NBA Bettors looking for Heroes and Goats

Maybe Boston’s Paul Pierce will be right after all, the Celtics might not be going back to Los Angeles, just for all the wrong reasons. Boston was outhustled, outplayed and coughed up home court advantage quicker than a newborn baby. If you bet the Lakers to win the NBA championship, the odds are mostly certainly stacked in your favor.

After L.A. won the opening game, Phil Jackson’s imposing size and demeanor was appearing even larger with his team’s 47-0 record leading 1-0 in a series. After losing the second game at the star-studded Staples Center, the Lakers added one more to 18-6 ATS record when they are tied in a series and the team that wins the crucial third game of a NBA Finals best of seven is 28-4 to be crowned champs.

Lakers' Heroes

Think back, way back to opening L.A. and Oklahoma City series when Russell Westbrook of the Thunder was making Derek Fisher look older than Emmett Smith in the “Just for Men” commercials. Fisher overcame disastrous playoff start and has increasing become more a factor in each series. With Kobe Bryant not his usual self, Fisher took it upon himself to close-out the Celtics, scoring 11 of his 16 points in the final 12 minutes.

“He won the game for them,’’ said Boston coach Doc Rivers. “Derek Fisher was the difference in the game.’’

Another reason for why Los Angeles was able to emerge victorious at TD Garden and move to 37-20 ATS as underdogs was the continued appearance of Lamar Odom. After being saddled with five quick fouls the first two tilts, Odom scored 12 points on perfect 5-for-5 shooting and snaring five rebounds.

“I was able to get into a nice rhythm,’’ Odom said. “I stayed composed. I took what they gave me.’’

Celtics’ Goats

NBA coaches continually preach in the playoffs – The last game is the last game, put it behind you.

Ray Allen suffered that lesson the hard way and has to follow that advice moving forward. After unprecedented three-point shooting display in Los Angeles, Allen returned to Boston and put up an unlucky 13 shots, none that went thru the net. Fortunately, he missed being in the record books two games in a row, as Dennis Johnson, then with Seattle, was 0-14 in a NBA Finals game.

All of his shots looked flat,’’ Rivers said. “I don’t think he had any legs. Of his 13 shots, he had eight great looks. But all of his shots were short. And all of them were flat.’’ Allen’s inability to score left his team flat, as the Celtics fell to 18-29 ATS as a home favorite this season.

Pierce proved like the CEO of British Petroleum, talk is cheap and that actions speak louder than words. His 13 for 36 shooting in the Finals speaks volumes for Boston’s chances of winning this series.

Who’s thrown into the spotlight next?

Oddsmakers have the Celtics as 3.5-point favorites to comeback and even the series with total of 190. In order for this to occur Boston’s Big Three has to stay out of foul trouble (which could be difficult with the horrible officiating towards both teams) and be collectively productive. The C’s are 6-1 ATS after SU loss and Kendrick Perkins has to start putting in the same kind of effort Glen Davis is.

Pierce and teammates have to better execute and screen and rolls, because Ron Artest is in Pierce’s grill otherwise. Rajon Rondo was a non-factor starting halfway thru the second period, that can’t happen again. Though it seems opposite, Boston has played better at faster tempo in this series and is 17-7 OVER off an upset loss as a home favorite.

Andrew Bynum reinjured his ailing knee Tuesday and it would seem doubtful he will be much of a factor, thrusting Odom more prominently into the next contest. The Lakers are 8-4 ATS off a triumph and were somewhat fortunate Fisher was there to bail them out.

The good news is Bryant seldom has two games in a row this time of year where he isn’t clutch, but Tony Allen does give him fits. Gasol could use more than 11 shots like the last contest, but needs to work harder to demand the ball. His team is 9-1 UNDER after allowing 85 points or less this season.

ABC has Game 4 at 9:00 Eastern and the club that shoots the higher percentage is 7-1 and 6-1-1 ATS in previous eight meetings.

Can Orlando make series compelling?

While waiting for the lines to come out on Game 5 between Boston and Orlando, did some perusing to see what the common man was thinking about this series after the Magic upset the Celtics 96-92 in overtime. Some were hilarious, other thoughts were insights into what Joe Average has running around in his dome, even if he still is allowed to drive and place online sports betting wagers.

The most common theme was this is all fixed by David Stern and Orlando was going to come back and tie the series at 3-3, with opinions varying who wins the deciding seventh game. This subject of fixed games will show up later this week in another article.

Many praised Orlando for not emailing it in and wondered aloud if this is the sign of the Magic finally playing up to capabilities or if it was a one night stand and reality comes a callin’ back at home. Most thought it was a gift to take Orlando at +7 seeing that was a two touchdown turnaround (14-point swing) in less than week, regardless of the location.

Equal numbers lambasted Boston for not bringing the necessary determination to close out opponent who had been all but willing to be beaten for large expanses of the series and questioned the Celtics commitment to excellence. What was read into this was they had the C’s minus the seven.

For those that see Stern as the reason the series was extended at least one more contest, it turns out the real culprit was Stan Van Gundy, the Magic coach.

Van Gundy may look like Ron Jeremy’s brother more than his own sibling Jeff; however he made two wise moves before Game 4 even started.

He had witnessed three games and broken down tape and determined Rajon Rondo was too disruptive as defender, especially against Jameer Nelson. Instead of setting single screens which Rondo routinely beat, he set up staggered screens.

This created more room for Nelson to operate, who is a shooter first and passer second as a point guard. Rondo couldn’t use his quickness to jump thru or around two Orlando players and Boston seemed puzzled as to what to do with Nelson in more open areas.

This placed different Celtics big men in no-man’s land and Dwight Howard for the first time had room to work with and the Magic’s offense had continuity, sending them home 16-5 ATS after failing to cover two of their last three against the spread this season.

While it’s impossible to gauge the impact, Orlando played more ready from the start. Van Gundy had told his squad no team had EVER come back from 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs (93-0), because they had not placed enough value on winning the fourth game in the series. Most of the Orlando players showed more passion and they own a diabolical angle moving ahead - 13-0 ATS after a win by six points or less this season, with average margin of victory 16 points.

Boston deserves plenty of blame for this series extension. The first aspect is the Celtics play after the third quarter in this East Finals. Most of the time Doc Rivers squad has enjoyed big leads going into the final 12 minutes and NBA contests have a natural ebb and flow, nonetheless after awhile you wonder about a team being outscored 105-78 in the last quarter and beyond. (Outscored all four games)

What has gotten the Celtics to this juncture is team basketball, yet in the last segments of game, a much larger volume of isolation plays are called or run, which is why Boston had such an awful spread record during the regular season by blowing leads for losses or non-covers. Despite the defense, it makes more sense why they are 5-17 ATS after two or more consecutive Under’s this year.

Oddsmakers have Orlando as four-point favorites, but they are only 2-6 ATS when doling out 4.5 or less points at home. Boston right now is not in scurrying mode from one loss –“There's definitely no need to panic. We like the position we're in," Ray Allen said. The Celtics are 15-5-1 ATS as postseason underdogs.

The Magic face a second match point trying to force a sixth conflict and build further momentum. ESPN will be on hand at 8:30 Eastern, with KG and company 11-2 UNDER revenging a straight up loss as a home favorite.

Boston on the brink

Talk about anti-climatic; this is exactly the situation the online sports betting world is facing in tonight’s Orlando and Boston Game 4 matchup. Only four times in the history of major sports has a team comeback from a 3-0 deficit (the city of Boston teams has been involved in half of them, one good one bad) and it has never happened on the hardwood.

The Celtics are headed to the NBA Finals whether it be tonight or later this week, but how did the veteran team come so far so fast after playing .500 basketball for 3 ½ months and being a near calamity for backers against the spread?

