Hornets, Magic lock horns in New Orleans
Chris Paul and the Hornets are currently on the outside looking in for a slot in the Western Conference playoffs. New Orleans sits ninth in the conference, three games behind eighth-seeded Portland. Picking up a win vs. the tough Orlando Magic, presently second in the East, could go a long way to giving the Hornets the confidence booster they need to make up that ground over the final 24 games of the season.
Don’t think the Denver Nuggets are a valuable futures play to win the NBA championship? You should.
Qualitatively, there are lots of reasons to like the Nuggets. They have an elite player in Carmelo Anthony, a quality leader and crunch-time shooter in Chauncey Billups, and a three-headed monster of Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris Andersen on the inside.
Besides, the numbers like Denver – or at least they make it a sharp wager. The Nuggets are 7-1 SU against the Lakers, Cavaliers, Magic, Celtics, and Mavericks this season and 12-6 SU against teams with a .600 winning percentage or better – tops in the league.
At +1200 to win the NBA Finals, Denver is worth a serious look, especially with the way it handled Los Angeles in their two meetings. The Nuggets can make it three in a row against the defending champions on Sunday at Staples Center.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic remain the value play on the futures board. The Magic are priced at +700 to go all the way and at +375 to win the East with the Hornets and Heat on tap this weekend.
Orlando at New Orleans
Friday – 9:30 PM ET, ESPN
The Magic are 4 ½-point favorites for their matchup with the Hornets on Friday night at New Orleans Arena, as they look to continue their impressive play of late.
Orlando has won nine of its last 12 games, going 8-4 ATS along the way. The Magic have also cashed for under bettors nine times during the stretch, which was highlighted by a 101-95 win as 2-point chalk over Cleveland on Tuesday night.
Expect New Orleans to have difficulty dealing with Dwight Howard and for that to be the difference against the spread. Howard had arguably his best game of the season in Orlando’s 110-92 win at Houston on Wednesday night, going for 30 points and 16 rebounds on 11-of-11 shooting to lead the Magic to the payday as 4 ½-point favorites.
It won’t help that the Hornets are without Chris Paul (knee) and Darius Songaila (ankle) on Friday night. Paul remains out of the lineup until at least mid-March after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus, while Songaila is sidelined until next month after suffering a severe sprain. Morris Peterson (hamstring) is listed as questionable.
Howard had 25 points and 12 boards in Orlando’s 123-117 win over New Orleans (+9½) on February 8, but it was Vince Carter that stole the show. Carter racked up 48 points and seven rebounds for the Magic, who are only 2-6 against the number in their last eight games against the Hornets.
Denver at LA Lakers
Sunday – 3:30 PM ET, ABC
Whether you’re sharp or square, you might like the Lakers to get out of the Western Conference this season. If that’s the case, you still can’t deny how well the Nuggets have performed against them heading into their battle at Staples Center on Sunday.
Denver handled Los Angeles 126-113 as eight-point road underdogs on February 5 behind 39 points and eight assists from Billups. Don’t expect Billups to have that type of production once again on Sunday, but he might not be far off the mark considering how easily he had his way with Derek Fisher and the Lakers’ point guards in the previous meeting.
Any drop-off from Billups is likely to be offset by Anthony, who sat out with an injury three weeks ago. ‘Melo was the key in the Nuggets’ 105-79 thrashing of the Lakers on November 13, scoring 25 points in Denver’s payday as four-point chalk at Pepsi Center.
It’s not only Billups and Anthony L.A. have to check on Sunday. The Nuggets shot 57.1% (48-of-84) as a team on February 5, including an unreal 68.2% (15-of-22) from downtown. Billups was the hottest of Denver’s seemingly never-ending array of three-point gunners in the upset, going 9-of-13 from beyond the arc.
The Lakers had dropped four straight ATS (2-2 SU) rolling into their tilt at Philadelphia on Friday night, and were only 3-7 against the number (6-4 SU) in their last 10 games. Even if you like Los Angeles to win outright on Sunday, it’s best to stay away from it until it snaps out of the skid.
