NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (Series tied 2-2)
Wednesday, 8:35 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: Celtics - 5.5 , Total 172.5

The Detroit Pistons got their must-win game on Monday as they won at home against the Boston Celtics to even the best of seven Eastern Conference Finals at two games each. Now the Boston Celtics are facing their must-win game on Wednesday in Game Five as they don’t want to go back to Detroit having to win a Game Six. SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Celtics at Home.

The Pistons were led on Monday by forward Antonio McDyess who showed a lot of energy and desire. McDyess had 21 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Piston to the 94-75 win. “(McDyess) knows that you can’t take any of this for granted,” Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. “Some of our guys have been in six straight conference finals, which is an amazing achievement, but for some of our guys, this is the first time.” The Celtics need to find some of the energy that McDyess had or they may lose this series. “We don’t get this opportunity too much in our careers,” Celtics’ forward Paul Pierce said, “We have to go out and play like it’s our last, because you never know when this is going to happen again. … We have to find some way, somehow to get a win at home and bring that momentum back to Detroit.” Home court is no guarantee in this series as both teams have won on each other’s court. The Celtics shot just 32 percent on Monday night and none of the Big Three played well. They will need a big performance on Wednesday or they could face a road game at Detroit with their season on the line and that is not a pleasant thought for Boston.

SBG Global Current Line: Celtics - 6 , Total 173

Here are the NBA betting stats for Wednesday’s game. The Pistons are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Pistons are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. the Atlantic. The Pistons are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games overall. The Pistons are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games as a road underdog.
The Pistons are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Wednesday games. The Underdog is 12-5 ATS in the last 17 meetings between the two teams. The road team is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.

The Celtics are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 Wednesday games. The Celtics are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games as a home favorite. The Celtics are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 1 day of rest.

The Under is 5-1 in the Pistons last 6 overall. The Under is 11-3 in the Pistons last 14 road games. The Under is 19-7-1 in the Pistons last 27 playoff games as an underdog. The Under is 12-5 in the Pistons last 17 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Under is 43-19-1 in the Pistons last 63 games as a road underdog.

The Over is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 Wednesday games. The Under is 19-8 in the Celtics last 27 vs. the Central. The Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings between the two teams and the Under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in Boston.

Pick: Take the Celtics at home

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (Celtics lead 1-0)
Thursday, 8:35 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: Celtics  - 3.5, Total  172.5

The Boston Celtics had enough energy to win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons as they won 88-79 on Tuesday.  They expect a much tougher test on Tuesday since Detroit is not likely to be as rusty.  Point guard Chauncey Billups had not played in quite a while after missing the last two games against Orlando.  He had just nine points with two assists and two turnovers. “I needed to play that game,” he said. “I don’t feel good about the outcome of it, but I feel good having been out there, having seen what it was going to be like in my first game, and I look to make improvements in the second game. It’s difficult getting back out there. It’s not like I’m just getting out there in a regular season game. There’s a lot at stake.” The Celtics were led by Kevin Garnett who had 26 points and 9 rebounds while Paul Pierce added 22 points, 6 rebounds and six assists. “The things he does on the floor don’t surprise me,” Kevin Garnett said about Pierce. “You see him work on it every day. He’s probably one of the strongest mental players in the league. He’s able to, for some reason, lock in a zone there and get his work done and come in today and carry it over to the floor. And not a lot of players can do that in this league.”  SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Celtics at Home.

“We played a horrible game,” Detroit’s Antonio McDyess said. “We felt we played a horrible game and we just can’t continue playing that way. I think tomorrow is going to be a little different.”  The Pistons were fortunate to only be down one at the half but then came out and played a poor third quarter. “We didn’t get it done. We turned the ball over too much. We beat ourselves. We’re a team that, we came off of a playoff low of three turnovers and we had seven in the third quarter.” Head coach Flip Saunders said, “So when it’s a close game, we turn it over seven times, we don’t give ourselves a chance.”

