Thursday 11 May NBA Playoff Preview
11 May 2023
Elimination games ahead on a massive day in the NBA!
Friday is set to be a big day for NBA fans, with two crucial elimination games taking place. The Philadelphia 76ers will host the Boston Celtics, while the Phoenix Suns try to keep their playoff hopes alive against the Denver Nuggets. Let's take a closer look at the matchups and the odds.
Philadelphia vs Boston
First up, the Philadelphia 76ers will face the Boston Celtics at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The odds currently favor the Celtics at $1.73, while the 76ers are at $2.20.
The Celtics had a great opportunity to take control of the series in Game 5, but they failed to show up at home, giving the Sixers a chance to seize the momentum. Now, they face a daunting task against the MVP Joel Embiid and a motivated Sixers team playing on their home court. Celtics fans are understandably worried, especially after a lackluster showing in the last game. However, Boston has been in this position before, having come back from a 3-2 deficit to win the series against the Bucks last year.
The Sixers are no slouches either, with Embiid and former MVP James Harden leading the charge. However, the Celtics have been impressive on the road this season, with a record of 28-18, which is second-best in the NBA. If Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown can find their rhythm on offense, the Celtics will be tough to beat. They have a 23-1 record when both players score 30 points or more.
Despite the Celtics' strengths, the odds still favor the Sixers, and with good reason. The Celtics have struggled to close out series in the past, and their coach, Doc Rivers, has blown three 3-2 leads in his coaching career. The Sixers have an opportunity to make history, and they will be looking to take full advantage of it.
Tip:
Our pick for this game is Boston -2.5, which is currently priced at $1.94.
In addition, we like Jayson Tatum scoring 29.5+ points, Jaylen Brown scoring 25.5+ points, the total points going over 213.5, and Boston winning by at least 1.5 points.
Denver vs Phoenix
In the other elimination game, the Phoenix Suns will take on the Denver Nuggets at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. The Suns are favored to win, with odds of $1.65, while the Nuggets are at $2.35. The Suns are coming off a big win in Game 5, which put them up 3-2 in the series. However, they will have to be at their best to close out the Nuggets, who will be fighting to stay alive.
The Suns have a strong home record, with a 32-14 record at the Footprint Center this season. In contrast, the Nuggets have struggled on the road, with a record of 20-25 both head-to-head and against the line. The Suns will be relying on their superstar duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to deliver the goods, especially with the status of an injured Chris Paul still up in the air.
TIp:
Our pick for this game is the Phoenix Suns to win 1-10, which is priced at $2.70. With the home crowd behind them, we expect the Suns to come out firing and secure their spot in the Western Conference Finals.