Archive for April, 2011

April 16th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

NBA Basketball Power Ratings

Our staff has developed NBA basketball power ratings with up to date rankings and how we as handicappers see these teams. We will list our NBA team rankings on a week by week basis and as much as possible. You can check this page for up to date NBA power ratings from Cappersinfo Sports Handicapping. Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out all the free sports picks in the forums and free picks monitor, other sports betting information, and NBA basketball predictions for sports handicappers!

Cappersinfo Current NBA Power Rankings
(As of Start of Playoffs)

1: Chicago Bulls (62-20) – We know that the Bulls don’t really have the respect right now that some of the other teams are getting in the Eastern Conference, but we don’t know why. Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, and company in the paint are as good as it gets, and Derrick Rose is going to be the league’s MVP. With a 36-5 record at home, tied for best in the league, it’s going to be really, really difficult to knock off these guys in a best of seven series.

2: Miami Heat (58-24) – Was that win for the Heat over the Celtics in the third to last game of the season the one that will finally wake this team up once and for all? LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade are all remarkable athletes, and they have all come together for this very moment: The NBA Playoffs. Anything less than a championship would be brutally, brutally disappointing.

3: San Antonio Spurs (61-21) – The Spurs are to the Western Conference what the Bulls are to the Eastern Conference. They’re the team that is just getting no respect right now, and we’re really not all that sure as to why. Again, this was a team that went 36-5 on its home court, and it has home court advantage all the way to the NBA Finals. At least with San Antonio, we can nitpick, knowing that it really hasn’t played that well down the stretch and that Manu Ginobili has an elbow injury. Still, these guys will probably be amongst the last four standing when it’s all said and done.

4: Dallas Mavericks (57-25) – Remember that the Mavs went a whopping 54-17 this year with Dirk Nowitzki in the lineup and playing at least 20 minutes. That’s a truly remarkable stat, as he probably would’ve guided this team to the best record in basketball had he stayed healthy. There’s a hellacious first round playoff battle in place against Portland coming up though, and the demons from failures in the postseason of the past could come back to haunt the Mavericks.

5: Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27) – Kendrick Perkins was brought here to the Sooner State for this reason, and this reason only. He is supposed to bring a level of toughness to a team that badly needs some. There’s plenty of glitz and glamour with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but even Michael Jordan had a man like Dennis Rodman who could mix things up on the inside for half of his title runs. The Thunder could be the scariest team in the Western Conference.

6: Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) – Sorry, LA. We just don’t buy you this year. The Lakers just don’t have the look of a champion right now, as demonstrated on that five game losing streak at the end of the season. Win four of those five, and you had home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Head Coach Phil Jackson isn’t one that we like to bet against on a regular basis, but unless Kobe Bryant comes up with a ton of superhuman efforts (not that we’d put that past him either), Los Angeles is in some hot water in a very, very tough Western Conference.

7: Boston Celtics (56-26) – We hate how the Celtics just sort of gave up on the regular season around the third quarter of that game we mentioned earlier against the Heat. Boston is banking on Shaquille O’Neal, Jermaine O’Neal, and Nenad Krstic to hold down the fort on the inside. It might work against the Knicks (with “might” being the key word in there), but it probably won’t work for the duration of the playoffs. The aging Celtics might be seeing their window of opportunity come to a close.

8: Orlando Magic (52-30) – The Magic definitely have some worries about how they are going to react to the playoffs this year. This is new territory for Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas with Orlando, and with some nagging injuries to some other regulars in the rotation, the Magic could be in some trouble. Dwight Howard ended the year with 18 technical fouls, which is nothing to be proud of, and if his foul woes from last postseason come to fruition again this year, it could be a short stay before the Magic disappear.

9: Denver Nuggets (50-32) – Give Head Coach George Karl a ton of credit for his work with the Nuggets this season. He basically had two completely different teams to work with, and he ultimately got the job done with both of them this year. This squad might still be a year away from competing for an NBA title, and this first round matchup with the Thunder is devastatingly difficult, but the Nuggs could make things very, very interesting when push comes to shove if they can get just a tad bit of defense.

10: Portland Trail Blazers (48-34) – The Blazers really changed their entire season around when they picked up Gerald Wallace. This is a tremendously formidable looking team now, especially if Brandon Roy can give the squad 25-30 quality minutes per game. LaMarcus Aldridge, Wallace, and Marcus Camby on the inside. Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez, Andre Miller, Wesley Matthews, and Roy on the outside. Look out, Dallas. Portland could give you a tremendous fight.

11: Memphis Grizzlies (46-36) – Give it up for the Grizz! They found a way to survive OJ Mayo’s suspension for drug usage and the injury to Rudy Gay that ended his season prematurely, and they are in the postseason with some room to spare. The next task: Win the first playoff game in the history of the franchise, something that definitely has been haunting this team for its entire existence.

12: Atlanta Hawks (44-38) – If Atlanta can get over the mental block, it could be in good shape in the postseason. The team lost six straight games to end the regular season, and it knows that it has to avenge the 111 point beat down that the Magic dropped on it over four games in the second round of the playoffs last year. If Kirk Hinrich proves to be the real deal, the Hawks could be dangerous, but we really don’t know if this team is mentally ready to compete with the beasts of the East.

13: New York Knicks (42-40) – This is a postseason all about getting experience for the Knicks. They’re not winning it all. We already know this. However, we know that they have some real stars and can make life a living hell on the Celtics. Amare Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Chauncey Billups have reinvigorated the basketball fans in the Big Apple, and the hope is that the playoff run can last for a good, long time in the Empire State.

