Our free NBA picks are out for Friday, May 13th, 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!
Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks – 7.30pm ET
The Milwaukee Bucks pulled it out of the bag in Game 5 against the Boston Celtics, and got the win on the road. Now they will get their first chance to advance to the Conference Finals, while also playing at home. The Celtics will need to put the narrow 107-110 loss from last time out behind them and focus on taking this series to seven games.
Jeffery Thomas
The Milwaukee Bucks are in a position that all teams dream of when they enter a playoff series and that is to have a game on their home floor to end the series. Their 110-107 win in Boston in Game 5 puts them in that position and it’s in large part due to the performance by none other than Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis put up 40 points and just willed the defending champs to the pivotal win on the road with help from Bobby Portis and Jrue Holiday. Now the Bucks will try and do something that they haven’t done all series and that is win consecutive games. Achieving that feat would put them in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season and be a disappointing end to Boston’s season after sweeping out the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.
Home court advantage hasn’t really been a thing in this series as the road teams have won three of the five games so far. Both teams have also alternated wins throughout this entire series and that should give hope to Celtics fans. These guys have a great coaching staff that makes critical adjustments game to game and I just don’t see them going out just yet. This is a team of fighters and each of their last two losses in this series could have gone either way. With Boston’s backs against the wall, I like them to scrape and claw their way to a win and force a Game 7 battle back in Boston.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Boston Celtics (+102)
Noah Dunlap
After collapsing late in Game 5 at home, the Boston Celtics are now in a must-win situation on the road in Milwaukee. They jumped out to a good lead Wednesday night, but eventually slowed down late, which allowed the Bucks to climb back in it and sneak away with the win on the road, giving them a 3-2 series lead. Even on the road for this one, I think this one is far from over, as Boston has the talent to force a Game 7, but the concern I have for the Celtics is the fact that they got a good performance from both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and it still wasn’t enough in the end. They’re going to need a similar performance from both, and a little more, in order to win this one and force that Game 7.
For Milwaukee, the plan has to be the same, which is to say that everything revolves around Giannis. If he has another great game, and can get a good performance from Jrue Holiday, this could easily be the series-clinching game for Milwaukee, but much like Boston, Giannis can’t do it all himself, as he’s going to have to get help. The Boston Celtics aren’t a team that’s going to roll over, and with their backs against the wall, I think you can expect them to respond. In the end, even on the road, I think the C’s pull out the win in a close one, and force a Game 7 back in Boston on Sunday.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Boston Celtics (+102)
Tony Battalio
The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are having a great series in this second round. Milwaukee currently holds a 3-2 lead over the Boston Celtics. Boston has their backs against the wall in this one as this may be their best shot in some time to get their young team over the top and into the Eastern Conference Finals. As long as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown stay healthy, they have a great chance to win this one and force a Game 7.
The Milwaukee Bucks are one game away from returning to the Eastern Conference Finals and getting one step closer to defending their NBA championship. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been playing like the best player in the world throughout the first two rounds of these playoffs. As for the result of this game, I am going with the Boston Celtics to win and force a Game 7.
Tony’s NBA Pick: Boston Celtics (+102)
Memphis Grizzlies @ Golden State Warriors – 10pm ET
The Memphis Grizzlies put up a performance that needed to be seen to be believed in Game 5, to stay alive in the playoffs, as their series with the Golden State Warriors now sits at 3-2, in favor of the Warriors. The Grizzlies ended up winning Game 5 by a score of 134-95, and will need another amazing performance to take this series to Game 7.
Jeffery Thomas
The Memphis Grizzlies went out into Game 5 with nothing to lose as they had everyone picking against them because of their best player Ja Morant being out with a knee injury. That caused Memphis to do what they do best, and that’s to rally together and shock the world. Nobody saw them being the 2 seed in the West but they did that off sheer determination and just playing hard night in and night out. Those habits worked in their favor in the 134-95 win over Golden State in Game 5 and if that was their last home game of the year then they gave their fans a great send off.
This is the game where I think we get back to normal and we see the Warriors of old, especially with them being at home. The last thing they want to do is extend this series even further and have to travel back East for a road Game 7 against this frisky Grizzlies team. Steph Curry, Draymond, Klay and the guys have been through these playoff runs year in and year out, and they know all about closing a team out. I think they’ll get the job done on Friday and get one step closer to the NBA Finals.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Golden State Warriors (-370)
Noah Dunlap
Well, what a show that was from the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 5, as they were able to force a Game 6 in the Bay Area tonight, with a dominant 134-95 win, in a game that could’ve easily been won by more. However, things are about to get a lot harder, as they now need a road win to keep their season alive, and they’ll have to do it without Ja Morant, who looks as if he’s out for the season, even if they do advance. Their performance Wednesday night showed what they have to do, which is to continue playing physical defense, knocking down perimeter shots, but also using the side advantage to crash the boards. Steven Adams and Jaren Jackson are going to be relied on heavily, and we’ll just have to wait and see as to whether they can respond. On the other side, the Golden State Warriors simply have to ignore Game 5, throw away the game film, and move on, as there was virtually nothing positive to take from it.
Clearly perimeter play is heavy in the Warriors favor, with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole, but I think there has to be major concern in the paint. They’ve been without James Wiseman for the whole year, and now it looks as if they may be without Otto Porter Jr as well, who missed the second half of Game 5 due to injury. Andre Igoudala is also out, which leaves them with only Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga down low, and neither guy really has the size to match up with Memphis. Memphis has shown in the past two games that with Tyus Jones running the point, they’re a totally different team, one who can actually run a half-court set, and Golden State has struggled a bit with that. This is a hot take, but Memphis hasn’t rolled over all year long, and I don’t think they start now. They may not have enough to get the win, but I do think they keep it close, and with the line sitting at a reasonably high 8.5, I like their chances of covering. If you’re gutsy, sprinkle a little on the Grizz moneyline, but just to be safe, I’d advise just taking them to cover the spread in this one.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Memphis Grizzlies +8.5 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The Golden State Warriors are one game away from returning to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in a few years. Their ultimate goal is to get back to the NBA Finals and add another ring to their already impressive dynasty. They have been dominant all season long and now they are starting to return to the form that made the 2015-2018 Golden State Warriors so dangerous. They will have to play much better than they did in Game 5 of this series.
The Memphis Grizzlies are still looking to be yet another team to come back from a 1-3 deficit against the Golden State Warriors. However, they will still have to do it without their superstar Ja Morant. Despite the fact that they looked so good without him in Game 5, it will be hard to do for another two games. As for the result of this game, I am going with Golden State to wrap up this series.
Tony’s NBA Pick: Golden State Warriors (-370)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
