NBA Playoffs odds, picks, best bets for Knicks-Hawks, Cavaliers-Raptors, Nuggets-Timberwolves Game 3s
Thursday features three games in the NBA Playoffs, and we offer up the best bets you can make at FanDuel

The NBA Playoffs continue Thursday with a pair of pivotal Game 3s, while the Cleveland Cavaliers are looking to take a 3-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors. The Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves both won Monday to tie their series at 1-1, and the New York Knicks visit Atlanta on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET for the first of the three NBA Playoffs games. The Raptors host the Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET before Minnesota hosts the Denver Nuggets to wrap things up at 9:30 p.m. ET.
We have combed NBA Playoffs odds from FanDuel Sportsbook for the best value on Thursday's games and have our best bets from the three games, based on recommendations from the SportsLine Projection Model. The model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and entered the postseason on a 38-17 roll dating to last season. It has returned well over $10,000 in NBA betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons.
Bettors interested in spread betting, Over/Under bets and player prop betting need to check out the model's top picks. And if you're interested in parlay betting, you could even combine these picks into one play at FanDuel.
Before placing any NBA Playoffs bets, you have to check out the FanDuel promo code for a great new-user offer.
NBA Playoffs picks, best bets for Thursday, April 23
- Knicks -1.5 vs. Hawks
- Mitchell Robinson Over 0.5 Blocks
- Raptors money line vs. Cavaliers
- Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 Assists
- Nuggets-Timberwolves Under 234.5
- Julius Randle Over 19.5 Points
Knicks -1.5 vs. Hawks
New York won Game 1 by 11 points and had a 14-point lead in Game 2 before blowing it and falling 107-106 as the Hawks outscored the Knicks 28-15 in the fourth quarter. That was the first time in their past seven games that the Knicks failed to cover (they were favored by 6.5 points). New York has won three of five meetings this season, with the only regular-season loss coming with Karl-Anthony Towns out with an illness. The SportsLine model has New York covering in 53% of its simulations.
Mitchell Robinson Over 0.5 Blocks
The model has this as a 3-star play because of the juice and it projects Robinson for 1.1 blocks, but this is a strong play. New York has blocked 10 shots over the first two games, and Robinson has three of those. He has blocked 18 shots over his past 10 games, getting at least one in nine of them. The big man also averages 8.8 rebounds, and the model has a 3.5-star play on Over 7.5 rebounds (+120), projecting him for 7.8.
Raptors money line vs. Cavaliers
Toronto won all three regular-season meetings by double digits, but they shot just 27% from 3-point range after falling behind early in Game 2 and a poor fourth quarter cost them Game 1. The Cavs are one of the league's highest-scoring teams, but Toronto has been strong on the defensive end, allowing 111.7 points per game. The SportsLine model has the Raptors covering the 3.5-point spread in 60% of its simulations and they win outright 57% of the time, with the Toronto money line play earning an 'A' grade.
Donovan Mitchell Over 4.5 Assists
This line is Mitchell's average, and the Cavaliers' top scorer has 62 points and nine assists over the first two games of the series. He has had at least four assists in eight of his past nine games. With the Cavs looking to take a commanding lead, Mitchell will be right in the middle of the action, and the Raptors have had trouble slowing the seven-time All-Star as well as former league MVP James Harden (28 points in Game 2). The SportsLine props model projects Mitchell for 5.4 assists, with this player prop rated as a 4-star play.
Nuggets-Timberwolves Under 234.5
Both games have gone Under this number, with Game 1 finishing 116-105 for Denver and Game 2 a 119-114 Minnesota victory. The Timberwolves are 46-38 to the Under this season, and while the Nuggets are 53-31 to the Over, these teams allow just over 231 points per game combined. The total has gone Under in seven of Minnesota's past 10 games at home, and the Timberwolves were 26-15 on their home floor in the regular season. The SportsLine model gives a 'B' grade to the Under here, as it hits in 64.6% of simulations.
Julius Randle Over 19.5 Points
Randle averaged 21.1 points during the regular season and had 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists in Game 2. Anthony Edwards scored 30 and had 10 rebounds in the victory, so the Nuggets will have to give him plenty of attention, which could give Randle some extra touches. Randle scored 16 points in Game 1, but he went 7-for-16 from the floor and 0-for-3 from 3-point range. He went from 44% shooting on Saturday to 50% on Monday, so if he gets the shots to fall in Game 3 he should ease past this number. The SportsLine model projects Randle for 22.2 points Thursday.
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