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The NBA lottery selection for the 2009 NBA Draft took place Tuesday night from Secaucus, New Jersey. The selection show officially molded what order the teams would select their picks for the festivities that will take place on June 25th. The Los Angeles Clippers came out smelling like a rose after landing the overall first pick in this year’s draft. The Clippers were held at 17% chance to win the overall pick and the luck just happened to fall their way. Now since we know the orders the teams will select their picks we can now break down how the NBA Draft could shape out with our own 2009 mock draft. We break down the top 10 picks and how we expect them to turn out on June 25th in New York.

1. L.A Clippers – Blake Griffin (Oklahoma)

Blake Griffin is the extreme overwhelming favorite to be taken first overall this year by the Clippers. Griffin dominated the college ranks last season like no other sophomore in recent memory. Griffin averaged 22.7 points per game for the season which led the Big 12. Griffin perhaps was even more impressive in the way he dominated the glass. The 6’10 sophomore led the nation averaging 14.4 rebounds per game. The LA Clippers will jump on the opportunity to grab Griffin who has all the expectations to be among the best in the NBA in a very short time.

2. Memphis Grizzlies – Ricky Rubio (International)

The Grizzlies major need is a guard mainly someone to handle the basketball. Ricky Rubio will likely be the selection to fill that desperation. Rubio is a gifted young 17 year old who has a ton of upside. The point guard out of El Masnou, Spain has great ball handling, strong defense, and can shoot the ball fairly well. The Grizzlies will likely bypass the opportunity to grab Hasheem Thabeet and grab Rubio to control the ball. However, not exactly sure how big of a scoring threat Rubio will develop into. He has all the makings of a solid guard, but perhaps not a great one.

3. Oklahoma City – Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut)

Oklahoma City would love to add a huge scorer to the lineup. However, they simply can not afford to lead Hasheem Thabeet slip by. The 7’3 center out of Connecticut is a beast on the defensive side of the ball. The junior averaged 4.5 blocks this season. Thabeet also averaged stout double-double type numbers with 13.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. The tall center may not be an immediate huge threat on the offensive side of the ball, but could become a Kevin Garnett type of defensive player and surely the scoring will develop as time passes.

4. Sacramento Kings – Jordan Hill (Arizona)

Many people think the Kings may go after a guard in this position, but there may be more need from some strength in the paint. Jordan Hill was a player who really came on strong for the Arizona Wildcats through the end of the season. The junior forward averaged 18 points on the season along with a strong 11 boards. Hill could give the Kings some depth on the inside and become an eventual playmaker on the inside. Sacramento already has a solid scorer in Kevin Martin on the outside and believes they will give up the opportunity to go after a guard.

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5. Washington Wizards – James Harden (Arizona State)

The Washington Wizards owned the worse record in the Eastern Conference this season and will get the chance to add some strength to the lineup with the 5th overall pick. The Wizards likely seek a guard preferably someone that can knock down shots in this position. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison were very effective at the forward positions this year, but they really lacked the outside scoring threat. James Harden could fill that void at the shooting guard position. Harden averaged 20 points per game this season while shooting just under 50% on the season. Harden can also shot the ball from behind the arc rather well which should make him a perfect fit for the Wizards at the number 5 selection.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves – Brandon Jennings (International)

Minnesota has plenty of needs on the court and could go in many different directions with their selection. However, we expect Brandon Jennings to be the most suitable expectation. Al Jefferson holds down the middle fairly strong for the Timberwolves and they may look to add an outside threat to take some pressure off Randy Foye. Brandon Jennings has great speed and a knack for getting to the basket. Jennings should become a solid player who can beat most defenders off the dribble right away.

7. Golden State Warriors – DeMar DeRozan (USC)

DeMar DeRozan does not have overpowering qualities that some of our previous selections maintain, however he is perhaps one of the most solid all around players on the board. DeRozan averaged 14 points in his freshman campaign at USC as he matured throughout the season. DeRozan knocked down 52% of his shots on the season. The big thing surround DeRozan is perhaps need a good bit of time to develop. We don’t expect the 19 year old to come in the league dominating, but expect him to be a solid starter in a year or two.

