Football Teams

The Oklahoma City Thunder came out and made a statement with a 119-90 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1, but that doesn't matter if they aren't able to come back and win Game 2 on Wednesday. This is a crucial game for both teams. Tip-off for Game 2 is scheduled for 9:30 EST and will be televised nationally on TNT.

It looks as if oddsmakers are expecting a much closer final score in Game 2. Despite the incontrovertible fact that the Thunder covered the spread by 21.5-points in Game 1, Oklahoma City is once again favored b 7.5-points over the Lakers. Want to stay up to do date on the series, you can read more about these teams at Betfirms.

Los Angeles

The Lakers seemed like they were still recovering from that difficult first round series against the Denver Nuggets. Los Angeles came out strong in the first quarter, but from the second quarter on they looked tired. As a result, they ended up geting crushed in the second half.

Kobe Bryant wound up with 20 points, but it wasn't a very good game for him. He was just 7 of 18 from the field and had just two assists and 3 rebounds. Pau Gasol wasn't much of a factor again in the playoffs. He had just 10 points and 7 rebounds in 30 minutes. Andrew Bynum was the only player I was truly impressed by. Bynum posted a strong double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Metta World Peace came out and hit a couple shots early in the first quarter, but after that he was a non-factor. If the Lakers are going to bounce back and at least make it respectable in Game 2, World Peace has to play better and they need more than only two points out of Ramon Sessions.

Defensively the Lakers have to do a better job on keeping the Thunder from penetrating into the lane and kicking out for wide-open shots. Don't be shocked if Bryant doesn't come out and guard Russell Westbrook from the beginning of the game. The only problem with that, if Bryant is forced to guard Westbrook, it takes away from what he can give the Lakers offensively.

Oklahoma City

After a long lay off between series, there was some concern that this team would come out flag. It did not take long for Oklahoma City to find their rhythm, as they shot 53% from the field and 41% from the 3-point line. When this team comes out and shoots the ball like they did on Monday, they're extremely difficult to beat.

Westbrook had a game-high 27 points, but there was more to his performance than just his scoring. He had 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Kevin Durant also contributed in multiple areas, he had 25 points, eight rebounds, and 4 assists. James Harden came off the bench to add 17 points in just 24 minutes. While nobody else reached double-digits, they had nine other players help out offensively.

Defensively I believe the Thunder had a strong game plan in Game 1. Thabo Sefolosha and Harden really made Bryant work for everything he got offensively. They also did an excellent job of keeping Gasol from playing a big role. Although Even though Bynum put up solid numbers, a lot of people overlook the fact that they are not double-teaming him each time he touches the ball. That makes it that much tougher for the Lakers role players to contribute.

It's hard to not like Oklahoma City's chances of winning Game 2. The Thunder are 3-1 against Los Angeles this year and all 3 of their wins have come by more than 10-points. The sole game they loss, came in LA when they blew a massive lead after World Peace delivered that vicious elbow to Harden.

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The Chicago Bulls avoided elimination with a 77-69 win at home in Game 5. The series heads back to Philadelphia for a crucial Game 6 on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 EST and will be televised on NBA TV. With a win the 76ers will become only the fifth No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed in the 1st round. The 76ers took control of the series with two wins at home in games 3 and 4, but those efforts won't matter if they take out the Bulls in Game 6. A loss would all of the sudden give the Bulls the advantage with Game 7 back in Chicago.

Oddsmakers forecast another close game. Looking at the NBA odds, the 76ers is favored by just 3-points over the Bulls with the total set at 169.5 points. For the latest on this series go here.

Philadelphia

Philadelphia didn't show up ready to play in Game 5. I don't know if they felt like they'd have no trouble beating Chicago at home in Game 6, but they didn't play with the intensity and motivation you need to finish off a series. This is an especially young team that hasn't experienced a lot of playoff success. For the majority of the series the pressure has been on Chicago, but it shifts to Philadelphia in Game 6. This is a huge game for the 76ers. I can't say I am keen on the 76ers chances if this series returns to Chicago for a Game 7.

It was a collective struggle on the offensive end for the 76ers in Game 5. Philadelphia shot just 32% from the field and were held to just 26 points in the first half. Jrue Holliday had a team-high 16 points, but finished up a miserable 5 of 17 from the field. Andre Iguodala and Lou Williams combined for just 24 points on 8 of 29 shooting. Spencer Hawes was held to just 11 points after putting up 20+ in games 3 and 4.

