NBA Eastern Conference
Chicago Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks
We start in the NBA Eastern Conference with what many see as
a huge mismatch as the Chicago Bulls face the Atlanta Hawks. The Chicago Bulls
are the big favorites going in, with the current lines sitting at -765. The Hawks are no strangers to being the underdogs,
as they managed to upset the NBA odds boards in their victorious first round campaign
against the Orlando Magic.
Entering this series, the Atlanta Hawks had gone 5-1 ATS against the
Magic, and they continued to extend this streak by ousting the Bulls 103-95 as
9 point dogs in Game 1. Chicago held a small lead most of the game until the
Hawks took over in the fourth quarter.
All of this was done without the Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich, who was
sidelined with a hamstring injury. The latest reports from the Atlanta Journal suggest
that his return in this series is doubtful.
The Bulls responded in Game 2 with an 86-73 victory, led by
NBA MVP Derrick Rose, who posted 25 points on the night. The Bulls team returned to their usual
fashion, and will be expected to cary this momentum throughout the rest of the
series.
Was the loss in Game 1 due to Rose being distracted with all
of the hype surrounding the MVP award? Maybe so, but with that in the bag, he
and the Chicago Bulls should regain their composure and ultimately advance in
the playoffs.
Miami Heat vs. Boston
Celtics
What else can be said about this matchup? As soon as this
series had been scheduled it immediately became one of the most hyped events of
the playoffs, maybe even more so than the Championship Finals.
The Boston Celtics ended last year’s season with a stellar
run for the title, but in the end fell to the always threatening L.A. Lakers.
Head coach Doc Rivers didn’t let this loss alter his plan of attack, and with
nearly the same roster from last year’s playoffs, has returned to the big stage
once again as a heavy favorite.
Miami, on the other hand, is a “Love-or-Hate” team, and this
can mostly be credited to it’s acquisition of LeBron James. He needs no
introduction, and he has made his intentions clear, to win a championship at
any cost. The Miami Heat and the Big 3 will are eager to put their young talent
up against the experienced group found on the Boston squad.
While the Celtics held the season series lead 3-1, this didn’t
keep the odds makers from backing the Heat to take the series, and even the
title.
The Miami Heat had been set as 5.5 favorites as they took the
first win relatively easily, but the lines remained unchanged for game two due
to all of the expectations of an even matchup. Once again, youth prevailed as
the Heat went on a 14-0 run to secure the win. They now hold a two game lead as
the Celtics remain winless.
As Game 3 heads to Boston, the Celtics are in desperate need
of a comeback. There is, however, a
glimmer of hope in that the NBA odds boards now have the Celtics listed as 3
point favorites. Will Boston own the home court the way the Heat dominated the series
in Miami? If so, we could witness one of the most exciting games fives and
sixes in recent history.
All that said, this heat team is fully capable of walking
into Boston and ending it all right now, giving the Celtics just another summer
to sit back and think of what could have been, and how close it was.
NBA Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers
vs. Dallas Mavericks
L.A. fell in Game 1 against the Hornets and everyone
panicked, but the always confident Lakers kept their composure and went on to
own the series. Once again, this time in
the second round the Lakers were handed a 2 point loss in the series opener against
the Mavericks. Once again the LA Lakers kept their cool as they were in familiar
territory.
The expectations all flew out the window as Dirk Nowitzski and
the Dallas Mavericks returned two nights later, and this time handed them a 12
point loss. So much for familiar
territory, as point guard Derek Fisher
made clear in his comments about falling two behind. “We don't like being in this position. It's not familiar, you
know? But we are where we are, so we have to make sure we stay together as a
group and figure this thing out. We're trying to make history here, and that's
not easy. We have to be willing to be accountable, all of us.”
The Lakers just look
tired and sloppy, often times with that “I thought you were going to cover him”
look stamped across their faces.
Yes it’s true, the Los Angeles Lakers, who were -340
favorites to win this series, now sit two games behind and now must make up
ground on the road. The total has gone ‘Under’ in 7 of L.A.’s last 9 games on
the road, however 4 of their last 6 games with Dallas have gone ‘over’.
All of these things would spell disaster for most teams, but
we are talking about the defending champions, LA Lakers. They will enter Game 3
set as a 1.5 underdog, and if the Lakers can start to play like a team again
and Pau Gasol gets his head back in the game the Lakers might be able to make
another from behind run, and what better leader to have in these situations
than Kobe Bryant.
Memphis Grizzlies vs.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Memphis Grizzlies have caught the attention of NBA fans
all around the world after they shockingly took down the San Antonio Spurs. That series
outcome left many asking “Where did these guys come from?” Truth be told, the
Grizzlies led the NBA in beating the spread, holding a record of 52-29-1, followed
by the Chicago Bulls.
Zach Randolph has become a league sensation, and anyone who
saw the last half of his Game 6 performance against the Spurs knows why. This
guy wants the ball and can and will sink impossible shots. This is the mindset
shared by the Thunder’s Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and when these guys
are on the court, expect the scoreboards to light up.
NBA odds makers have continued to set the total for this
matchup higher than any of the others in the second round. The first game's
total was set at 194.4 and moved to 197.5 for Game 2, and each time the 'over'
cashed. The lines for the third matchup now rest with the total set at 200,
down from 202.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been carried all season long on the backs of Durant and Westbrook, but the playoffs have seen the emergance of a new supporting cast as Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins. This will allow the Thunder to open their game up and avoid the defensive presences of the Grizzlies' Mark Gasol and tony Allen.
The Grizzlies took a 114 to 101 win in the opener, and the
Thunder responded with a 111-102 victory of their own. As the series heads to
Memphis, the Grizzlies are favored for the first time in this series, and they
would love nothing more than to take advantage of the home court advantage
while they have it.