Two notable NBA playoff games are scheduled for Friday evening. First, the Cleveland Cavaliers aim to recover from an 0-2 deficit as they visit the Indiana Pacers. Later, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets will compete to take a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.
Today`s Top Bets
Consider placing a wager on **Aaron Nesmith to exceed 17.5 combined points and rebounds**. The Pacers are returning home with a significant series lead, while the Cavaliers are dealing with multiple injury concerns. Nesmith has performed well this postseason, surpassing this line in six of his seven playoff appearances. He has exceeded this total in 65% of games where he played at least 27 minutes this season, making this a favorable bet.
Another potential bet is **Donovan Mitchell scoring over 29.5 points**. With several high-impact teammates sidelined by injuries, Mitchell has taken on a much larger offensive role. He demonstrated this by scoring 81 points in the first two games of the series. Mitchell has reached 30 or more points in four out of his six playoff games this year, with the only exceptions being blowout wins where he played limited minutes. He also has a history of scoring 31 or more points against the Pacers in their last three meetings, including regular season games.
Look at **Russell Westbrook to achieve over 17.5 total points and rebounds**. Although this prop line has slightly increased since the first two games, Westbrook consistently goes over it. He has recorded at least 18 combined points and rebounds in all seven playoff games where he played a minimum of 10 minutes. Over his last five games, his average is 21.4 points and rebounds (17.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG). Against the Thunder specifically, over the past five games (including playoffs and regular season), he has averaged 22.2 combined points and rebounds (17.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG), hitting at least 20 in four of those five contests.
Looking ahead to the matchups: The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Indiana Pacers, and the Oklahoma City Thunder play the Denver Nuggets. Injury notes for the Cavaliers include Darius Garland (Questionable – Toe), De`Andre Hunter (Questionable – Thumb), and Evan Mobley (Questionable – Ankle).