Posted on 4/4/2008 6:23:19 PM

NBA Betting Free Picks 2008 - Nets Stumble In To Detroit

By Tim Furious

New Jersey Nets (31-44) vs. Detroit Pistons (53-21)

Friday, April 4th --- Auburn Hills, Detroit --- 8:00pm EST

NBA Betting Line: Detroit -9 (190)

It’s hard to imagine how the trade involving Jason Kidd has bettered the Nets. I guess it freed up a lot of cap space, but it hasn’t made them a better team yet. They’re getting killed lately, riding a three-game losing streak and are 8-2 SU when playing Detroit. The Pistons, meanwhile, have gone 4-1 SU in their last 5 games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6. The problem is that the oddsmakers are always trying to trap you. They don’t always give you honest lines. Detroit is only 6-4 ATS in the last 10 meetings with the Nets, so a little further examination is required.

The spread isn’t much of a concern because Detroit has blown Jersey off the court by a margin of 15 points this season. The concern is the O/U because both teams rely on perimeter shooting. The Pistons rock the second best defense with 90.4 points against. New Jersey’s piss poor defense gets torched for 100.6 points against and is even worse on the road with 102.1 points against.

Detroit’s ability to effectively shut down Vince Carter makes life easier when playing Detroit, which has two of the deadliest threats in the league, and still only manages 95.8 points per game. That’s twenty-sixth in the league. Ouch. Detroit has locked their opponents down to an average of 79.75 points per game and that doesn’t bode well for a Jersey team that struggles for consistency on the road.

What may prove to bend in the favor of the Nets is that Detroit is rolling out their subs. And you know who we at BetUS.com love? Rodney Stuckey scorched Minnesota for 27 points on April Fools. You’d be a damn fool to think that Stuckey isn’t capable of at least 15-5-3 per night. He’s fitting nicely at the point, and will have a face full of Devin Harris tonight. It could be a preview of two up and coming point men in the league.

But with the way Detroit plays defense as a team, it’s difficult not to take the UNDER and Detroit against the point. New Jersey is barely looking at the playoffs, so they’ll play with a solid amount of intensity. But that’s no reason to bet against Detroit at home.

NBA Free Picks: Detroit (UNDER)

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