NBA Betting – Monday Picks – Indiana Pacers 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 Knicks vs. Celtics. It’s time for our weekly Playoff hoops picks for NBA gambling action.
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PACERS vs. BULLS GAME 2
Time: Monday 9:30 p.m. EST
Venue: United Center, Chicago
Spread: Bulls -12
Over/Under: 191.5
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OK Bulls fans. On 3, everyone exhale.
Now that Chicago has averted a major disaster in Game 1, the Bulls can resume the process of sending the Pacers into the summer vacation in four or five games, then look forward to taking on the winner of the Hawks-Magic series, which suddenly seems very much in doubt.
The Bulls led in Game 1 for all of 48 seconds, and it’s doubtful that they will need another 39-point effort from Derrick Rose to take this series to Indianapolis with a 2-0 lead. If Indiana can’t win when everything is going its way for 47 out of 48 minutes, there is almost no scenario you can create that has the Pacers evening the series tonight.
What was made painfully (for Indiana, anyway) clear in Game 1 is that the Bulls defense can take some time off and still clamp down when it has to. The Pacers turned certain victory into a confidence-shaking defeat by scoring only one point in the final 3:37, and none at all in the final 2:02. If the Bulls can replicate anything approaching that for even a period in Game 2, this one goes in the back for Chicago.
Also, don’t overlook the ability of Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau to make adjustments that will make it more difficult for Indiana to get open looks. The Pacers were unconscious (10-18, 55.6 percent) from 3-point territory in Game 1, and there is almost zero chance of that happening again in the series, especially since the Bulls will certainly have already worked to tighten up their perimeter defense.
NBA Trends:
Over is 7-3 in IND last 10 vs. NBA Central.
Under is 9-2 in CHI last 11 Mon. games.
CHI are 10-3-1 ATS in their last 14 Mon. games.
IND are 3-7 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
BEST BET: Underdogs are covering everywhere early in the playoffs, and it’s tempting to shoot at shadows and take the 12. But the feeling here is that the Pacers fired any bullets they may have had in their gun, and the Bulls are ready to take total control with a ramped-up defensive effort that will warrant an under play at 191.5.
Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling expert from Massachusetts.
