NBA: Top NBA Weekend Power Trends 1/22-1/24

The NBA season pushes towards the all-star break with another full weekend of games and betting opportunities. Like last weekend, to avoid any conflict with the NFL’s conference title games, most of the NBA action has been squeezed into Friday and Saturda

2010-01-22

The NBA season pushes towards the all-star break with another full weekend of games and betting opportunities. Like last weekend, to avoid any conflict with the NFL’s conference title games, most of the NBA action has been squeezed into Friday and Saturday. In fact, 23 of the 26 weekend games will be played on those two days, meaning a ton of back-to-back situations to profit from if done right. Read on I take a look at some of the feature games on tap, plus reveal a list of a few of the top StatFox Power Trends you’ll want to consider in your wagering.

On Friday, the opportunities are plentiful, with 13 games to choose from, highlighted by the ESPN doubleheader. In the first game, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, fresh off the Thursday night showdown in Cleveland, will make stop #2 on their long road trip by visiting the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York. Los Angeles is just 4-6 ATS when playing on a second consecutive night this season, while the Knicks boast a promising 8-5 ATS mark versus the West. In the late game, the Bulls also continue a lengthy road trip with a stop in Phoenix. Chicago has lost its first two games on a 6-stop Western Conference trip, and goes into this game with marks of just 4-15 on the road and 5-10 vs. the West. The Suns snapped a 4-game losing skid by whipping New Jersey on Wednesday and will look to extend their 16-4 record at home.

Elsewhere on Friday, Houston visits San Antonio in a battle of normal powers stuck in recent skids. The Rockets beat Milwaukee on Monday and haven’t played since, but will be coming into this game as losers of seven of their last eight games against the spread. The Spurs have dropped three out of four since reaching a season high 11-games over .500 last week. They shot just over 40% from the floor during the 4-game stretch after a run of shooting better than 45% in 12 of 13 games. In Boston, the Celtics will look to span a 3-game losing skid, and improve on their 6-12 ATS home record when they host Portland.

On Saturday, there are 10 games on the board, and 17 teams will be playing on a second consecutive night in the variety of scenarios. Two of them will be in the coveted home to home situation, those teams being Detroit, who hosts Portland, and Phoenix, who takes on Golden State. Six other teams will be playing their second consecutive night on the road, clearly the worse of the scheduling evils in the NBA. Those teams are Golden State, Chicago, Sacramento, Portland, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans. Of these to be road warriors, Golden State (at Pheonix) and Portland (at Detroit) boast the best marks when playing on a second straight night, each 6-3 ATS. Chicago has struggled in such situations, going 2-7 ATS this season, and figures to have its hands full in Houston, as the Rockets boast a healthy 13-5 SU & 11-7 ATS record at home. Among the other interesting games to consider, Orlando tries to snap out of a recent funk when it visits rapidly improving Charlotte, and Oklahoma City takes on Cleveland in a battle of top scorers in Kevin Durant and Lebron James.

Finally, on Sunday, the NBA weekend wraps up with three games, two of which will tip-off well before the football games get underway, as Dallas visits New York, and the Clippers are in Washington, each with a 1:05 PM ET start. The Mavericks remain one of the league’s top teams on the road, and were 9-3 SU & 8-4 ATS in the road chalk role heading into the weekend. The Clippers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA in terms of covering spreads of late, and own a 9-4-1 ATS mark vs. the East. The other game finds the Lakers in Toronto for an evening affair, and the Raptors will be looking to improve a 3-5 ATS mark as home dogs.

Now, here are those top StatFox Power Trends as promised earlier…

Friday, 01/22/2010
(811) CHARLOTTE vs. (812) ATLANTA
CHARLOTTE is 23-8 ATS (+14.2 Units) vs. up-tempo teams averaging 83 or more shots/game over the last 2 seasons. The average score was CHARLOTTE 98.8, OPPONENT 96.5 - (Rating = 2*)

(811) CHARLOTTE vs. (812) ATLANTA
ATLANTA is 25-5 UNDER (+19.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ATLANTA 91.6, OPPONENT 92.5 - (Rating = 4*)

(815) LA LAKERS vs. (816) NEW YORK
LA LAKERS are 20-6 ATS (+13.4 Units) in road games vs. up-tempo teams averaging >=83 FG Atts/G over L3 seasons. The average score was LA LAKERS 115, OPPONENT 105.4 - (Rating = 2*)

(817) INDIANA vs. (818) DETROIT
DETROIT is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons. The average score was DETROIT 91.9, OPPONENT 97.4 - (Rating = 2*)

(819) NEW ORLEANS vs. (820) MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA is 3-16 ATS (-14.6 Units) in home games revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons. The average score was MINNESOTA 91.6, OPPONENT 103 - (Rating = 2*)

Saturday, 01/23/2010
(509) OKLAHOMA CITY vs. (510) CLEVELAND
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-0 ATS (+8 Units) in road games vs. good shooting teams making >=46% of shots this season. The average score was OKLAHOMA CITY 101, OPPONENT 97.3 - (Rating = 2*)

(515) NEW ORLEANS vs. (516) DENVER
NEW ORLEANS is 8-24 ATS (-18.4 Units) vs. explosive offensive teams - scoring 103+ PPG over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 96.1, OPPONENT 104.1 - (Rating = 2*)

(517) GOLDEN STATE vs. (518) PHOENIX
GOLDEN STATE is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) in road games vs. poor pressure teams (forcing <=14 TOs/g) over L2 seasons. The average score was GOLDEN STATE 100.3, OPPONENT 111.3 - (Rating = 2*)

(519) NEW JERSEY vs. (520) UTAH
Jerry Sloan is 44-21 ATS (+20.9 Units) vs. terrible 3PT shooting teams -making <=30% of attempts as the coach of UTAH. The average score was Sloan 99.1, OPPONENT 90.1 - (Rating = 2*)

Sunday, 01/24/2010
(801) LA CLIPPERS vs. (802) WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) as a home favorite over the last 2 seasons. The average score was WASHINGTON 100.1, OPPONENT 101.9 - (Rating = 2*)

(803) DALLAS vs. (804) NEW YORK
NEW YORK is 15-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) when playing against a good team (Win Pct. 60% to 70%) over the last 2 seasons. The average score was NEW YORK 101.6, OPPONENT 102.4 - (Rating = 2*)

(805) LA LAKERS vs. (806) TORONTO
LA LAKERS are 21-7 UNDER (+13.3 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons. The average score was LA LAKERS 103.4, OPPONENT 92.8 - (Rating = 2*)

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