Studying the NBA Playoffs, Part III

Round one here.

Round two here.

Eastern Conference Finals:

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers (Miami wins series 4-3)

Game 1 (May 22):  Miami 103 - Indiana 102 (Overtime)

MIA:  -8 (with one -7.5 at the LVH and one -8.5 at South Point) (NO COVER)
O/U:  182 - 183 (Obviously OVER with the OT.  Regulation was 92-92, just over.)

Well, LeBron with a driving layup at the buzzer.  Whodathunk that possible?  Gotta have butts in seats and watching commercials in a series largely-thought non-competitive...

FTA:  Indiana 32 - Miami 25 (IN MIAMI)

Which led to the OT.

Game 2 (May 24):  Indiana 97 - Miami 93

MIA:  -7 - -7.5 (UPSET)
O/U:  182.5 - 183.5 (OVER)

FTA:  Indiana 32 - Miami 26 (Again, IN MIAMI)
FTM:  Indiana 26 - Miami 18 (even with 4 T's on Indiana)

Clearly, now, they have to at least give the illusion, IMODO, that there's a competitive series here.  Kinda, to me, reads like the Golden State - San Antonio series, to an extent.

Game 3 (May 26):  Miami 114 - Indiana 96

MIA:  -2 across the board (BIG COVER)
O/U:  182 - 183 (BIG OVER)

FTA:  Indiana 44 - Miami 28

What the Hell?

Game 4 (May 28):  Indiana 99 - Miami 92

MIA:  -3 across the board (UPSET)
O/U:  184.5 - 186, depending on where you could get it.  (ALL OVER)

FTA:  Indiana 33 - Miami 27

If this were anybody other than the Heat, I'd actually think the NBA would want Indiana to win the series!

Game 5 (May 30):  Miami 90 - Indiana 79

MIA:  -7.5 across the board (COVER)
O/U: 185 - 186.5 (UNDER)

Only 27 FTA's in the game (Indiana 15-12) -- but FIVE technicals (and a flagrant!), the fourth game in these playoffs to have at least that number.

Game 6 (June 1):  Indiana 91 - Miami 77

MIA:  -3 (-2.5 at the Stations -- UPSET)
O/U:  183 - 184.5 (with a 186 at the Atlantis -- all were UNDER)

Oh come now...  You didn't HONESTLY believe the NBA didn't want Game 7 in Miami!!

FTA's were even (Miami 19-18), 3 more T's.  Game 7 is Monday night and I'll be in Vegas.  HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....

Miami will probably be a 7-8 point favorite, the number probably mid-180s again.  The money line will probably be too stiff at about -400 to do much with, though.

How obvious is this?  JT the Brick of FOX Sports Radio after Game 6:

"48 minutes away from possibly seeing #Pacers vs #Spurs. Time for David Stern to fire up the #NBA jet and get to Miami for obvious reasons."

A national sports-talk radio host (who wants to see the Heat beaten, by the way), and he says THAT.

Game 7 (June 3):  Miami 99 - Indiana 76

MIA:  -7 - -7.5 (WAY COVERED)
O/U:  181 - 182 (UNDER)

When Floyd Mayerweather is rumored to lay $6,000,000 three hours before the game, you listen.

That was the most obvious rig job I've seen in a LONG LONG LONG LONG time.

No doubt the Heat were going to win the game, but, after Hibbert's comments, the $75,000 fine was the least of his problems.

We get Heat-Spurs, as it was believed all along.

Covers were 3-4, first four games were over, last three under.

Western Conference Finals:

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies (San Antonio wins series 4-0)

Game 1 (May 19):  San Antonio 105 - Memphis 83

SA: -4.5 (with one -4 at the Peppermill)  (BIG COVER)
O/U:  181.5 - 183 (ALL OVER)

FTA:  Memphis 20 - San Antonio 14

Game 2 (May 21):  San Antonio 93 - Memphis 89 (Overtime)

SA:  -5 - -5.5 (with one -6 at the Atlantis (NO COVER on any of it)
O/U:  181 - 182 (basically a PUSH with a couple OVER)

FTA:  Memphis 26 - San Antonio 17

Game 3 (May 25):  San Antonio 104 - Memphis 93 (Overtime)

MEM:  -4.5 - -5 (UPSET)
O/U:  178-181 (OVER on the OT, needed it, though -- 86-86 at regulation)

Not sure why Memphis (or Indiana!) seems to be getting so many calls in these playoffs...

See ya, Memphis!

Game 4 (May 27):  San Antonio 93 - Memphis 86

MEM:  -2.5 (with a -1 at the Atlantis, a -2 at the Peppermill, and a -3 at the Wynn -- UPSET)
O/U:  182 - 183.5 (UNDER)

FTA:  Memphis 24 - San Antonio 13

Memphis, having eliminated most of San Antonio's major opposition, got out of the way for the one storyline the league can feed to the Heat.

Only Game 1 covered (1-3 ATS), 2-1-1 on the over.

---------

Favorites were 6-5 in this round straight up (Miami favored in all games, home team favored in all games in the West.)  5-6 against the spread.  Totals:  51-23 SU, 40-34 ATS

Over was 6-4-1 in that round.  35-37-4 for the playoffs.

Studying the NBA Playoffs: Part II

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS COMPLETE

For the completed first round, please go here.

EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND:

Miami Heat-Chicago Bulls (Heat win series 4-1):

Game 1 (May 6):  Chicago 93 - Miami 86

MIA:  -13 (UPSET)  (May be one of the largest in NBA Playoff history!)
O/U:  187.5 - 188.5 (UNDER)

FTA:  Chicago 29 - Miami 25 -- IN MIAMI!!!
FTM:  Chicago 24 - Miami 17 Margin of victory:  7 points!

I didn't think $tern would allow any games off of Miami in these playoffs.  One must now default to the "as many games as possible for commercial revenue" motif.

Game 2 (May 8):  Miami 115 - Chicago 78

MIA:  -12.5 - -13 (AND STILL A HUGE COVER)
O/U:  186.5 - 187 (OVER)

FTA:  Miami 29 - Chicago 21 (6 Technicals on the Bulls -- 3rd game in these playoffs a team has had at least 5)

Game 3 (May 10):  Miami 104 - Chicago 94

MIA:  -8.5 (one -8 at the Wynn -- COVER)
O/U:  186 - 187.5 (OVER)

Free throws made settled this one.  Attempts were pretty even (30-25 Heat), makes were 26-17, though.

League MUST corral the Bulls, or risk a major incident.  Already TEN technicals on the Bulls, the last one being LeBron James (after committing a T himself -- 13 total in the series) getting thrown about 12 feet by Nazr Mohammed (after playing 2 minutes and 31 seconds, and hacking James hard in the sequence (personal was called) to draw the James T!).

It's clear that the Bulls are sending a message to everybody -- screw with us, we F up the Heat.

And the Bulls coach thinks he's getting screwed.  Be lucky that only cost you $35,000, and watch Monday's Game 4 in Chicago very closely.  If I were running the league, YOU would be suspended for the Bulls' 10 technical fouls in this series so far.

Game 4 (May 13):  Miami 88 - Chicago 65

MIA:  -8 across the board (BIG COVER)
O/U:  185-186 (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  UNDER)

FTA:  Chicago 32 - Miami 21 (Seriously!)
FTM:  Chicago 25 - Miami 16, and they still lost by 23.

If that wasn't a shot across the bow...  Series over.

Game 5 (May 15):  Miami 94 - Chicago 91

MIA:  -14 - -14.5  (NO COVER)
O/U:  181 - 182 (OVER)

FTA:  Miami 33 - Chicago 24
FTM:  Miami 24 - Chicago 17

One of those "ball in the air at the gun" motifs.  2 3's by Chicago missed to send it to OT, but the series ended the moment the coach was fined for comments against the officials, and almost-certainly attached to that $35K was a threat of another zero or so on it if the Bulls team didn't lay off the violence.  The moment that went down, they got out of the way.  Eight more to back-to-back.

3 more T's on the Bulls tonight, including what I think was Joachim Noah's 4th of the series.  13 total in the series.  21 since Game 4 of the Brooklyn series.  Yeah, I think somebody in David Stern's office sent a memo with that fine to knock the Bulls-hit off.

And any coincidence that the Miami Heat have now won the first series to complete in BOTH rounds?

Covers were 3-2.  So was the Over.

New York Knicks-Indiana Pacers (Indiana wins series 4-2):

Game 1 (May 5):  Indiana 102 - Knicks 95

NYK:  -5.5 (with one -6 at the Atlantis (UPSET))
O/U:  182 - 182.5 (with one curious outlier:  The MGM/Mirage book was able to keep the O/U at 184.5, which was pretty much the original number to start with at all the casinos for this game) (OVER all the same)

Game 2 (May 7):  Knicks 105 - Indiana 79

NYK:  -5.5 - -6 (BIG COVER -- first cover of round 2)
O/U:  183 - 184 (Basically a PUSH)

Game 3 (May 10):  Indiana 82 - Knicks 71

IND: -4.5 - -5 (COVER)
O/U:  183 - 184 (UNDER, BWAHAHAHAHAHA)

Game 4 (May 14):  Indiana 93 - Knicks 82

IND: -5 (with two -5.5s at the Wynn and Peppermill -- COVER)
O/U:  179.5 - 180.5 (UNDER)

FTA:  Indiana 30 - Knicks 14
FTM:  Indiana 23 - Knicks 12  Margin of Victory:  Exactly 11 points.

Hmmmmmmmmmm...  Maybe getting everyone out of the way of Heat/Spurs?

Game 5 (May 16):  Knicks 85 - Indiana 75

NYK:  -5 (COVER)
O/U:  180.5 - 182 (UNDER BY A LOT)

FTA:  Indiana 33 - Knicks 17

Even though the Knicks won, I think it's clear that they want the road cleared for Miami.  Even Brian Tuohy knows Pacers-Heat is NOT interesting basketball:

@DanIrons4 Can't have the Knicks out in 5, right? Maybe not even 6. Pacers v. Heat is just not compelling basketball.

Game 6 (May 18):  Indiana 106 - Knicks 99

IND:  -5.5 (with one -6 at the Atlantis -- COVER, BARELY)
O/U:  178.5 - 179.5 (WAY OVER)

FTA:  Indiana 46 - Knicks 18 (NO JOKE!!)
FTM:  Indiana 34 - Knicks 18 (Yep, the Knicks were 18/18.)  Margin of victory, 7 points.

Games 4, 5, and 6 are all you need to know that the league cleared the decks for Miami. 

The Knicks had 49 free-throw attempts in those three games of that series.

