Orlando at Detroit (-7, 194)
Everybody expected something big from Magic center Dwight Howard at the All-Star game weekend in New Orleans. Big, but maybe not as shocking as what he pulled out for the Dunk Competition.
Now that it’s back to the grind after this young Orlando team that stumbled a bit before the break, the team could feed off the All-Star excitement through a mini two-game road trip.
The
Magic are also one of the Association’s best bets on the road this
season. They’ve covered in 20 of their 29 visiting dates this season.
Pick: Magic +7
Boston at Denver (-1, 208)
Denver’s been one of the league’s best post-All-Star bets over the last few years, but this will be a tough one at home.
Boston was dominant before the break, winning seven of its last eight with Kevin Garnett
still watching from the sideline. Now the Big Ticket’s close – like a
50-50 chance of playing Tuesday, according the Boston Herald.
“These
last four days have been my strongest days,” Garnett told the Herald.
“I’ve made major strides and I’m happy with where I’m at. A couple of
weeks ago I could only do limited things, and I’m back to my old self
again.”
Even
if Garnett does sit out again, it’s hard to know how this skittish
Nuggets team will respond to the break, especially the only weapons
they have - Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony – were running around New Orleans all last weekend.
Pick: Celtics +1
Atlanta at L.A. Lakers (-11, 205)
Kobe Bryant and his ailing pinkie did make an All-Star game appearance after all – for less than three minutes.
The Los Angeles
Times reports Bryant suffered a complete ligament tear and an avulsion
fracture (occurs when a piece of bone is pulled off by a tendon).
“My
current thinking is to give my finger some treatment and rest for a few
days, and hope I can still continue to compete at a high level after
that rest,” Bryant said in a press release. “I would prefer to delay
any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer's
Olympic Games. But, this is an injury that myself and the Lakers'
medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day
basis."
As
for Tuesday’s game, he’s officially listed as questionable now, but
even that seems optimistic after his cameo at the All-Star game.
Pick: Hawks +11
