Larry Ness
Cleveland vs. Atlanta
Pick: Cleveland -3
The defending champs are 41-18 and sit atop the East, three games clear of the Celtics, the No. 2 seed. The Hawks are 34-26, which leaves them fifth in the East, 1 1/2 games behind No. 4 seed Toronto and 7 1/2 games back of top-seeded Cleveland. Atlanta is hoping to move up the ladder in the East but Atlanta is 6 1/2 games 'north' of the playoff 'cut line,' meaning the Hawks will surely make the postseason for the 10 straight year. How many know or realize that Atlanta's owns the second-longest current playoff streak, bested only by that team from San Antonio.
Cleveland management took heed of LBJ's "call to arms," when he said the team needed help if it wanted to win it all, again. Cleveland traded for Kle Korver in early Januray (he's averaged 11.3 PPG and is shooting 50.4% on threes!) and got the 6-8 Derrick Williams from Miami in early Feb. Williams was the second overall pick of tehe (by Minn.) and has averaged 7.0 & 3.0 in eight games, including 11.3 PPG over his last four. Then just recently, the Cavs signed FA Deron Williams on Feb. 27, who averaged 13.1 PPG and 6.9 APG in 40 games for the Mavs. Center Andrew Bogut also just signed as a free agent and is likely to join the team in Miami on Saturday. He averaged just 3.0 points but 8.3 rebounds with the Mavericks. "He brings a physicality, a shot-blocking presence, a guy who can pass the ball at the 5 position and that's what we needed," Cleveland head coach
Tyronn Lue said.
When Atlanta sent Korver to the Cavs, the biggest beneficiary of added "PT" has been. Tim Hardaway Jr. He has scored in double digits for 15 straight games and his seasonal average is up to 13.0 PPG. The Hawks also made a trade deadline move, bringing in Ersan Ilyasova (14.8 & 5.9 in 53 games with the 76ers). The veteran power forward is a quality player and showed his shooting range by going 4-of-4 from three-point range in Wednesday's win over Dallas, finishing with 18 points. Throw in Millsap (17.8-7.8 ) and Howard (13.4-12.9) up front plus PG Schroder (17.4-6.3 APG, and the Hawks have the talent to move up in the standings. Atlanta is hoping that a six-game homestand (the Hawks won the first of six 100-95 over the Mavs on Wednesday) will allow them to do just that.
Now here's the rub. I like the moves the Cavs have made but remember, they already have LBJ (25.7-8.0-8.9) and Irving (24.7 & 5.9 APG). Plus, Kevin Love (20.0-11.1) should be back come the postseason. This is no time to be playing the Cavs. Cleveland has lost two of three, including that 103-99 loss in Boston on Wednesday, when for the first time this season, the Cavaliers lost while leading at any point in the fourth quarter on the road!
David Banks
San Antonio @ New Orleans
Pick: San Antonio -6.5
So far, it appears that the addition of DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans lineup hasn’t made a significant difference for the Pelicans. Cousins and NBA All-Star Game MVP Anthony Davis will try again to win a game on Friday night when they take on the West’s second-place team, San Antonio. Cousins, acquired from Sacramento in a blockbuster trade before the deadline, allows Davis to play more at forward. Cousins, while still scoring over 27 points a game, hasn’t helped the Pelicans to a win. In Sacramento, he did the same thing. He averaged a double-double for six seasons but the Kings never finished above .500.
Now, they will face a San Antonio team that has won its last four games in a row. The Spurs will face Indiana on Wednesday night prior to taking on New Orleans. Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge continue to give San Antonio one of the best frontcourts in all of basketball. Leonard averages 25.8 points per game and Aldridge scores 17.5 and pulls down 7.4 rebounds per game. With center Pau Gasol back after a thumb injury, the Spurs are looking to make a late-season run towards the playoffs.
The Spurs excel on the defensive end. They are second in the NBA in points allowed, giving up just 98.3 per game. San Antonio is second only to Golden State in point differential. The Spurs average 106.7 points per game, 8.4 more than they allow on the defensive end. Seven-foot Dewayne Dedmon and Aldridge give the Spurs a favorable matchup on Cousins and Davis.
Tony Finn
Brooklyn Nets at Utah Jazz
Play: Utah Jazz -13.5
The young and up-tempo Brooklyn Nets are playing at altitude tonight in Salt Lake City in a contest against the Utah Jazz. Tipoff is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET on Vivint Smart Home Arena court. The Jazz come into this Friday night event losers of two straight but hold a one-half-game lead over the Los Angeles Clippers for the No #4 spot in the Western Conference Playoff standings. The Nets are evaluating their current player personnel and are an inefficient but entertaining group to watch.
