The 2020/21 NBA season will be the 75th instalment of the National Basketball Association and it is due to begin in December. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the 2020 NBA playoffs was delayed until August and that has pushed back the start of the regular season until at least late December. However, there is plenty to look forward to ahead of the new NBA campaign as we take a look at the favourites to come out on top.

With mobile sports betting taking off in the United States, there has never been a better time to have a wager on the NBA season. Using the , you can select the best mobile sports betting application based on your location and check out the full features they have to offer.

A quick glance at the current NBA betting odds and there is one team that stands head and shoulders above the rest. The Los Angeles Lakers boast LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Even without knowing the complete roster of players, simply having these two available puts them in the discussion for lifting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy in 2021. Having two of the top three players in the league is a comforting thought for the LA Lakers and they must begin the new season as the favorites to retain their title.

The question is, who can challenge the LA Lakers and wrestle the trophy out of their grasp?

Remaining in Los Angeles, and the Clippers could be the team who destroy the hopes of their neighbours. The 2020 Western Conference semi-finals came as a huge disappointment to the LA Clippers, especially as they were in a commanding position going into the third quarter of Game 5. Considering their roster, the LA Clippers should have gone further in the competition last season and the fans will be hoping for more from Paul George. Ty Lue takes over from Doc Rivers as head coach and with the 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard in the team, anything seems possible for the LA Clippers this season.

Moving away from Los Angeles, we come to the Milwaukee Bucks. They must be considered one of the league favourites ahead of the new season, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo is fit. He was injured in the Eastern Conference semi-finals last season and the Bucks need the Greek to be at 100% to stand a chance of winning the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. It could be his final season in Milwaukee and the roster looks set to return the majority of their key players.

Finally, we come to the Golden State Warriors and although it may seem strange to back the team that finished bottom of the Western Conference in the previous season, there are some good reasons for doing so. The Warriors suffered from injury problems last season and any team missing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson would struggle. All three should be back this season and with the addition of the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, the Warriors roster is going to be strong.

The post Who Are the League Favourites Ahead of the 2021 NBA Season Start? appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

A knee injury from a basketball game can be quite painful and uncomfortable. Nevertheless, you can quickly get back to the court with the right management and continue playing the game. Here’s what you should know to identify whether you have a knee injury and ways to implement to avoid a recurrence.

Sometimes following an injury, you may experience a sudden pop sound in your knee, followed by a sensation. In such an instance, the pain becomes excruciating, and it will immobilize you immediately.

A common telltale sign that you have any injury following your basketball game is when you notice inflammation. Such an instance may indicate that you have a tear or even a fracture that you should have a doctor examine you immediately. Inflammation may occur due to a direct blow to the knee or overuse and abuse, tears the muscles. The area around the knee may also become tender.

Pain is also another common feature when you have a knee injury. It becomes unbearable when you exert weight on the knee, which also hinders your mobility. If you notice pain anytime, you attempt to move, and you need to see your doctor.

Dribbling the ball in the court is something you love to the core. It makes you happy, and you can’t imagine spending away from the game. Therefore, it is advisable to practice safe techniques to prevent a knee injury.

Staying in top shape will minimize the risk of developing a knee injury. Therefore, always integrate even when you are not actively playing the game. It will allow you to familiarize yourself with different practices. Thus, combine cardio and strength training in your workout. Remember also to include flexibility training.

Using the right equipment when playing basketball is advisable to keep away an injury.
Therefore, only then sure you are the right shoe for support and stability during the game. Additionally, it is advisable to use a knee brace for basketball, which protects you and offers immense support. You can choose different types depending on the protection and flexibility you hope to attain. Ideally, the braces should offer the right support and allow movement in the game. Consequently, it gives you comfort while providing the best protection for your knee.

Please do not underestimate the essence of stretching before starting your game. When you suddenly engage your muscles in a vigorous game, you have high chances of developing an injury. Therefore, integrate a few minutes of warm-up exercises before actively participating in the court.

Water plays a crucial role in body function. Therefore, when you hydrate continuously, your muscles become more flexible and stretch without a struggle. On the other hand, with low water consumption, your muscles tend to stiffen, which increases the risk of developing an injury.

Sometimes in the process of winning a game, you may expose yourself to harsh techniques. However, always remember that using the wrong process increases your probability of developing the injury. It includes twisting, turning, tripping, and even landing on your feet in the wrong form. By following the rules, you minimize the risk of developing the injury.

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Sports betting is a skill. And just like any other skill, you need practice and knowledge. You cant always depend on your luck. You have to have a clear sense of the game. And you need to do a lot of research and understand the situation every single time.

People love sports betting and online betting has taken the betting scene to a whole new level. Many exist that are regulated and offer secure and fast cash out. So it has become a mainstream activity. There are many bettors. But not all of them are good at it. Some are not serious enough to do proper research.
And some don’t understand the value of the smaller details. We will talk about these smaller details in a bit. They can improve your betting skills more than you know. At the end of this article, your betting game will be better than before.

A small injury of a star player could mean a lot in the game. Sometimes the players can push themselves enough even with the small injuries. But that’s not the case all the time. Small disadvantages like these could cost them a game. So you need to read a lot of reports.

And sometimes reading some reports aren’t enough. You need to stock the players social media. Sometimes they can hint at a lot of things. You can find out a lot about a celebrity on social media. Maybe some close friend or colleague of the star player posted something that can confirm his injury. So researching players’ social media is essential to know about their health.

Travelling can take a huge toll on your body. And the players are no different. As we said earlier, their social media may reveal their travel history details. And this can be very helpful for you. If you see the players travelling a lot, you can guess that their stamina might not be on the top notch state.

Yes, home team do have an advantage. That’s why most players like playing at home. It could be the comfort factor of the court set up or anything unfamiliar to the players, but when you are against a home team you do face a disadvantage most of the times. ESPN did a study and found that since 1975, more than 60% of the NBA matches have been won by the home side.

It does not mean you should always expect the away team to lose. But according to the study the home team do have an advantage. So it’s a good thing to keep in mind while betting.

So these are the simple ways to step up your betting game. You can do more intensive research too. That way you are not only depending on your lucky hunches rather you are depending on the details. These details will improve your betting game for other sports too. Just focus on the little details. Sometimes they give you all the answers. And details will serve you better than dumb luck.

The post 3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Betting Game for NBA appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Every sport has its own strategy, and within those sports each team has a strategy. Basketball is one of the major global sports that comes with a certain air of unpredictability, but it is also one of the most strategic team sports out there, and you can use each team’s tactics to your advantage. As in the film Moneyball where Peter Brand convinces Billy Beane that his baseball strategy works by using player stats, you can use a very similar approach for NBA wagers.

Now this is not a guaranteed system that will help you win, but it will help your money go further and bring in more wins compared to just blindly betting.

What this means is that although you will still lose some bets, with an increased win rate, the blow of a loss is softened by an increase in wins. Therefore, if you lose 3 out of 5 stakes on basketball, if you use a strategic system, you should begin to see a change to 1 or 2 losses per week.

By reading these 4 tips, you may also learn about some you may never have considered in the past.

Some teams have more than 1 player prolific at scoring 3-point shots. When you break down the way the team scores points from game to game, you should be able to pick out teams that collect points via an unusual number of 3-point shots.

Now this is not a stat used to predict a winner, but for in-play betting. When the team’s most notorious 3-point players are on the court, start betting on 3-point scores coming up.

Some lesser talented teams are set up in such a way that they become a bogie team for the big guns by regularly winning with less talent. However, don’t just bet on an upset being a given, make sure you do some research when you know a bogie is on the cards.

Check that the same players are in action. It is those players that unwittingly cancel out the superstars on the team win. Also, check how often the underdogs cause an upset and whether they cause the upset more at home or away.

Losing a free bet is no big deal because after all it was free. However, if you win, then great because you now have the chance to add your free winnings to your current betting roster. Some NBA betting sites will offer free bets on underdogs winning and free bets for special match ups or games.

This is your best chance to look for bets with long odds that you would not usually take. Use the other 3 tips in this guide to search out the most likely bets with long odds to pull through. This way, you are not risking your weekly basketball budget on bets you like the look of but are unlikely to win-hence the long odds!

Now if you have the brain capacity for it, you could learn about the key players for every team, but that would take some doing, and you would have to be a true basketball fanatic with plenty of time on your hands even at work. This is why we say you should learn about key players ‘for your favourite teams’. Look at their habits.

Maybe they score more points late in the game because they are fitter than most other players while there are those players that score more often at the beginning games. There are also certain defences that cannot handle certain players in a particular match up. If you can spot these small but effective recurrences, then you should win more bets more often.

The post 4 Tips to Help You Avoid Making the Wrong NBA Wagers appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

As a discipline, basketball is among the very top of the most popular sports in the world. Many people like to play it themselves, even more like watching games and support their favorites.

Then there are the ones who enjoy making bets on what is happening on the court. Basketball provides a perfect opportunity for placing straightforward moneyline bets and more advanced betting variations.

The discipline’s history remembers a fair share of exciting and huge wagers made on some memorable games. That includes, among other things, famous bets made by big celebrity spenders: and Floyd Mayweather.

There should be very little doubt that betting on sporting events can be more exciting than your usual casino entertainment. The opportunities keep coming as more and more US states are attempting to pass more favorable legislation. One of the gambling department leaders, New Jersey, reported a sum of $482.7 million in nj online casino, poker, and sports betting revenue for 2019.

Since games consist of four quarters or two halves, basketball opens up new options. It’s possible to make wagers on results after a quarter or half of the game instead of just over the full 48 minutes. It’s essential to remember that the odds could vary a lot between different periods. This option should be exciting for bettors, especially when two good teams are facing each other.

When a bet consists of over one pick, we call it multiple betting, or the accumulator bet. All the chosen selections must be predicted correctly to collect the winnings. The more games involved, the higher the odds and a potential prize. Suffice to say: there are pros and cons of placing bets this way.

A similar bet, but with the fixed odds and the possibility to adjust the handicap, is called a teaser. The bettor can add points to the underdog or subtract them from the favorite in a way they think will benefit them. The calculations will affect the payouts, as the scenarios have various degrees of difficulty.

When looking at the bigger picture, making a long-term commitment when betting on basketball and other sports is possible. You can predict the probability of a particular team’s chances to win a conference title or a championship at the beginning of a season or playoffs. You can make your bet even before the first game starts. It can represent a certain value for the bettors. They can get ahead in front of the competition, as the odds will be subjected to changes throughout the season.

Known to many as props, the proposition bets focus outside the game variables’ regular scope, such as the outcome, score, and similar. They concern the occurrence or non-occurrence of a particular event, not directly influencing the game result. A typical prop bet regards game scenarios or individual players. For example, you can bet on the scenario in which a specific player scores or does not score a fixed amount of points in a game or over the whole season.

The post What are the most interesting bets you can make for NBA games? appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Unsurprisingly, careers in professional sports yield some of the world’s highest salaries. Annual pay plus advertisement appearances, endorsement contracts and a list of various other things result in these lucky few becoming millionaires a thousand times over. However, the NBA in particular tops the charts as their athletes are paid more than players in other leagues such as the NFL, NHL, and MLB. Let’s take a look at the wealthy giants ruling the court this year – the highest paid NBA athletes of 2020.

It’s no shock that Lebron tops the list, receiving an annual salary of $92 million as stated in Forbes Magazine’s ranking for a sixth straight year. With well over half of his earnings originating from endorsements and even more to come, he is the highest paid player in the entire NBA and his talent has been known to draw comparisons with Michael Jordan

Three-time NBA Championship winner Stephen Curry is considered by many to be one of the greatest shooters in the history of the sport. He has not only set the record for most successful three-pointers in a regular season, but is also a two-time NBA MVP and six-time NBA All-Star, amongst other achievements. The talented Golden State Warrior whose team is already for another future NBA Championship, earns a whopping annual salary of $85.2 million, including important endorsements such as his shoe contract with Under Armour.

Kevin Durant, the small forward for the Brooklyn Nets, is making anything but a small salary. The athlete is pulling in a whopping $73.2 million a year with a salary of $38.2 million and a long endorsement list accounting for a grand $35 million. The two-time NBA finals MVP is the owner of two championship rings and two Olympic gold medals, among many other accolades.

Durant possesses some lucrative endorsement deals from Nike and Foot Locker to Alaska Airlines and Google

Houston Rocket guard Russell Westbrook has also made the list of the world’s highest paid athletes, bringing home a cool $56.5 million each year. His teammate, James Harden, ranked right behind him this year making the 17th best salary, $47.8 million. With $18 million worth of endorsements under his belt and a long list of awards such as 8 time NBA All-Star, Westbrook is one of the most dynamic players in the league.

Even more unbelievable than some of the numbers coming off this page, the NBA salary cap is expected to be raised to at least $115 million in the coming season. Whether you agree with these salaries or not, there’s no doubt that these athletes and others contribute to making the NBA the greatest sports league decade after decade.

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After the conclusion of one NBA final, thoughts always turn immediately to the next – as such, we look today at how NBA finals of recent years have related to key NBA betting markets.

This is not a very common market, but NBA finals often throw up some special propositions that would not be found in regular-season action. The last two finals have been specifically won 4-2 by the eventual champion, and in the ten years spanning the LA Lakers’ last two finals victories the average winning margin has been 2.18 games.

Interestingly, there have been only three 4-0 whitewashes since the turn of the century, pulled off by the Lakers, Spurs and Warriors in 2002, 2007 and 2018 respectively. The latter of those represented the Warriors’ third win in finals appearances between 2015 and 2019, and they will once again be ones to watch under head coach Steve Kerr.

Any team that finds itself just one game away from ultimate glory after three wins in any NBA final invariably attracts a lot of attention.

Those who know how to bet on NBA finals with efficiency will see that sportsbooks find themselves in a short-lived but ferocious battle to provide the best prices for what could be the final game. As a go-to market, handicapping is amongst the first to be impacted, especially if one team is 3-0 or 3-1 and expected to deliver the death blow by a landslide.

Over the past five years, the average winning margin for the decisive game in the finals has been 10.5. A wager on one team beating a -10.5 handicap represents the slightly conservative end of ‘middle ground’ in a usual handicapping list, if one team is clearly favoured over the underdog.

Another points-centric market that has proven popular at NBA finals for a long time is the total aggregate points on the board. It is a huge draw for people who use regular sportsbooks and spread betting facilities.

This year’s finals showed an above-par average number of total points (214.5), providing ample reason to expect another high-scoring series in 2021 if the Lakers get to that showpiece event in consecutive seasons for the first time since their successful title defence in 2010.

Game 2 of the 2020 finals saw an epic high-scorer where the Lakers clinched a vital victory.

Spread betting facilities publish a range in the over/under points market (e.g. between 189.5 and 204.5 total points) and people challenging that by buying ‘low’ or ‘high’.

Rather than a set potential payout, they win increasing amounts, depending on the degree by which the score is below (if buying ‘low’) or above (if buying ‘high’) the spread betting operator’s ‘range’.

From Jordan’s star turn in Game 6 of the 1992 finals to the Nowitzki/Chalmers three-point rampage of 2011, there are some great stories of comebacks in NBA finals scattered throughout history. These never fail to inspire people to delve into the HT/FT market, and back one team to win after a lost first quarter or a defeat in the opening half.

Such odds often shift drastically under live in-play settings, adding further to the inherent drama and tension of the inimitable NBA finals!

The post NBA Finals: Impact on Key Betting Markets in 2021 appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Luka Doncic recently became the in NBA history to be named to the All-NBA First Team. The youngest player to do so was LeBron James, who beat Luka by 58 days. (For the record, without the stoppage of play that occurred in March, Luka would have beat LeBron’s record.) That got me thinking. Could Luka break more records set by LeBron James?

I found six records owned by LeBron James that Luka Doncic can break. It won’t be easy, but if anyone can break these records, it’s Luka.

