May 26, 2011

NBA Pick: Heat vs. Bulls Game Five

Miami Heat (3-1) vs. Chicago Bulls (1-3) Eastern Conference Finals

Game Five Betting Lines

NBA Betting Favorite: Bulls -3

Over/Under: 180

The Chicago Bulls had the lead late in Game Four, but they failed to even up the series. Now, the Bulls have their backs against the wall as they face elimination. They will be at home and the crowd will be rocking, but can the Bulls bounce back with a winning effort to keep this series going?

The Heat didn’t play their best basketball on Tuesday night in Miami, but they came up with big plays when they had to and won the pivotal Game Four showdown. Dwayne Wade had an off shooting night, but he made some key plays in overtime. LeBron James was terrific as he has been in the last three games. Chris Bosh didn’t have a huge night, but he came up with some crucial shots in the last few minutes of regulation to help Miami get the game into overtime. The one game that Miami lost in this series was Game One, when they were badly outrebounded. Udonis Haslem has given this team an extra big man down low, and his importance can’t be overstated.

The Chicago Bulls were ready for Game Four, but they just couldn’t close out the game. It wasn’t for a lack of effort, rather it was just some poor execution. Miami’s terrific halfcourt defense has made it next to impossible for Chicago to get good looks unless they get a fast break opportunity. Derrick Rose has struggled to get into the paint all series long, and the Bulls can’t find anyone to consistently knock down a three-point shot. Carlos Boozer has been scoring, but he hasn’t been playing good defense on Chris Bosh. Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson are solid defensively, but neither of them can create their own offense consistently. Chicago absolutely must win the battle on the boards if they expect to win this game.

I expect to see a little bit quicker pace as the Bulls know they must get into the offense early to get easy buckets. I think the Bulls will knock down some shots from beyond the arc and Wade and James will have a big game for the Heat. I think the over is the best play here.

NBA Free Pick: Over 180

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Kyle Hunter

is full-timesports writer and sports handicapper. You simply won’t find someone who loves sports more than Kyle. Kyle considers college football and college basketball his two favorite sports. Kyle has earned many accolades for his highly successful handicapping, and he writes full-time for many top sports websites. Keep an eye out for high quality free sports analysis from Kyle!