Posted on
5/15/2008 5:20:27 PM
NBA Basketball Betting Action – Spurs Host Hornets
By Eric Williams
The New Orleans Hornets, (63-29 SU, 56-33-2 ATS, 44-44-3 O/U) and San Antonio Spurs, (62-30 SU, 40-48-3 ATS, 40-50-1 O/U) are certainly sticking to the league-wide sports betting postseason script of winning at home in the playoffs.
After emphatically winning the first two games of their second round online betting series at home, the Hornets made the trek to San Antonio for games 3 and 4 where they were promptly routed by the Spurs before coming back home and extracting some revenge on San Antonio by spanking them badly in beating the defending champions 101-79 in Game 5 on Tuesday.
Now, the Spurs are back at home, hosting the feisty, upstart Hornets in what could possibly be their last game of the season as the Hornets lead this sports betting series 3-2 and need just one more victory to advance to the Western Conference Finals.
"The bottom line is that the better team wins in a seven-game series," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "I've always said that. So whoever wins the series it will be because they're the better team."
New Orleans, like every other team that has had to play a road game this postseason, knows it will take a special effort to beat the Spurs at home.
"That's something we're going to talk about probably all day and before the game tomorrow," Hornets all-star point guard Chris Paul said. "When you make shots and stuff like that, it helps a lot, but we just got to find some way somehow."
While Paul torched the Spurs in Game 1 and 2 with his jaw-dropping quickness, it was all-star power forward David West who lit up the Spurs in Game 5, scoring a career-playoff high, 38 points, while grabbing 14 rebounds , blocking five shots and generally taking it to Spurs superstar Tim Duncan.
"We can't relax and say, 'All right, we'll wait to beat them when we come back here,"' Paul said. "We need to win tomorrow (Thursday)."
While the Hornets are clearly in the catbird’s seat, head coach Byron Scott said he realizes that Game 6 will be an almost literal, dogfight.
"We know their backs are against the wall and they're going to come at us with everything they got," Scott said.
Here is a look at tonight’s key trends followed by my NBA Betting Picks.
The Hornets are 4-1 ATS in their last five games playing on one days rest.
The Hornets are 49-18-1 ATS in their last 68 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
The Spurs are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six home games.
The Spurs are 4-1-1 ATS in their last six games as a home favorite.
The Over is 6-1 in Hornets last seven when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
The Over is 5-1 in Spurs last six games following a ATS loss.
The Home team is 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings.
The Hornets are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
Analysis: I’ll keep this pick short and to the point for those NBA bettors who aren’t getting enough sleep because of the late Western Conference games (like myself) that generally run into the wee hours of the morning depending on where you reside. The Spurs are the unequivocal pick tonight as they will likely rout the Hornets by at least 10 points, returning the favor to the Hornets for their latest blowout. Take the Spurs to cruise in this all-important Game 6 matchup tonight.
NBA Free Picks: San Antonio -7 Points/Over 184 Total Points
09:06 PM EST NBA Odds
New Orleans Hornets +7 -110
San Antonio Spurs -7 -110
Over 184 -110
Under 184 -110
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