Saturday's Best NBA Bets
Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors (N/A)
All signs point to a Dallas victory on Saturday night at Golden State.
The Mavericks have won five of their last six games (4-2 ATS), although they are coming off a blowout loss to the Lakers on Thursday night. Dallas has won six in a row against the Warriors, including all three of their meetings this season (2-1 ATS).
Golden State, on the other hand, has dropped two straight and eight of 10 (2-8 ATS). While the Warriors’ first two contests against Dallas during the 2010-11 campaign were competitive, the March 20 tilt was not. The host Mavericks rolled 101-73, won the rebounding battle 51-39 and held Golden State to dismal 35.1 percent shooting.
The Warriors, though, could have some hope. They are 23-14 at home, and Dallas completely lost its emotion on Thursday, engaging in a melee with the Lakers. Both Jason Terry and Brendan Haywood were ejected.
"Emotions got the best of me tonight,” said Terry, who added that he does not anticipate a suspension. “I already apologized to the team. You just can’t let that happen in big games. But the game was getting out of hand, so things happen."
Pick: Mavericks
Oklahoma City Thunder (-3.5, 205.5) at Los Angeles Clippers
Garth Brooks once sang “The Thunder Rolls,” and that is exactly what it is doing right now.
Oklahoma City has won five in a row (2-2-1 ATS), 11 of 12 (8-3-1 ATS) and 14 of 15 (10-4-1 ATS). The team has all but locked up no worse than the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, meaning it will have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Thunder recorded their best month in franchise history in March, and they've matched their 50-win total from last season. Even better news, though, is that their minds are still focused on more important things.
"I think it's a good sign for our team that this is not a huge deal," Nick Collison told The Daily Oklahoman of 50 wins. "Our minds are in the right place, I think. At this time of year, it's good to be on a roll."
The Thunder are coming off a Friday night date at Portland, while the Clippers also have a quick turnaround following their visit to Phoenix. Oklahoma City is 8-6 (9-5 ATS) in the second of back-to-back games this season and Los Angeles is 7-12 (9-9-1 ATS) in such games.
Pick: Thunder
Sixers, Bucks in back-to-back
By: Brad Young
The National Basketball Association’s regular season is quickly coming to a close, as there are just two weeks remaining until the playoffs begin.
There is an interesting matchup on Saturday’s schedule pitting the Philadelphia 76ers against the Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PT) from Milwaukee’s Bradley Center.
Both teams enter this contest playing on back-to-back nights after the Sixers hosted New Jersey Friday, and the Bucks traveled to Indiana.
Philadelphia, on the cusp of clinching a playoff spot, currently resides in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee presently finds itself in 10th place, three games behind the eighth place Pacers.
The Sixers had recorded back-to-back victories both SU and ATS heading into Friday’s contest. Philadelphia dumped Houston Wednesday as a three-point home ‘chalk,’ 108-97, while the combined 205 points failed to eclipse the 209½-point closing total. The ‘under’ has cashed in the Sixers’ previous two outings.
Philadelphia took control of the contest by outscoring the Rockets in the fourth quarter, 24-15. The Sixers finished the contest with advantages in rebounding (41-38) and assists (30-25), while shooting a solid 54 percent (46-of-85) from the field and 39 percent (5-of-13) from behind the arc.
Point guard Jrue Holiday paced the offense with 24 points and 12 assists, while forward Thaddeus Young had 22 and nine rebounds. Center Spencer Hawes accounted for 12 and seven, while small forward Andre Iguodala provided nine points and 10 assists.
Milwaukee was mired in a two-game SU losing streak before upending Toronto on Wednesday as a 4½-point road favorite, 104-98. The combined 202 points toppled the 190 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ improve to 3-1 the previous four outings.
The game was tied entering the fourth quarter until the Bucks outscored the Raptors, 28-22. Milwaukee enjoyed advantages in rebounding (36-34) and assists (36-22), while shooting 49 percent (38-of-77) from the field and 47 percent (9-of-19) from 3-point land.
Point guard Brandon Jennings stepped up with 25 points and seven assists, while forward Drew Gooden had 22 and 11 rebounds. Center Andrew Bogut provided 17 and 10 in the victory, while forward Carlos Delfino had 14 points and four steals.
The home team has won all three games in the season series. Philadelphia prevailed Nov. 19 as a 4½-point home underdog, 90-79, and Jan. 14 as a 4½-point home ‘chalk,’ 95-94. Milwaukee triumphed March 12 as a two-point home favorite, 102-74.
The ‘under’ is 6-1 the previous seven encounters. The Sixers are 8-3-1 ATS the last 12 meetings in this series. Philadelphia has seen the ‘over’ go 12-5 its past 17 road endeavors. Milwaukee is 6-2 ATS its last eight home games, while the ‘under’ is 16-6 the previous 22 home endeavors.
The Don Best Sports injury report lists Philadelphia forward Elton Brand (flu) as ‘probable’ versus the Nets. Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut (illness) is ‘questionable’ against the Sixers, while forward Larry Sanders (back) is ‘probable.’ Forward Jon Brockman (shoulder) and forward Ersan Ilvasoya (concussion) are ‘doubtful.’
The Sixers conclude a brief two-game road trip with Tuesday’s tilt at Boston. The Bucks follow this matchup with a three-game road trip versus Orlando, Miami and Detroit.