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February 9th NBA news ... Welcome to Gambling on NBA, the site with all of your NBA information. This site was created to give the NBA fan the necessary tools to scoring a profit during the NBA season.

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NBA: Top NBA Weekend Power Trends 1/29-1/31
2010-01-29

This weekend’s action in the NBA will wrap up the month of January, meaning we are just 2-1/2 short months away from the playoffs already. Even as of now, we are getting a good feel for which teams figure to be involved in the playoff chase the rest of the way. The top eight seeds in the Eastern Conference have separated from #9 by 3-games. In the West, the picture is a bit more muddled, with 11 teams distancing themselves and vying for eight spots. In fact, seeds #4-11 are separated by just three games heading into this weekend’s action. Let’s take a look at what’s on tap for the next three days, particularly those games involving playoff hopefuls. We’ll also reveal our weekly Top StatFox Power Trends that could affect the wagering action.

Unlike recent weekends, the slate over the next three days is loaded on each day. On Friday, there are 12 games, but unlike usual, there is no ESPN doubleheader to take in. There really should be too, since there is a nice board of games to choose from. In the East, Boston will be visiting Atlanta, looking to turn the tide of three straight losses to the Hawks. The Celtics are finally back at near full strength with Kevin Garnett having returned after missing 10 games due to injury. They have been a disappointment for bettors this season but could be ready to go on a run. This will be a difficult spot for Boston, considering it just played on Thursday in Orlando, and is just 2-6 ATS on zero days rest. Atlanta is one of the NBA’s best teams at home, boasting an 18-5 SU & 16-7 ATS mark. The Hawks are also 9-2 SU & ATS vs. Atlantic Division foes.

In the Western Conference on Friday, there are three compelling matchups between potential playoff contenders. Denver, the current #2 seed in the conference, visits Oklahoma City, looking to extend an 8-game winning streak. The Thunder have lost three straight and hope to avoid their first 4-game skid of the season. Watch the line closely, as Denver is 5-1-1 ATS as an underdog. In Houston, the Blazers & Rockets will get together. The teams are separated by 2-games right now in the standings and each has lost at least its last two games. Strangely, Portland would love to stay in the West, as they boast a 17-9 SU & 15-11 ATS mark vs. conference foes. Finally, in San Antonio, the Spurs will host the Grizzlies. Don’t look now, but Memphis has crept to within a game of the Spurs by winning eight of its L10 games. The Griz are just 8-14 on the road though, and allow nearly 108 PPG. San Antonio is having all kinds of problems maintaining any consistency.

Saturday’s board is the lightest of the three days this weekend, but still six different games are on tap, including three between playoff hopefuls. In Orlando, the Magic will welcome the Hawks to town. Atlanta and Orlando will have each hosted Boston since Thursday, so the common opponent rule of handicapping could be applied. The Hawks are 2-4 SU & 3-3 ATS on zero days rest in ’09-10. A bit later, New Orleans will visit Memphis, and Portland will be in Dallas. The city of New Orleans is of course “abuzz” about the Saints, but the Hornets have picked up their play of late, and were 16-4 at home heading into the weekend. Dallas continues to have trouble covering pointspreads at home, owning just a 5-16 ATS mark despite winning 14 of the 21 games outright. The Mavericks recently tied the record for most consecutive wins in one-point games, beating Milwaukee Tuesday for their 10th straight such decision.

The Sunday board is the biggest of the year, as the NBA takes advantage of the off-week in lead up to the Super Bowl. ABC is back at it too, offering up a stellar doubleheader in the afternoon. At 1:00 PM ET, the Nuggets and Spurs will tip it off from San Antonio. It will be just the second time the teams have met this season, with the Spurs looking to avenge a 106-99 defeat at home back in December. At 3:30 PM ET, the Lakers will continue their long 8-game road trip with a stop in Boston. These are the last two NBA champions and figure to be among the last teams standing in May and June.

Now, here are those top trends you’ll want to consider as you build your wagering cards for the weekend:

Friday, 01/29/2010
(807) WASHINGTON vs. (808) NEW JERSEY
NEW JERSEY is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more this season. The average score was NEW JERSEY 89.8, OPPONENT 106.9 - (Rating = 2*)

(813) DENVER vs. (814) OKLAHOMA CITY
DENVER is 14-2 ATS (+11.8 Units) vs. marginal winning teams (Win Pct. 51%-60%) in 2nd half of the last 3 seasons. The average score was DENVER 111.3, OPPONENT 96 - (Rating = 2*)

