Memphis vs San Antonio Handicapping
When teams get this far into the playoffs, talent tends to even out and coaches have to start really earning their money by making adjustments.
Month: May 2013
2013 Playoffs – NBA playoff odds
We’re mere weeks away from the coveted Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy being presented to one lucky team. With only four clubs still in contention for that honor, let’s take a look at the case for each club to take home the title.
Wings Hope to Ride Wave Of Confidence to Game 3 Victory
To a man the Detroit Red Wings said they would be better in Game 2 of the Western Conference semi final after losing Game 1, 4-1 and they backed up their claim in a big way for Detroit’s first win against Chicago in nine tries – the Red Wings’ first in regulation since April 2011.
Handicapping Indiana vs Miami Series
The Miami Heat are not one of the great teams in NBA history. They would have been over-run by the Showtime Lakers. The Larry Bird Celtics would have bigged them to death.
Nationals vs Giants Baseball Odds
The Giants (24-20) have lost 3 straight and 6 of their last 10 games and they are now tied for 2nd place in the NL West with the Colorado Rockies 1 game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Athletics vs Rangers Baseball Odds
The A’s (23-22) have gotten over a tough stretch and they have won 3 straight games. However, while they are in 2nd place in the AL West they still trail the Rangers (29-15) by 6.5 games.
Memphis vs San Antonio Handicapping
Cringe if you must when you watch them play, but it’s about time that NBA fans started to acknowledge what NBA coaches have known all season – namely, that the Memphis Grizzlies have a legitimate shot at getting to The Finals.
Knicks vs Pacers Handicapping
Will this series be the first NBA post-season battle to be decided not on the court but by the league’s new concussion policy?
Cincinnati Reds (25-17) vs Philadelphia Phillies (20-22)
The Cincinnati Reds were on a fantastic roll heading into last night’s game against Philadelphia. The Reds had won 6 in a row and 8 of 10 to put some pressure on the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.
Tampa Rays (21-20) vs Baltimore Orioles (23-18)
The Tampa Rays are looking to catch the Orioles this weekend and are off to a good start with a rare barn burner win over them on Friday night 12-10.
Detroit Tigers (22-16) vs Texas Rangers (26-14)
The Detroit Tigers find themselves in first place in the American League Central heading into this one, but just barely after losing the final game of their series against the Houston Astros. Now they travel to Texas to take on the division leading Rangers.
Washington Nationals (21-19) vs San Diego Padres (18-21)
With the Braves struggling the Nationals have closed some of the gap in the National League East. They are now down down just a game in the division despite the fact they have struggled over the last five against Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.
Rangers vs Bruins NHL Spread/Handicapping
There is no greater sports rivalry than the only between New York and Boston but in hockey, playoff matchups between the two cities have been few and far between. In fact, the last time the Rangers and the Bruins met in the playoffs was way back in 1973 – the Rangers won that series.
Senators vs Penguins NHL Spread/Handicapping
The Ottawa Senators know that they will need to be much better in every aspect of the game to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. They have to be more disciplined, they have to convert on absolutely every chance they get and most of all they have to return to the defense-first brand of hockey that got them into the playoffs in the first place.
Indiana vs NY Handicapping
Mike Woodson has tried just about everything. Changes in the starting lineup. Going small. Going big. Going more physical. Doubling Roy Hibbert, of all people.
Eastern Conference
Indiana Pacers (3-1) at New York Knicks (1-3)
Thursday, May 16
Madison Square Garden, New York
8 p.m. EST
Spread – Knicks -4.5 at Bovada
O/U – 179
ATS Matchup Stats | Gambling Insight!
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Nothing has worked, and you wonder if even Woodson realizes at this point that the chances of winning three straight over the Pacers and getting to the Eastern Conference finals are about the same as buying a real $100 Rolex from a street vendor outside Madison Square Garden.
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The Knicks have the look and feel of a team that is out of options. Every player who took some pressure of Carmelo Anthony by making shots against soft defenses in the regular season is turtling.
J.R. Smith can’t even make a layup at this point, let alone fire in threes with hands in his face. Amare Stoudemire clearly doesn’t yet have his legs under him after returning from injury.
The Knicks would love to get some offense out of PG Ray Felton, but he’s been missing in action for two games and over the entire series the Knicks have been outscored by 32 points during the time he has been on the court. Felton was even a minus-2 in New York’s only victory, in Game 2.
That leaves Carmelo Anthony, who may or may not be 100 percent (with him you never know) to stem the tide Thursday night in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.
Anthony loves to score and needs the ball to be effective, and unless a few of his teammates step up tonight, he’ll need a 35- or 40-point game to get things done. Can you blame him for being a ball hog the way the rest of the team has turtled? [ad-6571516]
All of which leaves the Pacers in better than pretty good shape as they head for New York with their pockets full of house money.
They shot barely 40 percent from the field in Game 4, missing 24 three-pointers and playing an all-around crummy game at home, and still came out on top.
Now they have three chances to put this away, including one more at home if needed and against a Knicks team that looks like a gunslinger who has used up all the bullets in his chamber but keeps pulling the trigger.
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This one could be decided in the first 8 minutes.
The Knicks are a front-running team that draws energy from itself. A good start opens things up for an offense which has underperformed in 12 of the 16 quarters played so far, and a slow start might result in some panic at the thought of seeing it all crumble at home.
NY appears to have played its best basketball in the Boston series and now is out of answers.
Indiana to cover the 4.5, with aggressive bettors biting at the money line for a better payoff.
San Antonio vs. Golden State Betting!
The Spurs crushed the Warriors in Game 5 in San Antonio and now back at Golden State they can close out this series if they win.
