2011 NBA Playoff Recap: Round 1

The Chicago Bulls came into the series a big favorite. The Bulls closed as 12.5 favorites but had to fight their way out of 12-point deficit in the third quarter in their 104-99 victory over the Pacers. The Bulls offense struggled shooting just 43% from the floor but nailed 26 of 32 free throws. The Pacers were competitive but only attempted 17 free throws. MVP candidate Derrick Rose and his game-high 39 points led the Bulls. The Bulls dominated the glass out rebounding the Pacers 49-34. The... 

NBA Playoffs: Adjustments & Information

If you want to have as many edges as possible when it comes to deciding which way to bet, it’s always a good idea to immerse yourself into the game and the action. Now, this doesn’t mean to strap on a uniform and help Andruw Bynum pull down a few rebounds, or try and run down the court to guard Rajon Rondo. From a handicapping point of view, it’s good strategy to immerse yourself as much as possible in a series, without actually taking the court. That means watching the games, then reading... 

NBA Playoffs: The Defense Never Rests

One thing to keep in mind during the NBA playoffs is the attention to defense by many teams. During the regular season, teams can coast at times when it comes to defensive intensity. Some games are blowouts, so the players will take more of an interest in running and shooting, while other times coaches will go to their bench and rest their starters. Statistically, this can skew offensive numbers slightly. However, in the playoffs, games are expected to be closer overall as these are the Top 4 teams... 

NBA Playoffs: Beware of Blowouts

The NBA playoffs are in full swing, which means overall the better teams are battling each other. This is different from the regular season when many nights great teams are playing bad teams and bad teams are playing worse one. Astute sports bettors should pay very careful attention to blowouts. For instance, after losing Game 1, the Celtics stunned the Cavaliers in Game 2, 104-86, at Cleveland as an underdog. At one point they led 91-66. A big part of the story was Rasheed Wallace, who had... 

2010 Western Conference Finals Series Breakdown

In this piece we will look at the Western Conference Finals between the La. Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. We will look at historical situations as well as more recent angles to help us break the series down and gain a better understanding of what to expect, when these 2 explosive teams meet to decide the Western Conference Champion. The Lakers finished exactly three games ahead of Phoenix. From 1947 through the 2010 NBA Quarterfinals, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by... 

NBA Playoffs Halftime Betting Tips

There are several advantages to second half wagering. One is that you get a chance to see the action and can make judgments on what you see in the first half that might affect second half play. Injuries are one example, and that is especially true in this particular NBA playoffs, with potentially nagging injuries to star players like Tim Duncan, Shaq, LeBron James (elbow), Andruw Bynum and Kobe Bryant. Another is that you can hedge for the second half and perhaps hit a middle, if you have a wager... 

R.Vinciletti: NBA Preview Round 2 Spurs and Suns

On Monday night The Spurs travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns, in what appears to be the most competitive second round series in the NBA Playoffs. In this piece we will examine all the numbers and shed light on who has the best chance to win this exciting second round Match up. In the NBA regular season, the Phoenix Suns finished four games better than the San Antonio Spurs. From 1939 through the 2010 NBA Preliminary round, when NBA teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by four regular-season... 

Postseason Basketball and Earlier Meetings

As the NBA playoffs roll on, handicappers should take careful note of how teams did against each other during the regular season. Examine head to head matchups individually and as a group. Does one team dominate another? If so, are the reasons for this, or was it merely a fluke during the long grind of an 82-game schedule? Sometimes a team is missing key players for one or two of the meetings, which can explain why one team did poorly. Or, maybe the losing team played in difficult back-to-back... 

NBA Playoffs: The Scoop on Past Results

The NBA playoffs keep on rolling. There are a lot of ways to analyze who has the edge, from matchups, key statistics (rebounding, turnovers), spread marks and even who’s hot and who’s not. One area that will also come up is how these playoff opponents did when they faced each other during the regular season. I’m not a proponent of putting much stock in regular season meetings. This can get tricky for many reasons, one of which is situations. During the regular season, you find teams... 

Defense and Totals in the NBA Playoffs

The NBA playoffs started over the weekend, which is a good time to revisit an old sports adage:  Defense wins championships. Look at some recent Super Bowl winners. You might not realize this, but Colts QB Peyton Manning didn’t have a stellar postseason four years ago, with 3 TDs and 7 INTs. The real story for the Colts’ run to the title was their improved defense, especially against the run, that allowed 14 ppg to opposing offenses in the postseason. Little brother Eli followed up with... 

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