Tuesday's Tip Sheet
By Josh Jacobs
Staring at a six-card slate on Tuesday, the main theme of the evening will be totals. And when I say totals, since last Wednesday the ‘over’ has cashed in 32 times out of 43 games. That’s a 74-percent success rate.
All trends must come to an end sooner or later, but knowing when that will happen is always the big mystery. So until confirmation of this ‘over’ wave ends, lets see what we can expect from the Association come Tuesday.
**Milwaukee at Washington**
Beginning with a good example, both the Bucks and Wizards have combined to go ‘over’ the set total 14 times in 20 contests. There’s no doubt that Milwaukee has been cash money when playing totals, hitting the ‘over’ in four straight games.
In their last 18 head-to-head meetings, the road squad has gone an impressive 13-5 ATS and in the last 10, with the ‘over’ hitting a little better then 50-percent (6-4 on the ‘over’).
While the Bucks are averaging 103.2 PPG in their last five the defense has been deplorable, giving up a sky high average of 110.4 PPG. Listed as 'day-to-day', Milwaukee will possibly rest Yi Jianlian and Maurice Williams. Both players have missed three games apiece, with the club going 2-1 ATS in their absence.
When the total is set to 190-194½-points, Washington has gone 14-7 on the ‘over’. From 200-plus points on the total, the Wizards are 10-11 on the ‘over’. Having missed 12 games thus far, Washington’s Caron Butler remains ‘out indefinitely’. Since his hip flexor injury, the team has gone 8-4 ATS.
**Seattle at Indiana**
Trying to adjust to the bang up job that teams have done on the ‘over’, most books have opened the total in this contest at 217.
For the SuperSonics, the ‘over’ is 6-1 in their last seven, 6-1 in their last seven when the team has allowed 100 points or more in their previous game and has gone 4-1 in the Sonics last five road games. On another positive note, Seattle has gone 23-17 ATS when coming off one-day worth of rest.
For the Pacers a 5-1 record on the ‘over’ in their last six is continuing evidence of a trend that has been a sure thing in almost a full week of play. While only going 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS in the last 10, Indiana’s lackluster defense has almost guaranteed consistent ‘over’ plays.
In their last 10 head-to-head meetings, eight games have ended with the ‘over’ collecting big time money. In-fact, all eight of those high scoring contests came in succession, with the last tip-off in November ending in a 95-93 win in favor of Seattle. The total was set at 211, 23 long points away from the ‘over’ mark.
Since Jermain O’Neal took a seat in street close with a knee injury, the Pacers have gone a slim 9-13 ATS, with the ‘over’ going 11-8-3.
**Portland at Minnesota**
As both teams have split the ‘over/under’ at five apiece in its last 10 games, Tuesday will open the door for the third meeting this season between the two.
With the underdog going 16-7 ATS in their last 23 meetings, the Trail Blazers have dominated the economic dynamic by going 8-2 ATS in the last 10 head-to-head games. In the last five gatherings between the two clubs, the ‘over’ has gone 5-1.
While the Timberwoves hold a small edge with a 5-6 ‘over’ record in 11 games played from within the division, the Trail Blazers have struggled mightily to cash high total games in the conference, going 10-26 on the ‘over’.
In its last five, Portland has been another squad shooting lights, draining 48.4-percent of its shots from the field. This in turn has translated into 107.6 PPG versus Minnesota’s 96.6 PPG on offense in the same five-game stretch.
Just be aware that the ‘under’ is 4-0 in the ‘Wolves last four games playing on two days of rest. The ‘under’ has also gone 5-1 in the Trail Blazers last six road games versus a team playing with a losing home record.
The ‘over’ is 32-15 in Minnesota’s last 47 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
**Utah at Chicago**
Another contest that has been set by most books with a total lying at 214, its becoming normality to witness both Eastern and Western Conference teams with such high totals set.
While the Jazz are an impressive 28-3 SU at home this season, playing as the visiting team hasn’t been as successful. With a 14-19 SU and ATS record inside its own building this season, Utah will be looking to hit the ‘over’ for the seventh time in 10 games. With Andrei Kirilenko still recovering from a bruised hip the Jazz are now 3-0 ATS in his absence.
