Posted on 10/30/2007 12:00:23 PM

NBA Betting - The Need-To-Know of the 2007-08 NBA Season

By Eric Williams

Alright NBA bettors, the start of the 2007-08 NBA season is upon us – and this edition of the BetUS.com End Zone article will provide all you hoops fanatics with the expert insight to make this your most successful NBA wagering season ever.

With that said, let me get started before some NBA official tries to throw up a game-opening tip-off without us.

Let’s start in the weaker conference, the East, before moving on to the powerful western conference.

Everyone knows the Boston Celtics are the odds-on-favorite to win the east after acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, but I say don’t get carried away too fast.

While the Celtics will be much improved – and will be a great team to wager on this season, a look at last year’s ATS numbers tell me the improving Toronto Raptors will win – and cover – more than their fair share of games this season. The Raptors led the league ATS last season, posting a 48-33-1 record ATS.

The Cleveland Cavaliers also ranked in the top 10, checking in at No. 6 overall ATS, going 43-37-2. Although I expect the Cavs to take a step backwards this season with their straight up record, their strong defense usually allows the Cavs to cover the spread even when they lose straight up.

Another eastern conference team, that should be a bit better on the court this season than last and also ranked in the top ten ATS, is the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite their 35-47 won-loss record, Philadelphia managed to go 43-36-3 ATS last season. Although they may not improve their won-loss record much this season, Philadelphia looks like one of those teams that will again cover more often than not. 

In addition to the Raptors and Sixers, the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat also ranked in the top 10 in ATS statistics.

The Pistons are a team I think a lot of people are forgetting about but may have their best chance to win the east in the past three seasons. Detroit went 43-37-2 ATS last season and could surpass those numbers this season with an infusion of youth that has been added to their core of experienced veterans.

The Miami Heat ranked ninth, just behind the Pistons against the spread last season, going 42-37-3. However, I am advising bettors to look long and hard at any Heat game they’re thinking about wagering on this season because I think it’s a very real possibility this team could take another step backwards this season.

One team I think will improve both, their SU and ATS records is the Chicago Bulls. The team just missed the 50-win plateau and went just 40-41-1 ATS last season, should be a year wiser, older and better as they continue to inch towards fielding a championship caliber team.

Finally, the Celtics went 42-39-1 ATS last season, covering in a bunch of games where they were double-digit underdogs. The Celtics will obviously be favored in a lot more games in 2007-08, but after watching them all preseason, I think it’s possible they could improve their ATS statistics from last season.

In the west, bettors have a few more options for good wagers as four of the top five ATS teams in the league last season came from the West, starting with the New Orleans Hornets.

The Hornets ranked second last season in ATS statistics, compiling a 47-33-2 ATS record and a not-too-shabby, 34-47 record straight up. I believe the Hornets will once again be near the top of the ATS stats after moving back to their New Orleans home for a full season for the first time in two years.

I also encourage bettors to wager on the No.3 ATS team last season, the Denver Nuggets. With Allen Iverson on the roster for an entire season, and Kenyon Martin back to join Carmelo Anthony in the frontcourt, the Nuggets would appear to be a bit better on paper than they were when last season ended. I also like the fact that the Nuggets have a defensive and rebounding star in rail-thin center Marcus Camby.

Last, but certainly not least, the fourth and fifth-ranked teams on last season’s ATS list are the Phoenix Suns, (44-37-1), and Golden State Warriors, (44-37-1) respectively.

The teams tied with identical ATS records and will once again field high-powered offenses that will allow them to cover most spreads even if they lose straight up.

Finally, the Dallas Mavericks checked in at No. 10 ATS, going 41-37-2 last season. Dallas will certainly win its share of games for bettors this season, but could take a step back after winning a whopping 67 games last season. As the Mavs come closer to the 60-win total than the 70-win mark they almost reached last season, expect the Mavericks ATS numbers to fall just a bit as well.

Another team I like to improve is the Portland Trailblazers, who went 41-41 ATS last season. I know Portland won’t have No. 1  overall draft pick Greg Oden on the floor this season, but this team still has two future superstars in 2006-07 Rookie of the Year, shooting guard Brandon Roy and athletic power forward, LaMarcus Aldridge.

Head coach Nate McMillan generally gets his young squad to hustle all the time and play the right way, which usually results in a cover. Take the Blazers to better their ATS stats and possibly their 43-39 SU record as well

Two other teams, (one in each conference), that I think will improve both, their straight up and ATS records, is the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

I think the addition of new head coach Larry Krystowiak in Milwaukee will have a positive effect on the young Bucks while I can see the same happening in Minnesota with Randy Wittman, although the T-Wolves are clearly further away from success than Milwaukee.

Look at both teams hard this season, particularly Milwaukee, as I think they can surprise some folks and better their ATS records.

Okay bettors, now that you have the inside scoop on which teams will rise and fall, both, against the spread and straight up, it’s time to take a brief look at an upcoming matchup.

The Cleveland Cavaliers face the Dallas Mavericks on Halloween Night in a matchup of two teams that used their level of talent in two totally polar opposite ways.

The high-scoring, deep and talented Mavericks flamed out of the postseason like yesterday’s old news, while the Cavaliers rode an under-talented team with just one superstar player, too overachieve and reach the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.

Though the line is not out for the matchup at the time of this writing, I can already say that this is a game that the Cavs will likely cover in – even though I fully expect them to lose. The Cavaliers have covered the last five games against the Mavericks dating all the way back to 2005 and will likely do so again, even though they are without two members of their regular rotation.

The Cavaliers play a slow-it-down style that isn’t much fun to watch at times, but allows them to stay in almost every contest.

So there you have it NBA bettors, the 2007-08 NBA betting season in a nutshell. Good luck and let the games begin.

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!