Sunday NBA Picks
Our team of writers and handicappers hand out their NBA picks and predictions for Sunday, March 22.
Cleveland Cavaliers at New Jersey Nets, 6:05PM ET
The emergence of Chris Douglas-Roberts has helped New Jersey overcome Devin Harris’ absence and lift the Nets’ previously fading playoff hopes.
Extending their recent success with a win over the surging Cleveland Cavaliers would be a much more significant confidence boost.
The NBA-best Cavaliers go for their ninth straight win Sunday when they open a home-and-home series in New Jersey against Douglas-Roberts and the Nets, looking to win three straight for the first time in six weeks.
The recent surge by Cleveland (56-13) has allowed it to pull four games ahead of Boston for the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers got 24 points from Mo Williams and 22 from LeBron James in a 102-96 win over Atlanta on Saturday.
But James was more impressed with the team’s defense, which held the Hawks to 42.9 percent shooting. Cleveland has limited its last four opponents to 93.5 points per game after needing overtime to beat lowly Sacramento 126-123 on March 13.
NBA Free Pick: New Jersey – View Game Matchup | Best Line:
Golden State Warriors at New Orleans Hornets, 7:05PM ET
The New Orleans Hornets are not going to underestimate non-playoff teams, especially at this time of the season.
Their push toward home-court advantage for at least one round of the playoffs continues Sunday night as they host a Golden State team that has no postseason aspirations but is playing better of late.
Locked in a crowded Western Conference playoff race with seven teams jockeying for the No. 2 seed, New Orleans (43-25) resumes its five-game homestand after posting back-to-back wins over two of the worst teams in the league. The victories, though, were not exactly playoff-quality efforts.
The Hornets were tied with slumping Memphis at 79 with less than five minutes remaining but used a 17-1 run to win 96-84 on Friday.
Chris Paul continued his scoring tear with 32 points against the Grizzlies. Scoring a career-high 22.1 per game this season, Paul is averaging 29.3 on 57.7 percent shooting in his last six contests.
NBA Free Pick: New Orleans – View Game Matchup | Best Line:
Philadelphia 76ers at Sacramento Kings, 9:05PM ET
There’s no pressure on Philadelphia to avoid becoming the first Eastern Conference team to lose to the Sacramento Kings this season. The 76ers, however, have enough to worry about as they try to avoid a slide down the conference standings.
Philadelphia looks to snap a two-game skid Sunday night at Arco Arena against a Kings team that finally feels some relief in their disappointing season.
The 76ers (34-33) opened their five-game western swing Tuesday with a 94-93 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, but arrive in Sacramento after back-to-back losses to Phoenix and Golden State. Philadelphia is in a tight race with Miami and Detroit for playoff spots five through seven in the East.
Friday’s 119-111 loss to the Warriors was a game the 76ers not only needed to keep pace in the Eastern race, but one they felt they gave away. Philadelphia led 14-2 in the game’s opening three minutes, but following a third-quarter delay caused by the lights going out at Oracle Arena, the 76ers were outscored 21-8.
NBA Free Pick: Sacramento – View Game Matchup | Best Line:
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Posted: 3/22/09 10:09AM ET