Home | Sports Forums | Chat Room | Blog | Free Picks | Sportsbooks | Tools | Odds | Injuries | Articles | Links | Contact Us

Posts Tagged ‘NBA playoffs schedule’

June 10th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan
Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Offer For Cappersinfo.com Visitors ONLY
Click Here to get a Massive 100% Bonus @ BetGuardian
Note: Exclusive Bonus Offer: Must Use This Link & Promocode: Cappersinfo

And then there were two… The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be battling it out on the NBA Finals odds starting on Tuesday night. These are two of the most talented teams that we have seen in the league this year, and in this marathon of a season comes to a close, it is clear that one of these clubs is going to be well deserving champions.

#2 Miami Heat vs. #1 Oklahoma City Thunder Series Preview & Pick

We hate to think of this game as the “old guard” against the “new guard,” but that’s almost what this looks like. Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James were here with the Heat last year, and these stars are in the middling stages of their careers. Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and James Harden have all been growing up together over the course of the last few years, and the team is now just four wins short of the ultimate reward, winning the NBA Championship. Remember that this team was atrocious just four years ago. Then came the first round of the playoffs. Then came the Western Conference Finals. And now, the Thunder are here in the NBA Finals for the first time since moving to Oklahoma City and the second time in the history of the franchise.

The Heat are clearly one of the best teams in the league and have been the favorites to win the NBA Finals for really the last two years. Of course, getting the Super Friends together was supposed to be the key to winning title after title in South Beach, but in the end, if this is the second straight year that Miami gets into the NBA Finals, only to lose, there would be a lot of explaining to do.

LeBron is coming off of a big time end of this series against the Boston Celtics. He scored 45 points against the C’s in Game 6 on the road, and then he came home and scored 31 points and had 12 boards in the series-clinching victory. D-Wade had a much better go of it in Game 7 than he did in Game 6, scoring 23 points, and Bosh had 19 points and eight boards off of the bench. That being said, the rest of the role players for this team just haven’t been all that remarkable, and that was what really killed the Heat last year. Will Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Shane Battier, Mike Miller, James Jones, and the likes be able to step up their game and help this team out? That might be the big question right now in this series.

Meanwhile for Oklahoma City, the key is going to be the help around Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden. These three are the key cogs for this roster, and they do the majority of the scoring for the club, but what we have seen here in the playoffs is all sorts of other players stepping up to the task. Thabo Sefolosha, Serge Ibaka, and Kendrick Perkins did tremendously against the Spurs, and it can’t be underestimated just how important Derek Fisher has been to the club as well.

This really should be a fantastic series. Both of these teams have the ability to get the job done, but in the end, we think that home court advantage is going to work to the edge of Oklahoma City. Take the Thunder in a relatively long series.

Oklahoma City Thunder in 6 (-165)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in NBA Basketball |

 
May 27th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan
Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Offer For Cappersinfo.com Visitors ONLY
Click Here to get a Massive 100% Bonus @ BetGuardian
Note: Exclusive Bonus Offer: Must Use This Link & Promocode: Cappersinfo

The Eastern Conference Finals is set to get underway, and it is clear that two of the best teams in the conference, the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics are going to be involved in the soiree. This should be a fantastic series, and many think that the winner of this series is going to go on to win the 2012 NBA Championship. Don’t miss out on all of our Boston vs. Miami picks for the postseason!

#4 Boston Celtics vs. #2 Miami Heat Series Preview & Pick

The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics clearly don’t like each other. The Celtics were formed by bringing all sorts of big time names together for a run at glory, and they were able to get the job done. That’s why the Heat wanted to get their trio of stars together. Now, Boston is clearly at the tail end of its domination, while Miami is just trying to make its run for its first title. The two would love nothing more than to be able to end the other’s season in the Eastern Conference Finals.

With all of the big time names that are in the playoffs right now, the one that might be the MVP of the bunch is Rajon Rondo. Rondo was more or less just “that fourth guy” that was the glue to Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce and their stardom, but he has rounded into the most important player on the team. Head Coach Doc Rivers called Rondo the quarterback of the club for good reason. He is third on the team in scoring here in the postseason, and he is averaging over a dozen assists and nearly seven rebounds per game as well. Rondo’s Game 7 triple-double against the Philadelphia 76ers was one of the best and most important games that a Celtic has ever had, and it marked his ninth career playoff triple-double. Pierce and Garnett are both doing well in the postseason as well, averaging 19.3 and 19.2 points per game between them, but the rest of the team just seems to be full of liabilities. Allen looks old and slow, and with Avery Bradley out for the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, defense could be a big problem now that Boston is running into a solid offensive club with superstars on it for the first time in these playoffs.

The Heat have officially woken up. They were down 2-1 in the series to the Indiana Pacers a week and a half ago, and they were coming off of a stretch of five games in which they were beaten three times and nearly beaten a fourth. However, without Chris Bosh in the fold, Miami has gone on a great run, winning three straight games in dominating fashion to get to this point. The question though, is who will take over for Bosh in the paint? Udonis Haslem is the most likely candidate, but the better hope is that Bosh will be able to come back from this abdomen injury at some point in this series. We just don’t know if it is going to happen, though. That being said, LeBron and D-Wade are averaging over 50 points per game between them, but beyond those two and Mario Chalmers, no one on the club is averaging more than the 5.3 points per game of Mike Miller.

These two teams really just don’t like each other, and it is going to show once again over the course of the next two weeks. The lack of off days is going to come back to really hurt Boston though, as the more youthful legs of the Heat should be able to get through this series and all of the travel that is necessary a heck of a lot better. We know that the Celtics were able to win the final three games that these teams played in the regular season this year, but this is a different looking Miami team. This series might look a heck of a lot like last year’s series in the second round, when the Heat disposed of the C’s in five games.

Miami Heat in 5 (-500)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in NBA Basketball |

 
May 24th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan
Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Offer For Cappersinfo.com Visitors ONLY
Click Here to get a Massive 100% Bonus @ BetGuardian
Note: Exclusive Bonus Offer: Must Use This Link & Promocode: Cappersinfo

The Western Conference Finals is set to get underway, and it is clear that the two best teams in the entire playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to be involved in the soiree. This should be a fantastic series, and many think that the winner of this series is going to go on to win the 2012 NBA Championship. Don’t miss out on all of our Oklahoma City vs. San Antonio picks for the postseason!

#2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. #1 San Antonio Spurs Series Preview & Pick

The old guard vs. the new guard. The value of depth vs. two of the biggest stars in the game. These are all ways that we can bill this series between the Spurs and the Thunder. They clearly are two totally different teams, but both excel at what they do to the highest of levels.

We’ll start with the Thunder. They have had to play in some tight games over the course of the first two rounds of the playoffs, particularly at home. Oklahoma City has won all five of its games played in front of its hometown crowd, but three of those games really came down to the wire. There is just one loss here in the playoffs for the Thunder, an almost predictable Game 3 loss at Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, there is no shame whatsoever in the fact that the Thunder have gone through the defending NBA champs, the Dallas Mavericks, and the Lakers in a total of just nine games. Kevin Durant is averaging 26.7 points per game, and Russell Westbrook is good for 24.1 points per game. James Harden has been off just a bit at 17.0 points per game, while Serge Ibaka doesn’t quite have the numbers that we are expecting either at 9.8 points, 6.1 boards, and 3.7 blocks per game. Still, it’s all going right at the moment for Oklahoma City, and it is tough to ignore just how talented this team really is when push comes to shove.

The Spurs were the most dangerous offensive team in the game this past season, and they did it with their depth. They know that they can count on any number of players, even here in the playoffs, and true to their form, the Spurs have had nine different players average at least 5.6 points per game here in the postseason. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili know what it takes to win a title, and they are still the three leading scorers on this team, though all of them have had their minutes cut just a bit over the course of the first two rounds of the playoffs. It’s working though, as there really has only been one close game in the postseason. San Antonio is 8-0 SU and 7-1 ATS in the playoffs, and it is now 18-0 SU and 15-2-1 ATS dating back to the regular season. We haven’t seen a run the likes of this in quite some time in the NBA, and especially in this condensed season, this has been a remarkable feat. The Spurs have had the easier of the two roads to the Western Conference Finals for sure, going through the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz, but as the No. 1 seed in the West, they deserved that easier road.

Last year, the Thunder just didn’t have enough to figure out how to get through the Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. This year, we think that they are going to really suffer a similar fate. The Spurs are just playing too well right now, and they have too many more options to turn to. If Oklahoma City doesn’t take one of these first two games in the Lone Star State, this series could be over relatively quickly, and though we think that most of the games are going to be tight when push comes to shove, we also think that the Spurs are going to ultimately win this series in just five games.
San Antonio Spurs in 5 (-210)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in NBA Basketball |

 
April 28th, 2012 By Andrew Ryan
Exclusive 100% Sportsbook Bonus Offer For Cappersinfo.com Visitors ONLY
Click Here to get a Massive 100% Bonus @ BetGuardian
Note: Exclusive Bonus Offer: Must Use This Link & Promocode: Cappersinfo

The eight series in the NBA playoffs get underway this weekend with a slew of action on the hardwood. Check out how we stack up the NBA series prices and the NBA futures odds that are on the board for this weekend!

