Here’s a closer look at all matchups in the 2025 NBA playoffs and how the series odds are unfolding as each progresses.
Eastern Conference First Round: No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Detroit Pistons Series Prices
| Team | Opening Odds | Current Odds (April 14) |
|---|---|---|
| New York Knicks | -390 | -390 |
| Detroit Pistons | +310 | +310 |
Prices courtesy of FanDuel; Accurate as of April 14, 2025
Series Preview: Still to come.
The New York Knicks enter this series as a notable betting favorite despite having gone 1-3 against the Detroit Pistons during the regular season. Detroit far exceeded expectations by finishing with a winning record for the first time since 2016, but it remains an unproven commodity in the playoffs having not won a series since 2008 when it advanced to the conference finals. New York is more battle-tested, having qualified for the conference semifinals each of the last two years.
Eastern Conference First Round: No. 4 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks Series Prices
| Team | Opening Odds | Current Odds (April 14) |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana Pacers | -230 | -230 |
| New York Knicks | +190 | +190 |
Prices courtesy of FanDuel; Accurate as of April 14, 2025
Series Preview: Still to come.
The Indiana Pacers bounced the Milwaukee Bucks in the opening round during the 2024 playoffs, although Milwaukee was decimated with key injuries at the time. Damian Lillard’s status remains up in the air this time around as he continues his recovery from a blood clot, and with Indiana possessing home-court advantage after finishing with the second-best home record in the East during the regular season, it’s no wonder why the Bucks find themselves as the underdog here even after going 3-1 versus the Pacers.
Western Conference First Round: No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves Series Prices
| Team | Opening Odds | Current Odds (April 14) |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | -172 | -172 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +144 | +144 |
Prices courtesy of FanDuel; Accurate as of April 14, 2025
Series Preview: Still to come
Luka Doncic gets another look at a motivated Minnesota Timberwolves squad after eliminating them from last year’s conference finals, albeit with the Dallas Mavericks. The Los Angeles Lakers split their season series with Minnesota 2-2, but three of those matchups occurred before Doncic was even acquired by the purple and gold. The Timberwolves had the fifth-best winning percentage coming out of the All-Star break at .692 and have some of the greatest value to pull off the upset.
Western Conference First Round: No. 4 Denver Nuggets vs. No. 5 Los Angeles Clippers Series Prices
| Team | Opening Odds | Current Odds (April 14) |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | -136 | -136 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | +116 | +116 |
Prices courtesy of FanDuel; Accurate as of April 14, 2025
Series Preview: Still to come.
The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers needed the final game of the regular season to determine their seeding, and it’s Denver who emerged with the precious home-court advantage for this best-of-seven series. Los Angeles is just 1-7 at Ball Arena dating back to 2021-22, and while it did go 2-2 versus the Nuggets in 2024-25, it did drop its last two meetings by an average of 22.5 points.
How to Bet NBA Playoffs Moneyline
Betting the moneyline is also referred to as a “straight-up bet,” meaning you’re simply picking the winner of a specific series. If the team you bet on emerges victorious, then so do you.
| Team | Moneyline |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | -172 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | +144 |
Prices courtesy of FanDuel; Accurate as of April 14, 2025
In this example, the Los Angeles Lakers are considered the favorites in their matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, evident by the minus sign (-) displayed in front of their numerical odds. The Timberwolves are the underdogs, which is made apparent by the plus sign (+) next to their respective numerical odds.
If you were to bet on the Lakers to defeat the Timberwolves on the moneyline by wagering $100 and they advanced, you’d receive your original bet back along with $58.14 in profit. If Minnesota moved forward, the profit would be larger – in this case, your original bet and $144 in profit – because it was the underdog in this series
