The 2013 NBA playoffs are set to continue, and today at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be keeping a close eye on the series between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. These two should be going at it in a great set of battles, and we are going to have our NBA playoffs predictions and scores update on a nightly basis for this and all of the great series throughout the playoffs. Check back to this page often, as we will be updating our final scores and our series analysis so you can make the most informed NBA picks every step of the way in this series.

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks NBA Playoff Schedule

Pacers Win Series 4-2

Game 1: Indiana Pacers 102 – New York Knicks 95
Game 2: Indiana Pacers 79 – New York Knicks 105
Game 3: New York Knicks 71 – Indiana Pacers 82
Game 4: New York Knicks 82 – Indiana Pacers 93
Game 5: Indiana Pacers 75 – New York Knicks 85
Game 6: New York Knicks 99 – Indiana Pacers 106

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks Series Odds at
5Dimes Sportsbook
Indiana Pacers -400
New York Knicks +300
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Pacers vs. Knicks Series Update
Game 1: Home court advantage has already flipped hands. The Pacers outscored New York 59-38 in the second and third quarters combined, and the Knicks simply had no answer whatsoever. G DJ Augustin came off the bench and knocked down four threes, scoring 16 points. The five starters for Indiana also scored at least 11 points apiece. Not surprisingly, when the Knicks lose, F Carmelo Anthony and G JR Smith just didn’t shoot the ball well. These two went just 14-of-43 between them. That won’t cut it against this Indiana team, which is a heck of a lot better than the recently banished Celtics. Pacers 102 – Knicks 95 (Pacers Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: Believe it or not, Game 2 was a relatively close game until the Knicks went on a 30-2 run to put things away in the fourth quarter. New York ended up outscoring the Pacers by 20 in the final stanza, and things could have been a heck of a lot worse had that run come earlier in the game. F Carmelo Anthony played an efficient game, as he shot 13-of-26 from the field and scored 32 points. G JR Smith still struggled, but Indiana just couldn’t get things going. The team uncharacteristically only pulled down 35 boards (largely thanks to New York shooting 49.4% from the field), and it turned it over 21 times. The telling stat of the game? Indiana had 66 shots. The Knicks had 89 shots. You’re not going to win games when you don’t shoot the basketball as many times as your opponents. Knicks 105 – Pacers 79 (Series Tied 1-1)

Game 3: If you didn’t believe in how good the Pacers were defensively before, you certainly do now. It feels like the whole shot chart has been littered with bad shot selection for New York, but the Knicks are only taking what the Pacers are giving them looks at. New York shot just 35.2 percent from the field, and though Indiana didn’t do any better at 35.0 percent, it had 13 more rebounds, thus nine more shots from the floor. C Roy Hibbert scored 24 and pulled down 12 boards to lead the way for Indiana. The Knicks only had one double digit point scorer, and that was F Carmelo Anthony with 21. Pacers 82 – Knicks 71 (Pacers Lead Series 2-1)

Game 4: It’s more of the same story for the Knicks and the Pacers in this one. Indiana has figured out how to dominate on the defensive side of the court, and New York hasn’t figured out how to counter that. G JR Smith only scored 19 points, and it took 22 shots for him to do that. F Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points, but that took 23 shots to accomplish. G Iman Shumpert, F Kenyon Martin, and G Jason Kidd combined to shoot 0-for-11 from the field. Meanwhile, the Pacers weren’t fantastic offensively, but they won because they dominated on the boards, they only turned the ball over 12 times, and they took advantage of their opportunities. Getting 26 points from G George Hill didn’t hurt either. Indiana is on the verge of a date with the Heat. Pacers 93 – Knicks 82 (Pacers Lead Series 3-1)

Game 5: At least for one more night, the Knicks have survived. With G George Hill out with a concussion, G DJ Augustin was forced into the starting lineup for the Pacers, and though he knocked down three triples in the game, he wasn’t the most effective player in the world. Instead, F Paul George led the way with 23 points, but he didn’t get a heck of a lot of help from anyone else on his team. F Carmelo Anthony scored 28 points on 12-of-28 shooting, and though that was far too many shots for that many points, the team picked up the slack on the defensive side of the court by forcing 19 turnovers. The Pacers were just a mess offensively, and they are going to have to play better ball than this if they want to win this series still. Knicks 85 – Pacers 75 (Pacers Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: The Knicks had one of their best quarters of basketball in the third quarter when they really needed it, scoring 34 points and drawing level in a game that they had to win. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t end up capitalizing on it. G Raymond Felton didn’t hit a single shot from the field, and G JR Smith hit just 4-of-15 to kill New York’s chances. G George Hill was back in the lineup, and even though he only shot 2-of-10 from the field, the game looked a lot more normal for the Pacers. G Lance Stephenson led the way with 25 points, while F Paul George had 23, and C Roy Hibbert scored 21 with 12 boards and five blocks. Indiana hit 34 foul shots in the game and turned the ball over just nine times. New York didn’t have a single fast break point in what turned out to be its last game of the season. Pacers 106 – Knicks 99 (Pacers Win Series 4-2)

2013 Pacers vs. Knicks Series Preview

The Knicks and the Pacers both struggled just a bit in their opening round series against the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks respectively. Both took big series leads. New York was up 3-0 and ended up needing six games to finish off the Celtics, while the Pacers were up 2-0 on the Hawks before ultimately needing six games to get the job done.

New York played some fantastic defensive ball in this opening round series against Boston, particularly early on. The team held the Celtics down to just a total of 54 points in a span of four quarters of basketball from the third period of Game 2 through the second quarter of Game 3. However, when the defense started to slip, the offense started to get a bit more erratic. F Carmelo Anthony and G JR Smith tried to literally do everything, and the end result is that both ended up shooting just 38 percent from the field for the series. Both put up good scoring numbers, especially Anthony and his 29.2 points per game. However, it all isn’t going to mean anything if the rest of the supporting cast can’t help out. G Raymond Felton had a good first series, averaging 17.2 points per game, but aside from him, there wasn’t another supporting player that averaged more than the 9.0 points per game of G Iman Shumpert and the 6.0 points per game of G Pablo Prigioni. Look for F Amare Stoudemire to come back in this series at some point, perhaps as early as Game 3 in Indianapolis.

