Bet on Basketball

The Miami Heat are hosting the Phoenix Suns tonight after they beat Toronto at home two nights ago, executing fairly good team defense and efficient play by Dwayne Wade in offense. Having conceded only 77 points, the Heat showed the crowd how drastically they can lower conceded points in a game. However, Phoenix are the best scorers in the league at the moment, and their offensive strength may not be affected by the Heat defense despite dominance of Mourning and Haslem in the paint. Phoenix guards Steve Nash and Leandro Barbosa are in form, resulting in an 11 game winning streak for the Suns after a bad start to the season. Tonight, the away team may want to force the game in the defense too, so a hard fight likely. Miami, with the home court advantage, will put up a good fight. Miami +10 is the pick for 4 units.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are changing their route from Chicago to San Antonio for a challenge with the Spurs. Manu Ginobili’s effective return to the Spurs seemed to pick up the whole team, and their confidence is full after good performances by bench players Brant Barry and Bruce Bowen. On the other side of the court, the Timberwolves were raised on the hands of Kevin Garnett, about whom trade rumors were spread widely around the league. With effective leadership of KG, Minnesota spent the last week in good condition, having three wins including one against the Bulls two nights ago. The scoring performance of the team is a lot better now, and they would like to force San Antonio to struggle on the board penetrating into the lane. The Spurs would like to prove how good they are, so a high scoring match can be expected. Over 182.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Dallas Mavericks are returning home after they were smashed by the Jazz in Salt Lake City two nights ago, scoring only 79 points. Inefficiency of Dallas’ offense was due to careful defensive play by the Jazz, along with outstanding performances by Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko in the lane. They are challing the Los Angeles Lakers tonight after Kobe led his team to a win against the Rockets despite his ordinary performance, shooting 8/26 from the floor. Kobe Bryant would like to pick up a victory against the Mavs. However, the Mavs are a well organized team now, and they will definitely take measures to stop not only #24 but also Lamar Odom and shooting guards of the visiting team. A high scoring game is expected. Over 195.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Seattle Supersonics are traveling to Milwaukee to challenge the Bucks after a victory over Golden State at home two nights ago. The Supersonics’ flashing return to high scoring games were mainly due to efforts by Ray Allen, but his teammates executed fairly qualitative offensive work in the game, attacking the Golden State paint at every opportunity. On the other side of the court, Milwaukee would like to get a win over a moderate opponent to keep their chances of qualifying for playoffs alive.  For tonight’s game, total scoring of both teams is not likely to be restricted, so Over 206 is the pick for 4 units.

The Houston Rockets are hosting the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at Toyota Center after they beat the Wizards in a high scoring game. However, the Rockets’ high shooting percentage and effect of Yao Ming in the lane brought about such a result and shocked the Wizards fans expecting their team to return to the capital with a win. The Lakers made their way to a valuable win over San Antonio, when Kobe Bryant returned to the court with 34 points, playing like a leader in the game. The #24’s striking performance is likely to continue tonight, and the Lakers do have considerable chance for a win provided the other role players step up in the defense. Tracy McGrady is waiting for Kobe Bryant, and this challenge may result in a loss for the home team. The pick for 3 units is Los Angeles Lakers +2.

The Golden State Warriors are changing their route from Seattle to Sacramento for a challenge with the Kings, who beat the Hawks at Arco Arena on Sunday night, having an offensive dominance in the game. Mike Bibby and young superstar Kevin Martin, with help from their team mates, picked up a victory against a slipping team. The Warriors, too, scored very well in their last match against Seattle, but that was not enough for them to return home with a win in their pockets. Tonight, the Warriors are expected to try to take more defensive measures to prevent the Kings from sending the ball to their basket with ease. This doesn’t seem likely, so Over 214.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Phoenix Suns are turning their route from Charlotte to Orlando tonight for a challenge with the Magic, after beating the Bobcats by 30 points, struggling only in the first period of the game. The Suns are one of the best scoring teams in the league, and Amare Stoudamire is getting hotter every day. Not only do Phoenix score, but they are also impressive in defense. Tonight, a great match up is expected when Dwight Howard defends Shawn Marion. Orlando would like to continue their defensive strength over Philadelphia two nights ago, and they are likely to keep the total score of the game under what is expected. Therefore Under 210 is the pick for this game for 4 units.

The New Jersey Nets are hosting the Memphis Grizzlies tonight after a loss to Boston, their biggest rival in the division, two nights ago. The Nets are having scoring difficulties at the moment, with no single player standing out. With a low field goal percentage, New Jersey is not likely to score much tonight against a fairly good team in defense. The Grizzlies were beaten by Los Angeles at home when they failed to score more than 82 points, but not conceding more than 89 points. The biggest drawback of the Grizzlies is apparently the lack of Pau Gasol, the Spanish superstar, and if they close the lane to the Nets, they have a huge advantage. This game looks to have low scoring written all over it, so Under 187 is the pick for 4 units.

The Dallas Mavericks are traveling to Utah to challenge the Jazz tonight after the latter’s unexpected loss to Minnesota in a game Kevin Garnett exploded to lead his team to the win at home, relieving trade speculations about himself. On Friday night, it was clear that the Jazz defense did not show up, with Carlos Boozer struggling against Garnett even with steady performances from Mehmet Okur and Math Harpring. On the other side of the court, the Mavericks had a good game against one of the best scoring teams in the league, not allowing Denver to score more than 90 points. Carmelo Anthony’s slipping form also affected the Nuggets score, but Dallas is on a roll now, with shining Josh Howard. For tonight’s game, it can be expected that the Jazz defense is going to bounce back slightly, but Dirk Nowitzki’s performance is going to determine the flow of the game. Maintaining a steady scoring level, the Mavs have a considerable chance to get a win from Utah. Over 195 is the pick for 4 units, considering the scoring potential of both teams.

The Portland Trail Blazers are traveling to Toronto for a match up with the Raptors after they lost to the Pacers at home two nights ago. In a game where the winner was decided in the final seconds, the Trail Blazers worked as a team to force the Pacers into turnovers, especially with Zach Randolph’s effort in the lane. On the other side of the court, Toronto was beaten by a hot Chicago team by only three points. The Raptors executed fairly good team defense, and they are likely to continue this trend tonight. The pick for this Portland – Toronto match up is Portland +9 for 4 units.

The Seattle Supersonics are hosting the Golden State Warriors tonight after the latter’s valuable victory over New Orleans/Oklahoma Hornets last night. The Supersonics beat the Hornets a day earlier, too, with much better gameplay than the Warriors implemented.  However Seattle suffers from scoring problems nowadays, having excessive turnovers to turn the match into a mess. Tonight, the Warriors’ defensive strength is likely to determine the result of the game. Expected as an ordinary game, the pick is Under 209.5 for 4 units.

The Atlanta Hawks are turning their route from Los Angeles to Sacramento to challenge the Kings in Arco Arena, having lost to Los Angeles on Friday night. Whenever the Hawks concede 100+ points, they have difficulty in dealing with the situation since they do not have key players who can score 40 to pick up the slack. Joe Johnson remains solid, but that is not enough for Atlanta playing against quality teams away from home. In tonight’s game, Sacramento’s scoring problem may become a factor again.  Lacking Ron Artest will eventually affect the Kings at home, but in a fighting game, the pick is Under 195.5 for 4 units.

The Houston Rockets are turning their route from Charlotte to Washington tonight after they smashed the Bobcats by 92-62, conceding the least points this season thus far. Using Yao Ming in the lane effectively converts the Rockets into a special team. On the other side of the court, the Wizards beat Philadelphia, who are not in good condition despite recovering efforts by superstar Allen Iverson. Tonight, it is clear that Gilbert Arenas will be forced to take hard shots behind the hands of the Rockets’ team. Under 192 is the pick for this match for 4 units.

Indiana Pacers are traveling to LeBron’s territory for a match up with the Cavaliers tonight after they won against the Trail Blazers in a game pretty much void of defense. The Pacers easily reached 100 points, but also let the Trail Blazers score close to them, allowing easy baskets. Cleveland, after a long break, is returning to the court with the hopes of winning tonight’s game. Expecting a fruitful game for the away team, Indiana +7.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Dallas Mavericks are waiting for the Denver Nuggets at home after they lost a valuable game against Detroit two nights ago, when they managed to score only 82 points while they allowed the Pistons’ guards to penetrate into their lane. The eratic form of German superstar Dirk Nowitzki seems to be a key factor in the teams performance. Denver, however, are sitting on a firing stone, and as they showed up with 123 points last night against Miami, they would like to steal a win from the Mavs. They can do this with sufficient effort by Carmelo Anthony, but they had better find a way to decrease the number of points they concede in a game. This team does have an advantage in the United Airlines Center, so a close game with Denver +7.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Detroit Pistons are traveling to Orlando tonight to meet with the Magic after a remarkable victory over Dallas, continuing their winning trend. The Detroit/Dallas game was low scoring, with the Pistons stopping the Dallas main game players. On the other hand, the Magic are doing it tough in defense at the moment despite great efforts by Dwight Howard, a promising nominee for the most valuable player of the year. The Magic lost to Indiana by 14 points 2 days ago, lacking the ability to score and this is likely to continue against a tired but strong team.  This game seems to be a close one, so Detroit +4.5 handicap is the pick for 4 units.

The Indiana Pacers are returning home after a valuable win against the Magic two nights ago, and they look to get an easy win over the Portland Trail Blazers to continue their winning streak. Having been able to force Orlando to take uncomfortable shots on Wednesday night, the Pacers indicated they can step up in all areas of defense when motivated to do so. On the other side of the court is a team with pretty much only one genuine player: Zach Randolph. Portland, against a moderate defensive team like Milwaukee, were able to score 94 points including the overtime period, with signs of having difficulty sending the ball to the opposite basket. They must twice as hard as they did against the Bucks since Indiana defense is not a child’s toy. The pick for this game is Under 188.5 for 4 units.

The Los Angeles Clippers are leaving home for San Antonio to challenge the Spurs, who beat Charlotte in an away game two nights ago after showing excellent team defense, led by Tim Duncan, the great power forward in the league. Solid defense means stopping the opponent’s players on the court legally, and the Spurs are probably the best for that. However, the Clippers maintain good morale after beating Miami on Tuesday night in a come from behind victory. Elton Brand and Chris Kaman are helping each other in the lane, so it may be somewhat difficult for the San Antonio guards to penetrate into the paint of the Clippers. Also, the away team does have one of the best guards in the league. Livingston is a top shelf player, but he may take some responsibility to lead his team against Tony Parker’s play making role in the Spurs. The Clippers must force the game until the dead minutes, so Los Angeles +8.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Phoenix Suns are traveling to the East, visiting New Jersey for a match up with the Nets after they beat the Kings in Arco Arena two nights ago. Scoring is what the Suns do the best in the league, and after Amare Stoudamire’s return from injury, they became a harder team in the paint, so they can defend some “soft” guards with ease. With Steve Nash’s leadership and Shawn Marion’s aggressiveness in the power forward position, the Suns would like to return home with a win against the Nets, who lost to Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night scoring only 75 points. Jason Kidd has slipping form nowadays, and Vince Carter cannot help but concede points. Expected as a hard fight between two victory-seeking teams, the pick for this match is Under 209.5 points for 5 units.

In today’s dogfight, the Mavericks and the Pistons are meeting in a blockbuster. The home team, Dallas Mavericks, have won 14 of their last 15 matches, having lost to Gilbert Arenas’ Washington Wizards three nights ago, ending twelve straight wins. They last managed to beat the Nets at home after careful gameplay. On the other side of the court, the Detroit Pistons are looking for a win after a surprising loss to the Trailblazers in the Palace, when they were able to score only 85 points. Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton constitute one of the best guard couples in the NBA, but that may not be enough to carry the team to the win against opponents with high scoring potential. Tonight, defensive strengths of these two teams are going to be evaluated again, and a hard match up between Rasheed Wallace and Dirk Nowitzki will be paramount. Under 191 is the pick for this match for 4 units.

Miami Heat are turning their route from Los Angeles to Sacramento’s Arco Arena to challenge the Kings after they lost to the Clippers at the Staples Center in a tight game. Missing Shaq, the Heat try to recover by Alonso Mourning’s shot blocking efforts, but it is apparent that a dominant player is really needed for this team to have wide open shots for Dwayne Wade and the others, especially when playing against teams that can dominate the paint. The Kings, after a loss to Phoenix, would like to come back with strict defense and stable offense. Ron Artest’s injury affects this team dramatically when they are fighting to win games. The Heat are one of them, and the home team’s plans to triumph may be very tough. Tonight’s game is going to be a close one, so Miami +5.5 handicap is the pick for 4 units.

Orlando Magic are returning home for a match up with the Indiana Pacers after they stole a win from Sacramento two nights ago. Having Dwight Howard fully fit in the paint, the Magic are a good defensive team, but they sometimes suffer from inefficiency in scoring. On the other hand they tend to stop their opponent before conceding baskets in such cases. The Pacers look for a win to prove that they are still aiming for the playoffs, and Orlando would be the best team to perform their gameplay on. They slow down the tempo, causing the opponent guards to be stuck in the paint after screens, and find comfortable positions for Jermaine O’Neal to go for the basket. This game seems to be a very defensive one, so Under 187.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hosting the Toronto Raptors tonight having suffered an exhaustive loss against the Rockets in Houston three nights ago. When nobody but LeBron is on the court for the Cavs, it becomes very tough for them to win. The other players need to take responsibility in defense, and preventing opponent guards from penetrating into their paint. Ilgauskas, being an experienced center, must step up with Drew Gooden not only in defense but also in attack. The Raptors are a fairly good offensive team, and they can take some defensive measures as well. Toronto would seek for a win, but this will be somewhat challenging at Cavs’ home. Toronto +8.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Atlanta Hawks are changing their route from Seattle to Denver after yesterday’s loss over the Supersonics. The Hawks, always being an offensive team, were not able to put the ball into the basket with fairly low shooting percentage, only some of which was caused by the Sonics defense. Joe Johnson continues his steady condition, but Josh Smith must do better in offense so that the Hawks reach 100 points. When they are able to do this, their chances of winning increases rapidly since they can keep their opponent under 100 points often. However, the Nuggets are on a good roll now and Carmelo Anthony seeks for a team whose paint is a comfortable place to score from. Denver do have Marcus Camby in the lane, so the Hawks’ plans to score high may deflect again. Nonetheless, a close game is expected for Atlanta’s last chance to win away before returning home. Atlanta +11 is the pick for 3 units.

The Portland Trail Blazers are traveling to Detroit for a match up with the Pistons after they were hit by Atlanta two nights ago at home. Having difficulty reaching 100 points, even against soft defensive teams, the Trail Blazers hardly seem to have a chance when they challenge one of the best defensive teams in the league, the Pistons, due to the latter’s great performance in their last few matches. Detroit knows how to implement great defense, and they will seek for an easy win tonight. Expected as a comfortable game for the home team, Under 193.5 is the pick for this game for 4 Units.

