Hoops
UNDERDOG PLAY OF THE DAYCharlotte appears to be a terrible road team as they are just 1-12 away from home this season. But the win/loss record actually creates some tremendous value in taking this team in the role of a road underdog because they simply do not lose many games by big margins. Of their 12 road losses, eight of them have come by 6 points or less. So with a bounce here or there, the Bobcats could actually have a decent win/loss record on the road, and not the unimpressive one they have. Tyson Chandler will miss tonight’s game because of a foot injury, but we often see these teams in the NBA step-up with a big performance in their first game without one of their best players on the floor. Charlotte is also putting a lot of emphasis on their upcoming road games because they feel they should’ve closed out some of their recent road losses with wins. Oklahoma City returns home off a 3-game road trip in which they took on a couple of class A teams. They took the Lakers to the wire in a 3-point loss (111-108) and they won at Phoenix the following night by 4 points (117-113). That was a successful trip for them, but coming off those big games, the Thunder will find motivation tough here against the lowly Bobcats. And the change of pace is not good either as they go from fast tempo, up and down teams, to the grind it out, half-court style of Charlotte. All three of the meetings last year were close with the winning margin being no greater than 6 points so we expect another game that comes down to the wire tonight.
+6**************************************** *****
-7 over Philadelphia
