SPORTS N STUFF

After some interleague online betting play over the weekend, regular action resumes on Monday and Cincinnati hosts Atlanta in a National League matchup at the Great American Ballpark. A few of the Reds young pitchers have been struggling to start the season, but theyll get their act together for the visiting Braves.

What: MLB Betting
When: Monday, May 21st-Thursday, May 24th
Where: Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, OH
Pick: Cincinnati Reds

Mike Minor (2-3, 7.09) vs. Mike Leake (0-5, 6.21) Monday, 7:00 PM ET

Leake will be hoping that he isnt winless by the time this start rolls around and it hasnt been a great start for the 24-year-old, who is 1-0 in two starts against Atlanta with an ERA of 1.50, but those numbers may not matter much as badly as Leake is struggling. Minor, although he has a couple of wins, is in the same boat as he hasnt had his best stuff and he is simply trying to get to this start without being sent to the minors (pun not intended). Minor, who is also 24, will be going up against the Reds for the first time in his career, but a 7.53 ERA on the road isnt encouraging and he has given up six runs or more in each of his last four starts.

Your best bet is to lean towards Cincinnati at home in this matchup.

free sports picks: Cincinnati Reds

Brandon Beachy (4-1, 1.60) vs. Mat Latos (2-2, 4.54) Tuesday, 7:10 PM ET

Beachy has been strong since losing in his 2012 debut, and he has made one start against the Reds in his career, taking a no-decision in Cincinnati last season. Latos had a rough start after he was acquired from San Diego, but he seems to be settling into his new surroundings and he has been good against the Braves with a 2-2 record in five starts to go with a 2.43 ERA.

Latos is 1-1 in four starts at home with a 3.91 ERA, and Beachy is 3-1 in five road starts with a 1.74 ERA. Even though those are great numbers, give the edge to an improving Latos in Cincinnati.

free sports picks: Cincinnati Reds

Tommy Hanson (4-3, 3.43) vs. Bronson Arroyo (2-1, 3.25) Wednesday, 7:10 PM ET

Arroyo has a ton of experience against the Braves with 15 appearances (14 starts), posting a record of 6-3, but he has a 5.68 ERA and is 0-1 in four home starts with an ERA of 4.94. Hanson has had his issues with the Reds in the past, going 1-2 in four starts with a 5.03 ERA, but he has been better away from home than at Turner Field, going 3-2 with a 2.57 ERA. Despite is record against the Reds, Hanson has been phenomenal in Cincinnati, splitting a pair of starts and posting an ERA of 0.68 ERA.

MLB betting sharps can never be too sure what theyre going to get from Arroyo; he is a little like A.J. Burnett in that respect. Some days he looks like a world-beater, and others he cant get out of the third, and he has been like that throughout his entire career, which makes it difficult to get behind him. Hanson has been throwing the ball well as of late, and the Braves should get their first win of the series.

free sports picks: Atlanta Braves

Randall Delgado (2-3, 3.79) Vs. Homer Bailey (1-3, 4.35) Thursday, 7:10 PM ET

Bailey hasnt had his best stuff this season, but he has also pitched well in spurts and its enough that hell be in the rotation for a while now. He is 1-0 in two starts against the Braves with an ERA of 2.13, but Bailey is 0-1 in his first three starts at home with a 4.50 ERA. The Braves, on the other hand, have started Randall Delgado in this spot the past two trips around the rotation and the rookie has done well; his last outing actually came against the Reds, and he didnt give up any earned runs in 6.2 innings of work. Delgado is eighth in the National League in walks, but that is to be expected of a young pitcher who is still figuring out what a major-league strike zone is.

However, that outing was in Atlanta and now Delgado will head out on the road to Cincinnati, and he hasnt gotten out of the sixth inning in all three of his road starts in 2012. This is the perfect game for Bailey to get on track and jumpstart his season, facing a team that he has been successful against in the past. Thats a big reason why you should take Cincinnati to end the series in your sports betting picks.

free sports picks: Cincinnati Reds

East Finals, Game 3: New York Rangers @ New Jersey Devils – Saturday, May 19

Sports betting experts are going to have some lively discussions about this series after the New Jersey Devils won Game 2 to tie the New York Rangers at one game apiece. New York won Game 1 in all three of its playoff series this spring, only to lose Game 2. The Rangers won Game 3 in their previous two series against Ottawa and Washington, only to lose Game 4 before eventually winning in seven. After seeing the first two games, the sense here is that this is setting up to be a long series.

