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May 1st, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks are two of the most evenly matched teams in the playoffs this year, and it should be absolutely remarkable to see these two go at it for what could be an absolutely remarkable series.

How the Mavericks Can Win This Series
Dallas needs to shake this mantra that it can’t win it all. Sure, we know that the Mavs have only been to one NBA Finals in team history, and we know that Dirk Nowitzki is a notorious loveable loser in Big D, but there has to be a point that everyone has to believe that it is good enough to knock off the two time defending champs.

There was definitely the good, the bad, and the ugly for the Mavs against the Portland Trail Blazers. The good was certainly none other than Nowitzki, who averaged 27.3 points per game in the first round. The bad came from the likes of Tyson Chandler, who averaged just 6.5 points per game, and Jose Barea, who averaged 5.2 points per game. The ugly was that big time bomb dropped at the end of Game 4 in which a 20+ point lead was blown.

At some point, Caron Butler might be available in this series, and if he is, that could make a big time difference. The man that really stepped up in the scoring effort in Round 1 was Jason Kidd, who averaged 11.7 points, 6.5 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game. Jason Terry was a fantastic sixth man, shooting a team best 48.8 percent and coming up with 17.3 points per game. Similar is going to be required out of these two, but the rest of the role players need to step up to the table to be able to beat the Lakers.

How the Lakers Can Win This Series
Sometimes it seems like everything that Head Coach Phil Jackson touches turns to gold. After all, these two have three handfuls worth of rings between them, including a slew of them together. Bryant just seems to always have the right stuff to win it all, and he can go off for 80 points in a game if he is really given the chance. Bryant averaged 22.5 points per game in the first round, something that is really not very Kobe Bryant-esque. He’ll inevitably do better in this series.

Pau Gasol really didn’t do much in the way of scoring or rebounding ,at least by his standards, and without him stepping up to the table to be the big time second scorer and top glass cleaner on this team, the Lakers could be in some trouble. Gasol averaged 13.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in the first round of the playoffs, and the truth of the matter is that Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom were the ones that picked up the slack for him. These two combined for 27.2 points and 16.3 rebounds per game against the Hornets.

The other key to this might be the play of Derek Fisher. Fisher averaged 9.3 points per game over double what he averaged in the regular season this year, and if he can shoot 52.6 percent from the field and 55.6 percent from three point land like he did over the course of the last two weeks, it would really be a tremendous help for Jackson and the gang. Ron Artest also averaged 11.8 points per game in the first round.

The Last Word – For as good as the Mavericks are, and for as even as the 57 wins that both of these teams had in the regular season seem to put them, the Lakers are the better team, and they’re certainly the better side in the postseason. Bryant and the gang just have all of the right stuff, and that’s not something that Nowitzki and his band of Mavericks can boast about. It’ll be another painful crash out of the playoffs for Dallas, as the Lakers maintain a stronghold on the Western Conference and move just one step closer to the grandest stage of them all yet again. NBA Playoffs Picks: Lakers in 6

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May 1st, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The 2011 Eastern Conference is really expected to be just a three horse race. However, that being said, the Atlanta Hawks are hoping to spoil in party on the NBA Finals odds over the course of the next two weeks, as they take on the top seed in the conference, the Chicago Bulls.

How the Hawks Can Win This Series
Atlanta really did everything in its power to make sure that it beat the Orlando Magic and avenged last year’s loss in the first round of the postseason by a whopping 111 points in four games. Unfortunately for the Hawks, that series went six games and looked like it took a boatload out of them. It’s going to take an even bigger effort with even fewer mistakes and even more luck to be able to take care of the Bulls, and it’s a real question whether any of that is even remotely possible.

Atlanta really shot the rock well over the course of that series against the Magic, at least relatively speaking to what Orlando was capable of. The five main players in the rotation all scored at least 10 points per game for the Hawks, led by the 20.5 points per game of Jamal Crawford off of the bench. Joe Johnson knocked down 18.0 points per game, while Josh Smith and Al Horford combined for 26.3 points and 18.4 rebounds per game between them.

The big concern right now is the health of Kirk Hinrich. Hinrich is really the team’s only point guard, and his hamstring injury suffered in Game 6 against Orlando really couldn’t have been more ill timed for the Hawks. If he can’t go (and he’s not expected to in Game 1), there is going to be a lot of pressure on a lot of different men to handle the basketball, and that might even including seeing more of Crawford or Johnson running the point position, something that really can’t be sitting well with Head Coach Larry Drew coming into this series.

How the Bulls Can Win This Series
The Bulls are the bigger, badder team in this series, and they certainly have all of the intangibles that you are looking for in a team to put away an iffy squad like the Hawks. Chicago didn’t really play at its best at any point in this first round series against the Indiana Pacers, but getting the job done in five games was certainly good enough for the fans in the Windy City.

