Posts Tagged ‘NBA playoff odds’

June 8th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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NBA Finals betting action continues on Tuesday night, as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics get ready to have at it in Game 3 of this best of seven set.

Los Angeles Lakers (+3) @ Boston Celtics
Tuesday, June 8th, 2010
9:00 ET, TD Banknorth Garden

Los Angeles Notes: It was most certainly a tale of two different games for the Lakers in Tinseltown last week. The NBA Finals odds were stacked in LA's favor in Game 1, as the hosts dominated the glass and watched G Kobe Bryant notch his fifth straight 30+ point game in the postseason in an easy victory to take a 1-0 series lead. That series lead became critical, as HC Phil Jackson has never lost a series in which he has opened with a victory. Game 2 looked totally different, though. Though F Pau Gasol had his second straight dominating game, Boston simply shot the Lakers out of their own building and evened this series at a game apiece. Gasol is averaging 24.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.5 blocks, and 3.0 assists per game in the NBA Finals, which is by far the most impressive performance from a player in purple and gold. If there was one encouraging sign in Game 2 for Lakers fans, it was that C Andrew Bynum scored 21 points in what easily amounted to be his best game of the L/2 rounds of the playoffs. Bryant only scored 21 points in Game 2 and must improve upon that for Los Angeles to get back in front in this series.

Boston Notes: G Ray Allen took it upon himself to make sure that the Celtics were getting back to Beantown all square in the NBA Finals. Just three days after only scoring 12 points and not logging a single other statistic, Allen was all over the court, nailing an NBA Finals record eight three pointers and outdueling every single sharpshooter that the Lakers have to offer. The former Connecticut Huskies star finished the night with 32 points to lead all scorers. G Rajon Rondo had his say as well. He had a triple-double through just three quarters of play and ultimately ended up with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and ten assists in the best game of his NBA Finals career in Game 2. Fs Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have really yet to truly get into this series, as the two only combined to shoot 4/16 and score 16 points in Game 2. HC Doc Rivers can't be thrilled about the fact that his team has yet to top 43.3 percent shooting from the field in this series. However, he can rest easily that the C's outrebounded the Lakers 44-39 in Game 2, just three days after getting their clocks cleaned 42-31 in that department.

NBA Finals Betting Odds: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics Game 2

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+3
-3
192.5
Diamond Sportsbook
+3
-3
192.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+3
-3
192.5

Trends of Note: Including the Game 1 dud, the Celtics have now covered seven out of eight NBA Finals betting affairs against Los Angeles dating back to the '08 season. The Lakers are just 3-10-1 ATS in their L/14 against Boston overall. The C's are 6-2 ATS in their L/8 against the NBA playoff odds as favorites and are 8-3 ATS in their L/11 games overall. Los Angeles is only 5-14 ATS in its L/19 games playing on one day of rest, but Boston just snapped a five game ATS losing streak against the Western Conference in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

The Final Word: Does anyone else feel like it is now Kobe Time? Bryant and the Lakers know that they played perhaps their worst game possible, particularly on the outside on Sunday night. Playing well in the post once again will eventually yield a 'W' in Boston at some point, and we tend to believe that that victory is coming on Tuesday night. Look for Bryant to have another 30+ point showing as he carries the Lakers to victory.

Prediction: Los Angeles 100 – Boston 94

 
June 2nd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The NBA Finals tips off on Thursday night at the Staples Center, and Cappers Info has the lowdown on Game 1 of NBA Finals betting action between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Boston Celtics (+5.5) @ Los Angeles Lakers
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
9:00 ET, Staples Center

Boston Notes: HC Doc Rivers has to be thankful that his team was given a few off days after playing back-to-back grueling six game series with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic. The names that you have become familiar with have all taken their place and taken their turns as the stars of the Celtics. F Paul Pierce is averaging 19.1 points per game in the playoffs to pace the team, but he really didn't shine his brightest until the Eastern Conference Finals against the Magic when he scored 30+ points in two of the final three games of the series to help put Orlando away. G Rajon Rondo has also been huge for the C's, as he put together a monster series against Cleveland in which he averaged 20.7 points per game. Boston is allowing just under 92 points per game in the postseason, the best such mark in the league. The Celtics haven't scored more than 96 points in a game since Game 5 against the Cavs, but the defense has conceded 90 points or fewer in seven of its L/9 NBA playoff betting affairs.

