The second round of the NBA playoffs resumes with a pair of pivotal Game 3s today—Friday, May 8. Our staff of betting experts dug into the latest NBA odds and identified a total of four best bets for tonight's games—including picks for Knicks vs. 76ers and Spurs vs. Timberwolves.
Continue below for our NBA picks, predictions, and best bets for Friday's conference semifinal matchups.
NBA Picks, Predictions: Friday, May 8
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
| 7:00 p.m. | |
| 9:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Knicks vs. 76ers Prop Bet
By Joe Dellera
If Joel Embiid is on the floor for Game 3, Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points is the way to go.
Some of the data is staggering: when Embiid was put into the pick-and-roll in Game 1, he was giving up 1.6 points per possession. That is absolutely terrible; it’s basically the same efficiency as sending a guy to the free-throw line for two shots every time.
The Knicks' game plan is going to be simple: "Put Joel in pick-and-roll actions." They are going to put him in the pick-and-roll repeatedly to make him move, make him tired, and exploit that lack of mobility.
With OG Anunoby expected to sit—and he’s been their second-leading scorer this postseason—the Knicks are going to lean even further into the Brunson of it all. He is going to have to shoulder that scoring load.
Historically, Brunson has been great against the Sixers. He has those Villanova roots, so he always plays well in Philly. He’s averaging 25 points per game against them this season, and that’s including an 8-point outlier in February where they won by 49 and he barely played.
If you look at this series, he dropped 35 in Game 1 and 26 in Game 2, and he’s had multiple 30-plus point performances against them prior to that.
Without OG on the floor to take some of that volume, Brunson is going to hunt these actions all night. If Embiid is out there, it’s food for Brunson.
Pick: Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 Points (-112)
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Spurs vs. Timberwolves Spread Pick
Look, I get it—the casual viewer is probably looking at that 133–95 thumping in Game 2 and running for the hills. But for us? This is an absolute sports bettor’s paradise.
My coffee wasn't even done brewing this morning before I was already firing on this. We are talking about a cookie-cutter bounce-back spot for the Timberwolves as they head home for the first time in this series.
This checks every single "zigzag" box in the book. You’re coming off a blowout loss where basically everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
In Game 2, Minnesota lost the turnover battle by a wide margin, 22 to 16. They got crushed on the boards, lost the free-throw battle, and got buried by three-point shooting variance.
When your highest scorer in a playoff game has exactly 12 points, that is the definition of a total dud. But that’s not who this team is; that’s just a statistical anomaly.
No hesitation from me in Game 3 tonight. I’m splitting the units: half a unit on the Timberwolves +4.5 and the other half on the moneyline. This is a smash spot where you get a team with their pride on the line returning to their own building.
The public is scared off by the lack of points we are getting after the Spurs laid double-digits in the first two games, but let's lean into the desperation and fire on Minnesota in Game 3.
Pick: Timberwolves +4.5 (-110)
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Knicks vs. 76ers First Half Spread Bet
By Bet Labs
The 76ers enter Game 3 in a textbook desperation spot that aligns perfectly with our Bet Labs system titled "Game 3 at Home, Down 0–2, First Half."
Having dropped the first two contests at Madison Square Garden—including a demoralizing fourth-quarter collapse in Game 2—the 76ers find themselves in a statistical must-win. Historically, teams trailing 0–2 returning home for Game 3 exhibit a spike in urgency that is most palpable in the game’s opening 24 minutes.
The logic behind the 76ers covering the first half spread is rooted in situational psychology. While a full-game spread can be influenced by late-game depth or fourth-quarter fatigue, the first half is driven by adrenaline and crowd-fueled energy.
Returning home allows Philadelphia to capitalize on a "backs against the wall" mentality. Because no team in NBA history has recovered from a 0–3 deficit, the 76ers are expected to exert maximum effort early to keep their chances of winning the series alive.
By targeting the first-half spread, this system isolates that window of peak intensity before the Knicks can adjust to the change in scenery.
Pick: 76ers First Half Spread -1.5 (-115)
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Spurs vs. Timberwolves Total Prediction
By Matt Moore
The Timberwolves are 30-14 to the Under at home this season; and a perfect 3-0 in the playoffs.
San Antonio’s defense has already proven it can stifle what the Wolves want to do.
If Anthony Edwards still hasn’t regained his burst after the soreness clearly hampered him in Game 2, the Spurs might just suffocate this offense again.
Meanwhile, expect the Wolves to find better counters for the Spurs' backcourt and tighten up the turnovers to limit San Antonio's easy transition scores.
Historically, the Under in tied series after Game 1 (post-Round 1) has hit at a 55% clip since 2003—a significant 348-game sample size.
This is shaping up to be another absolute rock fight, with Minnesota dragging San Antonio back down into the mud.
Pick: Under 216.5 (-110)
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