Posted:
#1
Detroit (+4') for 2 Units
Detroit/Boston 8:30: In this game, the rhythm (Boston), rest (Detroit) dichotomy makes a difficult choice; for example, the Celtics one day off from closing out a seven game series, while the Pistons had a six day layoff. There are several variables to consider, but I find these to carry the most weight: Boston is off an emotional high winning Game 7 by the slimmest of margins; in that game, Pierce carried them with little production from Ray Allen, who can't find his range. And in crunch time, the Celtics look almost confused in their offensive sets without a player, including Garnett, who can take it strong to the rim or dish it to an open man; surely Rondo has failed thus far in the playoffs as the point man. On the other hand, the well rested Pistons, who haven't done well on extended rest this season (0-6 ATS / 1-5 SU), gives us concern with their mindset going into this game; moreover, the fact that they've failed to cover in 11 of the last 12 NBA Conference Finals also raises eyebrows. But I do like how they shook off their road shakiness late in the Orlando series and closed. Furthermore, the Pistons are 7-0 ATS on the road in this relatively low 'total' range. And Prince has the arm length to defensively be bothersome to Pierce, while any of the starting 5 for Detroit can fill the net on the opposite end of the floor while Boston struggles to find offensive rhythm with Garnett and Pierce as the only guys who have shown consistency lately. Now that Billups is back in the fray, we'll look for Pistons lineup, which has played together for years, to deliver here.
Detroit Over (174) for 2 Units
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