NBA PlayOffs Conference Finals Picks 2023- Games 1-4 (May 16-23)

NBA PlayOffs Conference Finals Picks- Games 1-4

Three years ago most people believed the NBA Bubble was not a true reflection of how the NBA PlayOffs would have shaped up with all of the games played without fans and on neutral courts.

Travelling and having to win games in tough road environments makes and breaks teams and most look back dismissively on that time.

You can understand why, but in 2023 the same four teams that played and competed in the Conference Finals inside the NBA Bubble are back in the final four with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers making it through the first two Rounds of the post-season.

I credit all four teams and I think the successes the Heat and Lakers have had will intensify the Play In Tournament going forward after both have become the first teams to come through that new feature of the post-season and win one, and now two, Series in the PlayOffs.

As a New York Knicks fan I am disappointed that an opportunity has been missed to reach the Conference Finals, but these four teams deserve the spotlight and should make for a couple of solid Series to be played before the NBA Finals begin on June 1st.

The Western Conference will get to go first and the first four games of both Series will be featured in this thread.

It has been a very productive NBA PlayOffs for the Picks this season and I will be looking to build on that in the days left with the 2023 winding down.

Tuesday 16th May

Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets Game 1 Pick: Revenge will be spoken about around the Denver Nuggets who were beaten by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Bubble in what was the Western Conference Finals in 2020. That is not on the mind of the players, even though four of that roster are still with the Nuggets, but instead the focus is still to help the Denver Nuggets reach their first ever NBA Finals and then a first ever NBA Championship.

There is so much to like about the construction of this Denver roster with the depth that will be tough for any team to overcome over a best of seven Series. They have largely been pretty comfortable during the first two Rounds of the PlayOffs and the Nuggets will feel that earning the Number 1 Seed in the Conference has been a huge boost considering how good they have been at home all season.

These teams have split four games in the regular season, but Denver have been quick to point out that the Los Angeles Lakers are a much changed team now.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still around from the 2020 Championship team, but this is a considerably different roster make up compared with the one the Nuggets saw in their last meeting with the Lakers in January. Since the trades were made, the Los Angeles Lakers have been much better than their Number 7 Seed and having to come through the Play In Tournament would suggest and upset wins over the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors means they are afforded a lot of respect.

The key to those Series wins has been winning Game 1 on the road and then holding serve when those Series have shifted back to Los Angeles. There is no doubt that the Lakers will feel they can win one of the two tough games to open up in Denver, but the Nuggets are well rested and they have been very strong at home throughout this PlayOff run.

I do like the way Denver can match up with Los Angeles and they are much more balanced Offensively than the Grizzlies and Warriors. Jamal Murray has been listed as Questionable for the home team, but I would be surprised if he is not suited up and this is a Nuggets team that is capable of lighting up the scoreboard both inside the paint and from the distance.

The battle between Nikola Jokic and Anthony Davis on both ends of the court are going to be key, but the Lakers, like the Phoenix Suns, are not a team that will have the same kind of impact from the three point range as the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers do have more depth than the Suns, or so it feels like, but this Denver team have to be given a lot more respect than I have seen so far this season and the Number 1 Seed can make a statement.

Home teams have tended to open the Conference Finals in strong form and they are 5-1 against the spread in the last six tries in Game 1. This is a big spread considering the stage we have reached in the NBA PlayOffs, but the Nuggets have shown they can cover the mark, while the Lakers have tended to be well beaten when they have dropped games in the post-season.

Again, I hate opposing LeBron James and what he can do and this is a player who will be looking to cement his legacy as perhaps the best player of all time if he can help take this Lakers team to the Championship. The pressure is on the Denver Nuggets as they have made it clear that it is Championship or bust as far as their own expectations are concerned, but the Nuggets have shown they can handle that so far and I do think the depth of their team will be key.

The role players have really been good at home in this post-season run and I will back the Denver Nuggets to maintain the recent trend of home teams in Game 1 of the Conference Finals and to win and cover.

Number 1 Seeds have tended to prove their worth when asked to cover big marks in the Conference Finals in recent years and I think the Denver Nuggets will do that to open the Western Conference Finals in 2023.

Wednesday 17th May

Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics Game 1 Pick: Getting through tough spots has become the norm for this Boston Celtics team and winning a Game 7 in the PlayOffs is something this team has done three times over the last two seasons. The latest was in the Conference Semi Final Series against the Philadelphia 76ers as the Boston Celtics recovered from dropping Game 5 at home to win two straight and move through in seven games.

For the third time in four seasons, the Boston Celtics are facing the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals after the latter beat the New York Knicks in six games and earned themselves a couple of extra days of rest.

These could be important with Jimmy Butler banged up in the Conference Semi Final Series and with the Miami Heat already short-handed through injury. The Heat won the Conference Finals played against the Boston Celtics in the NBA Bubble in six games, but the Celtics were able to get the better of Miami in seven games twelve months ago.

Most will have Boston down as a strong favourite to win this Series as the Number 2 Seed in the Eastern Conference compared with the Miami Heat, who are the first Number 8 Seed to reach the Conference Finals since 1999 when the New York Knicks were able to do that.

I can understand why the Boston Celtics are favoured considering they have shown more consistency than the Miami Heat on both sides of the court through the season, but the PlayOffs are a different beat. Add in the fact that the regular season series was split two each with both winning one game on the road and I do think the Miami Heat have to be respected, especially as they are plenty experienced of playing in these big games and as much as the Boston Celtics.

However, over the course of seven games I would think the Celtics have the depth and the three point shooting that will ultimately see them prevail.

Game 1 may offer the Miami Heat the best chance to steal home court advantage from the Celtics though and that is because teams playing after a Game 7 win in a PlayOff Series have continued to struggle in the opening of the next Series. The Golden State Warriors were beaten in that situation in the Conference Semi Final Series and I do think the Miami Heat are perhaps being disrespected with the opening line and will have certainly been using that to motivate them.

I am backing the Denver Nuggets as a big home favourite, one of more than 5 points, but those teams have struggled to cover in the Conference Finals and this time I am opposing the Celtics who are laying 8 points.

Overall Boston are the superior team in my opinion, but the Miami Heat could cover in a losing effort with the amount of points they are being given and they are 13-5 against the spread in their last eighteen games in Boston. The Heat covered as a home favourite to open the Eastern Conference Finals last year against the Boston Celtics, but this time I am looking for the Heat to produce enough Offensively to stay with an opponent who have invested a lot of effort to win two games in a row to reach the Conference Finals for a second year in succession.

Thursday 18th May

Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets Game 2 Pick: The Denver Nuggets have taken Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals so will clearly be pleased with how the opening game went, but the Los Angeles Lakers may have taken something positive from the second half performance. Adjustments made saw the Lakers fight back from a 21 point deficit and actually come very close to stealing Game 1 on the road, although ultimately they did come up slightly short in a game where they led just once when scoring the first bucket of the Finals.

The positive second half will give the Lakers something to hold onto, although LeBron James made it clear that they cannot afford to fall into a big hole as they did in Game 1. Moving Anthony Davis away from guarding Nikola Jokic seemed to help stiffen the Lakers Defensive unit and I expect the move to a bigger line up to occur very quickly in Game 2 starts as the first one did.

In fact it may be an adjustment that sees the Lakers begin with a new starting five, although they will also have to accept the fact that they may not be able to improve Offensively. In Game 1 the Lakers hit 55% of their field goals, and were an impressive 46% from the three point range, but that is a number which is considerably higher than what would be expected from them.

Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Schroeder and Austin Reaves combined for 9/15 from the three point range and that is a mark that will be difficult to replicate on the road for a second game in a row. Add in the fact that some of the Nuggets were struggling with fouls piling up and I think those players were afforded a bit more space than expected and Game 2 might see those role players slow down.

The Nuggets may also be expected to have a step back in terms of their shooting having also shot 55% from the field and 47% from the three point arc. However, they have shown throughout this PlayOffs run that they are very good at home and I certainly think Denver can maintain their edge on the boards, which should see them beat the Lakers for a second time in this Western Conference Finals.

Thanks to their Fourth Quarter push, the Lakers lost Game 1 by just 6 points, but close losses have not made for good opportunities to bounce back and cover in the next game in the Conference Finals, especially when teams are playing on the road. Those losing by 10 or fewer points and then playing on the road are on a poor 4-9 run against the spread, while the Denver Nuggets will want to back up the fact that teams that won Game 1 at home are 6-4 against the spread in Game 2.

Los Angeles have won Game 1 on the road in both of the previous two PlayOff Series, but they have been blown out in Game 2 and I think the Denver Nuggets have a more consistent approach at home which sees them cover in this one.

Friday 19th May

Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics Game 2 Pick: After building a decent lead at the end of the first half, the Boston Celtics looked to be making a mockery of the long trend of how much Game 7 winners have struggled in the opening game of the next Series in the NBA PlayOffs.

Some will suggest it was complacency, others may suggest a bit of mental fatigue, but for whatever reason, the Boston Celtics played a shocking Third Quarter and ultimately were not able to turn the momentum back in their favour.

It means dropping Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and Head Coach Joe Mazzulla will have had to accept the criticisms of his team, even if he has not completely agreed with it. The Coach is right when he says Boston won three of the four Quarters played, but the Celtics were so bad in the Third Quarter that they dug themselves into a deep hole and one they were not able to escape.

Adjustments will be made by the Celtics who have been a big three point shooting team, but who only threw up the deep ball twenty-nine times in Game 1. They dominated the points in the paint in the first half to build a big lead, but the Celtics are a team that have a number of quality three point shooters and this has been the successful plan, while I am sure the team will be looking to get Jayson Tatum going after their star player failed to have any sort of positive impact in the Fourth Quarter.

A lot of the focus has been on the Boston Celtics as the higher Seed, but it remains clear that the Miami Heat feel disrespected and are using that to fuel them in the post-season. I have no doubt that the Heat players will have checked the lines set for the opening two games of the Eastern Conference Finals and will be looking to make a point with their hard nose basketball and veteran experience.

Jimmy Butler has been a consistent Offensive player in the post-season, but you do have to wonder if Miami can be as efficient shooting the three ball as they were in Game 1. In stealing home court, the Heat hit 52% of their three pointers, but this is a team that have averaged just 34% from that distance over the course of the season and you have to believe the role players will not be as hot from the field when going into Game 2.

Miami have shown energy and have rarely gone away easily, which makes this line feel a wide one, but I do think the Boston Celtics will have a reaction and I expect more out of Jayson Tatum and the bench.

The Heat do have a very good record in Boston in recent years as I mentioned in the Game 1 Pick, but the zigzag theory has been one that has been plenty successful in the NBA Conference Finals.

I backed the Heat a couple of days ago, but I am expecting the Boston Celtics to have a much stronger day from the three point line. At some stage the Miami Heat may feel they have already achieved what they have wanted by splitting the first two games in Boston and they could just lose some of the intensity before heading back home this weekend and I am going to back the Celtics to bounce back with a big win.

Saturday 20th May

Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Lakers Game 3 Pick: The narrative after Game 1 was about how the Los Angeles Lakers had found a good system to deal with the Denver Nuggets and that clearly did not sit very well with the Number 1 Seed in the Western Conference.

The late rally saw the Lakers recover from a big hole, but they still fell short and ultimately dropped to 0-1 in the Series.

Some will have felt justified in believing the Lakers had found a good formula when they led in Game 2, but this time the Denver Nuggets were the team who fought back in the Fourth Quarter. The big difference- the Nuggets won Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals and it was clear that all of the talk of the previous two days had bothered Denver Head Coach Michael Malone.

A 2-0 lead is a good lead, but this is not a decisive won and I think the Los Angeles Lakers have to feel confident when returning home where they have been very strong in the NBA PlayOffs.

However, I do have to wonder if the schedule is going to work against the Lakers with the veteran stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James looking a little tired at times in Game 2. It was Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura who combined for 16/29 in Game 2 and they were 6/11 from the three point range in Game 2, but the Lakers will need more from their top two players if they are going to find a way to get back into the Western Conference Finals.

The Nuggets did not get a good game out of Jamal Murray in Game 2, but some late buckets might have rebuilt his confidence and the depth of the Denver team is hard to ignore.

At the same time I do think their role players have struggled to make the same impact on the road as they have at home and that should be encouraging for the Lakers as Game 3 is played in the City of Angels.

However, I do think that depth and some of the efforts that the Lakers have already put into this Series will mean another close game between these teams.

Teams that are 0-2 down in the Conference Finals are on a very good run of covering in Game 3, but I was anticipating the Lakers being a much smaller favourite than they are for this one.

The oddsmakers know the money will come down on Los Angeles, especially in their desperate position, but I think the Denver Nuggets will find enough scoring to keep this one close.

A 3-8 record against the spread for teams leading 2-0 in the Conference Finals is a concern, but the Nuggets have shown they have the consistency to not only stay with the Lakers, but to beat them. Winning in Game 3 won't be easy, but the Nuggets can avoid the blowout at the very least and this could be another game in this Series that comes down to the final two minutes of the Fourth Quarter.

Sunday 21st May

Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat Game 3 Pick: Poor decision making and key players being far too quiet in the Fourth Quarter have put the Boston Celtics in an unenviable position in the Eastern Conference Finals. Losing Game 1 would have hurt, but they blew a couple of big leads and allowed Jimmy Butler to take over the final six minutes of the Fourth Quarter in Game 2 and that means the Celtics have dropped both home games to the Miami Heat.

Even now the Boston Celtics are considered favourites to come out of this Series, but there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the players.

Some will want to blame Grant Williams for talking trash to Jimmy Butler which seemed to intensify the performance of the latter, but I think much more needs to be made of Jayson Tatum's failure to have an impact in the Fourth Quarter for a second game in a row. There has to be a worry that he left something on the court when producing a big Fourth Quarter in Game 6 and then a huge Game 7 in the Second Round win over the Philadelphia 76ers, but the Celtics know they need Tatum if they are going to beat this hard nosed Miami team.

It is somewhat surprising to see the Celtics down as the road favourite, especially as the Miami Heat have beaten them in a couple of different ways- Game 1 was about the efficiency of the shooting, but Game 2 saw the Heat dominate the boards and that was good enough to earn enough second chance points to make up for the drop off in the three point shooting percentages.

A big problem for Boston has been the struggles with their own three point shooting. They will also know that Jayson Tatum has to do more in the Fourth Quarter even if his overall numbers have been steady enough in the first two games.

He would be helped if some of the role players can improve their own output, but nothing is going to come easy against this Miami Heat team that look to be playing with a confidence that will be very difficult to shake.

Being back at home is a big help for the Miami Heat who have won all five PlayOff games here and largely in blowout fashion.

They have also won four in a row against the Boston Celtics this season and I won't be that surprised to see people taking the points with the home team.

Road favourites of less than 5 points have not had a very good record at covering the spread in the Conference Finals and that is the situation facing Boston, although it should be noted that those teams were 2-0 against the spread last season.

More importantly is that teams in a 2-0 lead in the Conference Finals are just 3-8 against the spread in the last eleven occasions where that situation has been played out. The Nuggets are in the same boat on Saturday and I have looked for them to cover, but I think the Miami Heat have not dominated the first two games and you have to believe more is to come from the Boston Celtics.

This is a big moment for the Celtics, who should have won at least one of the first two games and might even believe they should be the team with a 2-0 lead. They are an experienced group who know what needs to be done if they are going become NBA Champions and I think we see a reaction to the drama around them as the Celtics get back into the Eastern Conference Finals.

Monday 22nd May

Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Lakers Game 4 Pick: You have to feel that the back of the Western Conference Finals has been broken with the Denver Nuggets moving into a 3-0 lead against the Los Angeles Lakers. There have been moments from the Lakers, who have shown fight and desire, but the depth of the Denver Nuggets is proving too much and their spacing with Nikola Jokic means the three point shooters are finding open looks and knocking them down.

It wasn't The Joker who should be credited for the Game 3 win, but Jamal Murray stepped up to pile up 37 points and make up for what he felt was a below par effort in Game 2.

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are the keys for the Nuggets as they are on the brink of making their first ever appearance in the NBA Finals, but the role players and the bench have made timely impacts throughout the PlayOffs run and this Denver team is going to be very difficult shake off.

No one is giving it up on the Los Angeles Lakers side, but you do have to wonder how much they have left having looked clearly second best in the Western Conference Finals. Austin Reaves has to be given a lot of credit for giving the Lakers a third option alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but Los Angeles cannot make enough Defensive stops and ultimately have not found enough from the likes of D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt.

Game 4 is on their home court and you have to believe the Lakers are going to put in a big effort to try and at least force the Denver Nuggets to close the Series at home.

However, it should be noted that teams facing elimination this early in the Conference Finals are just 2-4 outright and 2-3-1 against the spread in the last six when in this situation. It has to be a worry for Lakers backers as the home favourite considering how they have just struggled to keep up with the depth of the Nuggets and I would lean with taking the points in Game 4, although the spread has come down a couple of points from where the layers had left the mark in Game 3.

One trend that has been evident in elimination games at this stage of the Conference Finals is that teams facing the end of the season have allowed an average of 118 points per game in the last five when in this situation. This is a Series that has seen two of the three games played finish above the total points mark set and I do think the Los Angeles Lakers are going to have to hoist up plenty of three pointers to keep up with the Denver Nuggets.

The road team hit seventeen from the distance in Game 3 and at a 41% clip, and Denver have managed at least fourteen from beyond the three point mark in each game of the Western Conference Finals. Los Angeles were very efficient from the three point mark in Game 1, but have hoisted up at least thirty in the last two games without the same level of success and I do think the formula to extend this Series is finding someone to get going from the distance.

LeBron James has really struggled to do that, but the Lakers need scoring if they are going to find a way to win this one and I think that will encourage another high-scoring game with both teams expected to combine to cover the line set.

Tuesday 23rd May

Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat Game 4 Pick: There are going to be plenty of incriminations thrown around at the end of the Eastern Conference Finals with the Boston Celtics wondering how things have gone as wrong as they have. Despite the money flooding on the Celtics in Game 3, the Boston players seemingly thought they were just going through the motions of a regular season game as they offered a listless display that has left them in a 3-0 hole.

That means both Conference Finals could be concluded as soon as the 23rd May, meaning we will have two full weeks before the NBA Finals are set to start.

The Denver Nuggets will be looking to close the show on Monday when playing Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers, but they are on the road and the Miami Heat are at home.

A lot of people have suggested this is the most even NBA season we have seen in a long time and the Miami Heat reaching the Eastern Conference Finals and moving to the brink of the NBA Finals have backed up those who have believed that to be the case. The Number 8 Seed in the East needed some big buckets deep into the Fourth Quarter of their win over the Chicago Bulls in the final Play In Tournament game, but the Heat have dominated the top two Seeds in the East in the PlayOffs and have won seven of the eight games played against the Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks.

An experienced team that reached the NBA Finals in 2020, the Miami Heat have dominated this Series and led from whistle to whistle in Game 3. In saying that, the Boston Celtics did have their chances in the first two games, although those opportunities missed seem to have deflated the players and it is going to take a monumental effort to bring this one home.

As I have mentioned in the Denver Game 4 preview, teams facing elimination this early in the Conference Finals have tended to lose and it is hard to make a case for the Boston Celtics after what we saw a couple of nights ago. They cannot make stops Defensively, while the Offensive game plan has looked messy to say the least and it has meant Boston are going to need to make NBA history by becoming the first team to win a best of seven Series from 0-3 down.

It has happened in the other US Sports that have these PlayOff Series to decide the Champion at the end of the season, but the NBA has been the exception and I do think Boston are lost.

Miami will continue doing what they are- even double teaming Jimmy Butler is unlikely to work as we saw in Game 3 with the Miami shooters playing with a confidence that will be tough to contain.

Instead of picking a side with the Heat favoured for the first time in the Eastern Conference Finals, I will go back to the same trend that I mentioned for the Nuggets-Lakers Game 4 and that is how porous teams facing elimination have been.

The team in a 3-0 lead have averaged 118 points per game in Game 4 of the Conference Finals in recent times in this situation and the Celtics have allowed Miami to do what they want Offensively.

It has led to the Heat averaging 120 points per game in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Boston Celtics have hit triple digits in all three games too.

With the total line where it is, I will look for Game 4 to surpass the number set with both teams likely to put up strong Offensive stats again.

MY PICKS: 16/05 Denver Nuggets - 6 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

17/05 Miami Heat + 8 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

18/05 Denver Nuggets - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

19/05 Boston Celtics - 9 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

20/05 Denver Nuggets + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

21/05 Boston Celtics - 3 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

22/05 Los Angeles Lakers-Denver Nuggets Over 224.5 Points @ 1.91 Coral (1 Unit)

23/05 Miami Heat-Boston Celtics Over 216 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Conference Finals Update: 2-5-1, - 3.18 Units (8 Units Staked, - 39.75% Yield)

Semi Final: 14-8-1, + 4.90 Units (23 Units Staked, + 21.30% Yield)

First Round: 22-9, + 11.04 Units (31 Units Staked, + 35.61% Yield)

PlayOffs 2023: 36-17-1, + 15.94 Units (54 Units Staked, + 29.52% Yield)

NBA Conference Finals Picks 2019 (May 23-27)

NBA PlayOffs 2019- Conference Finals Picks Game 5-7 (May 23-27)

The Western Conference Finals saw the Golden State Warriors recover from huge deficits on three straight occasions to sweep the Portland Trail Blazers out of the post-season. That has given them plenty of time to rest while the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors are forced to play at least two more games before the NBA Finals begin at the end of the month.

It is an important time for the Warriors as they hope that time will allow Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins to both return to the rotation having missed the last six games for the team. They haven't been missed as much as you might have expected considering the Warriors have won all of those games, although I would expect the NBA Finals to be a much tougher proposition than what the Trail Blazers were able to produce against Golden State.

Even the Warriors have admitted they are going to need at least Durant and maybe even Cousins if they are going to win the NBA Championship for a third year in a row and for the fourth time in five seasons. It will take a brave person to bet against them doing that, although my feeling is that the Milwaukee Bucks will pose a lot more questions than the Toronto Raptors.

However right now the Eastern Conference Finals are finely balance at 2-2 with both teams having won a dominant game and perhaps a shaky one at home to hold serve. A best of three should favour the Bucks who host two of those games, but the Raptors have momentum and Game 5 is going to be huge.

Thursday 23rd May

Toronto Raptors @ Milwaukee Bucks Game 5 Pick: Throughout this season the Milwaukee Bucks have responded to setbacks by bouncing back and setting the record straight in their next game. It was a big reason they went into Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals as the favourite having dropped Game 3 to the Toronto Raptors as the underdog, but it was Toronto who came out on top to level the Series at 2-2.

Game 5 moves back to Milwaukee and there is no doubting the importance of this one in what has become a best of three game Series. The Bucks need to stem the momentum the Raptors have been able to build up after winning Game 3 in Double Overtime and then crushing Milwaukee in Game 4 which was never really competitive.

It is now up to the Bucks to make the adjustments they need as they have not really been able to show off the depth that many thought gave them an edge in this match up with Toronto. While the Raptors might not have the same amounts of rotations to keep key players on decent minutes, their role players have stepped up massively in the last couple of games and it is their performances which have led to a tied Series.

Kawhi Leonard may be one of the best players in the NBA, but he was held to 19 points in Game 4 and yet the Raptors were still able to dominate throughout. Leonard is still looking a little gimpy having suffered an injury in Game 3, while Kyle Lowry is also dealing with an undisclosed issue but both are going to suit up and give all they can to help the Raptors reach a first ever NBA Finals.

While Leonard and Lowry have done enough to open things up for the rest of the team, Pascal Siakam continues to have his own struggles. Fortunately others have been in fine form and now it is up to the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo to return to the kind of level that makes him a leading contender for regular season MVP.

Antetokounmpo will not be heckled by Canadian idiot, I mean rapper, Drake in Game 5, but he can't use that as an excuse for two average performances in Toronto. He will need Khris Middleton to step up with him, while Eric Bledsoe's post-season struggles have stretched on and his lack of Offensive productivity is hurting the strong Defensive effort he is trying to produce for the team.

Milwaukee should be much more comfortable in home surroundings having covered in their last four here. They are also 6-0 against the spread when playing off a double digit defeat and the Bucks are 21-5 against the spread when playing off a loss.

They have only once lost back to back games in the 2018/19 season and they crushed the Indiana Pacers by 19 points as a double digit favourite at home after those consecutive losses. The home team has covered in all four Eastern Conference Finals Games and Toronto are 1-4 against the spread in their last five road PlayOff Games.

I have yet to really lose faith in Milwaukee as they could have easily won Game 3. The Game 4 performance was perhaps the worst they have produced in the post-season, but Milwaukee have shown they can bounce back from defeats and this team will be much better being back at home.

The public money looks to be going down on the Raptors, but Milwaukee will be looking to improve a recent trend that has developed in the NBA PlayOffs. Home teams at 2-2 have improved to 6-2 against the spread in Game 5 of the PlayOffs since the beginning of the 2018 NBA PlayOffs and I think the Bucks are a team who can rally from their losses and show the NBA they are still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.


Saturday 25th May
Milwaukee Bucks @ Toronto Raptors Game 6 Pick: The Golden State Warriors have already been enjoying a few days off to recover from their post-season exploits to reach the NBA Finals, but they could learn their opponent for the Championship as soon as Saturday night. The Toronto Raptors have overcome some big odds to beat the Milwaukee Bucks for a third time in a row to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals and one more win in front of their own fans will see them through to a first ever NBA Finals appearance.

It is a stunning turnaround in this Series after the Bucks won the first two games. They had only suffered back to back defeats once in the regular season and this is the first time Milwaukee have lost three in a row all year which makes the Toronto recovery all the more remarkable.

In Game 5 the Raptors rallied from big deficits on a couple of occasions to weather the Milwaukee storm and take a lead in the Series. It is making the Game 3 win in Double Overtime looking all the more key for Toronto who have earned some momentum from the manner of their win and continue to roll with it.

Milwaukee have not lost faith in their own ability, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is struggling at the Free Throw line at the wrong time as his team-mates have not stepped up to the plate. One of the big factors in the last three games is the deteriorating number of three point shots being taken by the Bucks as Milwaukee have continued to struggle to shoot the ball from downtown while their overall success from the field has been well down on their season numbers.

Energy on the Defensive side of the court has bled into the Toronto Offense too as Kawhi Leonard continues to dominate the Series. He bounced back from a tough Game 4 to score 35 points in Game 5 to lead the Raptors, but it has been the contribution of the role players that has really caught the eye and put Toronto in a position to finish the Finals.

I would be stunned if Milwaukee were to lose for a fourth game in a row, but they are not really a team I can back with any confidence after the way the last three games have gone. If they were to win Game 6 I would make the Bucks strong favourites to win the Series, but there is a lot of pressure on them and the layers have placed a spread that is impossible for me to judge.

