Posted on 5/6/2008 2:09:00 PM

NBA Online Playoff Betting - Celtics Carry Huge Chalk vs. Cleveland

By BetUS Staff

The NBA betting schedule is a bit staggered this week. The Boston Celtics took a little while longer to get to the second round than expected; Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal online betting series with the Cleveland Cavaliers takes place on Tuesday at the Garden. Four of the eight teams remaining in the playoffs will have already played two games apiece by then.

Despite going to a seventh game against the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round, the Celtics are priced at –900 to eliminate the Cavs and advance to the Eastern final. Compare that to the Los Angeles Lakers, who are –800 to finish off the Jazz. Los Angeles is already a game up in that series.

Utah appears to be a better team than the Cavaliers, who were 5-7 straight up and 3-9 against the spread going into the playoffs. The Jazz were the Northwest champions at 54-28 (46-36 ATS) and second only to the Lakers in the West with a plus-6.9 point differential. Cleveland was 45-37 (37-45 ATS) and actually finished the regular season with a negative point differential of minus-0.4 per game. Los Angeles has the tougher road to the NBA title.

But the Lakers have already won Game 1. In the league’s history, teams that take the opener have gone on to finish the series 79 percent of the time. With Los Angeles soaring ever since the Pau Gasol trade, and with Utah at 17-24 SU and ATS on the road during the regular season, this Western semifinal is tilted strongly in favor of the Lakers.

Are the Cavaliers really that bad? They were able to get past the pesky Washington Wizards in six games, going 4-2 ATS along the way. They also split their four games with Boston this season, grabbing the cash three times. Point guard Daniel Gibson is healthy again; he combined with Wally Szczerbiak to shoot 10-for-19 from the perimeter in Game 6 against the Wizards. Not coincidentally, LeBron James registered a triple-double with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists.

The NBA odds on the Celtics appear to be inflated; the rationale behind all that chalk is that Boston has gotten its “wake-up call” after losing three games in Atlanta. That may be true, but it’s something the C’s have to prove first.

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