The question mark again is health, but in this case, though the star is bigger, the effect on the team might not be as bad. It’s not like Chicago didn’t have to play half of the season without Carlos Boozer in the lineup anyway, so the team knows what it is like to be without one of its stars. Boozer is nursing a turf toe, and he really didn’t play all that well in the opening round series against the Pacers anyway. Like we said, there are plenty of other bigs like Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and the likes that can pick up the slack offensive and on the glass, and the truth of the matter is that Atlanta really doesn’t have the bigs to worry us all that much even in Boozer does miss any time with this injury.

Oh, and have we forgotten to mention the league’s soon to be MVP, Derrick Rose? Rose really took over the entire series against the Pacers at times, single handedly winning Games 1 and 2. He averaged 27.6 points, 6.0 assists, 4.6 boards, 2.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game in the first round, clearly making him the MVP of that series as well. Again, especially if Hinrich doesn’t play, Rose has an absolutely tremendous advantage at the point guard spot in this series.

The Last Word – Atlanta is just out of gas in this one. If the Hawks even win a game in this series, it should be considered a triumph. We know that it won the first meeting of these two teams this year, but when push came to shove, the Bulls posted a brutal blow out in the last two meetings. Expect to see a very, very lopsided series in the end. NBA Playoffs Picks: Bulls in 4

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April 30th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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It was awfully unpredictable to think that the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies would be playing each other in the second round of the playoffs, but that’s where we are at. One of these two will beat the NBA playoffs odds and make it to the NBA Finals, and we have our postseason NBA picks for this crucial series.

How the Grizzlies Can Win This Series
The Grizz have really had a very predictable formula for beating the NBA odds thus far in the playoffs. They’re just going to work really, really hard, win all of the hustle stats, make a few timely shots, and come up clutch in the end. That was the only way that they were able to beat a San Antonio Spurs team that truly outclassed them in the first round of the playoffs, yet the series really never was all that close.

The question is whether the stars are going to be there to keep up with the scoring prowess of the Thunder. Zach Randolph could get away with 20-25 point games making him the top scorer against the Spurs, but that just won’t be the case against the Thunder. We really don’t see anyone else being able to step up and knock down 10 shots in a game on a regular basis, which really puts a lot of pressure on the man in the middle. In fairness, Randolph did have 31 points in the close out game against the Spurs, so he definitely is capable, but pulling it off again and again against Oklahoma City is a different story.

Mike Conley Jr. did just about everything for the Grizz in the first round, accounting for right around 14 points, six assists, and four boards per game. Marc Gasol was the double-double machine with just over 14 points and a dozen rebounds on the average night. These two will have to be clutch, and someone else will have to come forward on a regular basis, whether it be OJ Mayo, Darrell Arthur, Sam Young, or an unheralded hero for Memphis to march on to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history.

How the Thunder Can Win This Series
The equation is now absolutely right for the Thunder. Sure, looking at the stats for Kendrick Perkins and Nazr Mohammad isn’t all that impressive, but these two really have brought a toughness to the defense for Oklahoma City in the paint, and the end result was holding one of the best offensive teams in the game below its scoring average in five straight games.

Last season, there was really only Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in the playoffs. Sure, Jeff Green and James Harden did their thing from time to time against the eventual champs, the Los Angeles Lakers, but if Westbrook and Durant didn’t get the job done, no one was really able to. Now, it’s true that these two are the big time heroes of this team once again. Durant averaged 32.4 points per game, while Westbrook was at 23.8 points per game against the Nuggets. However, they were definitely not the only stars that were able to shine.

Serge Ibaka was really the man that came up big, and if he dominates both on the glass and in the blocks department the same way that he did against Denver, it’s all over but the crying for the Grizzlies. Ibaka scored 10.2 points, brought down 11.0 boards, and blocked 4.8 shots per game in the series against Denver.

The Last Word – Memphis definitely has the ability to compete in this series, and it will find itself favored in games on its home court assuming that the Thunder don’t just absolutely roll with two easy wins in the Sooner State to get started. Don’t be shocked if this ends up being a heck of a lot better of a series than it is billed for. Both of these teams are going to fight tooth and nail, but in the end, it’s home court advantage that will rule the day. NBA Playoffs Picks: Thunder in 7

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April 29th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics are two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, and they are going to really be going at it for what could be an epic second round series in NBA betting action.

How the Celtics Can Win This Series
Boston badly needs to be able to shore up its defense in this series better than it was in Games 1 and 2 against the New York Knicks. However, Head Coach Doc Rivers has a veteran team which really knows how to keep the energy turned up when push really comes to shove. The ‘D’ allowed just 89 points in Game 4 against New York, but this was a significantly better game than the stats really suggest.

It would really help if someone is able to step up to help out the veteran players for Boston. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Kevin Garnett all had absolutely remarkable series again the Knicks. Pierce was good for 22.2 points per game in the first round, while Allen was just behind at 22.0 points per game. The man that really made the offense go was Rondo at 19.0 points, 12.0 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game. Garnett averaged a double-double as well at 15.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Glen Davis and Jeff Green only contributed a dozen points between them on average. Their contributions weren’t needed against New York, but you can bet that they will have to be against the Heat.

