With two teams on the verge of elimination, let's make some picks for tonight's games.
There are three NBA playoff games tonight, starting with the Boston Celtics at the Brooklyn Nets. With elimination staring down a few teams, we're going to look at each game tonight and make picks for each one.
Boston Celtics at Brooklyn Nets - 7:00 PM ET
Kicking off the first game of the day is the Boston Celtics taking on the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics are already up 3-0 in the series and their No.1 ranked defense is the main reason for this. Allowing just 104.60 points per game, the Celtics have put a stop to the once elite offense of the Brooklyn Nets.
Surprisingly enough, the Celtics come in as one-point underdogs here. The question is, can they eliminate the Nets on the road or will they need to go back to Boston to finish this series? Brooklyn has been lackluster through this entire series and Boston has found a way to neutralize Kevin Durant.
Ricky's Pick - Boston Celtics +1, UNDER
Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers - 8:00 PM ET
Another team on the brink of elimination is the Toronto Raptors, who are down 3-1 in the series. However, the Raptors staved off elimination with a 110-102 win in Game 4. The approach the Raptors took was focusing on Joel Embiid and limiting him to 8 total rebounds. Embiid also finished with 21 points on the day, while James Harden led the team with 22 points, but shot 5 for 17.
Although some believe the Raptors will pull off the same showing here, we think this game will go to Philadelphia. We have to remember, the 76ers are back at home now after playing two games in Toronto. Fred VanVleet of the Raptors is also on the day-to-day list and could see limited minutes tonight. Look for a much better game from Joel Embiid tonight, leading the 76ers to a Game 5 victory.
Ricky's Pick - Philadelphia 76ers -7.5, OVER
Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks - 9:30 PM ET
The final game of the night is the Utah Jazz at Dallas Mavericks, which is tied at 2-2. With Game 5 on the horizon, the Jazz is coming off of a narrow 100-99 win over the Mavericks. The defense of Dallas has been tough for the Jazz to push through, now they face the test of taking on the Mavericks at home.
With Luka Doncic playing more minutes, the Mavericks have a chance to get a 3-2 lead in this series. Considering the following game is also a home game, the Mavericks can close it out over the next two games. Relying on their defense will help, but we definitely need to see more from the Mavericks' offense.
Ricky's Pick - Utah Jazz +3, UNDER