New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is the best goalie in the NHL, and he offers a powerful and convincing reason to go with the Rangers, but the Devils have been the better team for most of the first six periods played in this series. New Jersey is stronger along the boards and is winning battles for loose pucks. The Devils are generating more pressure than the Rangers, creating high-quality chances and usually carrying the run of play. Which team will rise to the occasion in Game 3? History recent history, as in the past month of competition suggests that the Rangers will bounce back and take a 2-1 series lead behind Lundqvist.

NHL Betting Pick: New York Rangers

West Finals, Game 4: Phoenix Coyotes @ Los Angeles Kings – Sunday, May 20

When you do your homework and assess this game, you will find that online betting sites are only going to be more inclined to favor the Los Angeles Kings. What might have seemed like a long series at the outset has quickly changed to a one-sided affair. The Western Conference Finals have become the Kings personal playground. Los Angeles registered almost 50 shots on goal in Game 1, and the eighth seed in the West then followed up that primo performance by delivering a 4-0 beatdown to the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 2 of the series on Tuesday night. Los Angeles has exhibited complete control of this series so far, while Phoenix has lost its composure at so many points along the way. Los Angeles is demonstrating superior skill, a much greater work ethic, and evidently abundant mental toughness. Goaltender Jonathan Quick is out-performing Phoenix netminder Mike Smith, giving the Kings an advantage in the one area where the Coyotes felt they had the upper hand before this series began.

When you take a quick look at this game in an attempt to make a play at the best online best sportsbook, you will find it hard to find a strong and convincing reason to take Phoenix. This has been a series shaped and owned by Los Angeles, and any notions of Phoenix making this a six- or seven-game battle have largely fallen by the wayside. Go with the Kings over the Coyotes on Sunday afternoon in the City of Angels.

NHL Betting Pick: Los Angeles

It may be less than two months in to the 2012 MLB season, but even at this point few would have expected the Cleveland Indians to be on top of the American League Central, not after the Detroit Tigers broke the bank to bring Prince Fielder aboard. Nevertheless, the Indians have jumped out to the early lead in the AL Central, and will look to build on that early lead when they host the Miami Marlins in a three-game set this best sportsbook weekend.

Miami Marlins @ Cleveland Indians
Friday, 4:05 PM ET

The Indians have managed to gain position in the AL Central despite a pitching staff that ranks 25th in overall ERA and a sub-.500 record at home, two things that will need to improve if they are going to have any chance of staying there. One of those starters that Cleveland is relying on is 27-year old Justin Masterson, who will get the call in the series opener on Friday. Masterson has struggled with his control early on this year with a 5.40 ERA, and the Indians are just 3-5 in games that he starts. Meanwhile, Miami has been a .500 team on the road early on, and has to love what it has gotten out of veteran starter Carlos Zambrano. Despite a 1-2 record, Zambrano has a 1.88 ERA and has allowed just one earned run over his last 23 innings of work.

MLB Betting Pick: Miami Marlins

Miami Marlins @ Cleveland Indians
Saturday, 4:05 PM ET

The Marlins could have the slight pitching edge again in the second game of this set with Anibal Sanchez starting against the Indians Jeanmar Gomez, however, Gomez was very good in his last start going seven strong without allowing a run in a 5-4 win. The 24-year old Gomez is working with a 3.75 ERA, but a big part of that has to do with the eight runs he gave up in 6.2 innings of work in a loss to the Chicago White Sox earlier this month, his only start this season in which he has allowed more than three runs. Miami has lost its last two starts when Sanchez pitches, so this represents a strong opportunity for Cleveland to even this sports betting series.

