Tyler Herro led the Miami Heat with 25 points off the bench to secure a 106-92 win over the 76ers in Game 1 on Monday. The Phoenix Suns handled business on their home court cruising to a 121-114 win over the Mavericks. Two NBA Playoff Game 2’s are set to take action tonight with the Bucks vs. Celtics facing off at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT, followed by the Warriors vs. Grizzlies at 9:30 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into the best NBA bets today, picks and NBA betting tips for Tuesday, May 3.
Best NBA Bets Today: Game Tips & Betting Predictions
Warriors vs. Grizzlies Best Bet
The Golden State Warriors overcame a first-half ejection of Draymond Green in Game 1 to squeeze out a 117-116 victory at home on Sunday. Klay Thompson drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds left to take the lead. Ja Morant missed the game-winning layup with time expiring. The Warriors will be full of confidence heading into Game 2 knowing they will have Green back to try to lockdown Jaren Jackson Jr. Memphis must regroup after losing homecourt advantage and grab the win in tonight’s game before heading on the road for Game 3.
Jordan Poole continues to impress folks around the league by showing he can be a legitimate contributor every game. Poole, who came off the bench, scored a playoff career-high 31 points, including five 3-pointers on Sunday. Stephen Curry was second in scoring, putting up 24 points and five 3-pointers. Golden State finally looks healthy and their offense is clicking at the right time, ranking first in offensive rating and effective field goal percentage throughout the playoffs thus far. The Warriors are now 2-3 on the season against the Grizzlies, but they have yet to play a full game with Curry, Green and Thompson on the floor together. The Warriors had an uncharacteristic night from the free-throw line, finishing 13-for-20 (65%) in Game 1. This was the difference in them covering the spread in Game 1. Thompson’s defensive matchup against Desmond Bane will be a key matchup to watch this series. Bane was held in check in their first game, finishing with just 9 points on 3-for-10 shooting from the field. The Warriors have better defenders to challenge Bane than what he faced in their first series against Minnesota. Morant will not be able to win this series by himself, so the Grizzlies will need a better team effort on offense to stay competitive down the stretch.
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The Grizzlies will need a lot more out of their role players if they want to pull out a win tonight. Bane and Dillon Brooks shot a combined 6-for-23 from the field and 3-for-13 from downtown. Keep an eye on Bane’s status, as he is currently listed as questionable due to a sore lower back. Ziaire Williams (knee) is also questionable for Game 2. If Williams and Bane are unable to suit up, expect to see extended minutes for De’Anthony Melton, who finished Game 1 with 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the field. Steven Adams will not be available for this game, as he remains in the health and safety protocols. Jackson had a monster game in the first matchup, finishing with 33 points and 10 rebounds. He managed to stay out of foul trouble and took advantage of the Warriors from deep, draining six 3-pointers on the night. Morant finished with 34 points and one assist shy of a triple-double, but this was not enough to come out victorious.
A lot of folks will be quick to jump on Memphis in a bounce-back spot after seeing how they performed against the spread at home and after a loss this season. Despite both these trends favoring Memphis against the spread, the Warriors have not been at full strength all season, so it is hard to use these trends as supporting evidence to back Memphis in this game. The Warriors are a different beast in the playoffs and proved in Game 1 they can win even after being down their best defender for over half the game. Neither Kevin Looney nor Otto Porter Jr. was equipped to defend Jackson for as long as they were assigned to. Do not expect Green to have such difficulty. Jackson should regress in Game 2, especially if he is unable to keep his fouls in check. Watch for Curry and Thompson to have a better night shooting from beyond the arc. Do not expect a blowout, as this Memphis team has proven to have grit, but lay the points with the Warriors and ride with Golden State tonight.
Best NBA Bet for Today’s Game: Golden State Warriors -2
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