Basketball Free Picks - May 20, 2008
We went 1-1 last night on the picks and sit at 60% (24-16) for +19.4 units over the past 2.5 weeks. Today we have some thoughts on Ray Allen (is it time to bench him?) below as well as two picks for the game tonight.
Today's NBA Basketball Picks:
Game: Detroit at Boston (8:30 PM Eastern)
Pick: 4 units on Game Total UNDER 174 -110 (risk 4 to win 3.6)
The NBA Eastern Conference Finals begin tonight in Boston. We have watched the Celtics struggle offensively throughout the playoffs on the road but also in their last two home games vs. Cleveland. What hasn't waivered for them however is their defense. At home especially they have clamped down on the defensive end. In eight home playoff games, they ahve allowed just 79 ppg. The defensive signature of both of these teams is extremely high. The Pistons have been a playoff team for quite some time, and they are certainly no strangers to the defensive commitment required to stay in these games. Detroit has played 30-13 to the UNDER on the road in the playoffs since the 03-04 season. How important is it to make a defensive commitment in game one? The Pistons have played 11-2-1 UNDER in all game ones the last five years! These teams met three times during the season and in the three games, no team was able to score more than 92 points in any game. The Pistons are also an amazing 66-29-1 to the UNDER when slated as a dog and the last five times these teams have met in Boston the games have all gone UNDER.
Game: Detroit at Boston (8:35 PM Eastern)Pick: 3 units on First Half UNDER 87.5 -110 (risk 3 to win 2.7)
For reasons stated above, we also like the first-half UNDERl. Defense is the callingn card for both of these teams, and we expect that defensive stamp to be layed out early here as well. Consider that 17 of the last 23 times these teams have played, they have gone UNDER the first-half total. These teams have combined so far to cover 67% of the first half UNDER lines during the playoffs and we expect more of the same tonight.
NBA Basketball Picks Resources:
Check out the last five NBA Basketball Picks Newsletters:
NBA-Basketball-Picks-May-19-2008
The New Orleans Hornets have lived a life similar to Boston in the playoffs. They have been a perfect 6-0 SU at home and 5-1 ATS. But on the road they are just 1-4 SU and ATS. It has been the the...
NBA-Basketball-Picks-May-18-2008
Boston has been a tale of two teams in the playoffs. They have been completely listless on offense on the road, having yet to find the win column, going 0-6 both SU and ATS. At home it has been a comp...
NBA-Basketball-Picks-May-16-2008
This is a crucial game six and being that it is in Cleveland, we like the UNDER. The Celtics have struggled offensively throughout the playoffs on the road and have yet to break through to the wi...
NBA-Basketball-Picks-May-15-2008
We have watched each of these teams dominate each other at home with all the games resulting in double-digit blowouts. San Antonio is, and always has been, a defense-first team, especially in the play...
NBA-Basketball-Picks-May-14-2008
The Celtics, to be sure will be glad to be back home. They have gotten nothing done in the playoffs on the road, but have dominated at home. Why should things suddenly change here? The men in green ha...