The Pacers didn’t play all that well on the road all season long, and that stayed the case in the postseason as well. The team was beaten badly in the first two games at Phillips Arena before finally figuring out how to finish the deal in Game 6 on the road. F Paul George had himself a great opening series, averaging 18.7 points, 9.5 boards, and 5.0 assists per game, and he started off with a triple-double in the opening game of the set. Four players averaged at least 14.7 points per game, but more importantly, three averaged at least 8.0 rebounds per game as well. Indiana continued to move the basketball all over the court, and if it keeps that up here in the second round, it will have a shot of winning this series.

The home team won the last five games in this series dating back to last year, and it is 4-1 ATS in that stretch as well. The Pacers have come up with some huge efforts at Bankers Life Fieldhouse over the years, and we think they will ultimately find a way to win this series in six games. There will be too much of “I before Team” basketball in the Big Apple, and Melo and Smith will ultimately be the death of this team once the Pacers figure things out.

Knicks vs. Pacers Series Prediction: Indiana Pacers in 6

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The NBA playoff odds are posted all over the internet, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be taking an updated look at the Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat series. We’ll go game by game and updated all of the NBA odds and final scores for each of the series, so be sure to join us throughout this series, as we will be keeping this and all of the posts up to date for the NBA playoffs.

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat NBA Playoff Schedule

Heat Win Series 4-1

Game 1: Chicago Bulls 93 – Miami Heat 86
Game 2: Chicago Bulls 78 – Miami Heat 115
Game 3: Miami Heat 104 – Chicago Bulls 94
Game 4: Miami Heat 88 – Chicago Bulls 65
Game 5: Chicago Bulls 91 – Miami Heat 94

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat Series Odds at
Wager Web Sportsbook
Chicago Bulls +35000
Miami Heat -100000
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Bulls vs. Heat Series Updates
Game 1: Even the most staunch Chicago fan couldn’t have seen this one coming! In spite of the fact that the Bulls didn’t have either F Luol Deng or G Kirk Hinrich, they still were able to lock down defensively and hold the sluggish Heat to just 86 points, including only 37 in a very suspect first half that has to concern the champs. F LeBron James, G Dwyane Wade, and F Chris Bosh, who are used to combining for at least 60 points on a nightly basis, had just 47 between them on Monday, and that really was the difference in the game. Chicago used G Marco Belinelli and F Jimmy Butler for a total of 95 minute between them, and that was the difference in the game. Butler scored 21 and had 14 boards. G Nate Robinson scored 27 and had nine assists. Bulls 93 – Heat 86 (Bulls Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: There was no G Kirk Hinrich and no F Luol Deng for the straight game in this series, yet this time around, the Bulls absolutely got their butts kicked, particularly in a stretch of 20:15 when the game went from 42-38 to 104-58. The de facto 62-20 run was one of the most impressive things that we have seen in our time of watching basketball, and we have seen some pretty darn impressive things. The Heat never really had to break a sweat in this one, as it was over from the get go. Six players logged double-digits of points for Miami, and those six outscored the entire Chicago team by 19 points. Forget about the others who tallied another 18. This could have been a 50-point game if the Heat had wanted it to be. Heat 115 – Bulls 78 (Series Tied 1-1)

Game 3: Once again, all of the players for the Bulls that we have been mentioning as players that have been sitting sat in Game 3, and the end result once again didn’t go Chicago’s way. It was another game littered with technical fouls, and C Nazr Mohammed was ejected after he shoved F LeBron James. Needless to say, that wasn’t what Head Coach Tom Thibodeau needed, knowing that he was already going to play four players at least 42 minutes in this game. The Bulls simply ran out of gas in the final stanza of this one, as they were level going into the fourth quarter and were unlucky to at least not cover the spread. C Chris Bosh scored 20 and brought down 19 rebounds to lead the way in a game in which Chicago really had just about everything going the way that it wanted. Miami helped salt the game away by shooting 26-of-30 from the charity stripe. Heat 104 – Bulls 94 (Heat Lead Series 2-1)

Game 4: The white flag isn’t quite in the air yet, but we’re hearing a fat lady starting to sing, and we think that she’s located in South Beach. G Dwyane Wade tweaked his knee again in Game 4, but that was about the only bit of bad news for Miami in this one. F LeBron James did his thing, scoring 27 points with eight assists and seven boards, while F Chris Bosh was the only other double-digit scorer on the team with 14 points. The impressive stats all came on the other side of the court. The Bulls were held to just 19 field goals for the game, and they had only 42 points through three quarters before scoring 23 in the fourth. G Nate Robinson shot just 0-of-12 from the field, and even if you take that out, the rest of the team only shot 30.6%. There’s nothing left that Chicago can do to stop its pending extinction this season. Heat 88 – Bulls 65 (Heat Lead Series 3-1)

Game 5: We’ll say this about Chicago: It never gave up. The Heat threatened early to blow Chicago out of the water for the fourth straight game. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau and company erased a 17-point deficit though, and the Bulls ultimately build a double-digit lead of their own late in the third quarter. There just wasn’t enough gas left in the tank though, as Miami outscored Chicago 28-14 over the course of the last 14 minutes of the game to win by three. Four players scored at least 15 points for the Bulls in defeat. F LeBron James scored 23 points in spite of his 5-of-14 shooting performance. G Dwyane Wade, playing on a bad knee, scored 18 and had six assists and five boards. Now, the Heat will have at least three days off, and potentially as much as a week off to rest to get ready for the Eastern Conference Finals. Heat 94 – Bulls 91 (Heat Win Series 4-1)

2013 Bulls vs. Heat Series Preview

Just as the New England Patriots were basically convinced that they had a bye through the first two rounds of the playoffs in the AFC this year, the Heat probably can be convinced that they have a bye in the first two rounds of the playoffs this year in the Eastern Conference as well. They made it through their first round without any hassles against the Milwaukee Bucks, taking all four games with ease. Now, they get the Bulls, who had to play a full seven games, including a triple-overtime game in Game 4, and who are incredibly banged up coming into this series.

