NBA Playoffs 2025 Conference Semifinals Preview, Odds & Expert Betting Tips
The NBA Playoffs continue, and in many people’s eyes, this is the real playoffs with the eight best teams. Here is a look at the odds to win it all.
Top Teams to Win NBA Title (courtesy of BetOnline)
Oklahoma City Thunder +135
Boston Celtics +195
Cleveland Cavaliers +470
Minnesota Timberwolves +1200
Golden State Warriors +1600
Denver Nuggets +2800
New York Knicks +4500
Indiana Pacers +6600
We’ve reached the Elite 8 of the NBA or the Conference semi-finals, here is a breakdown of each matchup.
NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals Predictions & Betting Analysis
4) Indiana Pacers (+396 odds) vs. 1) Cleveland Cavaliers (-520 odds)
Both these teams reached the East semifinals last year, where they were dismissed as lower seeds. Each improved their seeding this season,
with Cleveland having the home court advantage as long as they keep winning in the conference. The April games don’t tell a story because the Cavaliers were on cruise control at that point. Back in January, the road teams both won, and it seems possible the away clubs could do the same in this series. Both teams are deep and have scoring options off the bench. Key matchups will be Donovan Mitchell vs. Tyrese Halliburton and frontcourts for both teams. In both cases, the Cavaliers appear to have edges, and they move on in five of six games. The fourth quarter could be fun with the Cavs, the top scoring group in the league, the Pacers keeping pace at #2.
3) New York Knicks (+534) vs. 2) Boston Celtics (-750)
In the other Eastern Conference semifinals, New York and Boston will meet for the 17th time in the postseason. However, this is the first skirmish in a dozen years between these combatants. If you want to know why the Celtics are this large a favorite, they were 4-0 SU and ATS during the regular season, winning by an average of 16.5 PPG, averaging 125 points per game, 8.7 PPG more than their season average. It is well documented the issues the Knicks had with the elite clubs of the NBA (1-9 SU vs OKC, Cleve., along with Bost.) To compete game by game, New York must receive super showings from Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. As is always the case, winning teams need the extra scorer or contributor. That’s where OG Anunoby, Josh Hart must deliver on both sides of the floor. Boston understands if they slow down Brunson and Towns, there are not enough points from the other Knicks to keep pace. The Celtics made 39 more threes than New York (almost 10 per game!) in their matchups and they’ll keep firing, until that doesn’t work. Hard to see this series going more than five games with the C’s covering the majority.
NBA Western Conference Semifinals Breakdown & Expert Picks
4) Denver Nuggets (+472) vs. 1) Oklahoma City Thunder (-645)
Oklahoma City was the best team in the NBA all season, and they enter this West semi-final on an 8-0 (6-2 ATS) run after
sweeping Memphis. Given Denver’s recent pedigree and starting five, this feels more like a conference finals encounter, and truth be told, the winner probably does reach The Finals if healthy. The Nuggets could struggle in Game 1 after a grueling seven-game series with the Clippers. These squads split four games, with each visitor winning once, and the SU winner was 4-0 ATS. Denver has Nikola Jokić and the best version of “playoff” Jamal Murray. For the Nuggets to compete game after game, Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun have to be at their best. The Thunder could come out flying in this series after two dull defensive games at Memphis, where they played like they knew they were going to win. The Thunder have ample talent, yet they can beat you in more than one way with their versatility and depth. OKC frustrates foes with Lu Dort and Alex Caruso, and bigs Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein can protect the rim and score in various ways. The Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. Murray matchup should be something, but in the end, a deep OKC bench will take care of Denver’s one-man bench, Russell Westbrook and the Thunder’s defense leads the way in five.
7) Golden State Warriors (+153) vs 6) Minnesota Timberwolves (-175)
Though it was thought possible, having these two clubs in the West semifinals is at least a mild surprise. Having this low a seed in the conference Finals is at least unexpected. Golden State forced Houston into a slowdown Game 7 at Houston, forcing them to match shots. The Warriors will face another top defensive team in Minnesota. Their formula will be the same, have Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler taking the majority of the shots, and fill in the rest with fastbreak points or long-range rockets. Anthony Edwards has to keep his emotions in check because you know Draymond Green will use words and elbows to get him off-kilter. As opposed to Houston, Minnesota was #4 in three-point percentage shooting, which will alter coach Steve Kerr’s defense. The Timberwolves need Julius Randle to play like he did against the Lakers, along with Rudy Gobert. This could well be a seven-game series with home teams struggling to secure victories. But in the end, the T-Wolves prevail.
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