At the time of this writing, LeBron’s streak of games scoring at least 10 or more points is up to 990 games. Considering an NBA season is 82 games long, you’re looking at over a decade of games. That’s consistency. (It’s also one reason why LeBron is currently 5th on the all-time scoring list.)

But it also points to LeBron James’ health and longevity. For example, Luka Doncic would have 28 straight games of double-digit scoring, but he sprained his ankle in the first quarter of a game against the Miami Heat in the 2020 season. Little things like that would have to go his way in order to break this record, whatever it turns out to be. If he can stay healthy, I have no doubt Luka can get at least 10 points in every single game for the rest of his prime.

Let’s give this one some context. In the slightly shortened 2020 season, Luka recorded 1,759 points, 573 rebounds, 538 assists, and 62 steals.

In his second season.

To break LeBron’s record, Luka just needs to maintain his scoring, rebounding, and assists averages, add a few steals, and play a complete season of about 70 games. The good news is, he’s putting up these numbers before he’s even in his prime. If he does this for the next five seasons, which seems likely, then he’ll break this record.

I’m actually a little surprised no one else has done this in the NBA’s 74-year history, but it speaks to LeBron’s unique versatility and longevity. For Luka to join LeBron in this record, he would have to average at least 10 assists and 10 rebounds per game for the next 11-13 seasons, depending on how many games he plays per season.

When you put it that way, you can see why only one player has done this. Even some of the all-time greats don’t sustain the same elite level of play for that long.

LeBron James has, so far, 20 Playoff games where he recorded at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Luka Doncic has one such game in his young career. I’m not saying this is easy. Again it would take longevity and a lot of Playoff appearances. However, I think Luka is primed for both.

He led a former lottery team to the Playoffs in his second season and hasn’t shown any signs of being injury-prone. The Mavericks should be a perennial Playoff team for the next 10 years, giving Luka plenty of chances to break this record. Of all the NBA records I think Luka can break, I think this is one of the most attainable.

Three times LeBron has recorded at least 500 points, 200 rebounds, and 150 assists in a postseason. He’s the only player to do that multiple times. Luka has one Playoff appearance so far. In his first 6-game postseason appearance, he recorded 186 points, 59 rebounds, and 52 assists. However, his per game averages would have put him at LeBron’s mark if the Mavericks had (somehow) made it to the NBA Finals.

The point is that it’s possible for Luka to put up the numbers it would take to break this record. However, it will probably take multiple Finals appearances, and that’s not easy to do.

Ok, this is a big one. I’ll admit that. This isn’t just recording a triple-double in a Finals game. It’s averaging a triple-double for the entire series. (Full disclosure, I’ve never played in the NBA Finals, but I hear that it’s very hard.)

However, if anyone can accomplish this and join LeBron, it’s Luka. His game is similar to LeBron’s, and if his first Playoff appearance told us anything, it’s that he’s a special player. I’m not saying this one will definitely happen, but I’m willing to put it on the list. Related to this, I might also be willing to guess that Luka can tie LeBron’s achievement of recording a triple-double against every NBA team. That one might be more likely, but not quite as fun to predict.

Luka Doncic is certainly a special player. By his second season, he was already in the MVP conversation and had broken many records. LeBron James owns some of the most lofty NBA records, but there are some I think Luka can break. Their playing style is similar, even if they do play different positions, and Luka seems to have the same killer instinct LeBron has.

The post 6 LeBron James Records Luka Doncic Might Break appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Sports betting is a common type of gambling, and many punters worldwide love to bet on basketball events, particularly the NBA. Contrary to some beliefs, betting on NBA games isn’t a sure banker. In fact, it can be riskier than playing slots at a such as Platin Casino. Over the years, several punters have placed huge bets on NBA games, and we’ll discuss them in this article.

In 2000, Haralabos “Bob” Voulgaris, a Greek-Canadian punter, placed a bet of $70,000 on Los Angeles Lakers to win the season’s NBA championship. After waiting 6 months for the season to end, he won over half a million dollars and is considered to be one of the biggest winnings betting on basketball at the time. Today, Bob runs his own sportsbook, which he probably started using part of his winnings.

Popular as a professional boxer and nicknamed “The Money”, Floyd Mayweather is also among the punters who have placed huge bets on basketball. In June 2013, Floyd wagered a whooping sum of $5.9m on Miami Heat to beat the Indiana Pacers. With the result of the fixture ending in 99-76, the professional boxer made close to $6.5m in profit. He also won $200,000 profit placing a basketball bet in 2015.

While many punters love to bet on big competitions such as the NBA, there are also some who have won big betting on college games. One such is an anonymous Connecticut fan who placed a staggering $90,000 on his underdog team UConn Huskies to beat Villanova Wildcats in 2014. As luck will have it, the UConn Huskies upset the odds, winning 81-76, and the bettor walked away with over $390,000 as profit.

Accumulators can be risky, but that is not the case for an anonymous punter from Western Australia in 2015. The punter predicted the entire 13 match NBA scorecard and placed a $5 bet. With most of the games playing to his favour, the puter cashed out $216,000, which could have easily dropped to C$20,500 following a tie between New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons at the end of the regular period.

Former NBA legend Charles Barkley is famous for placing big-money bets on basketball. One of his amazing bets was in 2002, when he placed $500,000 on New England to pull off an upset over the Rams. The game ended with New England winning 20-17, and the NBA Hall of Famer walked away with a payout of $800,000. Charles has also won and lost several bets over time, with his losses believed to be around $10m over the years.

Betting on basketball events is not just fun, but it can also be highly rewarding, as is the case with punters that we’ve mentioned so far in this article. However, you should never consider betting as a get-rich-quick scheme as it is equally possible to lose. To get the best experience betting on basketball events such as the NBA, consider choosing sportsbooks that offer high odds and a wide range of markets.

The post Top Bets Ever Placed on NBA Games appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

College football has continued with few pandemic interruptions, which is why it should surprise nobody that the National Collegiate Athletic Association is ready to start the 2020-2021 College Basketball Season next month. November 25, the day before Thanksgiving, is the proposed start date.

Although some might scoff at the idea, universities in the United States lean on sports to run various other programs. College football will always remain the king. The top four profitable college football programs, Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Texas, gained at least $111 million in profit in 2017. Texas, first on the list, $143 million.

There will never come a time when college basketball exceeds college football in revenue. College hoops do, though, provide massive overall revenue. When the NCAA decided to cancel the 2020 Men’s College Basketball Tournament, college sports’ governing body missed out on $933 million in ad revenue. The NCAA planned to distribute at least $600 million of the $933 million to 1,200 schools across all divisions.

Las Vegas sportsbooks also took a massive hit. Per the Nevada Gaming Control Board, in March 2019, sportsbooks attracted $349 million in basketball wagering action. Michael Lawton, a Nevada Gaming Control Board analyst, estimated that 70% of that action was on the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament.

For many, not just college basketball fans, November 25 can’t come soon enough. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the early preseason Top 5. The coronavirus pandemic affected upcoming player participation for many of the top teams. Duke, Kansas, Michigan State, and Kentucky, perennial preseason Top 5 teams, aren’t ranked higher than 7th before this season’s first game.

1. Gonzaga – The Bulldogs are so confident that they’ve scheduled Baylor and Iowa, a couple of other Top 5 ranked teams, early in the season. The roster includes player of the year candidate Corey Krispert and 7’ 0” sophomore Pavel Zakharov. Like Krispert, Joel Ayayi is a junior who could dominate. Coach Mark Few also added four Top-100 prospects.

2. Baylor – The Bears spent plenty of weeks ranked number one last season. Baylor returns their three top scorers, including Jared Butler, who averaged over 16 points per. Mark Vital is one of the top defensive players in the nation.

3. Villanova – Coach Jay Wright lost the best player on Villanova’s 2020 team, Sadiq Bey. Sadiq could be a Top 10 NBA Draft pick, though. So, it’s hard to knock his decision, especially given that they canceled the 2020 NCAA Tournament. Everyone else on Nova’s squad returns, making Wright’s team one of the best in college basketball. Also, anyone who follows college hoops’ knows how awesome Jay is at recruiting players to fit Villanova’s system. He doesn’t get the highest-rated players. Wright recruits players that help the Wildcats win championships.

4. Virginia – The Cavaliers are poised to overtake Duke and North Carolina as the perennial top team from the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. Coach Tony Bennett gets to see what Sam Hauser can do. The former Marquette player had to sit out the 2020 season due to eligibility requirements. As a Golden Eagle, Hauser averaged 14.9 points and 7.2 boards. Once again, Bennett should send the most defensive efficient team in college hoops to the court.

5. Iowa – The Hawkeyes have the Naismith Player of the Year Award front runner in Luka Garza. The 6’ 11” junior power forward averaged 23.9 points, 9.8 boards, and 1.2 assists last season. Garza probably would have been a Top 5 pick in the draft if he had chosen to go to the NBA. Why he didn’t is anybody’s guess. Iowa coach Fran McCaffrey isn’t complaining.

Odd should be out in the next few weeks on which one of these squads has the best shot of winning the 2021 Men’s NCAA College Basketball Tournament. Gonzaga had dominated the 2020 regular season. They figure to offer odds close to even money. Anybody who wishes to wager on Gonzaga to win the National Championship has options.

They can either go through a Vegas sportsbook, a local bookie, or an online sportsbook. If they decide to wager via the local bookie route, they can rest assured that most bookmakers now offer free betting software. Bookie software allows bookmakers to become pay per head sportsbook agents. By doing so, bookies can offer whatever odds they wish. That means players who want to wager on a team like Gonzaga can ask for better odds than what an online sportsbook or Vegas book offers.

The NBA said that their upcoming season wouldn’t start before Christmas. Professional basketball hoop fans can warm-up for the Lakers, Heat, Clippers, Celtics, and the rest by supporting college basketball’s new season starting on November 25.

The post College Hoops Returns Next Month on November 25 appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The 2020 NBA season is close to an end – some believe it could be over in just two more games. Whether the LA Lakers can pull off a 3-1 victory of the Miami Heat is still questionable, but their Game 1 and 2 performance’s certainly set the bar pretty high. While these two teams battle it out to determine who will wear the NBA crown of one of the strangest seasons in basketball history, elsewhere in the league, other teams are working overtime to get ready for next year. Several coaching changes have already taken place, and a few more are right around the corner. Once the dust settles, the initial will most likely be shuffled around.

Whether or not Doc Rivers deserved to take the blame for the LA Clippers exiting the NBA playoffs is open to debate. Still, he stepped up and took his hits and knew it was time to move on. Despite having another year on his contract with the team, he was let go and needed a new challenge. It didn’t take long for the basketball rumor mill to start churning up possible destinations, but the outcome was what many had expected. After seven years with the Clippers, Rivers is on his way to Philadelphia to lead the 76ers.

Rivers has signed a five-year deal with the 76ers and will work to turn the team around. It hasn’t taken an Atlantic Division title since 2001, the same year it took the Eastern Conference. Its last NBA championship, though, was in 1983, and Rivers is going to have his work cut out for him. Fortunately, with talented players like Joel Embiid, he’s up for the task.

With Rivers out, the Clippers need a new captain. Right now, they are apparently looking at Ty Lue and Jeff Van Gundy, with Lue being the favorite. Gundy may be a talented coach, but he hasn’t led a team in 13 years. The Clippers are looking at Kawhi Leonard and Paul George possibly exercising their player options after next season, so now is not the time to try to rebuild from top to bottom.

Lue is the man of the hour. Not only is he being scouted by the Clippers, but the Houston Rockets have also shown interest in him. The team’s most recent head coach, Mike D’Antoni, wasn’t happy after the Rockets lost to the Lakers in the second round of the playoffs and decided to find a new opportunity. With the position open, the Rockets need someone strong to come in, and Lue is one of the candidates. Along with him, the team is reportedly looking at Wes Unseld, Jr., the assistant head coach of the Denver Nuggets, and Dallas Mavericks assistant head coach Stephen Silas.

The Pelicans finished their most recent season with a record of 30-42, and the performance forced head coach Alvin Gentry to be fired. Lue is also seeing his name thrown into the mix, as is Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd is up there, as well. However, the leading candidate is D’Antoni. His unique approach to player chemistry would be a huge improvement for the team and would give Zion Williamson a chance to shine.

Nate McMillan had to be feeling good when he was given a contract extension with the Indiana Pacers a few weeks ago, but he then had the rug pulled out from under him. The Pacers got trampled by the Heat in the postseason, and the Pacers back office suddenly decided they wanted to go in a different direction. Now, the former head coach of the Sacramento Kings, Dave Joerger, and the assistant coach for the Pels, Chris Finch, are in the running. The only name not to be included so far is Lue, but he has enough options on the table that something good is coming his way soon.

The post NBA Coaching Moves Heating Up During 2020 Playoffs appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

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It’s taken us a bit longer than expected to get to this stage, but the NBA Finals began this week. The Los Angeles Lakers have been in great form of late on their way to winning the Western Conference. They continued that dominant form when beating the Miami Heat, who won the Eastern Conference in the first of this best-of-seven series. Anthony Davis was the star performer for the Lakers, how can the Heat stop him and get back into this final?

The Lakers had won 12 of their 15 play-off games on their way to this final. Anthony Davis had been in top form, particularly in their Western Conference final against the Denver Nuggets. There were no nerves shown by Davis in the first match against the Miami Heat as he totalled 34 points in a 116-98 victory. Davis had nine rebounds and five assists and if Miami want to get back into this final, they have to do something to reduce his scoring, but how?

Miami are strong when it comes to protecting the ball. Their defensive abilities are high too with a strong level of blocking shots and steals. Their defence will have to be at its absolute best if they are to stop Davis again getting a high points total. Cutting down the number of rebounds he’s scoring is one key target for this second match.

They have no reason to be scared of the Lakers. The Heat are in this final on merit but against the odds. Basketball is just one of the great games you can gamble on. If you’re new to gambling online then visiting a site such as will supply you with plenty of helpful information

The second match of this final takes place in the early hours of Saturday 3 October. Going 2-0 down would be disastrous for Miami. Getting back level would stun the Lakers and it could then be anyone’s final. Miami may go into this game without Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo. Losing both those players would tip the odds even further in the favour of the Lakers.

Head coach Erik Spoelstra said after the first match, “We clearly have to just be a lot better (defensively). More resolve, more commitment, more multiple efforts, more communication, all these things.” It’s a lot to ask for, particularly with injury doubts but the Heat haven’t made it to the finals just to roll over and be beaten. An almighty effort is going to be needed but they are sure to try their best to negate the impact Davis has on the game.

Even if Miami did manage to keep Davis under control, that doesn’t mean they will win the game. LeBron James is another major threat as he bids to win his fourth NBA title. A difficult time lies ahead for the Heat but if they can show the fighting spirit that got them to this final, they could yet end up NBA champions.

The post How will the Heat stop Anthony Davis after a dominant game 1 performance? appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

More and more people are starting to follow the wonderful game of basketball all across the globe.

Although the NBA in America is the most followed basketball league, it is just as massive in Asian countries like China and Japan as well as a lot of European countries including Greece and Italy.

If you are new to betting on basketball have a read through to get some helpful tips and advice to hopefully improve your chances of winning yourself some extra money.

The great thing about betting online with basketball is the wide range of things you can bet on. As well as the standard bets such as the outcome of a game, who will win the championship and so on, and there are more obscure and interesting bets you can place.

There is spread betting, futures bets, parlays, teasers and pleasers, so, as you can see, there are lots of variations of bets you can make.

Also in play betting has become more popular as most online casinos and sports betting websites now offer either mobile applications or mobile friendly websites, so you are able to place a bet on basketball from wherever you are in the world from the comfort of your own mobile smart phone.

The other great thing about in play betting is you can make these bets as you are watching the action unfold in front of your eyes. So if you have a feeling a certain player is going to get a slam dunk soon, you are able to quickly jump on your phone and place that bet.

There are thousands of different that offer sports betting on their website, with most offering the ability to bet on basketball matches.

Your best starting place would be to use a search engine to find online casinos that are offering the best odds on basketball matches in the country you reside. Also seek out an online casino that has good promotional and sign up offers to take advantage of the deals they are offering.

The most obvious teams to bet on are those with the most success such as the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA league.

They have been extremely successful over the last few years and continue year on year out to be one of the strongest teams within the NBA league. So they are considered to be one of the safer teams to bet on winning.

The great thing about basketball and pretty much every sport going, is that sometimes the underdogs win. If you are betting on the underdog and they do win the odds are always normally very long, so there is a lot of money to be made betting on the underdog, just don’t forget they are called the underdog for a reason.

It’s less likely that this type of bet will win, so should you choose to bet on the underdog, bet small amounts so as not to lose too much money.

This is a popular style of bet which you are basically betting on the game either being a high scoring or low scoring match.

If you are betting on over then you are wanting a high scoring match as you need there to be more than forty one points being scored, if you choose to bet on under then you are hoping for a low scoring game and you need there to be less than forty one points scored.

With this bet it doesn’t matter which team or who scores as you are betting on the total points of the match scored.

A good way to choose which outcome to bet on is by looking at the previous form of the teams involved in the match, as this way you can hopefully predict if it will be a high or low scoring match.

Of course, every game can be played out in any fashion so nothing is guaranteed, but should two low scoring teams be playing each other the probability of a low scoring match is more likely to happen and vice versa with high scoring teams.

There are many blogs and websites you can find on the internet offering their advice and tips on upcoming matches in all different basketball leagues.

These can be useful to help decide which bets you may want to take one, but it’s always best to trust your own instincts and gut feeling when it comes to gambling. Nothing is a sure thing in basketball and sports betting in general so you should always make the final decision and always bet sensibly.

It can be very easy to get addicted to gambling on basketball so always bet moderately and when the fun stops so should you.

Surprisingly the current favourites to win the 2020 title is the Milwaukee Bucks followed closely by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Although there is still a lot to play for , one of the above two teams will walk away with the 2020 title, due to their current form and their strong team selections.

There are ten teams that could walk away with the title and anything can happen in basketball but the safest bet would be choosing Milwaukee Bucks.

Although betting on basketball has been happening for many years, as the sport continues to grow so does the amount of money gambled on the sport.

And as the sport is becoming more and more popular across Asia and Europe you no longer need to just find NBA games to bet on, as there is a vast amount of other leagues that can be found to both watch and gamble on.

If you are new to sports betting always start with small amounts and set yourself limits to the amount of cash you are willing to gamble with.

The post A Beginners Guide To Betting On Basketball appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Amongst the most liked sports in the world is basketball. A large number of people watch basketball the numerous basketball tournaments and leagues. Some like betting on basketball. Before you begin to , you need to know the tips and strategies. Discussed below are some of the most useful tactics.

Spread betting is a prevalent form of betting on basketball. It is also known as line betting. You will find NBA games listed in the following manner; Loston Celtics +5.5 VS Los Angeles Lakers -5.5. This means that if you place a bet on Lakers, they must win by a margin of more than 5.5 points. On the other hand, if you bet on the Celtics, they have to win the game absolute or lose by a maximum of 5 points.

This is whereby a punter will bet on their favorite sport or league. In this case, the market is always distorted in favor of underdogs. For instance, over the last 10 NBA seasons, teams playing as underdogs of +12 points or more have covered the line over 53% of the time. This shows that there is a favoritism in the market; underdogs that are lowly regarded are favored. When betting, you should put in your mind that teams with a low chance of winning are given spreads in their favor.

You will find most punters on betting sites like Betway placing their bets on popular teams like the Lakers. The Lakers have been successful for quite some time, but it doesn’t mean they will always win. There is no need for betting on a famous team then end up losing your money. Be careful when betting for such teams; find circumstances where you can bet against them or avoid betting for them altogether.

Putting a stake on the total number of points scored is very popular. This is dependent on the tournament or league. For example, points will be in the range of 180-220 points in the NBA. In the European and College basketball, points will range from 120-160. If you want to be successful when betting on basketball totals, do not look at the team’s short term averages. Look at how often a team has surpassed the total number of given points.

You need to find out if the teams have ever met before. This will give you a hint of how the outcome is going to be. Also, look out at how the teams play when they are playing away or at home. You will always find a distinction between the two.

Look at the situation in which a team is at, and you will know the outcome. Most of the time, you will find teams playing fast, but when they have matches that need to be played away, they will maintain a low speed and probably a low scoring game. Observe whether the team is playing at home or away before placing your bets on Betway. Teams that play at home tend to perform better than those that have traveled for long journeys. They will most probably be tired and not getting enough rest for them to perform well.

The post Basketball Betting 101-Tips And Strategy appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

One of the most fun forms of sports gambling is playing daily NBA fantasy games offered through a myriad of sources, and an almost infinite number of formats. Games at your disposal range from gimmick bets placed in individual aspects of the game, also known as prop bets, or the favorite of all, lineup makers on daily fantasy sports apps.

When you’re playing instead of being involved in a season-long fantasy team, it’s kind of like buying a penny stock in comparison to an index fund. It’s very risky, but it also has an immediate potential payoff to go with the fun. Your odds are at their best when you play your game in a shrewd, unconventional manner.

• First and foremost, do not go chalk. This is the playoffs, and that means you’ve got a very small slate of games with a very limited range of players to choose from. Having some players with high-ownership percentage on your roster is inevitable and even advisable, obviously, but to fill out your lineup with all “good bets” is actually asking for mediocrity.

• You need to match your elite, high-ownership players with a few speculative picks on the day as well. Yes, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are likely to score you a lot of points, but they’ll also be scoring a lot of points for almost everyone else in your contest. Because of this, you want to be the player who has someone in their lineup no one expected to do well.

• If you check out the winning roster on any given contest, the underlying common denominator of almost all of them is that they have a guy rostered you would have assumed to be a bust. They will have someone on their team who makes you wonder how, say, they guessed Austin Rivers was going to drop 32 fantasy points on a team with Westbrook, Harden, Eric Gordon, Covington, and Danuel House.

• It’s counterintuitive, but so are most profitable strategies that win. Conventional wisdom is conventional and common for a reason, so don’t give in to it. Check for updates on who might be out, look at matchup data for how certain teams defend certain positions, and read quotes from coaches pre- and post-game. All of these little scraps of information can serve to help you make the right sleeper picks for your lineup.

The same strategy cannot be applied to every lineup in every contest. You have to optimize and adjust for the parameters of your specific contest. If you’re playing in a contest with 500,000+ contestants where the majority of prizes are miniscule in comparison to the top prize, the entry fee is likely low and so are your odds at success.

This is where you take risk. Sure, you might roster a LeBron James and a James Harden, but beyond this, you can afford to be unpredictable. It’s having success with unsuspected players that will get you to the top. Pick your big pieces, and then throw in a Michael Porter, Patrick Beverly, Dwight Howard, Mason Plumlee—someone that you wouldn’t even expect to drop 20. If these guys have good games, well, so do you, because no one else picked them.

Other forms of contests such as head-to-heads, multipliers, or satellite contests are places you can afford to play it more conservative. In most cases, the potential gain is more modest, but it’s ultimately a safer, more predictable bet.

In contests like these, it makes sense to go with the more highly owned players who are predicted to have a good game, because you don’t need to beat out so many thousands of others to win. You often just need to be in the top 50% or even best one out of two to take the win.

Don’t limit yourself to just one type of contest. Play in multipliers, head-to-heads, and low-risk high-reward contests such as tournaments with a huge player pool. Betting is an investment just like anything else, and there’s no need to play without playing to win.

What can be said of any good investment portfolio? You know the answer: it’s diversified. Diversification not only mitigates risk, but allows the player to learn and become open to new and different opportunities. It can also help them avoid making bad decisions that DFS players shouldn’t do. Play your game and your style, but don’t limit yourself along the way.

The post Basketball DFS: How To Increase Odds When Betting On The NBA Playoffs appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Basketball is as American as apple pie, the 4th of July, Coca Cola and Superbowl Sunday but when did it all begin and how has it influenced the rest of the world?

In 1891 in Springfield a young PE (physical education) teacher was tasked with coming up with a new game or activity to keep the students occupied and active. It was winter and the lacrosse and football seasons had ended. The students were restless and bored and all attempts to occupy their attention had failed.

James Naismith went to work on an idea he had. He asked a janitor to find him something that he could use as goals however fate would have it that the only things available were peach baskets. These were set at each end of the gym around 10 feet from the ground with one man at each end to remove the ball once it was in the basket and return it to play. Years later the bottoms of the baskets were removed and the game moved closer to today’s game although by and large it remains the same.

On June 6, 1946 the National Basketball Association was founded in New York. It was and still is the premier basketball league anywhere in the world, however other countries have embraced basketball eagerly.

One of Naismith’s students who was there for the first games in Springfield travelled to France. So in 1893 France was introduced to basketball. From there it quickly spread across Europe to Spain, Portugal, Belgium and to Russia.

By 1895 it had travelled to South America, Australia, China and the Philippines where US troops played the game.

FIBA (IBF) International Basketball Federation was founded in Geneva on June 18, 1932, 12 years before the NBA was founded. Later FIBA Asia followed in 1960. Basketball had truly become a global phenomenon.

After the introduction of basketball to Asia, China particularly embraced the game. It was originally brought there by some of the same missionaries that were involved in the YMCA and the original James Naismith games.

It was initially introduced through the Shanghai area and grew to be extremely popular by the 1920’s. In 1936 the Republic of China (as it was then) entered the Summer Olympics with their basketball team. The team did not fare well (though they beat France) but they are the inspiration for a 2008 movie titled Champions.

In 1949 Mao became the Chairman of the Communist Party of China. He began his Cultural Revolution condemning and eradicating western and capitalist society ideals. However basketball was allowed to stay and remained popular. It was played for exercise and in the spirit of friendship not competition.

Talent is scouted early in China. The sports system in place there means they actively search schools for children who might become tall, regardless of whether they have basketball skills. China is by average height of its citizens one of the shortest countries in the world. It does not routinely produce 6 foot 6 basketball players so they look at other ways to produce top players.

Like a lot of sports in China, basketball is funded extremely well. Scouts actively search the school system for tall parents hoping that their offspring will grow into promising players. These children will enter extra-curricular sports classes. If they do indeed possess talent they may be removed and sent to full time sports academies.

It is not unknown for players to fake ages. Making themselves younger so they can play in age restricted competitions. In 2008 the Chinese Basketball Association discovered 26 players who had falsified their age. This seems common across other sports in China with gymnasts younger than 16 entering the Olympics and then winning gold.

Without doubt China do possess the best team in Asia and will beat their neighbours regularly but they still haven’t produced a team capable of taking on the USA or the better teams in Europe and rest of the world. At the time of writing China were ranked 28th in the FIBA World Rankings, below Montenegro, Iran and Mexico. For all the money and time poured in to the national team they are still not hitting the heights they desire.

China has competed at the Olympic Games a total of 9 times and their best position was 8th. Compare this to their record at the FIBA Asia Cup where they won the competition 14 times out of 16 during the years between 1975 and 2005.

China was one of the originators of gambling. Having games that can be traced back hundreds of years BC. However they have extremely strict rules against gambling after the Communist Party took over in 1949. There are no casinos or in China. If you were looking to bet you would have to head to a casino in the gambling haven of Macau or Hong Kong.

However there is a government sanctioned game called Sports Lottery. This allows citizens to bet on European football (or soccer) and also American basketball, but not Chinese. Certainly there is no way to bet on College Basketball as you can in the US. Online casinos are also banned but are available to access sometimes through VPNs before being shut down so you may be able to place bets on Chinese basketball and play book of dead slots if you wish.

Surprisingly considering their aggressive youth scouting program and large funding China hasn’t produced many NBA players. So far they have exported six players to the states. The most famous being Yao Ming. Playing for the Houston Rockets from 2002-2011 Yao is the most famous basketball player in China. In 2016 Yao was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame along with Shaquille O’Neal.

Although hugely popular in China, basketball there still has some way to come to meet the high standards of the US national team and the NBA. However it is likely sometime in the future we may see a far more competitive team at the Olympics. One thing is for sure, basketball in China is not going away anytime soon.

The post How Basketball Spread across the Globe and Landed in China appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The 2019/2020 season is still going strong and it will likely last until mid-October as the final game of the season is scheduled for October 13. Hopefully, there will not be any additional delays in the ongoing playoffs as the latest scheduled date for the NBA finals to start is on September 30. However, the upcoming season 2020/2021 has been pushed back once more and it won’t begin before Christmas Day — December 25.

The current situation has led to several important dates to be pushed back a few times, which resulted in the delayed start of next season. Other important events that have been delayed include the NBA Draft and the start of the free agency. Both events will start in mid-October, most likely after the 2019/2020 finals. Having said that, the Draft might be pushed back even further — to November, according to some sources. Overall, no specific dates have been chosen for either of the events.

Not many were surprised by the delay as fans anticipated an even later start, possibly in 2021. Many are hoping that the late start hints at the possibility of bringing fans back into the arenas, but no official statements have been made regarding that. This information comes after the August interview with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, where he stated that their primary goal is to bring audiences back.

Of course, there have been disagreements about the way the season should proceed. As the majority of money is coming in from , and merch sales have decreased in the last few months, some team owners are urging for the 2020/2021 season to be delayed until February of next year or even later so fans could attend the games. The lack of ticket-sales revenue has led to substantial losses for the NBA.

However, another delay could complicate things even further as scheduling conflicts arise. The Tokyo Olympic Games are scheduled for July 2021 and a lot of NBA players are expected to join the national basketball team. Let’s not forget about the 2021/2022 season that is scheduled to start immediately afterward.

As these and other reports appear, it’s becoming more apparent that there’s a period of uncertainty ahead, regarding the upcoming NBA season. It’s unclear where, when, and how the next season will be organized. The League is not excluding the possibility of the season being played in multiple locations around the USA.

The same goes for bubble games — we have to wait and see whether the Orlando experience will be applied to the next season as the current basketball playoffs are played in a bubble in Orlando, Florida. The bubble experience, as the name suggests, will determine whether the fans will be able to attend future games.

Regardless, the next season will bring a lot of excitement as we will witness the comeback of the WIzard’s point guard John Wall. As Kevin Durant is starting for the Nets, the fans are eager to see how the season will play out for the Brooklyn-based team.

As we’ve previously mentioned, both players and the fans are probably going to have to wait until November for the next season’s draft picks. The Board of Governors will discuss and finalize the date of the Draft during the week and we’ll soon have a more precise date.

A further push of the Draft would leave more time for the NBA and NBPA to discuss and negotiate the salary cap numbers for the upcoming 2020/2021 season. Without those figures, it would be challenging to conduct any trades around the draft.

The August draft lottery brought the first pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the second pick went to the Golden State Warriors. Consequently, Anthony Edwards is the first on the list for both teams as the young Georgia native has shown immense potential as the shooting guard for the Georgia Bulldogs.

The Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers have the next three picks in the Draft and their eyes set on high-quality players like James Wiseman, Deni Avdija, LaMelo Ball, and Isaac Okoro.

The post Upcoming NBA Season Will Not Start Before Christmas appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

When the NBA season of 2019-20 was suspended last March 11 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of basketball fans were devastated. Thankfully, the NBA’s Board of Governors gave the go signal for a competitive set-up for the season’s return with 22 teams coming back to play starting July 30.

However, four games into the playoffs, three refusing to play. Regardless of the postponements, the NBA playoffs will continue with a series of reschedulings. With this in mind, check out the two remaining matchups for Game 7 and see who the expert’s favorites are.

During the regular season, the Utah Jazz could not win against the Denver Nuggets. Surprisingly, however, the former is not experiencing a lot of difficulty in beating the latter during the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz will compete in Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs 2020, to determine who moves on to the next round of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, after three back to back triumphs, Utah now holds a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven matchup. During the regular season, they strengthened their efficiency in shooting and climbed up to the second-highest rank. They also established a 61.6% effective field-goal rate against Denver.

On the opposite end, it also hasn’t been a walk in the park for the Utah Jazz. With the Nuggets amassing points at a world-class rate on a per-possession premise, the Jazz can’t let their guard down even for a second. But, Utah can still depend on continuous successful defenses to ensure a series of wins during the playoffs.

The Nuggets, on the other hand, need to step up their game if they plan on remaining in the season. Although the Nuggets seem to be struggling with defense, they are still consistently making efficient shots.

When playing offense, per 100 possessions, the Nuggets can score 119.2 points. In correlation to this, Jamal Murray heads Denver’s offensive surge. The talented guard is averaging 28.0 points, 6.5 assists, and 6.0 rebounds per game, and the Nuggets are also posting the best offensive rebound rate in the postseason, grabbing 32.3 percent of available rebounds after failed shots.

The Los Angeles Clippers (LAC) will again compete against the Dallas Mavericks (Mavs) in Game 7 of the NBA Playoffs 2020. LAC has earned three victories within the initial five games. With a leading score of 3-2, LAC is listed as the 8.5-point top pick.

Meanwhile, 236.5 total points are the over-under in the most recent Clippers vs. Mavericks odds. Before choosing between Mavericks and Clippers, check out the DFS NBA predictions online to help in making a pick.

Porzingis missing in action is a vital factor in increasing LAC’s chances of succeeding. Without Porzingis, the Mavericks went down to 3.6 points less per 100 possessions. In truth, this should not shock anyone given his essential role as a defensive end’s rim protector and even an offensive floor stretcher.

Before his injury, Porzingis was already playing at a significantly high level. At a 53% clip, he knocked down 3-pointers and had put up 13 rebounds and 34 points in his last game.

Nonetheless, the Mavs still put up a good fight even without Porzingis thanks to great shooting from outside the arc and powerful work on bank shots. However, it will still take Luka Doncic and a few other key players to help keep up that world-class play and keep the scores well-matched. Moreover, if Seth Curry and Trey Burke can’t deliver the same good play like in the previous games, Dallas’ offense will go down rapidly.

Furthermore, Luka Doncic has raised his game to another level in preparation for competing against one of the best NBA teams. He is coming off of an impressive 17 rebounds, 13 assists, and 43 point performance. His play in the last matches is enough to keep Dallas’ hopes in continuing the playoffs alive, even with Porzingis on the bench.

Even though George and Leonard guard Doncic, it’s not a bother at all for 50% of his shots were successful despite the two’s defense. It is also worth noting that the Mavericks’ 1.36 points per possession are far better from their average during the regular season.

So far, Doncic’s excellent play has successfully kept the scores neck in neck in each game, as LAC’s largest margin of triumph is only eight points. He appears to improve his game with each defining moment he’s confronted with. Ultimately, the appearance of a clutch performance could let Dallas successfully take back the seven-point difference in Game 7.

The NBA Playoffs is one of the most awaited matches during the basketball season. Despite the number of games being canceled and the scare of the season being scrapped, a lot of basketball fans are delighted that the playoffs will continue. Even though the postponement of three Game 5 matches resulted in Game 7 being left with only two matches, NBA fans and basketball analysts alike are still looking forward to the outcome of the playoffs.

The post Game 7 Matchups in NBA Basketball 2020 appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Luka Doncic has been the name on everybody’s lips lately, and his antics in the Mavericks first play off game, as well as breaking a record, has just reinforced the idea that he can easily become one of the greats in the NBA.

Luka Doncic has very quickly made a name for himself as a game winning player. The 21 year old Slovenian has been making serious waves in the league since signing for the Dallas Mavericks in 2018, and has turned himself into the player you need .

His list of accomplishments already overshadows those of older, and more seasoned players, with some of the highlights being an All-Star this year, the 2019 Rookie of the Year, and part of the 2019 NBA All-Rookie first team, not bad for a player who’s only been in the league for 2 years.

With regards to his recent performances, in his debut play-off game, Doncic set the record for the most points in a debut play-off game, a feat that’s incredible by itself, but then he went on to score another 28 points in his second game.

Once again, a great achievement, but these 28 points took him to a total of 70 across both games, breaking the record for the most points scored in the first two games in the play-offs by a debutant since the merger of the NBA and the ABA.

He beat Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record by 1 point, and is now at the top of a list that includes Abdul-Jabbar, Chris Paul, and Bob Lanier. He then led the Mavs to a victory and tied up the series 1-1 against the Clippers.

Teammate Seth Curry has also heaped praise on the Slovenian, saying he is like a young Steph Curry, with multiple skills that make him an attacking force to be reckoned with, and a player that his opponents should fear.

Doncic is often described as a “positionless guard” as he can take up the spot of the point guard, shooting guard and small forward. This adaptability is what makes him so difficult to play against, as he doesn’t only play these positions, but plays them like a seasoned vet.

He is now an attacking player that the Mav’s have who is a literal game-changer. Take these two play-off games for example. The Clippers are right up there as favorites to take home the championship, and even though the Mav’s lost the first game, it was Doncic who brought them back in the second and earned them the victory.

This is the kind of attacking talent that the Mavericks need if they are planning on going further down the line in this season’s play-offs, as well as giving them a shot at possibly lifting the championship trophy.

Doncic also has size and strength on his size, not an anomaly as this is the NBA and there are many players who are gifted physically, but he then has a basketball IQ that sets him apart, can read teams, defenses, and is able to efficiently and effectively tear a team apart. Once again, incredible for a player of his age and experience.

Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle has also had nothing but praise for the young player. When speaking about him after their win against the Bucks in early August, Carlisle was quick to draw comparisons between the Slovenian and two NBA greats.

He spoke about how well Doncic can read the game, and how he knows where every player on the court is, whether it’s on offense or defense. He said that the NBA legend had the same “savant-type” of player.

He also mentioned how Doncic is similar to Jason Kidd, and how, even at such a young age, he was already in the same mold as those two players, and showing the same skill and basketball IQ that they had.

Doncic finished the NBA season averaging 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, making him easily the best player in the Mav’s team, and the player that not only helped them finish 43-32, but get the Mav’s into their first postseason since 2015-2016.

It’s easy to think that a young player, no matter how skilled, would find it tough to carry the hopes of a team on his shoulders, but Doncic is proving this theory wrong with each and every performance he puts out on the court.

Doncic is in the driver’s seat as the best young player in the NBA right now. Even if the Mav’s don’t go all the way, and leave Disney with nothing, Luka Doncic will still be high on the list, if not at the top of the list, as the best player of the season.

If he stays injury free, he can reach the heights of the Lebron’s, the Curry’s, and etch his name as the best European player to ever set foot on an NBA court, as well as one of the best players the Mavericks have ever produced. Only time will tell what this incredible young talent is truly capable of, and whether Dallas is your team or not, you’d be lying if you said you weren’t excited to see him play.

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When you are looking at the greatest names in basketball, you are spoilt for choice. It is like standing in the sports shop with and being asked to select the one that will always be the best. Although there are a host of basketball superstars, from Jordan to James, there is no doubt that Shaq O’Neal is a contender. So, with this in mind, we offer you this summary of the biggest moments in his time in the NBA. Sit back and enjoy this trip back through time to some monumental demonstrations of talent and skill.

For a bit of fun, we thought we would start with an off the court moment. Shaq was a character and this is what set him apart. He was a brand in himself because he was unflinchingly himself. The first moment of worth is the clip when Shaq is talking to a reporter and drops the F bomb. The reporter seems to shrink into nothing as Shaq continued on as if nothing happened. Everyone accepted that he would speak his mind – it is what made him so colourful to fans.

Sure, we will get onto his talent soon – but let us enjoy the moments when things seemed to go awry first. Shaq was known for breaking backboards, which started early in his career. The first time he did this he demonstrated to the world his sheer brute force. Then, within the same season, he broke another. His reputation was set – and the janitor at the Lakers got used to fixing replacements!

Soon, we get to his career soon, but we have to mention that he went platinum as a rap star, don’t we? His disc was entitled “I know I got the skills and he hit the charts, selling more than one million copies. Incredible!

In 1996, when Shaq was just 24, the NBA listed the 50 greatest players in history. At the age of 24 Shaq made this list of greatest of all time – which goes to show his stellar achievements were easy to predict from the start. This is especially impressive when he was playing alongside the great Scottie Phippen.

Another great moment from the court came when he contributed with a game-changing slam dunk against the Blazers, in one of the biggest moments of NBA playoff history. It was as if the man could fly – it was astonishing.

Although he is not alone as a great who was named Rookie of the Year, it was the undisputed place as the best that was so impressive. He was drafted in 1992 by the Orlando Magic and he has the most spectacular season. He averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3.5 blocks.

Then there were the moments when he let his opponents know exactly what he thought about them. In this rap, Shaq O’Neal requested that the great Kobe Bryant kiss his ass. Sport needs rivalries – and Shaq added a little flair.

Playing at the age of 37, Shaq was definitely slower and his reaction times dulled. However, he was still at the top in terms of dance moves and he provided much entertainment with his jabbawockeez. This guy knew that professional sport was entertainment and he was never shy to play his part.

If you think this dance performance was a one-off, you didn’t see his dance off with Justin Beiber when he owned the pop star. Beiber was left a little red-faced by Shaq’s dominance on the dance floor!

This was the season when Shaq O’Neal ruled the world of basketball. He easily won the MVP title after a career-high points average of 19.7. This was the 8th of 13 seasons when he averaged better than 20 points per game. This is an astonishing contribution to any team.

During his time with the LA Lakers, O’Neal was more often than not the difference that set the franchise apart as champions. In 2001 he helped defeat the 76ers to win the championship. With over 30 points in the final, Shaq left the 76ers reeling. He was the lord of this court and named MVP.

When you play alongside another great, such as Kobe Bryant, the general brilliance of a superstar can be subsumed. The chatter was that O’Neal was amazing but needed Bryant to be the champs. However, he was traded to Miami in 2004 and two years later won a fourth championship – and Bryant was nowhere in sight. At this point, O’Neal released the Kobe Rap to show that his point had been made!

Probably the greatest moment of Shaq’s career. In 2002 he won three Finals MVP titles in a row with the Lakers. The only other player to do this is Michael Jordan. Case closed.

The post Big Shaq: Looking Back At His Biggest NBA Moments appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The talk about the best player between Damian Lillard and Russell Westbrook may not end soon. The conflict between them has only been a thing for the last two seasons. Yet, it is now almost impossible to hear one name without the other.

This rivalry goes back to when Westbrook played for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even so, the beef further heightened during the kick off of the 2019 season. People were looking to prove who is the better player between the two. We all know that Lillard is quite a long-range shooter. He made a 3-pointer shot from half-court that sent Westbrook home early. Many people use this particular series to prove why Lillard is better than Westbrook. This opinion ignores all the actions we have seen from both players.

Last summer, that there was no beef between them but rather a fun rivalry. The 29-year-old Blazers guard has taken the game to a new level, leaving Westbrook in the rear seat. With Portland Trail Blazers being at No. 10 with a record of 20-27, Lillard is keen to beat the Houston Rockets. For the first time since the 2012-13 season, the team risks missing the playoffs.

Lillard recounts to Jason Quick how Westbrook once taunted him. He says Westbrook asked him where the Blazers seeded in the playoff. During the game, with the Rockets were down by 14, Lillard fouled Westbrook in the post. The Rockets guard is on record saying that a foul is a bucket, and that Lillard cannot guard him. The taunting goes on with Westbrook considering this as getting automatic two points. Lillard retaliated by telling him that he was only a 60% free-throw shooter. Lillard added that Westbrook was going to lose both chances.

When Westbrook missed the first shot, Lillard rubbed the salt in by telling him “50 percent now”. That is when Westbrook hit him with “what playoff seed are you all?” Lillard closed the clash by telling Westbrook that he is the last person Russ wants to see in the playoffs. With these remarks, Lillard was referring to how he sent Westbrook home in his days with Thunder. After all insults, Blazers had the last laugh when they won 117-107 against the Rockets.

In the 2019 season, Westbrook said that he has been busting Lillard’s chops for years. But we have only been seeing Blazers guard doing the busting. In every incident, Westbrook is always the aggressor, and the Jan 15 game was no different. Some of the aggressive traits include ball kicking and shoving Lillard during games.

Yes, Westbrook is an excellent player and can become a Hall of Famer. But he has been unable to support his talk with impressive results. Also, Westbrook has gone home in the first round of the season for the past three years. While Lillard may not talk big, he delivers gold each time. An aspect that makes fans consider him the best between the two. Who do you think is the best player between the two rivals? Base your answer in areas like scoring, shooting, passing, defense, and rebounding. Back whoever you think will bring their game through basketball in-play betting the next time they face off.

Although the players have cold war during the game, they are quite friendly outside the court. The beef between Russ and Lillard always hypes the game between Rockets vs. Blazers. It is no doubt that these two are among the best NBA players for the 2019-20 season. They play vital roles in their respective teams, with differences coming in the usage. Westbrook is no doubt a top scorer, while Lillard is a better shooter.

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Today, Casio announces the release of the GST-B100RH, the latest G-SHOCK model in collaboration with professional basketball player, Rui Hachimura.

As the second Japanese player to be drafted in the NBA, Hachimura has been an all-star player of team G-SHOCK at the outset of his successful first year with the Washington Wizards. As part of his partnership, he is the first athlete to release a signature model with the brand. Overseeing the design process from start to finish, Hachimura wanted the watch to yield emblematic features including a hachi (8 in Japanese) logo representing his last name and jersey number.

Stemming from the analog chronograph GST-B100 of the venerable G-STEEL series, Hachimura’s signature timepiece boasts a black base color amplified with edgy gold ion planting (IP) to the metal parts as well as bold, red accents applied to the index mark and button pipe at the 8 o’clock position. The Black Samurai logo is on the case back, strap keeper, and case.

Hachimura had this to say about the partnership,” G-SHOCK has come up with an amazing watch that perfectly captures the design I envisioned. It was also cool to see my special “Black Samurai logo” design included on the watch, as it is an important symbol to me.”

The GST-B100RH (MSRP of $480) will be available for purchase end of August at select G-SHOCK retailers, G-SHOCK Soho Store, and .

Check back on our social media channels in a couple weeks for an official unboxing by THDKicks and thehoopdoctors.com.

The post CASIO G-SHOCK UNVEILS COLLABORATIVE TIMEPIECE WITH RUI HACHIMURA appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

NEW YORK, July 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE & Yahoo Sports) — Yahoo Sports and the National Basketball Association (NBA) are joining forces to enhance the at-home fan experience with a multiyear relationship that will make Yahoo Sports an Official Marketing Partner of the league and RYOT a live virtual reality (VR) production partner during the NBA Restart in Orlando. The relationship will also allow Yahoo Sports to engage fans through fantasy and sports betting in unprecedented ways, including the right to create sports betting content and expanding Yahoo Sports’ existing distribution of NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription product, to include gaming integrations.

To bring an immersive, arena-like experience to fans, RYOT, an innovation studio, will produce live NBA games in VR and transport the physical games taking place at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex to fans at home via their Oculus devices. This next-gen content is the latest example of how VR can transform sports and entertainment by blurring the lines between virtual and physical.

More than a dozen live NBA League Pass games will be distributed in VR via Oculus Venues on Oculus Quest and Oculus Go headsets beginning Friday, July 31 through Friday, Aug. 14. As part of a partnership with Oculus to power the NBA League Pass VR experience during the NBA Restart, fans can enjoy the action by purchasing a Quest . For a full schedule of games available in VR, visit nba.com/vr.