The Seattle Supersonics are meeting the Atlanta Hawks for their second consecutive home game after a close loss at the hands of Utah two nights ago. Ray Allen’s efforts really make this team a better one, but they do not show up when time comes to defending their own basket. They rarely concede less than 100 points in a game due to their confidence that they will score 100+ points in every game. However, this may be erroneous if they are in a match up with other high scoring teams. The Hawks, having beaten Portland on Sunday night, are looking forward to stealing another win from the West coast, and they know they have to score well in order to get a victory. Their defensive capability is slightly better than the Sonics, but this game is likely to be an offensive game with both teams not struggling to penetrate into the other’s paint. Over 201.5 is the pick for 4 units.

The Los Angeles Clippers are hosting the Miami Heat for their second win in a row after they smashed Orlando Magic two nights ago, who were on an outstanding roll before that game. When Elton Brand works hard in the paint, it is very tough to beat the Clippers at home. Their opponent, the Miami Heat, is returning from a 3-day rest after beating Memphis with careful gameplay in defense, and they would like to return home with another win in their pockets. However, this game is going to be very hard for Miami guards Dwayne Wade and Jason Williams since they might get blocked whenever they attempt to use Clippers’ paint in the game. Two towers of the home team Elton Brand and Chris Kaman will be waiting for the Heat to be trapped in the paint, and having fastbreaks after Heat turnovers. In a tactical game, the Clippers have advantage, thus Clippers –6.5 is the pick for 3 units.

Hi everyone. Before I get to today’s picks, I just wanted to write a quick message… As many of you here realize, I have been providing quality NBA picks and analysis since the beginning of the season, and things are going really well. Our profit has been skyrocketing, and now that the season is in full swing, I am able to really analyze each game based on trends to date and other factors. Judging by the number of emails I’m receiving, many of you are turning my picks into profits, which is great news!

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Well that’s about it really. At the moment, I’d really appreciate any links back to this site that you can sort out. It really will make the difference between me being able to continue this service and having to stop it. Please email me if you have any questions etc… damon@basketballn.com

Here are today’s picks for you:

The Memphis Grizzlies are traveling to New York to challenge the Knicks tonight after a three day long break for the entire team, a preparation period before their visit to East. The latter team lost against Detroit and Toronto both with high scores, and forced the game until the last minutes of play in the fourth quarter. However, defensive weakness of this team becomes visible when they challenge teams with scoring ability. Tonight, that will be harder for the home team to score well against a good defensive team even though they currently do not have their biggest superstar, Pau Gasol. The Grizzlies’ aim is to win this game by stopping easy baskets in the paint. The pick for this game is Under 195 for 4 units.

The San Antonio Spurs are hosting the Golden State Warriors tonight, two days after they beat Sacramento at Arco Arena with excellent defensive play after a poor loss to the Mavericks the previous night. The Spurs, even though lack of Ginobili affects the offensive creativity of the team, are doing very well in the half court when they are defending their basket. The strength of their opponent does not seem to matter as they go for a stable rhythm in their games; get Duncan into the paint and use him effectively. On the other side of the court are the Warriors, and having lost to Milwaukee two nights ago would like to push for a win. They tend to score well, but in defense they cannot be expected to stop the San Antonio crew. The home team does have a huge advantage, but this will probably not result in dramatic difference in the game score. Therefore the pick is Golden State +8.5 for 4 units

The Milwaukee Bucks are off to Utah for their next match, to challenge the Jazz after a victory over Golden State on Saturday night. Having been able to score as many as 115 points, they left no chance for the home team to come back when the final countdown began. Utah Jazz, after a flashing start to the season, seems to be lazier on the court, but this doesn’t mean that they will lose games against opponents that score well. The Jazz ruled out Seattle, a similar team to the Bucks, two nights ago when they managed to score 109 points, two more than their opponent. They can do the same job tonight, if only because of the home crowd advantage. A high scoring game can be expected considering the offensive desire of the Bucks, but their chances of winning this match is really limited. The pick is Over 207.5 for 4 units.