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Nick Shiambouros looks for the best bets ahead of this weekend's NBA match-ups

The Miami Heat beat the Orlando Magic 104-100 in a thoroughly entertaining affair on Thursday night. The great LeBron James was on fire for Miami scoring a season high 51 points.

Miami were in control for most of the game and took a 90-67 lead with under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Magic staged a rally to make things interesting in the final minute but came up short after Ryan Anderson missed a long range shot in the final seconds.

This was the fourth win in a row for Miami and they are just 2.5 games behind Boston in the Eastern Conference.
　
The San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Lakers 89-88 with a huge effort late on Thursday at the Staples Center.

The Spurs won the game at the buzzer after Antonio McDyess tipped the ball in following a Tim Duncan miss. The Lakers walked off the floor in disbelief after suffering this heartbreaking loss.

The victory moves San Antonio 7.5 games ahead of Dallas and Los Angeles in the Western Conference.

There are a couple of very interesting fixtures taking place this Super Bowl weekend.

On Saturday the Dallas Mavericks travel to the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Mavs come in to this game in sparkling form. On Thursday Dallas recorded their sixth win in a row after thrashing New York 113-97. Dirk Nowitzki has fully recovered from a recent knee injury and is playing some outstanding basketball on both ends of the floor.

This veteran team is playing at a very high level at the moment and that spells trouble for Charlotte. The Bobcats are currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 21-27. Despite having a losing record Charlotte still have a fighting chance of making the post-season.

The Bobcats are led by Stephen Jackson who is having another solid year. This talented swingman is averaging over 18 points per game and is the main reason Charlotte remain in the playoff picture.

But my money has to be on Dallas. They are one of the most talented teams in the league and should easily dispose of Charlotte who do not have a deep enough rotation. They should be backed at around 1.9 with the advertised handicap.

On Sunday the New York Knicks play host to Philadelphia in an all Eastern Conference affair.

The Knicks are currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 25-23.

Forward Amar'e Stoudemire is having a superb year for New York and is averaging over 26 points per game. He is one of the most talented players in the league and is sure to make his presence felt in this game.

The 76ers have a record of 22-26 but have been playing better than their record suggests. This young team is led by Elton Brand who is averaging almost 15 points per game. This power forward is an effective post player who will give the Knicks plenty to think about inside the painted area.

I think Philadelphia could cause the upset in this game and should be priced at around 2.3 in the match odds market.
　
Recommended Wagers:
Saturday back Dallas with advertised handicap at 1.9
Sunday back Philadelphia at 2.3 in the match odds market

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