February 2012 NBA Events
Pro Basketball Gambling
NBA Draft Wrap 2010
2010-07-06
Games are never won on paper, but immediately after last night’s draft there appear to be some definite winners and losers. Despite all the prognostications, drafting is one of the most inexact sciences in sports, especially as different players mature at different rates. Potential is one of the greatest, and riskiest, factors considered by NBA teams. With that, here are the preliminary impressions of last night’s draft.
Winners
Detroit Pistons- The Pistons were extremely lucky to have Greg Monroe fall to them with the seventh pick of the draft. He was expected to go higher and fits Detroit’s low-post need; expect to see Monroe contribute from the beginning. Drafting Terrico White with the 36th pick is another flat-out steal; White may have been the best athlete in the draft. Although guard is not a huge need for the Pistons, his development could make the aging Richard Hamilton expendable.
Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers filled their two biggest needs: small forward and backup point guard. Al-Farouq Aminu has star potential and should be an integral part of LA’s young nucleus at small forward. With Baron Davis not getting any younger, it was very savvy for the Clippers to acquire Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe was overshadowed by John Wall at Kentucky last year and may turn out to be one of the draft’s better sleepers. Learning from Davis will season him even more. As if this draft couldn’t get any better, the Clippers landed Willie Warren, once considered a top 10 talent, with the 54th overall pick. If Warren is able to undergo an attitude adjustment, he could be a big contributor at the NBA level.
Oklahoma City Thunder- The NBA’s team of the future entered the draft knowing it needed to fortify the post. They did exactly that, trading to get Cole Aldrich. Aldrich is a physical presence capable of playing both post positions and may finally be the one to close OKC’s revolving door at center. GM Sam Presti also shrewdly dealt Eric Bledsoe for a future first round pick from the Clippers. Bledsoe is a good player but the Clippers are unlikely to get out of the lottery in the near future, virtually assuring OKC of a high pick.
Losers
Golden State Warriors- Drafting Ekpe Udoh sixth overall was a reach, to say the least. The Warriors were seduced by Udoh’s athleticism and workouts and ignored the fact that, even at 23 years old, he is still very raw. Some point to Udoh’s two pedestrian seasons at Michigan and wonder if his one successful year at Baylor was a byproduct of their system. Even more befuddling is the fact that Golden State has two other players in Brandan Wright and Anthony Randolph who are essentially the same: athletic small forwards who need seasoning. This was a misdirected pick and the Warriors should have targeted Greg Monroe.
New York Knicks- The Knicks spent both their second round picks on players—Andy Rautins and Landry Fields—who some didn’t even expected to be drafted. They could both be serviceable NBA role players, but the Knicks’ thinking is confusing because the players are so similar. These picks were obviously made with the intent of surrounding LeBron James with shooters but if he signs elsewhere, this thinking looks even more misguided.
Could Go Either Way
Sacramento Kings- On the surface, one would think the Kings had a tremendous draft. Some thought DeMarcus Cousins had the talent to go number one overall and corralling him at five was fortuitous. The same goes for Hassan Whiteside, who slipped to 33 after once being regarded as a lottery pick. However, drafting both of them together may pose some problems. Both saw their stock drop due to questionable attitudes and they play the same position, creating a potential logjam at center along with Samuel Dalembert, who will command minutes in a contract year. There is no doubting the talent but the Kings will need to have a coach capable of developing chemistry and fostering maturity in these players, especially when minutes may be scarce.
Indiana Pacers- GM Larry Bird eschewed his tradition of taking proven college players by making some risky picks. Paul George has tremendous upside but can be turnover prone and lack motivation. Perhaps the biggest question is how he’ll play with superstar Danny Granger, who has a very similar style. Magnum Rolle brings length and athleticism and Lance Stephenson has tremendous upside and was a great value pick in the second round. However, Stephenson’s attitude is widely questioned and if he doesn’t mature, he could harm team chemistry.
