The Boston Celtics and Orland Magic open the 2025 NBA Playoffs on Sat., April 19. (Photo by Julio … More Aguilar/Getty Images)
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The NBA Play-in Tournament continues as the final NBA teams join the pro basketball playoff party. The teams will be finalized Friday, April 18 with Game 1 of the Eastern and Western Conference playoffs Saturday and Sunday. Many interesting matchups and storylines to follow as the NBA playoffs 2025 unfold, including betting odds and movement.
NBA Series Odds
NBA playoffs 2025 game and series odds from FanDuel and leading online sportsbooks refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting.
Eastern Conference
- No. 1 Cleveland Cavaliers (-) vs. No. 8 Miami/Atlanta winner
- No. 2 Boston Celtics (-5000) vs. No. 7 Orlando Magic (+1600)
- No. 3 New York Knicks (-420) vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons (+330)
- No. 4 Indiana Pacers (-220) vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks (+184)
As you watch and wager on the NBA teams best-of-7 series starting Saturday, April 19, here are the Eastern Conference Game 1 matchups and odds, and some daily NBA matchup previews and player props.
Saturday, April 19
Game 1 – Milwaukee at Indiana (-5.5), game total 225.5
Game 1 – Detroit at New York (-7), 220.5
Sunday, April 20
Game 1 – Orlando at Boston (-14), 206
Game 1 – Miami/Atlanta at Cleveland (TBD)
Milwaukee – Indiana
The Pacers took early money and the series price is up from the opener of -160. Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (calf) will miss the beginning of the NBA playoffs. He’s been sidelined since March 18 and is recovering from a blood clot. The Bucks still have the Greek Freak, and Antetokounmpo scored 30.4 points on 60.1% FG with 11.9 rebounds per game. His 6.5 assists per contest were just behind Lilliard (7.1). Giannis also hit those numbers in four games against the Pacers this season with Milwaukee winning three times and the Bucks netting 118.1 points per 100 possessions opposite Indiana. Plugging in the stats, only seven times in NBA history has a player averaged at least 30 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Oscar Robertson and Nikola Jokić have done it, and so has Antetokounmpo five of the last six seasons.
Indiana lacks a true defensive option for the two-time MVP. Despite the Pacers being a 2/1 favorite to win the series, Giannis Antetokounmpo (-850) is an overwhelming favorite to lead the series in scoring, and -420 in rebounding on FanDuel’s latest prop bet offerings. The Pacers won 50 games this season, up from 47, 35 and 25 the previous three seasons. Four players average 15-20 points per game with Paul Siakam (20.2) asked to slow down Giannis. But point guard Tyrese Haliburton (18.6 ppg, 9.2 assists) was stronger down the stretch scoring 20.6 points, 11 assists and 53.3% FG including 43.9% from the arc over his last 21 games. The Pacers are 25-3 when Haliburton scores 20 points or more, and he had 12 straight double-doubles starting Feb. 23. Which do you prefer in this series? The Bucks stronger front court, or the Pacers superior perimeter play? Indiana won this opening round series last year in 6-games over the Bucks, but Antetokounmpo missed the entire series with a strained left calf. The Pacers are 33-14 since Jan. 1 for the NBA’s fourth-best mark. Indiana is also 29-11 at home this season, which is second best in the East behind top-seed Cleveland. No pick on this series, but more higher scoring games appear likely with Haliburton (+150) to make the most 3-pointers in the series.
Detroit-New York
The Pistons won just 14 games last season and lost 28 straight contests. A year later Detroit is a 44 win team and in the playoffs looking for their first postseason win since 2008. The Pistons actually won the season series over the Knicks 3-1, but personnel changes make those games mostly meaningless now. However, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (26 ppg) did average 30.8 points per game and 8.3 assists against the Knicks in those contests while hitting 56.3% from the floor. The Vegas Stats & Information Network (VSiN) notes that the Knicks allowed the 12th-most points per 100 possessions in halfcourt settings.
New York’s leading scorer Jalen Brunson (26 ppg) should have a strong series on offense, but like his teammates, there is lack of defending top teams. When Brunson was on the floor this season, the Knicks allowed 6.5 more points every 100 possessions. While the Pistons took some series money with inflated odds, they still have a tough task and especially defending and slowing Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 24.4 points per game with 12.8 rebounds and able to hit 52.6% FG including 42% from beyond the arc. The Pistons foul at one of the highest rates in the league, and both Brunson and Towns will get their share of points from the floor and foul line. Both teams are also bottom-6 in the league in 3-point defense allowing better than 36.5% shooting from long range. The price is too steep to lay with the Knickerbockers, but the pick is on the series to go at least 6 games.
You can bet on it.
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