2026 NBA Playoff Odds: Cavaliers Back to Close Out Detroit

The NBA playoffs resume Friday night with two Game 6s in the conference semifinals. First on the list is a Detroit Pistons team looking to keep their season alive, as they face a road playoff game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Next, the San Antonio Spurs will look to knock off the Minnesota Timberwolves and clinch a trip to the highly anticipated Western Conference Finals against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. There will be a Game 6 in each conference. But will there be a Game 7? Let’s take a look at these matchups from a betting perspective. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you register or place a bet, FOX Sports may be compensated. Learn more about sports betting on FOX Sports. Detroit Pistons @ Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavs remain impeccable at home through six playoff games, winning and covering every game. After trailing by nine points with less than three minutes remaining in Game 5, the Cavs rallied to force overtime, then ultimately won to take a 3-2 series lead. The Pistons’ collapse will haunt them all summer if they don’t win the next two games to advance to this round, as it looked like they were on their way to a comfortable victory for much of Game 5. Finding reliable scoring options outside of star Cade Cunningham proved difficult at times for the Pistons, who had to erase a 24-point deficit in Game 6 to survive the first round against eighth-seeded Orlando Magic. The Cavs have more scoring options than the Pistons and have been exceptional at home in these playoffs. I’m not sure the Pistons will recover from Wednesday night’s devastating loss. PICK: Cavs (-4) to win by more than 4 points James Harden I know, James Harden’s playoff struggles are well documented during his long playoff career. However, in this series, he has slowly made progress toward improving his “big game” resume. He made a number of game-winning shots to help the Cavs go from 0-2 to now 3-2 and on the verge of advancing to the NBA’s version of the Final Four. Cavs star Donovan Mitchell rolled his ankle in the first half of Game 5 and had a fairly uneventful night the rest of the way, scoring 21 points in 42 minutes. So maybe Harden will be forced to do more. Harden scored 30 points in Game 5 of this series and 24 in Game 4. I’ll bet on Harden to continue producing, although I understand why some are hesitant to trust him in a game of this magnitude. PICK: James Harden Over 19.5 points San Antonio Spurs @ Minnesota Timberwolves I like the under 218.5 in this one. On one hand, we have a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is facing elimination and will likely bring maximum defensive effort with its season on the line. But we also have a young San Antonio Spurs team that might experience some nerves trying to win a huge final game on the road. Games 6 and 7 of the NBA playoffs often see fewer points compared to the rest of the series, as teams become more and more familiar with how to defend. Additionally, the high stakes and intensity of matches this late in a series can lead to more defensive battles. PICK: Fewer than 218.5 points scored by both teams combined