Friday's NBA Playoffs action: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics (-8, 173.5)
Series tied 1-1
THE STORY: Paul Pierce was a one-man show in Game 2, Rajon Rondo returns for Game 3 and Atlanta could be without forward Josh Smith when the Boston Celtics host the Hawks on Friday. Pierce had 36 points and 14 rebounds in Boston’s 87-80 victory that tied the series on Tuesday, a contest that Rondo missed after he drew a one-game suspension for bumping official Marc Davis in Game 1. Smith strained a left knee tendon in Game 2, resulting in patellar tendinitis. He's considered doubtful for Game 3.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (37-29-2 ATS): Not having Smith would be a huge blow for an Atlanta team that is also without frontcourt players Al Horford (pectoral) and Zaza Pachulia (foot). Smith is averaging 19 and 15 rebounds in the series and has been the Hawks’ top player over the second half of the season. “He’s certainly a key component in order for us to have success,” Atlanta coach Larry Drew said. “Obviously, we already have both centers out, and now we’re looking at our starting power forward possibly being injured. These types of situations have been happening to us all year. We’ve been kind of snakebit but we’re just hoping for the best.”
ABOUT THE CELTICS (35-31-2 ATS): Pierce bounced back from a poor Game 1 to register one of the top playoff efforts of his stellar career - an impressive feat considering he was a marked man with both Rondo and Ray Allen (guard) out of the lineup. Pierce scored just 12 points in the opener on 5-of-19 shooting. Allen is questionable to play in Game 3. Coach Doc Rivers cited his team’s experience as being a prime factor in why Boston was able to even the series while shorthanded. “We’ve won games this year without some of our key players,” Rivers said. “This is a tough-minded basketball team, and having a lot of veterans on your team helps with that.”
TRENDS:
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings.
* Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Atlanta All-Star Joe Johnson is averaging just 15.5 points in the series and his shooting has been horrid – 31.3 percent from the field, including 3 of 17 from 3-point range.
2. The Celtics missed their first 19 3-point attempts in the series and are 3 for 25 overall.
3. Scoring has been tough for both teams – the Hawks are averaging 81.5 points and Boston is at 80.5.
Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers (-2, 179.5)
Series tied 1-1
THE STORY: The Chicago Bulls did just fine without Derrick Rose for one half. Then things fell apart. The Philadelphia 76ers blitzed past the Bulls in the second half on Tuesday, running away with Game 2 and evening the series at a game apiece. The 76ers torched Chicago’s league-best defense, shooting 59 percent from the field. The series now shifts back to Philadelphia, where the 76ers lost four straight to end the regular season.
ABOUT THE BULLS (39-28-1 ATS): Chicago went 18-9 without Rose during the regular season and was confident going into Game 2. The Bulls held a 55-47 lead at the half before collapsing in the third quarter in a 109-92 loss. C.J. Watson and John Lucas III combined for 27 points and seven assists in Rose’s spot but the defense could not contain anyone. The 59 percent shooting Chicago allowed was the highest mark surrendered by the team since Tom Thibodeau took over as head coach prior to the 2010-11 season. Joakim Noah was the one highlight in Game 2, scoring 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting, but Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer both struggled on the interior as the Bulls were outscored 52-32 in the paint.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (34-33-1 ATS): Philadelphia took advantage of Rose’s absence mostly on the offensive end, where point guard Jrue Holiday had little trouble navigating Rose’s replacements en route to 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting. The 76ers put six players in double figures and got strong performances from Evan Turner and Lou Williams. Philadelphia played 10 of its final 14 regular season games on the road and started the playoffs in Chicago, so the atmosphere at the Wells Fargo Center should be a welcome change of pace. The 76ers finished 19-14 at home during the regular season despite the April stumble.
TRENDS:
* Over is 7-1-1 in the last nine meetings in Philadelphia.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The top rebounding team in the NBA during the season, Chicago was beaten on the boards, 38-32, in Game 2.
2. The 76ers switched their lineup in Game 2, moving Turner and Spencer Hawes into the starting five.
3. Rose, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in Game 1, likely won’t travel to Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4.
