NBA Telivised Tilts

It’s a sure sign the football season is nearly complete, when guys in the semi-short pants from professional basketball are on TV to close out the weekend. For many NBA bettors, they have toiled for some time with the daily grind of crunching numbers and attempting to determine if their methodology will work. The NBA offers two quality contests for your viewing pleasure, with the first contest possibly missing key players and the later contest an old school showdown with glorious past.

Denver at San Antonio 1:00E ABC

The Nuggets are uncertain if Carmelo Anthony’s gimpy ankle will allow him to go, after missing Friday’s contest in Oklahoma City. Additionally, Denver is still sorting out the behavior antics of J.R. Smith from eight days ago on the bench. Smith was nearly suspended but V.P. of player personnel Rex Chapman; finally deciding against it, in hopes coach George Karl won’t have any more problems with him forward.

It’s been no problem on the actual court for Denver (31-15, 21-24-1 ATS), having won eight of nine with 4-4-1 ATS mark. The Nuggets surge has been led by guard Chauncey Billups who is averaging a career-high 19.2 points in addition to 5.9 assists. Denver is 25-11 ATS playing against a team with a winning record in the half of the season over the last two years.

While Anthony’s status is up in the air for Denver, no such luck for San Antonio, with Tony Parker sidelined with an ankle sprain. The Spurs (27-18, 23-21-1 ATS) aren’t exactly hitting on all cylinders, having lost five of last eight and covering just three spreads. The most damning aspect of the slump is they have not been able to take advantage of six game home stand (2-3 SU & ATS), since after today they take to the road for eight games on “Rodeo Trip.” The Spurs will have to shoot a high percentage with less firepower in the backcourt and are 20-9 ATS when they make 48 to 51 percent of their shots in a game since last season.

DiamondSportsbook.com has San Antonio as six-point favorite with total of 198. The Spurs are just 2-7 ATS on Sunday assignments and 8-1-1 UNDER on this day of the week. Denver comes in 4-11 ATS in last 15 contests with a day’s rest and is 23-7 UNDER as the visiting team if the home team has a .600 or better record on their court. The road team has covered the last five meetings between this Western Conference clubs.

L.A. Lakers at Boston 3:30E ABC

Possibly Boston’s midseason lull isn’t a cause for concern, with 6-10 (5-11 ATS) record since Dec. 27 and this veteran squad will turn it on once the scent of playoff basketball is in the air, yet watching them play you still wonder where the Celtics (29-15, 18-26 ATS) are headed. Ray Allen seems to be aging game to game, lacking the ability to create his own shot off the dribble. In NBA language that is called “catch and shot” player and not many elite teams have this type of guy in the starting lineup.

All was thought to be well with Kevin Garnett back, one problem he looks slow, like his long aging and increasing injured legs are starting to fail him, particularly on defense. Guard Rajon Rondo needs Google search to find the basket with as wayward as jump shot has been. Boston is also suffering from a lack of cohesiveness with Garnett and others taking turns missing game. Boston is 13-7 at home with sickly 6-14 ATS record.

The Lakers (36-11, 22-24-1 ATS) probably feel like their home was foreclosed on, playing their seventh road game in a row, all in the Eastern Time zone. The purple-clad team from L.A. is 4-2 SU and ATS thus far, with three wins in a row and starts heading back west tomorrow, with a stop in Memphis to conclude the road trip, against one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Los Angeles however is just 1-6 ATS if the opponent has a winning home record.

The Lakers will attempt to thwart Boston’s interior defense, by shooting well from the perimeter and they are 31-14 ATS when they make 39 to 45 percent of their three point attempts. Los Angeles has covered six of last seven Sunday contests and is 4-1 OVER since falling at Cleveland. Boston 0-8 against the number taking on Pacific Division squads and is 20-7 OVER off a SU loss. The one-point favored Lakers have covered once in previous five visits in Bean-Town.