Saturday’s NBA odds feature a pair of teams heading home in pseudo-must-win situations. The Hawks and Mavericks won’t technically be eliminated if they lose their respective Game 3s, but no team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in hoops betting. Do they stand a chance in Saturday’s NBA lines?Mavericks vs Nuggets odds – Game 3 Saturday, May 9 at 5:00 p.m. ET
NBA odds: Mavericks -4
It seems every basketball betting series save for the LeBron show has some serious drama going on. As if the Mavericks weren’t in trouble already after losing Game 1 and 2 in Denver, the Dirk Nowitzki stalker scandal opened up a new can of worms. He and his teammates insist that his focus will be on basketball for Game 3, but those betting online have to wonder how a home break-in can affect your play. Worse yet for the Mavs, Josh Howard’s bum ankle is plaguing him, making it tougher for Dirk’s supporting cast to step it up should he struggle personally.
The Mavericks were great at home in the basketball betting regular season, but they have too many distractions right now. The Nuggets smell blood and they’re a sparkling 6-1 in the playoffs, so they make for a good minor upset pick at the sportsbook for Game 3.
Basketball betting pick: Nuggets +4
Hawks vs Cavaliers odds – Game 3 Saturday, May 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET
NBA odds: Cavaliers -8
Any sane sports betting player knew entering this series that the Cavs were a gargantuan favorite, but the Hawks – who pushed the champion Celtics to seven games last season – have still managed to disappoint so far, losing each game by 17 or more points. Can they make it interesting at home? It’s clear that LeBron can’t be stopped, so the Hawks’ only hope is to play a high-energy game, rely on their depth and score some serious points. A big problem: they’re nicked up, as Joe Johnson rolled his ankle in Game 2 and is now questionable for Game 3 while Al Horford and Marvin Williams sat out Game 2.
I want to believe the Hawks can get a superhuman effort from Josh Smith (with fewer fouls too) and give the Cavs their first challenge of the playoffs in Game 3, but a hobbled Hawks team is just that much more disadvantaged. The win just ain’t gonna come – not even against the spread.
Basketball betting pick: Cavaliers -8
