NBA Playoffs 2026- Conference Finals Games 5-7 (Tuesday 26th May-Sunday 31st May)

Most New York Knicks will say there have been a lot more downs than ups in the last quarter of a century as a fan of this team.

There have been marked improvements since the signing of Jalen Brunson and some of the other trades/signings that have been made to push the New York Knicks back into contention just a few years after they finished with the worst record in the NBA (17 wins in 2019).

Years of poor decisions had caught up with a team that had barely challenged since the Eastern Conference Finals of 2000.

Last year the Knicks finally made it back to the Conference Finals before running out steam against the Indiana Pacers, but the moves made between 2019 and 2026 have to be hugely respected and the entire organisation deserves some credit for being patient, which has not really been a feature of the Knicks.

Even then, this current Knicks roster deserves so much respect- they were not considered as Eastern Conference favourites even after winning the NBA Cup, but the team have found a positive formula at a very good time and eleven straight wins have finally brought the NBA Finals back to Gotham.

The performances in those eleven wins will have raised expectations, but the Western Conference Champion will be favourite when those Finals begin next Wednesday.

As a Knicks fan, everyone will be praying for a seven game Series out West and there is every chance of that happening with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder tied at 2-2 and with the momentum shifting from game to game.

Game 5 feels like it could be decisive and that is going to be played on Tuesday.

Hopefully the New York Knicks are getting themselves rested and ready for what could be a special June.

NBA Playoff Picks- Conference Finals Game 5-7

Tuesday 26th May

San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 5 Pick: Victor Wembanyama was hugely critical of himself after the Game 3 loss at home and he came out in Game 4 looking to make a statement for the San Antonio Spurs.

For the second time in the Western Conference Finals, Victor Wembanyama decided to take over a game and for the second time the Spurs won to level up the Series before heading back to the home of the defending Champions.

Game 4 adjustments saw the Spurs move away from double-teaming Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and force the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar to get the ball out of his hands.

This time the Spurs looked comfortable allowing different players to challenge the regular season MVP and make sure they were not going to allow the Thunder shooters to spot up and make uncontested shots. With both Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams out of the rotation, the Spurs clearly believed they could take whatever Shai-Gilgeous Alexander was able to put together and would simply make others miss.

It worked- the Thunder had four players contribute at least 10 points from the bench in Game 3, but that was reduced to just two in Game 4, while the contested shots meant the Thunder moved from 17 three pointers in Game 3 to just 6 last time out.

Expecting little reaction from the Oklahoma City Thunder would be a mistake and there will be adjustments made by the defending Champions in what feels like a hugely important Game 5 for both of these teams.

The blowout might actually not be a bad thing for either team in Game 4- after the Double Overtime of Game 1, that blowout has allowed the key players to have significantly less time on the court last time out and that can only be a positive, but for both teams.

There has to be a concern in the home ranks that they are losing those players who can handle the ball in place of SGA, but this is a team that has overcome adversity time and time again over the last eighteen months. That experience can help with just a day of rest between games again, while being back home should be more comfortable for the role players who struggled all around in Game 4.

San Antonio fans will want to see Wemby continue to dominate, but they will also feel there is room for improvement from the three point range after a 27% effort in Game 4- some of the shooters were wide open playing off of Victor Wembanyama, but those shots need to start falling if the Spurs are going to earn the upset.

If they are going to reach the NBA Finals, the Spurs need another win on the road and this Game 5 will feel like a really good time to do that.

Historically Game 5 of the Conference Finals has been dominated by the higher Seeds and the favourites, which is something that the Oklahoma City Thunder are in both categories ahead of this one. Teams that have lost Game 4 have also bounced back very well in Game 5, which all points to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but this may be a spread where we have to go against recent trends and back the San Antonio Spurs to cover.

An aggressive Victor Wembanyama will be needed for that to happen and the Spurs may have found something from their superstar in Game 4 that can carry over to this one and at least give the San Antonio Spurs a chance to cover, even if they cannot win outright.

Thursday 28th May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ San Antonio Spurs Game 6 Pick: When you look at Victor Wembanyama and the size he has over most in the NBA you can be forgiven for forgetting that he is still a young player in the League and one who has never played in the pressurised environment of the post-season before 2026.

With that in mind, it cannot be a surprise when the superstar has a 'learning game' and that is what Game 5 will feel like for Wembanyama and for the fans.

There is no doubting that Wemby has a real desire to be seen as the best basketball player in the world and he has all of the tools to become that- some have put pressure on the Frenchman to crown himself by helping the San Antonio Spurs reach the NBA Finals, but they are now a game away from elimination... And that has a lot to do with an awful outing from Victor Wembanyama.

He was bullied out of the paint and a 4-15 shooting day is not going to cut it, while the Spurs missed Victor Wembanyama's presence around the boards on both ends of the floor. The role players tried to keep the Spurs going, but San Antonio are well aware that Wembanyama needs to be operating at his best if they are going to win the Western Conference Finals.