(817) MEMPHIS vs. (818) SAN ANTONIO
MEMPHIS is 8-26 ATS (-20.6 Units) vs. marginal winning teams (Win Pct. 51% to 60%) over the last 3 seasons. The average score was MEMPHIS 97.1, OPPONENT 105.3 - (Rating = 2*)

(817) MEMPHIS vs. (818) SAN ANTONIO
MEMPHIS is 16-5 OVER (+10.5 Units) versus poor pressure defensive teams - forcing <=14 turnovers/game this season. The average score was MEMPHIS 105.8, OPPONENT 105.8 - (Rating = 2*)

(823) NEW ORLEANS vs. (824) GOLDEN STATE
NEW ORLEANS is 9-25 ATS (-18.5 Units) versus explosive offensive teams - scoring 103+ PPG over the last 2 seasons.
The average score was NEW ORLEANS 97, OPPONENT 104.6 - (Rating = 2*)

Saturday, 01/30/2010
(501) ATLANTA vs. (502) ORLANDO
ATLANTA is 3-15 ATS (-13.5 Units) in road games vs. good teams outscoring foes by 3+ PPG in 2nd half of L3 seasons. The average score was ATLANTA 87.6, OPPONENT 105.8 - (Rating = 2*)

(501) ATLANTA vs. (502) ORLANDO
ATLANTA is 25-6 UNDER (+18.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ATLANTA 92, OPPONENT 92.4 - (Rating = 4*)

(505) NEW YORK vs. (506) WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON is 7-26 ATS (-21.6 Units) when the line is +3 to -3 over the last 2 seasons. The average score was WASHINGTON 100.1, OPPONENT 104.5 - (Rating = 3*)

(511) CHARLOTTE vs. (512) SACRAMENTO
SACRAMENTO is 3-16 ATS (-14.6 Units) against Southeast division opponents over the last 2 seasons. The average score was SACRAMENTO 97.4, OPPONENT 110.2 - (Rating = 3*)

Sunday, 01/31/2010
(805) LA CLIPPERS vs. (806) CLEVELAND
LA CLIPPERS are 8-24 ATS (-18.4 Units) vs good shooting teams (>=46% FG Pct) in 2nd half of the last 3 seasons. The average score was LA CLIPPERS 93.8, OPPONENT 109.8 - (Rating = 2*)

(807) PHILADELPHIA vs. (808) NEW JERSEY
NEW JERSEY is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent this season. The average score was NEW JERSEY 88.8, OPPONENT 106.7 - (Rating = 2*)

(813) NEW YORK vs. (814) MINNESOTA
NEW YORK is 15-2 UNDER (+12.8 Units) vs. poor 3PT shooting teams - making <=33% of their attempts this season. The average score was NEW YORK 97.2, OPPONENT 95.1 - (Rating = 4*)

(817) PHOENIX vs. (818) HOUSTON
PHOENIX is 20-5 ATS (+14.5 Units) vs poor defensive teams (FG Pct defense >=46%) in 2nd half of last 3 seasons. The average score was PHOENIX 122.3, OPPONENT 108.7 - (Rating = 2*)

NBA: Memphis is marvelous
2010-01-29

The Memphis Grizzlies have learned to win games with defense during their remarkable run since mid-December, and that’s exactly how they beat the San Antonio Spurs earlier this month. Even with the blueprint to beat the Spurs, winning in San Antonio has been another matter. The Grizzlies will catch a break as they try to avoid their 10th straight loss at the AT&T Center on Friday night, though, as the Spurs won’t have Tony Parker due to an ankle injury. The hosts are a 5-point favorite at Sportsbook.com and have caught the attention of 64% of bettors.

Memphis (25-19, 26-18 ATS) has won 15 of 19 games since Dec. 18, covering the spread a fantastic 14 times, a record that’s the best in the Western Conference in that stretch and has helped move it into playoff position.

The Grizzlies have averaged 106.7 points in that stretch, but they’ve displayed some defensive prowess over the past few weeks. Memphis held San Antonio (26-18, 22-21-1 ATS) to 41.4 percent shooting in a 92-86 home win Jan. 16, and limited its last three opponents to 90.3 points per game - 13.1 below its average allowance.

One of the biggest reasons for that defensive improvement is center Marc Gasol, who’s one of five players in the league to average at least 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steal. Gasol has also refined his offensive game, giving the Grizzlies a fourth scorer that averages at least 15.0 points alongside Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo. Gasol had 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals in Wednesday’s 99-93 win at Detroit.

Memphis has won its past four games in which it failed to score 100 points after going 2-11 in its first 13 such contests. “We’re a different team,” Gasol told the NBA’s official Web site. “We’ve changed our mentality and we’re working harder.” Gasol is certainly correct with Memphis 16-4 ATS after two or more consecutive wins over the last two seasons.