If Milwaukee are going to win here, they need to do better from the field whether that is attacking the paint and getting to the Free Throw line or someone stepping up and getting hot from the three point line. The Raptors have shown they have players who can put the three ball together and they have scored plenty of points in this Series, but I do think Milwaukee are going to respond before it is too late.

After a lower than expected scoring Game 5 I am not surprised that so many have been quick to back the 'under' in this one. However the last eight between Toronto and Milwaukee in Canada have seen six of them finish with an 'over' and I think the Bucks are better than they have shown Offensively to think they can contribute to a high-scoring Game 6.

The 'over' is also 8-1 in the Milwaukee's last nine road games, while it is 14-3 when the Bucks are playing a team with a winning record at home. The 'over' has also been the play in Toronto games when facing a team with a winning record of at least 60% as that side of the market has improved to 4-1 in their last five at home.

The emotion is going to be high in this building on Saturday night, but I can see both teams looking to provide a heavy dose of three point shooting which can lead to Game 6 surpassing the number set.

MY PICKS: 23/05 Milwaukee Bucks - 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Sky Bet (1 Unit)
25/05 Toronto Raptors-Milwaukee Bucks Over 212 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

NBA Conference Finals: 4-5, - 1.36 Units (9 Units Staked, - 15.11% Yield)

Second Round: 12-11, - 0.04 Units (23 Units Staked, - 0% Yield)

First Round: 23-17, + 4.02 Units (40 Units Staked, + 10.05% Yield)

NBA PlayOffs Conference Finals Picks 2019 (May 14-21)

NBA PlayOffs 2019- Conference Finals Picks Games 1-4 (May 14-21)

It has taken a month to get here, but we are down to the final four teams in the 2018/19 NBA season and there are a couple of surprises involved.

They might have finished with the Number 1 Seed, but back in August I don't think the Milwaukee Bucks would have had too many backers outside of their own fanbase to reach the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bucks deserve to be here because of how they have played all season, but they have to be considered a surprise name compared with the Toronto Raptors who would have been pegged with the Boston Celtics as the teams most likely going to be in a position to take advantage of LeBron James leaving the Conference.

The Golden State Warriors being involved in a fifth straight Western Conference Finals will have been short odds back in August, but the Portland Trail Blazers have upset the odds to join them. Portland have to be respected for winning two Series where their opponents were picked to beat them, but this is another big step up for them.

In this thread I am going to tally up the results and selections from the first four games of the Conference Finals. I will put together a new thread to cover Games 5-7 from next week if necessary.

So far the PlayOffs have been mainly positive for the NBA Picks, but I had a miserable middle part of the Second Round which meant ending with a slight negative. Overall the numbers are still very much on the up going into the Conference Finals.

Tuesday 14th May

Portland Trail Blazers @ Golden State Warriors Game 1 Pick: The big news coming out of this Conference Finals is that Kevin Durant is expected to miss at least the first two games in the Series. Both of those are being played at home for the Golden State Warriors who closed their Second Round Series with the Houston Rockets without Durant, but you can't disguise the absence of the best player in the world and what it could potentially mean to the direction this Series takes.

The Portland Trail Blazers rallied from a huge first half deficit to beat the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of their own Second Round Series and they will be playing with some real belief right now. No one would have picked the Trail Blazers to reach the Western Conference Finals at the beginning of this season after they had been swept out of the First Round of the PlayOffs by the New Orleans Pelicans twelve months ago, but the Trail Blazers have held themselves together for long enough to make their way through to the Conference Finals.

They have had a couple of days to come down from the euphoria of winning a Game 7 on the road, but the Portland Trail Blazers will need to raise their game even more if they are going to upset the Warriors. Even without Durant Golden State showed what they are made of by beating the Houston Rockets in Game 6 on the road and the return to form of Klay Thompson and Steph Curry is pivotal to their chances of having success.

The 'Splash Brothers' can be lights out from the three point range and that is going to be an issue for Portland who will be trying to steal games by outperforming Golden State from that distance. In Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum the Trail Blazers have two players who can get very hot from any distance too, but Lillard has not been at his best in the PlayOffs so far and that has to be a real concern for Portland because they will need both of their top players at their best.

CJ McCollum was the star of Game 7 for Portland, but this is going to be another pressurised environment to play. They did split four games with Golden State in the regular season, but Portland don't really look to be match up that well with the Warriors and especially not with Jusuf Nurkic in the line up.

Enes Kanter has done well in his stead, but the Warriors know they can look to restrict Portland to taking awkward jumpers and I think the superior shooting of the defending Champions can see them through the Series.

In Game 1 I do think the potentially tough seven game Series in the last Round can play against Portland, while Golden State can continue to try and rally together to make up for Durant's absence. The last couple of teams who have won their Conference Second Round Series in Game 7 have been beaten by double digits in Game 1 of the Conference Finals and Golden State are capable of scoring points in bunches to pull away from Portland, even if they remain a tough home team to back against the spread.

Portland are 9-22 against the spread in their last thirty-one games at the Oracle Arena though and they are also just 1-5 against the spread when given 6 or more points as the underdog this season. Zagging after a Portland win has been a good move too as they are 1-5 against the spread in their last six following a win and I do think the emotions of winning their Second Round Series could play into this Game 1.

Unsurprisingly Golden State have some terrible home trends to overcome, but they are 10-4 against the spread in their last fourteen Conference Final games. The Warriors could take advantage if Portland do struggle to make their three pointers in this one and being able to oppose the public with the defending Champions is not a bad thing.

The spread has just come down half a point from opening which may have been down to Kevin Durant's confirmed absence, but I like the Warriors in this one.


Wednesday 15th May
Toronto Raptors @ Milwaukee Bucks Game 1 Pick: The entire Arena had to hold their collective breath as Kawhi Leonard's shot bounced around the rim for what seemed an eternity. Eventually it fell in Game 7 of the Toronto Raptors Second Round Series win over the Philadelphia 76ers and that has taken the Raptors through to the Eastern Conference Finals.

That game was played on Sunday so the Raptors have had a little more time than the Portland Trail Blazers were afforded when they began their own Conference Finals Series on Tuesday. They are also facing a Milwaukee Bucks team who have earned their spot in the final four much faster than the other three teams competing for a place in the NBA Finals and the Raptors may feel they can get the better of a team who might have lost some rhythm from the long rest between games.

The Bucks crushed the Boston Celtics in the Second Round having dropped Game 1 at home when they had been playing on five days rest. This time they are getting six days rest between games and playing a team with their rhythm and adrenaline pumping from a Game 7 win and who also have had enough time to see fatigue drip away.

However, the Milwaukee Bucks have looked very, very impressive in the NBA PlayOffs as they have won eight of nine games and they have covered the number in each of their wins. They also had the better of the Toronto Raptors in the regular season with three wins from the four meetings between these teams and two of those wins came in blow out fashion.

Toronto do have a very good team, but they are going to find it much tougher against Milwaukee than they did against Philadelphia. This time they face a team with a similar depth and also with a star player in Giannis Antetokounmpo who can match the production of Leonard.

Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka could cause one or two problems for the 'Greek Freak' and Gasol's trade was with a potential PlayOff Series against the Bucks in mind. He has been important for Toronto, but I think Milwaukee can match the depth that the Raptors bring and arguably have the better players around their star performer which can make a difference in this Series.

There are a lot of trends that would favour the Bucks, but it can't be ignored that they were only favoured once in the regular season against the Raptors and lost that game at home outright. They are also 5-14-1 against the spread in their last twenty games when playing on three or more days rest and we saw the Bucks lay an egg in Game 1 of the Second Round Series with the Boston Celtics.

The road team is 7-1 against the spread in the last eight between the Raptors and the Bucks and the underdog has covered in seven straight. Having a bit more time than Portland to recover from a Game 7 win in the Second Round has to help the Raptors in this one too and I can't help but think they are the right play in Game 1 of this Series.

Opposing the Milwaukee Bucks is not something I want to do too often during this Series, but Game 1 looks a strong spot to do that. The Bucks winning all eight games while covering in the PlayOffs can't be set aside easily, but I think the Raptors can keep this one competitive at the least even if I am not convinced they have enough to actually win.


Thursday 16th May
There are times when you have to accept you made the right choices when putting your selections together and simply didn't have enough fortune to earn the winner.

That is the case on Wednesday as the Toronto Raptors led for the large part of Game 1, let alone been in a position to cover, but failed to score in the last four minutes and saw the Milwaukee Bucks produce a 10-0 run which helped them win the game by 8 points.

I really don't think that game could have been capped better and anyone backing the Bucks got a break. However that also means the Bucks are 9-1 in the NBA PlayOffs and they have covered the spread in all of their wins, while the Toronto Raptors have to pick themselves up very quickly with Game 2 being scheduled for Saturday.


