Cavs with 15 Wins to Go

The Cavaliers aren’t champions yet but if they keep playing the way they did in game one of the NBA Playoffs, the title could be theirs in just 15 games. The Chicago Bulls had no answer for Cleveland as the Cavaliers easily beat the Bulls 96-83 in game one.

The playoff basketball betting odds for game two of the Cleveland-Chicago series has the Cavaliers favored by -10½ points with the playoff basketball betting total set at 191 points.

NBA Playoff Odds
April 19, 2010
Chicago Bulls +10½ +550
Game Total 191
Cleveland Cavaliers -10½ -750

Location: Quicken Loans Arena – Cleveland OH
Game Time: 8pm
TV: TNT, CSCH

The Bulls Derrick Rose had a huge game with 28 points and 10 assists but his partner in crime Joakim Noah was limited to just 10 points and 8 rebounds, well below his averages over the past ten games. Luol Deng was the only other Bull to score in double digits.

It took Shaquille O’Neal 82 games to get into game shape but that’s fine, as the Cavaliers didn’t bring Shaq in for the regular season. They brought him on-board for one reason and that is to matchup against Dwight Howard when the Orlando Magic and Cleveland meet on the road to the NBA finals. Shaq has dropped 20lbs and played game one as if he was 5 or 6 years younger. He didn’t have a big offensive game or a big game on the boards but he was clogging the lane and he all but stifled the Bulls inside scoring.

Beyond Shaq, it was clear LeBron James is on a mission to a ring and for the first time, he’s not alone on that mission. Antawn Jamison scored 15, grabbed 10 boards and blocked 3 shots and Anderson Varejao at 15 boards. The Bulls are simply overmatched.

I hate using the word “lock” to describe a bet but the Bulls have no chance of winning this series. Cleveland is 36-6 at home this season; this series will be over in four games but do the Bulls have a chance to keep the game within 10 points?

The Cavs have been double-digit favorites 28 times this season and they were 12-16 in those games. What we can expect tonight is more of the same, the Cavaliers will dominate the first quarter and the second if they need to in order to get out to a comfortable lead and from there the Cavs put it in cruise control until the final horn. In Saturday’s game, the Bulls outscored the Cavs in the second, third and fourth quarter.

I see the Bulls jumping out to a huge lead one more time and a couple things will ensure they cover the spread. First, they will be more disciplined with the basketball, on Saturday they turned the ball over 18 times and 13 of those were unforced. Secondly, if Varejao and Jamison combine for 50 points and 25 boards again, the Bulls might catch up but they won’t keep it within 10 points needed to cover the spread.

Sign up now and get FULL access to all of BetOnline features!