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Friday's Playoff Essentials
May 8, 2015
Cavaliers at Bulls (-2, 196) – 8:05 PM EST – ESPN
East Semis Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
LeBron James vowed to be more aggressive in Game 2 and wound up scoring 33 points on 29 shots. Outside of bringing back the headband, it was similar to the Celtics series in that he dropped passive facilitator act in Game 2 there, too, imposing his will on the contest. Attack mode must continue as the Cavs face their biggest challenge of the postseason, a road game likely to be more physical and hostile than anything they saw in Boston, and, yes, we all saw what happened in that sweep-clincher.
J.R. Smith returns from a two-game suspension after a retaliatory back-handed punch that floored Celtics forward Jae Crowder in that game. He’s certainly been missed, since Matthew Dellavedova has had to play more minutes than expected and Mike Miller, James Jones and Shawn Marion were each dusted off to provide minutes on the wing. Whether he hits the ground running or not will be a key factor in Game 3, especially if Iman Shumpert is limited by his groin injury or isn’t able to play. Given all the uncertainty as the Cavs continue to work short-handed without Kevin Love, it’s no surprise the Cavs are an underdog for the first time this postseason.
VegasInsider expert Kevin Rogers writes that “the Cavaliers owned a 3-2 SU/ATS record as a road underdog this season with LeBron in the lineup, which includes a 114-108 overtime victory at Chicago back on Halloween night. Since the 2011 NBA Finals, James is 3-8 SU and 3-7-1 ATS when his team is in the away ‘dog role, as his Heat squad compiled a 1-3 SU/ATS record as a ‘dog in last season’s playoffs.”
Kyrie Irving is 19-for-21 from the free-throw line in the series, averaging 25.5 points despite shooting just 2-for-8 from 3-point range. Bulls defenders are having a hard time keeping him in front of them, so he can take some pressure off James by being aggressive. The Cavs opened -215 to win the series according to Sportsbook.ag, were placed at even odds alongside the Bulls before Game 2 and are now back as the favorite (-160). Cleveland is 4-2 ATS this postseason and broke a streak of four consecutive 'unders' when Jones connected on a 3-pointer for Wednesday night’s final points.
The Bulls have played two different game thus far in the series, dominating the opener by being the aggressor at both ends and standing little chance in Game 2 after barely showing up. Some may attribute that to being satisfied with a split at Quicken Loans Arena that swiped homecourt advantage, but there’s also a theory that one day’s rest between games simply isn’t enough for a team that’s still banged up. Chicago is 4-0 SU/ATS with multiple days to prepare thus far this postseason. Put in the situation it faces today, its record is 1-3 SU/ATS with three consecutive setbacks.
Derrick Rose suffered a shoulder stinger in Game 2 but professes to be fine on that front. His knees are always the greater concern, so we’ll see whether he can improve on the 30 percent (6-for-20) he shot on Wednesday. He was 5-for-20 in Game 5 against Milwaukee the last time the Bulls took the floor at home, which is part of another trend Rogers points out: “The Bulls haven’t been money in the bank at the United Center in the playoffs, posting a 2-7 SU/ATS record since 2013, with the two victories coming against Milwaukee in this year’s opening round.”
Most Improved Player winner Jimmy Butler has been the Bulls most effective piece in these playoffs and will be recognized pre-game and awarded his hardware. He’ll then tangle with James, who was able to get to his spots and use his bigger frame to bully him in the paint in Game 2. Butler is averaging 19 points and shooting 4-for-13 from 3-point range in the series, but needs to step it up further if the Bulls are going to pull this upset. Pau Gasol was a weapon on pick-and-pops and open jumpers in Game 1, finishing 10-for-16, but Cleveland made running bodies at him a priority on Wednesday and limited him to 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting. He was also beaten badly to loose balls and offensive rebounds by the more athletic Tristan Thompson, so he’ll have to play with much more energy.
