There is no better way to start the month than five winners and some more money in the bank, courtesy our SportsTips’ NBA picks.
There are so many questions for tonight’s games and we have all of the answers below, so you won’t want to miss out on this addition of the daily NBA picks.
Chicago Bulls @ Atlanta Hawks – 8PM ET
Both the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks are coming off losses on Friday night, to the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers, respectively. This brings the Bulls season record to 26-36 and the Hawks season record to 34-30. Playing at State Farm Arena, who will bounce back and get a win on Saturday night?
The Bulls are no longer in the playoff hunt, and they are really struggling without their star player, Zach LaVine. They were sitting at around .500 for the season before an awful end of March / start of April put them out of contention for the playoffs. They have two losses in a row, and in both games they were unable to score over 100 points. Nikola Vucevic is doing his best to carry the team, but it just isn’t enough at the moment.
We’re back at home tomorrow vs the Bulls as we celebrate PRIDE Night presented by @StateFarm. Tip is set for 8pm ET.
🎟️: https://t.co/soknd2Ifbq pic.twitter.com/MoKOIfWU1E
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) May 1, 2021
The Atlanta Hawks have dropped three games in a row, and really need to get their season back on track to make it easier in the playoffs. They are currently tied for 5th in the Eastern Conference, with the Boston Celtics. Miami are also hot on their heels, putting even more pressure on the Hawks to produce a win on Saturday night. We think this will provide the Hawks with enough motivation to lift their game to get the win.
NBA Pick – Atlanta Hawks (-215)
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New Orleans Pelicans @ Minnesota Timberwolves – 8PM ET
The New Orleans Pelicans and the Minnesota Timberwolves face off on Saturday night at Target Center, Minneapolis. The Pelicans have suffered from inconsistency all season, much to the frustration of players and fans alike. But there is still a chance for a playoff spot, they are currently only 3 wins away from the Golden State Warriors, a team the Pelicans will play twice before the regular season ends.
The Timberwolves are coming home strong leading to the end of the regular season, having won four of their last four. While the Timberwolves are second to bottom on the conference ladder, they are still giving it all they can, including two recent and very impressive wins against the Utah Jazz.
The Pelicans really need to win the rest of their games if they want to play in the playoffs, but with their inconsistency, mixed with the Timberwolves hot form as of late, we are just not that sure they can get there in this game. It will be close, but we would give the slight edge to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are not playing under any pressure at all.
NBA Pick – Minnesota Timberwolves (+134)
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Washington Wizards @ Dallas Mavericks – 9PM ET
This Saturday night clash is going to be a very interesting game to see which team has the ability to come out on top. The Wizards won their last game, played on Friday night, 122-93, against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Mavericks also won their last game, played on Thursday night, 115-105, against the Detroit Pistons.
The Washington Wizards are playing out of their skin lately, they have won ten of their last eleven games, bringing their season record to 29-34. The great win streak has meant they are 10th in the Eastern conference, which is half a game behind the Pacers.
Russell Westbrook (15 PTS, 12 REB, 11 AST) propels the @WashWizards!@russwest44: 5 triple-doubles from breaking Oscar Robertson’s all-time record pic.twitter.com/MbkN34zPxf
— NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2021
Players like Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook are leading from the front. Beal scored the most points for the Wizards in nine of their last eleven games, and Westbrook had the most rebounds in ten of their last eleven games, and the most assists in all eleven games.
The Mavericks are also doing well as of late, winning five of their last six. But they have two key players under an injury cloud which is concerning. Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are both currently listed as questionable for Saturday’s game.
Dallas’ season record is currently at 35-27, and they are 6th on the Western Conference ladder, just one game behind the Lakers in 5th. But if their two star players don’t hit the court for this match, we like the look of the Wizards to steal the win.
NBA Pick – Washington Wizards (+210)
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Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers – 10PM ET
This is a very enticing game that will have many NBA fans glued to their screens. On Saturday night the Denver Nuggets take on the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center, with it all to play for.
The two teams have a very similar record, with the Denver Nuggets (5th in the Western Conference) on 42-21, and the Los Angeles Clippers (4th in the Western Conference) on 43-21 for the season. In their last clash, the Nuggets were victorious, 101-94.
Even though the Denver Nuggets’ key player, Jamal Murray, is on the sidelines due to injury, it really hasn’t slowed down their form as of late. In fact, the Nuggets are actually currently on a four game winning streak! The Nuggets are all about offense, they have the fourth best offensive rating, along with the fourth highest average points per game.
Just like the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Clippers are beasts when it comes to offense, they are actually second place in offensive rating. Their defence is also solid as they only allow 108.3 points per game. But coming up against another great offensive team, will their defence be able to cope? We think that with the Denver Nuggets’ current form, they have the edge over the Clippers for this game.
NBA Pick – Denver Nuggets (+164)
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Toronto Raptors @ Utah Jazz – 10PM ET
The Toronto Raptors’ second game in a row on the road, as they travel to face off against the Utah Jazz. The Raptors are coming off a loss on Thursday against the Denver Nuggets, 121-111. The Jazz are also coming off a loss, on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns, 121-100. Both teams need to bounce back, so who will get the job done on Saturday night.
The Toronto Raptors are currently 12th on the Eastern Conference table, and their playoff chances are all but over, barring some sort of miracle. They just never really seemed to be able to get on a roll this year, and their 26-37 season record proves that. In April they did win 8 games, but they also lost 7, just showing how inconsistent they have been.
Bojan is averaging 20+ points over the last 10 games 📊#PerformanceLeader | @UofUHealth pic.twitter.com/5KsHd39atk
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) May 1, 2021
The Utah Jazz have been very surprising all season long and are still number one in the Western Conference, despite losing three of their last four games. Their season record is an impressive 45-17! The Jazz have just had four losses at home, yep you read that right, just four. So, with the Jazz back at home for this game, we find it difficult to see the Raptors getting the win here.
NBA Pick – Utah Jazz (-320)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of FanDuel.
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