Struggling to piece together any type of stride, the Bulls are now 4-6 SU and 6-4 ATS in their last 10. Giving up 105.7 PPG in its last 10, Chicago has helped its cause in jumping ‘over’ the total seven times in the last 10 games (with the total going ‘over’ four straight times).
In their last meeting in early February, Chicago covered the 12-point spread, but not before a 97-87 win in favor of Utah was the name of the game. In their last 10 head-to-head meetings, the ‘over’ has gone 4-5-1.
The Bulls Chris Duhon and Thabo Sefolosha remain ‘day-to-day’ as of late Monday, and their status will remain until otherwise noted.
**Memphis at Phoenix**
Looking to set the night record of totals at 222½, Phoenix goes into Tuesday night with a 34-27 record on the ‘over’ when its games have been set at 200-plus points. When games have been set at the same 200-plus number, Memphis has gone a lackluster 23-27 on the ‘over’.
With both teams combining to give up 210.8 PPG, there’s plenty of reason to why most books are setting such a high number in this contest. In their last meeting in February, Phoenix walked away with an easy 127-113 win. A total of 215 ½ was easily shattered, improving the ‘over’ to 6-4 in the teams last 10 head-to-head showdowns.
In their last five outings, the Suns have scored an effective 107.2 PPG with the balancing act coming from a defense holding opponents to a very weak 110 PPG.
Coming off two days of rest, the Grizzlies are a sub par 7-8 on the ATS this season. Hitting a low 73.3-percent of its free throws is bad news against a Phoenix team that has seen opponents squander from the charity stripe, shooting 75.2-percent.
In head-to-head battles, the road team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings, while Memphis is 4-1 ATS in its last five meetings in Phoenix.
**Toronto at L.A. Lakers**
The final contest of the evening catching a total above 200 points will pit the Raptors in L.A. to square off against a Lakers team looking for its ninth win in 11 outings.
It was back on Feb. 1 when L.A. pushed the score in its favor at 121-101. The ‘over’ was a lock that day at 204 ½, and Kobe Bryant emerged as a gladiator, scoring 46 points. Fast forward to Tuesday and the Raptors will enter the evening tip-off with a 2-6-2 ATS record in the last 10 head-to-head contests.
Toronto has gone 18-8 on the ‘over’ in its last 26 overall games, as 21-8 on the ‘over’ in its last 29 games following an ATS loss.
Limited to a few games where the total has been set at 200-plus points, the Raptors are an average 9-7 on the ‘over’, while the Lakers have gone 25-26 on the ‘over’ in games where the same total has been listed.
After a straight up loss, Toronto is 18-10 on the ‘over’ and against opponents with a record above .500 the Raptors are 15-10 on the ‘over’.
L.A. has gone 11-7 on the ‘over’ when coming off a straight up loss and is 17-15 on the ‘over’ versus teams with record above .500.
vegasinsider.com
Horizon Tournament Finals
By Brian Edwards
The Horizon League Tournament and a subsequent NCAA Tournament berth will be on the line Tuesday night when Butler and Cleveland State collide at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Las Vegas Sports Consultants opened Butler (28-3 straight up, 15-13 against the spread) as a 9½-point favorite with a total of 123. As of late Monday night, most spots had the Bulldogs listed as 10-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 121.
Brad Stevens’ team has won three straight games since a BracketBuster loss to Drake at home. Butler advanced to the tourney finals thanks to a 66-50 win over Illinois-Chicago as a 10-point favorite. Mike Green led the winners with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Cleveland State (21-11 SU, 17-11 ATS) has been on fire recently, especially for our purposes. The Vikings have won seven of their last eight games outright, taking the cash in each of their last seven outings.
They beat Valpo 78-73 in the Horizon semifinals as 1 ½-point favorites. Cedric Jackson paced the Vikings with 22 points and eight rebounds, while J’Nathan Bullock added 19 points and eight boards.
These teams split a pair of meetings during the regular season, but the Vikings took the cash in both spots. Cleveland St. won a 56-52 decision on Jan. 17 as a six-point home underdog. Butler won the rematch by a 51-46 count, but failed to cover the number as a 12-point home ‘chalk.’
