NBA Playoffs Are Still Building To Series Climax
With just the two games on Tuesday night, and just the two games on Wednesday night, things are starting to thin out in this round of the NBA Playoffs. We are nearly reaching sudden death for the series but there are still chances for teams to wrap things up before it gets to that stage, and there are still opportunities for teams to cling on in there with the hope of dragging their season out for as long as possible.
One team that did take care of business on Tuesday night was the Houston Rockets. The 103-94 home win against the Dallas Mavericks clinched the series with a 4-1 score line. The Rockets had been in control of this series right from the start and their victory was no great surprise.
The San Antonio Spurs showed that they are in no rush to relinquish their title with a big win in Los Angeles. The 107-111 win sees the Spurs leading 3-2 in the series and on Thursday night, the action returns to San Antonio, where a home win would wrap up the series for the Champions. The Clippers can’t be ruled out though and this could be a series that goes right down to the wire.
Brooklyn Nets @ Atlanta Hawks
The season record of these two teams indicate that there is quite a gulf between the sides but as we stand here with a 2-2 score in the series, there isn’t much to call between the teams as we head back to Atlanta on Wednesday night.
Before Game 3, the Hawks had won 6 in a row with the Nets, but two Brooklyn victories has kept this tie bubbling away nicely and one reason for this has been the form of Deron Williams. On Monday night, the player was in top form as the Nets grabbed a 120-115 win in overtime to tie the series. Williams grabbed 35 points, which is a career high in the Playoffs, including seven three point shots.
These four games have been hugely exciting with both teams having their moments in the games. While there are five instances of a number 8 seed defeating a number 1 seed in the Playoffs, with the most recent occurring in 2012 when the 76ers defeated the Bulls, all of these number 8 seeds had a record of higher than .500 in the regular part of the season. No one really gave the Nets much hope in this series and they have certainly quietened down some of their critics, even if they don’t manage to go all the way in this run of games.
The Hawks have won 24 games out of 27 at home, including their 2 wins in this series, so they will be confident about the next couple of games. They know that Al Horford has a lot more to offer than what he has been giving lately, so there could be a real chance for the Hawks to step up a gear and put themselves in the driving seat for the next round of the Playoffs.
The Nets come into this game with a 40-46 record and this includes a 19-24 record on the road. They have a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. They will be taking on a Hawks side that have a 62-24 record, and this includes a 37-6 record at home. The Hawks also have a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. With both teams on 5-5 in their last 10 games, something has to give in this game, which could provide the winner with the much needed impetus to finish off the job.
With respect to average points for, the Hawks lead the way with 102.3 to 98.0 and for average points against, the Hawks lead 97.2 to 100.8.
Taking the Atlanta Hawks with a -9 handicap, at odds of 1.90, isn’t a bad idea for this game on Wednesday night. Bet Now!
Portland Trail Blazers @ Memphis Grizzlies
Being back on home turf will give the Grizzlies a bit more confidence but they know that the absence of Mike Conley will hurt them in this battle. It is believed that their point guard will be absent again which means that the Grizzlies need to try and finish of the Trail Blazers without him. They are gunning for their seventh home win in a row so they have some form in Memphis but this is not going to be an easy game.
A large part of the reason for the difficulty comes with the fact that Conley was instrumental in keeping Damian Lillard quiet in the opening two games of the series. Conley kept Lillard down to 32 points in these two games which the Grizzlies won with a bit to spare, but they may find it a tougher task on Wednesday night. Lillard showed what he can do without Conley to stifle him with 32 points in the 99-92 win, and this included 12 points in the vital final quarter. If Lillard is allowed the same degree of freedom in this game, there could be a chance that the series is continued and we will have a tight finale to these games.
The Blazers haven’t won in Memphis since January of 2013, losing six times in a row. The Blazers head into this game with a 52-34 record, which includes a 19-24 record on the road. The Blazers have an abysmal record in their last 10 games, which stands at 2-8, which indicates some of the problems that the team is facing at the moment. The Grizzlies have a 58-28 record so far this campaign, and this includes a 33-10 record at home. The Grizzlies record in their last 10 games stands at 6-4.
With respect to average points for, the Portland Trail Blazers lead 102.4 to 98.4 and for average points against, the Grizzlies lead 95.0 to 98.7.
You should be looking towards the Memphis Grizzlies with a -5.5 handicap, and odds of 1.90, for this game. Bet Now!
The stage is set for the Euroleague Championship match and it looks like being a fantastic evening. The team from the host city are involved in the match and not only are Fenerbahce Istanbul looking for their first ever Euroleague, they want to be the first Turkish team to lift the trophy. This may see... 
The regular season record for Real Madrid stood at 23-7 and CSKA Moscow’s stood at 22-8, but for both teams, the only important record is the Final Four one and this stands at 0-1 for both of them. These are the teams that sat at the top of the regular season table but that counts... 
The Euroleague Final Four is upon us again and the Semi Final games take place on Friday evening. The matches are all taking place in Istanbul and it is inevitable that focus will on Fenerbahce, playing in their home city. There will be plenty of backing for the Istanbul side but of course, they face...