It was a dud in Game 5 and the Spurs lost- the two best performances produced by Victor Wembanyama in this Series in Game 1 and Game 4 have both ended in San Antonio wins and they will need him to give all that he has to force this Series back to Oklahoma City for a decider.

Minor adjustments have to be made and you have to think the Spurs Coaching staff are going to encourage Victor Wembanyama to take more control at both ends of the court. It has been a tough, physical Series and there were signs of some wear and tear, but being back at home offers everyone on the San Antonio roster a boost.

The defending Champions Oklahoma City Thunder will be much more grateful for the poor effort produced by Wemby considering their own star Shai-Gilgeous Alexander also put together a below par effort. He still contributed plenty, but the Spurs would have looked at that SGA stat-line and feel they have missed an opportunity to get in front and close out this Conference Finals at home on Thursday.

Both Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell missed out- the latter is going to miss Game 6 and the former remans Questionable.

Despite those absences, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have been pleased with the way the bench kept the team in front of the San Antonio Spurs and held off some of the rallies.

Four of the five starters scored at least 12 points, while Alex Caruso recovered from a poor Game 4 to produce 22 points from the bench.

The Thunder have to expect a reaction and the role players have tended to find things more challenging on the road. Oklahoma City had the edges in terms of efficiency of the three point shooting and also won on the glass and that will give them encouragement, although the team will likely need more as they look to reach the NBA Finals and earn some rest before those begin next week.

Teams that have won Game 5 have tended to back that up in Game 6 and those in a close out spot are 6-1 against the spread in the last seven games when this situation has come up.

However, Number 1 Seeds have not been the best to back when they have been set as small favourites or underdogs and there is almost certainly going to be some kind of reaction from Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

They missed an opportunity in Game 5, but the fans are going to be right behind the Spurs and that should help this team at least force a one game decider back out on the road this weekend.

Covering will be tough, but this is a Spurs team that will be listening to the criticism and they can come out with more authority from the opening tip as they did in Game 4 here.

Saturday 30th May

San Antonio Spurs @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 7 Pick: Every single New York Knicks fan out there will have been very happy to see the Western Conference Finals go to seven games for the first time in eight years.

Both Conference Finals reached seven games in 2018 and the Golden State Warriors ended up sweeping the Eastern Conference Champions Cleveland Cavaliers, but in 2026, the New York Knicks are going to be well rested as they await to see whether they are visiting San Antonio or Oklahoma City for Games 1 and 2 of the NBA Finals next week.

As expected, Victor Wembanyama came out in Game 6 with a chip on his shoulder and he produced a big First Quarter and dominant opening half to put the San Antonio Spurs in a position to win and force this Game 7 decider.

Of course you have to credit the other players around Wembanyama for their performances and it was a big run in the Third Quarter with Wemby on the bench that saw the San Antonio Spurs break the game open and eventually tie things up.

It is going to feel like the momentum is back with the San Antonio Spurs, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are defending Champions and they have been very good at home over the last two post-season runs. Last year the Thunder finished 11-2 at home in the Playoffs and they are 6-1 this season with a couple of comfortable wins recorded over the San Antonio Spurs in these Western Conference Finals.

Game 6 was another poor effort from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the role players struggled on the road, which has been a thing in the NBA in recent years.

The MVP is always going to be under pressure to lead the team, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 19 Points in Game 4 and 15 Points in Game 6... Those are numbers that are simply not going to get the job done.

However, in Game 5 back at home, SGA scored 32 Points and that was key, even if sixteen of those came at the Free Throw line.

Both teams are well aware that the role players are important, but this is a Conference Finals that will be decided by the two star players on either side of the court.

When Victor Wembanyama has played well, the Spurs have won, but the three games in which they have lost, the 22 year old has shown some of the inexperience of playing in a first NBA Playoff run. The Frenchman came out with a lot more energy and aggressive intent in Game 6 and that opened things up for the other San Antonio Spurs to step up and it is imperative for the road team that Victor Wembanyama comes out with a similar mindset.

It is a make or miss League though and not everyone will be comfortable with Wemby trying to line up three pointers instead of trying to dominate the paint and opening up those shooting lanes for others.

He was more active around the boards, which was hugely important for the Spurs, but there still has to be more to come from the likes of De'Aaron Fox if San Antonio are going to win for a second time on the road.

Oklahoma City welcomed back Jalen Williams for Game 6, but he offered limited minutes from the bench and also struggled when he was on the floor, which is not a big surprise. The Thunder will hope J-Dub can offer more in this 'win or go home' setting, while a deep bench has to win those moments when Victor Wembanyama is on the bench.

Both teams will have no excuses for fatigue after key players were withdrawn pretty early in Game 6 as things got out of hand for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but picking a winner is tough.

