Israeli Premier League Basketball

By Divol

My plays today shouldn't surprise anyone, since I will take the same bets I been taking so far in the first round of the playoffs.

Ironi Nahariyya v Hapoel Holon



17th May 17:15 GMT

I have been saying from Game 1 that Holon will stay in the league. I took Holon with the line and ML, but they lost despite leading for 38 minutes of the game, although they did cover so it was even money in the end. Game 2 took them with the line and they won and covered. Game 3 took them ML and they led again late in the game, but lost. Game 4 took them with the line and they won and covered again. So today is the big day for them and for me as a bettor as well. A loss and they will be relegated and we will end up with very small profit from the series, but a win and they remain in the league and we make really nice profit from this series.

I have written mostly about the bets, simply because to be honest I don't have anything more to add to what I wrote in the first 4 games. Holon was the better team in 140 minutes from 160 minutes so far and yet they are 2 - 2 only. This time they don't need to be the better team, they need to be the winning team. Nahariya have got heart, you just can't ignore it. They came from behind in both home games and won, so we know that Holon can play there but we also know that Nahariya won't back down. I believe that today we will see really a vast majority of Holon fans in the stands, despite this being a road game. They know there is no coming back from this game and that last time that Holon relegated, they almost disappeared from the map.  If there justice and if the better team deserves the win, then Holon will win this one.

Picks:

Holon +5.5, 1.85 - 2 units play - Bwin

Holon to win - 2.70 odds - 2 units play - Bwin


Hapoel Afula v Ironi Ramat Gan



16th May 16:00 GMT

I wrote before Game 2 about the rims in Ramat Gan and how they like the feeling of ball going through them, well it goes double for Afula. I haven't seen in the last 3 years more catchy rims than in Afula. I don't know if they are bigger than standard or what, but players have noticed it as well and there is no doubt that Afula has the best rims in Israel as far as Over backers go.  So far we have seen two dead Under results, two easy Over results (one was easy only on paper, but still...) and now we have Game 5. The pressure is on, both teams will fight for survival and I have little doubt that both teams won't hesitate to foul to extend the game in the end if needed and that both teams will try to outscore the other, because both teams know that in their case, the best defence is offense.

Pick: Over 163.5 points, 1.90 odds - 4 units play - Stan James

Divol