Can Charlotte upset Celtics?

Since Charlotte returned to the NBA as the Bobcats in 2004, losing has been synonymous with the franchise. The most recent coach hired to lure fans back to professional basketball is the much-traveled Larry Brown, the Billy Martin of basketball for those old enough to have heard of him.

Brown is an ornery sort, who eventually wears out his welcome, nonetheless he knows how to coach and win basketball games by maximizing his players’ talents. Coincidently, if the players aren’t interested in Brown’s methodology, they usually sit and are eventually traded.

This season the Bobcats are 7-9 and are second to Atlanta in the league covering the spread with 11-5 record. Charlotte’s style of play couldn’t be more contrarian to say Phoenix, since they play a controlled defensive game, which coach Brown believes gives them the best opportunity to win.

While ranking just ahead of 0-17 New Jersey in points scored at 88.2, Charlotte leads the NBA in fewest points allowed at 87.9 per game and it’s just not playing at slower pace, since they are third in defensive field goal percentage (43.3).

To this point of the season, the Bobcats are establishing a quality home court advantage with 6-2 SU and ATS record. Charlotte ranks sixth among NBA teams on their home court, with a 9.1 score differential. Only the elite clubs like Phoenix, Boston, Denver, San Antonio and the L.A. Lakers have a wider margin playing at home.

Charlotte has won and covered four in a row and oddsmakers have taken notice. The Bobcats face Boston this evening and the Celtics have the second best record in the Eastern Conference at 13-4 (7-10 ATS).

Bookmaker.com has Boston as 3.5-point road favorites and the Celtics are 6-1 as road warriors, but have covered just three times. They also have won four consecutive games (2-2 ATS) and are 9-3-1 ATS against teams with winning home records.

However, don’t discount Charlotte’s obvious edges. The C’s have a bigger game at San Antonio in two days and might not bring game face to North Carolina. This is a test for the Bobcats to get a read they are moving in the right direction and they are 27-14 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points over the last two seasons. If you trust trends, especially powerful ones, the Bobcats 15-1 ATS record after allowing 85 points or less cannot be ignored.

Is Charlotte with wagering consideration tonight at 7:00 Eastern? Backed with the knowledge they are 9-1 ATS after a blowout win by 15 points or more over the last two seasons, winning by 9.7 points a game, than the answer is yes.