PICK: under
Your pick will be graded at: 190.5 betED
EXPERT: Stephen Nover
REASON FOR PICK: The Cavaliers are out of balance on offense. Most likely they'll win this home game down 3-1, but they'll do it with defense.
Orlando isn't going to shoot 50 percent like it did in Game 4, nor make 17-of-38 shots from beyond the arc. Cleveland's perimeter defense is too strong for that. I don't trust Orlando's erratic point guard Rafer Alston on the road either.
LeBron James is the best player in basketball. His offense gets all the attention. But he's also become a darn good defender, too. Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is a defensive-oriented coach. He knows he's going to need James on the defensive end, which could mean less James on offense and more of a reliance on the lesser Cavaliers scorers.
Cavaliers on the money line probably is the safest play. But I wouldn't recommend laying that kind of price. The Magic have been playing too well for the Cavaliers to be laying this many points. But Cleveland is due. I expect the Cavaliers to have their strongest defensive game. So my play is on the under for three units with the total jacked up because of the Game 4 explosion
Your pick will be graded at: 190.5 betED
EXPERT: Stephen Nover
REASON FOR PICK: The Cavaliers are out of balance on offense. Most likely they'll win this home game down 3-1, but they'll do it with defense.
Orlando isn't going to shoot 50 percent like it did in Game 4, nor make 17-of-38 shots from beyond the arc. Cleveland's perimeter defense is too strong for that. I don't trust Orlando's erratic point guard Rafer Alston on the road either.
LeBron James is the best player in basketball. His offense gets all the attention. But he's also become a darn good defender, too. Cavaliers coach Mike Brown is a defensive-oriented coach. He knows he's going to need James on the defensive end, which could mean less James on offense and more of a reliance on the lesser Cavaliers scorers.
Cavaliers on the money line probably is the safest play. But I wouldn't recommend laying that kind of price. The Magic have been playing too well for the Cavaliers to be laying this many points. But Cleveland is due. I expect the Cavaliers to have their strongest defensive game. So my play is on the under for three units with the total jacked up because of the Game 4 explosion
clear up the confusion
jeff benton
Thursday's winner ...
30 Dime: CAVALIERS in the First Half ONLY (minus the points vs. Magic)
SPECIAL NOTE: This is a first-half play on Cleveland ONLY! Again, you're to play Cleveland minust the points in the first half!
Cavaliers (First Half ONLY)
Surprised? Surprised after riding the Magic four straight times and cashing four straight winners in this series that I would jump off Orlando tonight in Game 5 despite the fact it has all the momentum while the Cavaliers have all the pressure. Despite the fact the Magic have OWNED Cleveland? Despite the fact I’ve been telling you for more than a week now that Orlando is a terrible matchup for the Cavaliers? Allow me to explain.First off, even though they’ve had major problems with the Magic for the last two-plus seasons, I have no doubt that the Cavaliers are going to win this game tonight and force a Game 6. Not to go all Oliver Stone on you, but you can be sure that the NBA has sent word to its officiating crew tonight to, well, let’s just say protect the home team, much the same way that the Lakers were protected versus the Nuggets last night. I am not, however, 100 percent confident that Cleveland can cover this big number for the entire game, because, A) they haven’t shown all season they can cash against Orlando, and B) they’ve been prone to second-half collapses in this series.
On the other hand, the Cavs have been an outstanding first-half team in this series. Get this: In Games 1 and 2 at home, Cleveland led Orlando 63-48 and 56-44 at the break, easily cashing the first-half ticket in both games. Then in Game 3 in Orlando, the Cavs trailed just 42-41 after two periods, but they came back in Game 4 on Tuesday and had a 58-50 halftime advantage.In fact, if you check out Cleveland’s boxscores in their six playoff home games so far, you’ll see they led at halftime in every contest by the following margins: 12, 14, 5, 24, 15 and 12 points. And they covered the spread in five of those six games, and with one more bucket in Game 1 against Atlanta, the Cavs would be 6-for-6 in first halves at home.Bottom line: If there’s one thing I’m absolutely certain of tonight it’s that the Cavs are going to come out like a team possessed, and nobody more so than LeBron James. At the same time, the Magic have come out flat in the first half in every game of this series so far, getting outscored by an average margin of 54.5 to 46. Now, up 3-1 in this series, it would only be natural for Orlando to lack focus and intensity in this contest, at least early on. If that happens, there’s a very good chance the Cavaliers will go into the locker room at the half up 20-plus points.
Simply put, without question the best value on the board tonight is the first half of this Game 5 showdown in Cleveland. Look for the Cavaliers to make an early statement and pounce on Orlando from the opening tip and cash easily.
jeff benton
Thursday's winner ...
30 Dime: CAVALIERS in the First Half ONLY (minus the points vs. Magic)
SPECIAL NOTE: This is a first-half play on Cleveland ONLY! Again, you're to play Cleveland minust the points in the first half!
Cavaliers (First Half ONLY)
Surprised? Surprised after riding the Magic four straight times and cashing four straight winners in this series that I would jump off Orlando tonight in Game 5 despite the fact it has all the momentum while the Cavaliers have all the pressure. Despite the fact the Magic have OWNED Cleveland? Despite the fact I’ve been telling you for more than a week now that Orlando is a terrible matchup for the Cavaliers? Allow me to explain.First off, even though they’ve had major problems with the Magic for the last two-plus seasons, I have no doubt that the Cavaliers are going to win this game tonight and force a Game 6. Not to go all Oliver Stone on you, but you can be sure that the NBA has sent word to its officiating crew tonight to, well, let’s just say protect the home team, much the same way that the Lakers were protected versus the Nuggets last night. I am not, however, 100 percent confident that Cleveland can cover this big number for the entire game, because, A) they haven’t shown all season they can cash against Orlando, and B) they’ve been prone to second-half collapses in this series.
