NBA Premium Card 02/22

NBA - 501 Memphis Grizzlies @ 502 Charlotte Bobcats

Play #1

The Bobcats are 3-0 in the L3 games, but last night they choked down the stretch vs. NO and almost lost the game.  Al Jefferson simply toyed w/ NO’s frontcourt especially @ first half but once NO adjusted defensively in the second half, CHA’s offense was stagnant and ended up shooting just 35% FG in the second half. “Big Al” is in a roll by scoring 32, 29 and 33 points in the L3 games!

However in this 3-games stretch, he has faced the inexperienced DET’s frontcourt twice and last night, his matchup was vs. Ajinca, Stiemsma and Jeff Withey…enough said! For tonight, I don’t think that Al Jefferson will be able to dominate down vs. MEM interior defense and so, CHA’s offense isn’t good enough to hang around against a “healthy” team like MEM.

MEM is coming from a great win vs. LAC in a game that sounded like between two elite teams. MEM crushed LAC down low w/ 60 points in the paint while their perimeter with Conley back is way more talented than CHA’s backcourt.

With Al Jefferson being well defended by Marc Gasol, CHA’s offense will struggle to score. CHA's defense has been decent but I expect Zach Randolph to dominate vs. McRoberts, while MEM’s second unit will have a considerable edge tonight as well vs. CHA’s unit that most likely will be without Gary Neal & Luke Ridnour.

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 501 Memphis Grizzlies (-2) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bovada

NBA - 503 New Orleans Pelicans @ 504 Washington Wizards

Play #2

***TRIPLE DIME PLAY***

I’ve watched this afternoon the game between the Pelicans and the Bobcats, and I really didn’t like the way the Pelicans played in that game. CHA was able to won the game even though they shot just 38.8% FG! However, CHA completely dominated the boards w/ 57.5% reb/rate% while they a tremendous edge w/ FT’s as well: 36 vs. 11!

Their interior defense is just awful and Al Jefferson completely torched them early on the game. Eventually, NO packed the paint in the second half to slow down “Big Al” – which they were successful but they gave too many “space” on the outside for CHA’s shooters. Fortunately for them, CHA’s could hit a three pointer to save their lives (1-10 3pts in the second half) and the Pelicans were able to be competitive.

This won’t work tonight against the Wizards…

While I expect Nene Hilario & Marcin Gortat to score quite easily down low, the Pelicans really can’t pack the paint against WAS because we are talking about one of the best 3pts teams in the league! In L10 games, WAS is hitting 38.1% 3pts – ranked #6 in the league!

The biggest edge IMO for the Wizards tonight is related w/ the matchup between John Wall vs. B. Roberts/A. Rivers… Wall’s explosiveness will be too much for NO’s slow footed guards. To put it simple: we have the #1 ranked transition offense in the league (WAS) going against the #30 (dead last) transition defense in the league (NO).

WAS is rested and will face the Pelicans playing their 3rd game in 4 nights… I expect WAS to push up the pace against them, their obvious inside edge vs. NO will force the Pelicans to pack the paint on the defensive end which will give extra room for WAS’s shooters = BLOWOUT win!

Pick: 5 units (Triple Dime Play) on 504 Washington Wizards (-6) @ -110 / 1.91 on Betonline

NBA - 507 New York Knicks @ 508 Atlanta Hawks

Play #3

***DOUBLE DIME PLAY***

ATL has now lost 8 straight games! Their L5 losses were essentially due to some bad defense w/ 118.8 Def. Rtg.

Primarily, their lack of options on the frontcourt is the main culprit as ATL can’t protect properly the basket and that was pretty clear, because DET simply crushed them:

“DET ended the game w/ 53.4% reb/rate%, 66 points in the paint while Monroe & Drummond combined to shoot 20-28 FG - a 71% mark! That was exactly why I had Detroit last night as my Best Play!”

Fortunately for them, ATL won’t be torched defensively in this area tonight, because the Knicks really don’t have any “interest” in pound down low vs. their opponents! Note that last night, despite playing 2 OT’s vs. ORL, NYK was able to score just 28 points in the paint!

ATL’s defense will be focused only in stopping NYK’s perimeter game and NYK’s is mired in a bad spot w/ 4 games in 5 days while last night’s game vs. ORL had 2 OT’s: Melo played 50 min, JR Smith 49, Hardaway 45, Felton 45 and Chandler 42 min!

On the other side, like the Knicks, the Hawks really don’t have any interior game right now. They rely almost exclusively w/ their perimeter to be efficient but we are dealing with a team that lacks confidence right now.

This will be the 4th and final H2H game between these two teams, and the first 3 games were all SLOW PACED affairs. I expect this contest to be quite similar in terms of pace factor and w/ both teams coming from bad physical spots and without any inside game, I’m taking the Under in here as my Single Dime Play.

Pick: 4 units (Double Dime Play) on 507/508 Under 202.5 @ -110 / 1.91 on Betonline

NBA - 513 Boston Celtics @ 514 Sacramento Kings

Play #4

It might sound strange that the 18-36 Kings is being favored by almost double digit points against the 19-37 Celtics, but in my opinion we really should be dealing w/ a Double Digits point’s line favoring SAC.

BOS played last night @LAC and they imploded in the fourth quarter by being outscored 18-38 which says a lot when a team is outscored by 20 points by the….Lakers!?! Well, R. Rondo as usual, will miss today’s game and so, BOS is really shorthanded @guards position, which bodes well for SAC’s Isaiah Thomas.            

Also, BOS’s best frontcourt player Jared Sullinger was hit hard in the head late in the game last night and won’t play tonight as well.

SAC is yet to win a game this season without D. Cousins but the good news is that Cousins will play tonight and so, we can expect him to dominate the Celtics frontline like he did @BOS: 11-19 FG, 9-11 FT for 31 points and 16 rebounds! SAC lost that game 89-99 because Sullinger was phenomenal as well w/ 14-24 FG for 31 points & 16 rebounds. As good as Cousins was offensively, he was torched on the defensive end by Sullinger. This won’t happen today as without Sullinger, BOS don’t have any interior player capable of dominate down low.

With both Isaiah Thomas and Cousins having some great edges w/ their individual matchups, I expect SAC to be efficient on the offensive end while BOS’s offense will struggle to move the ball as they don’t a true Point Guard to run their offense.

 

Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 514 Sacramento Kings (-8) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker