Valuable NBA tips
Simon Goldbrick 2/15/2002 10:57:07 AM
Before moving into the second half of the 2001-02 season, let's quickly recap the events of the 51st annual NBA All-Star weekend.
The Western Conference continued its dominance over the Eastern side by posting a 135-120 victory at First Union Center in Philadelphia.
Easily covering the spread as the favorite, the Western Conference showed its talent by jumping out to a quick lead before coasting to victory. The 'total' was a closer play and it depends upon when and where you got your number, as to whether you cashed in or not.
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant, overcome by a deafening roar of jeers, took home MVP honors. Kobe netted 31 points in front of his hometown fans, who seemed more focused on his champion Lakers' jersey than the fact he was born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love.
Other notables from the weekend include: Sacramento's Peja Stojakovic winning the three-point shootout and Golden State's Jason Richardson taking home the slam dunk crown.
With the second half of the NBA season underway, it's time to make note of a few trends and situations we will be looking for when sizing up each evening's card.
The 'dog days' of the NBA can prove to be profitable if you know which games to look at and which ones to pass on.
Remember, sometimes your best bet is the one you don't make!
So, stay away from teams you may have emotional ties to, and avoid teams that don't give you at least a consistent effort each and every night. While there are countless numbers of trends, systems etc., we would rather keep it as simple as possible.
If you can narrow down the card right off the top, eliminating the so-called 'bad games', you can give yourself a quick advantage.
Keep in mind your book has to make a guess at every game, where as you can narrow it down and purely focus on the games that appear to have some 'value'. By doing this, you are already on your way to making more solid selections.
Let's start by talking about the team holding the league's best ATS record. Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards posted a remarkable 28-17-2 ATS mark in the first half. They were almost automatic at home versus the so-so Eastern Conference teams.
Washington starts the second half on a four-game West Coast trip. You can expect the Wizards' success to be slowed somewhat when battling the giants of the west. In the conference where bigger power forwards loom, MJ will find himself in for some tough defensive nights.
We are not doubting Jordan's talent or heart, but it may be the right time to wait and see how the young guns and old guy fair against the talent-laden Western Conference.
The club with the second-best ATS record is the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has been on fire since Day 1. Holding the league's best road record (16-7-1 ATS), the Mavs have been a solid play as small road favorites.
The Mavericks are 17-9 as a favorite of 1 to 7.5 points. Oh yeah, and if by chance the Mavs are ever an underdog of five or more points, you may want to bet on them, as they're a perfect 5-0.
It's hard to talk about the Mavericks' season without at least mentioning the 'total' play. Dallas has been scoring points in buckets, averaging 104.9 points per contest. The 'over' is a whopping 34-14 in Dallas games this season, and it seems as if the books are finally going to adjust accordingly.
Four times in the Mavs' last five games, the 'total' has closed higher than 208. These games marked the first time this season the posted closing 'total' has climbed that high and in those four games the 'over' was just 2-2. It is only a matter of time before the lines are adjusted and this trend starts to even out. It sure was great while it lasted.
We all know the L.A. Lakers can crank it up and put a trouncing on just about anyone who stands in their way. However, it still may be a little early in the season to jump on the Lakers train. Last season following the break, the Lakers came out somewhat flat, going a mediocre 12-14-1 ATS.
It wasn't until the first week of April that the Lakers decided to turn it on, finishing the season 20-4 ATS.
Of course the 'big' question this season will how Shaq's arthritic toe holds out. Although the Lakers have proven they can win without the big man, it is obviously beneficial to the team when he is healthy. Despite the ups and downs of the first half for the defending champs, the Lakers still hold the No. 7 slot in the league's ATS standings, sitting at 25-21.
Although we won't talk about every team in the NBA, there are a couple of franchises and situations we think are worth mentioning.
Philadelphia: The injury plagued Sixers desperately try to claw their way back to the NBA final. Watch out for these guys in tough conference games down the stretch. Iverson has the ability to carry this team on his back, and no doubt he will do just that in the second half.
Miami: While their slow start may have quashed any hopes of a playoff spot, Miami has turned up the Heat as of late. Going 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games heading into the break, 'Zo' and the Heat haven't mailed it in just yet. Although the playoff hopes are slim, some value can still be found in Miami lines.
Utah: With the Winter Olympics being played in their backyard, the Jazz continue on a road trip that has them away from home for 28 days. Keep an eye on the Jazz during this stretch. This trip could prove devastating to the Jazz should they hit a bump in the road.
San Antonio and Minnesota: What happened to these teams? After starting the season like a house on fire, the Spurs and 'Wolves fell into a funk in the weeks leading up to the break. Both sides are proving very vulnerable on the road.
Cleveland: Yes, Cleveland. The Cavs have actually proven to be a solid play at home versus sub .500 teams. Cleveland is 11-2 ATS to date in this spot.
So, with these points in mind, we hope you enjoy an exciting and profitable second half.
Keep in mind the fact discipline and money management are key variables to any bankroll. Play smart and good luck.
