2010 NBA Mock Draft version 2.0

06/21/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last year's NBA Draft saw a couple of big men, Blake Griffin and Hasheem Thabeet, go 1-2 before it became all about the backcourt, specifically the point guard position.

The league was infiltrated in 2009-10 by a whole host of quarterbacks with some serious upside. Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings and Minnesota's Jonny Flynn, along with the Hornets' Darren Collison and Jrue Holiday of the Sixers, all look like long-time starters. Denver's Ty Lawson also showed enough to suggest he may also be handling a team relatively soon.

Meanwhile, Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings and Golden State's Stephen Curry proved to be upper-echelon combo guards in their rookie seasons, and perhaps the most ballyhooed backcourt prospect of them all, Spain's Ricky Rubio, never even made it over from Europe after being selected by the Timberwolves with the fifth overall pick.

The frontcourt was a different story. Griffin was last season's No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angles Clippers but missed his entire rookie season with a stress fracture in his left knee. Thabeet, the second pick by Memphis, showed little in his first season on Beale Street, while another lottery pick, Arizona forward Jordan Hill, ended up being a bust in New York and was shipped to Houston.

This year, things have taken a 180. The depth in the backcourt figures to fall off the table after Kentucky point guard John Wall and Ohio State swingman Evan Turner go 1-2. However, there are plenty of legitimate prospects up front, starting with Kentucky center DeMarcus Cousins, Georgia Tech power forward Derrick Favors and Syracuse small forward Wesley Johnson.

Let's take a look with The Sportsbook Betting Lines's 2010 NBA Mock Draft, version 2.0:

1. - Washington Wizards - John Wall (Kentucky), Point Guard (6-3, 195) - Wall combines rare speed with the ball, along with the size and athleticism to be an elite player very early in his career. He needs to improve his jumper but could be a quicker version of Derrick Rose.

2. - Philadelphia 76ers - Evan Turner (Ohio State), Combo Guard (6-7, 215) - The Sixers jumped up from six to No. 2 in the lottery and lucked out with a virtually mistake-proof pick in Turner, the college player of the year. Turner has a tremendous feel for the game and is an extremely efficient offensive player in the mold of Portland's Brandon Roy. He should team with Holiday to give the Sixers a top-tier backcourt for the next decade or so.

3. - New Jersey Nets - Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech), Power Forward (6-9, 245) - The Nets will have the first real decision in the draft. I think Cousins has a bigger upside than either Favors or Johnson, but New Jersey already has an All-Star type center in Brook Lopez so look for them to go with Favors, a prototypical four in the mold of Kenyon Martin.

4. - Minnesota Timberwolves - Wesley Johnson (Syracuse), Small Forward (6-7, 205) - The Wolves' annual hard luck in the lottery continued this year, as the team fell from the second spot to No. 4 and will have to make a decision between Cousins and Johnson. My guess is the Wolves take the safe bet and that's Johnson, a silky-smooth small forward with a big wingspan and a nice jumper.

5. - Sacramento Kings - DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky), Center (6-11, 280) - Last year Sacramento fell from No. 1 to four in the lottery and lucked out by snaring Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, a player that should be the cornerstone of the franchise. The Kings reportedly asked Evans his opinion on who the pick should be this season and Tyreke wasn't shy about professing his desire to play with Cousins. The Sacramento brass reportedly thinks Georgetown big man Greg Monroe is a safer pick but in the end, I think Cousins' upside is the difference.

6. - Golden State Warriors - Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest), Combo Forward (6-8, 220) - There is a significant drop after the top five players on the board so Golden State ended up being the biggest loser in the lottery, falling from four to six. Aminu, however, has elite physical tools and a nice upside but he's a bit of a tweener and needs to add strength.

7. - Detroit Pistons - Cole Aldrich (Kansas), Center (6-11, 250) - Since Ben Wallace and Kwame Brown were the big men in the Motor City last year, you have to think Joe Dumars goes with Aldrich, a legitimate center with top-tier rebounding and defensive skills. He is limited offensively, however.

8. - Los Angeles Clippers - Luke Babbitt (Nevada), Combo Forward (6-8, 220) - The next grouping of players features more than a few power forwards and centers. Since the Clippers have Chris Kaman in the pivot and will have Griffin coming back next year at the four, they would probably like a small forward but Aminu will be off the board, so expect them to reach for Nevada's Luke Babbitt, a high-energy player with some offensive skill.

9. - Utah Jazz - Ed Davis (North Carolina), Power Forward (6-9, 225) - The rich get richer, as Utah uses the New York Knicks' pick to select the Tar Heels power forward as insurance for the injured Mehmet Okur and free agent power forward Carlos Boozer.

10. - Indiana Pacers - Greg Monroe (Georgetown), Power Forward/Center (6-10, 245) - The Pacers need a point guard badly and are reportedly shopping this pick with the intent of landing Lawson from Denver or Collison from New Orleans. Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe would be a reach here so if they are forced to stay put, getting Danny Granger a long, athletic running mate like Monroe, a lefty with the skills of a much smaller player, wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for the Pacers.

11. - New Orleans Hornets - Ekpe Udoh (Baylor), Power Forward (6-10, 235) - Udoh has the wingspan of a 7-foot-4 player and should develop into an elite shot-blocker early in his career as well as an exceptional offensive rebounder, two attributes the Hornets desperately need.

12. - Memphis Grizzlies - Patrick Patterson (Kentucky), Combo Forward (6-8, 235) - Patterson seems like a good choice here. The Kentucky junior has the ability to move between the three and four, meaning he can play with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph as well as provide insurance in case Randolph is involved in more off-the-floor nonsense.

13. - Toronto Raptors - Daniel Orton (Kentucky), Power Forward (6-10, 255) - The Raptors figure to lose Chris Bosh in the offseason so they will need a big man and Orton has a significant upside. He's already got the NBA body and has impressive length but his offensive game needs a lot of work despite a very soft touch that is rare among young bigs today. If Orton ends up slipping from here, he won't get by Oklahoma City at 21.

14. - Houston Rockets - Hassan Whiteside (Marshall), Center (7-0, 240) - Houston has the final lottery pick and takes some insurance for the oft- injured Yao Ming. Whiteside is coming out after his freshman season so he needs some seasoning but will be an imposing physical presence once he grows into his body. Meanwhile, Whiteside has already been working out in Houston with former Rocket great Hakeem Olajuwon.

15. - Milwaukee Bucks - Larry Sanders (VCU), Power Forward (6-10, 235) - Sanders was scheduled to work out for the Blazers but his agent nixed it, and some think he got a guarantee from the Bucks that he will be selected here if available. The Bucks added an impressive quarterback last year in Jennings, and Sanders is the type of athlete that will fit right into what the team is trying to accomplish. Scott Skiles seems to be enamored with his length and ability to help on the defensive end and the boards.

16. - Minnesota Timberwolves - Xavier Henry (Kansas), Shooting Guard (6-6, 220) - Henry, the Kansas freshman, is a physical specimen that is tailor-made for the NBA game and a young team playing the Triangle Offense like Minnesota.

17. - Chicago Bulls - Damion James (Texas), Small Forward (6-7, 230) - The Bulls want to win now and may make the big push for LeBron James. I see them going the "best available" route and that might be "the other" James, the rare senior that figures as a first-round pick. James excels in transition and is an exceptional rebounder and defender for his size.

18. - Miami Heat - Gordon Hayward (Butler), Small Forward (6-8, 210) - Dwyane Wade is the first order of business in South Beach. If Miami gets its superstar back, they could use a weak-side shooter with a high basketball IQ like Hayward to take advantage of the double-teams Wade often gets.

19. - Boston Celtics - Avery Bradley (Texas), Shooting Guard (6-2, 175) - This is a pretty high pick for a team that made a serious run at the NBA title. Since Ray Allen will likely move on in the offseason, the C's can take a flyer on Bradley, an undersized freshman that is a pure shooter and scorer.

20. - San Antonio Spurs - Eric Bledsoe (Kentucky), Combo Guard (6-0, 195) - The tread is wearing thin on both Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. George Hill could be a difference-maker down the line but the Spurs could use another active body in the backcourt and Bledsoe, while not quite ready, can play both positions and has a solid upside.

21. - Oklahoma City Thunder - Solomon Alabi (Florida State), Center (7-1, 240) - The Thunder are very skilled on the wings and in the backcourt so they should be looking for another big body and the raw Nigerian big man with a defensive upside is a nice value pick here.

22. - Portland Trail Blazers - James Anderson (Oklahoma State), Shooting Guard (6-6, 195) - Anderson is slight but tough and could be the best pure shooter in this year's draft. Chad Buchanan, the Blazers' director of college scouting, recently said there would likely be "two really solid catch-and- shoot guys" that could help the team at 22 and that definition fits Anderson to a tee. A reach would be Jon Scheyer from Duke.

23. - Minnesota Timberwolves - Paul George (Fresno State), Combo Forward (6-8, 210) - George is a rangy guy that can handle the ball very well for a wing player and run the floor. Anybody who can put the ball in the basket should be considered by the Wolves.

24. - Atlanta Hawks - Armon Johnson (Nevada), Combo Guard (6-3, 190) - With Joe Johnson likely moving on and Mike Bibby getting a bit long in the tooth, Johnson, a lefty combo guard with decent size, seems like a nice fit. Johnson should be a 10-to-15 minute guy to give Bibby a blow early on with the ability to turn into a starter down the line. "Realistically, at that area in the draft, you are looking at the best available player," new Hawks coach Larry Drew said.

25. - Memphis Grizzlies - Elliott Williams (Memphis), Shooting Guard (6-4, 180) - The Grizz will have already selected at No. 12 and also have the 28th pick, so you can assume that there will be some wheeling and dealing at some point. But for this exercise, they stay put and take the local product, a versatile southpaw guard with upper-echelon athleticism.

26. - Oklahoma City Thunder - Devin Ebanks (West Virginia), Small Forward (6-7, 205) - Ebanks is an active wing player that can get after people defensively and has a nice touch around the basket.

27. - New Jersey Nets - Lance Stephenson (Cincinnati), Shooting Guard (6-5, 210) - A tough, athletic freshman with an NBA-ready body. His power and quickness could cause a lot of trouble on the blocks in a few years.

28. - Memphis Grizzlies - Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech), Power Forward (6-9, 235) - Lawal is a big guy with great length that can play minutes at both center and power forward.

29. - Orlando Magic - Stanley Robinson (UConn), Combo Forward (6-8, 220) - Normally, I would expect the Magic to take a European player and leave him overseas but a poor performance against Boston means they will take a talent. Robinson can run the floor and finish, but lacks a top-tier jumper.

30. - Washington Wizards - Dominique Jones (South Florida), Shooting Guard (6-4, 215) - The Wizards finish the first round by getting Wall a running mate in Jones. a powerfully-built combo guard with a nice offensive game.

54. - Los Angeles Clippers - Latavious Williams (NBADL), Combo Forward (6-8, 210)

59. - Orlando Magic - Tyren Johnson (Louisiana-Lafayette), Small Forward (6-8, 205)

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Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends

We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS. Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned. For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go. As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190). Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet. For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction. On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later. Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick. Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com

New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season.

Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls

Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times.

Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season.

Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers

In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS.

For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”. With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit. Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.

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