NBA Playoff Odds: First Round Lines, Spreads, Betting Trends

Patrick Everson Sports Betting Expert

6 minute read

NBA playoff odds for the first round keep drawing action and providing excitement. Five of eight matchups still haven't been decided.

Arguably the most intriguing matchup in 2025 NBA playoff odds: Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers, with the T-Wolves surprisingly holding a 3-1 series lead.

Here's everything you need to know about NBA odds for first-round games and series: action, line movement and betting trends. Check back regularly for updates and use our BetMGM bonus code to get the most out of your action.

2025 NBA First Round Playoff Odds

Western Conference

Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets Odds

• Opening point spread: Rockets -2
• Opening moneyline: Rockets -130/Warriors +110
• Opening total: Over/Under 204.5 points scored
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday (TNT)
• Series Odds: Warriors -900/Rockets +600 (Warriors lead 3-1)

UPDATE 6:45 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: Houston opened -3.5 in The SuperBook's NBA playoff odds, then spent Tuesday toggling between -4/-4.5. The Rockets have been stable at -4 much of today.

"There are more tickets and money on Rockets spread, but more tickets and money on Warriors moneyline," SuperBook risk manager Casey Degnon said. "We need the Rockets for a little. Ideally, a Rockets win and no cover.

"But we'd rather the Rockets win and cover than the Warriors win outright."

The total opened at 205 and bottomed out multiple times at 203.5, where it sits now. Degnon said there's not much to the total.

UPDATE 1 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: DraftKings opened the Rockets -2 and got to -4 in a hurry early Tuesday in NBA playoff first-round odds. This morning, Houston dipped to -3.5 for a couple hours before returning to -4.

Early spread tickets are running almost 2/1 on the Warriors, but early spread money is 5/1 on the Rockets.

DK's total opened at 204.5, peaked at 205.5 Tuesday morning, bottomed out at 203.5 Tuesday night and is now 204. Tickets are running 4/1 and money 1.5/1 on the Over.

UPDATE 1:30 A.M. ET TUESDAY: No. 7 seed Golden State (52-35 SU/43-42-3 ATS) is a win away from taking out No. 2 seed Houston. The Warriors won Game 4 109-106, though they failed to cover as 3.5-point home favorites.

Houston (53-33 SU/44-40-2 ATS) trails the best-of-7 series 3-1 and is in a must-win situation at home Wednesday night. The Rockets are 1-6 SU/2-5 ATS in their last seven games.

Thirty minutes ago, DraftKings opened Houston -2 for Game 5 and sped to -4 within 20 minutes. The total was less volatile, going from 204.5 to 205, then back to 204.5.

Check back for updates on NBA playoff odds in this matchup.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers Odds

• Opening point spread: Lakers -3.5
• Opening moneyline: Lakers -162/Timberwolves +136
• Opening total: Over/Under 211.5 points scored
• Time: 10 p.m. ET Wednesday (TNT)
• Series Odds: Timberwolves -550/Lakers +370 (Timberwolves lead 3-1)

UPDATE 8 P.M. ET SUNDAY: Los Angeles (51-35 SU/46-38-2 ATS) is the No. 3 seed in this series, but is on the brink of falling to No. 6 seed Minnesota.

The Lakers led by double digits multiple times in the second half of Game 3 today, and they were up 104-97 with five minutes remaining. But L.A. ultimately lost 116-113 catching 2.5 points on the road.

Minnesota (52-34 SU/42-43-1 ATS) are up 3-1 heading to Wednesday's Game 5 in Los Angeles. The Timberwolves are 11-2 SU/9-4 ATS in their last 13 games.

For Game 5, DraftKings opened the Lakers -3, which lasted a hot second before going to -4/-5. Tonight, L.A. is out to -5.5, with 65% of early spread bets/97% of early spread money on LeBron/Luka & Co.

The total opened at 211.5 and quickly adjusted to 210.5, where it remains tonight. The Over is seeing 74% of bets/63% of money so far.

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Clippers Odds

• Opening point spread: Clippers -6
• Opening moneyline: Clippers -250/Nuggets +205
• Opening total: Over/Under 214.5 points scored
• Time: 10 p.m. ET Thursday (TNT)
• Series Odds: Nuggets -200/Clippers +165 (Nuggets lead 3-2)

UPDATE 2 A.M. ET WEDNESDAY: Denver (53-34 SU/40-46-1 ATS) kept Los Angeles at arms length most of Tuesday night while posting a 131-115 Game 5 victory as 1.5-point home underdogs. The Nuggets have won two in a row and could close out the series in Game 6.

Los Angeles (52-35 SU/48-38-1 ATS) never led in Game 5 and trailed by as many as 22 in the fourth quarter. The Clippers pulled within nine at 116-107 with 3:59 remaining, but gave up the next 13 points.

DraftKings Sportsbook opened Game 6 at Clippers -6 and quickly climbed to -7, then settled at -7 (-105). The total was on the move right away, too, going from 214.5 to 213.5/213. Check back for updates on NBA playoff odds for this matchup.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Memphis Grizzlies Odds

• Series Odds: Thunder win series 4-0

UPDATE MIDNIGHT ET SATURDAY: Oklahoma City (72-14 SU/57-25-4 ATS) became the first team into the second round by sweeping Memphis. The Thunder led 108-96 with 3:25 remaining and blew most of that edge, hanging on for a 117-115 victory today.

With Grizzlies star Ja Morant out, OKC was a 15.5-point road favorite, but failed to cover the number. Still, the Thunder are a superb 19-2 SU/17-4 ATS in their last 21 games.

Up next for Oklahoma City is the winner of the Clippers-Nuggets series.

Eastern Conference

New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons Odds

• Opening point spread: Pistons -1.5
• Opening moneyline: Pistons -120/Knicks even
• Opening total: Over/Under 213.5 points scored
• Time: 4:30 p.m. ET Thursday (TNT)
• Series Odds: Knicks -450/Pistons +350 (Knicks lead 3-2)

UPDATE 11 P.M. ET TUESDAY: Detroit (46-41 SU/44-41-2 ATS) took the first step in digging out of a 3-1 hole vs. New York. In Game 5 tonight, the Pistons were 5.5-point road underdogs and outlasted the Knicks for a 106-103 road victory.

The must-win halted a 1-5 SU and ATS slide for Detroit.

New York (54-33 SU/43-43-1 ATS) trailed 71-61 with 4:29 left in the third quarter. But the Knicks then went on a 21-8 run to take an 82-79 lead with 10:03 left in the fourth. It was back-and-forth from there, and New York couldn't finish off the series.

For Game 6, DraftKings opened Detroit -1.5 and quickly went to -2 tonight. In the very early going, spread tickets are running almost 2/1 and spread money 8/1 on the host Pistons.

The total opened at 213.5 and nudged to 213, with early tickets dead even and 80% of early cash on the Over.

Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Odds

• Series Odds: Celtics win series 4-1

UPDATE 11:30 P.M. ET TUESDAY: Boston (65-22 SU/41-45-1 ATS) let Orlando hang around for a half in Game 5, and in fact trailed 49-47 at halftime. But the Celtics outscored the Magic 36-13 in the third quarter and rolled to a 120-89 victory giving 11.5 points at home.

Boston is 23-4 SU in its last 27 games (16-11 ATS). Next up for the No. 2 seed Celtics is a second-round date with either the No. 3 Knicks or No. 6 Pistons.

NBA Playoff Second Round Odds

Eastern Conference

Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Odds

• Opening point spread: TBA
• Opening moneyline: Cavaliers TBA/Pacers TBA
• Opening total: Over/Under TBA points scored
• Time: TBA
• Series Odds: Cavaliers -475/Pacers +360

UPDATE 10:30 P.M. ET TUESDAY: Indiana (54-33 SU/39-47-1 ATS) erased a 118-111 deficit in the final 40 seconds vs. Milwaukee, advancing to the second round in the process. The Pacers, 7.5-point home favorites in Game 5, closed on an 8-0 run, winning 119-118 on a final-seconds Tyrese Haliburton bucket.

No. 4 seed Indiana, which trailed by 20 in the second quarter, is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games (6-7 ATS).

Meanwhile, East No. 1 seed Cleveland (68-18 SU/51-34-1 ATS) had a much easier first-round series. The Cavs swept No. 8 seed Miami, finishing it off with a 138-83 beatdown as 8-point road faves in Game 4 Monday night.

It was the second straight rout for Cleveland, which took Game 3 on the road 124-87.

Indy and Cleveland met in the regular-season finale April 13, with the Pacers landing a 126-118 overtime win as 7-point road favorites. The Cavs, who had long since clinched the top seed, rested their top players.

On the season, Indiana is 3-1 SU/2-2 ATS vs. Cleveland

The date for Game 1 hasn't been set yet. Check back for NBA playoff odds updates on this matchup.

NBA Playoff Picks & Predictions

If you're looking for NBA playoff picks and predictions from our expert handicappers, check out our NBA picks page for the latest. And don't forget about VI Premium as well!

Odds for teams to win the NBA Finals

Check out the favorites in NBA championship futures odds:

Nba Champion Odds

Time	Bet365	BetMGM	DraftKings	Caesars	ESPNBet	FanDuel	BallyBet	RiversCasino
	›	›	›	›	›	›	›	›
Thunder	+150	+160	+150	+145	+150	+145	+140	+140
Celtics	+180	+200	+195	+200	+195	+200	+175	+175
Cavaliers	+500	+500	+500	+525	+500	+490	+450	+450
Warriors	+1600	+1600	+1600	+1500	+1800	+1800	+1600	+1600
Timberwolves	+2500	+2500	+2500	+2500	+2200	+2400	+2000	+2000
Nuggets	+3500	+4000	+4000	+4000	+3300	+3900	+4000	+4000
Clippers	+4000	+4000	+4000	+4000	+4000	+4200	+4000	+4000
Knicks	+4500	+4000	+4500	+5000	+4000	+4500	+4000	+4000
See All
Lakers	+5000	+4000	+5000	+4500	+5000	+5500	+5000	+5000
Pacers	+6000	+5000	+6500	+5000	+6000	+6500	+6000	+6000
Rockets	+15000	+20000	+20000	+15000	+15000	+16000	+25000	+25000
Pistons	+50000	+50000	+50000	+35000	+50000	+43000	+50000	+50000

Patrick Everson

Patrick Everson is a senior reporter for VegasInsider. Based in Las Vegas since 1994, he's worked in the sports betting journalism/content space for more than a decade. He's most known for his deep roster of contacts behind sportsbook counters, providing readers and viewers with the ins-and-outs of how events are being bet. He's also a thought leader in the sports betting space, often appearing on or moderating panels at national conferences. More from Patrick Everson