Thursday's Best NBA Bets
New Jersey Nets at Dallas Mavericks (-10.5, 186.5)
The Dallas Mavericks know the team’s 28-13 home record from a year ago won’t do if they are legitimate threats to win their first NBA title. That’s why the team is eager to capitalize on the second of a six-game homestand and improve on a 9-3 mark on the team’s own floor.
"It's important to protect home,'' said Mavs swingman Caron Butler. "We've been great on the road. And pretty good at home. We got a chance now to really capitalize.''
The team has shown incredible poise and focus at home this year, especially on the defensive end. Dallas is giving up a meager 92.6 points per game in its own gym this season, the fourth-lowest mark in the league. Opponents also are shooting a meager .433 against the Mavs in Dallas this season, again the forth-lowest total in the league.
Meantime, the Nets couldn’t be much worse offensively on the road. The team is shooting a horrendous .430 percent from the floor and scoring just 92.5 points per game away from the Garden State, the fifth-lowest total in the Association.
Don’t expect an offensive outburst from the Nets in Dallas as the Mavericks cruise to an easy home win.
Pick: Dallas
What Bettors Need to Know: NBA TNT Doubleheader
Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers
C’s Missing Key Players?
The Celtics have won seven straight games entering Wednesday’s tilt against Denver, but the news isn’t good coming from the team’s injury report. Starting point guard Rajon Rondo missed Sunday’s game against the New Jersey Nets but played hurt on Wednesday against the Nuggets with a nagging hamstring.
Boston coach Doc Rivers was frank with reporters when asked about the seriousness of Rondo’s latest ailment.
“The injury scares me, and the foot and the hamstring, which can go from a pull to a tear, and then you’re talking two months,” Rivers told the Boston Herald on Tuesday.
Rondo is an All-Star and maybe the Celtics’ most valuable player. He’s missed four games this season because of the sore hamstring. The C’s won three of those games and covered the spread in two of them. He almost certainly will be a game-time decision against the Sixers for the second game of a back-to-back.
He’s not the only player missing from Boston’s lineup. The defending Eastern Conference champions are without reserve guard Delonte West (broken wrist), and Glen Davis (illness) and Shaquille O’Neal (calf) both have been battling to stay on the court.
Sixers On Hot Streak
The Philadelphia 76ers are starting to see the results their backers hoped for coming into the season. The Sixers, who lost 10 of their first 12 games, have won four of their last five and have covered the spread in six straight contests.
The reason is clear. Philly coach Doug Collins is getting offensive production from his entire rotation. Seven players scored in double figures during Philadelphia’s 117-97 win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night.
Jodie Meeks is fitting in perfectly as the club’s starting shooting guard, 20-year-old point guard Jrue Holiday is playing like a seasoned veteran and Thaddeus Young is thriving as the first man off the bench.
“I’ve been waiting to get back to my old self,” Young told the Philadelphia Daily News. “I’m just having a great time, having fun out there. Coach always says to go out there and have fun, just play aggressively and have fun. I think that’s what I’ve been doing.”
Trends
Boston is 8-1 ATS in its last nine road games but Philadelphia is 5-0 ATS in its last five home games.
The over is 4-0 in the 76ers’ last four home games against a team with a winning road record.
The Celtics are 15-4-2 in their last 21 games at Philadelphia.
Orlando Magic at Portland Trail Blazers
Orlando Finally Getting Over Flu Bug
The Magic are expected to have starting point guard Jameer Nelson back in the lineup for their four-game road trip beginning Thursday night at Portland. Nelson, who missed his club’s last three games, was one of several Orlando players to catch a nasty stomach virus.
“Jameer practiced. Everything is fine,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday. “He looked good.”
Orlando backers will be happy to see Nelson back on the floor. The Magic went 1-2 straight up and against the spread without the former All-Star in the lineup.
New Trail For Blazers
Portland’s six-game losing streak is behind them thanks to home wins over the Clippers and Suns but there are still glaring issues for this Western Conference club to overcome. Team All-Star Brandon Roy isn’t the same player in years past because of swelling and pain in both knees. He can’t attack the rim like he used to and he’s having trouble guarding opposing players on a nightly basis.
The Blazers’ offense is no longer filled with isolation plays for Roy and coach Nate McMillian is looking for others to step up their scoring production with Roy at less than 100 percent.
Reserve guard Patrick Mills was the latest Blazer to chip in with a big effort. The second-year pro scored nine points and added seven assists in 29 minutes during Tuesday’s 106-99 win over Phoenix.
“He’s earning the right to play more minutes,” McMillan told the Oregon Live of Mills' effort.
Portland will need more solid play from its bench to best the Magic on Thursday, especially if center Joel Przybilla isn’t available. The big man will be traveling to Milwaukee later this week to attend his grandmother-in-law’s funeral.
Trends
Orlando is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 road games and 1-8 ATS in its last nine games against teams with losing records.
The Blazers are 5-2 ATS in their last seven home games but just 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight games against a team with a winning percentage above .600.
The under is 11-5-1 in the last 17 meetings between Orlando and Portland.
Nets next in line for hot Dallas Mavericks
By: Joe Freda
The Dallas Mavericks have won 10 straight games, with a 7-3 NBA spread record in that stretch. Rick Carlisle’s crew plays its second straight home game as part of Thursday’s league slate against the New Jersey Nets, who are 1-4 ATS in their last five contests.
Dallas’ latest triumph came in Tuesday’s 105-100 victory as an 8 ½-point home favorite against the Golden State Warriors. The Mavs led by as many as eight points, while being outscored in the paint, 46-34.
Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki put up a team-high 25 points. The 32-year-old hit 10-of-18 from the field, while adding four blocks.
Dallas’ Ian Mahinmi logged 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, notching his first double-double of the season. The center played for a season-high 21 minutes due to starting big man Tyson Chandler missing the contest due to a stomach illness.
Chandler (9.3 RPG) is presently listed as “questionable” to play against the Nets, according to the DonBest.com injury report.
The tight battle’s combined 205 points jumped above the closing ‘total’ of 204 ½ by a ‘hook.’ Both clubs united to drain 17-of-40 from beyond the arc.
Dallas dropped to 4-6-2 ATS in its first 12 home dates, with the ‘under’ moving to 8-4. Nowitzki and Co. have allowed a stingy 91.3 PPG in that stretch.
New Jersey began its two-game road trip with Tuesday’s 116-101 defeat as a 6 ½-point road dog against the Atlanta Hawks. The Nets outscored Atlanta on fast breaks, 23-10, while being outrebounded, 39-34.
Nets center Brook Lopez notched a team-high 24 points. The Stanford alum hit 8-of-16 field buckets, while sinking 8-of-11 at the foul line.
New Jersey’s Devin Harris logged a season-high 13 assists en route to finishing with 18 points. The eight-year guard logged his first double-double in 18 games, while adding a team-high three steals.
The shootout’s combined 217 points soared above the ‘total’ of 185 ½. New Jersey allowed Atlanta to hit a sizable 60.3 percent of its shots from the field.
The Nets plunged to 6-6 ATS in their first 12 road games, while improving the ‘over’ to 5-6-1. Harris and Co. have scored a lowly 92.5 PPG in that span.
Dallas is 3-2 ATS in its last five meetings against New Jersey, with the ‘over’ cashing at 4-1.
The Mavericks won last March’s duel between the foes, 96-87, failing to cover ATS as an 11-point home favorite. Nowitzki struggled for Dallas, hitting only 3-of-16 from the field in 40 minutes of play. Harris finished with team-highs of 21 points and seven assists for the Nets.
Thursday’s tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PT), with the game available for viewing on NBA League Pass.
Dallas will be idle for one day, remaining at home to host the Utah Jazz as part of Saturday’s league schedule. New Jersey will have two days off, returning home for Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.
NBA Betting: Orlando Magic at Trail Blazers
By: David Schwab
East meets West as the Orlando Magic take on the Portland Trail Blazers this Thursday night in the first of two meetings this season. Tip-off from the Rose Garden in Portland is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT) and the matchup will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
Orlando has led the Southeast Division standings through the six weeks of the NBA regular season, but suddenly a new premium has been put on winning with the Miami Heat starting to finally play up to their talent level. Heading into this game, the Magic have won seven out of their last 10 and have an overall record of 15-6 straight-up but are just 8-13 against the NBA spread.
They lead Atlanta by a game and Miami by a game and half in the division and are in second place in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando was hit by the flu bug last week that sidelined four of their players including Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. The Magic managed to get by Detroit on Friday night 104-91 as four-point road favorites, but the depleted lineup took its toll in a 96-85 loss as a 4 ½-point road underdog the following night against Milwaukee. The total went ‘over’ the 184 ½-point line against the Pistons but stayed ‘under’ 183 ½ against the Bucks.
Howard returned to the lineup for Monday night’s game against the Hawks, but it was not enough to keep the Magic from dropping their second straight game in a 80-74 loss as a 6 ½-point home favorite. The total stayed well ‘under’ the 186 ½-point line as this game was a defensive battle from the start. The Magic shot a dismal 37.8 percent from the floor compared to their 46.9 percent season average. A visibly weak Howard did have 14 points and 13 rebounds but below his 20.9 points per game season average.
Portland took a step closer to getting back to .500 for the year with wins in its last two games after losing six straight before that. The Trail Blazers are currently 10-11 SU (10-9-2 ATS) on the year, 5.5 games in back of Utah in the Northwest Division and ninth in the Western Conference.
Portland came into the game against the Los Angeles Clippers this past Sunday as a 6 ½-point home favorite and was able to post a nine-point win to cover. The Trail Blazers opened up a 22-point lead at the half on the Clippers and held on for the 100-91 victory.
They were a 2 ½-point home favorite against Phoenix on Tuesday and relied on a 37-point fourth quarter to knock off the Suns 106-99. Andre Miller was out of the lineup serving a one-game suspension, but Wesley Matthew’s team-high 24 points helped fill the void.
