The NBA Playoffs have been absolutely incredible thus far, and we’re working hard to make them as profitable as possible for all of our VSiN subscribers. So, make sure you head over to the VSiN NBA Playoffs Betting Hub for all of our postseason content. I’ll continue giving out NBA best bets and player props here throughout the playoffs, and I’ll also occasionally write up features on anything big that shakes up the league. So, make sure you check out my work over the next couple of weeks. With that out of the way, let’s get into some NBA best bets and NBA player props for Wednesday, May 14th. Also, make sure you check out the picks page (linked right below) before games tip off. I occasionally add picks throughout the day.
MORE: Check out our Pro Picks page for everything our experts have on May 14th
NBA Best Bets Today – May 14
Game 5: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics – 7:00 pm ET
Game 5: Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves – 9:30 pm ET
On Wednesday, I’m parlaying the Celtics and Timberwolves on the moneyline. I’m well aware of the fact that throwing Minnesota into this doesn’t do all that much, but I’m not laying 5 with Boston and I’m also not playing the team at a moneyline of close to -200. So, I’m getting them down to -122 by throwing in the Timberwolves. And if the Celtics win, I could look to middle with a Warriors spread play.
With Boston, I’m just not ready to throw in the towel just yet. I do think New York will win this series, as it just doesn’t seem smart to expect three Celtics wins in a row with Jayson Tatum out. But this is going to be an interesting game at TD Garden, as the Celtics aren’t going to want to go down easily and the Knicks could stroll in there expecting a win. But Boston is 8-2 in games the team has played without Tatum this year, so it’s not like this team is a lost cause. Of course, it’d be nice if Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis were healthy, as the team hasn’t gotten nearly enough out of either of them. But this is going to be a fired-up home crowd, and the Celtics do have some guys that can step up and make some shots — especially against a Knicks team that isn’t trustworthy defensively. Let’s not forget that Boston has built leads of at least 16 points in all four of the games in this series, and Tatum struggled mightily in two of those games. That said, I don’t think it’s crazy to expect Boston to show up here — especially in a “Zig Zag” spot.
The other series just seems destined to end in Game 5. Minnesota did come out and lay an egg in Game 1, but Golden State’s offense has made eyeballs around the country bleed with Stephen Curry out. That likely won’t change in Minnesota, and that’s especially true after the Timberwolves seemingly broke the Warriors spirit in Game 4. Anthony Edwards was unstoppable in the second half of that game, and the team’s defense was ferocious starting midway through the third quarter. I don’t see Golden State generating good looks here, and I trust Edwards and Julius Randle to continue dissecting the Warriors defense.
PARLAY: Celtics ML & Timberwolves ML (-122 – 1.5 units)
NBA Player Props Today – May 14
Game 5: New York Knicks at Boston Celtics – 7:00 pm ET
I’m willing to get crushed backing Payton Pritchard to go off as a scorer in this do-or-die Game 5. Pritchard is averaging 14.3 points per game in this series, and Joe Mazzulla’s decision to take him off the floor was a head-scratching one in Game 4. The Knicks haven’t had an answer for his 3-point shooting, and they haven’t really been able to stop him from getting to the basket either. Well, with Tatum out for this game, Mazzulla is going to have no choice but to give Pritchard his chances to shine. Brown and Porzingis clearly aren’t healthy, so Boston will need offense from an unlikely source. I expect Pritchard to be that source.
Pick: Pritchard Over 13.5 Points (-110 – 2 units) & Pritchard Alt 18+ Points (+175 – 0.5 units)
Additional Plays
This is where I’ll include any late added plays, teasers/parlays or in-season futures. Come back before tip if you don’t want to miss anything. It’s always possible I’ll add something to my card.
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2024-25 NBA Record: 412-421-2 (+6.46 units)
