Category Archives: Basketball Picks

Free basketball picks for the NBA and NCAA. All of our basketball predictions are against the spread and are free.

NBA Tuesday Night Free Picks: Nuggets @ Pacers

Posted on by

no banners

Denver Nuggets (-4.5) @ Indiana Pacers Free Pick: The Nuggets may be on the road, but they are on fire. Carmelo Anthony is leading the league in scoring through the first week, and this Nuggets team is clicking. Since Chauncey Billups was traded to the Nuggets, Denver has become a much better road team. I know the Pacers have some solid pieces, but I don’t think they can hang with Denver’s back-court, and all around attack. I think Danny Granger has a big night for the home team, but in the end I like the Nuggets to pull away and cover this spread.

Phoenix Suns @ Miami Heat (-3): Two very close games against Minnesota and the Clippers doesn’t have me fully buying into Phoenix and their 3-0 start. I know they can put up points with the best of them, drilling jumpers from all over the court, but Miami can do it inside and out, and Dwayne Wade should have a field day against the Suns. And by field day I mean a field goal percentage looking a lot like 20 for 30 from the floor. Michael Beasily should have a nice game for the Heat, and it looks like Jermaine O’Neal should be healthy enough to give it a go. Nobody on the Suns front line can guard O’Neal even if they actually wanted to play defense (and they don’t), as he looks like the old JO so far this season.

Utah Jazz @ Dallas Mavericks (-5.5): I like the Mavericks to have a big season. They have a lot of pieces that all seem to be working well together, and this thing hasn’t even really gotten started yet. The Jazz don’t play well on the road, I don’t know if it’s lack of focus or what, but history has them struggling on the road over the last few years. Dallas does well at home, they match-up well with Utah, and the Jazz struggled last night. This back to back should be tough on them as the Mavs have the personnel to run and take advantage of a tired Jazz squad.

Dallas Mavericks vs L.A. Lakers Free ESPN Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Dallas Mavericks (+8.5) @ L.A. Lakers: This game can be seen on ESPN at 10:30pm ET, and it should be a good one. The Lakers are definitely getting a lot of love here, especially considering that they aren’t at full strength, and the Mavericks are much improved. When you add on the fact that L.A. struggled with the Clippers for much of their opening game, I just like the Mavericks and those 8.5 points to cover here. It’s a big game for Dallas when it comes to proving they’re back, and for L.A. it’s just another game in a long line of “should win” contests on way to their next title. Give me the underdog on this one. Underdog Friday!

Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns Total Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Golden State Warriors @ Phoenix Suns (OVER 231) Total Pick: That’s a huge over, but neither of these teams even consider playing defense. This game has finished over 230 points in 8 of the last 10 meetings, and the two that were under 230 just happened to be with Shaq on the court. This will be a track meet, one I would love to see so I can get brought back to those old ABA games – the over should be had with 5 minutes left in the game.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Philadelphia 76ers Free NBA Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Milwaukee Bucks (+7) @ Philadelphia 76ers Free NBA Pick: I’ve had a rough go to start the NBA season, but I think that will turn around soon. I like the Milwaukee Bucks here, something I probably won’t write all that often as the NBA season goes forward. I just don’t think the 76ers are completely sure of what they are doing, and that’s enough for me to go against them, especially when they are a favorite. Brandon Jennings is a very good young PG, and despite what people have been saying about the Bucks, they have some young players that can put the ball in the basket. Hakim Warrick and Andrew Bogut can both score on the post, and Jennings can really attack the basket. The Bucks move fast, and there chances of covering against a 76ers team that looks confused at best is pretty good. I’ll take the dogs here, looking to get my Week 1 record back up to par.

TNT Thursday Night: San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers

Posted on by

You can follow both of Thursday Night’s NBA games on TNT. The San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls play at 8:00pm ET, while the Denver Nuggets play in Portland at 10:30pm ET. In both situations, the home teams are playing on a day’s rest while the visitors are playing the second of back to back games. Here are my picks for Thursday’s action.

no banners

San Antonio Spurs (-3.5) @ Chicago Bulls: The Bulls will be playing their first game of the season, and you know with a young team that first-game anxiousness will be there in full effect. Chicago has a solid front line, but against Tim Duncan’s crafty old ways, I think they’ll be abused in the post a little bit. San Antonio is playing the second of a back to back, but with last night’s game being such a blow out, the key guys for the Spurs got plenty of rest, and if anything Wednesday Night was an opportunity for the Spurs to get together as a squad. This is a very veteran team, and against a young Bulls team on their opening night, I like the Spurs chances of winning on the road.

Denver Nuggets @ Portland Trailblazers (-7): I think 7 is too much, and it might come back to haunt me, but I like the Trailblazers to win, so I have to take them and the points here. Denver definitely had to exude some effort last night, and everything fell for them in the second half to get their win at home against the Jazz. Portland is a different group with some big bodies down low that can change a lot of shots. The Blazers looked really good on their opening night Tuesday, and the way those guys get along should give them some nice confidence in this one. Portland is rested, ready to go, and ready to prove themselves against one of the West’s best. I like them to win this Thursday.