8. New York Knicks – Stephen Curry (Davidson)

The New York Knicks made a lot of early season moves to try and grab some up and coming talent to the roster. The Knicks will get their chance at another up and coming star if Stephen Curry is still on the board at the number 8 selection. Curry led the nation this season with averaging a lucrative 28.6 points per game. Curry made a name for himself when he led a less than talented Davidson team to the sweet sixteen in 2008. Curry has the best shooting stroke of anyone in the 2009 class. If someone does not take a chance at him, surely New York will at the number 8 pick.

9. Toronto Raptors – Gerald Henderson (Duke)

Gerald Henderson is among the latest entries to add themselves to the 2009 NBA Draft. Henderson exploded in the second half of the season at Duke. Henderson actually tied with Kyle Singler at exactly 16.5 points per game this season to lead the Blue Devils. Henderson has molded into a Grant Hill type of star that also came out of Duke and entered the NBA. The junior has a solid shooting strong and some descent size that will probably take a small forward position. Henderson could find his way into the starting lineup in Toronto considering they have a need for scorers. However, after a big improvement in his junior season we wonder how much growing potential is left?

10. Milwaukee Bucks – DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh)

The Bucks could surprise a lot of people with this selection, but we have them taking the young sophomore talent out of Pittsburgh in DeJuan Blair. The Bucks are a team that was really beaten up against the glass last season. Andrew Bogut averaged 10.3 rebounds for Milwaukee but there many are some issues with how he will hold up in the future. DeJuan Blair is a big strong forward who can not only chance a game on the boards, but also a rather solid scorer as well. Blair has the strength to overpower defenders and make an early impact in this league. While many will have Blair going around the mid first round range, we think there could be a surprise at the number 10 pick.

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The intense NBA Playoff action has got off to a great start as most teams have at least played 2 games in their opening round match-ups. There have been few upsets and unexpected outcomes like the underdog Chicago Bulls upsetting the defending NBA Champions the Boston Celtics in the opening round. Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Boston are among the most heralded big names heading into the post-season as they are leading favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. However, we will take a look at few of the teams that could play the spoiler role and be the Cinderella type story usually only found in March Madness. If you also have any confidence that these underdogs may have what it takes to pull of big upsets, take advantage of betting odds now while you could really cash-in to make huge profits.

Chicago Bulls

Chicago upset over Boston may have opened a lot of eyes, but this was really not that big of a surprise. The Bulls rallied to close out the season winning 12 of their last 16 games which also included a victory over the Celtics. The emergence of Derrick Rose towards the end of the season has given the Bulls a much needed boost. Rose also dropped 36 in the opening round two point victory in Boston. Chicago’s ability to at least split the two games in Boston was better than expect considering how well the Celtics have played at home. The Bulls could really have a chance to put the defending Champions a way if they could take advantage of the home games. If the Bulls can indeed come out victorious in the series, they will get winner of Philadelphia and Orlando in the semi-finals. Both of those teams have been inconsistent and closed out the season poorly. Of course for anyone to make the NBA Finals out of the Eastern Conference they would have to find away to beat Cleveland at home. Still the +3500 odds are eye catching and even though it may seem nearly impossible for the Bulls to put together this type of run, it is definitely worth the consideration.

Denver Nuggets

Is it that surprisingly that Los Angeles is huge -450 favorites to win the Western Conference. Probably not considering how they have dominated the teams out West all season with a demanding 44-8 record in the conference. However, history tells us that the odds to make it back to the NBA Finals after losing in the Finals the year before are against you by a fairly good margin. Taking the consideration that something will happen to the dominate Lakers along the stretch; there is only one team that could really step up to challenge in the West and that is the Denver Nuggets. Sure the Lakers won 3 out of 4 over the Nuggets through the regular season and it would seem absurd to bet against them. However, Denver is rather streaky team that can put together strings of wins. After a dominating 113-84 victory in Game 1 over New Orleans, you would not expect their to be too much trouble in the series. The next series would include two tough post-season teams in Dallas or San Antonio. Here again Denver talent should prevail and keep building some confidence that will give them a new attitude with the Lakers when the opportunity for a championship is on the line. The +800 odds help make this scenario look better as well. It comes down to this, sure the Lakers are everyone’s favorites to win the West but if anyone can beat the Lakers then who would it be? We say Denver.

