The NBA Conference Finals are upon us, with two epic showdowns ahead. In the East, the Boston Celtics appear in the driver’s seat with the Indiana Pacers’ unexpected playoff run leading them to the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston is a heavy favorite not just to beat the Pacers but to win it all, so is the only thing standing in the Celtics’ way themselves?

After an incredible second round of games in the West, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks proved resilient, setting up what should be an entertaining Western Conference Finals. The Wolves led the season series 3-1, but two games were without Luka Doncic, with Kyrie Irving sitting out for three. The Wolves are respectable favorites given the home-court advantage and their recent opponents, but do the Mavs have enough offensive firepower to overcome the Wolves’ tenacious defensive effort?

It will be a great week of playoff hoops, so stay with SportsGrid for all you need to know for the games ahead!

NBA Conference Finals Preview

Headliners: Celtics Boast Top Odds | Playoff Update 

Recap the Weekend’s Action: Pacers Absolutely Obliterate Knicks in Game 7 | Wolves Seal Epic Comeback Victory in Denver

Dunk on the sportsbooks tonight! SportsGrid’s free NBA picks, NBA props, and NBA SGPs.

ECF: No. 6 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 1 Boston Celtics: Preview

• Series Odds: Pacers (+680) | Celtics (-1200)
• Series Spread: Pacers +2.5 (+118) | Celtics -2.5 (-144)
• Series Games: OVER 5.5 Games (+120) | UNDER 5.5 Games (-185)
• MVP Favorites: Jayson Tatum (-220) | Jaylen Brown (+350) | Tyrese Haliburton (+1100)

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WCF: No. 5 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves: Preview

• Series Odds: Mavericks (+146) | Timberwolves (-180)
• Series Spread: Mavericks +1.5 (-144) | Timberwolves -1.5 (+118)
• Series Games: OVER 5.5 Games (-175) | UNDER 5.5 Games (+110)
• MVP Favorites: Anthony Edwards (-150) | Luka Doncic (+165) | Karl-Anthony Towns (+1400)

NBA Key Matchups & X-Factors

For the Indiana Pacers to knock off the Boston Celtics, they’ll need consistently great performances from Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner inside. With Kristaps Porzingis still injured, the Pacers must make the Celtics feel they need to rush him back, ideally by stealing Games 1 or 2 on the road like Miami and Cleveland did. The Pacers can’t beat the Celtics on the perimeter consistently, so by prioritizing their interior matchup advantage, they can put the pressure on them. As we’ve seen in recent seasons, the Celtics have cracked when the pressure turned up, making it necessary for Siakam and Turner to expose Porzingis’s absence.

The Dallas Mavericks cannot match the Minnesota Timberwolves’ defensive intensity, making it critical that Derrick Jones Jr. and PJ Washington Jr. stay hot offensively. The Oklahoma City Thunder did a decent job keeping Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic contained, which the Wolves will hope to mimic. Still, the contributions that Dallas got from their role players are what gave them the edge. If those guys can continue to score at a high level, it will force the Wolves to stop focusing on Luka and Kyrie and propel them to the NBA Finals.

NBA Best Bets & Predictions

• Celtics to Beat Pacers in 5 Games (+155)

The Indiana Pacers have had a playoff run to remember, one they can build upon, but all good things come to an end. The Boston Celtics have been too dominant for too long to lose four out of seven to this squad. The return of Kristaps Porzingis is necessary for the Celtics to win it all. Still, as they proved against the Cleveland Cavaliers, they have enough horses to get by the Pacers, with Porzingis taking his time to return. Still, as we saw in the Celtics’ first two series, they coughed up a game through sloppy play. Given how hot the Pacers can shoot, as we saw in Game 7 against the New York Knicks, I expect them to steal a game. Compared to the Celtics advancing to the NBA Finals being priced at -1200, getting this at +155 is solid value.

• Timberwolves to Beat Mavericks in 6 Games (+500)

The Minnesota Timberwolves are giving off “team of destiny” vibes, and even though I respect the Mavericks, I think this is the Wolves’ time. The Wolves are fearless, tenacious, and not scared of the moment. They don’t back down from anyone, and as we just saw, they stared down the defending champions head-on. What they do on both ends of the floor is too much for the Mavs to keep up with unless Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving become unguardable. When predicting how long it will take the Timberwolves to get the job done, six games is just a gut feeling I can’t shake. Even though it would be on the road, the Wolves won each of their last two series away from home, so at +500, we’re getting solid value.

• Jayson Tatum + Anthony Edwards Conference Finals MVP Parlay (+145)

As we’re counting on the Celtics and Timberwolves to advance to the NBA Finals, it’s fair to expect Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards to carry their teams. Both all-stars are heavily favored to be named the Conference Finals MVP, Tatum at -220 and Edwards at -150, so parlaying them together gives us a much more attractive +145 bet. Looking at the Celtics, I can’t envision a scenario where the league doesn’t give Tatum this award. Unless Jaylen Brown averages 35 points or Kristaps Porzingis’s eventual return digs the Celtics out of a series deficit, this is Tatum’s award. For Edwards, the narrative around him has been so strong that I can’t imagine him not getting this. Karl-Anthony Towns can put up dominant numbers, but as we saw against Denver, his production isn’t consistent enough to warrant the award. At +145, this is a must-bet in my book.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook