Saturday Information and Picks

[Raji]

Information and Picks for today. (This is not my information just stuff I found that can be used to help make picks)


Minnesota at Atlanta: pick Hawks +3

The reaction around the Covers.com office was predictable when people found out how seriously Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson was hurt. The rush was on to find the best price on the Washington Wizards, the Hawks’ opposition the night the news broke.

Well guess who lost money?

“I thought they played marvelous,” Wizards head coach Eddie Jordan admitted to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after his team’s loss. “(Zaza) Pachulia came up big. Anthony Johnson controlled the tempo for them. (Hawks coach Mike Woodson) had his team ready to play."

Pachulia’s 27 points and 12 rebounds were great, but Johnson’s contributions confirmed that his acquisition at the trade deadline was an astute move for a team in desperate need of a point guard.

And the Hawks are now laying points? To a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is has stunk since the All-Star break? I’ll roll the dice with Zaza, thanks.

New York at Washington: pick Wizards -6 ½

The last time the Washington Wizards hosted the New York Knicks, they barely squeaked out a 1-point win and failed to cover as 8-point favorites.

Jamal Crawford and David Lee each played more than 30 minutes that January night, however, neither will be playing at the Verizon Center on Saturday night. And Gilbert Arenas hit only four of his 14 shots, a display of misfiring Agent Zero is unlikely to repeat.

Arenas is hitting better than 50 percent from the floor over his last three games, including 9-of-20 from downtown, after a well-publicized bout of inaccuracy on both sides of the All-Star break. Maybe it’s all about the shoes

"I just wanted to be part of it, and now I've put myself in a position where I can be the 'face’,” Arenas told the Washington Post after his new Adidas shoe was unveiled this week. “Now I have to represent in the right way."

It also helps, of course, that Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison are playing at full-steam.

Cleveland at Milwaukee: pick Cavaliers +1 ½

I double-checked this line, no, I triple-checked it. The Cleveland Cavaliers are getting points against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Yes, the Bucks are 6-2-1 ATS since the All-Star break, but you can find things to pick at in all of their wins. They beat up the Toronto Raptors on the boards to deliver their most impressive win of the bunch and benefited from Kobe Bryant’s suspension against the Los Angeles Lakers.

But now the Cavs come to town and LeBron James is looking like a world-beater. Not just a Milwaukee-beater, you understand? He looks like he could beat the world right now.

Cleveland has won four of its last five games and covered the spread in all of them. That includes an upset at the Palace of Auburn Hills and a nearly colossal upset in Dallas. LeBron is averaging 36.6 points, 7.0 assists and 6.4 boards in those games.

Yes, the Bucks are better with Michael Redd, but when James is this hot, it’s hard to doubt him.



Raji

[Raji]

Saturday, March 10th

Memphis at Charlotte, 7:05 EST
Memphis: 11-2 Over after losing 12+ of their last 15 games
Charlotte: 5-1 ATS off 4+ losses

Minnesota at Atlanta, 7:05 EST
Minnesota: 17-5 Over off ATS losses in 2 of their last 3 games
Atlanta: 0-7 ATS off BB games scoring 100+ points

New York at Washington, 7:05 EST
New York: 22-11 ATS off a loss
Washington: 5-16 ATS after playing BB games as a favorite

Philadelphia at Indiana, 7:05 EST
Philadelphia: 1-9 ATS away off a win as an underdog
Indiana: 8-0 ATS at home after scoring 80 points or less

New Jersey at San Antonio, 8:05 EST NBATV
New Jersey: 7-1 Over after playing BB games as a road underdog
San Antonio: 1-5 ATS off 8+ wins

Cleveland at Milwaukee, 8:35 EST
Cleveland: 14-3 ATS last 17 games
Milwaukee: 17-33 ATS off BB Unders

New Orleans at Utah, 9:05 EST
New Orleans: 9-1 ATS after playing BB games as a road underdog
Utah: 10-22 ATS off a home win by 10+ points

** (TC) Denotes Time Change

Raji

[Raji]

The kind of year that the NBA is experiencing, everybody has a chance to make the playoffs-including the New York Knicks. The Knicks, New Jersey and Orlando are pro basketball's version of Larry, Moe and Curly Joe, but they are still battling for the final two postseason spots in the Eastern Conference.

The Magic are struggling, and the Nets are on a brutal western trip, something New York doesn't have to worry about the rest of the way. But they do have to worry about a nagging injury to David Lee.

