The second round of the NBA Playoffs resumes with an excellent doubleheader of Game 5s on TNT this Tuesday, as Pacers-Cavaliers takes center stage at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by Nuggets-Thunder at 9:30 p.m. ET.
Our staff of basketball betting experts dug into the latest odds and identified 4 NBA picks spanning both of today's contests. Continue below for our NBA best bets and predictions for Tuesday, May 13.
NBA Playoffs Best Bets, Picks, Predictions: Tuesday, May 13
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
| 7 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
| 9:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NBA Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Pacers vs. Cavaliers
By Joe Dellera
The Pacers look to close out the Cavaliers in Game 5 tonight, and await the winner of Knicks-Celtics in what would be a rematch from last year’s playoffs either way.
Pascal Siakam has been excellent this series for Indiana and is averaging 17 points per game, and should feel fairly rested after needing just 21 minutes to put up 21 points in their Game 4 rout of the Cavs.
Cleveland will throw everything they can at the Pacers in this game and it should be a closer and competitive game. With that in mind, we should expect more minutes for Siakam.
Cleveland has experimented with different defensive coverages but it has not mattered. Siakam can break down his defender off the bounce but he’s also a strong and intuitive cutting threat to get open against a zone.
I will back Siakam in Game 5.
Pick: Pascal Siakam Over 16.5 Points (-118)
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Pacers vs. Cavaliers
It's difficult to see a world where Max Strus doesn't get three-point volume in this spot.
Cleveland could be playing from behind, they could be without Donovan Mitchell, and Darius Garland could need an extended break.
Or, Strus just plays like he has been recently. Strus has gone over 2.5 makes from deep in three straight games, getting seven or more attempts in each contest, and as many as 12 in Game 2.
Strus has played 32 or more minutes in all but one game this series, which was in Game 4, where he logged just 22. Still, he went 3-for-7 from deep in that contest, averaging nearly one attempt every three minutes.
Otherwise, he is 4-for-8, 5-for-12 and 2-for-8 from deep this series.
Pick: Max Strus Over 2.5 Three-Pointers Made (-120)
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Nuggets vs. Thunder
This Nuggets-Thunder matchup has been more competitive than some might have expected as the series shifts back to Oklahoma City, tied at two games apiece.
One observation I’ve made thus far is that Denver has slightly altered its playing style, opting for a much slower pace in the previous two games. During that stretch, the Nuggets averaged 96.71 possessions per game, almost four fewer than they averaged in the regular season (100.67).
It’s worth noting that before Game 3, the Thunder averaged 103.25 possessions in the playoffs. Therefore, I think there has been a clear shift in this series, and the slower pace should benefit the Nuggets more due to their lack of depth.
While Game 3 might not have been entirely pleasing to the neutral fan, considering neither team shot better than 36% from the floor, Denver probably felt it did enough to win the contest until the final five minutes in the fourth quarter.
You see, the Nuggets didn’t register a single point during clutch time, and that has to be one of the flukiest things you’ll ever see in an NBA game. Denver was the third-best scoring team in the clutch (10.5 points) during the regular season while posting the fourth-best plus-minus (+1.4).
The Nuggets' best player, Nikola Jokic, hasn’t been at his best for this round, yet the series remains tied. There is still plenty to play for at this juncture, and laying 10.5 points feels a bit steep for a matchup proving to be much tighter than initially projected.
Pick: Nuggets +10.5 (-110)
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Nuggets vs. Thunder
This is my third time going to this prop, and hopefully will be a third consecutive cash. It's not in repeat games, it is in situational spots.