In hindsight, Boston had variables that were not present to the naked eye, but were just below the surface.

The Celtics have several players that had been thru every imaginable NBA condition. Two years ago they were able to finally taste a championship and thou they failed a year ago, Boston had far less expectations placed on them this season.

While many ranted (including the person that wrote this article) this was just an old team that needed to start refocusing with a different cast, their coach Doc Rivers saw something else.

“This being an older group, it’s probably easier for me to get their focus in the playoffs,” Rivers said. “The goal is right in front of them.”

Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen might not be able to bring an outstanding performance night after night like in the past, but as their confidence grew in the postseason, each has had spurts of greatness and played true team basketball, with Boston 11-3 SU and ATS in the playoffs.

Boston has been constructed in way that promotes team play and that has the ability to stifle opponents that are not mentally strong.

Beyond Dwayne Wade, Miami lacked the physical and mental toughness to compete with Boston and fell 4-1. Cleveland was believed to be on their way to being crowned the kings of the NBA, instead they still lacked the scoring power beyond LeBron James, with outside shooters that could drain shots all day against inferior competition, but not under pressure by a defensive team that gave no quarter.

Orlando, the defending Eastern champions, had marched thru the first two rounds of the playoffs like Heidi Montag adding car miles to plastic surgeon.

The Magic thwarted the Celtics a year ago in the East semis, but Garnett wasn’t there. The 2010 version of Rajon Rondo is superior to the one Orlando faced a year ago and Kendrick Perkins, Tony Allen and Glen Davis are all better players one season later, as witnessed by their complete thrashing of the blue-clad squad 94-71. Boston is 20-7 ATS off a home blowout win by 20 points or more since the “Big 3” and others were assembled.

This reporter admits to picking Orlando to win the series, but one nagging question was still out there. With Hedo Turkoglu and to a lesser degree Courtney Lee no longer part of Magic contingent, who was going to make big shots at crunch time?

Vince Carter has long been known for being less than clutch in the final five minutes of a contest. Dwight Howard needs to be setup to score and let’s be totally frank, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Matt Barnes and others would never be accused of blood doping, since it would have to go thru their hearts, which they have not shown in this series to date. Orlando might be 17-4 ATS off a road loss by 10 points or more, however they look much closer to the team that is 0-4 as visiting underdogs.

Sportsbooks have Boston as seven-point favorite with total of 187.

When Celtics players were asked about their hockey counterparts blowing 3-0 playoff lead this spring and if outside influences could make them less mentally strong, Paul Pierce said this.
“This team is not complacent,” Pierce said. “We’re too close to our goals. You’ve got a team that’s won the championship so we understand what it takes. We understand the mental toughness that you’ve got to have at this point in the season. So I don’t see any slippage from us and, hopefully, we can close this thing out on Monday.”

The total is at a series low and Boston is 12-2 UNDER after allowing 35 points or less in the first half last game (second time in the series), while Orlando is 11-3 UNDER after failing to cover the spread in two or more consecutive games.

Game 4 is set for 8:30 Eastern on ESPN.

Respect your elders

Common on, be honest, you had the Boston Celtics playing in the NBA Finals right along with the thought of changing the oil in your car. The truth is you didn’t really believe either was going to happen, but it sounds good right now, having learned what veteran pride and know how can do.

While much of corporate America looks to slice payroll, force more early retirements and generally speaking hire a cheaper labor force without necessarily having a better replacements, the Boston basketball franchise embraces the elderly.

No question it is a fine line to walk, as for months Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were having a difficult time keeping up with their hefty reputations, let alone playing a higher caliber of basketball. Boston limped into the playoffs with 3-7 SU and ATS record to close the season and most basketball fans and sports bettors thought the only way the light goes on for the Celtics was the “Clapper”.

For all that had gone wrong with Boston (27-26, 20-31-2 ATS since Dec. 27 until the end of the regular season), once the playoffs began, youth was served.

