NBA Best Bets Today, 5/10: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Saturday

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a statement win and avoided sinking to the feared 0 - 3 start. Donovan Mitchell led a hobbled Cavaliers team to a dominant win, and now it is officially a series. Andrew Nembhard was unable to cover his 13.5 point proposition despite having plenty of opportunities. He made just four of nine field goals and ended up with just 10 points.
The Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder match was quite the battle, with Oklahoma controlling most of the first half, but Denver putting together small streaks to stay within striking distance. Denver had the better third quarter and fourth quarter which led to a tie.
The Nuggets dominated in overtime with a 11 - 2 differential. Thus cashing the +190 upset prediction. However Russell Westbrook had only eight points and went just one out of four from behind the three point line. The win by Denver puts pressure on Oklahoma City to quickly recover and get ready for another road match in less than 41 hours. The upset prediction kept the loss at less than .10 units.
NBA Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 5/10
There are two excellent game threes today, one from each conference. The first match is a rivalry at Madison Square Garden, and features our first NBA Best Bet today.
Celtics vs Knicks Prediction: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 19.5 Points (+100 on FanDuel) *BET OF THE NIGHT *2.0 U
The New York Knicks host the Boston Celtics up 2 - 0, and have the defending champions on the ropes. The crowds of Madison Square Garden will be cheering for their team, and hoping to see their beloved Knicks take a commanding 3 - 0 lead in the Conference Semifinals. If they are going to do that they will need their best players to be at their best. That includes Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns is the best big man on the court, and he should impose his will against Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. Although Derrick White has been playing defense against him, Towns will be compared to those at his position. He needs to press hard and give the Knicks a three-game advantage by being aggressive.
He has double-digit rebounds in four consecutive games, and has attempted 10 or more field goals during that stretch. He has had difficulty being a consistent scorer but will be playing his first home game of this month. Towns averaged 24.4 points per game in the regular season, and has not really had a great offensive performance in this series. He will be needed tonight.
He scored 21 points in Game 2, but just 14 in Game 1, and has yet to make a three point field goal in this series. In fact, he has attempted just one three-point field goal in each of his last three playoff games and made zero. However, the Knicks have won all three of those games and with Porzingis not himself, Towns must take advantage of offensive rebounds and short field goal attempts.
Put two units on this NBA best bet at FanDuel and new bettors take advantage of Fantasy Alarm’s promotional offer for bonus bet dollars.
Celtics vs Knicks Prediction: Boston -5.5 (+195 on Bet365)
The Boston Celtics could have won both of the games of this series, and were up by twenty points in both Game 1 and Game 2. Not only that, they were up by 20 late into the third quarter of each game. Despite the lead, Jalen Brunson, the 2025 Clutch Player of the Year, has been just that in the Conference Semifinals. He led two impressive comebacks and he has put the entire city of New York on his back.
Due to that Boston is in a situation that several are calling a “must-win” game for Boston. There has to be mounting frustration for the Celtics, who after earning big leads, go cold in the opportunity to close out the game. That will not be the result of Game 3 as the Celtics could win a wire to wire match.
The Celtics have an amazing road record this season, 34 - 9 including the postseason. They are a championship team that knows they can beat the Knicks, as they won all four regular season matches against them. Including two on the road. They have shown the ability to have amazing first halves in this series, and they will have two amazing halves in this match.
Put a unit for the Celtics to cover the spread on the road and save their season. For those new to Bet365, make sure to take advantage of the promotional offer at the end of this article.
Best NBA Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 5/10
The last NBA best bet today comes from the evening game in California. For a more in-depth look, check out the Timberwolves vs. Warriors Predictions, Picks & Odds: NBA Playoffs Game 3, 5/10 article.
Timberwolves vs Warriors Prediction: Draymond Green Over 9.5 Points (-120 on BetMGM)
Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors host Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The series is even at 1 - 1, but it feels as though the Timberwolves have all the momentum. The loss of Stephen Curry can not be overstated, and the Warriors are in a scramble mode of staying alive until he comes back… if he does come back.
Curry may be down, Thompson may be gone, but Draymond Green still remains. He will need to play some of the best basketball of his career if the Warriors are going to have a chance to win this match. He has played well throughout the playoffs, but will need to stay level headed as he received another technical foul in the playoffs.
