Tweet
Inside the Paint - Monday
November 11, 2013
The NBA 2013-14 regular season is almost two weeks old and it’s fair to say that we’ve had our fair share of early surprises.
According to the oddsmakers at the LVH SuperBook in Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Phoenix weren’t expected to be competitive this season. The 76ers (16 ½) and Suns (21 ½) had the lowest win totals posted in the league yet both teams sit atop their divisions.
I expect the pair to cool off eventually but at least they’re not Utah, who is by far the worst team in the league. Anytime you have John Lucas III and Jamall Tinsley splitting time at point guard, you know you’re not a good team. Hopefully rookie Trey Burke gets healthy and helps the league’s worst offense (87.7 points per game).
While the Jazz are winless, the Indiana Pacers remain the lone unbeaten team in the league at 7-0. More importantly the club is 5-2 against the spread, which has been helped by the league’s best scoring defense (85.3 PPG).
There are still plenty of games to be played but Indiana is certainly clicking right now in what looks like a top-heavy Eastern Conference.
Monday’s card features nine games.
Atlanta at Charlotte: The Hawks have won eight straight (7-1 ATS) against the Bobcats. Atlanta opened as the road favorite (2 ½) and it could be hard for bettors to lay points with a team that is 1-3 on the road this season. Charlotte hasn’t dropped back-to-back games this season. With that being said, the Bobcats haven’t played since losing to the Knicks 101-91 on Friday. Total players should make a note that Atlanta has watched the ‘over’ go 5-1 this season, 4-0 on the road.
Memphis at Indiana: Last season, the Pacers beat the Grizzlies 82-81 on the road and 88-83 at home. Oddsmakers are expecting another defensive battle here tonight with the total hovering between 183 and 184 points. Memphis will be looking for its first road win of the season (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS). Indiana has gone 4-0 at home but it’s just 2-2 ATS, getting backdoored twice with healthy spreads.
San Antonio at Philadelphia: The Spurs are listed as road favorites over the 76ers and they’ll be facing their former assistant Brett Brown, who is now the head coach of Philadelphia. He’s done a great job so far with the 76ers and they’ll be facing a squad with no rest as San Antonio ripped New York by 31 points (120-89) at MSG on Sunday. The Spurs are 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS in back-to-back spots this season and most would expect head coach Greg Popovich to rest a couple starters. Philadelphia is 3-2 both SU and ATS at home, two of the wins coming against the Heat and Bulls.
Orlando at Boston: The Celtics beat the Magic 91-89 on Friday and followed up that upset with a 111-110 buzzer beater victory over Miami on Saturday. Boston was listed as an underdog in both games and is now laying points to Orlando on Monday. The Magic have dropped two straight and are 0-3 on the road this season. Orlando’s inability to score lately has helped the ‘under’ cash in four straight games.
Cleveland at Chicago: The Bulls earned a much needed win on Saturday albeit against Utah, 97-73. Point guard Derrick Rose hasn’t looked sharp for Chicago so far but the team hasn’t lost at home (2-0) this season and they still have a solid defense. Cleveland is hit or miss with its offense and bettors should be aware that the Cavs have failed to cover in six straight games. The Bulls are 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in the last 10 encounters between the pair. Chicago is listed as an eight-point favorite at most betting shops, which seems a tad high for a team that is 1-4 ATS.
Toronto at Houston: After starting the season 3-0, the Rockets are 1-3 in their last four which includes back-to-back home losses to the Lakers (99-98) and Clippers (107-94). The good news for Houston is that Toronto visits tonight. The Rockets have won six straight at home against the Raptors and are 15-3 all-time in games played in Houston. Toronto has gone 1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS on the road this season but the three losses were decided by seven points or less.
Denver at Utah: This game has pass written all over it. The Jazz lack the talent while the Nuggets don’t have any chemistry right now. Something has to give tonight since Denver has had trouble stopping anybody on defense (105.2 PPG) but Utah’s offense is pathetic. Adding to the Nuggets’ problems will be the loss of JaVale McGee (leg) to the lineup. Somewhere George Karl is smiling.
Detroit at Portland: The Trail Blazers have won and covered four of their last five games, which includes a 2-1 record at home. The Pistons have dropped two straight (Pacers, Thunder) and three of four, yet the point-spread on this matchup seems a little low. Detroit has only played one road game (0-1) this season with tonight’s matchup being the first of a four-game trip on the West Coast. The Pistons haven’t won in Portland since the 2006-07 season.
Minnesota at L.A. Clippers: The Timberwolves close out their two-game trip to the Staples Center tonight and if they shoot like they did last night, the sweep is very likely. Minnesota ran past the Lakers from the opening tip on Sunday, scoring 47 points in the first quarter en route to a 113-90 road win. The Wolves are 0-1 with no rest this season but no travel was needed for tonight. The Clippers finished their three-game road trip on Saturday with a 107-94 win at Houston, which came after losses to the Magic and Heat. The ‘under’ cashed in all three games. Los Angeles has gone 2-0 at home this season and it dominated in the wins, beating Golden State (126-115) and Houston (137-118) by double digits. The Clips were installed as 7 ½-point favorites but the early action moved the line down to six. Clippers forward Matt Barnes (thigh) has missed the last four games and is ‘questionable’ for tonight.
