NBA Playoffs Round 1: Free NBA Picks Today for Friday, April 21st, 2023

NBA Playoffs Round 1: Free NBA Picks Today for Friday, April 21st, 2023
Fri 21st April 2023

Our free NBA picks are out for Friday, April 21st, 2023! Make sure you check our NBA picks before the action kicks off.

Look below to find our free NBA picks for the five best games on today’s schedule!

Boston Celtics @ Atlanta Hawks – 7PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Boston Celtics will be looking to win their third consecutive game of the series and put the Atlanta Hawks on the brink of elimination here on Friday night. The first two games in the series haven’t been very close as Atlanta has looked absolutely outmatched by the Boston Celtics so far. The Celtics have looked absolutely unstoppable throughout the first two games of this first round series against the Atlanta Hawks. Jayson Tatum is looking like one of the hottest players in the world at the moment, and his numbers are carrying Boston to these massive blowout victories. 

The Atlanta Hawks return home, hoping to grab a victory to keep their hopes alive in this series here on Friday night during game number three. If Atlanta fails to grab the wind here in game number three, they will be put on the brink of elimination and could face the possibility of them getting swept in four games and ending their season on their own home floor. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray will have to step up their game this one if Atlanta wants to keep their hopes alive and grab a victory over Boston in this series. However, I don’t see that happening as I think the Boston Celtics grab another win here against the Hawks on Friday.

SportsTips’ NBA Pick:

Boston Celtics (-225)

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Cleveland Cavs @ New York Knicks – 8:30PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Cleveland Cavaliers showed up and played a lot better in game number two of the series against the New York Knicks then they did in game number one. Then allow the Cleveland Cavaliers to even up the series at one game a piece before heading to Madison Square Garden for game 3 and game four in New York City. Cleveland will look to come out with that same intensity that they showed in game number two at home and take a two to one series lead over the New York Knicks here on Friday evening.

The New York Knicks will be looking to bounce back from their loss in game number two and they will be hoping that Julius Randle is okay to play after he took a hard fall in game number two as well. The Knicks looked lost at times during game number two and they will have to re-capture that style of play that they showed in game number one if they want to pick up the victory here at home on Friday night. Jalen Brunson will have to leave the way once again, and the Knicks defense will have to find a way to stop Donovan Mitchell throughout the game as well. Throughout the season, the Cavaliers haven’t played well on the road and I think that will cost them in this one as I am taking the Knicks to pick up the victory.

SportsTips’ NBA Pick:

NY Knicks (-125)

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Denver Nuggets @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 9:30PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Denver Nuggets look absolutely unstoppable throughout the first two games in the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now as the series heads to Minnesota for games three and four Denver will be looking to grab a victory here on Friday night to put Minnesota on the brink of elimination. Nikola Jokić’s getting the job done in several different ways as he hasn’t been scoring as much as usual, but his passing in rebounding has helped lead Denver to some much-needed victories at home during the first two games of the series. If they continue to play the way they did throughout the first two games of the series, they will end up sweeping the Minnesota Timberwolves in my opinion.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will be searching for a way to bounce back in the third game of the series on Friday evening to avoid being put on the brink of elimination by the Denver Nuggets. They will get to play in friendly confines in this one after playing in Denver for the first two games of the series and they are hoping that the shift back home will help give them some momentum to grab a victory and keep their season alive. They will have to play the best basketball of the season and Anthony Edwards will have to continue to produce for Minnesota here in game number three on Friday evening. However, regardless of the performance that Edwards puts on, I still think the Denver Nuggets grab the victory in this one.

SportsTips’ NBA Pick:

Denver Nuggets (-135)

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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.

Tony has 2 major passions in life, one of them being sports and the other being gambling on them. In particular the MLB, NCAA and NFL. Following both sports from the age of 10, he is now 23 and loves the games more than ever. He is always in a mood to converse or write about multiple sports and proving picks on who he thinks will cover spreads and provide information for all of our readers.