2025 NBA Playoffs Picks & Predictions - Basketball Betting Odds

Everybody knows that the NBA regular season is just the warm-up act. The playoffs are when the league truly comes alive, creating a great opportunity to bet on basketball . With any luck, the 2025 playoffs will be no different. This is when star players know that they have to be at their best and raise their level of play. It makes games even more enjoyable for fans, especially since the stakes have been raised.

During the NBA playoffs, joining Stake Sportsbook provides an excellent platform for betting on the NBA . Of course, the playoffs mean a fresh start for fans, regardless of whether they’re experienced bettors or online sports betting beginners. That’s why we put together a betting guide for the 2025 NBA playoffs.

NBA News & Season Overview

While everyone is looking forward to the playoffs, the regular season didn’t disappoint. Even with the Boston Celtics getting a lot of attention as the reigning champs, the Cleveland Cavaliers surprised everyone by being the best team in the Eastern Conference. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder finished the regular season with more wins.

Another highlight during the regular season was the trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. The teams swapped Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis in a deal that shocked fans and players alike. Jimmy Butler being traded to the Golden State Warriors in the middle of the season also shook up the league and could have a big impact on the playoffs, as he will team up with Stephen Curry and company to help lead Golden State to another title.

NBA History & Previous Winners

The NBA dates back to 1946. In the decades since the league was founded, over 20 different franchises have won an NBA title. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Boston Celtics are the reigning champions. Last season’s title was Boston’s 18th in franchise history, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers, who now rank second with 17 NBA championships. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors are a distant third with 7 NBA championships. The Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs are also noteworthy with 6 and 5 NBA titles, respectively.

2025 NBA Playoff Predictions

As usual, the NBA playoffs began with the Play-In Tournament. The Orlando Magic and Miami Heat survived in the Eastern Conference while the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies advanced in the Western Conference. That solidified the field of 16 teams for the playoffs to begin on April 19.

The Cavaliers are arguably the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. However, they still have a lot to prove, especially with the Celtics still being the reigning champs. The Knicks and Bucks also have the talent to make some noise, while the Pistons will be fascinating to watch after they made huge strides during the 2024-25 regular season.

In the Western Conference, the conversation begins with Oklahoma City, but it doesn’t end there. The Rockets have a young and talented team that finished second in the conference during the regular season. The Lakers don’t just have Doncic and LeBron James, but a talented supporting cast that features Austin Reaves as well. Also, don’t forget that the Nuggets have championship experience with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. That should lead to some fascinating matchups in the Western Conference.

Finals Pick to Win

With so many good teams, it’s not easy picking the winners of a first-round series, much less the NBA Finals. However, there is nothing wrong with picking the most talented teams to succeed. That could mean the Celtics and Thunder meet in the NBA Finals. Such a matchup could easily turn into a seven-game series. In the end, look for this to be Oklahoma City’s year, with the Thunder winning the NBA title.

NBA Betting Tips, Odds & Preview

Betting on the NBA or any other sport doesn’t have to require relying on expert picks. However, it’s important to have a clear betting strategy that you stick to at all times. It doesn’t matter if it’s the regular season, the in-season basketball tournament, or the playoffs, always have a strategy and follow it.

With 30 NBA teams, there is a lot to track. It’s important to know any betting trends for each team. For instance, is one team great at home but struggles on the road? Is one team in the midst of a hot streak? The amount of rest a team has before a game can also play a big role in NBA games. Look for betting trends that involve how a team performs when they play on back-to-back nights or have less rest than their opponent.

Understanding each team’s personnel also matters. Star power goes a long way in determining NBA games. But it’s also important to look at how each team’s strengths and weaknesses match up against one another. It’s also crucial to track injuries because if a key player is going to miss a game, it can change the outlook for that game.

Finally, the best advice for betting on the NBA is to use your head and not your heart. Don’t get on something just because you hope it happens. Look closely at a game and bet on what you think will happen. Above all else, betting requires objectivity. It’s equally important to bet what you know, so don’t bet on games if you’re not familiar with the 2 teams playing. Instead, stick with teams you follow closely.

Types of Basketball Bets & How to Bet on NBA

From handicap betting to outrights, Stake Sportsbook offers a guide on how to bet on basketball if you’re not familiar with NBA betting. The first thing you should learn are the most common types of bets:

• Point Spread (Spread) - Betting against the spread is among the most popular bet types for NBA fans. With spread bets, the favored team must win by a certain margin in order to win the bet. If that team doesn’t win by a margin that’s greater than the spread for the game, the losing team wins the bet just by keeping it close.

• Moneyline (Outright) - Making moneyline picks is a little simpler than betting against the spread. This bet only requires betting on the outright winner of the game. The catch is that the odds and payout won’t be the same for each team. The payout is smaller if you take the moneyline of the favored team and larger for the underdog.

• Total (Over/Under) - Rather than betting on winners and losers, a total bet is concerned with the combined points of both teams. There is an over/under for every game with bettors placing a wager on whether the total points in that game will be higher or lower than that total.

• Parlays & Multibets - A parlay is a great way to increase the payout of a bet. It ties multiple bets into a larger bet, increasing the payout more than a series of single bets. However, if just 1 bet loses, the entire parlay loses, so it’s the ultimate example of a high-risk, high-reward bet.

• Proposition Bets (Player Props) - Player props are hugely popular among NBA fans. These prop bets are typically based on the number of points, rebounds, or assists a player has in a game. There are also prop bets that are based on certain events in a game, including whether a team will lead at halftime and win the game.

• Live Betting (In Play) - Even after a game begins, there are betting lines available, allowing fans to make live bets in the middle of a game. This allows fans to watch the start of an NBA game and then make a bet on how the game will end. Just keep in mind that live betting is a little different from pre-game betting. The spread, over/under, and moneyline odds all change throughout the game, so you can’t get on the pre-game odds once the game begins.

Check out our comprehensive sports betting guide for more tips and tricks when forming your basketball betting slip !

Live Stream NBA Online & Live Betting Markets

At Stake, you can watch a live stream of any NBA game after placing a bet on it. There is no extra cost or subscription for this. Just look at a list of upcoming games , and if you place a bet on any of those games, you’ll be able to watch a live stream of that game on the Stake platform once the game begins. This is because we want you to be able to track your bets. Plus, by live streaming NBA games , it’ll be much easier to see how games unfold and place live bets on that game.

Bet on NBA & Basketball Games with Best Odds on Stake Sportsbook

There are several reasons why Stake is an elite online sportsbook when it comes to betting on the NBA and other forms of sports betting. It begins with a wide array of bonus opportunities and promotions . Whether it’s a welcome bonus for new users, a reload bonus for returning customers, or a rakeback bonus , a weekly raffle , as well as various casino challenges open to everyone.

The bottom line is that Stake always wants customers to get the most out of their winning bets. Plus, with Stake news , we make sure that our customers have access to the latest news and information they need to place well-informed bets.

For some of our most loyal and active users, Stake also has a VIP club . We want all of our users to ask questions about what makes our VIP club so special and the various levels of the VIP club . There is also a customer support guide that can tell you everything you need to know about using the platform and what VIP benefits Stake offers . We also offer a wide range of sports and betting markets, so there is something for everyone.

Whether you’re a VIP member or not, Stake wants everyone using the platform to get a first-class experience. This includes giving everyone a wide array of options for depositing and withdrawing funds . Deposit methods include everything from traditional banking methods to today’s most popular cryptocurrencies . We also want our customers to have safe and secure withdrawals when it’s time to collect their winnings. This is why we utilise the Stake Vault to protect your funds when you use Stake Sportsbook.

Last but not least, we always urge our customers to bet responsibly on our platform. This is why we offer everyone resources like Stake responsible gambling guide & tips . These types of resources give our customers the tools to make good choices so that while they have fun while betting, they are also practicing safe gambling habits at all times.