A lot of that has to do with how well the Bulls played defensively, but it isn't going to get any easier in Game 6. Somebody is going to have to step up and have a big game offensively for Philadelphia to advance.

Chicago

The Bulls weren't about to let the 76ers end their season at the United Center. Chicago dominated the 76ers on the defensive side of the ball and got enough from the offense to force a Game 6. Not only were the Bulls able to fight off elimination, but they were able to win their first game in the series without Derrick Rose. It may be the turning point in the series. Chicago could have easily won one of the two games in Philadelphia, and this team now has the confidence it's been lacking since they lost their best player.

Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng played exceptionally well in Game 5. Deng scored a game-high 24 points on 10 of 19 shooting, including 4 of 5 from long distance. Boozer added 19 points and 13 rebounds. It was easily Deng's best game of the series. He had managed just 24 points in the previous three games combined. The Bulls will need both players to pick up where they left off in Game 5.

Chicago will also be looking for more out of starters C.J. Watson and Richard Hamilton. The duo combined for just 11 points on 5 of 19 shooting in Game 5. Chicago could get a lift on both sides of the ball if Joakim Noah is able to return from an ankle injury suffered in Game 3. Noah is one of Chicago's premier post defenders and also does a fine job on the offensive glass. He is listed as questionable for Game 6.

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The Los Angeles Lakers had a chance to finish off the Denver Nuggets at home in Game 5, but instead it was the Nuggets who prevailed 102-99 to force a Game 6 in Denver on Thursday. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 10:30 EST and will be televised nationally on TNT. This has all of the sudden turned into a series that could go down to the final game. While the Lakers managed to hold on for a 92-88 win at Denver in Game 4, the Nuggets cruised to a 99-84 win at home in Game 3. If the Nuggets can come away with another win at the Pepsi Center, the series will return to LA for Game 7 on Saturday.

Having a look at the NBA lines for this vital game, oddsmakers have Denver favored by 1.5-points over the Los Angeles with the total set at 198 points. For the latest on this series go the Betfirms.

Denver

The Nuggets didn't just avoid elimination in Game 5, they now have the confidence they can win this series. They have truly embraced the never give up attitude of their head coach George Karl. I don't believe anybody was shocked to see Denver win a game at home, but no one thought this team had a reasonable chance of making this a series.

While numerous players stepped up and contributed in Game 5, Andre Miller and JaVale McGee are the reason Denver is still playing. Miller scored a team-high 24 points to go along with eight assists, while McGee added 21 points and 14 rebounds. The most impressive part about those two stat lines, is the fact that both players came off the bench. Combined they shot a ridiculous 17 of 23 from the field. Arron Afflalo led the starters with 19 points and Danilo Gallinari chipped in 14.

It's no secret to what Denver has to avoid elimination. They must continue to push the pace and really make the Lakers work on both sides of the ball. While the Lakers have to rely heavily on the big three of Bynum, Gasol, and Bryant, The Nuggets have a number of players who they can turn to offensively. The only concern I have with this team, is the absence of a go to guy late in the game.

Los Angeles

Knowing that Oklahoma City is waiting and resting for the winner of this series, I expected a much better effort from the Lakers in Game 5. Rarely will you see a team led by Kobe Bryant fail to put away their opponents on their home floor. That's not to say Bryant didn't do everything in his power to help Los Angeles win. Bryant finished with a game-high 41 points and single-handedly brought the Lakers within striking distance in the fourth quarter with a barrage of 3-point shots.

While Bryant seemed to understand the significance of Game 5, the same can't be said for the rest of the team. Andrew Bynum was the only other player in double-figures with 16 points, but he was a non-factor on both sides of the ball for most of the game. Bynum finished with just eight field goal attempts, which is completely unacceptable given the Lakers size-advantage in the paint. Pau Gasol was even worse, scoring just 9 points on 4 of 11 shooting.

I question whether the the tempo at which the Nuggets are playing is taking its tole on the Lakers 7-footers. With the series shifting back to the thin air of Denver, you have to ponder whether either of these players have enough stamina to play at the level needed for Los Angeles to win this game.