The big question is whether there is going to be a big man that can help out in the paint. KG can only do so much, and Big Baby Davis just isn’t quite there. Jermaine O’Neal only averaged 5.5 points and 4.0 boards per game, and Nenad Krstic really didn’t make any contributions against the Knicks either.

How the Heat Can Win This Series
Miami might have needed five games to take care of the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs, but we tend to believe that this was a better series for its long term health in the playoffs than the short series was for the Celtics. Again, defense is going to be key, as the Heat really didn’t play all that well on this side of the ball at all times against Boston this year.

The Heat are also going to have to get over their own problems of playing against teams that were legitimate contenders to beat the NBA Finals odds. They really didn’t play well against teams like Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and the likes on this season.

Just like Boston though, the Heat are really struggling trying to get production outside of their biggest scorers. Of course, there isn’t a much more talented trio in the league than LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The three combined for over 65 points, 28 boards, and over 12 assists per game. James Jones and Mario Chalmers both averaged right around seven points per game, while Joel Anthony and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had decent contributions as rebounders and blocked shot artists.

The Last Word – Home court advantage is going to be absolutely key in this series. We tend to believe that both teams can steal one game on the road, but when push comes to shove, Rivers and company are really going to kick themselves for giving up in those last few games of the season when they could have earned Game 7 at home. The Heat will just barely live to tell about a series with the defending conference champs. NBA Playoffs Picks: Heat in 7

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April 16th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NBA Basketball Power Ratings

Our staff has developed NBA basketball power ratings with up to date rankings and how we as handicappers see these teams. We will list our NBA team rankings on a week by week basis and as much as possible. You can check this page for up to date NBA power ratings from Cappersinfo Sports Handicapping. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out all the free sports picks in the forums and free picks monitor, other sports betting information, and NBA basketball predictions for sports handicappers!

Cappersinfo Current NBA Power Rankings
(As of Start of Playoffs)

1: Chicago Bulls (62-20) – We know that the Bulls don’t really have the respect right now that some of the other teams are getting in the Eastern Conference, but we don’t know why. Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and company in the paint are as good as it gets, and Derrick Rose is going to be the league’s MVP. With a 36-5 record at home, tied for best in the league, it’s going to be really, really difficult to knock off these guys in a best of seven series.

2: Miami Heat (58-24) – Was that win for the Heat over the Celtics in the third to last game of the season the one that will finally wake this team up once and for all? LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade are all remarkable athletes, and they have all come together for this very moment: The NBA Playoffs. Anything less than a championship would be brutally, brutally disappointing.

3: San Antonio Spurs (61-21) – The Spurs are to the Western Conference what the Bulls are to the Eastern Conference. They’re the team that is just getting no respect right now, and we’re really not all that sure as to why. Again, this was a team that went 36-5 on its home court, and it has home court advantage all the way to the NBA Finals. At least with San Antonio, we can nitpick, knowing that it really hasn’t played that well down the stretch and that Manu Ginobili has an elbow injury. Still, these guys will probably be amongst the last four standing when it’s all said and done.

4: Dallas Mavericks (57-25) – Remember that the Mavs went a whopping 54-17 this year with Dirk Nowitzki in the lineup and playing at least 20 minutes. That’s a truly remarkable stat, as he probably would’ve guided this team to the best record in basketball had he stayed healthy. There’s a hellacious first round playoff battle in place against Portland coming up though, and the demons from failures in the postseason of the past could come back to haunt the Mavericks.

5: Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27) – Kendrick Perkins was brought here to the Sooner State for this reason, and this reason only. He is supposed to bring a level of toughness to a team that badly needs some. There’s plenty of glitz and glamour with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but even Michael Jordan had a man like Dennis Rodman who could mix things up on the inside for half of his title runs. The Thunder could be the scariest team in the Western Conference.

6: Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) – Sorry, LA. We just don’t buy you this year. The Lakers just don’t have the look of a champion right now, as demonstrated on that five game losing streak at the end of the season. Win four of those five, and you had home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Head Coach Phil Jackson isn’t one that we like to bet against on a regular basis, but unless Kobe Bryant comes up with a ton of superhuman efforts (not that we’d put that past him either), Los Angeles is in some hot water in a very, very tough Western Conference.

7: Boston Celtics (56-26) – We hate how the Celtics just sort of gave up on the regular season around the third quarter of that game we mentioned earlier against the Heat. Boston is banking on Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, and Nenad Krstic to hold down the fort on the inside. It might work against the Knicks (with “might” being the key word in there), but it probably won’t work for the duration of the playoffs. The aging Celtics might be seeing their window of opportunity come to a close.

8: Orlando Magic (52-30) – The Magic definitely have some worries about how they are going to react to the playoffs this year. This is new territory for Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas with Orlando, and with some nagging injuries to some other regulars in the rotation, the Magic could be in some trouble. Dwight Howard ended the year with 18 technical fouls, which is nothing to be proud of, and if his foul woes from last postseason come to fruition again this year, it could be a short stay before the Magic disappear.

