Legacy
NBA Shootaround – The Frontrunners
The NBA season is only three weeks old and little more than 10 percent of the schedule has been completed. However, there’s no time like the present to go around the league and cherry pick the best of the bunch so far. Without further ado, let’s go!
Eastern Conference Winners
Toronto Raptors – Despite winning 59 games and copping the No. 1 playoff seed in the East last year, Toronto took six games to dispatch the pedestrian-at-best Washington Wizards and were summarily swept out of the playoffs in the next round by the Cavaliers. Notwithstanding their talented roster, the team lacked grit and many believed their acquisition of the supremely gifted Kawhi Leonard was just a one-year rental for a player who wished to be elsewhere.
However, the Raps are making a case that this year is different and it’s hard to argue as they have the best record in the Eastern Conference in the early part of November. Maybe Toronto had a heart transplant in the offseason but Leonard has proven to be worthy of their pursuits, averaging over 26 points per game which is above his career best of 25.7 during the 2016-2017 season.
Milwaukee Bucks – The Greek Freak is back and he’s better than ever kids. If voting closed for the league’s MVP today, Giannis Antetokounmpo would have our vote and more than a few others. The Bucks’ young forward is averaging 26.1 PPG and nearly 14 boards per game. Milwaukee experienced their first loss of the season after winning their first seven when they fell to Boston 117-113. However, the news is nothing but good in Milwaukee as the Bucks are second in the league in points, third in assists, fifth in points allowed and tops in rebounds. Sounds like the makings of a juggernaut.
Boston Celtics – After finding their early season footing, the Celtics ripped off four straight wins until they had a WTF moment in Indiana and bowed 102-101 to the Pacers. But all systems are go for Boston and bench jockey Marcus Morris is proving to be reliable in his supporting role. The C’s are the top defensive team in the league but their point production has been lacking. Nevertheless, they are the team to beat in the East with all due respect to the Bucks, Raptors, and 76ers.
Indiana Pacers – Although the Pacers had a big victory over Boston it’s not their modus operandi to beat the big boys. Indiana has a flair for kicking the hell out of the weak sisters and thus looking more formidable than they actually are. However, we must include them because their record dictates we do but don’t get used to seeing the Pacers in such elite company.
Western Conference
Golden State Warriors – It’s no surprise the Warriors are here and it would only be shocking if we didn’t see Steph and the boys in the Finals come June. The Warriors are a machine and the only thing we didn’t see coming was the emergence of 26-year-old Alfonzo McKinnie who has come out of nowhere to contribute to the success of the franchise.
It also comes as no surprise that the oddsmakers are routinely favoring the Warriors by double digits and those who make money on such events understand that one of the most trusted online sportsbooks in the industry can be seen at SBR where you can read the Bovada review before placing some action. Yes, Bovada is commonly hailed as the most venerable online sportsbook in the world and if you’ve got an inclination to get in on the action or simply need another out, give Bovada a chance to earn your business.
Denver Nuggets – Say what?! Wow, who would have thought that the Nuggets would jump out of the gates and into contention in such a big way? Not only are they winning but this is a team showing more temerity than we ever thought possible as evidenced by their 35 point fourth-quarter explosion which led them well past the Jazz in a 103-88 victory. But defense, not offense, has been the hallmark of their success on the young season and a penchant for beating up teams on the glass. How long this lasts, who knows? But right now, the Nuggets are pure gold.
Portland Trail Blazers – It’s certainly not startling to see the Blazers here, however, there is a team of note that is missing. Hmm, wonder which team that could be? Oh well, apparently, we have a failure to launch but we’ll eventually figure it out.
Portland is playing a high-tempo offense complemented by a stout defense and is doing it all while punishing the glass. CJ McCollum is not quite up to his usual lofty standards but he’s getting close and Damian Lillard is nearly unconscious with a 28 plus point per game average and hitting everything that moves.
Well, that’s it until next time people, and if you want to put your money where your mouth is when betting the NBA, make sure to check out the best online sportsbooks over at SBR.
As the regular season enters its final days, there are still as many questions as answers when it comes to how the playoffs will shape up. Only one playoff game is set in stone in either conference, so unlike some years, these final matches are of vital importance. Let’s see what is in store.
Three crucial games in the Eastern Conference
The sixteenth playoff spot is a direct battle between the Detroit Pistons, who are currently at 40-41 and the Charlotte Hornets on 39-42. For the sports betting fraternity, those looking to make the best use of free bet offers from their online bookmakers might find the constantly shifting odds a little difficult to keep up with. Right now, those looking for a safer bet but at shorter odds are backing the Pistons, as all they need is to either beat the Knicks in their last regular season game or for the Hornets to lose to the Magic and they will be through. The Hornets, on the other hand need a little help from fate, as both a win for themselves and a loss for Detroit is what is needed in order for them to scrape through.
Those two games are, therefore, the ones that will be truly under the microscope, but there are other factors at play in working out the final seedings. Seeds one to five are now established, and we know the Celtics will face the Pacers in round one. Beyond that, however, much depends on the result of the games mentioned above, and also how the game between the Heat and the Nets pans out.
The Heat are no longer in contention, but they can still affect the playoffs. If they win and if Detroit make the playoffs, the Nets will be seeded seven. A win for the Nets, on the other hand, will guarantee a sixth seed berth and will mean they face the third seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
Seeding in the Western Conference down to the wire
The eight teams from the Western Conference have been set in stone with almost boring predictability for some weeks. However, who will play whom in the playoffs is still far from clear, even at the eleventh hour, and if the deadlock is not broken, we could end up in the convoluted world of NBA tiebreaker rules.
There are four games that will be instrumental here, and these are as follows:
- Nuggets at Jazz
- Rockets at Thunder
- Timberwolves at Nuggets
- Jazz at Clippers
If the Nuggets win games 1 and 3 above, they will be guaranteed number two seeding, while the Jazz need to win either game 1 or 4 to finish at least fifth seed. If the Rockets lose and the Blazers win their final two games against the Lakers and the Kings, then the Blazers are guaranteed the number three seed.
Prepare for some classic playoff games
While it might be a case of the usual suspects, the open field as far as seedings are concerned shows just how tightly fought these playoff games will be. Settle back and enjoy, as this year, the NBA is set for one of the most thrilling conclusions to the season in memory.
Basketball is a very common game in every part of the world. This game is played and watched by many people making it again one of the games that people bet on. Many people will bet for basketball as fun and others will bet for it as a way of making some income. Whether you want to bet either to make money or as a way of having fun, then this is the right game for you.
Basketball betting is not a complicated thing and can be done by anybody as long as you understand the game well. What you need for you to start betting on basketball is very little, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t start this great venture if you like betting. While betting on basketball is such an easy task you will need to be equipped with some basics before you start betting on the game.
This guide will help you with some basics about what you need to know when betting on basketball games. Following are some basics on basketball betting.
Use spread betting
This is a popular way of betting to many basketball betting players. It is also called line betting; simply it is a form of handicap betting. If you have checked on any bookmaker that offers basketball betting, you will have seen some games that are listed in a manner such as the one below.
VS Boston Celtics -5.5 VS Los Angeles Lakers +5.5
This implies that if you place your bet on Celtics to beat the spread, they should win the game by more than 6 points. But if you bet lakers to cover the range, they should lose the game by 5 or fewer points, and if they win, it should be outright.
Know the teams
When it comes to basketball betting, you should know your teams very well. This means that you shouldn’t place on any team that you find on the list just because they have good odds. If you don’t know a team, you should do some research about it before you place your hard earned money on it.
Make sure you get their statistics on how they have performed on the last matches. Make sure the team you are betting for is a strong team that most probably will perform according to your expectation.
It is also much recommended to bet on popular teams as they are hardly beaten and you will take less time looking at their history. There are several teams on the platforms that are new, and it can be difficult to predict about them. Make sure you avoid such teams to get high returns and avoid loses.
Choose your betting site well
As of late basketball, betting has been very popular, and many betting sites are offering the service. However not every website that you will find when browsing is worth using. Some sites are scammers with poor odds and others may end up disappearing with your money even if you win which can be very frustrating.
Choosing a reliable site will determine your success to a large extent. You should ensure the site you choose offers the best odds, and they are licensed by the responsible authority so that you can be sure of payment when you win. Make sure you get enough information about a platform before you can open an account and deposit your money.
While there are many scammers in the market, there are also some trustworthy sites that you can use to bet and get guaranteed about the security on your money. An excellent example of a reliable website that you can use for basketball betting is Wetten.com. The site offers the best services, and you will never regret joining it. You can even bet on Games of the German Basketball-League BBL.
