2019 NBA Playoffs: Milwaukee bucking the trend?
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We may all be waitingfor the promotion shoot-outs on home soil, but across the pond we’ve got alively NBA play-off campaign to savour already underway.
After a gruelling regular season we are approaching thebusiness end as the Conference play-off final match-ups should be decided inthe next week.
Can reigning champions Golden State Warriors get thethree-peat? Or will another side get their claws on the coveted Championship trophy?
Eastern Conference
They were the best team across both conferences in theregular season, but can Milwaukee Bucks really make their superiority count?
Well, with Giannis Antetokounmpo anything is possible. They are currently 3-1 up on Boston Celtics and are 1/5 on to make it 4-1 and progress to the Eastern finale.
Celtics do have a star-studded starting five though and with Kyrie Irving and Eric Gordon they’re 7/2 to win and keep their hopes alive.
The other semi-final is much tighter to call with TorontoRaptors and Philadelphia 76ers currently tied at two-apiece.
Kawhi Leonard’s 39 point score on Sunday has meant we areall square going into Game five of seven.
A victory in this one could prove vital, as it would mean one more win could wrap up the series in Game six. You can get Raptors at 4/11 to win the series, while the 76ers are at 19/10 to progress.
Western Conference
The Warriors cruised into a two-nil lead against the HoustonRockets but MVP contender James Harden does what he does best.
Harden has hit a 41 and 38 points score to leave the tie inthe balance. But Game five will be in Golden State’s back yard which couldswing it for them.
They are 2/5 to make home advantage count, while the Rockets are 21/20 to fire to victory and complete the comeback.
Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers both have playersstaking a claim for the playoff MVP.
Portland’s Damian Lillard had his epic-buzzer beater moment in the series over Oklahoma City Thunder and is a threat.
While Nikola Jokic bagged his fourth triple double of the play-offswith 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists as the Nuggets bit into the Blazerslead.
Outright odds
As for the outright odds, can the Bucks really do this? Giannis and co are 4/1 to win the whole thing.
But it looks like they could be on a collision course with GSW who are 3/4 on to secure three on the spin.
But with all the matches poised well, we’ve got the Rockets (5/1), Raptors (8/1) with the Nuggets to cause a shock at 20s.
You can catch all the action on Sky Sports until theplayoffs conclude in June.
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
