NBA Playoff Picks

Friday night serves up three more big NBA matchups, including the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs.

Prior to Game 2, Mavs owner Mark Cuban talked about the hate he felt towards his team’s first-round opponent.

“I have a hard time being civil to [Spurs owner] Peter Holt at the board of governors meetings and he has a hard time being civil to me even though we both like each other,” Cuban is quoted as saying by ESPN.

“We can both be 0-80 and if those last two games are Spurs-Mavericks, it’s going to be like a playoff game because we dislike each other that much.”

The Spurs responded by blowing out the Mavs 102-88 in Game 2, covering as 3.5-point underdogs.

Now tied at 1-1 going into Game 3, sportsbook have the Spurs as 3-point road ‘dogs with the Total at 193.5.

In their last 16 games in San Antonio, the Dallas Mavericks are a very impressive 12-4 against the spread.

The Mavs have also been kind to bettors in their last 12 road games, with records of 10-2 SU and ATS.

The Spurs, for their part, are 12-3 SU and 11-4 ATS in their last 15 home games.

Looking at the Over/Under numbers of note, San Antonio has produced 7 Overs and only 1 Under in their last eight home games.

Sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting early action coming in on the underdog Mavericks, with 63% of all the betting volume in this one so far tilted to the visitor.

Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets

The Utah Jazz showed everybody their mental toughness in Game 2 of their series against the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

After finding out that big man Mehmet Okur would be lost for the remainder of the playoffs, the Jazz proceeded to defeat the Nuggets 114-111, covering as 6.5-point underdogs.

The Jazz are back in Utah for the next two games and going into Game 3 as 2.5-point favorites with the Total at 216.

Some numbers of note for this matchup are:

The Jazz have been quite impressive in their last 11 home games, going 10-1 SU and 8-3 ATS and the last 10 times they’ve hosted the Denver Nuggets, they are 8-2 SU.

The Utah Jazz are also 9-2 SU and 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 when favored by 4-points or less.

In the Denver Nuggets’ last 20 when ‘dogged by 4-points or less, they are have only been 5 Overs but 15 Unders.

The sports betting public are leaning slightly to the visitor in this tilt, with Denver receiving 54% of the early betting action.

Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

In other NBA playoff action, the Boston Celtics take a 2-0 series lead into Miami.

The Celtics were without Kevin Garnett in Game 2 but it didn’t matter, as Boston hammered the Miami Heat, 106-77 — the Celtics covered easily as 1.5-point favorites.

Some suggested that the Miami Heat hung star guard Dwyane Wade out to dry as D-Wade scored a team-high 29-points and was the only player to hit double-digits in points with the exception of forward Michael Beasley, who chipped in with 13.

The Heat should play better in their first home game of these playoffs, as they are 4-point home faves with the Total is set at 182.

The Miami Heat have struggled in their last eight home games against the Boston Celtics, are 2-6 SU and an even worse 1-7 ATS.

Enjoy all the action

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