Our NBA experts Christopher Walder, Nick Holz, and David Caraviello are here throughout the playoffs offering up their spread, moneyline, OVER/UNDER, and player prop picks for all of the action.
A scintillating NBA playoff slates sees the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers battle in Game 3, while newly minted 3-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets fight to avoid a dreaded 0-3 hole against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Let's dive in.
(Related Link) 2024 NBA Playoff Series Prices
NBA Expert Picks Results: Second Round
| Expert | Record | Units |
|---|---|---|
| David Caraviello | 6-3 | 3.5 |
| Christopher Walder | 5-5-1 | 0.13 |
| Nick Holz | 2-7 | -5.07 |
Jump To Picks
- Nick's Pick: New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers Player Prop
- Nick's Pick: Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Spread
- Chris' Pick: New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers OVER/UNDER
- Chris' Pick: Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Spread
- David's Pick: New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers Spread
- David's Pick: Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Spread
New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers Game 3 Preview & Picks
Matchup Page: New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers, 7 p.m. ET
Same-Game Parlay: New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers Game 3
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | +7.5 (-115) | +230 | O 222.5 (-110) |
| Indiana Pacers | -7.5 (-105) | -275 | U 222.5 (-110) |
Nick Holz's Pick: Pascal Siakam UNDER 33.5 Points, Rebounds, Assists (-113)
Since an offensive explosion in the first two games of Milwaukee series, Pascal Siakam has failed to surpass 30 points, rebounds, and assists in four straight games. He's averaged just 16.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.3 points across the past four games while shooting only 23% from deep.
Going further back, the former Toronto Raptors star surpassed 33 points, rebounds and assists just 4 times in his final 10 regular season games. He's taken at least 16 shots in both games against the Knicks and has failed to be effective with his touches. I expect Rick Carlisle to hand the keys back to Tyrese Haliburton in this offense, after his all-star sparkled with 34 points in Game 2. Give me Siakam's UNDER 33.5 PRA in Game 3.
Christopher Walder's Pick: OVER 222.5 Total Points (-110)
This series has been all about the race to see which team can conjure up the most buckets as opposed to who can pull out the necessary stops, as neither side has scored less than 117 points through the first two encounters at Madison Square Garden.
Game 2 had a total of 251 points, greatly exceeding the number oddsmakers had set at 218.5, and that was with Jalen Brunson missing a stretch of the contest due to injury and O.G. Anunoby exiting in the second half with a bad hamstring which will keep him out of this matchup. With New York's primary defensive stopper sidelined, Indiana has far less to fear even after averaging 125.5 points thus far against the opposition.
Barring a cold night from one or both rosters, the final score should easily hit the OVER. The Pacers have reached the OVER in three-straight games, six of their last seven, and 12 of their last 15, while the Knicks have done so in 11 of their last 13, as well.
David Caraviello's Pick: New York Knicks aTS +7.5 (-115)
Brunson is questionable for Game 3 with a sore foot, but he returned to play with the injury in the second half of Game 2 and led the Knicks to a 130-121 victory.
As expected, this has been an evenly-matched series with the first two games decided by five and nine points respectively, and Brunson averaging 36 points. New York is without Anunoby, but the Pacers have been completely unable to slow Brunson, and the Knicks have been surviving with a short-handed roster the entire playoffs.
Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 3 Preview & Picks
Matchup Page: Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves, 9:30 p.m. ET
Same-Game Parlay: Denver Nuggets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Game 3
| Team | Spread | Money | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | +4.5 (-115) | +150 | O 205 (-111) |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | -4.5 (-105) | -180 | U 205 (-102) |
Nick Holz's Pick: Denver Nuggets ATS +4.5 (-115)
Since 2003, teams up 2-0 in a playoff series have covered the spread just 44% of the time in Game 3. Moreover, teams playing Game 3 at home with a 2-0 lead have covered only 28.6% of the time in that same span.
Teams that fall into a dreaded 0-2 hole rarely survive to tell the tale. But, these are the reigning, defending champion Denver Nuggets we're talking about. Expect freshly minted MVP Nikola Jokic to have a huge game in tonight's must-win contest.
I'm all over Denver +4.5 for two units in this one.
Christopher Walder's Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves ATS -4.5 (-105)
Nick's aforementioned pick comes from a place of both optimism and respect for the titleholders, but Minnesota isn't just any other opponent.
The Timberwolves have yet to lose a single game either SU or against the spread during these playoffs, and that includes covering as the 7.5-point favorites in Game 2 at Ball Arena in a 26-point blowout without the services of Rudy Gobert (O 12.5 points, -108).
The game plan of alternating the likes of Jaden McDaniels (O 9.5 points, +100) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (O 6.5 points, -111) to defend Jamal Murray has worked to a tee, as Murray is only converting 28.1 percent from the field in this series, which is the lowest percentage on the Nuggets of any player who has seen the floor. Winning the first two games on the road wasn't by chance or a fluke, and Minnesota will put one of the final nails in Denver's coffin later tonight.
David Caraviello's Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves ATS -4.5 (-105)
Fear the T-Wolves, who won and covered the first two games of this series in Denver, and are now favorites for Game 3 at home. Anthony Edwards (and not Jokic) has looked like the real MVP so far, averaging 35 points per game against the reigning world champions.
Minnesota’s relentless, physical defense has completely disrupted the Nuggets’ pick-and-roll offense, and it’s hard to bet against a Timberwolves team that’s 6-0 so far in these NBA Playoffs and has a chance to put a hammerlock on this series at home.
