NBA Betting Preview: Get stuck in for an upset in Detroit?
As Rasheed and the Celtics tear it up in the East, the Mavericks are gaining on the Lakers in the West. But what betting opportunities do the weekend’s NBA fixtures offer? Nick Shiambouros picks the best.
“The Pistons have been playing very well at home and I think their half-court game could pose problems for the Lakers.”
The Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to 11 after beating the Memphis Grizzlies 110-105 on Monday night in Tennessee.
This was another gritty performance from a Boston team that never gives up whatever the score. I think the signing of Rasheed Wallace from Detroit during the summer was a very shrewd move on behalf of the Celtics. Wallace has been in the league for 14 years and this experienced forward has helped bolster this outstanding rotation.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers put up a solid display on Wednesday defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 109-101 at the Wachovia Center. This was the fourth win in a row for the Cavs who are finally beginning to show some consistency this season.
Cleveland are currently priced at 2.94 to win the Eastern Conference but I am in no hurry to take this price with Boston,Orlando and Atlanta in the mix.
Over in the Western Conference the Dallas Mavericks won their fifth game in a row defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-86. The Mavericks came from behind to win this entertaining game and once again Dirk Nowitzki led the way for Dallas with 35 points. The Mavericks are now only two games behind Los Angeles in the Western Conference and are playing exceptionally well.
Dallas are priced at a generous 30.0 to win the NBA title – this represents a decent trading opportunity for later on in the season.
There are a couple of very interesting games taking place this weekend and hopefully we can continue our good run.
On Saturday evening the Phoenix Suns play host to the Washington Wizards and I can only see one outcome. The Suns have the best home record in basketball at 9-0 and should have little difficulty extending the record against Washington.
After a bright start to the season Washington are in the midst of a terrible slump and have lost their last six games.
Phoenix are a much improved ream from last year and are led by veteran point guard Steve Nash. The Suns score plenty of points and I can see them running the Wizards in to the ground.
On Sunday the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Detroit Pistons and I think there could be an upset in this game. The Pistons have been playing very well at home and I think their half- court game could pose problems for the Lakers. Rodney Stuckey is one reason the Pistons are still in with a fair chance of making the post-season .This young man is averaging almost 20 points per game and has improved significantly from last year. Stuckey should get plenty of help from Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton who are both quality players.
The Lakers will be heavily favoured in this game but on occasion they can be frustrated by teams that slow the game down like Detroit. On the other side of the coin, the Lakers have an abundance of talent in their rotation and the great Kobe Bryant is always dangerous against any opponent.
Amazingly, this game is not sold out and there are quite a few tickets available. This would have been unheard of a year ago. The Pistons sold out a record 259 games from January 2004 to February 2009. I think it will be a long time before that particular record is broken.
Recommended Bets:
Saturday back Phoenix with advertised handicap
Sunday back Detroit in the advertised market
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