NBA betting and multi tips for Tuesday, April 18 Playoffs Game 2

Games on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, from 9.10am

EAST meets West in a first round NBA playoff double header when the Indiana Pacers try to square things up with the reigning NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers and the San Antonio Spurs look to own home court against the Memphis Grizzlies.

The two games on Tuesday morning go back to back, with the Cavs vs. Pacers at 9.10am AEST, followed by the Spurs vs. Grizz at 11.40am.

A solid pairing to get you back into the working week after the Easter long weekend.

We’ve run our expert eye over both game two clashes, with a look back to the results from game one and come up with who we think we will win, plus a little multi to add a bit more juice to your bets.

Here’s what we think will happen on Tuesday – a couple of blowouts are on the way.

Suggested multi for NBA Tuesday:

Cleveland Cavaliers to win by 11 plus ($2.43 with Sportsbet.com.au)

San Antonio Spurs at the line -10.5 ($1.95 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Two leg multi pays +373 with Sportsbet.com.au

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers

Our tip: Cleveland Cavaliers to win ($1.29 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Multi leg: Cleveland Cavaliers to win by 11 plus (+143 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Hear us out here. Yes, we know the Pacers pushed the Cavaliers all the way in game one and should have won, but that right there is the problem.

Indiana threw absolutely everything it had at the title holders and came up empty.

It doesn’t matter how you win them, as long as your in front when the final buzzer sounds and we feel like the 109-108 loss hurts the Pacers more than a blowout would have.

And it could have been so different.

The Pacers showed they could hang with the Cavs, fighting back from a double digit deficit in the third term to take the game down to a final shot – a good look from midrange which was blown by CJ Miles.

And, you have to ask, why was Miles taking the shot in the first place when superstar Paul George had been cooking all game and had already drained a three that reduced the margin to a single point?

George went shot for shot with LeBron James in this game, finishing with 29 points, seven assists and five steals in a performance that put the Cavs on notice.

But it wasn’t enough as beast mode James drained 32 to go with 13 assists and three steals.

The King just knows how to win in the playoffs and, despite missing a shot late on, he got them out of jail, with the help of both Kyrie Irving (23 points) and Kevin Love (17).

The Cavs have now won four straight against the Pacers and we suspect that loss might have just broken Indi’s back. Cavs in a rout at the Q.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

Our tip: San Antonio Spurs to win ($1.16 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Multi leg: San Antonio Spurs at the line -10.5 (-105.26 with Sportsbet.com.au)

Just another typical Spurs playoff rout.

The bench was emptied at three quarter time in game one between these two teams as San Antonio put the hurt on Memphis to the tune of a 29 point win, 11-82.

The Spurs went 1-0 up with yet another brilliant all round performance and we are expecting more of the same in round two.

There is a huge gulf in class, talent and coaching between these two teams and the sweep is well and truly on.

Let’s all just take a moment to marvel at the abilities of Kawhi Leonard. A straight up defensive beast, the consummate pro has taken his offensive game to another level this season.

And he had his way with the Grizzlies in game one, dropping 32 points in 32 minutes – one for every minute he spent on the floor – on a ridiculous 11 of 14 from the field. That’s right, he took just 14 shots for his 32 points and went a perfect nine for nine from the charity stripe. Add to that five assists, three boards and two steals and, just like Leonard Nimoy in the famous Simpsons Marge vs. the Monorail episode, he said “my work is done here” and sat out the last quarter.

He wasn’t without help though, with star big man LaMarcus Aldridge having his way on the inside, playing second fiddle to Leonard’s lead with 20 points and six boards.

Most frightening for the Grizzlies, though, was the throwback performance from former NBA finals MVP Tony Parker.

The ageing point guard has looked three steps slower this season as every one of his 34 years catches up on him.

But not in this game. Parker played just 22 minutes, but looked like a teenager again as he got whatever he wanted offensively, putting down 18 points on eight of 13 shooting and draining a pair of threes – a shot that he rarely even tries.

The Spurs bench then had some fun, with master coach Gregg Popovic using all eight named players off the pine, all of whom scored at least four points – except 39 year old veteran Manu Ginobili.

For the Grizzlies, it was hard not to marvel at silky big man Marc Gasol’s stunning 25 point first half, the Spaniard keeping his side in it, despite having to carry so many passengers.

He finished with 32 – equal with Leonard – on a very efficient 11 of 18 shooting, to go with a perfect seven of seven from the free throw line, adding five rebounds, two assists and two blocks for good measure.

But only point guard Mike Conley scored in double figures for the starters, managing 13 points with seven assists and three steals. The corpse of Zach Randolph – once the Spurs’ tormentor – scored just six points off the bench and finished with a plus-minus of -39, shooting just three of 13 from the field.

When a guy called Wayne Selden is your starting shooting guard and your starting small forward is a 40 year old who was a rookie when some of your players were in nappies, you are never going to beat the Spurs.

This will be another blow out and San Antonio will again have the opportunity to rest its starters and freshen them up to try and complete the sweep in Memphis.

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