Bet on totals
Another great tip when it comes to basketball betting is betting on total points. This will not only be a simple way of betting, but it will also reduce losses. Betting on totals means predicting the total points to be scored. This shouldn’t be a complicated thing as you only have some few considerations to make your final prediction on the range of total points to be scored.
In many of the NBA matches the total points will range between 180 and 220 points while in European and college basketball matches many of the total points lies between 120 and 160 points.
After having your average points, you will need to consider how many times the team has gone above or below that points. If you find it has either gone above that points so many times than it has gone below the points, then you may need to adjust your prediction. Also considering the last meeting between the two teams will help you to predict the total points easily. Use the average of the previous matches between the two teams to get the outcome of the game.
Public opinions
Public opinions affect the betting world to a great extent. If many people have goodwill in a particular team, they will bet on it making the odds to be lowered. This doesn’t guarantee you that the team is strong enough and it will win, but it’s only that many people are supporting it. Make sure you avoid betting on those teams completely and if you do bet lesser. Stake your cash on teams that you understand well and you know they are strong enough to win but not just because many people support them.
You need to do a good follow up before you can bet on a team to win. Have the reasons behind the winning or losing of a specific team before you stake on them and avoid people opinions. This way you will never go wrong, and you will always get high returns from your betting.
Conclusion
If you want to boost your returns from basketball betting, then you need to equip yourself with the essential tips before you start betting. Ensure you choose the best betting platform to avoid frustrations in the process. A reliable basketball betting company will never let you down, and you will always be smiling.
On 17 March 2018, UMBC shocked Virginia 74-54 to become the first No. 16 seed in the history of the NCAA tournament to beat a No. 1 seed.
And with that upset, the remaining 25 perfect brackets among the tens of millions completed before March Madness were ruined.
The quest for the perfect bracket continues this March, so we have analyzed the past 10 years of the tournament identify this year’s potential Cinderella stories.
Whether you’re filling out your bracket or making your college basketball betting picks, these are the trends that could help you spot a shock.
Know your numbers
We’re going to classify a first-round upset as a team seeded 10th or lower advancing, as the chances of a No. 9 seed beating a No. 8 seed are too high to be considered a shock.
In the last 10 years, there have been 72 such upsets, an average of approximately seven per year. There have been no more than 10 first-round upsets in a single year, and no fewer than five.
So while it’s worth populating your bracket with a few surprise wins in the first-round, double-digit upsets are unlikely.
It’s also not worth wasting one of those surprise picks on a No. 16 or No. 15 seed.
While UMBC are the only No. 16 seed to ever win an NCAA tournament game, just eight No. 15 seeds have ever progressed to the second round.
The question, then, is which teams seeded 10th to 14th are most likely to cause a shock?
The First Four – a series of play-in games played prior to the tournament – is an excellent place to start.
Since its conception in 2011, a team that triumphed in the First Four has gone on to win in the first round of the tournament in every year.
Conference calls
In general, low seeds tend to fall into two categories: mid-major conference champions and teams that finished lower in the standings in major conferences.
In terms of first-round upsets, mid-major teams are the ones to watch.
In the past 10 years, 44 of the 72 teams to cause shocks in the first-round were from mid-major conferences, with the Atlantic 10 the top conference with eight.
Conference-USA has also been a great source of upsets recently, with its champion advancing to the Round of 32 in each of the past four years.
While surprise teams are spread fairly evenly across America, Ohio is the home of the upset.
Nine teams seeded 10th or lower from the Buckeye State have won in the Round of 64 since 2009 – three more than any other state.
Going deep
Unsurprisingly, upsets occur far less frequently when the first round is out of the way.
Just 23 teams seeded 10th or lower have advanced past the Round of 32 in the past 10 years, 20 of whom were seeded between No. 10 and No. 12.
While mid-major teams performed well in the first round, the split is more even in the later stages, with 12 of the 23 teams that reached at least the Sweet 16 in the past 10 years having come from a major conference.
Of the five teams in the past 10 years that have made it all the way to the Elite Eight, just one won their conference.
So while you might have a hunch that a low seed from a smaller conference will upset a powerhouse in the first round, you’re better off sticking with college basketball’s big guns as the tournament progresses, regardless of where they finished in the regular season.
While 2018 was the year of the upset, with UMBC winning in the Round of 64 and Loyola-Chicago making it all the way to the Final Four, it’s likely that the more familiar teams will be the ones making deep runs into the tournament this time around.
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