Every team in the Southwest Division had a losing record against the spread last season, a trend NBA betting fans will be monitoring carefully again this year. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish with straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2008/09 season in parentheses:
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (55-32 SU, 41-44-2 ATS, 44-43 O/U): Tim Duncan (19.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG), Tony Parker (22.0 PPG, 6.9 APG) and Manu Ginobili (15.5 PPG), the core of the 2006/07 NBA Championship team return but this time they’ll have help from fresh faces Richard Jefferson (19.6 PPG) and Antonio McDyess (9.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG). San Antonio was 32-12 when Ginobili played last season and 23-20 when he didn’t so keeping the sixth man healthy will be key to making a run at another world title. Future Book Odds Profile: NBA Championship 6/1; Western Conference 7/2; Southwest Division 1/2.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite: 17-22-1
Home Underdog:1-2
Away Favorite: 12-9-1
Away Underdog:10-10
Sportsbook Buster: The Spurs were 11-6 ATS versus team from the Pacific Division last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Last year, the “under” was 12-6 when San Antonio played games with no rest.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (55-37 SU, 44-48 ATS, 46-46 O/U): The Mavericks added some much-needed defense to their array of offensive stars when they acquired Shawn Marion (12.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG), who has over 100 blocked shot and 100 steals in each of the past four seasons.Marion will help a solid core led by Dirk Nowitzki (25.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG), Jason Terry (19.6 PPG), Josh Howard (18.0 PPG) and Jason Kidd (8.7 RPG). It’s a tough neighborhood but Dallas is a team to fear. Future Book Odds Profile: NBA Championship 10/1; Western Conference 6/1; Southwest Division 9/2.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite: 20-20
Home Underdog:0-4
Away Favorite: 9-9
Away Underdog:14-14
Sportsbook Buster: The Mavericks were 8-15 ATS versus teams from the Northwest Division last season.
Sports Betting Angle: The “under” was 12-4 when Dallas played a game on no days rest last year.
NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (50-37 SU, 36-50-1 ATS, 36-48-3 O/U): The Hornets hope that the addition of sturdy Emeka Okafor (13.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG) to replace Tyson Chandler will help all-stars Chris Paul (22.8 PPG, 11. APG) and David West (21.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG) move New Orleans past the first round of the playoffs in the competitive Western Conference this season. Peja Stojakovic 13.3 PPG) missed 21 games last year and must remain healthy for the Hornets to threaten. Future Book Odds Profile: NBA Championship 20/1; Western Conference 12/1; Southwest Division 8/1.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite: 19-22
Home Underdog:1-1
Away Favorite: 9-11
Away Underdog: 6-16
Sportsbook Buster: The Hornets were 6-16 ATS as away underdogs last season.
Sports Betting Angle: New Orleans was 23-33-1 ATS versus teams from the Western Conference last year.
HOUSTON ROCKETS (60-35 SU, 46-48-1 ATS, 43-51-1 O/U): With Yao Ming (19.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG) likely to miss the entire season following career-threatening leg surgery and Ron Artest now in Los Angeles, the Rockets could have difficulty getting off the launching pad this season. Luis Scola (12.7 PPG) and Aaron Brooks (11.2 PPG) are the only returning players with double-digit scoring numbers so the Rockets will have to find new ways to win if they hope to be in the playoffs again this season. Future Book Odds Profile: NBA Championship 15/1; Western Conference 8/1; Southwest Division 5/1.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite: 20-21-1
Home Underdog:3-2
Away Favorite: 9-10
Away Underdog: 13-13
Sportsbook Buster: The Rockets were 9-1 ATS versus teams from the Southeast Division last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Houston was 32-15 ATS in games following a pointspread loss last year.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (24-58 SU, 38-42-2 ATS, 38-43-1 O/U): The Grizzlies have young stars in last year’s Rookie-of-the-Year runner-up O.J. Mayo (18.5 PPG), Rudy Gay (18.9 PPG) , Marc Gasol (11.9 PPG) and top draft choice Hasheem Thabeet, a 7-3 shot-blocker, but progress, if it comes at all, will be slow and painful in this difficult division. Future Book Odds Profile: NBA Championship 150/1; Western Conference 80/1; Southwest Division 50/1.
By the Numbers (2008/09 Season)
Home Favorite:4-9-1
Home Underdog:15-11-1
Away Favorite:1-1
Away Underdog: 18-21
Sportsbook Buster: The Grizzlies were 4-14 ATS versus teams from the Northwest Division last season.
Sports Betting Angle: The “under” was 38-27-1 when Memphis was an underdog last year.
This is the fourth of six NBA previews.
Next: The Western Conference’s Northwest Division.
