NHL Betting – Canucks’ Depth Key to Stanley Cup Win

Players who bet on the Kentucky Derby will see that a couple of horses are trying to separate themselves from the pack ahead of the big race, but in the Stanley Cup playoffs, one team stands apart from the rest. Vancouver rolled through the regular season, and barring injury or a poor performance from their goaltender, they should hoist the first Cup in the history of the franchise.

The Canucks’ power comes in their depth, as they’re not just a team who has to depend on the scoring of Henrik and Daniel Sedin, although they were both in the top five in terms of points scored (Daniel led the NHL, one year after Henrik). Ryan Kesler has taken some of the pressure off the brothers, and the Canucks can get scoring from all four lines. They also have grit on the team now, led by Max Lapierre, who was essential in Montreal’s surprising run last postseason, and Raffi Torres, who has already gotten under the skin of nemesis Chicago. The defense seems to be healthy, which was their big question mark all season.

The key to it all is goaltender Roberto Luongo, who has been known to be shaky in big games. His play with the Canadian Olympic team in 2010 should have given him more confidence, and he was able to get more rest than usual this year thanks to the stellar play of backup Cory Schneider. Still, there are questions surrounding Luongo’s mental fortitude, and if he can keep his wits, the Canucks should be your online sports betting pick to lift the Stanley Cup.

NBA Betting – The Lakers Will Three-Peat As NBA Champions

While many are betting on MLB baseball odds right now, there is plenty of time left for that. The NBA playoffs are getting ready to start, and while many are talking about Chicago and Miami in the East, and San Antonio and Dallas in the West, it’s all going to come down to one team: the two-time defending champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sure, the Lakers are stumbling down the stretch, but we’re betting that they’re not that focused right now as they’re just waiting for the playoffs to begin, and we all know what they can do in the postseason. Even Kobe Bryant has admitted that he has been pacing himself for the second season, and if he is at the top of his game, the Lakers are going to be very tough to beat. But the keys to their three-peat hopes lie with the big men, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Bynum has been playing very well over the last couple of months, and he gives the Lakers a physicality that they don’t necessarily get from Gasol, who has been called soft by many, but he still averaged over 10 rebounds per game.

A motivated Gasol was a big reason that the Lakers won two years ago, and Bynum had a big hand in last year’s victory. If the Lakers can score inside and take high-percentage shots, that forces the other team to take some risks, which means opening up the perimeter for Bryant. That’s why we’re taking the Los Angeles Lakers at our favorite betting website.