NBA Playoffs Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (4/26)
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has a total of four games on the slate for Saturday, including two matinee games. We’ll focus on the evening action for parlay possibilities. At 6 p.m. ET, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers square off in Game 4 on TNT, while the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors square off in Game 3 of their series on ABC.
Let’s keep trying to build that bankroll for the stretch run with winning picks for Saturday, April 26.
Go premium to view top prop bets based on Cover Probability, Expected Value & Star Rating >>
Saturday’s Best NBA Playoffs Picks
NBA odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All picks are for 1 unit
Denver Nuggets (+198) at Los Angeles Clippers (-240) | O/U 212 (-112/-108)
The first two games of this series were super tight, but a return to Intuit Dome for the Clippers was good news. In Game 3, the Clips routed the Nuggets 117-83 as a 5.5-point favorite to go up 2-1 in the series as the Under (213.5) connected for the third consecutive outing.
The 34-point margin of victory was stunning given the fact that the first two games had a margin of just 2.5 points per game, with the teams splitting in the Mile High City. The Nuggets hurt themselves by shooting just 40% (31-of-77) from the field, including just 27% (7-of-26) from behind the 3-point line. They were even just 70% (14-of-20) from the free-throw line, while turning it over 16 times. Nikola Jokic was his formal, productive self, going for 23 points, 13 assists, and 13 rebounds for the triple-double, while Jamal Murray had 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, but outside of those two, only Aaron Gordon got to double digits in points. The team will need more complementary pieces, or they’ll be in trouble.
We’re getting vintage Kawhi Leonard so far in this series, and that’s bad news for the rest of the league if it continues. He is averaging 27.3 points (PPG), 6.7 rebounds (RPG), and 4.3 assists (APG) with 1.7 steals (SPG) and 2.7 3PT per game in this series, and he had a double-double in Game 3 in the first-ever playoff game at Intuit Dome. Leonard finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while dumping in three triples.
It wasn’t all Kawhi, though, as the Clippers had four starters with 19 or more points, and six players went for double digits in points. Ivica Zubac just missed the double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds, but he continues to be effective, going a solid 8-of-12 from the field.
While the first two games would have met backing the Nuggets catching the six, the rout in Game 3 makes us feel otherwise. Let’s back the Clippers, as they’re playing good basketball in the past two games. We will stick with the Under, though, as that looks to go a perfect 4-for-4.
Picks: Clippers -6 (-110) & Under 212 Points (-108)
Houston Rockets (+126) at Golden State Warriors (-148) | O/U 204 (-110/-110)
The Rockets and Warriors square off at Chase Center in San Francisco for Game 3 of their series after a split down in Houston.
In Game 1, the Warriors won a 95-85 defensive battle as 2-point underdogs, as the Under (213) cashed. It’s no surprise, but Steph Curry was the offensive hero with 31 points, including five 3-pointers, while Jimmy Butler was good for 25 points, seven rebounds, and six assists while recording five steals in his first playoff game for the Dubs. Houston shot an awful 39% (34-of-87) from the field, while going just 21% (6-of-29) from downtown, while turning the ball over 16 times. That is the recipe for disaster, and it’s no surprise Houston lost by double digits.
We saw a little more offense in Game 2, as Houston picked up the pace for a 109-94 victory. Jalen Green fired up the home side with 38 points, including eight 3-pointers, while adding six assists and four rebounds. He was one of five Houston players in double digits, although the rest of his teammates had 17 or fewer points. The Rockets took much better care of the ball, too, turning it over just 10 times.
In Game 2, Curry was much less effective, going for 20 points, nine assists, and five boards. He had four 3-pointers, too, but it was more of a struggle, missing five times from distance. Jimmy Butler landed hard on his tailbone, suffering a deep glute muscle contusion. He was limited to eight minutes in Game 2, and he is considered questionable after having an MRI done.
If Jimmy Buckets cannot go, that’s a huge chunk of offense missing from the Warriors. We’re going to assume he isn’t going to play in Saturday’s game. For Houston, don’t expect Green to go off like he did, putting up Steph-like numbers from downtown. We should see a bit of a regression. Still, the Rockets have a balanced attack, and Alperen Sengun is a force down low, going for 17 points with 16 rebounds in Game 2, while Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks are more than capable of filling up the stat sheet, too. As an underdog, Houston is a strong play straight up. Let’s go high on the total, even with Jimmy Butler potentially sitting. The books have adjusted this number super low, making the Over a value play.
Picks: Rockets Moneyline (+126) & Over 204 Points (-110)