Miami Heat (-200): Miami had its share of ups and downs last season, but it had little difficulty navigating its way to and through the Eastern Conference Finals in order to square off against the Mavericks for all the marbles. The Heat went 12-3 before falling to Dallas in the NBA Finals, beating Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago in the process. Most NBA fans are expecting much the same this time around, despite LeBron James and company dropping four of their last 10 games. While Miami will not enjoy home court advantage throughout (although it could work out that way should the Bulls fall before the Conference Finals), it proved last season that winning on the road is a not a challenge too big to overcome.

Chicago Bulls (+150): The Bulls were the best team in the East this season, and they managed to earn the top seed in the conference despite Derrick Rose missing 26 games. Chicago ranks first in the league in points per game allowed (88.4) and its 25 home wins are second only to Miami’s 28 (Eastern Conference only). If Rose is healthy, the Bulls are, no doubt, a threat to make it to the Finals, but they must prove their ability to foil the Heat is not just a regular season occurrence.

Boston Celtics (+600): The Celtics Big Three are aging, but Doc Rivers made sure to provide his veteran stars plenty of rest down the stretch. Boston also has the young legs of Rajon Rondo on its side, and the Kentucky product has proven time and again to be a thorn in both Miami’s and Chicago’s side. The Celtics have also played well down the stretch, winning 13 of their last 17 games. It should be noted that three of those 13 victories came at the expense of the Heat.

New York Knicks (+1500): The Knicks have talent and they have two huge names in Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, but they have done little to suggest they are on equal footing with Chicago, Miami, and Boston. New York is a collective 3-8 against those teams, a record which raises serious doubts about its ability to beat any of those squads in a seven game series. And, to make matters worse, the Knicks will open the postseason against the Heat, a team they were unable to beat in three regular season meetings.

Indiana Pacers (+1800): Indiana, if for nothing else than New York meeting Miami in the first round, should be listed ahead of the Knicks. The Pacers have been a more consistent team this season, and, unlike New York, they have shown an ability to compete with the Big Three (Miami, Chicago, Boston), posting a 4-6 record against them during the regular season (record does not include the season finale against Chicago).

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2012 NBA Playoff Picks Eastern Conference Odds: Provided by TopBet.com

Miami Heat -200
Chicago Bulls +150
Boston Celtics +600
New York Knicks +1500
Indiana Pacers +1800
Philadelphia 76ers +3000
Atlanta Hawks +3000
Orlando Magic +4000

Chicago earned the Eastern Conference’s top seed last night with the Heat’s 66-78 loss to the Celtics in Boston. While the feat is a testament to all the hard work the Bulls put in this year, it guarantees nothing for the team once the playoffs get underway.

The Bulls have played most of the last month without reigning MVP Derrick Rose and the results of his extended absence are evident in the team’s record. Chicago has lost five of its last 11 games and desperately needs to regain some confidence and develop some continuity prior to the rapidly approaching postseason.

Indiana, which at 42-23 has the three seed in the East locked up, should provide the Bulls an opportunity to do one or both of those things this evening. The Pacers have won three of their last four against Chicago and Rose has made it known on more than one occasion just how he feels about Indiana. So, while little is at stake tonight, expect there to be some fire from both sides as pride can be as good a motivator as anything else.

Chicago proved that the last time these two teams hooked up, thumping Indiana 92-72 to end a three game skid against their rival. The Bulls limited the Pacers to 34.2 percent field goal shooting while they knocked down 9-of-15 from beyond the arc.

Rose notched 13 points and nine assists in 29 minutes; Joakim Noah posted nine points and 17 rebounds and Luol Deng led Chicago with 20 points. The Bulls completely dominated the glass in the win, earning a 60 to 32 rebound advantage and the Chicago bench outscored the Pacers bench 46 to 28.

NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Over is 8-1-1 in the Bulls last 10 games as a road favorite with a total between 185 and 190.

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2012 NBA Odds Chicago Bulls vs Indiana Pacers: Provided by TopBet.com

Chicago Bulls -2.5 (-110), Over 189 (-110)

Indiana Pacers +2.5 (-110), Under 189 (-110)

On one hand Phoenix might be disturbed by its recent inability to string together wins; however, if the team’s recent track record holds true, it is scheduled for a win tonight. The Suns, who have alternated wins and losses in their last eight games, fell 107-118 at home to the Nuggets on Saturday night.

Phoenix defense played horribly in the setback as Denver, which locked up a playoff berth with the win, shot 55.2 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from beyond the arc. The Nuggets also aided their cause with a 16-for-17 effort from the charity stripe.

