GAMBLING GUIDE
Bookie Busters weekend edition: NBA playoffs and soccer plays
May 11, 2018, 8:22 am
Look for Brad Stevens to have an answer in Game 1. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
5-2 last Week v 29-12 in the Last month (70%)
Celtics -1 WIN
Chelsea -1.5 -155 LOSS
Leicester vs. Arsenal
Over 3 WIN
Barcelona vs. Villarreal
Over 3.5 WIN
Barcelona Team Total over 2.5 WIN
Sevilla vs. Real Madrid
Sevilla Pk WIN
Predators vs. Jets
Preds Moneyline LOSS
Celtics vs. Cavaliers
The matchup we all thought would happen, well at least when Boston was able to acquire the highly sought out free agent Gordon Hayward. At the time of the trade, the Celtics could have been bought at 12-1 to win the NBA Championship. Things were looking bright for the Celtic faithful, and fans couldn't wait for the season to tip-off.
Five minutes and 15 seconds into the enchanting journey that was to be, a gruesome ankle injury that nauseated the world, left things somewhat in question for a team who still had plenty of talent and was led by one of the league's top head coaches. Vegas quickly reacted and dropped the odds to the 20-1 range after the Hayward loss, and pundits still thought the number was high on a team led by Kyrie Irving and a plethora of young talent.
Then the headline read...
#NEBHInjuryReport: Kyrie Irving will undergo a procedure this Saturday to remove two screws implanted in his patella from an injury suffered during the 2015 NBA Finals.
He is expected to make a full recovery in 4-5 months.
Again, Boston was left looking for answers after news broke of the star point guard set to miss the remainder of the season. The good ol' guys down in the Desert reacted quickly and boosted the Celtic's future odds to the 80-1 Range.
Fast forward to the Conference finals, and the current odds are:
Warriors -130
Rockets +245
Cavaliers +615
Celtics +2800
Lines courtesy of 5dimes as of 5/10/18
Things have changed drastically, but with only four teams left, the 28-1 payout the books are offering lets us know exactly what the man thinks about this team's chances to take the title.
The Pick
This year's recent history between the two teams leaves us nothing as they lineups are highly altered. In the first game, the season opened with Boston's Kyrie Irving matched up vs. Derrick Rose, while Hayward was on LeBron James and, well, let's not touch that subject again for the sake of the uneasy stomach.
The second matchup featured a team that had welcomed back Isaiah Thomas the night before but wasn't featured against his former team after easing his way back into the team's lineup. The Celtics would dominate the Cavaliers beating them 102-88, and the loss would lead Cleveland on a skid that would ultimately lead to their debacle.
The Final matchup finally gave us a revamped Cleveland roster on a Sunday afternoon, and the new nucleus shined under the national microscope. Jordan Clarkson riddled his way to 17 points followed by Rodney Hood's 15 point performance, leaving us with reason to believe that LeBron once again had life. Cleveland dominated 121-99 on that Sunday Bloody Sunday in Beantown, that was supposed to be a night that Paul Pierce was remembered.
These two franchises have plenty of postseason history, and this will be their 40th encounter through seven playoff series. Things have been pretty evenly split with the Cavaliers leading the way 20-19. Boston will reap the benefits of their hard efforts by opening with home court advantage, something that plays well for them in this series. In the previous 39 postseason matchups, the Cavs have struggled as visitors and are 7-13 while playing in Boston. The Celtics were 34-14 on their home floor this season and remain undefeated at the TD Garden in these playoffs. I believe the home team is better coached and overall better contracted. Brad Stevens will make sure LeBron isn't the reason his team loses, so it will be on one of the role players to step up with a big game. The Cavaliers will need a few games to adjust to the looks he will be getting from the league's top-rated defense in points allowed. Give me the Celtics in Game 1, in a statement game, letting the world know; this won't be a pushover. Take Big Green on a festive Sunday, Word to your Mother.
Celtics +1
Soccer
Dynamo vs. Whitecaps
Over 2.5
RB Leipzig vs. Hertha Berlin
Over 3
Levante vs. Barcelona
Over 3.5
Both Teams to score
Lines courtesy of 5dimes as of 5/10/18
For any questions or comments reach me @JerryBoknowz on twitter
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Two first-place clubs riding identical hot streaks meet again Wednesday night as the Houston Astros host the Philadelphia Phillies in a marquee midseason showdown.
The Astros, winners of six straight at home, enter with a 46-33 record and a firm grip on the AL West. They've surged behind strong pitching and timely hitting, outscoring opponents by 10 runs over their last 10 games while posting a 3.40 team ERA. Mauricio Dubón has been a spark during that stretch, slugging four homers in his last 10 games, while Isaac Paredes continues to anchor the lineup with a team-high 16 home runs.
They’ll hand the ball to rookie left-hander Colton Gordon, who brings a 2-1 record and 4.54 ERA into his eighth start of the season. Gordon has shown flashes of potential but will face perhaps his toughest test yet against a Phillies lineup loaded with talent and plate discipline.
Philadelphia, 47-32 and sitting atop the NL East, has the third-best on-base percentage in baseball (.331) and no signs of slowing. They've gone 7-3 in their last 10 games, outscoring opponents by 15 runs and batting .267 during that stretch. Trea Turner has begun to heat up, going 12-for-42 in his last 10 contests, while Nick Castellanos remains a consistent threat with 21 doubles and 41 RBIs on the year.
The Phillies will counter with ace Zack Wheeler, who enters with dominant numbers: a 7-2 record, 2.61 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 118 strikeouts. Wheeler’s command and swing-and-miss stuff have been a constant all season, and the Astros will have to work for every base runner.
This is the second meeting between the two clubs this season, with the Astros winning the first contest, 1-0. With both teams trending upward, it has all the makings of another tight, low-scoring battle. The betting line favors Philadelphia (-160), with the over/under set at 7.5 runs — a reflection of the elite pitching expected on both sides.
First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. EDT at Daikin Park.