Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 30 October 2009 / Leave a comment

After a terrible start to the season, Nick Shiambouros is concerned about LeBron and co. Can they show the league that they mean business against the Charlotte Bobcats this weekend?

"It's way too early to suggest there is a crisis developing but Cleveland do look a little one dimensional when LeBron James is not on the floor."

The Boston Celtics made a spectacular start to the season on opening night, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 95-89 in Ohio.

The Celtics team dominated the Cavaliers in almost every department and thoroughly deserved the win. Kevin Garnett looked very much like his old self after his recent surgery and this spells trouble for every team in the Eastern Conference.

Boston followed up the win with a 92-59 demolition of the Charlotte Bobcats at home on Wednesday evening. This was way too easy for the Celtics against this poor Charlotte team but even at this stage of the season they look a danger to all.
　
On the other side of the coin the Cavaliers could not have had a worse start to the season. The Toronto Raptors handed them a 101-91 loss on Wednesday. Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani scored 49 points between them to send the Cavaliers to 0-2 for the season. It is way to early too suggest there is a crisis developing but they do look a little one dimensional when LeBron James is not on the floor. This is a long season and at some point I think Cleveland will go shopping for a bench player to help out.
　
Over in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 99-92 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers and they will be major players in the Western Conference once again. Rookie Blake Griffin did not make his debut for the Clippers and will miss at least six weeks with a broken kneecap. This spells disaster for this team and once again they are likely to struggle all year.

This weekend there are a host of games in the NBA, including a couple of intriguing match-ups. On Saturday the Cleveland Cavaliers face a poor Charlotte Bobcat team at home and I am looking for a big effort from Cleveland. I think this is the perfect opportunity to show the rest of the league that they are far from finished.

This is the ideal game for LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal to connect as partners and run up the score against a moderate Charlotte franchise. My money will be on Cleveland with the handicap and I am expecting a very big effort.
　
On Sunday, the Orlando Magic visit Chris Bosh and the Toronto Raptors in a very interesting affair in Canada. I consider Bosh is one of the most gifted players in the NBA and one of the few who can control and dominate a game. This Toronto team does have an outside chance of making the play-offs and have started the season well.

The Orlando Magic have also started the season well and Vince Carter was a good addition in the Summer. The Magic traded Hedo Turkoglu to Toronto at the end of the year and he will be anxious to teach his old team a lesson.

This promises to be a very entertaining affair and it has added spice with Turkoglu playing against his old club. Toronto could cause the upset and I will be having a small bet in the outright market. There are usually plenty of upsets early on in the season and the Raptors could easily provide one.
　
　
Recommended Bets:

Saturday back Cleveland with advertised handicap
Sunday back Toronto in the outright market.

Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, NBA Basketball betting, NBA odds, Nick Shiambouros, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors