It?s playoff season in both the NBA and the NHL, and we?ve got two matchups from each sport highlighted. In the NBA, the Boston Celtics host the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series on Saturday. The Utah Jazz take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the opener of their first-round playoff series in LA on Sunday. In the NHL, the Philadelphia Flyers face the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final series on Friday, and the Vancouver Canucks host the St. Louis Blues in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarter-final series, also on Friday. In Hot Props, bet on the 2008-09 NBA Champion.
TRIVIA:
Which player holds the NBA Playoff single-series record for the most points averaged per game?
1. Michael Jordan
2. Jerry West
3. Wilt Chamberlain
4. Elgin Baylor
ANSWER AT BOTTOM
NBA BASKETBALL:
Saturday
CHICAGO BULLS @ BOSTON CELTICS
12:30 pm ET, ESPN
The Boston Celtics begin defense of their NBA Championship title when they host the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series on Saturday.
Boston is 6-4 SU and 7-3 ATS over the past 10 meetings. The teams last met on March 17, when Chicago won 127-121 as 1.5-point home underdogs.
Chicago is 1-6 SU in the past seven meetings, and 1-7 ATS in the past eight meetings. The total has gone over in four of the past six meetings. Chicago is 1-4 SU and ATS in the past five meetings in Boston. The total has gone over in five of the past seven meetings in Boston.
betED Line: Celtics (-8.5)(-110) Total: 196.5
Bet this Game!
Sunday
UTAH JAZZ @ LOS ANGLES LAKERS
3:05 pm ET, ABC
The Utah Jazz have the unenviable task of taking on Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, the top team in the Western Conference, in the opener of their first-round playoff series in LA on Sunday.
Utah faced the Lakers in last year's playoffs, losing in six games in the conference semifinals.
Utah was 48-34 SU and 39-43 ATS this season while Los Angeles was 65-17 SU and 42-39-1 ATS.
The Lakers are 7-3 SU and 6-3-1 ATS over the past 10 meetings. The teams last squared off in the last game of the NBA regular season on Tuesday, with the Lakers winning 125-112 as 6.5-point home favorites.
betED Line: Lakers (-11)(-110) Total: 210
Bet this Game!
NHL HOCKEY:
Friday
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS @ PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
7 pm ET, VERSUS, CBC, CSN
The Philadelphia Flyers face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final playoff series on Friday.
The Penguins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 4-1 win in Game 1 on Wednesday. Pittsburgh was a -175 moneyline home favorite.
Pittsburgh is 7-3 SU in the past 10 meetings.
betED Line: Penguins (-1.5)(+170) (-170) Total: 5.5
Bet this Game!
Friday
ST. LOUIS BLUES @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS
10 pm ET, VERSUS, CBC
The Vancouver Canucks host the St. Louis Blues in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarter-final playoff series on Friday.
The Canucks jumped out to a 1-0 series lead with a 2-1 victory in Game 1 Wednesday at GM Place in Vancouver. Vancouver was a -180 favorite.
The Canucks are 7-3 SU in the past 10 meetings.
betED Line: Canucks (-1.5)(+160) (-190) Total: 5
Bet this Game!
Hot Props:
The 2009 NBA Playoffs start Saturday and betED.com has the latest lines for NBA Champion, as well as Series Winners and individual games odds.
Here are the top five favorites to win the NBA Championship:
1. Los Angeles Lakers +130
2. Cleveland Cavaliers +160
3. Boston Celtics +750
4. Orlando Magic +1200
5. San Antonio Spurs +1800
Bet on the 2008-09 NBA Champion
TRIVIA ANSWER:
2. Jerry West.
West averaged 46.3 points per game for the Los Angeles Lakers against Baltimore in the 1965 NBA Playoffs.
TRIVIA:
Which player holds the NBA Playoff single-series record for the most points averaged per game?
1. Michael Jordan
2. Jerry West
3. Wilt Chamberlain
4. Elgin Baylor
ANSWER AT BOTTOM
NBA BASKETBALL:
Saturday
CHICAGO BULLS @ BOSTON CELTICS
12:30 pm ET, ESPN
The Boston Celtics begin defense of their NBA Championship title when they host the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series on Saturday.
Boston is 6-4 SU and 7-3 ATS over the past 10 meetings. The teams last met on March 17, when Chicago won 127-121 as 1.5-point home underdogs.
Chicago is 1-6 SU in the past seven meetings, and 1-7 ATS in the past eight meetings. The total has gone over in four of the past six meetings. Chicago is 1-4 SU and ATS in the past five meetings in Boston. The total has gone over in five of the past seven meetings in Boston.
betED Line: Celtics (-8.5)(-110) Total: 196.5
Bet this Game!
Sunday
UTAH JAZZ @ LOS ANGLES LAKERS
3:05 pm ET, ABC
The Utah Jazz have the unenviable task of taking on Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, the top team in the Western Conference, in the opener of their first-round playoff series in LA on Sunday.
Utah faced the Lakers in last year's playoffs, losing in six games in the conference semifinals.
Utah was 48-34 SU and 39-43 ATS this season while Los Angeles was 65-17 SU and 42-39-1 ATS.
The Lakers are 7-3 SU and 6-3-1 ATS over the past 10 meetings. The teams last squared off in the last game of the NBA regular season on Tuesday, with the Lakers winning 125-112 as 6.5-point home favorites.
betED Line: Lakers (-11)(-110) Total: 210
Bet this Game!
NHL HOCKEY:
Friday
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS @ PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
7 pm ET, VERSUS, CBC, CSN
The Philadelphia Flyers face Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final playoff series on Friday.
The Penguins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 4-1 win in Game 1 on Wednesday. Pittsburgh was a -175 moneyline home favorite.
Pittsburgh is 7-3 SU in the past 10 meetings.
betED Line: Penguins (-1.5)(+170) (-170) Total: 5.5
Bet this Game!
Friday
ST. LOUIS BLUES @ VANCOUVER CANUCKS
10 pm ET, VERSUS, CBC
The Vancouver Canucks host the St. Louis Blues in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarter-final playoff series on Friday.
The Canucks jumped out to a 1-0 series lead with a 2-1 victory in Game 1 Wednesday at GM Place in Vancouver. Vancouver was a -180 favorite.
The Canucks are 7-3 SU in the past 10 meetings.
betED Line: Canucks (-1.5)(+160) (-190) Total: 5
Bet this Game!
Hot Props:
The 2009 NBA Playoffs start Saturday and betED.com has the latest lines for NBA Champion, as well as Series Winners and individual games odds.
Here are the top five favorites to win the NBA Championship:
1. Los Angeles Lakers +130
2. Cleveland Cavaliers +160
3. Boston Celtics +750
4. Orlando Magic +1200
5. San Antonio Spurs +1800
Bet on the 2008-09 NBA Champion
TRIVIA ANSWER:
2. Jerry West.
West averaged 46.3 points per game for the Los Angeles Lakers against Baltimore in the 1965 NBA Playoffs.
