in NBA Free Picks

I know it would be a stretch to call a five seed beating a four seed a major upset, but take it easy; I’m just getting started here.

#5 Houston Rockets vs. #4 Utah Jazz

The Rockets are THE hottest dark-horse pick in all of the NBA playoffs. Tracy McGrady will finish in the top five in MVP voting, and deservedly so. This guy can dominate any game at either end of the floor.

Utah has almost no answer for T-Mac at the defensive end and will probably assign Andrei Kirilenko to him despite the fact that he’ll give up major quickness on the perimeter. Look for McGrady to come up big while playing soundly within coach Jeff Van Gundy’s system.

Another player that will give the Jazz fits is Yao Ming. Even with a solid player like Mehmet Okur in the middle, Utah still gives up seven inches at the centre position. Yao will be looking to seize the opportunity to play some clutch ball in the pressure-packed playoffs.

Despite a couple of problematic match-ups, this series will be FAR from a cake-walk for the Rockets.

The Jazz won 51 games in the regular season with stellar play from Carlos Boozer and rising star Deron Williams. Williams provides the Rockets with their most troublesome match-up, as Luther Head and Rafer Alston will have to combine to stop Utah’s dime-dropping machine. Williams averaged 16.2 points and 9.3 assists per game in his second season as a pro.

Look for this series to be a long one, filled with low-scoring, hard-fought half-court games. While it may not be the most entertaining from a novice fan’s stand point, this could be the most intriguing head-to-head battle of the first round.

NBA Free Picks - I expect the Rockets to out-scrap the Jazz in six games.

Despite the fact that the Rockets are a five seed, Houston’s line to win the series is -240 while the Jazz is +200. Make your bet in the BetUS.com sportsbook now.

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