Cleveland St. is coached by Gary Waters, the former head man at Rutgers. Waters and Co. have played 12 games as underdogs this season, cashing tickets at a 7-5 ATS clip. The Vikings are 3-1 ATS in four double-digit underdog situations. They beat Florida St. outright in overtime as 12 ½-point ‘dogs.
As for Butler, it is 6-8-1 ATS in double-digit ‘chalk’ spots.
The ‘under’ is 16-12 overall for Cleveland St., 16-14 overall for Butler. The ‘under’ is on a 7-3 run for the Vikings. The ‘under’ is 8-2 in the last 10 head-to-head meetings between these schools.
Tip-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--Butler has an RPI rating of 17, while Cleveland State’s RPI is 73.
--San Diego’s win over Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament finals was a big downer for a slew of bubble teams, especially Ohio State, VCU, Syracuse, UMass and Florida. But on another note, it was a really good thing for Kentucky. Why, you ask? Well, because the Toreros won at Rupp Arena earlier this season, and that loss suddenly isn’t such a damper to UK’s cause. Billy Gillispie’s team is definitely “in” at this point, and now I’m thinking a trip to the SEC Tournament finals could have the ‘Cats slotted in the 5-6 range on Selection Sunday.
--Will the WCC and the Sun Belt shockingly get three teams apiece in the NCAA Tournament. It’s possible. South Alabama, which lost last night to Middle Tennessee in the Sun Belt semifinals, has a 26-6 record and RPI of 38. If MTSU beats Western Kentucky tonight, the Hilltoppers are in the bubble mix with an RPI of 47. With San Diego punching the WCC’s automatic berth, the committee is left with Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s to choose from. I think the ‘Zags are a lock and you have to like the Gaels’ chances since their repertoire includes a 25-6 record, an RPI of 39 and wins over Drake, Oregon, Seton Hall and Gonzaga.
vegasinsider.com
Shameful Bruins
Stephen Nover
So, which team is going to win the NCAA Tournament? I’d take UCLA with one condition - if Pac-10 officials do all its games.
It has been four days and I’m still not over my funk of having lost with Stanford +8 ½ against the Bruins this past Thursday.
The worst thing about the Cardinal losing by 10 in overtime wasn’t the brutal wrong call by the official at the end of regulation that forced overtime. But what shameful shenanigans took place in the final seconds of overtime.
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After Stanford hit a basket with four seconds left to make the score, 75-67, UCLA threw a length of the court pass to Darren Collison, who scored a layup at the buzzer.
Why would the Bruins throw a length of the floor pass like that with the game won when 99.9 percent of the time the winning team just flips the ball into play? And why would the classless Collison streak to the other end of the court when he was just on defense with the game effectively over?
The two conclusions I come up with are the Bruins may be a classy program with a classy coach, but they still have a couple of punks on their teams that don’t know a thing about sportsmanship. The second scenario is that some of the Bruins, particularly Collison, were well aware of the pointspread.
This wasn’t an isolated instance of the Bruins doing something fishy to cover a margin. They defeated Washington State at home on Jan. 12 as a six-point favorite, 81-74. The Bruins were up five with seconds left. The game was won, but that didn’t stop Josh Shipp from frantically racing down court to score a layup at the buzzer to give UCLA the cover.
Unnatural money didn’t show up at the Las Vegas hotels on Stanford-UCLA, according to Las Vegas Sports Consultants president Ken White. More money actually came on the Cardinal. But White smelled a rate, too, the way the Cardinal-Bruins game finished. His antenna is up now in regards to the Bruins.
College basketball has become much harder to handicap without the whiff of bad Pac-10 officials and the strong belief some UCLA players are intentionally trying to cover spreads.
More and more sportsbooks are moving on air, especially in Nevada. If there’s movement at one property, it’s not long before the other sportsbooks are aware. It’s a close fraternity of bookmakers in Nevada, many of whom are friends with one another.
This obviously makes it difficult to shop. I found college basketball much easier during December and January. Many sharp gamblers had a bad February. The lines had become rock solid and there was a lot of randomness.
There were multiple instances for me when I had a 5-6 ½-point ‘dog lose in overtime by seven or more points. The games are hard enough to handicap correctly without those kinds of bad beats.
It would be nice if bookmakers adjusted to today’s technology and graded games by how they turned out in regulation. The days of hand-written tickets have long since disappeared.
