NBA Pick
Lakers vs. Celtics Sunday NBA Pick
- Kobe Bryant
The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Boston Celtics March 11 for a Sunday afternoon NBA game. The Lakersare just a half game out of first place in the Pacific Division behind the Los Angeles Clippers. Their current record stands at 24-16. The Celtics have played mediocre basketball this season and are 21-18 and in second place in the Atlantic division but seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.
The Celtics have a very strong defense and are allowing less than 90 points per game. Their offense however has not played that well this season and is averaging just 91 points per game. The Lakers offense has been stronger but their defense gives up more points each game than does the Boston defense. The Celtics have three players on the injured list. Two are day to day and one, Jermaine O’Neal is out indefinitely with a wrist injury.
Head to head the two are quite even. The Lakers are 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS in the last 10 games between the two teams. The total has been UNDER in 7 of those 10 games. The two met in Boston in early February and the Lakers beat the Celtics 88-87. The line was 176.5 and the 175 paid out to those taking the UNDER.
The Celtics are 4-1 SU over their last five games including a win against Portland Friday night covering the 2.5 point favorite spread. The Lakers are 3-2 SU in their last five games. Friday night they defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves by the score of 105-102, easily paying out to the OVER.
The Lakers have a strong team but could be distracted by the approaching trade deadline and wondering what will happen to Pau Gasol. The game should be tightly contested and look for LA to take the game ATS and the total to pay out to those placing money on the UNDER.
NBA Pick Orlando at Atlanta
Orlando SU
The Orlando Magic are playing top quality basketball and will visit the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena. The Hawks started out at a torrid pace but have since cooled off a bit. Nevertheless they are still 19-13 overall. Orlando is currently 21-12 and playing together better as a unit over the last five games.
Orlando has one the game’s best defender and possibly the best rebounder in Dwight Howard. He is averaging 20.3 points and 15.3 rebounds per game to lead the team. He is also leading the team in steals per game with 1.4 and blocked shots with 2.1.
Veteran Joe Johnson who is averaging a team high 17.6 points per game leads the Hawks offensively. Josh Smith leads the team in rebounding with a 9.6 per game average and leads them in blocked shots averaging 2.1 per game. Jeff Teague is the leading assist maker for the Hawks with an average of 4.6 per game. Of late Joe Johnson has seen limited playing time and is currently sideline with an injury to his knew.
Atlanta has enjoyed an advantage over the last ten games head to head with Orlando. The Hawks are 8-2 SU and 9-1 ATS in the 10 games. The total has been UNDER 9 out of the 10 games. Both teams are averaging less than 86 points per game when the two play head to head.
Orlando is 3-1 SU over their last four games, with the only loss against the Miami Heat. Atlanta however, is 1-3 SU in their last four games. They have lost to both Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers during that stretch.
With Orlando playing much better as a team and the strong defense that they possess down low, the matchup should be another low scoring defensive affair with Orlando winning SU and the total ending up UNDER. Money Line is Orlando -185 currently. Bet this now at JustBet
NBA Pick : Atlanta vs. Miami
Bosh
A Southeast division showdown early in the season will take place February 12 when the Miami Heat visits the Atlanta Hawks. The Heat is currently in first place in the division with a 20-7 records while the Hawks are in second place with an 18-9 record.
One of the NBA’s best all around players LeBron James leads Miami. James leads the team in scoring with 28.1 points per game average and is leading the team in assists with an average of 7 per game. Udonis Haslem leads the Heat rebounders with an 8.3 average per game.
Veteran Joe Johnson who is averaging 18.4 points per game leads Atlanta. Josh Smith hauls down 9.3 rebounds a game for the Hawks, while Jeff Teague leads the team in both assists and steals.
Miami has played well of late and are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games. However, Miami is only 4-8 ATS over its last 12 games. In head-to-head games the Heat are 7-2 SU in their last nine contests against the Hawks. While on the road, Miami is 4-1 SU over the last five games in Atlanta versus the Hawks.
Miami has won four of its last five games with the only loss coming against a strong Orlando team. The Hawks on the other hand are just 2-3 SU in their last five games and have fallen out of first place in the division. If Miami plays on all eight cylinders with stars James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh they are hard to beat.
Wade is coming off an injury that kept him sidelined for a number of games but he is finally rounding back into form. The Heat should win SU in a game where the score should be low. The total should be UNDER for this game because of the fine defense played by both clubs. The spread is out right now at Miami -4.5
NBA Pick 76ers vs. Clippers
76ers
The Los Angeles Clippers continue their east coast road trip when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers at WellsFargo Center February 10. The Clippers are enjoying an excellent start to their season as they are leading the Pacific division with a 15-8 record. The 76ers lead the Atlantic division with an 18-8 overall record.
