Coming off of a powerful – but losing – playoff effort last season vs the Chicago Bulls, the Pacers came roaring back to start off the 2011-2012 season. The team is experiencing its best early record in the previous 8 years, but are still troubled vs the more adept teams in the league. While they are 11-4 so far, simply four of those victories are vs teams with records above .500.

Number 1 rated Kentucky versus the NCAA tournament hopefuls Georgia? Sounds like a recipe for a blowout, particularly as Kentucky just regained that desired No. 1 berth on the rankings for the 1st time in the previous two months. Whilst the Kentucky Wildcats are on top of the rankings and savoring an 11 game win streak, the Bulldogs can best be called sporadic thus far in the season.

The Sacramento Kings are facing an uphill battle when they battle against the Houston Rockets in Houston on January 13th. This is a condition of both teams rebuilding for the future as both teams look nothing like their early 2000’s heydays. The Kings look to get back to their previous popularity in the west with standout play from their youthful stalwarts. The Houston Rockets are still coping with the fallout from the retirement of Yao Ming. The Houston Rockets are favored by 3 points by the oddsmakers and this looks to be a tricky game to call.

The AT&T Center might get some long-distance competition on Jan 13th as the Portland Trailblazers visit San Antonio to take on the San Antonio Spurs. Portland is a youthful squad seeking to reconstruct as the short but electric Brandon Roy era officially came to an end with his retirement in December. Previous #1 pick Greg Oden has additionally had frequent issues with his knees as Portland apparently can’t shake the specter of Sam Bowie. The San Antonio Spurs want to defend their court with impressive plays from their usual dependable lineup. The San Antonio Spurs are liked by 8 points and this seeks to be an awesome bet.

On January 12th, things heat up when the Cleveland Cavaliers enter into Phoenix to battle against the Suns. Two years ago, this might have been an outstanding matchup with LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire going head up in a collision course. In the age of free agency however, times surely have transformed as this matchup looks drastically different. Phoenix is preferred by 6 points over the Cavaliers and this seems to be a safe wager.

The United Center in Chicago will be on edge as the Wizards come into town to battle against the Chicago Bulls. In years past, this competition would’ve been the most difficult ticket to get as the second comeback by Michael Jordan turned the Wizards into press darlings throughout the league. Jordan is currently long retired nevertheless and the Wizards have changed into a great youthful team with vast quantities of possible waiting to be utilized. The sports book has the Chicago Bulls preferred by 8 points which sounds correct and sounds like a solid bet with Chicago being rooted on at home.

Saturday night on January 14th, the New York Knicks come into Oklahoma City to battle against the OKC Thunder in this huge contest between these two squads. It’s a tale of two squads as the OKC Thunder come into play with a dependable team of young guns vs the Knicks who it appears from year to year often enters into play with a lot of changes going on. The Knicks are favored by 4 points and this could hold unless Durant has one of his typical killer matches.

The Staples Center is going to come alive on Jan 11th when the Miami Heat competes with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Miami Heat comes in with one of the better records in the NBA supported by an excellent lineup of stars. The Miami Heat lead the league as a squad in points won and assists. The sports book has the Miami Heat liked by 8 points and with the backcourt they feature, it is apparently a sure bet. Let’s take a closer look at the Miami Heat this season and what they bring to the table.

Both these teams have been doing comparatively well this season. This should not be a shocking to anybody as these two colleges are well known for their share of triumphs in basketball for several years. Both these teams will be at it on the hardwood on January 9, when Western Virginia visits Connecticut.

The ugly specter of the Lockout had loomed huge over the NBA landscape until earlier this month. With both the competitors and the owners ultimately coming to a contract, the NBA has successfully tipped off in earnest over Christmas weekend. The NBA welcoming committee travels to the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. when the Boston Celtics (1-3) take on the Wizards (0-3). Both teams enter the competition with shaky records and a slow beginning to the season. The sportsbook appears to have the nod on the better squad as the line presently stands – Boston (-7) 184 ½ .