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Pacers host Heat in East Semi Finals

Glenn Andrew — Thu, 17 May 2012 10:00:01 +0000

Chris Bosh may have been injured, but basketball handicappers still had the Miami Heat as 7 point favorites over the Indiana Pacers in game 2. LeBron James and Dwayne Wade proved that 2 out of 3 will not be enough for this squad, and that they will need someone to step up over the remainder of the series to move on to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers completely shut down a Miami team that was averaging 98.5 points per game during the regular season. Indiana knew going into this match-up that they would need to play their best ball, and rely on their stout defense to keep this one close, but now that they have home court advantage back, they smell blood in the water.

James and Wade got theirs Tuesday night, but the rest of the Miami squad couldn’t do enough to compensate for Bosh’s loss. Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony will need to be much more productive with Bosh out. These two big men combined for just 3 points, 8 rebounds and no assists in 48 minutes of service Tuesday night. If they fail to provide inside the paint for the remainder of the series, we could easily find the 3 and 4 seeds doing battle for the chance to go to the NBA Finals. Absolutely no one outside of James and Wade stepped up in game 1, and they are now in a position where pressure could serve as a huge factor.

Head coach Frank Vogel didn’t come into this 2nd round match-up thinking that his team could win by outscoring the Heat, so the lack of points scored by Indiana is totally irrelevant. Danny Granger has an off night, but the rest of his team filled the void to pull out a 78-75 win on the road. A trio of Pacers pulled down double-digits in rebounds with Bosh out (West, Hibbert, Goerge), and that trend will need to continue if the Pacers have any possibility of pulling out the upset.

Miami finished the 2011-12 season just 3 games above .500 on the road, which puts them in a very tough position heading into Indiana for games 3 and 4. With Chicago suffering the loss of the reigning MVP in Derrick Rose and losing in the first round to Philadelphia, the Heat were locked in as heavy favorites to represent the conference in the Finals. However, with Miami losing a piece of their dynamic trio, winning the East is completely up for grabs.

NBA handicappers have set the Heat as 1 point favorites for game 3 in Indiana. This may seem ridiculous based on the fact that the Pacers just won game 2 on the road, but they know all too well that the betting public will be backing the Heat to break out of their funk. I’m not sold that Miami has what it takes to push through without a key component in their line-up, but they are definitely capable of playing at a high level without Bosh. Tune in Thursday as the Heat and Pacers battle in what has become a competitive match-up.

Lakers look to Rebound in Game 2

Glenn Andrew — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:29 +0000

A win would be nice, but all that the Los Angeles Lakers are concerned about is not getting blown out for the second consecutive game. That statement may not be completely accurate, however, NBA experts aren’t giving the aging Lake Show much of a chance. Escaping with a series win in the first round over what was supposed to be a one-dimensional Denver Nuggets team put doubt in the minds of many basketball fans. Most NBA analysts knew that a Kobe Bryant led team could make it tough for the young and energetic Oklahoma City Thunder, but game 1 may have been a sign that they simply can’t.

The “rest” factor has been talked about since game 1’s conclusion, and that may be part of the reason why this game was so lopsided. However, winning by 29 shows me that this OKC squad is not only improved, but have a killer instinct that’s needed to get to the NBA Finals and possibly win a Championship. As expected Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook had complete control of this game offensively, and combined for 52 points Sunday. Although the Thunder had no other player in double-digits, the entire team chipped in to put up 119 points. The bench play was outstanding as the best 6th man in the league James Harden and the rest of the bench put up 50 points, and were able to maintain if not increase Okie St’s lead.

Kobe had a down game as he contributed just 20 points, but his lack of production was just a small part of what was wrong with the Lakers. Much like the first round series against Denver, Ramon Sessions looked to be completely in awe of the situation and performed likewise. Andrew Bynum had a solid outing, but this team doesn’t function at its peak unless both Bynum and Pau Gasol are taking care of business in the paint. That is exactly what will need to happen Wednesday if the Lakers are to make this a series. Keeping it close may be enough as Los Angeles has the best big game, big shot player on the planet in Kobe Bryant.

NBA handicappers are not giving the Lakers much respect as they have listed them as 8 point underdogs for game 2. The line doesn’t necessarily indicate how they perceive the game to be, but how they feel the betting public will. Tune in Wednesday to see if the Lakers can rebound from a horrible outing, and give the Thunder a run for the money.

Not having Bosh may hurt Heat against Pacers

Glenn Andrew — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:00:13 +0000

Now that the Chicago Bulls are out of the playoffs, the Miami Heat should have a clear path to the NBA Finals. However, a 9 point win over the Indiana Pacers in game 1 was anything but convincing. LeBron James showed how badly he wants a ring with a performance that backed his MVP trophy this season. He poured in 32 points, pulled down 15 rebounds and dished out 5 assists in dominating fashion. However, the loss of Chris Bosh for an undisclosed amount of time, and the fact that the Pacers aren’t scared of the Heat, could make this series much more interesting than expected.

Basketball experts had the Heat winning this series with ease, but I feel that it will take a solid effort each and every game to put this Indiana team away. The Pacers hung in game 1 for 3 quarters, but failed to get the job done in the 4th quarter. That story may be different for the remainder of the series as they will have a definite size advantage in the paint. Danny Granger may very well be the Pacers best player, and one of the most under-rated in the league, however, all of his talents may be negated as LeBron James will be the one guarding him. That being said, Roy Hibbert now has the huge edge under the basket, and should be able to take advantage of his length against a Bosh-less Miami squad.

Indiana managed to get out of the 1st round rather easily as they took advantage of a Orlando quad without their best player. However, they did play tremendous defense, and will need to continue that trend against the Heat. Scoring may be the biggest concern for the Pacers as they finished the regular season with a 97.7 average, and are scoring 4 points less in the post-season. Miami was better at points for and points against, but that was with Bosh. Things will be much tougher without him.

Joel Anthony and Ronny Turiaf will have a difficult time against Hibbert under the basket, and that could turn out to be a deciding factor as the series plays out. There’s no questioning which team has more talent, but an off night by LeBron or Wade could result in a loss or 2 or 3. If David West or George Hill or both can get hot like they’re capable of, then the scoring deficiency of the Pacers can be overcome.

Unlike the common fan or even an NBA expert, basketball handicappers have a much more accurate feel as to how a game will shape out. These experts have listed Miami as 7 point favorites for Tuesday’s battle. This number may still seem high, but it has come down a full point from where game 1 was. My feeling is that not having Bosh could be a positive thing for the Heat as the rest of the starters work harder to overcome not having him on the floor. That may be the case Tuesday, but as a whole it will make it far more difficult for Miami to not only get out of the East, but win the NBA title. Tune in tonight as the Heat look to maintain home court advantage with a win at home over the Pacers.

Thunder host Lakers in Western Conference Showdown

Glenn Andrew — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:48 +0000

The Western Conference Semi-Final match-up between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers may seem lopsided, but they are actually far from it. OKC finished a full 6 games ahead of the Lakers in the standings, and did so with one of the most potent 1-2 combinations in the league. However, NBA experts realize that situations like this greatly favor experience over youthful exuberance. With Kobe Bryant still playing at a high level we can’t count Los Angeles out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they found a way to pull out the series and once again get to the Western Conference Finals.

Bryant called out his teammates after a disappointing effort in game 6, but did so with intent. The extra motivation worked as center Pau Gasol stepped up and had one of his best performances of the season. A 23 point, 17 rebound night was a significant upgrade from what Gasol had been doing in the previous 6 games. Basketball analysts pointed to his play as the key to the Lakers game 7 win, but Andrew Bynum and the rest of the Lakers also played a huge role in finishing off the feisty Denver Nuggets. Bynum led the team with 18 rebounds, and shot 8 for 11 from the free throw line to once again show the Lakers dominance in the paint.

