Tweet
Inside the Paint - Tuesday
April 12, 2011
Playoff Positioning
Two days of regular season action remains in the Association and gamblers can already start preparing for the playoffs, which begin this weekend.
The Eastern Conference brackets were locked up last night and on paper, it looks like the higher seeds should advance to the semifinals except for the 4-5 matchup between Orlando and Atlanta.
(1) Chicago vs. (8) Indiana – (Bulls 3-1)
(2) Miami vs. (7) Philadelphia – (Heat 3-0)
(3) Boston vs. (6) New York – (Celtics 3-0, 1 game left)
(4) Orlando vs. (5) Atlanta – (Hawks 3-1)
(Regular season records in parenthesis)
While the East is set, the West bracket is up for grabs right now. We do know San Antonio is locked into the top seed and Denver is the No. 5 seed. The other six slots are wide open and teams can move up or fall over the next two days.
Advertisement
Oklahoma City’s 120-112 win over Sacramento last night assured the Thunder of at least the fourth seed. However, they can move up to the second spot if they beat Milwaukee at home on Wednesday and both the Lakers (vs. San Antonio, @ Sacramento) and Mavericks (vs. New Orleans) lose out.
If the Thunder end up tied with the Lakers or Mavericks, they would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker. Either way, those three teams will be facing Denver, Portland, New Orleans or Memphis in the first round.
The Trail Blazers can clinch the sixth seed tonight with a home win over Memphis. However, if the Grizzlies capture the road victory and then beat the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday then they’ll be in the sixth spot. Right now, it’s safe to say that New Orleans will be facing San Antonio in the first round and they deserve to after dropping back-to-back games by double digits.
Tuesday’s Card
You can make a case that all three games tonight have playoff implications, even the Bulls-Knicks matchup since Chicago (60-20) still has an outside shot clinch the league’s best record and home-court throughout the playoffs. However, the Bulls will need San Antonio (61-19) to lose at least one of its two final games and win out. If the pair ends up tied, the tiebreakers are even so the top-seed will be determined by a random draw, which is pretty weak but that’s the Association for you.
Bruce Marshall has some key trends and angles to look at for tonight.
Chicago at New York...Interestingly, New York is the only team Chicago hasn’t beaten this season, as Knicks won first two meetings prior to New Year’s. Bulls enter Madison Square Garden tonight having won seven in a row, although they’ve covered only three of those. Meanwhile, New York has won seven straight in a row, covering its last five. But status of several key performers on both sides, including Chicago’s Derrick Rose (illness) & Carlos Boozer (ankle), and Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire (also ankle), are all in question, so proceed with caution.
Memphis at Portland...Teams split a previous pair of games at FedEx Forum. Memphis has been a stellar underdog performer this season, covering 25 of 35 chances (including 21 of 29 on road), and Grizzlies enter Rose Garden on a 9-2 point-spread run in their latest uptick. Blazers, however, have won and covered four of their last five outings. Memphis also “under” 8-3 its last 11 games, while Portland “under” in its last three.
San Antonio at LA Lakers...Lakers currently on their longest losing streak since a seven-game slide in 2007, dropping their last five games straight up and vs. the number. On the other hand, Spurs enter Staples Center having won their last four games. San Antonio also “over” 9-1 its last 10 outings, although L.A. “under” 5-1 its last 6 and a solid “under” (49-30) all season.
Future Numbers
According to Sportsbook.com, the Bulls and Lakers have both been made favorites to win their conferences. Even though San Antonio is the top seed in the West, it’s still a second choice and the 5/2 odds (Bet $100 to win $250) seem generous.
Eastern Conference
Chicago Bulls +110
Miami Heat +160
Boston Celtics +250
Orlando Magic +800
New York Knicks +2000
Atlanta Hawks +7500
Philadelphia 76ers +10000
Indiana Pacers +40000
Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers -150
San Antonio Spurs +250
Oklahoma City Thunder +600
Dallas Mavericks +800
Denver Nuggets +1500
Portland Blazers +2500
Memphis Grizzlies +7500
New Orleans Hornets +7500
April 12, 2011
Playoff Positioning
Two days of regular season action remains in the Association and gamblers can already start preparing for the playoffs, which begin this weekend.
The Eastern Conference brackets were locked up last night and on paper, it looks like the higher seeds should advance to the semifinals except for the 4-5 matchup between Orlando and Atlanta.
(1) Chicago vs. (8) Indiana – (Bulls 3-1)
(2) Miami vs. (7) Philadelphia – (Heat 3-0)
(3) Boston vs. (6) New York – (Celtics 3-0, 1 game left)
(4) Orlando vs. (5) Atlanta – (Hawks 3-1)
(Regular season records in parenthesis)
While the East is set, the West bracket is up for grabs right now. We do know San Antonio is locked into the top seed and Denver is the No. 5 seed. The other six slots are wide open and teams can move up or fall over the next two days.
Advertisement
Oklahoma City’s 120-112 win over Sacramento last night assured the Thunder of at least the fourth seed. However, they can move up to the second spot if they beat Milwaukee at home on Wednesday and both the Lakers (vs. San Antonio, @ Sacramento) and Mavericks (vs. New Orleans) lose out.
If the Thunder end up tied with the Lakers or Mavericks, they would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker. Either way, those three teams will be facing Denver, Portland, New Orleans or Memphis in the first round.
The Trail Blazers can clinch the sixth seed tonight with a home win over Memphis. However, if the Grizzlies capture the road victory and then beat the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday then they’ll be in the sixth spot. Right now, it’s safe to say that New Orleans will be facing San Antonio in the first round and they deserve to after dropping back-to-back games by double digits.
Tuesday’s Card
You can make a case that all three games tonight have playoff implications, even the Bulls-Knicks matchup since Chicago (60-20) still has an outside shot clinch the league’s best record and home-court throughout the playoffs. However, the Bulls will need San Antonio (61-19) to lose at least one of its two final games and win out. If the pair ends up tied, the tiebreakers are even so the top-seed will be determined by a random draw, which is pretty weak but that’s the Association for you.
Bruce Marshall has some key trends and angles to look at for tonight.
Chicago at New York...Interestingly, New York is the only team Chicago hasn’t beaten this season, as Knicks won first two meetings prior to New Year’s. Bulls enter Madison Square Garden tonight having won seven in a row, although they’ve covered only three of those. Meanwhile, New York has won seven straight in a row, covering its last five. But status of several key performers on both sides, including Chicago’s Derrick Rose (illness) & Carlos Boozer (ankle), and Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire (also ankle), are all in question, so proceed with caution.
Memphis at Portland...Teams split a previous pair of games at FedEx Forum. Memphis has been a stellar underdog performer this season, covering 25 of 35 chances (including 21 of 29 on road), and Grizzlies enter Rose Garden on a 9-2 point-spread run in their latest uptick. Blazers, however, have won and covered four of their last five outings. Memphis also “under” 8-3 its last 11 games, while Portland “under” in its last three.
San Antonio at LA Lakers...Lakers currently on their longest losing streak since a seven-game slide in 2007, dropping their last five games straight up and vs. the number. On the other hand, Spurs enter Staples Center having won their last four games. San Antonio also “over” 9-1 its last 10 outings, although L.A. “under” 5-1 its last 6 and a solid “under” (49-30) all season.
Future Numbers
According to Sportsbook.com, the Bulls and Lakers have both been made favorites to win their conferences. Even though San Antonio is the top seed in the West, it’s still a second choice and the 5/2 odds (Bet $100 to win $250) seem generous.
Eastern Conference
Chicago Bulls +110
Miami Heat +160
Boston Celtics +250
Orlando Magic +800
New York Knicks +2000
Atlanta Hawks +7500
Philadelphia 76ers +10000
Indiana Pacers +40000
Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers -150
San Antonio Spurs +250
Oklahoma City Thunder +600
Dallas Mavericks +800
Denver Nuggets +1500
Portland Blazers +2500
Memphis Grizzlies +7500
New Orleans Hornets +7500
Comment