Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs
Pick: San Antonio Spurs -13
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At 8:30 pm, Kevin Love and the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to get revenge for a brutal overtime loss a week and a half ago in Minnesota. The T-Wolves led that game by 21 points in the 3rd quarter before the Spurs roared back and tied the game on Gary Neal’s three free throws after he was fouled with just over 10 seconds to go in the game while attempting a 3-point shot. After Darko Milicic fouled out on the first possession of overtime, the T-Wolves were weakened inside, and the Spurs took advantage down the stretch for a 113-109 victory, as a 7-point favorite. That was the 13th straight win in this series by the Spurs (the league’s longest current active win streak by a team against another) and I look for them to extend it to 14 with an easy win and cover tonight. The main reason I like San Antone is that Gregg Popovich’s crew reacts well at home off an upset loss, and the Spurs fell 90-85 at the Clippers on Wednesday. That was the then-longest current active win streak as the Spurs had beaten L.A. 18 straight times going into the game, but I still used Los Angeles as our free play here that night, as I expected the Spurs to be lethargic after their big win over Golden State on Tuesday. And they were. But with a day of rest, and in front of a raucous Friday night home crowd, the Spurs should get their legs back, and they’ll not overlook Minnesota after falling behind by 21 just nine days ago. Lay the points. Good luck, as always…Al McMordie. And don’t miss my 100% (18-0 ATS) NBA Roadkill Winner tonight, as we look to remain red-hot (17-9 last 26). (Handicapperspicks.com)
San Antonio Spurs vs. L.A. Clippers
Pick: Los Angeles Clippers +7.5
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At 10:30 pm, the San Antonio Spurs will take on the Los Angeles Clippers. This game will be a big test for Blake Griffin & Co., and not just because the Spurs have defeated the Clippers 18 straight times and 26 of the last 27 meetings. But this season (with apologies to Boston, Orlando, the Lakers and, yes, MIami), the Spurs are the NBA’s best club. San Antone won again last night in Golden State to move to 15-2, and it has yet to lose on the road this season. Of course, this hasn’t surprised me, as I have the Spurs at 40-1 to win the NBA Championship, and also made a big play on them to go ‘over’ their 50.5 projected season wins. Still, all good things must come to an end, and there’s value with the Clippers here, as the line is over 7 points (7 is the big “key number” in NBA betting, since it represents 3 possessions, and is a point where NBA teams quit fouling at the end of the games), and the Spurs are coming off 2 wins. San Antonio is 15-26 ATS as unrested favorites or PK off back-to-back wins, so let’s fade Gregg Popovich’s crew here. Our complimentary selection is on the Clippers. Good luck, as always…Big Al McMordie. And don’t miss my NBA Game of the Month tonight (we’re 7-0 our last 7 NBA Games of the Month), or our NFL or College Football Games of the Month this upcoming weekend. They’re all available right now. Or, better yet, join for a week or a month, and get all of our sharp information. We should have upwards of 20 football plays this week. -Big Al McMordie (Handicapperspicks.com)
San Antonio Spurs vs. New Jersey Nets
Free Pick: New Jersey +8 (March 29th 2010 – Big Al McMordie)
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At 7:30 pm, our complimentary selection is on the New Jersey Nets + the points over San Antonio. Last night, we cashed a big High Roller selection on the Spurs over Boston (we’re now 5-0 our last 5 High Rollers), but the Spurs were in one of their best roles on Sunday (they were on the road, playing with revenge); tonight, they’re in one of their worst. And that is to play AGAINST San Antonio if it is playing without rest, and is PK or Favored off back-to-back wins. Since 2005, the Spurs have been very poor in this situation. With San Antone off back-to-back BIG wins over Cleveland and Boston, look for the Spurs to stumble a bit vs. the league’s worst team, New Jersey. And, of course, it certainly wouldn’t hurt if Gregg Popovich decided later in the day to rest Timmy Duncan (this is one of only a few “back-to-backs” left on San Antonio’s schedule, which Coach Pop likes to utilize to rest Timmy). That would make our pointspread, here, look even more attractive. So, this is also a play where it makes sense to get down earlier, rather than later. Good luck, as always…Al McMordie.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs
Free Pick: Los Angeles Lakers +1 (March 24th 2010 – Big Al McMordie)
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At 9:30 pm, our complimentary selection is on the Los Angeles Lakers plus the point over San Antonio. The Spurs are playing their best basketball of this not-so-young season, so from coach Gregg Popovich’s perspective, it’s “better late than never.” They went into Oklahoma City on Monday and upset the Thunder, and that qualified as their biggest win of the year — even more than their 20-point blowout of the Lakers earlier this season. And that’s because San Antonio rebounded from a heartbreaking overtime loss at Philips Arena on Sunday, so they showed a lot of mettle in winning at OKC when playing on the road without rest. But even though the Spurs are finally playing well, they will be without Tony Parker tonight, and his quickness over Derek Fisher was one of the few, if any, matchup advantages the Spurs had over the Lakers. Surely, Duncan is, at best, a break-even proposition against Gasol. And San Antone has nobody who can guard either Lamar Odom or Kobe Bryant. The Lakers only “negative” in this game is that they might lack the requisite motivation, given they’re firmly locked into the #1 seed out west. But Los Angeles generally gets up to play the Spurs, and we’ll take L.A. as the small underdog here. Good luck, as always…Big Al McMordie.