It’s anyone’s guess as to whether G Derrick Rose is really going to try to suit up or not for this series. In the end, we have to think that Rose is done for the year, even if Chicago gets out of this series. The rest of the team is going to have to pick up the slack around him, and many of the bodies that would be in those roles are hurting as well. C Joakim Noah doesn’t show up on the injury report any longer even though he is playing through plantar fasciitis. Meanwhile, F Luol Deng was hospitalized prior to Game 6 against the Brooklyn Nets and might miss at least the start of this series. G Kirk Hinrich missed three of the seven games against the Nets with a hamstring problem. That being said, G Nate Robinson was able to really step up and have some big, big moments against Brooklyn, and he was actually the second leading scorer at 17.0 points per game in that first series. F Carlos Boozer was a rock in the middle for Head Coach Tom Thibodeau on both sides of the court, and he ended up averaging 17.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game for the series, shooting 54.5 percent from the field.

And then there are the Heat, who were so not worried about Game 4 against the Milwaukee Bucks that they let G Dwyane Wade sit out for the game. Wade only averaged 13.7 points per game, and it almost seemed like he and his teammates were toying with Milwaukee. F LeBron James only averaged 37 minutes per game, and we know that he has the ability to play 45 minutes per game if he needs to as we go on in the second season. F Chris Bosh only averaged 12.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, and he too, is capable of much, much more. This is going to be a tougher series for sure for all of the Heat players, and virtually everyone is going to have to step it up. That being said, there is no doubt who the superior of these two teams are.

The Heat are going to have a score to settle with the Bulls. Chicago was the team that ended their 27-game winning streak back in the end of March. The Bulls also won a game earlier this year at American Airlines Arena, perhaps proving that they can indeed win in this series. That being said, it’s only a matter of time until the Heat turn on the jets, and we think they’re going to do just that when push comes to shove at the United Center in Games 3 and 4 of this series. Not only do we think that Miami is sweeping this series, but we think it is sweeping it without having to break a sweat. Four wins by at least a dozen points are in store as we see it.

Bulls vs. Heat Series Prediction: Miami Heat in 4

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The 2013 PGA Tour season continues on Thursday at the TPC at Sawgrass, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are set to make our Players Championship picks and predictions for what should be a remarkable four days of golf in Ponta Vedra, Florida! Don’t miss out on any of the golf betting action here at Bankroll Sports!

2013 Players Championship Predictions & Info
2013 TPC at Sawgrass Dates: Thursday, May 9th – Sunday, May 12th, 2013
2013 TPC at Sawgrass Location: The TPC at Sawgrass, Ponta Vedra Beach, FL
Defending TPC at Sawgrass Winner: Matt Kuchar
2013 Players Championship TV Coverage – Network: Golf Channel, NBC

If Tiger Woods (The Players Championship Odds: 6.75 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) is in the field, he is going to be the favorite or one of the favorites to win the event. We have seen good things out of Woods thus far this year. He hasn’t played since the 2013 Masters when he finished fourth at -5 in spite of the fact that he didn’t play as well as he truly wanted to. That being said, that’s four Top 5 finishes thus far this year for Woods in just six events played, and he has won three of those four. We’re not quite at the point that Woods is considered the scariest golfer in the world once again at this point, but he certainly has the ability to win each and every time that he is on the course, something that we don’t have the confidence in saying about the mass majority of the golfers that are in this field.

Past The Players Championship Winners (Since 2000)
2012 Players Championship Winner: Matt Kuchar
2011 Players Championship Winner: KJ Choi
2010 Players Championship Winner: Tim Clark
2009 Players Championship Winner: Henrik Stenson
2008 Players Championship Winner: Sergio Garcia
2007 Players Championship: Phil Mickelson
2006 Players Championship: Stephen Ames
2005 Players Championship Winner: Fred Funk
2004 Players Championship Winner: Adam Scott
2003 Players Championship Winner: Davis Love III
2002 Players Championship Winner: Craig Perks
2001 Players Championship Winner: Tiger Woods
2000 Players Championship Winner: Hal Sutton

The man that won the Masters this year, Adam Scott (TPC at Sawgrass Odds: 18 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) has to be in consideration as well. We knew that Scott was playing well this year before he went to Augusta, and it was great to see the Aussie come away with the emotional win after making some fantastic shots to win his first Green Jacket and the first Green Jacket for his country. Just as this is the first event since the Masters for Woods, it is the first on the PGA Tour for Scott as well. The Australian has only played in five events prior to the TPC, and he hasn’t finished worse than 30th in any of the stroke play events. Scott has three Top 10 finishes and two finishes in the Top 3, and he has had some massive rounds on Saturday and Sunday over the course of this season. The back to back -3s at the Masters was remarkable over the weekend, but perhaps even more impressive was the 64 on the final day of the Cadillac Championship that nearly brought him all the way up for the win.

There is a point that Luke Donald (The Players Championship Lines: 20 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) will get back on his feet and contend for one of the major titles on the PGA Tour. He picked up a Top 25 finish at the Masters, but a +2 finish isn’t nearly what he was thinking when he stepped foot on the links at Augusta. He did finish third at the RBC Heritage the week after the Masters. It wasn’t good enough to win, but it was a Top 5 finish, Donald’s second in his last three starts on the PGA. Donald finished sixth last year four shots off of the pace of the winner, and he is going to hope to do the job this week at Sawgrass.

The man that is going to try to defend his title this year at Ponta Vedra is Matt Kuchar (The Players Championship Betting Odds: 30 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook). No one ever won back to back tournaments here at the TPC, and the closest thing that we have seen is when Jack Nicklaus won in 1974, 1976, and 1978. Kuchar though, has had a special few seasons, and he has to be considered in a running if he can avoid putting the ball in the drink on 17. Kuchar has never won a major tournament title, and last year’s win was an emotional one for sure. His family was on hand for the proceedings, and there was never a doubt that it was the biggest moment in his career. This year, Kuchar won the Accenture Match Play Championship over Hunter Mahan 2 and 1, and he played well at the Masters, finishing tied for eighth. If there is a man to go back to back in the Sunshine State, Kuchar is the man.

