A Warning for the NBA Playoffs

Admittedly, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been a train wreck since the all-star break. The defending champs are barely .500 in their past 40 games and their defense efficiency has slumped to nearly the bottom of the league.

Lebron James has been hounded for resting occasionally and starters have been in and out of the lineup with injuries all season. It's not uncommon for a defending champion to miss the NBA Finals the next year and with the way things have been in Cleveland lately, an experienced bettor may be looking to cash in on an opportunity.

Do not be that experienced bettor.

While the Cavs have looked dreadful as of late, they've also probably been understandably bored to death. Why would a team on a quest to defend their championship get so bored in the regular season?

Easy. Lebron James is the leader of the team and after six straight NBA Final appearances, if Lebron's on your team then you're basically guaranteed a shot at the championship in June.

This answer is also the reason why you shouldn't get too fancy during the playoffs. Lebron James does not make a habit of losing series. Each year he's matured more and more and used this maturity to handle the mental fatigue that comes with a deep playoff run. During the regular season, James produced one of his most efficient stat lines in his career, so any notion that the future hall-of-famer is falling off is just nonsense.

So when the going gets tough and your faced with a pivotal playoff game to bet on, don't bet against the King. He's proven everyone wrong too many times.