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NBA Trading Blows: this week’s betting market movers and shakers from Cloudbet
The theme-park surrounds of the NBA bubble are a most appropriate venue for what has certainly been a roller-coaster ride of a postseason. The conference semifinals have so far seen one of the title favourites – Milwaukee – bundled out unceremoniously, while the Los Angeles teams – the Clippers and the Lakers – are close to moving through.
Yes, there has been no shortage of drama in the NBA bubble, even without the crowd support and the home-court advantages conferred to higher-seeded teams. Arguably, the games have been more dramatic precisely for those reasons. The first round of the playoffs was highlighted by buzzer beaters, phenomenal individual scoring and a temporary halt to protest yet another police shooting in America.
Lebron James, the game’s best-known player, has rediscovered his imperious form, while the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo may have to console himself with the MVP award (for which he’s heavily favored to win), now that he’s been relegated to the sidelines.
With the Eastern and Western Conference finals beckoning, it’s appropriate for us at Cloudbet to take stock of the big market moves over the past week.
Miami heats up
Title odds: 4.88/+388 (from 8/+700 on 4 September)
The Heat are the hot team at the moment after sweeping Indiana in the first round and rolling over the Bucks in five games. Miami cornerstone Jimmy Butler is playing close to his All-Star best, backed by strong performances Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, among others.
This is a line-up that outgunned Indiana and Milwaukee by an average margin of 8 points per match, and includes Duncan Robinson, who is fifth in the league for made 3-pointers this season. They’re now heading to their first Eastern Conference finals since 2014, but Butler is focused on bigger things:
Making the conference finals “means a lot, but that’s not my goal,” the All-Star swingman told reporters after closing out the Bucks series. “We want to win it. We want a championship and I think that’s what we’re focused on.”
Butler, who is currently in the deepest playoff run of his eight-year career, indicated that the Heat haven’t played their best basketball yet: “I don’t think we’ve played a full 48-minute game yet and that’s what’s promising. If we do lock in from start to finish and play the way that we’re capable and the way that we’re supposed to, the game will be a lot easier. But it’s yet to happen and we’ve got to have it happen in the next round.”
An ominous signal for their next opponent, the winner of the Toronto-Boston semifinal.
We the West
Los Angeles Clippers title odds: 2.76/+176 (from 3.14/214)
Los Angeles Lakers title odds:2.96/+196 (from 3.54/254)
While not a massive improvement in their lines, it’s worth just talking about the two LAs because of their star-studded line-ups, and because they’re inching closer to facing each other in the Western Conference finals. Both units are leading all current playoff teams in points per game and field-goal percentage.
The Clippers were efficient in dispatching Dallas in the first round, even through injury and Covid-related personnel issues, and now hold a commanding 3-1 series lead over Denver. Kawhi Leonard is the joint second-highest scorer of all players left in the playoffs (with the Lakers’ Anthony Davis), and the Clippers have averaged more points than any other unit in the postseason.
They’ve been boosted by the return of guard Patrick Beverley from a calf injury, and some solid scoring efforts from their other superstar Paul George. Markets favor the Clippers to end the Nuggets series in Game 5 (1.25/-405).
Meanwhile, after early bubble yips, the Lakers have rediscovered their offense in the playoffs, averaging 114 points per game. That’s a big improvement over the 106 they had in their eight regular season contests in the bubble.
GOAT contender Lebron James has lifted his game, as he has done frequently in his career: He’s currently the playoffs’ assists leader, with 9 dimes per game, and the league’s fourth-highest scorer this month. The Lakers have been boosted by Rajon Rondo, who has taken some of the playmaking burden off James’ shoulders.
The Lakers are 3-1 up against a Houston Rockets team that can also score by the truckload, but are coming off a seven-game series against Oklahoma City. Rocket guard Russell Westbrook has shown some flashes of brilliance, but has been struggling with form and a thigh injury.
The Lakers’ latest victory over the Rockets is James’ 163rd playoff win – the most by any player in NBA history.
“It doesn’t happen without the supporting cast,” James said of his playoff record, after winning Game 3 against Houston. The same is certainly true of winning a championship this year, and based on their recent form, the Lakers are looking good on that front.
We the… North?
Boston title odds: 8.03/+703 (from 7.09/+609)
Toronto title odds: 9.95/+895 (from 13/+1200)
The Celtics replace Milwaukee as favorites to take the Eastern Conference title after sweeping Philadelphia in the first round and winning the first two games over the Toronto Raptors. Since then, Boston’s line has drifted as they dropped three of the last four games to a Raptor unit that continues to defy expectations.
Jayson Tatum has been a stud for the Celtics in the playoffs, leading his team with 27 points per game, with support from Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown. The Raps, however, found a way to contain Walker in Game 6, a double-overtime thriller destined for the pantheon of classic NBA match-ups.
Defending champions Toronto, meanwhile, refuse to go quietly into the night, thanks to gutsy performances from guards Kyle Lowry and Fred Van Vleet. This is a team that had the second-most regular season wins in the league this year, even without Kawhi Leonard, who left for the Clippers after last year’s title run.
The Raps have now leveled the series with the much more talented and fancied Celtics – and are looking to go one step further.
“Winning is all that matters right now,” a determined Lowry said after scoring 33 points in Game 6. “Just go and win, it don’t matter how you get it done, don’t matter who gets to do it.”
Truer words rarely spoken.