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NBA: San Antonio-Phoenix Series Betting Preview2010-05-03This past weekend we heard a great deal about how Boston and Cleveland don’t really like each other. While this information is certainly true it pales in comparison to how Phoenix and San Antonio feel about one another. That is Microsoft and Apple doing battle, this is the real deal like Coke vs. Pepsi, McDonald’s vs. Burger King, Jennifer Aniston vs. Angelina Jolie. What’s more the Suns have been bounced out of the playoffs four times by the team from southwest Texas since 2003. This is going to be war. Sportsbook.com provided the series odds, installing the Suns as -145 favorites. Let’s take a look at the matchup.
Steve Nash did not practice the previous two days before this Western Conference semi-final opened, resting his sore right hip. The most obvious question was it a reoccurrence of the infamous hip check former Spur Robert Horry laid on Nash or something completely different.
The Suns have had the home court advantage over San Antonio the last two times these teams have met in the postseason and came up short. They believe this time will be different, not being strictly a running team and being able to play defense for extended periods of time.
"It's like super-transition `D' against these guys," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "They're really playing well, and the best shooting team ever, basically, from 3. Great chemistry, sharing the ball, playing 'D'. Alvin (Coach Gentry) and his group have done a great job. The players have really bought in, and they do a lot of things really well."
Phoenix will have to use similar formula that allowed them to win four of last five games against Portland. Running a controlled break which leads to layups or find spot up shooters like Jason Richardson and rain down three’s.
The Suns also received bench contributions from a number of players from Goran Dragic and Jared Dudley to Channing Frye and others. The Suns are 26-7 and 23-9-1 ATS since Feb. 19 (have not lost two straight since Jan. 25-26) and this streak coincided when they collectively bought into Gentry’s preaching about team defense and Amare Stoudemire deciding he wanted to be one of the best players in the NBA. Stoudemire loves to see the Spurs coming with 24.6-point playoff average against them (28.8 PPG if rookie season is dropped) and he posted 32.7 points and 11.3 rebounds on San Antonio this season.
Grant Hill might be 37, but he missed so much time over a five year period of his career, his legs are that of a much younger player and he is the Suns best defender. Whether he starts on Manu Ginibili is immaterial, since eventually he will make his way over to him defensively.
Though both teams have many new faces, Nash knows what to expect and believes the series will come down to "the usual suspects." For San Antonio that is Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Ginobili, especially right now.
Duncan has slowed from his early days, but he is still a crafty veteran and the Suns don’t have that big physical guy that could create more problems for Duncan even if Robin Lopez returns. Duncan should expect to see several combo defenses and will have to find shooters and cutters when the Suns double him.
Parker has accepted his role off the bench, still seeing ample minutes as George Hill takes over as true point guard. This allows Parker to freelance more without the ball and forces defenders to chase.
If it were not for Hill and Ginobili, a reasonable argument could be made the Spurs might not have made the playoffs when Parker was injured. The Argentinean has done everything, scoring literally anywhere on the floor and became the emotional leader. He is the one player in this series that could single-handedly win a game or two by himself.
Richard Jefferson could play a prominent role in this noteworthy conflict. The former Net and Buck didn’t have much of an impact during the regular season, but after being a non-factor in Game 1 loss to Dallas, the rest of the series he was steady contributor and if he can keep the Suns J-Rich busy on defense, it’s shown his point production diminishes.
Most of the confrontations in this series are expected to have totals of 200 or higher and Popovich’s teams are 53-36 ATS when the number is 200 or higher.
This series really comes down to a test of wills. Can Phoenix keep their poise and not let a few Spurs antics get to them? In the past San Antonio had a size edge over the Suns, they do not this time, will that be a burden? This has the look and feel of seven games and even that might not be enough for regulation play. As long as Nash is healthy, the Suns should finally knock off their nemesis like they did in the regular season (2-1 and 3-0 ATS), however it won’t be easy.