9: Denver Nuggets (50-32) – Give Head Coach George Karl a ton of credit for his work with the Nuggets this season. He basically had two completely different teams to work with, and he ultimately got the job done with both of them this year. This squad might still be a year away from competing for an NBA title, and this first round matchup with the Thunder is devastatingly difficult, but the Nuggs could make things very, very interesting when push comes to shove if they can get just a tad bit of defense.

10: Portland Trail Blazers (48-34) – The Blazers really changed their entire season around when they picked up Gerald Wallace. This is a tremendously formidable looking team now, especially if Brandon Roy can give the squad 25-30 quality minutes per game. LaMarcus Aldridge, Wallace, and Marcus Camby on the inside. Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez, Andre Miller, Wesley Matthews, and Roy on the outside. Look out, Dallas. Portland could give you a tremendous fight.

11: Memphis Grizzlies (46-36) – Give it up for the Grizz! They found a way to survive OJ Mayo’s suspension for drug usage and the injury to Rudy Gay that ended his season prematurely, and they are in the postseason with some room to spare. The next task: Win the first playoff game in the history of the franchise, something that definitely has been haunting this team for its entire existence.

12: Atlanta Hawks (44-38) – If Atlanta can get over the mental block, it could be in good shape in the postseason. The team lost six straight games to end the regular season, and it knows that it has to avenge the 111 point beat down that the Magic dropped on it over four games in the second round of the playoffs last year. If Kirk Hinrich proves to be the real deal, the Hawks could be dangerous, but we really don’t know if this team is mentally ready to compete with the beasts of the East.

13: New York Knicks (42-40) – This is a postseason all about getting experience for the Knicks. They’re not winning it all. We already know this. However, we know that they have some real stars and can make life a living hell on the Celtics. Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Chauncey Billups have reinvigorated the basketball fans in the Big Apple, and the hope is that the playoff run can last for a good, long time in the Empire State.

14: Philadelphia 76ers (41-41) – The man to watch out for on the Sixers is Jrue Holliday. We already know that Elton Brand has some big time abilities and that Andre Iguodala has to be a legitimate star to beat the Heat, but Holliday is built a lot in the mold of Iguodala from the standpoint that he is really a stat sheet stuffer. Will it lead to a postseason victory? Perhaps one or two. However, to be honest, that would be considered a tremendous triumph in the City of Brotherly Love.

15: New Orleans Hornets (46-36) – The Hornets play some great defense, but aside from that, how on earth are they going to keep up with the mighty Lakers? Chris Paul can’t do it all, and David West isn’t there to help him do much more than be a cheerleader with his torn ACL. Unless there is some magic coming out of the Crescent City that we don’t know about, New Orleans won’t last more than five games in the playoffs.

16: Indiana Pacers (37-45) – Just by default, we have to leave the Pacers in the Top 16 in the NBA betting world since they did indeed make the playoffs. However, their time in the postseason is sure to be short, as they aren’t going to be able to hop on the back of Danny Granger without him breaking for all that long, especially against the gritty Bulls.

17: Houston Rockets (43-39) – We don’t really know what it is that is missing in Houston right now. Chuck Hayes is turning into a solid big man, while Kevin Martin is still one of the most unheralded big time scorers in the league. There are plenty of kids to help build this team as we go as well. However, Head Coach Rick Adelman knows that there is still work to be done on this roster. The question is where the improvements really need to start.

18: Phoenix Suns (40-42) – Reality is starting to set in for Steve Nash that he is never going to be able to bring a championship to the city of Phoenix. If he doesn’t get traded, he’ll never win a ring. The good news for the Suns from this year is that they did end up getting a great big man to build around in Marcin Gortat, but it really took blowing up the rest of their team to make that happen.

19: Utah Jazz (39-43) – The poor Jazz really had a season that was crippling. The franchise might not recover any time in the near future from the losses of Head Coach Jerry Sloan and Deron Williams. There are a lot of bigs in the Beehive State, but this combination wasn’t good enough to lead the team to even a .500 record in this very, very disappointing campaign.

20: Golden State Warriors (36-46) – At least Golden State was a fun team to watch once again this year. The pieces to the puzzle are starting to come together for the Warriors, but they are still a few men away from really being there. David Lee was a nice addition in the offseason, but there is another true low post presence clearly missing in Oakland to get this team to the playoffs once again.

21: Milwaukee Bucks (35-47) – The best of the worst… The Bucks were the first team in the East that didn’t make the playoffs, and that really caused Brandon Jennings to spout on the organization. Many picked this team to win the Central Divison this year, and the playoffs seemed like a certainty. However, names like John Salmons, Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, and Corey Maggette just never panned out, and the team looks to be mired in mediocrity for years to come.

22: Charlotte Bobcats (34-48) – Head Coach Paul Silas knows that there is just too much work to do on this Charlotte team to fix in one or two years. This is clearly broken club right now, and the final proof of that came when Gerald Wallace was traded for a song and a dance right at the trade deadline. Anything more than 35 wins next year on Tobacco Road would be surprising.

