NBA Thursday Night Double Dip - Cavs at Magic and Spurs at Suns
by Dave D
Orlando Magic (34-10)
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic will meet up for the first time this season on Thursday night as both teams jockey for position in the Eastern Conference standings.
Right now, the Magic are 1.5 games behind Cleveland for second in the conference.
Both teams are 8-2 in their last 10 games but the difference on Thursday figures to be injuries and home court advantage.
The Magic are 17-4 at home while the Cavs are 14-8 on the road. Both teams perform better at home.
Sports betting handicappers should keep in mind that Cleveland won’t be at full strength on Thursday. They will be without guard Delonte West and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is doubtful for the contest.
The Magic have been a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points five times this season and they are 4-1 both straight up and against the spread. Meanwhile, the Cavs have been an underdog of the same number three times this year and won just once.
Orlando has dominated this matchup at home, winning 14 of the last 21 meetings in Orlando. Look for the Magic to build on that streak.
Pick: Orlando -4.5
Phoenix Suns (25-18)
Few teams in the NBA have been more inconsistent than the Phoenix Suns. After winning seven of their final 10 games in 2008, they are just 7-6 in their last 13 games.
The bottom line for the Suns is that they are no longer an elite team in the West and quite frankly, struggled to play against such teams.
The stats show it as the Suns are just 8-12 against teams with a winning record, which means they are 17-6 against teams below .500.
The Spurs have been more consistent and have in fact picked up the pace since the flip of the calendar.
They are 10-3 in January and 21-6 in their last 27 games.
San Antonio has mastered Phoenix for a long time now, winning 45 of the last 78 matchups. Overall, they are 12-8 against the Suns in the last three years and 5-4 in games played in Phoenix.
The Suns should be up for this game, though, and will look to prove themselves in front of a National crowd.
Phoenix is fresh off a six-game East Coast trip and should be powered by their home court advantage tonight.
Pick: Phoenix Suns -2