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The Philadelphia 76ers went into Boston and just about took both games from the Celtics. Boston was able to hold on for a 92-91 win in Game 1, but Philadelphia came back and won Game 2 82-81. The 76ers now have the home-court edge as the series heads to Philadelphia for the next two games. If Philadelphia can hold serve at home, they will take a 3-1 series lead back to Boston for Game 5. The series will resume on Wednesday with Game 3. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 EST and will be televised nationally on TNT.

Looking at the NBA lines for Game 3, oddsmakers have the 76ers favored by 2-points over the Celtics with the total set at 172.5 points.

Boston

It's almost like the Celtics are not taking the 76ers seriously. Boston hasn't came out with the intensity you would expect from a team that's attempting to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals. I'm not saying Philadelphia isn't capable of beating the Celtics, but Boston is the better team in the series. However , if Boston continues to overlook the 76ers they could easily lose this series. I believe losing Game 2 at home will get Boston's attention, and they are going to come out with a completely different attitude in Game 3.

In Monday's Game 2 loss, Ray Allen came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points, Kevin Garnett added 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Brandon Bass chipped in 12 points. No one else had more than 8 points. Paul Pierce was held to just 7 points on 2 of 9 shooting and Rajon Rondo only managed to score 8 points. I understand Rondo handed out 13 assists, but he has to be more of a scorer for Boston to dominate Philadelphia. If Pierce fails to get going on the offensive end the Celtics are going to have a hard time winning this series. He has not scored more than 18 points in a game since going off for 24 in a 101-79 win over Atlanta.

We're going to find out a lot about the Celtics in Game 3. This is the game where they should come out motivated and really get after Philadelphia. I don't think the Celtics are going to come out and win this game by 20 points, but they should win this game.

Philadelphia

The 76ers don't care if the Celtics are playing hard. All they are concerned about is the undeniable fact that they were able to win a game on the road. Philadelphia is going to come into Game 3 with a lot of energy and the confidence they can keep winning. Philadelphia won all three of their home games against Chicago in the first round, and will win this series if they can do the same against the Celtics.

Jrue Holiday bounced back from a poor showing in Game 1 to lead the the 76ers with 18 points on 7 of 15 shooting. Holliday was red-hot from downtown, connecting on 4 of 6 from behind the 3-point line. Andre Iguodala was second on the team with just 13 points to go with seven rebounds, while Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen each finished the game with 10 points.

It's going to be an offensive struggle the entire series for Philadelphia. There are going to be nights where guys just aren't hitting shots, but they have to just keep battling and hope someone steps up each night. The guy the 76ers really need to get going offensively is Lou Williams. In the regular season, Williams led the 76ers at 14.9 points per game. In the two games against the Celtics he hasn't reached double-figures and has a combined 17 points.

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The Atlanta Hawks were able to keep their season alive with a captivating 88-87 win over the Boston Celtics at home in Game 5. Boston takes a 3-2 series lead back home for Game 6 on Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 EST and will be televised nationally on TNT. While the Hawks are the team trying to avoid elimination, you can't over look the importance of this game for the Celtics. If Boston is unable to finish off the Hawks on their home floor, they would have to go back to Atlanta for Game 7 on Saturday.

Having a quick look at the NBA odds posted for this game, oddsmakers have the Celtics favored by 6.5-points over the Hawks with the total set at 174.5 points. For the latest on this series, click on this link.

Atlanta

The Hawks got a big lift from Al Horford in Game 5, as he returned to the starting lineup for the first time since injuring his pectoral muscle back in early January. After contributing 12 points in 20 minutes off the bench in Game 4, Horford finished with a game-high 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. The entire team appeared to feed of his energy.

Some questioned if Horford's return would hurt the chemistry of this team, but that wasn't the case at all. All 5 starters finished in double-figures. Joe Johnson bounced back from a miserable performance in Game 4 with 15 points and Josh Smith didn't let a sore knee stop him from putting up 13 points, 16 rebounds and 6 assists.

As good as the Hawks played, there's plenty of reason to be concerned about whether or not this team will have enough left in the tank to win in Boston. All 5 starters played at least 35 minutes, and everyone but Marvin Williams played at least 41 minutes. I personally don't think the Hawks will be able to keep the series alive with another win at Boston, but you have got to wonder if they'll even be able to keep this game close. Logging those kind of minutes in the playoffs this late in the series could leave Atlanta with no legs in Game 6.

