When it comes to playing bad basketball, there is no team in the same league as the Charlotte Bobcats. Tonight, the Michael Jordan owned Cats will try for just their fourth win in 25 games when they take on the Celtics in Boston.
Sportsbooks opened with the Celtics as a whopping -14.5 point favorite with the total at 177. Both numbers have fallen half a point thanks to light sports betting action on the Bobcats and the UNDER, but given Charlotte's recent run, I am shocked that the NBA odds havent moved the other way.
Charlotte
(3-21 SU, 8-16 ATS)
has lost 11 straight overall and has a road record of 1-13 SU. After losing by
a combined 77 points to the Lakers and Trailblazers, including a franchise worse
112-68 setback to Portland, the Bobcats put together a much better effort in a
95-89 setback to Phoenix. Rookie Kemba Walker scored 22 points, journeyman
Reggie Williams netted 21, and Tyrus Thomas had 13 rebounds.
Boston
(13-10 SU, 12-11 ATS)
has won four straight, eight of nine, and are coming off a 93-80 victory against
the Grizzlies on Sunday. Kevin Garnett scored a season-high 24 points while
Paul Pierce chipped in with 21. Rajon Rondo, who had missed the previous eight
games with a wrist injury, dished out 14 assists in his return to the starting
lineup.
Chasing
History
Pierce, who is averaging over 23 points per
game during his last nine outings, is just nine points behind Larry Bird for
second on the Celtics all-time scoring list and he figures to pass “Larry the
Legend” tonight. Bird scored 21,791 points while John Havlicek, the all-time
leader, is a mile away at 26,395.
Boston’s current winning streak has coincided
with improved health for Pierce and Rondo and because of a renewed commitment
to defense.
Case
for the defense
Over the last nine games, opponents are
averaging 81.2 points on 38.8 percent shooting against the Celtics, who have
the second-best scoring defense in the NBA at 86.7 points per game. Boston is first in the league in field goal
defense (41.6 percent) and 3-point shooting (29.1 percent), so shutting down
Charlotte shouldn’t be a problem. The Bobcats are next to last in scoring (87.3
ppg) and shooting (41.9 percent) and their scoring margin is among the worst in
the league. Overall, Charlotte is allowing 101.1 ppg and scoring 87.3 ppg
(-13.8) and the road numbers are even worse--85.4, 102.6 and -17.2.
What
next?
As if the Bobcats needed more problems, they’ll
be without leading scorer Gerald Henderson (15.0 ppg) for at least a month.
Henderson suffered a strained hamstring in the 112-68 loss to Portland. That means the Bobcats top three
scorers—Henderson, D.J. Augustin and Corey Maggette – are all sidelined due to
injury.
Things don’t figure to get much easier for
Charlotte. After tonight’s game they return home to face the Bulls, Clippers
and Sixers.
Trends
The Bobcats have won their last two meetings
with the Celtics, holding them to fewer than 90 points in each.
The two teams are a combined 27-17-3 to the
‘under’ with Boston posting a 12-3 home mark. Charlotte is 8-1-1 to the ‘under’
in its last 10 overall and 19-7-1 in its past 26 road games.
There are a pair of trends that should offer
some hope to Bobcat backers. The underdog is 16-5 in the last 21 series
meetings and Charlotte is 9-2 in its last 11 visits to New England.
Harvey’s Take: The Celtics can name their price in this one. It’s a big
piece of lumber but Boston should be able to handle it. Make the C’s as your
primary play, but consider doing a little something on the ‘under’ as well.
Good
luck!