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NBA Playoffs Expert Picks & Predictions Today (April 29): Best Bets for Tuesday's Games

C Jackson Cowart

Last Updated: April 29, 2025 4:30 PM EDT • 5 min 9 sec read.

NBA Playoffs Expert Picks & Predictions Today (April 29): Best Bets, Player Props & More
Pictured: Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) is defended by Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15). Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images.

We're in for a busy slate tonight with four games on the schedule, as we offer our NBA expert picks and predictions today for every matchup:

  • Bucks vs. Pacers (6 PM, NBA TV)
  • Pistons vs. Knicks (7:30 PM, TNT)
  • Magic vs. Celtics (8:30 PM, NBA TV)
  • Clippers vs. Nuggets (10 PM, TNT)

Here's a look at our best NBA picks against the spread, our top NBA player props, and our best same-game parlay (SGP) for all four playoff games:

🏀 Bucks vs. Pacers predictions

After a 26-point win in Milwaukee on Sunday, the Pacers are looking to close out the series tonight at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as 7.5-point home favorites.

The Bucks will try to stave off elimination without star guard Damian Lillard (Achilles), who was ruled out for the season after leaving Game 4 with an injury. And our NBA experts don't like their chances in Game 5 tonight.

✅ Best bet: Pacers -7.5 ⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Andrew Brennan on why he's betting Indiana to cover the spread (-7.5) as his best bet for Bucks vs. Pacers:

"Lillard's absence now puts more pressure not only on the Bucks superstar but also the likes of Gary Trent Jr. and Kyle Kuzma. In Game 4, those two combined for nine points on 3-for-12 shooting.

We can make this much simpler, though, by just acknowledging that the Bucks are cooked. We saw the Miami Heat completely give up on their home court last night after being blown out in Game 3, and I expect a similarly sad performance by Milwaukee tonight."

👉 For more game analysis, including Brennan's best bet on the moneyline and total, check out his full Bucks vs. Pacers prediction.

⛹️ Best player prop bet: Tyrese Haliburton Over 10.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Gabe Henderson on why he's betting Tyrese Haliburton Over 10.5 assists as his best player prop for Bucks vs. Pacers:

"The 25-year-old has been a dominant distributor with his shot creation skills on full display against Milwaukee. Haliburton has cleared the 10.5 assist mark in three of four against the Bucks, only failing to do so in Game 3, when he registered 10 assists."

👉 For more of Henderson's best bets in the player props market, check out his Bucks vs. Pacers player props.

🚀 Best Bucks vs. Pacers same-game parlay (SGP)

🏀 Pistons vs. Knicks predictions

This series could have been tied up heading back to New York if not for a missed foul call at the end of Game 4 that could have given Detroit a chance.

Instead, the Knicks head back to Madison Square Garden with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to end the series at home as 5.5-point favorites - which is exactly what our NBA experts expect them to do tonight.

✅ Best bet: Knicks -5.5 ⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Gabe Henderson on why he's betting New York to cover the spread (-5.5) as his best bet for Pistons vs. Knicks:

"It's difficult to predict how the Pistons will come out in Game 5 after an emotionally draining two-game losing skid at home. Detroit's back is against the wall down 3-1 in the series against a more experienced side, which is not a great place to be historically.

While the Pistons may have the best player on the floor in Cunningham, the Knicks have the best scorer (Jalen Brunson) and an elite frontcourt presence (Karl-Anthony Towns). The experience and familiarity within New York's ranks have led to fewer mistakes, ultimately proving to be the difference in a tightly contested series."

👉 For more game analysis, including Henderson's best bet on the moneyline and total, check out his full Pistons vs. Knicks prediction.

⛹️ Best player prop bet: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 made 3-pointers ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Mike Spector on why he's betting Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 made 3-pointers as his best player prop for Pistons vs. Knicks:

"Towns has been averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers on five attempts this series. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau clearly made adjustments after Towns went 1-for-5 from 3-point range in the first two games of the series, as the big man was 9-for-15 from beyond the arc during the two contests in Detroit."

👉 For more of Spector's best bets in the player props market, check out his Pistons vs. Knicks player props.

🚀 Best Pistons vs. Knicks same-game parlay (SGP)

🏀 Magic vs. Celtics predictions

The Magic have held their own in this series, stealing Game 3 and losing the games before and after by single digits. But the Celtics still head back to TD Garden with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to close it out tonight.

