European Tour 7- International Darts Open Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 24th May)

Sixteen players remain active in the draw in Riesa as we enter the last day of the International Darts Open and there are plenty involved who will believe they can win the title by the end of the day.

The Third Round is set to be played in the Day Session before the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Championship Match are played in the Evening Session.

The fans have a really good day of Darts to enjoy, although the hope is those who want to try and ruin the day by whistling constantly have been found out and refused entry. It has become a problem that is has to be dealt with not only by the referees and players, but by security with people identified and kicked out of the Arena.

Any selections from the Evening Session will be added to this thread at the conclusion of the Day Session.

Stephen Bunting to win & over 1.5 180s v Rob Cross: Twelve months ago, Rob Cross and Stephen Bunting had both been involved in the Premier League and it was Voltage who had been getting the better of The Bullet.

However, it is Bunting who won the last three meetings in 2025 as they prepare to face one another for the first time in 2026 and the defending Champion made a very strong start to the tournament.

Rob Cross has been playing really well too and he has taken advantage of the withdrawals that have allowed him to compete here this weekend. He was a comfortable winner over Mike De Dekker in the Second Round, but Stephen Bunting is playing at a high level having won the Premier League Night on Thursday before winning his Second Round match here on Saturday.

It is the stronger scoring of Stephen Bunting that could be the key to the outcome of this match and the momentum is with the World Number 10 to do that and contribute a couple of maximums to the cause.

Ross Smith to win & most 180s v Ricardo Pietreczko: Dartitis is not something you wish to see anyone struggling with and it has been giving Ricardo Pietreczko problems all season.

You can see he is trying to work through a motion that could help, but Pikachu will be just as surprised as most observers that he has managed to win two matches.

Beating Danny Noppert will give the home player massive confidence, but Ross Smith had a solid couple of days at Players Championship events early last week and his win over Joe Cullen was very impressive.

It feels like a matter of time before Ross Smith wins one of these big events and he can use his power scoring to put himself in a position to reach the Quarter Final against an opponent who has surprised everyone to merely still be competing on Sunday afternoon.

MY PICKS: Stephen Bunting to Win & Over 1.5 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ross Smith to Win & Most 180s @ 1.66 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

International Darts Open: 4-5, + 0.31 Units (9 Units Staked, + 3.44% Yield)

French Open Tennis Day 1 Picks 2026 (Sunday 24th May)

The second Grand Slam of the 2026 season begins in Paris on Sunday, which has become the norm at three of the four Majors on the Tour.

It has been a week of the top players limiting their media contact after urging for a bigger slice of the pie from the Major events, but the hope for fans is that we can now focus on the Tennis.

You cannot begrudge the top players feeling like they deserve more money, but for fans, the sport is already expensive enough and ultimately it will be those fans who end up having to fork out more.

Hopefully some sort of arrangement to make everyone happy can eventually be made, but the next fortnight is going to be all about winning a Grand Slam title for all entering the main draw.

Of course the Men's draw feels like it is Jannik Sinner vs the rest after Carlos Alcaraz was forced to withdraw with an injury.

The Italian is the clear favourite and it is going to take something special to prevent him winning the French Open for the first time and completing his own Grand Slam just months after Carlos Alcaraz joined an elite list.

We have to expect the Women's tournament to be very open- Aryna Sabalenka has not been in the best form in the build up, but she has shown she is capable of turning things on at any Grand Slam, while the likes of Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are certainly going to filled with belief having won titles here.

There are more threats around in the Women's event compared with those lining up to stop the Sinner-train, which could end up making the former event the more intriguing for the fans, at least in the lead up to the business end of this Grand Slam.

The First Round of the French Open is split over three days and that means more of the top names get an opportunity to play on the main show courts.

Picks from Day 1 can be seen below as this Grand Slam gets underway.

Belinda Bencic - 4.5 games v Sinja Kraus: The Grand Slams played in the second half of the year have been when Belinda Bencic has put together her best results having previously reached the Semi Final at both Wimbledon and the US Open.

Her worst results have been at the French Open with a couple of Third Round runs as good as it has got, but Belinda Bencic is the World Number 11 heading into Paris and she has produced enough positive performances on the clay to believe she can get through this opening match.

She has only played eight matches on the clay in 2026, but Bencic has won five of those and the reality is that she has been playing in bigger events, which means facing higher quality opponents compared with this opponent.

Sinja Kraus has to be given a lot of credit for coming through three Qualifiers and the World Number 101 has the motivation to look for an upset that would propel her into a career best World Ranking mark at the end of the tournament. Improving that World Ranking would see the 24 year old earn direct entries into future Grand Slam events and some of the 1000 and 500 events that are also played with continued improvement.

The Austrian is very comfortable on the clay courts, which makes her dangerous having won three matches here, but Belinda Bencic should have the experience to weather the storm and eventually begin to showcase her superior quality.

A key to the outcome is the serve- Belinda Bencic should be the one with the first serve that can offer up a few more cheaper points and that may be the difference on the day.

MY PICKS: Belinda Bencic - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Season 2026: 103-87, + 10.30 Units (255 Units Staked, + 4.03% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven (Saturday 23rd May)

The Heavyweight Division produced a classic for those tuning into Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois earlier this month and, once again, the latter came through to become WBO World Champion.

