The playoffs are here. Its been a great run for so many of us the last month or so. Truly great to see everyone coming together here at CTG and helping each other out and making this easily the most profitable NBA forum I have ever seen. Big thanks to so many of you who keep the activity, thoughts and great discussion going each day/night.
Heres the true openers for all the games this weekend.
Toronto 5-192
Chicago 4.5-183.5
Detroit 8-191
Houston 5.5-186.5
Cleveland 11-190
Phoenix 10.5-216
Cleveland 11-190
Phoenix 10.5-216
San Antonio 8-195
Dallas 10.5-213
So far, a few significant changes. The Phoenix total has dropped 2 points. The Dallas total has risen 1.5 points. Cleveland has risen 1 point. The Houston total has dropped 2 points.
Miami @ Chicago
I will be playing the Heat in both games one and two. Fairly convinced they will get a split at the United Center. The playoffs are a whole new game. I like to look at two games as a small sample to show Chicagos struggles against very good defensive teams. They played Detroit/Cleveland b2b three weeks ago and split. They really struggled at many times to score in both contests(especially the DET one). Although they split those games I feel these are the types of games they will see throughout their playoff run. The Chicago make-up is not one that is going to succeed against these types of teams. Miami is gonna make this an ugly series. They have the big bodies inside to thwart penetration for Chicago. This will lead to a series of jumpers for the Bulls. Now, Chicago can look good playing in the regular season hitting jumpers and getting out in transition but the fact is things will be different in the playoffs. Ben is a great defensive center but in all honesty he is not a great on the ball defender. He has always done his best work roaming and making plays off the ball. O'Neal will have a nice series and set the tone. The x-factor is Alonzo. If he is playing like he has for the last 18 months there is no doubt in my mind Miami will be too tough for Chicago.
Miami +4.5 -110 4 units
Golden State @ Dallas
This series will be short and sweet. The only time I would like GS is what will be an emotional playoff return for the home fans. Might be a good 1st half play that day. Other than that, I don't see much happening here. This is the playoffs, not the regular season. Golden State simply is not built for this. I am glad to see them in though and I hope they enjoy their short stay. Dallas is rested and ready to go. This team will simply shred Golden State on Sunday. No doubt in my mind that they roll with ease. I can see a 15-30 point win..easily.
Dallas -10 -110 4 units
LA Lakers @ Phoenix
Lets look back at last years series:
107-102
99-93
99-92
99-98(OT)
114-97
126-118(OT)
121-90
All four games at Phoenix went under this years opening total. Two of the three at Staples did as well with the one going over being an Overtime game. I am not using this as a reason to justify a play but merely to show pace change come playoff time.
The Lakers have one of the best gameplanners/motivators and coaching staffs in general when it comes to playoff basketball. They know they are overmatched in this series and will be quite deliberate all series long like last year in order to have a chance. They get in a run-n-gun affair with Phoenix and it will be an ugly series. I just don't see that happening.
I actually think the Lakers will be competitive for the first 3 quarters or so on Sunday and honestly laugh at this total. There is a reason it got hammered down 2 points in 3-4 hours already. Its set way too high.
Phoenix-LA Under 214 -110 4 units
Quick thoughts on the others games:
Houston is being valued right where they should be. The thing to watch is there tempo will slow doen as well. I think thats why we see the intial surge down in the total. I am not touching game one. I kind of hope Utah gets one of these games to set up some value in games 3-4 for Houston.
Toronto-New Jersey is a series I will have to watch for a bit. The Nets are the biggest enigtma in the league. Who knows who shows up. You would think this veteran laden team would be a great dog spot here against the green Raptors but I cannot trust them.
Cleveland could very well be looking towards 2nd round and beyong already. This series is one where they will be huge favorites each game and should win by double-digits each game. Be careful here. Lets see how they come out in Game 1.
Detroit is always an 8 point favorite in game one of the first round series. Always(lol). Orlando will be excited to be here. Dwight said he wanted Detroit while Carlos said he didn't. Howard is a smart young player. He wants to go against a great test. It will be that too. orlando simply cannot score enough against Detroit in a slow-dwon game as both games at ORL showed this season.
The Spurs and Nuggets will be fun. Once again, a scoring team gets into a different tempo. Denver couldn't score whatsoever last year against Clippers. They do have the added versatility of Allen Iverson but that won;t do them much good. They will have to play defense and create turnovers. I doubt I'll even play a game in this series unless Denver wins a game @ SA setting up a nice game 3 for Spurs
Alright, lets have a good playoffs cappers. Any questions I will answer later Thursday night and Friday. Will be gone most of weekend.