The Pacers had ONE HUNDRED AND NINE, with the differential in free throws made winning both games 4 and 6.

The league wanted the Pacers, because then Miami can go into the Finals nigh-unstoppable.  What a joke!

Covers were 5-1.  Over was 2-3-1.

WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND:

San Antonio Spurs-Golden State Warriors (San Antonio wins series 4-2):

Game 1 (May 6):  San Antonio 129 - Golden State 127 (2 Overtimes)

SA:  -8.5 - -9.5 (NO COVER)
O/U:  201.5 - 204 (OBVIOUSLY OVER with the overtimes, but was already over at regulation, at 106-106)

FT shooting by Golden State did them in.  They were 14-24, San Antonio was 24-28.

Or did it??  104-88 Golden State, 3:57 to go.  Klay Thompson fouls out.

Golden State scores two points, the rest of regulation.  0-2 from the line.  San Antonio makes their last ten shots (four FT's, six FG's) for an 18-2 run (which we see FAR TOO OFTEN in David Stern's NBA) for 106-106.

Game 2 (May 8) Golden State 100 - San Antonio 91

SA:  -6.5 - -7 (UPSET)  (First win in last 31 tries in San Antonio)
O/U:  Bit spread out again:  204.5 - 207 (ALL UNDER)

Game 3 (May 10):  San Antonio 102 - Golden State 92

GS:  -2.5 (with one -2 at Stations -- UPSET)
O/U:  202.5 - 203 (UNDER)

Game 4 (May 12):  Golden State 97 - San Antonio 87 (overtime)

SA:  -1.5 - -2 (UPSET) (Interestingly, the LVH had it as a pick at tip, and Golden State opened Saturday as a 2 point favorite, and the money came in on San Antonio!  SUCKERS...)
O/U:  197.5 - 199 (UNDER, even with the overtime)

Game 5 (May 14):  San Antonio 109 - Golden State 91

SA:  -7 (with one -6.5 at the Atlantis) (COVER)
O/U:  194 - 195 (OVER)

Game 6 (May 16):  San Antonio 94 - Golden State 82

SA:  -2 - -2.5 (COVER)
O/U:  194.5 - 195.5 (with one 196.5 at the Atlantis) (UNDER)

Free throws made again.  Attempts were slanted a bit toward San Antonio (25-19), but San Antonio was 21-25, Golden State only 12-19.

The league finally gets the pesky Warriors out of the way.  I made a joke earlier in the season, in response to someone wondering why Stephen Curry was not an All-Star, that Golden State isn't even in the NBA, for realistic purposes. 

They aren't.  Fact is, San Antonio, IMODO, is the only team with a reasoned shot at Miami, and the only storyline which resonates with people with SitOut-Gate and the Heat win injured at San Antonio.  Wasn't a completely obvious job in many of the games of this series, but it's just clear who the league prefers to go through.

Duncan and Parker are two of the biggest stars in the last 10-15 years in the NBA.  Golden State doesn't even have one (not even Curry!) to match it.

Cover was 2-4.  Only when San Antonio seized control of the series did that stabilize.  Over was also 2-4.

Oklahoma City Thunder-Memphis Grizzlies (Memphis wins series 4-1):

Game 1 (May 5):  Oklahoma City 93 - Memphis 91

OKC:  -3.5 (with one -3 at the Atlantis right at the tip that almost pushed but for a late Memphis free throw with one second left!  NO COVER)
O/U:  186.5 - 187.5 (JUST UNDER)

Memphis' poor free-throw shooting did them (and the Over) in.  The FTA were basically even at 25-24 Oklahoma City.  Oklahoma City was 22-25.  Memphis was only 14-24.

Game 2 (May 7):  Memphis 99 - Oklahoma City 93

OKC:  -2.5 - -3 (UPSET)
O/U:  A bit spread out at 187.5 - 189.5 (But all of them went OVER)

Game 3 (May 10):  Memphis 87 - Oklahoma City 81

MEM: -4.5 - -5  (First COVER of the Western Conference Semifinals, and barely!)
O/U:  187 (with one 186.5 and one 187.5 -- didn't matter, they all went UNDER and not really close)

As a commenter made note before I could update this:

FTA:  Memphis 28 - Oklahoma City 19
FTM:  Memphis 23 - Oklahoma City 12  Margin of victory:  6 points.

Game 4 (May 13):  Memphis 103 - Oklahoma City 97 (overtime)

MEM -4.5 - -5 (COVER)
O/U:  184 - 185.5 (OVER, and was over at regulation at 94-94)

Game 5 (May 15):  Memphis 88 - Oklahoma City 84

OKC:  -4.5 - -5 (UPSET)
O/U:  185.5 - 186.5 (UNDER, NOT CLOSE)

Well, there's a lot of talk about a Memphis-Miami Finals (and, IMHO, if that's not a coronation, what is?)...

Looking at some of the free-throw numbers, not hard to see why.  Again, free-throws made won the game for Memphis, and they did have an 8 attempt advantage in Oklahoma City at 29-21.  But 7-2 of that was in the last 1:20.

Covers were 2-3, so was the over.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS:  San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies

-----
Round and playoff totals, updated as my schedule permits (see above):

Favorites:  14-8 Straight Up, 12-10 Against the Spread  (Total 45-18 SU, 35-28 ATS)
East:  8-3 SU, 8-3 ATS  (Total 25-7 SU, 21-11 ATS)
West:  6-5 SU, 4-7 ATS  (Total 20-11 SU, 14-17 ATS)

Two games in the first round had no defined favorite, both in the Oklahoma City-Houston series.

