Two mouth-watering NBA games are in store for your viewing and betting pleasure this Thursday night. Kicking things off will be the Atlanta Hawks (36-28) and Toronto Raptors (42-20) locking horns at the Air Canada Centre. Following shortly, the Chicago Bulls (32-30) will test their luck on the road when they travel to Texas for an intriguing encounter with the second-best team in the league right now—the San Antonio Spurs (54-10).
[sc:NBA250 ]Let’s now take a quick look at these two matchups below. And while you’re at it, click here for our preview of the final showdown between the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant’s Lakers this season.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Atlanta Hawks vs. Toronto Raptors (7:30 PM ET)
Line: Atlanta Hawks (-4) vs. Toronto Raptors (+4); total: 199.0 – view all NBA lines
[sc:NBA250 ]The Atlanta Hawks are soaring right now. They head into this bout as winners of their previous three games (3-0 ATS). In that stretch, the pair of Jeff Teague and Paul Millsap has been leading the way, averaging 19.3 and 16.3 points, respectively. The Hawks will once again rely on these two to help them take care of business tonight against the Toronto Raptors, who defeated them in their first meeting—at Philips Arena—this season.
Speaking of the Raptors, they’ll be entering with some momentum of their own as well. Toronto has won five of its last seven games (2-5 ATS) and will be pinning its hopes on the dynamic backcourt duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to lead them to victory. Both guards are posting 45.0 points combined this season and are set to take on an Atlanta defense that’s giving up just 99.4 points per game, the sixth-lowest in the league today.
Writer’s Prediction
Atlanta (+4) wins, 103-99.
Chicago Bulls vs. San Antonio Spurs (8:00 PM ET)
Line: Chicago Bulls vs. San Antonio Spurs – view all NBA lines
Chicago marches into this game looking to notch its third-straight win. The chances of that happening remain unclear especially with Jimmy Butler’s status still in doubt. If he does fail to suit up in this one again, the Bulls will have no choice but to try and survive through the productions of Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol. Both are averaging 16.6 and 17.0 points thus far this season.
Gasol, in particular, will be striving to build on his triple-double performance (12 points, 17 boards, 13 dimes) in their win against Milwaukee on Monday. But he’s surely going to have to work harder for his points this time around. San Antonio is allowing only 92.3 points this year, which is the lowest in the NBA.
As for the Spurs, they’re expected to have their beloved head coach—Gregg Popovich—back in the sidelines. The Spurs will be looking to replicate their dominant win over Minnesota on Tuesday night, during which LaMarcus Aldridge finished with 29 points and seven rebounds to give his team the 116-91 road win. He should be able to find a lot of opportunities again later opposite a Bulls’ defense that’s surrendering 105.8 points on the road this season.
Chicago is 1-9 SU and 2-8 ATS in its previous 10 games on the road. San Antonio, meanwhile, is 13-7 ATS, in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Spurs win, 107-92.
Create a betting account now, and don’t miss to bet on these two must-see matchups.
[sc:NBA620 ]
