Both the Wizards and Magic could move past the Heat in a highly competitive race for Southeast Division laurels, this season. Straight up (SU), against the spread (ATS), and over/under (O/U) records for the 2006/07 season are in parentheses:
WASHINGTON WIZARDS (41-45 SU, 37-44-5 ATS, 45-40-1 O/U): Gilbert Arenas (28.4 PPG, 6.0 APG) and F Caron Butler (19.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG) are healthy again after suffering respective knee and hand injuries and PF Antawn Jamison (19.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG) figures to excel in his contract year so look for the Wizards to be a major force in the East. Guard DeShawn Stevenson (11.2 PPG) is a solid defender leaving Washington to fret over the center spot where Brendan Haywood (6.6 PPG) and Etan Thomas (6.1 PPG) need to improve for the Wizards to go deep in the playoffs.
NBA Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 12-18-3
Home Underdog: 2-6-1
Away Favorite: 8-6
Away Underdog: 15-13-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Wizards were only 14-25-4 ATS at home last season.
Sports Betting Angle: Washington was 14-25-2 ATS after a SU win during the 2006/07 campaign.
ORLANDO MAGIC (40-46 SU, 39-44-3 ATS, 37-48-1 O/U): After stumbling to sign Florida's Billy Donovan (and settling for Coach Stan Van Gundy), the Magic are hoping that the addition of outside gunslinger Rashard Lewis (22.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG) will help the maturing inside game of Dwight Howard (17.6 PPG, 12.3 RPG). Darko Milicic and Grant Hill are gone so Tony Battle (6.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG) will start at center but Orlando won't hesitate to use Hedo Turkoglu (13.3 PPG) when scoring is required. The backcourt of Jameer Nelson (13.0 PPG), Carlos Arroyo (7.7 PPG) and J.J. Redick (6.0 PPG) and where Turkoglu also can play, needs to contribute more.
NBA Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 15-18-1
Home Underdog: 4-4-1
Away Favorite: 5-8
Away Underdog: 14-14-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Magic were just 6-12 ATS in games against teams from the Atlantic Division.
Sports Betting Angle: Orlando seems to have mastered Washington, holding a 10-4-2 pointspread advantage in the teams' last 16 games.
MIAMI HEAT (44-42 SU, 44-40-2 ATS, 40-45-1 O/U): Injuries, complacency and poor conditioning doomed the Heat's title defense last season and the jury is out on whether conditions will be different this year. No one knows for sure how many games declining C Shaquille O'Neal (17.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG) will play, whether guards Dwayne Wade 27.4 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.7 RPG) and Jason Williams (10.9 PPG, 5.3 APG) will remain healthy, or how newcomer Smush Parker (11.1 PPG) will fit into the mix. Miami could use more players like workhorse Udonis Haslem (10.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG) and the intense Alonzo Mourning (8.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG).
By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 12-18
Home Underdog: 9-2-1
Away Favorite: 3-5
Away Underdog: 19-14-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Heat excelled in the role of an underdog last season, compiling a 28-16-2 record ATS.
Sports Betting Angle: Miami was 8-2 ATS versus teams from the Pacific Division last season.
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (33-49 SU, 41-40-1 ATS, 40-39-3 O/U): The Bobcats should be improved but a playoff run is doubtful unless C Emeka Okafor (14.4 PPG, 11.3 RPG) gets some help on the boards. Gerald Wallace (18.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG) is better suited at small forward but Sean May (11.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG) needs to step up at power forward for that to happen. Jason Richardson (16.0 PPG), Raymond Felton (14.0 PPG, 7.0 APG) and Matt Carroll (12.1 PPG) share time in the backcourt with Adam Morrison (11.8 PPG) needing to improve on his rookie numbers for Charlotte to become a legitimate post-season threat.
NBA Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 9-7
Home Underdog: 12-12
Away Favorite: 1-0
Away Underdog: 19-20-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Bobcats were 11-4 ATS playing a game after no rest last year.
Sports Betting Angle: Charlotte was 23-15-1 ATS following an ATS loss, last season.
ATLANTA HAWKS (30-52 SU, 37-44-1 ATS, 45-37 O/U): The Hawks haven't been to the playoffs in eight seasons - the longest drought in the NBA - and even though the team has talent, probably is still too young and inexperienced to snap that streak this year. G Joe Johnson (25.0 PPG) and G/F Josh Smith (16.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG) are quality starters on a roster with lots of promise in the form of F Marvin Williams (13.1 PPG), G/F Josh Childress (13.0 PPG) and draft picks Acie Law and Al Horford.
NBA Betting By the Numbers (2006/07 Season)
Home Favorite: 6-9-1
Home Underdog: 12-12
Away Favorite: 0-0
Away Underdog: 18-23
Sportsbook Buster: The Hawks crashed on back-to-back home-to-away games, going 0-8 ATS in the second of those contests.
Sports Betting Angle: Atlanta wasn't much better on three or more days rest, going 1-7 ATS in those situations.
This is the third of six NBA betting previews.
Next: The Western Conference's Southwest Division.
This article was written by Luken Karel for
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