1st Round – NBA Playoff Picks – Sun, 21st April

*These NBA Playoff picks are done the morning of game day, adjust picks should spreads and lineups change.

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MIAMI @ BOSTON

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND – GAME 1

TEAM TRENDS

• The Celtics have won 25 of their last 26 home games against Eastern teams.
• The Heat have covered the spread in their last 6 road games.
• The Heat’s last 6 road games has gone Overs.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

SEASON MATCHUPS

MIAMI 2-1

PICKS ATS

THE RUB

The Heat and Celtics are set to renew their storied playoff rivalry at TD Garden on Sunday afternoon, as they open their postseason campaigns. This meeting is the fourth time in five years that these two franchises have clashed in the playoffs. In their most recent postseason encounter during last year’s Conference Finals, the Heat clinched a decisive 103-84 victory in Game 7, stopping the Celtics from making a historic comeback from a 3-0 series deficit.

Overall, Miami and Boston have faced off in six postseason series, with the Heat currently leading 4-2. During this regular season, the Celtics managed to sweep the three-game series against the Heat, showcasing strong performance and teamwork.

The Heat have secured the eighth seed after a convincing 112-91 victory over Chicago in the play-in tournament, despite the absence of key players Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, whose availability for the series against Boston remains uncertain.

PLAYER TRENDS

• Bam Adebayo scored the first basket in the Heat’s last 3 playoff games.
• Tyler Herro made 4+ three-pointers in his last 4 games as underdogs against the Celtics.
• Kristaps Porzingis recorded 8+ rebounds in each of his last 4 games.
• Jayson Tatum scored 29+ points in the Celtics’ last 3 Game 1s of a playoff series against the Heat.
• Jaylen Brown scored 31+ points in the Celtics’ last 3 Eastern Conference First Round games.
• Derrick White scored 18+ points in the Celtics’ last 3 home games against the Heat.
• Jaylen Brown made 3+ three-pointers in the Celtics’ last 3 games against the Heat.
• Tyler Herro recorded 8+ assists in the Heat’s last 3 games.
• Tyler Herro scored 26+ points in each of his last 2 road games against the Celtics.

PICK – OVER 209.5 TOTAL PTS

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DALLAS @ LA CLIPPERS

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND – GAME 1

TEAM TRENDS

• The Mavericks’ last 8 games at Crypto.com Arena have all gone Unders.
• The Mavericks have lost 9 of their last 10 Game 1s in the playoffs.
• The Clippers have covered the spread in 6 of their last 8 games versus the Mavericks.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

SEASON MATCHUPS

LA CLIPPERS 2-1

PICKS ATS

THE RUB

The Mavericks and Clippers reignite their playoff rivalry at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night, marking their first postseason meeting since the 2020-21 season. In that first-round series, the Clippers clinched victory with a decisive 126-111 win in Game 7.

In more recent regular-season matchups, the Clippers managed to edge out the Mavericks 2-1. Despite Dallas’s loss in the series, Luka Doncic was a standout performer, averaging an impressive 34.0 points per game. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard was the leading scorer with 21.3 points per game. There’s optimism surrounding Leonard’s potential return for the playoffs after he missed the final eight games of the regular season due to a knee issue. The Clippers have had a mixed 7-7 record in games without Leonard this season, indicating his importance to the team’s success.

The spotlight will be on Doncic and Leonard, whose performances could very well dictate the pace and outcome of the series.

PLAYER TRENDS

• Tim Hardaway Jr. has scored 12+ points in 6 consecutive games against the Clippers.
• Kyrie Irving has recorded 5+ rebounds in his last 6 playoff road games.
• Kyrie Irving has scored 26+ points in 4 of his last 5 games versus the Clippers.
• P.J. Washington has grabbed 6+ rebounds in 5 of his last 6 road games.
• Luka Doncic has grabbed 11+ rebounds in 4 of his last 5 games at Crypto.com Arena.
• Kyrie Irving has given 5+ assists in 6 of his last 7 road games against the Clippers.
• Luka Doncic has scored 39+ points in his last 3 playoff games against the Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.
• Luka Doncic has given 11+ assists in his last 3 playoff games versus the Clippers.