O/U:  9 Over 11 Under 1 Push (Total 29 Over 33 Under 3 Pushes)

The firmest expression yet of the extent of the fraud of American sports...

Deadspin, posted to Democratic Underground, where I found the post by DonRedwood.

A map of the highest paid public employees in each state....



Sorry for the overlap, but the map was just too good. 40 of the 50 states, the highest paid public employee is a sports coach...

Oh, THIS is fresh -- and almost certainly true and completely unsurprising...

So when are these motherfuckers going to come after people like me and Brian Tuohy?

Lauryn Hill (formerly of the Fugees) has been sentenced to 3 months in jail for tax evasion.

That should be a red flag right there, vis-a-vis that Hill is a celebrity.

Today, at least according to the various conspiracy websites, we find out probably WHY she got jailed.

In addition to the jail sentence, Hill was sentenced to counseling -- for voicing conspiracy theories as to who really controls the music industry!

This is purported to be from Hill's Tumblr account.  This is the apparent post in question.

Anyone who's paid an ounce of attention, from Elliot Spitzer (who investigated the payola of the labels, and paid for it with his political career with the call-girl scandals) to Dan Moldea (the one and same from Interference, as one of his previous books, Dark Victory:  Ronald Reagan, the MCA, and the Mob, tied Ronald Reagan's 1980 Presidential victory to influence from the record company MCA, and the ties of MCA to the Mob!) should find that Hill's claim that the record industry is controlled by a "media protected military-industrial complex" is completely unsurprising.

I fully recall being on USENET about a lifetime ago, and was asked the simple question as to whether the fact that my favorite performers of the day were not at the top of the charts was my "evidence" for that the charts were rigged.

Let's get this all straight right now.

Whether it's drugs, sex, rape, blacklisting, violence, death itself...  Every chart, every music award, everything in the music industry is controlled.  The artists have no voice -- the fans, even less!

I know of stories about my favorite performers over the course of the last 20 or so years that would make your stomach turn.  Yeah, you heard about the concert tours and the like -- how about the Xanax and being in the emergency rooms hooked up to IV's just to make it to that next commitment that the record company just HAS TO HAVE..

How about the very real possibility and rumor that the very future people have with the record label comes with "expectations" -- that, the moment the time is right, they have to "put out"?  Heard a lot of the rumors, and I believe most of them, especially with some of the ramifications of what is known to have occurred at about those times.

The bottom line is not only that Lauryn Hill was jailed for trying to expose this, but she's also now going to be attempted to be "re-educated".  I can almost bet you money that an open threat to her life, face-up, will be made in this "counseling".  She either shuts her god-damn mouth -- she is told -- or she is killed.

Whoever is "running the show" runs the music industry, controls every place on the charts.  Yes, even the Carly Rae Jaspen and Psy phenomena -- Psy especially, the K-Pop Idol scene is one of the most abusive music machines in the world!

In dabbling on YouTube, I've seen videos of claims that the entire music industry is controlled by the Satanic Illuminati, up to and including the deaths of the likes of Tupac Shakur and Michael Jackson.  Beyonce, in her Super Bowl halftime show, actually caused a mainstream media buzz when, in forming her hands into a triangle, she actually acknowledged ties and gave tribute to the Illuminati for being placed in such an illustrious and profitable position.

(For the record, it is largely believed by such YouTube presentations that they can establish certain ties which would indicate forced "tribute" to the Illuminati by all relevant performers.  The pyramid symbol with the All-Seeing Eye (which is also on the Great Seal of the United States -- don't believe me?  Check your $1 bill!), the hand gestures previously-decribed, various other Satanic symbols interspersed subliminally into videos (Rihanna's "Umbrella" is a prominent example given by those presentations.), etc.  In fact, I just saw one this morning (completely unrelated to this story) which compared pictures in their youth of a number of entertainment performers (Beiber, Bynes, the Olsons, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, etc.) to some of the edgier pictures of their "adulthood", the claim being the Illuminati )

Do I believe it's the Illuminati?  Not really, but, if I did believe the music industry was controlled by the Illuminati, then everything else would be controlled by them.

The thing is, there is a central entity which does control everything, and those who believe that the games and charts are legitimate are either too naive not to realize they've been lied to, or, frankly, too stupid to have an intelligent conversation with -- they're too far gone.  And Hill is right, the media has it's back and it is part of the MIC.

I've made no secret, for example, that the government has and continues to dabble in the politics surrounding game-fixing.

The three Super Bowl Championships of the Patriots?  Government propaganda -- it's one of the reasons you look at especially that game with the Rams and you have real questions.

When you look at the acts that have populated much of the top of the charts over the last 20 years or so, is it any surprise that the NFL pushed the Rapist-burger/Harrison Steelers to two titles or gave Ray Lewis a second Super Bowl title he never should've earned?

(You want an idea of how bad the NFL can be in that regard?  Even after going after Reagan, the MCA, and the Mob in Dark Victory, Moldea wrote Interference, and, according to Patrick Hruby, Moldea's father Emil warned him not to publish the book.  Dan did, and admitted it ruined his career.)

