The NBA regular season has finally come to a conclusion and that means it is time to get serious as 16 teams remain with the dreams of lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy and being crowned NBA champions. The road to the finals will be a lot harder in the Western Conference as it has been for close to a decade now. We will be previewing and providing betting tips for each round and series up until the finals.
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Western Conference
Golden State Warriors (1) vs New Orleans Pelicans (8)
The Golden State Warriors have been a class above the league the entire regular season. They have the second best offensive, are number one in defence and have a home record of 39-2. Their home form will be vital throughout the playoffs, they have the best record in the NBA which will give them the advantage of always having home court advantage (4/7 games at home every series). The Pelicans snuck into the playoffs on the back of Anthony Davis’ rise to stardom. The power forward is an absolute beast on both ends of the floor and is constantly making plays for his team. However, the likely MVP of the league Steph Curry will be leading the way for the Warriors and the Pelicans will put up a fight but they won’t stand a chance.
TIP: Warriors 4-0 @ $3.18 with Sportsbet
Houston Rockets (2) vs Dallas Mavericks (7)
James Harden is the key to this series as the MVP candidate has carried his side for the majority of the season as the players around him were constantly falling to injury after injury. Dwight Howard is back and healthy and with him on the floor they are much better on the defensive end and they also make a small improvement in offence. The Mavericks have been a side that has been up and down all season as they struggled for consistency after the arrival of point guard Rajon Rondo. In theory, the former Boston Celtics champion should have made the Mavs title contenders but instead he has actually lowered their offensive potency. He will need to be at his play making best if the Mavs are a chance at an upset. Harden and Howard will be chasing their first rings and their determination should get them the series win.
TIP: Rockets 4-2 @ $5.45 with Sportsbet
Los Angeles Clippers (3) vs San Antonio Spurs (6)
This is by far the hardest round to pick in these early stages. The Clippers have improved in the second half of the season and it is evident as they have had the second best record in the NBA since the All-Star break. However, the Spurs are the defending champions and coach Greg Popovich demonstrated some of his genius as he has the Spurs peaking as they enter the playoffs. The Spurs were on an 11 game winning streak before the Pelicans beat them on the final day of the regular season. The Clippers were eliminated by the Spurs two years ago in the second round but with home court advantage this time around I expect the match up to be very close. It is vital for the Clippers that they win their opening two games at home because they can’t afford to head to San Antonio with a 1-1 record or worse. I believe the series will come down to the performances of Deandre Jordan. This has been his break out season as he has recorded multiple 20 points and 20 rebounds games, has an incredibly high field goal percentage and is the anchor for the Clippers defence. If Popovich goes to the “hack-a-Jordan” tactic, it is vital that Jordan hits his free throws. It will allow for players like Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, J.J Reddick and Jamal Crawford to shine.
TIP: No Bet
Portland Trail Blazers (4) vs Memphis Grizzlies (5)
The Grizzlies had a poor end to the season as they lost their second spot that they held onto for the majority of the season. They slumped to the fifth seed, which is lower than the Blazers, but because of their superior record they will receive home court advantage. The Grizzlies won the regular season battle 4-0 and I can see them dominating in the post season also. However, last year the Blazers were able to overcome the Rockets in the opening round despite being the underdogs. They are always a side that can overcome adversity and never fails to impress. However, I think the experience and gritty nature of the Grizzlies defence should get them over the line in this series convincingly.
TIP: Grizzlies 4-1 @ $5.00 with Luxbet
Eastern Conference
Atlanta Hawks (1) vs Brooklyn Nets (8)
The Hawks were a dominant force in the middle part of the season and won a league-best 19 games straight. Injuries to key players towards the end of the season slowed down their progress and momentum but they still managed to lock up the top seed comfortably. The Nets snuck into the playoffs with a victory on the final day of the regular season. Since the All-Star break centre Brook Lopez has been on fire. If they are any chance of producing an upset they will need to see the form that saw him named the Eastern Conference player of the week two weeks in a row. However, the defence of Al Horford and Paul Millsap should contain the All-Star centre. The key to the Hawks is shooting guard Kyle Korver. The sharp shooter poses such a dangerous threat that even when the ball isn’t in his hands he needs to be marked closesly because if he is given a little bit of space he will make you pay. This helps the Hawks offence greatly because it spreads the floor and gives room for Millsap, Horford and Jeff Teague to take advantage. It is likely for the Nets to win at least one game but the odds are doubled if they win two giving much better value.
TIP: Hawks 4-2 @ $5.15 with Sportsbet
Cleveland Cavaliers (2) vs Boston Celtics (7)
Two words, Lebron James. He is the leader of the Cavs and when he lines up next to fellow All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love it is intimidating for any team. James isn’t in MVP talks this season but they can only spur him on as he looks to reach the finals for the fifth time in as many years. Irving has also reached new heights this year as he improves his game, as he becomes more experience. He scored a career high and has stepped up when James was unavailable through injury. Love will need to step up throughout the playoffs as he has had career lows in almost every stat this year and has struggled with the transition to a team where he is no longer the main focus. The Celtics have reached the playoffs for the first time since trading Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and they have done it after trading star point guard Rajon Rondo. The young side will gain a lot of confidence from reaching this stage of the NBA season, however unfortunately for them they won’t threaten the Cavs.
TIP: Cavaliers 4-0 @ $2.65 with Luxbet
Chicago Bulls (3) vs Milwaukee Bucks (6)
The Bulls have been boosted by the late return of Derrick Rose who has been plagued by injuries over the last three seasons. The amount of impact he will make in the playoffs is hard to tell as his main priority is to return to good health and stay on the court. The Bucks have done well to make the playoffs after losing rookie point guard Jabari Parker midway through the season. It is testament to the fact that the Eastern Conference is much weaker than the West. The Bulls are a very good defensive outfit and will be too good for the Bucks.
TIP: No Bet
Toronto Raptors (4) vs Washington Wizards (5)
This will likely be the match up of the round for the Eastern Conference. The two teams are very close but the Raptors have had the upper hand throughout the regular season. The Raptors jumped out to a terrific start in the opening two months of the season as they led the NBA but they were nothing spectacular for the remainder of the season and have done just enough to be in a good position for the playoffs. The Wizards were strong last season in the playoffs as they beat the Chicago Bulls and pushed the Pacers in the second round. They are the underdogs in this series and I am backing them to overcome their Canadian opponents.
TIP: Washington Wizards 4-3 @ $7.30 with Sportsbet
