2023 NBA playoffs - Odds, picks, betting tips for Saturday's Game 1 - ESPN

ESPN's fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data, featuring ESPN's proprietary Basketball Power Index (BPI) to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds for Saturday, April 29, are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

The second round of the NBA playoffs begins this evening in Colorado as the West's top-seeded Denver Nuggets host the Phoenix Suns in a series that bodes to have real title implications. The spread for this contest, like the tight series odds, indicates a competitive game. With the total hovering around 226 points on most books, there should be a good bit of offense on display.

Since this is the lone game of the day, there are unique showdown formats on both DraftKings and FanDuel. While the scoring and roster rules are a bit different for each platform, each requires designation of high-value players such as the captain spot on DraftKings or «STAR» on FanDuel. Since these roster spots include modifiers to increase fantasy scoring, chasing chalk for these spots is often the wisest call.

Since single-game formats are inherently star-driven, developing «stars and scrubs» strategies for lineups in these contests could prove rewarding. Rostering bankable superstars Nikola Jokic or Kevin Durant will consume a big percentage of your budget, which means ancillary options such as Michael Porter Jr., Bruce Brown, Torrey Craig, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could emerge as differentiators.

It's hard to fade Jokic in really any capacity this evening. After all, the two-time MVP averaged more than 30 points and a triple-double in two games against Phoenix this season.

— Jim McCormick

Phoenix