Power forward Blake Griffin and All Star point guard Chris Paul lead Los Angeles. Griffin leads the team in scoring averaging 21.4 points per game. He also leads the Clippers in rebounding pulling down 11 per game. Paul leads the team in assists per game with 9.1 and in steals with 2.4 per game. He also contributes 18.4 points each game.
Lou Williams leads a balanced scoring attack for the 76ers with a per game average of 15.7. The 76ers have six players averaging double figures in scoring and another two are averaging more than 9 points per game. Spencer Hawes leads the 76ers in rebounds with a per game average of 8.3.
The Clippers were hit hard by injury this week when they lost Chauncey Billups for the season due to a torn Achilles tendon. His absence will be felt in the Clippers backcourt. Head to head the Clippers are only 2-6 SU over the last 8 games they have played against the 76ers. The Clippers are just 4-9-1 ATS in the last 14 games they have played in Philadelphia. The Clippers are also just 2-12 SU in those same 14 games playing in Philadelphia.
The Clippers have played four of their last five games on the road and are 3-2 SU in those games. Philadelphia has played four of its last five games at home and is 3-2 SU in those five games. During that stretch Philadelphia has beaten the likes of both Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers while they have lost to San Antonio and Miami.
The game should produce a great deal of points and look for the 76ers to win both ATS and SU.
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NBA Pick: Dallas Mavs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder will visit the American Airlines Center in Dallas to face the Dallas MavericksWednesday night February 1. The Thunder are leading their division even though they lost a tough game against the Los Angeles Clippers Monday night in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, they have won 8 of their last 10 and enjoy a 16-4 record. The Mavericks are leading their division at 14-8 are the defending NBA champions, have won three straight and 7 of their last 10. This all makes for a very competitive matchup.
Oklahoma is lead by scoring machine Kevin Durant. Durant is averaging 26.8 points and nearly 8 rebounds per game. In Monday nights’ loss to the Clippers, Durant poured in 36 points and hauled down 13 rebounds. The Mavericks are lead by veteran forward Dirk Nowitzki who is averaging 16.7 points per game. Jason Kidd leads the team in both assists and steals, while Brendan Haywood is leading the team with 7 rebounds per game.
This season the Thunder are 11-9 ATS and 6-5 ATS while on the road. The Mavericks are 14-8 ATS and 8-4 ATS when playing on their home court. Head to head Dallas is 7-3 SU and 7-3 ATS in the last 10 games against Oklahoma City. The total has been OVER in 6 of the last 10 games the two teams have played head to head.
Oklahoma is 4-1 SU over their last five games but in those five games the only top team they faced was the Clippers and they lost by 12. The Mavericks on the other hand are also 4-1 SU in their last five games but have beaten Phoenix twice and were victorious last Sunday against San Antonio.
Dallas is playing at home and enjoys a good record of winning both ATS and SU on their home court. Nowitzki is starting to get into game shape and they have played far better competition over their last five games than Oklahoma City has. In a high scoring game, the Mavericks will win ATS.
Saturday NBA Pick: 76ers vs. Pistons
76ers
The Detroit Pistons travel to Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia to take on the Philadelphia 76ers January28. The Pistons are struggling this season as they have won only 4 of 19 games and already trail division leader Chicago by 11.5 games. The 76ers are 12-6 and are leading their division by 4 games.
Greg Monroe who is averaging 15.4 points and 9.4 rebounds a game leads Detroit. Five Pistons are averaging double figures in scoring. The 76ers are led in scoring by Lou Williams who is averaging 15.5 points per game. Spencer Hawes leads the team in rebounding with an average of 8.8 per contest. The 76ers have seven players averaging double figures in scoring and as a team are averaging 99.4 points per game. The Pistons on the other hand average just 85.6 points per game.
Defensively the 76ers are only allowing 88.5 points per contest giving them an average winning margin of nearly 11 points per game. Detroit is giving up 95 points per game while only averaging 85 per game.
The Pistons are 6-13 ATS thus far in the season, while the 76ers are 13-5 ATS. At home, Philadelphia is 8-2 ATS and Detroit is 2-7 ATS when playing on the road. Head to head Philadelphia is 4-6 SU in the last ten games against Detroit. In the last ten games the two have played head to head, the total has been OVER 5 times, UNDER 4 times and a PUSH once.
Detroit is 2-2 SU in its last four games. Philadelphia is also 2-2 SU in their last four games. The game should be low scoring as Philadelphia has the third best scoring defense in the league and Detroit is ranked 30th in the league in scoring offense. Look for the total to be UNDER.
