Tuesday NBA Betting Picks: Our Favorite Playoff Bets for Jazz vs. Nuggets & Celtics vs. Raptors

Tuesday brings one of the best phrases in sports: Game 7. That Jazz vs. Nuggets nightcap is preceded by Game 2 of Celtics vs. Raptors.

So, where's the value today? Our staff is here to break down their favorite NBA bets for today's slate and has found angles in both matchups:

• 5:30 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors
• 8:30 p.m. ET: Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets

Tuesday NBA Betting Picks

Odds via DraftKings. Get up to a $1,000 sign-up bonus at DraftKings today or see more offers and reviews for the best online sportsbooks.

Joe Dellera: Raptors vs. Celtics

I do not think Boston is significantly better than Toronto. Rather, the Celtics executed everything perfectly in Game 1, and Pascal Siakam’s foul trouble certainly did not help.

Boston outscored Toronto 73-71 after the first quarter of Game 1, and I think that’s more indicative of how this series should go from here on out. Obviously, that doesn’t account for a nearly 20-point lead for the Celtics after the first, but even accounting for “garbage time” this remained relatively close after the opening 12 minutes.

Boston’s shooting should regress from long range, and Toronto’s almost has to improve (25%). This should be a long and close series. I’m backing the Raptors to even this up.

THE PICK: Raptors ML -118

[Bet $20+ on the Raptors at PointsBet and Win $125 if they have at least one dunk]

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Brandon Anderson: Nuggets vs. Jazz

Way back two weeks ago when this series started, the Game 1 line opened at 214.5. The oddsmakers, like many pundits, expected this to be something of a stodgy, defensive series with Bojan Bogdanovic, Mike Conley, Will Barton and Gary Harris all sidelined. Then Donovan Mitchell put up the third-most points in playoff history and came up short in a 135-125 loss that covered the over by 46 points.

The Game 2 lined bumped to 217, but it was an easy over again with a 124-105 Utah victory. We also got 256 points in Game 4, crushing the 216.5 line. In all, the series has gone over in five of six games. The only under all series was that ugly Game 3 when Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets no-showed and the benches played much of the second half — and even then, the under survived by only seven points.

We’re averaging 234.3 combined points per game this series. The winning team has at least 117 points in every game, and the loser has at least 105 in every game but that Game 3 ghosting by Denver.

The books finally wised up and bumped this total up, but now it’s getting bet down again, because Game 7 jitters and all. You’ve watched Mitchell and Jamal Murray hitting shots like molten lava the last few games. You see any jitters out there? Jitters come from nervous fans and quiet arenas. These teams are playing confident ball and shooting the lights out. I love the over and would play it up to 219.5. GAME SEVEN!!

The PICK: Over 217.5

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