Odds to Win TPC at Sawgrass @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 5/7/13):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at 5Dimes.eu When Using This Link)
Tiger Woods 6.75 to 1
Rory McIlroy 17 to 1
Adam Scott 18 to 1
Luke Donald 20 to 1
Phil Mickelson 25 to 1
Sergio Garcia 27 to 1
Justin Rose 30 to 1
Lee Westwood 30 to 1
Matt Kuchar 30 to 1
Charl Schwartzel 35 to 1
Graeme McDowell 40 to 1
Jason Day 40 to 1
Brandt Snedeker 45 to 1
Nick Watney 45 to 1
Billy Horschel 50 to 1
Bo Van Pelt 50 to 1
Jim Furyk 50 to 1
Steve Stricker 55 to 1
Dustin Johnson 60 to 1
Henrik Stenton 60 to 1
Keegan Bradley 60 to 1
Rickie Fowler 60 to 1
Jason Dufner 65 to 1
Louis Oosthuizen 70 to 1
Webb Simpson 70 to 1
Tim Clark 80 to 1
Zach Johnson 80 to 1
Bill Haas 85 to 1
Bubba Watson 85 to 1
Kevin Streelman 90 to 1
Ian Poulter 95 to 1
Ryan Moore 95 to 1
Peter Hanson 105 to 1
Thorbjorn Olesen 105 to 1
Kyle Stanley 115 to 1
David Toms 125 to 1
Jimmy Walker 125 to 1
Ben Crane 135 to 1
Hunter Mahan 135 to 1
KJ Choi 135 to 1
Carl Pettersson 155 to 1
Ernie Els 155 to 1
Martin Kaymer 155 to 1
Freddie Jacobson 160 to 1
Charles Howell III 165 to 1
DA Points 165 to 1
Lucas Glover 165 to 1
Boo Weekley 175 to 1
Robert Garrigus 175 to 1
Marc Leishman 185 to 1
Martin Laird 185 to 1
Stewart Cink 195 to 1
Brendon De Jonge 205 to 1
Brian Davis 205 to 1
David Lynn 225 to 1
John Huh 235 to 1
John Senden 235 to 1
Russell Henley 235 to 1
Angel Cabrera 245 to 1
Charley Hoffman 245 to 1
Chris Kirk 255 to 1
Geoff Ogilvy 265 to 1
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 265 to 1
Harris English 265 to 1
Pat Perez 265 to 1
Aaron Baddeley 275 to 1
Bob Estes 315 to 1
Chris Stroud 315 to 1
John Rollins 325 to 1
Mark Wilson 325 to 1
Francesco Molinari 335 to 1
Jeff Overton 335 to 1
Padraig Harrington 345 to 1
Ryan Palmer 360 to 1
Branden Grace 375 to 1
Cameron Tringale 385 to 1
Retief Goosen 385 to 1
Vijay Singh 385 to 1
Derek Ernst 395 to 1
Luke Guthrie 395 to 1
Michael Thompson 400 to 1
Kevin Stadley 405 to 1
Brian Gay 415 to 1
Scott Piercy 415 to 1
Bryce Molder 435 to 1
Graham DeLaet 435 to 1
John Merrick 445 to 1
Jason Kokrak 450 to 1
Rory Sabbatini 465 to 1
Ben Curtis 480 to 1
Richard H. Lee 480 to 1
Bud Cauley 485 to 1
Brian Harman 490 to 1
Matt Jones 500 to 1
Sean O’Hair 530 to 1
Ted Potter Jr. 530 to 1
George McNeill 560 to 1
YE Yang 560 to 1
Seung Yul Noh 570 to 1
Davis Love III 590 to 1
Jerry Kelly 615 to 1
Jonathan Byrd 620 to 1
Ken Duke 660 to 1
Brendan Steele 670 to 1
Greg Chalmers 670 to 1
Josh Teater 670 to 1
Justin Leonard 670 to 1
Kevin Chappell 670 to 1
Matt Every 680 to 1
Sang Moon Bae 680 to 1
Daniel Summerhays 695 to 1
Jonas Blixt 720 to 1
Ricky Barnes 750 to 1
Scott Brown 750 to 1
Scott Stallings 750 to 1
Charlie Wi 765 to 1
Martin Flores 790 to 1
Johnson Wagner 810 to 1
Tommy Gainey 810 to 1
Brian Stuard 820 to 1
Robert Allenby 830 to 1
Tom Gillis 830 to 1
Anders Romero 840 to 1
David Hearn 840 to 1
James Hahn 850 to 1
Chad Campbell 860 to 1
Jeff Maggert 860 to 1
Charlie Beljan 880 to 1
William McGirt 880 to 1
Erik Compton 900 to 1
Greg Owen 900 to 1
JJ Henry 950 to 1
James Driscoll 950 to 1
Jason Bohn 950 to 1
Casey Wittenberg 1,000 to 1
Colt Knost 1,000 to 1
David Lingmerth 1,000 to 1
David Mathis 1,000 to 1
Dicky Pride 1,000 to 1
Joe Daley 1,000 to 1
Nicholas Thompson 1,000 to 1
Robert Castro 1,000 to 1
Scott Langley 1,000 to 1
Tim Herron 1,000 to 1
Troy Matteson 1,000 to 1
Will Claxton 1,000 to 1

All Odds To Win The 2013 Triple Crown Below

Beating the Kentucky Derby odds, the Preakness Stakes odds, and the Belmont Stakes odds in the same year has been virtually impossible. In fact, for the better part of the last 3.5 decades, there hasn’t been a horse that has pulled off the remarkable feat. Now, one horse will have a chance to put his name amongst all of the fantastic horses in the history of the sport that have won the three biggest races of the year in succession, if he can just figure out how to tame the 1 1/2 mile run at the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.

Here is a full list of horses that have won the Triple Crown…

Full List Of Triple Crown Winners
1978 – Affirmed
1977 – Seattle Slew
1973 – Secretariat
1948 – Citation
1946 – Assault
1943 – Count Fleet
1941 – Whirlaway
1937 – War Admiral
1935 – Omaha
1930 – Gallant Fox
1919 – Sir Barton

Every single year, the horse that beats the Kentucky Derby odds have a chance to get the job done to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. This year, there really only seem to be two horses that are given any chance to win the Triple Crown.

The first is Orb. The fact that this horse is only 20 to 1 to win the Triple Crown are probably some pretty nice odds. Figure if Orb goes on to win the Kentucky Derby at 4 to 1, he will probably be right around an odds on favorite to win the Preakness Stakes and certainly be an odds on favorite if he ultimately wins both of the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Just doing the simple math proves that if you like Orb, you should be betting on him to win the Triple Crown, perhaps even more so than you are betting on him just to win the Kentucky Derby.