PICK – LA CLIPPERS +2.5

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INDIANA @ MILWAUKEE

EASTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND – GAME 1

TEAM TRENDS

• The Pacers have lost their last 9 playoff games.
• The Pacers have failed to cover the spread in their last 8 playoff games.
• The Pacers’ last 5 games has gone Overs.
• The Bucks have won the first half in 14 of their last 17 games against the Pacers.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

SEASON MATCHUPS

INDIANA 4-1

PICKS ATS

THE RUB

The Pacers and Bucks are set to revive their playoff rivalry at Fiserv Forum on Sunday night, marking their first postseason meeting since the 1999-00 season when the Pacers won in a first-round series. In this season’s matchups, Indiana claimed an advantage in the regular season series, winning four out of five games against the Bucks, though they split the games played at Fiserv Forum.

Tyrese Haliburton was a standout for the Pacers, averaging 27.0 points and 11.0 assists across the series. For Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo was dominant, averaging 42.2 points and 13.0 rebounds per game. However, Milwaukee faces a challenge heading into this series as Antetokounmpo is currently dealing with a calf strain and is expected to miss the start of the series. The Bucks have struggled without him, holding a 4-5 record in games played without their star forward this season.

As the series begins, the Bucks will need to find ways to compensate for the absence of Antetokounmpo, while the Pacers will look to capitalize on their regular-season success.

PLAYER TRENDS

• Aaron Nesmith has 12+ points in his last 5 games against teams with a winning record.
• Tyrese Haliburton has 22+ points in each of the Pacers’ last 5 games against the Bucks.
• T.J. McConnell has 16+ points in each of the Pacers’ last 5 games.
• Myles Turner has 8+ rebounds in each of the Pacers’ last 4 Game 1s in playoff series.
• Bobby Portis has 19+ points in 4 of the Bucks’ last 5 home games.
• Brook Lopez has 15+ points in 8 of his last 10 games against the Pacers.
• Obi Toppin has 10+ points in 6 of the Pacers’ last 7 games.
• Damian Lillard has 10+ assists in 5 of his last 6 playoff games.
• Tyrese Haliburton has 11+ assists in 4 of his last 5 games against Damian Lillard.
• Patrick Beverley has 4+ assists in 5 of his last 6 playoff games.
• Brook Lopez has a double-double in each of the Bucks’ last 2 playoff games.

PICK – OVER 231.0 TOTAL PTS

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NEW ORLEANS @ OKLAHOMA CITY

WESTERN CONFERENCE 1ST ROUND – GAME 1

TEAM TRENDS

• The Thunder have won their last 13 home games with a rest advantage.
• The home team has covered the spread in the Thunder’s last 10 games.
• 9 of the Pelicans’ last 11 games as underdogs have gone Unders.

WIN/LOSS

SEASON POINTS +/-

SEASON MATCHUPS

OKLAHOMA CITY 2-1

PICKS ATS

THE RUB

The Pelicans and Thunder begin their 2023-24 playoffs at Paycom Center on Sunday night, marking the first postseason meeting between these franchises.

During the regular season, the Thunder edged out the Pelicans 2-1 in a series where the road team won every game. Despite New Orleans losing the series, Zion Williamson was a standout, averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.0 assists, which underscores the significance of his absence due to a hamstring injury.

The Pelicans advanced to this series through the play-in, defeating Sacramento 105-98 at Smoothie King Center. They will attempt to leverage a six-game road winning streak as they face a Thunder team that has been formidable at home, boasting a 16-2 record in their last 18 games at Paycom Center.

PLAYER TRENDS

• Aaron Nesmith has 12+ points in his last 5 games against teams with a winning record.
• Tyrese Haliburton has 22+ points in each of the Pacers’ last 5 games against the Bucks.
• T.J. McConnell has 16+ points in each of the Pacers’ last 5 games.
• Myles Turner has 8+ rebounds in each of the Pacers’ last 4 Game 1s in playoff series.
• Bobby Portis has 19+ points in 4 of the Bucks’ last 5 home games.
• Brook Lopez has 15+ points in 8 of his last 10 games against the Pacers.
• Obi Toppin has 10+ points in 6 of the Pacers’ last 7 games.
• Damian Lillard has 10+ assists in 5 of his last 6 playoff games.
• Tyrese Haliburton has 11+ assists in 4 of his last 5 games against Damian Lillard.
• Patrick Beverley has 4+ assists in 5 of his last 6 playoff games.
• Brook Lopez has a double-double in each of the Bucks’ last 2 playoff games.

PICK – OKLAHOMA CITY -5.5

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