The Celtics won Game One without much from Ray Allen who continues to play poorly in the playoffs. Allen had just nine points. “I’ve scored a lot in my career,” Allen said, “But it’s good to be in this position, where I’m not going to let it” affect the rest of the game. As part of the Big Three, Allen was expected to score more in the playoffs but so far it has been all Garnett and Pierce. “Ray’s a part of the Boston Celtics, and the Boston Celtics are winning,” Garnett said, “I’m sure it’s not his first shooting slump, and it’s definitely not his last. So I don’t have any sympathy for Ray Allen. I think he’s playing great basketball.”

SBG Global Current Line: Celtics  - 4 , Total  172

Here are the NBA betting stats for Thursday’s game.  The Pistons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Pistons are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 games overall. The Pistons are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 Conference Finals games. The Pistons are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as an underdog. The Pistons are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games as a road underdog. The Pistons are 2-5 ATS in the last 7 meetings between the two teams. The Underdog is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings. The road team is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings.

The Celtics are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Thursday games. The Celtics are 12-3 ATS in their last 15 games as a home favorite. The Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Conference Finals games. The Celtics are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 day of rest.

The Under is 13-3 in the Pistons last 16 road games. The Under is 4-1 in the Pistons last 5 vs. the Atlantic. The Under is 41-12-1 in the Pistons last 54 Thursday games. The Under is 19-7-1 in the Pistons last 27 Conference Finals games. The Under is 19-7-1 in the Pistons last 27 playoff games as an underdog. The Under is 10-4 in the Pistons last 14 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Under is 5-2 in the Pistons last 7 overall. The Under is 43-18-1 in the Pistons last 62 games as a road underdog.

The Under is 5-1 in the Celtics last 6 Conference Finals games. The Under is 8-2 in the Celtics last 10 Thursday games. The Under is 17-7 in the Celtics last 24 vs. the Central. The Under is 9-4 in the Celtics last 13 games as a home favorite. The Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between the two teams. The Under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Boston.

Pick: Stick with the home teams in this series. Celtics 3units

 NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics (Game One)
Tuesday, 8:35 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: Celtics  - 4 , Total  174

The two best teams in the Eastern Conference will meet for the right to play in the NBA Finals.  The Boston Celtics took the long way to get here as they defeated the Atlanta Hawks in seven games and the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games.  The Detroit Pistons were more efficient, dispatching the 76ers in six games and the Magic in five. While the Western Conference gets all the publicity, the Eastern Conference actually had the two best teams in the NBA as the Celtics finished with 66 wins and the Pistons finished with 59 wins. SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Celtics at Home.

The Pistons are in the Conference Finals for the sixth straight season while it is been quite a while for Boston.  The teams are very evenly matched and it promises to be a very good series.  The Celtics are led by the big three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen although lately it has only been the big two as Allen has been invisible in the playoffs.  The Pistons have Chauncey Billiups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace.   “We’re mirror images,” Detroit head coach Flip Saunders said, “Defensive-oriented teams; both teams are good offensively when they move the ball; both teams have inside guys who like to play outside at times; two guards (Allen and Hamilton), both (from) Connecticut … you can go right on down the list. Right now Pierce is their best player in the playoffs; Tay might be our best player, both at the three spot. And when their point guard plays well, they win; when our point guard plays well, we win.”

The difference might be the play of Ray Allen. He has been awful in the playoffs and actually sat on the bench in the fourth quarter of Game 7 against Cleveland. “Ray’s a great shooter,” said Hamilton, “You can’t sleep on him at any point in time of the game.” The question for Boston is whether or not Allen will turn around his poor shooting.  Another key in the series will be how well Rasheed Wallace handles Kevin Garnett. “Both have great respect for each other,” Saunders said. “The difference is that Rasheed has more of a perimeter, 3-point type of game where KG is more mid-range. Both have the ability to get down on the block and score, but they’re both reluctant to get down there. Both are great defensive players. Both can run the floor. They’re kind of clones of each other. Most of the time when we played Portland, when Sheed got the best of KG, they’d win. When KG got the best of Sheed, Minnesota would win. That’s a key matchup. If one of them can get on the other one, you have an opportunity for success for your team.” One matchup edge the Pistons hold is at the point where Chauncey Billups is a three-time All-Star and Rajon Rondo is a second-year player.  It could also be that Sam Cassell gets a lot of playing time for Boston in this series.

SBG Global Current Line: Celtics  - 4.5, Total  174

The home team has dominated in the playoffs but the Pistons know they can win in Boston.  They won in December 87-85 at Boston. “That’s a big plus for us, that we have won there … in a season that they pretty much won most of their home games, probably 30-something of them, but (Dec. 19) was one of their losses and we draw confidence from that,” Billups said. “Not only that, but we know we’re a great road team.” The Pistons rarely go into a series without the home court edge. “This will be a great, great challenge for us,” Billups said. “Starting out the series on the road, it’s been a long time since we’ve done that. So it will be a lot of great matchups out there. It’s going to be some great basketball. I’m excited for that.”

Here are the NBA betting stats for Tuesday’s game.  The Pistons are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. the Atlantic. The Pistons are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games overall. The Pistons are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 playoff games as an underdog. The Pistons are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 Tuesday games. The Pistons are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games as a road underdog. The Pistons are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 Conference Finals games. The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between the two teams and the road team is 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

The Celtics are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games as a home favorite. The Celtics are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Conference Finals games. The Celtics are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 vs. the Central.

The Under is 10-2 in the Pistons last 12 road games. The Under is 17-5-1 in the Pistons last 23 playoff games as an underdog. The Over is 12-4 in the Pistons last 16 Tuesday games. The Under is 5-2 in the Pistons last 7 vs. the Atlantic. The Under is 20-8-1 in the Pistons last 29 Conference Finals games. The Under is 42-18-1 in the Pistons last 61 games as a road underdog.

The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 Conference Finals games. The Under is 16-7 in the Celtics last 23 vs. the Central. The Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between the two teams and the Under is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Boston.

Pick: Still have to back the home team here: Celtics 4units

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers (Celtics lead 3-2)
Friday, 8:05 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: Cavaliers  - 2 , Total  179

Things have gotten much tougher for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their series against the Boston Celtics.  Not only do they have to win on Friday to force a Game 7, they must do it without one of their best shooters as Daniel Gibson will miss the game with a separated shoulder.  It will be up to LeBron James to lead the Cavaliers on Friday. “It’s something we didn’t want to happen,” James said, “It’s kind of the tale of our season - a guy goes down in the heat of a playoff series. He’s very key to our team. It’s not good seeing a guy who is that key to your team in a suit.”
SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Cavaliers at Home.

The Cavaliers blew a 14 point lead on Wednesday in Boston as they missed free throws and gave the game away. Gibson has played a key role in the playoffs for Cleveland as he is one of the few outside threats the Cavaliers have to score.  Last year he scored 31 points in the playoffs against Detroit.  Now the Cavaliers will have to find someone else to score other than James. “We’re not looking for a spectacular game from anybody,” said James, “We just want to continue to do what we’ve been doing in the two wins we’ve had at home - guys stepped up. We’re not looking for a guy to go out and score 30 points or anything like that.” The Cavaliers will probably look to either Devin Brown or Damon Jones to replace Gibson or perhaps Sasha Pavlovic will get more minutes.

SBG Global Current Line: Cavaliers  - 2.5 , Total  179

The Cavaliers are not happy about being down 3-2 in the series after having the Celtics on the ropes in Game Five.  The third quarter was the downfall of the Cavaliers as the Celtics outscored them 29-17. “We had them on their heels,” Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said, “(In the second half) It just seemed like we really weren’t into it. We came out a half-step slow.”

What helped the Celtics in Game Five was the play of point guard Rajon Rondo, who scored 20 points and had 13 assists.  He hit some big shots to keep the Celtics in the game. “If they’re going to leave him open, I want him to shoot it,” Boston head coach Doc Rivers said. “But I don’t want him to look for it.” Boston will try and get their first road win of the playoffs on Friday. They are 0-5 on the road so far. Eventually the trend of home teams winning in the playoffs should end but so far it has been amazing.  Before Thursday’s Hornets-Spurs game the home teams were 19-1 in the second round.  The lone win came by one point when Detroit won at Orlando.
“I guess we could bring the scorekeepers, and bring all the wives on the road,” Rivers said. “We’re not going to do that. We’re just going to show up and play basketball.”

Cleveland does not seem worried about Friday’s game. “You can’t panic,” guard Delonte West said. “This is when it gets fun. This is when you see what your team is made of.”

