Posted on 4/30/2008 5:53:28 PM

NBA Furious Free Picks 2008 – Boston Has Luck of The Irish

By Tim Furious

Atlanta Hawks (37-45) vs. Boston Celtics (66-16)

Wednesday, April 30th --- TD Banknorth Garden, Boston --- 8:30pm EST

Series: TIED 2-2

NBA Betting Line: Boston -14 (187.5)

Online betting conspiracy theory, anyone? Last year in the Suns-Spurs thriller from 2007, several players were hit with devastating suspensions. When Atlanta throttled Boston again at Philips Arena, Kevin Garnett pushed a referee, while Kendrick Perkins stepped on to the court off the bench, as did the Hawks’ Marvin Williams. No penalties have been levied. In the words of the Backstreet Boys: tell me why?

I promise there will never, ever be a Backstreet Boys reference from here on it for the rest of eternity.

The Hawks pulled away in the third quarter of Monday’s battle, and ended up defeating the Celtics 97-92 in a thrilling game. They did that as home dogs, and return to Boston for Game 5 in a now-best-of-three series. The momentum is on their side, but if the first two games in Boston were any indication, Atlanta is in deep trouble.

They lost the first two games by an average of 21.0 points and looked desperately overwhelmed. When they won decisively in their two home games, it got the attention of everyone in the betting community. Can they keep this unbelievable run going?

I said in my NBA Playoff Preview that the Hawks were a homeless man’s version of Boston. They weren’t short on talent, but they were short on experience. But when a young, dangerously athletic and confident batch of young guns gains confidence in what looks like a hardwood blood bath, then it’s time for the Boston betting backers to rethink their stance on tonight’s action.

To calm their nerves to a certain extent, Atlanta is brutal on the road. I mean 1-4 SU and ATS in their last five road games. Feel better yet? On top of that, KG is furious right now and he is the last man that you want to antagonize. Boston has been stalwart at home, going undefeated in their last 5 games at home and 4-1 ATS when playing Atlanta at home.

What I’m more concerned about is the “gumption factor”. Atlanta has a world of confidence barreling in to tonight’s matchup, and while that may not be enough for them to get the win, that’s enough for me to take them against a huge line. Confidence is all a young team needs sometimes.

In the meantime, if Boston does manage to win, the conspiracy theorists will be screaming for KG’s suspension. Not that David Stern (who is THIS close to becoming a dickhead in my humble opinion…ok fine, he’s already there) wants to see any other team come out of the Eastern Conference other than Boston. Careful, Atlanta. If you win tonight he may move you to Kansas City!

NBA Betting Line: Atlanta +14 (UNDER)

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