OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has an NBA playoffs pick Saturday is on the Atlanta Hawks (+8.5) at Orlando.
Reasoning: I am not saying that Atlanta is really ready to fully compete as the last few months were not good for Larry Drew’s team but I’m also not fully buying this current Orlando team. The trades were not as successful as Otis Smith had hoped and Stan Van Gundy’s team has a lot of deficiencies and frankly too many to just lace them up and win going away. Certainly being in the Magic Kingdom is monstrous for Dwight Howard and the home squad and it should result in a victory but this thing is not going to get out of hand like the easy four game sweep a season ago.
The Hawks actually took three of the four meetings this season and even though Howard will dominate the paint Al Horford is a good enough matchup to disrupt Howard, do enough to hold his own and limit a ton of damage. Plus the Atlanta defense is the fourth best in the entire NBA in terms of defending the three point shot and we all know how the Magic will try and go small and bomb away with guys like Richardson, Arenas, Turkoglu and others.
Atlanta has scuffled at times and has regressed a bit. They have had mind scratching horrific 30 plus point blowout losses showing a lack of focus at times, which really isn’t very conducive to success when the chips are down. But I am not all in on this Magic team and still like the talent that the Hawks possess. Orlando has become one of the smaller teams in the league as it’s Howard and Brandon Bass down low and that’s about it, truly.
Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, Horford and Jamal Crawford have game. Kirk Hinrich has not exactly been the answer at the point but the guy is at least experienced and good enough. In the end I do believe we are going to see a competitive game that comes enough down the wire for the visitors to grab that cash.
Top expert pick on this game: Atlanta Hawks from Matt Rivers
For more information: Another million or so stars of profit are there for the taking tonight as I continue to prove that I am the best there is in the business. The big game last night was rained out which stinks but so be it. A trio of fire hot locks today including two on the diamond and one on the hardwoods. 400,000* Mets-Braves in whichever game involves DJ Carrasco plus a 300,000* 76ers-Heat and a 200,000* Marlins-Phillies. Feeling tremendous and you will be as well pretty soon! Matt Rivers picks