Chris Paul and the Hornets are currently on the outside looking in for a slot in the Western Conference playoffs. New Orleans sits ninth in the conference, three games behind eighth-seeded Portland. Picking up a win vs. the tough Orlando Magic, presently second in the East, could go a long way to giving the Hornets the confidence booster they need to make up that ground over the final 24 games of the season.
Don’t think the Denver Nuggets are a valuable futures play to win the NBA championship? You should.
Qualitatively, there are lots of reasons to like the Nuggets. They have an elite player in Carmelo Anthony, a quality leader and crunch-time shooter in Chauncey Billups, and a three-headed monster of Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris Andersen on the inside.
Besides, the numbers like Denver – or at least they make it a sharp wager. The Nuggets are 7-1 SU against the Lakers, Cavaliers, Magic, Celtics, and Mavericks this season and 12-6 SU against teams with a .600 winning percentage or better – tops in the league.
At +1200 to win the NBA Finals, Denver is worth a serious look, especially with the way it handled Los Angeles in their two meetings. The Nuggets can make it three in a row against the defending champions on Sunday at Staples Center.
Over in the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic remain the value play on the futures board. The Magic are priced at +700 to go all the way and at +375 to win the East with the Hornets and Heat on tap this weekend.
Orlando at New Orleans
Friday – 9:30 PM ET, ESPN
The Magic are 4 ½-point favorites for their matchup with the Hornets on Friday night at New Orleans Arena, as they look to continue their impressive play of late.
Orlando has won nine of its last 12 games, going 8-4 ATS along the way. The Magic have also cashed for under bettors nine times during the stretch, which was highlighted by a 101-95 win as 2-point chalk over Cleveland on Tuesday night.
Expect New Orleans to have difficulty dealing with Dwight Howard and for that to be the difference against the spread. Howard had arguably his best game of the season in Orlando’s 110-92 win at Houston on Wednesday night, going for 30 points and 16 rebounds on 11-of-11 shooting to lead the Magic to the payday as 4 ½-point favorites.
It won’t help that the Hornets are without Chris Paul (knee) and Darius Songaila (ankle) on Friday night. Paul remains out of the lineup until at least mid-March after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus, while Songaila is sidelined until next month after suffering a severe sprain. Morris Peterson (hamstring) is listed as questionable.
Howard had 25 points and 12 boards in Orlando’s 123-117 win over New Orleans (+9½) on February 8, but it was Vince Carter that stole the show. Carter racked up 48 points and seven rebounds for the Magic, who are only 2-6 against the number in their last eight games against the Hornets.
Denver at LA Lakers
Sunday – 3:30 PM ET, ABC
Whether you’re sharp or square, you might like the Lakers to get out of the Western Conference this season. If that’s the case, you still can’t deny how well the Nuggets have performed against them heading into their battle at Staples Center on Sunday.
Denver handled Los Angeles 126-113 as eight-point road underdogs on February 5 behind 39 points and eight assists from Billups. Don’t expect Billups to have that type of production once again on Sunday, but he might not be far off the mark considering how easily he had his way with Derek Fisher and the Lakers’ point guards in the previous meeting.
Any drop-off from Billups is likely to be offset by Anthony, who sat out with an injury three weeks ago. ‘Melo was the key in the Nuggets’ 105-79 thrashing of the Lakers on November 13, scoring 25 points in Denver’s payday as four-point chalk at Pepsi Center.
It’s not only Billups and Anthony L.A. have to check on Sunday. The Nuggets shot 57.1% (48-of-84) as a team on February 5, including an unreal 68.2% (15-of-22) from downtown. Billups was the hottest of Denver’s seemingly never-ending array of three-point gunners in the upset, going 9-of-13 from beyond the arc.
The Lakers had dropped four straight ATS (2-2 SU) rolling into their tilt at Philadelphia on Friday night, and were only 3-7 against the number (6-4 SU) in their last 10 games. Even if you like Los Angeles to win outright on Sunday, it’s best to stay away from it until it snaps out of the skid.