The Grizzlies have won their past three games by six points or fewer, and Wednesday’s victory was their 25th - one more than they had last season and they are 14-4 ATS in up-tempo games where they attempt 84 or more shots this season.

A win in San Antonio for the first time since Feb. 26, 2005 (4-5 ATS in that span), would tie the Grizzlies with the Spurs for second place in the Southwest Division, and they won’t have to worry about one of San Antonio’s top offensive threats.

The Spurs snapped a three-game losing streak Wednesday with an impressive 105-90 win over Atlanta, but Parker sprained his left ankle and will sit Friday and possibly Sunday against Denver. “We’re going to have to adjust to it,” said Tim Duncan, who grabbed a career-high 27 rebounds and scored 21 points. “We’re trying to get something going here and then we lose Tony. We’ll find a way to get it done.” Finding a way has been a specialty of San Antonio who is 11-3 ATS facing clubs that hoist up 83 or more shots a contest.

Parker averaged 18.6 points and 7.0 assists during the Spurs’ nine straight home wins over the Grizzlies, but he was held to four points in the loss in Memphis last month. Duncan and the Grizzlies’ Randolph each had 23 points in that game - Randolph has scored 20 or more in eight straight games - but the Spurs will want to keep close tabs on Mayo. The third overall pick of the 2008 draft has averaged 30.5 points in his two visits to San Antonio - the last of which was a 106-103 overtime loss on Dec. 27, 2008.

With Parker sidelined, the Spurs are five-point favorites with 199 total. Surprisingly, San Antonio is 5-19 ATS revenging a road loss since last year, losing by an average of almost two points per game. Here is a crazy number for the home team, they are 14-1 UNDER after a game where they had two or less steals. The Grizzlies are roaring with confidence, 15-1 ATS after playing a game as favorite this season and 14-4 OVER as a road underdog.

NBA: Chicago is bullish on road trip
2010-01-29

The Chicago Bulls’ season-high seven-game road trip had all the makings of a disaster after they opened with losses to a pair of Western Conference also-rans. Four games later, it’s looking like the spark that’s turned the season around. The Bulls try to close the trip with a fifth straight win Friday night against the New Orleans Hornets, who look to protect one of the West’s best home records upon returning from their own successful road swing. The Hornets are the 4-point favorite at Sportsbook.com, but 70% of bettors prefer the piping-hot Bulls.

Chicago (22-22, 21-21-2 ATS) has won four in a row for the third time since Christmas, but this latest run is easily the most surprising. The Bulls were 4-15 on the road after losses to Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers to open this trip, but they’ve knocked off four consecutive playoff contenders.

Coach Vinny Del Negro (who was rumored to be almost fired right after Christmas) has seen his team shoot 50.6 percent from the floor while holding opponents to 39.4 percent, and its most impressive defensive effort came Wednesday in Oklahoma City. Chicago limited the Thunder to 36.9 percent shooting, hounding Kevin Durant into a 7-for-19 effort and leaving with a 96-86 win. The Bulls win made them 7-0 ATS in road games playing against team with a 51 to 60 percent win percentage this season and tonight offers another such opportunity.

Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas keyed a 96-85 win over New Orleans (25-20, 22-23 ATS) on Dec. 26 at the United Center. Noah had 17 points, 18 rebounds and four blocks, while Thomas had 21 points and nine boards off the bench. Chicago, which has followed its previous four-game win streaks with at least two straight losses, hasn’t won five in a row on the road since concluding the 2005-06 season on a six-game run. The Bulls are 17-6 ATS playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last two years.

The Hornets have won 16 of 20 at home (10-10 ATS), where they return following an impressive trip. New Orleans closed with a third victory in four games - its only loss coming in overtime to Denver on Saturday - after Chris Paul had 38 points in a 123-110 win over Golden State on Wednesday. The Hornets were 6-15 and 9-12 ATS on the road heading into the trip. “This was a big trip for us. We won in some tough venues,” said Paul, who averaged 27.8 points on 58.8 percent shooting. “Everyone knows the road has been our Achilles’ heel so far.”

The play of Paul’s new backcourt mate has also been critical. Rookie Marcus Thornton averaged 18.5 points in the final two games of the trip, starting after New Orleans shipped Devin Brown to the Bulls for backup center Aaron Gray on Monday. Brown, who has yet to play for the Bulls, led New Orleans with 22 points in Chicago last month.

The Hornets’ fortunes Friday, though, may depend on David West. The two-time All-Star, scoring 17.7 points per game, has averaged 11.0 in the last two losses to the Bulls and his team is 3-5 in last eight meetings with the Bulls with two covers.