Philadelphia 76ers vs Orlando Magic Free NBA Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Philadelphia 76ers @ Orlando Magic (-9) NBA Pick: I know it’s just the pre-season, but the Magic absolutely walked through opponents like they were playing against back-ups. There’s something to be said for an offense that has been clicking for weeks. Especially when they are playing against an offense that hasn’t clicked at all. If the Magic looked like the best pre-season offense, the most comfortable, all the pieces clicking – the 76ers looked like a box of random toys, a couple legos, a building block, a barbie, two dinosaurs, and a coloring book. I know they are learning a new offense, but that’s exactly it, they haven’t figured it out yet. They have some studs, so guys who can get their shot like Andre Iguodala, Lou Williams, and Thadeus Young can stroke jumpers as well, but together they look like a bunch of pieces not fitting together, not yet anyway. Vince Carter is ready to show his worth and Jameer Nelson is excited to be back after he was injured late last season for much of the Magic’s playoff run. These two teams know each other well, meeting in the playoffs last season as the 76ers took a couple from Orlando, even one in Orlando. But this is a different 76ers offense, They are not comfortable in what they are doing, and that should make the difference.

Sacramento Kings vs Oklahoma Thunder Free Basketball Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Sacramento Kings (+7.5) @ Oklahoma Thunder Pick: I like the Thunder, I think they are one of the most exciting teams in the league, but I don’t think they are ready to have any value what-so-ever as a 7 point favorite. I know hoops can go fast, spreads are tough to really predict, but the Thunder aren’t going to blow a lot of teams out, especially teams with solid big men that can score on the post. Feel free to laugh now, but the Kings actually have a trio of capable low-post scorers. Sean May (this is the part where you are welcome to laugh), Jason Thompson, (yes, probably a guy you don’t know too much about, but the guy is a big body that works his tail off, and he can score it) and Spencer Hawes (can score from anywhere in the offense) are three guys that are going to give Thunder post players fits. The Thunder have an absolute stud in Kevin Durrant, they have nice young players like Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and rookie shooting guard James Harden, and some good bench pieces as well. But they will have trouble with good bigs, and the Kings might not have well known bigs, but they can score, especially against Oklahoma. I’ll take the dogs here.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Toronto Raptors Free NBA picks

Posted on by

no banners

Cleveland Cavaliers (-5.5) @ Toronto Raptors Pick: The Cavs played last night, and maybe in the beginning of the season they might not have the endurance they want, but I can’t see them falling to 0-2, and that’s exactly what a loss to the Raptors would bring them to. Tell me who, which one guy on the Raptors roster, can stop Shaq? Not a one. He should beast that skinny front line in Toronto. I already know that nobody can guard LeBron James. Cleveland has too much power up front, and they have too much pride to start the season with two straight losses. Despite being the second game of a back to back, I expect Cleveland to get their first win of the season, and it should be by double digits.

L.A. Clippers vs L.A. Lakers NBA Free Pick

Posted on by

no banners

Los Angeles Clippers @ Los Angeles Lakers (-9.5) NBA Free Pick: The Lakers haven’t lost to the Clippers since April of 2007. Yep. Seriously. The Lakers have beaten the Clippers by double digits in 7 of the last 8 contests, beating them by 20 or more four times. Yep. Seriously. I know the Clippers are a popular pick to improve this season. I know it’s opening night and anything can happen, hopes are up, and the Clippers are excited to prove themselves. I also know that Pau Gasol is out, and he’s been a huge part of the Lakers success since Memphis gave him up for a pack of smokes, a guitar with just three strings, and Kwame Brown’s expiring contract. I know. But I also know the Lakers will win. Why? Because these are the Clippers, folks. And they know how to help other teams win, they’ve been doing it for a long time. I also know that with Blake Griffin and Marcus Camby out, that potent exciting front court becomes less potent and less exciting, and with Chris Kaman playing more minutes, infinitely more disturbing in appearance. I like Kobe Bryant and the Lakers to cover here, as I don’t think Gasol being out hurts that much with Odom taking his place.

Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Opening Night

Posted on by

no banners

Boston Celtics (+5) @ Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Pick: I obviously like both these teams to win a lot of games this year. I just think that playing with Shaquille O’Neal takes some getting used to, for everyone, and thus I’ll probably go against Cleveland early in the season when playing as a favorite over other great teams. This is a very good Celtics team. Rasheed Wallace only helps their chances against the Cavs, and Rajon Rondo looks even better than he did last season. I know the home team wins this game most of the time, but an opening night battle royal between the Celtics and Cavs could mean anything. I’ll take the Celtics, a team more comfortable with each other could go a long way here.