Even with the C's favored by 11 points - the largest spread of any NBA playoff game tonight - our NBA experts are expecting a blowout in Boston in Game 5.

✅ Best bet: Celtics -11 ⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Mike Spector on why he's betting Boston to cover the spread (-11) as his best bet for Magic vs. Celtics:

"Game 1 was the only one of the four games in this series thus far decided by more than nine points. While that would suggest the Magic have made the necessary adjustments to remain competitive in this series, I expect Boston’s champion mindset to be on display as they close out the series in convincing fashion to justify their NBA championship odds."

👉 For more game analysis, including Spector's best bet on the moneyline and total, check out his full Magic vs. Celtics prediction.

⛹️ Best player prop bet: Jayson Tatum Over 27.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Phil Wood on why he's betting Jayson Tatum Over 27.5 points as his best player prop for Magic vs. Celtics:

"Tatum has scored at least 36 in back-to-back games, so it’s shocking to see this number set as low as it is. The Magic have the best scoring defense in the league, and Tatum only averaged 26.8 points per game this season, but what he’s done in Games 3 and 4 trumps all of that."

👉 For more of Wood's best bets in the player props market, check out his Magic vs. Celtics player props.

🚀 Best Magic vs. Celtics same-game parlay (SGP)

🏀 Clippers vs. Nuggets predictions

The best series of Round 1 delivered again in Game 4 with Aaron Gordon slamming home a buzzer-beating dunk to sink the Clippers and tie this series at 2-2 heading back to Denver.

Even though the Nuggets are catching points as home underdogs in Game 5, our NBA experts expect Kawhi Leonard and Co. to emerge victorious in a defensive struggle at Ball Arena.

✅ Best bet: Under 208.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Brenden Schaeffer on why he's betting Under 208.5 as his best bet for Clippers vs. Nuggets:

"Each of the first four games of the series has ended with regulation in a point total below 208.5 points, with three of the four games concluding with 200 or fewer total points. Game 1 went Over due to the 26 points scored in overtime."

👉 For more game analysis, including Schaeffer's best bet against the spread and on the moneyline, check out his full Clippers vs. Nuggets prediction.

⛹️ Best player prop bet: Nikola Jokic Under 51.5 points + rebounds + assists ⭐⭐⭐

Here's an excerpt from Gabe Henderson on why he's betting Nikola Jokic Under 51.5 points + rebounds + assists as his best player prop for Clippers vs. Nuggets:

"Jokic's points + rebounds + assists total jumped from O/U 49.5 before Game 4 to O/U 51.5 ahead of tonight's contest. While it's understandable following a stellar showing in his last outing, it's a bit rich for our taste."

👉 For more of Henderson's best bets in the player props market, check out his Clippers vs. Nuggets player props.

🚀 Best Clippers vs. Nuggets same-game parlay (SGP)

💵 Best NBA betting sites

Ready to bet on the NBA playoffs? Check out the best NBA betting sites and best sportsbook promos for today's games:

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Written By:
C Jackson Cowart
C Jackson Cowart is a publishing editor and lead writer for Sportsbook Review. An award-winning writer, reporter, and editor with a decade of sports media experience, "C-Jax" has worked with ESPN, Forbes, theScore, and various daily newspapers before joining the Sportsbook Review team. He's a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina, where he served as a beat writer for the Tar Heels' championship run through the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 2017. Jackson has spent the last five years covering sports betting as a predictive analyst, features writer, and industry reporter. Since joining the team in 2023, he's played a key role in Sportsbook Review's coverage of the Super Bowl, March Madness, and NBA playoffs while serving as the lead writer for the growing WNBA and NASCAR betting scenes. Though he's cashed some big bets over the years -- including Lamar Jackson to win MVP (twice) -- he's still haunted by enough second-place bet slips to wallpaper his home office. While Jackson is a committed "process over results" bettor with a keen eye for advanced stats and subtle bias in futures markets, he also embraces sports betting as a vehicle for entertainment and personal investment. He's written about everything from hot dogs to groundhogs and still hasn't forgiven his "inside source" for a sabotaged bet on the Gatorade color in Super Bowl LV.