NBA Betting Preview: Orlando can tame Bobcats

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 20 February 2009 / 1 Comments

Nick Shiambouros reckons the Lakers have the strongest bench in basketball and that's why he's backing them at short odds to win the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Orlando look to bounce back and big signing causes disruption in the desert.

The Los Angeles Lakers sent a strong message to the rest of the league this week with two huge efforts on consecutive nights.

On Tuesday, the Lakers thrashed the Atlanta Hawks 96-83 in a dominant effort at the Staples Center. This game was over in the third quarter and the scary thing is that Kobe Bryant only scored 10 points. The following evening, LA came from behind to beat the Golden State Warriors 129-121 in a very entertaining affair in Oakland.

The Laker bench was on fire with Trevor Ariza shooting an amazing 7-12. This team has the strongest bench in basketball and this is a huge advantage when the starting five are not firing. I don't often take very short odds but [1.72] for LA to win the Western Conference looks very big at the moment.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers made an excellent start after the All-Star break handing out a 93-76 spanking to Toronto. Cleveland are just 1.5 games behind Boston who started a long road trip on the West coast on Thursday night against Utah. In this game the Celtics suffered their first defeat on the road in nine games, losing a thrilling match 90-85. It wasn't the start Boston wanted but the Jazz deserved the victory.

The Orlando Magic will be looking to bounce back to form this weekend after New Orleans humiliated them 117-85 on Wednesday night. The Magic travel to Charlotte on Friday night and I really like their chances with the handicap. Dwight Howard is rapidly maturing as the leader of this talented team and they should have too many weapons for the Bobcats.

These two teams met on Tuesday and the Magic beat them in overtime 107-102. Howard certainly appears to have this team's number as he scored an amazing 45 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocked shots in an exciting game. Orlando have to keep in touch with Cleveland so this is a very important game for them.

The game of the week takes place on Sunday when the Phoenix Suns host the Boston Celtics in a nationally televised game in the desert. The Suns fired coach Terry Porter just after the All-Star break and immediately replaced him with assistant Alvin Gentry. Porter tried to change the up tempo style of the Suns to more of a half court game and he failed miserably.

The Suns' change in style was designed to accommodate Shaquille O'Neal but all it did was alienate Amare Stoudemire who averages over 20 points per game. The team is in a complete mess at the moment. I would not get too exited about the Suns defeating the Clippers 140-100 late on Thursday as they have one of the worst records in the NBA.

I think Boston will take care of Phoenix on Sunday with the handicap. Kevin Garnett and co will try to slow the game down and this tactic should reap dividends.

The Suns general manager Steve Kerr has to take full responsibility for the fiasco in Phoenix . He has taken a team that competes for the championship every year and turned them into a struggling franchise in less than a season. It was Kerr who signed O'Neal and you can't change a whole team for one player no matter who they are. If the Suns don't make the play-offs this year then I think Kerr will be out.

Recommendations:

Friday, back Orlando with advertised handicap
Sunday, back Boston with advertised handicap
NBA Western Conference, back Los Angeles at [1.72]

Comments (1)

1. Clint. | 21 February 2009

   Hi Nick,

   While I completely agree that the LA Lakers are the team to beat in the western conference of the NBA this season, suggesting 3 months and 40 games out that 1.72 for a team to win the western conference is a tough sell.

   I think they are clear favorites to win the conference, but 1.72 is taking 1.20 for them to win each of the 3 series in the playoffs that are required to win the conference.

   Value?