MistaFlava
Cheerleader
MistaFlava's 2007 NBA Record: 0-0 (+0.00 Units)
MistaFlava's 2007 ATS Record: 0-0 (+0.00 Units)
MistaFlava's 2007 O/U Record: 0-0 (+0.00 Units)
This Week: 0-0 (+0.00 Units)
Welcome to my NBA Thread. I don't usually start this early in the season but I am going all out NBA capping for the first time in my handicapping career and after following the early season really closely, I think I am ready to get going and make some mad cash. The NBA is not a tough league to handicap it just takes patience and it takes a lot of research and stat studyings. Good luck to all this season!
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Monday, November 5
Dallas Mavericks -4.5 (1 Unit)
The Houston Rockets are off to yet another great start to the season as they are 3-0 straight up to start the year but have not really impressed with their 1-2 ATS record. You have to be impressed with the Rockets road wins over the LA Lakers and the Utah Jazz but you also have to understand that Dallas is a much better team than either one of those teams and this being a heated rivalry game won't help the Rockets much. If you have the Rockets in this one you have to be encouraged by the fact that they won once in Dallas last season and kept the other game within three points. However in the 2005-2006 season, the Rockets were 0-2 straight up and ATS in their only two visits to Dallas and I expect some of the same this time around. Everyone is healthy on this Rockets team which is a good thing but I don't know that they match up all that well with the Mavs. The Rockets are averaging 96.7 points per game so far and have shot 44.5% from the floor (both under the NBA average to start the season). Dallas has been more than impressive defensively in their first three games holding opponents to 89.3 points per game on 42.5% shooting from the floor. Houston has been ice cold from beyond the arc hitting only 28.3% of their shots from three point land which won't help against a Dallas team that forces teams to the inside and has allowed only 7 three point shot made against all season. Dallas is deep enough on the bench that they don't mind being aggressive and fouling (they have sent opponents to the line 90 times this season). The Mavs defense is forcing 16.7 turnovers per game this season and if they can contain Yao inside and force T-Mac to take too many shots, I think they have a good shot in this one.
The Dallas Mavericks are already a tough team to understand. They went from beating the crap out of the Cavaliers on the road in their first game of the season to losing in Atlanta as -5.5 point road underdogs. The Mavs are now 2-1 straight up on the season and they have covered the spread in both their wins so if you like the MoneyLine tonight you might as well go with the spread as well. Yao Ming is the reason the Mavs lost that one game to Houston last year as the big man went on a tear and the Mavericks were caught shutting down T-Mac a little bit too much. They held him to 8 points but forgot all about Yao who hit 12 of 16 shots and went 12 for 12 from the line in a blowout win for the Rockets. Well that's not happening in this game as Dallas is a bit deeper on the bench this time around. The Mavericks are coming off a huge 123-102 win over Sacramento on the weekend where PG Jose Juan Barea had a breakout game with 25 points. The Mavericks come into this game averaging a whopping 103.0 points per game this season and they have done that by shooting 51.8% from the floor in those games and get to play against a Houston defense that has allowed 92.3 points per game and allowed 43.8% shooting from the floor in those games. I have been equally impressed with Houston's three point defense this season as they have held opponents to only 11.3 attempts per game and 29.4% made per game but the Mavericks are not a big three point shooting team. They are more the kind of team that loves being aggressive inside and that loves getting to the line where they are shooting 85.1% this season compared to Houston's 72.4% and the league average of 74.3%. The Mavericks have also been very good with the ball turning it over only 13.3 times per game this season. The Mavs have a deep bench this season and for the first time this season the Rockets are going to see a bench that can make their own bench work for points. The Mavs should show fine form tonight.
Free throw shooting and the ability to put games away late are the reason I am taking the Mavericks. I expect both teams to get into some foul trouble in this one but if that happens the big time edge goes with the Mavericks who have already shown that they can be aggressive and take advantage of the chances they have for freebies. I know this is not a popular choice because of the two home games last season against Houston but this is a different lineup and I really don't see Yao having the kind of game he did the first meeting last season. I am taking the Mavericks to win and cover this spread for my first play of the season.
Trend of the Game: Dallas is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.
Dallas 103, Houston 92
Good luck to all tonight. This is my first play of the season and Im looking to kick things off with a bang.
