THIS PRO GAMBLER
Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards. It’s the time of year when motivation and fatigue are two of the most important factors in the outcome of games. Motivation is pretty difficult to handicap! The Chicago Bulls have 8 games to play and they are 2 games outside the playoffs behind the Toronto Raptors. They have 1 game left with Toronto, and Toronto has beat the Bulls both of their two meetings this year so the Raptors hold the tiebreaker. That’s a pretty bleak picture, but it’s not a hopeless case. After ending their 10 game losing streak, the Bulls have gone 4-2 beating 4 lesser teams by 7 points or more and losing to the two better teams on the schedule, Phoenix and Miami. Two of those wins were on the road. The Wizards lost 16 games in a row before beating the Hornets on Wednesday. They are 1-9 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last 10, and at home during that 10 game stretch are 0-2 SU and ATS. Laying the 5 points on the Bulls looks like the better bet to me.
Milwaukee Bucks at Charlotte Bobcats. The Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Bobcats both have the playoffs firmly in their grasp; their motivation has to do with matchups. Nobody wants to face LeBron and company in the first round, and getting to play Superman and the Magic is not much better. The Bucks lost to Cleveland on Wednesday, will be playing their 4th game in 6 days, and face Phoenix tomorrow. They are 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last ten games, going 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS on the road. The Bobcats beat Philadelphia on Wednesday and play an important game again tomorrow at Chicago. They are 6-4 SU and 7-2-1 ATS in their last ten, and are 4-1 SU and ATS at home during that stretch. In each of the three previous meetings, the home team has won and covered. I do “Fear the Deer,” but believe that this is a night to back off of them and watch the more rested home team cover. I’m not playing the Total on this game, but it did intrigue me. These are two defensive teams and if we get a good game we could well get a Total under 181. But, in the final analysis I determined that the number is sharply set and could well be the exact number hit in the game.
For those of you wanting more action, there are several other very playable games tonight. New Orleans Hornets at Memphis Grizzlies. While the Hornets gave one up to the Wizards on Wednesday, I have been served well by backing the Hornets with the return of Chris Paul. I think they have more to show than most teams who are out of the playoffs, since I for one believe they would be in the thick of it had they not lost CP3 for several weeks. I think they want to end the season making that clear to everyone. I have a strong lean to the Hornets +3.5 points.
Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs. Dwight Howard showed last night why he should be second in the MVP balloting. But, the Magic are playing back to back (9-8 for the season) and the Spurs will be seeking some revenge for the whipping Orlando gave them in Florida on March 17. This is an aging, but tough Spurs team that doesn’t want to face the Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs (and I doubt the Lakers want to face them either!). I would consider laying the 3 points and taking the Spurs.
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers. This ESPN game should be a lot of fun to watch. It’s the Lakers first game off after their disappointing 2-3 Road Trip. Utah is now tied with Dallas for the second spot in the West and will fired up to prove something here. Phil Jackson is trying to get the Lakers fired up, but so far they aren’t listening. I like the Jazz and the 4.5 points.
Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards. It’s the time of year when motivation and fatigue are two of the most important factors in the outcome of games. Motivation is pretty difficult to handicap! The Chicago Bulls have 8 games to play and they are 2 games outside the playoffs behind the Toronto Raptors. They have 1 game left with Toronto, and Toronto has beat the Bulls both of their two meetings this year so the Raptors hold the tiebreaker. That’s a pretty bleak picture, but it’s not a hopeless case. After ending their 10 game losing streak, the Bulls have gone 4-2 beating 4 lesser teams by 7 points or more and losing to the two better teams on the schedule, Phoenix and Miami. Two of those wins were on the road. The Wizards lost 16 games in a row before beating the Hornets on Wednesday. They are 1-9 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last 10, and at home during that 10 game stretch are 0-2 SU and ATS. Laying the 5 points on the Bulls looks like the better bet to me.
Milwaukee Bucks at Charlotte Bobcats. The Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Bobcats both have the playoffs firmly in their grasp; their motivation has to do with matchups. Nobody wants to face LeBron and company in the first round, and getting to play Superman and the Magic is not much better. The Bucks lost to Cleveland on Wednesday, will be playing their 4th game in 6 days, and face Phoenix tomorrow. They are 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last ten games, going 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS on the road. The Bobcats beat Philadelphia on Wednesday and play an important game again tomorrow at Chicago. They are 6-4 SU and 7-2-1 ATS in their last ten, and are 4-1 SU and ATS at home during that stretch. In each of the three previous meetings, the home team has won and covered. I do “Fear the Deer,” but believe that this is a night to back off of them and watch the more rested home team cover. I’m not playing the Total on this game, but it did intrigue me. These are two defensive teams and if we get a good game we could well get a Total under 181. But, in the final analysis I determined that the number is sharply set and could well be the exact number hit in the game.
For those of you wanting more action, there are several other very playable games tonight. New Orleans Hornets at Memphis Grizzlies. While the Hornets gave one up to the Wizards on Wednesday, I have been served well by backing the Hornets with the return of Chris Paul. I think they have more to show than most teams who are out of the playoffs, since I for one believe they would be in the thick of it had they not lost CP3 for several weeks. I think they want to end the season making that clear to everyone. I have a strong lean to the Hornets +3.5 points.
Orlando Magic at San Antonio Spurs. Dwight Howard showed last night why he should be second in the MVP balloting. But, the Magic are playing back to back (9-8 for the season) and the Spurs will be seeking some revenge for the whipping Orlando gave them in Florida on March 17. This is an aging, but tough Spurs team that doesn’t want to face the Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs (and I doubt the Lakers want to face them either!). I would consider laying the 3 points and taking the Spurs.
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers. This ESPN game should be a lot of fun to watch. It’s the Lakers first game off after their disappointing 2-3 Road Trip. Utah is now tied with Dallas for the second spot in the West and will fired up to prove something here. Phil Jackson is trying to get the Lakers fired up, but so far they aren’t listening. I like the Jazz and the 4.5 points.