Orlando Magic

Think we would forget one of most dominant teams from earlier in the season? Sure Orlando gave up an 18 point deficit to Philadelphia in an embarrassing loss in game 1, but they may have been the best thing to happen for Orlando. Expect them to come out firing in Wednesday’s second game with the 76ers. Remember Orlando for large majority of the season contended with Cleveland and Boston for Eastern Conference supremacy. However, after the injury to Jameer Nelson midway through the season the Magic’s momentum took a crucial blow. Even without Nelson, Orlando handed Cleveland their biggest loss of the season when they blew out the Cavaliers 116-87 back on April 3rd. The most likely scenario that plays out in the Eastern Conference will be Orlando rallying back against Philadelphia and then taking down either Chicago or Boston in the semi-finals. This would set the stage for a classic 7 games series with Orlando and after that huge victory a few weeks ago does anyone really think the Magic will doubt if they can beat Cleveland? Dwight Howard ability to control the glass will make a big difference in the long run and if Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis can find away to score some points then rest assured you have not heard the last from the Magic.

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The NBA regular season will end later this week as we head towards the post-season. The Cleveland Cavaliers have locked up home court advantage throughout their Eastern Conference playoff run and are one game away from clinching home court advantage in the NBA Finals if they can make it that far in the playoffs. The Cavaliers are coming off a huge blowout win over the defending Champions the Boston Celtics 107-76 on Sunday. The Cavaliers big win over the number 2 ranked team in the East is actually Cleveland’s biggest victory in franchise history over the Celtics. The Cavaliers amazing home game run extended to a mark of 38-1 inside Quicken Loans Arena with the victory. The Cavaliers appear to be big favorites considering they will get the majority of the games at home were they have been unstoppable. However, the Eastern Conference has been extremely tough this year as Orlando blew out Cleveland a few short weeks ago similar to the Cavaliers big win over Boston. The 3 horse race all season out of the East will carry over to the post-season. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers are still the big favorites after a big win over Denver last Thursday night. The return of Andrew Bynum will only be more beneficial for the Lakers who have appeared as the top notch team in the West all season. However teams like Denver, Houston, and Portland have really closed out the year strong and could be teams to put together impressive runs in the playoffs. We give brief breakdown of the major contenders for the 2009 NBA Playoffs along with their odds to win it all.

Eastern Conference

Cleveland Cavaliers (7/5)

The Cavaliers extremely impressive home record makes them big favorites in the NBA playoffs. Their 38-1 record is among the best ever string of runs by a home team in NBA history. Lebron James is averaged 28.3 points per game, but more importantly is getting a lot of help from the rest of the team. Cleveland only lost one game all season at home meaning for them to be beaten in the playoffs a team is going to have to win at least one game in Cleveland while sweeping the Cavaliers away from Cleveland. Good luck with that.

Boston Celtics (4/1)

The Celtics chances to repeat as NBA Champions took a big hit with their embarrassing loss to Cleveland. However, Boston has played very well to close out the season winning 8 of their last 10 games. The Celtics are another team that plays very well at home with a 34-6 record for the season. However, Boston is only 4-4 against Orlando and Cleveland on the year meaning they have been anything but dominant over the top teams in the East. Still the Celtics know what it takes to be Champions, but can they do it again?

Orlando Magic (8/1)

The Magic got the big win over Cleveland back in the first week of April, but they have now lost 3 of their last 4 games. Orlando got off to a tremendous start to the season, but really suffered a hit with the loss of Jameer Nelson despite putting together some solid winning streaks in recent weeks. Also, Rashard Lewis will likely miss the final games of the regular season with a knee injury and the Magic simply look to be too banged up down the stretch to be a legitimate threat as they appeared earlier this year.

Team to Watch – Chicago Bulls (100/1)

The Chicago Bulls have won 4 straight games and 12 of their last 15 games during that stretch. Chicago has put together a solid home record this season that is always crucial during the post season. If the Bulls can keep up the momentum and get some more big performances from Ben Gordon, they could really pull off a string off upsets and perhaps take down either Boston or Orlando who they will be likely playing in the opening round.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Lakers (8/5)

Thursday night’s victory over the emerging Denver Nuggets was icing on the cake for Western Conference bragging rights. The Lakers simply looked too strong for their closest competitors in the West and are big favorites at 4/9 favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. The Lakers got beat by a streaking Portland team on Friday 106-98, but they still appear to be too strong in terms of being beat in an entire series. The Lakers have had more problems with the teams in the Eastern Conference this season and until someone proves us wrong we will ride the Lakers bandwagon.

Denver Nuggets (20/1)

The Nuggets are really playing well to close out the season despite their setback to the Lakers last Thursday. Carmelo Anthony and J.R Smith are becoming a dynamic duo posting big figures every night. The Nuggets have put together wins in 13 of their last 15 games The Nuggets could face the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round if things were to stay the same. Denver would not mind the pairing considering they are a perfect 4-0 on the season against Dallas. If the Nuggets could keep the momentum rolling I am sure they will be eager to get their chance at a series with the Lakers.

Portland Trailblazers (25/1)

The Trailblazers are in a heated battle with the Houston Rockets for 3rd place in the West as both teams stand at a mark of 52-28. The Trailblazers and the Rockets have also both put on a solid 4 game winning streak as Portland will get the Thunder and the Nuggets in the final two games. The battle for 3rd dictates whether they will get New Orleans or San Antonio in the playoffs. The Trailblazers have played the most solid basketball the 2nd half of the season and they should give teams problems if they can stay hot.

Team to watch – Houston Rockets (20/1)

The Rockets have put together 4 straight wins along with Portland. The only difference is Houston beat up on the Trailblazers 102-88 to start their winning streak. The Rockets have what it takes to match-up with the other teams from the West in the playoffs giving them a chance to knock off some wins in the postseason. The only thing is the Rockets have failed to beat the Lakers once this season at 0-4 meaning any dream type run at an NBA Finals may be more of a dream than a reality.

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• NFL – Torry Holt Wants Out of St. Louis (My Sports Rumors)
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The NBA Basketball season has passed the halfway point and the long grueling season that the players endure every year is starting to take a toll around the league. This is usually the point in the season where players are constantly getting banged up and this year is no different. Over the past few days there have been a ton of notable injuries and Monday night Orlando Magic’s Jameer Nelson became another victim of the growing trend around the league. Not to mention superstar and New Orleans Hornet’s guard Chris Paul also suffers a crucial injury. Take a look as we break down the recent outbreak of key injuries around the league and give up-dates of their status and which injuries will be most important to their teams.

On Monday night, Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson stole the ball and was fouled and hit the floor and rolled over awkwardly. Nelson hopped up appearing to be in agonizing pain clutching his right shoulder. Latest reports have confirmed that Nelson has a torn right labrum in his shoulder that would definitely put a halt in immediate playing time. Nelson is unsure whether the injury will be season ending as he goes through the process of deciding to take season ending surgery now or try and wait to the end of the season. One thing is for sure that the Magic took a huge blow in amidst of this unfortunate incident. Nelson has been a key component to the Orlando scoring attack this season averaging 17 points per game. Without Nelson, the Magic will have a tough time being the same team considering how much of a threat Nelson posed leading the Magic down the court. Behind back Anthony Johnson the Magic do not have any point guards that will likely step in and be effective meaning Orlando will be facing some challenges in the near future. As for Nelson, he was having one of the best years of his career and now that likely has the possibility of being over. A torn right labrum means that there the shoulder joint becomes very unstable while depending on the case can be quite painful. The extinct of Nelson’s injury will likely be clearer in the coming days.

