NBA Futures
Greg Oden out for the season, Portland not giving up
2010-12-06
Portland Trail Blazers centre Greg Oden underwent micro-fracture surgery for the third time in his career that will sideline him again for the rest of the season.
Oden, who was the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft, is preparing for a comeback from a knee injury when Blazers team trainer Jay Jensen revealed that the 22-year-old centre sustained another injury, which is not related to the previous one he had last season.
“Greg's patella fracture and his chondral injury that he has are not related although they're in the same knee,” said Jensen. “They are two totally separate situations.” But this is no solace to NBA betting fans. The Blazers are now a nervous bet.
Jensen also added that he was shocked when the doctors told him that the former Ohio State standout would need surgery that will sideline him again for the third time since he was drafted by Portland.
“We sat there and it was like we'd been kicked in the stomach,” Jensen said. “It felt like hearing someone close to us had died.”
Portland head coach Nate McMillan, on the other hand, was also disappointed upon hearing the news. The veteran head coach said that he was excited to have Oden back, especially after seeing him work hard during the rehabilitation period, but he’s not yet giving up on his young centre.
“Being so close to getting back on the floor, just all of a sudden this situation comes up and it's like, ‘Here we go again' for him,” McMillan said. “As I told him, he has to stay positive, and he has to keep believing. He'll have an opportunity to continue to work to get back on the floor.”
McMillan also confirmed that Oden was devastated when he learned that he will not be able to play this season, but he reminded the big man to stay positive, like Bill Walton did during his days with the Blazers. Walton was also a former No.1 pick by Portland in 1974, but he was sidelined by different injuries in his first three years with the team, before leading them to an NBA title in 1977.
“When things go wrong, we as a society, we all want to find someone to point the finger at, or blame, and sometimes things just happen,” McMillan said. “These injuries, each one of them, they just happened.”
Oden, who was drafted ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant, has only played 82 games with the Blazers, but despite all the setbacks he had, the Portland Trail Blazers organization is not ready to give up on him.
Blazers president Larry Miller said that they are planning to offer an $8.8 million qualifying offer to Oden next off-season that will prevent him from becoming an unrestricted free agent next season. Being a restricted free agent, the Blazers would have the rights to match any offers from other teams.
“If Greg Oden plays up to his potential he is worth that,” Miller said. “We will see where rehabilitations are at that level. But at this point, I don’t see us not giving the offer if Greg is doing the things we need to see him doing to get back on the court. I do not feel like I am ready to give up on Greg Oden. I don’t think anybody in our organization is ready.”
Oden will need a minimum of six months for his rehabilitation and he will be available before the start of next season, barring any new injury. As an NBA bettor are you still game for the Trailblazers? Take your action at www.sportsbook.com the home of NBA betting.
NBA: Suns eclipsed – better bet in second game?2010-05-19There is always a bit of the unknown when a NBA team has a long layoff, you can never be sure what it means, good or bad. The Orlando Magic appeared to be effected negatively with their extra time off against Boston, but the Lakers played refreshed and looked better than a Santa Monica sunset in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals versus Phoenix. Game 2 of the series comes tonight in L.A., and the hosts have been set up as 6.5-point favorites once again, according to Sportsbook.com.
Kobe Bryant was in “the zone” scoring 40 points on 23 shot attempts on Monday. Bryant appeared more than any other L.A. player to have benefitted from the down time. "My legs benefited a lot," Bryant said. "I was able to take some time off and just get stronger, get my legs stronger, body stronger."
However, Bryant wasn’t the only Lakers player that played rejuvenated and Phil Jackson’s squad proved just how challenging they are to defeat when they all committed to common goal.
Lamar Odom had 19 points and 19 boards (seven on offense) and was dialed in throughout.
Paul Gasol was 10 for 13 shooting, even converting on a couple of almost impossible buckets for a man his size. Derek Fisher was defensively possessed in staying with Steve Nash and though he had 13 assists, Fisher and his teammates limited the former MVP to 13 points on only 10 shots.