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Chicago Bulls Series Preview & Pick

The Bulls are clearly the better team in this series, and the only question is whether the series is going to end up being a sweep or not. The 76ers just don’t have the offense to be able to keep up with a team that has a ton of talent on both sides of the court. Derrick Rose being back in the fold is going to make a heck of a lot of a difference in this series, and even if he only averages 25 minutes per game, it should be more than enough for Chicago to make quick, quick work of the worst team in the playoffs as we see it.

Chicago Bulls in 4 (-1350)

New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat Series Preview & Pick

The Heat really can’t like the fact that they are stuck in this draw against the Knicks, knowing that they are facing a team that has the talent to be one of the best teams in the league. Carmelo Anthony is just on fire at the moment, and the Knicks are playing great team defense with Tyson Chandler manning the fort in the paint and Iman Shumpert doing the guarding on the outside. In the end though, we do think that Miami is going to find some way, whether by hook or by crook, to get the job done in this series, though we do think that New York is going to put up a heck of a lot more of a fight than most think.

Miami Heat in 6 (-900)

Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers Series Preview & Pick

Many are just writing off the Magic at this point, knowing that they are coming into this series without Dwight Howard, the heart and soul of their team. That being said, we think that Head Coach Stan Van Gundy is one of the best coaches in the NBA, and he can find a way to tighten the ropes around the Pacers, who are really playing for the first time in the playoffs as the “favored” team since Reggie Miller retired. Indiana has had no luck over the course of the last two years or so with Orlando, granted, with Howard playing in the lineup. That being said, the sharpshooters that the Magic have at their disposal might be able to win this series by themselves. Against better competition, this theory won’t work, but against Indiana, there is definitely a real chance that Orlando finds a way out of this series.

Orlando Magic in 7 (+600)

Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Series Preview & Pick

Last year when these two teams met, the Thunder were the slight favorites to win the series and move on to the NBA Finals. Little did we know that Dallas’ defense was going to carry the way once again past the Lakers and the Thunder and all the way to the team’s first ever title. This is a different year, though. Fortunately, James Harden is healthy after taking that wicked elbow from Metta World Peace just a week ago, and he, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant make up the best scoring trio in the league. The experience that this Oklahoma City team has picked up over the course of the last two years should serve it well. We just don’t think that Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks have the horses this year to get the job done.

Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 (-500)

Utah Jazz vs. San Antonio Spurs Series Preview & Pick

The Spurs made the mistake last year of losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Grizzlies as the No. 1 seed, and we just don’t see how they are going to be making that same mistake again. The Jazz are a very young team, and many of the players that are going to be on the court are going to be playing in their first playoff series. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan aren’t going to let San Antonio fail again, and even if they aren’t at their best, there are just too many players that have the ability to go off for big time scoring games to keep this team down. The strength in numbers is there for the Spurs, and though Utah has had a good history of sticking around with this team, we just don’t see it happening this time around.

San Antonio Spurs in 5 (-2150)

Denver Nuggets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Series Preview & Pick

The Lakers are certainly not a lock to get out of the first round of the playoffs this year. Metta World Peace is going to be sidelined for the first six games of this series after throwing that elbow at James Harden last weekend, and that is going to make the supporting cast for Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum. The Nuggets are going to use their depth to try to counter the Lakers, and as we have seen in the past, it is possible to frustrate the heck out of this team, even here in the playoffs. We do think that LA is going to survive, but in the end, it is going to be a very tough series that goes the distance.

Los Angeles Lakers in 7 (-240)

Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks Series Preview & Pick

What an odd series this is! The Celtics are the better of these two teams, and they are the higher seed, but the Hawks are going to start off at home after finishing with a better record. This is really the closest thing to a tossup series that we have in the first round, and we still believe that the Hawks can find their way to three victories out of four games at home, along with scratching out a ‘W’ on the road at some point. The C’s have played a lot better ball in the second half of the season, but we think that window of opportunity for another title for Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce gets slammed shut at some point over the course of the next two weeks.

Atlanta Hawks in 6 (+165)

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Memphis Grizzlies Series Preview & Pick

The Grizzlies and Clippers fought it out for the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 seeds right until the end of the season, and in the end, the Grizz got the best of the Clips to get home court advantage. This has been a brutal travel schedule for LA, which has had to go from New York back to LA, and now over to Memphis in a relatively short stretch of time. To make matters worse, Blake Griffin, a man who really isn’t a great defender, is going to have to deal with Zach Randolph and the rest of the bigs for the Grizz in the paint. In the end, this just doesn’t look like a pretty series for Los Angeles, knowing that it has had an absolutely atrocious time trying to win big games on the road this year.

Memphis Grizzlies in 5 (-210)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in NBA Basketball |