Los Angeles Notes: The Lakers have a lot of issues coming into the NBA Finals, most notably the health of their C Andrew Bynum. Bynum had fluid drained from his knee earlier in the week in an effort to get him ready for the championship series. He was rather harmless in the Western Conference Finals, posting three games of four points or less. However, he was picked up on the inside by the play of both F Lamar Odom and F Pau Gasol. Gasol has been particularly stellar in these playoffs, averaging 20.0 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. Odom has had five double-doubles in the postseason, and he has had at least either double digits in points or rebounds in seven consecutive games. However, when it's playoff time, it's Kobe Time. G Kobe Bryant has been absolutely unconscious at times in the postseason, as he has scored 30+ points in four straight games and reached the 35+ point plateau four times against the Suns in the Western Conference Finals. Bryant still feels disrespected by the way that Celtics fans treated him and his Lakers following the 2008 NBA Finals, and he will inevitably try to channel that aggression to lead the purple and gold to their second straight NBA title.

NBA Finals Betting Odds: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 1

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+5.5
-5.5
192
Diamond Sportsbook
+5.5
-5.5
191.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+5.5
-5.5
192

Trends of Note: The season series was split between these two teams one game apiece with both teams winning on the opponents' court. However, the Lakers' loss at Staples Center was largely thanks to the fact that Bryant didn't suit up that day. The C's covered all six NBA Finals odds in the 2008 series between the teams, including sticking within huge numbers in both Games 3, 4, and 5 in Tinseltown. Boston's only failed cover attempt at Staples Center since the '07-'08 regular season was in a 92-83 Christmas Day loss in the first meeting of these two teams after the Finals.

The Final Word: Boston has the horses to win this series, just as it did in 2008. The difference this year is that there has to be a win for the visitors at some point if the Celtics have hopes of winning it all. That may be just what happens on Thursday night, as the C's are going to use a stifling defense to once again take care of an opponent on enemy soil. The Cavs and Magic went a combined 1-3 SU and ATS on their home floor against this Boston squad in Games 1 and 2 of those series. Don't expect LA to do any better than that.

Prediction: Boston 98 – Los Angeles 93

 
May 29th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The season will be on the line for the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night, and here at Cappers Info, we're making our free NBA playoff picks in the sixth game of the Western Conference Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

Los Angeles Lakers (+1.5) @ Phoenix Suns
Saturday May 29th, 2010
9:00 ET, US Airways Arena

Los Angeles Notes: It's not often that you simultaneously use the words "Ron Artest" and "hero" together, but that's exactly what happened on Thursday night in Tinseltown. Artest snared an errant shot by G Kobe Bryant and flipped it off the backboard and into the hoop to send the LA faithful into a frenzy, as the Lakers topped the Suns 103-101 at the gun. That missed shot was about all that Bryant did wrong on the night, as he once again came up just shy of a triple-double for HC Phil Jackson's club. Over the five games in this series, Bryant is averaging 33.0 points, 9.6 assists, and 7.4 rebounds per game. G Derek Fisher really came up big as well, hitting seven of his 12 shots and seemingly coming up in a big way every time that the Suns tried to inch their way back into the game that LA once led by 18 points. It wasn't a fantastic shooting game for the Lakers, as 41.8 percent normally won't cut it, especially against the Suns. However, grabbing 19 offensive rebounds really helped matters, as did blocking ten shots. C Andrew Bynum was once again a disappointment in Game 5, as he shot 0/5 from the floor and scored just two points.

Phoenix Notes: HC Alvin Gentry has to be wondering what more his team had to do in the second half to knock off the Lakers at Staples Center. The bench players produced 29 points in the third and fourth quarters, as C Channing Frye scored all 14 of his points in the second half, while F Jared Dudley chipped in eight of his ten for the night. As for the starters, G Steve Nash had the best game that he has had all series long, scoring 29 points on 12/20 shooting to go with 11 assists against just a pair of turnovers. F Grant Hill (10), G Jason Richardson (12), and F Amare Stoudemire (19) all reached double digits in scoring as well for Phoenix. The Suns really still haven't hit their offensive potential, as we continue to say in this series. Once again, they failed to shoot above 50.0 percent from the field, and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc is very not-Phoenix-like. The Suns, typically one of the best free throw shooting teams in the league, will inevitably be kicking themselves for only going 20/29 from the charity stripe.

