NBA Playoff Picks ATS Day 10: The Award for Handsomest Couple in the NBA Goes to...

My three year-old daughter and I like to play a game called Opposite World, a wonderful place where we would stay up all night and sleep all day, read books from the back to the front, unbrush our teeth (which is an effective trick), or only get dinner if we eat all of our dessert first. For some reason she thinks this is the hilarious. To be fair, however, she's a pretty easy crowd, laughing endlessly when I say things like "poopsicle" or when I mute the TV and pretend the basketball players can't hear each other. Today, the Lakers and Bucks often played the part perfectly.

                      

In Opposite World, the Miami Heat need all of their players to close out a series and they have to play hard in the beginning and the middle of games. In Opposite World, Milwaukee doesn't "match up well" with the Heat because apparently that doesn't mean anything there either. And in Opposite World, said Bucks get to wear shirts like this

                           

instead of the ones they received in the locker room this afternoon.

                       

In Opposite World, Dwight Howard makes 90% of his free throws and Kobe Bryant never got injured because bad things never happen there. In Opposite World, however, the Lakers still get swept by the Spurs because Steve Nash only makes 40% of his free throws and Metta World Peace is completely sane and very timid defensively.

                         
       "In Opposite World, I'm Kobe's favorite coach, too." 

In Opposite World tall men rule the NBA playoffs rather than the likes of Nate Robinson (34 points), Raymond Felton (27 points), and Ty Lawson (61 points over two games). In Opposite World Kevin Garnett is a deaf mute and Avery Bradley is a skilled decision-maker. Interestingly, in Opposite World Paul Pierce is exactly the same. And if you saw him play this afternoon you'll agree he always has been. No highs, no lows, just Paul. And that was enough, along with Jason Terry's 18 points on 7 for 10 shooting, to force Game 5.

                      
                        "Man, I've been tired for twenty years."

As for the Golden State-Denver series, I'm not usually one to kick a team while they're down, so I'm actually going to give an award to Denver Nuggets post player, Kosta Koufos, for being a member of the NBA's hands-down winner of Handsomest Couple in the NBA...



do I need to say in which world?

And finally, in Opposite World, Marco and I are terrible at handicapping NBA playoff basketball and aren't inspiring the admiration of readers near and far. In the real world, however, through nine days our stats would make members of Tim Donaghy's gambling ring green like a Celtic.

POST-SEASON RECORD TO DATE: 20-10 ATS (4-0 ATS today)

CONFIDENCE EFFICIENCY RATING (CER): 45/67 or .67

TOP CONFIDENCE PICKS THROUGH DAY 9: 7-2 ATS 

This might be the hardest slate of games to handicap so far this post-season, but like we said yesterday, at this point in the first round it's important to take into consideration how you believe the series you are betting on is going to end. By seeing the finish line, you can better predict the path of games between now and then. For example,

BROOKLYN NETS (-5.5) over Chicago Bulls: Marco and I don't see this series ending in Brooklyn. We see that happening Wednesday in Chicago. The Nets did suffer a devastating loss on Saturday, but Deron Williams is still the best player in the series and the Nets still have more offensive weapons than Chicago. What they need to do and what they will do with their backs against the wall is match Chicago's intensity for four full quarters. This game might be close towards the end, but free throws down the stretch will cover the spread for the Nets. Confidence Rating: 3 (Most confident)

                               

Indiana Pacers (+1.5) over ATLANTA HAWKS: We missed this pick in Game 3 because we didn't have all the information. We didn't know Indiana hadn't won in Atlanta in eleven tries, and we didn't know that Vegas clearly hinted at that with the small line after two blowouts in Indy. This is our real gamble of the day. If Indiana really wants to be considered an eastern threat, they need to find a way to win this game. We believe they will and will close out the series back at home. Confidence Rating: 2

                             

HOUSTON ROCKETS (+2) over Oklahoma City Thunder: This series could easily be 2-1 Rockets the way the last two games have gone. Although Houston only managed to sneak into the playoffs, their home record throughout the season was a very respectable 29-12, including 24-17 ATS. The Thunder, on the other hand, hovered around .500 ATS on the road this year. I doubt Houston will fall behind by 27 points this time, which means they won't have to expend all their energy trying to climb back over the hill. Take the points and the series back to OKC where the Thunder will close it out in 5. Confidence Rating: 1

                              

May the spread be with us all,

Vinny and Maro