Portland Trail Blazers @ Golden State Warriors Game 2 Pick: The Golden State Warriors finally blew Game 1 open for good in the fourth quarter and that has seen them hold serve and move into a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Both Steph Curry and Klay Thompson stepped up as they knew they were going to have to without Kevin Durant and the Warriors are going to be looking for more of the same with Durant at least out for Game 2.

It is going back to the basics which made the Warriors the dominant team that Durant wanted to join and that means creating turnovers with their energy Defensively and shooting lights out from the three point arc. Both were in evidence in Game 1, but it needed a real run at the beginning of the fourth quarter to really take control of things and turn the screw on a Portland team that may also have been dealing with fatigue.

That could be a reason for the lacklustre performance from the Trail Blazers who struggled from the field and were not able to look after the ball anything like they need to if they are going to win this Conference Finals. Even then the team are looking at the positives of sticking with the Warriors until the fourth quarter despite not playing their best game and now it is up to Portland to make the adjustments they need to be more competitive.

CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard both have plenty of room for improvement after a slow Game 1 and they are going to be key for the Trail Blazers. While they are not as strong as the back court that the Warriors have, there is enough talent for Lillard and McCollum to at least match the 'Splash Brothers' in a one off game and that is key for Portland who also have to look after the ball much better than they did in Game 1.

Portland have won at the Oracle Arena in the regular season so they should not be overawed by the situation, but it is tough off a seven game Series to be asked to play back to back games on the road. In fact it is the third road game in a row for the Portland Trail Blazers, but the players won't want to return home in a 0-2 hole and I do think it is going to be a real motivated Trail Blazer team who should be a lot better than a couple of nights ago.

I do think the Trail Blazers will shoot much better than they did in Game 1- the reality is I can't imagine they can play as poorly again all around- and the dept of Portland could give them a chance to perhaps steal Home Court. They are appealing with the start on the spread in this one, especially when you think of the Golden State record against the spread at home.

Golden State are 19-41-2 against the spread in their last sixty-two games following a double digit win which is a remarkable number. They also face a Portland team who are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven following a loss and so I can see the road team covering, although I think they are going to have to be much better Offensively to do that.

If they are then this is a game that could surpass the total points line after that number dropped a couple of points from Game 1 to Game 2. I still anticipate the Golden State Warriors to earn their points even if they should be more challenged from the three point line and the 'over' has a strong trend in recent games between these teams and also in recent Portland games when coming in off a loss.

My expectation is an improved Portland who have refocused will come out in Game 2 and I do think the line is right on the money with a case that can be made for both sides. My lean is that the Portland Trail Blazers will cover in Game 2, but I think that will have to happen in a game where both teams hit the triple digit mark by a comfortable margin and so I am going to back this game to surpass the total line being set.


Friday 17th May
Toronto Raptors @ Milwaukee Bucks Game 2 Pick: I was on the Toronto Raptors two nights ago and felt pretty disappointed with the end of Game 1 as they blew a lead and didn't cover the spread thanks to failing to score in the last three minutes. The fans must have felt even worse as the Raptors missed a huge opportunity to steal Home Court in the Eastern Conference Finals and I am struggling to know how Toronto can pick themselves up from such a loss after needing seven games to get through their Second Round Series.

The fact of the matter is they are also facing a much better team than the Philadelphia 76ers and now the Milwaukee Bucks should have shaken off the cobwebs that was clearly evident in their play in Game 1.

They were playing that one off a big rest between games, but this time the Milwaukee Bucks are off a day of rest and I expect them to be a lot more ready to go from the off. Once again they showed they can wear down an opponent and I do worry for the Raptors that their role players are not stepping up to the plate as they would like.

Kyle Lowry had a huge Game 1, but it is hard to expect the Bucks to allow him to dominate from the three point line as he did. I would also expect the Milwaukee shooters to be a lot more ready to go than they were in Game 1 and by the fourth quarter of that one you could see the rhythm was coming back so I am expecting them to pick up from where they left off.

It makes it tough to see how the Raptors can be any better barring someone like Pascal Siakem coming out of his slump. The length of the Bucks makes it very difficult to challenge them and they have some wonderfully strong trends which back them in this one.

The Raptors dropped to 2-5 against the spread in their last seven road games and Milwaukee remain perfect in the post-season against the spread whenever they have won a game. I would have loved to be backing Milwaukee off a straight up loss like I did in the Second Round against the Boston Celtics, but I think the players will be looking to show a much more complete game anyway in Game 2 and I will back them to win and cover.


Saturday 18th May
Golden State Warriors @ Portland Trail Blazers Game 3 Pick: The Portland Trail Blazers are in a similar position as the one the Toronto Raptors were facing in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. After blowing a chance to steal Home Court in the last game, the Trail Blazers have to pick themselves up immediately and try and respond in the right way.

That was not the case for the Toronto Raptors who were blown out by the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 on Friday, but Portland are in an even more desperate position as they return home 0-2 down. Another defeat will all but end this Series and it is hard to see how Portland can play much better than they did in Game 2.

Even the Golden State Warriors admitted that they were fortunate to come away with the win in Game 2, but win they did as they continue to deal without Kevin Durant. The All Star has been ruled out for the next two games as he has not travelled to Portland, but this could be important time off for Durant who is still hoping to be passed fit if the Warriors reach the NBA Finals which is set to begin later this month.

The Warriors are not playing badly without Durant having won their last three full games in his absence and also holding off the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the Second Round Series in which he was injured. They seem to have found a good rhythm that the players had before Durant signed for the team and this does seem to be a difficult spot for Portland having invested so much to come up short on Thursday.

They have some decent trends that favour them and of course there is the recent NBA winning trend of backing a team that is 0-2 down in a Series on the half time spread. The layers have cottoned onto that trend and so Portland are actually by the same amount at half time as they are to win the full game.

Portland did have a big lead at half time of Game 2, but that trend of backing a team 0-2 down in a Series to be covering at the end of the first half has remained true this season. That includes the Houston Rockets doing the same in a Game 3 win over the Golden State Warriors in the Second Round Series and I think that might be the best back to back Portland who should come out with some intensity to try and make this Western Conference Series competitive.


Sunday 19th May
Milwaukee Bucks @ Toronto Raptors Game 3 Pick: The Toronto Raptors need some of their role players to step up right now if they are going to make this Eastern Conference Finals something more than a procession for the Milwaukee Bucks. In reality the Raptors should have been at least level in the Series, but they blew a big chance in Game 1 and were then blown out by the Bucks in Game 2.

It can be easy to overreact to the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks have only held serve so far in the Conference Finals by winning the first couple of games at home. However the Toronto Raptors are under pressure to respond as no team has won a PlayOff Series in the NBA when they have trailed 0-3, but teams have made positive starts to games in which they are trailing 0-2.

That was the case on Saturday when I backed the Portland Trail Blazers on the Half Time spread which saw them cover easily. The problem was they could not contain the Golden State Warriors in the second half and perhaps some fatigue is involved for the two teams who needed a Game 7 to win their Second Round Series.

You can't deny that the Toronto Raptors have to be concerned about that fatigue that has built up with some of their bigger names going cold in the fourth quarter. Being back at home might be a real inspiration though and we have seen Portland cover in the Half Time market on Saturday and the same trends apply for the Raptors here.

I just can't oppose the Milwaukee Bucks who have been so good in the NBA PlayOffs and who should be highly motivated considering the layers have set them as the underdog in this one. This is a team who have a star in Giannis Antetokounmpo, but whose role players are stepping up and different players have taken over the last couple of games to help them lead 2-0.

Milwaukee not only covered as the underdog twice on the road in the PlayOffs at the Boston Celtics, but they also won both of those games straight up. They are 9-2 against the spread as the underdog and you can add in the fact that the Bucks have won twice on the road against the Toronto Raptors already this season and both of those wins have come as the underdog too.

The Bucks have a very strong 20-6-1 record against the spread in their last twenty-seven on the road and the mental edge over the Raptors could see them come on strong in the second half of this one. I did consider laying the points on the Half Time market as I did with the Portland Trail Blazers, but my main belief is the Milwaukee Bucks being able to exert their pressure on the Raptors as they continue to give them plenty of issues with the size they have.

So many factors seem to be pointing to the road underdog winning here and I am going to back Milwaukee to do that in what should be a lower-scoring game than Game 2 barring the referees getting whistle happy again.


Monday 20th May
Golden State Warriors @ Portland Trail Blazers Game 4 Pick: For the second game in a row the Portland Trail Blazers blew the big first half lead they had opened up by going cold in the third quarter. Once again it was the Golden State Warriors taking advantage of that and then wearing down this opponent to move to 3-0 in the Western Conference Finals as they recorded a comfortable win on the road and now have a chance to close the Finals with the first sweep in the post-season in 2019.

It won't be easy for Golden State to do that when you think of the pride with which the Portland Trail Blazers will likely be operating. They were swept out of the PlayOffs by the New Orleans Pelicans in the First Round twelve months ago, but another sweep would be a real body blow for the players to absorb considering they had their chances to win Game 2 and Game 3.

Damian Lillard has not been allowed to dominate the Series and his task has been made all the tougher by news that he is playing with separated ribs. I have no idea how that works, but it sounds excruciatingly painful and puts more pressure on CJ McCollum and the rest of the team to step up for him.

