Mar 15, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) rebounds the ball against the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

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NBA Best Bets Today | Top Picks & Predictions for 05/05/2025

The Semi-Finals round of the NBA playoffs are here, and the betting slate is becoming only more exciting. In this article, you can view the predictions related to spreads and player props for the May 05, 2025, action.

NBA Best Bets Today – 05/05/2025

Welcome to the double-header day! First, the Boston Celtics will host the New York Knicks to kickstart the second round of the East playoffs. The Celtics stormed to a 4-1 series victory in the first round against the Orlando Magic. Meanwhile, the Knicks had to fight through a 4-2 series win.

On the other hand, the Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Denver Nuggets to open the West Semi-Finals. The Thunder crushed the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0, while the Nuggets had a grueling 4-3 series win against the LA Clippers.

Go through your NBA best picks for 05/05/2025 on BetMGM.

Best NBA Bets for 05/05/2025

Bet #1: Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks: Total U 212.5 (-105 at BetMGM)

The Celtics bring elite defense to the fore. They are in playoff mode and playing at their defensive best. The defensive juggernaut restricted the Magic to under 94 points in Round 1, but let us be honest, the Magic already were a struggling defensive team.

As for the Knicks, the Pistons scored 110+ on a high note against them. Meanwhile, the Celtics are a superb offensive team, too.

The Knicks do have the defensive personnel to force a low-scoring game, but the Celtics have unlocked a strong two-point game in the playoffs, already possessing an incredible long-range toolkit. Overall, I believe both teams will force a defensive battle, thus going for the “under” here.

Bet #2: Points: Jalen Williams O 21.5 (-115 at BetMGM)

The Thunder forward averaged 23.3 PPG in four games against the Memphis Grizzlies. He hit the “over” on stipulated targets on three of the four occasions. They went “Over” the mark in two of the four regular-season meetings against the Nuggets.

He now has a week’s rest under his belt and a rousing support from the home floor. Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising if he hits “Over” again.

Bet #3: Jayson Tatum: Rebounds O 9.5 (+110 at BetMGM)

Tatum’s scoring prowess is well-known, which can push his rebounding numbers to the background. But the superstar forward was getting up for the boards quite often against the Magic. He averaged 11.3 boards a game, and went “over” the mark two times.

During the Regular Season, he went “Over” just once in four games, but I see a different intensity in the playoffs. Apart from that, i see NY missing a ton of shots, paving the way for a big rebounding night.

NBA Betting Trends to Know:

Three of the Celtics vs Magic games went “Over” the mark.
Jayson Tatum has scored 30+ points in three straight games, crossing the “Over” mark emphatically.
The Nuggets covered the spread three times against the Clippers in three of the last four games.

Final Picks Recap

Celitcs vs Knicks: Total U 212.5 (-105)
Points: Jalen Williams O 21.5: (-115)
Jayson Tatum: Rebounds O 9.5 (+110)

Betting Tips of the Day

Bookmakers are usually spot on about their projections. Some values can be here and there, but going against projections can often cost a lot. However, you have to take risks sometimes.

The home court advantage can be overestimated in many cases, and in such cases, look for patterns from the away team. Apart from that, the player props bets can have some obvious wagers as bookmakers tend to be a bit conservative in that regard towards the “over” mark.

Photo Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

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Shubham Singh

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Hi, I am Shubham. I am currently an NBA Predictions Writer on The Playoffs. I enjoy this job because it helps keep me in the loop about the game I love while fulfilling the pleasure I derive from stats. I got into NBA writing through social media interactions in the mid-2010s as I shared my takes on young talents such as D’Angelo Russell. I hope you enjoy reading my pieces as much as Dennis Rodman loved rebounding the basketball!