NBA Playoffs Betting - Weekend Recap

In terms of NBA playoffs betting things are heating up as we get closer to the NBA finals. Here is a recap of this past weekend's action:

LeBron Scores 47, Cavs Roll to 3-0 Series Lead

LeBron is not giving the media, who awarded him the regular season MVP award, any reason to regret their decision. LeBron finally played playoff minutes (43) and he scored 47 on 15-25 from the field along with 5-10 from beyond the arc and 12-16 from the charity stripe. He’s now averaging 33.7ppg, 10.0rpg and 6.6apg in the playoffs. He’s destroyed the Hawks for 36ppg in 36mpg.

It’s not just LeBron. The Cavs are getting contributions on both ends from virtually all of their rotation players. In Game 3 on Saturday, Big Z added 14, and West and Williams combined for a starting backcourt total of 23 points. More importantly, the team is playing crisp, intelligent defense. They’re not committing fouls, and they’re shutting down Joe Johnson (he went 9-19 in Game 3). The Cavaliers are now 7-0 in the playoffs, winning every single game by double digits.

It’s hard to pinpoint anything that Atlanta can do to turn this around and at least win a game. They’re simply outmatched in every area, and the Cavaliers are playing like a team on a mission. Johnson will have to step up with a big game, and Smith needs to have a massive effort on both ends. Game 4 goes tonight, and the Cavaliers an amazing 10½ point favorite at the BetUS sportsbook. The Hawks get 10½ at home and I still like Cleveland to cover. How much belief/energy can the Hawks really have left?

‘Big Baby’ Hits Game Winner to Sink Magic, Series Tied at 2-2

Game 4 on Sunday was a great game, which is what we expected in this series, even though we didn’t get much in the way of excitement over the first three contests. The Magic played poor defense and allowed the Celtics to shoot 53% from the field. It wasn’t just the defense, as Orlando’s starting backcourt of Alston and J.J. Redick combined for 2-14 shooting, and the Magic shot 5-27 from beyond the arc as a team. And yet, somehow, it took Glen Davis nailing two tough jumpers in the final minute, including a game-winning buzzer beater, for the Celtics to take the W.

I think that when the sting from this game wears off, the Magic will realize how superior they are as a team. The large majority of those 27 looks from deep were wide open, and on average, the Magic will make 10 or 11 of those 27, not 5. Unfortunately, the Magic now find themselves in a best of three series with two games on the road. That’s a tough feat, even as the better team, especially when you have problems closing close games.

For the Celtics, it was a beautiful victory. They played defense about as well as they could, and it was the definition of stealing a game on the road. Aside from the two last minute jumpers from Davis, there’s no doubt that Pierce was the difference in this game, and the only reason it was even close. I’ve doubted Pierce a lot this postseason, as he’s really been struggling. He showed exactly how dangerous he can be tonight. The Magic played single coverage and Pierce drained one mid-range J after another. The Celtics were isolating for him in the middle of the court and Pierce picked the defense apart. He had 27 points, despite playing only 32 minutes with foul trouble. He was 9-15 from the field and 8-9 from the line. Pierce will need at least two more performances on the same level for Boston to take this series.

The series returns to Boston tomorrow, and the Celtics are currently a two point favorite in the BetUS sportsbook. I do think it will be a close game, but I expect better shooting from the Magic and a tight Orlando victory.