Sports Betting Weekend: It's Playoff Time

Playoffs dominate the weekend betting slate as the NBA joins the NHL with postseason games on the schedule.

The NBA playoffs get started on Saturday with four series tipping off. In the Eastern Conference the Boston Celtics take on the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers face the Toronto Raptors. The Western Conference matchups on tap Saturday include the Houston Rockets versus the Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Warriors have dominated Houston 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS this season and 12-1 straight up and 9-4 against the spread in their last 13 meetings. The Thunder were undefeated at 4-0 SU against Dallas this season, but 2-2 ATS. Toronto is 7-1 SU and ATS in their last eight versus Indiana.

Highlighting the Sunday matchups is the San Antonio Spurs playing host to the Memphis Grizzlies. The Spurs have won five in a row SU against Memphis with a 4-1 ATS mark. At home the Spurs are 13-1 SU and 8-5-1 ATS in their last 14.

In the NHL this weekend Friday night includes the second game in three series and the start of another. Bettors get Game 2 in the Detroit Red Wings versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, the New York Islanders versus the Florida Panthers, and the Chicago Blackhawks versus the St. Louis Blues.

The Blackhawks might be a little concerned after getting shut out 1-0 by St. Louis in the series opener. At online sportsbook Bovada that gave the oddsmakers something to think about as they now have the Blues listed as a -160 series favorite.

The final series to get started is the Nashville Predators versus the Anaheim Ducks, also on Friday night. Anaheim is a -170 favorite in the series at Bovada, although Nashville won the season series 2-1.

In baseball National League West rivals clash for the second weekend in a row when the Los Angeles Dodgers play host to the San Francisco Giants. Last weekend the Giants took three of four from the Dodgers, but that may change in Los Angeles where the Dodgers have won four in a row against the Giants.

On the NASCAR circuit this weekend the Food City 500 runs at Bristol Motor Speedway. At Bovada Kyle Busch is the favorite at +375. He won the last two races and he’s claimed the checkered flag at Bristol five times.