The 2013 PGA Tour season continues on Thursday at the TPC at Sawgrass, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are set to make our Players Championship picks and predictions for what should be a remarkable four days of golf in Ponta Vedra, Florida! Don’t miss out on any of the golf betting action here at Bankroll Sports!

2013 Players Championship Predictions & Info
2013 TPC at Sawgrass Dates: Thursday, May 9th – Sunday, May 12th, 2013
2013 TPC at Sawgrass Location: The TPC at Sawgrass, Ponta Vedra Beach, FL
Defending TPC at Sawgrass Winner: Matt Kuchar
2013 Players Championship TV Coverage – Network: Golf Channel, NBC

If Tiger Woods (The Players Championship Odds: 6.75 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) is in the field, he is going to be the favorite or one of the favorites to win the event. We have seen good things out of Woods thus far this year. He hasn’t played since the 2013 Masters when he finished fourth at -5 in spite of the fact that he didn’t play as well as he truly wanted to. That being said, that’s four Top 5 finishes thus far this year for Woods in just six events played, and he has won three of those four. We’re not quite at the point that Woods is considered the scariest golfer in the world once again at this point, but he certainly has the ability to win each and every time that he is on the course, something that we don’t have the confidence in saying about the mass majority of the golfers that are in this field.

Past The Players Championship Winners (Since 2000)
2012 Players Championship Winner: Matt Kuchar
2011 Players Championship Winner: KJ Choi
2010 Players Championship Winner: Tim Clark
2009 Players Championship Winner: Henrik Stenson
2008 Players Championship Winner: Sergio Garcia
2007 Players Championship: Phil Mickelson
2006 Players Championship: Stephen Ames
2005 Players Championship Winner: Fred Funk
2004 Players Championship Winner: Adam Scott
2003 Players Championship Winner: Davis Love III
2002 Players Championship Winner: Craig Perks
2001 Players Championship Winner: Tiger Woods
2000 Players Championship Winner: Hal Sutton

The man that won the Masters this year, Adam Scott (TPC at Sawgrass Odds: 18 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) has to be in consideration as well. We knew that Scott was playing well this year before he went to Augusta, and it was great to see the Aussie come away with the emotional win after making some fantastic shots to win his first Green Jacket and the first Green Jacket for his country. Just as this is the first event since the Masters for Woods, it is the first on the PGA Tour for Scott as well. The Australian has only played in five events prior to the TPC, and he hasn’t finished worse than 30th in any of the stroke play events. Scott has three Top 10 finishes and two finishes in the Top 3, and he has had some massive rounds on Saturday and Sunday over the course of this season. The back to back -3s at the Masters was remarkable over the weekend, but perhaps even more impressive was the 64 on the final day of the Cadillac Championship that nearly brought him all the way up for the win.

There is a point that Luke Donald (The Players Championship Lines: 20 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook) will get back on his feet and contend for one of the major titles on the PGA Tour. He picked up a Top 25 finish at the Masters, but a +2 finish isn’t nearly what he was thinking when he stepped foot on the links at Augusta. He did finish third at the RBC Heritage the week after the Masters. It wasn’t good enough to win, but it was a Top 5 finish, Donald’s second in his last three starts on the PGA. Donald finished sixth last year four shots off of the pace of the winner, and he is going to hope to do the job this week at Sawgrass.

The man that is going to try to defend his title this year at Ponta Vedra is Matt Kuchar (The Players Championship Betting Odds: 30 to 1 @ 5Dimes Sportsbook). No one ever won back to back tournaments here at the TPC, and the closest thing that we have seen is when Jack Nicklaus won in 1974, 1976, and 1978. Kuchar though, has had a special few seasons, and he has to be considered in a running if he can avoid putting the ball in the drink on 17. Kuchar has never won a major tournament title, and last year’s win was an emotional one for sure. His family was on hand for the proceedings, and there was never a doubt that it was the biggest moment in his career. This year, Kuchar won the Accenture Match Play Championship over Hunter Mahan 2 and 1, and he played well at the Masters, finishing tied for eighth. If there is a man to go back to back in the Sunshine State, Kuchar is the man.

