February 2012 NBA Events
Calendar of NBA Events for February 2012 brought to you by basketballonlinewagering.com
NBA News
Memphis Grizzlies vs. LA Lakers Betting Odds and Preview
2010-11-02
Sportsbook.com Betting Odds: L.A. Lakers -8.5, Total: 202
The Grizzlies look for their third straight win as they head to Los Angeles to face the Lakers in the first of a four-game West Coast road trip. Memphis won by a point at Dallas on Friday and returned home to crush Minnesota by 20 on Saturday. Against the Pacific Division last year, the Grizzlies went 10-8 ATS.
Despite finishing fourth in the league with 103.2 points per game on the road in 2009-10, the Grizzlies allowed opponents to shoot 49.3% from the field and average 106.3 PPG. Memphis will need to shoot well from the floor Tuesday night as it is only averaging 10.7 offensive RPG and will likely be without forward Zach Randolph, who ranked second in the league with 11.7 RPG in 2009-10. Randolph has a bruised tailbone, which limits his jumping ability. He playing status will be determined in Tuesday’s shoot-around, but don’t expect him to play against the Lakers.
Meanwhile, the back-to-back NBA Champion Lakers are 3-0 to start the season and have the league’s second-best point differential (+11.3 PPG). L.A. crushed Golden State by 24 points on Sunday, 107-83, while out-rebounding the Warriors 67 to 48.
The Lakers recorded an impressive 45-8 home record in 2009-10, but the basketball betting crowd didn’t profit as they went 23-29-1 (44.2%) ATS. Los Angeles favored the Under last year against the Southwest Division going Under in 11 of 17 games (64.7%). The Lakers are shooting well from behind the arc this season (40.3%) and are averaging 111.0 PPG. L.A. will be difficult to defend with superstars Kobe Bryant scoring 24.0 PPG in just 32.7 MPG and Pau Gasol shooting 52.5% FG for 25.3 PPG, while grabbing over 10 boards per game.
In the last 26 series meetings in Los Angeles, the Lakers have won 21 straight up, but the Grizzlies are 14-11 ATS. Five of six games have gone under the total in the last three seasons.
This NBA betting trend indicates that the Grizzlies will cover the point spread
Play Against - Home favorites (LA LAKERS) - good 3PT shooting team (>=36.5%) against a poor 3PT defense (>=36.5%), average rebounding team (+/-3 reb/game) against a horrible rebounding team (<=-5.5 reb/game). (35-9 since 1996.) (79.5%, +25.1 units. Rating = 3*).
For those interested in betting on the Grizzlies vs. Lakers ‘total’, this betting trend indicates the ‘under’ is the way to go.
Play Under - Any team (MEMPHIS) - after a blowout win by 20 points or more against opponent after leading in their previous game by 15 or more points at the half.
(107-50 since 1996.) (68.2%, +52 units. Rating = 3*).
To bet on the Grizzlies vs. Lakers game or to scan the NBA betting odds for tonight’s games, head over to Sportsbook.com now.
NBA: Phoenix at San Antonio (9:30E – ESPN)
2010-05-07
The Spurs have to win four of their next five games to advance to West Finals and even having its three stars seemingly healthy might not be enough to make that occur. It seems that Phoenix has all of its pieces meshing at this point in time and appears to be a real threat to the Lakers in the Western Conference. With the Spurs in a must-win spot at home in Game 3 of this series, Sportsbook.com oddsmakers have listed San Antonio as a 6-point favorite.
Basketball is five on five with every player having a job to do. Though Tony Parker is coming off the bench, he’s playing starter minutes. (36:05 in Game 2) And even if you take bench scoring in the literal sense, San Antonio was outscored 31-24 by players that came off the Phoenix chairs, which was essentially the difference in 110-102 final.
Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili have been carrying this franchise for years, unfortunately they can’t do it alone and need more help. This helps explain an 11-25 ATS record revenging a road loss over the last two seasons. Richard Jefferson was more effective in the last contest, but Antonio McDyess and Matt Bonner were non-factors.
Phoenix on the other hand showed the depth of the Chinese Red Army. The Suns starters were a step slow, out of rhythm and playing mediocre basketball as they trailed 30-21 after the first quarter.
Coach Alvin Gentry had just pleaded with his team to give more effort and in came Jared Dudley, Channing Frye and Louis Amundson. Phoenix exploded with increased energy, scoring, rebounding and playing tighter defense. The starters watched as their teammates led the surge on San Antonio and by halftime the game was knotted up at 51.
Dudley in particular was the star of stars. "He was my player of the game -- he made some huge plays for us," Steve Nash said. "He did a bunch of things that more than anything gave us energy and confidence and changed the game and enabled us to come back and tie at halftime just because of his energy and spirit."
San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich seconded that notion: "Jared Dudley changed the whole game. He came in and was a monster. He was committed to the boards, and it was infectious."
The Spurs need this type of player to help the power trio against a Suns’ team that is shining bright with a 20-4 SU and 17-6-1 ATS record since Mar.14. San Antonio is six-point favorites with total of 205.5 and is 8-3 ATS off a straight up and spread loss. This is a conflict they need to take control of throughout and are 10-3-1 UNDER at home vs. teams with a winning road record.
Phoenix has covered eight of last 11 contests as road underdogs and is 17-6 OVER away from Arizona after consecutive games as a home favorite.
NBA: Western Conference Playoff Odds
2010-04-15
Much like a year ago, the Lakers broke early from the gate and put it on cruise control for most of the latter part of the season, securing the top seed rather easily. There were challengers along the way, as Denver had its best moments early, then came the Mavericks, who at one point ripped off a 13-game winning streak, then the Jazz got hot, and finally, the Blazers, Suns and Spurs seemed to save their best play for the stretch run. Throughout it all, the surprising Oklahoma City Thunder played consistent enough to qualify for the postseason for the first time in their new city. All that was just uttered makes the 2010 Western Conference Playoffs very intriguing, as it would seem that any team that gets hot at this point could pose a threat to the defending champs. However, it is the NBA though, and most often, the league’s best teams with the biggest stars prevail, and it seems that oddsmakers have put a heavy emphasis on that as they’ve built their futures prices out West. Let’s look closely at each team and see if they might have what it takes to unseat Kobe & Co. this spring.
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +1200
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: +700
Reasons they can win: Whether it was due to opponents being unfamiliar with the new roster or simply good play, the Mavericks ripped off 13-straight wins after mid-season trades. This type of hot streak in the playoffs would go a LONG way, especially with a veteran loaded lineup.
Reasons they can't: Dallas has been awful at home in covering pointspreads, and while some may argue that this means little in winning or losing games, the margin for error decreases in the playoffs and close wins in the regular season often turn to losses in the postseason.
StatFox Steve’s projection: I see a 7-game won or lost series in the first round vs. San Antonio. No further though for this team, even as the #2.
DENVER NUGGETS
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +800
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: +500
Reasons they can win: There seems to be a rallying cry for George Karl going on with the Nuggets’ players, and last year’s run proved this group is capable of almost anything. With Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, Denver boasts two postseason playmakers.
Reasons they can't: At any given time, there seems to be a lot of internal issues going on with the Nuggets. Cohesion is key to any playoff run. Plus, at presstime, this team had the worst road record of any West playoff club.
StatFox Steve’s projection: I like the matchup vs. Utah in the first round and think the Nuggets have a good chance of advancing. However, second round exit in all likelihood.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +150
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: -300
Reasons they can win: The Lakers can win because they did it a year ago and supposedly fortified their chances by adding Ron Artest to the mix. Any team with Kobe Bryant is capable of winning a title and the ability to clinch the West #1 seed early allowed L.A. to turn its focus to the playoffs early.
Reasons they can't: Something just seems amiss with the Lakers this year. Perhaps there is some internal dissension in the ranks. That wouldn’t come as a shock for a team that has Ron Artest. Last year’s effort, even in the regular season, seemed much more convincing.
StatFox Steve’s projection: I believe Phoenix is the only West team that can beat L.A. in a series. That upset is possible, otherwise, L.A. comes up short in the Finals.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +3000
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: +1000
Reasons they can win: Kevin Durant. Any team with a scorer of Durant’s capability has a chance to win on a given night. The Thunder has also proven nearly as effective on the road as at home.
