The Second Round of the NBA Playoffs started a few days ago. While the matchups have already begin, we still have a few opinions and tips for bettors looking to get in on the action and bet this round and the rest of the NBA Playoffs. It’s the hottest time of the year to bet the NBA.
Series Prices So Far
At SportsBetting.ag they have several prices on the playoff matchups that have already begun. While the West is likely settled with Golden State up 2-0 already and Houston being down 1-0 without their best player, but the matchups in the East are far more interesting. I don’t see a scenario where the Jazz rally to beat the Thunder, especially without Rubio, but if you think Utah has it in them – you can bet them at 15/1 at SportsBetting.ag
Sixers Versus Celtics
Philadelphia is the favorite in this series, despite Boston having the better record in the regular season. The reason for that is simple, they’re without Kyrie Irving, and for Game 1, they were without Jaylen Brown, but he’s expected to be back for Game 2.
The price on a Celtics upset in this series before their Game 1 victory was around +320. You won’t be able to get that price now, but I still like the Celtics at SportsBetting.ag at nearly 2/1 at +190. In many cases, the oddsmakers overvalue major injuries.
Kyrie Irving is a great player, but the Celtics were a 55-win team, and not all of that is because of him. The Sixers have gotten a lot of hype due to the emergence of Simmons and Embiid, but that doesn’t mean they’re a better team. Brad Stevens is also one of the best coaches in the league, and he far exceeds Brett Brown when it comes to coaching acumen and in-game adjustments.
Cleveland Cavaliers Versus Toronto Raptors
After Cleveland rallied as 7-point dogs against the Raptors in Toronto in overtime – the team with the best record in the East, with a 59-win regular season. These two teams don’t play against until Thursday, and now we have the Cavaliers at -130 as the favorite in the series, and the Raptors as the underdog at +110.
I see this as an excellent spot to grab the Raptors after a price drop. They’re certainly the better team, and I don’t think for a second the Cavaliers should be favored now after Toronto dropped Game 1. Cleveland was taken to seven games by the Pacers and have looked woeful defensively and go through long droughts on offense at times. I love the value with Toronto at +110 or better.
Playoff Betting Strategies
Remember, interest in NBA betting peaks around this time of the year. The public usually doesn’t move betting lines, but in this case, public betting patterns, because they’re much larger, may factor more heavily into the odds. In some cases, this can mean that the market is moved by “square” bettors, rather than “sharps.”
It’s rare that we recommend bettors go against a major line move, but this may be an opportunity to consider doing just that. There have already been several major moves in playoff games this season that went the other direction. Late money is usually huge for sports like NFL, but that’s not always the case for the NBA Playoffs.
Also, don’t forget that prop betting is one of the best markets for newer and novice bettors to take advantage of soft lines. There are lots of player props available for the NBA Playoffs, and some sportsbooks have higher limits than they do during the regular season.
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Joseph Falchetti | April 24, 2018Next post