Odds to Win TPC at Sawgrass @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 5/7/13):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at 5Dimes.eu When Using This Link)
Tiger Woods 6.75 to 1
Rory McIlroy 17 to 1
Adam Scott 18 to 1
Luke Donald 20 to 1
Phil Mickelson 25 to 1
Sergio Garcia 27 to 1
Justin Rose 30 to 1
Lee Westwood 30 to 1
Matt Kuchar 30 to 1
Charl Schwartzel 35 to 1
Graeme McDowell 40 to 1
Jason Day 40 to 1
Brandt Snedeker 45 to 1
Nick Watney 45 to 1
Billy Horschel 50 to 1
Bo Van Pelt 50 to 1
Jim Furyk 50 to 1
Steve Stricker 55 to 1
Dustin Johnson 60 to 1
Henrik Stenton 60 to 1
Keegan Bradley 60 to 1
Rickie Fowler 60 to 1
Jason Dufner 65 to 1
Louis Oosthuizen 70 to 1
Webb Simpson 70 to 1
Tim Clark 80 to 1
Zach Johnson 80 to 1
Bill Haas 85 to 1
Bubba Watson 85 to 1
Kevin Streelman 90 to 1
Ian Poulter 95 to 1
Ryan Moore 95 to 1
Peter Hanson 105 to 1
Thorbjorn Olesen 105 to 1
Kyle Stanley 115 to 1
David Toms 125 to 1
Jimmy Walker 125 to 1
Ben Crane 135 to 1
Hunter Mahan 135 to 1
KJ Choi 135 to 1
Carl Pettersson 155 to 1
Ernie Els 155 to 1
Martin Kaymer 155 to 1
Freddie Jacobson 160 to 1
Charles Howell III 165 to 1
DA Points 165 to 1
Lucas Glover 165 to 1
Boo Weekley 175 to 1
Robert Garrigus 175 to 1
Marc Leishman 185 to 1
Martin Laird 185 to 1
Stewart Cink 195 to 1
Brendon De Jonge 205 to 1
Brian Davis 205 to 1
David Lynn 225 to 1
John Huh 235 to 1
John Senden 235 to 1
Russell Henley 235 to 1
Angel Cabrera 245 to 1
Charley Hoffman 245 to 1
Chris Kirk 255 to 1
Geoff Ogilvy 265 to 1
Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 265 to 1
Harris English 265 to 1
Pat Perez 265 to 1
Aaron Baddeley 275 to 1
Bob Estes 315 to 1
Chris Stroud 315 to 1
John Rollins 325 to 1
Mark Wilson 325 to 1
Francesco Molinari 335 to 1
Jeff Overton 335 to 1
Padraig Harrington 345 to 1
Ryan Palmer 360 to 1
Branden Grace 375 to 1
Cameron Tringale 385 to 1
Retief Goosen 385 to 1
Vijay Singh 385 to 1
Derek Ernst 395 to 1
Luke Guthrie 395 to 1
Michael Thompson 400 to 1
Kevin Stadley 405 to 1
Brian Gay 415 to 1
Scott Piercy 415 to 1
Bryce Molder 435 to 1
Graham DeLaet 435 to 1
John Merrick 445 to 1
Jason Kokrak 450 to 1
Rory Sabbatini 465 to 1
Ben Curtis 480 to 1
Richard H. Lee 480 to 1
Bud Cauley 485 to 1
Brian Harman 490 to 1
Matt Jones 500 to 1
Sean O’Hair 530 to 1
Ted Potter Jr. 530 to 1
George McNeill 560 to 1
YE Yang 560 to 1
Seung Yul Noh 570 to 1
Davis Love III 590 to 1
Jerry Kelly 615 to 1
Jonathan Byrd 620 to 1
Ken Duke 660 to 1
Brendan Steele 670 to 1
Greg Chalmers 670 to 1
Josh Teater 670 to 1
Justin Leonard 670 to 1
Kevin Chappell 670 to 1
Matt Every 680 to 1
Sang Moon Bae 680 to 1
Daniel Summerhays 695 to 1
Jonas Blixt 720 to 1
Ricky Barnes 750 to 1
Scott Brown 750 to 1
Scott Stallings 750 to 1
Charlie Wi 765 to 1
Martin Flores 790 to 1
Johnson Wagner 810 to 1
Tommy Gainey 810 to 1
Brian Stuard 820 to 1
Robert Allenby 830 to 1
Tom Gillis 830 to 1
Anders Romero 840 to 1
David Hearn 840 to 1
James Hahn 850 to 1
Chad Campbell 860 to 1
Jeff Maggert 860 to 1
Charlie Beljan 880 to 1
William McGirt 880 to 1
Erik Compton 900 to 1
Greg Owen 900 to 1
JJ Henry 950 to 1
James Driscoll 950 to 1
Jason Bohn 950 to 1
Casey Wittenberg 1,000 to 1
Colt Knost 1,000 to 1
David Lingmerth 1,000 to 1
David Mathis 1,000 to 1
Dicky Pride 1,000 to 1
Joe Daley 1,000 to 1
Nicholas Thompson 1,000 to 1
Robert Castro 1,000 to 1
Scott Langley 1,000 to 1
Tim Herron 1,000 to 1
Troy Matteson 1,000 to 1
Will Claxton 1,000 to 1

All Odds To Win The 2013 Triple Crown Below

Beating the Kentucky Derby odds, the Preakness Stakes odds, and the Belmont Stakes odds in the same year has been virtually impossible. In fact, for the better part of the last 3.5 decades, there hasn’t been a horse that has pulled off the remarkable feat. Now, one horse will have a chance to put his name amongst all of the fantastic horses in the history of the sport that have won the three biggest races of the year in succession, if he can just figure out how to tame the 1 1/2 mile run at the Belmont Stakes in three weeks.

Here is a full list of horses that have won the Triple Crown…

Full List Of Triple Crown Winners
1978 – Affirmed
1977 – Seattle Slew
1973 – Secretariat
1948 – Citation
1946 – Assault
1943 – Count Fleet
1941 – Whirlaway
1937 – War Admiral
1935 – Omaha
1930 – Gallant Fox
1919 – Sir Barton

Every single year, the horse that beats the Kentucky Derby odds have a chance to get the job done to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. This year, there really only seem to be two horses that are given any chance to win the Triple Crown.

The first is Orb. The fact that this horse is only 20 to 1 to win the Triple Crown are probably some pretty nice odds. Figure if Orb goes on to win the Kentucky Derby at 4 to 1, he will probably be right around an odds on favorite to win the Preakness Stakes and certainly be an odds on favorite if he ultimately wins both of the first two legs of the Triple Crown. Just doing the simple math proves that if you like Orb, you should be betting on him to win the Triple Crown, perhaps even more so than you are betting on him just to win the Kentucky Derby.

The other logical horse to back is Verrazano. This is a horse that has only run four times in his entire career, but at least all four of those races came as a three-year old. Verrazano is an undefeated horse, and you have to love that about him. Interestingly enough, of all of the horses in the Kentucky Derby field, the one that is the favorite to win the Triple Crown is Verrazano. The logic must be that this is an undefeated horse, and it is very unlikely that Orb comes to the Preakness Stakes if this race is lost. There is a good chance that Verrazano will go to the Preakness Stakes if he doesn’t win the Derby.

Full List Of Triple Crown Losers
2008 – Big Brown
2004 – Smarty Jones
2003 – Funny Cide
2002 – War Emblem
1999 – Charismatic
1998 – Real Quiet
1997 – Silver Charm
1989 – Sunday Silence
1987 – Alysheba
1981 – Pleasant Colony
1979 – Spectacular Bid
1971 – Canonero II
1969 – Majestic Prince
1968 – Forward Pass
1966 – Kauai King
1964 – Northern Dancer
1961 – Carry Back
1958 – Tim Tam
1944 – Pensive
1936 – Bold Venture
1932 – Burgoo King

However, we know that these aren’t the only two horses that have a shot at claiming the Run for the Roses. It is going to take a horse that has the speed and the distance to be able to win the last two legs of the Triple Crown, and that’s something that is going to be awfully difficult to find. Perhaps a colt like Java’s War might be in good shape. He’s 185 to 1 to be able to get the job done, and there is no doubt that if he finds a way to win the 1 1/4 mile race, he will once again be favored at the Preakness Stakes. This is the type of horse that has a really tough time winning the Belmont Stakes, though. We know that Java’s War is going to try to win any race that he is in from behind, as he puts in his best work in the final quarter mile of any run that he has.

