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NBA Picks: Chicago Bulls Futures Odds
by Aaron Smith - 9/18/2013

You have to give the Chicago Bulls a ton of credit for what they were able to do last year without Derrick Rose. The Bulls won a playoff series and were competitive against the Heat despite being without several of their top players. Remember, it wasn’t just Rose that was out; essentially the Bulls were without three or four of their top-five players for much of the postseason.

NBA Picks: Portland Trail Blazers Futures Odds
by Aaron Smith - 9/11/2013

The Portland Trail Blazers franchise has had a great deal of success over the years. Last year’s 33-49 record wasn’t acceptable to anyone involved with this franchise. How bad was the finish last year? Portland lost their final 13 games of the year, which led many to wonder if the team was tanking at the end of the season. During their 13-game losing streak, the Blazers lost by an average of 14.2 points per game. Basically, Portland was annihilated on a nightly basis to finish out the 2012-13 season.

NBA Picks: Cleveland Should Enter Playoff Fight
by Aaron Smith - 9/4/2013

The Cleveland Cavaliers franchise took a major nosedive as soon as LeBron James left for Miami, but there are some real signs of life in Cleveland of late. The Cavaliers have been fortunate enough to get the No. 1 draft pick twice, and you have to think that is going to pay off in the future. The city of Cleveland badly wants a winner. And while this team has quite a bit of room for improvement, it seems clear that they are about to enter the playoff race in the Eastern Conference.

NBA Picks: Clippers Making Moves to Become Best in West
by Aaron Smith - 8/21/2013

The Los Angeles Clippers were knocked out in the first round of the NBA Playoffs last year. It was a bitter pill to swallow for a team that had very high expectations heading into the season. Los Angeles has been a streaky team in the past two seasons. They have looked like the best team in the NBA at some points, and at others they have looked like a borderline playoff team. Unfortunately for the Clippers, they haven’t been able to play their best basketball when it matters the most.

NBA Picks: Bobcats Trying to Become Competitive
by Aaron Smith - 8/14/2013

Not all NBA teams have the same goal at the beginning of every season. For a team like the Charlotte Bobcats, no doubt the goal is to simply be competitive this year. While the players and management might say their goals are set to reach the playoffs, deep down they know that first they have to take baby steps and become competitive.

NBA Picks: Pistons Have Added Excitement
by Aaron Smith - 8/7/2013

The Detroit Pistons were one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for many years. However, since the 2007-2008 season fans in Detroit haven’t had much to cheer about. The Pistons have gone downhill quickly since that time. Detroit hasn’t won more than 30 games in any of the last four seasons.

NBA Picks: Indiana Pacers Need a Couple Pieces
by Aaron Smith - 7/31/2013

The Indiana Pacers were just a game away from being the Eastern Conference Champions and taking on the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. The Pacers had been extremely impressive early in the Eastern Conference Finals against Miami, but they couldn’t rise to the occasion in the deciding Game 7. The Heat coasted to a 99-76 victory in the finale of their series against the Pacers before going on to edge out the Spurs in the NBA Finals.

NBA Picks: Golden State Warriors Ready for Next Step
by Aaron Smith - 7/24/2013

The Golden State Warriors took a big step forward last year by winning their first-round playoff matchup with the Denver Nuggets. Golden State bowed out in the second round to the San Antonio Spurs, but not before putting up a very good fight against the team that ended up being just seconds away from another NBA title.

Heat at Pacers Picks and NBA Game 4 Odds
by Alan Matthews - 5/28/2013

I am starting to think these TV talking heads are just BSing everyone when they get all worked up about the Miami Heat and the actual chance they will lose a series. Remember when the Heat lost Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series against short-handed Chicago? Panic city. The Bulls wouldn't win another game. Are the Indiana Pacers better than the Bulls? Certainly, at least the non-Derrick Rose Bulls. But does anyone really think they can beat the Heat four times? I mean Miami has just four losses since Super Bowl Sunday.

