As evidenced yesterday in Houston, how a professional basketball team feels about a given situation will likely set the tone for the eventual outcome. The old-school ploy of a few handicappers was to suggest they had people in the locker room or inside contacts that would give the sports bettor an edge. If that were true it would have helped in playing against the Lakers yesterday. It would also help to know if Cleveland and Denver want to sweep their respective series up 3-0 or would be content to go home and likely polish off inferior opponents.Of the two, the Cavaliers look the best to put opposing team out of their misery. LeBron James is playing with the steely determination, probably not seen since No. 23 wore a Chicago Bulls uniform. James won the MVP trophy last week and in Game 3 gave sterling performance, scoring 47 points, nabbing 12 rebounds and handing out eight assists.
When asked what he does when James is having one of nights, Cleveland coach Mike Anderson said, “I try as much as possible,” Brown said Sunday, “to stay out of the way.”
DiamondSportsbook.com has Cleveland as amazing 10-point road favorites, with total of 183. The Cavs deserve this loft status, having outscored Atlanta by over 20 points per game and are destroying them on the boards, with 16 more rebounds per game.
Cleveland has won seven in a row and 12 of 13 (only loss was by one point when James and others either did not play or saw little floor time in final regular season game) and have covered a saucy 11 in a row.
The Cavaliers are 10-0 ATS after four straight wins by 10 points or more this season and have the defense to match, being 11-2 ATS after allowing 85 points or less three consecutive contests. Atlanta’s guard Joe Johnson really wants to be defiant, however the facts speak otherwise. “There’s no way you can tell us this team (Cleveland) is 20 to 30 points better than we are. It’s not possible.”-said Johnson.
Joe, I’m afraid it’s true.
Down in Dallas, if Denver comes to play, they can take a down in the dumps Mavericks team and end their suffering with a big first quarter. The entire Dallas organization is still grieving about the non-called intentional foul attempt by Antione Wright on Carmelo Anthony, who in turn sank game winning three-point shot, giving Denver 3-0 lead as four-point underdogs.
What comes to mind about all the Dallas whining is how they didn’t put the Nuggets away before the miracle shot. Denver missed 15 of first 17 shots and only had two buckets from further than five feet in the first 24 minutes, yet led by three at the half. Dallas also had a four point lead with 31 seconds left in the game and could not hold it.
The NBA in its infinite wisdom wasted little time turning out statement saying a foul probably should have been called. Oh, that makes Dallas feel a lot better! If you thought the 61 fouls in Game 3 was too many, wait until Game 4, both coaches better have reserves ready, since league officials are apt to call every visible or questionable foul and not be shown up.
Similar to Cleveland, Denver has turned into a printing press of cash payouts with 8-0 ATS record in the postseason. The Nuggets are 17-5 ATS after playing a game as a road underdog this season and could be facing a Dallas team who is thinking about the past instead of the present.
“This is about as tough of a loss as I've been a part of in my 11 years," said Dirk Nowitzki, who overcame a difficult week off the court to score 33 points and grab 16 rebounds. "That's a game we've got to have."
He’s right, since no team has ever come back down 3-0 in the NBA Playoffs. Dallas is a 1.5-point favorite and they are just 4-9 ATS in that role in the postseason. Denver is 6-0 against the spread after breaking the 100-point barrier and is 10-1 ATS in last 11 meetings with the Mavericks.
All signs point to sweeps on TNT tonight starting at 7 Eastern, however it all depends about the mental state.
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