Here are the NBA betting stats for Friday’s game.  The Celtics are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games as an underdog. The Celtics are 40-16 ATS in their last 56 games as a road underdog. The Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Celtics are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Celtics are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Conference Semifinals games. The Celtics are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games. The underdog is 8-3-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings between the two teams but the Celtics are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings in Cleveland.

The Cavaliers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 playoff games as a favorite. The Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Conference Semifinals games. The Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a home favorite. The Cavaliers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 Friday games.

The Over is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 road games. The Under is 15-6 in the Celtics last 21 vs. the Central. The Under is 5-2 in the Celtics last 7 games as a road underdog.

The Under is 13-3 in the Cavaliers last 16 Conference Semifinals games. The Under is 4-1 in the Cavaliers last 5 Friday games. The Under is 7-2 in the Cavaliers last 9 vs. the Atlantic. The Under is 14-4 in the Cavaliers last 18 games as a home favorite. The Under is 12-5 in the Cavaliers last 17 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Under is 12-5 in the Cavaliers last 17 overall.

Pick: Cant go against the home teams this postseason as they are 20-1. Nice low line here Cavs 4units

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (Series tied 2-2)
Wednesday, 8:05 pm Eastern – TNT

SBG Global Opening Line: Celtics – 8.5, Total  176.5

The Boston Celtics had the NBA’s best regular season record but in the playoffs they have looked very beatable.  After winning the first two games at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics lost both road games and now the series is tied 2-2.  The Celtics are now 0-5 on the road in the playoffs and it has many of the players concerned. “There is some frustration,” center P.J. Brown said “But up to this point, it hasn’t gotten under our skin.”  The Celtics went an NBA-best 31-10 on the road in the regular season but have looked terrible on the road in the playoffs including the last two games in Cleveland. “The key is winning the series. Whether it’s at home or on the road, you just try to win it,” Paul Pierce said. “It’s a three-game series, with two of them at home.” SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Celtics at Home.

The good news for Boston is that they still have home-court advantage and they are unbeaten at home in the playoffs. “We earned that right to have home-court advantage,” Boston head coach Doc Rivers said. “I don’t think it has anything to do with why we haven’t won a road game. We haven’t played well on the road, and we have to do better.”  The Celtics also know they must win Game Five because they sure can’t count on winning a Game Six at Cleveland. “I’m not even thinking about a Game 7. That’s definitely the idea: Get a win (Wednesday) night and try to close it out in Game 6,” Pierce said. “We definitely have to play well (in Game 5), because we haven’t been playing well on the road. You kind of want to treat it like a Game 7, because you can’t count on winning Game 6.”

SBG Global Current Line: Celtics – 8.5, Total  176.5

The Cavaliers are not in any better shape than the Celtics considering they haven’t won on the road in this series either. They at least have a road win the playoffs though, at Washington in Game 6 of that series. “It just shows how strong you are as a team to be able to go into a hostile environment and stick together and come out with a win,” Cavaliers guard Daniel Gibson said, “Once you’ve experienced an environment, going back to it is kind of like, ‘We’ve been here before.’ And we felt like we were right there to win a game. So we know what we’re capable of doing on their floor and we’re going into it with a lot of confidence.”

The Cavaliers nearly won Game 1 in Boston but LeBron James missed a layup that would have tied the game. “You can win all your home games and get a championship that way. I don’t think that has ever been done,” Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. “You’ve got to get some road wins to be a champion, at least that’s the history of the game. I tell our guys, if you expect to win in the playoffs, you’ve got to know how to defend and you’ve got to know how to win on the road.”

Here are the NBA betting stats for Wednesday’s game. The Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. the Atlantic. The Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Conference Semifinals games. The Cavaliers are 35-16-1 ATS in their last 52 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The Cavaliers are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 playoff games as an underdog. The Cavaliers are 5-2-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings in Boston. The underdog is 7-3-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings between the two teams.

The Celtics are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 Wednesday games. The Celtics are 14-3 ATS in their last 17 games as a home favorite. The Celtics are 11-5 ATS in their last 16 vs. the Central. The Celtics are 24-11 ATS in their last 35 games overall. The Celtics are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Conference Semifinals games.

