NBA Betting Preview: Phoenix Suns at Indiana Pacers

Added on Feb 27, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

NBA

Plenty of sports betting action today with college hoops, NBA and NHL action and NASCAR on the betting board. In this post we’ll take a look at the early tip NBA game between the Phoenix Suns and Indiana Pacers. Pacers have been in good form of late and are now second in the Central–of course that still leaves them 14 games behind the first place Chicago Bulls. Phoenix is currently on the wrong side of the ‘Mendoza Line’ in the Western Conference but are in the thick of things with only ten games total separating the #4 New Orleans Hornets and the #12 Golden State Warriors. Suns are just 1 game behind the 9th place Utah Jazz who are clearly heading in the wrong direction and 2 games back of the Portland Trailblazers for the final playoff spot in the West.

Phoenix Suns at Indiana Pacers
February 27, 2011 9:05 PM Pacific

There’s a prevailing theory that these early start time games are hard on West Coast teams, but we’re not sure that’s borne out in reality. In any case, the Suns should be acclimated to the time change since they’re coming off a Friday road game at Toronto. Through the middle of the month the Pacers had been in very good form both SU and ATS but have now lost 3 of 5 SU going 1-4 ATS. We’re still not sold on Indiana–they faced a very weak schedule during their successful run and are still pretty much Danny Granger and everyone else.

Phoenix has improved their defense somewhat and have generally been playing decent basketball. The Suns have won 9 of their L12 games SU going 8-4 ATS and have been especially good in road games against other teams that don’t play particularly tough defense–in road games with totals of 210 or higher this season they’re 9-6 SU/10-4 ATS. Pacers have struggled against teams with winning records this year–they’re 6-20 SU/9-16-1 ATS against opponents with a .500 winning percentage or higher. After 12 straight games scoring 100 points or more the Pacers were shut down by the Jazz on Friday–Utah held Indiana to 84 points and that also sends up a ‘red flag’ for us since the 4 times the Pacers have scored 85 or fewer points this year they’re 0-4 SU/ATS in their next game. NBA basketball is a streaky game and this could be a matchup between a team on a streak of solid play against one heading the other direction. In any case, we’ll take the points with the Suns.

Bet Phoenix Suns +2′ over Indiana Pacers