Rajon Rondo strapped the (aging) veteran stars on his back went took off. Rondo destroyed Miami and as that series wore on, one by one the “Big Three” from the Celtics joined him as a cohesive unit. Much like a younger person showing an older adult how to use their cell phone and various apps, Rondo got Boston rolling and they are 10-3 SU and ATS in the postseason, including punching winners on the last five contests.

After the C’s unceremoniously chopped up Cleveland, Orlando was supposed to finish of this Celtics revival. The Magic were younger, quicker and reportedly hungrier, playing the best basketball of any team for 2 ½ months.

Then something weird happened, something that would make legendary Red Auerbach smile. Boston went to Central Florida and ripped Orlando apart. Word was the Rondo and Jameer Nelson matchup was supposed to be special; instead it’s been the like Buffalo Bills in a Super Bowl.

The way the other Magic guards and forwards (except for J.J. Redick and Vince Carter in non-pressure situations) have wilted against Boston, you would have thought the games were being played outdoors on Church Street.

For roughly 35 minutes of each of the first two games, the way Orlando was scrambling on defense, you would swear it was 6 on 5, with Boston always finding the open man. The Magic might be 26-14 ATS having won 15 or more of their last 20 games this season, but they look like a befuddled bunch.

Online sports betting outlets have Boston as 3.5-point favorite, with total of 190 and they are 25-14 ATS after a win by six points or less. The Celtics have controlled the tempo series after series and is 13-3 UNDER against teams with winning records. Orlando still has a heartbeat, but is 15-31 ATS off two or more consecutive home losses and 9-1 UNDER after a close loss by three points or less.

ESPN will have Game 3 at 8:30 Eastern, with the favorite 1-6 and 0-7 ATS since May 17 of last year.

Orlando better come ready

The Boston Celtics exposed the Orlando Magic like Toto pulling back the curtain on the Wizard of Oz. Whether Orlando was not emotionally ready to play from the long layoff or listless after cruising past two dramatically weaker opponents, the facts are for three quarters the Magic looked liked they belonged in the Eastern Finals as much as the New Jersey Nets.

The crisp passing normally associated with Stan Van Gundy’s team amounted to a grand total of 10 assists in the series opener. The Magic players dumped the ball down to Dwight Howard and basically stood like statues in creating no movement on the perimeter, which forced Howard to rely on his limited offense game with nowhere to pass the ball.

While the Celtics deserve credit for keeping the Magic under 40 percent shooting for the first 36 minutes, their task was made much simpler with Rashard Lewis, Matt Barnes and Jameer Nelson for the most part taking off-balance shots and being sloppy ball-handlers.

“I don't think we were prepared for the level they were ready to play," said Vince Carter, one of the few players in white with pulse throughout the contest. "They were ready to go from the jump, and we weren't on their level from the beginning." Orlando is 41-22 ATS revenging a same season loss.

It’s not a good thing when the best and smartest player on the floor for your team is J.J. Redick. While the former Duke guard has made himself a useful NBA player off the bench, he can’t be one of two players (Carter the other) that understands what his team needs.

The Magic too readily let Boston set up its half court defense. When Nelson had the ball a good portion the game, he did too much yo-yo dribbling and the offense was stagnant.

With Redick, he would get the ball into Howard’s hands early in the shot clock and give the big man options, he would than move to give Dwight as reasonable outlet and would either dribble drive to the basket for a good shot or find another open shooter. The Magic are 23-11 ATS after a game where they failed to cover the spread this year.

"That was a wake-up call we really needed, in my opinion," said Carter. "They're relentless, they're aggressive, they do a great job of contesting, especially in the paint, and it took us a while to figure it out, but when we did we played a lot better."

The question about Boston has been are they too old and are they wise because of their experience? The answer presently is the latter. Ray Allen shot only 34 percent against the Magic in last year’s playoffs and they tried to employ the same defensive strategy on him again, pressuring him on the perimeter to take contested shots. Allen foiled those tactics, by beating Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus and later Redick off the dribble for layups or short jumps shots in totaling his game high 25 points.