“RYOT’s powerful VR capabilities will deliver a truly immersive live experience at home, creating a seamless experience between the physical and digital world,” said Guru Gowrappan, CEO of Verizon Media. “NBA League Pass in VR is exactly the kind of innovative solution we love to create with our partners. Working with the NBA to redefine the fan’s experience of the game has amazing implications for the future of sports and entertainment.”

“As the NBA Restart tips off this week, our expanded relationship with Yahoo Sports will offer a variety of unique ways for fans to engage with the NBA,” said Bill Koenig, NBA President, Global Content & Media Distribution. “With everything from fantasy games, sports betting integrations, gaming-focused content and NBA games in VR, there will be no shortage of opportunities to get closer to the game.”

Yahoo Sports will continue to operate the exclusive season long fantasy game of the NBA, create NBA-branded daily fantasy and sports betting integrations and will collaborate at marquee events including the NBA Draft presented by State Farm and NBA All-Star weekend. Yahoo Sports will also be the presenting partner of NBA Pick’Em: Playoffs Bracket Challenge which will be integrated into NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and other NBA Digital assets, which are jointly managed by the NBA and Turner Sports.

Yahoo Sports, Yahoo Fantasy and Yahoo Sportsbook will deliver expanded NBA content throughout its platforms. This will include distribution of live, out-of-market games in NBA League Pass and opportunities to engage fans in fantasy and betting through digital overlays. The relationship will also include two shows focused on fantasy and betting to coincide with the NBA Conference Finals and NBA Finals. Game footage from the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League will also be used to create content, such as game previews and recaps, to help inform fans participating in season long fantasy, daily fantasy and sports betting.

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When you bet on basketball, it’s not always about who’s going to win outright. With a little insight and a few different options up your sleeve, you can make use of the way the game works and make good money.

Firstly, make sure to think strategically. Analyze trends, keep your eye on the stats, and be cautious when opposing a team with a winning record. If you can gain enough information about a team, you can see how they perform over both the short and long term, and adjust your actions accordingly.

The types of bets below exist across many different sports as well as basketball, so it helps to familiarize yourself with them regardless of your chosen sport. However, it’s important to learn how the markets operate for each individual sport and spot the trends for maximum return.

For example, betting on football uses many of the same methods you see below, but other strategies also exist that are unique to the game. To compare the two you can see the .

A lot can change in a basketball match and it’s not all about the end. If you know enough about a team and their past performances, you can tell how likely it is that they would push ahead early on. One thing you can put money on is the leading team at half time, and this is called a First Half Moneyline.

Instead of betting on a flat out win, you can give a team (and yourself) a “double chance”. This often involves three different types. Home Win/Draw, Draw/Away Win and Home Win/Away Win. All three of these options leave you with only one outcome that would result in a loss, instead of two. This is a smart way to cover your bases and allows you to play it a little safer when you’re less sure of the outcome.

Instead of focusing on the score of an individual team, you can place a bet on the total amount scored across the entire match. This is one of the most common bets placed on basketball matches. Also known as an “Over/Under”, the bet is laid out so you choose whether or not the total will exceed or fall short of a particular amount.

Much like the option above, the winner of this market is determined by the total scored across both teams, except the total is collected at the end of the first quarter instead of the end of the game. Note: Both a moneyline bet and a total points bet can be applied to either quarter or half time periods.

Betting on the handicap is a strong option when one team is the clear favourite. The weaker team effectively starts the game having already scored a certain number of points, meaning a greater challenge (at least on paper) for the team perceived as stronger. This means that if you bet on the weaker team and they lose the game by less than their handicap number, you still win the bet.

The post 5 Good Ways to Bet on Basketball appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Just in case anyone has forgotten the incredible athleticism of a young 19 year old Kobe Bryant coming out of high school, let this pre-season dunk on shot blocker Ben Wallace be a reminder. When Kobe came straight out of high school to the NBA, it was still a bit taboo to do so. And back then NBA Coaches were still a bit old school regarding their thinking about playing 19 year olds over veterans for significant minutes. And while Kobe certainly got less court time in his rookie year than Lebron did in his years later, this dunk alone must have made the Lakers Coaching staff drool over Bryant. And don’t sleep on the veterans reactions on the bench. Remember this is supposed to be a boring preseason game!!…..

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Athletes put a lot of stress on their bodies, to both the negative and positive effects. Training stress stimulates increased performance and adaptation, but prolonged wear and tear and physical trauma can also cause pain and injuries. While the current methods of pain management are effective, they are also resulting in deaths.

For those who are in search of better sports recovery along with a safer type of pain relief, there are options. One of these options is CBD and it is possible to get . Learn more about the use of CBD for athletes here.

Starting at the beginning of 2018, the WADA – World Anti-Doping Agency – removed CBD from their list of substances that were prohibited for competition purposes. The USADA – US Anti-Doping Agency – did the same for this and created an entire set of rules to clarify what is and is not acceptable.

There is an important caveat: only CBD was removed from the prohibited list. THC, which is the psychoactive component in marijuana, is still prohibited from use in competition, along with synthetic cannabinoids.

Athletes are allowed to legally consume cannabidiol, but what it is, what does it do, and why should someone use it? It’s important to note that cannabinoids currently exist in the human body. The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, is responsible for modulating the activity of the neurons. CBD or cannabidiol is a type of phytocannabinoid that is found to naturally occur inside the cannabis plant. CBD isn’t a psychoactive substance, unlike THC, which is, and is also found in the cannabis plant.

The main purchase of the body’s ECS is to maintain homeostasis. This is done by keeping neurotransmitter levels in check.

Athletes tend to apply large amounts of stress to their body, which can cause inflammation and pain that are more than what the endocannabinoid system can handle. When athletes add exogenous CBD, it can help this overloaded system get the neurotransmitters under control and help any athlete maintain a homeostasis state.

Studies have proven that cannabis can help reduce pain, which includes musculoskeletal pain that occurs from exercising or stiff joints.

For decades, athletes have been consuming an array of non-steroidal, over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. However, they may not be as safe as many people once thought.

Ultradistance athletes, especially, are advised to avoid the use of NSAIDs during longer training sessions and events because of the increased risk of renal damage occurring. However, even if workouts and events are short, the long-term or continued use of NSAIDs can increase a person’s risk for stroke or heart attack. With CBD, some athletes have found that they can avoid the use of NSAIDS for this exercise-related pain, with minimal effects. There are not any documented deaths related to cannabinoid-based or cannabis products.

When it comes to the use of CBD, there are more than a few factors to consider. Be sure to keep the information here in mind to know if it is something that should be considered or used. Doing so will pay off and help ensure that the desired results for the situation are achieved.

The post What Are the Effects and Benefits of CBD in Athletes? appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Sports fulfil an important role in our lives. No matter which team you follow or who your favorite athlete is, there’s no denying the fact witnessing a live sporting event is a sign of returning to some semblance of normality in our troubled world. While most major American leagues have made progress on that front, few have been as transparent and as eager to get things right as the NBA. With a lot of new information coming out about how the rest of the season will proceed, this is the perfect time to get a quick primer on what to expect from America’s premier basketball league going forward.

Operating on a principle of fewer games, fewer teams and fewer risks, the NBA has decided to shift to a new format for the final stretch of the 2019-2020 season. Instead of having every team play the remainder of their schedules, only the 22 teams with realistic shots at making the post-season have been selected. This means that only 9 Eastern Conference teams and 13 Western Conference teams will play again this season. Moreover, the final playoff spot in each conference will be decided by a play-in tournament, but only if the team with the 8th best record in each conference is less than four games ahead of the 9th place team.

All remaining games will be played on neutral grounds, in four venues located within the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. This was done primarily to limit the contact between the ‘’ and the outside world, but it also has the effect of cutting travel times and allowing for a much quicker season overall. After play resumes on the 31st of July, the first round of the playoffs is set to begin on August 17, with the NBA finals concluding by early October.

This is a tough one. While the NBA has seen pauses in gameplay before (usually due to the players or owners going on strike in pursuit of a better collective bargaining arrangement) never before has the league faced such upheaval due to an external factor like a pandemic. Additionally, some players have chosen to sit out the rest of the season either for personal or professional reasons. This might make for a rather interesting finale to the season, with betting fans in particular having a lot of potential outcomes to explore.

In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks look poised to capture their first NBA championship since the early 70s on the back of stellar performances by star player Giannis Antetokounmpo. Meanwhile, the West boasts at least two superteams, both based in Los Angeles: the Lebron and Anthony Davis-led Lakers and the fast-rising Clippers with their deadly Kawhi Leonard-Paul George duo. For this reason, expect plenty of sparks to fly on the court as the race to crown the next NBA champion begins in earnest.

In order to safeguard its players from potential COVID-19 outbreaks, the NBA has implemented measures designed to keep the players shielded. Aside from holding each game with no supporters in the crowd and as few crew members as possible, the players will be required to engage in stringent safety protocols. They will have limited contact with outside staff and will be tested for possible COVID-19 infections on a regular basis. The NBA also has contingency plans in place in case a player gets a positive test and has to self-isolate for a number of days.

In addition to the issues brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement has also had a tremendous impact on the NBA, a league where a wide majority of players are African-American. Seeing as the NBA is generally quite receptive towards acts of self-expression compared to other leagues like the NFL, players and teams will likely want to show their solidarity with the movement throughout the tournament.

All in all, the final stretch of the 2019-2020 NBA season promises to be an exciting conclusion to what has already been a spectacular season. While no plan is 100% foolproof in these conditions, being able to watch top-notch basketball players compete at the highest level has the potential to be a welcome respite from the social and economic turbulence that has plagued this year so far. Sports may not heal deep societal wounds outright, but they can bring people together and make them feel like life is worth living again.

The post Final Stretch of 2019-20 NBA Season: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The 2020 NBA awards are nearing, and it’ll be interesting to see who walks away with the top accolades this year.

Here, we look who is in contention for the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, other top gongs and some of the relevance to wins ahead of the awards.

The Most Valuable Player of the Year award was implemented in 1956, and the winner gets the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. It goes to the best-performing player during the regular season. Revered sportswriters and some other members of the media vote for the winner.
Most Valuable Player lead contenders

• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• LeBron James
• James Harden
• Luka Doncic
• Chris Paul
• Kawhi Leonard
• Anthony Davis
• Jimmy Butler
• Pascal Siakam
• Damian Lillard
• Nikola Jokic

Antetokounmpo, of course, won the Most Valuable Player of the Year award in 2019 and has had another great season with the Milwaukee Bucks. He’ll have plenty of competition from Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James for that second successive MVP title, though. The Bucks and Lakers are both priced at 3.50 by bet365 for this year’s outright NBA win. Those short odds have a lot to do with how well James and Antetokounmpo have performed for their respective teams.

The Rookie of the Year award was created in 1953 and is given to the top rookie of the NBA regular season. A panel of renowned sportswriters from across the United States of America and Canada vote for the winner.
Rookie of the Year lead contenders

• Ja Morant
• Zion Williamson
• Kendrick Nunn
• Brandon Clarke
• Terence Davis
• RJ Barrett
• Coby White
• Matisse Thybulle
• Eric Paschall
• PJ Washington
• Rui Hachimura

The Memphis Grizzlies have a talented point guard in Ja Morant, who probably would have walked away with the RotY award before Williams debuted at the start of the year. Williams has been outstanding for the New Orleans Pelicans, who are offered at some of the longest odds for the NBA title this season.

Mike Budenholzer of the Milwaukee Bucks won the Coach of the Year accolade last year and is in contention again. The award was introduced in 1963, and the winner gets the Red Auerbach Trophy. It, too, is voted for by the media. Phil Jackson certainly evidenced the importance of an NBA coach in the ‘Last Dance’.

Coach of the Year lead contenders

• Nick Nurse
• Billy Donovan
• Mike Budenholzer
• Taylor Jenkins
• Erik Spoelstra
• Frank Vogel
• Doc Rivers
• Brad Stevens
• Michael Malone
• Nate McMillan

It is improbable Budenholzer will grab this one again, as the success of Nurse and Donovan at the Toronto Raptors and Oklahoma City Thunder, respectively. It is a tight enough race between Nurse and Donovan. Punters, too, shouldn’t forget that the Raptors are outside favorites at 20.0 for the NBA title. A long shot, but perhaps worth a go, regardless.

Pascal Siakam of the Toronto Raptors took the Most Improved Player plaudits last season. This award is relatively new, having been introduced in 1986.
Most Improved Player lead contenders

• Bam Adebayo
• Brandon Ingram
• Luka Doncic
• Devonte’ Graham
• Pascal Siakam
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• Jayson Tatum
• Markelle Fultz
• Jaylen Brown
• Trae Young

Adebayo has been excellent for the Miami Heat of late and looks really good to win this award. He has his doubters, but probably not enough to lose to Ingram, Doncic, Graham and the others in the running for this.

To quote the old adage, every good attack needs a solid defense. These men epitomise the Dennis Rodman-esque defense of yesteryear.

Defensive Player of the Year lead contenders

• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Rudy Gobert
• Anthony Davis
• Patrick Beverley
• Bam Adebayo
• Ben Simmons
• Kawhi Leonard
• Marcus Smart

Antetokounmpo has the lead for this one as well – and should take it ahead of Gobert, Davis and the rest of the pretenders.

The post NBA Awards Predictions – ROY, MVP and others appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Not everyone out there will agree with you on this point, but for those of us who know the league inside and out, there’s no arguing with the fact that the NBA is number one. Consistently able to deliver some of the most exciting, dynamic, and athletically impressive action in the world of sports, the National Basketball Association is indeed a force to be reckoned with. From producing some of the world’s top athletes to laying the foundation for many of the most intense moments ever to be televised of any kind of competition, and ultimately acting as home base for a passionate community of fans, there is plenty to celebrate. Here is a breakdown of just a few of the reasons why the NBA will always be the greatest sports league.

NBA fans are all about having fun, taking risks, and are totally passionate about the game they love. A diverse group to be sure, you’ll find diehard NBA enthusiasts scattered all over the world, from a wide range of cultures and walks of life. You can typically identify a fan upon sight though because chances are they’ll be sporting their team’s hat, jersey, or at the very least – be dressed in their favourite franchise’s colours. You might meet an NBA fan playing , or standing in line behind you at the grocery store, but it doesn’t matter how to cross paths, because when you realize you share a love for the sport, the rest just happens naturally.

Another thing that makes the NBA such a great sports league is the fact that they have their back of the house in order. A well-run operation from top to bottom, the NBA’s governing body has made some wise choices to get to the place they are today. In addition to being able to pay their players top dollar, the league isn’t afraid to introduce new rules and adapt to a changing sports landscape. They clearly recognize that the most successful organizations are those that are able to stay one step ahead of the game (no pun intended), and their forward-thinking ways have undoubtedly paid off.

From sexual assault allegations to questionable team names and player safety, every sports league seems to have its share of skeletons in the closet. The NBA proves time and time again that they aren’t going to shy away from the stuff that’s hard to talk about though, and that they are willing to discuss even seemingly taboo issues head-on. That speaks a lot to the emphasis on integrity that exists throughout the organization, and as mentioned above – proves that they aren’t afraid to move forward.

Unlike other sports leagues that consistently only reward players in certain positions, the NBA knows that true sportsmanship is all about sharing the love. With a minimum of three MVP awards available for every single position, the glory is simply doled out in a more equitable way. It feels a bit like their way of acknowledging one of the fundamental principles of playing together – the fact that there’s no “I” in a team.

The post Why The NBA Will Always Be The Greatest Sports League appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

While basketball is obviously not the most popular sport in the world, it certainly has its own fan base and lots of lovers. And those that love it love it to the core, so much so that they even go as far as staking their money on NBA games.

But like every other sport out there, it is not enough to just love the game if you want to bet and win money from it. You need to go a bit further, in terms of your understanding of the sport and the strategies involved in betting on it.

But where else would you rather learn about these strategies other than from those who have been using and benefiting from them consistently – the pros?

However, for someone who wants to bet on the NBA from the comfort of their home, it can be difficult to find a betting pro to get strategic betting advice from.

