Top NBA DFS Picks, Projections, Advice for NBA Playoffs – 5/5/25

A pair of Game 1 matchups tip off the second round of the NBA Playoffs on Monday night. We’ll give you the top NBA player picks for NBA DFS on PrizePicks in Monday night’s Playoff games, including Kristaps Porzingis and Chet Holmgren.

The Celtics continue their title defense against the Knicks at 7 p.m. ET on TNT. Meanwhile, the Thunder welcome in the Nuggets for a showdown in the Western Conference at 9:30 p.m. ET on TNT. 

Think you know ball? PrizePicks is the easiest way to cash in on the NBA Playoffs. Just pick More or Less on player stats across the NBA — from points to rebounds to 3-pointers — and lock in your Lineup.

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Let’s break down some of the best NBA picks to target for the Monday NBA DFS slate on PrizePicks.

NBA DFS Picks Today for PrizePicks: May 5

Here are four of the top NBA DFS picks for Monday, May 5, on PrizePicks. Click each pick to read more.

• Knicks SG Josh Hart — 20 Pts+Rebs
• Celtics C Kristaps Porzingis — 17.5 Points
• Nuggets SG Christian Braun — 15.5 Pts+Asts
• Thunder PF Chet Holmgren — 25.5 Pts+Rebs

Knicks SG Josh Hart — 20 Pts+Rebs

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• Knicks SG Josh Hart averaged 11.8 points per game and pulled down 8.7 rebounds per contest in the first round series victory over Detroit.
• In the final three games against the Pistons, Hart eclipsed tonight’s projection on points and rebounds. In the Game 6 clinching victory, Hart scored 13 points and grabbed 10 boards.
• In four matchups with the Celtics this season, Hart averaged 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. 
• Hart’s best performance against Boston came on Feb. 23 as he scored 20 points and compiled 11 rebounds.
• Hart hit 7-of-14 attempts from 3-point range in the first round. Boston led all playoff teams in the opening round in 3-point defense, holding Orlando to 26.3% shooting.

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Celtics C Kristaps Porzingis — 17.5 Points

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• Celtics C Kristaps Porzingis averaged 12.0 points per game against the Magic in the first round. During the regular season, Porzingis posted 19.5 points per contest.
• Porzingis had plenty of ups and downs in the opening round. He scored nine points or fewer in three games, while posting 19 and 20 points in two other contests.
• In the most recent meeting against New York, Porzingis torched his former team for 34 points and eight 3-pointers on April 8. 
• Porzingis struggled from long distance against the Magic by converting 2-of-17 attempts from 3-point range.
• In 13 of the past 17 games, Porzingis has hit two 3-pointers or less. The Knicks ranked 26th in the regular season in 3-point defense, allowing 36.7% shooting.

Nuggets SG Christian Braun — 15.5 Pts+Asts

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• Nuggets SG Christian Braun stepped up late in the first round series victory over the Clippers. Braun put up 21 points in Game 7, marking his fourth consecutive contest scoring in double-figures.
• After Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Braun averaged the third-most minutes among all Nuggets in the first round at 39.4 minutes a contest.
• Braun averaged 15.4 points per game in the regular season, while posting 15.7 points per contest in the final four games against the Clippers.
• Braun produced some of his best games this season against Oklahoma City. The former Kansas standout averaged 18.2 points per game, including a 24-point effort in a two-point win over the Thunder in early November.
• The assists won’t be a major factor for Braun, who averaged 2.6 assists a game during the regular season.
• In the first round, Braun dished out 13 assists in the final four games after producing four assists in the first three contests.

Thunder PF Chet Holmgren — 25.5 Pts+Rebs

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• Thunder PF Chet Holmgren averaged 18.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in the opening round sweep of the Grizzlies.
• In the first three games against Memphis, Holmgren scored 21 points per game prior to an 11-point output in the series clinching Game 4.
• Holmgren pulled down only two rebounds in Game 4 against the Grizzlies, his second-lowest rebounding total of the season. 
• Holmgren finished with less than 25 points and rebounds in three of four matchups against Denver this year.
• In four matchups with the Nuggets, Holmgren averaged 15.5 points and 9.0 rebounds a game. 
• In the first meeting, the former Gonzaga star scored 25 points, but posted a total of 37 points in the final three games.

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Popular NBA Picks Tonight on PrizePicks

Here are the most popular NBA picks for Monday’s NBA Playoffs games on PrizePicks.

• Celtics SF Jayson Tatum — 27.5 Points
• Nuggets PG Russell Westbrook — 11 Points
• Knicks PG Jalen Brunson —  27.5 Points
• Knicks SF Mikal Bridges  — 14.5 Points
• Celtics PF Kristaps Porzingis — 6 3-PT Attempted
• Celtics PG Derrick White  — 15 Points
• Knicks PG Jalen Brunson — 7 Two-Pointers Made
• Knicks SG Josh Hart — 25.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts
• Thunder PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander —  32.5 Points

Make Picks on NBA Playoffs on PrizePicks

With teams starting the second round in Monday’s NBA Playoff games, and every game means more as we near the NBA Finals. There’s never been a better time to add to the excitement of every NBA Playoff moment than with PrizePicks.

There are plenty of NBA DFS picks to consider for your PrizePicks Lineups tonight, including stars like Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on tonight’s slate.

Just pick More or Less at least two NBA player stat projections to build your Lineup on PrizePicks. Use the players above to build your Lineups around and win up to 2000x to 6-Pick Lineups!

Check out the Playbook daily for more NBA DFS picks all the way through the NBA Playoffs.