Two keys for Phoenix coming into the series were rebounding and bench strength. The Suns were outrebounded by eight and their reserves were outscored 44-35 in losing by 21.
"They played great, one of the best games I've seen them play in the playoffs this season," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "Kobe kind of controlled the whole game. I thought we could have withstood the game that he had ... but when he's making his jumper like that, there's not a whole lot you can do about it."
Phoenix is going to have to play much better defense as L.A. was fearless doing what they wanted offensively. The Suns are 31-13 ATS after allowing 105 points or more this season and if Kobe stays percolating, they must negate the rest of his teammates since you aren’t going to be on the winning side permitting 58 percent shooting.
Subtract Grant Hill and the other four Phoenix starters shot 59.5 percent, the issue was they generated only 42 attempts. If the Suns expect to tie series and move their spread record to 20-10 after one or more losses, the starters have to get more shots at the rim and Channing Frye and Jared Dudley can’t put up a combined 2 for 13 shooting night.
Sportsbook.com has Phoenix as 6.5-point underdogs, with the total leaping to 215. For those that use online sports betting it’s impossible to ignore the Lakers are 11-1 ATS after three or more consecutive Over’s and 17-6 against the spread in home games when playing only their second game in week. Coach Jackson’s club is 13-4 UNDER after a wipeout win by 20 points or more.
TNT will again have the coverage of Game 2 from LaLa-Land at 9:00 Eastern. The Suns are 14-4 UNDER after a game in which they allowed a shooting percentage of 55 percent or higher.
The StatFox Power Line shows Phoenix by 2, indicating a good chance for the Suns to bounce back.
Monday Means all Systems Go in NBA2010-02-22The Utah Jazz are the hottest team in the NBA, winners of 13 of 14 (11-2-1 ATS) and last four in a row, all on the road. They return home against Atlanta who is wrapping up its four game road trip, who has the edge? For the answer to this and other NBA betting edges, read on about today’s top system plays in professional hoops. Get the latest prices on all of Monday’s five games on the LIVE ODDS page of Sportsbook.com.
Chicago (-3, 201) at Washington
Even with an eye on next season already, Chicago Bulls’ players are focused on the present. The Bulls front office has made trades freeing cap space to go after at least one of the enticing free agents in the market place after the season, however the current collection of players have covered seven of eight and five in a row. For tonight’s matchup, the total draws the most attention since road teams with a total of 200 or higher, off a home blowout win by 20 points or more, against opponent after a road game where both teams score 100 or more points, are 32-10 OVER since 1996.
Milwaukee (+1.5, 206.5) at New York
The New York Knicks have lost six straight and almost won as Tracy McGrady made his debut in the Knicks uniform, falling 121-118 to Oklahoma City Saturday night. Having lost three of four at home to Milwaukee, tonight’s situation does not set up much better as teams revenging a straight up loss vs. opponent as a home favorite, off a cover where the team lost the game straight up as an underdog, are 43-70 ATS since 2004-05, including all six this year.
Indiana (+9, 208.5) at Dallas
The Dallas Mavericks have a run of the mill home record at 17-9; however they are positively disgusting or delightful, depending on what side you wager on them, with a league worst 6-20 ATS home record. Everything doesn’t figure to improve immediately, since home teams playing their fifth game in a week, with a win percent of 60 to 75 percent, playing a team with a losing record, are 20-55 the last 12 years.
Atlanta (+5, 196) at Utah
Both teams are playing their third game in four days, with one obvious distinction; Atlanta has lost their last two, while Utah has won not only previous two, but four in a row. That in theory at least gives the Jazz the edge as home teams covering the spread in four or more consecutive games, in a game involving two good teams (60% to 75%), are 31-7 ATS.
NBA: The Lake Show favored in Windy City2009-12-16The Los Angeles Lakers longest road trip of the season thus far couldn’t get off to much of a worse start for Kobe Bryant. A visit to the United Center might provide him with the chance to bounce back. Bryant and the Western Conference-leading Lakers visit the struggling Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, trying to rebound from their first loss in 12 games. L.A. is a 10-point road favorite and less than 5% of bettors at Sportsbook.com think the Bulls can even stay within that number.
