By Marc Lawrence

If you enjoy betting the games and you are weak of heart, the 2011 NBA playoffs have been a torment of major proportions.

Charting results from the first eight days of action this playoff season, from Saturday April 16 through Saturday April 23, the results have been confounding to say the least.

Bookmaker's delight

If you're a veterinarian or a dog lover, you've likely been living in dog-pound heaven thus far as favorites have bit the bone, going 19-7 SU and 7-17-2 ATS.

Meanwhile, home teams are on a similar course as they stand 18-8 SU and an identical 7-17-2 ATS.

Magnifying the situation, favorites of six or more points are 10-3 SU and 1-12 ATS. Amazingly, seven of ten SU wins have been by an average 3-points off the line, meaning 70% of the straight-up winners results were a scant three-point shot away from a pointspread reversal.

Sour apple carts

Teams that had the rug pulled out on them as a playoff favorite have bounced back on the scoreboard - but not in the wallet - going 3-0 SU and 0-3 ATS in follow up affairs.

That drops teams off a SU favorite apple cart loss to 2-11 ATS since midway of last year's NBA playoffs.

Under slumber

Through the first eight days of the 2011 playoffs UNDER players have had a party, cashing 16 of 26 totals plays.

In games in which the posted total was 189 or higher points, the UNDER players have lost only three of 14 tickets.

And not surprisingly, favorites in games with a total of 189 or more are just 3-10-1 ATS.

Now, pop a nitroglycerin pill and get ready for another round of heart-pounding results in the NBA playoffs. The party is just beginning.