Boston

In my opinion the Celtics have to like their chances of winning this series on Thursday. The Hawks had to use a lot of energy to win game 5. Boston has already won two games at home in the series, including an easy 101-79 win in Game 4. I don't think there is any question the Celtics played hard in Game 5, but I look for them to turn up the intensity for Game 6. I expect Boston to treat this game like they're the team on the brink of elimination, as they don't want to return to Atlanta for a Game 7.

After putting up 101 points on 51% shooting in Game 4, I wasn't all that shocked to see Boston struggle offensively in Game 5. This team isn't built to put up those type of numbers on a regular basis. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett tied for a team-high 16 points, Ray Allen came off the bench to drop 15, and Rajon Rondo added 13 points and 12 assists.

The Celtics aren't built to win games with their offense. They take out their opponents with great defense, and I suspect that will be the decisive factor in Game 6. Watch for head coach Doc Rivers and his staff to change up the defensive gameplan to match Hawks new starting five and really make things difficult for Atlanta offensively. I think a another offensive showing like they had in Game 5, will be more than sufficient for the Celtics to win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

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The Philadelphia 76ers 89-82 win in Game 4, has the top seeded Chicago Bulls on the brink of elimination. The 76ers have a 3-1 series lead as the two teams head back to Chicago for Game 5 on Tuesday. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 9:30 EST and will be televised on NBA TV. Philadelphia has won three consecutive games since Chicago won Game 1 103-91, but the main reason for that has been the devastating injury to Derrick Rose.

While the Philadelphia a commanding 3-1 lead, oddsmakers don't appear to believe the series is over just yet. Having a look at the NBA spreads for this game, The Bulls are favored by 5-point over the 76ers with the total sitting at 171 points. For the latest on this series go to Betfirms.

Philadelphia

Coming into the playoffs no one thought the 76ers had any chance of winning this series, but that changed with the injury to Rose. Even after Chicago lost Rose for the rest of the playoffs, there were lots of experts, including myself, who thought Chicago would still win the series. So far the 76ers are proving everybody wrong, there is however no time to relax for head coach Doug Collins and his players. This series could be tied up 2-2, as the Bulls blew a large lead late in Game 3. The earlier the 76ers can finish off Chicago the better. The very last thing they want to do is let Chicago take back the momentum and force a potential Game 7 in Chicago.

Philadelphia got a huge game out of Spencer Hawes in Game 4, as the starting center scored a team-high 22-points on 9 of 11 shooting. Jrue Holiday also played amazingly well, as he finished up with 20 points, eight rebounds and six aids. It was a good thing Holiday and Hawes made the most of their opportunities, as the 76ers got just 17 points from their bench. Lou Williams, Philadelphia's leading scorer, had just 7 points on 2 of 10 shooting.

I don't know that you can expect Hawes to carry the load offensively in consecutive games, particularly against the great defense of the Bulls. Chicago is going to make some tweaks to make things a lot harder for him, which means somebody else is going to need to step up for the 76ers to win Game 5.

Chicago

Things couldn't have gone much worse for Chicago in this series. Not only did they lose Rose for the rest of the playoffs, but they were without starting center Joakim Noah in Game 4. Chicago had a 9-point lead in Game 3 when Noah was forced to leave with seriously sprained ankle. In my opinion, Rose and Noah are the two most important players for Chicago. Noah is listed as doubtful for Game 5, but you can bet he is going to do whatever he can to play.

Carlos Boozer once again picked up the slack offensively, as he scored game-high 23 points in the loss on Sunday. Chicago will need another big offensive night from Boozer if they are going to avoid elimination, but he is going to need some help. Luol Deng hasn't been able to get anything going this series, as Andre Iguodala continues to shut him down. Richard Hamilton will also need to contribute more, as he finished Game 4 with a disappointing seven-points on 3 of 9 shooting. C.J. Watson was able to finally contribute with 17 points, but he was just 5 of 18 from the field. The Bulls also has to try and figure out a way to get Kyle Korver more involved. The reserve 3-point specialist has scored just 12-points in the last three games combined.

Outside of a poor showing in Game 2, Chicago has continued to play exceptional on the defensive side of the ball. They held Philadelphia to just 39% from the field in Game 4. Coach Tom Thibodeau is one of the best defensive-minded coaches in the game. I think it's the Bulls defense that has Chicago favored by 5-points, but will they be able to score enough points to win the game?

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