boards. Cleveland the call. 

Spurs/Wolves 9:30: I'm surprised this line is what it is. I see a few points of value with a veteran playoff team that's won 6 of 8 SU in this series. Sure, they got blown out Wednesday; however, they still have control of this series (stealing Game 1) and Anthony Edwards (knee bruise) is most likely a go tonight. The Spurs arguably have the most talented roster in the NBA and when they play connected, they're unbeatable - as exhibited Wednesday; however, they're not always on the same page and they have not had recent success in Minnesota. T-Wolves have won 5 straight at home in this series. We'll take the points. 

Knicks/76ers 7:00: 76ers showed grit Wednesday night playing without Embiid. The fast lineup gave New York trouble to a certain point before they ran out of gas. Embiid is a game-time-decision with an ankle injury. Based on the line, there is a good chance he'll play. On the other hand, New York's Anunoby (hamstring) is also a GTD. He's been an absolute beast with eye popping numbers throughout the playoffs. I don't see him getting significant minutes even if he gives it a go. We'll look for Maxey, George and Edgecombe to continue to play well. 

Cavaliers/Pistons 7:00: Cavaliers have battled hard and successful following losses over the last two seasons under Atkinson. We'll look for that consistency to unfold in Game 2. Rarely does Allen and, especially Mitchell, have bad back-to-back games. We'll look for Cleveland to manage its turnovers, getter tougher on the boards and deliver. 

Analysis to follow...

Analysis to follow...

Analysis to follow...

Analysis to follow...

Celtics/76ers 8:00: When the Celtics aren't hitting their perimeter shots, they're vulnerable. Their game is launching 3s and they shot a dismal 28% from downtown in Game 5. In Game 2, in which they lost, they shot an even worse 26% from the perimeter. Look for well-organized 76ers' HC Nurse to have his boys run Boston off the perimeter. With Embiid manning the paint, Philadelphia has the athletes to rip through screens and close space like they did so well Tuesday. Philadelphia should keep it tight tonight.

Blazers/Spurs 9:30: Spurs are loaded with talent and when they play with cohesion, they are unbeatable. Right now, they're clicking as Vassell, Fox, Harper and Castle are playing at a high level. And even when Wemby has an off-shooting stretch, the abundance of talent can make up for it. Portland is competitive but show their youth late in the games. Spurs deliver. 

Hawks/Knicks 8:00: Knicks actually play better playoff basketball on the road. Hawks have been competitive in this series and need to bring more physicality to the floor than they did in Game 4. Hawks were turnover laden (19) in Game and not able to do what they do best - transition points - when that's the case. We'll look for Atlanta to be competitive here. 

76ers/Celtics 7:00: 76ers had a real bad defensive effort in Game 4. They got scorched from the perimeter. And although Embiid scored a bulk of the points, there was lots of rust. And no help from Maxey or George. 76ers are well coached by Nurse and should make the right adjustments here. We'll look for Philly to keep it tight. 

Analysis to follow...

Spurs/Blazers 10:30: Wemby (concussion protocol) traveled and actually participated in the morning shoot-a-round. The reigning Defensive MVP is sorely missed when he's not in their ruling the low post. Portland took advantage of his absence after his nasty fall. Tonight, Castle and Fox need to step up their game a notch and better interior play is paramount. Look for the right adjustments to be made.

Lakes/Rockets 8:00: Lakers have now covered 4 straight in this series and up 2-0 in the playoff series. Without question, Luke Kennard has been the MVP thus far. And Houston has yet to find an answer. And now that Reeves could possibly be back, Houston has a problem. Rockets have been horrible from the perimeter and they're getting good looks. They should hit those shots tonight. We'll look for the Lakers to keep it tight though. 

Analysis to follow...

Magic/Pistons 6:30: Analysis to follow...

76ers/Celtics 1:00: 76ers seemed well connected on the 15th. Paul George fit in seamlessly and Drummond turned back time to play large. Celtics may have rust since they haven't taken the court since the 12th. 76ers were competitive in the 4 games of this series. We'll look for them to stay competitive here. 

Rockets/Lakers 8:30: Doncic and Reaves injuries too much to overcome. Rockets' HC Udoka will surely find ways to exploit the void in the Lakers' lineup on both ends of the floor. Rockets crash the boards hard on both ends and play strong defense. Durant (knee bruise) should be able to go. If not, still on Houston. They lost VanVleet in September but managed to carry through. C Sengun has been a beast rebounding, scoring and passing. The supporting cast is connected with Jabari Smith and Amen Thompson. We'll roll with Houston. 

