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NBA fans have waited 180 long days to get to the NBA playoffs and they are finally here.

There’s no substitute for the drama the postseason brings, and this year’s first-round matchups are giving our experts plenty of betting options.

Our NBA crew dug into the odds at various books to find the best value bets for two series that begin Saturday.

The Grizzlies tied their franchise season win total as they captured the No. 2 Seed in the Western Conference. They have arguably the deepest team in the league as they proved that by going 20-5 without Ja Morant this season. Backup point guard Tyus Jones was incredible in Morant’s absence as recorded the best single-season assist/turnover ratio (7.04) in NBA history.

Speaking of Morant, he is the first guard to lead the league in points scored in the paint. He averaged 27.4 points per game while shooting 49.3 percent from the field. Morant gets the headlines, but Jaren Jackson Jr. is leading the league in blocks, while Dillon Brooks and Desmond Bane are both averaging over 18 points per game.

The Timberwolves won at home over the Clippers to claim the No. 7 seed. They did so on the backs of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell who combined to score 59 points.

Karl-Anthony Towns was a major disappointment in their play-in game as he fouled out in 24 minutes and only had 11 points. However, Towns is averaging 23.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game against the Grizzlies this season.

This series has a real chance to go the distance. During the season they both won two games on their home floor. The talent and playoff experience is nearly identical. The Timberwolves have been more inconsistent, but they have the pieces to make this a real challenge for the Grizzlies. I think the Grizzlies escape in seven games.

This one could backfire on me if Luka Doncic is seriously hurt, but if not, then this price is off. Calf strains are tricky, but I’m an eternal optimist and am banking on the 23-year-old to recover quickly and get back on the court.

Look, I’m just as surprised as all of you. How have the Mavericks done it? There was so much front office turmoil in the offseason and they saw a huge turnover in their coaching staff and roster. They had a 17-18 record going into 2022, but they reeled off a huge run and finished 52-30. What a huge turnaround thanks to their commitment to defense, solid play from their role players and of course, the play of Doncic.

The Jazz were the opposite. They finished the season 4-7, blew a bunch of double-digit leads and showed some major team chemistry issues. They’ve also struggled against the league’s best teams, going 6-13 straight up against teams with a 60.0 win percentage or greater.

The Mavericks are one of the league’s best teams at home with a 29-12 record, while the Jazz were 20-21 and had a record below .500 on the road. In addition, the Mavericks can play smaller and force Gobert out to the perimeter.

This line has an implied probability of 27.28 percent chance of Dallas winning, which is disrespectful. Take the Mavericks at this price and if Doncic is healthy, you can expect to be in a favorable position.