All respect has to be given to the Thunder for the way they have bounced back at home on two occasions already in the Western Conference Finals, while they can expect role players to be more comfortable in front of their own fans. This is an experienced team that won the NBA Championship eleven months ago and the Thunder are 17-3 at home over the last two post-season runs.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can be more of an influence at home after a couple of below par efforts on the road, but the others around him have to find spacing and make their shots.

The Thunder have been better at doing that home, while recent Game 7s in Conference Finals offer little in terms of trends- they have tended to be lower scoring, but the line for this Game 7 is pretty tight in terms of the total, while the team that won Game 6 is only 3-3 both straight up and against the spread in this decider to reach the NBA Finals.

Both teams have won once on the road in this Western Conference Finals, but the lean for the selection is backing this Game 7 to end up over the totals line set.

Three point shooting has been something both teams have tried to use to open things up inside the paint, while fouls have led to a number of Free Throws. The last six Game 7s in Conference Finals have all finished 'under' the total, but four of the six games in the Western Conference Finals have ended with the total surpassed and that would have been the case in Game 6 if the starters had been on the court for longer than they were with that one ending a couple of points shy of an 'over' hitting.

Simply put it is hard to pick a winner- there is perhaps some value in picking the San Antonio Spurs to win outright, rather than backing them with this small number of points on the handicap. If they cover, it is more than likely going to be in a straight up win, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have likely got another punch in them and this may come down to which of the role players steps up for longest to back up the superstars, who have to also have big outings.

MY PICKS: 26/05 San Antonio Spurs + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

28/05 San Antonio Spurs - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

30/05 Oklahoma City Thunder-San Antonio Spurs Over 212.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Conference Finals: 9-2, + 6.24 Units (11 Units Staked, + 56.73% 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)

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.

Monday 25th May

New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers Game 4 Pick: When they fell 2-1 behind to the Atlanta Hawks in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs, the press and fans were sharpening their knives and ready to put the dagger into the New York Knicks.

They had lost back to back games by single point margins, but that has focused the team and the Knicks have not looked back.

Twenty-seven years have passed since the New York Knicks were competing in the NBA Finals and fifty-three since this team last lifted a NBA Championship, but the team have put together a ten game winning run through the post-season and now stand a single win away from returning to the Finals.

Most Knicks fans will still be keeping the emotions in check and that is largely down to the disappointments suffered over the years, but the 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals is one that teams have simply not been able to overcome. None have been beaten in a best of seven Series when moving into a 3-0 lead and the New York Knicks have dominated the last couple of games after breaking the hearts of the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1.

Blowing that 22 point lead in the Fourth Quarter has haunted the Cavaliers and they have been outplayed in the last couple of games.

Head Coach Kenny Atkinson has made an effort to remind the media that his team have perhaps deserved more, but Cleveland have struggled at both ends of the court and Donovan Mitchell clearly looks to be playing through an injury. That has hindered a team that have been hugely reliant on the four key starters and it does feel like the long Playoff run has caught up with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Unlike the Knicks, the Cleveland Cavaliers have played every game possible in the Playoffs, while the limited recovery time between games has just worn them down.

You have to really worry about how much is left in the tank when you consider some of the Defensive work shown on the court in the Fourth Quarter of the defeat in Game 3.

Playing at home to avoid the sweep should offer motivation, but the Knicks have shown they have a greater depth and a team that is playing with freshness and confidence that cannot be understated. It has put them in a position to break the long wait to return to the NBA Finals and the New York Knicks may be able to weather the early push expected from the Cleveland Cavaliers before pulling away for another victory.

Teams that have faced a four game sweep in the Conference Finals are only 3-6 straight up in the last nine times this situation has come up, although 4-4-1 against the spread. However, this line is short enough to believe the New York Knicks do cover if they win and they can do that behind a balanced Offensive unit and a set of players looking to play with intensity on the Defensive side of the court.

Cleveland have to show more fight than they did in Game 3, but that may still not be enough to extend this Series back to The Garden.

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)

25/05 New York Knicks - 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Conference Finals: 7-1, + 5.42 Units (8 Units Staked, + 67.75% 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)

NBA Playoffs 2025- Conference Finals Picks Game 1-7 (Tuesday 20th May-Tuesday 2nd June)

The top Seed in the Western Conference may have needed all seven games, but what matters is that the Oklahoma City Thunder are still on course to win the NBA Championship for the first time.

They arrived in Oklahoma City having previously been the Seattle Supersonics, who had won a NBA Championship, but the Thunder have been close in their current form without taking home all of the honours. With a team as young as they are, this could be the start of the dynasty, although the other three teams still chasing a ring will have something to say about that.

And all of the other three can be considered as something of a surprise.

The Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves may feel that is a harsh assessment considering both played in the Conference Finals in 2024 and have clearly learned valuable lessons from their experiences. Both knocked off injury hit opponents in five games in the Second Round so should be well rested and they will use what happened in 2024 to try and move a step closer to the NBA Championship in 2025.

Neither of those teams have won a NBA Championship before either, and it has been a long time since the Indiana Pacers made the NBA Finals.

So that leaves the final place for my New York Knicks who are playing in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 and who are looking to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. This is a big market franchise that have not won the NBA Championship since 1973, but fans may feel this is about as good a chance as they have had in many a year with both of the top Seeds in the Eastern Conference eliminated.

As with previous Playoff threads, Games 1-4 will be placed in this one and any Picks from Games 5-7 will be in a new thread to keep things as tidy as possible.

After a couple of strong years, it has been a tough Playoff run in 2025 and may need an almost perfect run to turn things around from now until the end of the season. There has been some frustration to the Picks selected,  but it happens and the focus has to be on having as good a run as possible in the Conference Finals and see the lay of the land at the end of that.

NBA Playoffs 2025- Conference Finals Game 1-4 (May 20th-27th)

Tuesday 20th May

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 1 Pick: If the regular season is anything to go by, the Western Conference Finals could be an incredibly competitive Series.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder split four regular season games and they were largely competitive affairs- the Thunder had two wins by 7 and 8 points respectively, while the Timberwolves won a game by 15 points and the other by just 3 points after Overtime.

Having a few more days of rest could be important for the Timberwolves after easing past the Golden State Warriors in five games. On the other side, the Oklahoma City Thunder just completed a Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets and will have one day to rest and prepare for this opening game of the Western Conference Finals, which is far from ideal for any team, even one as good as the Thunder.

A positive for the Number 1 Seed is that they were not really taxed in Game 7 of the Second Round Series and that will have allowed key players to earn some rest. The blowout win over the Denver Nuggets also reminded the rest of the NBA of the depth that Oklahoma City can lean on as they bid to reach the NBA Finals.

Experience can still be a factor and that is where the Timberwolves may be able to lean on 2024 and use that disappointing Western Conference Finals defeat to the Dallas Mavericks to inspire better in 2025. They were the hosts of those Conference Finals, which would have hurt Minnesota even more, but getting back here twelve months later as the Number 6 Seed in the West will just remind the players of how good they actually are.

Winning Game 7 and then moving into a new Series is a tough spot for the Thunder to be in, but even more so when you think of the lack of rest they are getting.

They will also be in a tough spot with the spread- Conference Finals favourites being asked to lay at least five points are now 1-12 against the spread across the last two Playoffs and even with the depth the Thunder have, it could be a big ask on limited rest to be ready to push past this number set for Game 1.

With Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle looking good, the Timberwolves have been a good team to back with the points during this Playoff run and they could begin with a cover, if not the outright upset to take away home court. They have matched up well with the Thunder throughout the regular season and Minnesota may have been anticipating this opponent for the Western Conference Finals and so being underprepared is not really going to be an excuse that they can lean on.

Opposing the Thunder and their ability to blowout teams is not an easy decision, but the spot looks a good one for the Minnesota Timberwolves to keep this one very competitive, and especially with this many points being given to them.

Wednesday 21st May

Indiana Pacers @ New York Knicks Game 1 Pick: Considering the Eastern Conference Finals were set on Friday evening and the Western Conference Finals on Sunday, you think it would have made more sense for the former to get underway first. Instead the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks will meet in the post-season for a second season in a row, but with even more on the line than when they met in 2024.

Last year the teams met in the Second Round and it was for the place in the Eastern Conference Finals with the injury hit New York Knicks having nothing left in Game 7.

This time the Knicks are looking much healthier and they have just beaten the defending Champions Boston Celtics in six games and New York's expectations have been raised significantly. It has been over fifty years since the New York Knicks last won the NBA Championship, and twenty-six years since they last competed in the NBA Finals, but the fans have seen the top two Seeds dumped out and the Knicks will be hosting the Eastern Conference Finals.

There will be a lot of respect for the Indiana Pacers, not only for the Playoff defeat to this team last season, but for the way the Pacers have seen off the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers for the loss of just two games. Over the last four months of the regular season, the Pacers were playing about as well as any team, but they have been satisfied going under the radar.

Depth on the Pacers roster has been key and they have made strong starts to each of the last two Series by winning the first two games to take a serious grip of those Series. In the last Round they upset the Cavaliers, the Number 1 Seed, twice on the road and the Indiana Pacers have a team that will push the tempo and not be afraid to give the ball to the hot hand.

Tyrese Haliburton will be heading to Madison Square Garden expecting to be the focus of the attention for the New York Knicks fans, but that may suit him if it allows his team-mates to flourish. The Pacers have shown that winning on the road is not something they are afraid of doing after beating Cleveland in all three road games in the Second Round and Indiana are a very dangerous opponent.