Bryant began this five-game road trip after suffering a broken index finger in a home win against Miami on Friday. The finger - and a stomach bug - appeared to significantly affect him in a 102-94 loss at Utah as two-point underdogs on Saturday. Bryant finished with a season-low 16 points on 7-of-24 shooting.
Bryant, who is averaging 27.8 points, left without speaking to the media afterward. He was getting IV fluids before the game and at halftime. “I think it was just energy-wise for him,” coach Phil Jackson said. “He’d figure out a way to go at it if he had the energy, but I just don’t think he had the energy.”
The loss snapped an 11-game winning streak by the Lakers (18-4, 10-12 ATS), who despite having all five starters finish in double figures, failed to reach 100 points for the fifth time and giving them their fourth spread loss in last six games.
Pau Gasol scored 16 points and had his second consecutive 20-rebound game. “I’m just staying active and pursuing the ball,” he said. “I don’t get that many looks offensively so I need to hit the boards to get some points, otherwise I only get like five shots a game.” The Lakers are 25-12 ATS after failing to cover two of their last three against the spread since last season.
While it was a tough start to the road trip for the Lakers, the remaining games are far less difficult. All four opponents have losing records, and Chicago (8-14, 5-15-2 ATS) has lost 10 of 12. Los Angeles is 10-0 (6-4 ATS) against teams with sub-.500 records.
The Lakers have won five straight over the Bulls (4-1 ATS), including their last two at Chicago. Bryant in particular has enjoyed playing at the United Center, averaging 26.6 points in his last eight games. Bryant scored 21 points in a 108-93 win at home over Chicago on Nov. 19, which began the Bulls’ current slide.
Chicago shot a season-low 32.6 percent in a 106-80 loss to Boston on Saturday. Derrick Rose finished with a team-high 19 points, but scored only eight in the second half when the Bulls were outscored 52-34 by the Eastern Conference leaders.
Chicago had snapped a four-game losing streak in its previous game with an overtime win over Golden State. Its last five losses, though, the Bulls have been outscored by an average of 21.8 points while scoring only 85.8 per game and they are easily the best play against team in the NBA this season with only five covers in 22 games. The Bulls are 1-8 ATS revenging a loss this season, losing by miserable 20.3 points per try.
The Bulls’ struggles have led to mounting pressure on coach Vinny Del Negro.
“We just have to keep playing hard,” Luol Deng said. “I don’t know what else to tell you.”
Part of the problem has been their struggles beyond the arc. They were 1 of 9 on Saturday and are shooting 29.5 percent overall from 3-point range - one of the worst in the NBA. John Salmons, who shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range in 2008-09, is shooting only 32.7 percent this season. He scored a season-low four points on Saturday, but did make 3 of 5 from beyond the arc and finished with 18 points against the Lakers last month.
After Tuesday, Chicago, who is 6-4 and 2-6-2 ATS on home court, has three more games on its season-long six-game homestand—two against teams with losing records.
Sportsbook.com has the Lakers as 10-point favorites with total of 193.5. L.A. is 27-14 ATS in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last three seasons and 15-3 UNDER off a road loss. The Bulls are 1-10 ATS after playing a game as an underdog and 8-1 UNDER versus good shooting teams making 46 percent or more of their shots this season.
This matchup can be seen coast to coast on WGN starting at 8:00 Eastern. The StatFox Power Line shows Lakers by 15
NBA: Will Orlando and Houston Profit at Home?2009-05-08Two NBA series are tied at a game a piece and will switch venues for Game 3 of the series. Both Orlando and Houston were surprising opening game winners and both were beaten rather decidedly, at least by the final score of the last contest. Both teams gave the thumbs up in earning a split and will play before the home folks looking to maintain edge they enjoyed by winning on the road. The third game of a series tends to be the most critical; this should be no different Friday night. Be sure to check the latest info for both contests by visiting the LIVE ODDS, BETTING TRENDS, and TEAM STATISTICS pages.
Boston at Orlando 7:00 E ESPN
Being an Orlando Magic fan or financial supporter is not easy these days, as it’s become fairly certain, what you are going to get from game to game is unnerving. Since April’s Fools Day appropriately enough, Orlando is 9-8 with a peeked 6-11 spread record. Apologists will talk about lack of incentive, but wouldn’t having home court advantage in this series been worth the fight?
The Philadelphia series was way more challenging than expected, with Orlando players either going thru the motions or more generous than Mickey Mouse handing out treats, as the Magic blew one lead after another.
Orlando has won two of last three games with Dwight Howard not making an offensive impact. He sat out last game in Sixers series due to suspension and has had 16 and 12 points versus a depleted Boston frontline. Howard is not known as a great ball-handler or typically inspired passer. In Game 2 he led the Magic with five turnovers and the only even remotely comfortable looking passes he made were to a teammate’s right in front of him.
Orlando is 34-10 and 24-20 ATS at the Amway Arena and 9-1 ATS on its home floor after a loss by 10 or more points. The Magic will have to bring the passion they lacked in last encounter, as assuredly Boston will bring be mentally ready just like they were in exact same circumstance in last series against Chicago, where they routed the Bulls 107-86 as four point underdogs.
Coach Stan Van Gundy by game time will have talked about the importance of controlling Rajon Rondo, who had triple-double. The Celtics are 12-2 ATS off a home win scoring 110 or more points this season and have vets like Paul Pierce and Ray Allen well-versed in dealing with these exact situations. Van Gundy might have rookie guard Courtney Lee back, who is recovering from a fractured sinus and the rest of the team should be more comfortable at home.
Orlando is a 4.5-point favorite according to Sportsbook.com, with total of 189. The Magic are 26-6 ATS off a road loss and 14-5 UNDER off consecutive road games. Boston is 15-4 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last two seasons and 12-3 UNDER in road games after a blowout win by 15 points or more.
The road team has covered four of last five meetings.
NBA: Betting on NBA Teams that Can Not Lose2009-03-09The term “must-win” is an overused and overrated angle in betting sports. For a team to face a “must-win scenario”, odds are they underperformed earlier, putting themselves in a difficult predicament. Well, with just over a month left in the NBA season, games will be picking up importance, especially for those teams hovering on the edge of playoffs or not. Three such teams are in action on Monday night. Take a look at these GAME MATCHUPS before hitting the confirm button on your wagers.
Three teams are looking to advance their position to start another week of NBA action and though the upside certainly has its advantages, the downside can work against these teams rather quickly if they aren’t careful. With the regular season conclusion just over five weeks away, this trio of professional basketball teams can not take anything for granted or their season could end up finishing the same day as the Los Angeles Clippers.
Over the weekend, the Chicago Bulls beat the Milwaukee Bucks to move into the eighth and final spot for the Eastern Conference. Chicago is two games clear in the loss column over Milwaukee, but has played three fewer games than their division rivals to the north, which could work for or against them, depending on how they play.
The Bulls (31-31-1 ATS) have made two major trades in the last two seasons to give themselves a chance to make the playoffs. The most important move wasn’t a trade; it was adding a rose to the roster, top pick Derrick Rose. The former Memphis star has not disappointed, ranking second among rookies with 16.6 points per game and first with 6.3 assists a contest. He has been a key component to the Bulls 7-1-1 ATS record against teams with winning records.
At 29-34, Da Bulls margin of error is thinner than shaved ham at the grocery store. This has been especially true on the road, with Chicago 10-23 (15-17-1 ATS) and losers of four straight (0-4 ATS). One or two slipups too many, and the Bulls could be chasing Milwaukee, New Jersey or even Charlotte for last playoff position.
Miami (33-29, 28-34 ATS) will play host to Chicago, off their loss at Cleveland. The Heat is one loss behind Atlanta for the all important fourth seed and first round home court advantage. Miami has been remarkably consistent, just not always in a good way. The Heat have not lost three or more in a row since the middle of December, however they have won three straight just once since 2009 became official. This could make them vulnerable to Detroit or Philadelphia, should they cluster a group of wins together and potentially tumble all the way to seventh slot in the East. The Heat has had their way with the Central Division with 10-4 ATS record.
Sportsbook.com has opened Miami as five-point favorites, with a total of 205. Sports bettors are best advised to look for factors other than angles to determine the winner on the side or total. The Heat have been boiled with 6-16 ATS record in home games off a road loss by 10 points or more and are 13-3 UNDER in a home game where the total is 200 to 209.5. Chicago on the other hand is 0-9 ATS in road games off a home win scoring 110 or more points, like they did against Milwaukee and are 13-4 OVER revenging a same season loss, which they suffered back on Feb. 12.
WGN will have the coverage starting at 7:30 Eastern.
The Portland Trailblazers are of course located in the Western Time Zone and can only dream about playing in the Eastern Conference. Portland has a 39-23 record (30-31-1 ATS) and would all but have the number four position locked up in the postseason, if they were in the other conference. Instead, they are in a group of four teams with 23 losses in the Western Conference and are only two games ahead of No. 8 Dallas, which for all intents and purposes, they would draw tonight’s opponent, the Lakers.
The Blazers have won seven of last 10 and are working on an 11-game winning streak (8-3 ATS) at the Rose Garden. "That's going to be a great test for us," Portland center Joel Przybilla said. "The Lakers will come in here ready. We've won a lot in a row at home. They're going to know that. That'll spark them. And you know how Kobe (Bryant) is. He's always looking for ways to get self-motivated."
The motivation shouldn’t be hard to find for Kobe and company, as they have lost six straight games in Portland, the last five as favorites of 4.5 or more points. The Blazers though, have been vengeful bunch at home. They lost at the Staples Center on Jan. 4 100-86 and are 8-0 ATS at home revenging a same season loss this year.
They are listed as two-point home underdogs and are 3-1 SU and ATS in that role this year. The Lakers will carry plenty of animosity and are 12-4 ATS versus teams outscoring opponents by three or more points a game.
This Western conflict starts at 10 Eastern and neither Portland, Chicago nor Miami can make too many mistakes the rest of the way.
StatFox Power Line – Miami by 1, Portland a Pick
NBA: Top Weekend Power Trends2008-12-26Following a huge day of five televised NBA showdowns on Christmas, the action remains brisk for the rest of the weekend, with 24 games spread out between Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Though football might be at the top of your wagering list at this time of year, there’s still plenty of value to be had in the pro hoops. Take a look at what’s on tap for this weekend, including this week’s Top StatFox Power Trends and a sample Best Bet from the Platinum Sheet.
On Friday, there are ten games to choose from, three of which are featuring teams that played in Thursday’s NBA buffet. The Hornets are back at home in a showdown with Houston. The host in the series has won three straight games by an average of 13.3 PPG. The Mavericks and Celtics continue road trips as well. Dallas visits Utah, where the Jazz boast a 10-4 SU & 8-6 ATS record as hosts. The Celtics travel up the coast from L.A. to the Bay Area to take on Golden State. The Warriors have been tough against the league’s top clubs, going 17-6 ATS at home in their L23 versus teams winning 75% or more of their games.
