Sunday NBA Picks
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their NBA picks and predictions for Sunday, March 1.
Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics, 1:05PM ET
Richard Hamilton has been a major weapon as the sixth man for the Detroit Pistons, but he was back in the starting lineup as they snapped a lengthy losing streak in their latest game.
The Boston Celtics, meanwhile, have a new threat off the bench.
Stephon Marbury looked good in his Boston debut, and Sunday afternoon he’ll try to help his new team finish off a four-game season sweep of the visiting Pistons, who will likely again be missing Allen Iverson.
The addition of Marbury to the Atlantic Division leaders had been rumored for weeks, but first the No. 4 pick from the 1996 draft had to agree to a buyout with the New York Knicks and clear waivers.
He was waived Tuesday and joined the Celtics (47-13) on Friday morning, and it didn’t take long for the two-time All-Star to make an impact. Marbury had eight points and two assists in 13 minutes Friday night, helping Boston beat Indiana 104-99 in its return home following a season-high six-game road trip.
NBA Free Pick: Boston – View Game Matchup | Best Line: -9.5 Sports Interaction
Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns, 3:35PM ET
Shaquille O’Neal’s best days were supposedly behind him. Apparently that’s not the case.
After recording his first 40-plus point game since his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, O’Neal faces his former team for the second time in four days Sunday afternoon as the Phoenix Suns look to snap a three-game home losing streak to a Lakers team coming off one of the franchise’s worst performances ever.
O’Neal, who turns 37 next Friday, hit 20 of 25 shots and scored 45 on Friday night as the Suns (33-25) defeated visiting Toronto 133-113. It was his 49th career 40-plus point game and first since scoring 48 for Los Angeles in a 104-96 win over Boston on March 21, 2003.
O’Neal had 37 40-plus point games with the Lakers from 1996-04.
NBA Free Pick: Phoenix – View Game Matchup | Best Line: -4.5 Sports Interaction
New Orleans Hornets at New Jersey Nets, 7:35PM ET
Devin Harris was struggling through his worst slump of the season the last time he faced Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets, but he’s had little trouble since and is leading the New Jersey Nets’ playoff push.
Harris, coming off two outstanding games, looks to avenge a loss to Paul and the Hornets as two of the league’s premier young point guards face off Sunday night.
In this season’s first meeting between the teams, Harris was held to six points on 1-for-11 shooting as New Jersey (26-32) fell 102-92 at New Orleans (35-22) on Jan. 21. Paul nearly posted a triple-double, finishing with 29 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
Harris scored seven points in his previous contest, a 105-85 loss to Boston on Jan. 17. Since facing the Hornets, though, he has scored at least 20 in 10 of 16 games.
Harris had 19 of his 42 points in the fourth quarter of a 111-99 win over Chicago on Wednesday night, two days after scoring 39 and hitting a buzzer-beating half-court shot for a 98-96 win over Philadelphia.
NBA Free Pick: Nets – View Game Matchup | Best Line: -4 Sports Interaction
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Posted: 3/1/09 3:35AM ET