Please give me a reason to NOT bet the CAVS!

i agree they need to earn their stripes...but they are the favorites in Vegas to win it all right now and have been all season (if you want to take a contrarian point of view and say vegas is leading the horse to alligator infested waters so be it)...but ultimately, this is a league of stars and boston is a team of tradition and has  3 of 5 players in the starting lineup who are perennial all-stars...lebron is a star with no one around him...not much chance for advancement despite doing so last year in a VERY weak east...that's not my basis for the pick tonight but is a legit reason to plunk down money at the beginning of the season at 4-1 for players with no past experience, but can stand above any 3 of 5 in the east, running together to bring a ring to boston...right now, it doesnt look good but i am confident such a team can go up 3-1 and i much stress this word very AVERAGE cavs team. going 66-16 in a VERY dominating fashion during the season proves to me they are primed to make legit playoff run...they need a win tonight...i think theyll get it 

 

But scalabrine, for Boston, this 2-0 spot should not have been a letdown spot, or "throwaway game", because they had something to prove to themselves and the rest of the basketball world after their three failures in Atlanta.  Before this series started, I thought that Game 3 in Cleveland might be a big play for me on the Celtics, but when the day of the game arrived on Saturday, I had no sense that Boston was determind to fix anything.  The huge stinkbomb in Game 3 makes it almost impossible for me to consider giving Boston the benefit of the doubt here.

i didnt see game 3 as the same spot...i didnt see it as throwaway for the celts, but the cavs came out to crush em as they rightly should have because the celts offense can turn on at any moment...it was just TOO big of a must win for Lebron and his new cronies who needed a big win there to justify they should have been brought there...the celts were just overloaded with offense from the opening whistle and couldnt recover like a punch drunk boxer....TONIGHT is THAT game for me with respect to the celts ...and if they lose this game, then all bets are off...i will not trust em the rest of the playoffs because going 66-16 in the reg season and then 0-5 in your first five road playoff games is inexcusable...actually going 7 with the hawks was inexcusable but im feeling a little forgiving tonight. 

Going, going, gone. I think too many people have made that mistake already.

great thread.

I can see one for sure. Do I think it will happen? No. I could see Boston playing a complete game such as Game 2. They forced turnovers, played great half court D, looked great in transition, etc. That is what I don't want to see. This team pissed off can be scary. There isn't a more talented team in the NBA.

 

I think that this game is an extremely difficult game to cap, as the impression is that Boston was no doubt the better team here throughout the regular season, but the fact that they have faltered time and time again on the road in the playoffs, now 0-4 ATS on the road, and 0-4 SU on the road, makes it difficult for me to pick a side.  I think given the numbers alone, the better play would probably be to continue to fade the Celtics while they are on the road, but just the stark difference between their home play and their away play is very odd considering that for the entire season, they were amazing both home and away.

However, even given that fact, I have small money on the Celtics tonight, parlayed with the under.  I have a strong feeling that any game the C's win on the road will be coupled with the under, and I do think a small play on this parlay would be a good move.  However, if you think the Cavs win, I definitely think that a Cavs/Over play is the right pick here, as the bench showed their necessity playing comfortably at home. 

I do think that the Celtics D will adjust to stopping some of the role players, and especially the outside shooting that was exhibited in Game 3.  With that, I think Lebron does get more scoring opportunities, but that the Boston defense picks itself up and proves to people that once again it can win games on the road again.  However, I might be completely wrong, and Boston may get blown out again on the road.

Celtics +1.5

yes it probably seems like i was talking myself into it since i was on em when game 3 ended...there is just no way for me to put my money on the cavs in this spot...i know lebron is passing off but this is still the best defensive team in the league...i just cant cant cant be comfortable to take the cavs here...maybe last year's cavs team...not this years...lebron is about to explode with frustration and it may come to a head on his home court.

Also, mike brown is not better than doc in terms of coaching so thats a wash for me IMO

Boston will turn it around tonight, if you wanna play the Cavs expecting the same game as Saturday then good luck to you.

Why? What reason do you have to believe this?

well i think there's a few good reasons, #1 Boston, next to Detroit, is the best team in the east and possibly the entire NBA, although they're not playing very well on the road right now, and back to your comment about Boston not showing up and playing and how will it be any different today.  That's like saying Lebron played horrible the past 3 games, what makes you think he will show up tonight?  And is Delonte West and Joe Smith going to go for a combined 14-19 shooting again?

I don't remember saying that, but I might have. I tend to run my trap at times. Boston WAS the best team in the East, Detroit has taking that spot over with authority. It isn't about Lebron. It is about the fact that Boston hasn't come up big their entire playoff run. Nobody said they COULDN'T - they haven't yet and there is zero to prove they will.

 

They did hammer the Hawks in Game 7.  THat was pretty big.  But, that was at home. 

TIe game, It's gonna be tight.

Glad I don;t have cavs first half now!  LOL

 

I hope you hit your first half bet...why the change of heart...just picking your brain?