If you had an underdog or ‘under’ that covered during regulation it should be a winner. Period. Fair is fair. What UCLA did was wrong.
Those suffering the worst from the Bruins’ bush antics weren’t Stanford. It makes no difference to the Cardinal if they lost by eight or 10. No, those suffering the most – financially and mentally – were bettors sharp enough to play Stanford. It’s a shame, a damn unfair shame, they don’t get to cash.
VegasInsider.com
NBA Today
Utah at Chicago (8:30 p.m. EDT). The Northwest Division-leading Jazz are on a five-game winning streak.
STARS
-LeBron James, Cavaliers, had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his seventh triple-double of the season and Cleveland rallied for an 88-80 win over Portland.
-Hedo Turkoglu, Magic had the second triple-double of his career with 23 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds as Orlando routed Atlanta 123-112.
-Kevin Garnett, Celtics, had 26 points and 12 rebounds to help Boston reach 50 victories for the first time in 16 years and win its ninth straight, 100-86 over Philadelphia.
-Tim Duncan, Spurs, had 23 points and 18 rebounds as San Antonio avoided its second three-game losing streak of the season with a 107-103 victory over Denver.
STREAKING
Houston routed New Jersey 91-73 Monday night to match the third-longest winning streak in NBA history at 19 straight. It was also its 10th straight win by double digits, tying an NBA record last set by the Nets in 2004, and the 13th straight at the Toyota Center.
NEXT YEAR
Miami's Dwyane Wade will miss the remainder of the season so he can further rehabilitate his surgically repaired left knee, which has bothered him for about a year. The Heat, which lost to the L.A. Clippers 99-98 Monday night, are a league-worst 11-51.
SNAPPED
Boston's 100-86 victory Monday night ended Philadelphia's eight-game home winning streak.
GETTING THERE
Dallas improved to 6-5 since acquiring Jason Kidd, handing New York its seventh straight loss, 108-79 Monday night. The Knicks are 0-12 on the road against Western Conference teams. The Mavs have won five straight against the Knicks and eight straight in Dallas.
SLUMPING
The Clippers' 99-98 victory over Miami on Monday night was just their second in 10 games and the Heat's sixth straight loss.
SCORING
Dwight Howard had 26 points and 16 rebounds and Orlando tied a club record with 74 points in the first half en route to a 123-112 victory over Atlanta on Monday night.
GOODBYE
Smush Parker was waived by Miami on Monday, nearly 3 1/2 months after the team originally placed him on the inactive list after the guard got into an altercation with a female valet parking attendant. In five NBA seasons with five different clubs, Parker has averaged 9.2 points in 255 games.
SPEAKING
``It doesn't mean a lot. Numbers are numbers. You don't get a trophy for getting 50 wins. I guess it's nice, but it's not what we're playing for.'' - Coach Doc Rivers after Boston won its 50th game of the season for the first time in 16 years, beating Philadelphia 100-86 Monday night.
Seattle SuperSonics vs. Indiana Pacers
- The Seattle SuperSonics and the Indiana Pacers will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Oddsmakers currently have the Pacers listed as 9½-point favorites versus the SuperSonics, while the game's total has not yet been posted.
The Sonics lost to Toronto 114-106 as an 11.5-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (203.5).
Chris Wilcox led the Sonics with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Kevin Durant chipped in with 20 points and six boards.
The Pacers could not contain LeBron James last time out, as they fell 103-95 to the Cavaliers. The Pacers were 7-point underdogs in the contest, while the 198 points were UNDER the posted total of 208.
Danny Granger shot 8-for-12 from the field with 19 points and five rebounds in the loss.
Current streak:
Seattle has lost 4 straight games.
Indiana has lost 3 straight games.
Team records:
Seattle: 16-47 SU, 31-31-1 ATS
Indiana: 24-39 SU, 29-33-1 ATS
Seattle most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 3-7
Before playing Boston are 2-8
After playing Toronto are 4-6
After a loss are 3-7
Indiana most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing Dallas are 5-5
After playing Cleveland are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Seattle's last 9 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 7 games
Seattle is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Indiana
Seattle is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Indiana's last 9 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing at home against Seattle
Indiana is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Next up:
Seattle at Boston, Wednesday, March 12
Indiana at Dallas, Friday, March 14
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Washington Wizards
- The Milwaukee Bucks and the Washington Wizards will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at Verizon Center.
Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total.
The Bucks lost to Philadelphia 119-97 as a 3-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (202.5).
Charlie Villanueva scored a game-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds for Milwaukee, while Michael Redd deposited 19 points.
Antawn Jamison had 30 points and 10 rebounds to lead Washington in its 100-97 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night.
Charlotte cashed as 7.5-point road underdogs as the game played over the 196-point total listed by sportsbooks.
Current streak:
Milwaukee has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Milwaukee: 23-40 SU, 28-34-1 ATS
Washington: 30-32 SU, 36-25-1 ATS
Milwaukee most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 1-9
Before playing Utah are 3-7
After playing Philadelphia are 6-4
After a loss are 4-6
Washington most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 5-5
Before playing Cleveland are 3-7
After playing Charlotte are 4-6
After a loss are 4-6
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Milwaukee's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
Milwaukee is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games at home
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
Next up:
Milwaukee home to Utah, Wednesday, March 12
Washington home to Cleveland, Thursday, March 13
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
- The Portland Trail Blazers and the Minnesota Timberwolves will meet on the court at Target Center on Tuesday in a battle of division rivals.
Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total.
The Trail Blazers fell 88-80 to the Cavaliers last time out, as 5-point road underdogs. The combined score fell UNDER the posted total of 188.
LaMarcus Aldridge had a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
Al Jefferson tossed in 30 points on Saturday night to guide the Timberwolves to a 99-96 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers had been favored by 4.5 points at home in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the night's posted total (185).
Current streak:
Minnesota has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Portland: 33-31 SU, 33-31 ATS
Minnesota: 14-48 SU, 30-31-1 ATS
Portland most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 5-5
Before playing Sacramento are 3-7
After playing Cleveland are 5-5
After a loss are 3-7
Minnesota most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 3-7
Before playing Seattle are 2-8
After playing LA Clippers are 6-4
After a win are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
Portland is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
Portland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Portland is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games at home
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Minnesota's last 17 games when playing Portland
Next up:
Portland at Sacramento, Thursday, March 13
Minnesota at Seattle, Friday, March 14
Utah Jazz vs. Chicago Bulls
- The fans at United Center will be treated to a game between the Utah Jazz and the Chicago Bulls when they take their seats on Tuesday.
Oddsmakers currently have the Jazz listed as 4½-point favorites versus the Bulls, while the game's total has not yet been posted.
Mehmet Okur poured in 27 points on Saturday night to lead the Jazz to a 132-105 win over the Denver Nuggets.
The Jazz easily covered the 5.5-point spread at home in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the posted total (225).
The Bulls lost to Detroit 116-109 as a 9-point underdog last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (194).
Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 27 points and Luol Deng netted 21 points in the loss.
Current streak:
Utah has won 5 straight games.
Chicago has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Utah: 42-22 SU, 35-29 ATS
Chicago: 25-38 SU, 28-35 ATS
Utah most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing Milwaukee are 5-5
After playing Denver are 5-5
After a win are 6-4
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 8-2
Before playing Philadelphia are 4-6
After playing Detroit are 3-7
After a loss are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Utah is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Utah is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Utah's last 15 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Chicago's last 15 games when playing at home against Utah
Next up:
Utah at Milwaukee, Wednesday, March 12
Chicago home to Philadelphia, Friday, March 14
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Phoenix Suns
- The Memphis Grizzlies and the Phoenix Suns will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at US Airways Center.
Oddsmakers currently have the Suns listed as 15½-point favorites versus the Grizzlies, while the game's total has not yet been posted.
Hakim Warrick led Memphis with 15 points in its 119-89 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday night.
Boston covered as 11-point road favorites as the teams played over the 200-point total set by oddsmakers.
The Suns defeated San Antonio 94-87 as a 1.5-point favorite last time out. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (203.5).
Steve Nash scored 19 points and handed out 14 assists for Phoenix, while Grant Hill added 18 points in the win.
