The Sports Advisors:
SATURDAY, MAY 10
NBA PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(2) Detroit (6-3 SU and ATS) at (3) Orlando (5-3, 4-4 ATS)
The Magic look to draw even with the Pistons in their best-of-7 Eastern Conference semifinal series when the teams face off in Game 4 inside Amway Arena. Orlando got back into the series with Wednesday?s 111-86 victory, blowing open a close game with a 38-17 fourth quarter and easily getting the cash as a five-point favorite. The Magic shot 52.3 percent from the floor and were led by Rashard Lewis? 11-of-15 shooting for 33 points, while Dwight Howard got his usual double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds as Orlando outscored the Pistons 46-26 in the paint.
The straight-up winner is 20-1-1 ATS in Orlando?s last 22 games and 17-0 ATS in Detroit?s last 17. With Wednesday?s win, Orlando snapped a nine-game playoff losing streak to the Pistons that included getting swept out of the first round last season. The Pistons still lead the season series 4-3 SU and ATS, and the winner has cashed in all seven games. Even with the home team 3-0 SU and ATS in this series, the road squad remains 15-8-3 ATS in the last 26 head-to-head matchups and Detroit is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 visits to Orlando (playoffs included). Orlando is 4-0 SU (3-1 ATS) at home in the postseason and is now 8-3 (7-4 ATS) in its last 11 overall dating back to the regular season. For the season, Stan Van Gundy?s squad is 29-16 (26-16-3 ATS) at Amway Arena, including 14-5-2 ATS in the last 21. The Magic are also on ATS streaks of 8-4 against the Eastern Conference, 7-2-1 against Central Division squads, 6-1 as a favorite, 35-16-1 on Saturdays and 20-8 as a home favorite of five to 10 ? points.
Detroit saw a five-game SU and ATS winning streak end with the Game 3 loss, but it is still 10-3 SU and ATS in its last 13. The Pistons are also on pointspread runs of 5-1 against the Southeast Division, 6-2 against the Eastern Conference, 7-3 in conference semifinal action and 5-1 following an ATS loss. However, Flip Saunders? team carries negative ATS trends of 0-6 as an underdog (all on the road), 2-7 as a playoff underdog and 3-8 on the road against teams with a winning home record.
The last two games have gone over the total, making the over 9-3 in the last 12 series clashes, including 4-0 in the last four battles in Orlando. From there, however, both teams are in the midst of several ?under? streaks, including 4-2 for Orlando overall, 6-2 for Orlando against Central Division foes and 12-5 for the Magic overall. For Detroit, the under is on runs of 14-7 overall, 4-1 on the road, 16-6 versus the Eastern Conference, 65-29-1 as an underdog, 20-9-1 as a playoff underdog, 6-2 against the Southeast Division and 9-2 on the highway.
ATS ADVANTAGE: ORLANDO
(1) Boston (6-3, 5-4 ATS) at (4) Cleveland (4-4 SU, 5-3 ATS)
The Celtics held serve at home and now this best-of-7 conference semifinal shifts to Quicken Loans Arena with the Cavaliers in must-win mode.
Boston overcame a sluggish first quarter Thursday and beat Cleveland 89-73, covering as an 8?-point chalk. Neither team shot the ball well (Boston at 40.3 percent, Cleveland at 35.6 percent) but the Celtics? Paul Pierce led the charge with 19 points on 7-of-13 shooting. The key for Boston has been containing the Cavs? LeBron James who has gone just 8-for-42 in the first two games for a total of 33 points, and he has 17 turnovers.
Boston is now 4-2 in six meetings with Cleveland this year, but the Cavaliers are 4-2 ATS. The home team has won seven straight series clashes and eight of the last 10, but the road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five. Finally, despite the Game 2 result, the underdog has dominated at the window, going 7-1-1 ATS in the last nine between these two.
The Cavaliers are on ATS streaks of 4-0 after a loss, 5-0 in playoff games as a favorite of less than five points, 8-1 after a double-digit loss and 4-1 as playoff chalk. On the flip side, Cleveland is just 3-7 ATS in its last 10 at home, 2-5 ATS in its last seven after one days? rest and 1-8 ATS in its last nine at home against a team with a winning road record.
The Celtics are on a bevy of positive ATS runs, including 24-9 overall, 11-3 against the Central Division, 10-3 on one day of rest, 19-7 following a SU win, 17-7 against the East, 40-14 as a road underdog and 19-7 on Saturdays. But Boston is in a 1-4 ATS funk in conference semifinal games and is 0-3 SU and ATS on the road this postseason.
The over is 5-2 in the Celtics? last seven road games, but from there, the under is on streaks for Boston of 15-7 against the Eastern Conference, 9-4 following a spread-cover, 7-3 in conference semifinal contests, 16-5 against the Central Division and 4-1 as an underdog.
The ?under? trends run deep for the Cavaliers, too, including 11-3 overall, 6-0 against the Atlantic Division, 11-3 against the Eastern Conference, 7-2 following a SU loss, 13-3 as a home favorite, 11-3 when playing on a days? rest and 12-1 in conference semifinal playoff games. Finally, although the under is 3-0 in the last three series meetings, both regular-season battles in Cleveland easily hurdled the posted price.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER