Timberwolves-Nuggets NBA Playoffs spread, Cardinals-Giants MLB total: April 25 Best Bets

Each day, one of our experts at bet.NOLA.com will offer up a best bet (or two or three) that mobile sportsbooks in Louisiana are offering. It might be a traditional spread bet, a player prop or one of the various odds boosts that books offer.

A reminder for those who haven’t signed up yet: New users can get a risk-free bet at Caesars Sportsbook, meaning that if your first bet loses, you get a bonus bet for the same amount up to $1,250. New users also get 1,000 Caesars Rewards points to redeem for hotel or casino credit.

Here are our best bets for Tuesday, April 25:

TOP PLAY

The play: NBA Playoffs, Nuggets (-10) over Timberwolves

The odds/bet: -110 ($33 to win $30)

The book: Caesars Sportsbook

Time/TV: 8 p.m. (NBA TV)

Our take: The Denver Nuggets nearly completed a sweep of the Minnesota Timberwolves even on a somewhat off night in Game 4 on the road, so a return home should lead to a bounce back effort.

The Nuggets had dominated every game prior to Game 4, including the first two games in Denver, so we’re expecting a return to that level of dominance tonight for Nikola Jokic and company as they look to put a bow on this series.

The Timberwolves don’t have enough scoring options outside of Anthony Edwards for us to feel confident in them keeping it close, so we’ll roll with the Nuggets even with a double-digit spread.

CARDINALS-GIANTS OVER

The play: MLB, Cardinals at Giants OVER nine runs

The odds/bet: +100 ($10 to win $10)

The book: Caesars Sportsbook

Time/TV: 8:40 p.m. (MLB Extra Innings)

Our take: The St. Louis Cardinals struggled to get any offense going last night against the San Francisco Giants, but tonight should be a different story due to a much softer pitching matchup.

The Giants also struggled to score for much of the night, but both teams should have plenty of opportunities for runs with Cardinals No. 5 starter Jake Woodford taking the mound against Giants spot starter John Brebbia.

Woodford has consistently struggled so far as a starter, whereas Brebbia has mainly been used out of the bullpen, so there should be plenty of scoring on both sides to where we like the over.

HOW WE’VE FARED

Monday’s best bets

• NBA Playoffs, Grizzlies (+4.5) over Lakers (LOST $33)

• MLB, Royals at Diamondbacks UNDER 10 runs (WON $10)

Monday’s profit/loss: -$23 (1-1)

Total for the week: -$23 (1-1)

Total for April: -$342.20 (21-27)

Total for 2023: -$366.30 (86-97)

NOTE: If a line or odds are minus, it considers the juice one must lay to place the bet. Ex: Team A is -160 on the money line, one would have to bet $160 to win $100 (or $16 to win $10). OR Team B is a 5-point favorite at -110, one would have to bet $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10.)

Conversely, on positive lines, if Team C is +140 on the money line, $100 would bring in $140 (or $10 to win $14).