Team records:
Memphis: 15-47 SU, 25-37 ATS
Phoenix: 41-22 SU, 28-33-2 ATS
Memphis most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing Denver are 5-5
After playing Boston are 6-4
After a loss are 2-8
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing Golden State are 7-3
After playing San Antonio are 4-6
After a win are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games on the road
Memphis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Memphis
Phoenix is 19-3 SU in its last 22 games when playing at home against Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Phoenix's last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 8 games at home
Next up:
Memphis at Denver, Wednesday, March 12
Phoenix home to Golden State, Thursday, March 13
Toronto Raptors vs. Los Angeles Lakers
- The Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Lakers will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at STAPLES Center.
Oddsmakers currently have the Lakers listed as 12-point favorites versus the Raptors, while the game's total has not yet been posted.
The Raptors defeated Seattle 114-106 as an 11.5-point favorite last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (203.5).
Anthony Parker scored 23 points for Toronto, while Rasho Nesterovic added 17 points, six rebounds and six assists in the win.
The Lakers lost to Sacramento 114-113 as a 14-point favorite last time out. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (221.5).
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points and Pau Gasol had 25 points, seven rebounds and nine assists in the loss.
Team records:
Toronto: 34-28 SU, 34-28 ATS
Los Angeles: 44-19 SU, 39-23-1 ATS
Toronto most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing Golden State are 3-7
After playing Seattle are 4-6
After a win are 3-7
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing New Orleans are 6-4
After playing Sacramento are 4-6
After a loss are 8-2
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Toronto's last 19 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Toronto is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
LA Lakers are 13-2 SU in their last 15 games
LA Lakers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games at home
LA Lakers are 10-2 SU in their last 12 games when playing Toronto
Next up:
Toronto at Golden State, Wednesday, March 12
LA Lakers at New Orleans, Friday, March 14
Ted Sevransky's NBA notes & quotes
By TED SEVRANSKY
Covers.com
The Charlotte Bobcats have suddenly come alive, reeling off a franchise-record five consecutive victories to move within 2 ½ games of the final playoff spot in the East after an awful 1-11 February. One key to the resurgence has been Jason Richardson, averaging more than 28 points per game this month.
Richardson: “It tells us a lot about ourselves. If we play together and go out there and play hard, we have the chance to win a lot of games. We’re just playing for pride right now, and fortunately that pride has translated into getting back into the playoff picture.”
Washington’s Antawn Jamison, after Charlotte came into DC and beat the Wizards: “This is a different team than we’ve seen. The chemistry looks different. You see guys jumping up on the sideline, guys playing with a little bit more emotion than normal. Of course, J-Rich is playing at a high level.”
Sharpshooter Matt Carroll, who drained six three pointers in that upset victory: “We’re playing with a confidence that I don’t think we’ve had all season long. We’re playing just as a team, unselfishly together. Everyone is just playing for one reason—and that’s to win games.”
There’s a serious debate in NBA circles about who deserves the MVP, with Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard and Tracy McGrady all getting some mention. My vote goes to LeBron James, who has single handedly carried the Cleveland Cavaliers to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference despite a complete roster makeover and injury problems galore. James has scored 25 or more points in 21 straight games and 20 or more in 39 straight games.
Recently acquired Joe Smith, talking about his new teammate: “I’m still getting used to it because you just don’t see it. I just stand there and say, ‘Wow.’”
Pacers head coach Jim O’Brien after his team was torched by LeBron: “He’s the best offensive player in the world…When he’s making three-point shots like that he’s virtually unstoppable.”
Cavs head coach Mike Brown, talking about the team’s improved offensive flow following the Indiana victory: “Tonight was a product of us getting more familiar with one another. It showed on the offensive side, for sure.”
The Denver Nuggets are off to their best start in 20 years, but even at 37-25 they are on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff picture. Allen Iverson, talking about the Nuggets come-from-behind win over San Antonio, keeping them in the thick of the chase: “Our backs are against the wall. We understand that every night we have to come in here and play hard and play together and not take any possessions off. We know how serious it is in the West, and if we don’t get our act together it’s going to be a chance we’re not going to be in the playoffs. And with our roster … there’s no way we shouldn’t be in the playoffs.” Iverson and his team followed up that big win against the Spurs with a 27 point loss at Utah the following night, not exactly the consistency that he spoke of less than 24 hours earlier.
