NBA Monday Free Picks

NBA Monday:  Memphis Travels to Utah and Philly Takes on Dallas in Somewhat Tame Monday Night

Game-day:  11/30/2009

Tip-off:  Utah game at 9:00 pm EST and Dallas game at 8:30 pm EST

by Aidan Yarborough

The Memphis Grizzlies travel to Utah as huge underdogs and the Philadelphia 76’ers travel to Dallas as even bigger underdogs on Monday night.

The Grizzlies and 76’ers just haven’t had all that much success in 2009.  Even though Memphis has one of the top young players in the league, Rudy Gay, dunking the rock for them, they still have come up with only 6 victories out of 17 games so far this season.

Can Gay take it to the Deron Williams led Utah Jazz?

http://str8hoops.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/rudy-gay.jpg


Let’s take a look at both games.


Philadelphia 76’ers vs. Dallas Mavericks

Tip-off: 8:30 pm EST

NBA Odds:  Dallas -11

Analysis:  The Mavericks have been surprisingly good this season when racking up a straight-up record of 12 and 5.  The Mavs are just a deeper and more solid team than last year after acquiring Drew Gooden and Shawn Marion.

With those two helping Jason Terry, Jason Kidd and the still underrated Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas has become a potential challenger to the Lakers’ Western Conference domination.  Against the spread, the Mavericks have been almost as good as they are straight-up going 11 and 6 so far this season.

It just doesn’t look like Philadelphia, who is 7 and 10 against the spread overall to go along with their 5 and 12 overall record, doesn’t have much of a chance in this game.  The 76’ers have lost 5 straight games.

Surprisingly, they’ve gone 4 and 1 ATS in those five games.  I don’t expect that to happen tonight, the 76’ers winning this against the spread.  Dallas is just playing so well right now and the 76’ers are going to find it hard to challenge Dallas after battling the San Antonio Spurs just this past Sunday.  No rest, facing Nowitzki and the Mavs?  That’s a recipe for disaster if you’re a Philadelphia fan.


Memphis Grizzlies vs. Utah Jazz

Tip-off:  9:00 pm EST

NBA Odds:  Utah -10

Analysis:  Utah is only 9 and 7 on the season and, contrary to popular opinion, don’t always cover betting spreads when they’re at home.  The Jazz is 8 and 8 ATS overall and 5 and 4 ATS at home.

They are coming off of a brilliant victory over the Portland Trailblazers but lost, three games ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder.  Utah has beaten San Antonio but has lost to Sacramento this season.  In other words, they aren’t very reliable as a team on which to wager.

But is Memphis?  Of course not!  The Grizzlies are 8 and 9 overall against the spread which is better than their 6 and 11 straight-up record, but still not great.  On the road, the Grizzlies are 4 and 6 against the spread.

Still, 10 point is a lot.  The key difference could be Rudy Gay whom Utah just won’t be able to matchup with.  If point guard Mike Conley can keep Utah man Deron Williams from getting off and Memphis can counter Utah’s front line, then the Grizzlies might pull off the upset. 

In any case, taking the 10 points appears like the wise thing to do in this game.