The green-clad C’s are up to 38-23 ATS as road underdogs the past three years and Paul Pierce is starting to show he might still have something left in his legs with superior all-around game line that looked this way - 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists.

“It was a defensive game, and we like those. That was fine with us," said Boston coach Doc Rivers.

Orlando opens Game 2 as seven-point favorites to even the series, with total of 189. The Magic are 31-12 ATS after playing a game as a home favorite and 17-6 UNDER after one or more losses. Boston has won and covered four in a row and is 29-16 ATS in road games after successfully covering the spread in two or more consecutive contests. The Celtics are 11-2 UNDER after allowing 35 points or less in the first half last outing.

The second game in the series has an 8:30 Eastern start on ESPN.

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NBA Eastern Finals Outlook

(2) Orlando vs (4) Boston

After the Orlando Magic dismissed atrocious Atlanta in four games, an article appeared on the internet, questioning if this team was as good as the one that went to The Finals a year ago. We’ll let the author of that piece further collect his thoughts while we examine the facts, at least as we know them.

Orlando has won all eight assignments in the NBA Playoffs without a loss. An argument could easily be made of those teams in the final four, the Magic have had the path of least resistance, encountering two obviously flawed clubs that any of the other three teams to join them in the middle of May would have also beaten.

In Orlando’s defense, they can only do what is asked of them and have they ever.

Dwight Howard and the Magic are 8-0 and 7-1 ATS in the playoffs. They have won these games by an average of 17.1 points a contest and covered the spread by incredible 8.8 PPG. (There only non-cover was by half a point)

Since Feb. 28, Stan Van Gundy’s team is 28-3; let that sink in a few seconds, 28-3 and equally remarkable 23-7-1 ATS. While LeBron James and Cleveland were resting up at the end of the regular season to be eliminated from the playoffs roughly a month earlier than they expected, Orlando was just getting started. They are 14-0 and 13-1 ATS since Apr. 4.

Just how good has the Magic been in last 31 games, consider they have outscored opposing teams by 436 points or 14.0 PPG. The other three teams left in the postseason did not have that large of a total points differential over 82 games! In other words Orlando is lampooning everyone these days. One other note everyone might have missed, the team with the largest point differential in the NBA was the Magic at +7.5 and since 2004, all but one of the teams that won the NBA title led their conference in this category.

Now that we’ve established just how good Jameer Nelson and his teammates are what about Boston. The Celtics just took down the “chosen” Cavaliers who were supposed to be NBA champions. After an incredibly substandard second half of the season in which Betty White and Abe Vigoda (both were in the now famous Snickers commercial) appeared downright spry compared to the Celtics, they’ve had a playoff renaissance much like Ms. White’s career.

Kevin Garnett has been bedrock solid, playing to his strengths of the mid-range jump shot and being a presence on defense. Ray Allen quietly had a strong second half of the season after hearing trade rumors, driving foes crazy running off screens and draining jump shots. Though his foot speed might not be as good as it was, Allen’s knack of squaring up players on defense and picking their pocket, places the Celtics in advantageous positions.

Paul Pierce is showing signs of life, shooting the ball better and back to taking two dumb fouls a game. Glen Davis and Tony Allen are making contributions off the bench and there was even a Rasheed Wallace sighting, adding a positive contribution here and there.

As good as all these players have played in the first two rounds of the playoffs, none of this occurs without Rajon Rondo. Much like college basketball has become reliant on point guard play, the same is also true among the elite teams in the NBA.

Rondo was the singularly dominant performer in Cleveland series, with his ability on offense and defense and he set the tone for Boston throughout.

After being a deplorable spread team all season, The C’s are 8-3 SU and ATS in the postseason and building confidence.

