Alright, all, the playoffs have arrived! Let's get down to business and start talking business!
Series Prices:
Toronto +383
Cleveland -500
Minnesota +274
Denver -340
Atlanta +222
New York -270
Houston -565
LA Lakers +425
Philadelphia +754
Boston -1200
Portland +979
San Antonio -1800
Game #1 Lines:
Cleveland -8 and 219.5
Denver -6 and 232
New York -5.5 and 216.5
Houston -5.5 and 207.5
Boston -12.5 and 213
San Antonio -11 and 222
Obviously, we have two play-in games left to decide our last two series. I will update those late tomorrow night.
I would say this looks like one of the chalkier 1st rounds in recent memory. We simply don't have the depth in this league right now that we have had in previous seasons. The 2nd round is when things will become QUITE interesting. I cannot wait for those series!
I think the way to bet the series here is via exactas and spreads...
I'll give a few great examples in the BOSTON-PHILLY Series...
The Celtics are winning this series, and relatively easily. I see very little chance of the Sixers winning more than one game.
Boston 4-0 + 180
Boston 4-1 +200
Series ends in 4 + 180
Series ends in 5 +185
Under 5.5 Games -220
Boston -2.5 Games -210
You do the math and figure out what is best. This is a combo of my PPH and BOL lines for that Celtics-Sixers series to show examples...
Okay... let us pivot elsewhere, and I'll give a few general thoughts...
A few things didn't break my way seeding-wise here at the end of the season. They both involved the 3 seed, and I wasn't happy with how each conference fell. The Nuggets won 12 straight to end the season and capture that crucial 3 seed. Why is that crucial? You miss the Thunder until the Conference Finals. Now, the Spurs are not exactly chopped liver, but this is still a very raw team starting this postseason. Much like Oklahoma City was a few years ago... So, I am holding a Spurs future since last summer to win the NBA Championship. Great value, but they need to go through both Denver AND Oklahoma City now to advance to the Finals. Houston is a much less imposing series. Too bad...
On the flip is the Eastern Conference... Detroit Pistons fan and future holder here. Simple as this, I want the Knicks in these playoffs, and now the only possibility will be the Conference Finals. Not only is the playoff payback, but we match up really well with that team now. Unfortunately, they held off Cleveland for the 3 seed and will face the Celtics if they can hold off Atlanta in the 1st round..
Speaking of that, I think that is the most interesting series of this 1st round -- Hawks and Knicks. I've read quite a bit of analysis tonight on an Atlanta upset. We shall see, I am still capping this series myself.
Out west, no Luke or AR makes for some disappointed NBA television executives. That series isn't exactly a walkover, but we're not going to see a 2018 LeBron out there taking over a series (Cavs and Raptors memories fill one's head). Houston went out and traded for Durant for the postseason. Let's see what the old dog has in him!
The West still will come down to the Thunder and Nuggets/Spurs winner. Ok City is one helluva team, but both Denver and San Antonio have shown they can play with this team. The Spurs will find out that the postseason is a bit different, no doubt. That being said, I think they can scare them a bit. They have to advance that far first. Denver will be ready, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Nuggets are a slight favorite in that series. We have a few very intriguing series forthcoming!
The East is very interesting, and I'll get into more detail about my 'Stons in another thread. I do think the team to beat in the East is the Boston Celtics. I have a few bets on them to do just that. That is coupled with a few bets last summer on Detroit to win the East (and championship). All that being said, if any of the top 5 (yes, I'll include Atlanta for now) made a run to the Finals, I would not be surprised.
The Jayson Tatum return was so surprising to me! That was a major injury, and seemingly, they ruled him out for most of this season, if not all, right away. Modern medicine is something else, though. JT ended up playing 16 games (and that was with sitting out some at the end of the season). He averaged 21-10-5, basically, although his FG% was only at 41%. That number is typically more 45-47% during his career. The 3 ball was down slightly as well. Either way, you are adding an MVP-type player back to a semi-revamped Celtics team that played really well without their best player. Jaylen Brown had a career year and will be top 3-5 in MVP voting. Kudos to him.
Cleveland is interesting. They have the talent to get there, but frankly, if you are betting on Harden and Mitchell in the playoffs, then grab the breathalyzer and let's have a chat. Nothing would shock me, though. The talent is there. They are the team I didn't want to face in the 2nd round as a Detroit fan. I preferred New York, big time!
Okay, that is a solid start with my thoughts. Let us know what YOU think!
All types of bets, please include! Homerism is ENCOURAGED (Suns in 4 @KJ ).
