FIRST TAKE | “Celtics vs Nuggets – Heat vs Nuggets: Who deserves to be in NBA Finals?” – Stephen A.

FIRST TAKE | “Celtics vs Nuggets – Heat vs Nuggets: Who deserves to be in NBA Finals?” – Stephen A.

I just love this music we got Joe foron ball here uh along with Harry Douglas to go with me through your bets all right so we got a huge NBA MCH what hold on one second who’s that with you is that Denzel Washington look at that haircut right he looks great at

That haircut he looks so great har Douglas I know I know it’s great all right so we got a huge NBA match up tonight between the nuggets and the Celtics and what some may say is an NBA Finals preview what do you think the best bet is on this one Denver Denver

Minus one and A2 they actually opened as a home Underdog which was a mistake because obviously that’s been corrected in very short order this team at home has been absolutely nasty over the last two seasons especially if you take into account the playoffs last year 68 and 14

At home during that time span you look at what they’ve done at home this season they are top six in the NBA in offensive efficiency defensive efficiency and net rating when they go on the road they’re 13th or worse in all three of those categories Boston’s a very good team but

I think we’re sleeping a little bit on the nuggets with this pricing here I got no problems laying the one and a half Denzel what do you think I agree with you Joe I like the den nuggets in this matchup now what’s unique about it is that both of these

Teams are coming off a loss the Boston Celtics lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers without Donovan Mitchell and then we’ve seen the Denver Nuggets lose to the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant scoring in the overtime to actually beat them I like the Denver Nugget overall this entire season you look at a

Team that can match up with the Boston Celtics I’m going to put my stamp on the Denver Nuggets that one and a half give it to me CH Ching Joo I’m going to start calling Harry Denzel as well all right another matchup of potential contenders the Mavs host

The Miami Heat what do you like in this one I’ll take the points here with Miami this is starting to tick up so pay attention you might be able to get five or five and a half here two teams headed in very different directions since the allstar break break Miami has been very

Good during that time they’re 5- one and they’re seventh in the NBA in net rating they’ve been playing great basketball even with Tyler herro dinged up on the other side what’s the problem with Dallas they’ve been miserable off the break I believe they’re two and five they’re dead last in the NBA in

Defensive efficiency they’re 27th in net rating they are really struggling remember old Vegas adage you don’t bet an underdog because you think they keep it close you bet an underdog because you think they can win the game out right I think Miami can win the game out right here I like the heat

Harry well look at me and Joe being on the same page today you call him Joe foron ball I call him Joe smoke baby and he’s smoking hot right now I’m going with the heat as well they’re 71 and their last eight games with their only loss coming to the different nuggets by

Six points I also like the way bam is playing for the Miami Heat when I look at the Dallas mavick 0 and3 in their last three games especially when Lucas had massive triple doubles I don’t like the direction that this team is heading I’m going with the Miami Heat baby heat

Culture is something trust me I know Joe this is beautiful everybody on the same page so far let’s get into some Combat Action over the weekend Anthony Joshua and Francis enanu face off tomorrow night in Saudi Arabia what do you think the play is in this one yeah this is so

Peaceful normally every week at this time I’m just getting yelled at for five minutes and then I leave and go about my business as if I don’t know what happened uh all right let’s take a look at this I like Anthony Joshua I like him

To win by stoppage it’s at a price ofus 165 we’re getting a cheap price here because Tyson Fury did not take Francis nanu seriously he got floored in that fight it went to a tightly contested decision and as a result inu’s stock Rose in ganu deserves a lot of respect

For that fight but Joshua is a world class fighter he is an Olympic gold medalist and most importantly he saw what happened to Tyson Fury he is not going to take this fight lightly I think over the course of the fight he’s able to stop him I would lay the minus 165 I

Also think you could play the minus 400 in Joshua winning this fight Denzel yeah Joe I like Anthony Joshua and part of the reasons why I feel like he’s the most natural boxer in this situation too so that’s why I’mma rock with him ching ching Joe we three for

Three baby I was going to say three for three this is going great uh finally you’re going to be there live in Miami for UFC 299 this weekend where sha Ali will take on Marlon Bara in the main event match what do you have in this fight incredible card incredible card

Bangers up and down this card this thing is going to be incredible I’m going to take om Ali and I’m going to bet him to win by stoppage KO TKO DQ That’s plus 240 okay we’re getting a good price here because Vera has never been stopped in

His career om Ali has never been in a five round fight in his career that’s going to be the key in this fight because when you look at the Striking stats strikes delivered versus strikes absorbed over the course of his career Ali is sitting at plus 4.5 for his

Career look at Vera he’s in the negative differential do you know how much punishment he is going to absorb over the five rounds in this fight I think he’s able to take it into the later rounds but om Al’s eventually going to get the stoppage remember what the great

Teddy Atlas said and I’m paraphrasing here when you become Champion you automatically become 10% better it’s all about the mindset Ali just became the champion I like him to get the stoppage here well Joe while striving to be something we can never be which is perfect we

Become great in the process so I’m not going to be great and go four for four with you so I’m going opposite of you I’m going with Vera okay look at you I thought we were going to go four for four today and I thought it was going to be because he

Was calling you Denzel but I guess not uh thanks Joe don’t forget to listen to Carlin versus Joe at noon Eastern on ESPN radio and don’t miss ESPN BET live 6 Eastern on SPN too we’ll see you later Joe because a dwood your Lakers they’ve been playing well they ran into deam Fox

Yesterday here’s LeBron and start with something that you’ll like how about him putting Alex Lynn on a poster oh I always love that you know a good poster posterization always does the morning good 31 points 13 rebounds for LeBron and the Lakers had a seven-point lead

But Here Come the Kings Austin Reeds no zamra sabonis we’re going the other way Malik monk chase down don’t think so Kings a 15-point halftime lead and then more look at the nice ball movement here gwood Kings up 15 Mon and sabonis look at this look at this action right here I

Mean you can tell those guys been playing together for quite some time sabonis had a triple double he has had 44 straight double doubles then here’s dearon Fox he would score 44 and then to add injury to insult LeBron would leave early but just under four minutes left

Favoring the ankle Kings win LeBron what did you step on someone on a previous possession no it’s was just my ankle it’s was just what I’ve been I deal with before the break after the break just man you as best what I can you know played the whole third sat a

Little bit to start the fourth and uh you know when I got back in it kind of just you know whatever it’s just much been deal with all right so he’s got an ankle we’ll see exactly what that shakes out to be but look at this little stretch

That they were embarking on on here the Lakers have 18 games left they’re currently in the 10th spot in the west their next four games as you see here are all against good team so keep a close eye on Where Fore Spe Spee Spee [Applause] [Applause] Speech spee fore spe foree spee foree foree Foree For [Applause] for My life for The Death so I know how precious life fore speee foreign spee Spe first Foree Fore spee speech Speech Fore go speeech Speech we Fore an enemy has been defeated ultimate

FIRST TAKE | “Celtics vs Nuggets – Heat vs Nuggets: Who deserves to be in NBA Finals?” – Stephen A.