The Suns were solid from downtown, connecting on 11-of-26 from three point range, but only three Phoenix players scored in double figures and they turned the ball over 17 times to the Nuggets nine.

Utah has been far more consistent of late, winning three in a row and five of its last seven to take control of the final Western Conference playoff spot. The Jazz, now 34-30 overall, needed overtime for the second time in their last three games on Saturday, though, but they prevailed 117-107 over Orlando nonetheless.

Utah, which shot 53.4 percent in the win, had five players score in double figures. Big men Derrick Favors and Al Jefferson both posted double-doubles against the Magic, Favors going for 16 points and 11 rebounds while Jefferson tallied 21 points and 10 boards.

Unfortunately for the Jazz, the Suns, for all their inconsistencies, have dominated this series for the better part of three years. Phoenix has won seven in a row against Utah and is 4-0 in its last four games at the EnergySolutions Arena, beating Utah by an average of 11 points per contest.

NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Suns are 8-2 both straight up and against the spread in their last 10 games as a road dog with a spread between 0 and 3.5.

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2012 NBA Odds Phoenix Suns vs Utah Jazz: Provided by TopBet.com

Phoenix Suns +3.5 (-110), Over 204.5 (-110)

Utah Jazz -3.5 (-110), Under 204.5 (-110)

Denver, sitting a game and a half ahead of the eighth place Suns, can assure itself a postseason slot with a win tonight. However, due to two losses in its last four games, the team can ill afford another slip up, especially with Utah and Phoenix so close behind.

A 98-104 home loss to the Clippers on Wednesday night, potentially, put the Nuggets playoff hopes in jeopardy, dropping them to 34-28 overall. Denver had four of its five starters, including Ty Lawson, and two reserves score in double figures, but its perimeter defense assured Los Angeles a victory. The Clippers drained 14-of-24 from beyond the arc, helping them overcome 17 turnovers and a four rebound deficit.

The Suns, whose situation is even more precarious than the Nuggets, moved back into the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot with a 93-90 win over the same Clippers on Thursday night.

Phoenix, which got 14 points and 14 rebounds from Marcin Gortat, held L.A. to 44.6 percent shooting overall and 31.3 percent from long range in the crucial win. Steve Nash contributed 13 points and six assists while Jared Dudley led the team with 18 points.

The Nuggets, who have won five in a row over the Suns, took the first two meetings of the season between these two teams, beating Phoenix 109-92 and 105-99. Both of those games took place at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Under is 1-9 in the Nuggets last 10 games as a road dog against a Pacific opponent with a spread between 4 and 7.5 points.

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2012 NBA Odds Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns: Provided by Bovada.lv

Denver Nuggets +4.5 (-110), Over 211 (-115)

Phoenix Suns -4.5 (-110), Under 211 (-105)

These two teams met for the first time all season last Wednesday at the AT&T Center. Los Angeles, playing without the injured Kobe Bryant, upset the Spurs 98-84 on the strength of a 16 point, 30 rebound, two block performance from Andrew Bynum.

San Antonio, which sits atop the Western Conference standings with a 45-16 record, exacted some revenge on Tuesday night, though, whipping the Lakers 112-91 at the STAPLES Center. Five L.A. players, including Bynum (team high 21 points), scored in double figures, but defensively the Lakers had trouble slowing the high scoring Spurs.

San Antonio hit a staggering 59.5 percent from the field and it had several standout offensive performers in the statement victory. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan were the stars of the night, however, as they combined for 48 points (23-of-34 FG), 16 assists, and 11 rebounds.

While both of these teams have secured postseason spots, seeding is an issue for each club. The Spurs must keep the second place Thunder at bay (trail San Antonio by just a half game) and the three seeded Lakers are looking to avoid being past by the fourth seeded Clippers.

Fortunately for L.A., Bryant, who leads the Lakers in scoring with a 28.1 points per game average, is expected to return to the lineup tonight after missing the last seven games with a banged up left shin. However, given San Antonio’s recent play, Bryant’s presence may not be enough to get Los Angeles over the hump. The Lakers should not be dismissed, though, as they have won three of their last four against the Spurs at the AT&T Center.

NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Lakers are 8-1-1 against the spread in their last 10 games as a road dog with a spread between 4 and 7.5 and a total between 200 and 205 points.

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2012 NBA Odds Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs: Provided by Bovada.lv

Los Angeles Lakers +6 (-110), Over 202.5 (-110)

San Antonio Spurs -6 (-110), Under 202.5 (-110)

Miami’s hopes of securing the top seed in the Eastern Conference are slim, but they remain alive with five games left on the schedule. However, a win tonight is imperative if the Heat do hope to reel in the Bulls as they presently trail Chicago by 2.5 games in the overall standings.