Series Prices:
Toronto +383
Cleveland -500
Minnesota +274
Denver -340
Atlanta +222
New York -270
Houston -565
LA Lakers +425
Philadelphia +754
Boston -1200
Portland +979
San Antonio -1800
Game #1 Lines:
Cleveland -8 and 219.5
Denver -6 and 232
New York -5.5 and 216.5
Houston -5.5 and 207.5
Boston -12.5 and 213
San Antonio -11 and 222
Obviously, we have two play-in games left to decide our last two series. I will update those late tomorrow night.
I would say this looks like one of the chalkier 1st rounds in recent memory. We simply don't have the depth in this league right now that we have had in previous seasons. The 2nd round is when things will become QUITE interesting. I cannot wait for those series!
I think the way to bet the series here is via exactas and spreads...
I'll give a few great examples in the BOSTON-PHILLY Series...
The Celtics are winning this series, and relatively easily. I see very little chance of the Sixers winning more than one game.
Boston 4-0 + 180
Boston 4-1 +200
Series ends in 4 + 180
Series ends in 5 +185
Under 5.5 Games -220
Boston -2.5 Games -210
You do the math and figure out what is best. This is a combo of my PPH and BOL lines for that Celtics-Sixers series to show examples...
Okay... let us pivot elsewhere, and I'll give a few general thoughts...
A few things didn't break my way seeding-wise here at the end of the season. They both involved the 3 seed, and I wasn't happy with how each conference fell. The Nuggets won 12 straight to end the season and capture that crucial 3 seed. Why is that crucial? You miss the Thunder until the Conference Finals. Now, the Spurs are not exactly chopped liver, but this is still a very raw team starting this postseason. Much like Oklahoma City was a few years ago... So, I am holding a Spurs future since last summer to win the NBA Championship. Great value, but they need to go through both Denver AND Oklahoma City now to advance to the Finals. Houston is a much less imposing series. Too bad...
On the flip is the Eastern Conference... Detroit Pistons fan and future holder here. Simple as this, I want the Knicks in these playoffs, and now the only possibility will be the Conference Finals. Not only is the playoff payback, but we match up really well with that team now. Unfortunately, they held off Cleveland for the 3 seed and will face the Celtics if they can hold off Atlanta in the 1st round..
Speaking of that, I think that is the most interesting series of this 1st round -- Hawks and Knicks. I've read quite a bit of analysis tonight on an Atlanta upset. We shall see, I am still capping this series myself.
Out west, no Luke or AR makes for some disappointed NBA television executives. That series isn't exactly a walkover, but we're not going to see a 2018 LeBron out there taking over a series (Cavs and Raptors memories fill one's head). Houston went out and traded for Durant for the postseason. Let's see what the old dog has in him!
The West still will come down to the Thunder and Nuggets/Spurs winner. Ok City is one helluva team, but both Denver and San Antonio have shown they can play with this team. The Spurs will find out that the postseason is a bit different, no doubt. That being said, I think they can scare them a bit. They have to advance that far first. Denver will be ready, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Nuggets are a slight favorite in that series. We have a few very intriguing series forthcoming!
The East is very interesting, and I'll get into more detail about my 'Stons in another thread. I do think the team to beat in the East is the Boston Celtics. I have a few bets on them to do just that. That is coupled with a few bets last summer on Detroit to win the East (and championship). All that being said, if any of the top 5 (yes, I'll include Atlanta for now) made a run to the Finals, I would not be surprised.
The Jayson Tatum return was so surprising to me! That was a major injury, and seemingly, they ruled him out for most of this season, if not all, right away. Modern medicine is something else, though. JT ended up playing 16 games (and that was with sitting out some at the end of the season). He averaged 21-10-5, basically, although his FG% was only at 41%. That number is typically more 45-47% during his career. The 3 ball was down slightly as well. Either way, you are adding an MVP-type player back to a semi-revamped Celtics team that played really well without their best player. Jaylen Brown had a career year and will be top 3-5 in MVP voting. Kudos to him.
Cleveland is interesting. They have the talent to get there, but frankly, if you are betting on Harden and Mitchell in the playoffs, then grab the breathalyzer and let's have a chat. Nothing would shock me, though. The talent is there. They are the team I didn't want to face in the 2nd round as a Detroit fan. I preferred New York, big time!
Okay, that is a solid start with my thoughts. Let us know what YOU think!
All types of bets, please include! Homerism is ENCOURAGED (Suns in 4 @KJ ).
. Think we hammer this team in 5 or possibly 6 at worst