23: Los Angeles Clippers (32-50) – And in the end, they were still the Clippers… Give this much to the Clip Joint. They won 23 games this year at home, more than Utah, the same as New York, and the same as Phoenix. Fans want to come see Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon. That’s key for a franchise that hasn’t had anything to really smile at in a number of years. If Donald Sterling doesn’t screw this up (how many times have we said that…), the Clippers really could become relevant within a few years.

24: Detroit Pistons (30-52) – It’s really sad to see the trio of Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Ben Wallace waddling around the court right now. They’re clearly not the same players they were when the Pistons were dynamos last decade. However, the new guard is starting to form in Motown, especially with Greg Monroe starting to prove his worth. He’s the piece to the puzzle that Detroit really needs to build around in the future.

25: New Jersey Nets (24-58) – At least it’s an improvement… The Nets still stink, but Mikhail Prohkorov finally got his man in Deron Williams at the trade deadline. New Jersey could be at the doorstep of something huge in the near future, and if it can lure another one of these big name players to the Garden State before the move to Manhattan, things could be looking up for sure.

26: Sacramento Kings (24-58) – Are we going to be calling this team the Anaheim Kings next season? It certainly seems that way, as the Honda Center looks poised to have another tenant. There’s a heck of a lot of talent, but virtually no cohesiveness coming to Anaheim next year, which could make for some long, long seasons for the Kings.

27: Washington Wizards (23-59) – The Wizards did end up playing some solid ball down the stretch this year, but aside from John Wall, what else does this team really have? Answer: A lot of ping pong balls for this coming NBA Draft as well. A man like Kyrie Irving could look really, really good lined up next to Wall in the Washington backcourt.

28: Toronto Raptors (22-60) – Ugh. Is there anything good to say about the season that Toronto just had? Heck, this team lost more games on the road than Cleveland did. The Raptors used to wonder why in the heck they were stuck with Andrea Bargnani with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Now, Bargnani wants to know why he’s stuck with the Raptors.

29: Minnesota Timberwolves (17-65) – A groin injury ended Kevin Love’s season premature, and it was probably also the reason that he lost his double-double streak. However, there is some reason for optimism for the T’Wolves. Kyrie Irving could be waiting to be picked at No. 1 overall should they get that draft choice, and they could convince Ricky Rubio to come over to the States as well in the offseason.

30: Cleveland Cavaliers (19-63) – Goodness knows how the Cavs actually won 19 games this year… The drop of 42 wins is the most epic collapse in the history of the NBA, but virtually everyone saw it coming. Without LeBron James, the Cavaliers were absolutely nothing, and as it turns out now, they’re even worse than nothing. There are D-League teams out there that could compete with this one.

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April 14th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers – Let’s be real here. Derrick Rose is the MVP. Joakim Noah is probably one of the best offensive rebounders in the game. Carlos Boozer is probably one of the best defensive rebounders in the game. Indiana has Danny Granger… and a sub-.500 record. There’s just no way that the Pacers are even pulling out a game in this series. NBA Playoff Picks: Bulls in 4

Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers – Philly played some respectable ball this season, and this is a team with all sorts of playoff experience. Of course, none of that playoff experience has ever seen the second round of the playoffs. This is where the real tests begin for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, as this is where they will be measured for success. Anything less than an NBA Championship just wouldn’t do. Even though the Sixers were swept in games that just were not close in the regular season, we’ll give them the nod… for one game anyway… NBA Playoff Picks: Heat in 5

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks – This is probably going to be one of the more intriguing matchups in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks now have stars in Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Chauncey Billups, and we know that they still haven’t quite figured out how to gel as a team yet. Here’s the thing, though. Boston really just doesn’t have the look of the same team that was in the NBA Finals last year. We tend to believe that Head Coach Doc Rivers and company will figure it out over the course of seven games, but it wouldn’t surprise us if this one ends up surprisingly going the distance. NBA Playoff Picks: Celtics in 7

Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks – Last year, these two teams met up in the second round of the postseason, and Orlando laid the biggest smack down that the NBA playoffs have ever seen. Atlanta won the regular season series, but it comes with an asterisk this year. One of the wins came in the first game after the trades that the Magic pulled off with the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns, while one came just a couple of weeks ago when both teams knew that the game didn’t mean a thing. Orlando won’t do what it did last year, but it should make relatively short work of the Hawks. NBA Playoff Picks: Magic in 5

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies – The Spurs won 61 games this season and have won a number of NBA Championships with Tim Duncan at the helm. The Grizzlies won 46 games in the regular season and have won a grand total of zero championships, zero series, and zero playoff games. Any guesses as to how many games they’re going to win this year? Zero. NBA Playoff Picks: Spurs in 4

Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets – Memphis might have stood a fighting chance against the Lakers, but the Hornets just don’t, especially without David West in the fold. The defense for New Orleans is good, but there just isn’t enough overall talent there to compete with the defending champs. We’d be shocked to see the men from the Crescent City take even one game in this series. NBA Playoff Picks: Lakers in 4

Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers – We just want to fall in love with the Blazers in this series, but we just don’t see it. To Portland’s credit, it really has tried like the dickens over these past couple seasons to rebuild a team that was totally broken, and it nearly did so last year against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the second season. Dallas is going to be in for a fight for sure, especially with as well as Gerald Wallace has been playing. However, when push comes to shove, Dirk Nowitzki and company are just a significantly better team, and in the end, the Blazers will fall. NBA Playoff Picks: Mavericks in 6

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets – No one wanted to see the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, but we really don’t think that the Thunder are all that scared of them. Sure, Denver will run up and down the court, and the games will all be really exciting, but Oklahoma City definitely learned some big time lessons last year in that loss in the postseason to the eventual champs. OKC took the last two meetings of these teams in the regular season, something that is incredibly relevant considering how different Denver looks now from where it was a few months ago. This series could produce five relatively tight games, but we trust Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in the long run. NBA Playoff Picks: Thunder in 5

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April 8th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Though we already know who 15 of the 16 teams will be in the playoffs (and will be sure to add No. 16 to that list by the time the weekend is said and done with), there is certainly plenty of jockeying for positioning going on to complete the NBA playoff picture. Check out the best games of the week and our NBA picks for how things are going to shake down this weekend!

NBA Matchup: Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Friday, 8:00 ET)
This one is so important, not so much because it will probably have an effect on the way that the seedings break down in the West, but because this really could be a playoff battle in the first round. OKC knows that it can still move up as high as No. 2, while Denver is more or less just stuck at No. 5, and a win by the Nuggs would basically ensure that these two teams will meet starting next weekend in the playoffs. The Thunder will get the job done on their home court though, keeping the pressure on both Dallas and LA.

NBA Odds: Chicago Bulls @ Cleveland Cavaliers (Friday, 7:30 ET)
The truth of the matter is that this game really isn’t all that sexy, but a win for the Bulls would ensure that they have home court advantage throughout the entire postseason in the Eastern Conference, and it would guarantee that they avoid both the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat until the Eastern Conference Finals. Don’t be shocked if Head Coach Tom Thibodeau and company lay the smack down early and just wrap up this top seed without any further issues.

NBA Betting Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers (Friday, 10:00 ET)
This is another one of these potential first round playoff battles. The Lakers still need three more wins to make sure that they are going to be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this year, while Portland is trying to move up as high as the No. 6 seed in the West. The Blazers have played well this year at home, and they’ll take down a slumping bunch from Tinseltown.

Pro Basketball Matchup: Chicago Bulls @ Orlando Magic (Sunday, 1:00 ET)
We already know that the Bulls are going to be playing the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs, and anything less than a sweep would be surprising. We also know that the Magic are going to take on the Hawks in the first round, and last year when these teams met, it was the most lopsided postseason series ever in NBA history. Expect tempers to be flaring in this probable second round playoff date. Orlando is in trouble without the suspended Dwight Howard, who is going to miss this one after picking up his 18th technical foul of the season earlier this week, and Chicago should make a huge statement for its 60th win of the year.

NBA Preview: Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat (Sunday, 3:30 ET)
Hide the women and children from this one, my friends. This is going to be a bloodbath. The winner of this game is going to have a huge advantage in the race for the No. 2 seed in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. These two teams are level going into play on Friday night, and gaining the edge on the other is paramount, not so much for the sake of taking on some No. 7 seed instead of a No. 6, but to have home court advantage on the other in the second round of the playoffs. Dwyane Wade has been out of the lineup resting his sore thigh, but there’s no way that he’s missing this one. He and the Heat come up big and knock off the big, bad Celtics in South Beach.

Pro Basketball Betting Battle: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers
Last year, the Thunder were knocked out of the playoffs because they couldn’t figure out how to take a game in Tinseltown. This year, things could be significantly different. Of course, these two teams aren’t likely foes in the postseason until the Western Conference Finals, but you can bet if this gap gets any tighter before Sunday between OKC and LA, these two are going to be scrapping for the full 48 minutes. The Thunder are going to keep this one close, but in the end, this is still the type of game that Kobe Bryant and company live for. If the No. 2 seed in the West hadn’t essentially been decided before this point, it will be when this one is said and done. Don’t be surprised if the Thunder hang inside of the number, though, as this one should be touch and go the entire way.

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March 5th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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It’s another big time Sunday for NBA betting battles, and our expert NBA handicappers offer up their free basketball picks for the biggest game on a huge slate of clashes!

