Bet NBA Playoffs Online - Conference Finals Start to Get Interesting
Now that the sports betting experts know that each conference finals series in the NBA is going at least four games, we can all settle in for some competitive basketball. As the 2011 Preakness betting approaches, the four remaining NBA playoff teams are battling to see who reaches the NBA finals. The sportsbook promo odds in these series seem to mean little, as both match-ups look to be tight and each series could go either way.
- What: Eastern Conference Finals - Game Four
- When: Tuesday May 24, 2011, 8:30pm EST
- Who: Chicago Bulls @ Miami Heat
- Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
Pick: Chicago Bulls
The Bulls looked very contained in game two. The Heat figured out that they cannot run and gun with Chicago, so Miami played their usual strong defense and shut Chicago down. But you can only keep Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer off the paint for so long. Eventually, those two will find the rim again. With Rose’s speed and Boozer’s toughness underneath, it is unlikely that the Heat will be able to contain the Bulls again in game four.
Even though the Heat won game two, the Bulls’ bench still performed well. The Miami bench had major contributions from Udonis Haslem, but that was about it. The Bulls still have the speed in the middle and the strength under the boards. The Bulls also have a reliable bench. It is difficult to imagine this series going any less than six games, but in game four, the Bulls will rebound.
Pick: Chicago Bulls
- What: Western Conference Finals – Game Four
- When: Monday May 23, 2011, 9:00pm EST
- Who: Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder
- Where: Oklahoma City Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
Pick: Dallas Mavericks
It is a nice Cinderella story to say that the Oklahoma City Thunder are the youngest team to ever play in a conference finals series. But that youth brings with it inexperience and that is what the Dallas Mavericks will exploit. In game two, the Thunder played suffocating defense and forced the Mavericks to make uncharacteristic mistakes. Dirk Nowitzki missed a key free throw with only seconds remaining in the game. All of it added up to a Dallas team that was off its game for one night and an Oklahoma City team that was on its game.
Now that the series is in Dallas, things will change. Oklahoma City is gaining valuable experience for next year’s playoffs, but they don’t have that experience yet. The Mavericks is full of players with playoff experience and some players that have experience in the NBA finals. That will come through by the end of this series, and it will be experience that beats youth.
Look for Dirk Nowitzki to get involved under the boards a bit more in the rest of this series. In game two, Nowitzki seemed to wait outside the paint to be fed for the three-point shot. That is not his game. Nowitzki plays a complete game, and he will bring that back to the floor for the remainder of this series.
Pick: Dallas Mavericks