Another big time injury is that of New Orleans Hornets Chris Paul. Actually the injury is not that big at all as Paul has suffered a minor groin pull and will likely need a few days to get back to 100%. Paul is listed as day to day and his injury will likely be very insignificant in terms of how it affects the Hornets and last year’s MVP candidate to get back healthy. On Saturday night, the Lakers were hit by the injury plague sweeping the league. Center Andrew Bynum went down tearing an MCL which is a medial collateral ligament. The drastic injury is rather serious as Bynum will miss at least 8-12 weeks as the knee attempts to heal. However, MCL injuries are quite peculiar as on many occasions it takes the victim much longer to gain the confidence to go all out outside of the recovery time. The injury definitely was not fortunate for the Lakers, but it will likely not slow down one of the more popular teams in the world. Los Angeles has dealt with injury issues in the past and as long as they have Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol on the floor they are going to be tough to beat.

Other Injury Updates…

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Delonte West is still recovering from a broken wrist suffered back in mid January. West is schedule to have his cast removed later this week and will start getting practice time over the next few days. West is likely looking at another week or more to completely get the strength and confidence back into his wrist and will join the Cavs lineup when the time comes. As far as the Cavaliers they have been pretty good without him as they extended their incredible home record to 23 last night, but with West back in the line-up it definitely will not hurt.

Carlos Boozer has been out for some time now with a left knee injury. Boozer had surgery on the knee back in November and his missed 34 straight games. However, the rehabilitation process has been going well and Boozer should return to play in the next 3 weeks. The Jazz have been really hit hard by injuries this season after finishing with a 54-28 record last year that lead to a conference semi-finals meeting with the Lakers. Andrei Kirilenko suffered an ankle injury that required surgery a little more than a week ago and will miss another 3 weeks as expected. The Jazz have really had a disappointing year and if something big does not change they will likely have too many obstacles to overcome.

Tracy McGrady has been battling a sprained left ankle for the Houston Rockets, but is expected to return to play any day.

Chicago Bull’s Drew Gooden has missed 7 straight games battling a groin injury and is expected to miss a few more as he is still not completely healed.

1. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (16-0)
Wake Forest is doing everything right on both ends of the court. The Demon Deacons rank in the top 5 in scoring, rebounding, and shooting percentage becoming one of the first teams to be ranked in the top 5 in those 3 major categories in some time. Wake Forest 85 points per game have proven to be too strong for the rest of the ACC at this point in the season. Sophomore Guard Jeff Teague leads the team in scoring with 21.4 points per game and is averaging 30 points in his last 4 outings making the Demon Deacons that much tougher to beat.

2. Duke Blue Devils (16-1)
Duke has dominated more quality opponents than any other team this season. The Blue Devils blew at the time top ten teams Purdue and Xavier by an average of 17 points. In recent weeks the convincing wins have been from weaker ACC schools, but that all changed with a big win over Georgetown last Saturday 76-67. The Blue Devils defense may be superb to any other team in our power rankings and that makes it very difficult to not give Coach K and company national attention. With the emergence of Gerald Henderson, Duke could be forming into another championship caliber team.

3. Connecticut Huskies (16-1)
Connecticut may not be getting as much national attention as some of the other schools, but beyond the tough loss to Georgetown the Huskies have not done much wrong. All five starters are averaging double figures lead by the huge center Hasheem Thabeet who is averaging a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards per contest. Connecticut will host no. 20 Villanova on Wednesday night with the opportunity to grab their 5^th victory over the top 25 this season. The Huskies have beaten more quality opponents than anybody on the board and if the NCAA Tournament was to start today they would be a lock for a number 1 seed.

