Expert Basketball Picks and Previews

Game 3 shifts to State Farm Arena on Thursday night with the series tied 1-1, and it already feels like the first real swing game of this matchup. New York let Game 2 slip away in a 107-106 loss after controlling long stretches at home, so now the pressure flips a bit. Atlanta grabbed back home court, and this one

Game 3 shifts to Minneapolis with this first-round series tied 1-1, and that matters because the tone of the matchup already changed once. Denver opened the series with a 116-105 win behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, then Minnesota answered with a 119-114 comeback in Game 2 after erasing a 19-point deficit. Now the Nuggets bring a 54-28 record and

Tensions rise between Nuggets, Timberwolves ahead of Game 3 The war of words is picking up between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets. The battle on the court should be even better. The Timberwolves and Nuggets will resume their high-stakes rivalry when the teams tip off in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round playoff matchup Thursday night in Minneapolis.

Led by CJ McCollum, Hawks look to seize series lead vs. Knicks CJ McCollum is filling the exact role the Atlanta Hawks had in mind when they acquired him in January. The veteran is not only scoring plenty of points, but he’s also providing an experienced presence for a young team. McCollum scored 32 points on Tuesday to spark Atlanta’s

Game 2 stays at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday night, with tip set for 7:00 PM ET on ESPN, and the pressure is a little different now. Orlando already stole home court with a 112-101 win in Game 1, so the Magic come in with real momentum, while Detroit is suddenly playing to avoid heading to Orlando down 0-2 despite

Game 2 shifts back to Paycom Center on Wednesday night with the Phoenix Suns trying to steady the series after a 119-84 blowout loss in Game 1. Tip is set for 9:30 PM ET on ESPN, and the setup is pretty simple: Phoenix needs a cleaner half-court game and far fewer live-ball mistakes, while Oklahoma City has a chance to

Thunder to read their ‘menu’ in anticipating Suns’ Game 2 adjustments Limited to just 33 games in the regular season by a series of injuries, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams never really developed much of a rhythm. However, after his 22-point, seven-rebound, six-assist performance in the Thunder’s 119-84 Game 1 win over the Phoenix Suns in their first-round playoff

Pistons seek return to identity vs. Magic after Game 1 shocker After an exceptional regular season, this wasn’t the start to the NBA playoffs that the Detroit Pistons envisioned. Reeling from a stunning Game 1 loss in which only two players reached double figures, the Eastern Conference’s top seed heads into Game 2 Wednesday against the visiting Orlando Magic facing

The NBA playoffs open Sunday afternoon with a familiar rivalry and a pretty big Game 1 number. The Philadelphia 76ers head to TD Garden for a 1:00 PM tip on ABC after finishing 45-37 and grabbing the No. 7 seed, while the Boston Celtics enter as the No. 2 seed at 56-26 with home court and a market price that