Yes, the whammy in an NBA chase is far more damaging than in hockey. Which is why I need to be much more conservative in my plays. Hopefully the wheat and chaff in the Eastern Conference will separate soon and I can pass on certain road trips with more confidence. The recent Bill Simmons
column on the horrific state of the East comforts me somewhat about playing this system.
As for the "4 games in 5 days" factor, I'm sure there is an effect. Whether the line already accounts for this, on the other hand, is beyond me. Betting the NBA is confounding enough as it is.