Some have questioned Oleksandr Usyk and a potential desire to face Daniel Dubois for a third time, but that is a fight that will have little appetite from the fans, while Wardley-Dubois II is also much more likely.

Instead Usyk has already stated that he feels he has done enough in Boxing to make his own decisions and one of those has led to this headline fight against the 'King of Kickboxing', but a fighter in Rico Verhoeven having just his second professional Boxing contest.

That is the fight that will headline the latest showing from Riyadh Season under Turki Alalshikh, although the rumours around a growing disinterest in sport from those in Saudi Arabia cannot be ignored.

Other sports have already been impacted with LIV Golf looking like it is struggling, while the Snooker Saudi Masters has come and gone already.

Add to that the reports that the Newcastle United investment is looking to be cut by 25% and you do have to wonder how many more of these standout Riyadh Season events we are going to be getting in the coming months and years?

Perhaps the idea is to eventually navigate all fighters to Zuffa Boxing once they are signed on some poor terms, but that is something we will have to keep an eye on.

Oleksandr Uysk vs Rico Verhoeven

No one is going to doubt the credentials of Rico Verhoeven as a combatant, but you do have to make this a huge mismatch as far as a Boxing contest goes.

The 'King of Kickboxing' has had one professional Boxing bout back in 2014 against an opponent who had lost all five previous professional contests.

Suffice to say that this is a huge step upwards.

Some will point to Frances Ngannou and his efforts against Tyson Fury, but Anthony Joshua made short work of the MMA powerhouse.

Oleksandr Usyk is unlikely to put anyone down with the first big punch thrown, and especially not against someone of the size and stature of Rico Verhoeven, but the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion can do what he does best and that is sure to wear out his opponent.

Taking punches from awkward angles may take a bit of getting used to, but Usyk is a supreme Boxer with fantastic footwork and that is likely going to be mean it will take something very, very special for Rico Verhoeven to find the punches to hurt the Champion who has been in with some monster hitters.

You have to expect the Promoters to be talking up Rico Verhoeven's chances, but even some of those have admitted there is a very small chance the Dutchman can win this fight.

The early part of the contest could be fun with Verhoeven likely going to want to use his size and strength to push Oleksandr Usyk backwards, but the Champion is going to be wearing him down mentally and physically.

That should pay dividends in the middle of this Twelve Round fight and Oleksandr Usyk has enough pop to force the Stoppage at that kind of stage.

As mentioned, this is not the same kind of undercard that fans have become accustomed to seeing at these Riyadh Season events, but there is some intrigue and an opportunity for fighters to take the next step in their careers.

Both Jack Catterall and Shakhram Giyasov are hoping to get into the mix with the World Champions in a wide open Welterweight Division and the winner should be in line for a shot at a World Title by winning this one.

Picking a winner is not easy, although Catterall has been in with the higher level of opponent, which is perhaps why he has been set as the favourite.

The main event involves the Undisputed Heavyweight king, but there is an opportunity for Richard Torrez Jr to move up alongside Moses Itauma as one of the young guns looking to take over when Oleksandr Usyk chooses to call it a day.

As with any fighter developing, Torrez Jr is taking another step in his career by taking on once beaten Frank Sanchez, although there are serious doubts about the health of the latter.

The Cuban has fought once in the last two years since losing to Agit Kabayel in a contest where his knee gave way- surgery and rehabilitation have been completed, but there is a real uncertainty about whether Sanchez has the movement needed with the knee.

The contest is scheduled over Twelve Rounds and Richard Torrez Jr is capable of closing the show within the time allotted to make a statement to his rivals.

Hamzah Sheeraz has long been a favourite of the Riyadh organisers and he should be able to pick up the vacant WBO World Super Middleweight Title.

There would have been a real hope that Sheeraz could have been out much more quickly after crushing Edgar Berlanga last July, but he has had to wait for this opportunity and should have far too much for unbeaten Alem Begic.

The 39 year old has not fought in thirteen months and this does not feel like a fighter who deserves a shot at the WBO World Title, even if it is a vacant Belt.

The Super Middleweight Division looks pretty weak right now though and that gives Begic this chance, but Hamzah Sheeraz should have far, far too much for him.

MY PICKS: Oleksandr Usyk to Win Between 5-8 @ 2.87 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Richard Torrez Jr to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.05 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Hamzah Sheeraz to Win Between 1-6 @ 1.61 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 14-29, - 13.18 Units (64 Units Staked, - 20.59% Yield)

European Tour 7- International Darts Open Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 23rd May)

The tournament in Riese is a popular one for the players and the Seeded players will be ready to join the party on Saturday when the Second Round is played across two Sessions.

There are some really good looking matches on deck and some are pretty tough to read, but the selections from the day's play can be read below.

Kevin Doets & Rob Cross double: These two players are up against quality opponents in Luke Woodhouse and Mike De Dekker, but both Kevin Doets and Rob Cross may have enough to edge past the Seeded opponents.

Kevin Doets has continued to play at a really high level and it feels a matter of time before the Dutchman is being asked to begin his European Tour events on Saturday rather than Friday.

However, that is not the case in this event and Doets should be comfortable going up on the stage.

