NBA Weekend Betting Preview: Back Bulls over Pistons in shootout to avoid Cavs

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 10 April 2009 / Leave a Comment

There are only a few games remaining for the play-off contenders to establish supremacy over each other and Chicago and Cleveland are Nick Shiambouros' good things this weekend.

The play-off picture looks a little clearer this week after Dallas clinched the final berth in the west with a victory at home against Utah 130-101 on Wednesday night.

Once again Dirk Nowitski was on fire for the Mavericks scoring 31 points. In truth the game was over after Dallas took control early in the first quarter with a 28-17 lead and never looked back. This was a very good performance from this team that has been under immense pressure to make it to the post-season. If Dallas can keep playing at this level for their remaining games they could move out of eighth place and avoid playing Los Angeles in the opening round of the play-offs.

Over in the Eastern Conference the final two post-season positions should go to Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. The bad news for one of these teams is that they will have to face Cleveland in the first round.

The Pistons have only themselves to blame for finishing the season so poorly. This team has not showed any real intensity in the second half of the season and as a result they are in a complete mess. Detroit has four games left and must play Chicago on Monday night, and my money will be on the Bulls.

This could be the most important game of the season for either club and it's Chicago who have form, finishing the regular season well with seven wins from the last ten games.

This young team led by rookie sensation Derrick Rose could make some noise in the play-offs but they must try and avoid playing Cleveland in the opening round. If the Bulls win on Monday night they would almost certainly finish above Detroit and not have to face LeBron and company.

Cleveland host Boston on Sunday in a nationally televised game in what could be a preview of the Eastern Conference final. Under normal circumstances I would not invest any money in this match up but I really like the look of the Cavaliers in this one.

Cleveland have only lost one game at home all season and they will want to send a clear message to the Celtics that winning in Ohio is not an option for them. Both teams are fully aware of the psychological edge a victory would give them in this intriguing affair.

Boston are currently in second place in the east and have won nine out of the last ten games. Coach Doc Rivers has been experimenting with his bench and has publicly stated that the play-offs are his only priority. Glen Davis and Eddie House are two players that have played longer minutes for Boston to gain valuable experience for the post season. At this very late stage of the season I think Cleveland are the team with a little more momentum heading in to the game on Sunday. If the Cavaliers establish an early lead in this game then I think Boston will really be up against it in this fascinating encounter.

Recommended wagers:

Monday, back Chicago in outright market