Best NBA Playoffs Bets for April 23: Wednesday Picks, Predictions & Player Props

The NBA Playoffs are a great time to start enjoying the wonderful world of online sports betting.

Unlike the regular season, there are only a few games to study each day. While that limits your options, it makes it easier to dive deeper into each matchup to find the best ones.

After taking our deep dive into Wednesday’s NBA Playoffs slate, the following wagers made our “Best NBA Playoffs Bets” list for April 23 (odds via DraftKings).

Orlando Magic (+550) vs. Boston Celtics (-12.5), o/u 199

Will we see a better game out of the Magic in Game 2? Probably. Will it be enough of a difference to make the game more competitive? Eh—maybe. Yes, the Celtics may not have Jayson Tatum at 100%, but they proved in Game 1 that it’s OK if they don’t.

The dominance was significant enough in my mind that I don’t see the Magic making this one close. I don’t expect them to lose by 20+ again, but they will lose by 13+ points.

Pick: Celtics -12.5

Miami Heat (+500) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (-12), o/u 211.5

Pick: Cavaliers -12 (-108)
Prop: Bam Adebayo to Score 20+ Points (+100)
SGP: +330

Miami gave Cleveland a pretty good fight in Game 1. But the problem is this: It was probably their best effort—and they still lost by 21 points. Does that mean they can’t be competitive? Of course not, because they were in Game 1.

However, while it wasn’t easy for the Cavs, they still won because they are a healthier team with a much deeper roster than the Heat. If the Heat were at 100%, I might see them stealing a win in this series. But they aren’t. So they won’t. And they’ll lose by 12+ points.

One reason the Cavs will win: they’ll take away Tyler Herro. They won’t give the Heat’s leading scorer a chance to blow up. That’s not to say he won’t take his shots, but I expect his shooting percentage to be relatively low, like it was in Game 1.

That means more put-back opportunities for Bam Adebayo. He’s scored 20+ points in five of eight April games. He had 17 and 15 in the play-in games, but that’s because Herro exploded for 30 and 38. You can count on Adebayo to raise his game to another level.

A $100 wager will result in a payout of $430—your stake ($100) and $330 in winnings.

Golden State Warriors (+130) vs. Houston Rockets (-3), o/u 203.5
Pick: Rockets -3 (-110)

Golden State made the most of its postseason savvy in Game 1, but those tricks won’t work nearly as well in Game 2. Houston’s size advantage will play a significant role, and it’s highly unlikely the Rockets will shoot as poorly as they did in Game 1.

Prop: Alperen Sengun Over 20.5 Points (-120)

Sengun averaged 19.1 points during the season, but he had 26 against the Warriors in Game 1, making the most of his size advantage. He’ll look to do so again in Game 2, because Draymond Green is not half the defender he thinks he still is. Age has caught up to him.

Sengun will get his shots and score at least 21 points in this game.

Prop: Stephen Curry Over 25.5 Points (-115)

I’m a little apprehensive about this pick, simply because the Rockets shut Steph down in a game earlier this season, holding him to just three points. However, Curry did average 24.5 points per game this year, and he’s been stepping up his game all month.

In seven of the 10 games he’s played in April, Curry has scored 30+ points. That includes 31 in Game 1 and 37 in the play-in game vs. Memphis. Now, his three-point performance vs. Houston is one of those three. But this is playoff time—and we’re talking about Stephen Curry. He’ll get his points.