NBA betting tips: Boston Celtics clamp down, LA Clippers crank up, LA Lakers stay scrappy

The NBA play-offs continue this week and Sports News Blitz betting guru George Dempsey has marked your card with a trio of tips spread across the next few days.

Our first stop is TD Garden in Boston, where the Celtics, leading 1-0 after a 103-86 win last time out, host the Magic on Wednesday night.

From there, it’s off to the Intuit Dome we go as the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets meet on Thursday coming off the back of two tightly-contested games.

Finally, Friday night sees the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Minnesota Timberwolves after the pair split the first two games in LA.

Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics, Wednesday 23 April

It looks like this series is shaping up to be ugly, slow, and defensive.

The Celtics and Magic combined for just 189 points in the play-off opener, and it felt like a generous total by the time the buzzer sounded too.

Boston’s elite defence set the tone from the tip-off and, to be fair, it wasn’t a one-off.

They have now held four-straight opponents to 37 or fewer field goals, including the Magic’s Game 1 tally of just 36 from 82 attempts.

Orlando’s offence, it must be said, simply isn’t built to go toe-to-toe with the league’s heavyweights – they beat a resting Celtics team 96-76 back in April while still shooting a pedestrian 40.7% from the field.

The defensive trend extends well beyond just these meetings, with Orlando making a habit of dragging teams into the mud by limiting eight of their last 11 opponents to 85 or fewer shot attempts. 

That includes Boston on Sunday, who were kept to just 82 field goal attempts, a number that would look more at home in a mid-90s box score.

Offensively, the Celtics haven’t been their sharpest either.

They’ve been held to 40 or fewer field goals in four of their last five and, while their defence continues to do the heavy lifting, it’s hard to see this turning into a shootout without a serious shift in tempo.

With Orlando knowing their only route to an upset is to make this a grind and Boston showing no urgency to push pace or run up the score, we’re leaning towards another tight, defensive scrap.

Suggested bet: Under 199 points

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Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers, Thursday 24 April

This series heads to the Intuit Dome tied at one apiece and, if the first two games have shown us anything, it is a match-up as much about defensive adjustment and half-court execution as it is about star power.

Sure, Nikola Jokic was able to post a stat line of 29 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds in Game 1, which he followed up with 26-10-12 in Game 2, but these matches only featured 196 and 207 points in regular time.

After a quiet Game 1, Kawhi Leonard erupted for 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting in Game 2, leading the Clippers to a gritty 105-102 win in Denver to level the series.

Leonard was well supported as Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, and James Harden all scored in double digits again, with the Clippers centre pulling in 12 rebounds and doing a relatively good job of managing the Joker.

Now, back at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers have momentum, belief, and the best player on the floor right now in Leonard.

If LA can keep the Nuggets' shooting volume low and force tough looks in the paint, their defensive edge can carry over again.

Suggested bet: LA Clippers -5

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Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday 25 April

The Lakers took a beating in Game 1 of the series, but they bounced back well on Tuesday night, winning 94-85 at home to wrestle back momentum as they head on the road.

Luka Doncic typically set the tone for LA, scoring 16 first-half points en route to a total of 31 as the Lakers built a 19-point lead by the end of the first quarter.

Their defence was extremely physical from the first whistle and quickly built a lead to protect, with Minnesota never looking like getting back into the game after that.

The Timberwolves were, by all accounts, smothered as they were forced into shooting a season-worst 38% from the field, making just five of 25 three-point shots.

Anthony Edwards looked lost at times, openly admitting the Lakers' zone looks threw him off.

LeBron James chipped in with 21 and 11, Austin Reaves found rhythm, and JJ Redick's offense was noticeably sharper – LA weren’t perfect, but the tempo, energy, and control were all there.

That’s no doubt going to be the blueprint again on Friday: wall off the paint, challenge Minnesota's shooters, and force them to beat you with plan B.

We’re backing LA to make the most of their experience and momentum to keep Game 3 tight and repay the favour by winning one on the road.

Suggested bet: Los Angeles Lakers +3

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