Trying to Wager in Traffic

We have all seen it or done it, tried to multi-task while driving. While it seems like a good idea at the time, the truth is we really know it is a poor choice and unsafe to ourselves and others. Friday night in the NBA, five teams in the Western Conference will hit the hardwood bunched up like vehicles on the I-405 in southern California and sports bettors are left to make sense of this near gridlock situation. At the end of the season, every win and loss is crucial; here is a look-in on the five teams posturing for playoff positions out West.

Utah at San Antonio

For the Jazz and Spurs, so much for making a statement about their readiness to finish the season strong. Utah went into Dallas having lost three of four and was blistered for 130 points by the Mavericks, in defenseless showing, losing by 29 points. It is really simple to determine why the Jazz haven’t been as sturdy as in the past. In their last eight contests, they have managed to keep just two opponents under 50 percent shooting. In that time, Utah has one spread cover.

At least San Antonio (50-28, 38-38-2 ATS) has a letter from the doctor as to why they were defeated at home to Portland 95-83. The Spurs have lost one of the Big Three, Manu Ginobili for the season and Tim Duncan’s knees have been a concern since the All-Star break.

“People don’t realize Timmy’s been playing on one leg for like a month and a half,” Tony Parker said. “We can’t pay attention to that. We just have to take a challenge and play harder.”

San Antonio is neck and neck with Houston for Southwest Division title and many more missteps by the Spurs could see them falling as far as fifth or potentially worse in the West. Bookmaker.com has them three-point favorites with a total of 193. With Parker the clear leader, San Antonio is only 1-7 ATS in recent home games.

Utah (47-31, 38-40 ATS) is tied with Dallas for the final two playoff positions and is 3-11 ATS since Mar. 11. The Jazz are 15-24 (17-22 ATS) on the road, but might have one last trick up their warmup sleeve, being 27-10 and 23-14 ATS with one day off. The unfortunate aspect is they are 1-10 ATS in San Antonio and these two teams have played OVER 10 of 11 times in southwest Texas.

New Orleans at Dallas

Dallas (47-31, 38-40 ATS) could hardly have set up a better scenario than what they have. The Mavericks have clinched a postseason berth and has there sights set on moving out of the No. 8 seed to skirt playing the Lakers. They took the first step in lambasting Utah Wednesday night and go next right after New Orleans (48-30, 34-43-1 ATS), whom they trail by one game.

The Dallas offense has been Mav-olous, averaging 135 points per outing the last two contests and they are 13-5 ATS as home favorite. “If we continue to win, we have a real opportunity to move up,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “So that is the challenge.”

New Orleans has been battling injuries and is .500 (5-9 ATS) since March 14. This is meaningful also for the Hornets, as they only play the Texas teams the rest of the way, suggesting a 4-0 finish could land them as high as a four seed. This matchup begins a home and home with the Mavs.

“It’s like a playoff series with Dallas,” forward David West said. “We have two games with them, with huge implications. We need to try to go down to Dallas and steal one. We just need to try to pick up wins.”

New Orleans has won and covered both meetings this season and dumped Dallas in the playoffs in five games last year. The Hornets are seven-point underdog and are 8-20 ATS in that role. The home team is 8-3 ATS in the Southwest Division series with the UNDER 9-2 in Big D.

L.A. Lakers at Portland

The Portland Trailblazers (50-28, 41-36-1 ATS) probably won’t catch Denver in the Northwest Division; however their hopes are very much alive to nab the fourth seed in the West. The Blazers are setup well to finish with a flourish after upsetting San Antonio. Portland has three home games remaining, where they are 31-7 and 23-14-1 ATS and have one trip to L.A. to face the crestfallen Clippers.

Portland will have the benefit of day off before facing the Lakers tonight, who had to take on Denver last evening and are 29-16 and 24-21-1 ATS with a day of rest. Brandon Roy and Portland are cruising with 9-3 SU and ATS run and are a real irritant to the Lakers, having won seven in a row and 12 of the last 14 against the Lakers at the Rose Garden. Overall, the Blazers are on 14-3 ATS against the Lake-show in the Great Northwest and are a one-point home favorite.