NBA Playoff Picks: Lakers, Suns, and Bucks Top Sunday's Slate

After an exciting few games yesterday, we get another full slate of NBA playoff basketball today. Let’s keep the streak going after we swept our picks yesterday. Here is who we like. #7 Lakers @ #2 Grizzlies | 3 p.m. ET | ABC

The Lakers and Grizzlies kick off today’s playoff basketball marathon, and we should be in for an entertaining showdown. Los Angeles took the season series 2-1, but in those games, LeBron only played once, so we don’t have an incredible sample to go off of here. In that game, though, it went down as the most memorable of the regular season, a one-point thriller where Shannon Sharpe tried to fight the whole Grizzlies team. 

Looking to tonight, I have much more confidence in LA than I do in the Grizzlies right now. This is the best the Lakers have looked since the 2020 bubble, winning nine of their past eleven while clicking on all cylinders. They actually have reliable depth, showing promising signs of cohesion and chemistry, while LeBron and Anthony Davis are healthy and playing elite. I understand how well Ja Morant and Co. play at home, going 35-6 in Memphis this season, but I see this coming down to the wire, so I’ll buy the points with the Lakers.

Pick: Lakers +4

Getting an accurate read on the Heat has been one of the most challenging things this season. They can either absolutely stink or show flashes of why they were the No. 1 seed last postseason, often giving bettors alike frustrating bad beats. They are clearly overmatched by the Bucks, who appear as the best team in basketball right now, but we know the Heat never make it easy.

These two clubs split their season series, with the Bucks dropping two games both in Miami when Giannis did not dress. Antetokounmpo only played his regular minutes once in the two wins, giving us a limited sample size to judge today. I see the Bucks controlling today, as I don’t know how Erik Spoelstra will decide to defend Giannis. Regardless of what he does, it won’t matter, so I like the Bucks to jump on the Heat early and never let up.

Pick: Bucks First Half -5.5

Kevin Durant has only appeared in eight games as a Phoenix Sun. They’ve gone 8-0 with an average margin of victory of 11 points. KD is the easiest superstar to play with in the league, as wherever he goes, his playstyle transitions seamlessly. Plugging him in has been effortless, making our limited exposure to this team enough to make the Suns the favorite to come out of the West.

The Clippers at full strength pose one of the biggest threats to come out of the West, but they aren’t healthy. Against this Suns team, the loss of Paul George, who is not expected to be available until the Semifinals, is too much to overcome. Kawhi can do Kawhi things to shine at times in this series, but against KD, Booker, Ayton, and Paul, I don’t see another quadruple doink coming from Leonard. I think the Suns absolutely roll today to put the league on notice. 

Pick: Suns -7.5

Denver doesn’t seem to be getting much respect in this wide-open Western Conference, but I think that’s for good reason. Denver regressed as we saw the likes of Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Golden State elevate down the stretch. I know it would’ve been difficult for others to catch the Nuggets in the standings, but they went 7-10 over their final 17 games of the season, and at times, it was pretty ugly.

The Timberwolves are a better team than many are giving credit to. People forget how good Karl-Anthony Towns is, who only played 29 games this season. He reminded people how talented he is with a dominant showing against the Thunder to clinch the eighth seed on Friday. I see that confidence rolling over, as even though I won’t pick the Wolves to win, I think they have enough talent and confidence to scare the Nuggets. I’ll buy the points.

Pick: Timberwolves +7.5