NBA friday 13/05/05

[aliensyndm]

Hmmm considering phoenix after a preliminary look.
One thing I did notice on oddschecker, if you look at the handicap it's +/- 3 on most bookies. Victor chandler do not have a number listed but simply odds of 9/10. They have no odds listed for the money line and the game does not appear on their site. If you click the 9/10 next to dallas you get up a slip and it appears that you can back dallas merely to win at odds of 9/10. You could create an easy arb here backing phoenix to win at 2.4 ish.
Whether or not the bet would work on the form is another story. Whether they would accept it if it does....is another.
Look here and you'll see what I mean.
Phoenix are like er supposed to be good right ?
I'll have a closer look at it tomorrow, 4.50 am, should get some sleep.

[aliensyndm]

OK I'm not exactly convinced but I'll try a small bet on phoenix.
One thing which doesn't exactly help the phoenix case is absence of joe johnson, his first since 2001. He had surgery on thursday so thats him out anyway. But they do of course have MVP Steve Nash. Phoenix seem to be rather bollox without Nash. I wouldn't touch them unless he is playing.
Phoenix look good on paper against dallas field goals 47.7% to 45.7% , 110.4 points per game against 102.5. Three pointers 39.3% against 36.4%
Free throws they are slightly worse at 74.8% against 78.9%

If phoenix want this they are gonna have to beat dallas on their own territory at some point. This shouldn't be too much of a problem as Phoenix are the NBA's best travellers at 31-10 on the road. (Dallas are second best actually at 29-12).
I'm wondering if I am trying to talk myself into this bet as I like the phoenix style of shoot 30000 baskets as a way to win. I think they'll struggle against good defensive teams like the spurs or detroit if they get that far.

Anyway I'm hoping Nash and the boys will sort me out tonight.

[aliensyndm]

The victor chandler thing has been sorted now of course.
I didn't mention handicap. I'm in 2 minds whether to take the +3.5 available at stan james or just go for the outright win which is between 2.3 and 2.4
I'll probably bottle it and take the points knowing me.

[kompressaur]

Heres a wee pic to make you baseball boys chuckle a wee bit.

[aliensyndm]

That should have been in the MLB thread.......NBA is National Basketball Association !