NBA Betting: NBA Weekend Betting Preview
by Bodog Sportsbook | Nov 5 2009
Now that we've got the World Series out of the way, we have that much more time to devote to
betting on basketball. The NBA is second only to the NFL on the gambling ladder, but why not first? We're talking about an 82-game season, after all. The Boston Celtics are already 6-0 (4-2 ATS) and ahead of the New England Patriots (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) where it counts: in your wallet.
We've got four nationally televised games coming up featuring a healthy mix of Eastern and Western teams. We'll start our betting preview there, and then we'll clean up the backboard with a reminder of the Top 5 games coming up this month.
Friday: Cleveland at N.Y. Knicks (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Early returns on the LeBron James-Shaquille O'Neal pairing weren't so hot, as the Cavs lost their first two games to Boston and Toronto, but they've won three straight since then to sit at 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS. Guard Delonte West didn't play in either of the first three contests; he's come off the bench the last two games while former Raptor Anthony Parker starts at shooting guard. James and O'Neal need all their guards to stay healthy and space the floor.
The Knicks are as bad as ever at 1-4 SU and ATS. This team is marking time until 2010 and a potential crack at signing King James away from Cleveland as a free agent. While last year's first-round pick Danilo Gallinari has found a home in the starting lineup, guard Nate Robinson (ankle) is out for about two weeks on a team that's already strapped for talent. They'll have trouble beating the NBA odds this year with or without Robinson.
Friday: San Antonio at Portland (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Life seems all right with the re-tooled Spurs at 2-1 SU and ATS. Nine different players are getting at least 20 minutes a night for coach Gregg Popovich. New center Antonio McDyess is not one of them, having come down with the flu, but he's expected to be back in action in time for this matchup.
The Trail Blazers (2-3 SU and ATS) are also very deep, but guard Brandon Roy carries a lot of the scoring burden at 25.4 points per game. Greg Oden's usefulness as a center is limited by his lack of scoring (11.8 points per 40 minutes) and his tendency for getting into foul trouble. LaMarcus Aldridge is playing on a bruised knee, so Portland's frontline looks vulnerable against McDyess, Tim Duncan and the Spurs.
Saturday: Denver at Atlanta (7:00 p.m. ET, NBA-TV)
Kudos to the Nuggets for starting the season at 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS, even while shooting guard J.R. Smith serves a seven-game suspension and Anthony Carter (38.9 percent from the floor) starts in his place. Smith will miss this game as well before making his season debut. Guards Ty Lawson (18.5 points per 40 minutes) and Aaron Afflalo (14.4 points/40) have made strong contributions off the bench to help the Nuggets get to the pay window.
The Hawks are the last perfect team from a handicapping standpoint at 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS. The addition of guard Jamal Crawford (15.8 points per game) as a sixth man has made a considerable difference for the Atlanta offense. But the Hawks have also played a fairly easy schedule, and guard Joe Johnson has criticized his team for being “soft.”
Sunday: Golden State at Sacramento (9:00 p.m. ET, NBA-TV)
These two Pacific Division clubs are rebuilding, but they're also entertaining. The Warriors (1-2 SU and ATS) are very much an unsettled team at this point, as coach Don Nelson has used three different starting lineups in three games. Meanwhile, the Kings (1-4 SU and ATS) are also in flux, as rookie guard Tyreke Evans is playing on a bruised ankle and Kevin Martin has a swollen left hand. Sacramento is already missing swingman Francisco Garcia (wrist) until the All-Star break. Expect things to get worse in Sacto before they get better.
Top 5 Games
Wed., Nov. 11: Cleveland at Orlando (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Thu., Nov. 12: Phoenix at L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
Wed., Nov. 18: San Antonio at Dallas (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Fri., Nov. 20: Orlando at Boston (8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Sun., Nov. 29: Boston at Miami (6:00 p.m. ET, NBA-TV)