He is facing a Luke Woodhouse who won the Players Championship event to pick up a maiden title and that will have given an improving player a huge boost in confidence.

Luke Woodhouse will be dangerous with that win behind him, but Kevin Doets can score with more consistency and that may give him the chances needed to find a way past the English player.

Doubling him up with Rob Cross to beat Mike De Dekker offers up a decent price out of a tough Afternoon Session.

The former World Champion has not been at his consistent best of late, but the way he battled through the First Round here will have done him the world of good.

And despite the poor overall recent form, Rob Cross is certainly playing with more authority than Mike De Dekker, while a similar scoring day as Friday should be enough to give Voltage the opportunities needed.

Josh Rock to win & most 180s v Cameron Menzies: There is no doubt that Cameron Menzies is fortunate to be playing in the Second Round, but he can be a very dangerous player at his best and that has to be respected.

He should challenge Josh Rock, but the Northern Irishman won the last European Tour event and there have been enough signs in the latter stages of the Premier League to believe he is approaching his best form again.

Josh Rock can be a very strong maximum hitter and he may do just enough to edge past Cameron Menzies on that front.

The expectation is that Menzies will be better than Friday, but Josh Rock may still have enough to secure a narrow win and a place in the Third Round.

Ryan Searle & Gian van Veen double: Both of these players are Seeded and favoured to win, although neither Charlie Manby nor Connor Scutt are expected to be rolled over.

However, Ryan Searle has the kind of scoring to keep Manby under pressure and a few wins at Players Championship 17 earlier this week will have given him a boost.

You cannot ignore Gian van Veen's recent form since his health issue, but the Dutchman is facing an opponent who can be a little up and down.

Connor Scutt was comfortable in the First Round, but this is a considerable step upwards and he has lost a number of deciders against Gian van Veen, which may give the top Seed the confidence to fight through.

Stephen Bunting to win & over 3.5 match 180s v Kryzsztof Ratajski: The defending Champion could not have arrived at the tournament in better mood having won the last Night of the Premier League on Thursday.

Stephen Bunting was in fine form in Sheffield and he can carry that into an event he won last year and so should feel very happy in the setting.

He may have hoped for an easier Second Round match than facing Krzysztof Ratajski, but Bunting beat the Pole earlier this month on the floor and has won four in a row against this opponent.

Both players are capable of getting into the maximum hitting and they combined for six in that floor match, while it should be Stephen Bunting finding a way through to the Third Round.

MY PICKS: Kevin Doets & Rob Cross @ 2.54 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Josh Rock to Win & Most 180s @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Ryan Searle & Gian van Veen @ 2.27 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Stephen Bunting to Win & Over 3.5 Match 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

International Darts Open: 1-4, - 2.70 Units (5 Units Staked, - 54% Yield)

European Tour 7- International Darts Open Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 22nd May)

The latest European Tour event will be missing the top two players in the World Rankings as the attention for both Luke Littler and Humphries is on the Premier League Finals Night next Thursday.

Jonny Clayton is the third player in that foursome who has also chosen to skip the International Darts Open, but Gerwyn Price is involved and there are some very good players travelling to Germany to try and win this title over the weekend.

The First Round is once again scheduled across two Sessions on Friday before the Seeds enter the fray on Saturday and the selections from the opening matches can be read below.

Andrew Gilding - 1.5 legs v Bradley Brooks: There has been nothing wrong with the form on the floor as far as Andrew Gilding is concerned having won a Players Championship title and reached the Final in another since the last European Tour event.

Goldfinger should be in confident mood and that should be enough to beat Bradley Brooks without needing a deciding Leg in this First Round match.

The younger player has potential, but Brooks has been struggling for form and that has resulted in eight defeats in his last nine matches played.

All of those defeats have been without earning a shot at a deciding Leg and Andrew Gilding should be able to progress to the next Round.

Niels Zonneveld-Keane Barry over 4.5 180s: The Darts Tour is pretty relentless and there are going to be periods in which players struggle for form.

It feels like one of those periods for Niels Zonneveld who has lost eleven of the last sixteen matches played.

The scoring is still there, but this looks a tough match for Zonneveld against Keane Barry, who can contribute in the maximum department.

Power scoring will always catch the eye, but Keane Barry is more than capable of matching Niels Zonneveld and has won the last two meetings. That will certainly make his price appealing as the underdog, but Barry may have to find at least a couple of maximums to give himself a chance if Niels Zonneveld continues to do what he has been doing.

Kevin Doets to win & most 180s v Tom Bissell: You have to respect the kind of darts being produced by Tom Bissell, but this opening match at the International Darts Open looks a very difficult one.

For a number of weeks Kevin Doets has been playing at a really high level and his performances on the European Tour stage has been backed up by results on the floor.

Kevin Doets can find a really good rhythm attacking the treble 20 bed and he may just have a little too much for Tom Bissell.

The latter did put wins on the board against Martin Schindler and Stephen Bunting earlier this week in Players Championship events, but Tom Bissell could not follow those up and Kevin Doets can continue his hot form.

Josh Cullen to win & most 180s v Chris Landman: You can never be certain as to which Joe Cullen will head out onto the stage and the inconsistent results will continue to disappoint and frustrate in equal measure.

