The NBA Playoffs resume with a trio of Game 2s today, Monday, April 20 — and our NBA betting expert Brandon Anderson has locked in picks for all three of today's matchups: Raptors vs. Cavaliers, Hawks vs. Knicks, and Timberwolves vs. Nuggets.
Continue below for our NBA picks and predictions for Monday's playoff games.
NBA Picks, Predictions for Monday, April 20
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Raptors vs. Cavaliers
Collin Murray-Boyles Over 15.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists
Jakob Poeltl simply hasn't looked right in this matchup, and Toronto doesn’t have many defensive answers at center. Collin Murray-Boyles is their best shot at a big who can switch, defend, and actually stay on the court.
Murray-Boyles logged 20 minutes and turned in a 14/4/4 line last game. That’s 22 PRA, sailing over tonight's line. The market is pricing this at 15.5 based on his season average, but when he plays just 16+ minutes, his average jumps to 18 PRA (10/6/2).
The stat that really sold me, though? CMB led the team with 16 rebounding chances in Game 1. He only hauled in four of them, but that high-volume energy is exactly what I want to bet on. If he converts even a few more of those opportunities, he’ll crush this total.
I’m playing the over, but I’m also sprinkling on 7+ Rebounds (+275) and a 15-to-1 double-double longshot. If Poeltl's minutes continue to shrink, CMB’s ceiling is very high.
Anderson's Raptors vs Cavaliers Picks
- Collin Murray-Boyles Over 15.5 Points, Rebounds & Assists (-110)
- Collin Murray-Boyles 7+ Rebounds (+275)
- Collin Murray-Boyles Double-Double (+1500)
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Hawks vs. Knicks
Dyson Daniels Over 12.5 Rebounds & Assists
I had my eye on Dyson Daniels coming into the series, but the question was: can this guy actually stay on the court in the playoffs? After Game 1, the answer is a resounding yes.
He only scored four points on Saturday, but I don't want the points. I want the nine rebounds and 11 assists. With Jalen Johnson struggling, the Hawks desperately need Dyson's creation and defensive energy. He’s now a perfect 4-for-4 against the Knicks this season on this 12.5 line, putting up RA totals of 17, 14, 15, and 20.
A key factor here is the three offensive rebounds he’s averaging against New York. When you struggle to finish like Dyson, those offensive boards turn into double-dip opportunities on a single possession.
We’re taking the over at even odds, but I’m riding the escalator too: 15+ RA (+200) and a small nibble on 20+ RA at 11-to-1. He just hit 20 in the opener—I'm betting he can do it again. Give me the hustle stats; I don't need the buckets.
Josh Hart 10+ Rebounds
I’m skipping the baseline and heading straight to the alt-market for Josh Hart to grab 10+ rebounds (+300, BetMGM).
The biggest takeaway from Game 1 was the rotation: Mitchell Robinson played just 15 minutes, while Hart logged a staggering 37. It’s like we never left the playoffs. When the Knicks' rotation tightens, Hart becomes a permanent fixture on the court, and the boards follow.
He finished Game 1 with 14 rebounds, but the most important number was his 19 rebound chances. That trailed only Nikola Jokić on the entire Saturday slate. Anytime you are "trailing only Jokić" in a statistical category, you’re in elite territory.
I know the regular-season totals dipped this year, but throw those 82 games out the window. This is "Playoff Josh Hart." Last postseason, he averaged 36 minutes and hit double-digit boards in nine of 18 games.
The market is offering his standard line at 7.5, but I’m skipping that for the +300 price tag.
Anderson's Hawks vs Knicks Picks
- Dyson Daniels Over 12.5 Rebounds & Assists (+100)
- Dyson Daniels 15+ Rebounds & Assists (+200)
- Dyson Daniels 20+ Rebounds & Assists (+1100)
- Josh Hart 10+ Rebounds (+300)
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Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
Ayo Dosunmu Over 12.5 Points
I’m taking Ayo Dosunmu Over 12.5 Points. It’s juiced at -125, which makes me a bit tepid, but he honestly looked like Minnesota’s only reliable bench option in Game 1.
With Naz Reid struggling and Mike Conley seemingly running on fumes, Chris Finch simply has to get Ayo out there.
In the opener, he put up 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting. He looked like he was having that classic "is this what the playoffs are like?" realization—just flying everywhere and trying to do everything at once.
If he calms down even a little bit in Game 2, that high-energy usage is going to be massive. Over his last 17 games, he’s averaged 16 points and cleared 12 in all but one of those contests.
While some of those late-season numbers were boosted by Anthony Edwards missing time, the creation chops are real. He’s going to get three-point looks and opportunities to attack.
My only concern is the whistle; if he avoids foul trouble, he crushes this. No escalators here—just give me 13 points and let’s move on.
Bruce Brown Over 3.5 Rebounds
I’m grabbing Bruce Brown Over 3.5 Rebounds (+130 at Bet365). While Tim Hardaway Jr. got the Sixth Man nomination, he’s a specialist; if his shot isn’t falling, his minutes are in jeopardy.
Bruce, however, is the guy the Nuggets trust to do the dirty work. He’s playing regardless of his shooting because of his energy and positional rebounding.
In Game 1, Bruce was actually third on the Nuggets in potential rebounds with 11, ultimately hauling in seven. I looked at his Points + Rebounds + Assists (PRA), but Bruce isn't really wired as a high-volume scorer or playmaker. I’d rather just bet on his hustle.
The historical data is elite: in 36 career games where he’s logged at least 16 minutes, he averages 4.6 rebounds and clears this 3.5 line 67% of the time.
I’m also taking a nibble on the escalator: 5+ rebounds at +275. If he’s already at four, it's also worth it to sprinkle on him to grab one more board at more than double the payout.
Anderson's Timberwolves vs Nuggets Picks
- Ayo Dosunmu Over 12.5 Points (-125)
- Bruce Brown Over 3.5 Rebounds (+130)
- Bruce Brown Over 5+ Rebounds (+275)
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