LeBron, the Most Hated Man in Motown – Detroit vs. Cleveland

Detroit Counting Down To Doomsday…

Congratulations, LeBron. If there’s one man you can pinpoint for tearing down the attempted dynasty in Detroit, it’s LeBron. Dating back to his ridiculous explosion in Game 5 of the 2007 NBA Playoffs, all the way up to his 38-point blow-up against Detroit in Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Playoffs, there is no one single person that the Detroit hates more right now than LeBron.

LeBron has averaged 25.8 points per game this season against Detroit, and the Pistons don’t look like they’re even going to try and stop him. I was relying on Rasheed bouncing back in to a “screw this, I’m taking over” mode. But alas it didn’t happen. After so many years of seeing the Pistons become the team to beat when playing at home, the run is most definitely over. Trust me, I was the last one to cling to hope, and even I’m giving up right now.

NBA Betting Line

-Detroit is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games

-Detroit is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games on the road

-Detroit is 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games

-Cleveland is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games

-Cleveland is 17-1 SU in their last 18 games at home

-total has gone UNDER in 15 of 18 games when Cleveland hosts Detroit

What makes matters worse for Detroit is Kevin Garnett’s injury. How, exactly? With Boston unable to produce a defender to help Paul Pierce shut down LeBron, the Cavs are runaway favorites to win the Eastern Conference. Seriously, who is going to stand in their way? Andre Igoudala? Dwight Howard? Derrick Rose? Please.

And while that might lend itself to the idea that Cleveland goes in to cruise control, I wouldn’t sleep on this team’s propensity to blow teams out of the water. Cleveland has cleared a +8.9 point differential this season, and have destroyed Detroit every chance they’ve gotten.

#8 Detroit Pistons vs. #1 Cleveland Cavaliers

Tuesday, April 21st — Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland — 8:00pm EST

NBA Betting Line: Cleveland -11 (178)

And while Detroit will show up tonight to try and even the series, I wouldn’t bank on it. This series is too heavily tilted in favor of the Cavaliers and that’s why you can happily rely on the UNDER. Though it seems staggeringly low, you have to keep in mind that Detroit gets deflated very quickly when they’re fighting a huge gap in the score. They’ll give up as they should in the face of another big effort by LeBron and company.

NBA Free Pick: Cleveland -11 (UNDER)