2009-11-13
Next year’s top prizes on the NBA free agent will go head-to-head for the first time this season as part of an exciting doubleheader on TNT Thursday night. Lebron James and Dwyane Wade are each being courted at every opposing arena they visit, but for now, they’d like to help their present teams reach lofty goals. For this first matchup, Cleveland is a 1.5-poitn favorite and backed by nearly 80% of bettors at Sportsbook.com. In the nightcap, the defending champion Lakers host the Suns as 7.5-point favorites. Here’s a quick look at both games:
Cleveland at Miami
While not completely satisfying, Cleveland’s demolition of Orlando last night at least makes the Magic aware this is a new season. The Cavaliers (5-3, 4-4 ATS) grabbed an early lead and kept Orlando at bay the rest of the night. Shaquille O’Neal did exactly what he was supposed to, limiting Dwight Howard to 11 points and get him in foul trouble. Cleveland is 14-6 ATS without rest.
Miami (6-1 SU&ATS) is on its second three-game winning streak of the young season, playing excellent defense. The Heat is third in points allowed at 88.6 per game and only one opponent has crossed the century mark. This is a benchmark game for Miami.
“You can say that Cleveland’s one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference with Boston and Orlando,” Miami point guard Mario Chalmers said. “We’re just trying to prove ourselves, prove that we belong right up there with the best.” The Heat is 19-5 ATS after three or more consecutive UNDER’s.
Sportsbook.com has Cleveland as 1.5-point road favorites with total of 180.5. The Cavs are 15-5 ATS versus good defensive teams, holding the opposition to 43 percent or less over the last three seasons. Miami’s hot start will be tested, as they are 7-17 ATS vs. teams with winning road records like Cleveland (3-1). Over the last seven years, the Heat is 10-2 and 6-6 ATS hosting Cleveland.
Phoenix at L.A. Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are great, acting like they are not surprised at all the Phoenix Suns (8-1, 6-3 ATS) are off to their best start in 29 years. “They just upgraded their speed and went back to the style they were running three, four or five years ago,” said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. When you are a Zen Master, you know things like this way ahead of everyone else.
Coach Jackson is essentially correct, with the Suns leading the NBA in scoring at 112.3 points per game. The biggest change is not having Shaq in the paint, which has freed Steve Nash to create down the base line more freely and find open shooters and cutters like previous years. Though Phoenix is surrendering over 105 points per game, they make defensive stops throughout games and when it counts in the fourth quarter, which has enabled to play this well this quickly. The Suns have covered five of six against teams with better than .600 record.
The Lakers (6-1, 2-5 ATS) are also playing a quality brand of basketball on a five game winning streak. They have been beat up in the frontcourt, with Andrew Bynum missing the last two games to injury and Pau Gasol to yet play this season because of a strained right hamstring he suffered before the season began. L.A. has shown proclivity to play well against good passing teams like Phoenix and are 23-11 ATS vs. clubs that average 23 or more assists per contest. The Lakers are 7.5-point home favorites with total of 218.5.
This series is a bigger deal to Phoenix and the road team is 7-3 ATS, with the OVER 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
StatFox Power Line –Miami by 3, Lakers by 11