MLB Betting Pick: Cleveland Indians

Miami Marlins @ Cleveland Indians
Sunday, 1:05 PM ET

The betting sites finale of this three-game set will be played Sunday afternoon, with Josh Johnson getting the call for the Marlins against Derek Lowe. The 38-year old Lowe has been lights out for the Indians this season with a 6-1 record and 2.05 ERA, and has allowed just four runs in his last 28.2 innings of work, including a complete-game shutout over the Minnesota Twins. Johnson has really struggled so far this season with an ERA on the wrong side of 5.00, and despite the fact that Miami has won the last three games he started, he has allowed 10 combined runs in just 16.2 innings of work.

MLB Betting Pick: Cleveland Indians

sports betting players familiar with Portugal’s national team know that they’re powered by their superstar captain who is one of the top three players in the world, and he’ll be counted on heavily at the European Championship. However, the defense may play an even bigger role as Portugal aims to escape an incredibly tough group.

Manager: Paulo Bento (since September 2010)
Best Euro Finish: Second place (2004)
Soccer Betting Odds: +400 to win Group B, +1800 to win Euro 2012

Offense

Portugal scored 21 goals in their 10 qualification matches as they finished in second place in Group H behind Denmark, and seven came off the boot of captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who just powered Real Madrid to the top of La Liga in Spain and is one of the top soccer betting favorites for World Player of the Year. A big Euro 2012 will put Ronaldo in the driver’s seat for the award, but the criticism on the forward is, like his Barcelona rival Lionel Messi, Ronaldo has never really carried over his club play to his country. This is a massive chance to quiet those critics, especially with the competition Portugal faces in their group.

But Ronaldo has to have some help and that should come in the form of fellow striker Helder Postiga, who scored four goals in six 2011 matches, while Nani added three goals and two assists from the wing and he has the ability to be a gamebreaker for Portugal. Ronaldo is surely going to attract a lot of attention from opposing defenses and Nani provides a good outlet for the Portuguese counterattack. He has been inconsistent for Manchester United this season, but when he is on, Nani can be a handful for any fullback.

Defense

This is where the Portuguese struggled during qualification as they allowed 12 goals in 10 matches, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but in soccer that is the sign of a leaky defense. Rui Patricio seems to be the man between the sticks, but he is only 24 and has just 10 international appearances under his belt, although five of those came in 2011. Bruno Alves is the most experienced defender and should be joined by Joao Pereira, Pepe and Fabio Coentrao, but Portugal was shaky at the back and allowed three goals at home against Iceland, a team that isn’t exactly loaded with attacking options.

Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho will be crucial to Portugal’s soccer betting hopes this summer as they’ll have to form a defensive shield in front of the back four to take some of the pressure off Alves and company. Portugal are going to run into Germany and the Netherlands, two of the best attacking sides in Europe, and if the midfielders don’t track back and help, Portugal are going to find themselves out of the tournament quickly, no matter how many goals Ronaldo can score.

Intangibles

Paulo Bento took over the team from Carlos Queiroz after Portugal failed to make it out of the group stage at the World Cup in South Africa, and he was the federation’s second choice after another failed attempt to lure Jose Mourinho from Real Madrid. But Bento has led the side to a few big wins, such as a 4-0 thrashing of rival Spain in a friendly in November. Even though it was only a friendly, it was still an encouraging performance from the team, which lost just once in 11 matches in 2011.

However, Bento represented the national team 35 times as a defensive midfielder and he understands that Portugal has to tighten things up at the back if they’re going to win their first international tournament. Look for defense to be a priority of his leading up to Euro 2012.

How It Will Play Out

As was mentioned before, the soccer betting odds are against Portugal in this tournament’s “group of death” as they’re rated at +400 to win Group B, and then +1800 to win the European Championship. Germany is one of the pre-tournament favorites along with Spain, while the Netherlands are coming off a trip to the World Cup final and Denmark just beat Portugal to the top of Group H in qualification as the pair split two meetings. This isn’t an easy road for the Portuguese at all, and they’re going to need a superlative effort from their captain, Ronaldo,

The Philadelphia Phillies havent fared well in the National League East, but thanks to an interleague series against the Boston Red Sox, they can move upward against the A.L. East.

