DFSGhost 
The NBA Playoffs continue to roll on, as the second round of each conference begins on Sunday. Ultimately, while all four top seeds in the East advanced, there was still plenty of action in each series. Now, both series have interesting matchups on both sides of the ball, and everything you need for your DFS and sports betting action is found here.
The sole surprise in the first round came in the Boston/Brooklyn series, where the latter was shockingly swept in a 4-0 fashion. Nonetheless, the opening round of the Playoffs was as profitable as any stretch of this season for us, so be sure to continue using the tools to get to the top of the leaderboards of your contests:
With Miami, Boston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia emerging victorious in their respective series’, here is a look at the updated NBA Playoffs bracket:
In the Round 1 NBA Playoffs article, predictions were given for each series. The results are marked below, and we were 3/4 on series winners, including getting 2/4 series in the exact number of games:
Predictions
- Miami Heat in 5
- Brooklyn Nets in 6
- Milwaukee Bucks in 5
- Philadelphia 76ers in 7
Results
- Miami Heat in 5
- Boston Celtics in 4
- Milwaukee Bucks in 5
- Philadelphia 76ers in 6
Miami Heat (1) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (4)
Miami Heat (-190 to win series)
While the Heat cruised through their first round series in only five games, this squad is banged up. Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and PJ Tucker are all nursing day-to-day injuries, but none are expected to miss any time in this series. Moreover, even if they were to miss a game or two, Miami showed how deep this rotation is, with players such as Max Strus, Victor Oladipo, and Gabe Vincent all being able to step up and play crucial minutes down the stretch. Nonetheless, what the Heat truly did provide in their first round series against the Hawks is an expectation that their defensive unit is not only elite, it’s one of the best in the NBA Playoffs, if not the best.
While Miami’s interior defense is manned by Defensive Player of the Year candidate, Bam Adebayo, their perimeter defense is simply astonishing. Holding Trae Young to 15.4/5/6 in a 5-game series win is truly impressive, especially when he shot a mere 31.9% from the field. Now, James Harden is a more prolific offensive player than Young is, but there is no denying that he will have his work cut out for him in this matchup versus Lowry and Butler. Otherwise, Philadelphia looked to be exposed against Toronto’s position-less lineups, and Miami does it as good as anyone in this league with their level of switch-ability on offense.
Lastly, one would think the Heat wouldn’t be able to contain Joel Embiid for an entire series, can they? They absolutely could, and they will, when he comes back to action – Miami led the NBA with the fewest points allowed in the paint per game (40.9) during the regular season, while also having the 4th ranked defense in the league and second ranked defense in these NBA Playoffs.
Philadelphia 76ers (+160 to win series)
Despite evading what could have been a disastrous collapse following a 3-0 series lead, the 76ers are far from out of trouble. Late in the 4th quarter of Game 6, Joel Embiid sustained a serious orbital injury while also being diagnosed with a mild concussion, missing a minimum of 4-5 days. While I do not foresee Embiid sitting out this entire series, it’s a tragic blow to Philadelphia’s hopes in this series, and they’ll be in tough versus one of, if not the best defense in the NBA early on.
James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris will have to handle the bulk of the minutes and offensive touches in Embiid’s absence, and that does not scream success for the 76ers. In addition, Doc Rivers’ inaptitude to make in-game adjustments is simply disastrous for Philadelphia, coupled with the fact that he’s coaching against one of the best to ever do it in Erik Spoelstra. There are simply too many questions surrounding this Philadelphia rotation with Embiid out of the lineup, in addition to being outmatched in nearly every which way you shake this one out.
The Pick: Miami Heat in 5
Boston Celtics (2) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (3)
Boston Celtics (-210 to win series)
Arguably the most impressive team in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, the Celtics come into this one well rested and ready to continue their postseason run. Only problem is – Giannis Antetokounmpo now stands in their way. Sure, they got the best of both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in the first round, but Milwaukee shapes up to be a much tougher matchup than Brooklyn, despite Khris Middleton likely sitting out the entire series.
As stated in the first round breakdown, the success of this squad rides on the two-way play of Jayson Tatum. He surely came through, posting a 29.5/4.5/7.3 scoring line on 45.6% shooting in the opening round, but now has to deal with the defensive trio of Giannis, Brook Lopez, and Bobby Portis on the inside. Moreover, Jaylen Brown will surely have his hands full with Jrue Holiday, who currently ranks as the best defender in the NBA Playoffs: opposing players are currently shooting 16.8% worse than their regular season averages when guarded by Holiday. Not only do the Bucks boast elite individual defenders, unlike the Nets, they also lead the NBA in defensive rating these Playoffs.
Milwaukee Bucks (+180 to win series)
While oddsmakers currently have the Celtics as a heavy favorite to win this series, I do not agree. Star power reigns true in the NBA Playoffs, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the biggest (figuratively and literally) left in these Playoffs, in an attempt to carry his team to a second straight NBA Finals.
Giannis will be the focal point on any NBA DFS slate in this second round and for your bets, but there is more to be said about this rotation. The combination of Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis will be crucial to the team’s success, as both can flourish on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Moreover, in the absence of Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday will assume more responsibility on the offensive side of the ball, in addition to being an elite on-ball defender, while the trio of Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton, and Wesley Matthews will need to be able to hit shots from behind the arc for the Bucks to win this series. There are many things needed for Milwaukee to win this series, but I ultimately believe in Giannis taking over games more so than the duo of Tatum and Brown, while Milwaukee’s defense will prevail more so than that of the Celtics in this one.
The Pick: Milwaukee Bucks in 6
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