Don’t sell your hair: Series just getting started

One game into a long series, LeBron James was down on his luck, and the Miami Heat looked to be in big trouble. That's how overreactions go.

And when bettors overreact in Las Vegas, they end up selling their hair to a wig shop. Don't sell your hair to a wig shop. Remember that a series never has been clinched in Game 1.

Two games into a long series, things are looking up for James, and the Heat have stolen home-court advantage and taken control. That might be presumptuous, too.

Miami and Oklahoma City are headed for a long series - the NBA Finals will go six or seven games - and that's the only statement that can be made with confidence after a Thursday night thriller. The momentum is sure to swing several more times before either James or Kevin Durant celebrates his first championship.

"After this, it's really six weeks of nothing going on," said Jimmy Vaccaro, director of operations for Lucky's sports books, "so I would like to see a seven-game series."

The last major wagering event of the summer could not be any better. Vaccaro said the potential is there for this NBA Finals handle to be the largest of the past 10 years. The guys in Vaccaro's position always want more big games to book, and every additional game is another opportunity for the bettors.

The NBA product has faults, but it beats boxing, because you know the score the whole time and three judges don't randomly decide the winner. Plus, Durant and James trading shots is as good as a heavyweight fight.

"We're only into Game 2, but you already can see it," Vaccaro said. "The handle is up, and I would consider it pretty significant."

There's no telling which side wins in the end, but before the series I bet Miami to win in six games at 6-1 odds and Miami to win in seven at 6-1, so the Heat's 100-96 victory over the Thunder in Game 2 was important for those possible results.

Still, just as it was crazy to start to count out the Heat after they lost the opener, it would be foolish to say the Thunder are in big trouble now. Miami won't sweep the next three games at home, and the series will go back to Oklahoma City.

"It appears the world has written off the Heat. It's human nature to overreact after watching a playoff game," said VegasSportsAuthority.com handicapper Jim Kruger, talking before tipoff Thursday, when he backed the underdog. "A quality team usually comes back with much improved focus and effort."

Off a seven-game battle with Boston in the Eastern Conference finals, the Heat were set up to fail in Game 1, and they were running on fumes in the fourth quarter. The same quarter almost caused Miami's demise in Game 2, but James was the closer this time.

With Durant dropping in clutch 3-pointers in the last five minutes to make the Heat sweat, James answered with a spinning bank shot from the left wing and two free throws to finish it.

"We're getting plenty of tickets on the LeBron and Durant props," Vaccaro said.

The proposition for James' points was 31. He hit all 12 of his free throws and totaled 32 points. Durant also scored 32, topping his prop total of 29½. Another close decision was the total, which opened 196 and closed 195½ at most books.

The NBA postseason has been a handicapping fiasco for me, for the most part, but I stopped the bleeding with a bet on the Heat plus-5½ in Game 2. Miami opened as a 4-point home favorite for Game 3, and I'll look to take the 'dog again in the next two games.

The Heat's big three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were outscored 80-72 by the Thunder trio of Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. The difference-maker Thursday was Shane Battier, who sank five 3s, including a lucky one that banked in, to help Miami hold off Oklahoma City's late rally.

James came out with his hair on fire, and the Thunder's trend of slow starts continued. Oklahoma City fell behind 18-2 yet had the ball in Durant's hands with a shot to tie. It's going to be that type of series, back and forth and full of dramatic moments.

"There's still plenty of people out there who believe the Heat can win," Vaccaro said before Game 2.

More people believe it now. But don't bet your hair on it, because this is going six or seven games and it's up for grabs.

■ BOTTOM LINES - Tiger Woods finished the first round of the U.S. Open in a five-way tie for second, three shots behind leader Michael Thompson. Woods was the 7-1 favorite going into the tournament, and his adjusted odds to win are 2-1 at the LVH sports book.

While Woods obviously is considered the golfer to beat, Phil Mickelson has been written off. Mickelson's odds moved from 15-1 to 100-1.

Contact sports betting columnist Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. He co-hosts "The Las Vegas Sportsline" weekdays at 2 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM, 98.9 FM).