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.

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)

Conference Finals: 3-0, + 2.74 Units (3 Units Staked, + 91.33% 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)

NBA PlayOffs 2024- Conference Finals Picks Game 1-4 (May 21-28)

Four teams remain after a dramatic Conference Semi Final Round in the NBA PlayOffs 2024 and you could argue that only one of those remaining will have been tipped to get to the Conference Finals.

A huge increase in pressure is going to be on the shoulders of the Boston Celtics after the Number 1 Seed in the Western Conference and the defending Champions were both eliminated this past weekend.

And barring injuries, it is very difficult to imagine a situation where the Boston Celtics are not able to win at least four games out of seven against any of the teams left.

Take nothing away from a young, improving Minnesota Timberwolves team, or a hot shooting Indiana Pacers.

The Dallas Mavericks have a star player and some decent support around him, but for the majority of this season, the Boston Celtics have looked to have had the perfect balance and they are the strong favourites with a little over a month left of the NBA season.

A poor run for the Conference Semi Final Picks over the last four days has meant the positive returns have not been as great as they were looking before Friday evening. There is some frustration with that in mind, but the Conference Finals are a chance to bounce back.

Out of the four Rounds last season, this was the one with my worst results so this also feels like a personal opportunity to bounce back and look for a much stronger return all around.

The good news is that we do have a winning return from both the First Round and Conference Semi Final Rounds, but more work is to be done.

NBA Conference Finals Picks 2024- Games 1-4 (May 21st-28th)

Tuesday 21st May

Indiana Pacers @ Boston Celtics Game 1 Pick: The long time Eastern Conference favourites have made their way into the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Boston Celtics might be a little surprised about the opponent in front of them.

That was the case twelve months ago when the Number 8 Seeded Miami Heat had made their way through to the Conference Finals, but the Boston Celtics soon found themselves 3-0 down in that Series and ultimately were not able to complete the comeback in a 4-3 Series defeat.

It has fuelled the Boston Celtics season and they are not lacking for any motivation.

Out of the four teams remaining, the Celtics are strong favourites to win the NBA Championship, although that does mean the players have to show they can handle the pressure. They will be expected to be without Kristaps Porzingis in the first two games at home, but the Celtics are well rested after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games and they will have been focused on preparing for whichever team made it through from the other Series.

In saying that, most would have expected that to be the New York Knicks, but the injury bug really hurt the Number 2 Seeded team and it is the Indiana Pacers who have surprised all by reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. The Number 6 Seeded Pacers have already beaten the Milwaukee Bucks and the Game 7 win on the road over the New York Knicks will have given them a huge boost in confidence.

However, beating an injury hit opponent as they have done in the first two Rounds and now being able to knock off the top Seed in the Conference is a very different test. The Pacers will feel they have the depth and the shooting to stick with the Boston Celtics, but there is going to be a natural comedown after the levels reached in the Game 7 win on the road, especially with just a day of rest between games.

Rick Carlisle will need to make some big adjustments ahead of this Conference Finals, the first time he is Head Coaching in this Round since leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Championship in 2011. A lot of First Round exits or failing to reach the PlayOffs have been on his record since then, but Carlisle may feel his team have some destiny surrounding them having benefited from some of the uncontrollable factors like injury.

His team have given the Boston Celtics something to think about in the regular season, but Game 1 is at the TD Garden and a rested host might be able to control the Pacers.

We have become used to seeing Boston being asked to cover big spreads, but teams in the last couple of years in the Conference Finals have really struggled to deal with being asked to lay anything above 5 points. That was the case last year when those favourites were 0-7 against the spread in this Round, while home teams are 5-3 against the spread in Game 1 having seen both hosts fail to cover this time last year.

This should be a closer Series for the Boston Celtics than the last two have been, but they look rested and ready to open with a strong win.

Wednesday 22nd May

Dallas Mavericks @ Minnesota Timberwolves Game 1 Pick: This has to be considered a surprising Western Conference Finals, despite the obvious improvements that both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks have made in the off-season and through the regular season.

