NBA Playoffs Betting – Thursday Picks – Chicago Bulls vs Atlanta Hawks
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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BULLS vs. HAWKS
Time: Tuesday 8 p.m. EST
Venue: Philips Arena, Atlanta
Spread: Bulls -3.5
Over/Under: 178.5
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So, what kind of odds do you think you’d get if you sat down at the local bar and said that you would bet anyone that the Hawks would still be alive in the playoffs at any given time AFTER the Spurs, Lakers and Celtics had all been knocked off?
Not many give Atlanta a chance to win the next two games and advance to the Eastern Conference finals against Miami, but even fewer gave the Hawks a chance to get even this far. And so a single win at home, tonight, pushes the suddenly-exposed Bulls to a winner-take-all Game 7 in Chicago. If you think it’s impossible, can you explain how the Boston, San Antonio and the Lakers went a combined 3-12 in the last series each played? Does anything make sense in these playoffs?
When the playoffs ended last year in Atlanta, there was talk that it was time to start dealing and bring in a new core of players. Instead, the team took the path of least resistance — the players stayed, Larry Drew was promoted to head coach and the same group took one more bite of the apple.
Can Atlanta force this series to go the distance? Yes, but the Hawks will have to shoot better from long-distance than they did in Game 5 (1-12 on 3-pointers). And there is the small matter of rebounding against the larger Bulls. The Hawks outrebounded Chicago (by one) in the Game 1 upset that made this a series, but haven’t done so since, and in two games they were clobbered off the boards. There is talk that Jason Collins will get the start tonight at center to keep the Hawks more competitive off the glass.
NBA Trends:
Under is 19-7-1 in CHI last 27 Thu. games.
CHI are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 road games.
Under is 8-2 in ATL last 10 home games.
Under is 15-6 in ATL last 21 overall.
Over is 7-3 in ATL last 10 vs. NBA Central.
Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in Atlanta.
Over is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings.
BEST BET: Thinking here that it’s about time the Bulls put a stop to this nonsense. Atlanta’s Big Three (Horford, Johnson and Smith) had trouble getting good looks in Game 5, shooting a combined 18 for 44. Combined, they made one 3-pointer.
That won’t get the job done tonight, and if Chicago puts together any kind of run in the fourth quarter, Atlanta will fade. Bulls -3.5.
Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling expert from Massachusetts.
