NBA Playoffs odds, picks: Best bets for 76ers vs. Knicks, Timberwolves vs. Spurs Game 1s on Monday
NBA Conference Semifinals Preview
The NBA conference semifinals tip off Monday, with the New York Knicks hosting the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves visiting the San Antonio Spurs. Philadelphia pulled off a stunning upset of the second-seeded Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference, while the Knicks blew out the Hawks in six after an early series deficit served as a wake-up call. The Knicks are listed as 7.5-point favorites. In the West, No. 2 seed San Antonio eased past the Portland Trail Blazers in five games, and Minnesota overcame Anthony Edwards’ injury to beat the Denver Nuggets in six. ESPN has reported that Edwards will go through pregame warm-ups Monday and play if there are no setbacks. That news dropped the spread to 9.5 points in favor of the Spurs.
SportsLine Projection Model Preview
Before you lock in your NBA bets for Monday’s conference semifinals Game 1s, you have to check out what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say. The model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times before issuing its best bets and top NBA picks, including NBA player props. The model has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. It enters the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 26-9 roll (74%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
There are plenty of interesting options available to those who want to wager on Monday’s games, including money line bets, spread bets, Over/Under bets and player prop bets. And if you’re interested in parlay betting, you could even put two or more of these picks together at FanDuel for the potential of a significant profit. Check out the FanDuel promo code for a new-user offer before placing any NBA Playoffs bets on Monday.
Picks and Projections
76ers vs. Knicks Over 213.5
Joel Embiid Under 8.5 Rebounds
Spurs -9.5 vs. Timberwolves
Julius Randle Over 29.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists
76ers vs. Knicks Over 213.5
New York has gone Over its total in three of its past four games and is 36-35 to the Over when it is a favorite. The Sixers are 42-48 to the Over, including the playoffs. Both teams are in the top 12 in scoring, with the Knicks averaging 117.6 points and Philly averaging 116.2. The Knicks also are strong on defense but the teams allow 227 points combined, so the SportsLine model has the Over hitting in 56.5% of its simulations, good for a ‘B’ grade.
Joel Embiid Under 8.5 Rebounds
The Sixers’ big man is banged up, nursing a hip contusion and just recovered from an emergency appendectomy on April 9, but he is listed as probable and expected to play. Philadelphia is also coming off a physical Game 7, and Embiid was laboring a bit toward the end of the game. Still, he had 34 points and 12 rebounds. The SportsLine model doesn’t see him having that sort of success in this series opener, with the props model projecting him for 7.3 rebounds.
Spurs -9.5 vs. Timberwolves
San Antonio was favored by 13.5 before the Edwards injury, and the line has shifted to Spurs -9.5 as Edwards is expected to miss time.
76ers vs. Knicks Over 213.5
New York has gone Over its total in three of its past four games and is 36-35 to the Over when it is a favorite. The Sixers are 42-48 to the Over, including the playoffs. Both teams are in the top 12 in scoring, with the Knicks averaging 117.6 and Philly at 116.2. The Knicks’ defense remains strong, but the two teams combine to allow 227 points, making the model project an Over in 56.5% of simulations.
Joel Embiid Under 8.5 Rebounds
The Sixers’ star is dealing with a hip contusion and recently underwent an emergency appendectomy in April. He is listed as probable for Monday and did not finish Game 7 without effort, finishing with 34 points and 12 rebounds. The SportsLine model expects fewer rebounds for Embiid in the opener, estimating around 7.3 boards.
