NBA Saturday Free Picks

Cleveland Over New York and Utah Over Denver Highlight Saturday Games

By Aidan Yarborough

Besides checking out the cross-sports prop bets being offered in the Super Bowl sportsbook (link to cross-sports props article), gamblers should check out the NBA sportsbook this Saturday for some possible profit making wagers.

There are a lot of games going on this Saturday in the NBA.  Both the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James will be in action on Saturday.  The Cavs host the New York Knicks and the Lakers travel to Portland to take on the Trailblazers.

I like the Cavaliers game as a possible game on which to wager.  The Laker game?  Ah, not so much.  I prefer to throw my money behind the Utah Jazz who is taking on the Denver Nuggets at home.


New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Game-night:  2/6/2010

Tip-off:  7:30 pm EST

Expected NBA Odds:  Cleveland -11 ½, Total 198

Analysis:  The last time these two teams met the Cavaliers thumped the Knicks 100 to 91 as 8 point favorites on the road.  The total in that game ended up at 191, well under the opening total line of 200 ½.  Will anything change on Saturday?

Yes.  The Cavaliers should beat the Knicks by a much wider margin than 9 points on Saturday.  I believe that the betting line will open at around Cavs -11 ½ but it could open as high as Cavs -13 ½.

To me, the Cavs would still be worth a wager at -13 ½ because even though they are only 11 and 13 ATS overall at home, they have gone 6 and 0 ATS overall in their last 6 games.  4 out of those 6 games were at home.

The injury to Mo Williams is definitely a concern, but the Cavs appear to have solved that somewhat with the help of Daniel Gibson who scored 12 points off the bench in the Cavs last game, a 102 to 86 victory over the Miami Heat.

Cleveland will run with New York.  That means that the over is a definite possibility as well, but the real bet to me is on the Cavaliers to cover the spread.

Pick:  Cavs ATS at -13 ½ or less


Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz

Game-night:  2/6/2010

Tip-off:  9:00 pm EST

Expected NBA Odds:  Utah -6 ½, Total 202 ½

Analysis:  Who knows if Carmelo Anthony will play on Saturday?  He’s doubtful to play on Friday.  So, the chances of him playing on Saturday probably aren’t very good.

‘Melo scored 37 points the last time these two teams met, a 119 to 112 Nuggets victory.  The Nuggets are 9-13-1 ATS on the road as it is.  Without Melo’s production, the Nuggets’ chances of beating the Jazz on Saturday aren’t very good.

Besides ‘Melo’s injury, another issue for Denver is the fact that on Friday night they travel to L.A. to take on the Lakers.  Tackling the Jazz in Utah after taking on the Lakers in L.A. one day before is not a recipe for success.

That, Melo’s injury, and the fact that Utah has an 18-8-1 ATS record at home leads to one conclusion.  Bet the Jazz, man, bet the Jazz.

Pick:  Jazz ATS at -6 ½ or less