The 2024 NBA Playoffs roll on into Thursday, with a triple-header of Game 3 action. Two of the three games feature spreads of just 1.5 points, so we should be in for a fun night. We have identified the best spread, moneyline, over/under and player prop bets on BetMGM so you can make some money while you enjoy the postseason hoops.
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Tipping things off this evening, we'll see the struggling Magic host the Cavaliers in Orlando (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV). Cleveland has stifled the Magic so far this series, getting out to an early 2-0 lead and outscoring Jamahl Mosley's squad by a collective 193-169.
Speaking of struggles, the 76ers host the Knicks in Philadelphia (7:30 p.m., TNT), with New York looking to move to a crippling 3-0 advantage. The Knicks shocked Joel Embiid and the Sixers late in Game 2, scoring eight points in the final 27.4 seconds to escape with a 104-101 win.
Last but not least, LeBron James and the Lakers will host the reigning champion Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena (10 p.m., TNT). Los Angeles has lost 10 consecutive games to Denver, and Jamal Murray delivered the most recent heartbreak in about as dramatic a fashion as possible. Will L.A. bounce back, or is the Darvin Ham era over?
MORE: How the Lakers can stop slow down Jokic
We could go on all day about storylines, but we're here to make some bets! Here's what we feel are the highest-value moneyline, spread, over/under and player prop wagers on the BetMGM betting market for Thursday night's NBA playoff action.
Best NBA playoff bets and spreads tonight: Top spread pick
Knicks -4.5 at 76ers (-110)
The Knicks know the blueprint to beating the 76ers right now: run like antelopes. Joel Embiid is quite clearly not 100 percent, Nick Nurse is relying on guys like old, slow Kyle Lowry and Nicolas Batum to keep the wheels from falling off and Nurse has made some cataclysmically poor decisions in clutch moments.
New York is doing just about everything better right now, but the main advantages Tom Thibodeau's squad has enjoyed have been hustle points, ball movement, rebounding, three-point shooting and rim protection.
Even if Philly had a healthy Embiid, we would have picked the more complete Knicks to win this series. With Embiid banged up, the Sixers will be lucky to avoid getting swept. Jalen Brunson has opened this series shooting 16-of-55 from the floor, and yet New York has a 2-0 series lead.
The Sixers seem defeated, and Philadelphia fans already started booing them during rough stretches in the Play-In Tournament — so don't be surprised if things get even worse in Game 3.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Knicks 107, 76ers 101 — New York wins (+165) and covers the -4.5 spread (-110), while the score goes well OVER the total (202.5).
MORE: What's wrong with Embiid's eye?
Best NBA playoff bets tonight: Top moneyline pick
Lakers (-105) vs. Nuggets
You can only hold the King down for so long. The Lakers have somehow fallen to the defending-champion Nuggets in 10 straight meetings, and the most recent "L" came via a Jamal Murray baseline fade-away that beat the buzzer and bumped Denver up to a 2-0 lead.
If anyone can snap Los Angeles out of this brutal stretch against Denver, it's LeBron and Anthony Davis. Bron's the one who put the Cavs on his back to win Cleveland its first major championship after trailing the 2016 NBA Finals 3-1 to Golden State.
How can we doubt a guy who continues breaking all-time records, makes highlight-reel dunks and swats the shots of guys 20 years younger? As a fellow 39-year-old, I can't fathom having the sheer willpower and athletic determination James demonstrates on a game-to-game basis.
And here's the thing: Los Angeles had control of Game 2 — the Lakers were up 20 late! But Nikola Jokic, Murray and company chipped away, the mile-high altitude got to L.A., and the raucous Ball Arena crowd played its part beautifully. Oh, and Murray hit an amazing buzzer-beater in Davis's eye that left AD tumbling into a different dimension.
Expect Los Angeles to get a lead and keep it at Crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers went 28-14 on the season and 10-5 after a loss.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Lakers 109, Nuggets 104 — Los Angeles wins (-105) and covers the +1.5 (-120), while the final score finishes just UNDER the total (215.5).
MORE: LeBron's right — officiating has been an issue in playoffs
Best NBA playoff bets tonight: Top over/under pick
Magic UNDER 102.5 (-155) vs. Cavaliers
The Cavs have been smacking the Magic around, and we don't expect a trip back to Disney World will help Orlando find its happily ever after. How can anyone have optimism in a bounce-back!? This team has scored 169 points through two NBA playoff games in 2024!
Jamahl Mosley's squad relied on defense and timely shot-making to get to a middle seed in the playoffs, but its youth and inexperience have caught up to it in a major way against Evan Mobley and this superior Cavs team.
You know nerves are coming into play when Orlando is missing open shots it has knocked down all season. You know the Magic are rattled when they're committing dumb fouls and throwing the ball away, two things Mosley's squad didn't do leading up to the postseason.
Through two games, the Magic have shot 57-of-166 from the floor (34.3%), 17-of-72 from three-point land (23.6%), and 38-of-56 from the line (67.8%). They've committed 28 turnovers and 47 fouls. We didn't know it last week, but this series was over before it started.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Cavaliers 101, Magic 95 — Cleveland wins (+105) and covers the +1.5 spread (-105). The game somehow finishes UNDER the total (199.5) yet again, and the Cavs finish well UNDER 102.5 (-155).
Best NBA playoff bets tonight: Top player prop pick
Jalen Brunson points — OVER 28.5 (-130)
We almost went with Josh Hart's rebounding OVER again (12.5 at +105!), but we wanted to be a little more original. We're picking All-Star Brunson to snap out of his funk and explode for 35 points at Wells Fargo Center tonight.
Sometimes pressure rears its head at Madison Square Garden, especially in the playoffs against a perennial powerhouse. It's quite possible Brunson will feel more comfortable in Game 3 on the road, considering he actually averaged most points away from MSG (29.5) this season than he did at home (27.9).
Brunson's not getting reduced looks or touches because of his cold streak — he's taking 26-29 shots per game even when 18-21 of them miss. Thibodeau knows New York needs its best player to get hot if it has any shot at contesting the powerhouses of the conference like Boston and Milwaukee (or maybe Indiana!?). Bet on Brunson Burner to finally warm up.
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