NBA Matchup: Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 1:00 ET
Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
NBA Odds: Miami -5
Over/Under (Total): 188


The Heat are in bad shape right now, as they have been outscored by a whopping 51 points in their last three halves of basketball. Needless to say, regardless of who you’re playing, that’s not going to get the job done. Miami has been wildly inconsistent this season at home, going just 11-18 ATS over the course of its 29 games played here in South Beach. However, this is the back end of a brutal road trip for the Bulls after beating the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center on Friday night. Sure, Chicago has an incredibly deep team, but Miami just matches up particularly well against this team for whatever reason. Go with LeBron, D-Wade, and company to take care of the NBA odds in this one, as the good run of play for the Bulls will go by the boards. NBA Free Pick: Miami Heat

NBA Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers @ San Antonio Spurs
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 3:30 ET
Location: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
NBA Odds: San Antonio -2.5
Over/Under (Total): 191


If the Spurs were out to make a big time statement on Friday night, that’s exactly what they did when they obliterated the Miami Heat by a whopping 30 points at home. The defense was just locked in, and the lack of depth on the Heat just wasn’t able to keep up with the run and gun style of offense that Head Coach Gregg Popovich is now bringing to the table. Will it keep up against the Lakers? Kobe Bryant and company had better hope not, especially if Derek Fisher is going to be held out of the fold with an elbow injury. There is just so little respect for the Spurs this season, and this is really no exception. Sure, Los Angeles is good, but the time is really going to have to come that the oddsmakers realize that the Spurs really are the best team in the Western Conference, and potentially in the whole NBA. Tony Parker will be back at full strength in this one after getting his feet wet against Miami, and he should help lead this team to a ‘W’ on Sunday. Free NBA Pick: San Antonio Spurs

NBA Matchup: New York Knicks @ Atlanta Hawks
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 6:30 ET
Location: Phillips Arena, Atlanta, GA
NBA Odds: OTB
Over/Under (Total): OTB


Neither the Hawks nor the Knicks really thrill us right now, but health could really be a key factor in this one. We know that Chauncey Billups has been out of the lineup for these last two games with a thigh injury, but he is likely to be back to join the team in the Peach State for this NBA betting affair. However, the Hawks are likely going to be without Josh Smith. It is clear which team made the right moves at the trade deadline and which one probably didn’t, though Kirk Hinrich finally had his first big game with the Hawks in the loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. The truth of the matter though, is that the combination of Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Billups could easily combine for 75, or even more points in this one, and if that’s what happens, there isn’t a heck of a lot that the rest of this team is going to have to do to make for great NBA picks in this one. Expert NBA Pick: New York Knicks

NBA Matchup: Phoenix Suns @ Oklahoma City Thunder
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 7:00 ET
Location: Ford Center, Oklahoma City, OK
NBA Odds: Oklahoma City -5.5
Over/Under (Total): 212


This game could be significantly closer than the expert NBA handicappers really think. The Suns have been playing great ball of late, and they really probably found a diamond in the rough when they brought in Aaron Brooks to help out as a scorer. It’d be great if Vince Carter would play in this one, and the possibility is still there, but even if he doesn’t, we still tend to believe that Phoenix is the right play. It really just feels like the Thunder are merely trying to hang on until Kendrick Perkins gets into this lineup for the first time, as the truth of the matter is that the only differences between this team now and the one from a few weeks ago is that Nazr Mohammed is in, and both Nenad Krstic and Jeff Green are out. Not exactly a great deal quite yet, and it won’t look all that great on Sunday either. Free Basketball Pick: Phoenix Suns

NBA Matchup: Boston Celtics @ Milwaukee Bucks
Date: Sunday, March 6th, 9:00 ET
Location: Bradley Center, Milwaukee, WI
NBA Odds: Boston -7.5
Over/Under (Total): 182.5


We’ve been talking a lot about injuries in this piece, but we know that there isn’t a team that we feel worse for this season than this one. The Bucks are just all over the board right now, as there aren’t any players that have been in the fold for even 59 of the 60 games this season. Still, grabbing that last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference isn’t totally out of the question, making this one a potential playoff preview. However, Jeff Green has really arrived at this point, and his 21 point effort off of the bench on Friday proved that. The C’s are a dangerous club, and even though they really haven’t turned up the defensive intensity in a few games, they are scoring a ton of late. The Bucks don’t have that inside banger to make up for the lack of bigs that Boston has, and as a result, the visitors should triumph in a big time way in the Bradley Center on Sunday. Free NBA Pick: Boston Celtics

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March 2nd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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If it’s a Thursday night, that means that it’s time for NBA betting action once again! This week, in the final two duels before the NBA Trade Deadline, we make our free basketball picks on the clashes between the Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz.

NBA Matchup: Orlando Magic @ Miami Heat
Date: Thursday, March 3rd, 8:00 ET
Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
NBA Odds: Miami -5
Over/Under (Total): 198