He was beaten in his first match at the last European Tour, but Joe Cullen has been in better form than Chris Landman who has fallen out of the top 100 in the World Rankings.

Joe Cullen has proven to be the superior maximum hitter of the two and that may be key in helping him through to the Second Round matches to be played on Saturday.

Niko Springer v Charlie Manby: The experience of Niko Springer could be key in this European Tour match, although the German has usually kept his best form for after the First Round.

He cannot afford to do that on Friday when facing Charlie Manby and especially as both players had been in decent enough form at the Players Championship events played earlier in the week.

Charlie Manby is still growing his experience on the Tour and that could ultimately prove to be the difference in what should be a close, competitive match.

With the home crowd behind him, Niko Springer can do enough to battle through to the next Round.

MY PICKS: Andrew Gilding - 1.5 Legs @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Niels Zonneveld-Keane Barry Over 4.5 180s @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Kevin Doets to Win & Most 180s @ 2.30 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Niko Springer @ 1.80 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 68-96, - 14.97 Units (161 Units Staked, - 9.30% Yield)

Premier League Darts Night 16 Picks 2026 (Thursday 21st May)

We have made it through to the final regular season Night of the Premier League Darts, but not many would have anticipated that almost everything would have been decided ahead of time.

Both Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price reached the Final on Night 15 and that has pushed them into the Play Offs along with Jonny Clayton and Luke Littler.

The only situation of real importance on Night 16 is determining whether Humphries or Price finish 3rd in the standings and thus take on Clayton in the Semi Final, while the player finishing 4th will face Luke Littler at the O2 Arena.

It is not what the organisers would have wanted and it may finally mean a change in the format, which is something that the fans have been clamouring for over the last couple of years.

At the moment there is no changes and so the last regular season Night will be played as usual and with the Semi Final lineup to complete.

Luke Littler to win & over 5.5 total 180s v Josh Rock: There is nothing to lose for either player in this Quarter Final, but Josh Rock will be looking to round back into some kind of consistent form.

He won the last European Tour title, which is a big achievement, but his Players Championship runs have not been that impressive since then.

Josh Rock will be looking to have one more big impact in the Premier League and there has been little wrong with his maximum hitting, but Luke Littler is well rested and has just received his MBE award.

The World Number 1 has been skipping recent European Tour events and has not been playing in the Players Championship floor events, but he had won three Premier League Nights in a row before losing to Luke Humphries in the Semi Final last week. He may yet be hoping to avoid facing Humphries in the Play Offs next week, at least until the Championship Match, but Littler should also be focused enough to want another strong showing on the stage ahead of the visit to the O2 Arena where he will be looking to reclaim the title lost.

That focus should see Luke Littler have a bit too much for Josh Rock for the sixth time in a row in 2026.

Luke Humphries to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Michael van Gerwen: It took fifteen weeks, but Luke Humphries was finally able to pick up a Premier League Nightly win and remove all drama from Night 16.

The five points on the board have secured the defending Champion a spot in the Play Offs, but he may need to win another Nightly title if he wants to avoid facing Luke Littler in the Semi Final next week.

Luke Humphries picked up another Players Championship title earlier in the week and he will be confident in his own form even if he is to face Littler in his first match back at the O2 Arena, but avoiding the latest clash with the World Number 1 until the Championship Match is preferable.

Momentum is with Humphries who has won a couple of big titles over the last eight days and that will help against Michael van Gerwen who will be very disappointed that he has missed the Play Offs again.

Missing one of the fifteen Premier League Nights with an illness has proved costly for the Dutchman, but his overall form has been impressive and Michael van Gerwen can be confident it will lead to more titles over the remainder of the year.

Unlike Humphries, Michael van Gerwen did not play in the Players Championship events this week- that may be an issue when it comes to trying to beat the in-form World Number 2, but van Gerwen can certainly contribute in what should be a quality match and both players can hit at least two maximums in a Quarter Final that is eventually won by Luke Humphries.

Jonny Clayton-Stephen Bunting over 5.5 180s: Both of these players enjoyed one strong run at the two Players Championship events played earlier this week and that will give them some confidence.

That will be needed as both Jonny Clayton and Stephen Bunting look for much stronger Premier League efforts than in Night 15 when they were beaten 6-0 in Quarter Final matches.

This is a 'dead rubber' in terms of the standings, but both players should be motivated to want to have one more big night on this stage- Jonny Clayton is heading to Finals Night next week and he will be keen to keep his strong form going.

However, Stephen Bunting has shown he can pile in with the maximums when he does find time to build up his rhythm, while Jonny Clayton is very confident around the treble 20 as well.

Only the top two Ranked players in the world have more maximums than Jonny Clayton in the Premier League and this is a Quarter Final that can feature at least six as long as we don't have another blowout one way or the other.

Gerwyn Price to win & most 180s v Gian van Veen: After admitting he was not feeling his best and some uncertainty around his decision to skip the World Cup of Darts, Gerwyn Price produced a couple of key wins last week to earn his spot in the Premier League Finals.

He should be well rested having skipped the latest Players Championship events and Gerwyn Price may have too much for Gian van Veen in this Quarter Final.

