Betting The NBA Playoffs: Picks, Odds and Predictions For Monday (4/25/22)

ScoresAndOdds NBA betting expert Derek Farnsworth breaks down his best bets for the NBA playoffs on Monday, April 25, 2022!

Monday always feels a little better when you had a good day of betting on Sunday. After going 1-3 on Saturday, we were able to bounce back with a 3-1 record on Sunday. The Bucks took care of business against the Bulls (still can’t believe they lost Game 2), the Nuggets picked up their first win of the series, and the Pelicans evened up their series with a win at home. The lone miss was betting on the Hawks. Despite a good start, they showed very little life in the last two and a half quarters. 

We are now getting to the point in the first round where teams are facing elimination and when every game could switch the momentum of the series. I absolutely love having three meaningful NBA games on each weeknight, so I will be cheering for every series to go as long as possible. On the docket tonight, we have the Celtics and Nets, the Raptors and Sixers, and the Jazz and Mavericks. 

Free NBA Betting Picks For Monday

Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets – 7:00 PM ET

Series: BOS 3-0

It’s a classic case of good news, bad news with this series. On the one hand, I thought the Celtics provided the most value of any series favorite before the playoffs started. They were my pick to win and it certainly looks like they are going to hold up their end of the bargain. The bad news is that we all deserve this series to go seven games and that we are only 1-2 against the spread in the first three games. 

We’ve seen two teams down 0-3 already in the playoffs already and both ended up winning in Game 4. Those wins seemed fairly obvious in hindsight, as the Raptors and Nuggets are two teams with a lot of fight in them. I honestly don’t know what the motivation is for the Nets at this point. The organization decided to trade away pieces at the trade deadline, Kyrie Irving can check out at times, and Ben Simmons has decided not to make his debut in Game 4. 

The biggest surprise in this series has been the play of Kevin Durant. One game can be let go, two games is a small concern, and three games is a problem. He has averaged 22 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game while shooting 36% from the field. The strategy of betting the team down 0-3 with everything on the line has worked thus far, so I will stick to it and bet the Nets here. With that said, I don’t have nearly as much conviction in this one as I did in the other two. 

• ATS Pick: Brooklyn -1, DraftKings Sportsbook

Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers – 8:00 PM ET

Series: PHI 3-1

The Raptors could easily be tied in this series if they were able to close out Game 3, but they can’t be mad about their performance in Game 4. The only red flag that I had with the Raptors heading into the series was their lack of depth. There haven’t been many injuries thus far in the playoffs, but the Raptors have been on the wrong side of that luck. Scottie Barnes missed two games, Gary Trent wasn’t himself in the first two games of the series with an illness, and now Fred VanVleet is hurt after straining his hip in Game 4. 

The Sixers were dominant in their first two home games of the series, they are clearly the healthier team at the moment, and they will have a greater sense of urgency not wanting to head back to Toronto for Game 6. The problem is that all of this is factored into the 7-point spread. In case you didn’t know, the sportsbooks know what they are doing. The one positive for the Raptors is that Joel Embiid has a torn ligament in his thumb, but he’s already been playing through it in this series. 

At the end of the day, it feels like the Raptors gave it their all to avoid the sweep and now it’s time for the Sixers to finish the series. I have a tough time betting an underdog on the spread if I don’t see a scenario where they can win the game. 

• ATS Pick: Philadelphia -7, DraftKings Sportsbook

Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks – 9:30 PM ET

Series: TIED 2-2

The Jazz played about as poorly as you could in the second half of a playoff game (they’ve been doing this for months now) and still managed to walk away with a win. They couldn’t seem to make a free-throw, but ultimately got the go-ahead bucket and a stop at the end of the game. The series is now tied at two games and is really up for grabs. The sportsbooks have the Mavericks as small favorites in Game 5 and as small favorites in the series. 

The big story in Game 4 was the return of Luka Doncic. He was originally expected to suit up in Game 3, but the Mavericks gave him another two days to heal the injury. It was clearly the right move, as the Mavericks were able to win Game 3 and then he came out and looked great. He wasn’t on a minute restriction (34 minutes) and he scored 30 points while posting a triple-double. 

There’s a slight chance I have been unable to separate my love for the Jazz from my picks in the series. I have bet Utah’s spread in every game (1-3) and I picked them to win the series. If I take a step back, Dallas has done an amazing job at taking care of the ball. Their turnover rate is sitting at 8.5%, which is almost unheard of. They now have a game under their belt with Luka back in the lineup and they return home to play in front of an amazing crowd. 

• ATS Pick: Dallas -3, Multiple Sportsbooks