NBA Betting Odds: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Game 6

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+1.5
-1.5
215.5
Diamond Sportsbook
+1.5
-1.5
216
BetUS Sportsbook
+1.5
-1.5
215.5

Trends of Note: The Suns do have the home team mojo in their favor, as the hosts are now 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in this series. US Airways Arena has been a house of horrors for opposing teams as well, as Phoenix is 38-18-1 ATS there in its L/57 tries. The Suns have covered every NBA playoff betting line that they have faced since the opening game of the playoffs against the Trail Blazers. Los Angeles is 7-3 ATS in its L/10 games in the postseason as an underdog and is 5-1 ATS in its L/6 games after an SU victory. Saturday, for whatever reason, has also been a crucial day for both teams. The Lakers are 10-2 ATS in their L/12 games played on this day of the week, while Phoenix is winless in its L/7 in the same situation.

The Final Word: Was Thursday night completely demoralizing for the Suns? We tend to believe that the script is going to look awfully similar in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals as it did when the defending champions had to face Game 6 in Oklahoma City. There is no doubt that Phoenix is going to throw everything, including the kitchen sink at the Lakers on Saturday night, but there's something that tells us that this is where this series ends. Bryant is due to be rewarded for one of his near triple-double nights, and we think that he is going to be the difference maker again down the stretch in what should amount to be a very close game. In the end though, it'll be LA and Boston getting ready for the NBA Finals.

Prediction: Los Angeles 119 – Phoenix 117

 
May 28th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Orlando Magic really took the game to Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, and the end result was the most dominant game that the team has had in the Eastern Conference Finals. C Dwight Howard was at the center of it all. Most notable was his inadvertent elbow that caught F Glen Davis in the cheek. Howard wasn't just being physical for the heck of it, either. He finished Game 5 with 21 points and ten rebounds to help lead the way for Orlando.

Davis suffered a concussion and lost a tooth for his efforts in the paint. He wasn't nearly the only casualty, though. F Rasheed Wallace now has an aching back in spite of the fact that he scored 21 points on the day. C Kendrick Perkins became visibly frustrated with how the game was going, and he was 'T'd up twice and thrown out of the game after playing just 17 minutes. The NBA rescinded one of the technical fouls that was handed down to Perkins on Thursday, which becomes notable because the second technical marked his seventh of the playoffs. The seventh 'T' calls for an automatic suspension for one game. Rest assured that the Magic are going to try their best to goad Perkins into yet another technical foul in Game 6, which would see him be suspended for either Game 7 at Amway Arena or Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

The Magic are three point underdogs on Friday night in Game 6, which is a far cry from the seven point underdogs that they were just four nights ago in Game 4. Should they win the game, Boston would be facing the prospects of becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead after 93 successful attempts. Going into last season, the Celtics had never lost a Game 7 on their home floor in franchise history. This year, rather than just making team history, they can make history that will shake the entire league.

The Magic are still +220 underdogs to win this series, but they have a lot of betting trends on their side. They know that the underdog and the road team in this series is now 8-2 SU and ATS in the L/10 clashes. The road team is 3-2 SU and ATS against the Eastern Conference Finals odds.

NBA Betting Odds: Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics Game 6

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+3
-3
189
Diamond Sportsbook
+3
-3
188.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+3
-3
189

 

 
May 25th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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In what could amount to be the most pivotal game of the Western Conference Finals, the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers will meet on Tuesday night in NBA playoff betting action.

Los Angeles Lakers (-1) @ Phoenix Suns
Tuesday May 25th, 2010
9:00 ET, US Airways Arena

Los Angeles Notes: You just know that G Kobe Bryant is going to be in the ears of his teammates after a Game 3 loss to the Suns two nights ago. Bryant did everything possible, as he scored 36 points, had 11 assists, and pulled down nine rebounds on the night. However, his team's inside game and its defense were absolutely woeful. C Andrew Bynum probably shouldn't be involved in this series any longer, as he only played eight minutes in Game 3 and committed four fouls. F Lamar Odom had a pair of big games in Tinseltown but didn't ultimately come up with the right stuff on Sunday when he shot 4/14 from the floor and tallied just ten points. Jackson will have to be careful about letting his team become three-happy, as taking 32 triples as the Lakers did in Game 3 probably won't cut it again, particularly if they plan on converting just 28.1 percent of those shots as they did that night. F Pau Gasol has had three great games in this series, averaging 24.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, but unless he is going to get plenty of help from some other big men, LA could be in some trouble.

