Charlotte At Boston
When: 7:30 PM ET, Saturday, March 16, 2013
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Charlotte), Comcast SportsNet New England (Boston)
PREDICTION: Celtics 98, Bobcats 81

Oddsmakers currently have the Celtics listed as 14-point favorites versus the Bobcats, while the game’s total is sitting at 190.

Charlotte looked like something much better than the team with the worst record in the NBA on Tuesday, getting a career-high 35 points from Gerald Henderson and a double-double from Josh McRoberts while holding Boston to 28 second-half points in the easy win. Whatever was working in that game went away at the start of a two-game trip on Friday. The Bobcats were outscored 23-10 in the fourth quarter and shot 32.5 percent in the 92-78 loss at Toronto. The bright spots were again Henderson (22 points) and McRoberts (10 and nine rebounds), two players who are getting long looks in the final weeks of the regular season as the team evaluates the roster.

In their last action, Charlotte was a 92-78 loser on the road against the Raptors. They failed to cover the 12.5-point spread as underdogs, while the combined score (170) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Charlotte:
Team record: 14-51 SU, 21-44 ATS

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of last 14 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of last 22 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston

When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing Washington are 2-8
After playing Toronto are 3-7
After a loss are 1-9

Boston is 23-9 at home, 12-20 on the road and would love to jump up into the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference to get at least one round of home-court advantage in the playoffs. The Celtics are sitting in seventh place, 2 1/2 games shy of No. 4 Brooklyn and 3 1/2 behind the third-place New York Knicks. Pierce scored 19 points and Rajon Rondo recorded a triple-double to lead the way in a 100-89 home win over the Bobcats on Jan. 14. Boston was finishing up a stretch of 10 road games in 13 contests on Tuesday and looked weary from all the travel. Pierce got the night off to rest and Kevin Garnett played just over 20 minutes. The Celtics showed more life on Wednesday, getting 20 points from Jeff Green and 15 from Pierce in the 112-88 victory.

Last time out for Boston, they were a 112-88 winner as they battled the Raptors at home. The Celtics covered in the match as a 5-point favorite, while 200 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Boston:
Team record: 35-29 SU, 30-31-3 ATS

is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games when playing Charlotte
is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Miami are 5-5
After playing Toronto are 7-3
After a win are 6-4

The post Charlotte Bobcats vs. Boston Celtics Free Betting Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.

Atlanta At Orlando
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
TV: 7 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), Fox Sports Florida (Orlando)

Orlando was having a rough couple of weeks until Sunday’s 110-104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers snapped a 12-game losing skid, the franchise’s longest in nine seasons. The rebuilding Magic will be in search of consecutive wins for the first time since rattling off a season-high four in a row from Dec. 14-19. Orlando, which has dealt with injuries to key cogs Glen Davis, Hedo Turkoglu and J.J. Redick, has won just three games since that streak.

The Hawks had dropped four of six games before beating the Mavericks behind a big night from leading-scorer Josh Smith, who recorded 26 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. “Any time you go on the road and get a win, it’s always big,” coach Larry Drew said. “We’ve had our ups and downs, as most teams do. But we have not fragmented when that has happened.” Devin Harris scored 15 points in the triumph after missing four of the past 10 games because of injury.

Orlando nearly spoiled a 13-point third-quarter lead before holding on against Portland behind Jameer Nelson’s 10 points and career-best 15 assists. Redick returned from missing three games with a shoulder injury to score 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting to get the Magic back in the win column. “You always want to see the fruits of your labor and in this business it’s wins and losses, and it’s just good for the guys’ psyche overall,” coach Jacque Vaughn said.

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L.A. Lakers At Memphis
When: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Time Warner Cable SportsNet (Los Angeles), SportSouth (Memphis)
Prediction: Grizzlies 95, Lakers 88

Oddsmakers currently have the Grizzlies listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Lakers, while the game’s total is sitting at 193.