When you look at the conduct glorified by the entertainment industry and the only raison'd'étre of the public schools as simply athletic factories and social engineering experiments, do stories such as Stubenville, Ohio or the girl who had a rape claim in Michigan rebuffed because they didn't to compromise the rapist's collegiate/professional athletic chances surprise anybody?

As I say to friends of mine from time to time, it all comes from the same place.  And, sometimes, when it is clear that a person with enough power, influence, and position does not pay the proper tribute and Know Their Role and Shut Their Mouth (tm The Rock -- the new American motto), they get blacklisted, nailed, and, yes, in Hill's case, jailed.

Much of what happens to and by many of the people in power is controlled and protected.  Lose that control and protection, and the person almost certainly loses their career, if not their sanity, if not their life.

Throw this contemptible idiot out of baseball now, Selig, or resign and put someone in who will!

So the fucking poker games weren't enough to send Alex Rodriguez past Pete Rose on the Banned List?

How about the steroid admission on top of it?

How about the Biogenesis investigation that Selig is deliberately sitting on?  (Probably because it involves far more names, and most of the _names_ baseball has (at least on the batting side), than we've heard so far...)

And now, Sports Illustrated reports that Alex Rodruigez, probably the single most corrupt active athlete in the four major sports (and, as you well know, that takes doing!!) is cleared for baseball activities, three months ahead of schedule.

Yep, Biogenesis.

Selig, either throw this motherfucker out, get someone in your place who will, or risk someone doing it for you.

A Lot of (Succ)Sex Leads A Female Reporter To Be Fired... For Being A Female

When I first heard this story, I laughed like almost everyone else.

Then I heard the rest of the story, and then talked to some friends about it, and it, as usual, has gotten completely out of hand!

Susannah Collins, outside the Chicago Blackhawk locker room just before Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, made reference to Chicago's President's Cup winning season.

It was how she did it that should've been the subject of chuckles, web fame, and maybe 15 minutes having to explain a pretty bad (though, and I say this as a person who's done college radio, very reasonable) Freudian Slip:

For this, she was FIRED today by Comcast Sports Network, and many believe it was at the insistence of the Blackhawks.

For the record, this is the same outfit that has not (YET!) fired Kendall Gill for assaulting a male counterpart after a heated discussion of a foul in a Chicago Bulls game.

The official reasoning is that the network claims that Collins' Freudian Slip has put light on raunchy parody videos she used to do on a sports parody show.

To wit I have one thing to say, and ignore the video part of the context here:

How much of bullshit is this?  How much of this is "Get that fucking woman back in an outfit like this Stephanie McMahon job, her only real presence in sports?"





(Yes, that IS actually Stephanie McMahon.  Pretty much present-day.)

Anyhow:  So how do I know that being the only justified place that the Blackhawks and Comcast Sports Network believe a woman has in sports?

Well, try no less than these:

• Courtesy of The Howard Stern Show and YouTube, the honorable Vin Scully.
• This one is about as bad of at least a near-slip as the Susannah Collins one.  Outside the Lines, ESPN, and a discussion on the lack of African-American jockeys in horse-racing led to this head-scratcher that got Bob Ley shook up pretty good.  (From Deadspin)
• Reggie Miller letting his inner Golden State Warrior out in classic fashion last night. (Deadspin again)

Let's hope that, if they aren't man enough over there in Chicago to give her her job back that she at least gets not only new work (quickly!), but is also given the same kind of treatment this guy got just a couple weeks ago...

Studying the NBA Playoffs: Part I

FIRST ROUND COMPLETE.

Brian's doing his normal Free Throw Attempt analysis (and we've already got two live ones in the first six games) of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, but cannot, this year (due to time -- recent surgery and the release of his next book, Larceny Games, later this year interfering), go to spreads or Over/Under stuff.

Well, thank the people at VegasInsider.com for the information, and here's what we find so far:

Source:  Vegasinsider.com

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

BOS-NYK:  (NY Knicks win series 4-2)

Game 1 (Apr 20): Knicks 85 - Boston 78

NYK:  -7.5 (with one -8)  (NO COVER)
O/U:  189-190 (UNDER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

Game 2 (Apr 23):  Knicks 87 - Boston 71

NYK: -6.5 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  186-187 (UNDER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

Game 3 (Apr 26):  Knicks 90 - Boston 76

BOS:  -2.5 - -3 (UPSET)
O/U:  183.5 - 184 (UNDER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

FTA:  Boston 18 - Knicks 8
FTM:  Boston 14 - Knicks 3

Can't fault the refs on trying on that one.  Fact is, the better team is established.  The NBA record for fewest free throws made in a playoff game is 2.  (Toronto actually went an entire regular-season game without making any!)  Milwaukee got that 5/24/01 at Philadelphia.  They, too, won the game.

Game 4 (Apr 28):  Boston 97 - Knicks 90 (Overtime)

NYK:  -1.5 - -2.5 (UPSET)
O/U:  181 - 182 (OVER, but needed the overtime to do it, was 84-84 at the end of regulation)

Game 5 (May 1):  Boston 92 - Knicks 86

NYK: -8 (UPSET #2)
O/U:  183 (JUST UNDER)

Game 6 (May 3):  Knicks 88 - Boston 80

NYK: -2 - -2.5 (COVER)
O/U:  180.5 - 181.5 (UNDER)

FTA:  Boston 33 - Knicks 16
FTM:  Boston 26 - Knicks 13

It's pretty clear that there were some efforts (probably Marathon-related) to push Boston at least a little bit in this series.  The facts are that the Knicks are probably the one major perceived threat to get a game or so off the Heat before The Finals.  That and David Stern is an unabashed Knicks homer.