Phoenix Notes: The Suns ran, and ran, and continued to run some more against the Lakers on Sunday night, but it was the defense that finally showed at least a bit of a pulse that trimmed this series deficit in half. LA "only" shot 48.3 percent from the floor, which was by far its worst percentage of the Western Conference Finals. Forcing 17 turnovers was critical, because it kept the tempo of the game up. Phoenix held an 18-3 advantage in fast break points in the game, a stat that it usually dominates. Speaking of domination, what about that effort that F Amare Stoudemire had in Game 3? The big man his 14 of his 22 shots from the field and converted on 14 more free throws to ultimately end up with a playoff high 42 points to go with 11 boards. His partner in crime on the inside helped out as well, as C Robin Lopez scored 20 points. HC Alvin Gentry has to be worried about his bench, though. The unit hit just three shots from the floor in Game 3. C Channing Frye has been particularly miserable, as he is shooting just 1/20 in this series.

Current NBA Betting Odds: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns Game 4

Sportsbook
LA Lakers
Phoenix Suns
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
-1
+1
219.5
Diamond Sportsbook
-1
+1
220
BetUS Sportsbook
-1.5
+1.5
220.5

Trends of Note: Phoenix is now 37-18-1 ATS in its L/56 home games. The Suns are also 34-16-1 ATS in their L/51 games overall and are a perfect 5-0 SU and ATS at US Airways Arena since losing to the Trail Blazers in the opening game of the postseason. Phoenix has covered four of its L/5 games as underdogs of less than five points and is 5-1 ATS in its L/6 games following an SU victory. As for the Lakers, they are 6-1 ATS in their L/7 games after scoring at least 100 points in their previous effort. They're also 5-1 ATS in their L/5 Western Conference Finals clashes, and are 4-1 ATS in their L/5 playoff betting affairs as favorites. In respect to the series between these teams, the home side is 8-1 ATS in the L/9 battles, while the favorite has covered four straight spreads.

The Final Word: Kobe and the gang aren't going to want to come back to Phoenix after they leave tonight. Winning Game 4 would be paramount for putting the Suns down once and for all. With the war of words going on between these two teams, giving Phoenix even a shred of hope in this series could be devastating. Expect the Lakers to come out and take care of business on the road, setting up what should be the fifth and final game of this series at Staples Center on Thursday night.

Free Picks: Los Angeles 106 – Phoenix 102

 
May 23rd, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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On Monday night, the Orlando Magic will attempt to salvage at least one more game in their season when they take on the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics (-7)
Monday May 23rd, 2010
8:30 ET, TD Banknorth Garden

Orlando Notes: The Magic have put themselves in a boat load of trouble in this series thanks to an offense that has just let the team down. The team shot 41.6 percent, 39.4 percent, and 36.9 percent respectively in Games 1 through 3 of this series. Needless to say, those aren't numbers are going to cut it. It's not as though the defense has failed miserably either. Holding Boston to 95 points or less in all three games should've yielded at bare minimum one victory. F Rashard Lewis was brought to Orlando to play well in situations like this, and he came with the price of a maximum contract. Unfortunately for him and for the Magic, he has only scored a total of 15 points in this series after scoring at least 17 in each of the final three games of the Atlanta series. C Dwight Howard doesn't look overly interested in playing anymore this season. He only scored seven points on 3/10 shooting in Game 3 and picked up a technical foul, his second of this series. If he remains frustrated in Game 4, the Magic stand no chance.

Boston Notes: Only putting 94 points on the board probably wasn't what HC Doc Rivers had in mind for Game 3, but the fact of the matter is that six players scored in double figures in a well rounded effort to take command of this series. F Glen Davis led the way with 17 points for the hosts. F Rasheed Wallace also had ten points off of the bench. G Rajon Rondo is still averaging a double-double with points and assists in this series, and he had yet another productive game on Saturday. Even though he only shot 4/14 from the field, he scored 11 points and dished out a dozen assists. Boston has had three respectable shooting games in this series, including a 46.6 percent effort in Game 3. The team nailed six triples on Saturday, which was only two fewer than Orlando made in spite of the fact that the Magic took 19 more attempts from long range.