The young Dutchman will have learned plenty during his Premier League run, but the last couple of months have been difficult as Gian van Veen has lost some confidence and his own health has not been at 100%.

Gian van Veen was unfortunate in his defeat to Price last week, but that has ended hopes of finishing in the top four in the Premier League standings, while a couple of relatively early defeats in the last Players Championship tournaments will not have helped the confidence.

Motivation has to be questionable for Gerwyn Price who may be more focused on the Premier League Finals next week, but there is a chance to avoid playing Luke Littler in the Semi Final. That may be important enough for the Welshman to dig in on Night 16 and Gerwyn Price has shown his power scoring throughout this Premier League run.

MY PICKS: Luke Littler to Win & Over 5.5 Total 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.30 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton-Stephen Bunting Over 5.5 180s @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price to Win & Most 180s @ 2.87 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 64-96, - 19.96 Units (157 Units Staked, - 12.71% Yield)

NBA Playoffs 2026- Conference Finals Game 1-4 (Monday 18th May-Monday 25th May)

We are going to be down to the final four teams in the NBA once Game 7 of the Second Round Series between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers is played on Sunday night.

That does mean that the Western Conference Finals will begin first rather than the Eastern Conference Finals and Game 1-4 are played on alternate days.

All NBA fans have to be excited about the Western Conference Finals- the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs could build up a real rivalry over the next several years with two young rosters filled with some incredible talent.

The winner of the Western Conference Finals will be expected to be set as favourites in the NBA Finals, but the New York Knicks have produced some of the best basketball of this year's Playoffs and will certainly have something to say about that.

Twenty-seven years have passed since the Knicks last reached the NBA Finals and fifty-three since New York last won a NBA Championship, but they have won seven Playoff games in a row and mostly in supremely confident fashion.

Nothing can be taken for granted against whoever they face in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Knicks are going to be favourites and it is up to this team to manage the huge expectations that have been placed on their shoulders.

NBA Playoffs 2026- Conference Finals Game 1-4

Monday 18th May

San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 1 Pick: This is the Western Conference Finals that fans would have wanted to see and the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be favourites to move through to another NBA Finals.

They have breezed through the Playoffs without dropping a game, but this is going to be a significantly tougher Series.

However, that ability to make comfortable progress has meant the Oklahoma City Thunder are well rested and they are also expecting to have Jalen Williams available in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The depth of the Thunder has been a huge advantage over the rivals faced in the Playoffs so far, while Oklahoma City have been allowed to play with real physicality and that has seen them dominate the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

Both of those teams were shorthanded, but that is not going to be the case in the Western Conference Finals and the San Antonio Spurs have to believe their own depth helps them match up well with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Spurs may not have the MVP of the League on the roster, but they will believe Victor Wembanyama is the best player on the court all the same. Using the depth to keep themselves competitive when Wemby has to be given a rest is the key for the Spurs, and it remains an important factor that San Antonio won four of the five regular season meetings between the teams.

There has been nothing wrong with the Oklahoma City Defensive unit, but recent games have been tougher for them even if they should be stronger at home. They are going to need to play well on this side of the court against a San Antonio team that have been very strong Defensively and used that to wear down the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Second Round Series.

Some will like the fact that the Spurs have not lost a lot of rhythm by playing in the Second Round until Friday, but the Oklahoma City Thunder showed that rest will not bother them. You would expect the Thunder to find their rhythm at home pretty quickly, but the defending Champions will also want to make an early statement against a team that gave them so much trouble in the regular season.

This is the shortest spread that the Thunder will have faced in the post-season at home in 2026, but that is the kind of respect that the San Antonio Spurs.

In saying that, the Spurs may still feel they are being overlooked by having this many points given to them and the road team can be backed in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, which has all of the signs of being one that could potentially go all the way.

Tuesday 19th May

Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks Game 1 Pick: Twenty-seven years have passed since the New York Knicks last reached the NBA Finals and multiple generations have failed to see the team win the NBA Championship.

After what had been something of an inconsistent regular season and falling 2-1 behind in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs, the Knicks have found some of their best basketball. The momentum has grown as they have not only won seven straight Playoff games, but the Knicks completely overwhelmed the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers and fans will believe they won't have many better opportunities to reach the NBA Finals.

Last year the season ended in the Eastern Conference Finals after a Game 6 loss to the Indiana Pacers, but injuries had held the team back and the Knicks look to be heading into the 2026 Conference Finals in much better shape.

OG Anunoby missed some time in the Second Round sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, but he has been back in full practice with the team giving him a big chance of recovering with the rest days they have had between Series. Karl-Anthony Towns is playing about as well as he ever has in the NBA, while Jalen Brunson is expected to enjoy this match up.

The Knicks have been underrated Defensively, while the three point shooting has been at historically strong levels in the previous two Rounds as the team have rallied together and found a really good rhythm.

One of the only concerns for the fans is that the long layoff between the end of the Second Round Series and the start of the Eastern Conference Finals could work against New York.

However, the Cleveland Cavaliers will come into the Conference Finals having had to dig in to beat the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 and that is the second Series in the post-season that has gone all the way. Donovan Mitchell stepped up to lead the Cavaliers into the Eastern Conference Finals, which is also the first time Mitchell will have been that far in the Playoffs, but the key starters who have all been so important for Cleveland have already had a lot of minutes in the post-season.