14: Philadelphia 76ers (41-41) – The man to watch out for on the Sixers is Jrue Holliday. We already know that Elton Brand has some big time abilities and that Andre Iguodala has to be a legitimate star to beat the Heat, but Holliday is built a lot in the mold of Iguodala from the standpoint that he is really a stat sheet stuffer. Will it lead to a postseason victory? Perhaps one or two. However, to be honest, that would be considered a tremendous triumph in the City of Brotherly Love.

15: New Orleans Hornets (46-36) – The Hornets play some great defense, but aside from that, how on earth are they going to keep up with the mighty Lakers? Chris Paul can’t do it all, and David West isn’t there to help him do much more than be a cheerleader with his torn ACL. Unless there is some magic coming out of the Crescent City that we don’t know about, New Orleans won’t last more than five games in the playoffs.

16: Indiana Pacers (37-45) – Just by default, we have to leave the Pacers in the Top 16 in the NBA betting world since they did indeed make the playoffs. However, their time in the postseason is sure to be short, as they aren’t going to be able to hop on the back of Danny Granger without him breaking for all that long, especially against the gritty Bulls.

17: Houston Rockets (43-39) – We don’t really know what it is that is missing in Houston right now. Chuck Hayes is turning into a solid big man, while Kevin Martin is still one of the most unheralded big time scorers in the league. There are plenty of kids to help build this team as we go as well. However, Head Coach Rick Adelman knows that there is still work to be done on this roster. The question is where the improvements really need to start.

18: Phoenix Suns (40-42) – Reality is starting to set in for Steve Nash that he is never going to be able to bring a championship to the city of Phoenix. If he doesn’t get traded, he’ll never win a ring. The good news for the Suns from this year is that they did end up getting a great big man to build around in Marcin Gortat, but it really took blowing up the rest of their team to make that happen.

19: Utah Jazz (39-43) – The poor Jazz really had a season that was crippling. The franchise might not recover any time in the near future from the losses of Head Coach Jerry Sloan and Deron Williams. There are a lot of bigs in the Beehive State, but this combination wasn’t good enough to lead the team to even a .500 record in this very, very disappointing campaign.

20: Golden State Warriors (36-46) – At least Golden State was a fun team to watch once again this year. The pieces to the puzzle are starting to come together for the Warriors, but they are still a few men away from really being there. David Lee was a nice addition in the offseason, but there is another true low post presence clearly missing in Oakland to get this team to the playoffs once again.

21: Milwaukee Bucks (35-47) – The best of the worst… The Bucks were the first team in the East that didn’t make the playoffs, and that really caused Brandon Jennings to spout on the organization. Many picked this team to win the Central Divison this year, and the playoffs seemed like a certainty. However, names like John Salmons, Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, and Corey Maggette just never panned out, and the team looks to be mired in mediocrity for years to come.

22: Charlotte Bobcats (34-48) – Head Coach Paul Silas knows that there is just too much work to do on this Charlotte team to fix in one or two years. This is clearly broken club right now, and the final proof of that came when Gerald Wallace was traded for a song and a dance right at the trade deadline. Anything more than 35 wins next year on Tobacco Road would be surprising.

23: Los Angeles Clippers (32-50) – And in the end, they were still the Clippers… Give this much to the Clip Joint. They won 23 games this year at home, more than Utah, the same as New York, and the same as Phoenix. Fans want to come see Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon. That’s key for a franchise that hasn’t had anything to really smile at in a number of years. If Donald Sterling doesn’t screw this up (how many times have we said that…), the Clippers really could become relevant within a few years.

24: Detroit Pistons (30-52) – It’s really sad to see the trio of Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Ben Wallace waddling around the court right now. They’re clearly not the same players they were when the Pistons were dynamos last decade. However, the new guard is starting to form in Motown, especially with Greg Monroe starting to prove his worth. He’s the piece to the puzzle that Detroit really needs to build around in the future.

25: New Jersey Nets (24-58) – At least it’s an improvement… The Nets still stink, but Mikhail Prohkorov finally got his man in Deron Williams at the trade deadline. New Jersey could be at the doorstep of something huge in the near future, and if it can lure another one of these big name players to the Garden State before the move to Manhattan, things could be looking up for sure.

26: Sacramento Kings (24-58) – Are we going to be calling this team the Anaheim Kings next season? It certainly seems that way, as the Honda Center looks poised to have another tenant. There’s a heck of a lot of talent, but virtually no cohesiveness coming to Anaheim next year, which could make for some long, long seasons for the Kings.

27: Washington Wizards (23-59) – The Wizards did end up playing some solid ball down the stretch this year, but aside from John Wall, what else does this team really have? Answer: A lot of ping pong balls for this coming NBA Draft as well. A man like Kyrie Irving could look really, really good lined up next to Wall in the Washington backcourt.

28: Toronto Raptors (22-60) – Ugh. Is there anything good to say about the season that Toronto just had? Heck, this team lost more games on the road than Cleveland did. The Raptors used to wonder why in the heck they were stuck with Andrea Bargnani with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Now, Bargnani wants to know why he’s stuck with the Raptors.

29: Minnesota Timberwolves (17-65) – A groin injury ended Kevin Love’s season premature, and it was probably also the reason that he lost his double-double streak. However, there is some reason for optimism for the T’Wolves. Kyrie Irving could be waiting to be picked at No. 1 overall should they get that draft choice, and they could convince Ricky Rubio to come over to the States as well in the offseason.

30: Cleveland Cavaliers (19-63) – Goodness knows how the Cavs actually won 19 games this year… The drop of 42 wins is the most epic collapse in the history of the NBA, but virtually everyone saw it coming. Without LeBron James, the Cavaliers were absolutely nothing, and as it turns out now, they’re even worse than nothing. There are D-League teams out there that could compete with this one.

