New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank is convinced his team can beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on their own home floor but not if they give up 20 offensive rebounds and miss blocked shots all night as was the case in the Eastern Conference semifinals Game-One on Sunday. If the Nets can solve these problems then their chances of stealing a game in Cleveland will be high.
In spit of a few defensive lapses, New Jersey put forth a decent defensive effort holding the Cavaliers to 40.2 percent shooting. Lebron James was held in check most of the night by hitting on 8-of-21 shots. But the rebounding, or lack there of is what doomed the Nets. The Cavaliers out rebounded the Nets 51-37 including 20-9 offensive boards.
Oddsmakers at online sportsbook BoDog.com expect Game-Two to be another close game and have installed the Cavaliers the favorite with a -4 ½ point chalk and a 180 ½ point total .
Early wagering shows 74 percent of the public like the Nets against the spread and 68 percent like the Nets and the +120 juice on the money line. The ml price on Cleveland is -210. The total is expected to go OVER 180 ½ as indicated by 72 percent of early wagering.
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last five games and is also 5-0 in its last five games on their home court. The Cavaliers have only gone 2-13 ATS in its last 15 games when playing the Nets. The total has gone UNDER in four of Cleveland’s last six games at home.
The Nets have been a good bet of late by going 9-1-1 ATS in its last 11 games and has won 8-of-11 SU. The Nets are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games on the road. On totals betting, the UNDER has cashed in the last 6-of-9 games New Jersey played on the road.
Lebron James , plagued with a bad cold he contracted during the week long layoff following Cleveland’s sweep of Orlando, should be in better form in tonight’s game. I expect the Cavaliers to show up strong and go 2-0 in their best of seven series with the Nets.