Joakim Noah is also struggling and playing hurt, unable to make his usual contributions thus far. Chicago initially was +185 to pull the upset in this series per Sportsbook.ag, got even after the Game 1 win and are now available at +140. 'Unders' had prevailed in four consecutive Bulls games prior to the Game 2 'over'.
Rockets at Clippers (-4, 217) – 10:35 PM EST – ESPN
West Semis Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
After a disappointing Game 1 loss to a Clippers team missing Chris Paul and playing less than 48 hours after surviving the Spurs, the Rockets recovered in Game 2 to even things up. Since Paul was absent again, the fact the game hung in the balance until the fourth quarter should be considered disconcerting since they were playing at home, turned it over sloppily for a second straight game and missed free-throws and defensive assignments by the bushel.
Can Houston get comfortable? Rogers went back and looked at its last road game against the Clips as part of his research: “Back in mid-March, Houston overcame an early 10-point deficit to hold off Los Angeles 100-98 as five-point underdogs. Houston won in spite of shooting 37% from the floor, including a 7-of-30 effort from three-point range. What saved the Rockets in that victory was James Harden knocking down 17-of-18 free throws, while Chris Paul missed 14 shots from the floor. The Rockets have been a solid road underdog play since 2013, covering six straight in this role, including in a Game 3 win in the opening round at Dallas.”
The Rockets were the second-best road team in the West behind Golden State, tying the Clips at 26-15, and went 1-1 in Dallas during the first round, winning the critical Game 3 of that series. James Harden scored 42 points to pull out that victory, shooting a scorching 15-for-24, so it stands to reason he’ll be eager to start cooking early. He’s averaging 9.5 assists against L.A. thus far, but may look to get himself going early at Staples. Harden is 20-for-21 from the free-throw line in the series and has taken 73 free-throws through his seven playoff games.
The Rockets took 64 FTs as a team in Game 2, with Dwight Howard finishing 8-for-21. Considering they boo him in L.A. for sport, count on Doc Rivers playing Hack-a-Dwight often in the hopes the variable of a hostile crowd will rattle him even further. Howard has been a force on the defensive end, averaging 4.5 blocks in addition to 13 rebounds.
Houston lacks a rim protector when he’s off the floor, leaving its suspect defense further exposed. It’s imperative he plays smart and avoids foul trouble. UCLA product Trevor Ariza comes off a 15-point, 13-rebound output on Wednesday night and has been far more productive against the Clippers than he was against Dallas, which held him to 29 percent shooting.
The Rockets are +150 at Sportsbook.ag after having lost homecourt. Five of Houston’s seven playoff games have gone over the posted total, and the over is 10-3 in its games dating back to the end of the regular season.
Paul went through a workout on Thursday and is considered questionable with a significantly strained left hamstring. Head coach Doc Rivers doesn’t anticipate knowing whether his All-Star point guard will be available until close to game-time. Paul was brilliant in defeating San Antonio, shooting over 51 percent from the field, averaging 22.7 points and 7.9 assists, but wasn’t as successful against the Rockets, shooting under 37 percent from the field. Of course, the now-injured Patrick Beverley played in two of those games, but Howard’s size does discourage Paul from attacking the rim. If he can’t go, Austin Rivers and Lester Hudson will continue to play key roles alongside shooters J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford.
After Blake Griffin dominated the first half of Game 2 with 26 points, he was held to just 8 points in the second as the Rockets made a concerted effort to get the ball out of his hands. He’s averaging 30 points, 14.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists thus far, continuing his run as one of the most productive performers of these playoffs. Whether Paul plays or not, he’ll have to confidently impose his will on the offensive end, limiting turnovers and attacking the rim when matched with smaller defenders. DeAndre Jordan got into early foul trouble in Game 2, allowing the Rockets to get off to a quick start. He was perfect from the floor (6-for-6) and actually made 4-of-6 FTs, but played just 25 minutes, the least he’s played in a game since Feb. 21. L.A. can’t afford for him to be watching from the bench for that long.
Sportsbook.ag has installed the Clippers as -170 chalk for the series entering Game 3. Five of L.A.’s last six games have gone over the posted total.
