Monday April 18 NBA Playoffs Betting Preview & Picks

Three different Game 2’s are occurring across the NBA on Monday, as we’ll either see teams take a 2-0 lead or tie up the series at 1-1. Let’s take a look at some of these matchups!

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Golden State Warriors vs. Denver Nuggets

The Warriors took over the league from 2014-2019 with their willingness to play small and surround the floor with a bunch of shooters.

That same method was on display Saturday night with Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green out there on the same floor, although it was for only five minutes.

But those minutes were crucial, as the Warriors outscored the Nuggets by 14 points, which shifted the momentum the Warriors’ way heading into halftime.

"It's a scary sight when we really get going," Thompson said. "This is really only our first time really playing together."

This lineup can be very deadly indeed, as it will be hard for opposing defenses to lock down the perimeter when you have to account for two of the best three-point shooters of all time and a rising star in Poole, while also being able to keep pace with this team.

With only Nikola Jokic being able to carry the load and Will Barton providing a little spark, expect the Warriors to come out in this one and take care of business with ease while covering the spread.

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors

Tyrese Maxey had a breakout game for the Sixers, as he went off for 38 points in Game 1 against the Raptors.

Maxey’s ability to hit the three and attack off the dribble opens up so many different things for the Sixers, as he’s becoming an extremely valuable asset to this team.

James Harden had a nice showing in his Sixers playoff debut, as he put up 22 points and 14 assists.

Harden shot just 6-of-17, however, and was picked up by the play of Maxey from a scoring standpoint, but he will need to step up his scoring to give the Sixers a chance to win the championship. 

Tobias Harris had 26 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

Joel Embiid was kept in check a little, as he had 19 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists.

With the Raptors potentially being without Scottie Barnes, Thaddeus Young, and Gary Trent Jr., expect the Sixers to win and cover the spread.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz

The Mavs put up a good fight against the Jazz on Saturday despite being without Luka Doncic, as their smothering defense gave Utah problems. 

Donovan Mitchell still found his way to 36 points, which ended up being a huge difference-maker, with Bojan Bogdanovic also going for 26 points.

Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie both carried their weight against the Mavs, as they put up 24 and 22 points, respectively, with Doncic out of the picture.

As long as Doncic is out, the Jazz will be the favored team, so expect them to get it done once again and cover the spread.