While the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs may have lacked some drama, the second round may be another story.
Following Sunday night’s action, each of the four series is finely poised and still has the potential to go deep.
The two top seeds remaining in the playoffs, the second-seeded Boston Celtics out of the Eastern Conference and the top-seeded Denver Nuggets out of the Western Conference, are heading back home for Game 5s on Tuesday with their respective series tied at 2.
Looking for NBA Playoffs Picks?
At Betting News, you can find aggregated NBA picks from several reputable industry sources for every game in this year’s playoffs, from the first round to the Finals.
And if you are interested in checking out NBA picks from other sources, there are a number of trustworthy sports handicapping services that we recommend.
One of those sources is Doc’s Sports, which has a great offer going right now.
Doc’s Sports offers a lot of free picks and content, but they also offer $60 worth of premium sports picks free for new premium signups. If you are betting on the NBA or NHL playoffs, that should be an especially enticing offer.
Warriors & Knicks Look for Series-Tying Wins After Sunday Successes for Sixers, Suns
Yesterday, James Harden’s late three propelled the 76ers past the Celtics in overtime in Philadelphia. In the nightcap, another masterful performance by Devin Booker helped the Suns square their series with the Nuggets.
Will the other series move into the same position tonight? Road wins will be required for both higher-seeded teams to make that to happen.
In the West, the Los Angeles Lakers lead the Golden State Warriors 2-1 after a 30-point win in Game 3. Another win tonight at Crypto.com Arena will put the reigning champions on the brink of being booted from this year’s playoffs.
In the East, the Miami Heat are looking to take a 3-1 lead over the New York Knicks at home following a 19-point Game 3 win on Saturday.
Could both of those series end up finishing up in five? It certainly could happen. But after only three first-round series went six or seven games, the possibility that each second-round series could is exciting.
How do the series odds shake out for each one at this point? Below, we take a look at the latest playoffs series futures, as well as current NBA Finals odds.
Odds listed below are via BetOnline.
2023 NBA Playoffs Series Odds (as of Monday, May 8)
Eastern Conference Semifinals
#3 Philadelphia 76ers vs #2 Boston Celtics
- Philadelphia 76ers +250
- Boston Celtics -310
#8 Miami Heat vs #5 New York Knicks
- Miami Heat -240
- New York Knicks +194
Despite the Sixers already logging a win at TD Garden and taking the series back to Boston all tied up, NBA playoffs odds do not have a lot of love for Philadelphia.
The same can be said for the Heat, who still might not be getting the respect they deserve despite being favored against the Knicks.
The Heat impressively eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks, who had the NBA’s best record in the regular season, in five games in the first round, and they would be eyeing a second-round sweep had they been better in the final five minutes of Game 2 at MSG.
Western Conference Semifinals
#4 Phoenix Suns vs #1 Denver Nuggets
- Phoenix Suns +136
- Denver Nuggets -162
#7 Los Angeles Lakers vs #6 Golden State Warriors
- Los Angeles Lakers -198
- Golden State Warriors +166
In the two games in Phoenix, the Nuggets had no answer for Devin Booker, who has been outstanding thus far in the playoffs. Booker went for 47 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in the Suns’ 121-114 win in Game 3 and followed that with 36 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds in a 129-124 win in Game 4.
Are the Lakers dealing with the same lack of respect as the Heat? There’s a strong argument to be made that the Heat at their best are a better team than the Knicks, while the Warriors have Steph Curry, who is, well, Steph Curry.
Eastern Conference Finals
- Boston Celtics -175
- Philadelphia 76ers +370
- Miami Heat +480
- New York Knicks +1100
Western Conference Finals
- Denver Nuggets +185
- Los Angeles Lakers +210
- Phoenix Suns +300
- Golden State Warriors +430
Odds to Win the 2023 NBA Finals (as of Monday, May 8)
- Boston Celtics +165
- Denver Nuggets +460
- Los Angeles Lakers +500
- Phoenix Suns +650
- Philadelphia 76ers +800
- Golden State Warriors +850
- Miami Heat +2100
- New York Knicks +4300
Where to Bet on the 2023 NBA Playoffs
Here are four legal sports betting sites that we highly recommend and have reviewed, where you can bet on this year’s NBA postseason action.
This is obviously a very popular time of year for NBA betting, and you can get in on the action at any of the top sports betting sites out there.
But these four books are all reputable names, and you can trust them with your betting funds.