The Under is 7-1 in the Cavaliers last 8 vs. the Atlantic. The Under is 13-3 in the Cavaliers last 16 Conference Semifinals games. The Under is 7-2 in the Cavaliers last 9 games as an underdog. The Under is 16-5 in the Cavaliers last 21 playoff games as an underdog. The Under is 12-4 in the Cavaliers last 16 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Under is 6-2 in the Cavaliers last 8 games as a road underdog. The Under is 12-4 in the Cavaliers last 16 overall.

The Under is 5-1 in the Celtics last 6 games as a home favorite. The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 games playing on 1 day of rest. The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 overall. The Under is 9-4 in the Celtics last 13 playoff games as a favorite. The Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Boston between the two teams.

Pick: Stick with the home teams as they have been red hot! Celtics 5 units

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers (Celtics lead 2-1)
Monday, 8:05 pm Eastern – TNT

SBG Global Opening Line: Cavaliers  - 2.5, Total  182

The Boston Celtics haven’t been able to win on the road in the playoffs and if that continues on Monday night their series against the Cleveland Cavaliers will be tied.  The Celtics lost game three 108-84 on Saturday as they were blown out early and never recovered. “We can’t spot a team 15-20 points and try to dig ourselves out of it,” Boston’s Kevin Garnett said. “We talked about that in the locker room that we need to play with the same urgency like we have at home. We can definitely play better, and we will.” SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Cavaliers at Home.

The Celtics were the NBA’s best road team in the regular season so it is somewhat of a mystery as to why they are struggling in the playoffs.  The Celtics were the NBA’s best defensive team in the regular season but have had trouble on the road in the playoffs.  They gave up an average of 101 points per game to the Hawks on the road and then gave up 108 points to Cleveland on Saturday.  The Celtics shut down LeBron James again but couldn’t stop the rest of the Cavaliers on Saturday.  Joe Smith and Delonte West had big games as did most of the rest of the Cavaliers.  They picked up the slack for James who has struggled in this series. “That’s why it’s a team game,” West said. “That’s why you have teammates you trust. … We’re a unit. In this locker room we don’t separate ourselves and put that separation between LeBron and ourselves as a team. I think y’all more so do that. But here in this locker room, he brings the attitude. He brings the attitude like we’re all in this together. And I think it’s good to have his back for a change since he has ours so many nights.”

SBG Global Current Line: Cavaliers  - 2,  Total  181

Here are the NBA betting stats for Monday’s game.  The Celtics are 12-4 ATS in their last 16 Monday games. The Celtics are 40-15 ATS in their last 55 games as a road underdog. The Celtics are 24-10 ATS in their last 34 games overall. The Celtics are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 playoff games as an underdog. The Celtics are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 Conference Semifinals games. The Celtics are 2-5 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Cleveland. The underdog is 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings between the two teams.

The Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 playoff games as a favorite. The Cavaliers are 25-10 ATS in their last 35 Monday games.

The Over is 4-0 in the Celtics last 4 road games. The Under is 15-5 in the Celtics last 20 Monday games. The Over is 7-3 in the Celtics last 10 playoff games as an underdog.

The Under is 12-2 in the Cavaliers last 14 Conference Semifinals games.
The Under is 13-4 in the Cavaliers last 17 games as a home favorite. The Under is 11-4 in the Cavaliers last 15 overall.

Pick: Cavs -2 3units. Hard to back a team that hasnt won on the road yet in the playoffs.

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
 Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (Celtics lead 1-0)
 Thursday, 7:05 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: Celtics  - 8.5, Total  178

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics will both try and play better than they did in game one as the teams meet in Boston on Thursday for game two.  It was an ugly game one that the Celtics won 76-72.  Both teams shot the ball poorly and Cleveland’s LeBron James was a disgrace going 2 of 18 from the field. James missed an easy layup with 9 second left in the game that would have tied it.  “I can’t play no worse than I did last night,” James said Wednesday, “You don’t expect those guys to have off nights like that. I don’t expect myself to have an off night like I did.”  SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Cavaliers on the Road.

Boston was not much better than Cleveland except for Kevin Garnett.  The other two players in the big three, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined to go 2 for 18 and Allen didn’t even score.  Garnett carried the Celtics with 28 points. “Offensively, we were a terrible-looking group,” Pierce said. “We turned the ball over 23 times, shot 40 percent from the field. We did just about everything wrong you could do offensively, and what happens, the defense comes and saves the day.”

