Billy Coleman
4* Over Tor
3* N Jersey
3* phoenix
4* Davidson
4* Over Brown
3* Princeton
Frank Rosenthal
NBA Hoops
506 Magic-6.5
507 Wizards Over 187
511 Nuggets-4.5
523 Celtics+2
Over 216.5
525 Hawks+9.5
Over 218
College Hoops
529 Princeton+4.5
536 Winthrop+3.5
Under 132
537 Call Santa Barb+4.5
Big Al
Atlanta
Charlotte
Big Al
Atlanta
At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Atlanta Hawks plus the points over the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors upset Boston on Wednesday night, and that was without Stephen Jackson (who is questionable for tonight's game). But one Warrior who will definitely not play tonight is Andris Biedrins. He scored 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in the Celtics game, even though he felt sick throughout. His discomfort was related to his appendix, and he underwent surgery to remove it yesterday. His absence will be felt tonight as he is averaging 10.3 ppg and a team-high 9.7 rebounds per game. And off that upset win, the Warriors are in an awful spot tonight, as .394 (or better) home teams are 0-16 ATS off an upset win at home, if matched up against a .394 (or better) foe off back-to-back losses. Look for Atlanta to snap its 7-game road losing streak tonight.
Upset Shocker of the Month on the Hawks.
Larry Ness
Oddsmaker's error - Winthrop
Insider - Utah State
Weekly wipeout winner - Seattle Sonics
Seabass
20* Yale
20* Cal Santa Barbara
20* Knicks
20* Hawks
20* Pistons
Winners Margin
Kings
Raptors
Princeton
Iceman
4* Calgary
3G Sports
5* Golden State
4* New Orleans
INDIAN COWBOY
Memphis (POD) +8
A nice opportunity for Memphis to cover here as they are in a good spot. This team lost to Dallas earlier on the road this year by a 11, but got off to a bad start and they come back home after a dissappointing game against the Clippers who had revenge against them. The Grizzlies do have bite as this team beat the Clippers at home and beat the Kings at home as well recently - remember, the Kings went on the road to beat the Blazers and beat the Hawks handily at home as well which shows their competence. With a young crew of Gay, Warrick and Conley Jr. this team does have some talent and although Mike Miller is listed as questionable, I think it will take some time for Dallas to mesh much time it will take some time for Shaq to mesh with the Suns completely. I think Kidd takes a way the Mavs explosiveness a bit that Devin Harris provided and Memphis can have plenty of bite at home. I look for this game to be similar to the Spurs vs. Twolves game yesterday. The Mavs have failed to cover their last 4 road games and with over 70% of the public on the Mavs and the line yet to budge, I'll gladly take the public's overplay of Jason Kidd's influence on the Mavericks becoming a drastically better team.
Dartmouth -1
It was either between this game or Brown in what I was going to choose to play in the Ivy Friday night and I went with Dartmouth for a couple reasons despite Brown being a sound play. Columbia has revenge over Brown, and for that reason I laid off it. Dartmouth lost by a bucket to the Quakers earlier this year and have had a tough stretch of late in conference play and are coming across a series of home games and including that is a game agaisnt Upenn tonight. Upenn is 1-8 on the road and yet they are getting a great deal of respect because of their recent home win against Harvard. Home court is a big deal in the Ivy and remember, Upenn is the same team that lost 30-60 against Florida Gulf Coast who is a top 300 team. They face a Dartmouth team who admittedly is in the top 300, but Upenn is not that far behind as they are in the top 280 and the home court advantage makes the difference here in my opinion. Remember Dartmouth beat Harvard by 17 at home and this is where the slide ends as the Big Green pick up a big home win today. Dartmouth is 4-1-1 ATS against teams with a winning % of less than .400 and the Quakers are 1-7-1 ATS as an underdog of this margin.
Boston +1.5
I admire the Suns as a basketball team, but if I went with the Lakers on the road at Phoenix to likely win outright, it only makes sense that I ride the Celtics on the road to win outright at Phoenix as well. After all, I consider the Celtics to be a better team only slightly albeit to the Lakers in the power rankings, the Celtics come off back to back losses on the road in tight ballgames and would desperately love to pick up a road win here. Although both teams match fairly evenly, I like the fact that the Celtics come off back to back losses, I don't believe they have lost 3 in a row all year and the Suns I believe will take some more time to mesh with Shaq. The Celtics are 6-1 ATS as an underdog by this margin and the Suns are 1-5-1 ATS as a home favorite of late. I also think think in the end the defensive intensity of the Celtics likely wins this game.
Dr Bob
I’ll take New York in a 3-Star Best Bet at +5 points or more and for 2-Stars at +4 ½ or +4 points.
I’ll take Utah in a 2-Star Best Bet at -6 points or less and for 3-Stars at -5 or less.
Friday NBA Opinion ORLANDO (-7) over Philadelphia
PowerPlaywins
Toronto -5.5
Phoenix Suns -1
SPORTS BANK
400* Pistons
Dennis Hill
20 Unit Orlando -7