NBA 2024/25 Expert Tips and Best Bets | May 23

Game two of the Western Conference Finals is upon us. And with that comes a fresh trio of quality best bets from us to you. We’re riding with the top-seeded Thunder on home soil and looking for them to win and take a 2-0 series lead in part due to two or more steals from SGA. This is despite our expected 25+ point bounce back game from Anthony Edwards.

Oklahoma City ML | $1.32 @ Betfocus

Oklahoma City fell behind early in game one but eventually took a lead midway through the third quarter and never looked back, cruising to a 26-point victory. This is despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shooting just 10/27, and Julius Randle going scorched earth from three, making five of his six attempts. OKC’s defense is unlike anything Minnesota has faced thus far in the playoffs, and it showed. They were largely unable to even get into their offensive sets in game one, often being forced to take deep, and/or contested threes. Factor in the raucous OKC crowd, and we like the Thunder to get the home court sweep at $1.32 on Betfocus.

Anthony Edwards 25+ Points | $1.86 @ PlayUp

Anthony Edwards seemed indecisive and passive in game one. Oklahoma City’s relentless on-ball pressure and timely stunts and doubles caused him some trouble. Still, there is no reason why one of the league's most dynamic scorers only takes 13 shots in a playoff game. We don’t see this happening again. For Minnesota to be competitive, Edwards must be getting shots up and staying aggressive. We think this will be the case in game two. Edwards is ultra competitive, and he will have heard the noise after game one. NBA betting sites are offering solid value for a big scoring night from Ant, and at $1.86 for 25+ on PlayUp, we like the pick.

Shai Gilgeous Alexander 2+ Steals | $1.67 @ Betright

Given that he led the NBA in scoring and is having one of the greatest offensive guard seasons we have ever seen it’s easy to forget that SGA is a real contributor to Oklahoma City’s daunting defense. Gilgeous-Alexander finished the season tied for tenth in the NBA in steals-per-game at 1.7. In the playoffs, he hasn’t missed a beat. SGA has racked up two or more steals in eight of the Thunder’s twelve games this postseason, including three in game one against Minnesota. We like this trend to continue today, and are backing Shai for two or more steals at $1.67 on Betright.