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NBA weekend best bets: Can Spurs extend run vs. rival Suns?

Ronald Cortes / Getty Images Sport / Getty

We went 1-1 against the spread on our NBA picks Thursday, cashing on the red-hot 76ers before getting burned by the resurgent Warriors. Here are our favorite plays entering the weekend.

Pistons @ Magic (-3.5, 214)
Jan. 28, 7 p.m. ET

Any time the Magic are favored to win a basketball game - let alone by 3.5 points - it deserves some additional scrutiny. Orlando has been the NBA's second-worst team this season by net rating (-8.7) and has lost 15 of its last 17 contests (6-11 ATS), which includes four double-digit losses in its last six games.

Fittingly, the Pistons rank dead last in net rating (-9.5) across the entire season, but that includes nine games without top pick Cade Cunningham, who has reached another level as of late. The rookie guard dropped 34 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in Tuesday's narrow loss to the Nuggets - good for Detroit's fourth consecutive ATS win behind its rising star.

Both of these offenses have been their teams' biggest weakness, so if Cunningham can heat up against the Magic's below-average defense, his side could easily win outright. Take the points in a coin-flip affair.

Pick: Pistons +3.5

Celtics @ Hawks (-2, 218)
Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m.

We faded the Hawks with reckless abandon amid their lengthy slump in December, which was mostly due to injuries. Now this team is fully healthy, and the results speak for themselves.

After Wednesday's 17-point win over the Kings, Atlanta has won five straight contests (5-0 ATS) by an average of 12 points, scoring at least 110 points in all five. The Hawks have also re-established themselves down low behind Clint Capela and sophomore big Onyeka Okongwu, who scored a season-high 18 points in that win over Sacramento. When this roster is clicking on all cylinders, it's hard to stop.

The Celtics are also healthy and have turned in their two biggest wins of the season as a result. Still, it's hard not to worry about a letdown spot. Since 1995, teams coming off consecutive 25-point wins are 58-71-2 ATS (45%), while those following a 50-point win have dropped three of their last four ATS (2-2 SU).

Pick: Hawks -2

Pacers @ Mavericks (TBD)
Jan. 29, 7 p.m.

This is a classic buy-low opportunity on the Pacers, who have lost three straight and are dealing at pick 'em against the lowly Thunder on Friday.

It's no surprise that those losses coincide with the absence of big man Domantas Sabonis (ankle), who has missed the team's last four games but is questionable to suit up Friday. The Indiana star was on a tear before the injury, averaging 22.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 6.9 assists on 61.4% shooting in his previous 10 contests.

If Sabonis can make his return by Saturday, that would provide a significant boost to a thinned Pacers frontcourt that is already missing fellow big Myles Turner (foot). Indiana blew out the Mavericks the last time these two played; assuming Sabonis plays, it can keep things close in the rematch, too.

Pick: Pacers (TBD)

Spurs @ Suns (TBD)
Jan. 30, 8 p.m.

In a season full of hot streaks and long cold spells, these young Spurs have dropped 10 of 15 ATS since the start of January amid one of the tougher stretches of their schedule. For whatever reason, though, this team always delivers against its bitter rival.

Since the 2011 campaign, San Antonio is 24-12-3 ATS (66.6%) against the Suns, which includes a 5-2-1 ATS record as an underdog with three outright wins. Incredibly, the Spurs have held a lead of at least seven points in all three meetings between these teams this season (2-1 ATS), but Phoenix managed to win them all outright.

This could be San Antonio's time to strike, given all of the injuries on the Suns' side and a relatively clean bill of health for the visitor. Two of the previous three matchups were decided by exactly four points; if Phoenix is laying anything more than that, grab the points.

Pick: Spurs (TBD)

C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.

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