2025 NBA Playoffs Betting Online
There will be a new NBA champion after the Boston Celtics were defeated by the New York Knicks in six games in their second round series. The conference final matchups are now set and I don’t think it’s what anyone expected in the East with Boston and Cleveland being put down. Those two dominated the East during the regular season with each winning more than 60 games. No other team won more than 51 games. It just proves that the best team doesn’t always win. The best team in the East will have to wait till next season but the best club overall is still alive.
NBA Betting Lines
The Oklahoma City Thunder captured the No. 1 overall seed by going 68-14. They had a scare in the second round before subduing Denver in seven games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up a MVP-type performance in the clincher scoring 35 points on 12 of 19 shooting from the floor. It was the type of efficient performance we’ve seen all season from OKC with everyone contributing. And being the youngest team in the postseason they showed their maturity overcoming a sluggish start to win 125-93. The Thunder showed off why they had a NBA best regular season net rating of +12.8 frustrating three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
OKC shot 49 percent from the field with five players scoring in double figures. More impressive was their work on the defensive end of the floor. They held the Nuggets to 39 percent shooting with Jokic attempting only nine field goals. OKC’s defensive pressure also forced 22 Denver turnovers.
Two of the four remaining teams are in a similar position looking for different results then they had a year ago. The Minnesota Timberwolves lost to Dallas in five games in last year’s Western Conference Final and have looked like the best team in the postseason. The Wolves dismantled the Lakers in the first round and took four straight from Golden State in the second round after dropping the opener of that series. The Wolves have never been to the NBA Finals and this is just their third trip to the conference final and second straight.
It’s easy to talk about offense, and there’s plenty of it from Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. Those two have combined to average more than 50 points in the postseason. However, defense has been Minnesota’s calling card this postseason. Six times they held an opponent to less than 100 points and only once have they conceded more than 110.
The upset wins by the Knicks and Pacers set up a rematch of last year’s second round series, which the Pacers won in seven games to advance to the Eastern Conference Final. New York had homecourt advantage then, just like they have now, and after the home team won the first six games Indiana ran away with the clincher shooting 67.1 percent in the lopsided 130-109 victory. New York won two of three regular season meetings with the teams playing at an exhausting pace. The Knicks are arguably better defensively than they were last year with players like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges proficient at defending the wing. Karl-Anthony Towns is a presence in the middle and Jalen Brunson has been money.
Both teams have been clutch in the playoffs as well. The Knicks had two impressive road wins against Boston coming back after trailing by 20 points in each of the first two games. Tyrese Haliburton stunned Cleveland with an impressive last second flurry giving the Pacers a 120-119 win in Game 2. They rallied from down 20-points in that game and overcame two other deficits of at least 19 points this postseason.
Eastern Conference Finals
(3) New York Knicks vs. (4) Indiana Pacers
Series Tied 0-0
Pacers at Knicks Game 1 Betting Lines
Indiana Pacers +4.5
New York Knicks -4.5
Total: 223
Money Line: Pacers +162, Knicks -195
| GAME/LOCATION |
DATE / TIME (ET) |
SCORE |
| Game 1 (at New York) |
Wed, May 21 - 8:00 PM |
- |
| Game 2 (at New York) |
Fri, May 23 - 8:00 PM |
- |
| Game 3 (at Indiana) |
Sun, May 25 - 8:00 PM |
- |
| Game 4 (at Indiana) |
Tue, May 27 - 8:00 PM |
- |
| Game 5* (at New York) |
Thu, May 29 - 8:00 PM |
- |
| Game 6* (at Indiana) |
Sat, May 31 - 8:00 PM |
- |
| Game 7* (at New York) |
Mon, June 2 - 8:00 PM |
- |
* If Necessary
Western Conference Finals
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
OKC Leads 1-0
Timberwolves at Thunder Game 2 Betting Lines
Minnesota Timberwolves +7.5
Oklahoma City Thunder -7.5
Total: 214
Money Line: Timberwolves +237, Thunder -294
| GAME/LOCATION |
DATE / TIME (ET) |
SCORE |
| Game 1 (at Oklahoma City) |
Tue, May 20 |
OKC 114, MIN 88 |
| Game 2 (at Oklahoma City) |
Thu, May 22 - 8:30 PM |
- |
| Game 3 (at Minnesota) |
Sat, May 24 - 8:30 PM |
- |
| Game 4 (at Minnesota) |
Mon, May 26 - 8:30 PM |
- |
| Game 5* (at Oklahoma City) |
Wed, May 28 - 8:30 PM |
- |
| Game 6* (at Minnesota) |
Fri, May 30 - 8:30 PM |
- |
| Game 7* (at Oklahoma City) |
Sun, June 1 - 8:00 PM |
- |
* If Necessary
Eastern Conference First Round
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat - CLE Wins 4-0
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic - BOS Wins 4-1
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons - NYK Wins 4-2
(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks - IND Wins 4-1
Eastern Conference Semifinals
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Indiana Pacers - IND Wins 4-1
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks - NYK Wins 4-2
Western Conference First Round
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies - OKC Wins 4-0
(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors - GSW Wins 4-3
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves - MIN Wins 4-1
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers - DEN Wins 4-3
Western Conference Semifinals
(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Denver Nuggets - OKC Wins 4-3
(6) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (7) Golden State Warriors - MIN Wins 4-1
Log into BookMaker Sportsbook and get the best Basketball Betting Odds, Basketball Betting Articles and information about this and all other sports betting events!