The other logical horse to back is Verrazano. This is a horse that has only run four times in his entire career, but at least all four of those races came as a three-year old. Verrazano is an undefeated horse, and you have to love that about him. Interestingly enough, of all of the horses in the Kentucky Derby field, the one that is the favorite to win the Triple Crown is Verrazano. The logic must be that this is an undefeated horse, and it is very unlikely that Orb comes to the Preakness Stakes if this race is lost. There is a good chance that Verrazano will go to the Preakness Stakes if he doesn’t win the Derby.

Full List Of Triple Crown Losers
2008 – Big Brown
2004 – Smarty Jones
2003 – Funny Cide
2002 – War Emblem
1999 – Charismatic
1998 – Real Quiet
1997 – Silver Charm
1989 – Sunday Silence
1987 – Alysheba
1981 – Pleasant Colony
1979 – Spectacular Bid
1971 – Canonero II
1969 – Majestic Prince
1968 – Forward Pass
1966 – Kauai King
1964 – Northern Dancer
1961 – Carry Back
1958 – Tim Tam
1944 – Pensive
1936 – Bold Venture
1932 – Burgoo King

However, we know that these aren’t the only two horses that have a shot at claiming the Run for the Roses. It is going to take a horse that has the speed and the distance to be able to win the last two legs of the Triple Crown, and that’s something that is going to be awfully difficult to find. Perhaps a colt like Java’s War might be in good shape. He’s 185 to 1 to be able to get the job done, and there is no doubt that if he finds a way to win the 1 1/4 mile race, he will once again be favored at the Preakness Stakes. This is the type of horse that has a really tough time winning the Belmont Stakes, though. We know that Java’s War is going to try to win any race that he is in from behind, as he puts in his best work in the final quarter mile of any run that he has.

And then of course, there is the other possibility that there won’t be a Triple Crown winner. If you think that there is any horse that has a shot at doing it, you can get 7 to 1 odds, but in all likelihood, this will be another year without a Triple Crown triumph. When you consider the fact that there are so many more quality horses now than there were 25 years ago, it’s no wonder why it is so difficult to win the Triple Crown. Add in the fact that there have only been 11 three-year old colts to ever win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, and it goes without saying that the best bet might be taking the -1100 that a horse won’t win all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Odds To Win The Triple Crown @ 5Dimes Sportsbook
Oxbow 325 to 1
Revolutionary 48 to 1
Golden Soul 550 to 1
Normandy Invasion 71 to 1
Mylute 235 to 1
Giant Finish 440 to 1
Goldencents 33 to 1
Overanalyze 92 to 1
Palace Malice 235 to 1
Lines of Battle 235 to 1
Itsmyluckyday 95 to 1
Falling Sky 475 to 1
Verrazano 18 to 1
Charming Kitten 325 to 1
Orb 20 to 1
Will Take Charge 210 to 1
Frac Daddy 430 to 1
Java’s War 185 to 1
Vyjack 165 to 1
Any Horse Wins Triple Crown 7 to 1

The Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls will be playing in what should be a tight series in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Join us here at Bankroll Sports, as we look at the Bulls vs. Nets series schedule, as well as many our series predictions for what should be one of the top series to pay attention to in the opening round of the playoffs. Don’t miss out on any of the NBA betting action that you’ll find right here at Bankroll Sports!

Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets NBA Playoff Schedule

Bulls Win Series 4-3

Game 1: Chicago Bulls 89 – Brooklyn Nets 106
Game 2: Chicago Bulls 90 – Brooklyn Nets 82
Game 3: Brooklyn Nets 76 – Chicago Bulls 79
Game 4: Brooklyn Nets 134 – Chicago Bulls 142 (3 OTs)
Game 5: Chicago Bulls 91 – Brooklyn Nets 91
Game 6: Brooklyn Nets 95 – Chicago Bulls 92
Game 7: Chicago Bulls 99 – Brooklyn Nets 93

Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets Series Odds at
Wager Web Sportsbook
Chicago Bulls +180
Brooklyn Nets -220
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Bulls vs. Nets Series Updates
Game 1: Amazingly, the Bulls were nowhere to be found defensively in Game 1 in Brooklyn. The Nets had 89 points on the board through the first three quarters, and they cruised to victory after that. C Joakim Noah came back into the lineup, only to play 14 minutes, while on the other side of the court, the four stars that were brought together this year, G Deron Williams, G Joe Johnson, F Gerald Wallace, and C Brook Lopez combined to score 73 points between them. Nets 106 – Bulls 89 (Nets Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: The Nets have lost home court advantage, and they have lost it over the fact that they just couldn’t shoot the basketball in the first or the third quarter on Monday. Chicago held down Brooklyn to a total of just 28 points in those two quarters combined. No one in the game scored more than 15 for the Bulls, but all three of C Joakim Noah, F Luol Deng, and F Carlos Boozer had double-doubles. G Deron Williams shot just 1-of-9 from the field, and that isn’t going to cut it. Bulls 90 – Nets 82 (Series Tied 1-1)

Game 3: In spite of the fact that the Nets rallied to a 24-14 edge in the fourth quarter, they were never able to get in front of the Bulls when they really needed to. Brooklyn scored just 52 points in the first three quarters of basketball, and that truly was its demise. Both teams had a tough time shooting the basketball, as the Nets shot just 34.6%, while the Bulls shot 39.7%. It was the second straight game where F Carlos Boozer, F Luol Deng, and C Joakim Noah all dominated in the paint, as they combined for 34 rebounds in this game to lead the way for Chicago. Bulls 79 – Nets 76 (Bulls Lead Series 2-1)

Game 4: What a game! There is certainly no doubt whatsoever that this is the game of the season this year. The Bulls and Nets needed three overtimes to settle their differences in Game 4, and the end result was that the Bulls took a 3-1 series lead. The stats in this game were remarkable to review. G Deron Williams scored 32 points, and he was one of the seven players that scored at least nine points in the game for Brooklyn. Chicago had eight players score at least eight points and were led by G Nate Robinson, who scored 29 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter or in the overtime periods. Five players fouled out. Three players played at least 57 minutes. Six others played at least 49 minutes. Five players logged double-doubles. It was simply remarkable. In the end though, Robinson was able to get the job done for Chicago, which now has a chokehold on this series. Bulls 142 – Nets 134 (3 OTs) (Bulls Lead Series 3-1)