Reasons they can't: No team boasts less playoff experience than OKC. In a playoff bracket as loaded as the West’s for teams that have been there before, not knowing “how to win a series” could be the difference.
StatFox Steve’s projection: As much as I’d like to say the Thunder are capable of a first round upset, their seeding makes it extremely unlikely. Out in five or six games, first round.
PHOENIX SUNS
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +8000
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: +4000
Reasons they can win: If any team is peaking at the right time, it’s Phoenix. The most encouraging thing is that the Suns have been just as effective on the defensive end as the offensive end in their late season surge. Steve Nash is also a big reason this team has big hopes.
Reasons they can't: Might the Suns relapse to the play that saw them go 12-18 in December and January? Amare Stoudemire’s uncertain status at that time played a role, but is it a sign of how fragile this team’s psyche is?
StatFox Steve’s projection: It’s been awhile since any sustained playoff success in Phoenix, but this team looks capable of a long run. I make them my official darkhorse for a trip to the Finals.
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +8000
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: +2500
Reasons they can win: Portland plays a style perhaps more suited for the Eastern Conference but that difference might just be enough to give it a shot at some prolonged success this spring. No team in the West allows fewer points, nor is as efficient on offense. In most playoff games, there are fewer possessions than in the regular season.
Reasons they can't: Can Portland keep up with the likes of Phoenix and Denver if that is a first round matchup? Can the Blazers overcome the fact that they haven’t won a playoff series in 10 years?
StatFox Steve’s projection: The Brandon Roy knee injury is obviously going to have an effect on his play. The Blazers will be competitive but I think Phoenix takes them down.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +3000
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: +2000
Reasons they can win: No other West team…I repeat NO ONE is lining up in hopes of a matchup with the Spurs, simply because of this franchise’s rich playoff history. One of their key players, Tony Parker, will have fresh legs too, having missed much of the late part of the season.
Reasons they can't: Road playoff wins have come too far and in between for the Spurs of late as they’ve won just one of their last 10. Considering their inability to win on the road with regularity this season, I don’t see that changing in these playoffs.
StatFox Steve’s projection: The Spurs might be the team that looks best on paper and in reputation than they do in real life. Age has caught up with the key cogs and they just don’t boast the same role players as in past years. Matchup vs. Dallas in winnable, beyond that, I don’t see it.
UTAH JAZZ
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win NBA Title: +1500
Sportsbook.com Odds to Win Western Conference: +500
Reasons they can win: Utah boasts the West’s best margin between field goal offense and defense, meaning they are the most efficient team in the conference. The Jazz have the been on an extended run of success since January 9th too, going 32-11 as of presstime.
Reasons they can't: Utah’s inability to win consistently on the road, even during its second half surge, is a deep concern. Beyond that, the Jazz haven’t even sniffed a win in Los Angeles in long time, losing seven straight games by double-digits. The road to the Finals runs through Tinseltown in the West.
StatFox Steve’s projection: The seeding worked out to where the Jazz have quite possibly the toughest playoff road of any team in the NBA. With the Boozer injury throwing a wrench into things this week, I’m not so sure anymore that this team gets to the second round.
NBA: Top NBA Weekend Power Trends 2/5-2/7
2010-02-09
It’s Super Bowl weekend, but of course, football isn’t the only wagering option, the NBA & college hoops are in full swing with a busy slate of action on tap. In the NBA, it is the last full weekend before the all-star break, as next weekend will be dominated the festivities in Dallas. For now though, the next three days offer up 24 different games, highlighted by the biggest Saturday board we’ve seen this season. Read on for a look at some of the most compelling games upcoming, as well as the list of some of this weekend’s Top StatFox Betting Trends for you to consider.
Friday’s board features 10 games highlighted by two on ESPN. In the first one, the surging Chicago Bulls travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks. The Bulls had won five straight games prior to a back-to-back this week with the Clippers and 76ers. Amazingly, their five game winning streak came on the road, all against winning teams, only for it to end with a pair of losses to teams with losing marks. Perhaps the challenge of the Hawks will get things turned around again, as Atlanta remains one of the league’s top teams at home, 20-5 SU & 17-8 ATS. In the nightcap, Kobe & the Lakers host Denver. Bryant comes off a game in which he scored just five points, bothered by a sore ankle and perhaps fatigued by a record setting week for both he & coach Phil Jackson, in which Bryant became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and Jackson the Lakers leader in coaching wins. L.A. is just 12-17 ATS vs. Western Conference foes this season, while Denver is just 11-17 ATS. Elsewhere, Houston will visit Memphis in a battle of two teams tied at 26-22 for the 9th spot in the West playoff standings. In the East, Boston and Orlando will each be hosting games as double-digit favorites.
On Saturday, the association has 12 games scheduled including three pitting opponents who both played on Friday night. In these contests, Memphis visits Minnesota, Indiana travels to Milwaukee, and Houston plays host to Philadelphia. Of those matchups, Milwaukee and Philadelphia enjoy significant edges in their records when playing on zero days rest this season. That is something you’ll want to remember as you handicap Saturday’s games. Elsewhere, the red-hot Cavaliers, on a winning and spread-covering roll, play host to New York, hoping to extend a 10-game winning streak. The Heat continue a difficult stretch of games in Chicago and come in having taking four of the L5 head-to-head meetings from Dwyane Wade’s hometown team. Another team that is heating up of late is the Utah Jazz, and they will look to make it eight straight wins when they welcome Denver to Salt Lake. The Nuggets are on a 7-3 ATS run vs. Utah. Finally, the Blazers will look to make it six in a row, both SU & ATS, at home versus the Lakers.
On Super Bowl Sunday, there are just two games, both early, giving bettors plenty of time to get ready for the Indy-New Orleans showdown. In Toronto, the Raptors play their customary matinee when they host Sacramento. On paper, this figures to be a tough spot for the Kings, as they were just 3-21 SU on the road and 6-13 SU & ATS vs. the East headed into the weekend. Toronto has also proven tough in the home chalk role. In the other game, ABC brings an Orlando-Boston clash at 2:30 PM ET. Both teams have fallen well behind Cleveland with prolonged stretches of mediocre play and figure to be resigned to battling with Atlanta for the 2nd-4th spots in the East standings for the rest of the season. As of presstime, the three teams were separated by just a game-and-a-half.
Now, here’s our weekly look at the top StatFox Power Trends to consider in your NBA wagering over the next three days.
Friday, 2/5/2010
(803) DETROIT vs. (804) INDIANA
DETROIT is 6-20 ATS (-16 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons. The average score was DETROIT 91.9, OPPONENT 97.7 - (Rating = 2*)
(807) MILWAUKEE vs. (808) NEW YORK
MILWAUKEE is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season. The average score was MILWAUKEE 102.1, OPPONENT 96.5 - (Rating = 3*)
(811) HOUSTON vs. (812) MEMPHIS
MEMPHIS is 8-28 ATS (-22.8 Units) when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51%-60%) over L3 seasons. The average score was MEMPHIS 97.2, OPPONENT 105.4 - (Rating = 3*)
(813) PHILADELPHIA vs. (814) NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - shooting pct defense of >=46% this season. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 102.3, OPPONENT 104.7 - (Rating = 3*)
(817) PHOENIX vs. (818) SACRAMENTO
PHOENIX is 20-5 ATS (+14.5 Units) vs. poor defensive teams - FG pct defense of >=46% in 2nd half of the L3 seasons. The average score was PHOENIX 122.3, OPPONENT 108.7 - (Rating = 2*)
Saturday, 2/6/2010
(501) NEW ORLEANS vs. (502) CHARLOTTE
CHARLOTTE is 40-20 ATS (+18 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CHARLOTTE 98.1, OPPONENT 94.3 - (Rating = 2*)
(503) ATLANTA vs. (504) WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON is 5-19 ATS (-15.9 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons. The average score was WASHINGTON 87.5, OPPONENT 97.7 - (Rating = 2*)
(507) NEW YORK vs. (508) CLEVELAND