Simon Goldbrick 2/15/2002 10:57:07 AM
Before moving into the second half of the 2001-02 season, let's quickly recap the events of the 51st annual NBA All-Star weekend.
The Western Conference continued its dominance over the Eastern side by posting a 135-120 victory at First Union Center in Philadelphia.
Easily covering the spread as the favorite, the Western Conference showed its talent by jumping out to a quick lead before coasting to victory. The 'total' was a closer play and it depends upon when and where you got your number, as to whether you cashed in or not.
The Lakers' Kobe Bryant, overcome by a deafening roar of jeers, took home MVP honors. Kobe netted 31 points in front of his hometown fans, who seemed more focused on his champion Lakers' jersey than the fact he was born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love.
Other notables from the weekend include: Sacramento's Peja Stojakovic winning the three-point shootout and Golden State's Jason Richardson taking home the slam dunk crown.
With the second half of the NBA season underway, it's time to make note of a few trends and situations we will be looking for when sizing up each evening's card.
The 'dog days' of the NBA can prove to be profitable if you know which games to look at and which ones to pass on.
Remember, sometimes your best bet is the one you don't make!
So, stay away from teams you may have emotional ties to, and avoid teams that don't give you at least a consistent effort each and every night. While there are countless numbers of trends, systems etc., we would rather keep it as simple as possible.
If you can narrow down the card right off the top, eliminating the so-called 'bad games', you can give yourself a quick advantage.
Keep in mind your book has to make a guess at every game, where as you can narrow it down and purely focus on the games that appear to have some 'value'. By doing this, you are already on your way to making more solid selections.
Let's start by talking about the team holding the league's best ATS record. Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards posted a remarkable 28-17-2 ATS mark in the first half. They were almost automatic at home versus the so-so Eastern Conference teams.
Washington starts the second half on a four-game West Coast trip. You can expect the Wizards' success to be slowed somewhat when battling the giants of the west. In the conference where bigger power forwards loom, MJ will find himself in for some tough defensive nights.
We are not doubting Jordan's talent or heart, but it may be the right time to wait and see how the young guns and old guy fair against the talent-laden Western Conference.
The club with the second-best ATS record is the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has been on fire since Day 1. Holding the league's best road record (16-7-1 ATS), the Mavs have been a solid play as small road favorites.
The Mavericks are 17-9 as a favorite of 1 to 7.5 points. Oh yeah, and if by chance the Mavs are ever an underdog of five or more points, you may want to bet on them, as they're a perfect 5-0.
It's hard to talk about the Mavericks' season without at least mentioning the 'total' play. Dallas has been scoring points in buckets, averaging 104.9 points per contest. The 'over' is a whopping 34-14 in Dallas games this season, and it seems as if the books are finally going to adjust accordingly.
Four times in the Mavs' last five games, the 'total' has closed higher than 208. These games marked the first time this season the posted closing 'total' has climbed that high and in those four games the 'over' was just 2-2. It is only a matter of time before the lines are adjusted and this trend starts to even out. It sure was great while it lasted.
We all know the L.A. Lakers can crank it up and put a trouncing on just about anyone who stands in their way. However, it still may be a little early in the season to jump on the Lakers train. Last season following the break, the Lakers came out somewhat flat, going a mediocre 12-14-1 ATS.
It wasn't until the first week of April that the Lakers decided to turn it on, finishing the season 20-4 ATS.
Of course the 'big' question this season will how Shaq's arthritic toe holds out. Although the Lakers have proven they can win without the big man, it is obviously beneficial to the team when he is healthy. Despite the ups and downs of the first half for the defending champs, the Lakers still hold the No. 7 slot in the league's ATS standings, sitting at 25-21.
Although we won't talk about every team in the NBA, there are a couple of franchises and situations we think are worth mentioning.
Philadelphia: The injury plagued Sixers desperately try to claw their way back to the NBA final. Watch out for these guys in tough conference games down the stretch. Iverson has the ability to carry this team on his back, and no doubt he will do just that in the second half.
Miami: While their slow start may have quashed any hopes of a playoff spot, Miami has turned up the Heat as of late. Going 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games heading into the break, 'Zo' and the Heat haven't mailed it in just yet. Although the playoff hopes are slim, some value can still be found in Miami lines.
Utah: With the Winter Olympics being played in their backyard, the Jazz continue on a road trip that has them away from home for 28 days. Keep an eye on the Jazz during this stretch. This trip could prove devastating to the Jazz should they hit a bump in the road.
San Antonio and Minnesota: What happened to these teams? After starting the season like a house on fire, the Spurs and 'Wolves fell into a funk in the weeks leading up to the break. Both sides are proving very vulnerable on the road.
Cleveland: Yes, Cleveland. The Cavs have actually proven to be a solid play at home versus sub .500 teams. Cleveland is 11-2 ATS to date in this spot.
So, with these points in mind, we hope you enjoy an exciting and profitable second half.
Keep in mind the fact discipline and money management are key variables to any bankroll. Play smart and good luck.