Coming through a Game 7 against the defending Champions, the team that Minnesota have been built to beat, will have been a huge boost for the Timberwolves. They will have to overcome some history in the Western Conference Finals as teams that have played a Game 7 in a previous Series have struggled when facing an opponent that has not been pushed the distance.

They will hold home court in the Western Conference Finals, and being at home in Game 1 has to be an important factor for the Timberwolves. The Series starting on Wednesday will have given Minnesota a bit more time to get themselves mentally prepared for the Western Conference Finals and this is something that should help.

Minnesota are facing the surprising Dallas Mavericks who have beaten a couple of top four Seeds already on their way to the Western Conference Finals twelve months after failing to even finish in the top ten.

The victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder will have really helped the confidence of the Mavericks, especially considering the manner in which they won a couple of games in that Semi Final Series. Luka Doncic will be a key for Dallas and he should be grateful for the little bit of rest that he has been afforded between Series, but the Mavericks may need a bit more out of the likes of Kyrie Irving if they are going to reach the NBA Finals.

These teams met four times in the regular season and it was the Timberwolves who won three of those, all by a comfortable margin too. The pressure of the Western Conference Finals is going to be felt by all involved in this one and that may make games that much more competitive, but Minnesota might be able to ride the momentum of their Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday and through into this Game 1.

They do look to match up well with the Dallas Mavericks and Anthony Edwards is growing as a force right in front of our eyes. Home teams had been starting well in the Conference Finals before 2023 and the Timberwolves can win and cover to open this one.

Thursday 23rd May

Indiana Pacers @ Boston Celtics Game 2 Pick: It was a special Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2024, but this time the Boston Celtics managed to find a way to overcome the resistance of the underdog. Twelve months ago they were not able to do that against the Miami Heat, at least not early in the Series, but Boston have shown how much they have grown by forcing Overtime and then beating the Indiana Pacers to take a 1-0 lead.

Without a doubt the key moment was very late in the Fourth Quarter as Tyrese Haliburton turned the ball over with the Pacers up by three points and with 10 seconds left on the clock.

Even then, the failure to foul and instead allow Jaylen Brown to hit a game tying three pointer has been criticised, including by LeBron James. Head Coach Rick Carlisle has made it clear that the Pacers were going to foul, but Brown had found a spot on the court where the three pointer was on and risking a foul at that moment would have been a mistake.

No matter what, the Pacers will know they let Game 1 get away from them despite a stellar night shooting the ball again and with the Boston Celtics not producing the free-flowing Offensive output we have come to expect from them.

Bouncing back immediately is going to be a challenge for the Pacers- teams that have been involved in a close defeat in the Conference Finals have found it tough to be competitive again in the next game, while Game 1 winners at home have tended to back that up in Game 2.

In saying that, the Pacers are being given plenty of points in Game 2 and they will certainly feel they may match up with the Celtics without Kristaps Porzingis better than expected.

The 'under' has been a real feature of the Conference Finals in recent seasons, especially when the total has been as big as the one set for this game. However, a slightly improved three point shooting day from Boston will give Game 2 every chance of following Game 1 and heading over this mark set (Game 1 would have been an 'over' even if the game had been concluded in regulation time).

Both teams may continue to push the tempo and that could lead to plenty of points agian, even if Boston remain out of foul trouble. The spread looks tough to call, but backing Game 2 to surpass the total line set looks the route to go.

Friday 24th May

Dallas Mavericks @ Minnesota Timberwolves Game 2 Pick: Despite the struggles of Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Minnesota Timberwolves saw their role players step to the fore and help the team into a four point lead with four minutes left of Game 1.

Things soured from there with the team failing to add another point over the next three minutes and it was Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving that showed their star qualities throughout Game 1 to help the Dallas Mavericks take the lead in the Western Conference Finals.

Kyrie Irving had a big first half and it was Doncic who closed the show for the Mavericks as they edged to the victory. Now they go into Game 2 looking to really take a stranglehold of the Conference Finals, although the Timberwolves will be itching to get back onto the court and make amends for blowing the opener.