Covers were 2-4 with 3 outright upsets.  Over was 1-5 in a very low-scoring series.

BKN-CHI (Chicago wins series 4-3):

Game 1 (Apr 20):  Brooklyn 106 - Chicago 89

BKN:  -4 to -4.5 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  182 (OVER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

Complete reversal of the first two games of the first day (BOS-NYK, DEN-GS)

Game 2 (Apr 22):  Chicago 90 - Brooklyn 82

BKN:  -5 to -6 (UPSET)
O/U:  182.5 - 183.5 (UNDER)

First upset of the 2013 NBA Playoffs.

Game 3 (Apr 25):  Chicago 79 - Brooklyn 76

CHI: -3.5 - -4 (NO COVER, BARELY)
O/U:  181.5 - 182 (UNDER, NOT EVEN CLOSE)

Game 4 (Apr 27):  Chicago 142 - Brooklyn 134 (3 Overtimes)

CHI:  -2.5 (COVER)
O/U:  Irrelevant, really, with 3 overtimes.  Obviously, the game went OVER.  That said:  The number was 176-177 (so the game went over by ONE HUNDRED POINTS with the three overtimes, but the game was 111-111 at the end of regulation, over by 45-46 points -- the game went over very early in the 4th quarter)

Think this helped?

FTA:  Brooklyn 45 - Chicago 29 (Reg:  BKN 35 - CHI 24)
FTM:  Brooklyn 29 - Chicago 20 (Reg:  BKN 22 - CHI 17)

Not a rig for the result, but, in a tournament bereft of drama, perhaps the NBA wanted to manufacture some.

Game 5 (Apr 29):  Brooklyn 110 - Chicago 91

BKN:  -5.5 - -6.5 (COVER)
O/U:  179.5 - 180.5 (OVER AND NOT CLOSE)

Game 6 (May 2):  Brooklyn 95 - Chicago 92

BKN:  PICK - -1 (COVER, FOR THOSE WHO HAD BKN -1)
O/U:  183.5 - 184 (OVER)

FTA:  Brooklyn 33 - Chicago 18
FTM:  Brooklyn 22 - Chicago 13

Gee, why you think this series is going 7?

(ADD:  It's now the only first-round series that will!)

Game 7 (May 4):  Chicago 99 - Brooklyn 93

BKN: -7 - -7.5 (UPSET)
O/U:  182 - 183 (OVER)

FTA's were 20-13 to Brooklyn.

The one series to go 7, it sounds like they let this thing get to 7 and manufacture as much drama as they can.  Not like it's going to matter, winner gets swept by Miami anyway.

Favorites were 4-3 against the number.  Over was 5-2.

IND-ATL (Indiana wins series 4-2):

Game 1 (Apr 21):  Indiana 107 - Atlanta 90

IND:  -7 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  184-185.5 (OVER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

FTA:  Indiana 34 - Atlanta 14
FTM:  Indiana 30 - Atlanta 7

Looks like a high-level screw there.  Fouls were only 26-19 though.

Game 2 (Apr 24):  Indiana 113 - Atlanta 98

IND: -7 (ANOTHER BIG COVER)
O/U:  187 (OVER:  AND NOT REALLY CLOSE)

FTA:  Indiana 29 - Atlanta 20
FTM:  Indiana 21 - Atlanta 11

It was clear who was getting the push until the venue changed...

Game 3 (Apr 27): Atlanta 90 - Indiana 69

ATL: -1.5 - -2 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  188.5 - 189.5 (UNDER AND NOT CLOSE)

Game 4 (Apr 29):  Atlanta 102 - Indiana 91

ATL:  -1 - -1.5 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  187 - 187.5 (OVER)

FTA:  Atlanta 38 - Indiana 25

Game 5 (May 1):  Indiana 106 - Atlanta 83

IND: -7 - -7.5 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  187/5 - 188.5 (JUST MADE IT OVER)

And this is why it made Over:

FTA:  Atlanta 37 - Indiana 35
FTM:  Atlanta 30 - Indiana 29

5 T's in the game as well!

Game 6 (May 3):  Indiana 81 - Atlanta 73

ATL:  -1 - -1.5 (UPSET)
O/U:  186 - 187.5 (UNDER, NOT CLOSE)

Seemed as if the refs really liked to control the series until Game 6.  Covers were 5-0 before that game, and none of those, much in doubt.

Over was 4-2.

MIA-MIL (Miami wins series 4-0):

Game 1 (Apr 21):  Miami 110 - Milwaukee 87

MIA:  -13.5 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  197 to 198.5 (ON THE NUMBER OR A SLIGHT UNDER)

FTA:  Miami 33 - Milwaukee 20
FTM:  Miami 27 - Milwaukee 12

Even when they don't need the help...

Game 2 (Apr 23):  Miami 98 - Milwaukee 86

MIA:  -14 - -14.5 (NO COVER)
O/U:  197 (UNDER: RELATIVELY NOWHERE CLOSE)

FTA:  Miami 26 - Milwaukee 17
FTM:  Miami 22 - Milwaukee 10  Final margin of victory:  12 points

Game was 68-65 at the end of the 3rd quarter.  By 2:17 to go in the 4th (FTA in 4Q to that point, 9-4 Miami), 96-79 Miami.

