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The NBA playoffs are hurtling towards the conference championship rounds and even though there have been a number of high-profile injuries, the postseason on the hardcourt has been entertaining. The favorites (Oklahoma City, Miami) have been taking care of business, while there could be a surprise or two (the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia) as well. Here is how you should go about picking the Eastern and Western Conference champions.

Of course, you should always consult the odds in your best online sportsbook as that will give you a pretty solid indication of which teams to follow. Teams like the Thunder and Heat are favored for good reason; it’s because they’re excellent teams and they’ve been near the top of the list for most of the season, if not the entire campaign. Don’t dismiss the odds so quickly.

However, you have to do some analysis and check out the matchups of each series, because as last year’s upset by Memphis of San Antonio will show you, matchups are everything on the basketball court and some teams are simply a bad fit for another. For example, you may find an underdog with a lot of size in the post that can take advantage of their opposition’s lack of size, and you may find it enough to take a risk. One team may have an overwhelming edge at the point-guard position, or they have more depth. All of these will factor in which teams will make the best online betting picks.

Most NBA fans will warm up their hoops-postseason betting skills in the NCAA Tournament, even though there are only 16 teams in total instead of 64 for the Tournament, there is still a ton of intrigue to sort through and making the proper first-round picks could make or break you if you’re a wagering sharp or you’re in a pool. Here are a few tips to get you through the round of 16.

Head-To-Head Records

The best way to figure out how you’re going to pick an NBA champion at betting sites is to go back throughout the season and look at how the teams played each other. Chances are, the teams have played at least three or four times during the regular season and that is a large enough sample size that you can make an informed decision.

Momentum Down The Stretch

But you can also get a read on a series by looking at how the two teams are playing coming down the stretch, and momentum can be a telltale sign of how a team will perform in the playoffs. Some teams just get on a roll and carry it into the postseason, so that is always something to consider.

Matchups, Matchups, Matchups

As they say in boxing, “styles makes fights”, and the same holds true in basketball. Some teams are simply a bad matchup for another and you can go back to the four series in NBA playoff history where an eighth seed beat a No.1, most recently last year when Memphis upset San Antonio. The Grizzlies had an inside game to give the Spurs fits, and it turned out into a huge Memphis victory at your favorite betting websites.

NBA fans have been treated to a wild and weird shortened season that began on Christmas Day and the action has been heavy ever since. The postseason will come up sooner than you think and here is some advice if you’re looking to make some sports betting wagers on the playoffs.

Star Power

When it comes to March Madness betting (which you can read more on here), it is more about the coaching as kids are more receptive and easier to handle. But the NBA is a player’s league, and it has been for a while now, especially in the face of free agency and players being able to dictate when and where they move. You absolutely need to have stars on your team now, at least one, if not two or three, to be competitive in today’s NBA.

Experience Matters

However, teams with just one surefire star can make it to the promised land if you surround him with veteran players that know their role, have been through the battles and are willing to do whatever it takes to win the NBA championship. Perhaps more than big-name free agents, ring-chasing veterans have played a massive role in a few series in recent years.

Find The Hot Hand

While the better teams usually win out most of the time, you can find some value in teams that just managed to get hot at the right time, no matter what seed they are going into the playoffs. Find this team and you’ll probably be able to make a killing in your online betting book during the NBA playoffs.