This is a Series that is also going to feel very different for the Cavaliers- this time they are facing an opponent that will believe they can match the Offensive firepower on the other side of the court. After seeing the barrage of three pointers that the Knicks have been connecting on, the pressure will be on Cleveland to find the energy to get out to those shooters, while a returning Anunoby gives the Knicks the kind of Defensive length and intensity to put plenty of pressure on the Cavaliers.

Big favourites and Game 1 home teams have struggled in recent Conference Finals Series, but in recent situations where the Number 3 Seed has been favoured by at least 3.5 points, those teams have tended to cover.

A number of adjustments are going to have to be made by the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals compared with what has come before, but this feels a tough spot for them with a day of rest between Game 7 of the Second Round Series and this opening contest.

It is a big spread, but the New York Knicks have a lot of momentum that could carry into the Eastern Conference Finals and they may find some three point shooting rhythm to cover at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

Wednesday 20th May

San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 2 Pick: These two Western Conference rivals are expecting to battle one another for the next several years at the very top of the NBA and Game 1 suggests the Western Conference Finals could be an epic affair.

Double Overtime was needed before the San Antonio Spurs eventually prevailed thanks to a monster game from Victor Wembanyama.

For all intents and purposes, the Spurs fans will know the team have already achieved all they would have wanted from the first two games of the Series, but the players will feel there is an opportunity to really take control of this Conference Finals. Another win on the road would put the Spurs in a very strong position before returning home and they have shown they have what it takes to beat the defending Champions time and time again throughout this season.

Game 1 was won without De'Aaron Fox, who has to be considered Questionable for Game 2, but Wemby put the team on his back and had a big moment to level things up in the first Overtime played. His 41 Points alone would impress, but adding 24 Rebounds along with 3 Blocks and 3 Assists underlines the impact Victor Wembanyama had on the game as he became the youngest player to ever have at least 40 Points and 20 Rebounds in a Playoff game.

Asking for more of the same may be too much, but the San Antonio Spurs will feel Victor Wembanyama is the most impactful player on the court even if he did not win the MVP.

The player who did, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander, produced an inefficient 24 Points in Game 1 as the Spurs crowded him, but that did mean the Oklahoma City Thunder had multiple open looks that were missed. Some will believe that is down to the fact they have won all eight Playoff Games and so had a lot of rest between the end of the Second Round Series and Game 1 of the Conference Finals, but you have to think the Thunder are confident that the shooters will be better when those looks come up again.

Oklahoma City's regular season record against the Spurs will put them under some pressure, but they are the defending Champions and a response is expected.

Once again they are being asked to cover a big spread, which has not been a good position for favourites in the Conference Finals, but teams playing after a loss are 34-19-1 against the spread at this stage of the post-season.

Big favourites have struggled in the Conference Finals, but Number 1 Seeds have a 21-14 record against the spread when favoured by at least 6.5 points and this Thunder team have the experience and the quality to find a way to bounce back.

The Spurs covered as a big underdog, but that has not always been a good spot for the Number 2 Seed in the Conference Finals and those teams being given at least 5 points are now 7-16 against the spread.

Opposing the Spurs is not easy considering how they have matched up with the Thunder all season, but Oklahoma City may be facing a team that could soon turn their attention to 'holding serve' at home having already stolen home court advantage away. If that is going to happen, Game 2 looks the spot and the Thunder should be a little more efficient with the looks they missed out on last time out, which should see them edge past this spread line set.

Thursday 21st May

Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks Game 2 Pick: Most of the attention is going to be focusing on the New York Knicks after putting together a historic comeback that will have fans believing destiny is with them as they bid to return to the NBA Finals for the first time in twenty-seven years.

They were 22 points behind with less than eight minutes remaining and no one would have given the Knicks a shot at recovering.

Instead the team rallied to force Overtime and overwhelmed the Cleveland Cavaliers to produce the biggest comeback in the history of the New York Knicks as far as the post-season goes, while also being the second biggest deficit clawed back in the Fourth Quarter of any Playoff game in the last thirty years.

The number crunchers gave the Knicks a 0.1% chance of winning with a little over half of the Fourth Quarter remaining, but somehow it is New York who have a 1-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Jalen Brunson put the team on his back and could not miss, but there were also key contributions from three point shooters who had been ice cold for the first three Quarters. Some of that is clearly down to the big gap between games, but the Knicks found their rhythm just in time and all of the momentum is with a team that have won eight straight Playoff games.

Credit has to be given to New York for the fight shown, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are rightly going to be facing criticism.

James Harden was exposed time and time again on the Defensive side of the court as the Knicks turned up the heat, which also impacted his level on the Offensive side as he was worn down. Donovan Mitchell had been playing really well, but drifted out of the game as the Cavaliers looked for someone to take control, although he has played down an injury concerns.

And Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has had to face the critics having failed to use his Timeouts in a bid to at least curtail the Knicks run in the Fourth Quarter when almost everyone else would have used them, even just to slow the clear momentum shift.

Adjustments will have to be made by the Cavaliers, but they have responded to adversity throughout these Playoffs and that makes them dangerous- yes, they did lose two in a row at the Detroit Pistons to open the Second Round Series, but the Cavaliers won road games in Game 5 and Game 7 to show they can come through difficult, hostile environments.

However, there has to be a concern about the way things went at the end of Game 1 and the relative lack of recovery time before the teams face off again in Game 2 at The Garden.

Open shooters will have to be more clinical with those opportunities, while Mitchell cannot allow himself to become a non-factor as he did in the second half of the Fourth Quarter and in Overtime in Game 1.

The challenge for the Cavaliers is knowing that this New York Knicks team had been completely out of sync for so long in Game 1 that they should have won on the road, while now they are dealing with a team that did find rhythm with their shots. The three point shooting has been eye-catching in this Playoff run, but the Knicks have so much room for improvement from the Tuesday efforts that they feel very, very dangerous if the Cavaliers do not come out with a point to prove.

Big favourites have found it tough in the Conference Finals, while teams playing after a loss have bounced back effectively, which are both trends favouring the road team.

Game 2s have tended to be very good for home teams after a win with those putting together an 8-5 run against the spread and the New York Knicks have to believe the manner of the opening win is going to have a hangover effect on the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It is imperative the Knicks come out fast and use the emotion of the crowd to get on top of the Cavaliers as early as they can and, if they can do that, they should have a better shooting day with some of the looks they saw in Game 1 to believe they can win and take a 2-0 lead in the Series with a cover of the spread line set.

Friday 22nd May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs Game 3 Pick: They did what they needed to during a two game road business trip to Oklahoma City, but it has come at a cost for the San Antonio Spurs.

De'Aaron Fox was already missing and another primary ball-handler in Dylan Harper suffered an injury in the Third Quarter of Game 2, which ultimately tipped things in favour of the defending Champions. Turnovers killed the San Antonio Spurs with Stephon Castle being most guilty and they are going to be desperate to have at least one of Fox or Harper available for Game 3 as the Western Conference Finals shifts to San Antonio for the next two in the Series.

Every team needs players who can bring the ball up the court and create plays and San Antonio are no different- after the Double Overtime win in Game 1 behind a monster game from Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs best player was not as influential a factor in Game 2 and some of that is down to the inability of those outside of De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper being able to set the tempo with turning the ball over.

Turnovers have long been situations from which the Oklahoma City Thunder shine and most would have expected a big response from this group after losing Game 1.

Shai-Gilgeous Alexander had a really efficient day from the field, even if his flopping on almost every shot taken is beginning to be noted more and more, while the intensity of the team meant they were not outgunned on the boards for a second time in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder were out-Rebounded in Game 2, but by a 4 board margin rather than the 21 more recoveries earned by the Spurs in Game 1.

It wasn't a perfect night for the Thunder, who may have lost Jalen Williams to another injury, while there have been plenty flagging up some of the physical, rough-housing the officials either missed or ignored against Victor Wembanyama.

On San Antonio's home court, those calls may end up trending in favour of the Spurs and it does make Game 3 that much more interesting for viewers.

In recent years, the Conference Finals have seen the zig-zag theory working really well with teams coming off losses producing strong numbers in the next game. The San Antonio Spurs will be hoping another day of recovery will help them here and you would expect De'Aaron Fox to suit up having been a game-time decision on Wednesday.

That will help, as will a few more positive calls from the officials, but this Oklahoma City Thunder deep have showcased the kind of depth they have.

Number 2 Seeds have been solid backs when favoured in Conference Finals games, while it should also be noted that Number 1 Seeds have not performed well as small favourites or underdogs, which is what the Oklahoma City Thunder have been set as in this important Game 3 battle.

Instead of picking a side, it may pay for this one to end up surpassing a total that has moved up a couple of points compared with Game 2.

That opening Double Overtime Game 1 has sapped some early energy and we saw signs of that in Game 2, while the officials may be more on top of some of the physicality we have seen where obvious fouls were not being called. Those have been highlighted nationally and it could be a Game 3 where whistles are more frequent, which in turn leads to drawn out Quarters as teams head to the Foul Line.

Three point shooting was more efficient in Game 2 as the Defensive players perhaps struggled to get out to those spot up shooters with tired legs recovering from the opening outing in the Western Conference Finals.

If that continues, this line may still be a touch low and it should be stated that Conference Finals games where the total has been set between 209 and 216 points have now finished with an 'over' in twenty-five of the last thirty-six occasions that has happened, including in Game 2 of this Series.

Turnovers lead to quick points too and the Spurs could be guilty of that again, but the home team are also showing they can break down this Oklahoma City Defensive scheme and this total may end up being surpassed in a Game 3 that really feels like it is finely balanced.

Saturday 23rd May

New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers Game 3 Pick: There are recent Conference Finals trends that will give the Cleveland Cavaliers some confidence as they return home 0-2 behind in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.

Teams that were blown out in Game 2 have been on a strong 9-2 run against the spread in Game 3, while this has usually been the time of the NBA Playoffs when those playing after a loss have recovered to cover in the next game.

Of course that did not happen for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2, but you cannot ignore the fact that there was always going to be some kind of hangover having been on the wrong end of a historically big post-season collapse in Game 1.