Pick- Phoenix (-145) in seven over San Antonio (+115)
NBA: NBA Top Weekend Power Trends 4/9-4/112010-04-09The final full regular season weekend of the 2009-10 NBA schedule is upon us and there is still plenty of sorting out to do yet before the playoffs commence next week. The seeding beyond the #2 spot in the East is still to be determined and in fact, the #8 seed is still up for grabs between Toronto and Chicago, who go into the weekend in a virtual tie with four games remaining. In the West, the eight playoff teams have already been determined for awhile, but the seeding of #2 through #8 is a complete mess. Four teams are separated by a single game for the #2 seed, while three others are tied for the #6. It would be impossible at this point to project the eventual playoff matchups. As such, let’s go through this weekend’s games and see if we can help clear up the picture a bit. Of course, we’ll also reveal the list of Top StatFox Power Trends that you’ll want to consider as you handicap the action.
The Friday schedule of 13 games is absolutely loaded with key playoff implicating contests. In fact, in 11 of the games, at least one of the teams is hoping to either improve or maintain its playoff standing. In three of the games, both teams have a lot on the line. Let’s go through those. In Atlanta, the Raptors and Hawks will meet. Toronto is of course, tied with Chicago for the final East playoff spot. The Raptors have struggled on the road this season, going 14-25 SU & 17-21-1 ATS and will be matched against one of the league’s toughest hosts. The Hawks are 32-7 SU & 24-15 ATS at home but will be looking to snap a four game ATS winless skid. In Oklahoma City, the Thunder host the Suns. Phoenix is in the race for the #2 spot out West and comes in hot, having won 11 of 12 games. OKC might be wilting under the pressure of the playoff hunt, with just a 7-6 record in its L13 games. The Thunder still hope to avoid the #8 spot and a matchup with the Lakers. Finally, in Portland, the Mavericks are in town. The Blazers are another team that seems to have gotten hot at the right time, with an 11-2 mark in their L13 games. They’ve won six straight games at home. Dallas is headed the opposite direction, with a 6-6 mark in its L12, and opening a 3-game road swing here.
On Saturday, the schedule lightens a bit with just eight games on tap, but two will figure prominently in the eventual final standings in each conference. In the East, the Celtics visit the Bucks in a potential first round playoff preview. If the playoffs started today, that would be the matchup. In fact, the teams still play each other one more time in the regular season, that being on the final day, Wednesday. Milwaukee won the most recent matchup between the teams, 86-84 in early March, but that was with Andrew Bogut in the lineup. The Bucks are still getting used to life without him since his horrific elbow injury but have still won three straight games in his absence headed into the weekend. With a current 7-game ATS winning streak, Milwaukee owns the best overall mark in the league at 50-26-2 ATS. Out West, the big game puts San Antonio in Denver. The Nuggets came up with a big win at home on Thursday vs. the Lakers to retake the lead for the #2 spot in the playoff race. If they win out in their final three games, they’ll clinch the spot. The Spurs have not given up on a Top 4 seed and home court for the first round yet, but will need to win out and get help to accomplish that goal. The return of PG Tony Parker this past week should give them a lift.
On Sunday, there are seven games, and all but one will affect the playoff chase. The ABC doubleheader pits Orlando and Cleveland followed by Portland and the Lakers. Unfortunately for the network, the two host clubs have little to play for this next week and in fact, in their outings on Thursday night, stars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant actually sat out for rest. Of the four teams, the game means most to Portland, who hopes to win while avoiding looking ahead to a Monday game at home vs. Oklahoma City. A win could also help the Blazers avoid a potential first round rematch with the Lakers in the playoffs. Perhaps the biggest game on Sunday is one that would have normally flown under the radar, a 6:00 PM ET start between Chicago and Toronto. With the teams having gone into the weekend in a tie for the #8 spot, the game is crucial to each club’s playoff hopes. It is most critical for the Bulls though, as the Raptors own the tiebreakers between the teams by virtue of two head-to-head wins early in the season. On top of that, the Raptors face Detroit and New York in their final two games while the Bulls have the Celtics and Bobcats yet to play.
