We’ve approached the “good stuff” in this year’s NBA playoffs. It’s show time. I took a look at some sportsbooks today to see what the NBA futures were looking like. There are some decent lines to be had still.

Perhaps the worst line is the Detroit Pistons to win the Eastern Conference, which is at -125. No thanks. If you like them to win the East, you’re better off laying the extra juice and taking them at the -175 series price against the Chicago Bulls.

Since I don’t think the Detroit Pistons will win the East, I looked at two teams that have a shot—Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls. The Cavaliers are getting +295 and the Bulls +410.

Last night’s NBA playoff game 5 between the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks was one of the best games of the 2007 NBA playoffs.

The icing on the cake, for me, was the fact that my free NBA play came in last night. The Golden State Warriors, despite losing, covered the +9, which was a nice gift.

So, today I’ll be heading back to sportsbook to cash in my tickets (my Sports Betting Baseball free MLB play won too).

Today, the Dallas Mavericks are at home trying to fight off elimination. The task is clear. Win and stay, lose and you’re done.

The betting line is interesting today. It’s based off of one game. Dallas Mavericks are favored by 9 to 9.5 tonight. Why?

If you look over the season, the Golden State Warriors have owned the Mavs. In fact, they played the Dallas Mavericks three times during the regular season and won all three—including one game in Dallas.

Maybe it’s just me, but the first round of the 2007 NBA playoffs haven’t been too exciting. Sure, if you’re a fan of one of the playoff teams perhaps. But, overall the games have been lackluster.

The one standout serious for me is the Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks. It’s been electrifying. Last night’s victory—Golden State—was magical. I found myself yelling and getting all worked up. I can’t say that for any other series.

The Miami Heat have stunned the Dallas Mavericks and those watching the NBA Finals. For the Mavericks, the world is spinning out of control. They have went from a few minutes of taking a commanding 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals to being down 3-2 and facing elimination in a few shorts days. The Heat have played very well at home and with the game layout, if you can play well at home and are the underdog, you have a shot. Those three games at home in a row can kill the favorite.

Has anyone seen the Mavericks lately? I sure did not see them last night. I heard one analyst say the Mavericks were wearing “skirts” out there and I can’t disagree. The Mavericks were a total disgrace. This series is starting to remind me of the magical season for the Red Sox when they pulled off one of the greatest comebacks, against the Yankees no less, in sports history.

The Miami Heat are looking to tie the series in tonight’s game 4 of the NBA Finals. In game 3, they staged one of the greatest comebacks in NBA playoff history. The Dallas Mavericks let off the gas pedal in the fourth and the Heat came storming back. Around halfway through, the Heat had a big lead and most people probably turned off their televisions to watch something else.

Last night’s game 3 of the NBA Finals was very exciting. I must admit that a few minutes into the fourth quarter I dozed off. Miami was showing absolutely no ability to win. It looked like they were really laboring out there, while Dallas was effortlessly going up and down the court. That all changed in the second part of the quarter. Dallas started to miss shots and make mistakes, while the Heat entered the zone of perfection.

Tonight’s game 3 of the NBA Finals is pressure filled. The Heat finally come back home to try and get their first win on the board. If they lose tonight, this series is basically over. They don’t look like a team that can win four straight, which would include two games on the road at Dallas. Dallas on the other hand looks like a team following their destiny. They are up 2-0 in the series and have made the Heat, especially Shaq, look absolutely foolish.

Yesterday the Dallas Mavericks took game two of the NBA Finals 99-85. While game two featured a little more scoring, it was still fairly sloppy. It looks like the Dallas Mavericks have figured out the Miami Heat. In both games, the Heat went through periods of complete meltdowns. Shaq has not been a factor and Dwyane Wade isn’t providing a huge spark as was expected.