On Saturday, there are eight games, highlighted by a Western Conference dual between Utah and Houston. Both teams will be on back-to-back situations, with Utah going from home to road, and the Rockets coming home after Friday night’s game in New Orleans. In the East, suddenly hot Milwaukee squares off with Detroit at the Bradley Center. The Bucks are on a 5-1 stretch and boast the NBA’s second best spread covering record at 20-9 ATS. Elsewhere, the Hawks entertain the Bulls, and Atlanta has been anything but a gracious host this season, playing excellent basketball at home. Take a look at this excerpt from the StatFox Platinum Sheet NBA Best Bets:
P.S. Best Bet: Chicago at Atlanta - After a busy week in which the Hawks won five games in eight days, they will enjoy four full fays rest in preparation for this Saturday night affair vs. Chicago. As such, they will be back by a very successful StatFox Super Situation: Play On - Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (ATLANTA) - extremely well rested team - playing 5 or less games in 14 days, a good team (60% to 75%) playing a marginal losing team (40% to 49%). (48-20 since 1996.) (70.6%, +26 units. Rating = 2*). The Hawks ARE a good team, and I think their work before the holiday proved it. They have been tough as nails at home while the Bulls have been awful on the road, allowing 105+ PPG. Don’t be afraid to lay points with Atlanta at home, as hard as that sounds from years past. PLAY: Atlanta minus the points
On Sunday, the weekend gets wrapped up with six games, and the first one’s start time coincides exactly with the early afternoon kickoffs in the NFL, 1:05 PM ET. That matchup features Denver visiting New York, where HC George Karl’s team has won in two of its L3 trips. A bit later in the evening at 7:05 PM ET, Cleveland and Lebron James put their unbeaten home mark on the line when they host the Heat and Dwyane Wade in a battle of superstars. Later on that night on the west coast, Boston visits Sacramento, and Kobe’s Lakers host the Warriors.
Now, here’s a look at this weekend’s Top StatFox Power Trends to consider:
Friday, 12/26/2008
(501) CHICAGO vs. (502) MIAMI
MIAMI is 7-23 ATS (-18.3 Units) as a favorite over L2 seasons. The average score was MIAMI 96.2, OPPONENT 97.9 - (Rating = 3*)
(509) HOUSTON vs. (510) NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) at home revenging a same season loss vs opponent over L2 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 102.4, OPPONENT 87.1 - (Rating = 2*)
(509) HOUSTON vs. (510) NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS is 20-7 UNDER (+12.3 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent over L2 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 93.7, OPPONENT 90.1 - (Rating = 2*)
(511) OKLAHOMA CITY vs. (512) DETROIT
DETROIT is 19-6 UNDER (+12.4 Units) at home vs. good 3PT shooting teams (>=36%) over L2 seasons. The average score was DETROIT 94.4, OPPONENT 87 - (Rating = 2*)
(515) PHILADELPHIA vs. (516) DENVER
DENVER is 15-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) at home in non-conference games over L2 seasons. The average score was DENVER 113.6, OPPONENT 99.5 - (Rating = 2*)
(519) BOSTON vs. (520) GOLDEN STATE
BOSTON is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) vs. poor 3PT shooting teams (<=33%) over L2 seasons. The average score was BOSTON 102.6, OPPONENT 87.4 - (Rating = 2*)
Saturday, 12/27/2008
(707) ORLANDO vs. (708) MINNESOTA
ORLANDO is 27-11 ATS (+14.9 Units) vs. poor teams - outscored by 3+ points/game over L2 seasons. The average score was ORLANDO 103.8, OPPONENT 92.9 - (Rating = 2*)
(709) DETROIT vs. (710) MILWAUKEE
DETROIT is 22-5 UNDER (+16.5 Units) vs. good rebounding teams outrebounding foes by 3+ RPG over L2 years. The average score was DETROIT 91.4, OPPONENT 87.6 - (Rating = 3*)
(715) TORONTO vs. (716) PORTLAND
Nate McMillan is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) at home vs. bad teams (Win Pct. 25% to 40%) as coach of PORTLAND. The average score was McMillan 97.2, OPPONENT 95.2 - (Rating = 2*)
Sunday, 12/28/2008
(501) DENVER vs. (502) NEW YORK
DENVER is 11-1 OVER (+9.9 Units) as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points over L3 seasons. The average score was DENVER 114.8, OPPONENT 107.8 - (Rating = 2*)
(503) DALLAS vs. (504) LA CLIPPERS
LA CLIPPERS are 20-7 UNDER (+12.3 Units) at home vs. teams with a winning record over L2 seasons. The average score was LA CLIPPERS 88.6, OPPONENT 98.3 - (Rating = 2*)