The 2025 NBA playoffs continue Thursday with a pair of Game 6’s. Two teams are vying for a spot in the next round, and two are trying to stave off elimination and force a decisive Game 7.
The night tips off with the New York Knicks trying to finish off the Detroit Pistons, who are small favorites Thursday at home. Detroit was able to extend the series after pulling out a tight victory Tuesday in Game 5.
Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets have won two straight against the LA Clippers to nab a 3-2 series lead, but they are 6.5-point underdogs on the road Thursday.
The winner of the Knicks-Pistons series will face the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, while the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder await the winner of the Nuggets-Clippers series in the Western Conference.
With the excitement ramping up, here are some of the bets that stand out for Thursday’s pair of games.
Odds are as of publication time. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET
Bets that stand out for Thursday
Jalen Brunson over 35.5 points + assists (-125)
Brunson will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing Game 5, especially with the Knicks trying to avoid a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. He has cleared this line in four of five games this series and is expected to play heavy minutes again Thursday. That’s good news, as Brunson has hit this mark in 10 of 12 games this season when he has played 40 or more minutes. Expect him to be aggressive from the start. — Eric Moody
Jalen Duren over 12.5 rebounds
Duren has been dominant on the boards all season, but he has taken it up another notch of late with an average of 13 RPG over the last four games in the playoffs. He has faced the Knicks six times in April and has at least 13 boards in four of the six games. Duren’s athleticism tends to be too much for Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks to counter, as long as Duren is able to stay out of foul trouble. — Andre’ Snellings
Cade Cunningham under 27.5 points (-125)
Cunningham has been phenomenal all season, and it was surprising to me that he wasn’t recognized as the league’s Most Improved Player. Still, this line feels high. Cunningham has gone under 27.5 points in four of five games this series. The Knicks have defended him well, forcing him into more of a facilitator role, as shown by his 18.4 potential assists per game. With a low game total and the Pistons capable of winning without a scoring explosion from him, the under looks appealing. — Moody
Nuggets +6.5 (-104) at Clippers
It’s the playoffs, and “Playoffs Jamal” has entered the building. Jamal Murray is averaging 24.6 PPG in the series, but his 43-point explosion in Game 5 announced he has reached his postseason level. Fun fact: the last eight times Murray has scored at least 35 points in a playoff game, the Nuggets are 7-1 in the following game. That illustrates that when “Playoffs Jamal” is in full flight, while playing next to always MVP-level Nikola Jokic, it translates to the Nuggets achieving and maintaining championship levels. This is a must-win game for the Clippers, but I expect the Nuggets to play well enough to at least keep it close, and they have a good chance to triumph if their two best players come to play. — Snellings
Projections and injury reports
Basketball Power Index by ESPN Analytics. Injury aggregation by Rotowire.com. Odds by ESPN BET
All times ET.
7:30 p.m. on TNT
Line: Knicks +1.5 (-107) | Pistons -1.5 (-107)
Money line: Knicks +105 | Pistons -125
Total: 213.5 (-110 O, -104 U)
BPI Projection: Knicks by 1.3, straight up 54%, 219.9 total points.
Injury Report:
Knicks: None reported
Pistons: Isaiah Stewart, (GTD – Knee); Jaden Ivey, (OUT – Lower Leg)
Knicks projections:
Jalen Brunson, PG: 41.3 FPTS (25.0 pts, 2.8 reb, 6.0 ast, 2.1 3PM)
Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C: 36.6 FPTS (19.3 pts, 9.7 reb, 3.1 ast)
Josh Hart, SG/SF: 35.1 FPTS (12.0 pts, 8.0 reb, 6.0 ast)
Mikal Bridges, SG/SF: 30.9 FPTS (16.7 pts, 2.9 reb, 4.1 ast, 2.0 3PM)
OG Anunoby, SF/PF: 30.8 FPTS (15.8 pts, 4.0 reb, 3.0 ast, 2.2 3PM)
Miles McBride, PG: 20.0 FPTS (8.8 pts, 2.1 reb, 2.8 ast)
Delon Wright, PG/SG: 16.6 FPTS (6.7 pts, 2.3 reb, 2.4 ast)
Pistons projections:
Cade Cunningham, PG/SG: 40.9 FPTS (23.6 pts, 4.9 reb, 6.7 ast, 1.9 3PM)
Tobias Harris, SF/PF: 24.6 FPTS (11.3 pts, 5.3 reb, 2.8 ast)
Dennis Schroder, PG: 24.4 FPTS (11.8 pts, 2.4 reb, 4.6 ast)
Ausar Thompson, SF/PF: 23.7 FPTS (10.5 pts, 6.0 reb, 2.5 ast)
Jalen Duren, C: 22.6 FPTS (10.4 pts, 7.8 reb, 2.5 ast)
Malik Beasley, SG: 21.7 FPTS (11.8 pts, 2.3 reb, 1.7 ast, 3.1 3PM)
Isaiah Stewart, PF/C: 16.0 FPTS (6.4 pts, 6.0 reb, 2.1 ast, 1.7 blk)
10 p.m. on TNT
Line: Nuggets +6.5 (-104) | Clippers -6.5 (-110)
Money line: Nuggets +225 | Clippers -275
Total: 212.5 (-107 O, -107 U)
BPI Projection: Clippers by 1.4, straight up 55%, 221.5 total points.
Injury Report:
Nuggets: DaRon Holmes II, (OFS – Achilles)
Clippers: Seth Lundy, (OFS – Ankle)
Nuggets projections:
Nikola Jokic, C: 51.2 FPTS (25.7 pts, 9.2 reb, 7.6 ast, 1.8 3PM)
Jamal Murray, PG: 37.1 FPTS (20.1 pts, 3.0 reb, 5.6 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Michael Porter Jr., SF/PF: 26.4 FPTS (14.3 pts, 5.2 reb, 2.4 ast, 2.2 3PM)
Christian Braun, SG/SF: 25.4 FPTS (12.7 pts, 4.2 reb, 2.8 ast)
Russell Westbrook, PG: 24.5 FPTS (11.3 pts, 3.4 reb, 4.4 ast)
Aaron Gordon, PF: 23.7 FPTS (13.2 pts, 4.1 reb, 3.0 ast)
Jalen Pickett, PG/SG: 15.2 FPTS (5.2 pts, 2.4 reb, 3.1 ast)
Clippers projections:
James Harden, PG/SG: 38.7 FPTS (19.4 pts, 5.3 reb, 7.1 ast, 2.8 3PM)
Kawhi Leonard, SF/PF: 37.9 FPTS (22.1 pts, 5.3 reb, 3.0 ast, 2.4 3PM)
Ivica Zubac, C: 28.9 FPTS (13.3 pts, 10.3 reb, 3.1 ast)
Norman Powell, SG/SF: 28.5 FPTS (17.4 pts, 2.7 reb, 2.5 ast, 2.8 3PM)
Bogdan Bogdanovic, SG/SF: 23.4 FPTS (11.8 pts, 2.7 reb, 3.0 ast, 2.0 3PM)
Kris Dunn, PG: 19.5 FPTS (6.7 pts, 3.1 reb, 2.8 ast)
Derrick Jones Jr., SF: 17.4 FPTS (8.8 pts, 3.4 reb, 1.0 ast)
Source: espn.com