It feels that much worse when a big game from those outside of the star names is wasted, as it was in Game 1, but the Timberwolves have shown their character in the PlayOffs already. Many, including myself, thought they were done when losing three games in a row to the Denver Nuggets in the Semi Final Series, but this Minnesota team is growing in leaps and bounds.

Minnesota will have to make a couple of adjustments to just get a bit more efficiency out of their top two scoring options, while the Dallas Mavericks will be hoping for more of the same from the Irving-Doncic tandem. Those two players combined for 63 points in Game 1 and yet the Mavericks will feel that more is to come from the two considering their lack of consistency from the three point line.

In recent years the zigzag theory has worked best in the Conference Finals and teams playing after a defeat have a 25-12-1 record against the spread in their next game over the last thirty-eight games in that spot.

Big home favourites of 5 or more points have continued to struggle when it comes to covering the spread in recent Conference Finals games, but the Timberwolves may feel it won't take a lot to swing this one back in their direction.

The Mavericks will expect more out of their own role players, but this Timberwolves team is still very good Defensively and the home team can level up this Series before it shifts to Dallas for two games.

Saturday 25th May

Boston Celtics @ Indiana Pacers Game 3 Pick: Falling into a 2-0 hole in a PlayOff Series has not prevented the Indiana Pacers from making their way into the Eastern Conference Finals. However, it feels a much bigger task fighting back against the Boston Celtics compared with the shorthanded New York Knicks, and even more so if the Indiana Pacers are going to have one of their better players absent or limited in Game 3.

After giving their all and effectively throwing Game 1 away, the Indiana Pacers never recovered from a poor start to the Second Quarter of Game 2 and they were not really as competitive as they would have hoped. They have to hold onto the fact that the Boston Celtics have only 'held serve' by winning both games at the TD Garden, but there were one or two concerns coming out of Game 2 that will be worrying the Indiana fans.

First off is the fact that Rick Carlisle seemed to pull his key starters much earlier than would have been expected- after the game, the Head Coach admitted his team had been feeling the run of three road games in five days and so he felt it best not to risk those players in the Fourth Quarter with the team unlikely to narrow the deficit.

Those players should be ready to compete being back at home where Indiana have played so well in the PlayOffs and especially so if the rest has done them good.

However, the second concern has to be the sore hamstring that forced Tyrese Haliburton to sit out much of the second half. This was supposedly similar to the issues Haliburton had dealt with in the regular season and clearly impacted him and so the Indiana Pacers have to be really worried about competing with the top Seed if their best player is not quite able to play at full strength.

All of this points towards the Boston Celtics finding a way to try and close this Eastern Conference Finals as soon as possible and then begin preparing for the NBA Finals which begin in June. They would be keen to have Kristaps Porzingis return to the lineup before any extended break, but otherwise things are going smoothly for the Celtics who did what they needed to in a comfortable Game 2 win.

Slightly more efficient shooting in Game 2 compared with Game 1 helped the Boston Celtics pull away for a big win. They have yet to lock down Defensively, but Boston have to be comfortable with this match up and they could move to the brink of the NBA Finals on Saturday when travelling to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the first time in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Celtics have won all four road games played in the post-season and all have been by at least 7 points with the top Seed exerting their power over opponents.

The switch in venue has tended to favour the hosts in recent Game 3s of the Conference Finals, while teams who lead 2-0 have only produced a 5-8 record against the spread in the last thirteen games in that spot. Those teams had been 3-8 against the spread before both the Nuggets and Heat covered in Game 3s while up 2-0 last year and Boston are certainly capable of keeping that going.

Indiana are coming off a 16 point loss in Game 2, but those teams losing by double digits are 8-2 against the spread in Game 3 so there is hope. However, you have to wonder if the Pacers have enough in the tank to beat a team with the qualities of the Boston Celtics, even in their return home, and laying the points looks the right play.

Sunday 26th May

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks Game 3 Pick: There is going to be some real disappointment in the Minnesota Timberwolves camp having blown a lead in both of the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. Instead of being potentially 2-0 ahead, late buckets have swung the game against them and they will be heading to Dallas 0-2 behind.

