Pistons/Cavs (Pistons –320)
LeBron and Co. took the Pistons to seven games last year, but Cavs really aren’t playing as well in these playoffs. They did take a step forward by making it to the East Finals, but as a whole the conference isn’t as strong as last year and Cleveland certainly hasn’t looked very sharp thus far. The Cavs do have the luxury of having the most talented player in the series, and that gives them a shot.
Detroit faltered a bit after looking pretty sharp in the first three games in the series against the Bulls. They look like the best team in the East, but they’re certainly beatable. The series price (-320) looks about right, considering that the Pistons are better at every position except for small forward. If Drew Gooden is able to outplay Chris Webber, or if Larry Hughes is able to outplay Rip Hamilton, the series could go a long way. In the end, I think Detroit has the experience to get past the Cavs (and home court in Game 7 doesn’t hurt either). Regardless, this is an opportunity for LeBron to start his legacy. Detroit is certainly beatable. Can LeBron carry his team to the Finals?
Spurs/Jazz (Spurs -480)
The line on this series is a little surprising. Sure, the Spurs are the best team remaining in these playoffs, but aren’t the Jazz the second-best? Utah and San Antonio split the season series, 2-2, and the Jazz are very adept at playing the Spurs’ grind-it-out game. San Antonio wins a lot of games by out-executing their opponents, but it won’t be easy to out-execute the Jazz.
The series features some great matchups. Deron Williams and Tony Parker are two of the best young point guards in the game and a potential Tim Duncan/Carlos Boozer matchup is tantalizing. I’m guessing we’ll see a lot of Andrei Kirilenko on Manu Ginobili, since the Jazz really need to contain him in order to get past the Spurs. San Antonio does have the edge in the series, but if I were a betting man, I’d say that the Jazz at +380 is a wager that has some value.
Ultimately, I think we’ll see a Spurs/Pistons rematch of the 2005 Finals, which was a well-played, competitive series. But I’d sure like to see some new blood in there.