Utilizing their size will be at the top of L.A.’s list in terms of game plan for the Thunder. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook can flat out shoot the ball, but the Lakers are hoping to negate their easy scores inside the paint with some hard-nosed “D”. OKC finished the regular season as the 6th best rebounding team statistically, however, those numbers are slightly skewed due to the long missed they have from the perimeter. No one will question which team has the better players inside, but will that be enough for the Lakers to cancel out what they lose to the Thunder in shooting? We will find out soon enough.

These teams may not have much history together, but their most recent game has set the tone for what promises to be an all-out battle. Meta World Peace came back in game 7 of the Lakers first round series after serving a 6 game suspension for elbowing James Harden in the Lakers next to last game of the regular season. The senseless and blatant act nearly cost the Lakers a chance to move on, and will be the focal point for this 2nd round showdown.

Players on both teams are shrugging the incident off, but it will be interesting to see how these squads handle themselves on the court with that incident looming in the background. NBA handicappers have listed the Thunder as solid 7.5 point favorites for game 1. It’s hard to get a good read on how this game will turn out because of the age of the Lakers and all of the added rest the Thunder got from sweeping their first round opponents, but I anticipate things to get “tighten-up” the rest of the way. Tune in for what promises to be an entertaining series between the Thunder and Lakers.

Grizzlies look to Close Out Clippers in Game 7

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 13 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

The Los Angeles Clippers once led this series by a 3 games to 1 margin, but the overall talent and defensive prowess of the Memphis Grizzlies have turned this series into a nail-bitter that culminates in a game 7 on Sunday. These team were thought to of been extremely evenly matched by NBA experts, and it is now looking that way. Neither team excels in any one area or statistic, but both play solid all-around basketball that has led them to the post-season. It certainly seems as though the Grizz have the upper-hand heading into the Sunday’s showdown, but we can’t forget that “Lob City” found a way to come back from a 27 point deficit in game 1 to pull out the win. This one will be good!

In terms of star-power the Clippers have the clear cut edge. Perennial All-Star point guard Chris Paul is the best player on the court, and Blake Griffin has obtained a huge following with his thunderous dunks and acrobatic highlights. However, Memphis has a far more balanced starting 5 that has the capability to score from everywhere on the court.

Memphis goes 8 deep in scoring, and are led by one of the most under-rated players in the game. Rudy Gay has averaged 18 points and nearly 6 rebounds for his entire career, but seldom gets enough credit due to the small market he plays in. He is getting plenty of attention this year as he has made several big shots throughout this series to keep his team alive. Mike Conley is a sure-handed point guard that can distribute the ball with the best in the league, and he has plenty of options to choose from. Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo are a talented supporting cast that can play stout defense as well.

This game should come down to the wire as both teams put a ton of emphasis on the defensive side of the court, and work the paint with a methodical half-court offense. NBA handicappers have listed Memphis as large 8 point favorites for game 7. This may look to be an incredibly high number based on the fact that the series is tied 3 games all, but Memphis has proven to be the more talented team, and they have momentum.

The Clippers failed to clinch home court with back to back losses to end the season. They have a tendency to get out of sync offensively, and if they do that Sunday, this could get ugly. It will all come down to the Clippers grit and determination to keep this game close. Tune in Sunday afternoon to see which team will move on in the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

Lakers look to hold on against fiesty Nuggets

Glenn Andrew — Sat, 12 May 2012 10:00:57 +0000

The Los Angeles Lakers reputation far exceeds their playing ability this season. Despite being just a 3 seed, they were expected to run through the lowly Denver Nuggets on their way to a 2nd round match-up against the young and talented Oklahoma City Thunder. All of those NBA predictions looked to be right on track as they Lakers jumped out to a commanding 3 games to 1 lead, but 2 consecutive losses by a Nuggets team that has found their shot, has pushed this series to a climactic game 7.

Basketball experts still have all the faith in the world in L.A. to pull out an easy win and move on, however, there are many factors that may point to a different outcome. The Nuggets led the NBA in scoring this season due to their ability to distribute the ball and knock down shots. With 24 assists per game and 6 players averaging over 10 points per game, this team is tough to defend as the Lakers can attest. Ty Lawson has remained under-the-radar the entire season, but is beginning to get the recognition he deserves, especially after the 32 point performance he had in game 6.

It’s not just Lawson that makes this offense so dangerous. Relative no-names to the average NBA fan like Kenneth Faried have made a huge impact in this series, and have the ability to complete the upset. With Danilo Gallinari, Andre Miller and Arron Afflalo knocking down shots from everywhere, this team has more than a “puncher’s chance” to get a win Saturday. Defense may not be at the forefront of the Nuggets game plan, but they have been able to keep pace with the big front line of the Lakers in the rebound department. With far more options to utilize offensively and a wash on the boards, this series has the makings of an upset.

Kobe Bryant called out his teammates after they failed to produce in what was a game 6 blowout, and he is hoping that they respond with a vengeance. Kobe has shown that he is by far the best player on the court, but his supporting cast isn’t contributing at the same level they had all season long. Getting Meta World Peace back for game 7 should give this team a huge boost, but there’s also the possibility for him to disrupt the chemistry. With Pau Gasol being a shell of the player that helped this team get 3 NBA Championships, and Ramon Sessions showing why he is considered a streaky player, it will come down to Kobe and Andrew Bynum to avoid an upset and pull out a game 7 win.

NBA handicappers obviously feel that the betting public will be putting the majority of their hard earned money on the Lakers, and have set the line accordingly. Laying 5.5 points in a nerve-racking and high stakes game 7 seems like a bit much to me, and I believe the Nuggets have the players and game plan to potentially pull out the road win and the series. Tune in Saturday as the Lakers and Nuggets battle in the first game 7 of the 2012 post-season.

Nuggets try to Force Game 7 against Lakers

Glenn Andrew — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:30 +0000

A surprising road win over the Los Angeles Lakers has put the Denver Nuggets right back into the mix in their first round match-up. Basketball experts didn’t give Denver much of a chance against a Kobe Bryant led “Lake Show” squad, but a huge offensive performance on Tuesday has put this series back on course. There’s no doubt that head coach Mike Brown will be pushing his team to work harder on defense for game 6, and it will be up to the highest scoring team in the league this season to spoil those plans.

The average basketball fan would look at the Nuggets starting line-up and wonder how this team managed to even make the playoffs nevertheless push the Lakers to a game 6, but their depth is their strength. Danilo Gallinari has taken his game to a new level as he leads the team in scoring this post-season. This years’ Nuggets team relies heavily on getting contributions from everyone to succeed, and with 6 players averaging double-digits per game in scoring, they are getting exactly what they need to potentially pull off the upset.

Ty Lawson, Andre Miller, Arron Afflalo, JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried are all doing their part offensively, but it’s their rebounding that has kept them close in every game against Los Angeles. McGee and Faried may be the least recognized players on Denver’s roster, but they have been the key pieces to their success this series. They’re averaging nearly 20 rebounds and over 20 points per game, and are making it difficult for the Lakers “Bigs” to dominate the paint like they have all season long.

Without the services of Meta World Peace, the Lakers have been forced to ask Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks to step up. They haven’t. This has put more pressure on the streaky shooting of Kobe Bryant to keep them afloat. Despite averaging over 31 points per game, Bryant has disappointed in his shot selection and inability to distribute the ball evenly. Andre Bynum has taken the role as the 2nd option on team, and with a 60% field goal percentage he should be. However, Bynum has taken the 4th most shots on the team behind Bryant, Gasol and Sessions. This mismanagement of the team will need to be addressed by Brown if Lakers are to survive the first round.