Turning this around is not going to be easy, but it is not impossible and Minnesota will know that having seen the Denver Nuggets fight back from the same position in the Conference Semi Finals.

However, there are one or two signs that will really concern fans of the Timberwolves and you do have to wonder if this young team have left much of themselves on the court when rallying to beat the defending Champions in the last Round. The Timberwolves had to win the last two games of that Series, including a Game 7 on the road, and evidence of fatigue has been seen as they have worn down in the Fourth Quarter of both of the games in the Western Conference Finals.

Anthony Edwards is trying, but is clearly not playing at his highest level, while Karl-Anthony Towns is struggling to such an extent that he was benched for key moments in the Game 2 defeat. Making adjustments now will be the key, but finding the energy that has clearly been missing down the stretch is much more difficult this deep into the post-season.

Things will feel much more comfortable for the Dallas Mavericks who have shown they can win on the road throughout their semi-surprising PlayOff run. The depth might not be as great as some of the other teams, but Luka Doncic has really stepped up to the plate and it was his big three pointer in the final seconds of Game 2 that turned the game in the Dallas favour for the last time.

The Mavericks will have to expect some kind of reaction, but they will also feel they have shown they have more energy all around when it comes down to the crunch and just staying with the Timberwolves early is enough. Simply put, Dallas have been much more efficient when it comes to the Fourth Quarter and so many NBA games have been decided in those moments, which has also been the case for Game 1 and 2 in the Western Conference Finals.

The shift in venue means a shift in favouritism, but the best play may be backing this to be the third game in a row that finishes above the total points line set.

Dallas look to have the momentum, but the Minnesota Timberwolves are shooting the ball well enough to believe they can contribute to this total being surpassed. The fatigue has affected the Defensive qualities and this should aid the Mavericks and another game where both teams reach the low 100s looks to be in play.

Monday 27th May

Boston Celtics @ Indiana Pacers Game 4 Pick: There is no doubting that the Series has been competitive, but the Boston Celtics have managed to find the big buckets when needed and are now one win away from returning to the NBA Finals.

Last year they were in the opposite position of being 3-0 down and managed to fight back against the Miami Heat, so nothing will be taken for granted. However, it is going to take a significant effort for the Indiana Pacers to turn this one around and especially knowing they will have to win at least twice on the road.

At this point merely getting this Series back to Boston might be seen as a big achievement for the Pacers who blew a big lead in Game 3.

An absent Tyrese Haliburton meant there was more pressure on the other players on the roster, but the Indiana Pacers continued to show the depth on the roster. They look like a team that could take some serious leaps in successes in the coming years by learning from the experiences faced in this post-season, but it does look to be coming to an end.

The fight shown will have given the fans much to be encouraged by, although the fact is that the Pacers have dropped Game 3 and that would have been a heavy blow to absorb for the players.

Being back at home will give Indiana a chance, but teams that are 0-3 down in the Conference Finals are 3-4-1 against the spread in the last eight in that spot. Those teams had been 2-4 straight up before last season when Boston managed to win Game 4 against the Miami Heat and took the Series back home.

The Celtics are going to be very comfortable about where they are at in this Conference Finals and they have shown that different players can lead the way for them on any given night. Even without Kristaps Porzingis, Boston have looked the best team in the East, and perhaps the NBA as a whole, and they may just be able to start better in this one.

If they can, Boston should be able to win this game and just about get over this spread set for the game.

Tuesday 28th May

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Dallas Mavericks Game 4 Pick: The trend in this Western Conference Finals is that the Minnesota Timberwolves have gotten into a position to win games, but ultimately been let down by a poor Fourth Quarter.

It happened again in Game 3 and the Timberwolves are now on the brink of exiting the PlayOffs and allowing the Dallas Mavericks to move forward to compete in the NBA Finals.

That would be a remarkable turnaround for a team that missed out on the PlayOffs completely twelve months ago, but Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have led this team very effectively. The role players have done enough to back up the two superstars and there is little doubt Irving and Doncic have outplayed Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns at key moments.

