NBA: NBA Sunday Betting Opportunities

Sunday’s are made for NBA, or so the saying goes, so the eight games gracing the betting board should provide great wagering opportunities anyone partaking.

2008-02-22

Sunday’s are made for NBA, or so the saying goes, so the eight games gracing the betting board should provide great wagering opportunities anyone partaking. Be sure to consult the Betting Trends page for hints before placing any said wagers however.

Sunday offers two televised tilts, the first in the afternoon on ABC, with Phoenix playing its third onerous game since the All-Star break, hosting Detroit. Later on ESPN, Houston will look to continue winning ways, when the team from the Windy City blows into town for an evening encounter. Each contest will give those betting professional basketball something to consider to closeout a whirlwind week of activity in the NBA.

Detroit at Phoenix

The Pistons had won 10 consecutive games leading up to All-Star break and stumbled out of the second half starting gate in losing to Orlando and Milwaukee. They will look to revving up their Detroit engine again, starting a four game Western swing in downtown Phoenix. The Pistons are 18-10 and 15-13 ATS on the road and are 5-2 (4-3 ATS) in the first of multiple games away from home. Both losses were due in large part to a faulty bench, which was not upgraded. The Pistons' reserves were outscored 21-8 by Orlando's bench and 20-3 by the Bucks' backups in the second quarter of each contest. The Pistons arrive in the Valley of the Sun 21-9 ATS as a road underdog over the last two seasons.

Phoenix has already faced the Lakers and Boston this week and will be heading to conference leading New Orleans later this week. It has been unfortunate timing for coach Mike D’Antoni’s club to take on this many upper tier teams after changing the dynamics of the team adding Shaquille O’Neal. Nonetheless, that’s the way it goes during an 82-game season, with no mercy for anyone. Because Detroit doesn’t normally give many points away, the Suns are just 1-8 ATS in home games versus teams who are called for 21 or less fouls a game.

The center jump will be just past 2:30 Eastern with Detroit 7-4 and 8-2-1 ATS at Phoenix.

Chicago at Houston

The Houston Rockets have moved ahead without the services of Bonzi Wells. Though still a product player, Wells is a clubhouse cancer and with the further development rookies Luis Scola and Carl Landry and the return of Luther Head, he became expendable. The more pressing need for Houston was a reliable backup point guard, which is where veteran Bobby Jackson fits in. The Rockets in the last few seasons have been a notorious bad home team; however in this recent stretch of outstanding play, they have won five straight on the home hardwood with four covers, as they start five game homestand.

The Chicago winter has matched the Bulls season thus far, it’s been brutal. Chicago made over its roster by jettisoning deadwood Ben Wallace and Joe Smith for younger players, with marginally better talent. Chicago starts the day in the 10th position in the Eastern Conference, a couple games behind Philadelphia for the final playoff spot. Coach Jim Boylan is keeping fingers crossed the return of Ben Gordon and Luol Deng can be matched with new acquisitions. "We're all in this thing together as a team, but everyone has to do their own part," coach Jim Boylan said. "Chemistry is often found through sacrifice. Each individual player and coach will have to do something to help the chemistry of this team. It may be different things for different people, but everyone's going to have to do their part somehow." That is very good coach-speak for a team that is 6-17 and 8-15 ATS and who has yet to win or cover in five games against the Southwest Division.

This 8:05E telecast on ESPN has the Bulls at 4-15 ATS versus teams who attempt 18 or more 3-point shots a game on the season, with the Over being the correct total play 80 percent of the time in last 10 meetings between these clubs.

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