 
April 15th, 2011 By Andy "The Raven" Frank (Cappersinfo Contributor)

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The NBA Playoffs start Saturday and we here at Cappersinfo want to keep you supplied with the best in NBA handicapping along with some winning free NBA playoff picks and other selections everyday.  Four playoff series start Saturday and another four more start Sunday as the NBA Playoffs kick into gear.  Here are two free picks are for Saturday from Andy “The Raven” Frank.

Matchup: Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls
Date: Saturday, April 16th, 1:05 ET
Location: The United Center- Chicago, Illinois
NBA Odds: Chicago -11.5
Over/Under Odds: 188.5

Game Analysis: This is the first game of the Chicago-Indiana series and an important measuring stick of what we can expect from the Bulls in the playoffs.  Defense has gotten them to the number one seed which is a place no one really expected the Bulls to be even considered for in the East.  On the season they allowed just 91.3 PPG, and only 89.8 PPG at home.  Furthermore in division games not only were they 15-1 but they allowed just 86.3 PPG.  Down the stretch in their last 14 games they allowed just one 100 point game.  It is clear that team defense that has carried the Bulls to this point.  They won 3 of 4 meetings with the Pacers earlier this year and I expect game 1 of the series to be a similar to how the regular season has gone this year for the Bulls.  They will control tempo and play their brand of basketball which has worked very well for them.  The Pacers do not like to play a slow tempo game and would prefer to score as many points in the transition game as possible.  That won’t available much due to that being the Bulls strong suit keeping teams from getting out in the transition.  They rebound extremely well and should have no trouble controlling the pace in game 1.  The Pacers often are frustrated when forced to play in a half court tempo game and should find out Saturday afternoon why the team defense the Bulls play make them a threat to win it all.  I am not looking to lay as many points as Chicago is favored by as it seems to be too many.  However I am very interested in the total in this game which is set at 188.5.  I like a play on under 188.5 in this game with the Bulls winning fairly comfortably.

Free NBA Playoff Pick: UNDER 188.5

Matchup: Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic
Date: Saturday, April 16th, 7:05 ET
Location: The Amway Center- Orlando, Florida
NBA Odds : Orlando -8.5
Over/Under Odds: 179.5

Game Analysis: This is a rematch from last year’s conference semi-finals.  That series last year was historic, Orlando destroyed Atlanta in their four game sweep by more points then any other playoff team in NBA history had ever been beaten by.  The 101 point differential in a four game sweep last year was not only an NBA record but cost Hawks former coach Mike Woodson his job.  This year the same two teams meet in round one of the playoffs, however I don’t think we will be seeing the kind of dominance Orlando showed over Atlanta last year.  In fact this year Atlanta comes into the game holding a 3-1 advantage in head to head meetings.  Atlanta has won the last three times they have played even winning in Orlando by 6.  The Hawks will find it hard to get away from questions about last year and what happened in the series with Orlando.  The fact is this is a different year and completely different circumstances lead both teams to this point.  Orlando is not in a position of strength this year and has to face a revenge minded Hawks team who won’t forget the beating they received last year.  Atlanta has to placing a lot of importance on game 1 and feeling as if they can’t afford to get behind again against this Magic team.  The line is a very fair 8.5 points, and I really like the Hawks to get the money with the points.  I would not be surprised at all if Atlanta won the game outright.  Rarely in the NBA is revenge a factor, however for Atlanta losing in the semis last year by historic proportions has to be more then enough motivation to not only keep game 1 close but to keep this entire series close.  Take the points in game 1.

Free NBA Playoff Pick: ATLANTA +8.5

 
April 14th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Chicago Bulls vs. Indiana Pacers – Let’s be real here. Derrick Rose is the MVP. Joakim Noah is probably one of the best offensive rebounders in the game. Carlos Boozer is probably one of the best defensive rebounders in the game. Indiana has Danny Granger… and a sub-.500 record. There’s just no way that the Pacers are even pulling out a game in this series. NBA Playoff Picks: Bulls in 4

Miami Heat vs. Philadelphia 76ers – Philly played some respectable ball this season, and this is a team with all sorts of playoff experience. Of course, none of that playoff experience has ever seen the second round of the playoffs. This is where the real tests begin for LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, as this is where they will be measured for success. Anything less than an NBA Championship just wouldn’t do. Even though the Sixers were swept in games that just were not close in the regular season, we’ll give them the nod… for one game anyway… NBA Playoff Picks: Heat in 5

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks – This is probably going to be one of the more intriguing matchups in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks now have stars in Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Chauncey Billups, and we know that they still haven’t quite figured out how to gel as a team yet. Here’s the thing, though. Boston really just doesn’t have the look of the same team that was in the NBA Finals last year. We tend to believe that Head Coach Doc Rivers and company will figure it out over the course of seven games, but it wouldn’t surprise us if this one ends up surprisingly going the distance. NBA Playoff Picks: Celtics in 7

Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks – Last year, these two teams met up in the second round of the postseason, and Orlando laid the biggest smack down that the NBA playoffs have ever seen. Atlanta won the regular season series, but it comes with an asterisk this year. One of the wins came in the first game after the trades that the Magic pulled off with the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns, while one came just a couple of weeks ago when both teams knew that the game didn’t mean a thing. Orlando won’t do what it did last year, but it should make relatively short work of the Hawks. NBA Playoff Picks: Magic in 5

San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies – The Spurs won 61 games this season and have won a number of NBA Championships with Tim Duncan at the helm. The Grizzlies won 46 games in the regular season and have won a grand total of zero championships, zero series, and zero playoff games. Any guesses as to how many games they’re going to win this year? Zero. NBA Playoff Picks: Spurs in 4

Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets – Memphis might have stood a fighting chance against the Lakers, but the Hornets just don’t, especially without David West in the fold. The defense for New Orleans is good, but there just isn’t enough overall talent there to compete with the defending champs. We’d be shocked to see the men from the Crescent City take even one game in this series. NBA Playoff Picks: Lakers in 4

Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers – We just want to fall in love with the Blazers in this series, but we just don’t see it. To Portland’s credit, it really has tried like the dickens over these past couple seasons to rebuild a team that was totally broken, and it nearly did so last year against the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the second season. Dallas is going to be in for a fight for sure, especially with as well as Gerald Wallace has been playing. However, when push comes to shove, Dirk Nowitzki and company are just a significantly better team, and in the end, the Blazers will fall. NBA Playoff Picks: Mavericks in 6

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets – No one wanted to see the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, but we really don’t think that the Thunder are all that scared of them. Sure, Denver will run up and down the court, and the games will all be really exciting, but Oklahoma City definitely learned some big time lessons last year in that loss in the postseason to the eventual champs. OKC took the last two meetings of these teams in the regular season, something that is incredibly relevant considering how different Denver looks now from where it was a few months ago. This series could produce five relatively tight games, but we trust Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in the long run. NBA Playoff Picks: Thunder in 5

 
April 12th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Washington Capitals (-210 at SportsBet) vs. New York Rangers – The Rangers limped into the playoffs and needed some help from Tampa Bay to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the Capitals finished the season as one of the hottest teams in hockey, winning 16 of their last 20. If New York hopes to advance, it will be on the shoulders of G Henrik Lundqvist who has been one of the top goaltenders during the regular season. However, Alex Ovechkin and the Caps will probably just be too much for the Rangers and Lundqvist to handle. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Capitals in 5

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Buffalo Sabres (+140 at SportsBet) – Philadelphia was one of the best teams in hockey before the loss of D Chris Pronger. Since Pronger went down, the Flyers have been reeling and went from being a lock to win the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference to barely holding on to the Atlantic Division crown. Without Pronger, the Flyers are vulnerable and at risk of an early exit from the NHL playoffs at the hands of the Sabres. Buffalo is led by Team USA goaltender Ryan Miller who is one of the most talented in the game. Miller has the ability to shut the door on any team and will keep this one close. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Sabres in 7

Boston Bruins (-200 at SportsBet) vs. Montreal Canadiens – The combination of Tim Thomas and Zdeno Chara and can beat anyone in hockey when those two are on top of their games. Thomas and Chara are both prime candidates for postseason awards after fantastic regular seasons and make the Bruins one of the favorites to make it through the East. Don’t count out the Canadiens just yet though. Montreal went 4-2 against Boston this year in their six meetings and is very familiar with their division rival. This should be a tight series, but our hockey picks have the Bruins ultimately prevailing. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Bruins in 6

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (+133 at SportsBet) – Without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, many thought that the Penguins would sputter down the stretch. Head Coach Dan Bylsma pulled all the right strings though and the Pens responded by almost catching Philadelphia for the No. 2 seed. Pittsburgh will rely on Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury to get past the Lightning. Tampa Bay has plans of their own though thanks to the young Steven Stamkos. Stamkos is already drawing parallels to Crosby and is one of the best finishers in the NHL. Most NHL playoff picks have the Pens advancing, but don’t count out the Lightning. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Lightning in 7

Vancouver Canucks (-210 at SportsBet) vs. Chicago Blackhawks – Vancouver is the overwhelming favorite on the odds to win the Stanley Cup and their NHL Championship odds are a scant 3 to 1 at most sportsbooks. The Canucks were the most dominant team in the regular season and finished first in both goals scored and goals allowed. The twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin combine with Roberto Luongo to form one of the most balanced teams in the league, but it has its hands full with the Blackhawks. Chicago won the Stanley Cup last year and knocked off the Canucks in the Western Conference Finals but haven’t looked the same as last year’s juggernaut. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Canucks in 5

San Jose Sharks (-260 at SportsBet) vs. Los Angeles Kings – If Anze Kopitar was healthy, San Jose would be a popular pick from NHL betting fans not to advance past the first round. However, Kopitar going down doesn’t give the Kings much of a chance against the powerful Sharks, despite the reputation San Jose has to choke in the postseason. San Jose is led by Jumbo Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau and will be looking to finally reach the Holy Grail after years of postseason failures. The Sharks should be able to cruise past the Kings and reach the conference semi-finals. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Sharks in 4

Detroit Red Wings (-185 at SportsBet) vs. Phoenix Coyotes – It’s hard to find a match-up with bigger polar opposites than the Coyotes and the Red Wings. Phoenix has only made the playoffs a handful of times and has never gotten out of the first round, whereas Detroit is the most decorated team in hockey over the last two decades with four Stanley Cups and playoff appearances every season. Phoenix has gotten it this far thanks in large part to veteran Shane Doan, while Detroit has used their veterans to again win the division and reach the postseason. Detroit is a -185 series favorite per the NHL playoff odds and should advance to the next round, and it’s very much so justified. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Red Wings in 5

Anaheim Ducks vs. Nashville Predators (+117 at SportsBet) – Anaheim has been one of the hottest teams in the West over the past month thanks to Corey Perry, who has been electrifying in the Ducks’ pursuit of a playoff spot. Perry was the NHL’s only 50 goal scorer this season and is one of the most dangerous threats in the playoffs. As for Nashville, the Predators are paced by goalie Pekka Rinne, who has been lights out between the pipes despite having one of the weakest offenses in all of hockey. The Predators dominated the regular season series and they should handle the Ducks. Stanley Cup Playoff Picks: Predators in 5

 
April 8th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Though we already know who 15 of the 16 teams will be in the playoffs (and will be sure to add No. 16 to that list by the time the weekend is said and done with), there is certainly plenty of jockeying for positioning going on to complete the NBA playoff picture. Check out the best games of the week and our NBA picks for how things are going to shake down this weekend!