GL:cheers:
Heres the true openers for all the games this weekend.
Toronto 5-192
Chicago 4.5-183.5
Detroit 8-191
Houston 5.5-186.5
Cleveland 11-190
Phoenix 10.5-216
Cleveland 11-190
Phoenix 10.5-216
San Antonio 8-195
Dallas 10.5-213
So far, a few significant changes. The Phoenix total has dropped 2 points. The Dallas total has risen 1.5 points. Cleveland has risen 1 point. The Houston total has dropped 2 points.
Miami @ Chicago
I will be playing the Heat in both games one and two. Fairly convinced they will get a split at the United Center. The playoffs are a whole new game. I like to look at two games as a small sample to show Chicagos struggles against very good defensive teams. They played Detroit/Cleveland b2b three weeks ago and split. They really struggled at many times to score in both contests(especially the DET one). Although they split those games I feel these are the types of games they will see throughout their playoff run. The Chicago make-up is not one that is going to succeed against these types of teams. Miami is gonna make this an ugly series. They have the big bodies inside to thwart penetration for Chicago. This will lead to a series of jumpers for the Bulls. Now, Chicago can look good playing in the regular season hitting jumpers and getting out in transition but the fact is things will be different in the playoffs. Ben is a great defensive center but in all honesty he is not a great on the ball defender. He has always done his best work roaming and making plays off the ball. O'Neal will have a nice series and set the tone. The x-factor is Alonzo. If he is playing like he has for the last 18 months there is no doubt in my mind Miami will be too tough for Chicago.
Miami +4.5 -110 4 units
Golden State @ Dallas
This series will be short and sweet. The only time I would like GS is what will be an emotional playoff return for the home fans. Might be a good 1st half play that day. Other than that, I don't see much happening here. This is the playoffs, not the regular season. Golden State simply is not built for this. I am glad to see them in though and I hope they enjoy their short stay. Dallas is rested and ready to go. This team will simply shred Golden State on Sunday. No doubt in my mind that they roll with ease. I can see a 15-30 point win..easily.
Dallas -10 -110 4 units
LA Lakers @ Phoenix
Lets look back at last years series:
107-102
99-93
99-92
99-98(OT)
114-97
126-118(OT)
121-90
All four games at Phoenix went under this years opening total. Two of the three at Staples did as well with the one going over being an Overtime game. I am not using this as a reason to justify a play but merely to show pace change come playoff time.
The Lakers have one of the best gameplanners/motivators and coaching staffs in general when it comes to playoff basketball. They know they are overmatched in this series and will be quite deliberate all series long like last year in order to have a chance. They get in a run-n-gun affair with Phoenix and it will be an ugly series. I just don't see that happening.
I actually think the Lakers will be competitive for the first 3 quarters or so on Sunday and honestly laugh at this total. There is a reason it got hammered down 2 points in 3-4 hours already. Its set way too high.
Phoenix-LA Under 214 -110 4 units
Quick thoughts on the others games:
Houston is being valued right where they should be. The thing to watch is there tempo will slow doen as well. I think thats why we see the intial surge down in the total. I am not touching game one. I kind of hope Utah gets one of these games to set up some value in games 3-4 for Houston.
Toronto-New Jersey is a series I will have to watch for a bit. The Nets are the biggest enigtma in the league. Who knows who shows up. You would think this veteran laden team would be a great dog spot here against the green Raptors but I cannot trust them.
Cleveland could very well be looking towards 2nd round and beyong already. This series is one where they will be huge favorites each game and should win by double-digits each game. Be careful here. Lets see how they come out in Game 1.
Detroit is always an 8 point favorite in game one of the first round series. Always(lol). Orlando will be excited to be here. Dwight said he wanted Detroit while Carlos said he didn't. Howard is a smart young player. He wants to go against a great test. It will be that too. orlando simply cannot score enough against Detroit in a slow-dwon game as both games at ORL showed this season.
The Spurs and Nuggets will be fun. Once again, a scoring team gets into a different tempo. Denver couldn't score whatsoever last year against Clippers. They do have the added versatility of Allen Iverson but that won;t do them much good. They will have to play defense and create turnovers. I doubt I'll even play a game in this series unless Denver wins a game @ SA setting up a nice game 3 for Spurs
Alright, lets have a good playoffs cappers. Any questions I will answer later Thursday night and Friday. Will be gone most of weekend.
GL:cheers: