2025 NBA playoff odds, predictions: Back Pistons upset in first round

On Saturday, the NBA playoffs begin, and the Boston Celtics will seek to defend their title and try to become the first team from the Warriors 2017-2018 to repeat as champions.

In the Sportsbook writing, the Celtics enter the postseason with +195 ODDs to win the NBA finals. They have the second probabilities rather behind Oklahoma City. The Thunder are currently +165 to win everything, after a dominant regular season 68-14, which is the best league record.

We already have six clashes established for the first round, while the Thunder and the best -sown cavaliers expect their respect for the first round opponents.

Let’s take a look at each series and find an angle of bets for each confrontation.

Orlando magic vs. Boston Celtics

The Celtics are -5000 to win the series, while the Magic are +1600. Before automatically launching the Celtics to advance to the next round, consider the recent history of the series between these two teams.

The magic was 2-1 against the Celtics this year and they have gone 6-4 against them in the last three combined seasons, including four two-digit victories. They have a large size and defensive skills to disturb the defending champions, so perhaps this is not as easy as the probabilities would indicate.

Orlando can win a game and maybe even two, but I don’t think we see a discomfort here. I do not believe that the helpless has enough punctuation coup, since the Magic is the last one in the NBA in 3 pieces made and in a percentage of 3 pints. And they face a team of hungry and rested Celtics, so I’m going to go through the total Magic team in game 1.

Pick: Magic game 1 low 95.5 points scored

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are now -165 favorites and the Bucks have a probability of +135 for this first confrontation.

This is a rematch of the Round 1 series of last year, a series that the Pacers won in six games. What is also similar about this year, in addition to the confrontation, is that the availability of Bucks stars is an imminent question.

Last year, Giannis Antetokounmpo lost the series with an injury, while Damian Lillard played in just four of the six games. This year, the state of Lillard is in doubt, since it recovers from a blood clot. The reports indicate optimism about the return of Lillard, but the Bucks transmitted optimism on the last postseason as well. And as soon as the playoffs ended, it was clear that he was never close to playing.

Without a healthy Lillard, I can only look at the underestimated pacemakers.

Pick: Pacers (-165) to win the series

Detroit Pistons vs. New York Knicks

This will be a fun series. This is a piston team that went from 14 wins last season to 44 this year. The Knicks are -400 to win the series, and the Pistons are less than +310.

While the Knicks are the great favorites, I think Detroit’s resurgence has flown under the radar and is very alive to bother here. These teams four times in the regular season. The Pistons had 3-1, with two victories in New York. They, notable, have not won a playoff game since 2008, but the Pistons have an outstanding leg on both sides of the ball in the second half of the season.

My bet here is that Detroit wins the 4-2 series, which will be a 9-1 payment. I think that the Pistons win, they probably win or win in five games. Winning game 7 on the way would be difficult. The game 6 would be in Detroit and it is possible where the Pistons could close the Knicks. I hope this is a very competitive series.

Choose: correct standard score (+850) for the pistons to win 4-2

Golden State warriors vs. Houston rockets

I think many were surprised when the 7 -seed warriors opened as -200 favorites. The current line is Warriors -190, Rockets +155.

Golden State won the series 3-2 series, and it is worth noting that the teams in the playoffs three times in four years between 2015 and 2018. That includes twice in the conference finals. Here we are a decade later, and the Warriors have many of the same faces.

I think the Warriors experience finally wins, but the Rockets have some potential advantages here in terms of size, youth and physical that could wear out the old major champions.

I do not have the guts to choose the discomfort. But I will take the Houston +1.5 games, which means that this bet wins if Houston wins the series or if it goes seven games.

Pick: Rockets (-115) +1.5 Games

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are -195 favorites and the Timberwolves are at +160.

The series calendar is interesting here, since the major lakers get a break at the beginning of the series with two days off between games. But as the series progresses, there is only one day off between the games once we arrive at game 4 and beyond.

Can major Lakers hold the youngest thletic wolves in the course of what could be a long series? I think having LeBron and Luka, and having the possible decisive game in Los Angeles will take the Lakers to the finish line. But I could go to the distance.

Pick: Timberwolves (-140) +1.5 Games

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver nuggets

This is a fascinating first round series, with a lot of talent on both sides.

This series is a conformity of coins for Oddmakers, with both teams at -110 chances of winning. The Opening Line had Nuggets as -190 favorites, but there has been great enthusiasm for this resurgent clippers team, which ended with a 15-2 race to close the season.

I understand the love for ultra talented clippers, and ultimately they could win this series. But I have a hard time trusting Kawhi Leonard to stay healthy until I really see him do it for the first time in several years.

This should be an exceptional confrontation, but I go with the best player in the world, Nikola Jokić, and the advantage of Homecourt to prevail.

Choose: correct standard score (+375) for Nuggets to win 4-3

Will Hill, a collaborator in the Podcast Bears Bets, has been betting on sports for more than a decade. He is an betting analyst who has a host in Vsin, as well as in the Goldboys Network.

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