MistaFlava's 2007 ATS Record: 0-0 (+0.00 Units)
MistaFlava's 2007 O/U Record: 0-0 (+0.00 Units)
This Week: 0-0 (+0.00 Units)
Welcome to my NBA Thread. I don't usually start this early in the season but I am going all out NBA capping for the first time in my handicapping career and after following the early season really closely, I think I am ready to get going and make some mad cash. The NBA is not a tough league to handicap it just takes patience and it takes a lot of research and stat studyings. Good luck to all this season!
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Monday, November 5
Dallas Mavericks -4.5 (1 Unit)
The Houston Rockets are off to yet another great start to the season as they are 3-0 straight up to start the year but have not really impressed with their 1-2 ATS record. You have to be impressed with the Rockets road wins over the LA Lakers and the Utah Jazz but you also have to understand that Dallas is a much better team than either one of those teams and this being a heated rivalry game won't help the Rockets much. If you have the Rockets in this one you have to be encouraged by the fact that they won once in Dallas last season and kept the other game within three points. However in the 2005-2006 season, the Rockets were 0-2 straight up and ATS in their only two visits to Dallas and I expect some of the same this time around. Everyone is healthy on this Rockets team which is a good thing but I don't know that they match up all that well with the Mavs. The Rockets are averaging 96.7 points per game so far and have shot 44.5% from the floor (both under the NBA average to start the season). Dallas has been more than impressive defensively in their first three games holding opponents to 89.3 points per game on 42.5% shooting from the floor. Houston has been ice cold from beyond the arc hitting only 28.3% of their shots from three point land which won't help against a Dallas team that forces teams to the inside and has allowed only 7 three point shot made against all season. Dallas is deep enough on the bench that they don't mind being aggressive and fouling (they have sent opponents to the line 90 times this season). The Mavs defense is forcing 16.7 turnovers per game this season and if they can contain Yao inside and force T-Mac to take too many shots, I think they have a good shot in this one.
The Dallas Mavericks are already a tough team to understand. They went from beating the crap out of the Cavaliers on the road in their first game of the season to losing in Atlanta as -5.5 point road underdogs. The Mavs are now 2-1 straight up on the season and they have covered the spread in both their wins so if you like the MoneyLine tonight you might as well go with the spread as well. Yao Ming is the reason the Mavs lost that one game to Houston last year as the big man went on a tear and the Mavericks were caught shutting down T-Mac a little bit too much. They held him to 8 points but forgot all about Yao who hit 12 of 16 shots and went 12 for 12 from the line in a blowout win for the Rockets. Well that's not happening in this game as Dallas is a bit deeper on the bench this time around. The Mavericks are coming off a huge 123-102 win over Sacramento on the weekend where PG Jose Juan Barea had a breakout game with 25 points. The Mavericks come into this game averaging a whopping 103.0 points per game this season and they have done that by shooting 51.8% from the floor in those games and get to play against a Houston defense that has allowed 92.3 points per game and allowed 43.8% shooting from the floor in those games. I have been equally impressed with Houston's three point defense this season as they have held opponents to only 11.3 attempts per game and 29.4% made per game but the Mavericks are not a big three point shooting team. They are more the kind of team that loves being aggressive inside and that loves getting to the line where they are shooting 85.1% this season compared to Houston's 72.4% and the league average of 74.3%. The Mavericks have also been very good with the ball turning it over only 13.3 times per game this season. The Mavs have a deep bench this season and for the first time this season the Rockets are going to see a bench that can make their own bench work for points. The Mavs should show fine form tonight.
Free throw shooting and the ability to put games away late are the reason I am taking the Mavericks. I expect both teams to get into some foul trouble in this one but if that happens the big time edge goes with the Mavericks who have already shown that they can be aggressive and take advantage of the chances they have for freebies. I know this is not a popular choice because of the two home games last season against Houston but this is a different lineup and I really don't see Yao having the kind of game he did the first meeting last season. I am taking the Mavericks to win and cover this spread for my first play of the season.
Trend of the Game: Dallas is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings.
Dallas 103, Houston 92
Good luck to all tonight. This is my first play of the season and Im looking to kick things off with a bang.
