The first round of the NBA playoffs has flown by as the eight series now head to Game 4. And as things stand, three Eastern Conference teams in the Celtics, Raptors, and Heat are in a position to close out their respective series with a clean sweep.
Elsewhere, the top-seeded Bucks and Lakers have turned their series around after suffering shock Game 1 defeats and now have a chance to take commanding 3-1 leads.
SBOBET NBA fans will no doubt be eager to see how all of these exciting Game 4 matchups play out, so let’s take a closer look at each one of them.
Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers
The Celtics seemingly haven’t missed Gordon Hayward at all against the Sixers. In Game 3, Kemba Walker had his best game of the series to date with 24 points and eight rebounds to lead Boston to the 102-94 win.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia continued their offensive struggles as they shot a miserable 29.5 per cent from the field in Game 3.
But with Jayson Tatum (6-19 FG) and Jaylen Brown (6-16 FG) likely to shoot better than they did in Game 3, the Celtics should be able to complete the sweep on the Sixers, who have thoroughly disappointing in the bubble.
Betting Tip: Boston Celtics Asian Handicap -7.00 @ 1.82
LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks’ NBA 2020 odds of causing a massive upset against the Clippers are not looking so good now. Not only are Dallas down 2-1 after a 130-122 defeat in Game 3, but they may also be without star playmaker Luka Doncic for Game 4 after he suffered a sprained ankle.
Doncic is a game-time decision to play, but even if he does, it’s unlikely that he will be at his best, which will be a significant blow to the Mavs’ offence.
After underwhelming in their first two games, the Clippers finally ramped up their defence against Dallas in Game 3. And with Doncic potentially less than 100 per cent, they should have more success in slowing down the Mavs’ prolific attack.
Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets
Despite Brooklyn’s admirable performances in the bubble, Toronto has just been too much for the Nets in this series.
The defending champions have won two out of the first three games by 24 points or more. Fred VanVleet has been absolutely phenomenal; he’s averaging 25 points and nine assists while shooting 56 per cent on 3-pointers.
The shorthanded Nets simply have no answers for the Raptors on either end of the court, so expect Toronto to take care of business in Game 4.
Betting Tip: Toronto Raptors Asian Handicap -12.50 @ 1.80
Denver Nuggets vs Utah Jazz
The Nuggets’ defence has been simply atrocious in this series. The Jazz have scored at least 124 points in each of the first three games, including the last two to take a 2-1 lead.
Mike Conley made his way back to the Jazz lineup after leaving the bubble for the birth of his child, and he lit up Denver for 27 points, including 7-of-8 shooting on 3-pointers.
The Nuggets don’t seem to have any answers defensively. Jokic has been a complete liability on that end, and their only shot at winning is to outscore Utah.
After back-to-back blowout defeats, though, Denver do have the ability to make things much more competitive in Game 4.
Betting Tip: Denver Nuggets Asian Handicap +4.00 @ 1.87
Milwaukee Bucks vs Orlando Magic
It’s back to business as usual for the Bucks, who have blown the Magic out in back-to-back games after that shock Game 1 loss.
After two uncharacteristically poor shooting games, Giannis Antetokounmpo finally posted a more recognisable 35 points on an efficient 12-of-14 shooting in Game 3.
The undermanned Magic simply no answers for the Greek Freak. They will need another hot-shooting game to stay within striking distance in Game 4. But with the Bucks getting back to their best, that seems highly unlikely.
Betting Tip: Milwaukee Bucks Asian Handicap -13.00 @ 1.85
Houston Rockets vs Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder avoided going down a 3-0 hole against Houston as they won Game 3 119-107 in overtime.
Four Thunder players finished with 20 or more points, led by sixth man Dennis Schroder’s 29. OKC clearly needed Schroder’s offence off the bench to make things competitive, and he finally delivered.
Russell Westbrook’s status remains unclear, so the Rockets will continue to rely on James Harden, who has had a strong playoffs thus far.
However, guards Austin Rivers and Eric Gordon have been inconsistent, which could open the door for OKC to make it another close game.
Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat
The Heat have simply had the Pacers’ number all series long. Miami’s defence has kept Indiana’s attack in check. Meanwhile, Goran Dragic and Jimmy Butler have been terrific offensively.
The Pacers’ T.J. Warren has struggled to recreate his amazing scoring performances from earlier in the bubble, and Victor Oladipo has been far from his All-Star self.
With those two stars not at their best, the Pacers just don’t have enough firepower to keep pace with the Heat, who are simply superior on both ends of the court.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Portland Trail Blazers
The Lakers are once again looking like the championship favourites many tipped them as heading into the bubble.
They’re now up 2-1 on the Blazers after two impressive performances. LeBron James had easily his best overall game in the bubble in Game 3 as he finished with 38 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
Damian Lillard continues to produce NBA 2020 highlights despite suffering a dislocated left index finger, but it’s increasingly looking like the Blazers don’t quite have enough to overcome the Lakers’ superstar duo.
Nevertheless, expect Lillard and the Blazers to still battle hard as they look to tie the series up in Game 4.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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