Our free NBA picks are out for Thursday, May 12th, 2022! Make sure you check our expert NBA picks before the action kicks off.
Look below to find our free NBA picks for the two Conference Semifinal games on today’s schedule!
Miami Heat @ Philadelphia 76ers – 7pm ET
The series between the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers can be decided tonight in Game 6. The Heat have a 3-2 lead after absolutely smashing the 76ers in Game 5, 120-85. The 76ers will be hoping the home crowd can lift them to another level so they can stay in the hunt for a Conference Final spot.
Jeffery Thomas
The top seeded Miami Heat can punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals with a win in Philadelphia on Thursday. The Heat took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 120-85 blowout win in Game 5, thanks to contributions from most of their entire rotation. Miami’s entire starting five had double figures in points and made 13 threes as a team. The Sixers couldn’t get anything going offensively and had Joel Embiid appear to reaggregate his facial injury. Now the real test is for them to finish out the series and get that first win in Philadelphia.
The Sixers won both home games in the series so far by an average of 14 points. I do expect Philly to once again play a lot better at home, but given the defensive adjustments I saw from Miami in Game 5, I think they’ve finally figured out a way to find success against Embiid and James Harden. The depth advantage clearly goes to Miami and I just don’t think the Sixers have enough to force a Game 7 here against a team as loaded as Miami is. Give me the Heat to close out the series in style.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (+116)
Noah Dunlap
Game 6 of this second round series is upon us, and it features a Philadelphia 76ers team that has to get the win at home in order to keep their season alive. This series so far has featured the home team winning every game, but I think that changes in this one, as I think the Miami Heat finally break through and get the win on the road. They’ve been dominant at home, and while they’ve struggled on the road, I actually like Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro to be able to close this one out in Philly.
Part of the reason for that is the fact that Joel Embiid hasn’t looked quite like himself since returning from the orbital fracture/concussion, which has caused some problems so far, and I just don’t think there’s a way to fully trust James Harden in elimination games in the postseason. There’s always the potential for him to show up in a major way, but we have an entire career’s worth of performances that suggest he struggles in these games, and with the balance that Miami brings to the table, I think they can exploit that just a bit. I think it’s close, but give me Miami to close this one out on the road, behind another big night from Jimmy Butler.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (+116)
Tony Battalio
After a solid two game winning streak at home in Philadelphia, the 76ers came back down to reality as they lost in Game 5. Now they are facing elimination here in Game 6 back at home in the city of brotherly love. They will have to win in this one to keep their season alive as they will be at full strength with Joel Embiid and James Harden against the number one team in the Eastern Conference.
The Miami Heat are still the favorites in the Eastern Conference in my opinion. They are one game away from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals. Jimmy Butler has led the way for the Heat all season long and it will likely be more of the same in this one. As for the result of this game, I am going with the Philadelphia 76ers to pick up the win at home and force a Game 7.
Tony’s NBA Pick: Philadelphia 76ers (-136)
Phoenix Suns @ Dallas Mavericks – 9.30pm ET
The Phoenix Suns will be looking to wrap up their series with the Dallas Mavericks tonight, as they currently hold a 3-2 lead. The Suns proved too good in Game 5, winning 110-80, and the Mavericks will hope that being back in Dallas will provide a different result.
Jeffery Thomas
The Phoenix Suns let the Dallas Mavericks back in the series with two bad performances on the road in Games 3 and 4 but all of that changed back at home in Game 5. The Suns were done messing around and came away with a 30-point victory to take the series to 3-2 in their favor. Now they have a chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second straight season.
Phoenix looked a lot like the team that won an NBA-best 64 games in the regular season and they now own a 6-2 record against the Mavs this season. With their foot right in the door of the Conference Finals I don’t think they’ll mess around and take their chances with a Game 7 so I think the Suns will take care of business once again in Game 6 and wrap this series up.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns (-130)
Noah Dunlap
We also get a Game 6 in this Western Conference series, as Phoenix heads over to Dallas to try to close out the Mavs. The Suns got the win in Game 5, behind a monstrous performance from Devin Booker, and I think they’re going to be in a situation where they’re going to need a similar performance, as well as better nights from Chris Paul and DeAndre Ayton to get the win in Dallas. It’s certainly possible, and while they haven’t been able to get over that hurdle so far in this series, in a potential close out game, and the fact that he hasn’t had a good series so far, I actually think CP3 comes out and has a great game using his veteran leadership to his advantage.
For Dallas, everything begins and ends with Luka Doncic. You know he’s going to at least have a good game, as he always does, but with their backs against the wall, Luka is going to have to step up and just decide to be the guy. Now that isn’t to say that he can do it all himself, as he is going to have to have help from guys like Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith, regardless of how he plays, and I think that’s where the problem comes in. Experience plays a huge part late in postseason series, and Phoenix has that experience, while Dallas doesn’t. With all of that being said, give me the Suns on the road, in a tight one.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns (-130)
Tony Battalio
The Dallas Mavericks are on the brink of elimination in this one. As they are facing a must win situation in Game 6 of this series at home. They will need another huge performance from Luka Doncic in this one if they want to force a Game 7. They had been playing better than most would’ve expected them too, but this game six may be the end of it all if they don’t show up. While Luka is a top player in the league, he is certainly going to need a sidekick in the future if he wants to take the Mavericks farther than the first or second rounds in most years.
The Phoenix Suns are still the favorites to win the NBA championship in my opinion. As long as Chris Paul, DeAndre Ayton and Devin Booker remain healthy I don’t think anyone can beat them in a seven game series. They are on the brink of returning to the Western Conference Finals with another win on the road in Dallas. However, I don’t see it happening as I think the Dallas Mavericks will force a Game 7.
Tony’s NBA Pick: Dallas Mavericks (+110)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