Game 5: The truth of the matter is that Game 5 really didn’t look all that much different than Game 4 for the Bulls and the Nets. Brooklyn led by 14 points with just over three minutes left in Game 4, and it really found itself in the same sort of position on Monday night as well. The difference is that the Nets took this one by the throat and never let it go. G Nate Robinson was the hero of Game 4, but he just wasn’t able to deliver in Game 5 the same sort of way. He did score 20 points and dish out eight assists, but he was the only point guard that the team brought to the table in this game with G Kirk Hinrich out of the lineup. Brooklyn put six players in double figures, and both G Deron Williams and C Brook Lopez finished the night with double-doubles. Most impressive was the fact that the Nets shot 50.0 percent from the field against one of the best defenses in the league. We have ourselves a heck of a series going back to the Windy City on Thursday. Nets 110 – Bulls 91 (Bulls Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: F Luol Deng went to the hospital with an illness prior to the start of Game 6, and as a result, Head Coach Tom Thibodeau only used essentially six players for the whole game against Brooklyn. The Bulls put forth a good effort, but 17 points from G Deron Williams, G Joe Johnson, and C Brook Lopez got the job done for the Nets. All five starters scored at least 14 points for the Bulls, but they were overmatched in this game. Nets 95 – Bulls 92 (Series Tied 3-3)

Game 7: The first ever Game 7 at the Barclays Center turned out to be one to forget from the get go for the Nets. Chicago, in spite of the fact that F Luol Deng and G Kirk Hinrich were both sidelined once again, put up 61 points in the first half and ultimately never looked back. The Nets went on their runs, but they were never able to take the lead in the game in the second half. Brooklyn never got closer than four. Both G Marco Belinelli and C Joakim Noah scored 24 points for the Bulls. The Nets’ season came to a close thanks to the fact that G Joe Johnson only shot 2-of-14 from the floor and 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Head Coach PJ Carlesimo was fired after the game was said and done with, and Chicago moved onto a date with the Miami Heat. It was the first time that Chicago ever won a Game 7 on the road in franchise history. Bulls 99 – Nets 93 (Bulls Win Series 4-3)

2013 Bulls vs. Nets Series Preview

Anyone who thinks that they can call the series between the Nets and the Bulls must have a crystal ball. These two teams are very evenly matched, and if we had to guess, Chicago has the slightly better team, yet Brooklyn has the home court advantage for the series.

The Bulls are playing the underdog role this season after getting bounced out of the playoffs last year as the No. 1 seed in the East. They are clearly not the same team that they were when they had G Derrick Rose in the lineup, and they are most certainly going to be in some trouble without him in these playoffs as well. Chicago doesn’t necessarily have a lot of talent in the backcourt, but its frontcourt is amongst the best in the NBA. F Luol Deng, F Taj Gibson, F Carlos Boozer, and C Joakim Noah are outstanding, though at times this year, each has been through his share of injuries. Because this isn’t a particularly great three-point shooting team, scores are generally lower, but don’t let the fact that the Bulls ranked second to last in the league in scoring this season fool you. This is a club that really plays tremendous half court defense, and when that ‘D’ locks into place, it’s tough for any team to score even in the 90s against it.

The move to Brooklyn has been a successful one for the Nets. Gone are the images of this being one of the worst teams in the league, and in its place is a team that has a new stadium, a new head coach, and a new, winning attitude. Though most don’t believe that the Nets can compete with the best teams in the Eastern Conference, we do think that they have a special team that might be able to challenge the Miami Heat if they get that far in the next round. G Deron Williams and G Joe Johnson make for a great 1-2 punch in the backcourt, while in the frontcourt, C Brook Lopez is one of the best big men in the conference. The rest of the pieces around these three are suspect, but there aren’t many teams in the East that can boast that they have a Top 10 point guard, a Top 10 big man, and a Top 10 sharpshooter all on their team at the same time.

The truth of the matter is that the Bulls are in some trouble in this series. We know that they slacked through the regular season, and we know that they were devastated by injuries all season long, but we also know that those injury problems aren’t solved. A significantly worse Philadelphia 76ers team disposed of Chicago last year after it lost Rose for the season. We think that this is going to be a back and forth series the whole way, but in the end, the home court advantage is going to be the difference for the Nets to claim victory in this one.

Bulls vs. Nets Series Prediction: Brooklyn Nets in 7

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Consider this page your one stop shop for all things related to the Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers NBA playoffs series! These two teams are going to be squaring off in what should be a fantastic first round playoff series, and regardless of whether you are looking for a series preview, our Hawks vs. Pacers predictions, the NBA playoffs series prices for the Hawks and Pacers, or just an up to date listing of all of the final scores with recaps of all of the games, you’ve come to the right place. Be sure to bookmaker this page if you’re a fan of either of these teams, or if you’re just a generic NBA fan, but this is your official handicapping home of the Hawks vs. Pacers series.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers NBA Playoff Schedule

Pacers Lead Series 3-2

Game 1: Atlanta Hawks 90 – Indiana Pacers 107
Game 2: Atlanta Hawks 98 – Indiana Pacers 113
Game 3: Indiana Pacers 69 – Atlanta Hawks 90
Game 4: Indiana Pacers 91 – Atlanta Hawks 102
Game 5: Atlanta Hawks 83 – Indiana Pacers 106
Game 6: Indiana Pacers 81 – Atlanta Hawks 73

Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers Series Odds at BetRevolution Sportsbook
Atlanta Hawks +490
Indiana Pacers -680
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Hawks vs. Pacers Series Update
Game 1: The Hawks proved that they never really had all that much of a chance to take Game 1 of this series. They came out of the blocks in the first and third quarter totally flat, getting outscored 60-45 in those two quarters to get hammered. Seven players had at least nine points for the Pacers, but the hero was clearly F Paul George, who had 23 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds, leading the team in all three categories. Pacers 107 – Hawks 90 (Pacers Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: If the Hawks are going to get back into this series, they are going to need F Josh Smith to stay out of foul trouble. Smith picked up five fouls in just 20 minutes of works and was never really a factor in the game. Indiana didn’t have a particularly great offensive game, though F Paul George scored 27 points, while G George Hill scored 22. G Lance Stephenson hurt his hip in the game, and he is up in the air for next several days. Pacers 113 – Hawks 98 (Pacers Lead Series 2-0)