NBA Matchup: Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Friday, 8:00 ET)
This one is so important, not so much because it will probably have an effect on the way that the seedings break down in the West, but because this really could be a playoff battle in the first round. OKC knows that it can still move up as high as No. 2, while Denver is more or less just stuck at No. 5, and a win by the Nuggs would basically ensure that these two teams will meet starting next weekend in the playoffs. The Thunder will get the job done on their home court though, keeping the pressure on both Dallas and LA.

NBA Odds: Chicago Bulls @ Cleveland Cavaliers (Friday, 7:30 ET)
The truth of the matter is that this game really isn’t all that sexy, but a win for the Bulls would ensure that they have home court advantage throughout the entire postseason in the Eastern Conference, and it would guarantee that they avoid both the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat until the Eastern Conference Finals. Don’t be shocked if Head Coach Tom Thibodeau and company lay the smack down early and just wrap up this top seed without any further issues.

NBA Betting Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers @ Portland Trail Blazers (Friday, 10:00 ET)
This is another one of these potential first round playoff battles. The Lakers still need three more wins to make sure that they are going to be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this year, while Portland is trying to move up as high as the No. 6 seed in the West. The Blazers have played well this year at home, and they’ll take down a slumping bunch from Tinseltown.

Pro Basketball Matchup: Chicago Bulls @ Orlando Magic (Sunday, 1:00 ET)
We already know that the Bulls are going to be playing the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs, and anything less than a sweep would be surprising. We also know that the Magic are going to take on the Hawks in the first round, and last year when these teams met, it was the most lopsided postseason series ever in NBA history. Expect tempers to be flaring in this probable second round playoff date. Orlando is in trouble without the suspended Dwight Howard, who is going to miss this one after picking up his 18th technical foul of the season earlier this week, and Chicago should make a huge statement for its 60th win of the year.

NBA Preview: Boston Celtics @ Miami Heat (Sunday, 3:30 ET)
Hide the women and children from this one, my friends. This is going to be a bloodbath. The winner of this game is going to have a huge advantage in the race for the No. 2 seed in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. These two teams are level going into play on Friday night, and gaining the edge on the other is paramount, not so much for the sake of taking on some No. 7 seed instead of a No. 6, but to have home court advantage on the other in the second round of the playoffs. Dwyane Wade has been out of the lineup resting his sore thigh, but there’s no way that he’s missing this one. He and the Heat come up big and knock off the big, bad Celtics in South Beach.

Pro Basketball Betting Battle: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers
Last year, the Thunder were knocked out of the playoffs because they couldn’t figure out how to take a game in Tinseltown. This year, things could be significantly different. Of course, these two teams aren’t likely foes in the postseason until the Western Conference Finals, but you can bet if this gap gets any tighter before Sunday between OKC and LA, these two are going to be scrapping for the full 48 minutes. The Thunder are going to keep this one close, but in the end, this is still the type of game that Kobe Bryant and company live for. If the No. 2 seed in the West hadn’t essentially been decided before this point, it will be when this one is said and done. Don’t be surprised if the Thunder hang inside of the number, though, as this one should be touch and go the entire way.

 
April 6th, 2011 By Andy "The Raven" Frank (Cappersinfo Contributor)

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Here is the third and final part of our MLB baseball betting guide and mlb betting systems for 2011. In this part we will take a look at the numbers behind the bold and controversial Strategy #2, which advises you to bet on baseball according to how the home plate umpire calls the game. I will tear the cover off a subject that is taboo in MLB. How the transparency in how the home plate umpire calls a game translates into the higher likelihood of a particular side or total winning. That’s right I said side and total not just the total.

When I first started studying this last year I figured that I would find some umpires who had a big strike zone and thus their games were lower scoring and vice versa with a smaller strike zone and higher scoring games. I did find this to be true and the numbers were compelling, but what I was shocked to find was that there were umpires who had such a high percentage of home team wins and that it was far above the MLB average which made it significant. I found that the term “home team advantage” is something some umpires apply more then others.

Let me throw out a few examples of some of the umpires who seem to have this built in “bias” for the home team. Tim McClelland who is a veteran umpire since 1999 when behind home plate last year saw the home team go 28-5 overall. Since 2005 the home team is 111-68 or .620 when McClelland is behind the plate. Mike Muchlinski only umpires sparingly but jump on the home team when he is behind the plate. They are 35-15 the last 5 years which is a staggering .700. Alfonso Marquez another “friend” to the home team in the last 3 years has seen the home team go 65-36 or .644 when he is behind the plate. Kerwin Danley had a record of 26-8 for the home team last year including an amazing 20-2 when the home team was the favorite.

These figures are well above the average home team record in MLB which in 2010 was .559. In 2009 it was .548 and in 2008 it was .556. These umpires are having home teams win in some cases as much as 25% more often which is not only staggering but extremely profitable when we are able to determine if they are behind the plate. Here are a few more whose numbers aren’t as dramatic but whose record over time is. Ted Barrett had a 25-10 record for the home team in 2010 when behind the plate and over the last 8 years the home team wins at a .592 clip when he is the home plate umpire. Mark Carlson is another veteran umpire who in his 12 years behind the plate never had one single season that the road team won more games then the home team. In fact the home team wins .593 when Carlson is behind the plate.

Let’s also take a look at how an umpire calls balls and strikes also relates to the outcome of the total runs scored in a game. This is where I thought I would find all kinds of trends but there were only a few. The ones I did find however are extremely significant. Angel Campos is an umpire who must have one very small strike zone. He calls on average less strikes then any other umpire in MLB and over the last 4 years in games when he is behind home plate the over comes in 61% of the time. Jim Reynolds is another umpire with a small strike zone and no friend to pitchers. The last 4 years the over has cashed in to the tune of 78-45 or 63.4% of the time when he is behind the plate.

Doug Eddings might have one of the largest strike zones of any umpire in MLB as evidenced by his record over the past 12 years of 60.6% of his games behind home plate going under the total. James Hoye is another umpire good for an under outcome, the past two years the under is 50-22 or 69.4% when he is home plate umpire. Bill Miller is another great under umpire seeing the under cash in 84-51 or 62.2% of the time the past 4 years when he is the home plate umpire. I think what makes some of these “under” umpires results even more impressive are that some of those under outcomes came during the steroids era. The numbers won’t be completed for a few years but it appears to me batters are hitting less home runs the past couple of years and I think there is a direct link to the crack down on steroids and HGH. This makes an under umpire even more profitable in a steroids/HGH free environment.

Are all of these men cheaters or being dishonest? Of course they aren’t. Are they necessarily bad at their jobs? Maybe they are and maybe they just see things a little differently then the majority. Does that make them wrong, I don’t think so but it does create an opportunity to capitalize on a particular tendency they have. The key is being able to find the information which is so meaningful. There are several websites that publish the listed home plate umpires and also compile their records dating back to the 90’s. It is no accident that MLB tries to make this information very difficult to find for game 1 of a series, and they would never admit in a million years that certain umpires have any sort of bias whatsoever. However I think you’ll agree the numbers tell a different story.

Now I wouldn’t write down every umpire I listed and bet according to their tendencies, however I would be checking all of them against this year’s records to see if history will once again repeat itself. I would be also looking for certain situations to use these tendencies for example knowing you have a good under umpire combined with two teams sending their ace to the mound might be a great spot to play the under. Conversely knowing you have a good over umpire and two less then top pitchers on the mound might be a prime spot to bet the over. Call it what you will, but I’m a numbers guy and the numbers prove a very interesting system on how to make money consistently betting legally on MLB using primarily strategy #2. We at Cappersinfo.com are always striving to bring you the most up to date and innovative wagering strategies on all sports. We hope you have enjoyed this three part guide on baseball betting advice. Good luck this year and may all the walk off home runs go in our favor.

 
April 5th, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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Handicapping the Masters can be one of the most frustrating things in the world because there are just so many golfers to choose from. Though at this will seem a lot like a crapshoot, there are definite ways to handicap golf odds in a great light. Remember that these picks are all based upon percentages of winning plays. A man that is 100 to 1 only needs to win this event one out of 100 times to make us a winner. There are a number of different golfers that strike our fancy this week at one of the biggest events of the year. Here are our picks to win the green jacket in Masters betting action!


We have to start by saying that we hate these odds on Tiger Woods. Sure, we know that getting 8.50 to 1 at BetUS Sportsbook is probably about as good as you’re going to get on Tiger, especially with his history, but the bottom line is that he is just done. There’s no way that he is all of a sudden going to win this event one out of eight times after not winning anything in two full years. We just have no confidence in Tiger right now, and though he has a great history of Top 10 finishes here at the Masters, this probably won’t be the week that he suddenly busts out. On the same type of note, we think that the odds to win the Masters on Phil Mickelson are blown out of proportion at 6 to 1. Lefty is good, and he does have three green jackets to his credit, but there’s no way that he wins this event one out of six times.

Instead, we’ll look at some of the other great golfers in the world, most of which have never won this event before.

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The interesting name on this list could be Graeme McDowell. At 40 to 1, McDowell makes for a great play. Sure, McDowell really hasn’t played all that well of late, but he has been one of the hottest golfers on the PGA Tour over the course of the last eight months or so. Forget about that awful tournament that he had at the Arnold Palmer two weeks ago. There’s no way that he is going to be shooting an 80 in the first round here at Augusta.

The man that is really due to bust onto the scene in a big time way is Matt Kuchar. It feels like we’ve been talking about Kuchar as the “up and coming” name on the PGA Tour for over a decade, but this year’s fantastic finish at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship really might have been just the swift kick that Kuchar needed to get going in a major tournament as well. These 30 to 1 odds could be a blessing on a terrific golfer that is ranked in the Top 10 in the world.

Youngster, Rickie Fowler still has a heck of a lot of learning to do to make it on the PGA Tour, especially in this type of an event, but at 55 to 1, we are getting a great price on a man that already has five rounds of 68 or better this season. Fowler finished in the Top 10 both at the Accenture Match Play that we were discussing previously with Kuchar, and at the WGC Cadillac Championship just a month ago. Fowler was playing relatively well at the Arnold Palmer going into the final day of the event, and he picked a terrible time to come up with his worst round of golf of the year. Even just a par day within two strokes of the leader, and the Masters odds would have definitely changed dramatically. Fowler is due for a tournament win, and this would be a heck of a venue for him to get it in.

Does anyone even realize that Robert Allenby already has over $700K banked this year in nine events played? Sure, Allenby got off to a slow start in his first two events of the year, missing the cut in both, but he hasn’t missed a cut since that point. He’s coming off of a great weekend at the Shell Houston Open last week, and he is one of the few golfers that can say that he had three rounds in the 60s in that event. Don’t be shocked if he comes on very strong and is in contention on Sunday, and at 100 to 1, that’s absolutely all that we could ask of him.

 
April 5th, 2011 By Andy "The Raven" Frank (Cappersinfo Contributor)

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This is part two of our MLB Baseball betting guide, three part series. In this part we will take a look at the math behind the run line play and examine the teams from last year who were the top run line money makers. We will also begin to discuss a MLB wagering strategy that is so mind blowing and thought provoking it will leave you stunned.

