NBA Betting Trends - NBA’s Top Defensive Teams
By Eric Williams
As every serious sports fans knows, offense is very exciting, but it is defense that wins championships. No matter the sport, it is defense that usually lifts teams to championship titles in their respective sport.
To find evidence of this in the NBA, look no further than last year’s NBA champs, the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs led the league in defense last season, allowing a miniscule 90.1 points per game and are up to their old tricks again this season.
This brief look at the top 10 defensive teams in the league should give bettors a good idea of which teams have made defense a priority in 2007-08.
Four of the top six defensive teams in the league are legitimate title contenders, including three of my four selections to reach the conference finals this season, (San Antonio, Detroit and Boston).
Here is a closer look at each Top 10 defensive teams in the league, followed by a brief comment on each team’s respective chances to reach the NBA Finals in 2008.
NBA Defensive Points Allowed Per Game
Boston: (7-0) 87.1 PPG
The red-hot Celtics are leading the league in defense and have already established themselves as one of the top contenders to win the eastern conference championship this season. While most fans have been focusing on the Celtics’ newly formed trio of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, but it is Boston’s newfound defensive mentality that has transformed the Celtics into the new ‘Beasts of the East.’
New Orleans: (7-2) 88.3 PPG
The New Orleans Hornets were second in the league last season ATS, compiling a solid 47-33-2 record an are back up to their old tricks again this season thanks to a defense that is allowing just over 88 points per game and an improved offense that has a healthy Peja Stojakovic back in the starting lineup this season after missing nearly all of last year.
San Antonio: (7-2) 88.8 PPG
The Defending champion Spurs led the league in defense last season en route to winning the fourth title of the Tim Duncan era and are right back near the top of the defensive rankings as they appear headed for another conference finals appearance at the least.
Miami: (1-7) 91.1 PPG
Despite their 1-7 record, the Miami Heat are holding their opponents to a mere 91.1 points per game under veteran head coach Pat Riley, who demands that all of his players play defense. Too bad the Heat are last in offense, averaging a pathetic 84.8 points per game.
Houston: (6-3) 91.6 PPG
I love the Rockets’ addition of veteran head coach Rick Adelman, whom I thought would immediately improve the team’s offense this season. Fortunately, the Rockets, who were ranked third, (92.1 PPG), in defense last season, have maintained the same high standards that former head coach Jeff Van Gundy set on defense and are holding opponents to a just over 91 points per game.
Philadelphia: (2-6) 92.4 PPG
Just like the Miami Heat, while the Sixers have posted some solid defensive statistics so far, holding their opponents to 92.4 points per game on 4.2 percent field goal shooting, the team’s offense is so pathetic that they have managed to go 2-6 in spite of their respective fine defenses.
Toronto: (4-4) 93.4 PPG
The Toronto Raptors led the NBA last season in wagers against the spread (ATS) going a spectacular 48-33-1 ATS while winning the Atlantic division title for the first time in franchise history. The Raptors are just a modest 4-4 at this point but are playing outstanding defense.
Detroit: (6-2) 93.5 PPG
The Pistons have been ranked in the top three in team scoring defense for the past five seasons and will once again end up one of the top 10 defensive teams in the league. The Pistons are also my pick to face the Boston Celtics in the eastern conference finals this season.
New Jersey: (2-5) 93.9 PPG
The New Jersey Nets are holding their opponents to less than 94 points per game but are having big-time trouble scoring the ball, averaging just 87.5 points per game on offense, next to last in the league.
Dallas: (6-2) 95.0 PPG
The Mavericks have been ranked fourth in scoring defense the past two seasons thanks to Avery Johnson’s contributions and will once again be one of the top ranked defensive teams in the league this season when it’s all said and done.
As an aside to bettors, only two of the top 10 defensive teams in the league are ranked in the top 10 against the spread this season, the Boston Celtics, (7-0 ATS), and Dallas Mavericks, (4-3 ATS).
While great defense does win championships, it doesn’t necessarily translate into great ATS numbers for each respective team, it does increase the value on each game a strong defensive team plays, particularly when going into the contest with a strong idea of how many points the “strong” defensive team will allow.
Knowing which teams play stellar defense should also increase the value on each Over/Under wager that NBA bettors as well.