Posted on
3/10/2008 1:33:03 PM
NBA Furious Free Picks 2008 – Can Orlando Cover Monster Spread?
By Tim Furious
Atlanta Hawks (26-36) vs. Orlando Magic (40-24)
Monday, March 10th --- Amway Arena, Orlando --- 7:00pm EST
NBA Betting Line: Orlando -10 (209.5)
Orlando has gone 6-2 ATS in their past 8 games, causing oddsmakers to inch the line away from them in this matchup. Atlanta has had struggles defensively all season, and the battle down low between Al Horford and Dwight Howard could be borderline-epic (big “if”), but the Hawks have actually enjoyed a bevy of success against the Magic. They are 4-1 ATS and SU in their past 5 games when playing Orlando. So is it time to cash in on the Hawks?
Even with Mike Bibby running the show, the Hawks have struggled to contain anyone. They average 98.7 points against per game and only manage 95.9 points of their own. The Magic the sixth best offense in the league with 104.4 points per game, but their defense has been worrisome. They allow 103.8 points per game, and the Hawks are one of those teams that can strike oil and get red hot at any given moment. Obviously, with 95.9 points per game, they don’t do it that often, but their continued success against Orlando can’t be ignored.
The main problem for the Hawks is that Hedo Turkoglu has been en feugo this past month. Anything that Joe Johnson does offensively can be matched by the absurd offensive output of Turk. Johnson leads the Hawks 21.0 points per game, but even he must be guessing why he abandoned the blazing Suns a couple seasons ago.
Considering how well the Magic have been playing lately you can’t expect them to lose to the Magic. And all things considered with Atlanta’s success against Orlando, the last time the Magic got double-digits was against the Knicks, and they torched them by 26-points. Trust the oddsmakers on this one.
NBA Furious Free Pick: Orlando -10 (OVER)
You’ll find the latest 2007-2008 NBA odds and lines in the best online sportsbook, BetUS.com. Betting on NBA player and game props makes every aspect of the game exciting. Join BetUS.com today to bet on the NBA and make online sports betting work for you!