Four NBA Playoff series go into Game 4 on Sunday, with three series at 2-1 and one at 3-0. The day begins with the New York Knicks – Philadelphia 76ers series which was full of drama. The 76ers are favored by 4.5 points to win Game 4 and tie the series.
Next is a declining Los Angeles Clippers team that hasn’t gotten any stronger with the return of Kawhi Leonard. They’re looking at another road game in a series the Dallas Mavericks could easily push to 3-1.
Next, the Milwaukee Bucks visit the Indiana Pacers in a story of injury woes, with both Bucks potentially out for Game 4 against a determined Pacers lineup. The final game pits Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves against the Phoenix Suns, where the Suns face elimination at home.
We’ve got odds, previews and staff picks for all of Sunday’s NBA playoff action.
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No. 2 New York Knicks vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers
How to watch: 1 p.m. ET on ABC
New York leads the series 2-1
Series odds: Knicks -250, 76ers +190
And on one wild night in Philadelphia, we have ourselves a series. Joel Embiid had a monster night, scoring 50 points on 68 percent shooting – plus four assists and eight rebounds.
If you missed the game, perhaps this will help you imagine how physical things got: 19 of Embiid’s points were free throws (13 of 19 from the field and 19 of 21 from the free throw line franks), and Embiid was called a flagrant foul for shooting at Mitchell Robinson’s legs from the floor. Not to mention the encounter between Embiid’s knee and Isaiah-Hartenstein’s groin. In the words of Zach Harper, who writes Athleticism NBA Bulletin, “They can never have one normal game.”
The first two games, in New York, were close, with Jalen Brunson struggling to find his rhythm and shooting just 29 percent in both games. In Game 3 in Philadelphia, Brunson looked like him, shooting 48 percent and putting up 39 points (13 of 27), 13 assists and two rebounds. But that wasn’t enough to overcome Embiid’s furious play and Philly’s overall shooting rate of 54.7 percent (41 of 75 and 15 of 31 from three). Tyrese Maxey shot 25 points and added seven assists and four rebounds.
It’s hard to see either team losing at home in this series.
Expert Picks for Knicks at Sixers
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When. 4 LA Clippers at no. 5Dallas Mavericks
How to watch: 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Dallas leads the series 2-1
Series odds: Mavs -400, Clippers +310
The irony of this game is that the Clippers looked better without superstar Kawhi Leonard on the court. Leonard was out in the first game due to a knee injury, and the Clippers won 109-97 with top performances from James Harden (28 points, eight assists, two rebounds), Paul George (22 points, three assists, six rebounds) and Ivica. Zubac and his double-double (20 points and 15 rebounds).
In Game 3 on Friday, Leonard looked well below 100 percent, and he is questionable for Game 4. He scored nine points and two assists, although he contributed nine rebounds. Only three Clippers had double figures on the scoreboard Friday, including 21 coming from Norman Powell coming off the bench.
Meanwhile, Dallas has found its footing since winning Game 2. It won Game 3 101-90 and with role players appearing big on the court. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic had 21 and 22 points, respectively, with Doncic adding 10 rebounds and nine assists. But we also saw great performances from PJ Washington and Derek Lively II.
Expert Picks for Clippers at Mavs
No. 3 Milwaukee Bucks vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers
How to watch: 7 p.m. ET on TNT
Indiana leads series 2-1
Series odds: Pacers -600, Bucks +425
Game 3 was a blow to the struggling Bucks. In the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard had two heroic performances in Games 1 and 2: he scored 69 points, 35 points, eight assists and 10 rebounds. But in Game 3, late in the fourth quarter before overtime, Lillard suffered an injury, which hurt his performance in overtime. The Bucks lost 121-118, despite an equally heroic performance from Khris Middleton with 42 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports that Lillard is doubtful for Game 4 after aggravating an Achilles injury.
Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has been dealing with an Achilles tendon strain, is wearing walking boots and there are serious doubts about his availability for Game 4 against the Pacers on Sunday, sources say. @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/jQUJpovsSM
– Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 27, 2024
With potentially the Bucks’ two big stars, the Pacers’ advantage has grown to a 9.5-point spread at BetMGM.
And this Pacers team deserves praise. Pascal Siakam is averaging 30 points and 11 assists per game in this series. Myles Turner averages 22.7 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game. In Game 3, Jalen Smith was the only Pacer not to score and he only spent three minutes on the court. Six Pacers scored in double figures.
If Lillard is out for Game 4, Indiana has what it takes to cover.
Expert Picks for Bucks at Pacers
No. 3 Minnesota Timberwolves at no. 6 Phoenix Suns
How to watch: 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT
Minnesota leads the series 3-0
Series odds: Timberwolves -3000, Suns +1600
Can the Phoenix Suns win a home game and avoid a sweep? The young T-Wolves’ dominance in the playoffs came as a surprise, considering the Suns beat them comfortably in all three regular-season meetings.
Anthony Edwards has had a magnificent playoff performance so far and was the top scorer in Games 1 and 3, dropping 33 and 36, respectively. But even with his shooting night in Game 2 (15 points), the players of the Timberwolves stepped up their action. Six T-Wolves were in double figures, with Jaden McDaniels scoring a game-high 25 points and adding three assists and eight rebounds.
But will Minnesota keep it going for Game 4? If the Suns come out hot, which they are capable of doing, it’s easy to see the Timberwolves losing Game 4 in Phoenix and winning the series at home in Game 5. The matchup odds seem to suggest this outcome as the Timberwolves are only favored by 1.5, even though they have won every game by 12 points or more.
Minnesota crushed the Suns on rebounds (except in Game 2), and the supposed killer trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal hasn’t been nearly as deadly in these playoffs. Will a 3-0 deficit be enough to bring this Suns team back to life?
Expert Picks for Timberwolves at Suns
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(Photo by Joel Embiid and Donte DiVincenzo: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)