At times different players have managed to get hot from the field, but the Portland Trail Blazers won't be surprised that it has been hard for those role players to maintain their performance throughout the 48 minutes of each game. With the Warriors not changing what they want to do and how they want to Defend against this team, those players have begun to miss the open looks they have received and Golden State have been far too good for Portland.

While I am expecting the crowd and the players to perform with the motivation of wanting to extend this Series at least one more game and avoiding consecutive sweep defeats in the post-season, it may still not be enough for Portland. They have taken two huge mental blows having lost the last two games despite holding big leads at half time and it is tough to imagine how Portland can pick themselves up to really compete at the level they need.

It was Draymond Green who picked up the Warriors in Game 3 on Saturday and this is a team that has performed with a level of comfort even without Kevin Durant. They seem to have rallied together and gone back to the old methods that proved successful even before Durant signed for the team and Portland have not been able to cope with the power scoring surges Golden State have been able to put together.

The body language was not ideal from the Trail Blazers in Game 3 as it slipped away from them, although my one concern in backing the Warriors has to be how much intensity they are going to have in coming out for a sweep. They have needed to rally in the last couple of games with big second half recoveries to wipe out big deficits and I am not sure they will be able to do the same here knowing they will be likely able to close the Series in a couple of days time when it would return to the Oracle Arena.

However if the Trail Blazers are feeling sorry for themselves it could be a real chance for Golden State to get this Series done and then have ample time to rest before the NBA Finals are due to begin. The Warriors are 5-3 against the spread in their last eight games when leading a PlayOff Series 3-0 and all of those have been played on the road which should mean the players are very much aware of what they need to do.

Portland have bounced back from heavy losses and recent trends are favouring them, but the way the last two games have gone has been hard to shift for me. Pride is one thing, but mentally it will be difficult for Portland and I think the Warriors will be able to play their way into Game 4 and eventually pull away for another win and another cover.


Tuesday 21st May
Milwaukee Bucks @ Toronto Raptors Game 4 Pick: A double Overtime was needed for the Toronto Raptors to dig deep and just about hold off the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 3 to pull this Series back to 1-2. The pressure is still on the home team to look after their own court or they could be facing elimination when the Eastern Conference Finals will be heading back to Milwaukee in a couple of days time.

It really took a big effort from the Raptors who basically led from wire to wire, but couldn't quite finish off Milwaukee when they had the chances to do that. Late missed free throws gave the Bucks the chance to keep extending the game and that could have taken something away from the Toronto legs even though they managed to win the game.

Kawhi Leonard had a huge game despite showing an obvious limp during Game 3 as he played 52 minutes. He admitted he is feeling sore, but Leonard has shown he wants to dig deep for his team even though he may be moving on in Free Agency at the end of the season..

Despite the loss, the Milwaukee Bucks have to still be feeling pretty confident about their chances of reaching the NBA Finals to take on the Golden State Warriors. They played as poorly as they have in any game in the PlayOffs and yet they were right there at the end with a chance of winning and that was without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe making a real impact on things.

George Hill continues to step up for the Bucks and give the bench a huge boost and it would not be a big surprise if he is given a starting spot in favour of Bledsoe who has been struggling in the post-season. Those minor adjustments could help Milwaukee move to the brink of reaching the NBA Finals, although I don't think there is anything to really worry about right now and there is a real chance they go into Game 4 with a similar mindset as the last couple of games.

The oddsmakers are certainly expecting to see a positive reaction from Milwaukee as they have been set as the favourite just two days after being the underdog in the same venue. They might be taking no chances in opposing the Bucks who are 21-5 against the spread in their last twenty-six games following a loss and who are 4-1 against the spread in their last five in Toronto.

Toronto have to be respected at home and they are 5-3 against the spread when set as the underdog being given less than 3 points. They also have performed well when hosting the best teams in the NBA, but the fatigue factor has to be going against them after the way Game 3 ended.

With the Milwaukee Bucks showing immense bounce back performances throughout the season, I am expecting a big response from the road team. I can't imagine Antetokounmpo and Middleton both struggling again as much as they did in Game 3 and those two can take the Bucks over the edge here and get into a position to close the Eastern Conference Finals in two days time.

MY PICKS: 14/05 Golden State Warriors - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)
15/05 Toronto Raptors + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
16/05 Golden State Warriors-Portland Trail Blazers Over 218.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
17/05 Milwaukee Bucks - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)
18/05 Portland Trail Blazers - 2.5 Points HALF TIME @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
19/05 Milwaukee Bucks @ 2.10 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
20/05 Golden State Warriors - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)
21/05 Milwaukee Bucks - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

NBA Conference Finals Update: 4-4, - 0.36 Units (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Second Round: 12-11, - 0.04 Units (23 Units Staked, - 0% Yield)

First Round: 23-17, + 4.02 Units (40 Units Staked, + 10.05% Yield)

NBA Play Off Picks 2018- Conference Finals (May 13-22)

The NBA Conference Finals have rolled around after an underwhelming Semi Final Round which saw the four teams progress without losing more than one game in any of those Series.

We are down to the four teams that most would have picked back in October as the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers have come through some difficult Play Off moments to take their place in the Conference Finals.

Of course it hasn't been plain sailing for any of these teams during a long season either but it looks very much like we are going to see another Golden State-Cleveland NBA Finals which would make it the fourth time in a row those teams have met in June.


My NBA Picks in the Play Offs have been downright disgusting and I will make no excuse for that. Some bad picks have been mixed in with some poor luck and that has led to a really poor last month.

Hopefully I can at least end this season with some positives by producing a strong Conference Finals and NBA Finals record, but it has been tough road.


Sunday 13th May
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics Pick: The Eastern Conference Finals begin on Sunday and it would have been the two teams that most would have picked back in October as the most likely to be competing for a spot in the NBA Finals. A long season has seen the expectations remain set, but the belief in the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers has been fluctuating to the say the least.

The Celtics have been hit by the injury bug which has kept Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving out for extended time, but a young roster has rallied together to become greater than the sum of their parts. They have overcome the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers in the first two Rounds of the Play Offs despite being an underdog both times and the Boston Celtics are very comfortable coming into the Eastern Conference Finals with people believing they are the dogs again.

For the Cleveland Cavaliers it has been an up and down season which saw them blow up their roster ahead of the trade deadline as the early chemistry was not coming together as they liked. After a tough Series with the Indiana Pacers in the First Round, the Cleveland Cavaliers look to be peaking at the right time following a sweep of the Number 1 Seeded Toronto Raptors.

LeBron James is the best player on the court by some distance, but the Celtics feel they have the players who can come together and at least slow the progress made by The King. James has been almost impossible to stop so far, but it was the support given to him by the likes of Kevin Love that helped Cleveland dominate the Eastern Conference Semi Final Series in the manner they did.

Those support players are going to be key again as Cleveland try and break down the tough Defensive schemes the Boston Celtics can put together. It is clear Brad Stevens is a top Head Coach and he will have the game plan to try and shut down the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the talent is with the lower Seed and if Cleveland get going the way they did in the Eastern Conference Semi Final Series then they will be very difficult to beat.

The Boston Celtics have shown they are very strong at home as they remain unbeaten here with seven wins in the Play Offs. That has to be respected and the layers are also respecting that with the small spread offered on this game which is very difficult to read.

I can't really decide whether I like the Celtics or the Cavaliers in Game 1 and I can make a case for both.

The better angle may be picking the teams to combine for more than the total points being offered in this one. The Cavaliers have shown strength Offensively with more support coming from the role players and the bench, but the Boston Celtics are a team who can create fast breaks and their young players have been growing game by game.

The total points is almost 10 points shorter than their regular season meetings because of the injuries to the Boston Celtics roster, but they have shown they can perform under this pressure. They are a dangerous team in transition and hit plenty of three pointers themselves and backing the total points line to be surpassed in the opening play.


Monday 14th May
Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets Pick: There will be plenty of people out there who will feel the 'real' NBA Finals is going to be played in the Western Conference Finals with the top two teams out West meeting one another. The defending Champions Golden State Warriors have set the standards for the NBA over the last three seasons and they are almost at dynasty level of success and will reach that mark by winning their third NBA Championship in four years.

Setting the standards means teams strive to put together the roster that will give them confidence of beating the Warriors in a best of seven series. The team that have looked to have done that the best in the 2017/18 season is the Houston Rockets who finished with the best record in the NBA after putting Chris Paul alongside James Harden in the back court.

Paul has been a huge success for the Rockets in the Play Offs as he is making his first appearance in a Conference Finals in his career. It was Paul who was making the big plays as Houston saw off the Utah Jazz in five games in the Conference Semi Final Series, but Harden is never far away from taking over a game himself.

Still, it is a big challenge in front of these two stars as they go up against a Golden State Warriors team who have dominated the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans on their way to a fourth consecutive Western Conference Finals.

