NBA Betting: Vol. 2

Matthew Rodriguez9 said:What position does Rajon Rondo play?

Does anyone happen to know? 🤷

playmaker 🤣

Joshua Gonzalez33 said:LaMarcus Aldridge over 20.5 @ 1.85
-LaMarcus didn't exactly have a standout game—19 points with just 3 rebounds—and he barely even got to the free-throw line. The Los Angeles Lakers defended him well, but tonight he faces Serge Ibaka, who wasn't exactly a defensive wall last season. Plus, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been among the five worst teams at defending the power forward position, and it’s worth noting that Serge Ibaka tends to pick up a lot of fouls. Nicolas Batum stood out against the Lakers, too, but facing Kevin Durant tonight will be a different story; expect LaMarcus Aldridge to carry the load. Worth a shot—I just hope the Thunder don't run away with it early, or LaMarcus might end up on the bench.

Serge Ibaka is solid defensively; he often handles opposing centers when Kendrick Perkins isn't on the floor, while Kevin Durant or Scotty Collison rotate over to the PF spot—so that specific stat doesn't mean much to me.
It’s no coincidence Serge Ibaka was a Defensive Player of the Year candidate last year.

Does Serge Ibaka commit a lot of fouls? 😕

I wasn't sure about that stat, so I went to check—last season he averaged 2.71 fouls per game.

In my view, LaMarcus Aldridge played a very strong game against the Los Angeles Lakers—his shooting remains smooth as usual—while Jeff Hickson handled the rebounding duties.

Bryan Adams6 said:are you kidding me right now? please tell me you're joking 😕

Carmelo Anthony 0-5 🙂

Nah, I'm dead serious... 😁

The Nuggets have really hit the ground running lately...🙏 👍

Joshua Gonzalez33 said:LaMarcus Aldridge over 20.5 @ 1.85
-LaMarcus didn't exactly have a standout night last time out, dropping 19 points with only 3 rebounds, and he barely even touched the free throw line because the Lakers were guarding him like crazy. But tonight, he’s facing Ibaka, who wasn't exactly acting like a brick wall defensively last season, and let's be real, the whole OKC squad was pretty much in the bottom five when it came to letting opposing power forwards score at will. Plus, it's worth noting that Ibaka tends to pick up a lot of fouls. Also, Batum stood out against the Lakers, but trying to shake Durant tonight is going to be a whole different ballgame, so we really need to see Aldridge stepping up as the leader for his squad. It feels like a solid play to me; I just hope OKC doesn't run away with it too early and force Aldridge onto the bench.

If Portland wants any kind of prayer in this game, they’re going to have to feed Aldridge, specifically by getting him the rock in the low post where he’s basically unstoppable thanks to those endless pump fakes—which is exactly how he racked up those 39 and 30-point games last season. In the matchups where they ended up losing to OKC, Aldridge usually finished below his average because he simply wasn't getting the touches in his sweet spots; instead, he was being forced into those long-range spot-up shots that are way easier to contest and don't exactly yield high percentages. On the defensive end, Perkins is likely going to be the one playing him tight, and he's a pretty aggressive presence in the post. Honestly, Ibaka is a bit overrated as a defender; all those highlight-reel blocks you see are mostly just a mask for his actual defensive impact. He really struggles against "floor spacer" type fours like Nowitzki, Aldridge, or Scola... which explains why OKC's stats show they give up so many points at the PF position. Throw in the fact that the Thunder are playing on the second night of a back-to-back, and their defense might be feeling a little sluggish, making the over a really tempting bet. 🤷

James Taylor3 said:Ibaka is solid on defense. He’s usually covering centers when Perkins isn't out there, and he switches onto Durant or Collison at PF, so I don't think that stat really matters much.
It's no surprise Ibaka was up in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation last year.

Ibaka commits too many fouls? 😕

I wasn't 100% sure about that number, so I went to check—last season he averaged about 2.71 fouls per game.

In my opinion, Aldridge played a great game against the Lakers; his shooting was smooth as usual, and Hickson handled most of the rebounding duty.

Look, I just used that stat to back up my bet, and look, Duncan dropped 20. Aldridge should be doing the same since he takes way more shots than Duncan.
He's having a good game against the Lakers, sure. But as Portland's best player, you expect big performances every night, right? Shooting under 50% without contributing elsewhere—rebounds, assists, blocks—can't really be called a "great" game.

Regarding the fouls, I was just going off what I remembered from watching him against tougher matchups. I actually checked the stats now, and 2.71 fouls puts him 13th among all PFs, so he's not even among the high foul leaders. Honestly, I just pulled that number out of thin air, so my bad if it was misleading.

Matthew Rodriguez9 said:The worst part is, a buddy who lives and breathes the NBA actually talked me into this one.

He told me there's an 80% chance it hits... like, come on, be smart... 🤷

See? Now Paul Pierce's stupidity is screwing both of us. I took the over, then he picks up two quick fouls and has to head to the bench. Suddenly, all that shooting pressure falls right on Rajon Rondo...