Mon 24/04/2017 - 16:00 EDT

Tuesday NBA Playoff Betting Advice

Tuesday NBA Playoff Betting Advice

Get ready for a busy Tuesday night in the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder are facing elimination while the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz are all looking to deliver death blows.

By Dan Favale

Houston Rockets (-7.5) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (+7.5)

The Houston Rockets have won this series more than the Oklahoma City Thunder have lost it. Let's make that much clear.

James Harden is reaching the paint with ease, something he's struggled to do during past postseasons, with the litany of shooters and drivers and screen-setters around him. Head coach Mike D'Antoni is cornering market inefficiencies in the rulebook; players are setting picks for Harden well above the three-point line, allowing him to draw more fouls on long-ball attempts, and in Game 4 specifically, he displaced Andre Roberson, a bad free-throw shooter, from the Thunder's lineup down the stretch by fouling him off the ball incessantly.

But Oklahoma City's performance without Russell Westbrook in the game stands out just as much. Look at Game 4 specifically. They were a plus-14 with him on the floor, and a minus-18 without him. That's a huge difference, and it's one head coach Billy Donovan must address.

There is no perfect answer. The Thunder are imperfectly built. They lack shooters and shot-creators. But Victor Oladipo should be given the chance to run the offense without Westbrook on the floor, not Norris Cole or Semaj Christon.

If Donovan makes that adjustment, the Thunder probably win. That's food for thought as we enter Game 5. The Thunder are going to lose this series, but they've hung close in almost every game despite failing to utilize the full benefit of their makeup.

The Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder (+7.5)

 

San Antonio Spurs (-9.5) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (+9.5)

Some people might be concerned about the San Antonio Spurs dropping two straight outings to the Memphis Grizzlies. Don't be one of them.

Indeed, Manu Ginobili has been unable to make a shot thus far. And Tony Parker, while a boon on offense, is hurting the Spurs' defense. They are too reliant upon Kawhi Leonard doing anything and everything, and it showed more than ever during their Game 4 overtime shot.

Still, the Spurs are going to improve in a lot of areas for Game 5, and not just because they're playing at home, or simply because they're the Spurs. No, they'll improve because they've missed a lot of easy shots.

Credit the Grizzlies' defense for its last two games' worth of work, but the Spurs are shooting 25 percent (6-of-24) on open threes through the past two tilts. In Game 4 specifically, they were a terrible 3-of-13 when left wide-open beyond the arc.

That basement-level efficiency isn't going to hold. Danny Green and Patty Mills have shown they can be more deadeye than not. So, too, has Ginobili. 

And if the Spurs get back Dewayne Dedmon, their low-key defensive anchor, for Game 5, even better. They should get back to their decidedly winning ways.

The Pick: San Antonio Spurs (-9.5)

 

Los Angeles Clippers (-3) vs. Utah Jazz (+3)

Four games into this series, and the Utah Jazz have already won once without Rudy Gobert and once without Gordon Hayward. Joe Johnson and Joe Ingles have stepped up big time, and Utah's bench consistently outpaces the Los Angeles Clippers' second unit. Their depth, in layman's term, has been overwhelmingly off the charts.

And yet, the Clippers held a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter of Game 4, before completely collapsing. Both teams are playing small, and you can argue that the Clippers' four-out combinations are more dangerous than the Jazz's ooptions on that front.

Plus, when you play small, the pace of play tends to elevate. The Jazz kept the deficit in check by being super efficient in the half-court, but if their offense bends even a little bit, they don't have the experience playing fast and free enough to keep up with the Clippers.

The Pick: Los Angeles Clippers (-3)

Category : News

More articles...
News - 12/06/25
Florida is Now the Overwhelming Favorite to Win the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals 

What: 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Finals Who: Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers When: Game 4 is Thursday, June 12 at 8 p.m. ET Where: Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida How to watch: TNT and Max It's funny how things can change in the span of a week or so. Before the final series of […]

News - 04/06/25
Belmont Stakes 2025: Baeza is in line for classic glory 

The third and final leg of the Triple Crown happens Saturday, June 7: the Belmont Stakes. Like last year, it will be a little different than the traditional Belmont: it will be run at 1 ΒΌ miles at Saratoga Race Course, since Belmont Park is still under construction. The race offers a $2 million purse, […]

News - 02/06/25
Oklahoma City is a Big Favorite to Win the 2025 NBA Finals Over Indiana 

What: 2025 NBA Finals Who: Oklahoma City vs. Indiana Pacers When: Game 1 is set for June 5 at 8:30 p.m. ET Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma How to watch: ABC After a thrilling postseason leading up to this stage, only two teams are left in the hunt to take home the Larry […]

News - 02/06/25
Best UFC 316 Bets: Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O'Malley Picks 

What: UFC 316 Who: Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O'Malley in the main event When: Saturday, June 7 at 9 p.m. ET Where: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey How to watch: ESPN+ There's a title on the line at UFC 316 and there's a main event that people can't wait for. That's right, it's that […]