NBA Picks & Predictions for Monday, March 14, 2011
By Anthony Rome
(The Spread) – Ironically, the Denver Nuggets have been better off on the court without Carmelo Anthony. Can they continue their recent success?
View Current NBA Basketball Odds
Oddsmakers from online sports book Bodog.com have made the New Orleans Hornets a 3-point home favorite over the Nuggets on Monday night. The over/under total for this game is currently 199.5 points.
The Nuggets enter Monday night’s game with a 39-27 overall record, but they’re just 12-20 on the road. They’re 32-3-3 against the spread overall and 15-16-1 ATS on the road according to recent NBA trends.
The Hornets are a solid 39-29 overall and 23-9 at home. They’re 34-33-1 against the spread, however, and just 16-16 ATS when they play at the New Orleans Arena. The under is 45-23 in all of the Hornets’ games this season.
NBA Free Pick: I’m going right back to the well with the Nuggets. Last Thursday I picked Denver to cover as a 3.5-point road underdog against the Suns and the Nuggets won outright. The Hornets are significantly better team at home than Phoenix is, but I see the potential for a similar result tonight. Since trading Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets are more balanced offensively thanks to young guards Ty Lawson and Raymond Felton. They’re 7-2 since the trade and have looked like a care-free club. The road team is 4-1 against the spread in the last five meetings between Denver and New Orleans and the Nuggets are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Keep riding the hot hand until it cools.
MONDAY NBA BASKETBALL FREE PICK: DENVER NUGGETS +3