The first round of the NBA playoffs wasn’t great for Against The Chalk.
The first round ended at 10-15-1, not a record that would scare away sports books. The second round is a different story, though, and it all begins Sunday with two games.
Odds are provided by Oddsshark.com.
Washington at Atlanta (-5)
After the first round from both of these teams, I expected the spread to possibly be even lower than this.
It seems crazy after the Hawks put together a solid resume en route to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Wizards proved in the first round that they would be a tough out in the semifinals.
Let’s face it, the Hawks are just 13-10 since the beginning of March. Some of that is due to not having anything to play for, but it would be unwise to proceed as a bettor without thinking something is slightly off with the Hawks.
The first five games against the Nets were much tougher than expected. The Hawks dismantled Brooklyn in game six, and it will take that sort of effort against the surging Wizards.
As far as the Wizards, I worry the fanboy alert is at a fever pitch, making this game seem like a trap. Washington may be the trendy pick, giving me pause in taking the Wizards.
This series will be closer than expected before the playoffs began. But I’ll give the Hawks the edge in this one. Pick – Atlanta
Memphis at Golden State (-10)
There’s little faith in the Grizzlies from the public in this series.
Sure, the Warriors cruised through the regular season and defeated New Orleans in four games. But those four games weren’t easy for the Warriors. And Memphis didn’t do so bad against Portland, winning in five games.
Oddsmakers are still putting the Grizzlies at big odds to win the Western Conference at 10/1, while the Warriors are at 5/8.
The lack of respect will help motivate the playoff-tested Grizzlies. Memphis has been in the playoffs every year since 2011. The Warriors have been in the playoffs since 2013.
This series will feature lower spreads after game one. Take the Grizzlies with the double-digit spread, and anticipate this series to be closer than the experts think. Pick – Memphis