Golden State have some of the most talented players in the NBA and they are as healthy as they have been at any time this season as they have looked to have peaked at the right time. It looks like the Warriors have done that and they are starting their top five players which has helped them make strong starts while also picking up their performances on the Defensive side of the court.

Much of the success in this Series is going to come down to which of these teams is most effective from the three point range. That is a key shot for both the Warriors and the Rockets but it does feel like Golden State are trending positively while Houston have gone cold a little too often even during their solid Play Off run.

Going cold against the Jazz and the Timberwolves isn't a big issue, but going cold against the Golden State Warriors can see teams find themselves quickly being blown out in what was otherwise a close game.

That is my fear for the Rockets and I do think Golden State are going to win this Series perhaps easier than most people would expect. The first two games in Houston are huge for the Rockets who have to find a way to try and get into a 2-0 lead before heading to the Oracle Arena later this week.

Ultimately I think the Golden State Warriors are playing the better basketball at the moment and I would not be surprised in the slightest if they are able to win both games on the road. With Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Stephen Curry all looking like they are getting into their best basketball I think the Warriors can be backed as the underdog to win Game 1 in Houston.

Of course you have to respect Houston who can get very comfortable from the three point range when they begin to feel their best basketball. However their numbers are down across the Play Offs from that arc and I think the Warriors will take advantage in Game 1 to steal away home court advantage immediately.


Tuesday 15th May
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics Pick: Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals was dominated by the Boston Celtics who maintained their unbeaten run at home in the Play Offs after leading the Cleveland Cavaliers from wire to wire. The young players who have grown up in the post-season continue to share the ball around and all make a significant impact on the game and Boston are going to feel good about their chances of making it 2-0 against the Cavaliers before heading to Cleveland for two games later this week.

Defensively Boston were very strong as they made sure LeBron James was not able to take over as he has done so often in the Play Offs this season and throughout his career. It was a sub-par effort from James, who would admit that himself, but there is no panic from a player who has been a regular in the NBA Finals for the last decade.

As James himself stated after Game 1 this is not 'March Madness' and the Cavaliers have the chance to make the adjustments they need to level up this Series.

The Celtics know they have to expect a big reaction from James and the Cavaliers and Brad Stevens is going to try and make the adjustments to counter what Cleveland bring to the table. Boston can't expect the Cavaliers to be as poor from the three point range as they were in Game 1 especially when you consider some of the really open looks that were failed to be knocked down.

It was the role players who really struggled for Cleveland in Game 1 and they recognise they need to step up their play if they are going to win a tough Series against the short-handed Boston Celtics. Tristan Thompson may be restored to the starting line up to try and give Al Horford a bigger challenge and the layers are finding it tough to separate these teams with Boston the narrow favourites in Game 2 having been a small underdog in Game 1.

I do like the chances of Cleveland bouncing back in Game 2 as that is something they have done throughout LeBron James' time in the Play Offs off a defeat. You have to think they are going to be better shooting the ball in Game 2 now they are playing with a little more rhythm having had a few days to rest ahead of Game 1 and James is likely to go back to all out attack mode which is difficult for any opponent to slow down.

The underdog might be worth a play, but I also think the market in Game 1 that I backed has to be worth looking at again. The Boston Celtics continue to play well Offensively at home and I expect Cleveland to be a lot better than 36% from the field if they get anything like the open shots they missed in Game 1.

The total points line has come down slightly from Game 1, but it did have a shot to surpass that line if Cleveland had not made such a poor start to the Fourth Quarter. As I am anticipating a much better performance from the road team and expecting Boston to maintain their scoring power at home, this maybe yet another home Play Off game the Celtics play which goes 'over' the total.


Wednesday 16th May
Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets Pick: The Golden State Warriors may not be the higher Seed in this Western Conference Finals, but their performance in Game 1 will have underlined to the Houston Rockets that they remain the team to beat in the NBA. A dominant second half allowed the Warriors to pull away for a comfortable win and steal away home court with the return to California coming after Game 2.

That doesn't mean the Warriors are satisfied with what they have done in Game 1 and they will very much be looking for another win on the road to move into a dominant position in the Series. Steve Kerr will be expecting the Houston Rockets to make the adjustments to try and level the Series and he is going to be looking to put his players in a position where they can secure a 2-0 lead and perhaps look for a big time sweep later in the week.

Golden State have the talent to do that and the Rockets know they have to find a way to get their shooters in a better position to have an impact in Game 2. James Harden got his bucketload of points as usual, but it was clear the Warriors were settling for that and making sure the the three point shot was not a major factor outside of the superstar.

You could see the attitude clearly with the lack of assists Harden got to the outside shooters, while Chris Paul was also limited. Expect the Houston Rockets to try and get Stephen Curry into more one on one Defensive plays which is an area they excelled at in Game 1, but both Harden and Paul know they need one or two more players to step up to the plate if they are going to win this one.

It looks a long shot and I said before Game 1 and even before this Series began that I thought Golden State were going to be far too good for the Rockets. Nothing has really changed my mind and even the expected adjustments made by the home team may not be enough to get out of this Series with more than a single win.

I just can't have the Golden State Warriors as the underdog for a second game in a row especially when you consider they know there is still room for improvement. Of course the Houston Rockets could see their role players find their feet and hit a huge number of three pointers which could change this game, but Golden State look the more effective Offensively and they look the superior team Defensively while the experience of having won rings cannot be downplayed in any way.

The teams barely finished 'under' the total points line in Game 1 and I think they may get a few more points on the board with Houston expected to play with a little more speed, but ultimately I am looking for the underdog to bite again and move the Warriors into a commanding position in the Series.


Saturday 19th May
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers Pick: LeBron James is simply not used to being in a position like this one as his Cleveland Cavaliers return to their home Arena 0-2 down in the Eastern Conference Finals. NBA teams who fall to 0-3 in the Play Offs do not win Series so there is a lot of pressure on the Cleveland Cavaliers to find the right formula to take down the Boston Celtics.

A poor second half Offensively cost the Cleveland Cavaliers a chance to steal away home court in Game 2 and ultimately they have fallen to another double digit loss. While the Cavaliers have felt the more up and down team, Boston have continued playing their steady basketball and their strong Defensive schemes have helped them get back into games.

The Celtics have won the first two games in different ways with the first coming wire to wire and the second seeing them come from behind to wear down the Cavaliers. That is going to give this young team a lot of confidence, but it is hard to ignore the difference between their home form and road form in the Play Offs.

While the Celtics have won all nine home Play Off games so far, Boston are also 1-4 on the road and that is an issue for them. It may not be a crucial factor in this Series if the Celtics keep playing as well as they are at home, but the NBA Final is going to be on the road and the young roster are going to try and prove they are capable by winning at least one of the road games here in Cleveland.

Boston still believe there is better to come from them but much is going to depend on how much consistency they can get from the three point shot. They also have to keep the Cleveland role players quiet having frustrated JR Smith to the point of Smith committing some obvious flagrant fouls in Game 2 which almost sparked a brawl.

That is also what Cleveland have to be focusing on- they know they are going to get a big game from LeBron James, but they won't win this game unless they are getting more from other sources.

You have to expect Cleveland are going to come out hot as they did in Game 2 and I think they can be backed on the first half spread which continues to provide a positive return for those teams down 0-2 in the Play Offs. Those teams are 4-2 against the spread in the six times that situation has been seen in this year's Play Offs and it has a very strong record over the last couple of years.

With a hot home crowd behind them, I think the Cleveland Cavaliers are going to come out with focus to take the game to a Boston Celtics team who have not been as strong on the road. The Celtics might be the better overall team in this Series, but Cleveland should not go down without a fight and I will back them to be leading and covering the number at the end of the first half.


Monday 21st May
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers Pick: All three games in this Eastern Conference Finals have been uncompetitive and the blow out win for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 has halved the deficit in the Series. They will be looking to get back to 2-2 before the Eastern Conference Finals moves back to Boston later this week and Cleveland will be hoping they can pick up from where they left off in Game 3.

LeBron James is always going to the key player for the Cavaliers, but he was given the kind of support he has been looking for throughout this Series. This time the role players managed to have a big impact in the game with the likes of George Hill and JR Smith scoring the points and using their aggressiveness to help break down the Boston Defensive shapes which had been so important in helping them get to a 2-0 position in the Series.

The Celtics will be looking to make adjustments to slow down the Cavaliers who got back on track Offensively. It is a big test for Boston considering how poorly they have played in the 2018 Play Offs on the road as they dropped a fifth game in six road games in the post-season.

Offensively they have not been the same team on the road as they have been at home and Brad Stevens has to find a way to give his players the belief out of their comfort zone at the TD Garden. The younger players are building an experience that will serve them well in future seasons, but they have just found it tough to produce their best basketball in tougher road environments.

I have to expect Boston are going to be more competitive than they were in Game 3 and the spread looks much harder to call in Game 4. The total continues to be a happy hunting ground for 'under' backers but they have been fortunate in each of the last two games and I think this may be the time for the 'over' to finally come in.

