We’ve got a packed Sunday schedule for four NBA postseason games on the docket. First up is the Knicks vs. the Pistons at 1 p.m. ET. New York leads the series 2-1 and will attempt to put Detroit in a deeper hole. At 3:30 p.m. ET, the Lakers will take on the Timberwolves, who are up 2-1 as well. It’s a quick turnaround for LeBron James and crew here and they’ll need to pull it together to even up the series. Celtics vs. Magic follows at 7 p.m. ET with a 2-1 Boston series lead. Then we have Pacers vs. Bucks to finish the night at 9:30 p.m. ET in a, you guessed it, 2-1 series. Indiana has the lead in this one.
Now that the 2025 NBA postseason has begun, the basketball betting market is hotter than ever. CBS Sports will be providing daily picks for the duration of the postseason. Sam Quinn will make at least one pick for every game between now and the NBA Finals.
Last postseason, Josh Hart averaged 4.5 3-point attempts per game in the playoffs. That made sense. Defenses weren’t guarding him, so he fired away. Well, they’re not guarding him now either. Jalen Duren has been his primary matchup in this series so that he can serve as a help-defender at the rim. And Hart just hasn’t punished him for it. He’s attempted four 3s in three games. For whatever reason, either he’s afraid to take those shots or the Knicks don’t want him to. Either way, at this volume, the under on 3-point makes feels like a pure math play. The Pick: Hart Under 0.5 3s
So… do we know that Luka Dončić is over the stomach bug that limited him in Game 3? Because the books are treating him like he is. This is the line you’d apply to a definitely healthy Dončić, not the compromised one we saw on Friday. The Lakers didn’t even get two days of rest for this game. It will tip roughly 39 hours after Game 3 ended. Without knowing his health, I’m inclined to assume he’s still not 100%. The Pick: Dončić Under 28.5 Points
I picked Boston to cover in Game 3. The Celtics lost outright. I’m not wavering on the stance that all of the numbers suggest that these teams should not be close, and I’m doubling down on a Celtics cover for the simple fact that Boston is mad. “There might be a fight [that will] break out or something. It’s starting to feel like it’s not even basketball, and the refs is not controlling the environment,” Jaylen Brown said after Game 3. It’s time for the champs to assert themselves in a series they should be controlling easily. The Pick: Celtics -6.5
If Damian Lillard was just having bad games, that would be one thing. It’s the way those bad games are coming that scare me. He’s attempted five shots in the paint in two games. Whether because of conditioning or some other element of his recovery from a blood clot, he’s just not physically there right now. He can’t get to the rim, and his legs seem dead when he pulls up from 3-point range. Considering his shot diet has been almost all 3s in these two games, that’s a major concern. I just don’t trust his health right now, so I’m taking his under. The Pick: Lillard Under 19.5 Points
