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NBA Playoff Odds: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks Game 3

Written by Jimmy Boyd

cavs-hawks-gm-3-5809 The Cleveland Cavaliers are reminiscent of the 2007-08 New England Patriots in that NBA odds makers continue to face the Cavs with big numbers only to watch them mow down spread after spread with ease. Game 2 was no exception as Cleveland had the Hawks buried by 24 at the half and coasted in for a 20-point straight up win and a 7-point against the spread victory. The series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 on Saturday, May 9th and the game can be seen at 8:00 pm EST on ABC. The Atlanta Hawks are an impressive 34-11 at home this season, which includes one win and two covers against the Cavs, but odds makers aren’t giving them much of a chance. The Atlanta Hawks are listed as 8-point underdogs with the total set at 180.

No one expected the Hawks to win this series, and very few expected them to steal a game on the road, but most expected Atlanta to play the Cavs much tougher than they did in both Game 1 and 2. The Cavs defeated the Hawks by 27 in Game 1 and by 20 in Game 2, and Game 2 could have been a lot worse had Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown not called off the dogs early. In two regular season meetings in Cleveland, Atlanta played the Cavs to 14 and 6-point games. The Cavaliers are 29-14 on the road this season and one of those road losses was to the Atlanta Hawks, a 5 point defeat back in December. The Hawks nearly got the Cavs again on March 1st, losing by just 1 point. Facing an 0-2 deficit, we can expect Atlanta’s best effort of the series as they know it is all but over if they fall behind 0-3, but the Hawks certainly have their work cut out for themselves with starters Joe Johnson and Al Horford both listed as doubtful with ankle injuries. That puts a lot more pressure on forward Josh Smith, who had a terrible Game 2 with only 8 points and 1 rebound, to deliver as well as guard Mike Bibby, who wasn’t nearly as big of a scoring threat in Game 2 either. It will certainly help the Hawks if they can get Marvin Williams back in the lineup. He is listed as questionable with a wrist injury. If you think Atlanta will persevere in Game 3 to finally give the Cavs a challenge, bet the Hawks at +8 at Sportsbook.com.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been extremely dominant in the 2009 NBA Playoffs with a perfect 6-0 straight up and against the spread mark. Cleveland has won every game in the postseason by at least 11 points. We did see the Cavs get their biggest test of the postseason in Game 3 of its first round series in Detroit when the Pistons held the Cavs to 79 points in a game that was closer than the 11-point margin of victory indicates. The game was actually tied at 53 heading into the fourth quarter. Knowing the public is going to be all over Cleveland in Game 3, just as they have been in virtually every game this season, odds makers have surely over valued them with this number. But the books have been beaten six straight times with the Cavs this postseason so I don’t expect the public to bail until they get beat, especially since Cleveland has now won 10 in a row against the spread dating back to the regular season. If you like Cleveland to beat another hefty number, bet the Cavaliers at -8 at Sportsbook.com.

Jimmy Boyd is on fire in the 2009 NBA Playoffs so make sure you’re doing your NBA betting on his NBA expert picks this postseason.

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