Current NBA Betting Odds: Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics – Game 4

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+7
-7
188
Diamond Sportsbook
+7
-7
188.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+7
-7
188

Trends of Note: All of the Orlando trends seem to be tainted due to the fact that it has struggled so badly against the C's. The Magic are 6-1 ATS in their L/7 road games against teams with a winning record and are 19-6-1 ATS in their L/26 games following an SU loss of at least ten points. However, looking at some of Boston's betting trends is just mind-boggling. The C's have covered six straight games and are 6-1 ATS in their L/7 home games. They're also 7-1 ATS in their L/8 home games against teams with a winning road record. The road team and the underdog are both 7-1 ATS in the L/8 clashes between these teams.

The Final Word: The Magic have simply had it in this series. There's no way that they are going to be able to rebound from this hole unless they figure out how to shoot the ball. But with the mental distractions and the huge deficit, it's hard to see this series getting back to the Sunshine State.

Free NBA Picks: Boston 98 – Orlando 81

 
May 17th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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The Eastern Conference Semifinals continue on Tuesday night from Amway Arena, as the Orlando Magic duke it out with the Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic (-7.5)
Tuesday May 18th, 2010
8:30 ET, Amway Arena

Boston Notes: The Celtics are on fire right now, as they have both won and covered four straight NBA playoff betting lines dating back to Game 4 of their series with Cleveland. In Game 1 against the Magic, they never trailed and really dominated some of the key statistics in the matchup. Boston won the fast break points battle 20-6 and enjoyed an 18-15 turnover edge as well. F Paul Pierce had his best effort since Game 3 of the first round of the postseason in Game 1 against the Magic, scoring 22 points on 6/8 shooting from the floor. He and fellow G Ray Allen led the way, as Allen scored 25 points and knocked down some clutch free throws down the stretch to ice the game. The only bugaboos that HC Doc Rivers can really point at on an individual basis are the performances of G Rajon Rondo and F Kevin Garnett. KG only shot 4/14 from the floor and was often really harmed by the presence of the Magic big men. Rondo, who averaged over 20 points and 11 assists per game against the Cavaliers, only scoring eight points and dished out eight helpers.

Orlando Notes: HC Stan Van Gundy can point to the fact that his team never gave up hope that it could win in spite of the fact that it trailed by 20 points late in the third quarter for motivation to carry into Game 2. He can also assure his squad that, regardless of the fact that it is facing an 0-1 series deficit, that it hasn’t been beaten the game following a loss since the middle of January, a stretch of 50 straight games! However, on the court, things are simply going to have to improve from Game 1 to Game 2. C Dwight Howard only shot 3/10 from the field, and in spite of the fact that he had a double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds) and blocked five shots, his seven turnovers and poor shooting percentages were killers. F Rashard Lewis only shot 2/10 from the floor as well. G Vince Carter led the team in scoring with 23 points to go with five boards. G Jameer Nelson ripped down nine rebounds of his own to go with 20 points.

NBA Betting Odds: Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic Game 2
Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+7.5
-7.5
188.5
Diamond Sportsbook
+7.5
-7.5
188.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+7.5
-7.5
188

Trends of Note: The Celtics have now covered three of their L/4 NBA wagering wars against Orlando in this series dating back to the regular season. The C’s are also 17-7 ATS in their L/24 games as dogs of 5.0-10.5 points and are 57-28-2 ATS in their L/87 games as road underdogs overall. The Magic are a stunning 65-32-3 ATS in their L/100 games following an ATS defeat and are 66-32-2 ATS in their L/100 following an SU defeat. They’re still 7-2-1 ATS in their L/10 home games and were 12-2 ATS in their previous 14 before dropping Game 1 to Boston on Sunday.

The Final Word: It’s time for a turnaround for the Magic. Boston played arguably the best game that it could possibly play on the road and still only won by four points. Look for Orlando to play inspired basketball and to put this series back on level terms with a comfortable win in Game 2.