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets (-4, 204)
Los Angeles leads series 2-0
THE STORY: The Denver Nuggets are hoping a variety of factors – the home crowd and mile-high altitude chief among them – will turn the moment in their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Staring at a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven series, Denver will need to push the pace to exploit Los Angeles' age (read: Kobe Bryant) and negate the Lakers' overwhelming size advantage. Avoiding playing catch-up would also help the Nuggets, who have never led in the series.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (29-29 ATS): Bryant was magnificent through three quarters on his way to a 38-point performance in Game 2, giving him 69 points in the series. With Bynum dominating the inside, Los Angeles has a 1-2 punch that the Nuggets have been unable to slow down, much less stop. Coming off his triple-double in Game 1, the 7-foot Bynum followed up with a career playoff-high 27 points Tuesday night. The behemoth center has had his way against Denver, averaging a shade under 25 points and 12 rebounds in four regular-season meetings.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (37-31 ATS): Behind point guard Ty Lawson, Denver finally got its running game untracked and managed to chop a 19-point deficit to four late in the fourth quarter. But the Nuggets also trailed by 17 early in Game 1 and cannot afford to play from behind, particularly since they were among the league’s weakest 3-point shooting teams during the regular season. Shooting guard Arron Afflalo needs to get untracked. He averaged 18.7 points in the final month of the season, but has a combined 20 points on 7-of-23 shooting in the series.
TRENDS:
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Denver.
* Under is 20-6 in the last 26 meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Los Angeles is 42-1 when winning the first two games of a postseason series.
2. Denver is 0-5 all time against the Lakers in the playoffs.
3. Bryant struggled mightily in both regular-season meetings in Denver, shooting 13 of 51 overall and 2 of 12 from behind the arc.
Friday's NBA Tips
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com
Gamblers have three NBA Playoff games on tap Friday night. Let’s start in Boston (40-28 straight up, 35-31-2 against the spread) where the Celtics will take on the Hawks in Game 3.
Even with Rajon Rondo suspended, Doc Rivers’s team evened the series at 1-1 behind a brilliant performance from franchise stalwart Paul Pierce, who scored 36 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead his team to an 87-80 win as a 4 ½-point underdog. The C’s hooked up money-line supporters with a payout in the plus-170 range (risk $100 to win $170).
Boston trailed by 11 points late in the third quarter, but it outscored the home team by a 26-14 count in the final stanza. Pierce made all the shots at crunch time, while veteran reserve guard Keyon Dooling provided a defensive spark and buried a pair of timely treys. Kevin Garnett added 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.
Josh Smith (18.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game) suffered a strained left knee tendon at around the four-minute mark of the fourth quarter. Without its explosive power forward, Atlanta (41-27 SU, 37-29-2 ATS) reverted to its tired tactic of standing around and looking for Joe Johnson to do something off the dribble. As usual, the result was low-percentage shots and awful possessions.
With Smith ‘doubtful’ for Game 3 and Rondo set to return, most books are listing Boston as an eight-point favorite with a total of 173 ½. Bettors can take the Hawks to win outright for a plus-325 payout (risk $100 to win $325).
Atlanta’s two premier big men, Zaza Pachulia (sprained foot) and Al Horford (torn pectoral), remain ‘out’ although Larry Drew is optimistic that Pachulia will be ready by Game 5. Boston’s Ray Allen is expected to miss Game 3 as well.
When Atlanta has been an underdog of eight points or more, it owns a 4-1 spread record. As for the Celtics, they are 6-3 ATS as favorites of eight points or more.
In the lone meeting between these clubs in Beantown this year, Boston won an 88-86 decision in overtime. The ‘under’ has gone 4-1 in this year’s head-to-head encounters, including a 2-0 mark in this series.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.
On ESPN at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, Philadelphia (36-32 SU, 35-33-1 ATS) will play host to top-seeded Chicago in Game 3. The 76ers knotted the series at 1-1 with Tuesday’s 109-92 win at The United Center as 6 ½-point underdogs.
Jrue Holiday enjoyed an incredible performance, making 11-of-15 shots en route to scoring a game-high 26 points. He also dished out six assists without committing a turnover. Louis Williams added 20 points off the bench and also produced a 6/0 assists-to-turnover ratio.
In the losing effort, Joakim Noah had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Starting at points guard in place of Derrick Rose after he tore his ACL in the Bulls’ Game 1 win, C.J. Watson played 28-plus minutes and finished with 12 points and three assists.
Chicago (51-17 SU, 39-28-1 ATS) captured a 103-91 win as an 8½-point home favorite in Game 1, but the victory was bittersweet with Rose going down in the final minutes. The 194 combined points went ‘over’ the 175-point total.
Rose nearly had a triple-double with 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Luol Deng chipped in with 17 points, while Noah tallied 12 points, 13 boards and two blocked shots.
Chicago won 18 of 27 games without Rose during the regular season, so it’s not as if it isn’t capable of advancing without its star player. However, the reality is that the Bulls probably aren’t capable of getting out of the East with their perennial All-Star.
Most books are listing the 76ers as two-point home favorites with a total of 179½. The Bulls are plus-110 on the money line.
The late game will be played at Pepsi Center where Denver will try to avoid a 0-3 hole against the Lakers. ESPN will have the telecast at 10:35 p.m. Eastern.
