NBA Betting Weekly Review
With just a touch over two weeks of NBA basketball being played so far this, the 2008-09 regular season enters its third full week with several teams starting to find their respective new identities for NBA sports betting buffs – either for good or bad.
Some teams are moving up the proverbial ATS ladder while others are heading in the wrong direction, with both, their straight up and ATS statistics.
Here then is a look back at the week that was in the NBA as well as it brief glimpse t what lies ahead from BetUS NBA Sportsbook bettors.
Eastern Conference
The Philadelphia 76ers won three straight games to get back to .500 while still searching for their new identity after acquiring all-star forward Elton Brand. The Orlando Magic also won three straight games, largely on the strength of their inconsistent offense.
The Cleveland Cavaliers proved they are going to be a tough out every night as they extended their winning streak to a league-high seven games. If you ask me, I say they’re going to be opposite of Boston come Eastern Conference Finals time!
The New Jersey Nets showed they are going to be a bit better than expected, particularly if point guard Devin Harris continues to drop 30-point bombs on New jersey’s unsuspecting opponents. The Nets beat the Atlanta Hawks handily in back-to-back contests on Friday and Saturday.
The injury-ravaged Hawks dropped three straight after winning their first six games while the Detroit Pistons managed to snap the Lakers’ winning streak at seven games on Friday before getting routed by the Suns on Sunday.
Western Conference
The Denver Nuggets start Week 3 riding a two-game winning streak and are clearly a team that is going to get much better as the regular season wears on after acquiring veteran floor leader Chauncey Billups.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have an excuse for losing – they are young and rebuilding. The Minnesota Timberwolves don’t get nearly the same amount of leeway from me despite also being a young team for the most part.
Losers of eight straight, the T-Wolves are going from bad to worse while the Thunder seems to at least be putting forth their best effort.
The Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets and new Orleans Hornets may all be conference title contenders in the west, but all three have shown their flaws early and often this season while simultaneously dealing with their own roster makeovers.
The Lakers were handed their first loss of the season in what looked like an aberration from the Detroit Pistons while the Portland Trail Blazers have the look of a team that is going to win a first round playoff appearance – and has found a legitimate blossoming superstar in rookie swingman Rudy Fernandez.
The Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers looked horrific last week while the Dallas Mavericks have dropped several notches as well and remain a mystery wrapped inside an enigma.
Analysis: Despite all of the jockeying that went on record-wise this past week, I haven’t seen a thing that makes me believe the Lakers and Celtics won’t meet again in this year’s NBA Finals.
However, it is a long regular season and things are apt to change as always. Here is a look at my top five teams in each conference.
The Powers That Be
East
1. Boston Celtics, 2. Cleveland Cavaliers, 3. Detroit Pistons, 4. Orlando Magic, 5. Philadelphia 76ers
West
1. Los Angeles Lakers, 2. Denver Nuggets, 3. Portland Trail Blazers, 4. Phoenix Suns, 5. Houston Rockets
