Jeff Benton
Your Thursday freebie is the Jazz as the road dog at the Thunder.
Yes, OKC is on a 5 game winning streak, but the Thunder did drop their last game against the spread, and have failed in 2 of their last 3 as the favorite.
Utah has won their last pair, and they are also on a 6-1 straight up and against the spread roll their last 7 games, so the feeling here is this line is a little inflated.
Oklahoma City does have a big revenge game with San Antonio up next, so you can see the Thunder doing just enough to get the win over a Utah team they have bested in each of the last 3 showdowns.
The Jazz does own the cover in this series in 3 of the last 5 meetings, and I see them getting the cover in this meeting tonight in Oklahoma City.
2* UTAH
Scott Delaney
So all of a sudden we have a surging Utah Jazz team that has moved into playoff position? Yeah, well, let's see how they do in Oklahoma City against Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant - arguably the deadliest combo of late.
Westbrook is looking for his fourth consecutive triple-double tonight, and seventh of March, while Durant has a streak of his own with 56 straight 20-point games, which ties a career high. The run began with 27 points in Utah against these same Jazz, back on Nov. 23.
Plus, the Jazz haven't won their past nine visits to Oklahoma City, while they've lost all three overall meetings this season. Utah is 2-12 there all-time against the Thunder, who are 28-9 on their own floor, and have won their past two home games.
Lay the chalk tonight.
1* THUNDER
Bob Balfe
Oregon -3
There is no doubt that Duke can get hot on any given night and score their way to big wins, but this team plays little defense and they rely so much on young guys to lead them to victory. I don’t like the make up of this year’s Duke team compared to prior teams. You see many blown leads against weak teams and no depth at all. Oregon is super athletic and should get Duke into foul trouble tonight. I want to see how the young players on Duke react when they have to guard or be guarded by athletes that are more physically gifted. Oregon doesn’t get the respect they deserve as a #1 seed. Duke did a tremendous job this year getting to this point with the little tools they have, but I think that all ends tonight. Take Oregon.
Oklahoma -2.5
Oklahoma has the best player in the country in Buddy Hield who can take over a game all by himself. This is a guy you love wagering on down the stretch of a game. Is Texas A&M playing on borrowed time? For 39 mins their best player was nowhere to be found. Northern Iowa lost that game because their only true ball handler had a fluke leg injury and they could no inbound the ball. That kind of fluke comeback happens once in a lifetime. N. Iowa was undersized and lacked rebounding, but still took it to A&M all night. Oklahoma is a hot 3 point shooting team that can put this game out of reach in just a few minutes. I don’t think A&M will do enough to put Oklahoma in foul trouble. The only way you beat the Sooners is if you get to their bench or lack their of a bench. I think A&M is a great team for not quitting the other night, but all the stars have to align for them to be even in this position. Take Oklahoma.
Jimmy Moore
Oregon -3
You have seen this Duke team - not exactly a vintage team here. They squeaked by their first round and got a huge break in the 2nd round getting to play a Yale team playing off of their first ever win in the NCAA tournament. Oregon has covered 6 of their last 8 games and they will be ready for Duke with all the time in-between games. Duke only has one cover in their last 7 games and that was by one point over Yale. Look for Oregon to take over in the 2nd half and get this win and cover.
Bruce Marshall
Indiana -13
Perhaps it's fitting for the injury-plagued New Orleans season to end with Anthony Davis on the shelf, as he now is, with knee and shoulder woes. Thus, all we'll see of "The Brow" until the Rio Olympics (if he's available at all for Brazil this summer) is on commercials for H&R Block and the new Barber Shop movie. The Pels were 2-6 SU without Davis thru March 21, but they did win minus The Brow on Sunday vs. the Clips, when all starters scored in double digits and G Jrue Holiday led a spirited effort with 22 points. Still, we might be interested in laying a fair price with Indiana despite its ongoing indifferent form that has placed its playoff hopes in jeopardy. Paul George did, however, erupt for 45 last Saturday vs. the Thunder, and the clouds might be finally parting for the Pacers as they look at the league's easiest remaining schedule. Indiana won and covered narrowly in the first meeting at Smoothie King back on Jan. 8, surviving an off night by George (only 3 of 13 from floor) when New Orleans only had Davis available for 3 minutes before he suffered a back bruise and left the game. That result gave the Pacers wins and covers their last three in this series.