NEW YORK is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in road games vs. good offensive teams scoring 99+ PPG over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NEW YORK 107, OPPONENT 110.6 - (Rating = 2*)
(511) MEMPHIS vs. (512) MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA is 8-25 ATS (-19.5 Units) at home against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. The average score was MINNESOTA 93.7, OPPONENT 104.8 - (Rating = 3*)
Sunday, 2/7/2010
(801) SACRAMENTO vs. (802) TORONTO
SACRAMENTO is 15-34 ATS (-22.4 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was SACRAMENTO 99.5, OPPONENT 109.2 - (Rating = 2*)
(801) SACRAMENTO vs. (802) TORONTO
TORONTO is 17-6 UNDER (+10.4 Units) versus terrible defensive teams - allowing 103+ PPG over the last 2 seasons. The average score was TORONTO 101.7, OPPONENT 102 - (Rating = 1*)
(803) ORLANDO vs. (804) BOSTON
Stan Van Gundy is 65-40 ATS (+21 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ PPG as the coach of ORLANDO. The average score was Van Gundy 103, OPPONENT 98.5 - (Rating = 2*)
NFL/CFB: Looking Ahead in the Football Rearview Mirror
2009-12-02
It’s hard to believe, but the last regular Saturday of college football for 2009 is upon us. The NFL is also moving along quickly, and the passing of the Thanksgiving holiday typically coincides with the push for the playoffs. There’s still money to be had though. Let’s take a look back at some of what we witnessed over the holiday weekend with the hopes of being all the more wiser as we prepare for the upcoming action. Lines & totals are already up at Sportsbook.com.
Here’s the deal, if you bet for or against the Carolina Panthers and lose, it’s your fault, since you’ve been warned. Jake Delhomme has a stranglehold on this franchise and his remarkably inconsistent play has bettors improving Rogaine sales, pulling their hair out. After Delhomme continued last year’s playoff meltdown by throwing seven interceptions in the first three games, all Carolina losses, he actually went the next three games without a pick.
After last week’s loss to the Jets, it’s clear the “bad” Jake is back. He threw four absolutely lame interceptions against the Jets in 17-6 loss as 3.5-point underdogs. He threw more passes off his back foot against the Flyboys secondary; he actually wore out two heels on his right shoe in 34 pass attempts. In his last two games, Jake is 33-78 for 357 yards and has two TD’s and five picks. His quarterback ratings for those two contests have been 60.3 and 12.7. As stated, you been warned.
If you wondered how 6-5 Jacksonville could possibly attain a winning record, you have plenty of company. The Jaguars are the only team in the NFL with a positive record that has allowed more points than they have scored and by a rather large margin (202-255). Don’t expect them to be around come playoff time.
The Arizona and Tennessee contest ended being the betting game of the week. The Titans had largely opened as one-point home favorites and it drifted up to two points by Saturday. Just as the first NFL games were kicking off Sunday, word started filtering out that Kurt Warner was not going to play. That led to a rush of Tennessee money pouring in with many bettors having the Titans as -3 or those who came at game time at -3.5. As we know, Vince Young threw a touchdown on the last play of the game and those holding Cardinals tickets lost for the most part, while many Titans backers were hung at -3.5, while those that held -3 or +3 got their money back.
Week 12 of the NFL was the first time in five weeks the favorites had a winning spread record (9-7) and for the fourth time in five weeks, the UNDER was the play overall.
Last Friday was the big shopping day known as Black Friday. For college football bettors who prefer favorites, the term took on another meaning as the chalk was 3-8-1 ATS and for the weekend they were 17-31-1 ATS, their worst showing percentage-wise since Week 5 of last season (16-30-1 ATS).
From an entertainment perspective, rivalry week was awesome and more like it used to be several years ago when underdogs were dependable plays when matched against their biggest rival.
Time to call out Pete Carroll as a hypocrite. After engaging and questioning Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh about going for two-points trying to get to a half a hundred against his Trojans, two weeks later USC threw TD bomb in the last minute to score a needless touchdown in 28-7 win over city rival UCLA. What made it all the more unusual is sometimes word gets to coaches about alumni having large wagers on certain games and they wouldn’t mind if the coach scored one more to make sure the donors are happy. That didn’t appear to be the case here since USC opened at -14, but were bet down quickly from there.