The “heat” will definitely be on in South Beach on Thursday night between these two Sunshine State rivals. The Magic have clawed back to within 4.5 games of the lead in the Southeast Division, but when push comes to shove, this is the game that absolutely has to be won to keep the pressure on Miami. Dwight Howard is coming off of yet another fantastic game against the New York Knicks in which he scored 30 points and had 16 boards with five blocks. The key though, is the play of Jameer Nelson. Nelson might only be averaging 12.6 points per game this season, but he did go off for 26 against New York in a crucial role. Miami is coming off of a loss to said Knicks, but it is fairly clear that this is a team that isn’t going to be getting beaten all that often, especially on its home court. The Heat should be debuting Mike Bibby in this one, as he has been signed after he was bought out by the Washington Wizards earlier this week. Orlando really got crushed earlier this season in South Beach, getting knocked off 96-70 right at the start of the year. The Magic did end up scoring a big time win at the Amway Center in November, but the most recent meeting back at Mickey Mouse’s house resulted in a win for LeBron James and company. LBJ and Dwyane Wade really cannot be stopped in games like this, while Chris Bosh has always had a great career against Howard and company. Orlando might be 13-6-1 ATS in the last 20 meetings in this series, but the Heat are definitely the key to beating the NBA odds on Thursday. NBA Free Pick: Miami Heat -5

NBA Matchup: Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz
Date: Thursday, March 3rd, 10:30 ET
Location: Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
NBA Odds: Utah -3.5
Over/Under (Total): 210


Both the Jazz and Nuggets made big time deals at the trade deadline, but neither one of these teams have their former superstars. Utah no longer has Deron Williams, while Denver is still trying to figure out how to live life without Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. The thing about the Nuggs though, is that they really do have a deep team still with a ton of talent. In a 100-90 win over the Atlanta Hawks was really a great example of this. Wilson Chandler, Nene, Kenyon Martin, Raymond Felton, and JR Smith all put up at least 13 points, while three others had at least six points. Not bad for a team that didn’t really use Al Harrington all that much and still has yet to debut Timofey Mozgov. The Jazz really haven’t figured out how to get back in the saddle without Williams, most likely because the guard situation is really in bad shape without Williams. The team’s defense has totally gone down the drain over the course of these last two games, allowing 107 to the Boston Celtics and a whopping 120 to the Detroit Pistons. If this is going to be the situation in this one on Thursday night, the Jazz are going to be singing the blues. We’re really not all that sure that it’s justified, especially since there is still some payback for the Nuggets to pick up after losing 113-106 at home just a month ago. Free NBA Pick: Denver Nuggets +3.5

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February 26th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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NBA betting action doesn’t get any bigger than this on Sunday night in South Beach, as the Miami Heat play host to the new look New York Knicks. Here at Cappers Info, we have all of your best Knicks vs. Heat free picks and analysis for the biggest game of the weekend!

Matchup: New York Knicks @ Miami Heat
Date: Sunday, February 27th, 8:00 ET
Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
NBA Odds: OTB
Over/Under OTB

Knicks Notes: The Empire State is certainly still buzzing about Carmelo Anthony and the fact that he is now indeed a member of the New York Knicks. However, expert NBA handicappers have to be wondering whether or not this was really that great of a move for the men in blue and orange. Sure, Melo has looked great so far in a Knickerbockers outfit, scoring 27 points in each of his first two games and playing almost 40 minutes in both games. However, in spite of the fact that the team scored 114 and 109 points respectively in these two games, the Knicks are 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS to show for that work. It’s not like these games were against world beaters either, as the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t exactly the crème de la crème of the Eastern Conference. The lack of defensive intensity is an awfully scary proposition for New York, as the team is already allowing 106.0 points per game this season, a mark which clearly isn’t getting any better with the defensive optional Anthony now in town. There is definitely a toughness missing, and this is something that will likely be exploited by every team that the Knicks run up against for the rest of this season. What has gotten lost in this shuffle about the Knicks is how well Chauncey Billups has really played since coming over to the Big Apple as well. He put up 21 against the Bucks and 26 against the Cavs, dishing out eight assists against just two turnovers in both games. He’ll be the key to holding onto the basketball and preserving possessions for Head Coach Mike D’Antoni and company.

Heat Notes: It doesn’t seem like it’s all that noteworthy right now, but Mike Miller is probably going to be back in the lineup on Sunday night after missing out on four games with an ear injury. Miller was probably Miami’s most tradable commodity at the deadline, but was not moved. He is averaging just 5.9 points per game this year, but he is really the fourth best option on this team at times. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are doing all of their scoring, as they are averaging 26.2 and 25.8 points per game respectively, and they are both triple-double candidates every single night, especially against a team like this one. Chris Bosh rebounded nicely from his 1-for-18 performance against the Chicago Bulls by scoring 15 points and dragging in eight boards in a win against the Washington Wizards on Friday night. The big man is going to be key going against Amare Stoudemire in the paint, one of the best players that the league has to offer. The Heat might be averaging 102.3 points per game this year, but the real key is defense. Seemingly no one scores 100 on this club, as it is surrendering just 94.4 points per game this season. Opponents are only shooting 42.7 percent from the field as well, No. 1 in the league.

The Final Word: Are there enough basketballs to deal with all of the stars that are on the court on Sunday? We know that it’s very likely that at least five different players score at least 20 points, something that you definitely don’t see every day. Still, when push comes to shove, the Heat can make defensive stops, something that we’re really not all that sure the Knicks can do, and that should make the difference in what could be a statement-making romp in South Beach.

Free NBA Picks: Miami Heat

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