NBA Playoffs Betting – Monday Picks – Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls
Before nba betting fans turn their attention to more basketball betting events this week, we have some more good NBA Playoff gambling matchups to pick on tap, and our man Lawrence weighs in with his picks for game 1 of the Celtics vs. Heat . It’s time for our weekly Playoff hoops picks for NBA gambling action.
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HAWKS vs. BULLS
Time: Monday 8 p.m. EST
Venue: United Center, Chicago
Spread: Bulls -8.5
Over/Under: 178
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If any of the Chicago Bulls had any doubt that like the rich, the playoffs are different, they were dispelled in the first round. Chicago had way more problems than expected from Indiana, and the Hawks confounded everyone in the Association by knocking off the Magic. So here we are in Round 2, and while there aren’t many observers – even in Atlanta – who think there’s another upset in the making, who knows?
An Atlanta series victory depends on a lot of things going right for the Hawks. Derrick Rose can’t go for 30-plus a night in what figures to be a low-scoring series. Carlos Boozer has to stay in whatever funk he’s in. Atlanta has to defend the wings to make sure Luol Deng and Kyle Korver don’t rain 3s on them. There are a lot of leaks in the dyke, and to keep most of them plugged for 6 or 7 games might be too much to ask.
One thing is certain, though. The Hawks’ margin for error in trying to pull a second consecutive upset got a whole lot smaller with the news that PG Kirk Hinrich will likely be out for the entire series due to an injured hamstring. Hinrich’s presence on the roster can be attributed to the fact that No. 1 draftee of a few years ago, Jeff Teague, was deemed not yet ready to run the team. Now Teague becomes the starter-by-default, with the dual responsibility of running the offense and making sure Rose doesn’t have a triple-double by the end of the third period. Good luck with that.
If the Hawks are going to steal a game in Chicago and make this a series, it probably won’t be until Game 2. On Monday they’ll have to adjust the Teague running the offense, the crowd will be fired up and the Bulls will be wary of another letdown like they had in the Pacers series.
NBA Trends:
Under is 13-3 in ATL last 16 overall.
Under is 21-8 in ATL last 29 Mon. games.
Under is 10-2 in CHI last 12 Mon. games.
CHI are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games.
Under is 8-3 in CHI last 11 overall.
Over is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings.
ATL are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
BEST BET: Five of Atlanta’s 6 games in the Orlando series went under, and the only chance the Hawks appear to have is in keeping the score down and making a few shots late in the fourth quarter. Oddsmakers have dropped the number all the way down to 178, though, and that’s too low.
Liking the over on this one, staying away from the side.
Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling expert from Massachusetts.