May 8, 2015
Cavaliers at Bulls (-2, 196) – 8:05 PM EST – ESPN
East Semis Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
LeBron James vowed to be more aggressive in Game 2 and wound up scoring 33 points on 29 shots. Outside of bringing back the headband, it was similar to the Celtics series in that he dropped passive facilitator act in Game 2 there, too, imposing his will on the contest. Attack mode must continue as the Cavs face their biggest challenge of the postseason, a road game likely to be more physical and hostile than anything they saw in Boston, and, yes, we all saw what happened in that sweep-clincher.
J.R. Smith returns from a two-game suspension after a retaliatory back-handed punch that floored Celtics forward Jae Crowder in that game. He’s certainly been missed, since Matthew Dellavedova has had to play more minutes than expected and Mike Miller, James Jones and Shawn Marion were each dusted off to provide minutes on the wing. Whether he hits the ground running or not will be a key factor in Game 3, especially if Iman Shumpert is limited by his groin injury or isn’t able to play. Given all the uncertainty as the Cavs continue to work short-handed without Kevin Love, it’s no surprise the Cavs are an underdog for the first time this postseason.
VegasInsider expert Kevin Rogers writes that “the Cavaliers owned a 3-2 SU/ATS record as a road underdog this season with LeBron in the lineup, which includes a 114-108 overtime victory at Chicago back on Halloween night. Since the 2011 NBA Finals, James is 3-8 SU and 3-7-1 ATS when his team is in the away ‘dog role, as his Heat squad compiled a 1-3 SU/ATS record as a ‘dog in last season’s playoffs.”
Kyrie Irving is 19-for-21 from the free-throw line in the series, averaging 25.5 points despite shooting just 2-for-8 from 3-point range. Bulls defenders are having a hard time keeping him in front of them, so he can take some pressure off James by being aggressive. The Cavs opened -215 to win the series according to Sportsbook.ag, were placed at even odds alongside the Bulls before Game 2 and are now back as the favorite (-160). Cleveland is 4-2 ATS this postseason and broke a streak of four consecutive 'unders' when Jones connected on a 3-pointer for Wednesday night’s final points.
The Bulls have played two different game thus far in the series, dominating the opener by being the aggressor at both ends and standing little chance in Game 2 after barely showing up. Some may attribute that to being satisfied with a split at Quicken Loans Arena that swiped homecourt advantage, but there’s also a theory that one day’s rest between games simply isn’t enough for a team that’s still banged up. Chicago is 4-0 SU/ATS with multiple days to prepare thus far this postseason. Put in the situation it faces today, its record is 1-3 SU/ATS with three consecutive setbacks.
Derrick Rose suffered a shoulder stinger in Game 2 but professes to be fine on that front. His knees are always the greater concern, so we’ll see whether he can improve on the 30 percent (6-for-20) he shot on Wednesday. He was 5-for-20 in Game 5 against Milwaukee the last time the Bulls took the floor at home, which is part of another trend Rogers points out: “The Bulls haven’t been money in the bank at the United Center in the playoffs, posting a 2-7 SU/ATS record since 2013, with the two victories coming against Milwaukee in this year’s opening round.”
Most Improved Player winner Jimmy Butler has been the Bulls most effective piece in these playoffs and will be recognized pre-game and awarded his hardware. He’ll then tangle with James, who was able to get to his spots and use his bigger frame to bully him in the paint in Game 2. Butler is averaging 19 points and shooting 4-for-13 from 3-point range in the series, but needs to step it up further if the Bulls are going to pull this upset. Pau Gasol was a weapon on pick-and-pops and open jumpers in Game 1, finishing 10-for-16, but Cleveland made running bodies at him a priority on Wednesday and limited him to 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting. He was also beaten badly to loose balls and offensive rebounds by the more athletic Tristan Thompson, so he’ll have to play with much more energy.
Joakim Noah is also struggling and playing hurt, unable to make his usual contributions thus far. Chicago initially was +185 to pull the upset in this series per Sportsbook.ag, got even after the Game 1 win and are now available at +140. 'Unders' had prevailed in four consecutive Bulls games prior to the Game 2 'over'.