SBG Global Current Line: Celtics  - 8.5, Total  177.5

Both teams will look to improve their offense on Thursday.  “I don’t expect Paul and Ray to have the struggles, and I don’t expect LeBron to have struggles either,” Celtics center Kendrick Perkins said. “So I think we’re in for a good Game 2.”

Here are the NBA betting stats for Thursday’s game.  The Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 playoff games as an underdog. The Cavaliers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. The Cavaliers are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 Conference Semifinals games. The Cavaliers are 35-17 ATS in their last 52 games as a road underdog. The Cavaliers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 Thursday games. The Cavaliers are 5-1-2 ATS in the last 8 meetings in Boston. The underdog is 7-0-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings between the two teams and the road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings

The Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Thursday games. The Celtics are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games as a home favorite. The Celtics are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 Conference Semifinals games.

The Under is 11-1 in the Cavaliers last 12 Conference Semifinals games. The Under is 10-3 in the Cavaliers last 13 overall. The Under is 6-2 in the Cavaliers last 8 games as an underdog.

The Under is 5-1 in the Celtics last 6 vs. the Central. The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 games as a home favorite.

Take the Celtics -8.5 3units

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics (Series tied 2-2)
Wednesday, 8:35 pm Eastern – TNT

SBG Global Opening Line: Celtics  - 13, Total 187.5

What was supposed to be a quick and easy four game sweep of the Atlanta Hawks has turned into a dogfight for the Boston Celtics.  The Celtics were expected to be resting by now but will be playing a pivotal game five on Wednesday night and then a game six in Atlanta on Friday.  It has been a real battle for the Celtics against the inspired Hawks.  Monday’s 97-92 win by Atlanta over the Celtics was physical but no suspensions have been announced.  Boston’s Kevin Garnet and Atlanta’s Zaza Pachulia got into it but the referee was able to break things up before it got worse.  “I don’t want to lose anybody,” Atlanta head coach Mike Woodson said. “I can’t combat their team because they are a lot deeper than our team. I want to go to war with all my guys.” SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Celtics at Home.

Each team has won their home games in this series and now the Hawks are in position to shock the entire NBA if they can pull off an upset in Boston.
“The biggest thing is guys are just playing, playing freely,” Atlanta’s Marvin Williams said. “No one expected us to win any games. But we came to Atlanta and got two games. Hopefully we can get one in Boston.”

SBG Global Current Line: Celtics  - 14, Total 187.5

Here are the NBA betting stats for Wednesday’s game.  The Hawks are 11-24 ATS in their last 35 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
The Hawks are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 Wednesday games. The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog. The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Boston.

The Celtics are 8-0 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite. The Celtics are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 Wednesday games. The Celtics are 21-7 ATS in their last 28 games overall. The Celtics are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 playoff games as a favorite. The home team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between the two teams.

The Under is 5-0 in the Hawks last 5 games as a road underdog. The Over is 8-2 in the Hawks last 10 Wednesday games. The Over is 11-5 in the Hawks last 16 overall.

The Under is 5-1 in the Celtics last 6 games as a home favorite. The Under is 6-2 in the Celtics last 8 playoff games as a favorite. The Under is 9-3 in the Celtics last 12 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Boston between the two teams.

Pick: 13 points is just too much for a team that matchups up well and is playing well. Hawks +13 3units

NBA Playoff Betting Preview
 Atlanta Hawks (37-45) at Boston Celtics (66-16)
 Sunday, 8:35 pm Eastern – TNT

The Boston Celtics finished with the best record in the NBA this season with 66 wins but everything starts over now that the playoffs begin.  The Celtics will begin against the team with the worst record that made the playoffs, the Atlanta Hawks.  Atlanta is playing in the postseason for the first time since 1999.  The Hawks are playing well of late though as they have won 11 of their last 15 games.  They didn’t have much success against the Celtics though, (neither did any other team) going 0-3 against them this season.

Check out the current line for this game at SBG Global.

This series is expected to be a quick one as most people believe the Celtics will win in four straight.  Led by Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, the Celtics are expected to not only beat the Hawks easily but end up in the NBA Finals before all is said and done. The Celtics and Hawks have met nine times in postseason history. Boston has won eight of the nine games but the two teams haven’t played in the postseason since 1988.  The Celtics are back in the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-2005 season. Since 1984 only three No. 8 seeds have beaten a No. 1 seed in the first round but it happened last season when Golden State shocked Dallas.

Here are the NBA betting stats for Sunday’s game.  The Hawks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Sunday games. The Hawks are 6-14 ATS in their last 20 games as a road underdog. The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall.

The Hawks are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. the Eastern Conference. The underdog is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings between the two teams.

The Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. The Celtics are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games as a home favorite. The Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 Sunday games. The Celtics are 19-7 ATS in their last 26 games overall. The Celtics are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Celtics are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 playoff games as a favorite.

The Over is 6-2 in the Hawks last 8 vs. the Atlantic. The Over is 9-3 in the Hawks last 12 overall. The Over is 25-9 in the Hawks last 34 Sunday games.

The Over is 8-3 in the Hawks last 11 vs. the Eastern Conference. The Over is 7-3 in the Hawks last 10 road games.

The Under is 4-0 in the Celtics last 4 playoff games as a favorite. The Under is 7-1 in the Celtics last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games. The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 vs. the Southeast. The Under is 7-3 in the Celtics last 10 overall. The Under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings in Boston between the two teams.

Pick Celtics and Over 2 units each

NBA Betting Preview
Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards
Wednesday, 7:05 pm Eastern – ESPN

SBG Global Opening Line: Celtics  - 3, Total  192

 

The Washington Wizards are trying to improve their playoff positioning but may have a tough time doing so on Wednesday as they host the best team in the East, the Boston Celtics.  The Wizards are currently in fifth place in the East and are trying to catch Cleveland for fourth place which would mean home court advantage in the first round. “We’re hunting for fourth,” head coach Eddie Jordan said, “You’re not gonna be hunting, sitting on your [butt].” SBG Global reports that early NBA betting has the public taking Celtics on the Road.

 

“I just wanted them to practice hard the last five, ten minutes of practice. That’s all,” said Jordan. “I don’t want to put that out there as a mission statement for us, but I just had to say something to make them practice harder. If the cards fall right, maybe we have a chance.”  The Wizards are expecting a full squad for Wednesday’s game.  Antawn Jamison has missed the past two games but is expected to play on Wednesday. “No ill effects, no soreness whatsoever,” said Jamison. “A couple of days off has really helped me out. I feel real good right now.”  Gilbert Arenas is also back in the lineup and the team is adjusting to having him again.  “Gil’s role is to be who he is. He’s gonna be a guy that pushes the tempo for us. You see how many fast break points we have because he’s in the game,” said Jordan. “We want him to be solid defensively. I think he wants to be solid defensively … He’s going to get better defensively in our schemes.”

SBG Global Current Line: Celtics  - 3, Total  192

 

Here are the NBA betting stats for Wednesday’s game. The Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 Wednesday games. The Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 vs. the Eastern Conference. The Celtics are 15-3 ATS in their last 18 games overall.

The Celtics are 27-9-1 ATS in their last 37 games playing on no rest. The Celtics are 46-17-1 ATS in their last 64 road games. The Celtics are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings in Washington. The road team is 16-5 ATS in the last 21 meetings between the two teams.

 

The Wizards are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 vs. the Atlantic. The Wizards are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 Wednesday games. The Wizards are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games.

 

The Under is 4-0 in the Celtics last 4 overall. The Under is 7-0 in the Celtics last 7 vs. the Eastern Conference. The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 games playing on no rest. The Under is 4-1 in the Celtics last 5 road games. The Under is 7-2 in the Celtics last 9 vs. the Southeast.

 

The Over is 7-0 in the Wizards last 7 vs. the Atlantic. The Over is 8-1 in the Wizards last 9 home games. The Over is 5-1 in the Wizards last 6 overall. The Under is 4-1 in the Wizards last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. The Over is 19-7 in the Wizards last 26 vs. the Eastern Conference. The Over is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings in Washington between the two teams.

 

Pick: Wizards +3 3units