To that end, we at have compiled a list of tips garnered from several pros to help bettors make better decisions with their NBA bets.

One of the biggest advice you’ll ever get from an NBA betting pro is to never bet on games with your heart. And by not betting with your heart, they mean that you should avoid backing your favorite to win always.

Forget about the posters of the great NBA players you have in your room or the fact that some of your favorite NBA players play for one team. If there’s even the slightest chance that an opponent has got a chance against your favorite team, then you need to consider the possibility of that team upsetting your choice team.

It is important for you to learn about a bit of the history of the teams you want to bet on. But be careful not to go too far into the past. For starters, you can brush up on the head-to-head history, team standings on the log, offensive, and defensive potentials on the ESPN’s team comparison chart. But be sure to only check out data from the past few seasons, if possible, two seasons ago at max.

The reason why you cannot trust stats that go back beyond one or two years in the NBA is because of the ever-dynamic nature of the game. Season in, season out, players move, and personnel change. And these changes do affect the outcomes of matches.

If you’re a big fan of basketball, then you must know already how much “grudge matches” mean to the players. In fact, some players might decide to take a game by the scruff of the neck just because they have a personal beef, history, hatred, or past connection to a given opponent.

Just take a look at Brook Lopez’s first game against the Brooklyn Nets, which brought a season-high 34 points and ten rebounds.

When there are grudge or revenge matches on show, just keep an eye on them because there is always a high chance that the team with the grudge player or recently-traded player will win the tie. Most traded players usually have unsettled business with their former employers, and they put their grudge towards their old employers to good use on the court by scoring a crazy number of points, hitting countless rebounds, and assisting as many points as possible.

Although the NBA has been trying to limit player fatigue by reducing the number of games teams partake in, teams still have to grind out an average of 14.4 back-to-back games between October and April.

While the issue of fatigue doesn’t necessarily point out likely winners or losers, the stats have shown that teams playing in the second game of a back-to-back stretch win tend to win just 44% of the time.

Distance is another huge factor that dictates who wins and who loses in an NBA match. Typically, teams like Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Golden State Warriors are known to cover the highest number of travel distances due to their localization, while teams like Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers tend to travel less distance.

Consequently, players of teams that don’t cover too much air miles tend to perform better in games because they’re more energetic and better rested.

It is no secret that most NBA players prefer to play on their home court. But what may interest you more is the recent statistic that was revealed by ESPN. According to a study conducted by the sports broadcasting body, 61.2% of all NBA games have been won by the home team since 1975.

According to this stat, what we can deduce is that NBA players prefer to play on their own court. So when you want to bet on them, you should look out for who the home team is.

The post How to Bet on Basketball: Pro Tips for Smarter NBA Wagers appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The ESPN/Netflix documentary ‘The Last Dance’ has been clearly one of the greatest sports documentaries ever made. I think back to documentaries such as ‘hoop dreams’ and other award winning documentaries that I used to hold in high regard. They pale in comparison to the emotion, inside access, and drama that this never before seen footage of the Michael Jordan Bulls of the 1998 final season ‘The Last Dance’.

This week in episode 7 and 8 we got a greater glimpse into the mindset and emotional state of Michael Jordan after his father James’ death, and the weeks and years following as he retired from the NBA for the first time, and made a go at his childhood dream of being a professional baseball player. Here are three important takeaways for me from the episodes.

When Jordan left the NBA for baseball in the summer of 1993, many people thought the Bulls would fall apart and become a lottery team, or a low seeded playoff team at best. There were a lot of sites at the time that had the Bulls missing the playoffs. Not many in the media gave Scottie Pippen the credit he deserved. He wasn’t just a wingman to the GOAT, he was formidable enough to carry a team on his own, and this was the time to prove it.

What episode 7 and 8 highlighted for me was that not only were the Bulls still a powerhouse in 1993-94, some new players coming in that summer likely benefited (based on personality) from the absence of a tyrannical leader in Jordan, and instead the soft and supportive leadership style (lead by example) that Pippen exerted.

However, as the Knicks series showed, with the series on the line in the final 1.5 seconds of a survival game, Phil Jackson drew up a play for his lethal rookie shooter Toni Kukoc, instead of his new leader Scottie Pippen. I get Scottie being pissed off, but refusing to go back into a game, and hanging his team out to dry with the season on the line, is sacrilegious for most athletes that have ever played a team sport. You just don’t do that. ever.

So my big takeaway from the episode was that while Scottie had the talent to be an all-NBA player and leader of a contender, he didn’t have same commitment to winning that Jordan had. Jordan was ruthless, no way he would have sat out. More likely he would have called an audible and ignored the Coach’s decision and shot it himself.

There aren’t many championship moments caught on film of Michael Jordan in the first three championship seasons where you didn’t also catch a glimpse of his father James Jordan.

I admit also remembering and being curious as a young NBA fan at the time about whether or not James Jordan had unsettled gambling debts leading to his murder. What I didn’t recall was that the case was quickly resolved with the arrest of two 18 year old men who admitted to robbing James Jordan at gunpoint and killing the man. In hindsight the accusations by the media that it was related to MJ’s gambling tendancies seems even more brutal.

Those engaged in spreading those lies in the media should be ashamed of themselves now in hindsight. However my biggest takeaway from the episode was how many times Jordan refers to his Dad as his best friend and confidante. You have to imagine when you are an icon as famous as MJ, your world gets a lot smaller, to the point of needing to be a shut-in. Sharks are constantly circling. So the importance of confidante is that much more meaningful.

Taken in context you realize just how important Jordan’s father really was to him. Making it so much more obvious why Jordan retired from the game to pursue his and his father’s dream for him, to be a professional baseball player.

We all remember Jordan’s first year with the Barons in the AA minors as a circus of media. I did clearly remember him starting the season off strong, then having a long slump where he was dogged by the media for making a mistake.

I even recalled him putting in Jordan-esque work ethic and turning the season around with a well televised out of the park home run and some great hitting to close things out.

However what was lost on me at the time was just how much improvement Jordan had made in his game and his physique to become a legitimate ball player. Hearing Reinsdorf talk about how if Jordan had more time in the game he would have certainly become a Major Leagues player was interesting. When you think about it, he only really need to get ‘close’ to the skill of the top prospects, because if anyone was to be selected and it was even close, any Manager in the Major’s would want Jordan for the marketing aspect of the game. He would fill the seats every single game, and sell out merchandise like no other ball player at the time. And since that didn’t happen, we now know Will Smith may take a crack at letting Jordan fill the seats at every movie theatre on the subject….

What did you think about episodes 7 and 8? What were your main takeaways?

The post 3 Important Takeaways from Episodes 7 and 8 of ‘The Last Dance’ appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Now you don’t have to buy a physical ticket to see your favourite NBA team scorch the courts. In 2017, the National Basketball Association had embarked on a project to take this sport to the digital platform. In doing so, the NBA became the first American professional sports league to launch an esports league. When the launch plans were made public in 2018, seventeen of the thirty NBA franchises announced they would own teams in the .

Membership of the new NBA 2K League didn’t come automatically. To be eligible for a place, gamers had to buy a copy of the game and install it on their personal devices -Xbox or Playstation. They also had to be over 18 years of age and to have won at least 50 games in the Pro-Am mode before January 2018. The 102 top-ranked players would be selected to battle it out for a share of $1 million in prize money!

Initially there were 17 basketball eNBA teams in the NBA 2K League. It has since expanded to 23 teams: 76ers GC, Cavs Legion GC, Grizz Gaming, Knicks Gaming, Mavs Gaming, Pistons GT, Warriors Gaming Squad, Blazer5 Gaming, Celtics Crossover Gaming, Gen.G. Tigers, Hawks Talon GC, Hornets Venom GC, Jazz Gaming, Lakers Gaming, NetsGC, Raptors Uprising GC, Bucks Gaming, Heat Check Gaming, Kings Guard Gaming, Magic Gaming, Pacers Gaming, T-Wolves Gaming and Wizards District Gaming.

Now that it’s been two years since the basketball eNBA was launched, let’s look at how the various teams stack up in rankings. As things stand today, Blazers Gaming, Mavs Gaming and the 76ers occupy the first, second, and third spots in the league’s table. The next 4 spots have been claimed by T-Wolves Gaming, Kings Guard Gaming, Pacers Gaming and the Celtics Crossover Gaming. You can look up the team rankings here.

The eNBA 2K League is a joint venture between the National Basketball Association and Take-Two Interactive. This body is managed by Brendon Donahue. Though a relatively new entity, the NBA 2K league together with the NBA has generated more than 356 million video views across their various social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. There is more good news. Since its launch, the NBA 2K League and its teams have garnered more than 2 million followers on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.

Although temporarily suspended, the NBA 2K20 season will officially kick-off on May 5th with 6 weeks of remote gameplay action. Fans can tune in on Twitch and YouTube Gaming. The first match-ups will see Cavs Legion GC pitted against Pacers Gaming, and the 76ers battling Raptors Uprising GC, both at 7pm ET. While 9pm ET sees Kings Guard Gaming v Warriors Gaming Squad and Mavs Gaming v Hawks Talon GC. Check the NBA 2KL official site for full details.

Beat your NBA absent blues by logging on to the NBA 2K League channel over the next few weeks. All the remote gameplay fixtures will be available to watch on YouTube Gaming and Twitch. The two newest teams to join the League will make their debuts in the first week of play when Hornet Venom GC take on Cavs Legion GC at 9pm ET on May 6th and Gen.G. Tigers face Warriors Gaming Squad at 9pm ET on May 7th.

You can watch all these NBA 2K League matches and more over the next 6 weeks up to Friday June 12th on the official Twitch and YouTube channels. Each match-up will play in a best-of-three format. The winner of each series of three games will score the equivalent of one regular season win, and similarly the loser of the three-game series will record one regular season loss. To follow all the action, check out the official NBA 2K League website.

The post There is another way to enjoy basketball, and that is the eNBA appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The 2019-20 NBA season has been temporarily suspended due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. Still, with plans to allow players to use team facilities for voluntary workouts from early May, there is the potential for a restart date over the summer.

The NBA has stated that it remains “very determined” to crown a champion this year with most teams having around 15 regular-season games left to play.

Regardless of the exact date, the NBA will take center stage sometime in the future, and pro sports bettors now have time to brush up their knowledge and skills to prepare for the return of elite-level basketball.

Any team can win on the day, but knowing past head-to-head matchups, key scorers, and MVPs will stand you in good stead when you lay down wagers in the future, especially if you are betting on lines and handicaps.

One of the most interesting markers in the NBA is over and under, where you predict whether the teams involved will rack up a certain number of points set by a sportsbook during a game. Looking at past games for different matchups can inform your betting patterns.

For example, the Chicago Bulls will take on Orlando Magic in one of the first games if the regular-season returns. The last five games between these two teams have ended 95-103, 110-109, 84-112, 90-80, and 91-97. The aggregate scores are quite high, so betting on the combined scores being over a theoretical 195 point margin would appear to be a wise play overall.

You can access detailed data for the NBA, so take notice of offensive stats, defensive analytics, point leaders, and previous matchups. Renowned philosopher George Santayana once stated that “those who cannot learn from history are doomed to lose a fistful of cash.” Now is the time to swat up NBA statistics to inform your wagers.

The 2020 NBA Draft is set to take place in Brooklyn, New York, in late June. With no pro sports in action at the moment, you will also have time to become a draft guru by pinpointing players that each team could potentially bring in for the new season.

This year’s is particularly exciting, with many top prospects announcing they will be linking up with pro teams. A few frontrunners in the mock drafts of experts include Georgia’s Anthony Edwards, Iowa’s Tyrese Halliburton, Memphis’ James Wiseman, and Auburn’s Isaac Okoro.

You can keep tabs on players in the run-up to the sports league draft, which will start on 25th June, by watching highlight reels on YouTube or reading analysis and breakdowns on sports-related websites. Applying yourself will keep you in a pro-basketball mindset, perfect for when the league resumes, and you can start laying down wagers on your favorite teams and players with the help of BettingSites.info.

There are a variety of viable markets for basketball betters with the “moneyline” being the most popular. You are likely to know this market already as it merely involves placing a wager on the NBA team you think will win. Betting on the underdog can net you a larger payout depending on the stake, spread and odds.

Bettors may be content to place wagers before a game starts, but the rise of digital platforms has paved the way for a new form of “in-play” betting where punters make moves during a match to maximize winnings.

A more advanced strategy you could deploy involves backing a team that is down by 10 points or more at the halftime break. That is usually only a wise play if you know the team you are backing has a winning record, and the team that is up has a recent history of choking late on in games, or is struggling to end a losing streak. That is where your previous knowledge of matchups and stats comes into play.

There are a few betting markets you can access before and during an NBA game. They include the ‘first half moneyline,’ a bet on which team will be ahead at half time, and ‘first-half total points,’ a wager on the aggregate score at the same point. Getting to grips with handicap and spread betting is also recommended.

The NBA season is in hiatus at the moment. Still, you can channel your frustration at the lack of live game time to educate yourself on previous scores, draft class prospects, and potential markets. These will help you come up with strategies to ensure you are ready to bet when pro basketball makes its long-awaited return.

The post Three things basketball betting fans should do to prepare for the return of the NBA appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

The Corona Virus is affecting African Americans at a greater rate than most across the country. This is why last night’s “Saving Our Selves: A BET COVID-19 Relief Effort” Special was so important to our community, as some of the biggest names in entertainment came together virtually to donate and raise money for those impacted by COVID-19.

If that, and the fact that Hip Hop and R&B go hand in hand with basketball culture, we also want to support this great initiative by BET because they are a part of our own history. Many of our readers likely don’t know that in the early days The Hoop Doctors trying to build this site and grow our readership, we were part of the BET Ad Network, circa 2007-2009. This gave us the early funds to be able to take on more writers and cover more of the news and blogs of the NBA ecosystem.

Use the hashtag #BETCovidRelief to join the conversation and amplify the message with likes and shares of those still interacting with the program. Leave your thoughts as well!

The post appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Today, Budweiser unveiled a contemporary and timely version of its iconic “whassup” commercial as a reminder for America to prioritize check-ins with loved ones as the country endures unprecedented social isolation to combat COVID-19. The new spot is part of a broader PSA that features weekday programming across Budweiser’s digital platforms to encourage check-ins with family and friends.

The original “whassup” ad rose to pop culture prominence in 1999, creating a widely-used catchphrase that manifested itself in different corners of culture and achieved industry-wide acclaim. Now, Budweiser was compelled to bring back the commercial for today’s times as the country comes to grips with uncertain periods of isolation. Bud has collaborated with Dwyane Wade and a collection of athletes, musicians and celebrities from his close network to bring back the commercial as a PSA for connecting with each other in order to stave off isolation and
loneliness.

The first episode shows Wade and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union, checking in on his former Miami Heat teammate Chris Bosh, 2x WNBA MVP and star of the Los Angeles Sparks Candace Parker, and DJ D-Nice during one of his immensely popular ‘Club Quarantine’ dance parties.

A second episode featuring Wade, Union and other stars will premiere later this month.

Everyday at 6:00 PM EST, Budweiser will be offering its community the chance to say “whassup” through a host of interactive activations on its social platforms. This is headlined by “whassup” live chats every Thursday via Instagram Live on @BudweiserUSA where different celebrities will check in while having a Bud and answering questions submitted by fans. The program will kick off with Dwyane Wade on Thursday, April 30 at 6:00 PM EST. A full list of activities can be found in the notes section.

The post appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

We may never know what the ultimate outcome of the 2019/20 NBA season would’ve been after the Covid-19 pandemic caused it to be postponed indefinitely on March 11th. Neither the Nets nor the Knicks were doing great at that point, but there was still a chance that things could improve, especially for the Brooklyn team. In fact, while the Knicks might be justified in seeing the suspension of the season as a blessed relief, it must be doubly frustrating for the Nets who may have been on the verge of genuinely turning things around.

