[lex24]

The Celtics are favored by -4 to win tonight's game IN Miami and will probably be given a similar line for Game 4 in a couple of days.  Also, the Heat are only a modest favorite at -170 to advance to the Finals in spite of winning both of the first two games in Boston.

I have never bet real money on sports and don't currently have the infrastructure in place to do so, but if I did, these Heat lines would stick out to me as an outstanding value.  The Heat certainly appear to be the superior team psychologically.

If the Celtics were to get out of this hole and grace the Finals, the most likely route (among various unlikely ones) appears to be to win Games 3, 5, 6 and 7, although evening the series in South Beach is not totally inconceivable.  Home court advantage in the playoffs doesn't seem to have much meaning to the Celtics this year.

Last year ESPN’s analytics program gave Celtics an 86% chance to beats Dubs before the Finals tipped off.
Apparently, even down in series 3-0, and even with teams being 0-149 all time in series after that point, ESPN’s analytics program is still picking Celtics to win the series. I’d say the algorithm isn’t factoring in some very important data, like probably some manifestation of the eyeball test. 

What an absolute face plant by Boston in Game 3. Just unbelievable how dominated they were in most important game of their season.

Or perhaps they aren’t factoring in that Spoelstra is worth several points a game. Were  he coaching the Knicks or Lakers  he’d be a household name and they’d be writing songs about him.  He’d be on a zillion commercials.  As it is, he’s just the best HC in the NBA. 

If the Heat win this series, Spoelstra will have beaten the top seed in 5 and the 2 seed in ___.   Budenholzer got fired. Mazulla probably will be as well.

Quite a run if he can finish it. (Heck, it’s already an amazing run). If he then wins the Title.  Well, that would be the all-time feat.  Especially if it’s Denver. Beating two No 1’s. Not going to bet against him at this point.

[lex24]

The Celtics are favored by -4 to win tonight's game IN Miami and will probably be given a similar line for Game 4 in a couple of days.  Also, the Heat are only a modest favorite at -170 to advance to the Finals in spite of winning both of the first two games in Boston.

I have never bet real money on sports and don't currently have the infrastructure in place to do so, but if I did, these Heat lines would stick out to me as an outstanding value.  The Heat certainly appear to be the superior team psychologically.

If the Celtics were to get out of this hole and grace the Finals, the most likely route (among various unlikely ones) appears to be to win Games 3, 5, 6 and 7, although evening the series in South Beach is not totally inconceivable.  Home court advantage in the playoffs doesn't seem to have much meaning to the Celtics this year.

Last year ESPN’s analytics program gave Celtics an 86% chance to beats Dubs before the Finals tipped off.
Apparently, even down in series 3-0, and even with teams being 0-149 all time in series after that point, ESPN’s analytics program is still picking Celtics to win the series. I’d say the algorithm isn’t factoring in some very important data, like probably some manifestation of the eyeball test. 

What an absolute face plant by Boston in Game 3. Just unbelievable how dominated they were in most important game of their season.

Or perhaps they aren’t factoring in that Spoelstra is worth several points a game. Were  he coaching the Knicks or Lakers  he’d be a household name and they’d be writing songs about him.  He’d be on a zillion commercials.  As it is, he’s just the best HC in the NBA. 

If the Heat win this series, Spoelstra will have beaten the top seed in 5 and the 2 seed in ___.   Budenholzer got fired. Mazulla probably will be as well.

Quite a run if he can finish it. (Heck, it’s already an amazing run). If he then wins the Title.  Well, that would be the all-time feat.  Especially if it’s Denver. Beating two No 1’s. Not going to bet against him at this point.