NBA Picks & Predictions for Thursday, March 24, 2011
By Anthony Rome
(The Spread) – The New Orleans Hornets are well rested and playing a mess of a team in the Utah Jazz. But can they cover on Thursday night?
Oddsmakers from online sports book SBGGLOBAL.com have made the visiting Hornets 4.5-point favorites over the Jazz, while the over/under total for this game is currently sitting at 190.5 points.
The Hornets head into Thursday night’s contest with a 40-31 overall record, although they’re just 16-20 on the road this year. According to latest NBA trends, they’re 34-35-2 against the spread this season and 18-17-1 ATS on the road.
The Jazz have dropped to .500 for the first time since November and are now 36-36 overall. They’re 20-15 at home, however, yet 14-21 against the number at EnergySolutions Arena. (They’re also 30-40-2 ATS overall.)
NBA Free Pick: The Jazz have lost three in a row and are dealing with an assortment of injuries. Guard Devin Harris has a bad hamstring, forward Andrei Kirilenko is battling a knee injury and Derrick Favors has a bum ankle. On the flip side, New Orleans should be well-rested after last playing on Saturday when it lost 89-85 to the Celtics. The Hornets lost to the Jazz 105-87 on the road earlier this season, but that was back in November when Utah was playing well. It’s been a tale of two halves for the Jazz, who are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 home games and 0-5 ATS in their last five games playing on zero days rest. Meanwhile, the Hornets are 6-0 ATS in their last six games playing on three or more days of rest and 5-1 ATS in their last six Thursday night games. Take New Orleans.
THURSDAY NBA FREE PICK: NEW ORLEANS HORNETS –4.5