Sports
NBA playoff predictions, picks for Lakers vs. Thunder, Cavaliers vs. Pistons
The second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs got underway Monday when the New York Knicks demolished the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves stunned the San Antonio Spurs with a narrow road victory. The other two series, featuring the No. 1 seeds in each conference, will begin on Tuesday.
First, the Detroit Pistons will host the Cleveland Cavaliers, and later the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Los Angeles Lakers. Ahead of Tuesday night’s action, let’s take a closer look at each game and make some predictions.
NBA games today: May 5 playoff schedule
Odds via FanDuel, all times ET
- Game 1: Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons (-3.5), 7 p.m. — Peacock
- Game 1: Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-15.5), 8:30 p.m. — Peacock
Pistons vs. Cavaliers Game 1 prediction
Neither the Pistons nor the Cavaliers were particularly impressive in the first round. Detroit had to pull off a 3-1 comeback to escape the Orlando Magic, while Cleveland nearly blew a 2-0 series lead to the Toronto Raptors and also needed to win Game 7 at home.
As they prepare to meet in the second round, it’s interesting that the Pistons will face a completely different challenge (Cleveland’s offense is significantly better than Orlando’s, but the Magic were better defensively and far more physical), while the Cavaliers will face a similar challenge (an extremely tough, athletic and defensive-minded team that can struggle to score).
The Cavaliers are a better and more talented team than the Magic, but in some ways this may be an “easier” series for the Pistons — at least from a physicality standpoint. The Pistons won’t want to drop Game 1 at home as they did in the Orlando series, and the Cavs didn’t win a road game in the first round. Pick: Pistons -3.5
Thunder vs. Lakers Game 1 prediction
As expected, the Thunder cruised past the Phoenix Suns in the first round, completing their third consecutive first-round sweep with an average margin of victory of 17.3 points. The Lakers, meanwhile, jumped out to a surprise 3-0 lead on the Houston Rockets and eventually closed out the series in six games to advance to the second round for the first time since 2023.
Unfortunately, this series, like so many others in the playoffs over the last few years, will be marred by injury. Jalen Williams will not play in Game 1 due to a hamstring strain, and does not have an official timeline. And while the Lakers got Austin Reaves back from an oblique injury late in the first round, they remain without Luka Dončić due to his own hamstring strain. As of Sunday, Dončić had not even resumed running, per ESPN, and it’s still unclear when, or if, he’ll be able to play this postseason.
Everyone would pick the Thunder in this series and in this game. They’re the better team and have a far greater ability to withstand Williams’ absence than the Lakers do to withstand Dončić’s absence. But can OKC cover a massive 15.5-point spread? That is an absurd line for a playoff game, and they only did so once in the first round against the Suns. Pick: Lakers +15.5
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