Thank God it’s Friday once again. Hoops fans are in for a treat later tonight as the NBA has lined up a pair of blockbuster games that will no doubt tickle your fancy. Kicking things off is the Eastern Conference showdown between the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.
Then over at the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets square off in a pivotal matchup in the Lone Star State. Read on below for a quick breakdown of these two important games. If you’re looking for other sports action, though, you can check out our Masters preview here.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (7:30 PM ET)
Line: Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers – view all NBA lines
Boston’s playoff hopes are still very much alive after a gutsy 113-103 win over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. With the victory, the Celtics moved into a tie for seventh with the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference standings with both teams carrying similar 36-42 slates.
Isaiah Thomas was the star of the show for the Celtics, scoring 34 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field. The Celtics will look to sustain the momentum of their huge win when they take on the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs stretched their unbeaten run to four games with a narrow 104-99 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Five players scored in double-figures for the Cavs who have now clinched the second spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 road games while the Cavs are 10-0 SU and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games at home.
Writer’s Prediction
Boston wins, 101-98.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets (8:00 PM ET)
Line: San Antonio Spurs (-3) at Houston Rockets (+3); total: 204.5 – view all NBA lines
The San Antonio Spurs moved within half a game of Houston and Memphis for the Southwest Division lead with a comfortable 110-98 victory over the Rockets on Wednesday night. Tony Parker scored 27 points for the Spurs who won for the ninth consecutive time.
They can leapfrog the Rockets into third place in the Western Conference standings with a victory tonight against Houston in the second game of their home-and-away series. For the Spurs to grab the sweep, they will need to repeat their impressive defensive performance against James Harden. The MVP candidate scored 22 points but shot just 6-of-15 from the field in their game last Wednesday.
The Spurs, however, can expect a more aggressive Harden this time around. In 38 games at the Toyota Center this season, Harden is averaging 27.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists. The Spurs are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 away games while the Rockets are 8-2 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
San Antonio wins, 111-105. Create a betting account now and bet on the best games for tonight.
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