NBA Betting Opportunites

In the two televised games on TNT tonight, a special situation occurs you don’t see every night. Boston and Dallas are the two road teams that are on television and they rank first and third respectively in the NBA for the best straight up road records at 16 -6 and 16-8. Their opponents are both in the Top 10 for the best home records, winning over 73 percent. This leaves NBA sports bettors to not only to try and figure out spreads, but also contemplate money line possibilities.

Boston at Orlando 8:00 Eastern

The Celtics (29-13, 17-25 ATS) have the second best record in the Eastern Conference behind Cleveland. This veteran club is 16-6 on the road, but is far from a good bet despite their success. Boston is merely 11-11 ATS in the visiting green uniforms; however it’s hard to blame them for merely being average. The Celtics have been labeled a road favorite 16 of their 22 road excursions and they are 12-4 SU, a very solid record. In those games they have won by an incredible 8.2 points per game, yet are 7-9 ATS, which ends up being more an indictment of the opposition, than of Boston.

The Orlando Magic (29-16, 21-21-3 ATS) have played 10 of last 14 away from their central Florida home and will be in more familiar surroundings with four of their next five outings. The Magic are 16-4 SU at Amway Arena (5th best home record) and punish visiting clubs by 10.4 points per game. In the gambling world, this type of success will bring high numbers from oddsmakers, which is why Orlando is not so magical 10-9-1 ATS at home.

The Celtics only recently got Kevin Garnett back after he missed 10 games and while the defense has picked up immediately, the offense is lagging behind. Boston averages 99.7 points per game, but has only reached that figure twice in last nine tries. This explains recent 3-6 ATS record, including losing five in a row. The Bookmaker.com oddsmakers have handed out the typical number for these evenly matched teams, making the C’s a four-point underdog with total of 187.5.

Boston is deceiving 10-20 ATS after playing consecutive games as favorite this season (they win by 5.4 PPG). Orlando lost at Memphis in previous game and is splendid 34-12 ATS off a road defeat over the last three seasons. The road team has won three in a row in this matchup, including the Magic totaling a mere 77 points at home on Christmas Day, losing by nine as 5.5-point favorites. They are 23-11 ATS revenging a home loss. The total is the lowest in 11 regular season games at the city Walt Disney made famous and six of last eight have played UNDER the number.

Dallas at Phoenix 10:30 Eastern

If the earlier game looks defensive-minded, this Western Conference conflict will alter that situation from the opening tip. Dallas (30-15, 20-25 ATS) is a rock solid 16-8 on the road (15-9 ATS), winning by over four points per game. The Mavericks seem to be more comfortable away from home, despite having same winning percentage. This is determined by Dallas winning by just 1.5 points per game at American Airlines Center. Their one point 108-107 win over Milwaukee Tuesday got them into the NBA record books and it’s hard to determine if the Mavs are good or just lucky, as that win was their 10th straight victory by a single digit, tying the St. Louis Hawks from 50 years ago. Dallas is 47-26 ATS on the road after a game where both teams scored 105 points or more.

Phoenix (26-21, 22-24 ATS) is no longer on the rise. After starting 14-3, the Suns have been setting, losing 18 of next 30. In that first part of the season, Phoenix at least gave a passing interest in attempting to play defense, allowing 104.5 points per game, since then the Suns have greater disinterest is halting opponents from scoring, now ranked next to last in points allowed at 107.9.

Phoenix is above average 17-6 at Planet Orange with 11-11-1 ATS mark. They have been without two important bench players Leandro Barbosa and Grant Hill, with Barbosa out six weeks after wrist surgery and Hill day to day with bum heel. Also swirling around the desert is the specter of Amare Stoudemire trade, which has him going pretty much everywhere but to a good team. While the Suns big man talks about wanting to win, respect to him means a max contract and his defense and rebounding would generously be described as ordinary. The floundering Suns are 7-21 ATS in January games over the last two seasons.

Phoenix is a 1.5-point home favorite with total of 216 and they are off a 114-109 overtime home loss to Charlotte. The Suns are 20-9 ATS in home games after contest in which both teams scored 105 points or more and are 18-8 OVER after draining a dozen or more three-point shots. Dallas on the other hand is 11-2 ATS as visitors after not covering the spread and 11-1 UNDER after two straight games where they made 50 percent of their shots or better.

The Suns are playing into triple revenge and has lost five of last six to the Mavs and needs to show some defensive acumen to improve home record.