The second round of the NBA playoffs will continue with two games Saturday.
The NBA playoffs record so far is 12-21-1. Odds are provided by Oddsshark.com.
Atlanta at Washington (+3.5)
Oddsmakers didn’t see this coming.
The Wizards were a 1-point favorite in the opening line. Now, they’re at +3.5. The jump represents 4.5 points, which is rare during the playoffs.
There’s no doubt that John Wall’s uncertainty sparked the major line adjustment. Wall’s injury is likely to sideline him for game 3, giving betters incentive to load up on the underperforming Hawks.
Wall’s absence obviously makes this a far different series. Atlanta is well on its way to exiting the NBA playoffs early, but with Wall not in the lineup, the betting public and I agree that the Hawks should be able to pull away.
Washington should have an electric crowd, but without Wall, give the edge to Atlanta. Pick – Atlanta
Golden State at Memphis (+4.5)
Maybe, I’m blinded by my appreciation for Memphis, but I’m just not on the same page with the experts and oddsmakers in this series.
Memphis is a good team. So good, in fact, it won game 2. And with Mike Conley in the lineup, I don’t see that trend changing for game 3.
Obviously Golden State is a quality team. But it hasn’t played great during the NBA playoffs. The Warriors just aren’t playoff tested, while the Grizzlies have been here before.
I’ll take that experience and the fact the Grizzlies are at home in taking Memphis. Pick – Memphis
