Monday’s NBA Best Bets: Pistons vs. Knicks and Clippers vs. Nuggets Parlay with +238 Odds

• Just two NBA playoff games are on the schedule on Monday night (Pistons vs Knicks, Clippers vs Nuggets)
• Outside of a brutal 2.5-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, the Pistons outplayed the Knicks in the series opener
• Below, see my NBA best bets today including picks for Pistons vs Knicks and Clippers vs Nuggets

Monday, April 21st, brings a fairly light NBA playoff schedule with just two games on the docket: the Detroit Pistons (44-38, 22-19 away, 42-37-3 ATS) vs New York Knicks (51-31, 27-14 home, 40-41-1 ATS) at 7:40 pm ET, followed by the LA Clippers (50-32, 20-21 away, 48-34 ATS) vs Denver Nuggets (50-32, 26-15 home, ATS) at 10:10 pm ET. Both home teams held serve in Game 1 but not without a strenuous fight.

The table below sets out my NBA best bets today for both Detroit/New York and LAC/Denver.

NBA Best Bets Today: Pistons/Knicks & Clippers/Nuggets

My first NBA best bet today is the Pistons to cover as 4.5-point first-half underdogs against the Knicks, which is priced at -118 at FanDuel. (The first-half spread is 3.5 at all other sportsbooks.) My second is Nikola Jokic to go over 27.5 points, which is priced at -110 at DraftKings. I have also included the odds of these two bets paired together as a parlay, which comes out ot +238 at FanDuel. But note that FanDuel has Jokic at -117 to go over 27.5 points, so if you want to target that as an individual wager, you’ll get a much better price at DraftKings

Odds as of 9:49 am ET. Claim the best sports betting bonus codes to wager on today’s NBA playoff games.

NBA Best Bet #1: Pistons First Half +4.5 (-118)

The Pistons were going toe-to-toe with the favored Knicks for 40 minutes in Saturday’s Game 1 before a late 21-0 NYK run propelled the Knicks a 123-112 victory. The Pistons, who trailed by just two at the half, led by as many as eight in the fourth quarter.

Jalen Brunson (26.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 7.3 APG), who led the Knicks with 34 points and eight assists in Game 1, looked noticeably hobbled by the ankle that’s been an issue for him all season. After playing a heavy 40 minutes in Game 1 – and showing noticeable signs of discomfort – I don’t have a lot of confidence the Villanova product will be able to repeat his series-opening performance 48 hours later.

What should be even more encouraging for Pistons fans is that they were able to trade punches with the Knicks on a night when Cade Cunningham (26.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 9.1 APG) wasn’t at his best. The All-Star point guard had 21 points on a subpar 8-of-21 performance from the field while dishing out 12 assists but committing six turnovers.

The Pistons are now 0-4 straight-up against the Knicks this year, but only one game saw them trailing by more than four points at halftime. That was during a 124-99 blowout at MSG when neither Cunningham or Jalen Duren was in the lineup.

At full strength, which the Pistons are now, there isn’t much difference between these teams, and I like the Pistons to keep it close early in Monday’s NBA odds.

NBA Best Bet #2: Jokic Over 27.5 Points (-110)

Nikola Jokic (29.6 PPG, 12./7 RPG, 10.2 APG) finished with 29 points in Denver’s 112-110 OT victory over the Clippers in Game 1 but only 27 of those came in regulation as the Nugget center shot 12-of-24 from the field (well below his 57.6 FG% from the regular season). In three regular-season games against the Clippers, though, Jokic scored 41 on Oct. 26, 28 on Dec. 1, and 16 on Dec. 13, playing just 30 minutes in the lattermost game which the Nuggets won going away (120-98).

The first game of this series was played at a sluggish pace (91.92), which is a steep drop from Denver’s 100.67 pace from the regular season (8th-fastest in the NBA) and even well below LAC’s 98.24 pace (22nd). It’s reasonable to expect a slower tempo in the postseason but both teams finished the 2024 playoffs with a quicker average tempo than what fans saw on Saturday night (93.67 for Denver and 92.00 for the Clippers).

In interim head coach David Adelman’s first two games on the Nugget bench, his team dropped 117 on the Grizzlies and 126 on the Rockets. It’s a small sample size at a unique point in the season, but it’s still some indication that he’s not generally trying to slow his team down.

With a slightly faster pace and a slightly better field-goal clip from Jokic, he’ll get over his 27.5-point total.

Monday night in the NBA features two intriguing matchups that could provide some value for bettors looking to cash in on a parlay. The Detroit Pistons will take on the New York Knicks, while the Los Angeles Clippers will face off against the Denver Nuggets. Both games offer interesting storylines and potential betting opportunities.

The Pistons vs. Knicks game is a battle between two struggling teams looking to turn their seasons around. The Pistons have been dealing with injuries to key players, including Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose, which has hampered their performance on the court. The Knicks, on the other hand, have been inconsistent all season and are still trying to find their identity under new head coach Tom Thibodeau.

In terms of betting, the Pistons are currently listed as slight underdogs against the Knicks. However, with the potential return of some key players, including Griffin and Rose, the Pistons could have a chance to pull off an upset on the road. Bettors may want to consider taking the Pistons with the points in this matchup.

The Clippers vs. Nuggets game features two of the top teams in the Western Conference squaring off in what should be a highly competitive game. The Clippers are led by superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, while the Nuggets boast MVP candidate Nikola Jokic and rising star Jamal Murray.

In terms of betting, the Clippers are currently favored to win this game, but the Nuggets have proven to be a tough matchup for them in the past. Bettors may want to consider taking the Nuggets with the points in this game, as they have the talent and depth to keep it close against the Clippers.

For those looking to maximize their potential winnings, a parlay bet on both games could be a smart move. By combining the Pistons with the points against the Knicks and the Nuggets with the points against the Clippers, bettors could potentially cash in on a parlay with +238 odds.

Overall, Monday night’s NBA matchups offer plenty of betting opportunities for those looking to make some money. Whether you’re interested in individual game bets or a parlay, there are plenty of options to consider when placing your wagers. Good luck and happy betting!