The NBA Playoffs for 2012 are underway and already there’s been plenty of drama and excitement, but how do the bookmakers read the action so far?To Chicago first and they’re heavy favourites to beat Philadelphia at 1/6 after taking a 1-0 lead. They’re still distant second favourites at 15/4 to win the conference with the Heat a lock to win the East at 2/5 after taking a 2-0 series lead against New York. It will certainly be an interesting matchup if the two meet in the conference final.
Beyond those two, Boston are next in line but rank outsiders at 12/1 to win the East. Despite being 1-0 down to the Hawks the bookmakers have them about evens to progress to the next round. Elsewhere in the East, Indiana are hot favourites to go through against Orlando with the series tied at 1-1.
Moving out West and the OKC Thunder are the favourites to progress to the finals at 23/20. They are currently 2-0 against a tired looking Dallas Maverick team. Next are the San Antonio Spurs at 9/5. The number one ranked team in the west are 1-0 against Utah and are an astounding 1/40 to progress. Things are much tighter between the LA Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies . LA are one up after their heroic 27 point comeback and are at 10/13 to go through with Memphis slight outsiders at 11/10. The final series in the West, between Denver and the Lakers sees LA one up and 5/16 to go through, so the bookies aren’t ruling out a Denver comeback completely.
The bookies are banking on a Miami vs Oklahoma final and make Miami favourites at 13/10 to win it all with Oklahoma at 13/4. The Bulls at 9/1 look like the only value bet in the outright winner market. In the series matchups its also hard to see any real value. The Clippers at 10/13 seems like the only decent pick, but other than Chicago to win outright, I think it’s time to sit on your hands for a little bit and see how the markets move after the next round of games.
