Sunday NBA From The Bench

[The Judge]

3* - Indiana Pacers (+2)
Let?s get one thing straight, Indiana plays pretty damn good defense and Philly does not. Recent game against common opponents provides enough evidence to back up this statement. In the last three weeks, San Antonio scored 92 points on the Pacers and 103 0n the Sixers, Indy held the Bucks to 77 points while they dropped 111 on Philly, Washington scored 20 fewer points on the Pacers (93) than they did on the Sixers (113). Philadelphia is allowing 101. 4 points at home this season while Indiana is giving up only 94.1 points per game on the road and in each teams last five games, The Sixers? opponents have scored 106.2 while the teams facing the Pacers have scored only 97.6 points over that span.

I?ll take the Pacers to rebound today after losing a game on Friday night by one point to a resurgent Boston team that has been playing very well lately.

 

[USCMD]

right side again....

nice call judge

 

[The Judge]

Adding . . . . . .

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3* - Boston Celtics (+2?)
Paul Pierce had 31 points in Boston's 99-98 win over Indiana on Friday and he has now scored at least 30 in 10 of his last 11 games. Talk about a hot hand, in February Pierce set a Celtics record by averaging 33.5 points per game. Not a good sign for the Raptors who are allowing 104.3 points during their six game losing streak, and have allowed an average of 117.7 points in their last three home losses.

Four of Toronto?s starters are all averaging more than 42 minutes a game over the last week as their bench play has been has been almost nonexistent and Mitchell has been very reluctant to even put the subs in the game. The Raptor bench did not score a single point in the first half of a losing effort against New Jersey last night and the same players were shutout in the second half of a game last week in Dallas. The fatigue has shown on this team as they have faded in late in games. Last night they were up ten points on the Nets with six minutes left in regulation only to go scoreless from the field the rest of the way. In their third overtime game in their last six, the Raptors shot just 1-7 on their way to a 105-100 loss before heading home for this evening?s game.

I?ll take the points with the team that is playing as a unit and with confidence over the tired team in the midst of a losing streak.