Prediction: Orlando 95 – Boston 83

 
May 16th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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On Monday night, the Western Conference playoffs kick off with a great Game 1 matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix Suns (+6.5) @ Los Angeles Lakers
Monday May 17th, 2010
9:00 ET, Staples Center

Phoenix Notes: The Suns reached this point in the season in spite of the fact that few thought that they were deserving. The San Antonio Spurs were supposed to knock the men from the deserts out of the postseason in the second round, but instead of doing that, they were erased in the minimum four games. The Suns are run by G Steve Nash, who shot over 46 percent from downtown in the first two rounds of the playoffs. F Amare Stoudemire is about to have his biggest test of the postseason having to play a long series against the LA bigs . So far this postseason, Stoudemire has scored 20.5 points to go with 7.0 boards per game. The leading scorer in the playoffs for HC Alvin Gentry is G Jason Richardson at 21.5 points per game. The Suns are undefeated in these playoffs when he scores at least 20 points, and he has been a lethal shooter, capitalizing on 51.0 percent of his shots from the field overall and a blistering 51.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Los Angeles Notes: Remember when the Lakers fans were calling for G Kobe Bryant's head? All of a sudden, he has scored 30+ points in five straight games. To no one's surprise, LA is 5-0 in those five. After surviving that long series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Lakers came back and took the Utah Jazz out in four games as well. F Pau Gasol is going to have his work cut out for him in this series, as he hasn't had to run at this tempo or play against a team as physical on the inside as Phoenix could be with him. However, so far, Gasol has passed his tests with flying colors, averaging 20.2 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. C Andrew Bynum is still battling a knee injury, and though he is expected to play, HC Phil Jackson is very concerned that his young center might not be able to keep up at this tempo with his ailment.

NBA Betting Odds: Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers Game 1

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+6
-6
210.5
Diamond Sportsbook
+6.5
-6.5
210.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+6
-6
210.5

Trends of Note: The regular season series ended three games to one both SU and ATS in favor of the Lakers. The Suns are 20-6 ATS in their L/26 games against teams with a winning percentage of at least .600. They're also 20-8-1 ATS in their L/29 following an SU victory. However, when playing on at least three days of rest, they're only 6-13-1 ATS in their L/20. The Lakers are only 3-11 ATS in their L/14 games following an ATS victory and just 3-8 ATS in their L/11 divisional games. However, they are 5-1 ATS in their L/6 overall since Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

The Final Word: If the Suns can get out of the blocks in a hurry and force the pace of this game, this could be a great spot for an upset. With as many days off as these two teams have had, pretty much anything could happen. We're still not convinced that the Lakers are that much better than the Suns are, and we're going to hope that the visitors can find a way to eke out a very close Game 1. The tempo of this series will be set with an upset, as Los Angeles is going to be behind the 8-ball in a hurry.

Prediction: Phoenix 111 – Los Angeles 108

 
May 13th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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In what could amount to be the last game that F LeBron James ever plays as a Cleveland Cavalier, the Boston Celtics will look to eliminate the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference in an NBA playoff betting battle on Thursday night.

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics (-1)
Thursday May 13th, 2010 
8:00 ET, TD Banknorth Garden

Cleveland Notes: Right now, the Cavaliers are in for a very scary proposition. In the event that they lose Game 6 on Thursday night, James is a legitimate threat to leave the team and exercise his options as a free agent for next season. LeBron had a miserable Game 5 on Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena, scoring just 15 points on 3/14 shooting with six boards and seven assists. Only C Shaquille O'Neal scored more than 20 points for HC Mike Brown's team. Gs Anthony Parker and Mo Williams were virtually non-existent yet again in Game 5, as the two only combined to score 23 points. F Antawn Jamison, who may also be playing his final game as a Cavalier on Thursday, only scored nine. Cleveland only pulled down 31 rebounds, one of its lowest totals of the entire season.

Boston Notes: Game 5 was most certainly one of the best displays by an underdog road team in these playoffs . It wasn't the greatest game in the world for Boston's newest sweethearts, G Rajon Rondo (16 points, seven assists), but it was a fantastic one for some of the old guard players that helped lead the C's to a championship a few years ago. G Ray Allen led all scorers with 25 points, including shooting 6/9 from beyond the arc. F Paul Pierce scored 21 to go with 11 boards and seven assists in what amounted to be his best game in the playoffs to date. F Kevin Garnett chipped in 18 points and six boards. As a team, Boston shot a blistering 55.0 percent from the floor and 53.3 percent from downtown. The Celtics also won the rebounding edge 41-31 and committed seven fewer turnovers.

