NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs: The Cavs Are the Team to Beat

James BrownApr 16, 2010

2010 Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview

The NBA playoffs are here and all the games will be covered with free picks and predictions on every series leading all the way up to the championship. The East is packed with talent and the seeds are set so let’s look at the field of eight teams that will be vying to represent the East in the NBA Finals.

The Favorite: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs are the favorites this year to win the east and they should be. They have the league’s MVP and they have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The East is not as strong as it has been in the past and with a healthy team and new additions like Antawn Jamison this team is poised and ready to take the East and play for the NBA championship. Sportsbook.com has the Cavaliers at +160 to win the NBA Championship and -300 to win the East.

Player to Watch: This is the place where I will discuss a player in the NBA playoffs that can take a team on his shoulders and bring his team to the finals. With apologies to Lebron James, that player is Dwight Howard. He is one of the best young talents in the NBA and last year single-handedly brought the Magic to the finals. This year the Cavs loaded up on bulk to counter against Howard so he will have to step up his game if he wants to go to the next level. Sportsbook.com has the Magic at +600 to win the NBA Championship and +250 to win the East.

Surprise Team in the East: The team that can surprise the other teams in the East has to be the Boston Celtics. As I type this I am not even convinced that they can get by the Heat in the first round but this team is a quality road team and has championship level experience. They did not finish strong but with Allen, Pierce, and KG, they can challenge any team in the East. Sportsbook.com has the odds for the Boston Celtics to win the NBA championship at +2000 and the odds to win the East at +800.

And the Winner is: The team that will emerge as Champion of the eastern conference is the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Hawks don’t play any defense, and the teams that are five through eight may pull a first round upset but they are not going anywhere. The Magic will not have enough to beat the Cavs and the Celtics are simply just too old. Sportsbook.com has the Cavaliers at +160 to win the NBA Championship and -300 to win the East. Sign up at sportsbook.com and bet the eastern conference playoffs today!