Most spots have the Nuggets as four-point home ‘chalk’ with a 204-point tally. Los Angeles (43-25 SU, 29-39 ATS) is plus-165 on the money line.
Mike Brown’s team drew first blood with a 103-88 win as a 5½-point home favorite in Game 1. Andrew Bynum dominated with 10 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocked shots on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor. Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 31 points, while Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight boards and eight assists.
Danilo Gallinari had a team-high 19 points in defeat.
In Game 2, L.A. won by a 104-100 count but the Nuggets took the cash as 5½-point underdogs thanks to a last-second bucket from Kenneth Faried that also sent ‘over’ backers (202½) to the window to cash tickets.
Bryant led the way again with 38 points, while Bynum produced 27 points and nine boards. Ty Lawson scored a team-high 25 points for the Nuggets, who got 14 points and 10 boards from Faried.
The Lakers have now won five of six head-to-head meetings against Denver this year, although the Nuggets are 3-3 ATS during this stretch. The teams have split the two meetings in the Mile High City. The ‘under’ had hit in seven straight head-to-head meetings before Faried’s basket resulted in Tuesday’s late-night ‘over’ emergence.
When L.A. has been an underdog of four points or more, it has compiled a 5-6 spread record. The Nuggets are 14-16 ATS when favored by four or more.
NBA Preview
Celtics @ Hawks -- Boston PG Rondo is back after being suspended for Game 2, when his sub Bradley had one turnover in 42:00, Daniels was +11 in just 15:00 on floor in 87-80 upset win. Hawks split last eight visits here, losing by hoop in OT in only visit this season. Pierce had 36 in Game 2, after going 5-19 in Game 1 loss; Celtics are 3-25 outside arc in two games. Atlanta won six of its last eight games overall. Johnson was just 10-32 from the floor in Games 1-2. Celtics got to line 31 times in last game, after only 13 visits in opener.
76ers @ Bulls -- Can't lose player like Rose and not feel it; Chicago led Game 2 55-47 at half, but got blitzed 36-14 in 3rd quarter, now series is 1-1 heading back to Philly, where Bulls lost three of last four visits, 1-1 this season. Holiday had 26 points last game, after he was -24 in 36:00 in Game 1: Philly shot amazing 59% from floor with only 7 turnovers on Tuesday. Chicago's starting G's were just 8-21 from floor last game, as team tries to reinvent themselves on fly without Rose.
Nuggets @ Lakers -- If Bynum continues to kick Nuggets' butts inside, it is a short series; he had 27/9 last game, after blocking 10 shots with 13 rebounds in Game 1. Gallinari/Afflalo combined to shoot 9-30 in Game 2, they have to do better here, or else. Denver lost five of six against the Lakers this year, but are 6-4 in last ten series games played here; LA is just 8-32 behind arc in two games, but they they were up 17 before the Nuggets (3-10 in their last 13 playoff games) staged a mild rally.
Armadillosports.com
ATLANTA (41 - 27) at BOSTON (40 - 28)
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 8-23 ATS (-17.3 Units) in road games in all playoff games since 1996.
ATLANTA is 43-67 ATS (-30.7 Units) in road games versus good defensive teams - allowing <=91 points/game since 1996.
BOSTON is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) against Southeast division opponents this season.
BOSTON is 15-29 ATS (-16.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 39-64 ATS (-31.4 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 7-5 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 7-5 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO (51 - 17) at PHILADELPHIA (36 - 32)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 84-70 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 40-28 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games this season.
CHICAGO is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 53-36 ATS (+13.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 23-7 ATS (+15.3 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 18-4 ATS (+13.6 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 44-29 ATS (+12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-6 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-5 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS (43 - 25) at DENVER (38 - 30)
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 28-39 ATS (-14.9 Units) in all games this season.
LA LAKERS are 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games this season.
DENVER is 84-68 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 80-51 ATS (+23.9 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 8-5 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 7-6 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
10 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Boston
Boston is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta
CHICAGO vs. PHILADELPHIA
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Philadelphia's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Philadelphia's last 9 games when playing at home against Chicago
LA LAKERS vs. DENVER
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver
LA Lakers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 8-16 ATS in its last 24 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver's last 6 games at home
Atlanta at Boston
Atlanta: 8-23 ATS in road playoff games
Boston: 14-5 ATS vs. Southeast Division
Chicago at Philadelphia
Chicago: 7-0 ATS w/ same season revenge
Philadelphia: 14-31 ATS as home favorite of 6 pts or less
LA Lakers at Denver
LA Lakers: 11-21 ATS in road games
Denver: 10-3 Under vs. Lakers