NBA Playoffs Expert Picks Tonight: In Kyrie We Trust

With all three of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets advancing to the second round, just two NBA playoff games bless our screens tonight. Can the Boston Celtics pull away from the "Zombie Heat?" Will the Dallas Mavericks overcome the shorthanded Los Angeles Clippers?

Let's take a look at spread, moneyline and total plays to help you beat the books:

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Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics

Matchup Page: Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics, 7:30 pm ET

Pick: Caleb Martin UNDER 14.5 Points & Assists (-120)

Sportsbooks love the Boston Celtics to move onto the second round on Wednesday night, even without the services of the injured Kristaps Porzingis. I can't job on either team against the spread with such a massive 13.5-point line.

Instead let's bet on some negative shooting regression for Caleb Martin. One of the unheralded stars of last year's NBA playoffs, Martin lit up the Celtics for 18 points and hit three 3-pointers the other night. However, he's flipped between stellar performances and looking invisible the next game all series.

Martin shot 0-for-4 from deep in Game 1, before scoring 21 points in Miami's Game 2 victory. He scored just five points in Game 3, and followed that up by shooting the lights out in Game 4. He's also totalled only six assists in four games.

Everybody and their mother is going to be on all of Martin's OVERS in Game 5. I love the contrarian UNDER 14.5 Points and Assists play at -120.

Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers

Matchup Page: Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers, 10:00pm ET

Pick: Dallas Mavericks ML -152

This spectacular first round series shifts back to Los Angeles with the Clippers looking like the stronger team. Somehow, Ty Lue's squad played better without the services of Kawhi Leonard.

The much-maligned trade for James Harden has been justified by his postseason play, while Paul George had multiple moments of magic in Game 4, including a game-sealing three.

How healthy is Luka Doncic? He looked shaky much of Sunday night, with his left knee appearing to give him problems. That being said, I like Jason Kidd to throw the next haymaker in this spectacular battle of early 2000s NBA players turned coaches.

Former teammates James Harden and Kyrie Irving going for each other's jugulars is peak cinema. Expect Kyrie to go ballistic again after he dropped 40 points on Sunday. Dallas' role players have been much more consistent on both ends of the court than the Clippers. Give me the Mavs to win at -152.

Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics

Matchup Page: Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics, 7:30 pm ET

Pick: Celtics -14.5

With each passing day, Miami’s shocking victory in Game 2 of this series looks more and more like a complete outlier that should be dismissed out of hand. Boston has won the other three games by 20, 20 and 14 points, covering the spread in each instance, with those latter two victories coming on the road. Without Jimmy Butler, Miami just doesn’t possess enough offensive oomph to keep up with Boston, even with Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis battling a calf injury.

Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers

Matchup Page: Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers, 10:00pm ET

Pick: Clippers +2.5

L.A.’s James Harden is looking like his old playoff self, averaging 26 points per game in this series--and striking for 33 on Sunday in a must-win in Dallas. The Clippers need to realize they’re better without the injured Kawhi Leonard out there trying to make a go of it, and taking shots and minutes from healthier players in the process. The Game 4 rout in Big D shows how efficient this current Clips lineup can be, and now they return to Los Angeles where they won Game 1 with Leonard on the bench.