NBA handicappers have listed Denver as short 1.5 point favorites at home, but most bettors will be leaning towards the Lakers coming off of a loss. I feel that this game could come down to the final shot, and could be the most entertaining game of the post-season. Tune in Thursday as the Nuggets look to force a game 7 with win over the underachieving Lakers.

Hawks in Must Win Situation in Game 5

Glenn Andrew — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:00:32 +0000

The Atlanta Hawks may have been the higher seed and favorites to win their first round match-up over the Boston Celtics, but Boston is showing that they still have the ability to compete at a high level in the post-season. NBA experts had the Hawks listed as slight favorites to win their opening round series over the Celts, and they have done nothing but disappoint. A quick look at Atlanta’s stats shows that they play the style of game that matches up perfectly with what Bean Town brings to the table. It’s all on the line in game 5 as the Celtics hope to finish off the series with a win on the road, but Atlanta has the ability and skill set to make this a series if they can manage to pull out the win at home.

Joe Johnson and Josh Smith dominate the Hawks offensive attack, but will need far more help if they are to turn things around. The difference maker for the Hawks is the play of their point guard Jeff Teague. Teague doesn’t get nearly the recognition that he should, and has played solid ball through the first 4 games of this series. He may play the point, but he isn’t asked to handle the ball as much as most guards. Smith and Johnson often have the ball in their hands due to their ability to score off of the dribble. With Boston relying heavily on their ability to slow teams down and win with defense, Atlanta will need to make every possession count offensively.

Having center Al Horford back was supposed to make a significant impact in this series, but didn’t as he scored just 12 points in game 5 and left the Hawks in a huge home being down 3 game to 1. There’s no hiding that the Hawks are top-heavy, and that they have put all of their eggs in one basket. However, that has proven to be a successful recipe over the regular season. A scoring average of just over 96 points per contest has Atlanta ranked 17th in the NBA, but much like Boston, they expect to keep games close via stout “D”.

What the Celtics lack in offense they more than make up for on the defensive side of the ball. Allowing just 89 points per game puts them 2nd in the league, and has been the difference maker against Atlanta. It is nothing short of remarkable to see the aging “Big 3” step up to the challenge after what was a underachieving regular season. Paul Pierce has led the way against the Hawks with a 23+ point per game average, but it’s been the play of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen that has kept this team one step ahead. Rajon Rondo has established himself as one of the elite point guards in the game, and is dishing out assists at a phenomenal level. His 13 assist average shows how talented he is as well as his ability to draw attention form opposing defenses.

Game 5 is a must win for the Hawks, and they should be at their best. NBA handicappers have listed them as short 1.5 point favorites by most sportsbooks. However, being such a small favorite shows that the books don’t have much confidence in Atlanta. Tune in Tuesday as the Hawks look to extend this series to a 6th game with a much needed win at home.

Clippers look for Win Monday over Determined Grizzlies

Glenn Andrew — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:00:17 +0000

The Los Angeles Clippers managed to pull out a win in game 3 despite trailing by 7 points heading into the 4th quarter. NBA experts have the Memphis Grizzlies winning this series and anticipated a possible upset in game 3 as the Grizz were just 3 point dogs on the road. Chirs Paul and company found a way to pull out the win through defense and the ability to make big shots, but it won’t get any easier as they take on a Memphis squad that flew under the radar for most of the second half of the season.

A 3 point spread in game 3 was extremely small considering these teams were nearly identical throughout most of the regular season. However, basketball handicappers felt that this would be a great opportunity for the Grizzlies to show just how good they are with a big win on the road. Several point blank misses towards the end of the game cost the Grizz the win, but that won’t detour them from coming back with a vengeance on Monday night.

Memphis thrives on winning games with stout defense, but has blown 2 large leads in the first 3 games to go down 2-1 against Los Angeles. Rudy Gay is one of the best players in the league, and has proven so throughout the regular season and playoffs, However, the rest of the Grizzlies starters will need to step up in crunch time if they are to get out of the first round.

