NBA Handicapping Articles

2010-11 Portland Trail Blazers Predictions with NBA Futures Odds and Betting Picks
by Aaron Smith - 9/30/2010

The Portland Trail Blazers would prefer to forget all about last year and just start out completely new in 2010-2011. It isn’t that Portland had a terrible season last year. In fact, they were able to win 50 games and make the playoffs. The forgettable part of last season was the fact that they dealt with more injuries than any other team in the Northwest Division. Only two players from their entire roster were available for all 82 games last year. Portland fans can only hope that this year’s team will be much healthier.

2010-11 Minnesota Timberwolves Predictions with NBA Futures Odds and Betting Picks
by Aaron Smith - 9/28/2010

The 2009-10 Minnesota Timberwolves were absolutely terrible. There really isn’t any other way to put it when a team finishes the season 15-67. The Timberwolves have some nice young talent on the team, but they have struggled mightily to defend against solid teams. Minnesota gave up an astonishing 107.8 points per game. That was bad enough to rank as the second worst defense in the NBA. It also isn’t a bit helpful when you lead the league in turnovers, at 16.3 per game, as the Timberwolves did last year. This is a team that has a lot of work to do if they want to contend in the Northwest Division.

2010-11 Oklahoma City Thunder Predictions with NBA Futures Odds and Betting Picks
by Aaron Smith - 9/24/2010

The Oklahoma City Thunder were probably the biggest surprise in the entire NBA last season as they went from winning 23 games in 2008-2009 to a record of 50-32 last year. It wasn’t a surprise that this team got better, but the pace at which they improved shocked just about everyone. It all starts and ends with Kevin Durant, who is quickly becoming one of the best players in the NBA. The Thunder gave the Lakers all they could handle in their first round playoff series. It was no fluke that this team won 50 games last year.

2010-11 Utah Jazz Predictions with NBA Futures Odds and Betting Picks
by Aaron Smith - 9/21/2010

The Utah Jazz had a nice season last year, but they just can’t get over the hump when they play the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, any team that finishes 53-29 has to consider their season quite successful. Deron Williams had a terrific postseason, and the Jazz greatly improved their play on the road, which has been a big problem for them in the past. A team coached by Jerry Sloan is always going to be fundamentally sound, and they will definitely always run the pick-and-roll as well as anyone in the league.

Miami Heat NBA Predictions: Will Big Three Play Defense?
by T.O. Whenham - 8/5/2010

The NBA season is still a long way off, but I obviously can’t help but be intrigued by the same thing everyone else is - the bizarre collection of star power that has gathered in Miami. What makes sports betting so challenging and satisfying is that you are constantly presented with new problems and situations - puzzles really - that you haven’t seen before and have to try to decode. The big three in Miami equates to one of the bigger and most intriguing puzzles we have seen in a long, long time.

NBA Predictions: How Miami Heat ‘Big Three’ Changed Team Win Totals
by T.O. Whenham - 7/16/2010

The contentious creation of the ‘Big Three’ in Miami has had a massive and obvious impact not just on the Heat, but also on the Cavaliers and the Raptors. Figuring out just how all the changes will impact the teams is very difficult and requires all sorts of analysis and assumptions - especially since the roster overhaul isn’t yet complete in all three cities. It’s a fun puzzle to ponder, though - especially because Bodog is offering team totals much earlier than we usually see them for the three teams involved.

NBA Miami Heat Predictions: Player Betting Props For ‘Big Three’
by T.O. Whenham - 7/15/2010

The NBA has changed dramatically since July 1. Obviously. The biggest challenge of the changes for bettors - at least in the short term - is going to be adjusting the expectations of the big name players that moved to new teams. Some players are going to see their numbers jump as a result of their new surroundings and new teammates, while others will have to learn how to share the spotlight a bit.

NBA Free Agency Winners and Losers
by T.O. Whenham - 7/9/2010

The initial excitement of the most hyped free agency period in history has passed after the debacle that was The Decision on ESPN on Thursday night. We saw all the twists and turns we expected, and there were a lot of hearts broken. It’s far to soon to assess the long-term impact of this unprecedented period of free agent frenzy, but it’s never too soon to get a sense of some of the winners and losers. There are too many of each to count, but here’s a few of each, and two teams that the jury is out on for a while.

NBA Free Agent Scenarios – All Depend on LeBron James
by T.O. Whenham - 7/1/2010

We've been hearing about this impending free agent class in the NBA for at least three years. Things that cause that much anticipation rarely live up to the hype, but this frenzy is giving every indication that it will. The part that is so remarkable about what is going on is that absolutely no one has any idea how it will turn out. There are lots of reports out there, and some people claim that their reports are backed up by reputable sources, but if you believe those reports the LeBron James is simultaneously going to sign with five different teams, and bring along any one of five different players along with him.

NBA Free Agency Begins: Where Will LeBron James and Chris Bosh Land?
by Alan Matthews - 7/1/2010

Finally, thankfully, mercifully even, the NBA’s free agent period begins Wednesday night/Thursday morning as soon as the clock strikes midnight in the East. And if you don’t think NBA executives around the league will either be working the phones or visiting potential players or their agents in person at 12:01 a.m. (or 9:01 p.m. Pacific, you get the drift), then you simply haven’t been paying attention.

NBA Rookie of the Year Props: Odds and Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 6/30/2010

Now that the NBA Draft is done and we know where the youngsters will be playing next year it's natural for our thoughts to turn towards who will win the Rookie of the Year next year. Luckily, Bodog has posted some odds so we don't have to stop at just thinking about it - we can bet on it as well if we want. Here's a look at some of the more interesting prices and some predictions.

Free NBA Picks: Lakers at Celtics Game 3 Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/8/2010

Boston’s backcourt was totally dominant in Game 2 on Sunday. Ray Allen put on a memorable shooting display, finishing with a Finals record eight three-pointers. He hit seven of them in the first half and had 27 points at intermission (finishing with 32). By comparison, he was 0-for-2 from long range in Game 1 and had only 12 points thanks in large part to foul trouble

NBA Props Predictions: Odds for Amare Stoudemire’s New Team
by Alan Matthews - 6/5/2010

A few weeks ago I wrote a story about which team LeBron James will play his first game for at the start of the next NBA season, with Bodog having odds on the likely candidates. Now the site offers the same prop on Suns big man Amare Stoudemire, who calls it “50-50” on whether he will return to Phoenix.

Free NBA Picks: Celtics at Lakers, NBA Finals Game 1 Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/3/2010

After what seemed like an eternity between games, the NBA Finals finally tip off Thursday night matching the two most storied franchises in the league, the Lakers and Celtics. Combined they have 32 championships (Boston leads 17-15) and this will be their 12th meeting in the Finals. Kobe and the Lakers are looking for revenge from their 2008 six-game loss to the Celtics, and this time L.A. has home-court advantage.

LeBron James Betting Props
by Vegas Sports Informer - 5/28/2010

The NBA regular season has been over for a month and the playoffs finally have some great games in the conference finals, but, still, all we hear about is LeBron James and his upcoming free agency. Las Vegas own Lucky’s oddsmaker released a prop about King James and his upcoming decision on where he will score his first point in the 2010-11 NBA season.

NBA Betting Props: Next Coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers
by Alan Matthews - 5/27/2010

Has one player in NBA history ever controlled who his head coach would be more than LeBron James? Sure, Magic Johnson supposedly orchestrated Paul Westhead’s firing in the early 1980s and got him replaced with Pat Riley, but Magic was at least going to be a Laker for a while. The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t even know if James will be on their roster next year. Thus, they are basically trying to do whatever it takes to keep the most prized free agent ever in Cleveland.

Free NBA Picks: Suns at Lakers, Game 5 Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 5/27/2010

What a difference a week or so makes. Back then it appeared we were looking at possible sweeps in both conference finals. Now in the East Boston looks tired and battered and in the West the Lakers enter tonight’s Game 5 facing almost a must win or they will have to play for their postseason lives in Phoenix in Game 6.

free NBA Picks: Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic Game 5 Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 5/26/2010

Well, I, like most cappers, has been dead wrong more often than not on the side in this one. What a weird series! Did Game 4 show that Boston was starting to wear down (remember that the C’s didn’t have really any time off after the Cavs series) or was it just a one-game desperation win by Orlando? We should find out tonight, because then things start getting real strange if the Magic send this back to Boston. The C’s have never gone to six games when they led a series 3-0.

Free NBA Picks: L.A. Lakers at Phoenix Suns, Game 4 Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 5/25/2010

The experts always say that if the team without home-court advantage that goes home down 2-0 is ever going to win a game in a best-of-seven NBA series, it’s going to happen in Game 3 with the jolt of added intensity that comes from playing in front of the home crowd. But more often than not that disappears for Game 4.

Free NBA Picks: Orlando Magic Vs. Boston Celtics Game 4 Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 5/24/2010

As far as I can tell from my research, no team has opened the playoffs with two sweeps and then found itself swept. That’s what the Orlando Magic are about to be, with whispers that the team already has quit. I haven’t been right very often in this series, I must admit, but I am off the Magic bandwagon completely now.