Just four teams remain in the NBA playoffs.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks will meet in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs will meet in the Western Conference Finals.
Here’s a look at the matchups, including odds and analysis from the BetMGM online sportsbook.
Cavaliers vs. Knicks
This is an unlikely matchup, as the Knicks are the No. 3 seed, while the Cavaliers are the No. 4 seed. The top two seeds, Detroit and Boston, have been eliminated.
The Knicks are on a roll, having won seven straight playoff games and sweeping the 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. They are a 7.5-point favorite for Game 1, which will be played Tuesday, May 19, after the Cavaliers beat the Pistons in Game 7 on Sunday night.
Expect the Knicks to be favored for virtually every game in the series.
The two best players to watch in the series are Donovan Mitchell for Cleveland and Jalen Brunson. Mitchell is averaging 25.6 points per game in the playoffs, while Brunson is averaging 27.4 points per game. Both should have the highest points props per game for each team.
Regardless of who wins the series, they will almost certainly be underdogs in the NBA Finals, as the Knicks are +550 to win the NBA championship, while the Cavaliers are +2500.
Spurs vs. Thunder
Unlike in the Eastern Conference, the Western Conference Finals features the two best teams in the No. 1-seeded Thunder taking on the No. 2-seeded Spurs.
The Thunder are -250 to win the series, while the Spurs are +200. It is expected to be a competitive series, as the Series Exact Games market is as follows: four games (+550), five games (+225), six games (+200) and seven games (+200).
It feels like the odds will go back-and-forth a bunch in this series, but the Thunder are currently 6.5-point favorites for Monday’s Game 1.
The Thunder are led by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 29.3 points per game in the playoffs. The Spurs are led by young superstar Victor Wembanyama, who is averaging 20.3 points per game in the playoffs.
It seems likely whoever wins this series will be heavily favored in the NBA Finals, as the Thunder are currently -160 to win the NBA championship, while the Spurs are +300.