And then of course, there is the other possibility that there won’t be a Triple Crown winner. If you think that there is any horse that has a shot at doing it, you can get 7 to 1 odds, but in all likelihood, this will be another year without a Triple Crown triumph. When you consider the fact that there are so many more quality horses now than there were 25 years ago, it’s no wonder why it is so difficult to win the Triple Crown. Add in the fact that there have only been 11 three-year old colts to ever win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes, and it goes without saying that the best bet might be taking the -1100 that a horse won’t win all three legs of the Triple Crown.

Odds To Win The Triple Crown @ 5Dimes Sportsbook
Oxbow 325 to 1
Revolutionary 48 to 1
Golden Soul 550 to 1
Normandy Invasion 71 to 1
Mylute 235 to 1
Giant Finish 440 to 1
Goldencents 33 to 1
Overanalyze 92 to 1
Palace Malice 235 to 1
Lines of Battle 235 to 1
Itsmyluckyday 95 to 1
Falling Sky 475 to 1
Verrazano 18 to 1
Charming Kitten 325 to 1
Orb 20 to 1
Will Take Charge 210 to 1
Frac Daddy 430 to 1
Java’s War 185 to 1
Vyjack 165 to 1
Any Horse Wins Triple Crown 7 to 1

Listed below are the current 2013 Kentucky Derby odds for the entire field!

Click Here For The Kentucky Derby Daily Racing Form Including Kentucky Derby Past Performances

The 2013 version of the Run for the Roses is nearly here, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are making our 2013 Kentucky Derby picks and predictions, along with trying to break down the Kentucky Derby odds on the board at our featured sportsbooks!

2013 Kentucky Derby Predictions & Info
2013 Kentucky Derby Date: Saturday, May 4th, 2013
2013 Kentucky Derby Post Time: 6:25 p.m. (ET)
2013 Kentucky Derby Location: Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY
2013 Kentucky Derby TV Coverage – Network: NBC

2013 Kentucky Derby Post Draws & Kentucky Derby Morning Line Odds

Verrazano might be the only undefeated horse in the field, but he isn’t the only horse that is unbeaten as a three year old. Orb (2013 Kentucky Derby Odds: 5 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) went through the Florida circuit this year, and he was one of the most impressive horses that we have seen in the prep races thus far. We do see a few problems with Orb, though. The biggest is that he hasn’t had a Beyer Speed Rating beyond a 97 yet in his career. Yes, he was impressive at both the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, but in both races, he only managed a 97 speed rating. The other issue is that his style of running from off of the pace often provides issues for some of the top dogs in the field. Orb isn’t going to settle into 5th or 6th place at the outset like he has in a number of races in the past, and if he does, it’s only going to be because he put out a ton of energy in doing so. Instead, he is going to have to get out of the way of a number of horses down the stretch to be able to run down the leaders, perhaps of which Verrazano could be one. It’s a scary situation for sure to be in if you’re an Orb supporter, but you have to be wowed by what he has accomplished thus far this year regardless.

Past Kentucky Derby Winners (Since 2000)
2012 Kentucky Derby Winner: I’ll Have Another
2011 Kentucky Derby Winner: Animal Kingdom
2010 Kentucky Derby Winner: Super Saver
2009 Kentucky Derby Winner: Mine That Bird
2008 Kentucky Derby Winner: Big Brown
2007 Kentucky Derby Winner: Street Sense
2006 Kentucky Derby Winner: Barbaro
2005 Kentucky Derby Winner: Giacomo
2004 Kentucky Derby Winner: Smarty Jones
2003 Kentucky Derby Winner: Funny Cide
2002 Kentucky Derby Winner: War Emblem
2001 Kentucky Derby Winner: Monarchos
2000 Kentucky Derby Winner: Fusaichi Pegasus

If you’re going to be the best three-year old colt in the world, you’d better be able to stand toe to toe with the best in the biz. That’s why we think that Normandy Invasion (2013 Kentucky Derby Lines: 10 to 1 at BetOnline Sportsbook) is particularly intriguing. We don’t know if the 10 to 1 odds that we see on the board are quite as good as we will see come post time on Saturday, but we do know that this is a horse that we are very interested in. Rarely this late in their careers to the oddsmakers get it wrong with these horses. There’s a reason that Normandy’s Invasion was considered one of the favorites on the odds to win the Wood Memorial this year, and there’s an even better reason that this race ended up being so close. We haven’t seen Normandy Invasion win but once in his career, and though that doesn’t bode well for the Run for the Roses, we still think that this could be one of the sneakiest horses that the race has to offer.

There is a heck of a lot of talk about Blue Grass Stakes winner Java’s War as the best closer in this race, but we aren’t so sure that he was even truly the best closer at Keeneland that day. Palace Malice (2013 Kentucky Derby Betting Odds: 30 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) really stood toe to toe with Java’s War down the stretch of that race, and though he didn’t run well at the outset, Palace Malice definitely was a horse to contend with. We think that this is a colt that has gotten a rough break in his career, as he had a rough run at the Louisiana Derby and was outkicked at the Rising Star. However, at 5 to 1 in the Blue Grass Stakes, which was the second highest price that this horse has ever had in his career, he only lost by a neck to Java’s War, and he certainly was good enough to win the race. Palace Malice has some awesome bloodlines as well, probably amongst the best that we see at the Derby, and he definitely has the combination of the speed and the distance to be able to win the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

The third place horse in the Blue Grass Stakes might be one to watch as well. Charming Kitten (Odds To Win The Kentucky Derby: 40 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) has a great price on his head right now. This colt ran a whale of a race at the Blue Grass Stakes, and even though he finished third, he was right there making the charge with Java’s War as well. This is a well race horse that has ties to some great tradition of horse racing. He also has a great trainer in Todd Pletcher as well, and Pletcher isn’t bringing a horse to the Derby just for the sake of entering him. Charming Kitten has never run faster than an 88 Beyer Speed rating, but up until the Blue Grass, he was favored everywhere that he went. Don’t be shocked if this is one of these Mine That Bird type of horses that comes out of absolutely nowhere to ultimately get on the podium at the Derby.

