Utah Jazz visit Spurs in critical West contest
Utah Jazz visit Spurs in critical West contest
Jerry Sloan's Utah Jazz arrive in San Antonio on Friday needing a win to help avoid the Lakers in Round 1 of the West playoffs. Meanwhile the Spurs, minus Manu Ginobli, are trying to gain homecourt advantage in Round 1.
Shaquille O’Neal a Dallas Maverick? The Big Aristotle has often talked about his desire to eventually play for Mark Cuban and the Mavs. O’Neal took the rhetoric a step further in a recent ESPN report by hinting that Cuban could use his services next year. Cuban had one of those “never say never” responses, but his focus appears to be on adding younger talent to supplement the Big Three of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Josh Howard.
We’ll see the value of the big man in basketball during all three stops on our weekend betting tour. Remember to keep the ever-changing playoff scenario in mind before placing a wager this week. Different stakes produce different results.
Utah at San Antonio (-3, 193)
Friday, April 10, 8:30 p.m. (ET)
The stakes are very high for the Jazz (47-31 SU, 38-40 ATS). They’re tied with Dallas for the last two seeds in the Western Conference playoffs; whichever team finishes eighth will have to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Utah needs to play with some purpose after going 3-5 SU and 1-7 ATS over the past eight games.
As basketball stat saint John Hollinger pointed out on Thursday, Carlos Boozer has taken only 43 free throw shots in 20 games since coming back from knee surgery. Coach Jerry Sloan is publicly talking about elevating sturdy Paul Millsap (16.0 points, 10.3 rebounds per game as a starter) over Boozer on the depth chart at power forward. That move makes sense according to Roland Rating, where Millsap is plus-6.0 and Boozer is minus-3.3.
Four-time champion Tim Duncan and the Spurs (50-28 SU, 38-38-2 ATS) have won both their matchups against the Jazz this year. They’re 3-point faves on the early betting odds for Friday’s contest with a total of 193 points. San Antonio is currently in fifth place, trying to move up and gain home-court advantage in at least the first round.
Detroit at Indiana
Saturday, April 11, 7:00 p.m. (ET)
The Detroit Pistons (38-40 SU, 34-44 ATS) haven’t quite clinched a playoff spot yet, sitting three games ahead of No. 9 Charlotte in the East with four games remaining. Detroit is going to be a “tough out” with Rasheed Wallace (15.0 points, 9.3 rebounds per 40 minutes) returning to the lineup after missing 11 games with a calf injury – plus one for accumulated technical fouls. Although the Allen Iverson soap opera has stolen the headlines in Motown, the Pistons were 4-8 SU and 5-7 ATS during Wallace’s absence.
Indiana (34-44 SU, 42-34-2 ATS) has done very well at the pay window this year. While injuries have pushed the Pacers to the brink of elimination, Troy Murphy (16.8 points, 13.9 rebounds per 40) has been healthy and productive all year, as has Jeff Foster (10.1 points, 11.1 boards per 40) in a supporting role. Murphy (plus-0.4) and Foster (plus-0.3) have been positive and underrated contributors on a small-market team with low expectations.
Boston at Cleveland
Sunday, April 12, 3:30 p.m. (ET) ABC
The Cavaliers (63-15 SU, 46-32 ATS) are four games up on the Celtics (59-19 SU, 40-38 ATS) for first place in the East with four games left. Boston leads the season series 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS, so there is a small chance this game will mean something besides pride for Cleveland. It’s more likely that Boston will be taken to the wire for the No. 2 seed by the 58-20 Orlando Magic.
The Celtics are getting by without three of their big men: Kevin Garnett (knee), Leon Powe (knee) and Brian Scalabrine (concussion). Boston is 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS since Garnett made his original return from a strained right knee, although the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is in shutdown mode. Glen “Big Baby” Davis and Mikki Moore have both played well during the C’s current five-game win streak to keep the money train moving, but the over is 4-1 without Garnett dispensing his special brand of justice in the paint.