Brandon Roy is the team’s leading scorer with 18.2 points per game and Marcus Camby is averaging 10.5 rebounds per game. The Trail Blazers are averaging just 95.19 points per game and their 43.2 field goal percentage rank them near the bottom of the league. Defensively, they have been much better, holding their opponents to 95.6 points per game.
Orlando is 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall and 2-4 ATS in its last six games on the road. The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of its last five games.
Portland is 3-1 ATS in its last four games overall and 3-2 ATS in its last five home games. The total is 3-2-1 in its last six games overall.
Head-to-head, the Magic have won two out of the last three games both SU and ATS including a 92-83 win as an 8 ½-point road favorite the last time they played in Portland. The total has stayed ‘under’ in the last two meetings.
Orlando should be back to full strength for this game but traveling cross-country and playing in a very difficult place to win a game will takes its toll. Stick with the Trail Blazers to make it three in a row.
Inside the Paint - Thursday
By Chris David
Even though we’ve reached the quarter pole of the NBA season, it’s still a little early to forecast the future but you are starting to see a handful of contenders pull away. And the one thing that these teams have in common is winning on the road. Two of those clubs, Boston and Orlando, will be in action tonight and they're away from home too.
The Celtics own the best record in the Eastern Conference at this time, and their 7-3 straight up road mark is impressive. Even better, they’ve helped gamblers to an 8-2 record against the spread. And we should mention, after the letdown spot against Cleveland (87-95) in the opening week, the Celtics’ two other setbacks on the road came by a combined three points.
Stan Van Gundy and the Magic are right behind the Celtics and they’ve had success on the road too, going 6-3 through nine games. Unfortunately, the common theme for Orlando this season has been its inability to cover spreads. In those nine road games, the Magic are 2-7 ATS.
Will the Celtics and Magic have success on Thursday? Let’s look into their matchups further.
Boston (17-4 SU, 12-9 ATS) at Philadelphia (7-14 SU, 13-8 ATS)
Perception can sometimes get you into trouble when betting on sports especially after you watch a team play at a high level. Just last night, Boston ripped Denver 105-89 in a nationally televised affair on ESPN. The Nuggets didn’t have All-Star Carmelo Anthony in the lineup and it showed as the offense mustered up 37 points in the final two quarters. What we did keep hearing is how good Boston is and it is a legit team, if not the best in the league.
The Celtics have ripped off eight straight wins (5-3 ATS) and five of them were by double digits. What’s more amazing is how competitive Doc Rivers’ team has been. In their four losses, all of them were by single digits and three by five or less. Nobody has showed up Boston this season.
Can Philadelphia do so tonight? The 76ers are starting to come together under first-year head coach Doug Collins. The club has gone 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five and all five opponents were held under 100 points. On Tuesday, the 76ers destroyed the Cavaliers by 20 (117-97) at home and we mention that game because Philadelphia is a bottom feeder.
It’s racked up most of its wins against teams with losing records and hasn’t been able to slay a contender this season. And it could be tough to do tonight, especially when you look at the recent history. The Celtics have owned the 76ers, going 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS in the previous 10 encounters. Last year, Boston won three of the four meetings against Philadelphia, including both battles as a visitor (96-86, 105-74).
As mentioned above, Boston did battle Denver yesterday so it’s always good to see how a team responds in a back-to-back situation. This season, the Celtics have gone 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS on zero days rest. The ‘under’ has gone 3-2.
TNT will cover this game at 8:05 p.m. EST.
Orlando (15-6 SU, 7-12 ATS) at Portland (10-11 SU, 11-9 ATS)
The second game of the TNT double-header is scheduled for 10:35 p.m. EST and will showcase a non-conference affair between Orlando and Portland. This will be the first of a four-game road trip for the Magic, who play in Utah tomorrow before the L.A. Clippers on Sunday and then wrapping up the short journey on Tuesday at Denver.
Orlando is hoping it can get back on track after coming up short to Atlanta (74-80) at home on Tuesday. The loss was the second in a row for Stan Van Gundy’s team, which was hobbled by a nasty flu bug. Playing on the road has been successful for the Magic in the past and they are decent this year too. However, they’ve burned gamblers with a 2-7 ATS mark outside the Magic Kingdom and that includes a 1-4 ATS record as a favorite on the road.
Portland was a playoff team last year but it hasn’t looked the part this season. Losing too many key pieces has hurt the club and it’s showed in a recent six-game losing streak. Fortunately, the Trail Blazers returned home and were able to beat the Clippers (100-91) on Sunday before rallying past the Suns (106-99) on Tuesday.
On the year, the Blazers stand at 6-3 both SU and ATS from the Rose Garden. Last season, these two teams split their regular season battles as Orlando won 92-83 at home while Portland bounced back with a 15-point (102-87) victory from the Rose Garden. The ‘under’ cashed in both affairs.
Total players might want to lean toward a low-scoring affair tonight since Orlando has watched the ‘under’ go 6-3 on the road and Portland has also seen the ‘under’ go 6-3 at home.
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