He has scored over 9.5 points just twice in the 2025 playoffs, but he will need to score more with Curry out. He put up 18 points in Game 1 of this series, but despite that, his point line remains at 9.5. Green has attempted ten or more field goals in three consecutive games, including ten threes in Game 1.
Put a unit on Green to score ten or more points tonight, and place this best bet on BetMGM with a chance to earn up to $1,500 in bonus bets for new customers.
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Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy
*All NBA odds accurate at time of writing and NBA best bets today to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise
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Mitchell Robinson (ankle) recorded a line of six points (2-of-3 FGs, 2-of-4 FTs), nine rebounds and three blocked shots in Friday’s Game 2 loss to the Pacers.
Robinson gave the Knicks a welcome boost during the first half of Game 2, extending multiple possessions due to his work on the offensive glass. He also recorded a few blocked shots, but New York’s many defensive lapses during the second half were too much to overcome. Also concerning for the Knicks was Robinson appearing to roll his left ankle during the third quarter. The good news is that he stayed in the game, and this was not the ankle operated on twice last season. Given the lack of consistent bench production, New York will need Robinson to be at his best for Game 3 on Sunday, especially now that they’re in a 0-2 hole.
Karl-Anthony Towns shot 6-of-14 from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line in Friday’s Game 2 loss to the Pacers, scoring 20 points with seven rebounds and two three-pointers.
After recording a gaudy stat line in Wednesday’s overtime defeat, Towns was less effective in Game 2. Making matters worse for the Knicks were multiple defensive lapses during the third quarter, prompting Tom Thibodeau to go with Mitchell Robinson as the lone big on the court for a stretch that extended well into the fourth quarter. Despite his performance against Nikola Jokic in last season’s Western Conference Finals, Towns has never been labeled a lockdown defender. That said, the Knicks need him to be better than he was in Game 3 on Sunday, as they trail two games to none.
Mikal Bridges recorded 20 points (9-of-18 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one three-pointer in Friday’s Game 2 loss to the Pacers.
As Tyrese Haliburton’s primary defender, Bridges has been asked to log heavy minutes in the Eastern Conference Finals. After playing 46 minutes in Game 1, he played another 45 on Friday, proving to be New York’s second-best offensive option. Once again, Bridges got going after halftime, shooting 8-of-13 from the field in the second half. With New York heading into Sunday’s Game 3 trailing two games to none, Bridges’ playing time is unlikely to decrease, especially with Josh Hart (6/6/1/1/1 in 29 minutes) not providing much offense.
Jalen Brunson finished Friday’s Game 2 loss to the Pacers with 36 points (13-of-27 FGs, 5-of-5 FTs), three rebounds, 11 assists, one steal and five three-pointers.
Brunson did what he could to drag the Knicks over the finish line in Game 2, but Indiana’s offensive production was too much to overcome. The point guard did make franchise history, however, notching his 19th 30-point playoff game as a Knick. Brunson is now atop the list, passing Patrick Ewing (18 postseason 30-point games) with Friday’s performance. Regardless of who the Pacers have assigned to Brunson, he’s managed to get his points, and the turnovers were kept in check after he racked up seven in Game 1. New York will need Brunson to be at his best for Sunday’s Game 3, as they head to Indianapolis in a 0-2 hole.
Myles Turner tallied 16 points (5-of-10 FGs, 5-of-7 FTs), three rebounds, one assist, one steal, two blocks and one three-pointer in Friday’s Game 2 win over the Knicks.
Turner has struggled with rebounding thus far. That said, he recorded complete stat lines in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, which the Pacers lead two games to none. Turner played 33 minutes on Friday, and the gap between him and New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns from a production standpoint was far smaller than in Wednesday’s series opener. Turner and the Pacers will look to take a 3-0 lead when they host Game 3 on Sunday night.
Tyrese Haliburton accounted for 14 points (5-of-16 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, 11 assists, two steals and three three-pointers in Friday’s Game 2 win over the Knicks.
While he didn’t shoot the ball as well as in Game 1, Haliburton had another excellent night setting up his teammates. Not only did he match his assist tally from the series opener, but the Pacers’ starting point guard only committed one turnover. Add in the rebounds and steals, and Haliburton still provided value to those competing in playoff fantasy leagues and DFS tournaments. Boasting an elite assist-to-turnover ratio of 22:3, Haliburton will look to help strengthen Indiana’s grip on the series when the Pacers host Game 3 on Sunday.