Matt Rivers says your Thursday free pick winner is on the San Antonio Spurs -1 at Denver.

Reasoning: At some point Timmy and the boys from San Antonio will come back down to Earth because they are not 20-3 good but in this situation I’m betting that it’s not going to happen today. Winning at Denver with the altitude is always difficult and I faded the Nuggets a few days ago at home against the Magic and it burnt me but I just do not see anything but a solid enough Spurs victory in this thing.

Greg Popovich has his guys firing on all cylinders thus far. Manu Ginobili has been lighting it up and Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are still high quality players that are good enough to take care of business on most nights. Throw in some younger guys as well and a potential Hall of Fame coach and the Spurs are a force to be reckoned with right now. Sure these guys will lose some games and get worn down a bit in due time but with Chauncey Billups out and the whole Carmelo Anthony issue hanging over the team it’s a tall order for these Nuggets to beat the surging and fire hot Spurs.

San Antonio is the consummate professional team that even on a back-to-back after the game in Milwaukee last night should be a bit too good against the banged up Nuggets. Melo and the fellas are well under .500 against the number and that should get worse by one tonight.

The pick: San Antonio -1

For more information: Matt Rivers says: I do have a play on this Thursday NFL game but the big play comes early and for good reason. I have a bowl game that I’m playing early and believe that if you don’t there will be movement going against you. It’s the biggest play in my arsenal and something that just cannot miss. A 500,000* Bowl Lock of my Life on a dog that I fully expect to win outright, period. Get this 500,000* winner right now and lock in. Bonus 200,000* San Francisco-San Diego. Click now to purchase

Today’s NBA rest report:

Hawks-Celtics

Boston is playing back-to-back nights

Spurs-Nuggets

San Antonio is playing back-to-back nights