When the NBA schedule resumes Tuesday, there'll be just nine game days left within the season.  I DO NOT BELIEVE anyone thought, when the season started, that the soldiers would win 73 games.  But they have been brilliant all the season, and that i can't see them losing another.  Minnesota and Memphis shouldn't have the talent to defeat a motivated Warriors team.  The Spurs do, but it's doubtful coach Gregg Popovich will give many minutes to his best players in either in their two remaining games vs. Golden State.  Of course, there's still quite a lot of jockeying left within the race for the Playoffs, so let's look at the impending games.

Spread Watch

The Utah Jazz are in a dogfight with Dallas and Houston for the last two Playoff spots within the Western Conference.  Only one game separates the 3 teams and, barring a whole collapse by the 41-36 Memphis Grizzlies, only two of the Jazz, Mavericks and Rockets will reach the post-season.  The Jazz have won and covered 10 in their last 13 games.  Their 3 losses:  in overtime to Golden State; at Oklahoma City (without rest); and at Chicago.  After Sunday's blowout of Phoenix, the Jazz are actually 8-0 ATS their last eight games as a favorite.  Utah could be favored to win no less than four of its last five games (and probably all five, should Popovich choose to rest the Spurs' best players on Tuesday).  I LIKE the Jazz on Friday against the Clippers.  Utah could be fidgeting with revenge from a 5-point home loss to La back in December.  And the Clips are a dreadful 3-15 ATS their last 18 games against revenge-minded foes.

Total Watch

The Big apple Knicks have played their last six games 'Under' the whole, and are 18-6 'Under' the total since Kurt Rambis succeeded Derek Fisher as head coach.  A LARGE reason behind that is New York's pace of play.  For the season, the Knicks rank within the bottom five in pace (93.4).  As their season winds toward a close, the Knicks' offensive production might take a hit.  Last week, Carmelo Anthony (21.9 ppg), Robin Lopez (10.2 ppg) and Jose Calderon (7.5 ppg) suggested to Rambis that he decrease their minutes in favor of giving more time to the team's younger players.  Rambis played Anthony just 25 minutes in Friday's game vs. Brooklyn, after which gave him all the night off Sunday vs. Indiana.  Rookie Kristaps Porzingis (14.3 ppg) also missed the last two games, and will be held out of the Knicks' final four games.  New York's game at Philadelphia, on Friday, looks to be a super candidate to sail 'Under' the total, because the Sixers have gone 'Under' in six in their last seven games.Injury Watch

Kyrie Irving sprained his ankle in Friday night's overtime win at Atlanta.  Irving missed Sunday's game vs. Charlotte (a 112-103 Cleveland victory), and it's unclear how long he's going to be sidelined.  Irving is averaging 19.5 ppg and 4.6 apg, so his production is significant for the Cavaliers as they make their push for the #1 seed within the Eastern Conference.  This season, the Cavaliers are 20-8 straight-up, but 12-15-1 ATS with Irving off the court.  Their game Wednesday, at Indiana, looks especially problematic if Irving is out.  Cleveland can be playing that game without rest, because it can be in Milwaukee on Tuesday, while Indiana could have had the former two days off.  Moreover, the Pacers could be fidgeting with revenge from three losses suffered to the Cavs earlier this season.  All of this spells trouble for Cleveland, as revengers have gone 58-37 ATS within the final five games of a season since 1991, in the event that they played with no less than two more days' of rest than their foe.

Schedule Watch

When the NBA regular season enters its final days, most players have their eyes either at the playoffs or the golf course.  So, probably the most things I ATTEMPT TO do on the end of a season is use games where the players may not be fully focused.  A FAIR place to start out is the schedule.  For example, unrested teams which are playing their fourth game in five nights are especially bad, at Game 77 forward, against rested opponents.  Since 1991, they've covered just 28 of 85 games!  This upcoming Saturday, the brand new Orleans Pelicans will host the Phoenix Suns and it'll be New Orleans' fourth game in five nights, while Phoenix can be rested following its game, at Houston, on Thursday.  It's true that the Suns are currently mired in a six-game losing streak (and certain eight games, by the point they reach New Orleans), but my money will still be at the underdog Suns on this contest.

Read More... [Source: Covers.com: NBA News and Stories]