4. Pittsburgh Panthers (16-1)
Pittsburgh was dominate and impressive before meeting a surging Louisville team. The Panthers sophomore DeJuan Blair is one of the best young talents in the country. Blair’s success in the paint and against the boards runs parallel with Pittsburgh’s success. The Panthers will get a test tonight against #8 Syracuse tonight in yet another huge Big East match-up. The Panthers absolutely can not afford to drop their 2^nd conference game in a row and get behind two games in the conference.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (17-1)
No doubt the Sooners are the class of the Big 12 this season. Oklahoma sophomore forward Blake Griffin leads the nation with 13.4 rebounds per game while adding 22 points per contest to support the cause. Oklahoma has got a deep bench with some stellar talent to keep the momentum rolling this season. With one of the easiest remaining schedules of the top teams, Oklahoma has a great chance to capture a Big 12 Title and become a number 1 seed come time for March Madness

6. North Carolina Tarheels (16-2)
The Tarheels may have looked like one of the best teams in the nation earlier this season, but that has been overshadowed by two losses to Boston College and top ranked Wake Forest. With a slow performance in the first half against Miami, I am still not sold the Tarheels are playing up to their capability. North Carolina will play host to the previously unbeaten #9 Clemson Tigers on Wednesday. The Tarheels will have to avoid in sluggish performance when they take on a Talented Clemson team to prevent from losing their 3^rd ACC game this season.

7. Michigan State Spartans (15-2)
The Spartans dropped two games to ACC opponents Maryland and North Carolina earlier this year. However, the Spartans have rattled off 11 straight victories since their last loss to the Tarheels. The wins have not been blowout performances, but the streak involves wins over Texas, Minnesota, and Illinois proving the Spartans are among the best around. The Spartans have a fairly light stretch coming up in the next few weeks and the streak will likely continue. Considering the teams ranked ahead of them with tough match-ups, Michigan State will likely climb the ladder over the next few weeks barring any upsets.

8. Louisville Cardinals (13-3)
I know the Cardinals have lost 3 games this season and this ranking seems way too high. Louisville lost to some weaker teams in UNLV, Western Kentucky, and Minnesota. However, pay attention to how they have been playing more recently. The Cardinals have knocked off 3 straight top 20 teams including previous no. 1 Pittsburgh last Saturday and are among only two schools that are undefeated in the Big East. This is the same team that was pre-season ranked no. 3 in the nation, perhaps it just took some time for them to get it together. The Cardinals have taken on some of the most talented scoring teams in American yet still have held opponents to 60 points per game on the season placing them as one of the best scoring defenses across the country. The Cardinals recent surge has grabbed some attention and they have the chance to make a run at the Big East Title.

9. Marquette Golden Eagles (16-2)
The Golden Eagles are a top the standings in the Big East powerhouse with a conference record of 5-0. Marquette may not be as good as UConn or Pittsburgh, but I believe they have the talent to beat any team on any given night. Wesley Matthews, Lazar Hayward, and Jerel McNeal are among the biggest triple threats in the Big East. The schedule does not get really tough until the last 3 weeks of the season. However, they can really rack up some style points with wins over no. 19 Notre Dame and no. 13 Georgetown in the next two weeks.Wake Forest last Saturday 78-68. Clemson will get the chance to redeem their selves with a big match-up with North Carolina on Wednesday night. Trevor Booker is the foundation for the team holding down 15 points and 9 rebounds each outing. Clemson has a chance to prove their national status if they can pull out the victory over North Carolina this Wednesday.

10. Clemson Tigers (16-1)
Clemson may be the surprise team in the ACC this season and they got off to a perfect 16-0 start. The Tigers fell victim to top ranked

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The NBA season is in full stride and the bettors are starting the transition from the football field to the basketball court. We will try to keep you updated with how the professional teams are performing by releasing an updated power ranking determining the best teams to place your money with on the court this year. This list will combine the way the teams are performing against the books as well as against other competition around the NBA.

1. Orlando Magic (27-8)

Dwight Howard is a fantasy players dream and a big reason the Magic are having a big year. Howard leads the NBA in points, rebounds, and blocked shots per game and has Orlando in the lead of the Southeast in the Eastern Conference with a 27-8 record. The Magic have produced a stellar record ATS this season with a mark of 23-12 which equals a 65% winning percentage. Amazingly Orlando has been tearing up the books going 12-3 in their last 15 games ATS and are on an 18-4 SU run. Despite their recent success, the Magic have a tough road in the next few weeks with games with Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and a pair of match-ups with San Antonio and Atlanta. Still the Magic have been one of the best teams in the league at this point in the season and their achievements in recent weeks ATS have them a top the rankings.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers (27-6)

