First Round Of The 2015 NBA Playoffs Continues
There were two games on Monday night, both of them seeing the home team win, which means that the home teams now hold a 2-0 lead in both of the matchups. The Bulls defeated the Bucks by a 91-92 margin, giving the Chicago side a 2-0 lead in the series. The Golden State Warriors defeated the New Orleans Pelicans by a score of 97-87, giving them a 2-0 lead in the series.
There are three games taking place on Tuesday night, all of them being the second game in the series.
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers
While the Cavs grabbed the all-important in the first game of the series against the Celtics, they didn’t get off to the best of starts. Kevin Love said that the players were feeling anxious while LeBron James put it down to nerves but whatever it was, the Cavs were far from their best at the opening of the Playoff series. This will be a big part of their approach to the Tuesday night game, and while the bad start will cause concern, the form and play in the final three quarters will be what the Cavs are looking for in their second home game of the series against the side from Boston.
The Celtics meanwhile will be looking to capture the spirit and energy that saw them lead by 8 points in the second quarter before the Cavs took a grip of the game. With LeBron back in town, a lot of big things are expected from the Cavaliers but this was the first Playoff game for the team in close to 5 years, so you can see why there was a great deal of nervous energy in the Quicken Loans Arena.
Kryie Irving was one of the players who felt glad to get the opening game out of the way but he performed well, grabbing 30 points during the game. While the Celtics can be pleased with many aspects of their play, they will need to improve on rebounds, which were a major disappointment for the team, and an area where the Cavs dominated, at both ends of the court.
The Celtics are 40-43 this season including a 19-23 record on the road. They are also 8-2 in their last 10 games, but clearly this is a tough series they are in. The Cavs hold a 54-29 record, including a 32-10 record at home and in their last 10 games, the Cavaliers stand at 7-3. With respect to average points scored, the Cavs lead 103.3 to 101.3 and for average points against, the Cavs lead 98.7 to 101.3.
Taking the Cleveland Cavaliers with a -11 handicap, and odds of 1.90, should be a decent bet for Tuesday. Bet Now!
Washington Wizards @ Toronto Raptors
It may have taken overtime to separate the teams but the Wizards won in the opening game and they know that if they can repeat this feat in Toronto, they will be looking extremely good to make their way through this series. With Paul Pierce grabbing 20 points, and 5 of these points in overtime on Saturday night, it was easy to see why he was the man that was booed by the home fans during the 86-93 win.
The Wizards have struggled on the road of late; losing 15 from 19, but in the Playoffs in the last two years, their away form has been remarkable. They have claimed 6 from 7 away games, including three away wins in Chicago in the opening round of the previous season.
There is a great incentive for the Wizards in this game but the Raptors have to know that winning this game will provide them with the best chance of progressing. They won’t fancy heading to Washington 2-0 down, so they have to see if they can raise a strong performance on Tuesday night.
The Wizards are 47-36 for the season and this includes an 18-24 record on the road, with a 6-4 record in their last 10 games. The Raptors are currently 49-34 this season, which includes a 27-15 record at home. In their last 10 games, the Raptors are also standing at 6-4. For average points scored, the Raptors lead 103.8 to 98.5 and for average points against, the Wizards lead 97.7 to 100.8.
Taking the Washington Wizards with a +4.5 handicap, at odds of 1.90, is likely to be a decent bet for NBA betting fans. Bet Now!
Dallas Mavericks @ Houston Rockets
Sometimes defensive mistakes and slips can be as much a part of a victory as great play from the winning team and the Mavericks will think that the Rockets didn’t work hard enough for their win. James Harden understandably got many of the plaudits for the points tally he racked up in Game 1 on Saturday but the Dallas side will know that they weren’t balanced in defence. At times Harden was focussed on too much and when you do that to a good player, they are just going to roll their team-mates into space. The fact that Harden grabbed 24 points while 6 other Houston players got into double figures says everything you need to know about the game on Saturday, which ended in a 118-108 win for the Rockets.
Chandler Parsons could be absent for the Mavericks with the player looking a bit fragile. Parsons was out of the last 6 games of the season and while there were hopes he would return in good shape for the Playoffs, it is fair to say that he returned, but not in the best of shape. Devin Harris is also a doubt for the Mavericks in this game.
The Rockets will be looking to win this game and they know that they dropped their first two home games last year as they slumped out of the Playoffs to the Trail Blazers. This year, the Rockets have a much better chance of succeeding.
The Mavericks are currently 50-33 with a 23-19 record on the road and a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. The Rockets hold a 57-26 record this season, including a 31-11 record at home and a 7-3 record in their last 10 games. For average points scored, the Mavericks lead 105.3 to 104.1 and for average points against, the Rockets lead 100.6 to 102.5.
Taking the Houston Rockets at -6, with odds of 1.90, should help you to achieve success on Tuesday. Bet Now!
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