The first round of the NBA playoffs begin on Saturday, and I’ve built a +329 parlay that covers most of the action.
The pregame narrative: It’s been a while since the Los Angeles Clippers have faced the Denver Nuggets, and I think the Clips are positioned well to have a strong result in the series opener. I’m also taking the over on the Detroit Pistons’ team total and am backing the Los Angeles Lakers to win.
Check out the full NBA parlay picks for postseason action on April 19.
NBA parlay picks
Parlay: Pistons over 106.5 points | Clippers +5.5 | Lakers ML (+330)
Pistons over 106.5 points (-125): The Pistons’ epic turnaround this season started at the top of the roster, with Cade Cunningham rounding into all-star form.
Cunningham posted career-highs in points per game (26.1) and effective field goal percentage (52.1%) this year.
He’s cruising right now, too, with 25-plus points in 12 of 14 games since March 3 — averaging 29.8 PPG in that span.
It’s obviously helpful having a certified bucket-getter when you want to bet the over on a team total. And this is a total Cunningham and the Pistons are accustomed to clearing.
- Detroit averaged 115.5 points in the regular season, clearing a 106.5-point total in 62 of 82 games (75.6%).
- The Pistons have scored 115+ points in three straight against the Knicks, including their most recent matchup on April 10.
New York is known to play hard with a short bench, but the defence hasn’t been elite this season. The Knicks, who’ve allowed 111.7 PPG, rank 13th in defensive rating.
Other picks
Clippers +5.5 (-182): The Clippers and Nuggets split their season series, 2-2, but they haven’t seen each other since early January. And Kawhi Leonard didn’t play in any of those games.
Leonard has kicked into overdrive recently, helping the Clippers to a 15-4 record in games he’s played since the start of March.
In that span, the Klaw has averaged 25.7 points (with 42.9% 3-point shooting), 7.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals. He’s going to be a problem.
L.A. enters this matchup in much better form, going 15-2 SU (13-4 ATS) in its past 17 games. Denver, meanwhile, is 7-15 ATS since the start of March.
I’d rather bank points with the team playing much better basketball lately (and one that didn’t just hand its head coach a pink slip).
Lakers moneyline (-182): After leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals a season ago, Luka Doncic embarks on a new postseason journey with his new team. And all I’m looking for is a win.
Doncic’s Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Feb. 27, jumping out to a 33-17 lead in the first quarter and never relinquishing it.
L.A. is 31-10 at home this season, including a 25-7 mark as the favourite, per Team Rankings.
Minnesota went 7-7 SU as a road underdog this season, which is actually a very impressive record. But against a Lakers team with both of its megastars healthy, I expect the Timberwolves to come up short.
Picks made at 8:20 a.m. on 04/17/2025.
Jordan enjoys writing data-driven game previews and analysis articles — especially for MLB markets or NFL/NBA props. And as a proud Ohio University grad, he’ll always have a soft spot for college sports (especially if the Bobcats are involved). Previous stops include mlb.com, Sportsnet and The Athletic.