Nba Picks - March 31, 2009

After dropping our lone pick last night, we are back on the NBA hardwood tonight with a trio of premium plays. Over the last four and a half months our NBA picks are 218-178.

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Today's NBA Basketball Picks:

Game: Detroit at Cleveland (7:05 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Game Total UNDER 177.5 -110 (risk 3 to win 2.7)

Since Lebron James arrived in Cleveland, the Cavaliers and the Pistons have played some of the ugliest games of any two teams in the league. This has become a hate match, and the games play ugly. The last 19 times these teams have met, without overtime being involved, all 19 games have gone under the total! That is 19-0! Over that stretch of 19 games, Cleveland has never scored 100 points and Detroit just once. In the 19 games, these teams have averaged scoring in the 160s - a far cry from where this total is set. The 19 games have seen 14 of them not come within 12 points of the total. I will play this one to finish UNDER the total.

The Charlotte Bobcats are a rare team as they are a top five defensive team, yet have a losing record on the season. They have played at home 11 times against the NBA's top 10 in points per game scored, and nine of the 11 have gone UNDER the total. These 11 games were played to an average total of 196, while the average points scored were 184.2, that is 11.8 ppg less than the posted totals in these matchups. Teams that averaged 104.5 ppg were reduced to 93.8 ppg, which would rank No. 28 in the NBA. In turn, the Lakers have played against 12 teams on the road in the top 10 in defensive points allowed. They have averaged less than 100 points per game against these teams. Charlotte is also 20-7 to the UNDER at home against teams with a .600 winning percentage or higher and after an ATS loss, the Lakers are 8-1-1 ATS to the UNDER. I like this one to end up UNDER the total.

Going into last night, the Utah Jazz had held the last 10 teams they played at home to fewer than 100 points. Put them on the road, especially against teams with a winning record on the season, and the story is completely different. The Jazz has played 14 games on the road against teams with a winning record, and all 14 have scored 100 points or more! These 14 teams have averaged 113.4 ppg against the Jazz. These games have seen the total points scored in the 14 games average 215.7 a game, and earlier in the season these teams put up 230 in Portland. I'll take this one to finish OVER the total.

NBA Basketball Picks Resources:

• Don't forget to read our NBA record here.
• Check out 2008 basketball gambling preivew here.
• Check out our updated NBA sports book.
• Here we show our NBA Game-of-Day-Preview.
• Read our 2008 basketball prior picks season results here.
• Read our basketball ratings here.
• View our updated free NBA basketball picks.
• View our updated NBA basketball spreads.
• Take a look at our NBA ATS standings here.
• Here we show our NBA blog.

Check out the last five NBA Basketball Picks Newsletters:

NBA-Basketball-Picks-March-30-2009
The Utah Jazz is a red-hot team that has now gone 20-6 over their last 26 games. They have been a tale of two teams during the second half of the season. On the road, the Jazz have allowed 100 points ...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-March-28-2009
The Indiana Pacers have now played seven straight games to the UNDER. That is a bit misleading, as none of those games were against teams ranked in the bottom 10 in points allowed per game. Against th...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-March-27-2009
The Charlotte Bobcats have done a much better job of late and are a vastly improved team, but they still have trouble finding the win column on the road. The Bobcats have just 11 road wins on the seas...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-March-25-2009
I find it impossible to back a team as a favorite that has underachieved for two seasons, has gone 2-9 in their last 11 games and apparently has thrown in the towel on another less than inspiring seas...

NBA-Basketball-Picks-March-24-2009
The Spurs opened the season slow and then went on a tear. Since then, the rigors of a long season and injuries have seen them fall to just 6-7 over their last 13 games. They are losers of three of the...