NBA best bets: Expert picks, Game 2 predictions from ‘Buckets’ podcast for Monday 4/22

Cavaliers -5.5 vs. Magic

7 p.m. ET, NBA TV

By Michael Fiddle

Game 1 had a lot of pre-series public money. 

The line stayed at -4.5 on the spread for the Cavaliers all the way until right before game and bounced up to 5.5 as the Cavs rolled the Magic. 

At the end of the day, the talent advantage is extreme in favor of Cleveland. They have all the pieces and simply had to move on from the trauma from a season ago when the Knicks handled them in the first round.

The line opening at -5.5 makes this a clear play for me tonight on the Cavs.

Cavaliers -5.5 vs. Magic

7 p.m. ET, NBA TV

By Matt Moore

Give credit to the Magic for making the NBA Playoffs, but Game 1 was a reminder that when the Cavs are fully healthy, they have a top-five defense. 

Donovan Mitchell is the best offensive player on the floor at all times in this series, and I see the Cavs rolling through the Magic with ease. They have a strong defense and enough playmakers offensively to get everyone involved.

Knicks -5 vs. 76ers

7:30 p.m. ET, TNT

By Matt Moore

Joel Embiid is questionable heading into this matchup, but that first game was bizarre. 

All the Knicks starters lost their minutes on the court, and all the Knicks bench players won their minutes on the floor. I don't expect that to happen again, and I don't expect the Knicks starters to shoot as poorly as they did in Game 1. Fortunately Miles McBride kept New York in that game with a 5/7 shooting night from beyond the arc. 

I think the Knicks are the better and far healthier team, so for that reason I am rolling with New York tonight.

Nuggets -7 vs. Lakers

10 p.m. ET, TNT

By Michael Fiddle

I think the rest advantage is too much to overcome for the Lakers.

LeBron James likes to come out and fire with a true rest period, but 48 hours just isn't enough. We used to talk about Nikola Jokic being out of shape, but it was Anthony Davis who was wheezing at the end of Game 1.

You simply have to play a flawless game against the Nuggets to beat them, and I can't see the Lakers doing that. This game fits my first-round favorites system, and since the last game took some late steam on the Lakers, I am waiting for that and hoping we get down to Nuggets -6.5.

Under 224.5 vs. Lakers

10 p.m. ET, TNT

By Matt Moore

The D'Angelo Russell thing is coming back to haunt the Lakers.

They didn't trade him for Dejounte Murray at the trade deadline and instead stuck with Russell, but all he knows in end of game scenarios is to chuck it.

I don't trust him with his lack of game sense down the stretch, so I lean toward the Nuggets. The Lakers are on short rest and in altitude, so I also like under.