The Warriors are expected to outshoot the Blazers from deep. They are the best in the biz. But, GSW is hurting Portland in all other areas as well. The Warriors outscored the Blazers 46-30 in the paint and also scored 21 fast break points to the Blazers’ eight. Do the Blazers have any fight left in them to cover as 4 point underdogs?
The Raptors were destroyed on the boards in Game 2 and it was all but over at halftime with the Bucks rolling to a 64-39 halftime lead in the 125-103 victory. Can some home cooking and the change of venue lead to a different result for the boys from the North? Check out who Franks is betting and why.
As the concern was raised in our write-up of Game One, the Bucks looked every bit rusty in the opening stages. At one point, the Deer trailed by as much as 13 points but once they got firing on all cylinders, Milwaukee had little trouble notching the victory in the opening frame of the Eastern Conference Finals. Can the Raptors hang with the Bucks in game 2 without what essetnially amounted to a head start in game 1? Keith Franks has your Deer vs. Dinos pick!
The top two teams in the Eastern Conference meet in the final when the Bucks host the Raptors in the series opener on Wednesday night in Milwaukee. The betting line is set with the Bucks laying 6.5 points and they may be worth a wager if the regular season trend continues. In all four games this season the team that won the game got the point spread cover. Read on to see where our handicapper is siding with his free ATS prediction for Game 1.
Game five was another competitive contest in a series that always seemed destined to return to game 7! The Warriors defeated the Rockets by a score of 104-99 and took the series lead although game six leaves them without KD in their biggest underdog line ever versus the Rockets.
Game Five would have to be classed as a complete performance for the Raptors as they were dominant on both sides of the ball. As a six-point favorite the Raptors put together a convincing 129-89 win. But one thing the sportsbooks and sharp bettors know, a playoff series can be a roller coaster ride. Keith looks at if the Sixers can recover as +2 underdogs.
The end seems to be nigh for the Celtics as the Bucks cruised to win their third consecutive game in this series after falling in Game One. Closing as a one-point underdog, the Bucks defeated the Celtics on their own court by a score of 113-101. The Celtics led by as much as 11 points in Game Four but that did not stop Giannis Antetoukounmpo from going off for 39 points and 16 boards. Do the C’s have any fight left? Franks has your NBA playoff pick!
It required overtime but Houston managed to stop the Warriors from taking a critical 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. Closing as a 3.5-point favorite, the Rockets came up big in “Clutch City” to defeat Golden State 126-121 to cover the spread. MVP candidate James Harden led the way for the Rockets with 41 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Did the Rockets find a crack in the armor for a chance to cover again at -1.5 or were Houston backers simply lucky that their team went for the tie instead of the win in regulation?
The Raptors started the season as favored over the Sixers. Then Philly added bunch of all starts that have overpowered Toronto early in the series. Keith Franks looks at what the Raptors need to do to compete in game 4 and if there is value in playing them as small favorites. Read Keith’s free NBA pick.
The Trailblazers evened the series in the Mile High City by virtue of a 97-90 defeat of a Nuggets team that coming in only lost eight games at home this season year. Rip City closed as a four-point underdog but shooting guard C.J McCollum’s 20 points enabled the Blazers to get the upset. Tonight it’s the Nuggets who are 4 point underdogs. Does dog value continue in Portland?