Sunday's Best NBA Bets
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Lakers
It was not good news for the Warriors when David Lee took a tooth to the elbow from New York's Wilson Chandler last week. Lee has missed four games now, and Golden State is 1-3 during that span while being out-rebounded by a combined 30 boards.
Little-used Vladimir Radmanovic is getting starts in place of Lee and the veteran is averaging a mere 4.1 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in just under 15 minutes. Head coach Keith Smart sounded only mildly encouraged when discussing Radmanovic. "He actually understands the defensive concepts," Smart told the San Francisco Chronicle. "He's in the right places. He's doing things for us there. Like any other player, he wants to make shots and is pressing a bit. But he adds veteran leadership and I am comfortable with him."
Lee's absence may not hurt quite as bad on the defensive end of the floor with L.A. still missing Andrew Bynum, but Pau Gasol has been a force down low. Gasol is on a streak of seven straight double-doubles heading into Friday's game.
The Warriors, meanwhile, were averaging an NBA-best 20.6 fast-break points per outing as of the start of this weekend.
Pick: Over
New Orleans Hornets at Sacramento Kings (5.5, 198)
The Hornets made headlines on Saturday along with the Raptors, because the two teams agreed on a five-player deal that features Peja Stojakovic and Jarrett Jack. Stojakovic goes to Toronto along with Jerryd Bayless in exchange for Jack, David Andersen, and Marcus Banks.
It's unlikely that New Orleans will have its new trio of players in time for a 6 p.m. Eastern tip against Sacramento. At the same time, that might not bee too costly. Stojakovic (7.5 points in fewer than 15 minutes) has struggle and Bayless (4.5 points, 2.5 assists) backs up Chris Paul. Jack will back up Paul, Andersen will come of the bench at center, and Banks (has played in only three games this season) won't play a key role.
Given the current form of the Hornets and Kings, even a five-player shakeup might not be enough to derail New Orleans. The Hornets are 10-1 overall; they are also 10-2-1 ATS in their last 13 overall and 4-0-1 ATS in their last five road games. The 4-7 Kings are 1-7 ATS in their last eight overall.
Pick: Hornets
NBA Betting: Kings host New Orleans Hornets
By: Brad Young
Southwest Division leading New Orleans (10-1 straight up, 8-2-1 against the spread) begins a four-game West Coast road trip with Sunday’s matchup versus Sacramento (4-7 SU, 3-8 ATS). Despite their early season success, the Hornets are in the midst of a five-player trade with Toronto.
Both teams have agreed in principle that would send Peja Stojakovic and Jerryd Bayless to the Raptors for Jarrett Jack, David Andersen and Marcus Banks. The only issue holding the deal back is the amount of cash New Orleans would send Toronto. Stojakovic is no longer in the Hornets’ starting rotation and he is in the last year of a pricey contract, while Bayless is a backup point guard after being acquired from Portland.
Don Best's Real-Time Odds installed New Orleans as a 5 ½-point road favorite over Sacramento, with the total set at 200 ½. However, this game is circled due to the unknown status of the potential trade.
NBA TV will provide coverage of Sunday’s matchup beginning at 3:00 p.m. PT from Sacramento’s Arco Arena.
New Orleans enters this contest riding a two-game SU winning streak after upending Cleveland Friday night as nine-point home ‘chalk,’ 108-101. The combined 209 points soared past the 193 ½-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash the fourth consecutive contest. The Hornets are now 0-2-1 ATS their last three games.
New Orleans took control of the contest by outscoring the Cavaliers in the second quarter, 36-15. The Hornets limited Cleveland to just 35 percent shooting, but allowed an opponent to reach triple digits in scoring for the first time this season. New Orleans finished the contest by shooting 46 percent (39-of-85) from the field.
Power forward David West had a season-high 34 points along with 11 rebounds in the victory, while shooting guard Marco Belinelli added 20 and five assists. Point guard Chris Paul contributed 15 and 10 in 34 minutes of action.
Sacramento snapped a six-game SU losing streak by beating New Jersey Friday in a low-scoring affair as a three-point home favorite, 86-81. The combined 167 points never seriously threatened the 197 ½-point closing total. The ‘under’ is now 5-1 in the Kings’ last six outings. Sacramento had failed to cover seven straight matchups before upending the Nets.
The Kings defense limited New Jersey to just 35 points in the second half, helping them prevail despite entering halftime trailing for the 11th straight time this season. Sacramento won the rebounding battle, 45-39, while shooting 43 percent (33-of-77) from the field.
Point guard Tyreke Evans paced the offense with 20 points on 8-of-21 shooting, while forward Carl Landry added 15 and six rebounds. Beno Udrih added 12 points off the bench, and guard Luther Head contributed 10 and five.
The road team has won the last three meetings in the New Orleans-Sacramento series, but this is the first matchup this season between the teams. The Kings have covered the previous nine games in this series, eight times when listed as an underdog.
New Orleans is 10-2-1 ATS its last 13 games overall. The Hornets follow this contest with road games against the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah and Portland.
Sacramento has struggled to a 1-7 ATS ledger its previous eight outings overall, and is just 9-26-1 versus the number its last 36 home endeavors. The Kings play Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers on the road following this matchup.