NBA Conference Finals Betting: Bulls and Mavs can pull clear in game three

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 21 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

Man in form - Derrick Rose is leading the Bulls charge

"Chicago is trading at a generous [2.92] to win the game."

In the East and the West, four teams are battling it out to reach the biggest series in basketball. But who will get there? Nick Shiambouros selects the best bets.

Eastern Conference

Miami Heat v Chicago Bulls - Series Tied 1-1

The Miami Heat won Game 2 85-75 in determined fashion at the United Center on Wednesday night. This defensive battle was won in the fourth quarter when Miami held Chicago to just 10 points.

The Heat looked in trouble for most of the game but LeBron James made some huge buckets in the closing stages to seal the victory and square the series.

The Bulls left the floor in disbelief after this tough loss. They had a real chance of taking control of the series but their offense let them down badly. They only managed to shoot 34 percent from the field and 60 percent from the line. These numbers will not get the job done against a team like the Heat.

The action moves to Miami on Sunday for Game 3 of this compelling series. The Heat will once again rely heavily on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to put points on the board. These two players have provided most of the offense for Miami but they have played with very little rest.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra will try to give his two superstars as much rest as possible in Game 3 but he does not have a strong bench to rely on.

The Bulls come in to this game in good order. They have matched Miami in almost every department and this young team will not go down easily.

Point guard Derrick Rose is playing extremely well and is confident his team will make it to the NBA Finals. Forward Luol Deng is growing in stature and is imposing himself in the series. He is beginning to see more of the ball and is shooting well.

Chicago is trading at a generous [2.92] to win the game. There is very little to choose between these two teams but the Bulls have a much deeper bench which could make the difference here.

Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder v Dallas Mavericks - Series Tied 1-1
The Oklahoma City Thunder levelled the series with a 106-100 victory on Thursday night in Dallas. The Thunder came to play and thoroughly deserved the victory in this entertaining affair.

Kevin Durant was on fire for the Thunder scoring 24 points. The young forward played virtually the whole game without a rest and barely looked out of breath as he left the floor.

Dallas only trailed by one point with seven minutes to go but the Thunder pulled away with an 11-2 run to put the game beyond doubt.

Game 3 of the series moves to Oklahoma on Saturday. Dirk Nowitzki is having a fantastic series for Dallas and will be tough to contain again. This experienced forward has scored a total of 77 points in the first two games. He's bound to add substantially to this impressive number on Saturday night.
The Mavs are trading at [2.22] to win Game 3 which is more than fair in my opinion. They did not play all that badly in Game 2 and are still the team to beat.

I have not changed my mind about Dallas. They are the deeper team and I fully expect them to prevail in this pulsating series.

Recommended Bets
Saturday back Dallas in Game 3 in the Match Odds market at [2.22]
Sunday back Chicago in Game 3 in the Match Odds market at [2.92]

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NBA Betting: Hot hot Heat too much for fading Bulls

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 15 May 2011 / Leave a Comment

LeBron is playing at a ludicrously high tempo

"The Bulls are definitely not playing anywhere near the level they were during the regular season. They need to raise their game in a hurry to have a chance against Miami."

Miami meet Chicago in the Eastern Conference Finals and it's the superstars of the Florida team who can advance to the final two, says Nick Shiambouros

This much anticipated series gets underway in Chicago on Sunday evening after the Bulls beat the Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in a hard fought series to reach the Conference Finals.

The Bulls have not been overly impressive during the playoffs, struggling to put points on the board and that is is a huge concern coming in to this series.

Superstar point guard Derrick Rose is working extremely hard and has taken almost 30 per cent of Chicago's shots in the playoffs. Forwards Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng really need to see more of the ball to give them more scoring options inside the painted area.

The Bulls are definitely not playing anywhere near the level they were during the regular season. They need to raise their game in a hurry to have a chance against Miami.

The Heat come in to this series brimming with confidence after beating the Boston Celtics 4-1 in the Conference Semi-Finals.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have been playing at a ridiculously high level on both ends of the floor. They are in rampant form and will be very difficult to contain.

I think Miami will take care of Chicago in six games and advance to the Finals. They are the most consistent team in the Eastern Conference and should be able to take advantage of a Chicago rotation that is struggling.
The Heat trade at [2.12] in the match odds market for Game 1 on Sunday. I think this price is more than fair given their current form.

Recommended Wagers
Sunday back Miami (Game1) in the match odds market at [2.12]
Back Miami to win the Eastern Conference at [1.58]
Back Miami in the Series Correct Score market 4-2 at [3.5]

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NBA Betting: Bulls on the charge

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 25 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

Derrick Rose has the Bulls in fine form

"The Bulls currently hold a one game lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference and are playing some truly magnificent basketball."

This weekend brings plenty of games with playoff implications and Nick Shiambouros has suggested bets for two of them

The Dallas Mavericks beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-96 in a tense encounter at the American Airlines Center on Thursday evening.