New Orleans is a four-point favorite with total of 198 at Sportsbook.com and is 24-9 ATS in home games revenging a same season loss vs. opponent and is 8-1 UNDER at home trying to get even with same team off a road loss. Despite the four consecutive road upsets, normally Chicago doesn’t set up very well in a spot like this with 12-26 ATS record off an upset win as an underdog over the last three seasons. They are 9-0 OVER as visiting dogs off the upset surprise win by 10 points or more.

NBA: NBA Thursday TNT Doubleheader
2010-01-29

In the two televised games on TNT tonight, a special situation occurs you don’t see every night. Boston and Dallas are the two road teams that are on television and they rank first and third respectively in the NBA for the best straight up road records at 16 -6 and 16-8. Their opponents are both in the Top 10 for the best home records, winning over 73 percent. This leaves Sportsbook.com bettors with the quandary of not only deciding which teams will cover the spreads, but also whether or not they are worth an accompanying money line wager.

Boston at Orlando 8:00 Eastern
The Celtics (29-13, 17-25 ATS) have the second best record in the Eastern Conference behind Cleveland. This veteran club is 16-6 on the road, but is far from a good bet despite that success. Boston is merely 11-11 ATS in the visiting green uniforms; however it’s hard to blame them for being average. The Celtics have been labeled a road favorite in 16 of their 22 road excursions. They are 12-4 SU, a very solid record, in those games, having won by an incredible 8.2 points per game, yet are 7-9 ATS, which ends up being more an indictment of the opposition, than of Boston.

The Orlando Magic (29-16, 21-21-3 ATS) have played 10 of their last 14 away from their central Florida home and will be in more familiar surroundings with four of their next five outings in front of the home folks. The Magic are 16-4 SU at Amway Arena (5th best home record) and punish visiting clubs by 10.4 points per game. In the gambling world, this type of success will bring high numbers from oddsmakers, which is why Orlando is a not so magical 10-9-1 ATS at home.
The Celtics only recently got Kevin Garnett back after he missed 10 games. While the defense has picked up immediately, the offense is lagging behind. Boston averages 99.7 points per game, but has only reached that figure twice in last nine tries. This explains a recent 3-6 ATS record, including losing five in a row. The Sportsbook.com oddsmakers have handed out the typical number for these evenly matched teams, making the C’s a four-point underdog with total of 187.5.

Boston is a deceiving 10-20 ATS after playing consecutive games as favorite this season (they win by 5.4 PPG). Orlando lost at Memphis in its previous game and is a splendid 34-12 ATS off a road defeat over the last three seasons. The road team has won three in a row in this matchup, including the Magic totaling a mere 77 points at home on Christmas Day, losing by nine as 5.5-point favorites. They are 23-11 ATS revenging a home loss. The total is the lowest in 11 regular season games at the city Walt Disney made famous and six of the last eight have played UNDER the number.

Dallas at Phoenix 10:30 Eastern
Dallas (30-15, 20-25 ATS) is a rock solid 16-8 on the road (15-9 ATS), winning by over four points per game. The Mavericks seem to be more comfortable away from home, despite having the same winning percentage, as evidenced by the +1.5 points per game scoring differential at American Airlines Center. Their one point 108-107 win over Milwaukee Tuesday got them into the NBA record books and it’s hard to determine if the Mavs are good or just lucky, as that win was their 10th straight victory by a single digit, tying the St. Louis Hawks from 50 years ago. Dallas is 47-26 ATS on the road after a game where both teams scored 105 points or more.

Phoenix (26-21, 22-24 ATS) is no longer on the rise. After starting 14-3, the Suns have been setting, losing 18 of their next 30. In that first part of the season, Phoenix at least gave a passing interest in attempting to play defense, allowing 104.5 points per game, since then the Suns have shown a greater disinterest in halting opponents from scoring, now ranked next to last in points allowed at 107.9.

Phoenix is 17-6 at home with an 11-11-1 ATS mark. They have been without two important bench players lately, Leandro Barbosa and Grant Hill, with Barbosa out six weeks after wrist surgery and Hill day-to-day with bum heel. Also swirling around the desert is the specter of Amare Stoudemire trade, which has him going pretty much everywhere but to a good team. While the Suns big man talks about wanting to win, his defense and rebounding would generously be described as ordinary. The floundering Suns are 7-21 ATS in January games over the last two seasons.

