VEGAS has you bulls bettors sucked in

It's not such a huge factor when every bettor in America is aware of it.  Boston's injuries have been factored into the line.  It's not like you're getting Boston +3 when (due to injuries) they should be +5.

If enough Tom, Dick, and Harrys are growing overconfident in a team, chances are great that the team itself might (even subconsciously) be growing overconfident, too.  The players watch Sportscenter, too, and even worse, they have reporters in their ear every day.  I'm not suggesting that the Bulls will totally relax here, but it's just human nature to lose some of that intensity when you learn that the other team, already hurt by a major injury, just lost another key guy.

WOW! This is the first time im reading your quote and you totally dont make sense. I too was leaning celtics but with injury report momentum building for CHitown and almost winning two in Boston. I see them winning this game three by 5. Mr Bator i thought so highly of you but reading this garbage just makes me wanna puke. Chicago definately the better team coming home for game three. Line will move to -4 before game time.

STOP! STOP Already. You sounding like one of them.

For me, it has.  I may be wrong here, but I'm sensing that this Leon Powe news has led people to believe that the Bulls will not only take Game 3, but that they're practically favorites to eliminate Boston.  I was excited about taking the Bulls in Game 3 when I felt like the Bulls themselves still felt like underdogs (despite actully being favored -1.5).  Now, though, with this Powe news, and all its subsequent chatter, I'm not sure that it's not the Celtics who now feel like decided underdogs.

At this point, with this much doubt, it makes sense for me to just go for the scalps.  As it is, I have about 30 more minutes of computer time before I'll be away until shortly before the Lakers/Jazz game, so I don't have all day to discuss this, although I sure wish I could.  Darn my family for making me visit three times a year (I'm posting this from Massachusetts, not my usual perch in Las Vegas).

Quote Originally Posted by pucku27:

    YES BOS CAN WIN    BUT IF YOU THINK THE BULLS  AS YOU PUT IT  UNDERESTIMATING THEM   YOUR CRAZY . I THOUGHT YOU WHERE ALOT SMARTER THEN THAT BATOR. IF THE BULLS WHERE UP 3-0 YES MAYBE. BUT 1-1 AND THERE FIRST GAME AT HOME NOT A CHANCE AS YOU PUT IT     UNDERESTIMATING THEM

Like I said - not totally relaxing and suddenly treating Boston like they're the Memphis Grizzlies, but more of a subtle drop in intensity.  When you're mindset as players shifts from that of the underdog to that of the team EXPECTED to take advantage of the other team's misfortune (injuries), it can make a huge difference.

Quote Originally Posted by pucku27:

YES BATOR I TOOK CHIC  ML - 140 . BUT I KNOW THIS GAME IS A TOSSUP  EVEN WITH CHIC  UNDERESTIMATING THEM

Well, if you think the game is a 50/50 proposition, then why the heck would you agree to lay -140?

I've always believed that it does, bigtime.  This chatter amongst sports fans and bettors can seep right into the locker room.  The players aren't shielded from the expectations floating around concerning the games they're about to play.  I think the players get a pretty good idea of when people are expecting them to win and when they're expecting them to lose.  At this point, with people pretty much concluding that Boston's injuries are too much for the Celtics to overcome, maybe the Bulls aren't feeling so much like big underdogs against "the defending champs", but instead maybe they're beginning to feel the pressure to win home games they're now EXPECTED to win.

I'm just spitballing here, guys, none of this is etched in stone.  But, I am definetely ditching my Bulls bets.

See this, guys?  This is exactly the kind of super square shift in public perception that makes me want to run - not walk - away from the Bulls in Game 3. 

depeche2, they say it's better to be lucky than good, but you are both.  I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see the Bulls win by 2 points. 

I think taking Chicago -3 is a bad bet, but that's just my two-bit opinion. 

When I placed those Bulls bets over 24 hours ago, it was before I realized the extent to which Boston's latest injury had affected what everyone now expects out of these two teams.  It's scary how public the Bulls are becoming.  But maybe none of that will matter.  Maybe Boston is as crippled as advertised and not even a gutty performance from the rest of them will be enough to beat a pumped-up Bulls team.  Maybe I am throwing away a winner, but I simply don't want to ride with the Bulls tonight.  I hate being on the public side.  HATE IT.  I let myself be on the public side last night with Denver, but that was the exception to my rule because the Nuggets were Lock City in Games 1 & 2.

I'm not saying I'm switching sides and betting on Boston, I just don't want to be involved.  I won't even get to watch the damn game because I have to be at some baptism class for my twin 5-month old niece and nephew.  Ain't that some f*cked up shit!