Best bets, public betting info for Monday's NBA and NHL playoff games
Insights from sportsbooks and oddsmakers, along with best bets
Apologies for the lack of posts the past few days, but I was at a bachelor party for a friend from college and my main goal was surviving the multitude of activities from paintball to skiing to a variety of drinking games.
With that mission accomplished and my body still somewhat intact, we return back to the betting world, where home teams in the NHL and NBA Playoffs have combined to go 14-0 straight-up so far.
One big injury to watch for on Monday night is the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, who is listed as questionable for Game 2 vs. the New York Knicks due to an illness. He missed Monday’s shootaround. Joel Embiid, also listed as questionable, was at the shootaround.
Here are some more insights from oddsmakers on Monday’s NBA games, along with public betting splits on today’s NBA and NHL playoff games from several sportsbooks and a few best bets from handicappers. I’ll update this throughout the day as I get more information.
Enjoy!
NBA Playoffs
Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers (-5.5, 203)
DraftKings: 73% of bets, 75% of $$ on Cavs -5.5
BetMGM: 76% of bets, 82% of $$ on Cavs -5.5
BetRivers: 65% of bets, 63% of $$ on Cavs -5.5
Most bet (tickets) Cavaliers-Magic player props at BetMGM
Jarrett Allen over 11.5 rebounds (+100)
Darius Garland over 15.5 points (-135)
Donovan Mitchell over 4.5 assists (-125)
Franz Wagner over 3.5 assists (+110)
Evan Mobley under 14.5 points (-110)
Most bet (tickets) Cavaliers-Magic player props at BetRivers
Donovan Mitchell over 36.5 pts/rebs/asts (+102)
Donovan Mitchell over 22.5 points (-335)
Paolo Banchero over 18.5 points (-335)
Best bets
Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 assists (-102) — Jon Metler, Covers
Franz Wagner Over 3.5 assists (+130) — Metler
Cole Anthony Over 1.5 assists (+175) — Metler
Cavs -5.5 — Matt Moore, Action Network
Cavs -5.5 — Vaughn Dalzell, NBC Sports Bet
Magic +5.5 — Mike Somich, VSiN
Philadelphia 76ers at New York Knicks (-6, 204.5)
DraftKings: 46% of bets, 62% of $$ on Knicks -6
BetMGM: 54% of bets, 46% of $$ on Knicks -6
BetRivers: 38% of bets, 55% of $$ on Knicks -6
“7ers-Knicks is the most heavily bet game of the night, no surprise there. A little more money on the Knicks right now, but no movement on the spread. We’re still at Knicks -5.5. The 76ers are our biggest futures liability for the NBA championship by far, but bettors have been backing the Knicks so far in this series, both in Game 1 and on the series price.” — Thomas Gable, sportsbook director at The Borgata in New Jersey
Most bet (tickets) Knicks-76ers player props