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Below is a listing of articles appearing on Doc’s site sorted by date.
NBA Weekly Review
by Strike Point Sports - 12/28/2006
The Suns and Mavs not looking back, the pathetic Atlantic division and how A.I. will do in Denver. All these topics and more in this week's NBA review.
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How Bad is the NBA Eastern Conference?
by Joseph Mattern - 12/28/2006
The Eastern Conference is, with very few exceptions, utterly pathetic. There is no question about it. Eight teams in the conference have records of .500 or below (including the entire Atlantic division), and most of the "good" teams in the East are mediocre at best. Some teams are better than their records suggest, but most are not.
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Which NBA Teams Will Stay Hot?
by Joseph Mattern - 12/20/2006
A few surprise NBA teams have started off well -- maybe too well. Let's take a look at a few teams and see whether or not their hot starts are a fluke.
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NBA Weekly Review
by Strike Point Sports - 12/13/2006
The Suns flying high, suiting Allen Iverson and the most recent look at the power top 5 in the league. All these topics and more in this week's NBA review.
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Iverson's New Home?
by Trevor Whenham - 12/12/2006
Allen Iverson is one of those guys you either love or hate. To me he's one of the most entertaining and explosive players in the league, and I'd take him on my team in a heartbeat. To others he's an annoying, selfish distraction - Terrell Owens in Reeboks. Regardless of what you think about him, his imminent trade is going to have a significant impact on his new team, and it is something that bettors are going to have to compensate for. He averaged more than 31 points per game, despite playing on a terrible team with no cohesion.
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NBA Weekly Review
by Strike Point Sports - 12/06/2006
The rejuvenated Bulls and Suns, the road woes and a look at separating the best players in the league. All these topics and more in this week's NBA review.
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Identifying NBA Public Teams
by Trevor Whenham - 12/05/2006
When it comes to handicapping the NBA there are two concepts that can make you a lot of money if you pay attention to them, or cost you a fortune if you ignore them - streaks and hype.
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NBA Teams Defying Expectations
by Trevor Whenham - 11/29/2006
It seems like things never change in the NBA. The good teams stay good, the bad teams stay bad, and the same handful of teams go deep in the playoffs every year. With that, it is easy to get lazy about handicapping the NBA. If you aren't a close follower of the league, it can be easy to look at a game and think you know who will win based on what has been true about the teams for several years.
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NBA Weekly Review
by Strike Point Sports - 11/27/2006
Miami meltdown, the Wizards' Jekyll and Hyde act and the toughest division in the league. We'll also take at best and worst so far this season. All this and more this week in the NBA review.
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This Week in the NBA
by Strike Point Sports - 11/17/2006
Jazz playing the right tune, King James making Cleveland royalty and a Sacramento Kings team that actually plays defense. We'll also take at the weekend's best upcoming match-ups. All this and more this week in the NBA review.
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NBA Teams - Hot or Not ATS
by Trevor Whenham - 11/09/2006
The NBA season is only a week old, but already some teams are proving themselves to be far more valuable to bettors than others. Whether it is because a team has started out very well, or whether they can't get their act together yet, their consistency is appreciated, and it's profitable. Most teams have played four or five games so far.
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The Week in the NBA
by Strike Point Sports - 11/09/2006
Sundown in Phoenix, the Hawks ready for a run and 4-0 NOK Hornets. We'll also take a look at the first edition of the top five power rankings and the rookie watch. All this and more this week in the NBA review.
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The Week in the NBA
by Strike Point Sports - 11/02/2006
Lakers strong out of the gate minus Kobe, breakout stars are ripe for the big stage and parity's highest level makes picking winners a tough uphill challenge. All this and more this week in the NBA review.
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Handicapping The Bodog NBA Player Props
by Drew Mangione - 10/30/2006
Bodog has listed odds on just about any significant category that will crop up in the 2006-07 NBA season. Here's a quick breakdown and some handicapping of who could take home the significant accolades this season:
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NBA Futures: League MVP
by Drew Mangione - 10/30/2006
If you grew up a basketball fan in the 80s and 90s, playing in backyards and suburban playgrounds, you probably knew him. He wore that annoying No. 23 jersey and never let the fact that he had lacked the fundamentals get in the way of him thinking he actually was MJ. The good players strained to put him in his place, but like a hemorrhoid, that just opened up his opportunity to flare up at the worst times. But in the end, he didn't usually win; he just chipped at your pride enough to talk a big game.
