2023 NBA playoffs - Odds, picks, betting tips for Heat-Knicks, Lakers-Warriors - 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 Tuesday are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

In the wake of a vintage James Harden performance, it's fitting that the marquee game on Tuesday features a classic matchup between LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The Los Angeles Lakers enter San Francisco as nearly five-point dogs to the reigning champion Golden State Warriors to open an anticipated series. In Manhattan, meanwhile, the New York Knicks are favored to even their series with the Miami Heat.

The Western game doesn't have any notable injuries to track, while the game in New York includes mystery over Julius Randle's availability due to an ankle injury that saw him miss Game 1. If Randle can't go, forward Obi Toppin started and notably finished third on the team in shots taken and tied for third in rebounds in the opening loss. One interesting note for the late game is that my model rates Draymond Green as the top value play of the slate. After all, he averaged nearly 37 DraftKings points over his past four games in the first round.

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There are also some questions as to how effective Jimmy Butler can be after suffering an ankle injury late in this past Sunday's victory. Fading Butler in DFS play can clearly backfire, although it could make sense to build some lineups with Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo, and Gabe Vincent given what could be increased usage