On the other hand, the Cavs have been an outstanding first-half team in this series. Get this: In Games 1 and 2 at home, Cleveland led Orlando 63-48 and 56-44 at the break, easily cashing the first-half ticket in both games. Then in Game 3 in Orlando, the Cavs trailed just 42-41 after two periods, but they came back in Game 4 on Tuesday and had a 58-50 halftime advantage.In fact, if you check out Cleveland’s boxscores in their six playoff home games so far, you’ll see they led at halftime in every contest by the following margins: 12, 14, 5, 24, 15 and 12 points. And they covered the spread in five of those six games, and with one more bucket in Game 1 against Atlanta, the Cavs would be 6-for-6 in first halves at home.Bottom line: If there’s one thing I’m absolutely certain of tonight it’s that the Cavs are going to come out like a team possessed, and nobody more so than LeBron James. At the same time, the Magic have come out flat in the first half in every game of this series so far, getting outscored by an average margin of 54.5 to 46. Now, up 3-1 in this series, it would only be natural for Orlando to lack focus and intensity in this contest, at least early on. If that happens, there’s a very good chance the Cavaliers will go into the locker room at the half up 20-plus points.
Simply put, without question the best value on the board tonight is the first half of this Game 5 showdown in Cleveland. Look for the Cavaliers to make an early statement and pounce on Orlando from the opening tip and cash easily.
Brandon "Bustout" LANG
B Lang
Thursday ...
10 Dime Cavaliers (first half)
10 Dime Orioles
10 Dime Dodgers
5 Dime Twins
5 Dime Magic
Free pick - Over Magic/Cavaliers(See daily video for your analysis on this game)
NOTE: My daughter came into this world at 3:24 a.m. at 7 pounds, 5 ounces.
According to the hospital staff every baby's delivery gets a rating between 1 thru 10; mine came in a 9 1/2. Everything went perfect.
Thank god she looks like her mother.
It was as surreal an experience as I've ever witnessed. Tiring to say the least, but well worth it. My lovely wife was fantastic. What a trooper. I have to admitt, after watching the whole deal soup to nuts, we men have it easy.
One of my favorite books is Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie." Near the end of the book Morrie tells Mitch about having a child. Says it will change Mitch's life if he ever has one.
He was right.
Now back to work. I want four of six winning days today setting the table for some big happenings Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Time for a winning day on my daughters first day on the planet earth.
5 Dime Twins - Red-hot Minnesota might not be lighting the league on fire, but those bats sure are smoking. Everything seems to be going right for the boys from the Twin Cities, and I'm going to side with them in this matinee affair against the BoSox. They've taken two straight since losing the series-opener to Boston, and though it's Josh Beckett toeing the rubber today, his road ERA is less than impressive and I'd much rather have the home team in the Homer Domer. Beckett, who is 2-2 on the highway, has seen two of his road starts soar past the number much in part because of his 6.08 ERA with a suitcase in hand. We're better off with right-hander Anthony Swarzak, who looked solid in his MLB debut, and was poised as the game went on this past Saturday against Milwaukee. Seven scoreless frames in an MLB debut, I'll take my chances with the Twinkies in this matinee affair.
Analysis on these later games due back by 4 p.m. eastern
10 Dime Cavaliers (first half)
10 Dime Orioles
10 Dime Dodgers
5 Dime Magic
B Lang
Thursday ...
10 Dime Cavaliers (first half)
10 Dime Orioles
10 Dime Dodgers
5 Dime Twins
5 Dime Magic
Free pick - Over Magic/Cavaliers(See daily video for your analysis on this game)
NOTE: My daughter came into this world at 3:24 a.m. at 7 pounds, 5 ounces.
According to the hospital staff every baby's delivery gets a rating between 1 thru 10; mine came in a 9 1/2. Everything went perfect.
Thank god she looks like her mother.
It was as surreal an experience as I've ever witnessed. Tiring to say the least, but well worth it. My lovely wife was fantastic. What a trooper. I have to admitt, after watching the whole deal soup to nuts, we men have it easy.
One of my favorite books is Mitch Albom's "Tuesdays with Morrie." Near the end of the book Morrie tells Mitch about having a child. Says it will change Mitch's life if he ever has one.
He was right.
Now back to work. I want four of six winning days today setting the table for some big happenings Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Time for a winning day on my daughters first day on the planet earth.
5 Dime Twins - Red-hot Minnesota might not be lighting the league on fire, but those bats sure are smoking. Everything seems to be going right for the boys from the Twin Cities, and I'm going to side with them in this matinee affair against the BoSox. They've taken two straight since losing the series-opener to Boston, and though it's Josh Beckett toeing the rubber today, his road ERA is less than impressive and I'd much rather have the home team in the Homer Domer. Beckett, who is 2-2 on the highway, has seen two of his road starts soar past the number much in part because of his 6.08 ERA with a suitcase in hand. We're better off with right-hander Anthony Swarzak, who looked solid in his MLB debut, and was poised as the game went on this past Saturday against Milwaukee. Seven scoreless frames in an MLB debut, I'll take my chances with the Twinkies in this matinee affair.
Analysis on these later games due back by 4 p.m. eastern
10 Dime Cavaliers (first half)
10 Dime Orioles
10 Dime Dodgers
5 Dime Magic
