SportsMarketwatch
NBA Edition
3/31/2010 5:00 PM EST
By The Team at SportsInsights.com
Welcome to the NBA edition of Sports Marketwatch, wherethe Team at SportsInsights gives sports fans an unprecedented glimpse into the NBApoint-spread marketplace. If you ever wanted to know what was really happeningon the sportsbook side, you now have an all-access pass with Sports Marketwatch!Initially, the NBA Edition of Sports Marketwatch will be a weekly columnpublished on Wednesdays, normally around 5PM, Eastern Time.
The staff at SportsInsights.com analyzes the marketplace, and especially thesports betting industry’s largest and most reputable sportsbooks, to identifywhich games the public is chasing and which ones the Sharps are pounding. Let’stake a look at what’s in store for tonight’s NBA games.
SportsMarketplace – NBA Edition
Marketwatchcontinues its hot streak thanks to a thrilling last-second offensive rebound anddunk by Josh Smith last Wednesday. Atlanta had come back from an early15-2 deficit but also relinquished a late lead, as Vince Carter tied the gamewith a 3-pointer with 9.9 seconds left in the game. Joe Johnson – whofinished with 17 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists – took a running one-hander asthe clock wound down, and the ricochet bounced off softly and high enough for astreaking Josh Smith to slam it home with 00.1 seconds remaining on the clock.The Hawks took the win and the cover over the Magic, 86-84.
2009-10 NBA Games to Watch: 19-17,52.8%*
*Source: SportsInsights.com
Atlanta Hawks -1 over Los Angeles Lakers
Atlanta Hawks -1
Toronto Raptors -9.5 over Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers will hop from Milwaukee up to Toronto tonight to face a Raptorsteam whose star has dimmed significantly of late. They’ve lost 13 of theirlast 18 games, and though some of the problems can be attributed to injuries,they’ve often seemed unfocused and undisciplined as well. Their early-week winat Charlotte paired with Chicago’s close loss to Phoenix last night has them alot more hopeful for the 8th playoff seed, but they can’t take their pedal offthe gas yet, only a game and a half up. The Clippers are nearly 20 gamesout of the playoffs, and without Baron Davis for the next two games due toinjury, simply don’t have much to offer opponents in the way of competition.
Toronto opened as 9-point favorites and, until halfway through the writing ofthis article, were Public underdogs to visiting Los Angeles’ JV team. Atthis moment, they’re getting 53% of spread bets, but the relevant line movement- moving to -10 at most offshore books – occurred earlier in the day when thedisrespect was greater. Perhaps it does seem like a lot of points for ateam like the Raptors to lay, but this Clippers lineup got blown out by 19 atMilwaukee last night. Toronto is coming off a day of rest, and we’ve alsotriggered our strongest Smart Money play, Bet Jamaica (+13.22), on them. Get thetriggering line and save the half point at BetUS.
Toronto Raptors -9.5 (BetUS)
Games to Watch: 19-17 = 52.8%
Atlanta -1
Toronto -9.5