posted October 9, 2008 at 14:24 in NBA Betting Trends
NBA Betting Preview - Celtics on Top but the West is Loaded with Key Teams
NBA betting fans are readying their bankrolls for what is sure to be an exciting year in the BetUS online sportsbook. The first NBA pre-season games of the year occurred just this Tuesday.
There wasn’t much to gather from these pre-season games and there haven’t been as many huge changes to NBA teams this season as last season. The Boston Celtics went out and acquired two of the best players in the NBA last year. It garnered them an NBA Championship as well as a terrific record versus the BetUS online wagering spread.
Will that happen again this season? It may, but once you start covering versus the BetUS online betting spread with regularity, odds makers raise expectations. Sometimes, those expectations are just too much for an NBA team to overcome.
Let’s take a look at some of the key teams in both the Eastern and Western Conference that online basketball betting fans need to keep an eye on!
Eastern Conference
Boston Celtics - - The Champs were 52-28-1 versus the BetUS online sportsbook betting spread last season. Hey, I’ve got an idea for the United States Federal Government, instead of bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, make online bets on the Celtics! Okay, maybe that would put some of us out of business, but it sure beats watching your 401K go down the tubes! The Celtics could approach those numbers, but the word is out on this team. I doubt they are awarded online betting spreads that they will cover with ease this season. A year under Ray Allen’s belt, a year for the somewhat goofy Paul Pierce get goofier and this team doesn’t cover nearly as many games this season as last year. Still, they’re a key team for online betting fans.
Miami Heat - - Last year they were 35-46-1 versus the BetUS online wagering spread, but you want to know something? I’m digging this team, man! Dwayne Wade is healthy, Shawn Marion should return to form, and rookie Michael Beasley is the only guy drafted during the off season that should make an immediate impact. They will improve versus the online betting spread. By how many games is going to be the question.
Orlando Magic - - Against the BetUS online wagering spread, these guys were terrific last season going 50-29-3. That’s 21 games in the win column against the spread. They should be close to that again this season, but the difference, like the Celtics, is the BetUS odds makers who know doubt will be expecting the Magic to cover online wagering spreads in games this season. That means they have a larger hill to climb.
Detroit Pistons - - They were 45-36-1 versus the BetUS online betting spread last season. I believe they might actually have a better record this season because the expectations are lower. That Joe Dumars is a brilliant motivator. This team should bounce back big time this season. If they do, because this is the one team where online betting spreads against them shouldn’t change that much this year, the Pistons could improve upon an already terrific against the spread record.
Cleveland Cavaliers - - I want to highlight the Cavs because to me this is a team that BetUS online sportsbook betting fans need to steer clear of. As long as they have LeBron James, they become the recipients of terrible online wagering spreads. That’s the case with this team. They aren’t a great team and they do cover online betting spreads from time to time, but they lose versus the spread way more than they cover. Their record last year was 37 and 45 against the BetUS online wagering spread. That’s not going to cut it.
Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers - - The return of Andrew Bynum means that the Lakers will be the favorites to make it to the NBA Championship this season from the West. That’s all well and good but the key with this team is predicting how the BetUS online sportsbook wagering spreads will be affected. This team was 47-33-1 versus the online betting spread last season, but nobody expected them to be good. The BetUS odds makers won’t be nearly as kind to this team this season. That number could drop dramatically as they play in the terribly difficult Western Conference and they will be expected to win.
New Orleans Hornets - - With the addition of James Posey, the Hornets will be better. But unlike the Lakers, the expectations in New Orleans from an online betting point-of-view won’t be the same. The Hornets are 50-30-1 versus the BetUS online betting spread last season. How will they do this season? I believe they could improve off of that. They won’t be favored in a lot of games this year because the Western Conference is full of good teams. That means they win some games on the road while being underdogs. NBA betting fans need to take advantage of the lack of respect shown to this team. Don’t argue about it. Accept it and make some serious online profits!
San Antonio Spurs - - The Spurs have never been good versus the BetUS online wagering spread but because of their reputation as a terrific team. The reason is simple. BetUS odds makers always expect the Spurs to cover or beat online betting spreads. That makes them a terrific play against in most situations. Their record of 37-43-1 against the spread last year is a perfect example of how expectations from online betting fans and BetUS odds makers can impact how a good straight-up team does against the spread.
Utah Jazz - - They ended up 46 and 36 versus the BetUS online wagering spread last year. If anything, the Jazz should improve on that. They have a terrific nucleus, the best coach in the NBA, and their fans are as supportive as any in the league. The only issue with the Jazz is their ability to play on the road. Jerry Sloan should have solved some of those issues. Like the Hornets, the Jazz should have ample opportunity to line the pockets of NBA betting fans with online wagering profits. I see them improving off of that record because they will be underdogs in key games this season and unlike last season I expect them to do some good things in those games.
Phoenix Suns - - How the mighty have fallen! Another bad season in Phoenix, aka, no championship, and it’s very likely general manager Steve Kerr begins to resemble the basketball equivalent of Matt Millen. Unlike Millen who inherited a football team with no real good players, the Suns are chockfull of great players. Kerr changed the culture and now he’s changing the team. Dude, what the hell were you thinking? This team had a losing record versus the BetUS online wagering spread last season at 39-40-3. This season, things might get worse.