Rockets at Clippers (-4, 217) – 10:35 PM EST – ESPN
West Semis Game 3 – Series tied 1-1
After a disappointing Game 1 loss to a Clippers team missing Chris Paul and playing less than 48 hours after surviving the Spurs, the Rockets recovered in Game 2 to even things up. Since Paul was absent again, the fact the game hung in the balance until the fourth quarter should be considered disconcerting since they were playing at home, turned it over sloppily for a second straight game and missed free-throws and defensive assignments by the bushel.
Can Houston get comfortable? Rogers went back and looked at its last road game against the Clips as part of his research: “Back in mid-March, Houston overcame an early 10-point deficit to hold off Los Angeles 100-98 as five-point underdogs. Houston won in spite of shooting 37% from the floor, including a 7-of-30 effort from three-point range. What saved the Rockets in that victory was James Harden knocking down 17-of-18 free throws, while Chris Paul missed 14 shots from the floor. The Rockets have been a solid road underdog play since 2013, covering six straight in this role, including in a Game 3 win in the opening round at Dallas.”
The Rockets were the second-best road team in the West behind Golden State, tying the Clips at 26-15, and went 1-1 in Dallas during the first round, winning the critical Game 3 of that series. James Harden scored 42 points to pull out that victory, shooting a scorching 15-for-24, so it stands to reason he’ll be eager to start cooking early. He’s averaging 9.5 assists against L.A. thus far, but may look to get himself going early at Staples. Harden is 20-for-21 from the free-throw line in the series and has taken 73 free-throws through his seven playoff games.
The Rockets took 64 FTs as a team in Game 2, with Dwight Howard finishing 8-for-21. Considering they boo him in L.A. for sport, count on Doc Rivers playing Hack-a-Dwight often in the hopes the variable of a hostile crowd will rattle him even further. Howard has been a force on the defensive end, averaging 4.5 blocks in addition to 13 rebounds.
Houston lacks a rim protector when he’s off the floor, leaving its suspect defense further exposed. It’s imperative he plays smart and avoids foul trouble. UCLA product Trevor Ariza comes off a 15-point, 13-rebound output on Wednesday night and has been far more productive against the Clippers than he was against Dallas, which held him to 29 percent shooting.
The Rockets are +150 at Sportsbook.ag after having lost homecourt. Five of Houston’s seven playoff games have gone over the posted total, and the over is 10-3 in its games dating back to the end of the regular season.
Paul went through a workout on Thursday and is considered questionable with a significantly strained left hamstring. Head coach Doc Rivers doesn’t anticipate knowing whether his All-Star point guard will be available until close to game-time. Paul was brilliant in defeating San Antonio, shooting over 51 percent from the field, averaging 22.7 points and 7.9 assists, but wasn’t as successful against the Rockets, shooting under 37 percent from the field. Of course, the now-injured Patrick Beverley played in two of those games, but Howard’s size does discourage Paul from attacking the rim. If he can’t go, Austin Rivers and Lester Hudson will continue to play key roles alongside shooters J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford.
After Blake Griffin dominated the first half of Game 2 with 26 points, he was held to just 8 points in the second as the Rockets made a concerted effort to get the ball out of his hands. He’s averaging 30 points, 14.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists thus far, continuing his run as one of the most productive performers of these playoffs. Whether Paul plays or not, he’ll have to confidently impose his will on the offensive end, limiting turnovers and attacking the rim when matched with smaller defenders. DeAndre Jordan got into early foul trouble in Game 2, allowing the Rockets to get off to a quick start. He was perfect from the floor (6-for-6) and actually made 4-of-6 FTs, but played just 25 minutes, the least he’s played in a game since Feb. 21. L.A. can’t afford for him to be watching from the bench for that long.
Sportsbook.ag has installed the Clippers as -170 chalk for the series entering Game 3. Five of L.A.’s last six games have gone over the posted total.
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