Wolves/Nuggets 3:30: Even without Edwards (knee), Wolves are dangerous. They have veteran step up playoff guys like DiVincenzo, Randle, McDaniels and Naz Reid. We'll look for the Wolves to stick around. 

Warriors/Suns 10:00: Warriors displayed their championship mettle in Los Angeles on Wednesday. In the second half, Draymond Green shut down Kawhi Leonard, Horford knocked down 4 critical threes, and Steph Curry did Steph Curry big moment things. Suns, on the other hand, continue to struggle in critical games. We'll ride the Warriors again. 

Analysis to follow...

Lakers/Mavericks 7:40: Lakers will be without Doncic, Reeves, and mostly Smart again. Betting line adjusted accordingly and value remains with Lakers. LeBron James will have to burden the load with Ayton, LaRavia, Hayes and Hachimura supporting. There's still enough talent to get by the tanking Dallas Mavericks who are on a 1-8 slide. Flagg posting big numbers but team not connected. Lakers have won 5 straight in this series and 6 should be a charm as Lakers jockey for playoff seeding position. 

Analysis to follow...

Nets/Cavs 7:10: Cavaliers have one of the best records coming off the All-Star break at 20-8. On the other hand, the Nets, in the same role, are an abysmal 6-22. Cavaliers reeled off 5 straight wins before the break. Harden and Mitchell should fire up the net tonight vs an offensively challenged Nets team that's in the bottom tier of the league in scoring. 

Blazers/Jazz 9:10: Both of these teams are not wired defensively. Jazz are 30th in the league in points allowed and make the most mediocre scoring team put up big numbers. Portland has some consistent double-digit scorers in Audija (when he's on floor), Holiday, 7'1" Clingan. Jazz, on the other hand, are 6th in scoring (118.3 PPG) and should put up plenty of points on their home floor against a Blazers team that allows 118 PPG. This series is 7-1 O/U. And this being the last game for both teams before All-Star break, both defenses have already checked out. "Over" it is. 

Pacers/Thunder 8:00: All over the Pacers (+6') in Game 6 but got to get on OKC here. Hard to fade consistency. The Thunder have responded big, especially at home, off losses throughout the playoffs. During the regular season, they lost just twice off a loss. SGA, the reigning MVP, should live up to the award after committing an uncharacteristic 8 turnovers in Game 6. Last time OKC had a Game 7, they demolished Denver 125-93 on May 18th in the 2nd Round. Home teams have been money in Game 7s going 15-4. OKC has a dominant home floor. They've had a Top 3 defense and offense for the entire year and, especially, take pride in their defense, which was not to their standard in G6. Look for OKC to make the needed adjustments and deliver. 

Thunder/Pacers 8:30: Thunder have been strong off losses all season and in the playoffs; however, on the playoff road OKC an underwhelming 4-4 SU and 0-8 ATS. As brilliant as Holmgren, Williams, Dort and SGA played in G3, their bench - other than Caruso - has not been spectacular. On the other hand, the Pacers' bench has consistently found someone to emerge as a key contributor. Whether it be Toppin, high energy McConnell or uber athletic Mathurin (27 pts Wed), Pacers' usually have someone stepping up big. Nesmith and Nembhard are coming off mediocre games, they're overdue to get untracked. Pacers have been a dangerous dog throughout the playoffs and like that we get another point and a hook added to an already bloated line. We'll continue to take the points with Indiana. 

Pacers/Thunder 8:00: Sure, Thunder have responded favorably off losses all season with only twice during regular season losing back-to-back games. And they've avenged each playoff loss, some more drastic than others. Most notably, in the 2nd game of Round 2 vs Denver. They smothered the Nuggets 149-106! But not all went smooth off playoff losses for the Thunder - narrowly winning by 2 and another by 5. And OKC is just 4-7 ATS in their last 11 playoff tilts. Flip over to the Pacers where they've covered 7 of the last 9 playoff road tilts and they're 3-0 SU/ATS in G2 of every playoff series. And here's something to chew on: Pacers, which have been very secure with the ball throughout the playoffs (single digit average turnovers), yet in Game 1 of this series had a ridiculous 24 turnovers yet only allowed 11 transition points off of those and still won outright on the road! That may be the most decisive factor in the decision to take points again there. Carlisle continues to shuttle in his plethora of shooting talent that is actually grooving on the defensive end. We'll grab the double digits with the hot road team. 