Current 2013 Kentucky Derby Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 5/4/13):
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Oxbow 40 to 1
Revolutionary 8.50 to 1
Golden Soul 60 to 1
Normandy Invasion 10 to 1
Mylute 22 to 1
Giant Finish 45 to 1
Goldencents 6.25 to 1
Overanalyze 16 to 1
Palace Malice 30 to 1
Lines of Battle 32 to 1
Itsmyluckyday 14 to 1
Falling Sky 55 to 1
Verrazano 5.50 to 1
Charming Kitten 40 to 1
Orb 5 to 1
Will Take Charge 30 to 1
Frac Daddy 35 to 1
Java’s War 25 to 1
Vyjack 30 to 1

Top 3 Finish at Kentucky Derby
All Odds Available From 5Dimes.eu
Oxbow 8.50 to 1
Revolutionary 2 to 1
Golden Soul 14 to 1
Normandy Invasion 2.65 to 1
Mylute 7.75 to 1
Giant Finish 14 to 1
Goldencents 1.75 to 1
Overanalyze 3.50 to 1
Palace Malice 7.50 to 1
Lines of Battle 7.50 to 1
Itsmyluckyday 3.20 to 1
Falling Sky 12 to 1
Verrazano 1.10 to 1
Charming Kitten 10 to 1
Orb 1 to 1.05
Will Take Charge 6 to 1
Frac Daddy 8.50 to 1
Java’s War 5.75 to 1
Vyjack 5.75 to 1

Current 2013 Kentucky Derby Lines @ BetOnline Sportsbook (as of 5/4/13):
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Oxbow 30 to 1
Revolutionary 8 to 1
Golden Soul 50 to 1
Normandy Invasion 8 to 1
Mylute 30 to 1
Giant Finish 50 to 1
Goldencents 7 to 1
Overanalyze 12 to 1
Palace Malice 18 to 1
Lines of Battle 16 to 1
Itsmyluckyday 10 to 1
Falling Sky 40 to 1
Verrazano 4.50 to 1
Charming Kitten 30 to 1
Orb 4 to 1
Will Take Charge 25 to 1
Frac Daddy 40 to 1
Java’s War 16 to 1
Vyjack 20 to 1

Kentucky Derby Matchups @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 5/4/13):
(Get a FREE 20% Bonus at Bovada.lv By Using This Link)
Orb -135 vs. Verrazano +105
Goldencents -120 vs. Revolutionary -110
Normandy Invasion -160 vs. Mylute +130
Goldencents -155 vs. Normandy Invasion +125
Verrazano -140 vs. Goldencents +110
Normandy Invasion -150 vs. Vyjack +120
Revolutionary -145 vs. Overanalyze +115
Frac Daddy +110 vs. Lines of Battle -140
Mylute +105 vs. Itsmyluckyday -135
Palace Malice -140 vs. Charming Kitten +110
Goldencents +130 vs. Orb -160
Will Take Charge -110 vs. Oxbox -120
Frac Daddy -130 vs. Falling Sky +100
Java’s War -115 vs. Vyjack -115
Itsmyluckyday -105 vs. Overanalyze -125
Oxbow -115 vs. Lines of Battle -115
Palace Malice +100 vs. Will Take Charge -130
Charming Kitten +150 vs. Mylute -180
Giant Finish -125 vs. Golden Soul -105
Charming Kitten +120 vs. Will Take Charge -150
Verrazano -160 vs. Revolutionary +120
Verrazano -175 vs. Normandy Invasion +135
Verrazano -245 vs. Overanalyze +175
Verrazano -230 vs. Itsmyluckyday +170
Verrazano -310 vs. Java’s War +230
Verrazano -245 vs. Vyjack +175
Verrazano -365 vs. Lines of Battle +255
Verrazano -335 vs. Will Take Charge +245
Verrazano -365 vs. Palace Malice +255
Verrazano -310 vs. Mylute +230
Verrazano -410 vs. Oxbow +290
Verrazano -410 vs. Charming Kitten +290
Verrazano -510 vs. Falling Sky +340
Verrazano -410 vs. Frac Daddy +290
Verrazano -460 vs. Giant Finish +320
Verrazano -565 vs. Golden Soul +375
Orb -185 vs. Revolutionary +145
Orb -215 vs. Normandy Invasion +165
Orb -320 vs. Overanalyze +240
Orb -300 vs. Itsmyluckyday +220
Orb -420 vs. Java’s War +300
Orb -320 vs. Vyjack +240
Orb -530 vs. Lines of Battle +350
Orb -475 vs. Will Take Charge +325
Orb -530 vs. Palace Malice +350
Orb -420 vs. Mylute +300
Orb -600 vs. Oxbow +400
Orb -600 vs. Charming Kitten +400
Orb -900 vs. Falling Sky +500
Orb -600 vs. Frac Daddy +400
Orb -750 vs. Giant Finish +450
Orb -1050 vs. Golden Soul +550

The Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls will be playing in what should be a tight series in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Join us here at Bankroll Sports, as we look at the Bulls vs. Nets series schedule, as well as many our series predictions for what should be one of the top series to pay attention to in the opening round of the playoffs. Don’t miss out on any of the NBA betting action that you’ll find right here at Bankroll Sports!

Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets NBA Playoff Schedule

Bulls Win Series 4-3

Game 1: Chicago Bulls 89 – Brooklyn Nets 106
Game 2: Chicago Bulls 90 – Brooklyn Nets 82
Game 3: Brooklyn Nets 76 – Chicago Bulls 79
Game 4: Brooklyn Nets 134 – Chicago Bulls 142 (3 OTs)
Game 5: Chicago Bulls 91 – Brooklyn Nets 91
Game 6: Brooklyn Nets 95 – Chicago Bulls 92
Game 7: Chicago Bulls 99 – Brooklyn Nets 93

Chicago Bulls vs. Brooklyn Nets Series Odds at
Wager Web Sportsbook
Chicago Bulls +180
Brooklyn Nets -220
Click Here to Bet The Bulls vs. Nets Picks!

Bulls vs. Nets Series Updates
Game 1: Amazingly, the Bulls were nowhere to be found defensively in Game 1 in Brooklyn. The Nets had 89 points on the board through the first three quarters, and they cruised to victory after that. C Joakim Noah came back into the lineup, only to play 14 minutes, while on the other side of the court, the four stars that were brought together this year, G Deron Williams, G Joe Johnson, F Gerald Wallace, and C Brook Lopez combined to score 73 points between them. Nets 106 – Bulls 89 (Nets Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: The Nets have lost home court advantage, and they have lost it over the fact that they just couldn’t shoot the basketball in the first or the third quarter on Monday. Chicago held down Brooklyn to a total of just 28 points in those two quarters combined. No one in the game scored more than 15 for the Bulls, but all three of C Joakim Noah, F Luol Deng, and F Carlos Boozer had double-doubles. G Deron Williams shot just 1-of-9 from the field, and that isn’t going to cut it. Bulls 90 – Nets 82 (Series Tied 1-1)