Phoenix is a 1.5-point home favorite with total of 216 and they are off a 114-109 overtime home loss to Charlotte. The Suns are 20-9 ATS in home games after contest in which both teams scored 105 points or more and are 18-8 OVER after draining a dozen or more three-point shots. Dallas on the other hand is 11-2 ATS as visitors after not covering the spread and 11-1 UNDER after two straight games where they made 50 percent of their shots or better.

The Suns are playing into triple revenge and have lost five of last six to the Mavs and needs to show some defensive acumen to improve the home record.
The StatFox Power Lines show Orlando by 7, and a Pick em’ in the nightcap.

NBA: Lakers and Cavaliers Clash (8:00 PM ET, TNT)
2010-01-21

In a possible NBA finals preview Thursday night, Cleveland will host the Los Angeles Lakers, who have a score to settle after being embarrassed 102-87 by the Cavs on Christmas Day. It was a lump-of-coal-in-the-stocking-loss that ended with irate Lakers fans tossing foam fingers—and a few filled water bottles— onto the Staples Center court in anger. In tonight’s rematch, the host Cavaliers are 3.5-point favorites at Sportsbook.com, but the majority of bettors, 83%, are looking for the Lakers to keep ti close or pull the upset.

In December, with Mo Williams scoring 28 points, James adding 26 and Shaquille O’Neal acting as their enforcer, the Cavaliers bullied the defending NBA champions, whose frustration level led to them retaliating with some cheap shots and being slapped with several technical fouls.

“We didn’t like that Christmas game,” Lakers center Pau Gasol said. “It was very disappointing on our part. We’ve got to try to get that ballgame when we play them again. We need to do that. You never want a team to get the confidence they can beat you, especially when it’s somebody you might see down the road in the playoffs.” The Lakers are 33-20 ATS versus teams outscoring their opponents by three or points game over the last two seasons.

The stop in Cleveland begins a demanding, eight-game road trip for the Lakers (32-9, 18-22-1 ATS), who have the league’s best record in part because of a favorable schedule. They’ve played just 15 road games—compared to 25 for the Cavs—and the imbalance has helped Los Angeles open a five-game lead over Dallas in the Western Conference. L.A. is 9-6 on the road, but just 5-10 ATS.

That could change depending on how the Lakers handle a stretch of eight games in 13 days, including three sets of back-to-backs. Last season, Los Angeles went 6-0 on a similar Eastern trip that helped propel the Lakers to a title.

First, though, they want to erase the memories of an unhappy holiday that was particularly hazardous for forward Ron Artest.

“That Christmas game was tough, and then that whole day wasn’t too good for me, anyway,” said Artest, who suffered a concussion in a fall at home hours after the loss to Cleveland. “We feel like we’re a better team now than when we played them before.”

The Cavaliers believe they are better, too.

At 32-11 (20-22-1 ATS), Cleveland has the best record in the East, and with 23 of their final 39 games at home, the Cavs have a chance to run away from Boston, Orlando and Atlanta, their closest competitors in the conference. They just returned from a West Coast trip, where they displayed some bad habits—a tendency to rely too heavily on James—and also some new offensive wrinkles with O’Neal on the floor. They are on a run of 15-6 ATS at home vs. teams with a winning road record.

Seconds after LeBron James and his Cavaliers teammates dismissed the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, one excited Cleveland fan began a solitary chant.

“Beat L.A., Beat L.A.,” he screamed.

Dude, chill. It’s January. But maybe not too early to dream about June.
After all, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are coming.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson doesn’t want his team to get too caught up in Thursday’s matchup or the Lakers’ upcoming trip, which will take the club to New York on Friday and won’t conclude until Feb. 1 in Memphis.
“Last year’s road trip jump-started our season,” he said. “I’m setting a low bar for this team, though. We don’t need to put too much emphasis on the entire trip as a whole. We just need to play good, solid games and avoid injuries, starting in Cleveland. We don’t assign a whole lot extra importance to that game, even though it is an interesting game.”
Cleveland is a 3.5-point favorite with total of 194.5 at Sportsbook.com and has covered seven straight as home favorite of 4.5 or less points. The one potential downfall for the Cavs is they have not covered the number in their last seven games (0-6-1 ATS) off a win and is 27-12 UNDER in home games after failing to cover two of their last three against the spread.

The Lakers are 29-14 ATS as an underdog over the last three seasons and will want to get that bad taste out of their mouths from Christmas Day. Los Angeles has covered their last four Thursday assignments and is 18-6 UNDER when playing with two days rest since last season.
This is the 8:05 Eastern matchup on TNT and the underdog is 5-1 ATS in the head-to-head series with the UNDER 5-0 in Cleveland.

The StatFox Power Line shows Cleveland by 5, and getting a chance to back the Cavs as this small of a home favorite is a rarity.