With the NBA season winding down, much of the attention will be on the Warriors and Spurs as they chase history.
NBA bettors, however, should be focused on protecting their bankrolls.
If you did not have skin in last night's games, you likely didn't pay much attention to end game scenarios that greatly affected the betting lines. These games are important for every NBA bettor regardless because they show just how random this time of the year can be.
First, in Chicago, the Bulls played host to the Hawks. Despite grabbing an early lead, the Bulls played particularly poorly during the middle stretch and found themselves trailing the Hawks by 9 points entering the fourth quarter. Jimmy Butler did not shoot well Monday night but did manage to cut the lead to a single possession on an impressive four point play. That didn't stop the Hawks from finishing the game like a playoff caliber team, lengthening their lead to 5 points with efficiency from the stripe. Enter Derek Rose. A historically poor three point shooter, especially under pressure, Rose released a buzzer beating three to close the game at 102-100. Meaningless to the casual sports fan, this did result in a Bulls cover, with the game-time line falling on Hawks -3.
While the Bulls can still make an unlikely case for the playoffs, the final example of the night features a team that cannot. Well out of the hunt, the Kings decided it was best to rest their three best players on Monday by sitting Cousins, Rondo and Gay. After the announcement, the Trailblazers tipped as a 13 point favorite, with plenty to play for at home. Despite leading the game nearly wire-to-wire and by as many as 28 points, end game chaos again played a money-changing roll. The Kings rag-tag group of B and C level talent managed to close to game with a 30-14 fourth quarter, with two meaningless Willie Cauley-Stein free throws closing the game 93-105, a 12 point win for the Trailblazers and a pile of torn up tickets for any bettor who grabbed them after the line move.
Monday is not a night to be bitter about, but rather an important reminder that predicting the motivations of professional athletes as their seasons come to a close is not an investment worth making. With the postseason looming and the first pitch of the MLB season days away, protect that bankroll from this chaos.