Despite being one of the deepest teams in the NBA, Memphis doesn’t have too many “go-to” type players. Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo, Zack Randolph and Marc Gasol have all made solid contributions early in their post-season games, but all but Gay have stepped up in crunch time. Defense wins Championships, but that only goes so far when scoring an average of just 96 points per game. The Clip Ship has mediocre stats across the board, but they do have 2 All-Star caliber players that can make big plays towards the end of games.

Chis Paul is one of the best point guards in the game, and often puts his teammates in position to make wide-open shots. Along with Blake Griffin this team has the star-power to make a run in the playoffs, but they struggle to put it all together game by game. Paul as been outstanding thus far in the post-season as he is averaging over 22 points, 3 rebounds and over 9 assists per game. Griffin has had some outstanding individual plays, but needs to contribute more overall.

NBA handicappers have the Clippers listed as slight 1.5 point favorites for game 4. This may be a sign of their lack of faith in the Clippers ability to closeout games or their knowledge of what the average gambler thinks. Tune in Monday night as these teams go head to head in what should be another closely contested battle.

Nuggets look to Even Series Sunday

Glenn Andrew — Sun, 06 May 2012 10:00:43 +0000

Many NBA experts wrote the Denver Nuggets off after losing the first 2 games of their opening round match-up against the Los Angeles Lakers. However, a convincing win in game 3 and a close look at the numbers reveals that this series may be much closer than it seems. Since outscoring the Nuggets by 13 in the opening quarter of game 1, the Lakers have actually been outscored themselves by a total of 9 points. Denver proved Friday night that they have the firepower to hang with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, but it will be their defense that either sends them home quickly or makes a series out of this 3/6 match-up.

George Karl is one of the better coaches in the league, and quickly learned that letting Kobe get open shots translated to too many points for the Lakers, and an inevitable loss. Bryant went for 69 points over the first 2 games of this Western conference showdown while leading the “Lake Show” to a 103.5 point per game average. The Nuggets may have been the highest scoring team in the NBA during the regular season, but much of that was due to the beating that they would put on the bad teams in their conference. Facing a team that actually puts emphasis on the defensive side of the ball generally makes things far more difficult for Denver, and this is one of those situations.

The Nuggets defense isn’t their strong suite so they have relied heavily on outscoring teams all season long to get by. They are averaging nearly 10 point less per game than they did in the regular season thus far, and will need to increase the pace of play if they are to have any chance of moving onto the next round. Unlike the Lakers, Denver has a huge advantage in terms of depth in their line-up. They may n it have a clear-cut superstar on their roster, but there are 8 players that have the ability to have a big game on any given night.

Ty Lawson doesn’t get the attention he deserves, but he has quietly become one of the most productive point guards in the league. He averaged over 16 points, nearly 4 boards and 6.6 assists per game, and has maintained that consistency through the first 3 games of the 1st round. Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington will all need to step up their game Sunday in order to even the series at 2 games apiece.

If this quartet can shoot the ball the way that they’re capable of, they will make it difficult for the inside-the-paint oriented Lakers to keep pace. Kobe will always get the bulk of the attention and credit as long as he’s on the court, but it’s Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum that make this team go. There is not another pair of big men in the association that can compete with these two, and when they have their way in the interior thing usually go badly for the other team.

Despite being large underdogs to win the series, the Nuggets have been set as 2 point favorites to win game 4. NBA handicappers do their best to post a line that will get equal action, but it would be hard to imagine that the Lakers don’t get the majority of play. This is essentially a make-or-break game for Denver. If they lose they’ll head back to Los Angeles down 3-1. A win could be enough to put doubt in the mind of the Lakers, and could turn this series into an all-out battle that goes the distance. Tune in Sunday as the Nuggets and Lakers fight for a pivotal game 4 win.