Thursday`s NBA gameday betting breakdown
Associated Press
Thu, Nov 30, 2006
Information taken from Associated Press NBA previews.
Detroit Pistons at Miami Heat LINE: Pistons -2 1/2
Miami (6-8) and Detroit (9-5) face each other Thursday for the first time since the Eastern Conference Finals as they meet at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Heat have played without Shaquille O`Neal for the last eight games and are expected to be without him for the next four to six weeks as he recovers from knee surgery. Although they have won their last two games, the Heat are 4-6 without O`Neal.
This is the first meeting between the teams since the Heat eliminated the Pistons in six games in the Eastern Conference finals en route to their first-ever NBA title. O`Neal averaged 21.7 points and 10.5 rebounds during that series against Detroit, which also struggled at the start of the season.
The Pistons started 3-5, and many attributed the rough start to the loss of center Ben Wallace, who left the team as a free agent over the summer but have since recovered to win six straight. The have scored at least 100 points in five of six victories.
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers LINE: Lakers -4
The Northwest Division-leading Utah Jazz look to win their second game over the Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Lakers in less than a week.
The Jazz are averaging a league-high 45.6 boards per game. They dominated the boards - 45-27 - in their 114-108 victory over the Lakers last Friday. The Jazz outscored Los Angeles by 12 points in the fourth quarter to rally for the win.
Deron Williams has emerged as a solid point guard, averaging 16.9 points and nine assists this season. He scored 11 of his 15 points against the Lakers last week in the final quarter.
The Lakers` loss to Milwaukee on Tuesday snapped a five-game winning streak. They have not lost consecutive games at Staples Center since March 6 and 12 of last season. Los Angeles is 8-2 at home in 2006-07, and has won 18 of its last 21 games there overall. They have also had recent success against Utah at home, winning nine of their last 11 against the Jazz at Staples.
Today's NBA betting news and notes
NBA Today - November 30
Associated Press
Thu, Nov 30, 2006
SCOREBOARD
Thursday, Nov. 30
Detroit at Miami (8:00 p.m. EST). The Pistons have won gone 5-1 ATS during their current six game winning streak.
STARS
Wednesday
-Joe Johnson, Hawks, scored 36 points in Atlanta`s 99-90 win over Charlotte.
-Stephen Jackson, Pacers, hit a 3-pointer with 1 second left to give Indiana a 108-106 win over Golden State.
-Carlos Boozer, Jazz, had 23 points and 16 rebounds as Utah defeated San Antonio 83-75.
STREAKS
Dallas pushed its winning streak to 11 games with a 117-98 victory over Toronto on Wednesday night. ... Phoenix won its fifth straight game, 102-91 victory over Houston. ... Orlando has a five-game winning streak after a 94-84 victory over Seattle.
SNAPPED
New Jersey snapped a six-game losing streak with a 106-103 victory over Boston on Wednesday night. ... New York defeated Cleveland 101-98 to snap the Cavaliers` six-game home winning streak.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Boston`s Paul Pierce scored 31 points in a 106-103 loss to New Jersey on Wednesday night.
FINED
Phil Jackson was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for criticizing referees Friday night after the Lakers` 114-108 loss to Utah. Jackson was quoted in several newspapers about the way the officials - Derrick Stafford, Derek Richardson and Leroy Richardson - handled second-year center Andrew Bynum.
FUTILITY
Charlotte`s 0-for-13 shooting performance to open a 99-90 loss to Atlanta on Wednesday night was the longest field-goal drought to open an NBA game this season. Before that, two teams shared the longest field-goal drought to open a game this season at 0-for-9: Atlanta at Orlando on Saturday and Portland at Minnesota on Nov. 14.
BARELY EXTENDED
Toronto`s Darrick Martin hit a 3-pointer at the final buzzer in Wednesday night`s 117-98 loss to Dallas to extend the Raptors` NBA record with at least one to 629 straight games.
SPEAKING
``I hope as he gets older he keeps getting better. You don`t expect the 8-for-8 every night, but 24 and 12, I`m not going to say it`s becoming the norm, but it doesn`t surprise you, either.`` - Orlando coach Brian Hill on Dwight Howard, who had 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 94-84 win over Seattle on Wednesday night.