spurschick
12-08-2005, 07:22 PM
An interesting betting perspective...
Champs or Chumps: Why can`t Spurs cover?
http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=63508&tid=25&t=1
By Josh Hansen
Tue, Dec 6, 2005
Barreling through the NBA ranks like King Kong in the streets of New York, the San Antonio Spurs are taking no prisoners.
Bettors brave enough to get in the way are also getting crushed.
It doesn`t help that Oddsmakers are throwing pointspreads like giant gorilla-sized shackles on the Spurs night in and night out, making Spurs-backing almost as risky as big game hunting.
Although San Antonio has suffered only one loss in its last 10 games, they`ve posted just two wins against the number, subsequently knocking their ATS record down to a mediocre 7-9-1.
“Part of the problem has to do with the way the Spurs play. They`re economical, and just do enough to win, instead of trying to screw teams to the floor,” says Sports InterAction`s Anthony Munnelly.
“So we can`t set the 14-3 NBA Champions at -2 or -3 favorites against Boston, say, even though we know in our hearts that they don`t really see the point in hammering Boston by ten or twelve.”
That`s because the Spurs prefer to control the pace of the game, which is usually a defense-first style of play. San Antonio ranks third in points allowed per game (90.1), second rebounds allowed per game (33.7) and is second in field goal percentage (42.1).
So why are bettors seeing spreads of 9 ˝ , 10, 11 and even 13 like they have in San Antonio`s last five games?
“Because they`re NBA champions - royalty is expected to put down the serfs,” says Munnelly. “If bettors see the NBA champs at lower numbers, they`ll overplay the favorite and our book will be unbalanced, which is never good from our point of view.”
At the start of the season, books always give the champs the benefit of the doubt.
But because so many people expect the Spurs to roll over their opponents, pointspreads are simply too big for them cover. Monday`s 110-85 win over the Orlando Magic as 11-point favorites is the only time the Spurs have covered in the last five games.
“Every coach in the league would aspire to have a team like this,” said Orlando Magic head coach Brian Hill after Monday’s loss to the Spurs. "They`re unselfish, solid defensively, have shot-blocking ability, core players in place and the right types of pieces around them, and they`re very well coached."
Unfortunately for backers, it doesn`t always mean a cover.
Champs or Chumps: Why can`t Spurs cover?
http://www.covers.com/articles/articles.aspx?theArt=63508&tid=25&t=1
By Josh Hansen
Tue, Dec 6, 2005
Barreling through the NBA ranks like King Kong in the streets of New York, the San Antonio Spurs are taking no prisoners.
Bettors brave enough to get in the way are also getting crushed.
It doesn`t help that Oddsmakers are throwing pointspreads like giant gorilla-sized shackles on the Spurs night in and night out, making Spurs-backing almost as risky as big game hunting.
Although San Antonio has suffered only one loss in its last 10 games, they`ve posted just two wins against the number, subsequently knocking their ATS record down to a mediocre 7-9-1.
“Part of the problem has to do with the way the Spurs play. They`re economical, and just do enough to win, instead of trying to screw teams to the floor,” says Sports InterAction`s Anthony Munnelly.
“So we can`t set the 14-3 NBA Champions at -2 or -3 favorites against Boston, say, even though we know in our hearts that they don`t really see the point in hammering Boston by ten or twelve.”
That`s because the Spurs prefer to control the pace of the game, which is usually a defense-first style of play. San Antonio ranks third in points allowed per game (90.1), second rebounds allowed per game (33.7) and is second in field goal percentage (42.1).
So why are bettors seeing spreads of 9 ˝ , 10, 11 and even 13 like they have in San Antonio`s last five games?
“Because they`re NBA champions - royalty is expected to put down the serfs,” says Munnelly. “If bettors see the NBA champs at lower numbers, they`ll overplay the favorite and our book will be unbalanced, which is never good from our point of view.”
At the start of the season, books always give the champs the benefit of the doubt.
But because so many people expect the Spurs to roll over their opponents, pointspreads are simply too big for them cover. Monday`s 110-85 win over the Orlando Magic as 11-point favorites is the only time the Spurs have covered in the last five games.
“Every coach in the league would aspire to have a team like this,” said Orlando Magic head coach Brian Hill after Monday’s loss to the Spurs. "They`re unselfish, solid defensively, have shot-blocking ability, core players in place and the right types of pieces around them, and they`re very well coached."
Unfortunately for backers, it doesn`t always mean a cover.