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We’ve got a trio of Game 2 matchups to analyze on Tuesday night, including some road teams looking to jump out to 2-0 leads. Let’s breakdown some betting angles on DraftKings Sportsbook.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
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Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix Suns
LAC +8.5 (-110) — 1-unit
Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook made all the big plays down the stretch in Game 1 to steal one in Phoenix, leaving the Suns in a must-win spot in Game 2. While I think Phoenix ultimately pulls out the win, this is far too many points for a couple of reasons.
The market is simply off on the Suns. Should they be favorites in the Western Conference? Probably, but they entered this series as way too large of a favorite on the series line. That theory held true on the court in Game 1, but now we get an even more inflated number for Game 2, given the desperate spot for Phoenix. The Clippers showed us they have the horses up front, along with the depth pieces to hang with the Suns. The market is off on the number here by a few points in my opinion.
There’s also going to be something else standing in the way of the Suns ... more specifically Chris Paul’s way. Scott Foster will be on the call for this game, and don’t tell me it doesn’t matter. Paul is 2-17 SU/ATS in games Foster officiates in the postseason. Expect a couple extra whistles to go the Clippers’ way tonight to help them keep this one within eight points.
New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers
Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors (Thursday)
CLE/GSW (-109) — 1.5-unit
A couple of must-win spots here for the home teams, and I do think they get it done.
The Cavs played awful in Game 1, yet still almost found a way to pull off the win against the Knicks. The Cavs got out-worked on the glass 51-38, which I don’t expect again given their size. Donovan Mitchell needed just a tiny bit more help from some of the glue guys on this team, but a combined 6-for-26 shooting from Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert killed Cleveland. I don’t expect another dud like that, particularly at home. Josh Hart was extremely key for the Knicks, posting 17 points (8/11 FG) and 10 boards in 32 minutes off the bench in Game 1. He’s unlikely to play in Game 2 due to injury, which takes away a huge spark on the Knicks’ side.
The Kings have become the darling of this NBA Postseason, pulling out a couple of very exciting games at home. But even this 2-0 lead isn’t safe if the Warriors can get some momentum at home. Golden State clearly cannot find a way to win on the road, and that’s likely the difference in this series. But this is a spot the Dubs have to show, and I think they will. They were right there in both games in Sacramento in a tough road environment, and now the stage shifts to San Francisco. The Kings were the best road team ATS in the NBA this season at 27-14, so I’m certainly not writing them off. But the Warriors were actually the best home team ATS at 27-13-1, with an average margin of victory of just over eight points. Tough one to play the spread on, but I think the Dubs show life in this game and make this a series.
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All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment.