NBA Premium Play for Saturday
Atlanta @ Houston (Rockets -5/196)
Recommendation: 1* Take Houston (#508)
The Hawks are coming off a ridiculous 64.5% shooting effort in Cleveland earlier in the week, notching their 11th win in their last 12 ballgames. I’m not expecting Atlanta to make it 12 out of 13! They’re certainly not going to get another season high performance from reserve Shelvin Mack, who hit all six of his three point tries against the Cavs. Backup point guard Dennis Schroeder was forced into the starters role due to an injury to Jeff Teague and he responded with a career high ten assists. Teague is expected to be out again tonight, and I’m not expecting another career high effort from Schroder either.
Off back-2-back wins against the Cavs and Bulls, Atlanta is a tad bit ‘fat and happy’ here. And it’s surely worth noting that each of their nine previous victories during this hot streak came against a sub .500 foe, beating the weak. Their only wins against Western Conference opposition all year came against Utah, New Orleans and Denver, all at home. As the Hawks schedule toughens up considerably, starting tonight, I’m expecting significant regression.
The Rockets haven’t lost back-2-back home games in more than a year, and they are coming off a flat performance at home against New Orleans in their last contest, a nine point defeat. That loss came after grinding out a tough OT win in the Mile High air of Denver the previous night. James Harden: “From the beginning we didn't have any legs. We just didn't have it tonight. Tough game. We're a no excuse team, but we just didn't have it. It's one of those days." Expect a strong bounceback showing tonight in a game featuring a class difference that simply isn’t reflected in this pointspread. Take the Rockets.
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