The Second Round of the NBA Playoffs got underway on Sunday with the Denver Nuggets recording a commanding 109-95 victory. However, before we can look to the future, we must remember the past and that means putting an exclamation point on the first round of playoff betting with this quick synopsis.

Two weeks ago, in our first NBA Playoff Report, we told you to disregard the perceived edge that home teams enjoy in the postseason. Our theory was proven true, at least from a pointspread perspective, as hosts went just 22-23 ATS in opening round play. They did win 31 of those 45 games straight up, but none of the eight first round series went without at least one win by a road team. Six of them featured two wins by the visitor, with only the Lakers/Jazz and Nuggets/Hornets (both went just five games) series not following suit.

One area where home teams certainly merit a look, however, is in Game 7’s, where history says they will win SU over 80% of the time. This year did not break rank as both Game 7 hosts (Boston and Atlanta) not only won the game straight up, but covered the number as well. After starting just 8-8 SU, home teams really came on strong down the stretch in the Eastern Conference, winning seven of the final eight games with only Orlando’s series clinching win over Philly in Game 6 the exception to the rule.

The only two teams to cover every game during the first round were Cleveland (4-0 ATS) and Denver (5-0 ATS). As previously mentioned, the Nuggets ran their playoff mark to 6-0 ATS with Sunday’s Game One cover.

Only the two eight seeds, Detroit and Utah, went the duration of the first round without being favored at least once. The pointspread results could not have been more different for the two clubs, however, as the Pistons went 0-4 ATS while the Jazz were a profitable 3-2 ATS. Philadelphia wasn’t favored in their series with Orlando until Game 6, where they promptly lost outright at home!

Over bettors cleaned up through the first ten games of the playoffs going 8-1-1. However, they “took a bath” the rest of the way as only 12 of the final 35 games flew above the total.

Now onto Round 2…………….

For the sixth time since 2001, a #6 seed has advanced to the second round as the Dallas Mavericks dispatched of the San Antonio Spurs in relatively easy fashion (4 games to 1). None of the five games in that series were decided by fewer than eight points with the SU winner covering every game and beating the pointspread by an average of 13 PPG. The Mavs twice won outright as road underdogs, something they could not do in Game 1 of their second round series at Denver Sunday afternoon.

Not only are the Nuggets a perfect 6-0 ATS this postseason, but they are also now a perfect 5-0 SU vs. the Mavericks, covering four of those games. However, three of their wins have come by three points or less and two of the victories came when Dallas was without Josh Howard. That being said, no team’s stock has risen faster than Denver this postseason. All five of their playoff wins have come by 14 or more points (only loss was by two points) and they now find themselves tied for the 3rd best odds (with Orlando) to win the NBA Title at 12/1. Denver has also gone Under in each of its last four games. They have opened as 6.5-point chalk with a 206-point total for Tuesday’s Game 2.

The other three seed (Orlando) had a rocky start to the postseason, but survived pesky Philadelphia to advance and now plays Boston in the second round. After failing to cash in its first four playoff games, the Magic have now cashed three straight after taking advantage of a battle-weary Celtics team in Game 1. Remember that Boston also lost Game 1 of its first round series with Chicago, but would go on to take four of the final six games. The Celtics are now just 3-5 ATS in the playoffs with only one cover as a favorite. They have opened as a small three-point favorite for Game 2. Could the defending World Champions possibly drop two straight at home to fall into a 0-2 hole? After falling behind by 28 in Game 1, they did make an admirable comeback so that momentum could carry over.

The Magic have now won twice as a road underdog in Boston this year having also won 86-79 back on March 2nd. After the Celtics won the first meeting of the year, 107-88, in Boston as 8.5-point favorites, we’ve seen the road team cover four straight in this head-to-head series. The Under has also cashed in all four of those games (first game went Over). Boston went 2-0 ATS this season in Orlando with one outright win. Orlando is a league best 30-15 ATS on the road this year and is even better as an underdog going 14-4 ATS with all but one of those games coming away from home. This series is probably going the distance, or at least close to it, which has to have Cleveland salivating.

Boston wasn’t the only Game 1 host to lose outright as the Lakers suffered a pretty shocking loss to the Rockets on Monday. Perhaps rust was a factor as LA hadn’t played in a week. Still, they were facing a Houston team that they had beaten in all four regular season meetings. Not only that, but they had covered all four games as well! It was the second straight series Houston opened up a series with an outright win as a road underdog. Incredibly, they have beaten the spread by 49.5 points in those two contests!

The Lakers are even bigger favorites for Game 2 with the public taking that number up to 10 points. Note that off its first round Game One upset, the Rockets also covered in Game 2, losing to Portland by four as six-point pups.

The East’s top team, Cleveland, should find a much easier going in second round play as they take on the Atlanta Hawks. That being said, the Cavs have been off for nine days and went just 1-3 ATS vs. Atlanta during the regular season, losing once straight up. Cleveland is now the favorite to win the NBA Title according to Bodog.

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