NBA Sunday Afternoon Wagering Opportunities

NBA Sunday Afternoon Wagering Opportunities

The NBA arrives front and center for the rest of this month as the featured product for wagering consumers. With football fading from our thoughts and the NCAA Tournament weeks away, David Stern will try and compel us that his product is worthy of attention in the middle of Sunday afternoon. Like every year, this requires a period of adjustment; however two powerhouse matchups should at least draw the curiosity factor. The well-rested San Antonio Spurs prepare for meeting with Boston in the undercard, immediately followed by the sports two best players, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, leading their respective teams to battle. Lines courtesy of Sportsbook.com.

San Antonio at Boston

The San Antonio Spurs are in the process traveling over 10,000 miles for eight games on their annual Rodeo Trip. The Spurs (33-15, 23-23-2 ATS) had to go to overtime to defeat Golden State last Monday 110-105. San Antonio’s very next game was in Denver the following day and though they wouldn’t play again until today, coach Greg Popovich made a somewhat controversial decision not to play Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Michael Finley in the second game on back-to-back nights. That news set off a firestorm of wagering activity on that Mile High matchup, taking the Nuggets from four-point favorites, all the way 13 points by tip off. The Spurs lost 104-96, covering the spread, and will be extra rested. Surprisingly they are 6-16 ATS in road games when playing six or less games in 14 days over the last two seasons.

Boston (41-10, 28-23 ATS) is back home after a quick trip to New York and will look to avoid a second straight defeat at TD BankNorth Garden. The Celtics are 24-3 and 16-11 ATS at home and are still in a bit of a foul mood after losing in overtime to the Lakers. When asked about Derek Fisher defense on his last shot attempt to win, Ray Allen stated emphatically, "I was fouled. I was pushed. I got pushed into the shot." The Celtics are 11-2 ATS in home games after having won eight or more of their last 10 games this season.

This is the opener on ABC starting at 1 Eastern and San Antonio is 9-2 and 7-3-1 ATS in downtown Boston.

Power Line - Boston by 11

L.A. Lakers at Cleveland

The Los Angeles Lakers (40-9, 25-23-1 ATS) have had two well-deserved days off since defeating Boston for a second time this season. This will be the final stop on the Lakers back East six game road trip, which has seen them compile a 5-0 record (4-0-1 ATS). Phil Jackson is teaching his players to adjust again without center Andrew Bynum, who could be out until the playoffs begin or beyond with torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee. This places more of a burden on Kobe and Pau Gasol and each shown they are willing for the challenge. The Lakers are now 14-3-1 ATS in February games since last year and 20-5 ATS in road tilts after the midpoint of the season. They will have the task of trying to do what nobody has this NBA campaign in Cleveland.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to lose at Quicken Loans Arena this season, with a 23-0 record and nearly as impressive 18-5 spread mark. LeBron has often been able to watch the last few minutes or more from the sidelines in home games, as the Cavs are winning by 16.1 points per game. For a team that is 39-9 (32-16 ATS), Cleveland appears awfully agitated. They were upset the Lakers and Boston were taking their ink despite having the best record in the league for a good part of the season, as detractors mentioned an easier schedule. Mo Williams wasn’t chosen to the All-Star game by coaches, which created even more fire, though he could be picked with Jameer Nelson out. Cleveland is the top scoring defensive team in the NBA at 90.7 points per game and is 9-1 ATS in home games versus three-point shooting teams making 36 percent or more of their attempts like L.A. (37.9).

Cleveland was routed 105-88 at the Staples Center 20 days ago, ending a four game winning streak they had over the Lakers. The Cavs have won last four encounters with L.A. at home (3-1 ATS) and they haven’t played since LeBron had triple-double at The Garden on Wednesday.This will be part two of the twinbill on ABC and Cleveland is 3-1 and 4-0 ATS with three or more days rest.

Power Line -Cleveland by 2

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