Of course, the news that four players have tested positive for the virus, including Kevin Durant, is more sobering than any speculation over what might have been.

Let’s look at the New York Knickerbockers first. When the season was suspended, they were languishing at number 12 in the Eastern Conference and at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, going 21-45. At home they’d won 11 games and lost 22, while on the road they’d won 10 and lost 23.

After a league-worst record in 2018/19, where they ended 17-65, the Knicks got the third overall pick in the draft and went for Canadian star-in-waiting , who’d made his mark playing at college level for Duke. They used their other pick (55th overall) to trade for Ignas Brazdeikis from the Sacramento Kings.

On December 6th, the Knicks fired head coach David Fizdale and replaced him with interim coach Mike Miller. On February 4th, they fired President Steve Mills, and General Manager Scott Perry took over operations until Leon Rose became the new president on March 2nd. None of these changes could improve the Knicks’ fortunes, however. They may have ended up with a marginally better record than in 2018/19, but it still wouldn’t have been anything to write home about.

Over in Brooklyn, the Nets’ season was one of dramatic ups and downs. As of March 11th, they’d won 30 games and lost 34, and were sitting at number four in the Atlantic Division, number seven in the Eastern Conference. It’s worth noting though the steep drop-off from the Philadelphia 76ers, with 39 wins, and Brooklyn with 30 (the same as Orlando Magic, although the latter had played and lost one more game than the Nets).

NJ sporstbooks are still open for when the season resumes, but the Nets are very much an outside chance to win the championship at 50/1. A far cry from last June when they were tipped as 18-1 favorites to win a title this year. Using their first-round picks to acquire Taurean Prince from the Atlanta Hawks and Jaylen Hands from the Los Angeles Clippers, plus drafting Nicolas Claxton in the third round, the Nets arguably had their strongest line-up in years.

Unfortunately, Caris LeVert was injured after just nine games, and two games later Kyrie Irving was out too. Losing two top players would put a cramp in any team’s style, and the Nets were going 4-7 after those first 11 matches. Things actually improved over the next dozen or so games, however, with the Nets’ previously lackluster defense rising to the challenge even as the offensive play inevitably suffered.

David Nwaba, Theo Pinson, Rodions Kurucs and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot all saw more time in the absence of LeVert and Irving, and when LeVert returned, the defense got even stronger. It’s interesting to note that, between October and January, the Nets went from number 12 offensively and number 25 defensively to number 28 offensively and number four defensively.

On December 21st, the Nets bounced back after being 13 points down against the Atlanta Hawks at the end of the third quarter. A thrilling final 12 minutes saw them win 37-14. On January 10th, they ended their seven-straight losing streak with a 117-113 victory over Miami Heat. Irving was back in action, while both Spencer Dinwiddie and Rodions Kurucs had their strongest plays of the season.

Irving really pulled it out against the Chicago Bulls on January 31st, shooting 19-23, and on March 3rd, LeVert took over in the final quarter of a disastrous game against Boston Celtics and completely turned it around, with help from Chris Chiozza. In what turned out to be their final game, against the seemingly unbeatable Lakers on March 10th, the Nets won by two points showing that on a good day they can still beat any team in the NBA.

Hopefully the season will be resumed before the end of the year and the Nets will live up to this promise. We may hope for better things from the Knicks as well. New York could do with some basketball cheer right about now.

The post How were the Nets and the Knicks doing at the end of the season? appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Every basketball fan in the world is hoping that the situation clears up soon so the NBA can resume. All of us analysts are hoping for the same, as there isn’t much to talk about when the games themselves aren’t being played. It’s not like a usual off-season where you can discuss the NBA Draft, summer trades, and predictions for who will win it all come the following Spring.

We are basically in a no-man’s land. If I was a betting man, I’d be placing my bets right about now on who will win it all in June.

But its not looking good. Because the NBA, and most professional sports, are played in huge stadiums full of tightly packed fans. Even if we are allowed out soon, there is no way the public health officials are going to immediately pack fans into buildings to finish the NBA season.

Lakers star player Lebron James knows it. This week he made these sobering comments about the season, and about how he will feel if they don’t finish the year:

“I don’t think I’ll be able to have any closure if we do not have an opportunity to finish this season,” James said on a conference call with reporters. I can have some satisfaction on what our team has been able to do this year [with] a first-year coach, first-year system, a whole new coaching staff, bringing on so many new pieces to our team this year,” James added.

“I honestly didn’t think that we would be able to come together as fast as we did, just having so many new pieces [and] bringing in Anthony [Davis]. He spent seven years in New Orleans, so he was coming into a new system, playing along with myself, and how we would be able to come together? I thought it would take us a lot longer than it did, but I was wrong. I was very wrong about that.”

It’s quite clear that if the season resumes, it will be a huge bonus for James. But for the NBA to resume, and for James to get his closure to see if within one season he and Davis could have turned around a lottery team into a champion, the games would need to be played with no fans in attendance. They would have to be watching from home. Could it happen, possibly. Will it happen, most certainly not.

And even if it did, for as good as Lebron James and Anthony Davis are, my money was on the Raptors or Bucks. Only time will tell.

The post Lakers Lebron James: ‘I Won’t Have Closure’ if NBA Season Doesn’t Resume appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Basketball is among the world’s top popular sports. Millions enjoy watching basketball games, and thousands bet on those events regularly. The interest in sports betting is growing at an increasing pace, with a broad range of betting types of markets offered.

Naturally, many of those eager to bet on sports aren’t well versed in the intricacies it involves. Let’s have a look at some basics of how to bet on NBA games.

While there is no secret basketball betting system that allows winning all the time or most of the time, there are steps you can follow to improve your chances. Just like betting on any sports, it all boils down to working out your own strategy to follow. It surely takes experience, but above everything else – discipline and dedication. Here are some of the things to keep I mind organized into five steps.

Successful betting on NBA matches requires superior value-identifying skills on your part. A value bet means you believe the outcome is more significant than the odds offered.

The concept of value is something you must always base your betting on. Otherwise, you will just be losing money at a steadier pace than you could imagine.

The hardships of identifying that betting value are undeniable. But with time comes experience and with experience – an ability to do it quickly.

Betting with the right sportsbook can get you further in your progress. Some sportsbooks have better odds than others, so it pays off to monitor and see.

The sportsbook of your choice must be secure and legitimate. This is the only way to guarantee fair treatment and the possibility of withdrawing your profits at any time.

A curious way to handle that issue would be exploring websites that offer top places to bet and gamble at. For instance, offers an unbeatable choice of top casinos, some of which also happen to offer quite extensive sports betting options. Curiously, you can often find great odds at sportsbooks/casinos operating under the same brand name.

If you are a novice NBA bettor, it’s safe and wise to begin with the games featuring the teams you know something about. You will learn gradually as you progress, expanding your reach and betting on the entire league. For now, make sure to start slow.

Betting on the team you know makes sense. You know where their strengths and weaknesses lie. You are familiar with her roster and tactics. Staying patient by betting small at the beginning will pay off in the long run.

You will be learning slowly, but without making costly mistakes. And don’t think for a minute understanding the game makes you an expert at betting on it. These are two different things, and although one helps with the other, you can only get good at betting over time.

NBA’s most popular markets involve moneyline betting, spread betting, and betting on points totals. Surely enough, there are dozens of markets available beyond that. However, most players are better off, starting with the most popular markets.

The more you learn – the more in-depth understanding you develop. Once you are well versed in those three, you will more confidently move on to more sophisticated markets.

But here is a curious fact: most successful NBA bettors choose to specialize. Some only go for points spreads, while others favor points totals.

Proper and consistent money management is crucial. So is developing your betting strategy. You must always be in control over your betting bankroll and understand crystal clear how much you can and should stake.

Those that do not realize the seriousness of those two aspects are likely to lose money in the long run.

Consistency is a crucial aspect, as changing strategy left and right will only get you in trouble. You will also quickly reach a state of disappointment that will be tough to get over.

And keep in mind the good old rule of thumb – your betting bankroll is the amount you can actually afford to lose.

Finally, it’s essential to keep notes of your betting career as thoroughly as possible. Accurate records of any bets placed will help you assess the success of your betting.

Reviewing your betting history will allow you to understand your growth and potential as a bettor. You will be more self-aware, understanding your weak and strong points. In the end, this will make you better and more successful.

With some of the basic steps towards successful basketball betting explained above, hopefully, you will quickly learn and achieve your goals.

The post How To Bet On NBA Basketball: A 5 Step Guide appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal entered into a friendly bet this week about who would win between the league leading Milwaukee Bucks and Wade’s . Shaq took the Bucks, and of course Wade took the Heat.

Unfortunately for Shaq the Heat got the win. But making it worse, the bet wasn’t for money, it was more of a prop bet. In Shaq’s case he is being forced by Wade to make good on the bet by letting his true hairline to grow in and kept for over a week. Even while on TV as an analyst for TNT.

According to the best online casinos and sports betting websites of CasinoShark, Shaq was probably right at the time the bet was placed to pick the Bucks, but hindsight is 20/20, and in the end he can’t renege on this bet.

Good for Shaq for following through, even if the hairline is a bit further back than he remembers….

“I just lined it up for y’all, so you all could see where my hairline starts. And it looks good and I’m proud to do it and I’m going to keep it all week.”

.@SHAQ’s punishment for losing his friendly wager with D-Wade is priceless ? pic.twitter.com/JII7yrrH99

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 4, 2020

And people got jokes too…

Shaq looking like he went to the Whitlock Hair Club ? pic.twitter.com/WXXxOiewTO

— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) March 4, 2020

@SHAQ hairline looks like your skullcap after you take off your helmet. ??? https://t.co/MGvOqepXLP

— Will Blackmon (@WillBlackmon) March 4, 2020

Shaq got the Carlos Boozer special ? pic.twitter.com/sa7mMvkN2w

— Andrew Joseph (@AndyJ0seph) March 4, 2020

At the end of the day, I think we can all agree that Shaq is being a good sport about this prop bet, and we would love to see more prop bets in the future with these fellas!

The post Shaq Lost A Bet to Dwyane Wade, Debuts A Hairline! appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

They may not wear capes or display any obvious signs of superpowers, but in the real world, professional athletes are the closest thing to a for some people. Rather than simply being gifted with opportunity, these players spend as much time practising and playing every week as the average person spends at a full-time job.

But is that really all it takes to succeed? More than the number of hours they’re willing to put in on the court or out on the field, how much do wealth and status influence the opportunity players have (even at a young age) to be successful in professional sports? To help answer this question, Casino.org commissioned a study focused on NBA players born between 1977 and 1999 to find out to what extent income levels and hometowns factor into success at a professional level. Here’s a closer look at their findings.

According to the data compiled by Casino.org, nearly 2 in 3 (64 percent) NBA players born between 1977 and 1999 came from above-average median household income families. Not only were NBA players in the timeframe more likely to come from well-to-do families, the income disparity between professional athletes in the NBA may be growing. While 61 percent of players born between 1977 and 1988 came from above-average income homes, that figure rose to 69 percent among players born between 1989 and 1999.

Players from families earning more than the average household income were more likely to hail from Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta, while players from below-average household incomes were typically from Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Detroit.

As this study revealed, not only are players from below-average income families less likely to make it to the NBA, they also tend to earn less money as pros compared to those from more affluent families. At most, players from New York City from above-average earning families earned $42.3 million in the NBA on average. In contrast, the highest-earning city among players from below-average income families was Philadelphia were players earned roughly $39.7 million on average.

Athletes from families earning less than the average median income may be less likely to make it to the NBA, and they may even earn less when they do get there, but that doesn’t always impact the quality of their play. As the report shows, NBA players born between 1977 and 1999 from below-average income families earned more awards on average (7.8) than those from wealthier beginnings (7.5).

However, despite historically out-performing their peers for these prestigious awards and titles, the gap in awards between players from higher and lower income families has been growing. Including awards such as MVP, All-Star MVP, and Rookie of the Year, players from lesser earning families have been less likely to out-perform those from above-average income families in recent years.

The post Research: Impact of Household Income on Making it to the NBA appeared first on The Hoop Doctors.

Every year, we see some of the top NBA players hit the court and impress fans around the world. Sometimes, these players are expected to do well, other times, newcomers appear at the top and put on a great performance, shocking fans.

As 2020 gets into full swing, we are looking at some of the top players across the top teams right now. Keep reading to hear which players made our list.

The first player to make our list of the top NBA stars to look out for in 2020 is Giannis Antetounmpo. Giannis plays in SF and has improved over recent years. This player is currently on the Milwaukee Bucks squad and is sure to turn heads this season. Make sure to keep an eye on Antetounmpo as he hits the court.

If you are an LA Clippers fan, you will have noticed that Kawhi Leonard has been really doing a lot for his team in recent seasons. Many of the top sites are putting their confidence in this player as he continues to impress on the court. Leonard also plays in SF position just like Giannis Antetounmpo.

LeBron James is a top NBA player that has been right at the top for many years now. Playing in SF position for the Los Angeles Lakers, this player was previously seen to be more impressive than Giannis Antetounmpo and Kawhi Leonard. Of course, his great reputation isn’t going anywhere as LeBron continues to be a household name across the states.

Another top NBA player that you will want to look out for in 2020 is James Harden. This star plays in SG position on the Houston Rockets team and is very impressive when on the court. While there might be some rumours of trades regarding this player, the Houston Rockets are very lucky to have Harden on their squad for now. Make sure to keep an eye on him.

The final NBA player to make our list is Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry. This player is a six-time NBA All-Star and he has been playing basketball for many years now. Curry plays in PG position and while he has fallen down in the NBA official rankings since last year, he is still putting on a good performance on the court.

As you can see, there are some great players in the NBA right now. While most of these players have been at the top for a while, there is still room for some newcomers to really rise up in their teams and show these experienced players what they have to offer. It might take a while, but we are sure that top teams like the LA Lakers and the Houston Rockets are going to be making some changes based on the performance of all players in 2020.

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Whoever said there are no shortcuts to happiness must have not heard of betting. Also known as the means of making millions with minimal effort, betting has turned people’s lives upside down. With all the stories we hear and the success we see, it is luring in more and more people every day. Gambling has made a believer out of each and every one of us, right? One form of betting that is becoming increasingly popular is basketball betting. The sport that houses powerhouse athlete names is perhaps one of the fastest paced games, which means that anything can happen.

However, for those looking to get on the basketball betting bandwagon, and make a fortune from betting on players like LeBron James, learning all the betting terms is important. So, here is what you need to know.

The lucrative has brought mountains of profit to people from all walks of life. You will often hear these people, who have been long engaged in this activity, throw words such as parlays, money line, and spread among other things as well. Not knowing what these terms mean can cost you your confidence.

In basketball betting, learning your terms and understanding what each means is important for your betting game. With time and practice, and of course watching a lot of games, you will begin to know when to bet, on who to bet and the type of bet that best suits the match you are betting on. Always remember to check the team’s odds and if they are favored to win, as these numbers act as helpful indicators that may end up being true.

The representation of a money line wager will indicate the favorite and the underdog by employing a + or – sign. The + shows the underdog, while the – shows the favorite. The sign will then be followed by a number, which entails, how much money you can make. For example, a – sign followed by 165 means that you have to bet $165 to win $100, whereas a +140 means you will receive $140 for every $100 you bet.

You can determine the winner by reviewing betting odds and the favorites-to-win. This also works with tournaments. The betting wizards at BoydsBets explain the odds for the 2020 NCAA basketball tournament, one of the biggest sports tournaments, by showing the current odds and implied probability. Currently, the Gonzaga team stands as the favorite, with its implied probability standing at 14.60%.

The most popular type of bet is a spread bet. This bet does not just care about who wins, but instead focuses on the difference in the points of the team. To put it simply, a bookie will determine the points by which a team will win or lose. So, if a bookie writes -5 for the Knicks vs the Celtics, then they think that the Knicks will win by 5 points or less. If you place a wager on these odds and the Knicks end up winning by 6 points or more then you win. However, if they win by 5 points or less, then you lose. The team you pick has to outperform the spread.