The Nets snapped a 16-game losing streak with a 109-100 triumph against the Kings in Sacramento and in truth the lone veteran on this Nets roster with any experience on how it feels to win is center Brooks Lopez. The victory over the Kings on Wednesday night offered evidence of the Kings lack of defense in the paint as Lopez scored 24 points on 9-of-17 and added eight rebounds. Guard Jeremy Lin offers some stability to the Brooklyn roster but his history of receiving minutes on a winning team is limited. Lin scored 17 points in 20 minutes in Wednesday's win in the California capital.
The balance, the depth and the defensive fortitude of the Jazz make them a playoff contender and how Utah goes on many nights is in the hands of the team's leading scorer, Gordon Hayward, who failed to reach the 20 point mark in the team's two straight losses. Center Rudy Gobert will handle the duties of defending the paint versus Lopez tonight limiting any chance that the Nets can string together two consecutive and hand the Jazz their third straight defeat.
When the Jazz square off against opponents that play at pace, e.g. Brooklyn, they are 11-2 straight up.
The Nets are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 games playing on just one days rest and are 1-7 in this situation the last eight games at altitude.
The Jazz are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a double-digit home setback.
The Jazz have claimed four of the last five head-to-head meetings between these two teams including a 101-89 win in Brooklyn in the first week of January.
Carmine Bianco
Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
Play: Pittsburgh -1.5
Penguins return home off a two game road trip that went about as bad as it could while losing both. They return home where they've won 16 of their last 20 and beat this Lightning side in Jan 6-2. They should get back into the win column tonight and we'll take the plus money on the PL here.
Buster Sports
Bowling Green at Buffalo
Play: Over 155
Its senior night in Buffalo, New York as the UB Bulls host the Bowling Green Falcons. Both of these teams will need to win the MAC tourney to get into the Big Dance but we see a total run and gun game tonight as both these clubs can put up some points. UB averages 78 points per game and they hung up 88 on the Falcons a couple of weeks ago in Bowling Green. The Falcons are 302nd in the nation in FG percentage defense which will help the home town Bulls tonight. The only reason that this is not a premium play is because both these teams shoot terrible from the FT line. The last 3 games landed on totals of 162,170 and 162 respectively. In fact when these clubs get together the total has gone OVER 19 out of the last 24 meetings. UB puts up about 90 tonight and the Falcons do their part as this game soars OVER the posted total.
Bruce Marshall
Buffalo -9
Keep an eye on Buffalo (7-2 SU last 9 and 8-2 last 10 vs. the line), quietly surging down the stretch since 6-6 sr. Blake Hamilton (17.3 ppg; 20 or more in six of last ten) assumed complete control of the offense earlier in the conference season. BGSU has no comparable weapon, as the Falcs hit only a modest 42.4% from the floor and were overwhelmed defensively in the first meeting on Feb. 11 at the Stroh Center, when the Bulls shot 63.5%! Buffalo has scored 88 ppg in the three meetings vs. BGSU since the start of last season.
Chris Jordan
My free pick is back east, where I like James Madison minus a cheap number against Drexel, in Charleston, South Carolina. This opening round pigtail pits the No. 7 seed against the very last No. 10 seed, as Drexel was the worst team in the conference this season.
The winner of this one gets tourney host Charleston, and I firmly believe James Madison is a steal at -3.
I give the edge to James Madison down the stretch, thanks to its free throw shooting. I can see this team leading a close game throughout, and then pulling away late from the charity stripe.
Take J-Mad tonight.
3* JAMES MADISON
Brad Wilton
Friday night's comp play winner is the Under in the Toronto-Washington showdown in D.C.
These teams just played an Under in Toronto on Wednesday night, as they have now gone Under the total in 5 of their last 6 series meetings.
The Raptors head into this game on a 6-1 Under run their last 7 games overall, while the Wizards play this Friday night home game having held Low in 3 straight and 4 of their last 5 overall.
Yes, the offense is there on both sides of the ball, but Toronto is getting used to playing without the injured Kyle Lowry and it has shown in the Unders they have strung together.
Based on both teams recent Under trends, and the overall series Under trend suggest playing this Friday night Eastern Conference clash Under the total.
Raptors-Wizards Low on Friday.
2* TORONTO-WASHINGTON UNDER