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Half Juice on all NBA games on Mondays and Friday
An excellent way to start the week betting on sports!
Every Monday and Friday, all our NBA lines will be at Half Price. |
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NBA Power Rankings
San Antonio Spurs
Even with a loss to Cleveland, the Spurs are looking like a championship-calibre team again. Both Tim Duncan and Tony Parker are shooting over 53% from the field and Brent Barry is sizzling off the bench, at better than 71%.
Key Injuries: None.
Utah Jazz
Even with Andrei Kirilenko off to a slow start, the Jazz are dominating the paint with PF Carlos Boozer and C Mehmet Okur leading the way.
Key Injuries: None.
Los Angeles Lakers
Injuries in the middle forced the Lakers to turn to young Andrew Bynum in the middle and he's rewarded the team with his play. On the other hand, Phil Jackson did make the decision to insert Luke Walton into the starting lineup and Walton has been integral to the Lakers' quick start.
Key Injuries: C Kwame Brown (shoulder), C Chris Mihm (ankle).
Philadelphia 76ers
Sharp-shooting SF Kyle Korver, shooting over 80% from beyond the arc, is making the Sixers offense work. Of course, Allen Iverson's putting up his usual 34 per.
Key Injuries: None.
Phoenix Suns
Using Amare Stoudemire in a reserve role, and a limited on at that, has left the Suns shorthanded and they're not getting enough defense even though they average 108 points for per game.
Key Injuries: None.
Detroit Pistons
Nazr Mohammed has made a smooth transition, fitting into the starting lineup nicely, but the Pistons bench has been ineffective early.
Key Injuries: None.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls perimeter game -- the top six scorers are perimeter players -- makes them dangerous, but also signifies a shortcoming in post scoring.
Key Injuries: None.
New Jersey Nets
Through only two games, the Nets have pretty much what was expected, though Bostjan Nachbar might be able to give them some surprise scoring off the bench.
Key Injuries: None.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota's star rookie might actually be second-round pick Craig Smith, whose bruising ways around the basket make him instant ofense off the bench.
Key Injuries: None.
Indiana Pacers
Ageless Darrell Armstrong has been an unexpectedly prominent part of the rotation, but he's giving the Pacers energy that has been missing in recent years.
Key Injuries: None.
Seattle Supersonics
Not only are SG Ray Allen and SF Rashard Lewis each scoring more than 25 per game, PG Luke Ridnour is off to a quick start, with nearly 19 per game.
Key Injuries: c Robert Swift (knee).
New Orleans Hornets
Last year'd holdovers, PF David West and PG Chris Paul, have been great, but newcomer Peja Stojakovic is still trying to find his place in the offense.
Key Injuries: None.
Orlando Magic
Carlos Arroyo won't be languishing on the bench now. Even in a sixth-man role with the Magic, Arroyo is playing more than 23 minutes per game and he's pushing for more with his instant offense off the bench.
Key Injuries: None.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Something needs to be done at the point, where the Eric Snow, David Wesley, Damon Jones trio doesn't accomplish much. Otherwise, the Cavs have the makings of a decent lineup.
Key Injuries: None.
Milwaukee Bucks
Andrew Bogut was shockingly ready for the start of the season and has scored more than 15 points per game to show he's ready.
Key Injuries: SF Bobby Simmons (heel).
Los Angeles Clippers
Phenom Shaun Livingston was supposed to take over at the point, but his slow start has given Sam Cassell more minutes and Cassell leads the team with nearly 23 points per game.
Key Injuries: None.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have some intriguing potential with young wing players like Mickael Pietrus and Monta Ellis adding some offensive flair. Now Golden State just needs to find some solution, perhaps Andris Biedrins, in the middle.
Key Injuries: None.
Denver Nuggets
Two of the Nuggets' top three scorers, albeit after two games, are bench players -- Earl Boykins and Nene.
Key Injuries: None.
Washington Wizards
Etan Thomas has taken over at center, where his muscle provides a nice complement to the finesse of PF Antawn Jamison and PG Gilbert Arenas.
Key Injuries: None.
Boston Celtics
An unsettled rotation isn't maximizing the production of depth players. Both Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak have been scoring more than 24 per game, but the Ryan Gomes and Delonte Wests are still waiting to get going.
Key Injuries: None.
Houston Rockets
T-Mac's only shooting 34% from the field, averaging just 15.7 points per game, and he dominates the ball too much for that to hold up. Yao Ming's doing his part, though, making two-thirds of his shots while averaging 25 points per game.
Key Injuries: None.
Miami Heat
The champs stumbled out of the gate, with Shaquille O'Neal hurting, and they're going to need young Dorell Wright to help carry the Heat's old legs this year.
Key Injuries: None.
Toronto Raptors
The new-look Raptors are entertaining, if not yet refined, in their style of play. PG T.J. Ford and SG Anthony Parker have been the best of the new talent, while the jury is out on the rest, and that's a longer list.
Key Injuries: None.
Charlotte Bobcats
Rookie Adam Morrison has shown he can score, but he's doing shocklingly little else, grabbing just 1.7 rebounds to go with his 16 points per game. He is 6-foot-8 right?
Key Injuries: C Primoz Brezec (dehydration).
Dallas Mavericks
The backcourt isn't getting it done right now, with Jason Terry, Devin Harris and Jerry Stackhouse all shooting 37.5% or worse. The Mavs will surely figure it out, but it's not the kind of start that was expected from a near-championship team.
Key Injuries: None.
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