With turmoil plaguing the team for most of the season, Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant decided to take a break from present-day happenings and focus on the past. The future Hall of Famer celebrated Tuesday’s seventh anniversary of his 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors by watching the game in its entirety for the first time. As a treat to fans, he broke in his relatively new Twitter account by sending out messages while the game was being re-broadcast. Bryant may need to channel some of his 2006 performance Wednesday as he faces off against a Memphis club allowing the second-fewest points per game in the league (89.4)

Los Angeles lost its last outing, a 95-83 result against the Bulls on January 21. The Lakers failed to cover in that game as a 1-point favorite, while the 178 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Team record: 17-24 SU, 16-25 ATS
Current streak: lost 3 straight games.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of the LA Lakers last 8 games on the road
LA Lakers are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Memphis
LA Lakers are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games when playing Memphis

When playing on Wednesday are 6-4
Before playing Utah are 7-3
After playing Chicago are 7-3
After a loss are 3-7

Memphis made a minor move Tuesday, dealing Marreese Speights, Wayne Ellington, Josh Selby and a heavily protected future draft pick to the Cavaliers for forward Jon Leuer and a trade exception. The deal was conducted with business in mind – it saves the Grizzlies $6 million against the salary cap and eliminates the need to pay a luxury tax bill of roughly $4 million. “It’s a trade that had to be made … so that we can keep our core together and we move forward,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I hate to lose Mo and Wayne and Josh but it’s part of the business of basketball.”

Last time out for Memphis, they were an 82-81 loser as they battled the Pacers at home. The Grizzlies failed to cover in the match as a 6-point favorite, while 163 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 26-14 SU, 23-16-1 ATS

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 6 games at home
is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

When playing on Wednesday are 7-3
Before playing Brooklyn are 4-6
After playing Indiana are 6-4
After a loss are 5-5

The post Los Angeles Lakers vs. Memphis Grizzlies Free Betting Pick & Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.

Atlanta At Charlotte
When: 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Where: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, North Carolina
TV: 7 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta, Charlotte)
Prediction: Hawks 95, Bobcats 91.

Oddsmakers currently have the Hawks listed as 6-point favorites versus the Bobcats, while the game’s total is sitting at 194½.

Atlanta is adjusting to life without guard Lou Williams, who was lost for the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last week. Guard Devin Harris is listed as questionable with a sprained left ankle, and reserves Anthony Morrow (hip) and DeShawn Stevenson (knee) also are questionable, while backup center Zaza Pachulia (Achilles) is not expected to make the trip. The Hawks still have their two biggest stars in Josh Smith (16.3 points, 8.2 rebounds) and Al Horford (15.6 points, 9.8 rebounds).

The Hawks were a 104-96 winner in their most recent outing at home against the Timberwolves. They earned a push of the 8-point spread as favorites, while the total score (200) made winners of OVER bettors.

Team record: 23-18 SU, 16-23-2 ATS
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 8 of last 9 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 6 of last 7 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of last 7 games on the road
When playing on Wednesday are 5-5
Before playing Boston are 6-4
After playing Minnesota are 4-6
After a win are 4-6

Unlike the Hawks, the Bobcats can say they’re relatively healthy – forward Byron Mullens (11.6 points, 7.8 rebounds) is the only player expected to miss the game – but the good news stops there. Charlotte has been one of the least efficient teams at both ends of the floor, and two of the team’s top three scorers – Ramon Sessions (14.3 points) and Ben Gordon (13 points) – are reserves. Kemba Walker leads the way with 17.9 points and 5.7 assists per game.

The Bobcats were a 100-94 loser in their most recent outing at home against the Rockets. They covered the 7-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (194) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Team record: 10-31 SU, 16-25 ATS
Current streak: lost 2 straight games.

The total has gone OVER in 8 of last 9 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 6 of last 7 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of last 7 games
is 8-16 ATS in its last 24 games

When playing on Wednesday are 3-7
Before playing Minnesota are 3-7
After playing Houston are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7

The post Atlanta Hawks vs. Charlotte Bobcats Free Betting Pick & NBA Matchup appeared first on IdealCapper.