The rally to win that game has given the New York Knicks confidence and they looked to be in much better rhythm all around in Game 2 as they took command of the Series and moved to two wins from returning to the NBA Finals in almost thirty years. There looked to be more energy in the New York legs in Game 2 as they produced a ninth straight Playoff win, but most impressive is that they won that one very differently compared with Game 1 and that makes the Knicks tough to stop.

Jalen Brunson took the team on his back in Game 1 and overpowered the Cavaliers down the stretch, but the best player on the Knicks team made the adjustments needed in Game 2. It was clear the Cavaliers were not going to allow Brunson to beat them again, but that did not stop the superstar having a huge impact on Game 2 with 19 Points and 14 Assists.

It was Josh Hart that the Cavaliers were allowing to have the open looks, but he punished them with a career best 26 Playoff Points and there was a strong balance from the five starters that ultimately proved too much for this Cleveland team.

The Cavaliers have been better at home, which will give them some belief they can return to Gotham with the Conference Finals tied up, but Donovan Mitchell looked to be playing through some kind of injury in Game 2 and his impact was not nearly as strong as it had been through three Quarters of Game 1.

Cleveland were better on the glass in Game 2 and they limited the Turnovers, but there was some tiredness in the legs of a team that have needed seven games to win the opening two Series and who had just blown the massive lead in Game 1 to fall behind. That tiredness was exposed in the second half and the Cavaliers did not shoot as well as they did in Game 1, while the New York Knicks were better from the Field as the rhythm returned to the shooters.

In the Second Round, Cleveland returned home having lost both games to the Detroit Pistons and they won the next three- the problem is that they are not facing an opponent who have been struggling Offensively, but instead they are up against a New York team that have impressed at both ends of the court.

You almost HAVE to expect better energy and intensity from the home team, but having a single day between games is tough in terms of the recovery time.

If Donovan Mitchell is not able to attack as normal, these Conference Finals may quickly get away from the Cavaliers and the last seven teams with a 2-0 lead at this stage of the post-season have produced a 4-3 record against the spread in Game 3.

All of the early money looks to be going on the home favourite, but the New York Knicks have the momentum and all of the talent needed to weather the expected early storm. Once again they could show off the power in the Fourth Quarter and the Knicks can be backed with a start with every reason to believe they can earn the 'upset' to move one game away from the Finals.

Sunday 24th May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs Game 4 Pick: Earning the Game 1 win in Double Overtime may have given the San Antonio Spurs the lead in this Western Conference Finals, but days later you do have to wonder if that victory came at a cost.

The defending Champions were never going to go away quietly, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have taken back to back games to regain home court advantage in the Western Conference Finals.

The Thunder will have taken plenty of confidence from recovering from 0-15 behind in the First Quarter of Game 3 and showing the greater depth on the roster. Four players came off the bench to score at least 11 points and the ability to use the rotation has helped the big names get plenty of rest since that Double Overtime defeat to open this Series.

It has been a different approach for the San Antonio Spurs who have struggled when Victor Wembanyama has had to go to the bench, while they will have noted that all of the starters reached double digits in terms of points, but there was simply not the same impact from the bench.

The star player has tried to take the blame for not putting his teammates into better positions to succeed, but Wemby does need support and the San Antonio Spurs will be hoping De'Aaron Fox has not re-aggravated an injury that saw miss the first two games. He did come back into Game 3 after hurting his ankle again, but Fox did not look quite right and the Spurs are going to be hoping one day of recovery is enough to get him ready to compete.

Both De'Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper will try and do what they can for the team, but the Spurs need to find a way to stay competitive when Victor Wembanyama is on the bench.

Adjustments will also have to be made Defensively having been punished by the role players, but the momentum is with the Oklahoma City Thunder who have found a good formula for success.

In all likelihood, the Spurs are going to shorten the rotation for this Game 4, which feels like 'must win'.

That may help, but you have to still favour the Oklahoma City Thunder to find a way with a host of options to use and potentially having Jalen Williams available after he sat out Game 3, but travelled with the team.

Both teams have very strong Defensive schemes, but the desire to attack the rim and some of the holding and grabbing has led to plenty of fouls and that means getting to the Foul Line very quickly. There were 66 Free Throws combined in Game 3 after just 41 in Game 2, but the officials may have noticed the grabbing issues that the media had focused on after the second game of the Series and they are looking to clamp down on those.

The total has moved upwards from Game 3 after the last two high-scoring contests, but this may be another with the Spurs likely emptying some of the tank to try and level the Series and both teams capable of racking up the Free Throw attempts.

MY PICKS: 18/05 San Antonio Spurs + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

19/05 New York Knicks - 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

20/05 Oklahoma City Thunder - 6.5 Points @ 2.00 William Hill (1 Unit)

21/05 New York Knicks - 6 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

22/05 San Antonio Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder Over 216 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

23/05 New York Knicks + 2.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

24/05 San Antonio Spurs-Oklahoma City Thunder Over 218.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Conference Finals: 6-0, + 5.47 Units (6 Units Staked, + 91.17% Yield)

Second Round: 5-8, - 3.45 Units (13 Units Staked, - 26.54% Yield)

First Round: 15-17, - 3.28 Units (32 Units Staked, - 10.25% Yield)