The NBA Playoffs will resume with a jam packed four-game slate today — Saturday, April 25.
Our staff of betting experts dug into the latest NBA odds and identified best bets for all four of today's matchups — including picks for Pistons vs. Magic, Knicks vs. Hawks, and more.
Continue below for our NBA best bets, picks and predictions for Saturday's playoff games.
NBA Picks, Predictions for Saturday, April 25
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 1 p.m. | |
  | 3:30 p.m. | |
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 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. | ||
Pistons vs. Magic Spread Pick
Honestly, I’m unfazed by the Magic getting blowout in Game 2. In hindsight, Orlando was always going to get run off the floor in that spot.
Game 2 was the Magic's fourth high-leverage game in a week—they had the 7-vs-8 play-in game, then a do-or-die spot against the Hornets, and then a quick turnaround for the start of this series.
By the time the second game rolled around, the fatigue from that play-in path finally caught up to them.
I’ll admit I missed that factor in my initial cap, but it was essentially a scheduled loss.
Even with that blowout win, the Pistons still have a glaring offensive problem. They only mustered 98 points in a game they won by double digits. Their role guys have been awful and their three-point shooting is non-existent.
Specifically, they are shooting around 20% from the corners in this series. Those are the easy threes, and Detroit hasn't been able to buy one.
The Magic match up perfectly with this Detroit team. They’ve bottled up Jalen Duren for two games now, and I expect that defensive pressure to continue as the series shifts.
I think we’re getting about two points of value on the Magic here because of an overreaction to a game where Orlando simply ran out of gas. I’m trusting the Magic to bounce back at home in Game 3.
Pick: Magic +2.5 (-110)
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Thunder vs. Suns First Half Spread Prediction
By Bet Labs
The Suns find themselves in a "back against the wall" scenario as they return home for Game 3 against the Thunder. With Phoenix down 0-2, the Suns fit the criteria for our Bet Labs system: "Game 3, Down 0-2 at Home (First Half)."
This specific model identifies teams that have lost at least two consecutive games and are returning home for a pivotal Game 3. Historically, this spot has yielded a high ROI because of the immense psychological pressure and the resulting surge in early-game urgency.
The first 24 minutes of Game 3 represent more than just a scoreboard lead for Devin Booker and the Suns today—they represent survival.
The theory behind the system is rooted in motivational dynamics: desperation fuels energy. In front of a raucous home crowd, teams in this position typically dump their entire tank early to establish dominance and prevent the visiting team from gaining knockout confidence.
By focusing on the first half spread, the system capitalizes on this peak adrenaline before fatigue or technical second-half adjustments begin to take over.
With the young Thunder playing with a comfortable 2-0 series lead, the Suns are expected to respond with a level of physicality and desperation that was missing in the opening two games.
Historically, this trend has produced a strong win percentage, reflecting a clear trend: when an NBA team’s season is on the line at home, they almost always show up and deliver the first punch.
Pick: Suns First Half Spread +4.5 (-112)
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Knicks vs. Hawks Prop Bet
Looking at the game script, this feels like the spot where Karl-Anthony Towns finally gets aggressive. He’s been trying to be a good team player lately—driving and kicking out—but the Knicks need him to be the primary downhill threat.
KAT had 12 field goal attempts and six free throws last game, but there is so much room for that volume to grow, especially with his trailing threes from the top of the key.
The reality is that Jalen Brunson is in a absolute dogfight. Some Knicks fans got mad at me when I predicted Atlanta would make him work, but the data doesn't lie: Brunson is just 22-of-60 (36.6%) over the last 11 quarters of this series.
Atlanta is throwing a wall of length at him with Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Jonathan Kuminga, and Onyeka Okongwu. It is tough for a six-foot guard to create against all those wings.
KAT actually has the better matchups in this series, and his efficiency has been off the charts. He’s shooting 57% from the field and 50% from three so far. He’s already cleared 20 points in two games this series, and even in the "bad" Game 2 where he didn't get to the line at all, he still put up 18.
If the Knicks want to even up this series, they need to stop forcing it through the teeth of the Hawks' perimeter defense and let their big man cook.
Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 19.5 Points (-120)
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Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Spread Pick
Look, I might be stubborn or I might be dead wrong, but I refuse to believe this Denver team is going down 3-1.
I’m fully buying into the "Matt Moore script" right now. He laid it out perfectly: they were going to get blown out in Game 3—which we just saw happen—and now they bounce back in Game 4. From there, they take Game 5 at home, deal with a letdown in Game 6, and eventually take the series in Game 7.
I took the Nuggets-in-six before the series started, so we’re at the point where we absolutely need this result to stay on track.
Of all the games on Saturday's slate, Denver losing Game 4 would be the most shocking outcome possible for me. I really hope those aren't famous last words, but it’s the only side I can truly talk myself into right now.
In these other matchups, like Knicks vs. Hawks, you could talk me into either direction. You could tell me the Knicks are on the ropes or that they have their customary bounce-back. But with Denver? It’s put up or shut up time.
We need Nikola Jokic to wake up and exert his will on this game, and hopefully, we get Aaron Gordon in the lineup to provide that necessary physicality.
After getting humbled in Game 3, this is the spot where a championship core proves they aren't going out like this. If they can’t cover a point and a half in a desperate situation, then the script is officially broken.
Pick: Nuggets -1.5 (-110)
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