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2006-07 NBA Southeast Division Preview
by Drew Mangione - 10/24/2006
Here resides the NBA Champions, virtually unchanged and still quite talented. But the Southeast is by no means a one-horse division. A team four hours north on the Ronald Reagan Turnpike has a brash young star that talks a big game and may just be able to back it up. The next player to vie for the unofficial "Best Player in the League" title will be Dwight Howard.
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2006-07 NBA Central Division Preview
by Drew Mangione - 10/23/2006
Last year's deepest division should retain that title, with more top-notch teams, but one less playoff slot. This is LeBron's division and he's only 21. What were you doing at 21? I'll bet you sure as hell weren't arguably the best in your field, even if all you do is clean toilets, write news or sell ads. The KJV of the Cavs will win its first division title since Jim Chones manned the low block and Bill Fitch roamed the sidelines in 1976.
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2006-07 NBA Atlantic Division Preview
by Drew Mangione - 10/23/2006
Which division was worse last year: the Atlantic or the Northwest? It was a toss up. The Atlantic had the better top team, but at least the Northwest had two .500 teams. This year may not be much different. Expect only one team, the Nets, to win more games than they lose, but at least this time around there may be two playoff teams here.
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2006 NBA Southwest Division Preview
by Drew Mangione - 10/18/2006
The Eastern Conference player haters have only one valid argument to keep claiming the conferences have not reached some semblance of parity: the Southwest Division. The East has caught up to the once mighty West. However, despite the Heat win last year, it's hard to ignore the fact that this division had the league's two best records and this year, a third team may be in the mix.
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13 NBA Betting Tips
by Joseph Mattern - 10/18/2006
It's October, and that means that basketball is right around the corner. Here are some NBA betting tips to help you win your wagers throughout the NBA season.
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2006-07 NBA Pacific Division Preview
by Drew Mangione - 10/17/2006
The Pacific is home to one of the best point guards in the NBA. Ok, two. While Steve Nash gets all the accolades, Sam Cassell is the proven winner. Remember, Nash didn't play this well until his marriage to Mike D'Antoni. Sam the Egyptian Alien has won with good and bad coaches, and with franchises that had a less-than-stellar track record just prior to his arrival.
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2006-07 NBA Northwest Division Preview
by Drew Mangione - 10/17/2006
Much was made of this division's winner having the seventh-best record last year and getting the No. 3 seed, thus screwing over the poor Dallas Mavericks (despite the fact that they could have been No. 1 if they hadn't lost three of their last four games). Well, Cuban and a bunch of wannabe purists whined and the league adjusted to format a bit, but it was all for naught. Denver will deserve its seed this year, though the division overall will again be weak.
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2006 NBA Predictions
by Drew Mangione - 10/17/2006
Sure, Dwayne Wade won the NBA Finals MVP. He deserved it. He averaged almost 35 points per game and dropped 36 or more in each of the Miami Heat's four wins over the Dallas Mavericks. He's a truly magnificent player, but while he was the MVP of the series he was not the reason the Heat won.
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Bookies: New NBA Basketball Won't Impact Scoring
by Drew Mangione - 10/05/2006
With the NBA poised to enter another Golden Era, Commissioner David Stern apparently couldn't leave well enough alone. For the first time since the 1970-71 season, the greatest athletes on hardwood will have a new ball to pass, dribble, dunk and shoot. As the commish put it, the new NBA basketball ensures "the best basketball players in the world will be playing with the best basketball in the world."
Read more about New NBA Basketball.
2006 NBA Finals Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 06/07/2006
Wasn't it just a few short weeks ago that Miami was being written off by punks and pundits everywhere? Remember? The inevitable collapse for the team with questionable chemistry allegedly occurred when Gary Payton and Dwyane Wade got in each other's face on the sidelines. Shaquille O'Neal was looking bloated and Pat Riley was looking like a piece of leather left out in the sun too long.
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Dirk vs. Dwyane - Who Will Step Up In NBA Finals?
by Trevor Whenham - 06/07/2006
It seems like an eternity since the NBA playoffs started. They looked like they wouldn't have enough drama to keep an insomniac awake, yet somehow they have turned into among the best we've ever seen in recent years. It's not over yet, either. The Heat/Mavericks final may not have been predicted by almost anyone, but it's as intriguing as it gets.
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Zig-Zag Theory Weakens As Teams Approach NBA Finals
by Robert Ferringo - 05/30/2006
Usually when someone is talking about Zig-Zags and the National Basketball Association it's in reference to a party at Damon Stoudamire's crib or a night on the town with Charles Oakley. But when it comes to gambling, the Zig-Zag Theory has nothing to do with Reefer Madness and everything to do with the NBA playoffs.