Game 3: What a disaster Game 3 was for the Pacers… They shot just 27.2 percent from the field for the game, and they never had anything going offensively. We have to give credit to the Atlanta defense, as it came out with its hair on fire, forcing 22 turnovers on the night to cut the series deficit in half. F Al Horford had a huge game for the hosts, scoring 26 points and pulling down 16 boards in one of the biggest games that he has had in quite some time in a crucial spot. There’s a lot of work to be done, but at least Atlanta is off to mark. Hawks 90 – Pacers 69 (Pacers Lead Series 2-1)

Game 4: Give Atlanta all of the credit in the world for fighting back in this series. The Hawks could have been dead in the water coming back home to Phillips Arena down 0-2, but they fought back in both Games 3 and 4 and are now level once again. Save for a 15-1 run in the third quarter, there was never a doubt as to who the superior team was in this game. The Hawks got five three pointers from F Kyle Korver and 29 points and 11 rebounds from F Josh Smith on the day, making up for the fact that the rest of the team between them only made 17 field goals. Indiana only shot 38.1 percent from the field for the game, and it turned the ball over 13 times. All five starters scored in double figures for the Pacers, but it was never really nearly enough. Hawks 102 – Pacers 91 (Series Tied 2-2)

Game 5: Any time a team loses Games 1, 2, and 5 on the road, we always wonder whether the stuffing has been knocked from it. We have seen it happen time and time again, and we might be seeing it happen with Atlanta as well. The Hawks only made 25 shots from the field and shot 33.3 percent for the game, and they put forth a horrid effort in Game 5. F Paul George had another double-double with 21 points and 11 boards, while F David West led all scorers with 24. Indiana amazingly won this game by 23 points in spite of the fact that it lost the turnover battle 16-6. Pacers 106 – Hawks 83 (Pacers Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: To think that the Pacers could win a game on the road in this series was shocking in itself. To think that they could do it with the bench contributing just three field goals and F Paul George shooting 2-of-10 from the floor is stunning. It was the defense that finally took over for Indiana, holding Atlanta down to just nine points in the second quarter and no more than 23 points in any given quarter. The Hawks shot just 33.3 percent from the field, and now, they go into the offseason, trying to figure out what they are going to do with free agent to be F Josh Smith. Pacers 81 – Hawks 73 (Pacers Win Series 4-2)

2013 Hawks vs. Pacers Series Preview

The Hawks and the Pacers are both defense first teams, and that should really show when push comes to shove with the final scores in this series. These two clubs also have a history of playing quite tight games with one another, knowing that the average margin of victory in the last five games between these two has been just 6.8 points per game.

Indiana is a team that has been growing quite a bit over the course of the last few years, and winning the Central Division title in 2012-2013 is a great accomplishment. However, for the first time in quite some time, there is a massive target on this team’s back as well, and it is expected to perform well in this series and in the playoffs. Anything less than reaching the Eastern Conference Finals would be a bad result. The Pacers finished the year going 1-5 SU and 0-6 ATS in their final six games of the campaign, and they are going to need to play better ball on the defensive side of the court than they did in their last eight, when they allowed over 102 points per game. Without F Danny Granger in the fold, there really are no bona fide stars to work with, and that could be an issue if the big boys for the Hawks get going.

Atlanta’s guard play is spotty at best thanks to the departure of G Joe Johnson. G Jeff Teague and G Devin Harris have done what they can in the backcourt, but the truth of the matter is that this team only will go as far as C Al Horford and F Josh Smith take them. These two men are combining for 34.9 points and 18.6 boards per game, and they are both very good interior defenders and distributors as well. They have both been here and done that, and they have a lot more playoff experience between them than most on the Pacers do. Atlanta has gotten out of the first round quite a bit over the course of the last few seasons, as the team has racked up 19 playoff wins in the last five years.

Indiana hasn’t won a game at Phillips Arena since 2006, going 0-11 SU and just 2-9 ATS to show for its work in those games. The Hawks meanwhile, are just 6-14 SU and 10-10 ATS in their last 20 visits to Bankers Life Fieldhouse dating back to 2002. Needless to say, home court advantage is going to be key in this series, and we have a hard time seeing how either team is going to be able to scratch out a win on the other’s home court. Go with the home team to win all seven in this one, which should make for a great NBA playoffs series.

Pacers vs. Hawks Series Prediction: Indiana Pacers in 7

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The 2013 NBA playoffs are set to begin, and today at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be keeping a close eye on the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets. These two should be going at it in a great set of battles, and we are going to have our NBA playoffs predictions and scores update on a nightly basis for this and all of the great series throughout the playoffs. Check back to this page often, as we will be updating our final scores and our series analysis so you can make the most informed NBA picks every step of the way in this series.

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Playoff Schedule

Thunder Win Series 4-2

Game 1: Houston Rockets 91 – Oklahoma City Thunder 120
Game 2: Houston Rockets 102 – Oklahoma City Thunder 105
Game 3: Oklahoma City Thunder 104 – Houston Rockets 101
Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder 103 – Houston Rockets 105
Game 5: Houston Rockets 107 – Oklahoma City Thunder 100
Game 6: Oklahoma City Thunder 103 – Houston Rockets 94

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Series Odds at
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Houston Rockets +525
Oklahoma City Thunder -750
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Rockets vs. Thunder Series Update
Game 1: The Thunder are literally off and running. They knocked down 10 three-point shots and 44 shots from the field for the game, and they were able to drop a whopping 120 points on the Rockets in Game 1 of this series. It was a tremendously well-balanced attack for sure. There were eight players that scored at least eight points in the game, and it was a huge effort in spite of the fact that G Russell Westbrook and F Kevin Durant only combined to score 43 points. Thunder 120 – Rockets 91 (Thunder Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: The Rockets had their chance to steal a game in this series, but they just weren’t able to finish the job in the second half in Oklahoma city. G James Harden went to the line a whopping 20 times for the game and ended up scoring 36 points with 11 boards and six assists against his former team. Houston was down 15 in the fourth quarter, but it rallied to nearly pull off the huge upset. Rookie G Patrick Beverly scored 16 points with 12 boards with six assists, but it was G Russell Westbrook and F Kevin Durant that led the way, scoring 29 points apiece. As we found out later though, Westbrook suffered a knee injury and is going to miss the rest of this series for sure. Thunder 105 – Rockets 102 (Thunder Lead Series 2-0)

