Sports Marketwatch: NBA Playoff Edition

5/2/2008 4:00 PM EST

By The Team at SportsInsights.com

Welcome to this week's edition of the Sports Marketwatch – NBA Edition, where the Team at SportsInsights gives sports fans unprecedented insight into the NBA point-spread marketplace. If you ever wanted to know what was really happening on the sportsbook side, you now have an all-access pass with Sports Marketwatch!  The NBA Edition of the Sports Marketwatch will be published weekly, on Friday’s, normally by 5PM, Eastern Time. 

The staff at SportsInsights.com speaks directly with the line managers at some of the sports betting industry’s largest sportsbooks about which games the public is chasing and the Sharps are pounding.  We’ll take a look at what’s in store for upcoming NBA games.

Sports Marketplace – NBA Playoff Edition

Last week, the NBA Edition of the Sports Marketplace had a positive weekend as some of the “dogs” showed that they have some bite.  Philly & Atlanta, both home underdogs, actually won their games outright, leading us to a 2-1 week.  Let’s look at “the board” and see what contrarian values SportsInsights’ statistics show this weekend.  

2007-08 NBA Games to Watch: 18-23-2 = 43.9%

*Source: SportsInsights.com

Sports MarketWatch 5/2/08 – Playoff Games to Watch

Atlanta Hawks +8.5 over Boston Celtics (Friday)

Last Friday, the Atlanta Hawks “made us proud” by beating the Celtics outright at home.  The Celtics are in a dogfight (leading 3 games to 2) but can wrap up the series on the road in Atlanta.  Atlanta has shown that they belong in the playoffs – and indeed, that they can play with any team in the league. 

The public remembers the Celtics’ super season and Atlanta’s below-.500 record.  The public is all over the Celtics to the tune of 75% of the bets.  The line opened at Atlanta +8 and has recently moved to Atlanta +8.5 due to the public’s continuing bets on Boston.  We’ll “bet against the public” and take Atlanta plus the points at home.

The Celtics “woke up” at home and crushed the Hawks in Game 5.  We’ll “sell” the Celtic after their blowout win and take the Hawks to **at least** stay close to the Celtics.  

Atlanta Hawks +8.5

Games to Watch: 18-23-2 = 43.9%

Atlanta Hawks +8.5

It should be another exciting weekend in the sports marketplace.  Keep Sports MarketWatch picks handy and your browser pointed to SportsInsights.com for the latest real-time updates, using our exclusive Sports Investing tools.

We’ll be back next Friday with the new edition of the Sports Marketwatch – NBA Edition.

Enjoy the games!

The Team at SportsInsights.com