Results and odds are current as of 8am UTC on Friday 11 September.
Latest News
Gate.io and AWS’s ‘Gateway to Championships’ Brings Blockchain to the Forefront with FC Internazionale Milano Partnership
The event also brought together industry leaders, sports icons, and blockchain innovators for an evening that not only celebrated technological advancements but also paved the way for a historic and transformative partnership in blockchain and sports.
Panel discussions, moderated by Kristen Lim, Co-Founder and CEO of Rockrose, explored the profound impacts of blockchain technology on the global market. Thought leaders provided insights into the evolving landscape of Web3 and contributed their expertise, highlighting the transformative potential of blockchain across various sectors. Together, they examined key trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of Web3.
VIP Dinner, Networking, and Celebrations
The event concluded with a VIP dinner and networking session, where attendees connected with industry and sports luminaries against the backdrop of a live DJ, creating an atmosphere of celebration and collaboration.
SOCCER2050: From On-Chain to On-Pitch
Additionally, Gate.io organized SOCCER2050, a separate football match highlighting its commitment to the sport and the community. The event was co-hosted with LTP on September 17 in Singapore, where several teams faced off in friendly football matches following a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Dr. Lin Han and representatives from LTP, Huawei Cloud, and Zodia Custody. This event further cemented Gate.io’s presence in the football world, fostering camaraderie and engagement among participants.
Disclaimer
This is a private event for professional knowledge sharing and networking purpose only. You should always seek independent professional advice before making any investment decisions. The products and/or services mentioned herein are only available to persons outside Singapore. Please be noted that Gate Group may restrict or prohibit the use of all or a portion of the Services from restricted locations. For more information, please read the applicable user agreements.
The post Gate.io and AWS’s ‘Gateway to Championships’ Brings Blockchain to the Forefront with FC Internazionale Milano Partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Aristocrat Gaming
Record Progressive Jackpot at Over $2 Million and Climbing Up for Grabs at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
A record progressive jackpot of more than $2 million continues to climb on a $1 million Dragon Link slot machine by Aristocrat Gaming. The huge jackpot is up for grabs at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood.
The $1 denomination Dragon Link slot is a single-site progressive (SSP) and is located in the high-limit slots area of the Hollywood casino, famous through the world for its iconic Guitar Hotel. The slot machine’s progressive jackpot increases independently from other Dragon Link slots at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood and elsewhere.
The jackpot is climbing by an average of $7,000 per day and is on track to become one of the largest slot machine payouts in Seminole Gaming history and the largest Dragon Link jackpot ever awarded. Players at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood have a chance to be a part of jackpot history.
“It’s exciting to witness the Dragon Link jackpot grow to an unprecedented amount. The game has been a favorite since its release, and with this amazing prize now up for grabs, our players have the potential for a huge win,” said David Hoenemeyer, Chief Operating Officer of Seminole Gaming.
“We are incredibly proud of the fanfare Dragon Link has amassed over the years, and this historic milestone reinforces player excitement for the brand. The Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood team have been incredible partners and huge supporters of our $1 million Dragon Link offering. We can’t wait to be a part of the celebration of this record-breaking jackpot,” said Kurt Gissane, Chief Revenue Officer for Aristocrat Gaming.
Since its debut at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood in June 2021, Dragon Link has consistently drawn in players with its exciting high-denomination offering, which includes a $25 minimum bet and a $2,500 max bet. The casino-resort was the first in the world to feature the $1 million Dragon Link progressive, and today, it remains one of the most popular high-limit slot games available.
The impact of Dragon Link on the gaming landscape has been immense, cementing its status as a player favorite. While Aristocrat Gaming continues to push boundaries with innovative offerings, the latest jackpot at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood represents a new milestone in gaming entertainment.
Chris Chapman
Xpoint Appoints Chris Chapman as CTO and Rahul Agrawal as VP of Engineering
Xpoint has announced two key appointments as it strengthens its leadership team.
Chris Chapman has been promoted to Chief Technology Officer and Rahul Agrawal has joined as VP of Engineering.
Chapman previously served as VP of Engineering at Xpoint and has been pivotal in leading the company’s engineering efforts, advancing its geolocation technology and ensuring the platform’s reliability and scalability. Prior to joining Xpoint, he held senior leadership positions at companies such as Sourcepoint, Integral Ad Science and Amino Payments, which he founded. In his new role, he will focus on driving innovation and ensuring that Xpoint remains at the forefront of geolocation and compliance solutions in the iGaming sector.
Agrawal brings over 25 years of experience in technology leadership, most recently serving as VP of Technology at PointsBet, where he advanced the development of the sportsbook and casino platform, built a global engineering team and integrated multiple technology partners, including geolocation providers.
His extensive background also includes being CTO at FaceOff and senior technology roles at Jump Ramp Games and High 5 Games. He will lead the Xpoint engineering team, focusing on operational excellence and the continued development of the supplier’s geolocation technology.
Manu Gambhir, CEO of Xpoint, said: “We are excited to promote Chris to CTO and welcome Rahul as our VP of Engineering.
“Chris has been an integral part of Xpoint’s success and his promotion to CTO is a natural progression as we continue to evolve. Rahul’s extensive experience in building and scaling technology platforms will complement Chris’s leadership and together, their expertise will drive the next phase of innovation for Xpoint as we continue to lead the geolocation and compliance space in the iGaming industry.”
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