NBA Playoffs Update

by Bodog Sportsbook | May 6 2009

You can't help but be impressed with the 2009 NBA Playoffs. We're barely into the second round, but they're playing like it's the Finals. The best players are taking it to another level, bodies are flying, and the betting odds are having trouble keeping up. Let's get right to the raw data for all four conference semifinals.

Eastern Conference

Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Game 2: Thursday, May 7, 8:00 p.m. Eastern (ESPN)
Game 3: Saturday, May 9, 8:00 p.m. (ABC)
Game 4: Monday, May 11, 7:00 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5: Wednesday, May 13, TBA (TNT)
Game 6: Friday, May 15, TBA (ESPN)
Game 7: Monday, May 18, 8:00 p.m. (TNT)

Atlanta: 51-39 SU, 47-42-1 ATS, Under 48-40-2
Cleveland: 71-16 SU, 55-32 ATS, Under 49-37-1
Season Series: Cleveland 3-1 SU, 1-3 ATS, Over 3-1

Atlanta injuries: None
Cleveland injuries: J.J. Hickson (back), Lorenzen Wright (thumb)

The team with the best regular-season record in the league is now 5-0 SU and ATS in the playoffs after putting away the Hawks 99-72 in Tuesday's Eastern semifinal opener. Atlanta managed to stay tight through 24 minutes before the Cavs put their defensive stamp on the game and drove the under to the pay window. The Hawks were just 16-25 SU (21-20 ATS) on the road this year; Cleveland was 39-2 SU (28-13 ATS) at home.  

Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics

Game 2: Wednesday, May 6, 8:00 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday, May 8, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, May 10, 8:00 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5: Tuesday, May 12, TBA (TNT)
Game 6: Thursday, May 14, TBA (ESPN)
Game 7: Sunday, May 17, TBA (TNT)

Orlando: 64-25 SU, 52-36-1 ATS, Under 51-38
Boston: 66-24 SU, 46-43-1 ATS, Over 47-42-1
Season Series: Boston 2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS, Under 3-1

Orlando injuries: Jameer Nelson (shoulder), Courtney Lee (sinus)
Boston injuries: Kevin Garnett (knee), Leon Powe (knee)

The Magic were second only to Cleveland in profitability during the regular season. They kept the ball rolling against the defending champions on Monday by winning Game 1 95-90 as 1.5-point road dogs, skimming just under the posted total of 188.5. Orlando led by 28 points before letting Boston chip its way back into the game. Some analysts are calling it a moral victory for the Celtics, but the box score says that power forward Glen Davis was minus-12 on the day while Magic counterpart Rashard Lewis was plus-14. Three more moral victories like that and Boston will be on the golf course.

Western Conference

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Game 2: Wednesday, May 6, 10:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
Game 3: Friday, May 8, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, May 10, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Game 5: Tuesday, May 12, TBA (TNT)
Game 6: Thursday, May 14, TBA (ESPN)
Game 7: Sunday, May 17, TBA (TBA)

Houston: 58-31 SU, 44-44-1 ATS, Under 47-42
Los Angeles: 69-19 SU, 45-43 ATS, Over 44-43-1
Season Series: Los Angeles 4-0 SU, 4-0 ATS, Over 2-2

Houston injuries: Tracy McGrady (knee)
Los Angeles injuries: Luke Walton (ankle)

The regular season may have been a clean sweep for the Lakers, but it was Houston (+8.5) controlling and winning the playoff opener 100-92. The underdog-under parlay was the correct call on the total of 193 points. The Rockets defense was superb, but L.A. went 12-of-19 (63.2 percent) from the foul line as well. At the other end, the Lakers had trouble dealing with speedy point guard Aaron Brooks (plus-11), whom we’ll discuss further in a moment.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets

Game 3: Saturday, May 9, 5:00 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Monday, May 11, 9:30 p.m. (TNT)
Game 5: Wednesday, May 13, TBA (TNT)
Game 6: Friday, May 15, TBA (ESPN)
Game 7: Monday, May 18, TBA (TBA)

Dallas: 54-35 SU, 44-45 ATS, Under 46-43
Denver: 60-29 SU, 51-37-1 ATS, Over 45-44
Season Series: Denver 4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS, Under 4-0

Dallas injuries: Josh Howard (ankle), Jerry Stackhouse (foot), Devean George (knee), Shawne Williams (personal)
Denver injuries: Steven Hunter (knee)

They've already played two games in Denver, and the Nuggets have already gone up 2-0 SU and ATS on Dallas to extend their playoff streak to 7-0 ATS. Sunday's opener was a 109-95 final (under the 206.5-point total) that saw the Mavericks get pushed around like nerds at a frat party. Dallas manned up in Tuesday's Game 2 and still lost 117-105 (over 208) after Josh Howard had to leave the game with ankle problems. The Mavs would be dead in the water without Howard's 20.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per 36 minutes, but at least he has until Saturday to heal.

Preview: Cleveland at Atlanta, Game 3

Atlanta is very likely going to have to win this one to keep from facing elimination in Game 4. The Hawks are 34-11 SU and 25-19-1 ATS at Philips Arena this year, including 3-1 SU and ATS versus the Miami Heat in the first round. Their chances of winning increase dramatically at home, although the Cavs are solid on the road at 29-14 SU and 24-19 ATS.

We're looking at a pair of defensive-minded teams who run slowpoke halfcourt offenses, which was also the case in the first round when Cleveland swept the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta snuffed the Heat in seven. The under was a combined 8-2 in those two series before cashing in again Tuesday night. I personally like the underdog-under parlay once these teams get back to ATL; a four-leg parlay with the under-underdog on Saturday's other game between Denver and Dallas would cash in at 12-1 if the scores stay low. But that's just me. If parlays aren't your style, we have a truckload full of player and team props, along with the usual pointspreads, moneylines and totals.

Preview: Houston at Los Angeles, Game 2

The Lakers were shut down in the series opener. And yet they were laying 10 points (-115) for the rematch as we went to press. The betting public is obviously expecting a much better performance from the Lakers in Game 2. If they're going to get one, Jordan Farmar might have to be the one to save the day.

Brooks (13.0 points, 3.7 assists per game as a starter) has proven to be a capable point man since taking the No. 1 job after the Rafer Alston trade. His best attribute in this series is his speed - Brooks is running circles around 34-year-old Derek Fisher, who posted a team-worst minus-11 in the opener. Farmar has better wheels than both Fisher and Shannon Brown, who recently supplanted Farmar as the back-up point guard. If none of these three men can get the job done, coach Phil Jackson still has the option of switching his defensive assignments to cover the hole that Brooks has exposed. Houston has betting value until Jackson proves otherwise.

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