With so much big-time action on tap for the weekend, you’ll want to get to your handicapping early. Hopefully these Top StatFox Power Trends help do the trick:
Friday, 04/09/2010
(703) NEW YORK vs. (704) ORLANDO
NEW YORK is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NEW YORK 101.1, OPPONENT 105.1 - (Rating = 2*)
(705) WASHINGTON vs. (706) BOSTON
BOSTON is 4-17 ATS (-14.7 Units) as a favorite of 10 or more points this season. The average score was BOSTON 101, OPPONENT 93.1 - (Rating = 3*)
(705) WASHINGTON vs. (706) BOSTON
WASHINGTON is 14-2 UNDER (+11.8 Units) when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) this season. The average score was WASHINGTON 92.4, OPPONENT 98.6 - (Rating = 3*)
(715) LA LAKERS vs. (716) MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA is 11-30 ATS (-22 Units) at home against teams with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. The average score was MINNESOTA 94.8, OPPONENT 105.4 - (Rating = 3*)
(719) UTAH vs. (720) NEW ORLEANS
UTAH is 32-10 ATS (+21 Units) versus poor pressure defensive teams - forcing <=14 turnovers/game this season. The average score was UTAH 105.7, OPPONENT 97.1 - (Rating = 4*)
Saturday, 04/10/2010
(501) NEW JERSEY vs. (502) INDIANA
NEW JERSEY is 14-2 UNDER (+11.8 Units) revenging 2 straight losses where opp scored 100 or more points this season. The average score was NEW JERSEY 87.1, OPPONENT 101.4 - (Rating = 3*)
(509) BOSTON vs. (510) MILWAUKEE
MILWAUKEE is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) vs good shooting teams making >=46% of FG atts in 2nd half of this season. The average score was MILWAUKEE 100.3, OPPONENT 97.7 - (Rating = 2*)
(511) SAN ANTONIO vs. (512) DENVER
DENVER is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) when the line is +3 to -3 this season. The average score was DENVER 98, OPPONENT 104.2 - (Rating = 2*)
(515) GOLDEN STATE vs. (516) LA CLIPPERS
GOLDEN STATE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) versus poor teams - outscored by their opponents by 3+ PPG this season. The average score was GOLDEN STATE 111.5, OPPONENT 103.5 - (Rating = 2*)
Sunday, 04/11/2010
(701) ORLANDO vs. (702) CLEVELAND
CLEVELAND is 20-6 UNDER (+13.4 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CLEVELAND 97.8, OPPONENT 87.6 - (Rating = 3*)
(705) MIAMI vs. (706) NEW YORK
MIAMI is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing against a bad team (Win Pct. 25% to 40%) this season. The average score was MIAMI 103.4, OPPONENT 88.4 - (Rating = 2*)
(709) MINNESOTA vs. (710) NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS is 7-24 ATS (-19.4 Units) vs poor defensive teams - shooting pct defense of >=46% this season. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 103.1, OPPONENT 105.9 - (Rating = 4*)
NBA: Chicago is bullish on road trip2010-01-29The Chicago Bulls’ season-high seven-game road trip had all the makings of a disaster after they opened with losses to a pair of Western Conference also-rans. Four games later, it’s looking like the spark that’s turned the season around. The Bulls try to close the trip with a fifth straight win Friday night against the New Orleans Hornets, who look to protect one of the West’s best home records upon returning from their own successful road swing. The Hornets are the 4-point favorite at Sportsbook.com, but 70% of bettors prefer the piping-hot Bulls.
Chicago (22-22, 21-21-2 ATS) has won four in a row for the third time since Christmas, but this latest run is easily the most surprising. The Bulls were 4-15 on the road after losses to Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers to open this trip, but they’ve knocked off four consecutive playoff contenders.
Coach Vinny Del Negro (who was rumored to be almost fired right after Christmas) has seen his team shoot 50.6 percent from the floor while holding opponents to 39.4 percent, and its most impressive defensive effort came Wednesday in Oklahoma City. Chicago limited the Thunder to 36.9 percent shooting, hounding Kevin Durant into a 7-for-19 effort and leaving with a 96-86 win. The Bulls win made them 7-0 ATS in road games playing against team with a 51 to 60 percent win percentage this season and tonight offers another such opportunity.
Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas keyed a 96-85 win over New Orleans (25-20, 22-23 ATS) on Dec. 26 at the United Center. Noah had 17 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks, while Thomas had 21 points and nine boards off the bench. Chicago, which has followed its previous four-game win streaks with at least two straight losses, hasn’t won five in a row on the road since concluding the 2005-06 season on a six-game run. The Bulls are 17-6 ATS playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last two years.
The Hornets have won 16 of 20 at home (10-10 ATS), where they return following an impressive trip. New Orleans closed with a third victory in four games - its only loss coming in overtime to Denver on Saturday - after Chris Paul had 38 points in a 123-110 win over Golden State on Wednesday. The Hornets were 6-15 and 9-12 ATS on the road heading into the trip. “This was a big trip for us. We won in some tough venues,” said Paul, who averaged 27.8 points on 58.8 percent shooting. “Everyone knows the road has been our Achilles’ heel so far.”
The play of Paul’s new backcourt mate has also been critical. Rookie Marcus Thornton averaged 18.5 points in the final two games of the trip, starting after New Orleans shipped Devin Brown to the Bulls for backup center Aaron Gray on Monday. Brown, who has yet to play for the Bulls, led New Orleans with 22 points in Chicago last month.
The Hornets’ fortunes Friday, though, may depend on David West. The two-time All-Star, scoring 17.7 points per game, has averaged 11.0 in the last two losses to the Bulls and his team is 3-5 in last eight meetings with the Bulls with two covers.
New Orleans is a four-point favorite with total of 198 at Sportsbook.com and is 24-9 ATS in home games revenging a same season loss vs. opponent and is 8-1 UNDER at home trying to get even with same team off a road loss. Despite the four consecutive road upsets, normally Chicago doesn’t set up very well in a spot like this with 12-26 ATS record off an upset win as an underdog over the last three seasons. They are 9-0 OVER as visiting dogs off the upset surprise win by 10 points or more.
NBA: Milwaukee tries to end losing streak in New Jersey (7:30 PM ET, MSG)2009-02-03Richard Jefferson downplayed the importance of his first game against the New Jersey Nets since they traded him in the offseason, but it’s hard to imagine he won’t be feeling many emotions when he returns to the Izod Center for the first time as a visitor. Jefferson and the Milwaukee Bucks visit New Jersey on Tuesday, looking to win three straight for the second time this season.
This is the second time Jefferson is facing the Nets (21-27, 25-23 ATS), the team he spent the first seven years of his career with before being traded in the summer to Milwaukee (24-27, 29-20-2 ATS) for forwards Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons. Jefferson scored 13 points on 3-of-15 shooting in his first meeting against them back on Jan. 9 in a 104-102 win.
Jefferson said the meeting was only important because of the standings, but he and former teammate Vince Carter shared laughs before the game. “I just tried to keep him in a good mood. Don’t want to (tick) someone like that off,” Jefferson said. “We don’t get to see each other that often, so whenever you do, you’ve got to crack a few jokes.”
Jefferson’s return to the Izod Center will likely be more emotional. He left as New Jersey’s second all-time leading scorer with 8,507 points, and played a part in leading the Nets to six straight playoff appearances from 2002-07, including trips to the NBA finals in 2002 and 2003.
This game also has obvious implications in the standings, since both teams are part of a crowded race for one of the last playoff spots in the East. Jefferson has additional motivation Tuesday as the Bucks look to win three straight for the second time this season. The Bucks are coming off a 110-107 win over Atlanta on Saturday. With the win, the Bucks improved to 2-2 since Michael Redd went down with a season-ending ACL and MCL tear in his left knee last week.
