Tip-off: Bulls at 9:00 pm EST and Suns at 8:00 pm EST
The Chicago Bulls came back to reality after two straight victories this past Thursday night when the Los Angeles Lakers dominated them 108 to 93, in L.A.
As 9 ½ point underdogs, the Bulls couldn’t do much against a Laker squad that benefited from the return of Spaniard Pau Gasol. Derrick Rose had his usual stellar game but L.A. had six players score in double figures and the Bulls were just destroyed.
Now, on Saturday, the Bulls travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets, another Western Conference power house. That’s Saturday’s game to bet.
Sunday’s game to bet involves the still potent Phoenix Suns coming off of a loss to the New Orleans Hornets hosting the Detroit Pistons at home. Let’s take a look at both games.
Chicago Bulls vs. Denver Nuggets
Tip-off: 9:00 pm EST
Expected NBA Odds: Denver -7 ½
Analysis: The Nuggets are going to be big favorites when the NBA wagering lines are released late Friday night or early Saturday morning.
Denver has the one player that can counteract Chicago’s best player, Derrick Rose, in Chauncey Billups. Let Rose go off and the Bulls can still be beat. Shut down Rose, and you can demolish Chicago.
Denver will be looking to do that with their superior starting five made up of Billups, Aaron Afflalo, Nene, Kenyon Martin and Carmelo Anthony. J.R. Smith, Chris Andersen and Ty Lawson off the bench provide plenty of ammunition when the starters need rest.
All of it adds up to a serious beat down by the Denver Nuggets, but Denver does have to play in L.A. against the Clippers on Friday night. Will that game consume them and force them into bad shots on Saturday?
That’s not likely. Denver has built a bench, something that the Bulls just don’t have, and should beat Chicago easily. The Nuggets are loaded this season and Billups, ‘Melo and Martin are better than anybody on Chicago’s team save for Rose.
Rose could put up 40 in this game and the Nuggets would still win by at least 10. I just don’t see Chicago coming close to the expected betting line.
Pick: Denver Nuggets at -10 ½ or less
Detroit Pistons vs. Phoenix Suns
Tip-off: 8:00 pm EST
Expected NBA Odds: Phoenix -8 ½
Analysis: The Phoenix Suns had no business losing this past Thursday straight-up to a New Orleans Hornets’ team starting point-guard Chris Paul. The Suns get a full two days to think about what happened in the Crescent City before taking on the Detroit Pistons.
That’s a bad thing for Detroit as Phoenix no doubt will be looking to take out their frustrations on the very beatable Pistons. Detroit isn’t a bad team, but they just aren’t the type of team that can keep up with the exceptional Suns.
With Steve Nash playing at his absolute best so far this season, and Grant Hill going to basket with abandon, the Suns have racked up a 10 and 3 straight-up record and a 7 and 6 record ATS. That’s impressive considering what the Suns did last season.
The Pistons have no shot in this game. They just can’t match-up, play against a tough Utah team on Friday night, and will get run out of the arena.
Suns all the way in this one.
Pick: Phoenix Suns at -12 ½ or less
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