Boston Red Sox @ Philadelphia Phillies Series Overview

Game 1: Friday, May 18

If you are interested in betting on baseball this season, the upcoming three-game series between the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies presents the kinds of situations in which raw numbers arent all theyre cracked up to be. The first installment of this three-game series pits Boston starter Daniel Bard, with an earned-run average of 4.30, against Philadelphia hurler Cole Hamels, who totes a snappy 2.28 ERA at the moment. Hamels is a better pitcher than Bard; you wont get any argument on the matter from a baseball betting expert. However, one must also realize that earned-run averages in the American League and the National League have to be taken with a grain of salt. The American League, because of its use of the designated hitter, is a much tougher league in which to pitch. An ERA just above four runs per game is a lot worse in the National League than in the American League.

If Bard and Hamels switched leagues, their earned-run averages, currently two runs apart, would probably be within three-fourths of a run, maybe only half a run. The sense here is that Bostons better batting order will make Hamels work. Hamels relies on his mixture of speeds to get hitters out, so as long as Bostons hitters are patient, they will get hittable pitches in the strike zone. This game should be very close, but Boston is in a position where it can wear down the Phillies arms. The Red Sox will strike first and prove that ERAs dont tell the whole story in a baseball game… not all the time, at least.

MLB Betting Pick: Boston

Game 2: Saturday, May 19

The team that is a mystery for a lot of online sportsbooks is the Philadelphia Phillies, and the big reason for the teams slump is that it has not produced at the plate. In Saturdays game, Jon Lester of the Red Sox, with a 3.71 ERA, will face the Phillies Joe Blanton, who brings a 2.96 earned-run average into Citizens Bank Park. Lester should be able to shut down the Phillies, while Blanton a reliable starter at the back end of the Phillies rotation does not have the overpowering stuff that can silence Bostons bats. Blanton will pitch well, but Lester will pitch better, and thats a recipe for a Red Sox victory in game two.

MLB Betting Pick: Boston

Game 3: Sunday, May 20

The team that sports betting sites are not favoring at the moment is Boston. The Red Sox have more weaknesses than the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays, and when they finish this Sunday game, theyre likely to have one more loss. The Red Sox will go with Josh Beckett, who carries a large 5.97 ERA into this game. Philadelphia will trot out its staff ace, Cliff Lee, who has been humming along this season with a 2.17 earned-run average. Lee will dominate, while Beckett immersed in a horrible season will find it hard to outduel his counterpart. Philadelphia will win the finale of this three-game set.

MLB Betting Pick: Philadelphia

The 2012 NHL Playoffs involve two geographically intimate rivalries in the conference finals. One is in New York and New Jersey. The other one is along Interstate 10: L.A. versus Phoenix.

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Kings vs. Phoenix Coyotes Series Overview
Sports betting line: N/A

Why Los Angeles Will Win

When you place a bet on an NHL playoff series after looking at any of several betting sites, you have to look at which team is playing the better brand of ball at the moment, and its clearly the Kings. Los Angeles swarmed Phoenix in Game 1 of this still-young series on Sunday, winning its sixth road game of the playoffs in as many outings. The Kings got almost 50 pucks on goal, a season high for them. Coach Darryl Sutter is squeezing the most out of his team, which is clicking on all four lines and is getting top-shelf play from goaltender Jonathan Quick. The Kings also ought to feel good about themselves because they made two stupid plays in Game 1 on Sunday. Quick allowed a very bad goal on a mid-ice shot, and Quick also gave up the puck behind his own net to a player who was being closely followed. The exchange led to a turnover and a quick Phoenix goal. Los Angeles ability to overcome these mistakes should only fuel the Kings confidence to a much greater degree.