The Knicks are 3-3 in the past six games without their best rebounder. They've been basically a .500 team since mid-December with or without Lee. That's a major improvement, considering New York was the laughing stock of the league in 2005-2006.

New York looks to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since Jan. 22-24 when they make the short trip to Washington to face the Southeast Division leaders.

The Wizards are coming off a frustrating loss to an Atlanta team that played without three of its starters. The setback snapped a three-game win streak that came on the heels of a four-game slide.

Coach Eddie Jordan is looking forward to having his full complement of players for the first time all season. Michael Ruffin (dizziness) has been cleared to return to the lineup, and Etan Thomas is also expected to play.

Washington has won six of its last 10 versus the Knicks and four straight at the Verizon Center. The Wizards have to avoid looking ahead to a Sunday showdown at Miami.

New York has 'covered' seven of the last 11 series encounters, including four of six on the road. They came up short in their initial visit this season as eight-point dogs, 99-98. The teams split a pair at Madison Square Garden.

The 'under' is 5-1-1 in the last seven series affairs. Washington has been on the low side in nine of its last 13 outings and the Knicks have tumbled below the total in six of nine games.

Trends and angles for the remainder of Saturday's menu appear below.

GRIZZLIES at BOBCATS

Charlotte has had three days off to recover from six straight losses on the road. Memphis played Friday at Atlanta. The Grizzlies have cashed their last pair when playing without rest after failing in their previous five tries. The Bobcats have won five of their last seven at home, both straight up and against the spread. Memphis has prevailed in the first five series meetings (3-2 ATS), winning its last pair at Charlotte by 20 and eight points respectively. The Grizzlies held serve in the initial test this season as 4 1/2-point home favorites, 96-83.

T-WOLVES at HAWKS

Minnesota and Atlanta are both coming off Friday fracases. The Hawks are 1-5 ATS in their last six when playing the second of back-to-backs. Atlanta won for the third time in the last four meetings at the Target Center as nine-point dogs in the initial test this season. The Hawks have cashed four straight and won and 'covered' three in a row versus the Wolves at Philips Arena. Four of the last five affairs zipped 'over.'

76ERS at PACERS

Indiana stumbles home after dropping four straight on the road to extend its losing skid to seven (0-6-1 ATS). The Pacers have been totally outclassed during this freefall, losing by an average margin of 17.7 points. Philadelphia hits town after a Friday home battle with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Sixers will be playing on the road for only the third time since the end of January. They had won five straight pending Friday's verdict. A visit from Philadelphia may be just what the doctor ordered for Indiana. The Pacers have won and 'covered' four straight against the Sixers, including a pair this season. Indiana cashed in the initial showdown at Conseco Fieldhouse as 4 1/2-point favorites, 97-86. The Pacers have faltered in five of their last eight at home (2-5-1 ATS). Five of the last seven series tussles overall and five of seven in Indiana have dribbled 'under.'

NETS at SPURS

New Jersey played Friday at Houston. This is the first game at the AT&T Center for San Antonio since completing a demanding five games in seven nights set on the road. The Spurs will play 12 of their next 16 games at home. San Antonio has won 11 straight (8-3 ATS), though it failed to cash in its last two outings. Coach Greg Popovich's gang has won and 'covered' five straight at home. The Nets have lost seven straight to the Spurs (1-6 ATS) by an average of 14.7 points per game. San Antonio romped at the Meadowlands in the first clash this season as nine-point favorites, 107-82.

CAVS at BUCKS

Cleveland takes aim at winning four in a row for the first time since early this year when it invades the Bradley Center. The Cavaliers took care of business in their last trip to Milwaukee as four-point dogs, 95-86, their fifth straight series victory (4-1 ATS). Cleveland has 'covered' at a 14-3 clip since the end of January. The Bucks have won four of their last six and are 6-2-1 ATS since Feb. 20. The 'under' is 10-2 in the last dozen struggles, with five of six at Milwaukee dipping below the number. The Cavaliers have held the opposition below the century mark in 16 of their last 17 games.

HORNETS at JAZZ

Dallas and San Antonio have been monopolizing the conversation lately, while Utah has been quietly going about its business. The Jazz have won five straight and 13 of their last 15 and 'covered' in seven of eight. They have also won eight of nine at Energy Solutions Arena (6-3 ATS). This is a back-to-back on the road for New Orleans. The Hornets lost to Utah at home last Sunday as a 1 1/2-point dog, 108-94. They prevailed in the initial test at home as 2 1/2-point short-enders, 94-83. Utah has cashed in five of the last seven meetings. New Orleans has 'covered' nine straight when playing on short notice.

Raji