Case of the Mondays: NBA Finals matchup is imminent

by Ricky Dimon - 5/25/2015

It seems like the Los Angeles Clippers are-or were-the only NBA team that could make for a competitive series. With L.A. now gone, the two conference finals are turning into borderline blowouts. The Atlanta Hawks at least made things interesting against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3, but Atlanta still trails 3-0. On the West Coast the story is a similar one, with the Golden State Warriors one game away from the NBA Finals at the expense of the Houston Rockets.

Odds provided by Bovada Sportsbook unless otherwise indicated.

Al Horford . When you are a high-profile team with the highest of high-profile players, you get the occasional preferential treatment. That's just how it is. The Hawks have been learning that the hard way throughout their series against LeBron James-led Cleveland and they learned it the hardest way on Sunday. Horford was controversially ejected in the second quarter after bringing an elbow down near Matthew Dellavedova's head. Of course, the whole thing started when Dellavedova tried to roll into Horford's lower leg. The Cavaliers' shooting guard had done the same thing to Kyle Korver in Game 2, severely injuring Korver's ankle and leaving the sharpshooter out for the remainder of the playoffs. Cleveland is +175 to win the NBA title.

Houston Rockets . Not unlike the Atlanta Hawks, Houston could have gotten back in the series by pulling out a thriller. Its chance came in Game 2 against Golden State, but James Harden and company once again folded down the stretch, and the Warriors survived last Thursday before dominating on Saturday to seize a commanding 3-0 advantage. Harden thought he should have won NBA MVP, but he might want to think again. He made only 3-of-16 shots in Game 3 and could not even get one off in the final seconds, whereas Stephen Curry went 12-for-19 from the floor for 40 points. The Rockets are +5 home underdogs on Monday night.

New York Rangers . New York powered its way to the best record in hockey during the regular season, but it's up against the brink in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Tampa Bay Lightning lead the series 3-2 after blanking the Rangers 2-0 on Sunday. Tampa has taken three of the last four contests since dropping the opener, and it torched Henrik Lundqvist for six goals in both Game 2 and Game 3. If there is any good news for the Rangers, it is that they are no stranger to must-win situations. They overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Washington Capitals in the conference semis. The Lightning are +180 favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

Bryan Price . The Cincinnati Reds manager was ejected before this past Saturday's game against the Cleveland Indians even started. Price got tossed while exchanging lineup cards, presumably for arguing about the previous day's strike zone. The frustrations are quite simply boiling over because the Reds have lost eight games in row, falling to 18-25 on the season. Even during better times, though, Price is prone to losing his mind. After all, he is the same guy who dropped 77 f-bombs in one interview last month. Cincinnati is +5000 to win the NL Pennant.

Danny Welbeck . The Arsenal striker is likely to miss this weekend's FA Cup final against Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium. Welbeck has been dealing with a knee injury, and he missed Sunday's Premier League finale, a 4-1 victory over West Brom. Gunners' manager Arsene Wenger said that he does not expect his player to be ready to go, explaining that he has not even been practicing. Welbeck, 24, could also be question for England duty next month. The national team has an international friendly against Ireland and a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Slovenia. Arsenal is a -350 favorite over Aston Villa.

Jimmie Johnson . Sunday in Charlotte was a rough day at the office for Johnson, something he is not accustomed to of late. He turned in five consecutive top-three performances (including two wins) before a 15^th-place finish at the all-star event earlier this month. The defending Coca-Cola 600 champion never came close to going back-to-back as he spun out not once but twice. The No. 48 car struggled with handling all day long, and Johnson took it into the garage for good with 125 laps remaining. Carl Edwards ended up winning the race. Johnson is a +600 second choice to win the Sprint Cup championship (Sportsbook.ag).

Ian Poulter . Rickie Fowler laughed in the face of the recent poll that asked golfers (anonymously) about the most overrated players on tour when he won The Players Championship two weeks ago. Fowler, of course, topped the overrated list along with Poulter. The Englishman had a chance to make similar mockery of his overrated label by prevailing this past weekend at Colonial. But the final pairing was a borderline disaster on Sunday, as Poulter fired an even-par 70 and playing partner Kevin Na recorded a 2-over 72 while everyone else went low. Poulter plunged into a T5 finish, while Na came in a tie for 10^th. Chris Kirk carded a final-round 66 to win by one stroke over Jason Bohn (63), Jordan Spieth (65), and Brandt Snedeker (67). Spieth is a +800 second choice to win next month's U.S. Open; Rory McIlroy is a +400 favorite.

Start:	November 23, 2024 @ 3:30 PM
Expert:	Scott Spreitzer
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