NBA Betting Odds: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics Game 6

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
+1
-1
196
Diamond Sportsbook
+1
-1
196.5
BetUS Sportsbook
+1
-1
196

Trends of Note: The Cavaliers have one brand new trend going for them that they don't get to exorcize often. They are 4-1 ATS in their L/5 games following a home defeat of at least ten points. If that trend doesn't continue tonight, their 2009-10 season will come to a close and LeBron may be departing with it. Cleveland has yet to cover a spread in the playoffs when playing on one day of rest (0-6) and is 2-9 ATS in its L/11 games against teams with a winning record. The C's are now 17-8 ATS in their L/25 games as favorites of less than five points, and even though they are just 7-15 ATS in their L/22 Eastern Conference Semifinal affairs, they have both covered and won three of the L/4 in this series.

The Final Word: Boston has to remember what it went through last season when it had a 3-2 series lead against the Orlando Magic. The situation was slightly different, as Game 6 was in Orlando, while Game 7 was in Beantown. C's fans aren't going to want to remember back to back seasons as "What could've been" if they had held serve on their home court. The Celtics just won't let that happen tonight. Even though this isn't really a Game 7, the atmosphere is going to have to feel as such for the hosts, as the prospects of winning a Game 7 at Quicken Loans Arena, especially after already winning two games there in this series seems grim at best. The Cavaliers look like a team that has given up, and unless LeBron puts together another one of his patented superhuman efforts, this could be the last time we see him suit it up for the Cavs.

Prediction: Boston 95 – Cleveland 89

 
May 9th, 2010 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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It's a do-or-die situation for the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, as they engage in battle with the Orlando Magic in the fourth game of this best-of-seven NBA playoff betting affair.

Orlando Magic (-5.5) @ Atlanta Hawks
Monday May 10th, 2010 
8:00 ET, Philips Arena

Orlando Notes: The Magic have simply been the dominant team in this series, outscoring the Hawks by nearly 100 points in three games. The team has had at least two 20+ point scorers in every game in this series, including putting four at that level in Game 2. The Magic won each quarter in Game 3 by at least five points in yet another truly amazing display. C Dwight Howard is proving that he just doesn't have an equal in this series, scoring an average of 23.7 points and bringing in 15.0 rebounds per game against Atlanta after going four games without a double-double against Charlotte. Unlike in that first round series against the Bobcats, HC Stan Van Gundy has been able to use his big man to the fullest extent due to the fact that he has stayed out of major foul difficulties.

Atlanta Notes: It's hard to love anything that the Hawks are doing right now. They look like a team that has just totally given up on the season. G Mike Bibby has been totally MIA during this entire series, as he has scored just 12 total points and given out six assists in the three games. G Joe Johnson hasn't put it together quite yet in a game either. In Game 3, he shot just 3/15 from the floor and scored eight points. Obviously it goes without saying, but another game like that will be the last in Atlanta's season. F Josh Smith is having a respectable series for Atlanta, as he has scored at least 14 points in all three games and is coming off of a double-double in Game 3. The Hawks haven't shot better than 41% in any of the NBA betting battles against the Magic, which just isn't going to cut it.

NBA Betting Odds: Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks Game 4

Sportsbook
Total
JustBet Sportsbook
-5.5
+5.5
193
Diamond Sportsbook
-6
+6
194
BetUS Sportsbook
-5.5
+5.5
193.5

Trends of Note: Dating back to the regular season, the Magic have won 13 straight games, and they are 11-2 ATS in those 13. They've outscored their opponents by over 17 points per game in this postseason and just don't look beatable right now. Orlando is 45-22 ATS in its L/67 games against the Eastern Conference and 35-17-1 ATS in its L/53 games as a favorite. The Hawks are just 1-10-1 ATS in their L/12 playoff games as underdogs and have yet to cover a game in these playoffs as pups (0-4 SU and ATS). Atlanta is 3-0-1 ATS in its L/4 games following a double digit home loss, but this circumstance is totally different from the average situation.

The Final Word: It may be do-or-die time for the Hawks, but there just isn't any hope of survival for much longer for them. This is a team that looks disoriented on the court, and it just isn't trying hard. There could be a level of complacency for the Magic, but in all likelihood, another romp is going to be in the cards once again.

Prediction: Orlando 105 – Atlanta 92