Game 3: In spite of the fact that the Nets rallied to a 24-14 edge in the fourth quarter, they were never able to get in front of the Bulls when they really needed to. Brooklyn scored just 52 points in the first three quarters of basketball, and that truly was its demise. Both teams had a tough time shooting the basketball, as the Nets shot just 34.6%, while the Bulls shot 39.7%. It was the second straight game where F Carlos Boozer, F Luol Deng, and C Joakim Noah all dominated in the paint, as they combined for 34 rebounds in this game to lead the way for Chicago. Bulls 79 – Nets 76 (Bulls Lead Series 2-1)

Game 4: What a game! There is certainly no doubt whatsoever that this is the game of the season this year. The Bulls and Nets needed three overtimes to settle their differences in Game 4, and the end result was that the Bulls took a 3-1 series lead. The stats in this game were remarkable to review. G Deron Williams scored 32 points, and he was one of the seven players that scored at least nine points in the game for Brooklyn. Chicago had eight players score at least eight points and were led by G Nate Robinson, who scored 29 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter or in the overtime periods. Five players fouled out. Three players played at least 57 minutes. Six others played at least 49 minutes. Five players logged double-doubles. It was simply remarkable. In the end though, Robinson was able to get the job done for Chicago, which now has a chokehold on this series. Bulls 142 – Nets 134 (3 OTs) (Bulls Lead Series 3-1)

Game 5: The truth of the matter is that Game 5 really didn’t look all that much different than Game 4 for the Bulls and the Nets. Brooklyn led by 14 points with just over three minutes left in Game 4, and it really found itself in the same sort of position on Monday night as well. The difference is that the Nets took this one by the throat and never let it go. G Nate Robinson was the hero of Game 4, but he just wasn’t able to deliver in Game 5 the same sort of way. He did score 20 points and dish out eight assists, but he was the only point guard that the team brought to the table in this game with G Kirk Hinrich out of the lineup. Brooklyn put six players in double figures, and both G Deron Williams and C Brook Lopez finished the night with double-doubles. Most impressive was the fact that the Nets shot 50.0 percent from the field against one of the best defenses in the league. We have ourselves a heck of a series going back to the Windy City on Thursday. Nets 110 – Bulls 91 (Bulls Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: F Luol Deng went to the hospital with an illness prior to the start of Game 6, and as a result, Head Coach Tom Thibodeau only used essentially six players for the whole game against Brooklyn. The Bulls put forth a good effort, but 17 points from G Deron Williams, G Joe Johnson, and C Brook Lopez got the job done for the Nets. All five starters scored at least 14 points for the Bulls, but they were overmatched in this game. Nets 95 – Bulls 92 (Series Tied 3-3)

Game 7: The first ever Game 7 at the Barclays Center turned out to be one to forget from the get go for the Nets. Chicago, in spite of the fact that F Luol Deng and G Kirk Hinrich were both sidelined once again, put up 61 points in the first half and ultimately never looked back. The Nets went on their runs, but they were never able to take the lead in the game in the second half. Brooklyn never got closer than four. Both G Marco Belinelli and C Joakim Noah scored 24 points for the Bulls. The Nets’ season came to a close thanks to the fact that G Joe Johnson only shot 2-of-14 from the floor and 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Head Coach PJ Carlesimo was fired after the game was said and done with, and Chicago moved onto a date with the Miami Heat. It was the first time that Chicago ever won a Game 7 on the road in franchise history. Bulls 99 – Nets 93 (Bulls Win Series 4-3)

2013 Bulls vs. Nets Series Preview

Anyone who thinks that they can call the series between the Nets and the Bulls must have a crystal ball. These two teams are very evenly matched, and if we had to guess, Chicago has the slightly better team, yet Brooklyn has the home court advantage for the series.

The Bulls are playing the underdog role this season after getting bounced out of the playoffs last year as the No. 1 seed in the East. They are clearly not the same team that they were when they had G Derrick Rose in the lineup, and they are most certainly going to be in some trouble without him in these playoffs as well. Chicago doesn’t necessarily have a lot of talent in the backcourt, but its frontcourt is amongst the best in the NBA. F Luol Deng, F Taj Gibson, F Carlos Boozer, and C Joakim Noah are outstanding, though at times this year, each has been through his share of injuries. Because this isn’t a particularly great three-point shooting team, scores are generally lower, but don’t let the fact that the Bulls ranked second to last in the league in scoring this season fool you. This is a club that really plays tremendous half court defense, and when that ‘D’ locks into place, it’s tough for any team to score even in the 90s against it.

The move to Brooklyn has been a successful one for the Nets. Gone are the images of this being one of the worst teams in the league, and in its place is a team that has a new stadium, a new head coach, and a new, winning attitude. Though most don’t believe that the Nets can compete with the best teams in the Eastern Conference, we do think that they have a special team that might be able to challenge the Miami Heat if they get that far in the next round. G Deron Williams and G Joe Johnson make for a great 1-2 punch in the backcourt, while in the frontcourt, C Brook Lopez is one of the best big men in the conference. The rest of the pieces around these three are suspect, but there aren’t many teams in the East that can boast that they have a Top 10 point guard, a Top 10 big man, and a Top 10 sharpshooter all on their team at the same time.

The truth of the matter is that the Bulls are in some trouble in this series. We know that they slacked through the regular season, and we know that they were devastated by injuries all season long, but we also know that those injury problems aren’t solved. A significantly worse Philadelphia 76ers team disposed of Chicago last year after it lost Rose for the season. We think that this is going to be a back and forth series the whole way, but in the end, the home court advantage is going to be the difference for the Nets to claim victory in this one.

Bulls vs. Nets Series Prediction: Brooklyn Nets in 7

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Consider this page your one stop shop for all things related to the Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers NBA playoffs series! These two teams are going to be squaring off in what should be a fantastic first round playoff series, and regardless of whether you are looking for a series preview, our Hawks vs. Pacers predictions, the NBA playoffs series prices for the Hawks and Pacers, or just an up to date listing of all of the final scores with recaps of all of the games, you’ve come to the right place. Be sure to bookmaker this page if you’re a fan of either of these teams, or if you’re just a generic NBA fan, but this is your official handicapping home of the Hawks vs. Pacers series.

Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers NBA Playoff Schedule

Pacers Lead Series 3-2

Game 1: Atlanta Hawks 90 – Indiana Pacers 107
Game 2: Atlanta Hawks 98 – Indiana Pacers 113
Game 3: Indiana Pacers 69 – Atlanta Hawks 90
Game 4: Indiana Pacers 91 – Atlanta Hawks 102
Game 5: Atlanta Hawks 83 – Indiana Pacers 106
Game 6: Indiana Pacers 81 – Atlanta Hawks 73

Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers Series Odds at BetRevolution Sportsbook
Atlanta Hawks +490
Indiana Pacers -680
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Hawks vs. Pacers Series Update
Game 1: The Hawks proved that they never really had all that much of a chance to take Game 1 of this series. They came out of the blocks in the first and third quarter totally flat, getting outscored 60-45 in those two quarters to get hammered. Seven players had at least nine points for the Pacers, but the hero was clearly F Paul George, who had 23 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds, leading the team in all three categories. Pacers 107 – Hawks 90 (Pacers Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: If the Hawks are going to get back into this series, they are going to need F Josh Smith to stay out of foul trouble. Smith picked up five fouls in just 20 minutes of works and was never really a factor in the game. Indiana didn’t have a particularly great offensive game, though F Paul George scored 27 points, while G George Hill scored 22. G Lance Stephenson hurt his hip in the game, and he is up in the air for next several days. Pacers 113 – Hawks 98 (Pacers Lead Series 2-0)

Game 3: What a disaster Game 3 was for the Pacers… They shot just 27.2 percent from the field for the game, and they never had anything going offensively. We have to give credit to the Atlanta defense, as it came out with its hair on fire, forcing 22 turnovers on the night to cut the series deficit in half. F Al Horford had a huge game for the hosts, scoring 26 points and pulling down 16 boards in one of the biggest games that he has had in quite some time in a crucial spot. There’s a lot of work to be done, but at least Atlanta is off to mark. Hawks 90 – Pacers 69 (Pacers Lead Series 2-1)

Game 4: Give Atlanta all of the credit in the world for fighting back in this series. The Hawks could have been dead in the water coming back home to Phillips Arena down 0-2, but they fought back in both Games 3 and 4 and are now level once again. Save for a 15-1 run in the third quarter, there was never a doubt as to who the superior team was in this game. The Hawks got five three pointers from F Kyle Korver and 29 points and 11 rebounds from F Josh Smith on the day, making up for the fact that the rest of the team between them only made 17 field goals. Indiana only shot 38.1 percent from the field for the game, and it turned the ball over 13 times. All five starters scored in double figures for the Pacers, but it was never really nearly enough. Hawks 102 – Pacers 91 (Series Tied 2-2)

Game 5: Any time a team loses Games 1, 2, and 5 on the road, we always wonder whether the stuffing has been knocked from it. We have seen it happen time and time again, and we might be seeing it happen with Atlanta as well. The Hawks only made 25 shots from the field and shot 33.3 percent for the game, and they put forth a horrid effort in Game 5. F Paul George had another double-double with 21 points and 11 boards, while F David West led all scorers with 24. Indiana amazingly won this game by 23 points in spite of the fact that it lost the turnover battle 16-6. Pacers 106 – Hawks 83 (Pacers Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: To think that the Pacers could win a game on the road in this series was shocking in itself. To think that they could do it with the bench contributing just three field goals and F Paul George shooting 2-of-10 from the floor is stunning. It was the defense that finally took over for Indiana, holding Atlanta down to just nine points in the second quarter and no more than 23 points in any given quarter. The Hawks shot just 33.3 percent from the field, and now, they go into the offseason, trying to figure out what they are going to do with free agent to be F Josh Smith. Pacers 81 – Hawks 73 (Pacers Win Series 4-2)

2013 Hawks vs. Pacers Series Preview

The Hawks and the Pacers are both defense first teams, and that should really show when push comes to shove with the final scores in this series. These two clubs also have a history of playing quite tight games with one another, knowing that the average margin of victory in the last five games between these two has been just 6.8 points per game.

Indiana is a team that has been growing quite a bit over the course of the last few years, and winning the Central Division title in 2012-2013 is a great accomplishment. However, for the first time in quite some time, there is a massive target on this team’s back as well, and it is expected to perform well in this series and in the playoffs. Anything less than reaching the Eastern Conference Finals would be a bad result. The Pacers finished the year going 1-5 SU and 0-6 ATS in their final six games of the campaign, and they are going to need to play better ball on the defensive side of the court than they did in their last eight, when they allowed over 102 points per game. Without F Danny Granger in the fold, there really are no bona fide stars to work with, and that could be an issue if the big boys for the Hawks get going.

Atlanta’s guard play is spotty at best thanks to the departure of G Joe Johnson. G Jeff Teague and G Devin Harris have done what they can in the backcourt, but the truth of the matter is that this team only will go as far as C Al Horford and F Josh Smith take them. These two men are combining for 34.9 points and 18.6 boards per game, and they are both very good interior defenders and distributors as well. They have both been here and done that, and they have a lot more playoff experience between them than most on the Pacers do. Atlanta has gotten out of the first round quite a bit over the course of the last few seasons, as the team has racked up 19 playoff wins in the last five years.

Indiana hasn’t won a game at Phillips Arena since 2006, going 0-11 SU and just 2-9 ATS to show for its work in those games. The Hawks meanwhile, are just 6-14 SU and 10-10 ATS in their last 20 visits to Bankers Life Fieldhouse dating back to 2002. Needless to say, home court advantage is going to be key in this series, and we have a hard time seeing how either team is going to be able to scratch out a win on the other’s home court. Go with the home team to win all seven in this one, which should make for a great NBA playoffs series.

Pacers vs. Hawks Series Prediction: Indiana Pacers in 7

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The 2013 NBA playoffs are set to begin, and today at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be keeping a close eye on the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Houston Rockets. These two should be going at it in a great set of battles, and we are going to have our NBA playoffs predictions and scores update on a nightly basis for this and all of the great series throughout the playoffs. Check back to this page often, as we will be updating our final scores and our series analysis so you can make the most informed NBA picks every step of the way in this series.