Spurs at Grizzlies Picks and Game 4 NBA Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 5/27/2013

The storyline here is easy to decode. The Spurs have a chance to fatally twist the dagger that they have planted in the guts of the Grizzlies the last three games. Memphis is fighting to salvage some pride — even if their chances of advancing past this round are dim at best. This is good old, plain and simple playoff drama. Desperation versus determination. Momentum versus frustration. The most establishment of teams versus the squad trying to prove they truly belong in the top tier. Good stuff.

Spurs at Grizzlies Picks and Game 3 Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 5/25/2013

The NBA Western Conference Finals will shift venues to FedEx Forum this Saturday night for Game 3 of this best-of-seven showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies, with the Spurs holding the 2-0 edge. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. (ET), and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Pacers at Heat Picks and Game 2 NBA Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 5/24/2013

The Pacers came very, very close to shocking the world in the opener — far closer than most people outside of Indianapolis expected. Playing in Miami, they took the Heat to overtime and then had the lead right up until LeBron James scored the winning basket at the buzzer. It was a very strong, eye-opening performance.

Pacers at Heat Picks and Game 1 NBA Odds
by Dave Schwab - 5/22/2013

The Indiana Pacers will try and carve out a much-needed early edge in this season’s Eastern Conference Finals when they square off against the heavily-favored Miami Heat this Wednesday night at American Airlines Arena in Game 1 of this best-of-seven series showdown. The game set to tip off at 8:30 p.m., and it will be broadcast nationally on TNT.

Grizzlies at Spurs Picks and Game 2 NBA Odds
by Alan Matthews - 5/21/2013

I have never played professional sports, sorry to say. Thus, I never bought into that experience thing when it comes to the playoffs. What difference does it make if you have played in big games before? Athletes live in the moment. What, when you are shooting a last-second free throw you are more likely to make it than miss if you have playoff experience?

Knicks at Pacers Picks and NBA Game 6 Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 5/18/2013

The New York Knicks will try and force a Game 7 in their Eastern Conference Semifinals showdown against the Indiana Pacers when the two clash this Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Game 6. The tip is slated for 8 p.m., and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

Pacers at Knicks Picks and NBA Game 5 Odds
by Alan Matthews - 5/16/2013

If I am the Indiana Pacers, I believe my best chance to beat the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals actually will be determined in Thursday night's Game 5 of the conference semifinals at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Here's why: The Miami Heat will have finished off the Chicago Bulls in five games in their semifinal series on Wednesday night whether or not Dwyane Wade played in the game.

Grizzlies at Thunder Picks and Game 5 NBA Odds
by Dave Schwab - 5/15/2013

The Memphis Grizzlies find themselves just one win away from booking a ticket to the Western Conference Finals when they square off against the Oklahoma City Thunder this Wednesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena. This Game 5 clash is scheduled to tip off at 9:30 p.m. (ET), and it will be broadcast nationally on TNT.

Warriors at Spurs Picks and NBA Game 5 Odds
by Alan Matthews - 5/14/2013

With Kevin Durant getting almost no help from his Oklahoma City teammates against the Memphis Grizzlies and top-seeded OKC looking quite vulnerable, the Western Conference really is there for the taking for the Golden State Warriors (no offense to Memphis). If they can pull the upset in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal series in San Antonio on Tuesday night, the Warriors would have a chance to finish things off at home Thursday -- and they have one of the best home-court advantages in the NBA.

Thunder at Grizzlies Picks and Game 4 NBA Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 5/13/2013

I feel like I have seen this before. Two years ago the Grizzlies and the Thunder met in the second round of the playoffs. After three games Memphis had a 2-1 lead in the series and was looking like the better team. Then, in Game 4, Memphis blew a 22-point second-quarter lead and eventually lost 133-123 in triple overtime. That game swung the series, and Oklahoma City won the series in seven games. They lost in the next round to eventual champions Dallas.

Knicks at Pacers Picks and NBA Game 3 Odds
by Dave Schwab - 5/11/2013

The New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers will resume their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals showdown this Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse with the series knotted at one game apiece. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m., and the game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.