The math dictates the run line wager is one of the best wagers in Baseball, but must be used only in certain situations. MLB team statistics can be found almost anywhere on the internet. Here are the top 5 teams from last year who played in the fewest one run wins while winning the most games. #1 Detroit Tigers 16 one runs wins in 2010. #2 New York Yankees 20 one run wins in 2010. #3 St. Louis Cardinals 20 one run wins in 2010. #4 Houston Astros 21 one run wins in 2010. #5 Boston Red Sox 22 one runs wins in 2010. Do not forget we are only using these teams on the run line when they are laying at least -150 or more and only when the pitching match up is entirely in our favor. If you use the run line wisely you can win 60% or more without having to lay large odds and in some cases even getting odds of +120 or more as an underdog. Remember only 12.3% of Yankees games ended with them winning by one run so don’t be afraid of taking certain large favorites on the run line to avoid those hefty odds. Veteran baseball bettors are well aware of the run line and its value; however my second strategy is so much more interesting and also controversial.

The word “fixed” is thrown around a lot when it comes to Sporting events. Usually you hear it come out of the mouth of a disgruntled gambler who was on the losing end and wants to blame someone else. We have seen over the years however both players and officials involved in their share of point shaving and fixing schemes. To say it doesn’t exist in sports is not being realistic. However there is a fine line between a game being “fixed” and knowing how a game will be called by the referees or umpire. Does the fact one umpire sees balls and strikes slightly different then the majority make him a cheater or dishonest? Of course not being behind home plate and calling balls and strikes is purely personal opinion. Does the knowledge of how a game might be called provide an advantage to a bettor? Absolutely, knowing how a game will likely be called is a huge advantage when deciding who to wager on.

If balls and strikes are personal opinion and human beings are creatures of habit it stands to reason that some MLB umpires call balls and strikes slightly differently and there could be a huge advantage if we could determine which umpires had this built in “bias” and what their tendencies were. When these numbers are tracked over many years there is a way we can determine by who the home plate umpire is what team likely will win or the likely outcome of the total. That is right I just said that we can pick MLB games correctly (over 60% of the time) by simply knowing the tendencies of the home plate umpire.

Strategy #2 – Bet on baseball according to how the home plate umpire calls the game. The umpires for each game are announced around 1 hour prior to game time of the first game in every series. Each game after that they simply rotate so it becomes very easy to know who the home plate umpire will be for the rest of the series. Sometimes finding that information for game 1’s can be difficult at best. It’s no coincidence that in the NBA this information is unavailable. Meaning no one knows which referees will be calling the game until just prior to the tip. The NBA, MLB, and even the NFL realize that they have some umpires, referees, and officiating crews who are essentially “biased”, but it is not done consciously. They aren’t calling it a certain way on purpose, they always call it that way. Call it a tendency, or a habit or just plain stubbornness but in MLB there are home plate umpires who are very transparent in how they call a game. This transparency can make you a fortune if you know where to find it and how to use it.

When I first started studying this last year I was amazed by what I found. Join me Friday here at cappersinfo.com for part 3 of this blog series on MLB betting advice and strategies where I will provide the evidence that is beyond question to prove my second strategy. This is a subject that is very controversial and potentially highly profitable. The facts might just surprise you as much as they surprised me. If you are a regular sports betting enthusiast you don’t want to miss it.

 
April 4th, 2011 By Louie - Cappersinfo Admin

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Major League Baseball is finally off and running for the 2011 season. We, at Cappersinfo.com will keep you supplied with the best in baseball handicapping along with free MLB picks and information this season. Daily picks with detailed analysis and a wagering guide for MLB. This Monday six new series get underway, three in the NL including two day games and three in the AL with one day game at Camden Yards in Baltimore. This Orioles-Tigers game is our pick for today. The game starts at 3:05 EST and the current line has Baltimore at -125 with a total of 9.5 runs. The announced starting pitchers are Rick Porcello for Detroit, and Jake Arrieta for Baltimore.

MLB Matchup: Detroit Tigers @ Baltimore Orioles
Date: Monday, April 4th, 6:45 ET
Location: Oriole Park @ Camden Yards – Baltimore, MD
NCAA Basketball Odds: Baltimore -125
Over/Under 9.5

For the Orioles: The Orioles come into this game sky high off a three game road sweep of Tampa. The pitching was super allowing just 3 runs the entire 3 game series. AAA call up Zack Britton pitched 6 strong innings in the finale allowing just 3 hits and 1 earned run to run the O’s record to 3-0. The Orioles pitching has really taken a turn for the better since the arrival late last year of manager Buck Showalter. Monday’s starter Jake Arrieta is one of several Orioles young pitchers with tremendous potential. He was having trouble last year allowing too many walks, but showed improvement once Showalter arrived. Arrieta’s ERA in June was 6.20 with 12 walks to 11 strikeouts. July it was 5.01 with 21 walks to 14 strikeouts. In August it was 4.45 with 13 walks and 14 strikeouts, and in September it was 2.60 with just 2 walks to 13 strikeouts. The “light bulb” went on for Arrieta in September and he should carry that over to this season. The Orioles are loaded with new additions on offense this year with veterans Derrick Lee at first base, Vlad Guerrero as the DH, JJ Hardy at shortstop and new third baseman Mark Reynolds. Long time Orioles Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts along with Adam Jones and Matt Weiters make for a decent lineup with some power from top to bottom of the order. Look for the Orioles to be a much improved team this year and with Showalter at the helm make a real run at respectability. Up until now that is something that Baltimore hasn’t earned in a long time.

