Ben Burns

I'm playing on Miami/Philadelphia to finish UNDER the total (10* BLUE CHIP). Up 3-1, the 76ers will try and close things out. Favored by double-digits, there's a good chance that they'll do so. I believe that the value lies with the total though. The defense really picked up in the second half of the last game. Only 91 points were scored, the Heat managing just 41 of them. That level of defensive intensity figures to carry over into this elmination game. The UNDER is now 2-0 when the Heat were trailing in the series. That brings the UNDER to 4-1 the past five times that they found themselves trailing in a playoff series. Expect those stats to improve Tuesday, as Game 5 proves to the lowest-scoring of the series. 

I'm playing on PITTSBURGH (10* PERS FAV). The Pirates got a quality effort from Kuhl last time out, as he limited the Rockies to one run, on just four hits, through six complete innings. He now has a 2.45 ERA in two home starts. Kuhl should get plenty of support here; Zimmerman is giving up plenty of hits (22 in 16 1/3 innings) and has an ugly 7.71 ERA through four starts. That ERA climbs to 10.20 in two road starts, opposing batters hitting a whopping .409. Back home, after getting swept at Philadelphia, the Pirates bounce back. 

Give the Spurs credit for rallying to avoid the sweep. However, don't forget that this series is still over. While the Spurs have been very tough at home all season, they've been terrible on the road. The Warriors won the two games here by 21 and 15 points, respectively. Expect the champs to 'smell blood in the water' on Tuesday, closing things out in convincing fashion. Consider laying the points.