NBA Online Wagering Spotlight: Playoff Seeds Set In The East. While there’s still technically 2.0 games left in the season for Eastern Conference teams in the NBA online wagering action the playoff seedings are more or less set in stone.The top eight teams in the East this season aren’t really all that surprising, but the order in which they’ve finished the season is.
The defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics (55-25), barring a spectacular collapse by the Miami Heat (56-24), will the #3 seed in this year’s playoffs. After getting off to a great start and leading the conference it looked as if the Celts were once again the team to beat in the online wagering companies betting sites.
But Boston hit a wall mid-season and after trading away Kendrick Perkins has not been the same. The team’s pair of 7-foot O’Neals (Jermaine and Shaq) are banged up and much too old to be all that productive.
Without a factor in the paint Boston is going to have a very tough time getting past eth #6 seed (42-38) New York Knicks who have two scoring big men in Amare Stoudamire and Carmello Anthony.
The #2 seed Heat also lack a big man of any quality but face a much more pedestrian first-round opponent in the #7 seed Philadelphia 76ers (41-39) –so long as the Knicks win out. If for some reason the Sixers leapfrog the Knicks in the next two games, than Miami would face the Knicks and their low-post scoring.
The one team in the East that has no issues in the paint or on the perimeter is the #1 seed Chicago Bulls (60-20) who have been the best team in the East and perhaps even in the entire NBA online wagering action over the past month. Led by MVP candidate Derrick Rose this team has very few weaknesses and plays tremendous defense, inside and out. The Bulls will face the Indiana Pacers (37-44) and make quick work of this team.
The other first round matchup will feature the #4 seed Orlando Magic (50-30) and the #5 seed Atlanta Hawks (44-36). Both of these teams have been a disappointment this season and neither one has the look of a legitimate contender. The winner of this NBA online wagering matchup will most likely become fodder for the Bulls in the second round.
The biggest upset potential in round one is the likely matchup between the #6 seed Knicks over the #3 seed Celtics. Let the games begin!