Cappers Buzz

We get a pair of strong national TV matchups for Thursday night which could very well be previews of upcoming playoff series this spring. Below is a look at each game on TNT this evening.

DETROIT PISTONS (-3, 193½) at MIAMI HEAT (TNT)

This is a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference finals and the Pistons will have revenge on their minds after losing in six games. The Pistons were just 1-5 ATS in the six playoff games last year after going 3-1 SU (2-2 ATS) in the four regular season meetings.

The early overnight money has been on Detroit and the Over as the opening line has risen from -2½ to -3 and the opening total has risen from 193 to 193½ in most locations.

Both teams started the season slowly, but it looks like each club is starting to turn things around. The Pistons started with a 3-5 SU (4-4 ATS) record, but have since gone a perfect 6-0 SU (5-1 ATS). Miami began the season 4-8 SU (3-9 ATS) but have since won back-to-back games in which they have shot 55% and 59% from the field.

Detroit has shown some defensive weakness in their past two wins as they allowed Charlotte and Washington to shoot 48% and 49% from the field and overall the Pistons have allowed 101.3 points per game over the past week.

Miami is still without Shaquille O’Neal who recently had knee surgery and is expected to miss another month. Dwyane Wade has been a one-man team and leads the squad in scoring (28.1 ppg) and assists (8.4 apg). Udonis Haslem has also stepped up his play and leads the team in rebounding (9.5 rpg) and is third in scoring (13.2 ppg) behind Wade and O’Neal.

UTAH at L.A. LAKERS (-4, 201½) (TNT)

A pair of division leaders battle tonight in this Western Conference matchup. The Jazz improved their league best record to 13-3 SU last night with an 83-75 home win over the Spurs. Utah snapped a two-game losing streak with the win and overcame a 10-point deficit in the game. Both defenses dominated and Utah outshot the Spurs 41% to 40% overall.

The Jazz are one of the best offensive teams in the league as they average 100 points per game and 46% shooting from the field. Utah was shooting over 50% from the field during the first two weeks of the season, but they have cooled off a bit and have shot 45% of less in five of their past six games.

Surprisingly, Utah’s offensive decline has coincided with the return of their best player as Utah is just 2-2 SU/ATS the past four games since Andrei Kirilenko returned from an ankle injury as opposed to 6-0 SU (4-2 ATS) in the six games in which Kirilenko missed or was limited.
Utah’s offense should have success tonight as they are facing a struggling Laker’s defense that has allowed at least 48% FG or higher in each of their past four games. Los Angeles struggled on Tuesday against Milwaukee and allowed the Bucks to score 109 points and shoot 51% overall. After a brief 4-0 SU (3-1 ATS) run, the Lakers have gone just 1-2 SU/ATS over their past three games.

This is a quick revenge game for the Lakers as they just lost at Utah 114-108 last Friday night. The Lakers blew a 6-point lead heading into the fourth quarter of that game, but could not stop the Jazz who shot 54% overall and were led by 31 points from Carlos Boozer.

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