Philadelphia 76ers ML
Philadelphia has really stepped up its game on the defensive side. Allowing only 93.0 points(7th best in the NBA), the 76ers have finally given the Philadelphia faithful something to be proud of. The Phoenix Suns come into town, hoping to avoid getting swept by the 76ers and in the process avoiding the 76ers 5th straight home victory in a row. The Suns squandered a 14 point lead vs Detroit, getting outscored 28-13 in the final 12 minutes. Gentry's team had averaged 114.7 points per game before the Pistons match-up, and don't be suprised if their struggles continue vs a team the past few weeks that have been able to ball on both sides of the court. Philadelphia is 1-15 when they allow more than 100 points. However, that one win was vs Phoenix, also tallying their highest scoring effort with 123 points.
Keys for a Philadelphia victory:
Eliminating Channing Frye. Frye only went 2-12 from beyond the arc, and now faces a 76ers team that leads the league in opponent 3 point % at home.
Pass Andre Iguodala the ball. For some reason every time he faces Phoenix it's like a coming out party. Iguodala averages 20.9 points per game vs the Suns in the last 7 meetings. He's going to be a big part of whether Philadelphia wins, let alone covers.
Don't allow Steve Nash to control the pace of the game. Steve Nash's double-double streak ended vs Detroit in a loss. He has averaged 22.0 points and 14.5 assists in his last four games against the 76ers, leading his team to three wins. It's going to be very important to cut those numbers in half and to isolate him 1 on 1 and force him to make mistakes. If you allow him to play his game, he'll tear up the 76ers and leave with a victory.
Houston Rockets @ Minnesota Timberwolves UNDER 220.5
Two high scoring teams and I'm taking the Under? Well, here's why:
Both coaches have recently been quotes saying they're sick and tired of the poor defense. Now that might not say much but the Rockets have definitely done well versus Minnesota, so they might want to keep things the same way.
Looking at the past match-ups between these two teams, rarely has it gone over the posted total. Now I know it's "suicide" to take the Under on a high total because it's a sucker bet, but I really like this play. It's basically got to do with a feeling. I don't have pages of statistics to back up this bet, just a feeling.
Chicago Bulls -2.5 (1st Quarter)
Milwaukee Bucks have struggled immensely vs winning teams on the road in the 1st Quarter. Take a scroll through nba.com Scores & Schedules and you'll see the evidence. Bulls were up 27-15 after the 1Q last time they played. That's why I'm only on the 1st quarter and not the full game because for some reason they find a way to blow leads vs under .500 teams. With the Bucks injuries and the Bulls being at home, look for a fast start for Chicago right out of the gate.
Lean: Detroit Pistons +12
Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic Under 49 (1st Quarter)
Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic Under 192
Past 5 Pistons road games = Under
Past 5 Magic home games = Under
Both teams play at a slower pace and like to consume a lot of the clock. Detroit is averaging only 77.0 points per game their last 3 outings. Also, the Pistons have been playing some pretty good defense as well. However, vs the Magic they've allowed 102.2 the past 5 meetings.
Philadelphia has really stepped up its game on the defensive side. Allowing only 93.0 points(7th best in the NBA), the 76ers have finally given the Philadelphia faithful something to be proud of. The Phoenix Suns come into town, hoping to avoid getting swept by the 76ers and in the process avoiding the 76ers 5th straight home victory in a row. The Suns squandered a 14 point lead vs Detroit, getting outscored 28-13 in the final 12 minutes. Gentry's team had averaged 114.7 points per game before the Pistons match-up, and don't be suprised if their struggles continue vs a team the past few weeks that have been able to ball on both sides of the court. Philadelphia is 1-15 when they allow more than 100 points. However, that one win was vs Phoenix, also tallying their highest scoring effort with 123 points.
Keys for a Philadelphia victory:
Eliminating Channing Frye. Frye only went 2-12 from beyond the arc, and now faces a 76ers team that leads the league in opponent 3 point % at home.
Pass Andre Iguodala the ball. For some reason every time he faces Phoenix it's like a coming out party. Iguodala averages 20.9 points per game vs the Suns in the last 7 meetings. He's going to be a big part of whether Philadelphia wins, let alone covers.
Don't allow Steve Nash to control the pace of the game. Steve Nash's double-double streak ended vs Detroit in a loss. He has averaged 22.0 points and 14.5 assists in his last four games against the 76ers, leading his team to three wins. It's going to be very important to cut those numbers in half and to isolate him 1 on 1 and force him to make mistakes. If you allow him to play his game, he'll tear up the 76ers and leave with a victory.
Houston Rockets @ Minnesota Timberwolves UNDER 220.5
Two high scoring teams and I'm taking the Under? Well, here's why:
Both coaches have recently been quotes saying they're sick and tired of the poor defense. Now that might not say much but the Rockets have definitely done well versus Minnesota, so they might want to keep things the same way.
Houston has won the previous 12 against Minnesota by an average of 15.7 points, holding the Timberwolves to 43.0 percent shooting in these games.
The Rockets limited the Timberwolves to 37.4 percent shooting in a 120-94 rout Nov. 7
Chicago Bulls -2.5 (1st Quarter)
Milwaukee Bucks have struggled immensely vs winning teams on the road in the 1st Quarter. Take a scroll through nba.com Scores & Schedules and you'll see the evidence. Bulls were up 27-15 after the 1Q last time they played. That's why I'm only on the 1st quarter and not the full game because for some reason they find a way to blow leads vs under .500 teams. With the Bucks injuries and the Bulls being at home, look for a fast start for Chicago right out of the gate.
Lean: Detroit Pistons +12
Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic Under 49 (1st Quarter)
Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic Under 192
Past 5 Pistons road games = Under
Past 5 Magic home games = Under
Both teams play at a slower pace and like to consume a lot of the clock. Detroit is averaging only 77.0 points per game their last 3 outings. Also, the Pistons have been playing some pretty good defense as well. However, vs the Magic they've allowed 102.2 the past 5 meetings.