Posted on
5/22/2007 5:52:52 PM
NBA Conference Finals Betting
By Robby Maddux
The NBA Conference Finals are underway and we have your weekend selections. Starting with the East, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are in a heavyweight fight with the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit opened the series with a home win, which is bad news for the Cavs as the Pistons are 14-1 when taking Game 1 at home in a best-of-seven series.
Play returns to Cleveland in Sunday's Game 3. During the regular season the Cavs went 43-37-2 ATS (against the spread). They have yielded a profit in postseason play and if they're to continue making money, while advancing to the NBA Finals, James needs to have a big Game 3.
Good games from Cleveland's Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao are nice, but the Cavs have no hope of getting past the Pistons unless James steps up. When James doesn't score, the Cavs don't win. When he posted his three lowest scoring games this year, his club lost in each.
Like most, the Cavs are a much better team at home as their 30-11 record indicates. Expect home cooking to fuel James and the Cavs to a cover win.
In the Western Conference Finals, the Utah Jazz are locked up with Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs own three NBA championship flags that hang high above the court, and many of the key players from those title teams are still in the lineup.
Experience gives the Spurs a big edge. In Game 1, the Jazz lost in San Antonio for the 17th straight time. In the same game, San Antonio had as many baskets in the second quarter (12) as the Jazz had through two quarters.
The Spurs are 27-14 on the road, so don't expect too much home court advantage for the Jazz in Saturday's Game 3. The Spurs have made a solid profit during the playoffs and went 42-39-1 ATS throughout the regular season.
Duncan and company have too much postseason experience and fire power for the Jazz to handle despite a rowdy crowd in Utah for Game 3. Expect a money-making victory for San Antonio on Saturday as they should have no problem making it to the NBA Finals.
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