The Mavs had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to foil a determined Minnesota rotation who fought hard to the bitter end. The great Dirk Nowitzki was the hero for Dallas scoring 30 points.

This was a very important win for the Mavericks who have closed the gap to one game behind Los Angeles in the battle for second seed in the Western Conference. Dallas are currently priced at [19.0] to win the NBA Championship which is a fair price for one of the most consistent teams of the past decade.
With just over two weeks left in the regular season there are some crucial games with playoff implications taking place this weekend.

On Saturday the in-form Chicago Bulls visit the Milwaukee Bucks in an all-Eastern Conference affair.

The Bulls currently hold a one game lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference and are playing some truly magnificent basketball.

On Tuesday night the Bulls crushed the playoff-bound Atlanta Hawks 114-81 with one of the finest performances I have seen all year.
The Bucks are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 28-42. Though Milwaukee still have an outside chance of making the post-season I do not think they can contain Derrick Rose and company in this game.

Chicago should be priced around [1.9] with the advertised handicap and I will be backing them accordingly.
On Sunday the Memphis Grizzlies play host to the San Antonio Spurs in a game with significant playoff implications.

The Grizzlies are in eighth place in the Western Conference with a record of 40-32. This young team has been playing some decent basketball in the past few weeks and have a realistic chance of making the post-season.

Mike Conley in particular is having a super year for Memphis, averaging over 13 points per game. This rising star is the heartbeat of this team and is the main reason the Grizzlies are in contention for a playoff spot.

San Antonio are riding high at the top of the Western Conference. They currently have the best record in basketball at 57-14 and should easily secure home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

But the Spurs have one eye on the post-season and could be vulnerable against the in-form Grizzlies. If Memphis can establish an early lead they could give San Antonio all they can handle in this important fixture.
My money has to be on Memphis. They are in cracking form and a victory would greatly enhance their playoff chances. They should be priced around [2.0] with the advertised handicap.

Recommended Wagers
Saturday back Chicago with advertised handicap at [1.9]
Sunday back Memphis with advertised handicap at [2.0]

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NBA Betting Preview: Championship contenders Bulls can brush off Jazz

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 11 March 2011 / Leave a Comment

Can this team go all the way?

"The Bulls have developed in to serious championship contenders and look certain to give Boston and Miami all they can handle in the post-season."

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The Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers 94-88 in a tense affair at the American Airlines Arena on Thursday night. Both teams traded punches all night but it was Miami who proved the stronger late in the game. The Heat took the lead with just over 90 seconds left and held the Lakers at bay in determined fashion.

The victory snapped a five game losing streak for the Heat who were delighted to get back to winning ways. Chris Bosh was the leading scorer for Miami with 25 points. This superstar forward played with a great deal of intensity and was the most effective player on the floor.

This was an important win for Miami who are only 3.5 games behind Boston in the Eastern Conference.

The Dallas Mavericks thrashed the New York Knicks 127-109 at the American Airlines Center late on Thursday. The Mavs came out firing and built a ten point lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter Dallas scored an incredible 41 points to take a 72-51 lead in to the intermission.

In the second half the Knicks tried to stage a rally but it was a case of too little too late.
The great Dirk Nowitzki had a big night for Dallas scoring 23 points. The German born forward dominated New York inside the painted area and played a huge part in this impressive win.

The Mavericks are playing some outstanding basketball at the moment and are only 5.5 games behind San Antonio in the Western Conference.

With just over a month left in the regular season there are some important games with playoff implications taking place this weekend.

On Saturday, the Chicago Bulls play host to the Utah Jazz at the United Center. The Bulls have won four in a row and are just 1.5 games behind Boston in the Eastern Conference.

MVP candidate Derrick Rose is playing at a ridiculously high level and is the best point guard in the NBA in my opinion. Britain's Luol Deng and centre Joakim Noah have given Rose plenty of support in the past few weeks and have played a huge part in this team's success.

This young team has developed in to serious championship contenders and look certain to give Boston and Miami all they can handle in the post-season.

The Utah Jazz have not been playing well recently and are still coming to terms with the loss of point guard Deron Williams who was traded to New Jersey earlier this year. The Jazz have dropped to tenth place in the Western Conference and are in real danger of not making the post-season.

The Bulls should easily brush aside the Jazz in this one. They should be priced around [1.9] with the advertised handicap.
On Sunday, the Phoenix Suns visit the Orlando Magic in a crucial fixture. The Suns are in ninth place in the Western Conference and need to put a run together to give themselves a chance of making the playoffs.

The Suns are a high energy team that score plenty of points. They are led by veteran point guard Steve Nash who is averaging over 15 points per game.

Orlando comes in to this game with a record of 41-24.The Magic are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and are certain to make the post-season.

The Suns are worth an interest at around [3.8] in the match odds market. They are in a must win situation and have a sporting chance of causing the upset.

Recommended bets:

Saturday back Chicago with advertised handicap at [1.9]
Sunday back Phoenix in the match odds market at [3.8]

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