Our free NBA picks are out for Tuesday, May 10th, 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!
Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat – 7.30pm ET
It’s the pivotal Game 5 of this series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat, and it is all locked up at 2-2. The series has moved back to Miami, and so far in this series the home team has taken the victory. Will there be more of the same again in Game 5?
Jeffery Thomas
The Philadelphia 76ers have found a way to even up this second-round series at 2-2 with the Miami Heat after looking completely lost in Games 1 and 2. Joel Embiid was then inserted back into the lineup, Philly returned home, and most importantly James Harden finally played like the former-MVP that he is. In Game 4, he went scoreless in the first quarter and picked up two quick fouls but finished strong with 16 points in the fourth quarter in his 32 point explosion. He also added 9 assists and seven rebounds in the must-win game and now has given a renewed sense of hope to the Sixers fans.
Prior to Game 4, he hadn’t topped 22 points in any of the previous nine playoff games so hopefully it was more of him figuring something out and not just an outlier. Miami has lost a bit of their momentum after those two road losses, but they are exactly where they want to be in this series all things considered. With possibly three games left, two of them would be in Miami where they are 5-0 this postseason with an average win margin of 13.4. There’s something about them being at home that brings the best out of them and while I don’t see this one being a blowout, I do see the home team getting the win and taking their lead to 3-2.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (-156)
Noah Dunlap
Both of the series on the Tuesday night slate have suddenly become legitimate contests once again, after looking early on like they were going to be easy wins for both of the higher seeded teams. Opening up play on Tuesday we get the Philadelphia 76ers traveling back down to Miami for Game 5 of this series, after taking both of the contests at home, nodding things up at 2. They looked like a totally different team at home than they did on the road, but part of that could be due to the fact that Joel Embiid returned in Game 3 at home. He’s played a huge role, while James Harden and Tyrese Maxey have also played extremely well in the last two, which is why things are suddenly tied up again.
On Miami’s end, I think there does have to be a bit of concern. They struggled while in Philly, and there is some concern that Tyler Herro may miss this one with an ankle injury. Even coming off the bench, Herro is one of the most important guys on this roster, and without him in the lineup, I’m not sure that Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo can get things done themselves. Being back in Miami, assuming Herro is able to go, I’m going to lean Heat by a nose here, but I think it ends up being extremely tight.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (-156)
Tony Battalio
The Philadelphia 76ers are searching for a huge win to take a lead in the series in this one after they got a huge win in Game 3 and 4 at home in Philadelphia. As long as Joel Embiid and James Harden can stay healthy, they have a series shot to knock out the Miami Heat in this one. Philadelphia will be looking to win their third straight game in this one as they will look to take a 3-2 lead back to Philadelphia for Game 6.
The Miami Heat have their backs against the wall at the moment. They have lost two straight games on the road in Philadelphia and will need to bounce back in this one. They are still one of the top favorites in my opinion. As long as Jimmy Butler can stay healthy and the rest of the core is able to remain healthy as well they are still a top favorite in the Eastern Conference. As for the result of this game, I am taking the Miami Heat to get the win.
Tony’s NBA Pick: Miami Heat (-156)
Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns – 10pm ET
Much like the first game today in the NBA, this series between the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns is tied at 2-2. Again like the other game today, in this series it has been the home team that has been able to get the victory. So now the game is being played in Phoenix, the Suns will be going into this clash with a bit more confidence.
Jeffery Thomas
The Phoenix Suns had a prime opportunity to take a stranglehold on the series or even end it when they traveled out to Dallas with a 2-0 lead but squandered both games and now return home tied at 2-2. The formula for this series has been pretty simple so far: Chris Paul plays good = Suns win, Chris Paul plays bad = Suns lose. Game 4 may have been his worst playoff game in a long time as he fouled out with just 5 points and was not able to help his team try and rally in the fourth quarter.
There was also an incident between his mother and some Maverick fans in the stands, so everything combined will most likely have him coming out playing angry in Game 5. I think he will have a monster game and it’s impossible for Dallas to shoot the 3 ball as well as they did in Game 4. They made 20 three-pointers and still only won by 10 so a downtick to normal averages in Game 5 will surely have them losing. The Suns have just one loss at home in these playoffs and I see it staying that way.
Jeffery’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns (-255)
Noah Dunlap
The second leg of our doubleheader Tuesday night gives us another series that looked like it was going to end early, before the lower-seeded Dallas Mavericks managed to win both while at home in Games 3 and 4. They’re clearly going to lean heavily on Luka Doncic to lead the way, but they’ve also seemed to have found someone who can help in Dorian Finney-Smith, who proved to ultimately be the difference maker in Game 4. For the Mavs to manage to continue the run, and get a win in Phoenix, they’re going to have to have Luka, Finney-Smith, and Jalen Brunson to play well, because the Suns have shown all year that they’re a different team at home then they are on the road.
For those Phoenix Suns, it’s simple. It starts and finishes with Chris Paul, and put bluntly, CP3 has looked way off for the last two games. They obviously have to get good production from Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton, to name a few, but even if those guys play well, without a good CP3, I just don’t think it matters. Paul is the real veteran and leader, and I don’t think he plays another poor game, especially not at home. Dallas manages to keep it close, behind another tremendous game from Luka, but in the end, CP3, Book, and company manage to sneak away with a win at home in the desert. Take the Suns, but expect it to be close.
Noah’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns (-255)
Tony Battalio
The Dallas Mavericks are coming into this game after a couple of huge wins in a row as the series now sits at two games a piece heading back to Phoenix for Game 5. Dallas is giving the best team in the National Basketball Association a run for their money in this second round series. As long as they can remain healthy they are a serious contender to win Western Conference and the NBA championship this season.
The Phoenix Suns are still the best team in the National Basketball Association in my opinion. They are also still the favorites to win the NBA Championship as well. They will need to keep counting on Devin Booker and Chris Paul to stay healthy and play well for them to find their way back to the Western Conference Finals. As for the result of this game, I am going with the Phoenix Suns to get the win at home.
Tony’s NBA Pick: Phoenix Suns (-255)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