November 11, 2013
The NBA 2013-14 regular season is almost two weeks old and it’s fair to say that we’ve had our fair share of early surprises.
According to the oddsmakers at the LVH SuperBook in Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Phoenix weren’t expected to be competitive this season. The 76ers (16 ½) and Suns (21 ½) had the lowest win totals posted in the league yet both teams sit atop their divisions.
I expect the pair to cool off eventually but at least they’re not Utah, who is by far the worst team in the league. Anytime you have John Lucas III and Jamall Tinsley splitting time at point guard, you know you’re not a good team. Hopefully rookie Trey Burke gets healthy and helps the league’s worst offense (87.7 points per game).
While the Jazz are winless, the Indiana Pacers remain the lone unbeaten team in the league at 7-0. More importantly the club is 5-2 against the spread, which has been helped by the league’s best scoring defense (85.3 PPG).
There are still plenty of games to be played but Indiana is certainly clicking right now in what looks like a top-heavy Eastern Conference.
Monday’s card features nine games.
Atlanta at Charlotte: The Hawks have won eight straight (7-1 ATS) against the Bobcats. Atlanta opened as the road favorite (2 ½) and it could be hard for bettors to lay points with a team that is 1-3 on the road this season. Charlotte hasn’t dropped back-to-back games this season. With that being said, the Bobcats haven’t played since losing to the Knicks 101-91 on Friday. Total players should make a note that Atlanta has watched the ‘over’ go 5-1 this season, 4-0 on the road.
Memphis at Indiana: Last season, the Pacers beat the Grizzlies 82-81 on the road and 88-83 at home. Oddsmakers are expecting another defensive battle here tonight with the total hovering between 183 and 184 points. Memphis will be looking for its first road win of the season (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS). Indiana has gone 4-0 at home but it’s just 2-2 ATS, getting backdoored twice with healthy spreads.
San Antonio at Philadelphia: The Spurs are listed as road favorites over the 76ers and they’ll be facing their former assistant Brett Brown, who is now the head coach of Philadelphia. He’s done a great job so far with the 76ers and they’ll be facing a squad with no rest as San Antonio ripped New York by 31 points (120-89) at MSG on Sunday. The Spurs are 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS in back-to-back spots this season and most would expect head coach Greg Popovich to rest a couple starters. Philadelphia is 3-2 both SU and ATS at home, two of the wins coming against the Heat and Bulls.
Orlando at Boston: The Celtics beat the Magic 91-89 on Friday and followed up that upset with a 111-110 buzzer beater victory over Miami on Saturday. Boston was listed as an underdog in both games and is now laying points to Orlando on Monday. The Magic have dropped two straight and are 0-3 on the road this season. Orlando’s inability to score lately has helped the ‘under’ cash in four straight games.
Cleveland at Chicago: The Bulls earned a much needed win on Saturday albeit against Utah, 97-73. Point guard Derrick Rose hasn’t looked sharp for Chicago so far but the team hasn’t lost at home (2-0) this season and they still have a solid defense. Cleveland is hit or miss with its offense and bettors should be aware that the Cavs have failed to cover in six straight games. The Bulls are 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in the last 10 encounters between the pair. Chicago is listed as an eight-point favorite at most betting shops, which seems a tad high for a team that is 1-4 ATS.
Toronto at Houston: After starting the season 3-0, the Rockets are 1-3 in their last four which includes back-to-back home losses to the Lakers (99-98) and Clippers (107-94). The good news for Houston is that Toronto visits tonight. The Rockets have won six straight at home against the Raptors and are 15-3 all-time in games played in Houston. Toronto has gone 1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS on the road this season but the three losses were decided by seven points or less.
Denver at Utah: This game has pass written all over it. The Jazz lack the talent while the Nuggets don’t have any chemistry right now. Something has to give tonight since Denver has had trouble stopping anybody on defense (105.2 PPG) but Utah’s offense is pathetic. Adding to the Nuggets’ problems will be the loss of JaVale McGee (leg) to the lineup. Somewhere George Karl is smiling.
Detroit at Portland: The Trail Blazers have won and covered four of their last five games, which includes a 2-1 record at home. The Pistons have dropped two straight (Pacers, Thunder) and three of four, yet the point-spread on this matchup seems a little low. Detroit has only played one road game (0-1) this season with tonight’s matchup being the first of a four-game trip on the West Coast. The Pistons haven’t won in Portland since the 2006-07 season.
Minnesota at L.A. Clippers: The Timberwolves close out their two-game trip to the Staples Center tonight and if they shoot like they did last night, the sweep is very likely. Minnesota ran past the Lakers from the opening tip on Sunday, scoring 47 points in the first quarter en route to a 113-90 road win. The Wolves are 0-1 with no rest this season but no travel was needed for tonight. The Clippers finished their three-game road trip on Saturday with a 107-94 win at Houston, which came after losses to the Magic and Heat. The ‘under’ cashed in all three games. Los Angeles has gone 2-0 at home this season and it dominated in the wins, beating Golden State (126-115) and Houston (137-118) by double digits. The Clips were installed as 7 ½-point favorites but the early action moved the line down to six. Clippers forward Matt Barnes (thigh) has missed the last four games and is ‘questionable’ for tonight.
Comment