Know your Football Numbers-
Winning as a road underdog in the NFL is a big deal this season. This has been a real confidence booster for these clubs since they are 20-10-2 ATS in next game. We’re seeing a modest resurgence of an old favorite in the NFL, playing on teams off exactly three ATS losses. Their record is 11-6 ATS in 2009 and Seattle could be a potential play, but they had a bye week in the mix, which knocks them out.
My pal Steve Makinen wrote an article recently stating some stats are more dependable than others when addressing the NFL and he mentioned yards per point. Since week 4 (what I use as starting point), teams that were in the top 5 for that week and not playing another team in the same group, are respectable 20-15-1 ATS. Those teams in the bottom five after rocky 6-12 ATS start are 13-6 against the spread. Also of interest, when a bottom five team plays a top five team in YPPT, they are 4-3 ATS, having covered last four.
Turnovers are the one aspect college football bettors can’t truly account for. However, this season there has been one area you can at least receive some help. Teams that have committed five or more turnovers are 24-12-1 ATS if they play the following week and squads that force five or more miscues are 28-19-1 ATS if they play the next weekend.
NBA: Denver Earning Respect Everywhere
2009-04-29
If there really is an official “bandwagon” that fans, bettors, and oddsmakers jump on when analyzing teams, it has to be full right now for the Denver Nuggets. After taking a 3-1 lead in their best-of-7 first round playoff series with a 58-point win at New Orleans, anyone and everyone believes the Nuggets will end the series on Wednesday. Be sure to get the latest info about this game on the LIVE ODDS, BETTING TRENDS, and TEAM STATISTICS pages before hitting the confirm button on your wagers.
Coach George Karl has been around basketball his entire life, playing at North Carolina, a solid ABA and NBA player and later a coach. His reputation as NBA head coach is somewhere between above average to never rated in top five. This is his fifth stop on the professional coaching trail. Though he’s won over 900 games as NBA coach, he’s probably known more for his team’s failures than success. As coach of Seattle (1992–1998), Karl's 1994 squad won 63 games, yet flamed out when Sonics were upset in the first round by the Denver Nuggets, making them the first number one seed in NBA history to fall to an eight seed.
After departing Seattle, Karl was lured by lucrative contract to Milwaukee and immediately helped turn around a moribund franchise, which culminated in a losing in seven games in the 2001 Eastern Finals to Philadelphia, led by Allen Iverson.
Karl had been reunited with Iverson, this time as his coach in Denver, however it was obvious to veteran NBA followers, Iverson was not a facilitator and they traded him to Detroit for Chauncey Billups. The former Piston embraced returning home to Colorado and his new teammates appreciated the pass-first mentality.
Denver looked headed down another nice season only to be dismissed in the first round of the playoffs, especially after losing a third straight game in early March, the last at home, to a tougher-minded Houston team.
Whatever happened at that point, only the players and coaches know, but the Nuggets as a team scrapped the “soft” label and finished the year 14-3 (10-7 ATS), winning the Northwest Division with franchise-tying 54 victories and securing number two seed in the Western Conference.
The next test was beating New Orleans in opening round of playoffs. Yes, the Hornets were banged up, but that wasn’t Denver’s problem, they had enough playoff failures to write an e-book. The Nuggets completely neutralized the Hornets the first two games on home court to take 2-0. Denver had upper hand early against New Orleans in Game 3, but the Hornets fought their way back to victory 95-93.
This placed onus on a better Denver team to standup and prove they deserved second seed and did they ever. A 36-15 first quarter blitz left New Orleans with no gear to find to comeback and the Nuggets seared them 121-63. Denver's 58-point win matched the most lopsided victory in NBA playoff history, since the Minneapolis Lakers 133-75 blowout of the St. Louis Hawks in 1956. Without digging into the research, taking a stab at saying the 59.5-point cover is the largest in postseason history.
