I See Your Five Upsets and Will Raise You Two
We’re five games into the second round of the NBA Playoffs—and we’ve seen five upsets by the underdogs. Most recently, Indiana pulled off its second straight road win with a last-minute three-pointer to beat Cleveland.
Now, New York and Denver hope to keep the upset streak alive. But expect their opponents to adjust: lineups, strategy, and energy management will all be critical for home teams trying to stop the bleeding.
Today's TV Games
- New York Knicks @ Boston Celtics – TNT/Max
- Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder – TNT/Max
Tonight's Pick 10 (7pm ET/4pm PT)
New York @ Boston
Boston looked in full control of Game 1—until they weren’t. Jalen Brunson led a thrilling comeback and overtime win, nearly hitting the game-winner in regulation.
Boston may be without both Kristaps Porziņģis and Sam Hauser, putting more minutes and pressure on their core five. The Knicks already run a tight rotation, so expect fatigue to be a factor for both teams late in the game.
If Boston can bounce back from its poor shooting performance in Game 1, especially from beyond the arc, they’ll be in a much better position to even the series.
- Jalen Brunson – Over/Under 2.5 3-pointers made
- Mikal Bridges – Over/Under 14.5 points
- Josh Hart – Over/Under 9.5 rebounds
- Derrick White – Over/Under 14.5 points
- Jayson Tatum – Over/Under 5.5 assists
- Jaylen Brown – Over/Under 6.5 rebounds
Denver @ Oklahoma City
Another game, another comeback—this one capped off by an Aaron Gordon game-winning three. Denver, like Boston and New York, runs a short rotation, while OKC can lean on depth and fresh legs for a full 48 minutes.
To win tonight, Oklahoma City must execute better late in the game or blow it open early. Denver will have played five games in the past eight days, and fatigue should be catching up.
Still, Nikola Jokić has been Denver’s anchor, both on the court and on the sideline His presence and energy continue to inspire a tired but dangerous recent champion.
- Nikola Jokić – Over/Under 8.5 assists
- Jamal Murray – Over/Under 19.5 points
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Over/Under 33.5 points
- Isaiah Hartenstein – Over/Under 8.5 rebounds
Pick 5 Margin (9:30pm ET/6:30pm PT)
Denver @ Oklahoma City
(See full game breakdown above)
- Nikola Jokić – Points
- Chet Holmgren – 3 Pointers Made
- Jalen Williams – Points
Golden State @ Minnesota (8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT Tuesday)
Our fifth upset in five games might have been the most surprising. Golden State, fresh off a tough 7-game series with Houston and playing on short rest, went into Minnesota—lost Steph Curry halfway through the second quarter—and still won by double digits.
More impressively the Warriors held the Timberwolves to under 90 points. Anthony Edwards still hasn’t found his rhythm early in games, and his coach called him out publicly after Game 1. Expect a more aggressive start from him tomorrow.
Golden State may be satisfied with a 1–1 road split (and their health), so if the Wolves start hot, don’t be shocked if the Warriors pull starters early and live to fight another day.
- Draymond Green – Assists
- Rudy Gobert – Rebounds