Cleveland has come out of the gates strong this season behind superstar LeBron James who is averaging an NBA 2nd best 27.5 points per game. However James is not the surprise, but rather the success the Cavs have had this season may have turned some heads. Since the Celtics recent struggles, Cleveland is now tied with the Los Angeles Lakers with the best record in the NBA at a mark of 27-6. The Cavaliers own the best record ATS this season at 23-10 equaling a 69.7 winning percentage against the books which leads the NBA. However, Cleveland is losers of their last 4 of 5 games ATS. Cleveland went on an unbelievable 11 straight wins against the books this season and despite their recent slide they are still one of the best teams in the league to place your money on.

3. L.A Lakers (27-6)

The Lakers are tied with Cleveland with the best record in the NBA and lately have been on a impressive run for bettors. The Lakers would be ranked a bit down in this poll considering they are slightly under the 50% mark for the season ATS, but they have 5 straight wins ATS in their last 6 game against some quality opponents. Kobe Bryant has the ability to put up numbers as high as anyone on any given night averaging 27.1 points per game. The Lakers are among the most popular team across America and the recent surge against the books makes placing a wager on them even more fun.

4. Boston Celtics (29-7)

Boston had the best start in NBA history with a record of 27-2 and were also matching-up well against the spread. The Celtics are an easy team to jump on considering they are the defending NBA Champions and have clearly looked like the class of the league this year. However, recently the momentum has been let out of the Celtics bandwagon. Boston has dropped 5 of their last 7 games straight up and against the spread. For the season, the Celtics have been mediocre slightly above the 50% winning percentage mark. Boston still represents the most talent as an entire team in the league. Although they have been down in recent weeks, a team this good will not stay down for long and you may want to consider jumping back on before they start tearing up the betting lines again.

5. Denver Nuggets (24-12)

The Denver Nuggets are rolling and sport one of the highest scoring offenses in the NBA. Denver averages 105 per contest as a team this season. The Nuggets have knocked off 4 straight wins and own a strong 20-15-1 record against the spread this season. The Nuggets stand a top the Northwest with a 3 game lead over the Portland Trailblazers. Denver is also sporting a solid 60% percentage on the over total for the year which is the 2nd highest percentage in the NBA in terms of over/under. The Nuggets offense led by Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson have proven to be a superior group and are big reason Denver has faired well against the spread and on the over total for the year.

6. Atlanta Hawks (22-11)

The Hawks look to return to the playoffs this season to back up their solid performance a year ago. Many seem to forget that Atlanta took the Boston Celtics to 7 games in the first round of the NBA playoffs last year and they are off to another solid start this season. The Hawks have firm 19-13-1 record ATS this season which equals a 59.3% winning percentage. Atlanta trails Orlando by 4 games in the Southeast, but has been strong in recent weeks going 8-2 SU in their last 10 games. Atlanta success against the spread this year makes them an optimistic bet for anyone.

7. Milwaukee Bucks (17-19)

I know what your thinking. Milwaukee? The fact is that the Bucks have been one of the best teams in the NBA this season against the spread despite their 17-19 record. The Bucks own the 2nd best ATS mark in the NBA behind the Cleveland Cavaliers. Milwaukee is a stout 24-11-1 ATS this season meaning they have beaten the betting lines in 68% of their games for the year. The reason Milwaukee is faired well this season is because despite the number of losses they have, the Bucks find away to keep the games close. Milwaukee may be an underdog the majority of the season, but that has not slowed them down from performing well. The Bucks own a 16-8-1 record as the underdog this season and you might want to think twice if you have been betting against the Bucks and their 17-19 record.

8. Utah Jazz (20-15)

There are a few teams that didn’t make this list with better records, but the fact still remains Utah has played well ATS this season and that keeps the among the best teams for bettors to consider. The Jazz are 19-16 ATS this season with a 54% winning percentage against the lines. Utah is 3 ½ games behind Denver and ½ game behind Portland in the Northwest. The Jazz have not been on any impressive winning or losing steaks against the books, but remain among the top teams in the NBA to place your money on a consistent basis.

