Raptors Maintaining Lead Over Nets
The Toronto Raptors are looking better and better to win the NBA Atlantic Division crown and host a first round playoff series. As the schedule turns to March, the Brooklyn Nets are trailing by 4.0 games and have only two more months to catch the Raptors. Lately they have not been gaining ground.
This past week, the Raptors were 2-1 with their lone loss coming in three overtimes to the Washington Wizards 134-129. Before that they beat the Orlando Magic 105-90 and stopped the Cleveland Cavaliers five game win streak 99-93. Meanwhile the Nets were 2-1 also with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers 108-102, then a loss to the Portland Trail Blazers 124-80 and a win over the Denver Nuggets 112-89. While it is encouraging for Nets fans that while on a Western Conference road swing they were able to keep pace, the Lakers and Nuggets are not among the better of the West teams. When facing a contender in the West they were beaten soundly by 44 points. That has to be a bit troubling.
In the Eastern Conference standings as of the beginning of March, the Raptors would face the Nets in the first round. But they only lead the fourth seed Chicago Bulls by a half game right now. If they were to slip below Chicago they can go no lower than a four seed as a division champion, so as long as they stay ahead of the Nets that would put them against the Washington Wizards in the first round. That would be a great series judging by the last meeting between the two.
The only team from the Atlantic in action on Friday is the New York Knicks who will host the Golden State Warriors. We think it is time to call the Knicks out of the playoff race. Now they can be a spoiler and tonight they will have that chance as the Warriors still have their eyes on the Pacific Division crown. Right now the Warriors trail the Los Angeles Clippers by 4.0 games in the division.
Bovada has the Warriors -6 and the Knicks +6 ATS. We are going to go with the Warriors -6. They were hammered by 20 in their last outing against the Bulls so they will be looking to bounce back tonight at Madison Square Garden.
On Saturday, the Nets will be at the Milwaukee Bucks with a chance to pick up a half game on the idle Raptors.
