The Nets failed to notch their fifth win in a row when they lost to the Pelicans on Monday. Tonight they visit Charlotte to face the Bobcats. In another game, the Heat and the Pacers engage in a potential preview game of the eastern conference finals.
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Brooklyn Nets vs. Charlotte Bobcats (7:00 PM EST)
Line: Brooklyn Nets (+1) at Charlotte Bobcats (-1); total 194.0 (View Lines Here)
Betting on the Brooklyn Nets
[sc:NBA240banner ]The Brooklyn Nets saw their four-game winning streak end when the New Orleans Pelicans handed them a 109-94 overtime loss on Monday night. It may not be a long time before they return to the win column though as they’re up against the Charlotte Bobcats tonight. The Nets are 10-1 SU in their last 11 meetings with Michael Jordan’s team.
Paul Pierce and Deron Williams each had great shooting games in their loss to the Pelicans, scoring 24 and 23 points. Williams has been stellar in the Nets’ last five games, averaging 19.4 PPG – five points better than his season average.
Betting on the Charlotte Bobcats
Offense prevailed over defense when the high scoring Houston Rockets dealt the Charlotte Bobcats’ third loss in four games, 100-94. The Bobcats are no. 4 in the NBA in scoring defense (97.2 PPG), but allowed the Rockets to score 50 points inside and looked helpless when James Harden and crew connected 12 triples.
Kemba Walker scored 22 points against the Rockets. The Bobcats’ guard has been doing well on offense recently, putting up 20 or more points four of Charlotte’s last five games. He is averaging 19.2 PPG during that stretch.
The Bobcats are among the best coverers in the NBA. Overall, they are 40-29-2 ATS, third best in the league.
Prediction
Deron Williams and Shaun Livingston will slow down Kemba Walker’s offense by making the latter work on defense. Williams and Livingston, who both have a clear height advantage over Walker, could see easier opportunities on offense. The Nets will win another one against Charlotte by at least five points.
Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers (8:00 PM EST)
Betting on the Miami Heat
The Miami Heat have LeBron James and Chris Bosh to thank for their win against the visiting Portland Trail Blazers. James broke a tie late in the game with a layup and Bosh blocked a potential game-tying attempt by the Blazers at the buzzer to give Miami a 93-91 victory.
As usual, James had a masterful all-around game (32 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists). The reigning MVP is lights out from the field, shooting 59.5 % in his last five games of Miami.
Dwyane Wade is questionable to play against Indiana tonight. Wade was Miami’s best performer in the two meetings with Indiana this season, averaging 24.5 PPG on 53.8% shooting. He scored 32 last December when Miami dropped Indiana, 97-94.
Betting on the Indiana Pacers
A series of shaky road performances this month had the Indiana Pacers on the verge of surrendering their stranglehold of the top spot in the eastern conference standings to the Heat. Luckily for them, Miami has had its own troubles on the road.
The Pacers plan to compound the Heat’s road problems tonight as they are 5-1 SU and ATS in their last six home games against Miami.
Indiana is coming off a loss to the Bulls on the road, 89-77. Though they held their opponents to no more than 89 points in their last four games, the Pacers went just 1-3 SU, primarily because of their lethargic offense. Indiana is the league’s worst scoring team in the last five games, averaging a paltry 84.8 PPG.
Prediction
Miami’s road woes will continue in Indiana. The Pacers have the NBA’s best home record, 32-4 SU, and the Heat have gone 0-3 SU and ATS in their last three games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