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA Playoff Schedule

Thunder Win Series 4-2

Game 1: Houston Rockets 91 – Oklahoma City Thunder 120
Game 2: Houston Rockets 102 – Oklahoma City Thunder 105
Game 3: Oklahoma City Thunder 104 – Houston Rockets 101
Game 4: Oklahoma City Thunder 103 – Houston Rockets 105
Game 5: Houston Rockets 107 – Oklahoma City Thunder 100
Game 6: Oklahoma City Thunder 103 – Houston Rockets 94

Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Series Odds at
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Houston Rockets +525
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Rockets vs. Thunder Series Update
Game 1: The Thunder are literally off and running. They knocked down 10 three-point shots and 44 shots from the field for the game, and they were able to drop a whopping 120 points on the Rockets in Game 1 of this series. It was a tremendously well-balanced attack for sure. There were eight players that scored at least eight points in the game, and it was a huge effort in spite of the fact that G Russell Westbrook and F Kevin Durant only combined to score 43 points. Thunder 120 – Rockets 91 (Thunder Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: The Rockets had their chance to steal a game in this series, but they just weren’t able to finish the job in the second half in Oklahoma city. G James Harden went to the line a whopping 20 times for the game and ended up scoring 36 points with 11 boards and six assists against his former team. Houston was down 15 in the fourth quarter, but it rallied to nearly pull off the huge upset. Rookie G Patrick Beverly scored 16 points with 12 boards with six assists, but it was G Russell Westbrook and F Kevin Durant that led the way, scoring 29 points apiece. As we found out later though, Westbrook suffered a knee injury and is going to miss the rest of this series for sure. Thunder 105 – Rockets 102 (Thunder Lead Series 2-0)

Game 3: The poor Rockets have to have had the stuffing knocked out of them at this point. They completely erased a 26-point deficit and took the lead in the fourth quarter, and they seemed poised to go on and win the game. However, a few thunderous dunks and a miracle of a three-point basket by F Kevin Durant ultimately gave the game to the Thunder by a triple. Houston had a shot to tie at the end, but the final shot clanked off of the rim, giving OKC a 3-0 series lead. G James Harden scored 30 points, but G Jeremy Lin clearly was hurting with a chest problem that caused him to miss basically the entire second half. Durant scored 41 and pulled down 14 boards in his first game playing without G Russell Westbrook in these playoffs. Oklahoma City looked mortal in the second half, shooting just 38 percent from the field and scoring a total of just 38 points. Still, a 66-point first half burst was enough to seal the ‘W’. Thunder 104 – Rockets 101 (Thunder Lead Series 3-0)

Game 4: We learned a lot about the Rockets and the Thunder in this game. Houston wasn’t really able to get all that much out of G James Harden in this game. Harden visibly looked hurt, and he turned the ball over 10 times and made just four field goals for the game. However, the rest of the team rallied around him, shooting 51.2 percent as a team without their star, including getting 27 huge points from F Chandler Parsons to lead the way. What did we learn about Oklahoma City? The team is in a heck of a lot of trouble. The Thunder are clearly going to need someone aside from F Kevin Durant to step it up. When Durant is hot and he is getting to the basket, OKC is fine. However, the team just can’t rely on KD scoring 40 points every night to carry the load. Someone else is going to have to maintain the basketball to get some open looks for some other guys, and that just isn’t happening right now. G Reggie Jackson did what he could, scoring 18 points, but he only had three assists, and that isn’t going to cut it. Durant scored 38 and was dominating, but he couldn’t win this game all by himself in spite of the fact that he shot 12-of-16 from the field and 13-of-15 from the foul line. Rockets 105 – Thunder 103 (Thunder Lead Series 3-1)

Game 5: More of the same for the Thunder in this series, and they have to become scared that the very real possibility is there that not only could this become a disaster of a first round defeat, but there is a reasonable chance that the Rockets could become the first team in NBA history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit to ultimately claim the series. Once again, six players were in double figures for the Rockets, but this time around, G James Harden played like a monster. Everything he was shooting was hitting the bottom of the net, and he ultimately came up with seven threes and 31 total points. G Reggie Jackson scored 20 for the Thunder, but G Kevin Martin only shot 1-of-10 from the field and really killed the effort. F Kevin Durant scored 36, had seven boards, and seven helpers, but again, the offense just didn’t look right with him essentially playing the point guard spot. Oklahoma City has some real problems right now going back to the Lone Star State for Game 6. Rockets 107 – Thunder 100 (Thunder Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: It wasn’t a thing of beauty for the Thunder, but they were able to finally get some help from the full team, and that’s why they were able to finally pull away from the Rockets down the stretch to close out this series after losing Games 4 and 5. F Kevin Durant scored his 27 points, but it was G Reggie Jackson with 17 points, eight assists, and seven boards and G Kevin Martin that scored 25 points that really made the difference. The three major players off of the Oklahoma City bench went +25, +32, and +20 respectively, and that’s why Oklahoma City has survived. Thunder 103 – Rockets 94 (Thunder Win Series 4-2)

2013 Rockets vs. Thunder Series Preview

There is going to be plenty of bad blood that might get spilled over onto the courts at Chesapeake Energy Arena and the Toyota Center over the course of the next two weeks, as there are a number of players on both sides of the court that have experience with the other team. This is going to be a heck of a series that should feature a ton of scoring.

Houston really has nothing to lose at this point, knowing that it is the severe underdog in this series. Any game that happens to be won would be a huge accomplishment for a team that was lucky just to get into the second season this year. G James Harden is the man that is going to be the focal point for this offense, as he averaged 25.9 points per game this season. Of course, Harden came over in the huge blockbuster deal prior to the start of the season from this Oklahoma City outfit. The Rockets also added both C Omer Asik and G Jeremy Lin in the offseason, and both have become solid contributors. F Chandler Parsons had a bust out season, averaging 15.5 points per game as well. However, the real issue with Houston is that it just cannot play any defense. The team is willing to run up and down the floor, and there is no doubt that it can score at will, averaging 106.0 points per game, but on the other side of the court, the Rockets are conceding 102.5 points per game, and that most certainly isn’t going to cut it when push comes to shove against a team like this one.

Oklahoma City knows that it has a target on its back at this point, and it is going to need to play at its very best to win this series and eventually get back to the NBA Finals. The team revolves around G Russell Westbrook and F Kevin Durant, who are combining to put up over 50 points per game between them. Durant came just short of the scoring title this year, but that’s no worry to him. He just wants to get that elusive first ring. The real issue is the bench. Last year, we knew that Harden was going to come into the game at some point in the middle of the first quarter and really spark the offense. Now, G Kevin Martin has that role, and though he did average 14.0 points per game this season, he clearly isn’t as good as Harden was. Men like C Kendrick Perkins and F Serge Ibaka add to the defensive prowess of this team, and this is the one aspect where Oklahoma City was much improved. The team allowed just 96.5 points per game this year, which is lethal considering the fact that the team is putting up 105.7 points per game.

