Basketball Predictions - April 19, 2010

We are now 6-1 in the NBA playoffs thanks to our 2-1 finish last night. So far in the playoffs we're hitting 86% for +17 units.

Today we feature our 5-unit NBA Playoffs Total Play of the Year (three picks total). Over the last five weeks, our NBA picks are hitting just under 60% at 46-33 for +29 units.

WUNDERDOG 2010 RECENT RESULTS ($100/bet)
SPORT	WINS-LOSSES	%	NET
NFL	46-29 last 75 picks	61%	+$4060
CFB	25-10 last 35 picks	71%	+$6040
MLB	265-219 last 484 picks	55%	+$8370
MLB	4-2 last 6 picks	67%	+$20
NBA	47-33 last 80 picks	59%	+$3190
NHL	318-239 last 557 picks	57%	+$14350
WNBA	121-90 last 211 picks	57%	+$5490
TOTAL			+$41520

Today's NBA Basketball Picks:

Game: Chicago at Cleveland (8:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Cleveland -10.5 (-110) (risk 4 to win 3.6)
Pick: 3 units on Game Total OVER 191 -110 (risk 3 to win 2.7)

The Cleveland Cavaliers built a 22-point lead and it truly showed the difference between them and the Bulls. The talent on the Cavs won the game by 13 points despite being held scoreless for over eight minutes. The Cavs were a team in the playoffs just because of LeBron, but now they are a team that happens to have LeBron, and so much more. It has led them to a 19-6 ATS mark in their last 25 as a playoff favorite. The Bulls have had trouble with good teams, and are now 3-9 ATS vs. teams over .600. The Bulls have played to a 7-1 mark to the OVER in their last eight playoffs games as a dog, while the Cavs come in at 8-3-1 to the OVER when posted as a favorite at home from 5-10.5. The Bulls, in that same range from 5-10.5 as a dog, are 6-0 to the OVER. I'll go with the Cleveland and the OVER in this one.

The playoffs are typically the time where you see teams bogged down in half-court sets, and games scoring inordinately low points. Neither of these teams have been built to play that way, and we saw that in game one where 239 points were scored between them. The Jazz have become more offensive than even the Nuggets. The Jazz, excluding a no-show season finale, have scored 111.1 points per game in their last 24, and giving up an equal 111 ppg in their last eight. The Nuggets showed a year ago, and through game 1 this year, that they aren't about to change their style in the playoffs. They averaged over 110 ppg a year ago in seven home playoffs games, and 123 in game one this season. The Jazz are now 31-15-1 to the OVER in their last 47 as a road dog, and four straight played in Denver have topped the total. I'll go with the OVER in this one.

Results: 2-1

NBA Basketball Picks Resources:

• View our NBA ratings here.
• Updated today: basketball sportsbook.
• Don't forget to visit our NBA Game-of-Day-Preview.
• Check out basketball prior picks here.
• Here we show our 2009 basketball gambling preivew.
• View NBA blog here.
• Here we show our 2009 basketball pick results.
• Don't forget to read our basketball handicapping here.
• Take a look at our basketball odds lines and spreads here.
• Here we show our NBA ATS standings.

Check out the last five NBA Basketball Picks Newsletters:

NBA-Basketball-Picks-April-18-2010
The Orlando Magic came close a year ago, but couldn't manage to get it done. They have however, gained a lot of playoff experience the past few years. While that experience is a key missing ingred...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-April-17-2010
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have the best record in the NBA when the playoffs begin, so they will have the home court advantage as long as they last. They are facing a double-digit pointspread for th...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-April-14-2010
The Minnesota Timberwolves are closing the season in a bad way as they have become the early season New Jersey Nets. The T-Wolves are a pathetic 1-22 in their last 23 games, so posted as a favorite he...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-April-13-2010
The Denver Nuggets continue to excel on their home court, but the road is certainly not paved with gold for this team as their 19-21 mark is indicative of their struggles. A closer look reveals that t...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-April-12-2010
The Heat have been impressive on the defensive end during their late surge that shows them at 10-1 over their last 11 games. The Heat have strangled opponents, holding them to 86.1 points per game dur...