NBA Betting: Best and Worst Bets for Week 24

NBA Betting Power Rankings: Week 24
A look at the five best and worst bets in the NBA

April 10, 2008



By Carlisle Richards
Bodog Nation Contributing Writer

Technically, the NBA playoffs tip off on April 19, but anyone who's been watching the best nine in the West go at it since mid-February knows that playoff intensity has been around for about two months now.

Unfortunately, the NBA's dream season is winding down, which means that betting for or against most of the squads in the league is going to get even more difficult.

To help you out, this week, we'll tell you which teams in our five best and worst NBA bets have something left to play for and which ones plan on shutting down for the playoffs.

BEST BETS

5. Utah Jazz 43-35 ATS (Last 10: 7-3)

Although I put the Jazz in my top five, there's some bad to go along with the good.

First, the good: The Jazz have been playing solid ball down the stretch. They've covered in six of their last seven games and shut down two powerhouses in New Orleans (beat them 77-66) and San Antonio (beat them 90-64). Plus, they're still fighting for any kind of home-court advantage, which means that none of their stars will be slowing down until the playoffs.

Now, the bad: Their last four games are at Dallas, vs. Denver, vs. Houston and at San Antonio. They covered against all four in their previous meetings, but the schedule is still scary.

If you plan on passing on them down the stretch, I still feel like they're a solid bet for the first round.

4. Dallas Mavericks 34-40-4 ATS (Last 10: 4-6)

Dirk Nowitzki has come back from his ankle injury actually looking like the 2006-07 Dirk. He's finally playing like a pissed off German again, and Dallas has won four of their last five straight up and against the spread because of it. Plus, they've finally beaten a team that won't be golfing after April 19 - the Phoenix Suns. The good news for bettors is that they still need two more wins to grab a playoff spot, so don't expect them to take their game out of fifth gear until the end.

3. Philadelphia 76ers 46-32-3 ATS (Last 10: 6-4)

There's a lot for Philly to play for in the last five games. Can you believe it's possible for the 76ers to take the fourth spot in the East from the Cleveland Cavaliers? And since that's the last seed that gets a home-court first round, they'll be fighting for it down the stretch. Also, they're only one game back of the fifth seed Washington, whom they play on April 12.

2. Boston Celtics 48-28-2 ATS (Last 10: 6-4)

Doc Rivers plans on shutting down the great daily wager that is the Boston Celtics for the playoffs. The big three (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen) will only get about 20 minutes a night, but that doesn't mean they still can't cover in their final five. Boston has one of the easiest final five games of any squad in the league. They play Milwaukee, Atlanta, New York and New Jersey. Keep track of what kind of respect oddsmakers give them in those matchups. If the spread is under five, they're worth a shot.

1. New Orleans Hornets 47-28-2 ATS (Last 10: 6-3-1)

There's a whole flock of squads looking to peck at the Hornets' top spot in the West, so it'll be full speed ahead until the season’s final buzzer. Two of their last five could be nail biters: They play at the L.A. Lakers, a game that could decide who the best team in the West is and who the best player in the league is, and they close out their season at Dallas - the Mavs may or may not be desperate for a win there.

However, I'd still be reluctant to bet against a Hornets team that has the second-best ATS record in the league in those matchups.

BAD BETS

5. Memphis Grizzlies 34-43-1 ATS (Last 10: 5-5)

They had a stretch in late March where they won five in a row ATS, but they've gone right back to their crappy ways since. The only thing this team is focusing on is what good-luck charm they should bring to the draft lottery. My draft advice: Don't draft anyone named Reeves, Swift or Francis, or you'll probably be right back in the bottom five next year (and owner Michael Heisley will be looking to move you to St. Louis).

4. Milwaukee Bucks 34-43 ATS (Last 10: 4-6)

Speaking of Bryant "Big Country" Reeves, the main culprit (besides having a second-tier shooting guard) for the Milwaukee Bucks' struggles this year was the underwhelming pro career of former 2005-06 No. 1 pick Andrew Bogut. I recall Bogut once stating adamantly that he wasn’t a "slow, un-athletic, white guy" like Reeves. And now, it turns out he's worse. Reeves at his best was scoring 16.3 points per game. Bogut hasn’t even cracked 15. They'll probably be shopping for a more dominant big man in this year's draft.

3. Charlotte Bobcats 33-44-2 ATS (Last 10: 3-7-1)

The Bobcats' best all-around player, Gerald Wallace, will likely be shut down with an abdominal strain. Wallace could force the injury and play in the final games but doesn't want to force it. "I don't want to go through the whole summer rehabbing," Wallace said on Tuesday. The loss of Wallace means the final four games should be rough ones for Charlotte.

2. Toronto Raptors 38-39-1 ATS (Last 10: 4-6)

There may not be an uglier squad going into the NBA's postseason than the Toronto Raptors. Forward Chris Bosh is doing his best to keep his team motivated, but the role players seem to know that all they're playing for is a first-round exit.

Along with Boston, the Raps have the easiest schedule down the stretch (they face New Jersey, Detroit, Miami and Chicago), but with losses to Atlanta, Charlotte and New Jersey in their last three, they’re capable of losing to any starting five.

1. Los Angeles Clippers 32-46 ATS (Last 10: 4-6)

How fitting we end our NBA power rankings column with the worst franchise of the century. However, the Clippers' performance this year wasn't all the management's fault. They didn't have All-Star forward Elton Brand until about a week ago. They lost Sam Cassell to the Celtics, and their point guard of the future, Shaun Livingston, has been out all year with one of the most gruesome knee injuries ever to hit YouTube. Their season isn't going to end happily either. Center Chris Kaman is out for the rest of the year with an ankle injury, and Corey Maggette, their best scorer, is day-to-day with a strained hamstring.