Saturday's best NBA bets
New Orleans Hornets at Charlotte Bobcats (N/A)
The Bobcats return home from a six-game road trip where they went 3-3 (4-2 ATS).
Charlotte?s 10.5-point cover against the Lakers in L.A. on Wednesday came without the services of the team?s best player, Gerald Wallace, who was nursing a sore left hamstring.
The ?Cats hung tight in the 99-97 loss to the Lake Show behind Stephen Jackson?s 30 points and a 23-point, 17-rebound effort from Nazr Mohammed off the bench. Jackson has been sensational over the past week, averaging more than 25 points per, including three 30-point outings.
Charlotte will host the Hornets at TWC Arena where the team holds an 18-5 (14-9 ATS) record on the season.
The Hornets, who will be without All-Star point guard Chris Paul for more than a month, have dropped two in a row SU and ATS and now may be down another starter.
Marcus Thornton left Wednesday?s game after falling on his back during the fourth quarter. He had been averaging 19.7 ppg since entering the starting lineup but did not play in Friday?s game.
New Orleans dipped into the D-League pool and signed journeyman Jason Hart to a 10-day contract, further emphasizing the assumption that Thornton won?t be rushed back.
The load will be too much to carry for the remaining three Hornets starters on the road, where the team is 10-16 this season.
Pick: Bobcats
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers (+3, 193.5)
The Spurs returned Tony Parker from injury Thursday, but the losing results remained the same.
San Antonio is in an uncharacteristic, lengthy slump. The team has dropped six of its last 10 (3-7 ATS) and blew a fourth-quarter, double-digit lead Thursday versus the Trail Blazers.
"The combination of poor shooting and the turnovers down the stretch gave us the loss,? said Greg Popovich.
"We just haven't played well and hit shots the last six minutes of the game,? Richard Jefferson stated.
A date with the coach-less Clippers might just alleviate the Spurs recent struggles. Los Angeles will be in its first game since Mike Dunleavy stepped down and the locker room may still be in the stunned phase.
San Antonio has taken 14 consecutive games from the Clip Joint and won six straight ATS. L.A. has averaged 84.9 ppg during the losing streak.
Pick: Spurs
New Orleans Hornets at Charlotte Bobcats (N/A)
The Bobcats return home from a six-game road trip where they went 3-3 (4-2 ATS).
Charlotte?s 10.5-point cover against the Lakers in L.A. on Wednesday came without the services of the team?s best player, Gerald Wallace, who was nursing a sore left hamstring.
The ?Cats hung tight in the 99-97 loss to the Lake Show behind Stephen Jackson?s 30 points and a 23-point, 17-rebound effort from Nazr Mohammed off the bench. Jackson has been sensational over the past week, averaging more than 25 points per, including three 30-point outings.
Charlotte will host the Hornets at TWC Arena where the team holds an 18-5 (14-9 ATS) record on the season.
The Hornets, who will be without All-Star point guard Chris Paul for more than a month, have dropped two in a row SU and ATS and now may be down another starter.
Marcus Thornton left Wednesday?s game after falling on his back during the fourth quarter. He had been averaging 19.7 ppg since entering the starting lineup but did not play in Friday?s game.
New Orleans dipped into the D-League pool and signed journeyman Jason Hart to a 10-day contract, further emphasizing the assumption that Thornton won?t be rushed back.
The load will be too much to carry for the remaining three Hornets starters on the road, where the team is 10-16 this season.
Pick: Bobcats
San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers (+3, 193.5)
The Spurs returned Tony Parker from injury Thursday, but the losing results remained the same.
San Antonio is in an uncharacteristic, lengthy slump. The team has dropped six of its last 10 (3-7 ATS) and blew a fourth-quarter, double-digit lead Thursday versus the Trail Blazers.
"The combination of poor shooting and the turnovers down the stretch gave us the loss,? said Greg Popovich.
"We just haven't played well and hit shots the last six minutes of the game,? Richard Jefferson stated.
A date with the coach-less Clippers might just alleviate the Spurs recent struggles. Los Angeles will be in its first game since Mike Dunleavy stepped down and the locker room may still be in the stunned phase.
San Antonio has taken 14 consecutive games from the Clip Joint and won six straight ATS. L.A. has averaged 84.9 ppg during the losing streak.
Pick: Spurs
