NBA Weekend Betting Picks

Philadelphia at Atlanta (Saturday, 7 pm Eastern)

For our first pick for Saturday we look to Atlanta, where a pair of Eastern Conference contenders meet when Coach Collins' Philadelphia 76ers take on the Hawks.

Going into a home game vs. Miami Friday night Philly has won 16 of its first 22 games and leads the Atlantic Division by 4.5 games. The Sixers have also won four in a row, after ripping Chicago Wednesday night 98-82.

Atlanta, meanwhile, is 16-7 and just a half-game back of first-place Miami in the Southeast Division. But the Hawks did lay a bit of an egg in their last outing, a 96-77 home loss to Memphis Thursday night.

These teams met for the first time this season two weeks ago, when Philly held Atlanta to 29 second-half points in winning 90-76. The Sixers covered that night as seven-point favorites, and the game played 'under' its total of 184.

Pick: Take the Sixers

Oklahoma City at San Antonio (Saturday, 8:30 pm Eastern)

Also Saturday we get a key Western Conference matchup to play with as the Oklahoma City Thunder visit the San Antonio Spurs.

OKC owns the best record in the West in the early going of this season, winning 17 of its first 21 games. The Thunder lost at the Clippers Monday night but bounced back to win at Dallas Wednesday 95-86.

San Antonio, meanwhile, leads the Southwest Division at 15-9, and has won three in a row, after beating New Orleans Thursday.

These teams met for the first time this season about a month ago, when OKC shot 51 percent from the floor in topping the Spurs 108-96. The Thunder covered as six-point favorites that night, and the game played 'over' its total of 196.

Pick: Take the Thunder

Memphis at Boston (Sunday, 12 pm Eastern)

Sunday the NBA offers up a couple games for our pre-Super Bowl betting pleasure. In the first bout the Boston Celtics host the Memphis Grizzlies.

Boston stumbled through a five-game losing streak a while back, but after thumping Toronto Wednesday 100-64 the Celts have won six of their last seven to climb back above .500 at 11-10. So Boston owns the seven spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

Memphis recently lost four in a row, but has come back to win its last two, after downing Atlanta Thursday night. So the Grizz sit in the nine spot in the West, a half-game back of eighth-seeded Portland.

Last year these two teams split two close games, each team winning on the other's home court.

Pick: Take Memphis

Toronto at Miami (Sunday, 1 pm Eastern)

And for our second pick Sunday we go to Miami, where the Heat host the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto had won three of four games recently, but has lost its last two by a combined 59 points. And as the Raptors have struggled to put the ball in the hole, their last four games have played 'under' their totals.

However, Toronto is 4-2 ATS this season as double-digit underdogs.

Miami, meanwhile, just had a five-game winning streak snapped by a 105-97 loss at Milwaukee Wednesday night. So the Heat sit in second place in the East, a game and a half back of first-place Chicago.

This is the first meeting this season between these two teams. Last year Miami swept four games from the Raptors by an average of 13 points.

Pick: Take the Heat and the 'under'

Last weekend's selection record: 5-1