The Mavericks lost the turnover and rebounding battle, but they had a very efficient day shooting the ball and ultimately the Timberwolves were not able to keep up in the Fourth Quarter. With KAT not performing near the level expected, Anthony Edwards has tried to put the team on his shoulders, while the Minnesota role players have been effective, but missing a real support for Edwards that would be needed to turn this Series back around.

It looks unlikely and the NBA have to be concerned about the gap between now and the NBA Finals starting on June 6th- both Conference Finals could be swept, and that will mean a significant gap before the Finals begin.

This is not to the concern of Boston or the Dallas Mavericks as they look to get things done without overextending themselves.

Home teams that have not faced elimination in Game 4 of the Conference Finals have been on a very strong run in this Round and every bit of momentum is with the Mavericks having shown their character to make the late buckets and win games. Much like mentioned in the preview for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, teams down 0-3 have struggled to be as competitive as they would like and the Minnesota Timberwolves might just feel they have given all they have and still come up short.

All Dallas can do is focus on making sure they do not give the Timberwolves any hope to replicate the Boston Celtics and fight back from 3-0 down to force a Game 7 as happened last year. Winning this one at home and then sitting down to prepare for the next challenge will be the only message Head Coach Jason Kidd will be handing down to his team and the Mavericks can win and cover for a fourth time in a row.

Thursday 30th May

Dallas Mavericks @ Minnesota Timberwolves Game 5 Pick: It really has been a much more competitive Series than any potential sweep opportunity suggested, but the Dallas Mavericks will feel they let Game 4 get away from them.

Much like the first three games, the Mavericks weathered the early Minnesota Timberwolves storm before rallying for a late win. This time they made the mistakes in the closing minutes of the Fourth Quarter and that has allowed the Timberwolves to take Game 4 on the road.

Keeping the Western Conference Finals alive can only be positive news for the NBA, who would have been fearing a second sweep after the Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. With better Fourth Quarter execution, the Timberwolves might have been returning home with an opportunity to move into the NBA Finals of their own, but they have dug a deep hole and the pressure is never that far.

However, you would not have guessed that from Anthony Edwards who has made his feelings known about making sure this Series goes back to Dallas for a Game 6.

Anthony Edwards has largely played a decent enough Series, but it was the revival of Karl-Anthony Towns that helped the Timberwolves hold off the Mavericks as the rally pushed forward. His big time three pointers late on helped Minnesota and they will need more from KAT, while also expecting the role players to play a strong outing at home.

Kyrie Irving did not have his best game, but Dallas will be expecting him to bounce back having been on the losing end of a potential close out game for the first time. An inefficient shooting day meant Irving was willing to take the blame for the Game 4 defeat on his own shoulders, although Luka Doncic was quick to do the same as Dallas look for an immediate response.

Last year we did see Boston fight back and return home for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals having erased a 0-3 deficit- that will give Minnesota something to aim for over the next few days, although going one better and becoming the first NBA team to win a best of seven Series when trailing 0-3 is the ultimate challenge.

Game 4 saw some of the scoring dry up, but that might change again when this Western Conference Finals shifts venue again. The total is set back down a couple of points compared with the last game and both teams have shown they can produce enough big moments to look for this one to surpass the total line set.

MY PICKS: 21/05 Boston Celtics - 9.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

22/05 Minnesota Timberwolves - 4.5 Points @ 2.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

23/05 Boston Celtics-Indiana Pacers Over 224.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

24/05 Minnesota Timberwolves - 5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

25/05 Boston Celtics - 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

26/05 Dallas Mavericks-Minnesota Timberwolves Over 208.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

27/05 Boston Celtics - 8 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

28/05 Dallas Mavericks - 3 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

30/05 Minnesota Timberwolves-Dallas Mavericks Over 209.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

Conference Finals Update: 3-6, - 3.27 Units (9 Units Staked, - 36.33% Yield)

Conference Semi Final: 13-11, + 0.87 Units (24 Units Staked, + 3.63% Yield)

First Round: 22-17, + 3.27 Units (38 Units Staked, + 8.61% Yield)