NBA playoffs betting: How to bet the conference finals - ESPN

The NBA's Conference Finals are set, with the Oklahoma City Thunder taking on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference and the New York Knicks facing the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference.

After a semifinals that saw the likes of Boston, Cleveland, Golden State and Denver go down, what can be expected in these two series? And what are the bets to make?

NBA betting experts Andre Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Steve Alexander provide the bets they like most for each series.

Odds are updated as of publication. For latest odds go to ESPN BET

Timberwolves +1.5 games (+140). I go into this series feeling that it is at least a toss-up that could go either way, and at most a clear Timberwolves advantage. So I love being able to get the Timberwolves plus 1.5 games for plus money. The Timberwolves had a slow start to the season, seeming to need time to adjust to the blockbuster trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. But adjust they did, and they caught fire down the stretch. Since March 1, including the playoffs, the Timberwolves are 25-6, neck-and-neck with the Thunder (28-6) for the best in the league. The two teams have split the season series 2-2 in each of the last two seasons, further emphasizing how evenly matched they are. For the Timberwolves to be getting both games and plus money makes this a strong value play. — Snellings

Series Total games under 5.5 (+115). Many were surprised when the Mavericks blew right through the Timberwolves last season for a berth in the NBA Finals. Minnesota won one game. OK, so the Thunder didn't exactly roll over the Nuggets, but this is a different matchup. The Thunder can score and