If I Were the Coach of NBA Playoff team …….

Three more NBA Playoff games are on the agenda for Friday night, each have a circumstance for the home team. Just like the head coach of these NBA teams, professional basketball bettors have to decide the best course of action to take knowing what they have seen or what they believe. Here is a look at what each home team coach has to do to either get back in the series or take the lead in Game Three.

Before Dallas and New Orleans matched-up, the general consensus was the postseason experience of the Mavericks would be difficult for New Orleans to overcome, since nobody other than the coach Byron Scott had any to speak of. What we have seen in this series is Hornets fly around the Mavs players and sting them at will. Since taking a 52-40 lead in the first half of Game one, Dallas has been outscored 48 points in the last 72 minutes.

"I love adversity," Mavs coach Avery Johnson said. "That's just my whole deal. It's not that I'm always looking for it, but when it comes, I like to hit adversity right in the face. I think when you love adversity and you have a lot of courage under fire, when you're in some adverse situations, it tells you a lot about yourself.

"It can help build confidence, so even though it appears to be challenging, and it has been, I think a lot of great things have come out of this season. We've found out a lot more about ourselves, we found out a lot more about our players and it's been a different kind of year."

Coach Johnson can throw out all the bravado and cheap talk he wants, but he better find a way to get the ball out of Chris Paul’s hands. Paul and Manu Ginobili have been the single most dominant players in the post-season. If I were the Dallas coach, I’d stop fooling around having Jason Kidd attempting (politely used) CP. Look into the eyes of what players on the roster have professional pride and would be willing to take the challenge, even for three or four minute periods. Dallas is 37-19 ATS in home games revenging a loss where opponent scored 110 or more points and should have a large amount of fire in the belly to compete. Also design some junk defenses to throw off rhythm of Hornets’ offense. Demand your players crash the boards since they are 105-61 ATS when they grab four to nine more rebounds than their opponents in a game and have only outrebounded N.O. by total of seven.

Set more screens for Jason Terry to score more off the bench. His production is key; as Terry has to start dropping shots. Dallas is a five-point home favorite at most wagering outlets and needs to prove the 13-game home winning streak (9-4 ATS) is no fluke and bury them early.

Over in Phoenix, the Suns have given away two huge leads in both games against San Antonio, each ending in defeat. While the Suns coaching staff and players feel they are the better team, and they might be, winning games is more important than talking about it. Phoenix is 20-8 ATS when playing with double revenge and will have the home crowd at Planet Orange. (New nickname of arena) If I were Mike D’Antoni, as soon as the Spurs play Hack-a-Shaq, I’d turn right around and foul Tim Duncan immediately. This is part of the mind games Greg Popovich likes to play, so give it right back. It might mess with Duncan’s head a little and let your team know, you aren’t taking this garbage.

Next you sit down with Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and the Big Cactus (Shaq) and speak very loudly; telling each of them should know how to defend the pick and roll, especially after seeing 40+ times the last two games and countless times throughout their careers. I’d question their pride as professional NBA players to be so continually embarrassed by the most fundamental play in basketball. With the Spurs just 1-9 ATS in road games after playing two consecutive home games this season, I’d take Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa over to the side and ask them if they enjoy playing the Suns or if they’d prefer the winters in Milwaukee. I’d explain this is the postseason, where it the game is different and your teammates need difference-makers, are you going to be that player or should we making travel plans for you?

If I were coaching Phildelphia, I’d tell my youthful charges, Detroit is to be respected for Game Two effort, but they are ripe emotionally to be taken. The city of Brotherly Love is alive with the Flyers winning opening round series in hockey; the Phillies are defending Eastern Division champs in baseball, thus the town is alive. We’re a deserved four point home underdog and everyone assumed the Pistons will just march into the Wachovia Center and take us down. Instead, we are the same team that is 29-17 ATS after a loss by 10 points or more. We’re 10-4-1 ATS following a straight up loss and were 8-4 against the spread after shooting less than 40 percent. (Granted coaches won’t use gambling references).

Coach Mo Cheeks needs F Andre Iguodala to stop playing like rank amateur (5-24 from the field) and start connecting like he has most of the season. Philly will have one major element in their favor, teams like Detroit which are first game home loser, win and cover next game, are only 6-14 SU and ATS in Game Three.