Did not finish the regular season on a high note, but still overall it has been a successful NBA season for me, especially my top plays. Looking to bounce back tonight. BOL Everyone.
TOP PLAYS
3 UNIT PLAYS
Chicago. Milwaukee Under 186.5: This whole series should be low scoring as both teams have the first to 90 mentality, which should mean that most games will be played at 180 or less. This really has been a low scoring series as the 4 games played this year has put up just 176.8 ppg, while the last 8 between these teams have put up just 173.1 ppg, with just 1 of those games seeing more than 186 points. The Bulls have allowed just 92.2 ppg in their last 5 games, while the Bucks have allowed just 94 ppg in their last 5 games and game ones of a playoff series are usually low scoring anyway. I look for this one to to be played in the 170's.
Memphis/ Portland Under 189: Memphis home games are usually very low scoring, but now we couple that with all the injuries on both teams and the fact that game 1s of a series tend to be low scoring anyway. That should really make for a low scoring game here. Memphis has been an excellent defensive team this year, especially at home, where they have allowed just 93.2 ppg on the year. Portland has been weak on defense of late, but this Memphis offense is not strong at all and they are even weaker with a hobbled Mike Conley out there. The Grizzlies have played without him plenty down the stretch and they have averaged just 94 ppg in their last 10. This is not a good offense. The Blazers have played well on offense, but they have averaged just 93.8 ppg in the 4 games vs Memphis this year. The Grizzlies just took on an Indiana team that had averaged 103.6 ppg in their 5 games prior to playing Memphis and the Grizzlies held them to just 83 points on this floor. The should be able to keep the Blazers down once again here. I look for no more than 180 points scored in this one.
ATLANTA -10 over Brooklyn: I will be going with the Hawks to cover the big number here. This is a team that really slept walked down the stretch of this season, but I feel that they will be ready for the Post season The Nets also didn't play well down the stretch but they did just enough at the right time to make it into the playoffs. This is not a good team and their under .500 record proves that. The Nets lost all 4 games to the Hawks this year and 3 of them were by 9 points or more. The two games played in Atlanta this year were losses of 32 and 9, while their first meeting between the team was by 17 points. Late in the year when the Hawks were on cruise control, they beat the Nets by just 3. No cruise control here as the Hawks win this one very easy over a Nets team that was lucky to get in the playoffs.
BEST OF THE REST
San Antonio/ LA Clippers Over 206: Both teams like to push the tempo and both teams have the ability to score a ton of points in this whole series. 2 of the last 3 meetings between these teams put up 134 and 143 points and that was without OT. This one should be high scoring as well. The Spurs come in averaging 108.8 ppg in their last 8 games, while the Clipps have put up 110.8 ppg in their last 14 games and they have averaged 106 ppg at home for the year. The Spurs can play some defense and the Clippers defense has been improved of late, but this will not be a defensive game as I see both teams putting up at least 105 points here.
Dallas/ Houston Over 211: Dallas has played many high scoring games of late and their defense has been horrible this year. The Rockets have the ability to score plenty, especially at home and they will be taking on a Dallas team that has allowed 112 ppg in their last 5 games. For the Record Houston has scored 110 ppg in their last 8 games, while their defense has allowed 104 ppg over the same stretch. Both teams will get up and down the floor here and put at least 215 points on the board.
CLEVELAND -11.5 over Boston: Statement game for Cleveland here. I know that Boston has played Cleveland tough and a Brad Stevens is an excellent coach, but I see Cleveland picking up the easy win in this one. The Cavs remember all the talk about the Easy Boston win the other day, but that game was without Lebron in the lineup. With the way Boston has played Cleveland this year fully expect a focused effort from the Cavs here and a blowout win may just take away any confidence the Cs may have heading in to this series. The last thing a big series favorite wants is to have the dog playing with confidence. I see the Cavs taking it away from Boston in game 1 with a very easy 15+ point win.
GOLDEN STATE -12 over New Orleans: Tough spot here for the Pelicans, who played their asses off just to get in the playoffs. I feel they will not have what it takes to hang around for more than 3 quarters in this one. The Warriors had their seed wrapped up a while ago, yet this team continued to pound their opponents down the stretch. Golden State has crushed teams all year on this floor and I see no reason why they can't do that here vs a New Orleans team that is just happy to be here right now. This one will get ugly.
NBA 2014
Top Plays Overall 61-39-6 (+53.7 Units)... 4 Unit 0-0-0 (0 Units)
Top Play Totals 54-38-6 (+39.9 Units)
Best Of The Rest Plays Overall 79-86-5 (-31.6 Units)
Best Of The Rest Totals 66-67-1 (-15.4 Units)