Game 3 (Apr 25):  Miami 104 - Milwaukee 91

MIA:  -7 - -7.5 (GOOD SIZED COVER)
O/U:  194.5 - 196 (PRETTY MUCH A PUSH.  DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU WENT.)

Game 4 (Apr 28):  Miami 88 -- Milwaukee 77

MIA: -8.5 - -10 (COVER, on a late pull-away)
O/U: 195 - 196 (UNDER BY A LOT)

Free throws were fairly even for the two games in Milwaukee, but is it any surprise the NBA had the champions finish the first series in the first round against a sub-.500 opponent?

Miami, favored in all four games by substantial margins, covered in three of them, with all four games being either on the number or under.

SECOND ROUND WILL BE:

Chicago-Miami:  Michael Jordan is with the wrong basketball franchise -- it would be erroneous to call the Bob-kitties an NBA franchise at this point -- to think Chicago gets a game off Miami here.  Miami sweeps.

Indiana-Knicks:  Glad there's one series I think that's going 7, because none of the others are.  Knicks in 5.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

DEN-GS (Golden State Wins Series 4-2):

Game 1 (Apr 20):  Denver 97 - Golden State 95

DEN: -7 to -8 (NO COVER)
O/U:  210.5 - 212 (outlier at 214!)  (UNDER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

FTA:  Denver 28 - Golden State 15
FTM:  Denver 18 - Golden State 11

Referees definitely appeared to influence outcome.

Game 2 (Apr 23): Golden State 131 - Denver 117

DEN: -8.5 (with one of the first really decent upward moves of the playoffs) (UPSET)
O/U:  207.5 - 209 (OVER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

FTA:  Denver 36 - Golden State 20
FTM:  Denver 28 - Golden State 15

Can't blame the refs for trying, but when you have no defense to speak of...

Game 3 (Apr 26):  Golden State 110 - Denver 108

DEN:  -1 - -1.5 (Some had GS as the favorite, and then a pick.  Was moving to Denver.)  (UPSET)
O/U:  210.5 - 211 (SLIGHT UNDER)

Game 4 (Apr 28):  Golden State 115 - Denver 101

DEN:  -1 - -2.5 (Make that three UPSETs for Denver in four games.  Denver has been favored in all four contests!)
O/U:  212.5 - 213.5 (JUST MADE IT OVER)

FTA:  Denver 38 - Golden State 23
FTM:  Denver 29 - Golden State 16

It is clear who the referees are favoring.  The problem is:  That team is now down three games to one, and a late layup from a playoff sweep!

Game 5 (Apr 30):  Denver 107 - Golden State 100

DEN: -7.5 - -8 (NO COVER -- no -7s to be found for the push)
O/U:  211.5 - 212.5 (UNDER)

Game 6 (May 2):  Golden State 92 - Denver 88

GS:  -2 - -3 (COVER)
O/U:  212 - 213 (UNDER AND NOT CLOSE)

At one point, this game was 80-62 Golden State in the 4th quarter.

Golden State was favored in precisely ONE of the six games of this series (Game Six), and it was clear that the officials were favoring Denver for most of the series.  But was that $25,000 fine for the coach of the Warriors well spent?  The Warriors went 23-24 from the line, to Denver's 13-21, to eliminate the favored Nuggets.

This was probably considered the highest-scoring series of Round One, but the over (210 and up) went only 2-4!

LAC-MEM (Memphis wins series 4-2)

Game 1 (Apr 20):  LA Clippers 112 - Memphis 91

LAC:  -5.5 to -7 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  179-180 (OVER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

Game 2 (Apr 22):  LA Clippers 93 - Memphis 91

LAC:  -5 to -6 (NO COVER)
O/U:  180-181 (SLIGHT OVER)

FTA:  Memphis 34 - LA Clippers 22

Perhaps trying to at least consider extending the series?

Game 3 (Apr 25): Memphis 94 - LA Clippers 82

MEM:  -4.5 - -5 (COVER)
O/U:  178.5 - 180 (SLIGHT UNDER)

Game 4 (Apr 27): Memphis 104 - LA Clippers 83

MEM:  -3 - -3.5 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  177-179 (OVER, NOT REALLY CLOSE)

FTA:  Memphis 29 - LA Clippers 17
FTM:  Memphis 22 - LA Clippers 15

For all this talk of the Clippers being an alternative now that Westbrook is out for the playoffs, the officials seem to be favoring Memphis in the series!

Game 5 (Apr 30):  Memphis 103 - LA Clippers 93

LAC:  -5.5 (UPSET)
O/U:  180.5 (OVER BY A LOT)

FTA:  Memphis 33 - LA Clippers 25
FTM:  Memphis 26 - LA Clippers 19

Game 6 (May 3):  Memphis 118 - LA Clippers 105

MEM: -6 (with one -6.5) (COVER)
O/U:  179.5 - 180 (OVER AND NOT CLOSE)

FTA:  Memphis 47 - LA Clippers 24
FTM:  Memphis 38 - LA Clippers 16   Margin of victory 13 points.

5 technicals and a flagrant on the Clippers.  Paul and Billups both ejected.  2 technicals and an ejection (Randolph) from Memphis.

Blake Griffin is not now, and probably is not going to be for some time, an NBA superstar.

The referees in this series OPENLY preferred Memphis in this series.  Double-digit attempt margins in Games 2, 4, 5, and 6 - ALL favoring the team you would NOT think the league would benefit, especially with the Lakers rolling over and dying.

This was even more true than the MIAMI series!  Are we going to find out, at some point soon, that Griffin or Donald Sterling said something homophobic or something?  No explanation of this, unless all the hype Griffin's been getting the last 2-3 years is NOT NBA-sanctioned!

Complete surprise here.  Covers were 4-2, 5 of the 6 went over.

SA-LAL (San Antonio wins series 4-0):

Game 1 (Apr 21):  San Antonio 91 - LA Lakers 79

SA:  -8.5 - -9 (COVER)
O/U:  191 (UNDER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

Game 2 (Apr 24):  San Antonio 102 - LA Lakers 91

SA: -8.5 - -9 (COVER)
O/U:  188.5 - 189 (OVER:  NOWHERE CLOSE)

Game 3 (Apr 26):  San Antonio 120 - LA Lakers 89

SA:  -6.5 (Was -5 til right before tipoff, then a BIG point and a half move, actually started on 4/25 at -3!) (HUGE COVER IN ANY EVENT)
O/U:  184.5 - 185.5 (BIG move down from 189.5 to start on 4/25)  (OVER, NOT CLOSE, AND WAS OVER AT 189.5 AS WELL)

Game 4 (Apr 28):  San Antonio 103 - LA Lakers 82

SA: - 11.5 - -12 (COVER)
O/U:  188.5 - 190.5 (UNDER)

FTA:  San Antonio 23 - LA Lakers 12 (including 3 technicals for LA)
FTM:  San Antonio 20 - LA Lakers 5

Almost appropriate that the fans at the Staples Center got white towels before the game. Lakers lost all four games by double-digits, San Antonio covered fairly large spreads in all four games. Two games went over, two under.

Dwight Howard was expelled from Game 4 with two technicals.  In a four-game sweep, Howard received four technical fouls in the last three games.  Though the NBA does not suspend a player on their schedule until a 7th playoff T, one has to wonder if the league is going to take action against Howard independently, one of the most T'd players in the league.

David $tern has made it clear -- this IS the Los Angeles Kobes.

OKC-HOU (Oklahoma City wins 4-2)

Game 1 (Apr 21):  Oklahoma City 120 - Houston 91

OKC: -10 - -11 (BIG COVER)
O/U:  214-215 (SLIGHT UNDER)

Game 2 (Apr 24):  Oklahoma City 105 - Houston 102

OKC:  -11.5 (NO COVER, NOT CLOSE)
O/U:  213.5 - 215 (UNDER)

Game 3 (Apr 27):  Oklahoma City 104 - Houston 101

There was no defined favorite in the game.  You could get the game bet either way,or as a pick.  You wouldn't give more than a point either way, but you covered if you went with Oklahoma City.
O/U: 206-207 (SLIGHT UNDER)

FTA were only 30-25, it was the free throws made that won it for Oklahoma City.  They made 28, Houston only 17.

Game 4 (Apr 29):  Houston 105 - Oklahoma City 103

OKC:  -1 - -2 (UPSET)
O/U:  206 - 207 (JUST MADE IT OVER)

Game 5 (May 1):  Houston 107 - Oklahoma City 100

OKC: -8.5 - -9 (UPSET #2!)
O/U:  207.5 - 209 (UNDER -- NOT QUITE)

FTA:  Houston 37 - Oklahoma City 28 (Kevin Durant:  16!)
FTM:  Houston 25 - Oklahoma City 20

Game 6 (May 3):  Oklahoma City 103 - Houston 94

No defined favorite.  Though most of the books had Houston an upset loser (HOU -1 or -1.5), the MGM actually got the game to a Pick about 20 minutes before tip, and a consensus of VegasInsider.com lines actually had Oklahoma City a point favored just before tip.
 O/U:  206 - 207 (A PUSH if you got 207, 206 or 206.5 go JUST OVER)

FTA:  Houston 31 - Oklahoma City 16
FTM:  Houston 20 - Oklahoma City 16

Kinda sounds like, with Westbrook out, the refs wanted this one to go 7 as well!  Houston actually got the better of the free-throw margin by a significant margin in Games 5 and 6, and their poor FT shooting did them in in the elimination game.

And no real assurance that they wanted Oklahoma City to win!  I really think the road is paved for San Antonio right now - they have about the only real backstory that might even do anything for the Heat in The Finals.

ROUND TWO WILL BE (separate post):

Memphis - Oklahoma City (would not rule out this going either way, OKC would almost certainly provide at least a bit more star power for San Antonio, but would not be shocked to see Memphis get the calls again and put out both Oklahoma City and the Clippers.  Prediction:  Memphis in 7.)

San Antonio - Golden State (Only question is if Golden State gets a game off San Antonio.  My guess?  No.  We could be staring FoFoFo vs. FoFoFo  Prediction:  San Antonio sweeps.)
---------

As of right now:

Favorites:  31-11 straight up, 24-18 Against The Spread. (with two games that had options, both in the OKC-HOU series)

East 17-5 SU (3 in the BOS-NYK series), 14-8 ATS
West 14-6 SU (3 Denver, 2 OKC), 10-10 ATS (and two mixed games, both OKC-HOU)

O/U:  20 Over, 22 Under, 2 Pushes -- 10 Over in the East, 10 Over in the West