NBA Betting Weekend Preview: Take a chance on Chauncey

Basketball / Nick Shiambouros / 21 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

Nick Shiambouros has been over the odds for this weekend's forthcoming matches and has spied an opportunity to take on the Lakers.

Two wins this week have got the Los Angeles Lakers back on track after they tasted defeat for the first time this season at the hands of the Detroit Pistons 106-95 last Friday.

Alan Iverson and his new Detroit team cruised to a very impressive victory at the Staples Center after leading by double-digit margin for most of the second half.

Kobe Bryant was the high scorer with 29 for the Lakers but, not for the first time, Pau Gasol did not pull his weight for his team. In last year's NBA finals against the Celtics he did not show up for the series and they paid the price. Gasol has a tendency to ball watch when things are not going to plan and clearing out to give the ball to Bryant to drive to the basket does not work against quality teams like Detroit.

The lakers now go to Denver in what should be a great match-up.

The Nuggets beat the San Antonio Spurs 91-81 on Wednesday to take their record to 8-4 but are actually 7-1 with new signing Chauncey Billups in the line-up. As previously reported, teams can get hot when they make a big signing and Denver is a team worth following in the short term.

With the short term in mind I will be taking the points and Denver on Friday night against the Lakers in a game I will be definitely staying up late to watch. Denver have won four games in a row and come in to this game oozing confidence. Billups and Carmello Anthony are both shooting the ball very well, but more importantly they are defending well and the addition of the former Pistons man is a huge factor as he is outstanding in this department.

Denver are a much improved team with Billups and I think the Lakers will struggle to give 8.5 points to the Nuggets in the handicap.

The Lakers have to play two games back-to-back after playing Phoenix on Thursday and their level has dropped slightly in the last couple of games meaning they could be vulnerable to a fresher and dangerous opponent like Denver.

On Saturday night, my cash will be on the Orlando Magic who host the Houston Rockets in Florida. I talked in-depth about the Magic in my previous article and they have already rewarded us with 103-90 thrashing of Toronto on Tuesday .I hope Dwight Howard and company can keep the run alive for supporters.

Also on Saturday night, the New Orleans Hornets should easily take care of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the town they call "The Big Easy". The Thunder have won only one game this season and as a result have the worst record in the NBA. This team were called the Seattle Supersonics until they were relocated to Oklahoma this year after failing to get a new arena .This is a typical example of a poorly managed franchise and team owner Clay Bennett must take his share of the blame for this team's demise.

I was lucky enough to attend a game at the Key Arena in Seattle and it was a delightful experience. The Thunder play at the Ford Center in Oklahoma which will probably be near empty by the end of the season if this team continues to play at this level.

New Orleans are currently in seventh place in the west and every game is a must win in this very competitive conference and are led by the hugely talented and all around nice guy Chris Paul.

Recommended wagers:

New Orleans, back with advertised handicap