Charlie Villanueva scored 27 points and added seven rebounds and a season-high six assists while Jefferson and Ramon Sessions each had 20 points. Villanueva, who is averaging 15.2 points this season, has averaged 24.5 in the last eight games and 27.0 points in the last three.
“It was a big game for me,” said Villanueva, who was 8-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range. “I played a lot of minutes in yesterday’s win. I just tried to follow up on that. I just got to keep it up and keep playing with the energy I have been playing with.”
Despite the loss of Redd and frequently playing without center Andrew Bogut, who has suffered nagging injuries, the Bucks have remained one of the best bets in the NBA, ranking fourth in winning percentage at 59.2 percent. Milwaukee in spite of 10-19 road record is 16-11-2 ATS in visiting uniforms and will take on New Jersey who has had more than their share of problems at home.
The Nets return home after a brutal stretch that featured plenty of road games. Beginning with their trip to Milwaukee last month, they have dropped nine of 12, with eight of those games coming on the road, including losses in Boston, New Orleans and San Antonio.
New Jersey is coming off an 85-83 win over Philadelphia on Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak. Brook Lopez scored 24 points and added 17 rebounds while Devin Harris scored 17 points. Carter finished with seven points, playing only two minutes in the fourth quarter after spraining his ankle. He said, however, that the injury wasn’t serious and didn’t expect to miss Tuesday’s game.
“I thought those guys showed huge fight and grit,” Nets coach Lawrence Frank said. “It goes to show, when you play a little defense, you give yourself a chance.” Frank wishes his team would start playing better at home, where it has been a real struggle. New Jersey is 9-15 SU and ATS on the home hardwood, placing them among the worst in the NBA. They have been outscored by 4.2 points a game in Jersey and are 1-8 ATS in home games off an upset win as an underdog this season.
Despite their home failures, Sportsbook.com has the Nets as 4.5-point favorites with a total of 195. Milwaukee has been inferior for years and is curiously 2-13 ATS against teams outscored by their opponents by three points a game in the second half of the season. Having lost earlier to Milwaukee, the Nets are no sure thing with an 11-22 ATS mark in home games revenging a loss over the last two seasons.
The Nets previous nine opponents had averaged 102.0 points against them; however New Jersey is 15-7 UNDER after playing a road game this season. Milwaukee is down two starters, thus the total who appear an uncertainty unless you consider they are 12-2 UNDER in road games against Atlantic division foes since last year.
Jefferson will try to use the knowledge he had to help beat the Bucks five straight times in New Jersey (5-0 ATS), against the Nets, starting at 7:30 Eastern on MSG Network.
StatFox Power Line – Pick
NBA: NBA Top Weekend Power Trends2008-11-04With the first weekend of the 2008-09 NBA season set to tip-off on Friday, we thought we’d bring over a popular feature from our baseball coverage this past season, the Top Weekend Power Trends. This piece highlights some of the top betting angles for the weekend’s games. Read on as we offer a quick look at the top action along with the trends that figure to make you successful.
The Friday menu in the NBA features seven games, including the ESPN doubleheader featuring Chicago visiting Boston in the first game, and Portland hosting San Antonio in the nightcap. The Celtics received their championship rings on Tuesday night and then went out and beat Cleveland. The effort was a bit lackadaisical for HC Doc Rivers’ taste, but the defending champs still managed to get the job done on the scoreboard, albeit not at the betting window. The Bulls won their opener at home over Milwaukee that same night. Portland was shellacked by the Lakers on Tuesday and lost Greg Oden for the next few weeks with a foot injury. That has caused the line for Friday’s game to be placed in the Spurs’ favor, with the Blazers now a 2-point home dog. Elsewhere, Atlantic Division rivals New York and Philadelphia will square off, as will Denver and the Clippers.
The Saturday betting board in the NBA is loaded with 14 games, highlighted by a NBA TV double-dip. In that two-pack, Detroit hosts Washington, followed by Portland taking on Phoenix. Elsewhere, several teams will play their home openers including New Jersey, Milwaukee, Indiana, Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver, and New Orleans. This situation can often provide the extra motivation a team needs to win or beat the pointspread. The best matchup on the board figures to be Cleveland visiting New Orleans, in a matchup of top contenders from the East and West.
The Sunday action features just two games, Milwaukee at New York, and Minnesota at Oklahoma City. The Bucks will be playing their fourth game in six days, most in the NBA to this point. The new-look Knicks will be looking to continue their high scoring ways under new head coach Mike D’Antoni. The Timberwolves meanwhile, have a solid win under their belt already at home vs. Sacramento, but the Sunday affair in OKC will be their first away game.
Now, here are some of those top trends promised earlier.
FRIDAY, 10/31/08
(701) GOLDEN STATE vs. (702) TORONTO 7:05 PM
Favoring: GOLDEN STATE against the spread.
TORONTO is 3-17 ATS (-15.7 Units) after allowing 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons. The average score was TORONTO 97.8, OPPONENT 101.5 - (Rating = 3*)
(703) NEW YORK vs. (704) PHILADELPHIA 7:05 PM
Favoring: NEW YORK against the spread.
PHILADELPHIA is 2-14 ATS (-13.4 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996. The average score was PHILADELPHIA 105.7, OPPONENT 109.6 - (Rating = 2*)
(705) SACRAMENTO vs. (706) MIAMI 7:35 PM
Favoring: SACRAMENTO against the spread.
MIAMI is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) as a home favorite over the last 2 seasons. The average score was MIAMI 93.9, OPPONENT 99.4 - (Rating = 2*)
(707) ORLANDO vs. (708) MEMPHIS 8:05 PM
Favoring: ORLANDO against the spread.
ORLANDO is 26-8 ATS (+17.2 Units) after 1 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ORLANDO 103.4, OPPONENT 95.6 - (Rating = 3*)
(709) CHICAGO vs. (710) BOSTON 8:05 PM
Favoring: BOSTON against the spread.
CHICAGO is 3-16 ATS (-14.6 Units) off a home win over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CHICAGO 93, OPPONENT 103.1 - (Rating = 3*)
SATURDAY, 11/1/08
(501) PHILADELPHIA at (502) ATLANTA 7:05 PM
Favoring: PHILADELPHIA against the spread.
Cheeks is 27-11 ATS (+14.9 Units) on Saturday games as the coach of PHILADELPHIA. The average score was PHILADELPHIA 97.6, OPPONENT 96.1 - (Rating = 2*)
(509) GOLDEN STATE at (510) NEW JERSEY 7:35 PM
Favoring: GOLDEN STATE against the spread.
Frank is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) in home games in November games as the coach of NEW JERSEY. The average score was NEW JERSEY 88.1, OPPONENT 94.0 - (Rating = 1*)
(513) DALLAS at (514) MINNESOTA 8:05 PM
Favoring: DALLAS against the spread.
Wittman is 5-20 ATS (-17.0 Units) against Southwest division opponents as the coach of MINNESOTA. The average score was MINNESOTA 89.1, OPPONENT 103.0 - (Rating = 3*)
(515) CLEVELAND at (516) NEW ORLEANS 8:05 PM
Favoring: CLEVELAND against the spread.
CLEVELAND is 27-12 ATS (+13.8 Units) as a road underdog of 6 points or less over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CLEVELAND 94.6, OPPONENT 95.5 - (Rating = 1*)
(517) TORONTO at (518) MILWAUKEE 8:35 PM
Favoring: TORONTO against the spread.
MILWAUKEE was 3-15 ATS (-13.5 Units) against Atlantic division last season. The average score was MILWAUKEE 92.5, OPPONENT 103.4 - (Rating = 2*)
SUNDAY, 11/2/08
(703) MINNESOTA at (704) OKLAHOMA CITY 7:05 PM
Favoring: MINNESOTA against the spread.
MINNESOTA is 31-15 ATS (+14.5 Units) in road games on Sunday since 1996. The average score was MINNESOTA 96.8, OPPONENT 96.8 - (Rating = 0*)
