Steven Budin
25 DIME BASEBALL PLAY
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS - 1 1/2 RUNS
Terron Chapman
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Boston Celtics
Play: Cleveland Cavaliers
King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves in a familiar spot Wednesday night, tied 2-2 heading on the road for a crucial game 5.
The Cavaliers passed this test with flying colors last year. The King and crew delivered a precious road win and cover for backers with an overtime victory at the Detroit Pistons, 109-107, behind 48 points from James.
Last season in the conference finals the Cavaliers trailed the Pistons 2-0 heading home to Cleveland. The Pistons had seemed to find a way to shut down the King. Holding him to 10 and 19 points in the first two games. Cleveland returned home to capture both home games before taking that confidence on the road to Detroit in game 5 and pulling of the impossible. No one gave the Cavs a chance in game five of the conference finals last season as they were tagged as 5.5 point pups by linesmakers. Granted this is a different Cavs team but key pieces remain including the King. The Celtics are not the Pistons of last year but find themselves in a vunerable position just as the Pistons were.
The Celtics road woes are troubling to me. As I stated in the game four analysis their lack of a go to option should worry anyone who thinks of backing them. And to think that returning home is some sort of formality is dangerous in my opiinion.
The Celtics are playing as if they are relying on the home court advantage. The Cavs are not the Atlanta Hawks and are fully capable of winning in Boston. They have the best player on the floor who has crossed this bridge before.
I cannot say it enough that betting NBA basketball is completely different than the regular season. In my opinion more so than any other sport.
In the last couple of years we have been fooled by such teams as the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, yes the Detroit Pistons. Three of the most talented teams in the league the last five to eight years who have all but one championship between them. When it all said and done the Boston Celtics I think will be added to the list.
Clutch has not applied to the Celtics so far this postseason. And as much as I like Doc Rivers as a coach and Garnett and crew as a team, I lack confidence in their ablities in crunch time. I feel as though tonight is one of those games. Perhaps the most important game of the series. King James and the Cavs can hold their hat on the fact they have done this before and are 4-1 ats the last 5 meetings. I recommend the a play of 3 units on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Tom Stryker
4 * CELTICS
GOLD SHEETS LTS
CLEVELAND +9
L.A. LAKERS -8½
Michael Cannon
15 Dime –
CELTICS
Take the Celtics minus the points tonight over the Cavaliers.
The Jekyl and Hyde Celtics return home where they’re unbeaten this playoff season and I expect a carbon copy of Games 1 and 2 tonight.
The Celtics suffocated the Cavaliers offensive attack in the first two games of this series, and despite winning the last two games at home, Cleveland star LeBron James still hasn’t gotten on track offensively.
Boston can lament all they want about how poorly they’ve played on the road, but they can get some momentum back tonight in front of the home crowd. You can bet most every shot that goes up for Cleveland tonight will be contested, and the Celtics are a team that feeds off its defensive effort.
Until LeBron can get untracked, I don’t see this Cavaliers team winning on the road here.
Take the Celtics minus the points as they grab the win and cover.
10 Dime –
RED SOX (With Lester and Cabrera as listed pitchers)
Take the Red Sox for the road win this afternoon over the Orioles.
Jon Lester will start for Boston and he’s 2-2 with a 4.06 ERA on the year. The left-hander has had good success against the Orioles in his career, going 3-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three games.
The Orioles will start Daniel Cabrera, who is having a solid season so far. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.54 ERA in eight starts and seems to be pitching with better control than he has in the past.
But Cabrera hasn’t had any success whatsoever against the Red Sox in his career, going 1-9 with a 7.84 ERA in 11 games.
Take the Red Sox as the small road chalk as they grab the win.
5 Dime –
BLUE JAYS (With Halladay as listed pitcher)
Take the Blue Jays for the road win tonight over the Twins.
Toronto has been inconsistent, but I can’t pass up the opportunity to get Roy Halladay at this price with Boof Bonser scheduled to start for the Twins.
Halladay is 6-0 with a 2.66 ERA in eight lifetime games against the Twins. He’s posted a solid 3.29 ERA this season in eight starts, but only has a 3-5 record to show for it due to poor run support.
Toronto should be able to plate some runs tonight, however. Bonser is 2-4 with a 5.09 ERA in eight games this year and 0-2 with a 6.17 ERA in two career starts against the Blue Jays.
Take Toronto as they grab the road win.
Wayne Root
Chairman- Celtics
Millionaire- Cardinals
Insiders Circle- Astros
Billionaire- Reds
The Hammer Guaranteed Selections
QUADRUPLE NBA PLAYOFF SLAM DUNK WINNER
Boston -9
EZWINNERS MLB
5 STAR: (907) LA DODGERS (-$110) over Milwaukee
(Listing Lowe only)
(Risking $550 to win $500)
2 STAR: (927) TORONTO (-$131) over Minnesota
(Listing Halliday only)
(Risking $262 to win $200)
2 STAR: (915) HOUSTON (-$124) over San Francisco
(Listing Moehler and Misch)
(Risking $248 to win $200)
PASSING NBA
PSYCHIC
NBA
2 units Utah +9
5 units Boston -8.5
WISEGUY
MLB
1 unit New York Yankees +120
DA STICK
NHL
5 units Dallas +145
MLB
5 units Detroit -140
Teddy June
10* Boston -9
TONY MATTHEWS
20 Stars: LA Lakers -7.5
INDIAN COWBOY
Boston/Cleveland Under 176 (POD)
Bob Akmens
NHL: 3* DETROIT -165
ANDRE GOMES
CELTICS/CAVS OVER 176
Paul Leiner
100* NBA Over 176 Cle/Bos
20* NBA Jazz +8.5
10* MLB Yankees +120
10* MLB Over 9 Bos/Balt