NBA Betting Tips: Celtics and Knicks feature in Tuesday’s play-off picks
The NBA play-offs continue on Tuesday night with some pivotal game five match-ups taking place.
The Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs can book their places into the next round with wins tonight, while the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks lock horns as both try to take control of an even series. Read on for my NBA betting tips for 28 April 2026.
NBA Betting Tips - 28 April 2026
- Philadelphia 76ers +11.5 (@ Boston Celtics) @ 20/23
- New York Knicks -6.5 (vs Atlanta Hawks) @ 20/23
- San Antonio Spurs -11.5 (vs Portland Trail Blazers) @ 4/5
*odds correct at time of publication
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Philadelphia 76ers +11.5 (@ Boston Celtics) @ 20/23
Boston can wrap this series and move into the next round should they win tonight, and I believe they will, but I'm backing Philly to cover an 11.5-point spread.
Sixers big man Joel Embiid should shake off the rust from game four and be able to help his team on the offensive glass, and that'll cut down the amount of second-chance points the Celtics got last time out. Embiid's return to form would also give Philly a scoring option in the paint - an avenue that hasn't really been explored when Andre Drummond has started in the centre position.
Boston are favourites for tonight's showdown and rightly so, as I would expect them to finish the job at home where they are 31-12 this season. However, Embiid can help his team cover a double-digit spread and reclaim some pride ahead of their inevitable play-off exit.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
New York Knicks -6.5 (vs Atlanta Hawks) @ 20/23
An absolute cracker in prospect this one - game five between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden.
I must admit, I didn't think the Hawks would win two games in this series, and if they win tonight, that puts all kind of pressure on the Knicks, who many are expecting to at least make it back to the Eastern Conference finals, where they were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers last season.
However, I'm backing a Knicks win here. That game four victory in Atlanta has swung the momentum of this series back in favour of New York, in my opinion.
The Knicks have had some early struggles offensively in this series, but I'm predicting that their attack starts to click in game five, in front of what should be an electric atmosphere at MSG.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
San Antonio Spurs -11.5 (vs Portland Trail Blazers) @ 4/5
Finally, I can only see this match-up going one way - a comfortable San Antonio Spurs victory, which would send them into the next round of the post-season.
Portland are a young, athletic team that have done themselves proud getting to this point, but they're simply just not good enough to stop the one-two punch of Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle for the Spurs.
The Trail Blazers will no doubt go down swinging, but the Spurs will be in cruise control here, especially in front of their own fans. Let's back a double-digit win for San Antonio.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
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