Several factors are working in Miami’s favor this evening, though. Both Derrick Rose and Luol Deng are game time decisions, the Heat have won their last four games, and tonight’s showdown will take place in South Florida.

Since going through a difficult 1-3 stretch last week the Heat have knocked off Charlotte, New York, New Jersey, and Toronto by an average of 14.3 points per game. Miami also owns are 26-4 record at the AmericanAirlines Arena, a place where it has had success against Chicago of late. Going back to last year’s playoffs, the Heat have won their last three games against the Bulls in Miami.

Chicago, understandably, has faltered some down the stretch with Rose missing 15 of the team’s last 18 games. The Bulls were still an impressive 10-5 in those games, but most of their troubles have been recent as they are 5-4 in the month of April.

It is difficult to envision Chicago overcoming Lebron James, Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Heat this evening, especially if Rose and Deng are out of action. The biggest question is how much of a fight can the Bulls give what is certain to be a motivated Miami squad.

NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Bulls are 7-3 against the spread and 6-4 straight up in their last 10 games as a road dog (the Under was 8-2 in those games).

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2012 NBA Odds Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat: Provided by TopBet.com

Chicago Bulls +3.5 (-110), Over 188 (-110)

Miami Heat -3.5 (-110), Under 188 (-110)

The Thunder have looked like the best team in the league most of the season, but the month of April has not been kind to Kevin Durant and company as five of their 17 losses have come in the last 10 days. Oklahoma City’s most recent shot to the gut came on Monday when it fell 77-92 to the Clippers at the STAPLES Center.

The setback, which enabled the Spurs to take control of the West with last night whipping of the Lakers, saw the normally sharp shooting Thunder connect on 27 of their 72 field goal attempts and go 18-for-29 from the charity stripe. Durant, who went 0-for-7 from beyond the arc, led the team with 24 points (7-for-18 FG); he was one of just three Thunder players to reach double figures. Russell Westbrook totaled just nine points and three assists in 32 minutes of action.

Phoenix, which opened the season in a funk, has experienced a resurgence down the stretch, going 7-3 in April to improve to 32-29 overall. The Suns recent hot streak, coupled with the Rockets nose dive, has resulted in Phoenix assuming control of the last Western Conference playoff spot. Steve Nash and his cohorts has little breathing room, though, as Houston trails them only due to head-to-record and the 10th place Jazz are a mere half game back in the standings.

The Suns rebounded from a 91-105 loss at San Antonio on Saturday with a 125-107 win over the Blazers at the U.S. Airways Center on Monday. Phoenix hit 60 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from long range in the double-digit victory. Six Suns scored in double figures, including Marcin Gortat, who finished the night with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Nash tallied just six points on six shots, but he dished out 13 assists in his 27 minutes on the floor.

The Thunder have won the last five in this series, including the last two meetings between the two squads at the U.S. Airways Center; however, OKC is 3-7 both straight up and against the spread in its last 10 games as a road favorite with a spread between 0 and 3.5 and a game total between 205 and 210 points.

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2012 NBA Picks Oklahoma City Thunder vs Phoenix Suns: Provided by TopBet.com

Oklahoma City Thunder -3.5 (-110), Over 207.5 (-110), -165 (Moneyline)

Phoenix Suns +3.5 (-110), Under 207.5 (-110), +145 (Moneyline)

At 31-29 New York currently sits seventh in the Eastern Conference standings; however, with six game remaining on its scheduled it has yet to fully secure a post-season berth. The Knicks or the eighth seeded Sixers could fall prey to the Bucks, who at 29-31 are just two games back in the race for the final playoff spot.

New York could go a long way toward solidifying its position with a win tonight, though, as it plays three highly winnable games (New Jersey, Cleveland, Charlotte) over the next 10 days.

The Knicks track record against Boston is not a good one, however, with the Celtics having won six of the last seven meetings between the two long time rivals. New York did earn a 106-104 Christmas Day victory over the Celtics at the TD Garden, but Boston defeated the Knicks 91-89 on February 3rd and 115-111 on March 4th at Madison Square Garden.

The Celtics also come into tonight’s game red hot after recording wins in six of their last seven games. Granted they beat up on bottom feeders New Jersey and Charlotte in their last two games, but Boston did take out Indiana, Philadelphia, Miami, and Atlanta in that stretch. Head Coach Doc Rivers also elected to rest Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen on Sunday night against the Bobcats yet the team still prevailed 94-82 thanks to a 20 point, 16 assist night from Rajon Rondo.