Read more about NBA Zig-Zag Theory.
Doc's 2006 Western Conference Finals Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 05/24/2006
The second-seeded Phoenix Suns will visit the fourth-seeded Dallas Mavericks at 8:30 p.m. EST tonight at the American Airlines Center to begin the 2006 Western Conference Finals. The series will pit friends and former teammates Dirk Nowitski and Steve Nash against one another, with one of them headed to their first-ever NBA Finals.
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Motown Meltdown: Pistons One Loss Away From Early Playoff Exit
by Jordan Adams - 05/18/2006
It was May 9, not two weeks ago, when the Detroit Pistons had a 2-0 vice grip on their second round series with the young Cleveland Cavs. Now nine days later, the two teams await game six on Friday, but it is the Pistons who are on the brink of elimination from the 2006 NBA Playoffs.
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Egotism Abounds in Today's NBA, but MVP Award Embodies Anything But
by Jordan Adams - 05/11/2006
Before the Suns' game one of the Western Conference semi-final match-up against the Los Angeles Clippers, Steve Nash was honored with his second consecutive MVP award. He joins an elite group of eight players who previously accomplished this feat.
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Ever Thought About Betting the WNBA?
by Trevor Whenham - 05/03/2006
The Final Four is a distant memory and the NBA playoffs will be over before we know it. That means no basketball to bet on for those basketball action junkies for a few months until the NBA gets going again. Or does it? An increasing number of players are looking towards the WNBA to fill the gap. Seriously. Better yet, many bettors are finding that the league is a profitable place to play.
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Clippers Make Short Work of Nuggets, Eye Dream Series With Lakers
by Jordan Adams - 05/02/2006
As the clock ticked down to its final seconds, you could begin to hear a distinct chant being uttered by the Staples Center fans. "Bring on Kobe" were the verbal sentiments shared by this joyous crowd.
Read more about Clippers Playoffs.
Doc's 2006 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 4/21/2006
Here's a quick breakdown of the NBA's Eastern Conference first-round matchups. They are listed in order of intrigue. (Odds to win the series are in parentheses):
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Doc's 2006 NBA Western Conference Playoffs Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 4/21/2006
Here's a quick breakdown of the NBA's Western Conference first-round matchups. They are listed in order of intrigue. (Odds to win the series are in parentheses):
Read more about 2006 NBA Western Conference Playoffs Preview.
Questions Loom About Certain Players In NBA Playoffs
by Trevor Whenham - 4/21/2006
Trying to get a handle on the NBA postseason as it gets going? Having trouble finding the time to do in-depth analysis of the teams and their prospects? Luckily, it's really quite simple. Conventional wisdom is that we are headed on an inevitable march towards another San Antonio - Detroit final.
Read more about NBA Player Questions.
Magic In The Air For NBA Bettors
by Doc's Sports - 04/12/2006
As the playoffs are approaching, we hear so much talk about the traditional favorites like the Pistons, Heat, Nets and the newcomer Cleveland Cavaliers, yet one team not getting the attention and playing incredible ball now is the Orlando Magic.
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2006 NBA MVP Award Essentially A Three-Man Race
by Jordan Adams - 03/30/2006
This NBA season has showcased countless stars, but the lack of parity displaces half the candidates for Most Valuable Player consideration. We have heard the classic debate of whether or not a player can deservingly be given his league's MVP award despite his team's poor record. But if there is an argument, it is one-sided.
Read more about 2006 NBA MVP Award Betting.
Best and Worst NBA Teams Against The Spread
by Stal Herz - 02/10/2006
In the NBA, who covers and who doesn't has little to do with the team's record or the quality of the players on that squad. Often times it has to do with situations, timing and intensity. There are some teams that are considered 'public teams' which garner a lot of action and bookies often shade or add points to the lines. Adversely, there are some teams the betting public won't touch and that can also factor into the point spread and a team's record against it.
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What's Wrong with the Denver Nuggets?
by Thomas Tallarino - 02/10/2006
The Denver Nuggets were the best team in the league the second half of last season, going 32-8 after Head Coach George Karl took the reins. This season they had an entire training camp to get a better grasp of Karl's potent offense and high-pressure defense. And they have a roster of young talent, led by the resurgent Carmelo Anthony, apparently ready to make the leap into the upper echelon of the NBA.
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All-Time Best Sports Performances
by Stal Herz - 01/25/2006
Kobe's 81 points went beyond adjectives. Men play games, but legends dominate them.
