San Antonio Spurs at Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Odds
Opening Line: Spurs +7.5 / Cavaliers -7.5 O/U 194
Time: 7 PM EST Monday March 8, 2010 on NBA TV
Tonight the Cleveland Cavaliers host the streaking San Antonio Spurs. The Cavs have the best record and home record in the NBA, but are coming off a loss in their last game. The Spurs have won 4 straight and are 7-3 in their last 10 games.
This season the Cavaliers are 27-4 at home and 32-31-1 ATS the Spurs are 14-14 on the road and 29-31 ATS.
Both teams played on Saturday, but with different results, as the Spurs beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 102-92 and the Cavs lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 92-85.
The big news for this game is that it may lack a little star power, as Tony Parker (16.5 ppg) is out with an hand injury and LeBron James (30 ppg) will be a game time decision also with a tweaked ankle. While King James just has a sprained ankle Parker has a broken hand and may miss six weeks of action.
With James out Antawn Jamison (19.9 ppg), Mo Williams (15.5 ppg), and Delonte West (8.4 ppg), who had a season high 27 in the loss to Milwaukee, will have to take up the scoring slack.
Williams has needs to get out of his shooting slump with King James out, as he is only averaging 12 ppg in his last five games.
Both of these teams have solid defenses, as each rank in the top 10 in the league in opponents' points allowed.
The Spurs will have to rely more on defense to win, as with Parker out there are only two starters that are averaging in double figures. Spuer-6th man Manu Ginobili (14.2 ppg) will have to step up and score some buckets tonight and he may run some point.
Tim Duncan (19 ppg 10.8 rpg) will have to control the plaint in this game on both ends of the court for the Spurs to have any chance to win this game. Luckily he will not have to deal with Shaq in the middle, who is out for the Cavs.
The supporting cast of Parker and James will have to step it up tonight, but if LeBron can go it gives them a great advantage to be the first team in the league this season to get to 50 wins.
San Antonio is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record, 8-21 ATS in their last 29 games against teams with a winning percentage above 60%, and has an Over record of 4-1 in their last 5 road games.
Cleveland is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following an ATS loss, and has an Over record of 8-3-1 in their last 12 home games.
San Antonio is only 2-6 ATS in their last eight games in Cleveland.
Our Selection : King James missed the Cavs' last game a 92 - 85 loss to the Bucks. The 85 points tied their season low and we don't expect that output to improve much tonight with Lebron expected to be out of the line-up again (Check Status). They catch a Spurs team that arguably has been playing their best basketball of the season. Winners of 7 of their last 10 and on a 3-0 ATS spread run and getting points looks like an easy choice for us. Take San Antonio +5
Future Betting Odds
NBA Handicapping
Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics 5-28
The Magic have won 2 games in a row in this series and look to tie the series tonight, as the Boston Celtics hosts Orlando in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Magic have got back in this series and look to become the first team ever in the NBA to come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Celtics are small 3.5 point favorite at Bodog tonight when they try to close out this series at home.