Jerry Sloan's Utah Jazz arrive in San Antonio on Friday needing a win to help avoid the Lakers in Round 1 of the West playoffs. Meanwhile the Spurs, minus Manu Ginobli, are trying to gain homecourt advantage in Round 1.
Shaquille O’Neal a Dallas Maverick? The Big Aristotle has often talked about his desire to eventually play for Mark Cuban and the Mavs. O’Neal took the rhetoric a step further in a recent ESPN report by hinting that Cuban could use his services next year. Cuban had one of those “never say never” responses, but his focus appears to be on adding younger talent to supplement the Big Three of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Josh Howard.
We’ll see the value of the big man in basketball during all three stops on our weekend betting tour. Remember to keep the ever-changing playoff scenario in mind before placing a wager this week. Different stakes produce different results.
Utah at San Antonio (-3, 193)
Friday, April 10, 8:30 p.m. (ET)
The stakes are very high for the Jazz (47-31 SU, 38-40 ATS). They’re tied with Dallas for the last two seeds in the Western Conference playoffs; whichever team finishes eighth will have to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Utah needs to play with some purpose after going 3-5 SU and 1-7 ATS over the past eight games.
As basketball stat saint John Hollinger pointed out on Thursday, Carlos Boozer has taken only 43 free throw shots in 20 games since coming back from knee surgery. Coach Jerry Sloan is publicly talking about elevating sturdy Paul Millsap (16.0 points, 10.3 rebounds per game as a starter) over Boozer on the depth chart at power forward. That move makes sense according to Roland Rating, where Millsap is plus-6.0 and Boozer is minus-3.3.
Four-time champion Tim Duncan and the Spurs (50-28 SU, 38-38-2 ATS) have won both their matchups against the Jazz this year. They’re 3-point faves on the early betting odds for Friday’s contest with a total of 193 points. San Antonio is currently in fifth place, trying to move up and gain home-court advantage in at least the first round.
Detroit at Indiana
Saturday, April 11, 7:00 p.m. (ET)
The Detroit Pistons (38-40 SU, 34-44 ATS) haven’t quite clinched a playoff spot yet, sitting three games ahead of No. 9 Charlotte in the East with four games remaining. Detroit is going to be a “tough out” with Rasheed Wallace (15.0 points, 9.3 rebounds per 40 minutes) returning to the lineup after missing 11 games with a calf injury – plus one for accumulated technical fouls. Although the Allen Iverson soap opera has stolen the headlines in Motown, the Pistons were 4-8 SU and 5-7 ATS during Wallace’s absence.
Indiana (34-44 SU, 42-34-2 ATS) has done very well at the pay window this year. While injuries have pushed the Pacers to the brink of elimination, Troy Murphy (16.8 points, 13.9 rebounds per 40) has been healthy and productive all year, as has Jeff Foster (10.1 points, 11.1 boards per 40) in a supporting role. Murphy (plus-0.4) and Foster (plus-0.3) have been positive and underrated contributors on a small-market team with low expectations.
Boston at Cleveland
Sunday, April 12, 3:30 p.m. (ET) ABC
The Cavaliers (63-15 SU, 46-32 ATS) are four games up on the Celtics (59-19 SU, 40-38 ATS) for first place in the East with four games left. Boston leads the season series 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS, so there is a small chance this game will mean something besides pride for Cleveland. It’s more likely that Boston will be taken to the wire for the No. 2 seed by the 58-20 Orlando Magic.
The Celtics are getting by without three of their big men: Kevin Garnett (knee), Leon Powe (knee) and Brian Scalabrine (concussion). Boston is 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS since Garnett made his original return from a strained right knee, although the reigning Defensive Player of the Year is in shutdown mode. Glen “Big Baby” Davis and Mikki Moore have both played well during the C’s current five-game win streak to keep the money train moving, but the over is 4-1 without Garnett dispensing his special brand of justice in the paint.