NBA Free Pick – Thursday January 27, 2011
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Boston Celtics (34-10) at Portland Trailblazers (25-21),
Thursday, January 26, 2011 at 10:30 pm EST on TNT
The Boston Celtics, the first-place team in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division, travel to the Rose Garden to take on the Portland Trailblazers, the fourth-place team in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division.
The Celtics lead the season series 1-0.
Here’s a scary thought: The Celtics were already one of the NBA’s best teams WITHOUT Kendrick Perkins. Mill over that for a second. Now that they’ve got their young post back, they are going to be a scary team to deal with the rest of the way and have to be considered co-favorites in the East alongside the Miami Heat. Perkins brings them depth in the front court that they were solely missing and his experience over the last two seasons makes him invaluable. And it lets Shaq rest a little bit. Try dealing with Garnett, Perkins and the Big Aristotle coming at you in waves. Brutal.
Speaking of posts, the Portland Trailblazers barely had a leg to stand on in the post after Greg Oden went down with (another) season-ending injury before the year. Now, with Brandon Roy presumably out for the year and LaMarcus Aldridge’s status uncertain with a knee injury, they are rudderless. Injuries have decimated this team from the get-go and the rest of the way could be a tough go.
The odds makers have the Boston Celtics as a -5 point favorite with an over/under of 183.
Check out the latest NBA Basketball Odds here.
Boston has played better than anybody thought they could this year, and the Big Three have shown that there are still quite a few games left in those veteran legs. The Blazers, with a full lineup, should be able to compete with anybody in the West. The Blazers haven’t had a full lineup in almost two years.
Prediction:
Look for Kendrick Perkins to keep getting better the more he gets to play and the Celtics win by 10.
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Boston Celtics Betting Trends:
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston’s last 8 games
- Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
- Boston is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
- Boston is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Portland Trail Blazers Betting Trends:
- Portland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
- Portland is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games
- Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
- Portland is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games at home
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