Coach Karl considered Game 4 the most complete and efficient game in his coaching career and now wants his club to go for the kill and polish off New Orleans. Denver is 16-5 ATS after playing as road underdog and is on the verge of winning first playoff series in 15 years and first best of seven in 24 years.
Denver understands the professional pride aspect of the Hornets losing in such a manner and they have to be prepared for New Orleans best shot. "I don't think we're overconfident," Anthony Carter said. "We weren't overconfident on the bus ride from the area. It was quiet like we just lost. We weren't playing loud music, celebrating or none of that." The Nuggets are 10-4 ATS after scoring 100 or more points.
Oddsmakers, like those at Sportsbook.com believe in coach Karl’s team after four covers in four games and have installed them as 10-point favorites, the highest figure of the series. Denver is 8-3 ATS after covering the number. The total has gone back up heading back to the Mile High city to 197 and Carmelo Anthony and friends are 9-3 OVER as favorites.
It’s a tall mountain for New Orleans to climb, as Chris Paul looked thoroughly spent in having one of the worst games of his career after playing 46 minutes in Game 3 and they are 7-20 as road underdogs and 14-2 UNDER after trailing in their previous game by 20 or more points at the half.
Denver goes for knockout on TNT at 10:35 Eastern, with Hornets 5-15 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points, losing by average of 11.2 points a game.
NBA: NBA Televised Doubleheader = Betting Options
2008-12-10
The absolute hottest team in the NBA is the Cleveland Cavaliers and oddsmakers setting numbers are going to have to take a New England Patriots stance from 2007, if they don’t cool down quickly. Tonight, the kindred Cavaliers play in the City of Brotherly Love, trying to extended their wins and cover streak to 10 games. Later, in L.A., the Lakers will try to rebound from their poorest performance of the season, hosting division rival Phoenix, who will be without the Big Cactus. Be sure to get the latest odds, betting trends, and other key game information on Sportsbook.com before confirming your wagers.
Cleveland at Philadelphia 8:00 E
While Cleveland Cavaliers players LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas are establishing new franchise records, their team is breaking league-wide marks for dominance. After winning their NBA-record ninth straight game by 12 or more points, the Cavaliers look to continue their remarkable run as they visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.
James became Cleveland’s career leader in steals by swiping a pass in the opening minute of Tuesday night’s game. Mark Price set the previous record of 734 steals in 582 games with Cleveland from 1986-95. James, already the Cavaliers’ all-time leading scorer, has played in 412 games since turning pro in 2003.
Ilgauskas joined James in the franchise record book in the second quarter, when he became the Cavs’ rebounding leader. Ilgauskas, who’s played his entire 11-season career with Cleveland, passed Brad Daugherty with his 5,228th rebound.
Though impressive, those records took a backseat after the Cavaliers (18-3, 17-4 ATS) routed Toronto 114-94 to set an NBA record with nine straight wins by at least 12 points. They had shared the previous record of eight straight with four other teams - Portland (1990-91), Chicago (1996-97), Detroit (2003-04) and Houston (2007-08).
“That’s unbelievable,” James said. “Knowing the history of some of the great teams, the Chicago Bulls team that went 72-10, the Celtics teams, the Lakers teams and the Pistons teams, it’s unbelievable for our franchise to accomplish something like that.”
The Cavaliers don’t look like they intend to slow down anytime soon. They’ve won 16 of their last 17 games, including their last nine by an average margin of 21.6. To place this into wagering perspective, Cleveland has covered the spread by astounding 9.3 points per game, not just win and cover the oddsmakers number, burying it.
“We treat everybody the same,” Ilgauskas said. “We respect everybody, but we fear nobody.” Linemakers have plenty to fear of the Cavs at present. Cleveland is up to 14-3 ATS off a straight up win of 10 or more points.
There seems to be little reason to fear the 76ers (9-12, 8-13 ATS), who haven’t lived up to the heightened expectations that came with their offseason signing of Elton Brand. Brand, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder with 16.7 points and 10.0 boards per game, has missed the team’s last two games with a strained right hamstring, but is expected to return Wednesday. Without him, Philadelphia shot 36.4 percent from the field in a 95-84 loss to New Jersey on Saturday night. It was the team’s worst shooting performance since its season-opening loss to Toronto. The Sixers are 23-9 ATS following a double-digit loss at home.
