NBA's Perfect Ten: Conference Finals
And then there were just four teams. The NBA is down to its version of the Final Four and the action kicks off tonight in Boston. Let’s dive into this week’s Perfect Ten.
Perfect Ten
Eastern Conference
#1 Boston Celtics (-900/-150) vs. #6 Indiana Pacers (+600/+2500) - Just last week, the Pacers were +40,000 to win the Eastern Conference and now, they are just four wins away. Of course, those four wins will have to come at the expense of the most talented team left in the NBA Playoffs, the Boston Celtics. This should be an interesting series, two of the premier scoring teams in the NBA and two teams that rely heavily on the 3-point shot. The breaking point for the Pacers here will be the Celtics' ability to switch relentlessly defensively and shut down the Pacers if they are focused. Focus is a big issue for the Celtics of course.
The Pacers will win two games that will have the Celtics’ faithful shaking their heads but, in the end, the Celtics should pull out the series. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have averaged over 60 points per game combined against the Pacers and the Celtics should dominate the glass with or without Kristaps Porzingis.
Boston wins in six games.
Western Conference
#3. Minnesota Timberwolves (-170/+275) vs. #5 Dallas Mavericks(+145/500) - All year the Minnesota Timberwolves kept winning but their odds barely moved. As recently as the last week of the NBA season, you could have gotten them at over +1000 to win the Western Conference. The Mavericks were an early favorite in the West and then their number faded as well with the chemistry of their roster looking questionable. The trade deadline was very kind to the Mavs as the team rid themselves of bad fits and added the likes of PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford. Both have improved the Mavericks immensely with Washington’s ability to stretch the floor and Gafford’s ability to pound the glass.
For Minnesota, the ascension of Anthony Edwards into a true superstar in the playoffs has cleared up the roles of the team. He is now the alpha male and the rest of the team a very strong supporting cast. Minnesota’s depth will challenge the Mavs but I think this is the year that Luka gets to his first NBA Finals. Kyrie Irving has welcomed the role of being a solid number two after bristling at the same role in both Cleveland and Brooklyn. The dynamic duo will get it done in the West.
Dallas wins in seven games.
In parenthesis, conference odds and finals odds. Player MVP props are also in parenthesis. All odds Courtesy of Draftkings.com.
By Mark Ruelle