This team has lost only one playoff game so far. It has steamrolled through the first two rounds, it is winning games on the road with regularity, and it has the look of a team that believes in itself far more than any other team left in the National Hockey League playoffs. The Kings are not the same team they were in the regular season. They have undergone the kind of transformation that typically happens with a Stanley Cup favorite. They dismissed the top two seeds in their conference, beating teams that accumulated 220 points in the NHL regular season (Vancouver and St. Louis). It would be very hard to pick against the Kings at this point, especially since they already have a 1-0 lead in the series and have taken home ice away from the spirited but inferior Coyotes.

Why Phoenix Will Win

The people who are studying the best sportsbook odds in this series will calmly point out that as you assess your bet, the Phoenix Coyotes have made a living out of defying the odds this postseason. They won a series against the Chicago Blackhawks that featured five overtime games. Thats just not a very regular everyday occurrence. They were a clear underdog against the Nashville Predators but decisively won that series in five games. Phoenix loves being counted out. The Coyotes will just keep coming; they like surprising the experts.
Read more on the latest best sportsbook odds in the NHL playoffs.

Who Will Win?

While Phoenix will put up a very good fight, this is Los Angeles series to lose. The Kings are in a zone right now. Everything they touch turns to hockey gold. They will win this series, though Phoenix will push them.

NHL Betting Pick: Los Angeles in 6 games

The 2012 NHL Playoffs are about to feel like the 1994 playoffs, because the teams that decided the Eastern Conference title 18 years ago will do the same thing over the next two weeks.

Eastern Conference Finals: New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers Series Overview
Sports betting line: N/A

Why New Jersey Will Win

When you place a bet on an NHL playoff series after looking at any of several sports betting sites, there will come a time when you have to acknowledge the power of transformation, of a team that changes its identity and becomes quite different from what it was during the regular season. The New Jersey Devils once were an elite organization. From 1995 through 2003, the Devils won three Stanley Cup championships while making a fourth appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals and losing in seven games to the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. Goalie Martin Brodeur was at the top of his game, leading a previously hapless franchise to the mountaintop. However, since the 2003 championship, the Devils had not gone past the second round of the playoffs. Brodeur lost his magic as he approached his 40th birthday, and it seemed the Devils had just about run out of steam. New Jersey struggled in the first round but won overtime thrillers in Game 6 and Game 7 to escape from that series. Nevertheless, the Devils figured to get crushed by the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round.

Instead, they did the crushing. New Jersey won in five games and now looks like a completely different team. These transformations happen all the time in the NHL. Momentum is on the Devils side. 

Why New York Will Win

The people who are studying the best sportsbook odds in this series will calmly point out that as you assess your latest attempt to bet on sports, the Rangers have the knowledge that theyve already survived a seven-game grind in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs against the Ottawa Senators and the Washington Capitals. New York was really shaky in Games 3 through 5 (and the first 25 minutes of Game 6) of the first-round series against Ottawa, and it was 6.6 seconds away from losing Game 5 in a 2-2 series against Washington, but when Brad Richards banged in that last-second goal to send Game 5 into overtime, the Rangers made just as great an escape as they did in the first round, when they also won in seven games against a determined opponent.  Goalie Henrik Lundqvist, it is reasonable to say, has stolen each of the first two series for the Rangers, but now that this team has once again danced out of trouble, it has to feel very good about itself. New York hasnt played brilliant hockey in the first two rounds, but it is still standing. This means that the Rangers should be full of confidence precisely when they need it the most. Thats a big shot in the arm for any team in any playoff series. Getting home ice for another possible Game 7 doesnt hurt, either.

Who Will Win?

While New Jersey has momentum, the Rangers have an unshakeable belief in themselves. They also have the better netminder in the person of Lundqvist. That will matter in what should be an excellent series

NHL Betting Pick: New York Rangers in 7 games

The Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics both hate each other. Theyre on a collision course for the NBAs Eastern Conference Finals unless a young underdog can spring a round-two upset.