Part of that feeling is being supplied by coach Doc Rivers. The former Orlando coach is not going to dazzle anyone with his X and O work, which is why he brought in assistant coach Tom Thibodeau to make the strategic moves. Like a smart boss, Rivers understands his strengths and weaknesses and surrounds himself with people that compliment his skill set.
This sets up as fascinating series, especially at point guard with Rondo vs. Nelson. If either gains an edge, their team automatically has a greater chance of winning.

Watching Orlando pass the ball on offense is like a video game or pinball machine. The ball is continually in motion at various angles and if a Magic player is open, he’ll be found. This places a premium on Boston defenders to stay with their man and have arms extended to tip passes or have body parts in passing lanes. If not, the 3-point party starts for Orlando.

Pierce and Allen can certainly matchup with Vince Carter and Matt Barnes and if they can gain the upper hand they could frustrate them since they’ve played more scrimmage games than actual hard-nose basketball recently.

Orlando won three of four meetings this season (2-2 ATS). You can presume the home court not to mean much just like last year playoff series, when the road team won three times. The Magic might be the best team in basketball, nonetheless that doesn’t mean they won’t be tested by this proud bunch from Boston who believes they can win it all again.

3Daily Winners Pick- Orlando (-260) in seven over Boston (+210)

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Elderly Celtics in fine betting system

For over two and half months, the Boston Celtics had listened to how old they have gotten, with 17-19 record since Christmas Day and crushing backers with 12-22-2 ATS record in the same time span. Critics of the team thought Boston should replace the Gatorade bottles with Geritol to get more iron and minerals into this aging group. (Blog rumors of Neutrogena use in Celtics locker room for age spots have proven unfounded)

On March 15, Boston (47-26) had apparently had enough of this “old men” talk and started playing basketball as most had expected from them, winning six of seven and covering five times. Doc Rivers club was in a position to make a statement that they indeed were turning the corner, hosting a sizzling San Antonio squad at home as 3.5-point favorites this past Sunday.

Instead, the Celtics were lamentable, missing 13 of 14 three-point shot heaves, shooting 37 percent for the game, on the way to a season low in scoring of 73 points in 21-point thrashing.

Even post-game comments were not about to change people’s perception that this Boston team was turning into the USS Constitution (known as ‘Old Ironsides’), which is stationed in the nearby harbor.

“This does not change our progress,” said 13-year veteran Ray Allen unconvincingly. “You trip up a little here, but it doesn’t change the mission we’re on or the direction we’re heading.”

The Celtics have had over 69 hours to think about Spurs debacle and get ready for one of the young and up and coming teams in the NBA, Oklahoma City (45-28). The Thunder is in sixth place in the Western Conference, led by Kevin Durant and a host of several exciting and skilled players all under 25 years of age. Oklahoma City has been one of finest bets in the NBA all season, ranked third at 43-30 ATS.

Boston on the other hand is play against material, ranked 29th at 30-41-2 ATS, due to incredibly poor home record of 11-24-1 ATS.

Can the C’s turn it around quickly? DiamondSportsbook.com oddsmakers have made Boston 3.5-point favorites, even with Paul Pierce and Kendrick Perkins listed as questionable and today’s super situation gives them more than fighting chance.

Play On home teams off an upset loss by 15 points or more as a favorite, playing with two days’ rest.

In the last five years, this sweltering system is 27-6 ATS, 81.8 percent and it has been even sharper in the past three seasons at 18-3 against the spread. The outcomes generally have been more comfortable than a Therapeutic Bed, with the home town team winning by 9.6 points per game.

Take a moment or two to review today’s top betting system.

Chicago and Boston Game 7- Bettors Dilemma

Between the jaw-dropping individual displays, crisp team play and dramatic twists, it’s only fitting that this thrilling first-round series between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls comes to a seventh game. And what a way to get there. The Bulls prevailed 128-127 in triple overtime on Thursday to tie the series at three games and send it back to Boston for the finale on Saturday night, with the winner advancing to play Orlando.

