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NBA playoffs betting: Four bets for Thursday

Eric Moody breaks down his top betting picks for Thursday's two playoff games.

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The NBA playoffs are in full swing with a pair of conference semifinal matchups Thursday night. Both No. 1 seeds convincingly won their series openers on Tuesday night.

Here are my best bets for Thursday's action.

Jayson Tatum OVER 14.5 assists and rebounds. The Celtics are heavy favorites in Game 2, and this game has one of the lower totals on the slate. Consequently, this leads me to Tatum's assists and rebounds prop. He has cleared this line in four of his past five games. Additionally, Tatum has averaged 8.4 potential assists and 14.4 rebound chances in 36.8 minutes over that time frame. Expect Tatum and the Celtics to take care of business on their home floor Thursday night.

Donovan Mitchell UNDER 29.5 points. It's clear the Cavaliers are outmatched against the Celtics. Boston is favored by 13.5 points against Cleveland. The Celtics have gone 10-5 against the spread this season when favored by at least 13.5. Although Mitchell scored 33 points in Game 1, and considering how well the Celtics defended everyone else, I believe they'll make adjustments to contain him in Game 2.

Daniel Gafford OVER 18.5 points and rebounds. The Thunder really hammered the Mavericks in Game 1, especially in the second half. Dallas' big men were supposed to have an advantage in this series against the Thunder. I believe they'll have a better showing in Game 2. Gafford has cleared this line in two consecutive games.

Luka Doncic OVER 10.5 assists. Now, this number might seem high at first glance, but let me explain. If the Mavericks aim to keep this series competitive, Doncic must get everyone involved. Throughout the regular season and playoffs, Doncic has averaged 16.8 potential assists and 9.8 assists per game. Considering the narrow spread of the game, indicating it should be competitive, this bodes well for Doncic and his chances of having a big assist night.

Projections and Injury Reports

Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET 

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics East Semifinals - Game 2 7 p.m. TD Garden, Boston

Records (Against the Spread) Cavaliers: 48-34 (37-44-1) Celtics: 64-18 (43-35-4)

Line: Celtics (-13.5) Total: 212.5 Money Line: Cavaliers (+650), Celtics (-1000) BPI Projection: Celtics by 5.9, straight up 69%, 211.1 total points.

Injury Report: Cavaliers: Jarrett Allen, (GTD - Ribs); Craig Porter, (OUT - Ankle); Dean Wade, (OUT - Knee); Ty Jerome, (OUT - Ankle) Celtics: Kristaps Porzingis, (OUT - Calf)

Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder West Semifinals - Game 2 9:30 p.m. Paycom Center, Oklahoma City

Records (Against the Spread) Mavericks: 50-32 (49-33-0) Thunder: 57-25 (46-35-1)

Line: Thunder (-4.5) Total: 217.5 Money Line: Mavericks (+165), Thunder (-200) BPI Projection: Thunder by 4.3, straight up 64%, 212.6 total points.

Injury Report: Mavericks: Luka Doncic, (GTD - Knee); Olivier-Maxence Prosper, (GTD - Ankle); Maxi Kleber, (OUT - Shoulder); Greg Brown III, (OUT - Personal) Thunder: Olivier Sarr, (OUT - Achilles)