NBA Odds, Best Bets and Expert Tips | April 22

I’m tipping three Game 2s across the best betting sites in NZ on Wednesday, all first-round playoff action. Boston should be too deep for a Philly side still without Joel Embiid, and the real intrigue is whether Kevin Durant can suit up in LA tonight.

Celtics -11.5 | $1.90 @ Betandplay

I can’t see how Philly close the gap here. The Celtics won Game 1 by 32 - Jayson Tatum put up 25 and 11 in his first playoff game since last season’s Achilles rupture, and Jaylen Brown added 26. Boston connected on 16 threes while the Sixers went 4-of-23 from deep.

Joel Embiid is still out after his appendectomy earlier this month. Without him, Philly are rotating Adem Bona and Andre Drummond at centre - both picked up two fouls early in Game 1 and Nick Nurse had to go small with Dominick Barlow.

Tyrese Maxey had 21 points but was hounded all night. Their plan is clearly to trap him and force everyone else to score.

Spurs -9.5 | $1.85 @ VipLuck

Portland don’t have anyone who can guard Victor Wembanyama. He scored 35 in his playoff debut - a Spurs franchise record - and San Antonio won 111-98 without really being tested.

The Trail Blazers are still without Damian Lillard (Achilles), which caps their ceiling in this series. Deni Avdija has been Portland’s best player all season, but Wembanyama hadn’t faced the Blazers once in the regular season. Game 1 was the first time Portland had to account for him. They couldn’t.

For anyone browsing online NBA betting markets, 9.5 in a home Game 2 after a comfortable win feels about right.

Rockets +2.5 | $2.10 @ Betista

I don’t trust what happened in Game 1.

The Lakers won by nine, but they shot 60.6% from the field to get there. Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 and LeBron James dished 13 assists. Completely unsustainable.

Houston shot 37.6% and still only lost by nine. If Kevin Durant returns for Game 2 - and reports suggest he has a good chance - this becomes a different series.

LA are still without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, both out since April 2. Those absences strip the Lakers of nearly 57 combined points per game. Expecting Kennard to replicate a career night isn’t realistic.

I’m taking Houston to cover on the live betting sites I use.