Eastern Conference Semifinals: Indiana Pacers vs. Miami Heat Series Prediction

Sports betting experts are not going to change their minds about the Indiana Pacers-Miami Heat series after what they saw on Sunday in Game 1. The biggest key in this series, going in, figured to be Indianas ability to find a reliable second scorer behind team leader Danny Granger. There is zero doubt that Granger is the Pacers main meal ticket, but much as Miami took away New York star Carmelo Anthony in the first round, given that the Knicks lacked depth and balance due to a number of injuries, it was highly likely that the Heat would be able to contain Granger. Theyre going to focus on denying him the ball and limiting his opportunities, which means that Indiana coach Frank Vogel needs a second man probably forward Paul George to answer the call. In game one, neither Granger nor George performed well. It was the big man tandem of Roy Hibbert and David West that did the most damage for Indiana against Miamis small frontline. The question – Is George mentally ready to shoulder a big workload against the Heat? was strongly answered in the negative.

Yes, the Pacers are a hard-working and overachieving team. They made the Chicago Bulls work in the first round of last years playoffs, and by winning over 40 games in this compressed 66-game regular season, the Pacers clearly surpassed expectations. Most basketball pundits think that their road will end here, however. Miami, even without forward Chris Bosh injured in Game 1 on Sunday has the two best players on the floor in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Indiana doesnt have the experience or the shotmaking ability to stay with Miami. Its that simple.

NBA Basketball Betting Pick: Miami in 5 games

Eastern Conference Semifinals: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics Series Prediction

When you take a quick look at this series to make a play on any of several sports betting sites in the country, you can try to convince yourself that the Philadelphia 76ers have a real shot at taking down the Boston Celtics. However, you will likely fail. In Game 1 on Saturday night, the Sixers should have led by at least 13 to 15 points by halftime, yet led by only five. Boston is not as quick as the younger Philadelphia squad, but it is superior in every other respect. The Celtics are smarter, more powerful, and know how to perform in the clutch. They have the better point guard, Rajon Rondo, and play better halfcourt defense under the guidance of head coach Doc Rivers, who is a better bench boss than Sixer head coach Doug Collins. This is Bostons series to lose; Game 1 affirmed as much.
Click here for more on the latest best sportsbook odds.

NBA Basketball Betting Pick: Boston in 5 games

It is the NHL Western conference final that almost nobody on the betting websites expected. There will be no Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, or even the defending conference champion Vancouver Canucks. Instead, it will be the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings, a team that barely qualified for the postseason, making the trip to the desert to fight a Phoenix Coyotes team that has spent the entire season owned by the NHL. The Kings and Coyotes is certainly among the most unlikely matchups that we could have seen, but that doesnt mean either team doesnt deserve to be here right now.

Los Angeles is the online sports book favorite for this series, even though it is the lower seed and will open the series on the road. After knocking off the defending Western conference champion Canucks in just five games in the opening round, the Kings went on to sweep the St. Louis Blues in four-straight as the lower seed as well. While Los Angeles has fit the mold of a grinding, hard-working team that seems built for the playoffs, the play of Jonathan Quick and goal has been what has made them so dominant in these playoffs. The 26-year old Quick is 8-1 with a 1.55 goals against average, and a .949 save percentage. The most impressive aspect of how he has played is the overall consistency that Quick has shown, as he has allowed more than two goals in just one of nine playoff appearances, which was the Kings only loss. Captain Dustin Brown has been a strong leader with a team-high six goals and 11 points, while additions Mike Richards and Jeff Carter have combined for four goals and eight assists.

For as good as the Kings have been, Phoenix will not be intimidated. This is a Coyotes team that has repeatedly been criticized and questioned, only to respond in the face of adversity. The resilience that Phoenix has shown in knocking off the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators is important, and an argument can be made that they have had the harder road of the two teams considering how poorly the Blues played in the second round versus Los Angeles. Antoine Vermette was a late trade addition that has flourished with his new team, leading the Coyotes with five goals and nine points, while the blue line has stepped up in a major way with Keith Yandle and Rotislav Klesla adding seven points each. Despite facing tougher opposition and losing two more games, netminder Mike Smith has numbers that still rival Quicks with a 1.85 goals against average and .946 save percentage.

Once the puck drops for game one everything else that has happened this season will become irrelevant, and its important to understand that both of these teams have very similar styles. The Kings may have a slight edge in goaltending overall, but ultimately Mike Smith has been just as good as Quick this postseason. However, Los Angeles may have more offensive weapons and overall scoring depth, and that may prove to be the difference in what should be a long and hard-fought sports bet series.