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NBA Pacific Division: Doing a Headstand?
by Dallas Jackson - 12/02/2005
What is going on out there on the West Coast? Our usual Western Conference powerhouses are being overtaken by perennial doormats? How did this happen? Does Sacramento, Phoenix or the Lakers know that the regular season has started?
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No Major Advantage To Playing NBA Overnight Lines
by Dallas Jackson - 11/15/2005
Unless you are an East Coast insomniac or a West Coaster who doesn't want to call in early plays from the office, there is actually no advantage to playing the NBA overnight lines. This is the unfortunate truth I learned from Rob Gillespie, president of Bodog Sportsbook.
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Why the San Antonio Spurs Will Repeat
by Greg Melikov - 11/07/2005
Entering last season, the San Antonio Spurs were considered one of the main contenders to make it to the NBA Finals. They not only didn't disappoint, the team captured its third title in seven years.
Read more about Can Spurs repeat?.
Doc's 2005-06 Northwest Division Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 11/01/2005
The Northwest Division should be one of the most interesting and unpredictable divisions in the NBA this year. With run-and-gunners and up-and-comers, this will be a fun crop of clubs to keep an eye on.
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Doc's 2005-06 Pacific Division Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 11/01/2005
Over, over, over. That was the theme of the Pacific Division in 2004-2005. Excluding the Clippers, the other four clubs went a combined 187-140-1 against the number. It's a run-and-gun group, and I expect a lot more high numbers in 2005-2006. But beware, because of the scoring success of this group, oddsmakers could overcompensate early with high numbers.
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Doc's 2005-06 Southwest Division Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 11/01/2005
From a gambler's perspective, the Southwest Division was by far the best in the NBA. This was the only division that saw all of its members post a winning record against the spread, with the worst record coming in at 43-37-2 and the best at 45-36-1.
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The Prop Shop: NBA Props to Play At Nine Sportsbook
by Dallas Jackson - 10/27/2005
Late October is one of my favorite, and most exciting, times of the year. As a sports producer and writer, I get to cover a different event each and every night. NFL and college football are in mid-season, baseball just concluded (congrats Chicago), hockey is finally back, and the NBA is ready to tip off; I am the proverbial kid in a candy store. I get a five-month sugar-rush then a February headache waiting for spring training. But for now, I have my sports -- all day, every day.
Read more about NBA props.
Doc's 2005-06 NBA Central Division Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 10/27/2005
The Central Division should be the most competitive and entertaining of any in the Eastern Conference. Last season the division was determined in one night at the Palace - and it wasn't decided on the court.
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Doc's 2005-06 NBA Atlantic Division Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 10/26/2005
Last season, the Atlantic Division was a model of mediocrity, with the division winner only claiming 45 regular season victories. This year the Atlantic Division will come down to a Tri-State Area brawl between New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. The Nets clearly have the edge since they are armed with the best perimeter trio in the NBA.
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Doc's 2005-06 NBA Southeast Division Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 10/26/2005
The Southeast Division is good for one thing, and one thing only this season - Shaq.
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2005-06 NBA Preview - Has Power Shifted Back East?
by Greg Davis - 10/25/2005
After years of Western Conference dominance the NBA has finally started to see a shift in power that started with the Pistons shocking upset of the Lakers in the Finals two years ago. Even more shocking was the Lakers following off-season move to trade one of the most dominant forces in NBA history to Miami as well as parting ways with Coach Phil Jackson. Jackson will return this year but without he and Shaquille O'Neal the Lakers became the Clippers and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 1993-94 season.
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NBA Rookies That Will Make An Impact
by Dallas Jackson - 10/24/2005
With the start of the NBA season just on the horizon, I pull out my crystal ball (or is it a "Magic 8-ball") to give you the rookies that will have an impact on the Association right from the gate. Last year was an easy selection of Emeka Okafor, Dwight Howard and Josh Smith, as well as some deeper selections of Josh Childress and Luol Deng. I think the same can be said for this year as well.
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2005-2006 NBA Predictions -- Season Win Totals
by Mike Hayes - 10/19/2005
With the NBA season just weeks away over-under win totals ranging from a low of 20 in Atlanta and New Orleans to a high of 58 in San Antonio are available providing ample opportunity for a season's worth of action with one wager. The following will offer some 2005-2006 NBA Predictions.
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Miami Heat Betting: Not a Good Investment
by Dallas Jackson - 10/12/2005
5/2. Those are the current Vegas Line odds on the Miami Heat to win the NBA Championship. That is a pretty stiff number for a team that hasn't made the Finals in the franchise's 17-year history. What I am curious about, however, is the kind of line I can get on a Miami implosion? I think 7/1, and I'm buying.
Read more about Miami Heat betting.