Benjamin Eckstein's blog

The NBA playoffs are the focus of the sports betting scene once again this week, while the NHL's postseason hits its conference finals, and interleague matchups highlight the baseball betting slate.

The Miami Heat will be without Chris Bosh (abdomen) indefinitely as they try to take a 2-0 series lead over the Indiana Pacers in NBA betting action on Tuesday night. The Heat will be listed as a big home favorite in this matchup even without the services of Bosh; Miami won by a 9-point margin in Game 1 on Sunday.

The NBA playoffs will continue to offer up basketball betting opportunities this week, while the NHL's postseason is nearing the end of its second round. As well, the MLB betting slate is heating up, and NASCAR hits the track at Darlington Raceway for the Bojangles' Southern 500.

On the hardwood the Chicago Bulls need a win at home over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday to stay alive in their first-round series; the Sixers lead the set 3-1 and are poised to pull off the upset. The Los Angeles Lakers will be a big home favorite on Tuesday when they try to close out the Denver Nuggets.

Sports betting opportunities abound again this week as the NBA and NHL playoffs continue and the MLB season enters its second month. As well, racing fans can look forward to Sunday's running of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega.

In NBA playoff action the Boston Celtics will try to draw even with the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2 of their series on Tuesday night when they'll be road underdogs once again on the hoops lines; the Celtics will be playing without suspended guard Rajon Rondo.

Sports bettors have the opening of the NBA playoffs to look forward to this weekend, while the NHL's postseason continues with second-round series, and baseball offers up a full slate of wagering matchups.

NBA playoff positioning wasn't locked down until Thursday night for some teams, but the San Antonio Spurs had already clinched the top seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs, up with the favorites on the NBA futures, will take on the eighth-seeded Utah Jazz in the first round of the playoffs starting this weekend.

Sports fans will be all over the key NBA betting matchups this week as its regular season comes to an end, while the first round of the NHL playoffs conclude as well. Baseball then rounds out the sports betting opportunities in the days ahead.