It has taken the teams to go cold in the final two minutes of each of the last two games to prevent the 'over' coming in, but a more competitive finish should mean there are at least some fouls down the stretch. With Cleveland likely to continue to play aggressively and Boston unlikely to only hit six three pointers like they did in Game 3 I think the over is going to be a winner in this one.


Tuesday 22nd May
Houston Rockets @ Golden State Warriors Pick: A 41 point blow out in Game 3 has put the Golden State Warriors 2-1 ahead in the Western Conference Finals against the Houston Rockets and they will be looking to back that up with another in Game 4. The Series is finely balanced with the Warriors looking to cement home advantage by holding serve in Game 4, but the Houston Rockets have shown some heart by bouncing back from their previous losses in the Play Offs.

A win for the Rockets will mean they have made the Western Conference Finals a best of three situation with two of those games to be played at home. However a loss for the Rockets will raise a lot of questions as they would be on the brink of elimination in a season where they finished with the most wins in the NBA.

That puts some pressure on Houston going into Game 4, even if Mike D'Antoni is doing his best to shift that away from his players by suggesting this game is more important to Golden State. D'Antoni will be looking for a reaction from his team who have won the game after their previous three losses in the Play Offs by an average of over 20 points per game.

Winning on the road against the Golden State Warriors who have won sixteen home Play Off games in a row is a huge challenge though and much bigger than when Houston won Game 2 at home after dropping Game 1 in this Series. The 41 point blow out highlighted the difference between the teams when the Rockets even come slightly off the boil and I do think the Warriors are the better team.

Seeing Stephen Curry get back on track would be a huge boost for Golden State who have some of the best shooters in the NBA which makes them incredibly tough to defend when they are playing like they did last time out. That Offensive fire has fed into the Defensive performances and once again the Warriors shut down the role players Houston need to make this a competitive Series.

They will be looking to do the same again on Tuesday although the potential absence of Andre Iguodala is a blow for the home team. That is countered by Houston with Chris Paul struggling for full health and it just feels like it could be another long evening for Houston if their players like Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker are not finding their mark from the three point range.

Golden State have always looked the more steady team to me and they know either Curry, Klay Thompson or Kevin Durant are never too far away from getting hot from the field. The home performances in the Play Offs make the Warriors clear favourites to win it all from here and I think they can win by another double digit margin against the Rockets.

I have not doubt this game will be closer than Game 3, but ultimately I like the Warriors to get it going and eventually be able to pull away from the Number 1 Seed. The Rockets will make it easy for Golden State if they struggle from the field as they did last time out, but even a more competitive overall performance may not be enough to change the actual outcome of this game.


Wednesday 23rd May
Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics Pick: Both of the Conference Finals are heating up with both Series at 2-2 which means a best of three game situation to determine which teams will be playing in the NBA Finals that begin later this month. The Eastern Conference Finals has seen both the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers holding serve at home but the momentum is with the latter who have come from 0-2 down back to 2-2.

That won't be a massive concern for Boston who had the same situation in the First Round of the Play Offs when facing the Milwaukee Bucks. In that Series Boston managed to win all four home games to take the Series in seven games and they have maintained their perfect home record in the Play Offs by winning all nine games played in the TD Garden.

It will give Boston plenty of confidence to take into Game 5 especially when you think of the points they left on the court in Game 4. I have never seen a team miss as many layups and dunks as the Boston Celtics did in Game 4 and those led to transition baskets for the Cavaliers and proved to be a big difference in a close game.

Boston remain confident they can get back on track on their return home and much of that is down to the good looks they got in Game 4. The team as a whole have been much better at home than on the road and adding in that factor means they will be a little disrespected as being set as a narrow underdog in Game 5.

The teams have both continued to break down the Defensive schemes set by the other and I think it is reasonable to back the over in another game. Once again it was a quiet end to Game 4 which almost saw these teams slip under the total again, but I think both are playing well enough Offensively to earn another surpassing of the total points line.

Cleveland have not played as well in Boston as they did in the last two games at home, but they have some momentum now. Kevin Love has been struggling for consistency, but JR Smith and Kyle Korver have stepped up their impact from the three point line and Cleveland will be looking for those two players to bring that onto the road.

LeBron James will continue playing his big game, but I expect Boston to respond to the punches they have taken in Game 3 and Game 4 and I think this is going to be a fun Game 5.


Thursday 24th May
Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets Pick: A terrible Fourth Quarter in Game 4 cost the Golden State Warriors a chance to win and move into a 3-1 position in the Western Conference Finals. The 12 points scored in the final Quarter means the Warriors have also given up home court advantage as the Series moves into a best of three with the Houston Rockets feeling they have the momentum behind them.

The Rockets will be looking to become the first team in the Series to win back to back games when they return home on Thursday. This is also a time when fatigue begins to show on teams and they are looking to produce the same kind of Defensive effort which helped them drag the Warriors back who had a double digit lead going into the Fourth Quarter before falling away.

Much of the success for the Houston Rockets depends on getting someone other than James Harden going. In Game 4 it was Chris Paul who produced his best game of the Western Conference Finals as he continues to battle through a foot issue as he tries to reach his first NBA Finals.

Houston will be looking to keep the momentum going from the final Quarter on Tuesday, but they have to expect better from the Warriors who felt they fatigued a little bit. Losing Andre Iguodala, who is questionable for Game 5, means the rotation is a little less deep while Steve Kerr admitted he was trying to get some rest into his players.

There isn't a big concern that this fatigue has settled in, but the lead may have been a factor in Game 4 and Kerr expects his team to respond in the right way. Even the players are speaking with the confidence that comes from having won two of three visits to Houston this season and knowing it was as much to do with themselves as any Rockets improvement that they are not 3-1 ahead in the Series.

Nothing has really happened in this Series for me to change my opinion that the Warriors are the superior team and I think they bounce back from the last loss. Both teams have shown character to come back from defeats which has to be respected and I have been more impressed with the Rockets than I thought I would be.

However I think the Golden State Warriors should have won Game 4 and they look like a group who still very much believe they can turn the screw on the Rockets when they need to. This is one of those situations and I will back the Warriors as the underdog to come through with a win.


Friday 25th May
Boston Celtics @ Cleveland Cavaliers Pick: The Boston Celtics have continued their home dominance in the NBA Play Offs and they have moved to the brink of making the NBA Finals against all the odds. Nothing is confirmed for the Celtics despite moving into a 3-2 lead as they have struggled in their two road games in Cleveland and the Cavaliers are going to be a desperate team looking to save their season.

LeBron James is potentially playing his last ever home game for the Cleveland Cavaliers and there is every chance this could be his last game for his home team period. While he has been a strong presence throughout the NBA Play Offs, there were definite signs of fatigue in Game 5 which has to be a big worry for the Cavaliers.

There is too much inconsistency from the role players to expect Cleveland to win this Eastern Conference Finals without James at the very top of his game, but I would anticipate a response from The King. His streak of seven straight NBA Finals is on the line here and James has routinely saved his very best for these situations which is going to be on the minds of the Celtics players as they travel to Cleveland for Game 6.

It also has to be noted that Boston have overachieved, but their talented young group have not been as good on the road as they have at home. A single road win this deep into the Play Offs highlights that, while the points per game differential between home and road games is also clear for anyone to see.

Slow starts have been their downfall in both games in Cleveland whereas the Celtics have rode the energy of the crowd in all three home games to make much more positive beginnings. This is a key factor at play, but Boston look fresher than the Cavaliers at this point and they must feel their time has come to record a huge statement road win.

Backing against LeBron in desperation mode is not easy, but the Boston Defensive unit are all over James and that has contributed to the fatigue he is feeling. Barring Kevin Love, George Hill and JR Smith combining for a huge game or someone coming off the bench and making a deep impact this looks a big test for the Cavaliers and one they may just have to dig deep to pass.

Digging deep means I am anticipating a close game in a Series which has not really produced one yet. All five games have been won in strong style by the home team, but I think this is the time for the Celtics to punch Cleveland in the mouth early and have every chance to win this Series on Friday.

Taking the points with the road team looks the way to go and I am hoping they don't make the poor start which has cost them in Game 3 and Game 4 here.

MY PICKS: 13/05 Boston Celtics-Cleveland Cavaliers Over 204.5 Points @ 1.90 Bet Victor (1 Unit)
14/05 Golden State Warriors @ 2.10 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
15/05 Cleveland Cavaliers @ 2.00 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
15/05 Boston Celtics-Cleveland Cavaliers Over 203.5 Points @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (1 Unit)
16/05 Golden State Warriors @ 2.10 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
16/05 Houston Rockets-Golden State Warriors Over 224.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
19/05 Cleveland Cavaliers - 5.5 Points First Half Spread @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
21/05 Cleveland Cavaliers-Boston Celtics Over 205.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
22/05 Golden State Warriors - 8.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
23/05 Boston Celtics @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)
23/05 Boston Celtics-Cleveland Cavaliers Over 204.5 Points @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (1 Unit)
24/05 Golden State Warriors @ 1.95 Betfair Sportsbook (1 Unit)
25/05 Boston Celtic + 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Conference Finals Update: 5-7, - 2.32 Units (12 Unit Staked, - 19.33% Yield)