Confidence should not be an issue for the New York Knicks after crushing the Boston Celtics in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden and the team are so much healthier than when losing to the Pacers last season. They have shown grit to come through tough moments in the Series wins over both the Celtics and Detroit Pistons, while New York did win two of the three regular season games with the Indiana Pacers.

In the Second Round last year, the New York Knicks won the opening two games of the Series before injuries saw them worn down with four losses in the next five games to be downed in seven. There will be an appreciation of the fact that the Pacers have shown a physical style to break down the last two opponents, while an up-tempo Indiana approach has just made it tough to keep up with them on the scoreboard.

Picking a Game 1 winner is not easy on the spread- the Pacers look to be getting enough points to keep this competitive, but the Knicks did win the opening two games of that PlayOff Series last year.

Instead it may be wise to pick Game 1 to go 'over' the total set- this is a number that would have been covered in the last two regular season games between the teams and missed by just a Field Goal in the first. In the Playoff Series played last year, three of the four games played at Madison Square Garden went 'over' the total and the teams have shown enough Offensive power to believe this one will do the same to open the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals.

With the pace that Indiana use, there should be plenty of turnovers and transitional baskets, which can move this game into a position to finish with enough points to cover what is a big number on paper.

Friday 23rd May

Indiana Pacers @ New York Knicks Game 2 Pick: The 2025 NBA Playoffs have featured plenty of games where huge leads have been wasted and comebacks have been frequent.

Even with that in mind, the New York Knicks were stunned in Game 1 on Wednesday night when leading the Indiana Pacers by 17 Points in the Fourth Quarter and eventually being beaten in Overtime. In the last twenty-seven years, 1414 times a team has led by at least 9 points into the final minute of a Playoff Game and all of them had won, until the Indiana Pacers became the first to overcome monumental odds.

This means the fans are going to be needed to be fired up and right behind the New York Knicks as they bid to avoid falling 0-2 behind in the Eastern Conference Finals before having to head to Indiana for two games. There will be a real disappointment within the Knicks locker room, but they cannot ignore the fact that they were able to do much of what they would have wanted Offensively and can be more effective as long as Jalen Brunson can avoid foul trouble for the second game in a row.

New York have already shown plenty of resolve in this Playoff run and they can bounce back, even if the Indiana Pacers deserve a lot of respect for the way they have performed. The Pacers are forcing teams to play how they want to play and ultimately Indiana have shown off the depth to wear down those who face them.

Tyrese Haliburton made some huge shots, but was really well supported by Aaron Nesmith in the fightback and upset. Doing that for a second time in a row on the road will be challenging and teams that have lost games have tended to recover in the next game during recent Conference Finals.

This is a big spread considering the Indiana Offensive capabilities, but the Knicks have to believe they can be more consistent when trying to hold onto a big lead. Some of the players feel they lost some of the focus when looking to close out Game 1 and the situation should mean that is not going to happen again and this time the Knicks can recover and cover the spread set to level up the Eastern Conference Finals.

Saturday 24th May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves Game 3 Pick: There are still six games from which the Minnesota Timberwolves need four wins if they are going to be playing in the NBA Finals. but the pressure begins in Game 3. Twice in a row, a competitive first half was replaced by a second half in which the Timberwolves struggled and they are now 2-0 down in the Series.

The NBA remains the only US Sport in which a Playoff has not been lost when a team has moved into a 3-0 lead and that is the prospect that the Minnesota Timberwolves have to face.

It would be tough to beat any opponent from that position, but to try and beat the Number 1 Seed Oklahoma City Thunder who have looked right amongst the elite over the last couple of seasons is going to be that much more of a mountain to climb.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has just been awarded the regular season MVP award and he has been in strong form in the Western Conference Finals, but also being well backed by some of the team-mates around him. Perhaps most importantly is the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder feel like they are wearing down the Timberwolves with their Defensive scheme and intensity.

Turnovers are becoming very important for the Thunder, although you have to factor in how much more difficult it will be when playing on the road. They are not the Number 1 Seed for no reason though and Oklahoma City have won some tough games already on the road, while the momentum is with them with teams leading 2-0 having a 4-1 record against the spread in the last five times this situation has come up in the Western Conference.

Minnesota can expect Julius Randle to have a stronger game after an underwhelming Game 2 and the role players should be better at home. Anthony Edwards tried to put the team on his back, but he will need support and the Timberwolves can comfort themselves from the fact that teams that have suffered blowout losses in Game 2 have bounced back in Game 3 in the recent Conference Finals played.

It will still need something special from the hosts to do that and the Thunder look to have all of the answers right now.

The expectation has to be this will be more competitive right through to the back end of the Fourth Quarter, but the Thunder have shown their ability to win clutch games during this Playoff run and can do the same here.