For the Tigers: Detroit was able to avoid the sweep in New York winning the last game of the series in a slugfest 10-7 to move to 1-2. Tiger’s slugger Miguel Cabrera led Detroit’s offense going 3 for 5 with two home runs knocking in 4 runs. Cabrera is batting .455 three games into the year and looks like the main hitter to avoid in the Tigers lineup. Detroit sends Rick Porcello to the mound Monday. Porcello had a rough year in 2010 going 10-12 with a 4.92 ERA. He had an even tougher time pitching on the road where his ERA was 5.73. Opponents batted .308 off Porcello on the road last year compared to .273 when he pitched at home. This has plagued Porcello both years in the big leagues and is something he must overcome in order to secure a spot in the rotation. Detroit has the misfortune of facing two American League East teams in their home openers before finally having theirs against Kansas City April 8th. Detroit is 3-5 the last three years playing at Camden Yards and will play the Orioles in their home opener after a surprise three game sweep in Tampa. For the Tigers to have any chance in this game Rick Porcello is going to have to go at least 6 strong innings of work and keep the Orioles off the bases. That may be a tall order to ask of Porcello against a much improved Baltimore offense.

Free MLB Picks: Take Baltimore on the money line at -125 in this game. Jake Arrieta was a different pitcher last year after Showalter took over and that wasn’t a coincidence. He has all the tools to be a future 20 game winner and should take a big step in that direction this year. You have to be impressed with the Orioles “new” lineup loaded with pop from top to bottom. This is a prime spot for Baltimore to pick on a pitcher who is extremely shaky on the road. It is the home opener, the line is very fair at -125 and the O’s have to be very confident coming off the sweep of Tampa. MLB Prediction: O’s 6 Tigers 3

 
April 3rd, 2011 By Andrew "Mr. Multi-Task" Ryan - Cappersinfo Contributor

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And then there were two… The Butler Bulldogs and the Connecticut Huskies are the only two teams that are left standing here in the NCAA Tournament, and after 66 previous games and eliminations, only one team can be left standing at the end of the day. On Monday, the 2011 National Championship will be award, and we here at Cappers Info have all of our March Madness final picks available for the big game.

Matchup: #3 Connecticut Huskies vs. #8 Butler Bulldogs
Date: Monday, April 4th, 9:20 ET
Location: Final Four, Houston, TX
NCAA Basketball Odds: Connecticut -3.5
Over/Under 129.5

The road to the Final Four has been long and arduous for both the Huskies and the Bulldogs. Butler needed to survive a pair of de facto road games against the Cleveland State Vikings and Wisconsin Milwaukee Panthers, both of which could have easily been NCAA Tournament teams this season. After that, they eliminated the Old Dominion Monarchs, Pittsburgh Panthers, Wisconsin Badgers, Florida Gators, and VCU Rams to reach the finale. Connecticut was never really in serious doubt about making the NCAA Tournament, but it definitely could have been in a lot worse spot in terms of its seeding had it not gone on that great run in the Big East Tournament. Save the win against the DePaul Blue Demons in Round 1 at Madison Square Garden, the Huskies have beaten nine straight NCAA Tournament teams. Five of these games, they were underdogs, and they have shined through with flying colors in all of them. The Bucknell Bison, Cincinnati Bearcats, San Diego State Aztecs, Arizona Wildcats, and Kentucky Wildcats have all fallen to the mighty Huskies in this tournament.

Connecticut Huskies Notes: It’s getting pretty clear that Head Coach Jim Calhoun is making his bench awfully short in this one. There are only six players that played more than nine minutes in the 56-55 escape from the Wildcats on Saturday, and the big time stats were once again put up by the big time players. Kemba Walker led the way with a very complete effort, as he scored 18 points to lead all scorers on the night. He also had seven assists and six boards. Jeremy Lamb continued his shot scoring streak with 12 points, marking his 10th straight game with at least 11 points after averaging below double digits in scoring per game coming in. Alex Oriakhi had eight points and 10 crucial boards, while Roscoe Smith stepped up and had six points and eight rebounds. The team did shoot 46.9 percent, but Calhoun cannot be happy that his team allowed 13 more shots than it took. The good news though, was that it did have 16 assists on 23 made baskets, a sign that the ball was really moving around for UConn.

Butler Bulldogs Notes: It’s truly amazing that Butler is back in this one, and perhaps the Bulldogs are just a tad fortunate to be in this spot. VCU ended up going cold down the stretch, which allowed them to come up with this 70-62 win to advance to the National Championship Game. Give the perimeter players a lot of credit, as holding VCU to just 8-of-22 from downtown was its worst percentage of the tournament. Matt Howard and company really didn’t do a great job keeping Jamie Skeen off of the scoreboard, but he the scrapper in the middle had himself a heck of a game. He only shot 3-of-10 from the floor, including 0-for-5 from downtown, but he also had 11 free throws made on 12 attempts to total 17 points with eight boards. Shelvin Mack knocked down three triples, but he continued his struggles from the line, going just 3-of-6 in very uncharacteristic form. Mack scored 24 points and had six rebounds. The impressive part of this game for the Bulldogs was the fact that they absolutely dominated the glass, proving that they can really play like a big conference team. The Dogs had 46 total boards, 15 of which were on the offensive glass. They had a +16 margin on the boards when the day was said and done.

The Final Word: This is the final word for the whole season, and with as screwy as this entire season has been, why shouldn’t we expect to see the upset once again. Butler has proven that it is good enough to beat virtually every big time school that it has run across this season, and it has some big time unfinished business to contend with. The Bulldogs will get the job done this year, and Head Coach Brad Stevens and company will arguably become the least likely champion in the history of the sport.

March Madness Free Pick: Butler Bulldogs +3.5