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Stephen Curry wasn’t exactly his amazing self on Friday night, but the Warriors still operated as planned and stayed perfect on the year. That was about the only normal thing on a jam-packed night of pro basketball action. Kobe Bryant logged 37 minutes, the Spurs lost to the Pelicans and the Knicks upset the Thunder in OKC.
It was a crazy night and truly there’s even more we could discuss, but Saturday is already here and there are another 7 NBA games to consider. Reflecting on the past is fun, but in the NBA betting world, it also is often a waste of time. Today’s games offer up three quality conference clashes, a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals and a bitter divisional matchup between the Grizzlies and Spurs.
Let’s take a closer look at all seven games and see which way we should be leaning for Saturday’s NBA picks:
Kings @ Magic
DeMarcus Cousins returns to Sacramento’s lineup after a one-game suspension and he should have little trouble doing work against the Orlando Magic. Nikola Vucevic was specifically benched in his last game for horrid defense, and even with added effort he’s not going to be able to shut down Boogie. While Cousins will get his and a likely fast-pace game benefits the Kings, they’re still on the road and Rudy Gay won’t be active. I’ll give the Magic the slight edge, as they’re a strong 4-2 on their home floor and the Kings haven’t won on the road yet (0-4).
Pick: Magic 104, Kings 101
Bucks @ Pacers
Milwaukee has slumped lately with two straight losses, as their lack of shooting is really starting to stand out. They do have O.J. Mayo and Jabari Parker back, though, so they could start to find their legs on offense. Doing that on the road against the Pacers could prove to be difficult, of course, as Indy is 7-3 over their last 10 games and has been quite stingy defensively (allowing just 95 points per game).
Pick: Pacers 102, Bucks 94
Hawks @ Cavs
This is that rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals we touched on, as the Hawks head to Cleveland to take on the Cavs. Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert are still out for Cleveland, who also will have to do without center Timofey Mozgov. They’re probably fine with Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao to fall back on, while ATL could also be a little short-handed if Jeff Teague sits again. Atlanta is a solid team, but they’re not as good on the road and the Cavs have been quite strong (9-2 over last 11 contests).
Pick: Cavs 105, Hawks 102
Wizards @ Pistons
Washington slipped a bit after a nice start, but they’ve put things together with two straight wins and could finally get Brad Beal back tonight. They have a shot if Beal suits up, but Detroit is 3-1 at home and has also won two in a row. This should be a hard fought battle, but I just barely like the Pistons tonight due to vastly superior defense.
Pick: Pistons 104, Wizards 102
Knicks @ Rockets
New York beat the Thunder on the road last night and is slowly starting to look like a legit playoff contender out of the East. Houston plays at home tonight, but Dwight Howard suited up last night so they won’t be working at 100%. I’m not sure the Knicks can handle James Harden, but the bigger issue is the Rockets are giving up an absurd 107 points per game on the other end. With Howard out, it’s tough to imagine that defense being any better, while the Rockets are inexplicably just 3-5 on their own floor this year. Going with the Knicks feels like a gamble, but they’re the better bet.
Pick: Knicks 104, Rockets 101
76ers @ Heat
Miami is a 14-point favorite here, and for good reason. Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside are all playing exceptionally well and the Heat are a stellar 6-2 in South Beach this year. While that all is great, the Sixers are also a pathetic 0-13. Miami does play a lot slower than most teams, but they defend well and the Sixers are one of the worst defenses (and offenses) in the NBA. Philly oddly can keep games close but in the end the Heat probably win big.
Pick: Heat 107, Sixers 94
Grizzlies @ Spurs
This is a massive game in the Southwest division, as the Spurs are still in first but Memphis is storming back with four straight wins. LaMarcus Aldridge may sit this one out and the Spurs just coughed up a loss to the awful Pelicans, so it’s really hard to get behind San Antonio for this one. That being said, the Spurs have the depth to cover for Ridge and they’re a perfect 5-0 at home. I think Memphis’ nice little run ends here.
Pick: Spurs 103, Grizz 98
