NBA betting on the second round of the playoffs hits full stride this week with two series deadlocked and two others ready to come to a close. The Cleveland Cavaliers are all but finished with the Atlanta Hawks, while the Denver Nuggets are one game away from eliminating the Dallas Mavericks.

Who the Cavaliers and Nuggets will face in the conference finals could also be determined this week, although it could take until the weekend. The Los Angeles Lakers are having difficulty with the short-staffed Houston Rockets, while the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic appear destined for a hard-fought 7-game series.

Cavaliers top playoff money list

It’s well documented Cleveland is going for its second straight series sweep on Monday night in Atlanta, but what’s important for bettors is the Cavs’ impressive streak against the number.

Cleveland is 7-0 ATS so far in the playoffs, and has cashed 11 straight at the window dating back to the regular season. Oddsmakers have the Cavaliers as 10-point favorites for Monday night’s Game 4, and judging by the Hawks’ inability to do anything with LeBron James, there’s no reason to wager against Cleveland.

James went for 47 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in the Cavs’ 97-82 win as 8.5-point chalk in Game 3, as LeBron now has 108 points in 108 minutes played in the Eastern Conference semifinal series. Bettors are all over Cleveland for Game 3, with 70% of plays on the spread having come in on the Cavaliers through Sunday night.

If necessary, Game 5 is set for Wednesday night back in Cleveland.

Nothing easy for Celtics

Boston backers knew the postseason was going to be tough without Kevin Garnett, but they couldn’t have imagined this.

After edging the Chicago Bulls in seven games in what was arguably the greatest NBA first-round playoff series ever, the Celtics find themselves in the thick of another classic in their East semifinal series with the Magic.

Glen “Big Baby” Davis’ 21-foot jumper at the buzzer lifted Boston (+5) to a 95-94 upset in Game 4 on Sunday night, as the Celtics tied the seven-game set at two games apiece. Game 5 goes Tuesday night back at TD Banknorth Garden, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday night in Orlando.

Davis finished with 21 points in Game 4, and while Boston bettors could certainly use Garnett to help take out Orlando, Big Baby is doing just fine. So is Rajon Rondo, who had 21 points and 14 rebounds on Sunday to continue his impressive play in the postseason.

Hard-luck Mavericks against the wall

It’s hard enough against the Nuggets at the best of times, but life is nearly impossible for the Mavs when the referees are blowing calls at the end of games.

That was the case in Saturday night’s Game 3, when Denver (+4) managed a 106-105 upset on Carmelo Anthony’s three-pointer with one second remaining. Antoine Wright attempted to foul Anthony – twice – to force the Nuggets to take the ball out of bounds, but no call was made, and now Denver has a 3-0 lead in their Western Conference semifinal series.

Thing is, the NBA admitted the officials got it wrong only two hours after the game, so Dallas heads into Monday night’s Game 4 knowing it got screwed last time out. The Mavericks are 1.5-point chalk for the contest, although a win is likely to prolong the obvious: Denver has taken all seven matchups (6-1 ATS) between the teams dating back the regular season.

Game 5 would go Wednesday night at Pepsi Center if necessary.

Lakers in trouble?

There will be at least two more games in the Los Angeles-Houston West semifinal series after the Rockets knotted things up at two games apiece – without Yao Ming – in a 99-87 victory in Game 4 on Sunday afternoon.

Out for the remainder of the postseason with a hairline fracture in his foot, Ming watched Houston thoroughly dominate L.A. en route to the payday as 7.5-point underdogs on Sunday. The Rockets are 12-point pups for Game 5 at Staples Center on Tuesday night, with Game 6 slated for Thursday night back at the Toyota Center.

The Lakers could be facing injury trouble of their own for Game 5, with Lamar Odom’s status uncertain. Odom fell awkwardly on his tailbone after going for a layup in the third quarter on Sunday, and sat out the rest of the game.


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