Dr. Bob
Friday NBA Opinions
CHARLOTTE (-6 ½) over New Jersey
Rotation #802 - 4:05 pm Pacific
New Jersey has lost 20 of their 27 road games by 7 points or more and the Nets are only 6-29-1 ATS on the road the last two seasons when not getting more than 9 points, including 0-9 ATS recently. New Jersey is also only 4-17 ATS this season, and 13-34-1 ATS since last season, when facing a team with a win percentage of less than .450 (i.e. teams that aren’t likely to take the Nets lightly). My home-road ratings favor the Bobcats by 8 points and the line opened at 7 ½, so there is some line value favoring Charlotte. However, the Bobcats are not exactly the type of team that blows out bad teams and their 7 point home win over the Nets earlier this season came in overtime. I’ll lean with Charlotte at -7 or less and I’d take the Bobcats in a 2-Star Best Bet at -6 or less.
INDIANA (-8 ½) over Minnesota
Rotation #804 - 4:05 pm Pacific
Indiana is 5-1 straight up and 4-2 ATS under their new head coach Frank Vogel and the Pacers have a tendency to beat up on bad teams at home. Indiana is 16-4-1 ATS as a home favorite of 4 points or more the last two seasons, including 11-1-1 ATS against teams with a win percentage of .333 or less. Minnesota is coming off consecutive upset road wins but road underdogs (or pick) are just 67-103-5 ATS after consecutive road upset wins (although the best part of that situation doesn’t apply to this game). I’ll lean with Indiana minus the points.
L.A. Clippers (-4) over CLEVELAND
Rotation #811 - 4:35 pm Pacific
Cleveland went from really bad to horrendous when underappreciated big man Anderson Varejao was injured, as he is actually the key to that team. The Cavs are 0-22 straight up in the games that Varejao has missed this season and only 2 of those losses were by losses were by less than 5 points. The Clippers aren’t quite as good with top scorer Eric Gordon out, but they’re only a couple points worse than an average team with their current lineup and my ratings favor the Clippers by 6 points in this game. I’ll lean with the Clippers at -4 or less and I’d take the Clippers in a 2-Star Best Bet at-3 or less.
Friday College Opinion
St. Peter’s (-9) over MARIST
Rotation #837 – 4 pm Pacific
St. Peter’s tends to beat up on bad teams, as the Peacocks are now 17-3 ATS in conference games against losing teams the last 3 seasons, including 6-1 ATS this season. My ratings favor St. Peter’s by 9 ½ points and I’ll lean with St. Peter’s minus the points. I’d take St. Peter’s in a 2-Star Best Bet at -8 or less.
