NBA Picks – A Pair Of Thrilling Games Highlight Thursday’s Schedule

Ready to make your Thursday night NBA Picks?

Well look no further as a pair of crucial games will take place this evening.

Let’s break each of them down.

[Off topic: by the way, do you want to get a 55% bonus on your first deposit here at BetOnline? If so JOIN NOW.]

Miami Heat (42-15 SU, 29-27-1 ATS) at Chicago Bulls (38-17 SU, 32-17-1 ATS)

Thursday, February 24: 8:00 p.m. TNT, Live from United Center, Chicago, IL

NBA Betting Odds:

Miami: -3

Chicago: +3

Total: 192

The NBA Picks start in the United Center, where we may very well have a playoff preview Thursday night. Who’ll have the edge when Miami and Chicago get together? Let’s take a look.

For Miami, the Heat did not appear to miss a beat in their first game after the All-Star break, as they beat Sacramento by a cool 30 points on Tuesday night. In that game, the “Big Three,” were at their best, combining for 76 points in victory. It was Miami’s ninth win straight up in their last 10 games.

Still, when it comes to the NBA Picks, we actually like Chicago for a few reasons. For starters, the United Center has become one of the elite home courts in the NBA, as the Bulls are 25-4 there this year. Also, don’t forget, for all the talk about Derrick Rose and company on offense, the Bulls play spectacular defense, allowing just 92 points and 43 percent shooting per game.

Most importantly though, it comes down to matchups, and the Bulls have them. Yes there’s Rose, and we’ve got to wonder who on Miami will guard the lightning-quick point guard who averages 25 points and eight assists down low? More importantly, with Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer both healthy and back in the lineup, we expect those two to control the paint and the boards. In their first game together Wednesday, they combined for 31 points and 22 rebounds against Toronto.

Miami might have an advantage against most teams, but unfortunately for Heat fans, the Bulls just aren’t one of them. Make Chicago one of your Thursday NBA Picks.

NBA Picks: Chicago +3

Boston Celtics (41-14 SU, 27-26-2 ATS) at Denver Nuggets (33-25 SU, 25-30-3 ATS)

Thursday, February 24: 10:30 p.m. TNT, Live from Pepsi Arena, Denver, CO

Betting Odds:

Boston: -4

Denver: +4

Total: 203 ½

Next up, the NBA Picks heads out to Denver, where, for just the second time since 2003, the Nuggets will be playing a game without Carmelo Anthony. In their first, Denver beat Memphis 120-107 on Tuesday night.
But that victory was against the lowly Grizzlies, and with the Celtics coming to town, we expect a much different result. Boston enters with talent all over the court, but most importantly is the best defensive team in the league. Currently, they rank No. 1 in the NBA in fewest points allowed (91.2) and are third in field-goal percentage defense (43.5 percent).

And while Denver played tough with Carmelo and Chauncey Billups on Tuesday night, we just don’t like them in the NBA Picks here.

Remember, this will be the first game that Denver has to fit in all the pieces of the Carmelo trade in with the returning guys. How will Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler and others mesh with J.R. Smith, Ty Lawson and the incumbents? We don’t know. But we don’t expect it to be pretty against one of the league’s best teams.

There are a lot of safe bets you can make this Thursday night, but none seems better than taking Boston and the points on the road here. They’re the smartest of all the NBA Picks on the board.

NBA Picks: Boston -4