Pacers/Thunder 8:30: I was looking at an 8-point spread, so I find value with Indiana here in this situation. Pacers are 5-2 ATS on the playoff road this season and should sneak in the number here. OKC had eight days since their last game (Minnesota - Apr 26th). Consequently, a bit of rust may have accumulated; after all, let's not forget Denver (+10') shocking OKC outright in Game 1 of the Conference Semi-Finals back on May 5th, after OKC came off an extended rest (7 days). Pacers are deep and offensively proficient when they get into a rhythm. And Carlisle has them playing hard defensively, which can keep them in this game. We'll take the points here. 

Knicks/Pacers 8:00: Heart is with the Knicks but basketball intelligence dictates a Pacers win here. Thursday, Knicks stalled out the prolific scoring Pacers, including key scoring figure - Haliburton. When he scores 20+, Pacers are 30-3. And when the Pacers, as a team, score more than 114 points, they're undefeated in the playoffs. Love the effort of Big KAT, Mitchell Robinson. But Towns hobbling on a knee and Robinson an offensive liability at the foul line when intentionally hacked. Fortunately, for Tibs, he had Achiuwa, Wright and Shamet to hold the fort down when Towns was in foul trouble and Robinson was struggling at the free throw line. Tonight, logic has it, Carlisle will make the needed adjustments to limit turnovers, turn up the tempo, and exploit the defensive weaknesses of New York. Pacers the call. 

Knicks/Pacers 8:00: Pacers should pick up the pace at home and do what they do best: force turnovers into transition buckets. It will be hard for the slower and some hobbling - Karl Anthony-Towns (knee) to slow them down on this floor. Haliburton should turn up his game several notches to spur the offensive output. Knicks should get their share of points; after all, Brunson has been unstoppable, underutilized Anunoby should continue to put up points with Big KAT. Over the call. 

Thunder/Wolves 8:30: Thunder have been successful all season in bouncing back off losses. They're a profitable 12-5 ATS/16-1 SU following a loss. We'll look for the needed adjustments to steer OKC to victory here. SGA off a rare mediocre game should turn it up sharply. On the other hand, look for the OKC defense to squeeze lanes better and tighten on the perimeter. OKC the call. 

Thunder/Wolves 8:30: Wolves have their backs against the wall and should respond favorably here. They should have more focus at home; after all, they lost the turnover battle over the first two games of this series. Need Randle and Reid to step up their games to free up Edwards - who's really struggling from the perimeter. SGA not as productive on the road and that should help open the door for a Minnesota cover here. 

Pacers/Knicks 8:00: Love the fight in this Knicks team but Pacers are dangerous in this spot. We remember what Haliburton did in the semi-finals a season ago to NY. He and this Pacers team are every bit as dangerous. This season, they're 4-1 SU/ATS on the playoff road and 5-2 ATS as a playoff dog. We'll grab the points here. 

Nuggets/Thunder 3:30: Some concerns with Jalen Williams (10 for 43 last 3 games) but he should finally settle in back home today. Denver's Jokic shook out of his funk as he found quicker ways to come off the double team. But worried that Gordon (hamstring) will limit his super athleticism. He's been tremendous in the playoffs. And OKC has the superior depth and discipline to respond off losses. They've done it better than anybody this season. OKC the call. 

OKC/Denver 10:00: OKC was overly physical on Jokic in G2. Fouls weren't called and most likely the refs will allow the physical play to a certain point. Look for the championship pedigree of Denver to make the needed adjustments here and match OKC's intensity of G2. 

Cavaliers/Pacers 7:40: Surely Cleveland will fire out with a vengeance tonight; after all, they're down 2-0 in the series and 3-0 will spell impending doom. But Pacers are one team in the East that is a major thorn in the side for Cleveland. They're deep, fast, and have five double digit scorers on the floor most of the time. The only time Cleveland won and covered in this series this season was on this floor but, and it's a big BUT, Haliburton DNP. And he's been tearing up the Cavaliers this post-season. With Garland (big toe) still day to day, we're taking the points on this strong home floor.