Small road favourites have been on a poor run in the Conference Finals, but so have big favourites and that did not stop the Oklahoma City Thunder covering twice in this Series already.

Sunday 25th May

New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers Game 3 Pick: When you blow a game like the New York Knicks did in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, there is a pressure to bounce back immediately. That pressure is only intensified if you are hosting the first two games of a Series, but the Knicks were not able to make enough stops in the second half of Game 2 and all of a sudden things have gone pear shaped in Gotham.

The Eastern Conference Finals shifts to Indiana for two games with the Pacers once again 2-0 ahead, just as they were in the Second Round upset of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

All credit has to be given to the Pacers- they continued to fight in Game 1 to produce a historic Playoff comeback, while they looked the stronger team in the second half in Game 2 as they held off the New York Knicks to take a stranglehold of this Series.

However, in saying all of that, Head Coach Rick Carlisle is extremely experienced and he is sure to be reminding his players that this Series could easily be 2-0 to the New York Knicks with a fractionally different bounce of the ball. As much as the Pacers will feel pretty happy with the Offensive production, Indiana will also know they have had issues stopping the New York Knicks and so this Eastern Conference Finals still feels alive.

Much like the Minnesota Timberwolves, the pressure is also on the New York Knicks to avoid having to become the first team in NBA history to win a Playoff Series from 0-3 behind. They are trying to overcome recent history where the team leading 2-0 in the Conference Finals has covered in 80% of the last five Game 3s played, while the Knicks have to make some adjustments to see if they can do anything to cool the Indiana shooters down.

Karl-Anthony Towns being left on the bench in the Fourth Quarter of Game 2 was not a good look for a player who has come up short in big Playoff moments in his career. He will need to bounce back on Sunday if Mitchell Robinson has any kind of restriction around the ankle he seemed to roll in Game 2 and this looks to be a tough test for New York, where expectations have grown massively since upsetting the Boston Celtics in the Second Round.

Game 2 ended a single point below the total line set and that does mean that games in the Conference Finals that have been decided by single digits have been followed up by the 'under' producing a 21-12 winning record. It has given some pause for thought, but the absence or restriction of Robinson should make it that much more comfortable for Indiana to score points and the Knicks are going to have to keep up.

One day of rest between games is perhaps another factor, but these teams are still pushing the pace and backing them to score at least one more point combined in Game 3 compared with Game 2 looks the right play.

Monday 26th May

Oklahoma City Thunder @ Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 Pick: Well, that escalated quickly!

After back to back dominant wins to open the Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked to have all of the momentum in the Series ahead of Game 3. However, the Minnesota Timberwolves came out with a huge amount of intensity and thumped the Thunder early and often and the game was never really close just minutes after tip off.

The Timberwolves are going to be feeling that much better ahead of Game 4 as they look to level the Western Conference Finals before having to take another shot at winning in Oklahoma City.

There is still some pressure on Minnesota who would be facing an elimination game later this week if they are beaten at home and they have to expect a much more aggressive and focused Number 1 Seed that played here on Saturday. It will mean the role players need to continue shooting the ball that much better at home than they have on the road, which has been a feature of Minnesota's Playoff run, and they will be hoping Julius Randle has had his one and only poor game in the Western Conference Finals.

It was a poor game from the Oklahoma City Thunder, perhaps their worst of the season, and the starters were all given the Fourth Quarter off. A reaction is going to be needed from a young team that has had their issues on the road, but the Thunder have shown their capabilities all season and will likely be that much more focused after being embarrassed on a national stage.

They should have a bit more Defensive intensity, which was severely lacking in Game 3, but this could be another of the Western Conference Finals games to end up going 'over' the line set.

Three point shooting has been important and the road shooting woes of both teams has to be a concern, but the tempo may see teams heading to the Free Throw line and that can help.

Minnesota did not shoot the ball well at all in Game 1, but have looked a bit better in each of the last two and they can keep that momentum going. We may be ready to see the closest game of the Western Conference Finals so far with so much on the line for both teams and there should be enough quality shooting shown to at least move past this total set.

Tuesday 27th May

New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers Game 4 Pick: They have been making history throughout this Playoff run and the New York Knicks became the first to overcome 20 point deficits to win games three times in a row in one post-season.

It has been a difficult Playoff to negotiate with so many games ending in crazy fashion and Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals was no different.

With Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson in serious foul trouble and with the Indiana Pacers coasting, the Eastern Conference Finals looked set to be all but over with the Number 4 Seed about to move into a 3-0 lead. The decision was made to bench Brunson, but KAT took things over and there was enough push from the bench players to help the New York Knicks overcome the big deficit and ultimately half the deficit in the Series.

A big Game 4 is coming up and the New York Knicks will be hoping they have the momentum to get things levelled up before they head back to Madison Square Garden. They will want to avoid having to dig out of a big hole again and that means making a much faster, consistent start having been hit hard by the Indiana Pacers in the first half.