The Thunder won 60 games this season, and they went 50-8 SU and 43-15 ATS in games this year in which they scored 100+ points. They’re going to score at least 100 in each of the games of this series for sure, and that is going to be the deathblow to the Rockets. Oklahoma City went 2-1 SU and ATS in the regular season, and it scored at least 119 in all three of these games. Perhaps Houston ekes out one, but this series isn’t going more than five games.

Thunder vs. Rockets Series Prediction: Oklahoma City Thunder in 5

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The 2013 NBA playoffs are set to begin, and today at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be keeping a close eye on the series between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. These two should be going at it in a great set of battles, and we are going to have our NBA playoffs predictions and scores update on a nightly basis for this and all of the great series throughout the playoffs. Check back to this page often, as we will be updating our final scores and our series analysis so you can make the most informed NBA picks every step of the way in this series.

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks NBA Playoff Schedule

Knicks Win Series 4-2

Game 1: Boston Celtics 78 – New York Knicks 85
Game 2: Boston Celtics 71 – New York Knicks 87
Game 3: New York Knicks 90 – Boston Celtics 76
Game 4: New York Knicks 90 – Boston Celtics 97 (OT)
Game 5: Boston Celtics 92 – New York Knicks 86
Game 6: New York Knicks 88 @ Boston Celtics 80

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks Series Odds at
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Boston Celtics +650
New York Knicks -1000
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Celtics vs. Knicks Series Updates
Game 1: The Celtics only scored eight points in the entire fourth quarter on Saturday, and that really took the wind out of the sails of a game that was very close and very winnable going into the final stanza. F Paul Pierce, G Avery Bradley, and F Jeff Green combined to score 63 points, but the rest of the Boston team only had 15 for the whole game. F Carmelo Anthony started off his postseason in style, shooting 13-of-29 from the floor and scoring 36 points to lead New York to a ‘W’. Knicks 85 – Celtics 78 (Knicks Lead Series 1-0)

Game 2: The Celtics scored just 23 total points in the second half against the Knicks in Game 2, including getting outscored 32-11 in the third quarter. The team shot just 37.1 percent from the field, while the Knicks got 34 more points out of F Carmelo Anothny. Four of the five starters for New York were +21 or better in the point scoring department against the C’s, and that was clearly the difference in this one. Knicks 87 – Celtics 71 (Knicks Lead Series 2-0)

Game 3: The C’s had to think that they were going to get this series back to Madison Square Garden level, but absolutely nothing happened that was good in Beantown. In the first game that the Celtics played at home since the Boston Marathon bombings, the host team came out of the blocks flat, scoring just 31 points in the first two quarters. At halftime, over the course of the last four quarters, Boston had scored just 54 points. Wow. Boston’s bench was outscored 30-10, and that clearly wasn’t good enough to win a game against the Knicks. Knicks 90 – Celtics 76 (Knicks Lead Series 3-0)

Game 4: Give the Celtics this… At least they have a little bit of fight left in them. They came out of the gate in the first half and put together a solid performance over the weekend, outscoring New York 54-35 in the 24 minute stretch. However, from that point forward, it was all New York, especially in the third quarter when the team went on a quarter-long 30-14 run. G JR Smith was suspended for the game for the Knicks, but G Raymond Felton stepped up and scored 27 points to make up for the fact that the bench scored just seven in total. In overtime though, the Celtics were able to muster up one last bit of fight, and they scored a healthy 13 points in the period to ultimately go on to victory behind 29 points from F Paul Pierce and 26 from F Jeff Green. The C’s lived to fight another day. Celtics 97 – Knicks 90 (Knicks Lead Series 3-1)

Game 5: The Celtics got the toughest game that they simply had to get. They beat the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, and they did it as a team. Boston picked up at least 16 points from five different players, and though Head Coach Doc Rivers only used a total of seven men, those seven were good enough to get the job done. G JR Smith and F Carmelo Anthony got shot happy from the outside, and as a result, the two didn’t even shoot a combined 30% from the field. The rest of the team did just fine for the Knicks, but as we have learned over the course of this season, when Smith and Anthony aren’t scoring, they hit the panic button and the rest of the team has to pay the price. Now, the pressure is really on in the Big Apple. Celtics 92 – Knicks 86 (Knicks Lead Series 3-2)

Game 6: F Carmelo Anthony knew that he was going to have to close this series out if he was ever going to want to keep his reputation as one of the superstars of the game. Melo only shot 7-of-23 from the field, including 1-of-6 from beyond the arc, but he was picked up by his teammates. The Knicks got back to their game defensively, holding the Celtics down to just 27 points in the first half. Boston was down 24 points at one point in the fourth, but the team went on one last push, a remarkable 20-0 run. It just wasn’t enough though, as the Celtics’ season comes to a close. Knicks 88 – Celtics 80 (Knicks Win Series 4-2)

2013 Celtics vs. Knicks Series Preview

The Knicks and the Celtics know all about each other, as they met four times this season and played in a bitter rivalry against one another. There was a point that the two teams nearly warred both on and off the court after games on the campaign, and that should make this a great series. The Knicks are going to need to knock down some shots and make sure that they continue to hammer the paint if they are going to win this series. We know that Boston is going to bring a very hardnosed defense to the table that is going to hack and claw with the Knicks for the full seven games if need be. There will never be a point that the C’s give up, nor will there be a point that the team stops fighting.

This is something that really could frustrate New York when push comes to shove. Neither G JR Smith nor F Carmelo Anthony were really great shooters this year, as the two only combined to shoot around 43% from the floor, and though they can both be fantastic shooters both inside and outside, they can both end up getting sloppy with the basketball, which could ultimately be the Knicks’ downfall.

Boston though, has to prove that it is in playoff shape. The team really hasn’t played all that hard for most of the season, and we think the last time that this team took a game seriously was sometime back in March. That being said, we know that F Paul Pierce and F Kevin Garnett are going to have to prove that they are the kings of the court, and they’re both going to have to be good for 35-40 minutes per night and probably at least 35 points and 20 rebounds per game between them to win this series.

The boys from Beantown are surely going to be emotional in this one, as Game 3 and Game 4 of this series will be the first games played at the TD Garden since the Boston Marathon Bombings. We think that this is a series that could go to Boston in spite of the fact that the Knicks did a great job in this series. Don’t be surprised if this one goes the distance, which is where the C’s might shine.

Knicks vs. Celtics Series Prediction: Boston Celtics in 7

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