The Boston Celtics are off to one of the best starts in NBA history at a record of 27-2. While it is still very early in the season, the Celtics can see a glimpse of history in the making. The Celtics are on pace to challenge the 1996 Chicago Bulls for the best record ever in a season. The 1996 Bulls finished their brilliant campaign with a final record of 72-10 and capped it off with an NBA Championship as well. Boston is off to a mind blowing pace through the early half of the season. The Celtics have 53 games remaining this season and the competition will likely pick up. However, if Boston could keep up similar pace they could quite possibly achieve the best season ever in the history of the NBA.

Boston is one of the most historical franchises in NBA history. The Celtics have an amazing 17 NBA Championships that is by far more than any other franchise in NBA history. Boston has established the best start in NBA history at a mark of 27-2. Only two other teams can compare to that kind of start. Both the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers and 1969-70 New York Knicks started their seasons 26-2. They also both went on to win NBA Championships. With last nights 110-91 victory over the 76ers, the Celtics have now won 19 straight games which equals a team record. Boston is making their claim as one of the best teams to ever take the floor in professional basketball.

Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers has done a fabulous job getting his guys to play premier defense. Despite all the offensive weapons, the Boston defensive schemes have been major reason for their success. This season the Celtics are only allowing 91.4 points per game which ranks them as the 2^nd best scoring defense in the NBA. Boston also ranks first in the NBA in defensive field goal percentage. The Celtics are only allowing opposing teams to shoot 41% from the floor on average which is by far the best in the league. The Celtics have only allowed teams to score over 100 points 7 times this season in the 30 games played. That statistic alone is pretty remarkable considering how high scoring the entire NBA has become. However, Boston has stayed with an old school type of basketball that focuses on defense first and it has paid off big time.

Offensively the Celtics are as talented as any team in the league. Unlike the Los Angeles Lakers or Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston seldom has one player stand out game in and game out. Unlike other top teams that are led by star players such as Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, the Celtics can have any of their starting five post a big night. Other teams have the stress of worrying how their start performer will play every night. When those players are off a lot of times the entire team struggles. The Celtics do not have those worries because they have a number of players who can pick up the slack on any given night. Boston is led by a trio of stars in Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. The Celtics average 50 points per game just between those 3 standouts. Boston benefits from having this type of talent considering when one player is off his game others will pick it up. Many teams can not afford there star players to struggle. However, Boston can play at a top level every night despite individual performances. This reason alone is why they are the most consistent team in the NBA.

Boston is on their way to accomplishing probably one of the most prestigious records a team could capture in the regular season. Boston remaining schedule will most certainly wear down the players and they are likely to lose this blistering early season pace. However, if the Celtics do stay on path they could legitimately challenge the 76’ Bulls for the best record of all-time. Boston has a huge match-up with the Los Angeles Lakers on the horizon to take place on Christmas Day. The game will mark a battle between powerhouses in effort to gain NBA supremacy. Each team will be trying to prove they are the best in the NBA and a win will go along way for each team’s confidence about where they stand in the league. If the Celtics could escape Los Angeles with a victory, the momentum could definitely last the rest of the season.

The Celtics simply have to keep similar pace in tact. Even if Boston were to lose twice as many games in their next 29 games, they would still be on pace to end the season with around 9 losses. This means that every game could be one loss or one win away from breaking the record at season’s end. So far this season Boston has faired well against the best competition in the NBA. Orlando, Cleveland, and Los Angeles have the best records in the NBA behind Boston by 5 games or more. Boston is 2-0 against these teams this season with convincing wins in both games against Orlando and Cleveland. The Celtics will get the Lakers next up the Thursday night and will try to stay perfect against the elite teams in the NBA. The Celtics appear to be headed for a probable chance at history. Unless some drastic things change, Boston will get their chance to stake claim as the best team in the history of professional basketball. Record or no record, for now sit back and watch one of the best teams to ever take the floor and applaud their strive at greatness.