Game 3: The poor Rockets have to have had the stuffing knocked out of them at this point. They completely erased a 26-point deficit and took the lead in the fourth quarter, and they seemed poised to go on and win the game. However, a few thunderous dunks and a miracle of a three-point basket by F Kevin Durant ultimately gave the game to the Thunder by a triple. Houston had a shot to tie at the end, but the final shot clanked off of the rim, giving OKC a 3-0 series lead. G James Harden scored 30 points, but G Jeremy Lin clearly was hurting with a chest problem that caused him to miss basically the entire second half. Durant scored 41 and pulled down 14 boards in his first game playing without G Russell Westbrook in these playoffs. Oklahoma City looked mortal in the second half, shooting just 38 percent from the field and scoring a total of just 38 points. Still, a 66-point first half burst was enough to seal the ‘W’. Thunder 104 – Rockets 101 (Thunder Lead Series 3-0)

Game 4: We learned a lot about the Rockets and the Thunder in this game. Houston wasn’t really able to get all that much out of G James Harden in this game. Harden visibly looked hurt, and he turned the ball over 10 times and made just four field goals for the game. However, the rest of the team rallied around him, shooting 51.2 percent as a team without their star, including getting 27 huge points from F Chandler Parsons to lead the way. What did we learn about Oklahoma City? The team is in a heck of a lot of trouble. The Thunder are clearly going to need someone aside from F Kevin Durant to step it up. When Durant is hot and he is getting to the basket, OKC is fine. However, the team just can’t rely on KD scoring 40 points every night to carry the load. Someone else is going to have to maintain the basketball to get some open looks for some other guys, and that just isn’t happening right now. G Reggie Jackson did what he could, scoring 18 points, but he only had three assists, and that isn’t going to cut it. Durant scored 38 and was dominating, but he couldn’t win this game all by himself in spite of the fact that he shot 12-of-16 from the field and 13-of-15 from the foul line. Rockets 105 – Thunder 103 (Thunder Lead Series 3-1)

Game 5: More of the same for the Thunder in this series, and they have to become scared that the very real possibility is there that not only could this become a disaster of a first round defeat, but there is a reasonable chance that the Rockets could become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit to ultimately claim the series. Once again, six players were in double figures for the Rockets, but this time around, G James Harden played like a monster. Everything he was shooting was hitting the bottom of the net, and he ultimately came up with seven threes and 31 total points. G Reggie Jackson scored 20 for the Thunder, but G Kevin Martin only shot 1-of-10 from the field and really killed the effort. F Kevin Durant scored 36, had seven boards, and seven helpers, but again, the offense just didn’t look right with him essentially playing the point guard spot. Oklahoma City has some real problems right now going back to the Lone Star State for Game 6. Rockets 107 – Thunder 100 (Thunder Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: It wasn’t a thing of beauty for the Thunder, but they were able to finally get some help from the full team, and that’s why they were able to finally pull away from the Rockets down the stretch to close out this series after losing Games 4 and 5. F Kevin Durant scored his 27 points, but it was G Reggie Jackson with 17 points, eight assists, and seven boards and G Kevin Martin that scored 25 points that really made the difference. The three major players off of the Oklahoma City bench went +25, +32, and +20 respectively, and that’s why Oklahoma City has survived. Thunder 103 – Rockets 94 (Thunder Win Series 4-2)

2013 Rockets vs. Thunder Series Preview

There is going to be plenty of bad blood that might get spilled over onto the courts at Chesapeake Energy Arena and the Toyota Center over the course of the next two weeks, as there are a number of players on both sides of the court that have experience with the other team. This is going to be a heck of a series that should feature a ton of scoring.

Houston really has nothing to lose at this point, knowing that it is the severe underdog in this series. Any game that happens to be won would be a huge accomplishment for a team that was lucky just to get into the second season this year. G James Harden is the man that is going to be the focal point for this offense, as he averaged 25.9 points per game this season. Of course, Harden came over in the huge blockbuster deal prior to the start of the season from this Oklahoma City outfit. The Rockets also added both C Omer Asik and G Jeremy Lin in the offseason, and both have become solid contributors. F Chandler Parsons had a bust out season, averaging 15.5 points per game as well. However, the real issue with Houston is that it just cannot play any defense. The team is willing to run up and down the floor, and there is no doubt that it can score at will, averaging 106.0 points per game, but on the other side of the court, the Rockets are conceding 102.5 points per game, and that most certainly isn’t going to cut it when push comes to shove against a team like this one.

Oklahoma City knows that it has a target on its back at this point, and it is going to need to play at its very best to win this series and eventually get back to the NBA Finals. The team revolves around G Russell Westbrook and F Kevin Durant, who are combining to put up over 50 points per game between them. Durant came just short of the scoring title this year, but that’s no worry to him. He just wants to get that elusive first ring. The real issue is the bench. Last year, we knew that Harden was going to come into the game at some point in the middle of the first quarter and really spark the offense. Now, G Kevin Martin has that role, and though he did average 14.0 points per game this season, he clearly isn’t as good as Harden was. Men like C Kendrick Perkins and F Serge Ibaka add to the defensive prowess of this team, and this is the one aspect where Oklahoma City was much improved. The team allowed just 96.5 points per game this year, which is lethal considering the fact that the team is putting up 105.7 points per game.

The Thunder won 60 games this season, and they went 50-8 SU and 43-15 ATS in games this year in which they scored 100+ points. They’re going to score at least 100 in each of the games of this series for sure, and that is going to be the deathblow to the Rockets. Oklahoma City went 2-1 SU and ATS in the regular season, and it scored at least 119 in all three of these games. Perhaps Houston ekes out one, but this series isn’t going more than five games.

Thunder vs. Rockets Series Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder in 5

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