However, if the Celtics have the odds of +5, they do not have to win for you to win the bet. They can lose, but they must lose by less than 5 points for you to win. Also, if the Celtics win, then you win.

An over/under bet is very straightforward as it only deals with the total points scored in a match. It does not matter which team scores as long as the total points scored is either, as the term implies, over or under the predicted amount. It will be represented with either an “o” or “u” placed before a number, which stands for over or under. For example, the number could be 186. In such a case, if you bet that the teams will score over 186, you will win if they score about the number. However, if they do not, you lose and vice versa.

Halftime lines treat the 2nd half as an entirely separate game on its own. The advantage of this bet, because of its nature, is that bettors can anticipate the results based on the performance of the 1st half. So if The Celtics have scored 58 points while the Knicks scored 53 in the 1st half, the halftime line can be -4 for the Celtics and +4 for the Knicks. The total score for the Celtics can be 102 and 90 for the Knicks. This means the Celtics have to score 44 points in the second half, which they have exceeded in the first half, giving you a clearer vision of the end result.

A parlay bet combines a number of bets together to increase your wins, which make for better payouts. However, for you to win a parlay, all of your bets must win. For instance, you can combine a spread bet with a money line bet, and add an over/under bet. Parlays can offer you as much as $16,000 for the modest bet of $25. However, they are rather complicated.

In basketball betting, learning your terms and understanding what each means is important for your betting game. With time and practice, and of course watching a lot of games, you will begin to know when to bet, on who to bet and the type of bet that best suits the match you are betting on. Always remember to check the team’s odds and if they are favored to win, as these numbers act as helpful indicators that may end up being true.

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Following , everyone has now started buzzing about his memorial on February 24th to honor him, his daughter and the other victims of the crash in California.

Former LA Lakers player John Salley, is now worried about how Kobe’s family could get punched in the gut again in the aftermath of this terrible tragedy.

Salley recently spoke to media about his concerns that various people associated with the crash may come after the Bryant family legally in search of a piece of his estate. He spoke about this on Vlad TV where he explained that there are dangers due to the number of victims and bystanders.

“I just hope that the whole money thing doesn’t get to be public,” Salley said. “I hope it’s all handled out, and that it’s handled out well.”

Salley believes there will be “sharks” in the water in the aftermath that will be looking to sue given how big of an estate Kobe is leaving his family. He also believes even bystanders to the crash may be looking for compensation, as crazy as that sounds.

If you don’t believe someone may sue over this and want to bet on it, best basketball betting sites as recommended by OLBG.com might take that bet. It’s a good source for making various types of basketball bets for hoops fans.

“The guy who was on the bike is probably going to have a little something,” Salley said. “That he had to watch it and that his camera was filming it. It’s gonna be everybody, the sharks come out. I’m glad right now it’s not around. I’m glad it’s still hitting home.”

Salley had already won three NBA championships when Bryant joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 1999, and described how he saw him transform from a young rising star to become “the grand master.”

“Kobe would sit, put his headphones on and listen to music, sit in a corner. And I would go sit next to him,” he said. “I would tap him – he’d be like ‘oh,’ and he’d take out his headphones. I said, ‘you’re not listening to anything.’” When asked why, Salley said Bryant replied, “I want to hear what they say about me.”

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It was so shocking to hear the at such a young age, we all literally felt that it must be some sort of sick joke. It was almost as if he wasn’t human.

After everything we have seen from Kobe throughout his illustrious basketball career, you really do forget his mortality.

It is no secret that most of us here at The Hoop Doctors grew up as huge Michael Jordan fanatics. So when Kobe was just a young blood in the league, we had a hard time supporting him. He not only played like MJ, but he walked like him, had his cut throat approach to the game, his work ethic, his swagger. The works. So we felt like traitors to the GOAT if we rooted for him. But like he did everyone else, he won us over. In the end we created this tribute video to him upon his retirement. Now more than ever it rings true. Kobe Bryant. Forever Young. Rest in Peace Mamba!

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Basketball is known to be the game which has become a key identity for the American. The league of NBA Basketball is mainly renowned all around the world. This is the key professional league of sports in the US. Not just the basketball league or game has become famous; rather the horse racing or horse betting is also a renowned game of that is gaining high popularity.

The association of Christened Basketball of America in the year 1946, NBA quickly adopted their recent name during fall of the year 1949. It has also adopted name subsequent to their merger with key contender of the National Basketball League. Also, attempt to create the professional leagues of basketball that dates back to some days prior to formation of the BAA. Moreover, quality of the games in early days of BAA does not exceptionally compared to games that are played by different leagues or by the individual clubs.

Moreover, NBA has started with the 17 franchises and it also has seen some of the number of changes ever since then. On the other hand in the year of 1950, the various different set of the franchises usually came down to about eleven and after that time it was reduced to eight in the year 1954. All of these are yet a crucial part of this league. They are mainly the Knickerbockers, Pistons, Warriors, Celtics, Nationals/76ers, Hawks as well as the Royals and also known as the Kings.

In the month of June of year 2006, even NBA and also the complete world stood to be a great witness to simply change in game ball also since beginning of this National basketball League for about 35 years ago. Moreover, the ball, manufactured through Spalding, bore the latest or the new design and it was formed of the new material of synthetic.

Now, after the proper series of the relocations as well as about the re-sizing, NBA has, beyond their belt, 30 teams, usually 29 US-based as well as 1 based out at Canada. Moreover, the Boston Celtics also have been most successful team of the NBA with about 16 Finals wins. Moreover, Miami Heat, that has also won their first championship in the year 2006, is also the defending champions.

The Regular Season of the NBA started in initial few week of the November with the simple warm-up games, even thee practice sessions along with the rigorous training that is starting from the month of October. When the training camps got over, the complete series of the exhibition games are usually held prior to Regular Season that takes off.

Even, February also interrupts regular season of the NBA to simply make a proper way for annual NBA celebration that is All-Star Game. The best player should be much performing and it gets rewarded with the Game of the MVP award. Apart from this, entire All-Star game and the service provides with the great opportunity to the players to simply show off the talents in various different ways. Also this NBA Playoffs starts towards an end of the April.

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The Indiana Pacers have battled on without the presence of All-Star Victor Oladipo in the 2019/20 NBA season, keeping pace with the leaders in the Eastern Conference. Oladipo suffered a devastating quadriceps injury during the last campaign, missing the post-season, which resulted in an early exit for the Pacers in the first round against the Boston Celtics.

Without Oladipo, few fans expected the Pacers to challenge at the top of the Eastern Conference. However, the franchise have been competitive, and at the least are on pace to finish in the playoffs, potentially earning the sixth seed. There is hope that Oladipo could return from his injury by the end of January as noted in a report by which would allow him time to build up minutes on the court for a playoff run.

It might tempt fans in Indiana to back The Pacers to reach the NBA Finals given that sports betting is now legal in the state and https://www.wsn.com/sports-betting-usa/indiana/ provides the best sportsbooks to get optimum value on the Pacers for a deep run in the post-season. Oladipo has the ability to make a decisive impact, although the performances of his teammates should not be discounted in the current campaign as well as the coaching ability of Nate McMillan.

The Pacers made a good move in the off-season to sign Malcolm Brogdon in a trade deal. Brogdon was an impressive player for the Milwaukee Bucks for three seasons and was sought by several teams. The 27-year-old has hit the ground running in Indiana, maintaining the high level of his play and he has become the focal point of the team in the absence of Oladipo. Brogdon could be the player set to benefit most with the return of the All-Star as the strain is beginning to take a toll on him with injuries picked up in December. Having both Brogdon and Oladipo healthy would hand McMillan a powerful one-two punch at the point guard position for the rest of the campaign.

Myles Turner is building a reputation as one of the best centers in the NBA. He has been up and down over the course of the campaign, especially in the final third of the court. However, the room for improvement from one of their best players will give the Pacers hope that they can peak at the right time in the post-season. Domantas Sabonis has outplayed his team-mate in the defensive third of the court, becoming a force around the net as noted by the https://www.Indystar.com/story/sports/. Only four players in the NBA have averaged more defensive rebounds per game than the forward this term, while Sabonis has also been a threat at the other end, averaging 17.3 points per game. Both Turner and Sabonis are only 23, highlighting the potential for growth on the roster – there just needs to be a spark.

T.J Warren and Jeremy Lamb have been consistent players in their first year with the team. Warren has led the Pacers in points per game, stepping up when Indiana have needed him most. They’re a solid unit but will need their star man to return to turn them into a Championship-caliber team. Oladipo holds the key and it will be fascinating to watch whether he will be able to make a decisive impact on his comeback from a bad injury.

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As one of two divisions of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Eastern Conference comprises a good chunk of the country’s top teams. It also contains some of the most high-profile teams in the country, including the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. And for those who enjoy having a gamble and use services, there’s a chance to make a dollar or two off the back of the fluctuations of the conference table.

With the season’s odds now hotting up, there are plenty of teams that are jostling for the top spot. And while sides like the Milwaukee Bucks continue to enjoy top odds, there’s also a good chance that one of the teams currently in a lower position in the odds tables might be able to surge ahead and steal the top spot from under the nose of a big name. This blog post will look at some of the lesser-known names in the league and consider which less hyped teams might be on course to advance to the top position.

Indiana Pacers

As last year began to draw to a close, odds of +1600 on the Indiana Pacers winning the Eastern Conference were available – which put them up there among the top six or seven. (These odds aren’t Money Line, but instead, represent less chance of a win the higher the positive number. For context, the Milwaukee Bucks have been enjoying odds of +155 or so in recent months!)

The Pacers might not be right at the back, but they do need to work hard to secure a victory. That is especially true after their recent performance against the Atlanta Hawks, who are at the bottom of the conference and are seeing odds on them winning which are as poor as +7000. They haven’t won since mid-December – and that’s a statistic that’s going to need to change, and fast, if they want to stay in with a chance.

Chicago Bulls

Ask most NBA watchers who they think could be in with a chance of taking the top spot, and it’s unlikely you’ll hear them reply with the words “Chicago Bulls”. They are, after all, currently suffering from odds of around +10000. But stranger things have happened – and if it’s a dark horse candidate you’re looking for, the Chicago Bulls could be the one to watch.

The reasons for this are simple. One is the level of momentum they have on their side: over the course of the past year, they’ve really turned themselves around. When the last season drew to a close, they were the fourth-worst team in the entire Association. Now, they’ve leapfrogged ahead of a double-figure number of teams when it comes to chances of victory. So while it’s still not likely that they’ll surge to the top, they’ve certainly proven themselves to be expectation-defiers on a regular basis – and there’s certainly something to be said for that level of reinvention.

Brooklyn Nets

In terms of a more realistic dark horse, though, the Brooklyn Nets are well worth considering. They don’t have the amazing odds that teams like the Bucks enjoy, and at +2000 towards the end of 2019, they were hardly likely to be described as shoo-in winners. But there’s certainly something to be said for this team’s tenacity.

Currently, they’re on the back foot after having faced a series of losing matches over the past few weeks – which has left them in their worst position since December of 2018. But there’s some hope for the side: it is believed that Caris LeVert, who returned to the team this weekend following a double-figure number of missed games, could help to turn the team’s fortunes around. So far, it’s looking positive: he’s set to appear next in a game on Tuesday. “It was tough being out, but I’m glad to be back,” he said.

Even though the odds are that a team such as the Milwaukee Bucks or the Boston Celtics will push ahead and take the title, it’s still not in the bag – and plenty more positive action on the court is needed if they are to win. And with potential dark horses such as the Brooklyn Nets or even the Indiana Pacers also able to take the spot, at least in theory, there could well be some more defending for the top sides to do.

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Australia has seen a lot of outstanding players. Back in 1988, the National Basketball League decided to honor the best of the best by granting them a place in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame isn’t limited to only players Contributors, referees and coaches also get the recognition they deserve. There are a couple of criteria that every player should qualify for. They should be retired for at least four seasons, their contributions should be exceptional and you need to be inducted. Throughout the years Australia has seen a lot of exceptional players, but we using information from are going to focus on those who made it into the Australian Hall of Fame.

Darryl is regarded as one of the best shooters in the NBL history, so we’re starting our list with the Adelaide born and raised Pearce. Darryl played for the Adelaide 36ers for most of his career. He has been with the team since the beginning and was one of the first guards to sign a contract with the 36ers. Darryl played for Adelaide from 1982 to 1991. Darryl contributed greatly to the team winning their first-ever NBL Championship in 1986. Later in his professional career, Darryl joined the North Melbourne team and ironically enough his first game under the new team was against the Adelaide 36ers. He continued to bring success to the North Melbourne up until 1995 when he decided to retire. He was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2002.

Carl Bruton made a name for himself by being an outstanding coach while also being an excellent player in his early days. Cal was born in the US but became a naturalized citizen in 1983. Bruton has won six NBL Championships through three different teams, Sydney Kings Brisbane Bullets, and New Zealand Breakers. He has also won the NBL Coach of the Year during his first season as a coach, which is pretty rare. Burton started out as a coach in 1982 with Geelong Supercats, later switching to Brisbane Bullets and lead them team to their first-ever NBL Championship, where Bullets beat Adelaide 36ers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Also known as the “Chairman of the Boards” Mark Davis made a name for himself by his outstanding rebounding abilities. Mark played for Adelaide 26-ers for 16 years starting from 1985. Mark was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but became an Australian citizen in 1992.

Davis first moved to Adelaide in 1985, playing for the South Adelaide Panthers. Although he was really good he wasn’t getting enough playtime and his potential was largely being wasted. But Mark Davis did get one good thing out of playing with Panthers, and that is that the 36-ers coach at the time, Ken Cole noticed him and offered him a spot on the team. By the start of his second season with 36-ers, he has managed to make a name for himself as the premier power forward.

He made it as a captain of the team in 1990 and he stayed in that position until his retirement. Mark was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2006.

The next player on our list is often considered to be the best import to ever play in the NBL of Australia. Leroy played in the NBL from 1981 to 2001. When he moved to Australia, he first joined the Brisbane Bullets but it didn’t last very long because he left the team after one season citing multiple personal reasons for leaving. Leroy then transferred to West Adelaide Bearcats in 1982 and brought the unlikely success to the team. The first season when Leroy played for the Bearcats the team managed to score its first-ever NBL Championship and Loggins was named the player of the game. He went back to Bullets soon after and got them a Championship as well, while also being named as the player of the game this time too. He was named the captain of the team in 1990 and served as one till his retirement in 2001. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Next on our list is the Perth Wildcats players. Ricky was born in Texas but later became a naturalized citizen of Australia. He started to gain attention after he got selected in the 1988 NBA Draft but ended up not making the cut. But instead, he got selected by Perth Wildcats where he played for the entirety of his professional career. During his time with Wildcats, he won the Grand Final MVP twice and played an important role in six gran appearances and four championships with the team. Ricky Grace retired in 2003 and was introduced to the Hall of Fame in 2010. This came as a surprise to the player because he wasn’t expecting to get picked before his former teammate James Crawford but nonetheless Ricky remains one of the most loved players in Australia.

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LeBron James is making history once again.

Last night, against the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron became the first NBA player to record at least one triple-double against all 30 teams.

“I really don’t know what to think about it to be honest,” James said. “I’ve had some great teammates and great coaches to put me in a position to be able to facilitate. My teammates have made shots for me throughout my career. Coaches have put me in position to be successful scoring the ball. I was just trying to read and react to the ball off the rim as far as getting rebounds. And hopefully throughout all those triple-doubles I have a winning record in those games.”

Here's the full list courtesy of in case you were curious! pic.twitter.com/kBRAE5MbHq

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 20, 2019

Westbrook could have made history before James, but he fell one assist short in an October game against the Thunder.

It was James’ fifth triple-double of the season and 86th of his career.

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