There is a key moment in Game 3 which may help the New York Knicks- Aaron Nesmith rolled his ankle and being the most consistent Defensive player capable of slowing down Jalen Brunson, it would be a big loss if he is limited. He did not look right after that moment in the Fourth Quarter and that is expected to be a factor that hurts Indiana on both sides of the court.

Of course the Pacers will feel pretty sick with the way they lost their lead in Game 3- the approach felt off in the second half and they lost all rhythm on their shooting. It was the worst display from three point range and so the Pacers may feel they can show enough to bounce back, as they have throughout this Playoff run.

The Knicks are feisty, but so are the Pacers and this is a team that has lost Game 3 in both previous Series and won the next time out on their way to a close in five.

In recent Conference Finals, Game 4 has leaned heavily towards the host as long as they are not facing an elimination game. That will encourage the Indiana Pacers and this has also been a Round of the post-season when teams have had a solid record bouncing back from losses.

It may only be 2-2 against the spread this year, but is now up to 31-17-1 against the spread across the last forty-nine Conference Finals games.

We should have another competitive game in what has been a competitive Eastern Conference Finals, but the Indiana Pacers may do just enough to win and cover ahead of a return to Gotham where Game 5 is set to take place.

Wednesday 28th May

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder Game 5 Pick: They came out looking to make a statement in Game 4, which they did, but perhaps most impressive about the Oklahoma City Thunder is the way they managed to take every big haymaker thrown at them by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

They are still a young team and so it would have been a challenge, especially on the road, but the Thunder kept making the big plays at the big moments and ultimately that was enough to hold on for a victory and, most importantly, a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals.

The first of three close out opportunities is in front of the home fans with both teams heading back to Oklahoma City and you do have to wonder if the Timberwolves have much left in the tank. They did almost everything right in the two games played at home, but the team could not make the stops needed and, for a second season in a row, the Timberwolves look to be coming up one Round short of the NBA Finals.

No one will be giving up just yet and the Timberwolves may look to make a couple of adjustments in their bid to keep this Series alive and bring it back home.

However, it cannot be ignored about how much the Minnesota Timberwolves put into the last game.

The bench produced historically strong numbers and the NBA Playoffs have long proven that role players find things that much tougher on the road than they do when playing at home. So it may be asking a lot of those bench players to make the same impact again, while the Oklahoma City Thunder have been much more solid at home throughout this post-season run.

After seeing what happened in Game 3, the Thunder may be more prepared to deal with what should be an early onslaught from the desperate Timberwolves. Oklahoma City have shown they have players who can step up though and they will take confidence from the fact that both home wins over Minnesota have been very comfortable in the Western Conference Finals.

Favourites and the hosts have both been trending very well in Game 5 of the recent Conference Finals and those teams are 14-4 and 13-5 against the spread respectively.

And those teams looking to close a Series who are favoured by at least 4.5 points have turned in a 10-3 record against the spread in the last thirteen Conference Finals games with that situation set.

With that all considered, the Oklahoma City may weather the early storm and grind down the belief of the Minnesota Timberwolves through the first three Quarters. The pumped up home crowd can then push the hosts home with a win and a cover as they look to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012.

Thursday 29th May

The direction of travel for both Conference Finals suggests we are potentially not going to see any Game 6s, never mind two, and that means a decision has been made to keep all of the selections in this one thread.

It may not be needed beyond Thursday if the Timberwolves and Knicks cannot keep themselves alive, but there are still close out games to be won by Oklahoma City and Indiana.

Indiana Pacers @ New York Knicks Game 5 Pick: Halfway through the Third Quarter of Game 4, it felt like the Indiana Pacers had a dominant lead having controlled much of the night. However, the scoreboard told a different story and the New York Knicks were doing what they have been throughout the post-season and that is hanging around and then looking to strike late.

However, this time the Pacers made sure they largely kept the Knicks at arm's length thanks to pushing New York into early foul trouble in the Fourth Quarter and having some of the star players make some big plays.

Tyrese Haliburton will be receiving most of the praise having avoided giving up a single turnover, but adding 32 Points, 15 Assists, 12 Rebounds and 4 Steals to that performance. He said he would be much better than Game 3 and Haliburton was all that and more as the Indiana Pacers take a grip of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The tempo has been tough to deal with and the Pacers have closed out the last two Series in five games and have an opportunity to do that again as they look for a third win at Madison Square Garden.

New York will need the home fans to be loud and get firmly behind them and they are in a 'good' 3-1 situation having avoided going 3-0 down. That has been a situation from which no team has ever recovered in the NBA Playoffs, but there have been a small amount of teams that have managed to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a Series.

Only thirteen teams have managed to recover, but eight of those have been in a position where they are hosting two of the last three games and that is the same for the Knicks. Keeping out of foul trouble is key, while it sounds like Karl-Anthony Towns has avoided a serious knee injury that may have ruled him out until next season.

Adjustments to the starting lineup could be made again, but the Knicks are in a pressurised situation and simply have not played as well at Madison Square Garden as they would have wanted under Playoff conditions. It makes it tough to believe in them having lost Game 4, but New York have shown they can hurt this Indiana Pacers team if they can control the turnovers.

Recent trends in the Conference Finals points to the hosts, the favourites and the team that lost Game 4 as being the one that will produce the best record against the spread in Game 5. Those numbers are 13-5, 14-4 and 12-6 respectively against the spread in recent years, but the Indiana Pacers have to be respected with the momentum built up and the way they have managed previous Series in this Playoff run.

Instead it may be better to look for this game to finish 'over' the total points line set and that is largely down to the tempo both teams are playing with- the Knicks are being forced to play at Indiana's speed and that has led to fouls as teams look to break out, while also seeing quick movement of the ball opening up shooting lanes.

It is impossible to expect this Game 5 to have a First Quarter like the one we saw on Tuesday, but the teams are still scoring heavily.

And it should be noted that the last eight Game 5s that featured a close out spot, seven have finished surpassing the total and this could follow that trend with what we have seen from the Eastern Conference Finals so far.

Saturday 31st May

New York Knicks @ Indiana Pacers Game 6 Pick: The opening few minutes of Game 5 set the tempo for the Indiana Pacers and it was very difficult to move past what had been a sloppy start.

They did hang around for a while and were in a threatening range going into the Fourth Quarter, but the turnovers killed the hopes of the Pacers as they looked to close out the Eastern Conference Finals. It did not help at all that Tyrese Haliburton fell from the historical heights reached in Game 4 to be a non-factor in Game 5 and the entire supporting cast will be critical of themselves for failing to match the intensity of the desperate hosts.

Pascal Siakam was involved in a tetchy discussion with a local reporter at the end of Game 5 after admitting him and his team-mates had not played as 'hard' as the New York Knicks, but the Pacers will want to bury this performance as soon as possible. They have already made it clear that they will be much better in Game 6 when getting the chance to close the Eastern Conference Finals at home and the expectation is that Haliburton and the role players will feel much more comfortable being back in home surroundings.

That alone is not going to be enough to beat the New York Knicks if the latter feel they have finally found the formula to slow this Indiana team down. In two of the last three games, the Knicks have held them to below 101 points and Game 5 was the first time in the post-season that Indiana failed to register triple digits.

A lot went right for the Knicks in Game 5- the bench were spectacular and Jalen Brunson displayed some Defensive grit that has been missing and is one of the criticisms that are often hurled towards him. Karl-Anthony Towns showed he is capable of playing through his knee issues and Mitchell Robinson proved to be a menace around the boards, but putting that all together again will not be easy.

The Knicks will be well aware that the Defensive side of the court is where they can really generate their success having found decent match ups the other way. New York will also be looking to win the turnover battle and get out in transition to really put the pressure on Indiana, who will be very keen to avoid another Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

You have to figure the Pacers are much better all around having allowed the Knicks to do what they want on Thursday and they will certainly want to be a bit quicker with the ball. Too many possessions were getting down to the final seconds and that has not been the winning formula for Indiana who want to push the tempo and wear down opponents.

In recent years, teams that have had an opportunity to close the Conference Finals in Game 6 have been very good against the spread and the lean has to be with the Indiana Pacers, despite the underperformance in Game 5.

However, the over is 8-5 in the last thirteen Conference Finals Game 6s that have been played and the Pacers are expected to bounce back after the poor outing on Thursday. The Knicks have shown they can produce Offensively, even if their wins have been behind strong Defensive performances, and the line has dropped from the last game, which makes the over more appealing to back here than picking a side.

MY PICKS: 20/05 Minnesota Timberwolves + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

21/05 New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers Over 223 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

23/05 New York Knicks - 5.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

24/05 Oklahoma City Thunder - 2.5 Points @ 1.87 William Hill (1 Unit)

25/05 Indiana Pacers-New York Knicks Over 223 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

26/05 Minnesota Timberwolves-Oklahoma City Thunder Over 218.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

27/05 Indiana Pacers - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

28/05 Oklahoma City Thunder - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

29/05 New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers Over 222.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

31/05 Indiana Pacers-New York Knicks Over 218.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Conference Finals: 4-5, - 1.36 Units (9 Units Staked, - 15.11% Yield)

Second Round: 8-14-1, - 6.64 Units (23 Units Staked, - 28.87% Yield)

First Round: 20-19, - 0.72 Units (39 Units Staked, - 1.85% Yield)

Play In Tournament: 3-3, - 0.28 Units (6 Units Staked, - 4.67% Yield)