The first round in the NBA Playoffs is almost done and most teams only have a couple of games left to wrap things up. Tonight’s games are ever the more exciting and we’ve got all the details just below.
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Miami Heat vs Charlotte Hornets
- Time: Monday, April 25, 2016 7:00 PM ET
- Place: Time Warner Cable Arena
- Betting Odds: Charlotte -2
- Total: 195.5
Bet on the Heat
The Heat lost momentum after the first two games and struggled to find the basket in game 3, shooting only 34.2 percent from the field and 7 of 22 from beyond the three point line.
Though Luol Deng and Hassan Whiteside managed to score above 40 percent, the rest of the team did not, which should tell you how sluggishly the Heat played in that game. They also turned the ball over an unheard of 11 times in that game.
Dwayne Wade will have to rally the troops in tonight’s game if the Heat is to win. However, Wade is certainly no stranger to being in this spot and there’s no reason to believe he’ll not be up to the task. If Wade has a good night and Deng and Whiteside perform as they did in game 3, they’ll win this game.
Bet on the Hornets
The Hornets outscored Miami 52-28 in the paint in game 3, so it’s likely they’ll vie for the same approach tonight. Kemba Walker was a big part in the Hornets’ win, putting up 17 points, along with seven dimes to his name.
Walker also managed to get Frank Kaminsky and Jeremy Lin into action and Lin in particular got pass Whiteside, scoring a total of 18 points from the paint. Kaminsky contributed himself with 15 points.
Betting Trends
- Miami is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
- Miami is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
- Miami is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
- Charlotte is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
- Charlotte is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Miami
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
Game Predictions: Hassan Whiteside will come alive in game four and dominate below the basket. Dwyane Wade will turn up the heat and cut through the Hornets’ guards. Goran Dragic will also come alive with his own contribution. The Miami Heat will dominate in game four and win.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Portland Trail Blazers
- Time: Monday, April 25, 2016 10:30 PM ET
- Place: Moda Center
- Betting Odds: Clippers -3.5
- Total: 205.5
Bet on the Clippers
The Clippers had all sorts of troubles in game 3 and played rather sluggishly. After having dominated the boards through the first two games, Portland played way better in the third game.
Blake Griffin has been sucking wind since the first game of this series and will have to do a much better job tonight.Griffin is clearly important to the Clippers’ ability to score from center.
Los Angeles is deadly from mid range when Griffin plays well. His ability to open up the field and allow DeAndre Jordan to shoot goes a long way with the Clippers.
Chris Paul also needs to be on top of his game. Paul is the motor that runs the Clippers’ offense, averaging just under 27 points with around 9 dimes per game in this series.
Bet on the Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard was the spark that fired up the Trail Blazers in game 3. Lillard put up 32 points in that game and along with CJ. McCollum, who finished with 27 points himself, managed to win the night. These two are key to Portland’s success and if Portland is to win tonight, it’ll be because they’re playing well.
Portland will be playing in front of their home crowd tonight. Something that seems to work to their favor in a big way, the Trail Blazers seem to come alive at home having won 21 of their last 25 at Moda Center.
Key to Portland’s success tonight will be rebounding. If they can dominate the boards, they’ll limit the Clipper’s ability to put up second-shot opportunities. Mason Plumlee was extremely effective in game 3, grabbing a career high 21 boards and acting as interference down the middle to prevent Jordan and Griffin to do much damage.
Betting Trends
- LA Clippers is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
- LA Clippers is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 6 games
- Portland is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing LA Clippers
- The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Portland's last 7 games when playing LA Clippers
- Portland is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
Game Predictions: Damian Lillard has kicked his game up a notch or two this season and risen to the occasion as Portland’s leader. Lillard is having a great year and he’ll have a great game tonight. The Trail Blazers win tonight.
Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder
- Time: Monday, April 25, 2016 8:00 PM ET
- Place: Chesapeake Energy Arena
- Betting Odds: Thunder -14.5
- Total: 205.5
Bet on the Mavericks
This is it. Just one more game and in order for the Mavericks to pass through they’ll have to do everything right tonight. They cannot afford to make even one mistake because otherwise the Thunder will make them pay for it.
They need to do whatever it takes to slow down Kevin Durant as they did in game 2. Even if they only won that game by 1 point, if was enough to pester Durant and force him to shoot awfully.
Now, regardless that they can get to Durant, the Mavericks still have Westbrook to contend with. And, Westbrook is no pushover. They’ll need the full contribution of Wesley Matthews, Raymond Felton, J.J. Barea to slow down Westbrook.
Bet on the Thunder
In lieu of Durant’s less than stellar game 4, Westbrook took it upon himself to get the job done. Westbrook’s put up 25 points and 15 dimes in that game, and led to the Thunder to a 119-108 victory on the Mavs’ home court.
Westbrook also key passed the ball to Enes Kanter and Serge Ibaka and allowed them to put up 44 points between the two. It’s clear that even if Durant does struggle in this last game, the Thunder has enough firepower in Westbrook, Ibaka and Kanter to bag a win tonight.
Betting Trends:
- Dallas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
- Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Dallas's last 13 games
- Dallas is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
- The total has gone OVER in 7 of Oklahoma City's last 10 games when playing Dallas
- Oklahoma City is 5-13 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Dallas
- Oklahoma City is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Dallas
Game Predictions: The Thunder will win game five, though the Mavs put up a good fight. Westbrook and Durant will be at the top of their game tonight and that makes it unlikely the Mavs can extend the series any longer. Thunder wins.