Arriving off of a strong – but losing – playoff effort last year against the Bulls, the Indiana Pacers came roaring back to start out the 2011-2012 year. The team is going through its best early record in the earlier 8 years, but are still struggling against the more adept squads in the league. While they are 11-4 to date, just 4 of those victories are against squads with records above .500.

Number one ranked Kentucky vs the NCAA competition hopefuls Georgia? Appears like a recipe for a crushing defeat, particularly as Kentucky just regained that coveted No. 1 berth on the rankings for the first time in the earlier 2 months. Whereas the Kentucky Wildcats are at the top of the rankings and experiencing an eleven game win streak, the Georgia Bulldogs can best be described as inconsistent so far in the season.

The Sacramento Kings have their work cut out for them when they battle against the Houston Rockets in Houston on January 13th. This is a condition of both squads reconstructing for the long run as both squads look nothing like their early 2000′s heydays. The Sacramento Kings look to return to their previous dominance in the west with stellar play from their youthful stalwarts. The Rockets are still managing the fallout from the retirement of Yao Ming. The Rockets are liked by 3 points by the sportsbook and this seeks to be a tricky game to call.

The AT&T Center might get some long-distance action on Jan 13th as the Trailblazers head over to San Antonio to face the Spurs. Portland is a young team looking to rebuild as the quick but electric Brandon Roy era formally came to an end with his retirement in December. Former #1 pick Greg Oden has additionally had continued issues with his knees as Portland seemingly can’t shake the ghost of Sam Bowie. The Spurs want to defend their court with sizzling plays from their typical steady lineup. The Spurs are liked by 8 points and this wants to be a great wager.

On January 12th, things heat up when the Cavaliers enter into Phoenix to take on the Suns. Two years ago, this would’ve been a stellar game with LeBron James and Amare Stoudemire going head up in a collision course. In the age of free agency however, times definitely have evolved as this game looks dramatically different. Phoenix is favored by 6 points over the Cleveland Cavaliers and this appears to be a safe wager.

The United Center in Chicago will be on edge as the Wizards come into town to face the Bulls. In past years, this contest would have been the most difficult ticket to get as the second comeback by Nike Jordan turned the Washington Wizards into press darlings throughout the nba. Jordan now is long retired nonetheless and the Washington Wizards have changed into an awesome young squad with vast quantities of prospective waiting to be utilized. The sports book has the Chicago Bulls preferred by 8 points which seems correct and seems like a quality wager with Chicago being cheered on at home.

Saturday night on January 14th, the Knicks come into Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder in this big game between these 2 teams. It is a tale of 2 teams as the Thunder come up with a constant team of young guns versus the New York Knicks who it seems from year to year always enters into play with a lot of changes going on. The New York Knicks are favored by 4 points and this may hold unless Durant has one of his standard killer games.

The Staples Center will come alive on Jan 11th when the Miami Heat takes on the Clippers. The Miami Heat comes in with one of the best records in the NBA supported by an amazing lineup of stars. The Miami Heat lead the NBA as a squad in points landed and assists. The sports book has the Miami Heat liked by 8 points and with the backcourt they contain, it appears to be a sure bet. Let’s have a closer look at the Miami Heat this season and what they provide.

Both these squads have been doing comparatively well this season. This should not be a surprise to anyone as both of these colleges are well known for their share of triumphs in basketball for several years. When Western Virginia visits Connecticut these two squads will be at it out on the court on January 9.

The Jan 9 – Oklahoma at Oklahoma State game still has its own brand of exhilaration, although this particular competition might not have the same depth that its football version does. With the conference basketball year just under way, both the Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys will attempt to set the tone for the remainder of their year with this match. In Oklahoma’s case, they will be looking to continue what has been a quality start as they concluded the non-conference slate with a 10-2 record.