Prediction: Kings In Seven

Just when online betting sharps through the Lakers-Nuggets series was over, Los Angeles decided to open their mouths instead of playing and that sparked Denver to a couple of big wins to send the series to a seventh game. Expect the Lakers to wake up and play like the team that should have ended this series in five games.

What: NBA Betting
When: Saturday, May 12th, 10:30 PM ET
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Pick: Los Angeles Lakers

Why Bet On Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets were a team of quick starters in Game 6’s 113-96 victory at the Pepsi Center, coming out with a 10-point lead in the first quarter, and then outscoring the Lakers by 13 in the third period after halftime. Ty Lawson had a huge game with 32 points, six assists and five rebounds, while Corey Brewer dropped 18 points off the bench and Kenneth Faried added 15 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who shot 51.2% from the field, they hit half of their 20 three-point attempts and that all made up for a terrible 9-of-17 performance at the charity stripe. Outside of their free-throw shooting, the Nuggets dominated every single aspect of this game and simply outplayed the Lakers from the opening tip, and they never took their foot off their opponent’s throat, which is what you need to do in the playoffs.

It was even more impressive that the Nuggets played this way with the distraction of Chris Andersen being investigated for legal troubles, but he hasn’t played yet in the series anyway and the Nuggets simply excused him to deal with his issues.  Denver doesn’t need anything standing in its way right now, especially not off-court drama, because the reason they’ve been able to play so well over the last two games is a singular focus of winning and nothing else. They’ll need to maintain that focus for this massive Game 7 on the road in Los Angeles.

Why Bet On Los Angeles Lakers

The last two games haven’t been a ringing endorsement of why an NBA betting sharp should wager on the Lakers as they’ve played with no life whatsoever, especially for a team that was on the cusp of moving on to the next round. Kobe Bryant almost missed Game 6 with a stomach problem, yet he was the only Laker that played with any intensity and ended up scoring a team-high 31 points on 13-of-23 shooting. Andrew Bynum, whose words motivated the Nuggets to a Game 5 win, grabbed 16 rebounds and had four blocks, but was just 4-of-11 from the field for 11 points and Pau Gasol should have just stayed home, hitting one of his 10 field-goal attempts and finishing with three points and three rebounds. The bench players were outscored 40-27, and it was an all-around poor performance for the Lakers.

The Lakers will have Metta World Peace back in the lineup after his suspension for an elbow to the head of Oklahoma City’s James Harden at the conclusion of the regular season, and hopefully he can inject the team with some emotion because there was none in Game 5 and 6, particularly in the latter where the Lakers came out flat and really didn’t move out of second gear. The big men were listless on the offensive end of the court and it may have been the worst game of Gasol’s career. It’s games like these Bryant can point to and ask why he should shoot less if Gasol is going to be as soft as he was in Game 6, and he didn’t even try to add anything on the glass or in another aspect of the game. The Lakers have been the most enigmatic championship-contending team of the season and this game did no favors for NBA betting sharps looking to lay a little on them.

How Will It Play Out

The Lakers are favored by six points to take this Game 7 at the Staples Center, which should have been the burial ground of the Nuggets in Game 5 if not for Bynum’s “arrogant” comments (a quote from Denver players). Los Angeles is the more talented team, but you need more than talent to win in the playoffs and the Lakers have been outworked in Games 5 and 6 by the Nuggets, who are scrappy and refuse to roll over for them.

Los Angeles has to play with more energy and heart to win this Game 7 and the re-introduction of World Peace (which is now the most ironic name in sports after the Harden incident) into the lineup could be a spark for the Lakers, who just have to go out and play like they want it. Gasol is the key; if he plays with passion, it usually bodes well for the Lakers and he should be fired up after taking a lot of criticism between Games 6 and 7. We’d stay away from the spread, but take the Lakers straight up in your sports betting picks.

Nuggets Lakers Betting Pick: Los Angeles Lakers