Think about what has occurred. A league record four games have gone into overtime and one other was last second buzzer beater. Subtract Game 3 from the equation; Chicago has outscored Boston by one point in the other five games combined. There has been seven total overtimes. If you like your action close with an ebb and flow, no problem here, with 65 ties and 106 lead changes in the series.

This series has also played havoc with totals players. Unless you have been riding the Over, which is 5-1, on three different occasions the Under would have been the correct play had the game not gone to overtime.

“If I had to just sit back and I wasn’t a player and think about these games, this is great for the fans,” Boston’s Paul Pierce said. “Everybody is getting their money’s worth.”

And the defending champions are certainly getting a run for theirs.

Now, the Celtics are trying to avoid elimination after watching an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter disappear and wasting a 51-point effort by Ray Allen that ranks among the greatest postseason displays in the storied franchise’s history.

The Bulls, meanwhile, have a chance to become the first seventh seed to knock off the second seed since New York beat Miami in 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Some have theorized this game is a certain Over, given the fact of the final scores. You can’t ignore the Bulls are 17-5 OVER when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season, when they have played their best basketball and with the Celtics 15-4 OVER in home games versus good offensive teams scoring 99 or points a game, it makes sense.

However, oddsmakers like those at Bookmaker.com has set the second lowest total of the series, since invariably, a Game 7 comes down to defense, of course unless they play overtime again.

So what’s next? Quadruple overtime?

“Coming into this series, I don’t think anyone imagined it to turn out like this,” Chicago’s Kirk Hinrich said. “We thought we could be competitive, but for the games to be such crazy, back-and-forth action, it’s really incredible.”

Boston is listed as six-point favorite and they are 53-37 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last two seasons and understands this won’t be easy. “We didn’t think it was going to be a walk in the park,” Allen said.

It’s been anything but that.

The Bulls took the opener in Boston 105-103 in overtime because of Rose’s 36 points and 11 assists, after Pierce missed the potential winning free throw at the end of regulation and had a potential tying basket blocked with 3.7 seconds left in overtime.

In Game 2, Allen won a shootout with fellow former UConn star Ben Gordon and the Celtics prevailed 118-115 in regulation. True, Gordon outscored him 42-30, but Allen hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer at the end of regulation.

While Game 3 in Chicago was a 107-86 romp for Boston, the thrills were far from over.
Game 4 was a particularly wild one, with the Bulls winning 121-118 in double overtime.
Allen hit the tying 3 late in regulation and Gordon did the same in the first overtime, burying one with 4.5 seconds remaining. And in the second OT, Salmons blocked Pierce’s potential tying 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining.

But in Game 5 in Boston, the Bulls let an 11-point fourth-quarter lead dissolve into a 106-104 overtime loss because of some big shots by Pierce down the stretch. The Bulls still had a chance to tie it after Pierce made the go-ahead shot over Salmons with 3.4 seconds left, but Rondo hit Brad Miller in the mouth as he rolled toward the rim, leaving him bloody and woozy. Miller missed both free throws—the second intentionally—and the Celtics hung on. Yet, somehow, Game 6 trumped all that.

Now, the Bulls have a chance to knock off the defending champs. Not bad, considering they struggled for much of the season, but the trade that brought Salmons and Miller from Sacramento certainly helped.

“If they had this team for the full year, they’d be a top four seed,” Boston’s Kendrick Perkins said.

Boston has yet to cover on there home court in this series and is 1-11 ATS as playoff favorite of five to 10.5 points. Chicago on the other hand is 15-3-2 ATS as underdogs the last 20 times the linemaker has assigned them in that role.

Their have been exactly 100 Game 7’s in NBA history and only six have gone to overtime, which logic dictates makes this contest unlikely to so. Nevertheless, there has never been a series like this, leaving the door open to anything being possible.

The answers unfold on TNT starting at 8 Eastern.

Andrew Seligman AP Sports writer contributed to this article.