NBA Playoffs – Has the Heat Been Extinguished?
NBA Playoffs – Has the Heat Been Extinguished?
When the Chicago Bulls took and early exit from the NBA playoffs, most people could understand why. Once the injuries took out almost half of the Bulls' starting lineup and all of the Bulls' star players, it was not difficult to imagine Chicago having problems advancing to the next round. But the Miami Heat was supposed to be that force in the NBA that was going to make it to its second consecutive NBA Finals appearance and, this time, take home the title. Many bettors are starting to realize that the Belmont Stakes betting for the Triple Crown is getting easier than betting on the NBA playoffs.
The Boston Celtics were the sentimental favorite who came into the playoffs flying the familiar flag of "experience over youth." Most times, that flag is fairly inaccurate. Experienced teams do not always win when the big games come up. When the NBA Eastern Conference Finals started, people expected the Miami Heat to walk right over the Celtics. But Boston has actually parlayed its experience into an advantage and has pushed the Heat to the brink of elimination. The Heat must now try to win a game six on the road to keep its playoff hopes alive. This is certainly not what the experts had expected.
Miami Heat : The best online sports betting sites were calling Chris Bosh the "throw-in player" of the Heat's "big three." But it has become obvious that when Bosh is not in the lineup, the Heat struggle. Last season, Bosh was out with an injury and the Heat struggled. In these playoffs, Bosh has been out for 10 consecutive games with an injury and the Heat has struggled. The Miami Heat look completely distracted and off its game. LeBron James was tearing up the court in the earlier rounds of the playoffs, but he has almost completely disappeared in this series. Miami needs to get its collective head back in the game if it wants to win game six and extend the series.
Boston Celtics : If online betting enthusiasts want to find a reason to be concerned about the Boston Celtics it is that Boston looks surprised to be winning. The Celtics celebrated its victory in game five like it had just won the NBA title. A team full of veterans with championship rings should not look so surprised when it wins. On the other hand, it is nice to see a team of players that has already done it all still look genuinely excited to be winning basketball games. The Celtics just need to keep doing what it is doing to get to the NBA Finals.
The Bottom Line : The contrast between the Boston bench and the Miami bench is extremely easy to see. The Celtics look relaxed and happy at the way it is playing. Even when the Celtics get down on the scoreboard, the energy on the bench never wanes. The Miami bench looks somber and concerned at all times. There is a lack of intensity and focus that happens with teams that expect to win, but are unfamiliar as to how to actually go out and win a championship.
Pick: Boston Celtics Bet the Celtics at Betonline. Get the best odds, a free $900 bet, and USA bettors are welcome. Get your free bet here.
