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Free NCAA and NBA Basketball Picks: Friday Night

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NCAA Hoops Picks:

Morehead State Eagles (+21) @ Kentucky Wildcats: I know Kentucky got their new coach and a bunch of prized recruits, but this Morehead State team is resilient. They return 4 starters form a year ago, and while they lost a key player in Senior, Leon Buchanan, they have some solid players that have played well against big time competition. Better yet, this team fights, they lost 2 games by more than 20 points last season. The first was just an off night in the 2nd game of the season against Vanderbilt, the 2nd was to Louisville. In the NCAA tournament last season, the Eagles lost by 20 to that same Louisville team. I expect it to take the Wildcats a few games to mesh, and while I fully expect them to win, it wouldn’t surprise me if this one is much closer than 20.

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Wright State Raiders @ Washington Huskies (-14): I just think UW’s overall size and athleticism is too much for the Raiders. It might stay close for a while, but with the way UW gambles and runs the floor, a five point lead could turn into twenty in just a few minutes. Wright State does return 4 starters from last year’s team that finished the season much better than they started. UW loses Justin Dentmon and Jon Brockman, two key cogs in the Huskies success a year ago, but Dentmon’s services will be replaced by fantastic freshman Abdul Gaddy, and Brockman’s absence will only allow the Huskies to run the floor more against lesser teams. UW is long enough to rebound at all positions. I haven’t even talked about Isiah Thomas yet – the sophomore was awesome in his first season with the Huskies, and I only expect him to be better this time around.

NBA Hoops:

Atlanta Hawks (+9) @ Boston Celtics: The first game in ESPN’s double header seems like a great bet. The Hawks are one of the better teams in the East, they play good defense, and this game has definitely turned into a rivalry after a tough playoff match-up. This game is often a close one, finishing 6 points or closer in 5 of the last 8 contests. The road team has won 8 of the last 10, Atlanta has won 3 of the last 5 in Boston. Both teams are coming off a free day. Should be a good one.

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L.A. Lakers @ Denver Nuggets (-3): Gotta like Denver tonight, they haven’t played very well lately, but get the benefit of coming off a long road trip early in the season, and getting to play at home. Whew, what a load off. L.A. didn’t have a real tough game against Phoenix last night, but they still played, and they still are missing their second best player. The Lakers have a chance, of course, they have Mr. Bryant, but I like the Nuggets’ chances. This is the late game on ESPN Friday Night Basketball.

ESPN Friday Night Free NBA Basketball Picks

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Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks (+8.5) NBA Picks: The Knicks have had a history of playing good teams tough, especially in the National spotlight – I think that continues here. Basketball is weird and a close game can easily become a 10 point contest, but with Cleveland going down to the wire in a physical game with the Bulls last night, and their bench being relatively ineffective to start the season, I think they’ll have a hard time coming out and dominating the Knicks. New York definitely has that “me against the world” attitude, and with the cameras on, and ESPN at the Garden, I like New York’s chances.

Neither of these teams have been good against the spread this year, but New York hasn’t been a big underdog once this season. The Cavs have been big favorites often. I think the Knicks can keep it close with the long ball and the fast break. I don’t know if New York could stop Shaquille O’Neal and Ilgauskus, but the Cavs aren’t committed to the post game. That helps New York. LeBron James also got beat up a little last night, falling hard into the stands and rolling his ankle while going out of bounds. He’ll play, he’ll be good, but that and a back to back could take it’s toll.

San Antonio Spurs @ Portland Trail Blazers (-3): After getting beat up for most of the night against the Jazz on TNT Thursday Night, the Spurs get to travel up to Portland to play a late game against a pretty physically athletic Trail Blazers unit. Tim Duncan has looked old so far this season, but he’s still very good. San Antonio just doesn’t seem to have that swagger that they’ve had in the past, and I know Portland will come out ready to play against one of the NBA’s premier teams.

With the second game of a back to back, the Spurs definitely don’t have an advantage in that aspect of the game. The Blazers are playing at home, they have size and as much depth as any team in the league. I see that being a problem for San Antonio, I like the Blazers to cover the small spread to get back to .500 on the season. They’ve played better than their record insists, and that’s going to even out sooner or later, I’m guessing sooner.