The status of Pierce and Allen remains unknown for tonight’s game as the former is nursing a toe injury and the latter an ankle injury. That said, Allen’s health woes seem to b of a more serious nature than Pierce’s foot problem.

NBA Odds Betting Trend: Boston is 8-2 both straight up and against the spread in its last 10 games as a road dog with a spread between 0 and 3.5 points and a total between 180 and 185 points (Under is 8-2 in those same 10 games).

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2012 NBA Odds Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks: Provided by TopBet.com

Boston Celtics +3 (-110), Over 182.5 (-110), +130 (Moneyline)

New York Knicks -3 (-110), Under 182.5 (-110), -150 (Moneyline)

Things have gone south for the 76ers since the calender turned to April with the team losing five of its seven games this month; however, Philly, at 31-28, still owns one of the eight Eastern Conference playoff spots. That said, the 76ers position, should they continue to falter, could be in jeopardy as they lead eighth place New York by just a half game and ninth Milwaukee by 2.5 games.

Philadelphia, which closes out the season with five straight road games, has won two of its last three outings, though, but, unfortunately for Andre Iguodala and company, the loss in that stretch came on Friday at home against the Nets.

The 76ers lost the game 89-95 after shooting 42 percent from the field and 10 percent from beyond the arc (1-for-10). Four Philadelphia players, including starters Iguodala and Jrue Holiday, scored in double figures, but the rest of the starting five combined for just 13 points.

Orlando presently owns the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 35-25 record, but the Magic are just 3-5 in their last eight games. Dwight Howard, who is out tonight with a lingering back problem, missed six of those games (Orlando 2-4 in those games).

The Magic did snap a two game skid their last time out, beating the Cavaliers 100-84 yesterday in Cleveland. Orlando got double figures from reserves Earl Clark and Daniel Orton while starters Jason Richardson Jameer Nelson, and J.J. Redick added 16, 21, and 13 points respectively. Defensively the Magic limited the Cavs to 37.3 percent field goal shooting, which helped make up for an eight rebound deficit on the glass.

Orlando has won five of the last six in this series , but Howard was on the floor in each of those games. With the big man out, the Sixers, a 12-15 road team, stand a much better chance at ending the Magic’s recent dominance over them.

NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Over is 8-1-1 in Philly’s last 10 games as a road favorite with a spread between 4 and 7.5 points and a total between 180 and 185 points (76ers were 7-3 SU in those games).

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2012 NBA Odds Philadelphia 76ers vs Orlando Magic: Provided by SBG Global

Philadelphia 76ers -5.5 (-110), Over 181 (-110), -240 (Moneyline)

Orlando Magic +5.5 (-110), Under 181 (-110), +200 (Moneyline)

The Suns, looking desperate to lock up one of the final Western Conference playoff spots, won for the sixth time in their last eight games last night, upsetting the Rockets 112-105 in Houston. The win improved Phoenix record to 31-28 and left it just a game back of the Rockets and Nuggets, the current seventh and eighth seeds, in the conference standings.

The Suns downed 49.4 percent of their field goal attempts and connected on 8-of-18 from long range in earning the key road victory. Steve Nash, who is averaging a 12.9 point, 11.1 assist double-double for the season, scored 18 points and dished out 10 assists in leading Phoenix to the win. Center Marcin Gortat also posted a double-double, recording a team high 20 points to go along with 15 boards.

San Antonio, the two seed in the West, snapped a two game skid and drew to within a game of conference leader Oklahoma City on Wednesday night with a 107-97 win over the Grizzlies at the AT&T Center. Tim Duncan led the way for the Spurs with a 28 point, 12 rebound, two block effort. Manu Ginobili also contributed to the victory with 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 30 minutes off the bench.

Tonight’s game marks the third meeting of the season between these two familiar foes. San Antonio won the first two games 102-91 and 107-100 respectively. In fact, the Spurs have won five of the last six in this series and five in a row against the Suns at the AT&T Center (average margin of victory 10.8 points).

NBA Odds Betting Trend: The Spurs are 6-0 straight up and 5-1 against the spread in their last six games as a home favorite with a spread between 8 and 10.5 points and total between 205 and 210.

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2012 NBA Odds Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs: Provided by SBG Global

Phoenix Suns +9.5 (-110), Over 208 (-110), +425 (Moneyline)

San Antonio Spurs -9.5 (-110), Under 208 (-110), -525 (Moneyline)