Philadelphia ranks near the top of the league with 16.4 fast-break points per game, had none in the second half after scoring 11 before intermission. “We are continuing to try to play fast basketball and we had no fast break points in the second half,” coach Maurice Cheeks said. “It was disappointing because that is how we really want to play. … (It’s) a very telling thing.”
Sportsbook.com has Cleveland as a 6.5-point favorite with Philly 0-5 ATS against teams with winning road records. Philadelphia has dropped four of last five at home to the Cavaliers (2-3 ATS), including three in a row.
The underdog is perfect 6-0 ATS, giving Philadelphia potential value, but they are just 1-7 ATS on Wednesday’s. Though both teams would be thought as Under plays, these squads have played Over in nine of last 12 meetings.
StatFox Power Line – Cleveland by 12
Phoenix at L.A. Lakers 10:30E
Shaquille O’Neal owned the paint at Staples Center for years, winning three NBA championships during his eight-season tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers. Though his most recent outing offered a reminder that he’s still capable of dominating inside, he’ll have to wait a few months to prove it in Los Angeles.
After delivering a vintage performance in his last game, O’Neal won’t play Wednesday night when his Phoenix Suns visit the Pacific Division rival Lakers for the first time since acquiring the veteran center last February. O’Neal won’t be with the Suns (13-9, 9-13 ATS) while he attends the funeral of his 92-year-old great-grandmother. He’ll have to wait for a chance to build on his best game since Phoenix acquired him from Miami before last season’s trade deadline.
O’Neal, who has at times struggled to fit in with the Suns’ fast-paced offense, scored 35 points while making 14 of 19 shots from the field to lead Phoenix to a 125-110 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday night. It was his highest point total since he had 35 in a win over Charlotte while with Miami on March 6, 2006. O’Neal has a long history of playing well against the Bucks.
“They keep feeding me like that, those are the type of numbers that they can expect out of me,” said O’Neal, who added eight rebounds and three blocked shots. “But sometimes I get those shots and sometimes I don’t.” One aspect Suns backers would appreciate is better efforts against the Western Conference, being just 2-9 ATS.
After Phoenix shot 58.7 percent as a team in its second consecutive win following a four-game losing streak, O’Neal sounded optimistic that the inconsistent Suns were on the verge of figuring things out. “That’s what everybody envisioned for us to go far,” O’Neal said. “That’s the type of game we can play.” Phoenix is 1-5 ATS in last six games and has not covered the spread in consecutive games since the first three of the season.
The team will look a little different Wednesday, however, when O’Neal will likely be replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Robin Lopez. Phoenix, which is 1-2 in the games O’Neal has sat out this season, next visits Los Angeles on Feb. 26. O’Neal will miss what would have been his third game against the Lakers at Staples Center - and his first with Phoenix - since his 2004 departure from the Lakers, the team he helped win three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002.
Los Angeles (17-3, 11-9 ATS) is among the early favorites to win this season’s championship, but didn’t look like a contender in a surprising 113-101 loss to Sacramento on Tuesday night.
Reigning league MVP Kobe Bryant missed 11 of his first 13 shots and finished 9-for-25 from the field as the Lakers shot 40.2 percent as a team. “I just couldn’t get in a rhythm,” said Bryant, who had 28 points.
Lakers sixth man Lamar Odom admitted the team may have looked past Sacramento in anticipation for the meeting with Phoenix. “We came in here thinking we were going to win, and we didn’t respect our opponent,” said Odom, who had 11 points for his first double-digit effort in seven games. “You’ve got to play with a certain energy. If you don’t, you could lose to Westchester High School.” Los Angeles is just 1-8 ATS when their opponent has a road winning percentage of 60 percent or higher.
The Lakers are 12.5-point favorites at the Staples Center and have covered their last four contests with no rest. Besides not having Shaq, Phoenix has failed to cover seven of last eight when the opposing team allowing 100 or more points.
The Lakers and Suns have split last six meetings in L.A., with the road team on 6-1 ATS run.
StatFox Power Line- Lakers by 11