The 2024-25 NBA playoffs are kicking off on Tuesday with the play-in tournament, and the first round is set to begin on Saturday. Teams will battle it out in best-of-seven series to advance to the conference semifinals.

Before the playoff action gets underway, what are the smartest bets to place? Which teams are being underestimated and could offer great value?

NBA betting experts Andre Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick, and Steve Alexander share their top bets and teams to watch.

Top Single Bet Before Playoffs Start

Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA Championship (+170): I predicted the Thunder to win it all before the season, and my opinion hasn`t changed. They`re a young, talented, and healthy team with incredible depth. They`ve been building towards this moment for five years, and now is their time. OKC`s second unit is as strong as many teams` starting lineups. — Alexander

Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA Championship (+1400): When the Lakers are focused, especially LeBron James and Luka Doncic, they are a formidable opponent. Despite having the fourth-best championship odds, the playoff experience of these stars makes the Lakers a solid bet. — Moody

Donovan Mitchell to win Eastern Conference Finals MVP (+275): I believe the Cavaliers are at least tied with the Celtics as favorites to win the conference, possibly even outright favorites given Jaylen Brown`s knee injury and Kristaps Porzingis`s recent inconsistent playing time. If the Cavs win the Eastern Conference Finals, it will be thanks to Mitchell`s leadership, particularly against the Celtics. In his last 10 games against Boston, Mitchell has averaged impressive stats. — Snellings

California to be the NBA Championship Winning State (+1000): This is an interesting and fun bet. I`m impressed with how strong the California teams finished the season. The Clippers look great with a healthy Kawhi Leonard, and James Harden is playing at a high level. The Warriors, despite the play-in, are dangerous again. The Lakers have significantly improved their offense. With the Lakers at +1400 and the Warriors having strong conference title odds, this bet offers multiple paths to a win. — McCormick

Boston Celtics to win the NBA championship (+180): Even though the Cavaliers had a better regular season, the Celtics have consistently been favored for the playoffs for good reason. They have a proven track record, and until they are defeated, betting on the Celtics, even at these odds, is a smart move. — Karabell

Favorite Long-Shot Bets

Los Angeles Lakers to win the NBA championship (+1400): This bet is very appealing. Any team with LeBron and Luka should not be underestimated. While Anthony Davis`s defense is a loss, they have two elite playmakers. Austin Reaves has improved his game, and players like Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and Dorian Finney-Smith provide inside presence. The Lakers may lack depth on paper, but Doncic and LeBron have the star power to make a deep run. — Alexander

Cleveland Cavaliers to win the NBA championship (+600): My long-shot championship picks are mostly in the West, making it hard to choose just one. However, the Cavaliers are one of the few Eastern teams with a real chance, and the only one that qualifies as a long shot. They are a 64-win team with a strong scoring margin, typical of championship contenders. The Celtics, their main East rival, have injury concerns. At 6-1 odds, the Cavs are a capable long shot. — Snellings

Lakers to make the NBA Finals (+600): I`m not biased towards the Lakers, but I see serious potential in a team with this level of playmaking. Their defense needs to improve significantly, but their offensive firepower can overcome a tough Western Conference field, especially beyond the young Thunder. — McCormick

Denver Nuggets to win the NBA championship (+3000): Ultimately, the Nuggets have Nikola Jokic, who consistently delivers triple-doubles. It might not matter who is coaching. This is an experienced team, and the recent coaching change might even motivate the players. Don`t be surprised if Jokic leads them to the title. — Karabell

Best Bet Among Top Championship Favorites (OKC, Boston, Cleveland)

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Eastern Conference path to the Finals is less challenging, and Cleveland finished the regular season strong offensively and defensively. Donovan Mitchell is expected to be healthy for the playoffs. The Cavaliers have good depth, shoot well, and have All-Star guards and strong defensive big men. — Moody

Cavaliers: Mainly because of the better odds. I still expect a Thunder-Celtics Finals, but it`s hard to get big returns betting on favorites. Of the top three, the Cavaliers are the best bet. — Karabell

Oklahoma City Thunder: We haven`t seen this level of offensive and defensive balance since the San Antonio Spurs` peak. While the Warriors had great defenses, they relied on a unique player. The Thunder`s defense is based on collective length, athleticism, youth, and toughness. Teams with the Thunder`s dominance level often finish strong. The Celtics and Cavaliers are great, but the Thunder are poised to set a new standard. — McCormick

Undervalued Playoff Team

New York Knicks: The Knicks are overlooked in the East behind the Cavaliers and Celtics, which is understandable given their record against those teams. But with Jalen Brunson and other talent, they can beat anyone in a playoff series. The Knicks have the third-best East odds at +1000. Recent No. 3 seeds like the 2022 Warriors and 2021 Bucks won the championship. — Moody

LA Clippers: The Clippers have been consistently good all season with many All-Stars. Kawhi Leonard is healthy, Norman Powell has improved, Harden is playing well, Ivica Zubac is underrated, and Kris Dunn is a defensive specialist. Derrick Jones Jr. adds depth. The Clippers could be a surprise if Harden performs in the playoffs. — Alexander

Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks might lose in the first round, or Damian Lillard could return and lead them on a run to upset the East. It would be surprising, but the odds are very attractive. — Karabell

Finals MVP Bet

Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers (+2800): Everyone is focused on the Thunder, Celtics, and Cavaliers and their stars for Finals MVP. But these odds for Doncic, who led the Mavericks to the Finals before, are too good to ignore. If the Lakers win, Doncic will be key. He has impressive playoff career averages. — Moody

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder (+175): While Jokic had an amazing season, Gilgeous-Alexander should win MVP for leading the Thunder to a league-best record. Finals MVP usually comes from the winning team, and if the Thunder win the title, he`s the most likely MVP. — Alexander

Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics (+1600): Brown won Eastern Finals MVP last season. His odds might be lower due to a knee injury, but most players are playing through something. The Celtics have been there before, and so has Brown. Don`t overthink it. — Karabell

Additional Bets

Houston Rockets to win the championship (+8000): For a long-shot bet, I`d put a small amount on the Rockets to win it all (or the West: +2500). They are young and remind me of the Thunder a couple of seasons ago. Ime Udoka is a great coach, they have talented young players and a veteran leader in Fred VanVleet. They play good defense, can score, are well-coached, and the odds are very tempting. — Alexander

California to be the NBA Championship Winning State (+1000): This bet is interesting because the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, and Kings are all in the playoffs. The Lakers are the strongest contender, but the playoffs are unpredictable. The Warriors and Lakers have championship experience. — Moody