Basketball 
/ Nick Shiambouros / 01 April 2011 / Leave a Comment 
The pressure is on the for the Spurs
"I am expecting a huge effort from the Spurs in this crucial fixture."
With LA hot on their heels, San Antonio need to raise their game this weekend. Nick Shiambouros selects the best bets at the start of an exciting weekend in the NBA...
The Boston Celtics beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-97 at the AT&T Center on Thursday evening. Both teams traded punches all night long but it was the Celtics who proved the stronger in the final quarter.
Point guard Rajon Rondo had a huge night for Boston, scoring 22 points with 14 assists, in a very important victory which leaves the Celtics just two games behind Chicago in the Eastern Conference.
This was the fifth straight loss for San Antonio who are in real danger of losing the number one seeding in the Western Conference. The Spurs are now just 2.5 games ahead of Los Angeles with seven games left in the regular season.
On Thursday, the in form Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks 110-82 in one of the most ill-tempered games I've seen all year. The game got out of hand in the fourth quarter when the teams were involved in an altercation on the floor. Four players were ejected as a result of this ugly incident.
This was the eighth win in a row for Los Angeles who are firing on all cylinders. The defending champions look unstoppable at the moment and have shortened to [3.85] to win the NBA championship.
This weekend , the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs continue their battle for Western Conference supremacy and home court advantage.
On Sunday, the San Antonio Spurs play host to the Phoenix Suns in a nationally televised game. This is a must win game for San Antonio who have the best home record in basketball at 33-5. Despite their shocking recent form they will be heavily fancied.
The Suns have played very poorly since the All-Star break and appear to be looking forward to a long summer holiday. They still have a mathematical chance of making the post-season but it would take a miracle.
I am expecting a huge effort from the Spurs in this crucial fixture. Tim Duncan and company fully understand the importance of this game and should have way too many weapons for the disappointing Suns. I'm sure this veteran team will run up the score and should be backed at around [1.9] with the advertised handicap.
Later on Sunday, the Lakers host the Denver Nuggets. LA have been presented with a real chance of catching San Antonio in the West and will fight for every point in this game.
The great Kobe Bryant has been on fire for Los Angeles in the past few weeks and is playing like a man who is desperate to win his third consecutive championship.
At the defensive end of the floor, Ron Artest who has finally recaptured his early season form. He's not the easiest player to coach but he is one of the best defensive players in the game.
The Denver Nuggets are currently in fifth place in the Western Conference and are playing some decent basketball despite losing superstar guard Carmelo Anthony to New York earlier this year.
Head coach George Karl has done a wonderful job with the rotation and they could make a little noise in the post-season. I think the Lakers will be very difficult to beat and should be backed at around [1.9] with the advertised handicap.
Recommended Bets
Sunday back San Antonio with advertised handicap at [1.9]
Sunday back Los Angeles with advertised handicap at [1.9]
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