Bad scheduling spot? No problem for the Golden State Warriors. Playing their fourth game in five nights, all on the road, Golden State made all the hustle plays in an easy upset win at Orlando. The Warriors outscored the Magic 27-7 on fastbreak points and 12-2 on second-chance points, while putting together one of their best defensive efforts of the season. Golden State, dead last in the NBA in points allowed, held Orlando to just 59 points and 36 percent shooting over the final three quarters of a 104-95 victory.
Head coach Don Nelson: “That was a nice way to end the trip. You would think a game like this would be more difficult for us, but we were up to the challenge and played a terrific second half. We got stronger as the game went along.” The Warriors have now won 18 road games this season, their most since 1994.
Richard Jefferson is certainly frustrated as the New Jersey Nets choke away their potential playoff spot: ““Blah, blah, blah. Cliche one, cliche two, sports cliche four and sports cliche seven. We didn’t do a very good job. We didn’t give 110 percent. We’ve got to give it all we got. We’ve got to leave it all on the court, and we didn’t do that.”
Marcus Williams following a costly loss to the Grizzlies, getting swept in their season series against Memphis: “We just kind of settled for whatever they gave us, and we weren’t aggressive. Now it’s like we’re searching for answers, searching for what went wrong. The next two games are real keys for anything we want to do in the postseason.” It’s surely worth noting that the Nets lost both of those ‘next two games’ by double digit margins, non-competitive in either affair.
Devin Harris on the difference between playing for the Nets and the Mavs: “There’s a lot more freedom, I’m a lot more off the leash.”
Greg Popovich has been pushing all the right buttons for the San Antonio Spurs for the past decade, but he’s not an easy guy to please. The Spurs had their season high eleven game winning streak snapped with a loss at Denver, playing on the second night of back-to-backs. Most coaches would just write off the loss as one bad performance in a string of good ones.
Not coach Pop, who laid into his squad following the defeat: “We’re not at the same level we were at last year at this time, even though we seem to be situated relatively well in the West. This team isn’t as good as last year’s team. We have significant improvement that we have to make both mentally and physically if we’re going to be able to contend for the championship.”
Torn cartilage could mean surgery, end of line with Knicks for Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry may face surgery after an MRI revealed a cartilage tear in his knee. Keivom/News
Eddy Curry may face surgery after an MRI revealed a cartilage tear in his knee.
Eddy Curry's forgettable season could be finished a few games early as the Knicks' center may need season-ending knee surgery.
The team announced last night that an MRI had revealed Curry had a small cartilage tear in his right knee. A prominent orthopedic surgeon said the tear could be a torn meniscus.
The team said it will wait a few days and let Curry rest before making a decision on surgery. Curry won't play Monday in Dallas and is listed as questionable for Wednesday's game in Miami.
With 19 games left and the Knicks (18-45) a season-worst 27 games under .500, it's likely Curry will have surgery as soon as possible.
Curry could put off surgery if he responds well to treatment, but it is unlikely he'd risk further damage with the season all but over.
Curry remained in New York for the MRI while the team flew to Dallas late Saturday night.
It's likely he'll stay here and get reevaluated when the team returns home on Thursday.
The sixth-year center sat out Saturday's overtime loss to the Trail Blazers after he woke up with swelling in his knee.
He said he "tweaked" it in the second quarter of the Knicks' loss to the Pistons on Friday.
"I was running down the court and I just planted it wrong," Curry said Saturday night. "It just doesn't feel right."
Curry hasn't looked comfortable all season when sharing the court with Zach Randolph. His scoring .average has dropped from 19.5 points per game to 13.2, and his minutes have been cut, from 35 per game to 26.
Curry scored in double figures in his last three games, the first time he'd done that since late January. Coincidentally, Randolph was out for all three games with a sore right foot.
Curry's injury may dampen any plans the Knicks had to move the 25-year-old center this summer. They spoke with teams at the trading deadline in hopes of doing so but nothing came to fruition.
One league executive told the Daily News before the deadline: "The question is whether he's regressed or, is this it, he's not getting any better?"
The knee injury - regardless of the extent - won't boost his stock around the league.
Curry never has been considered a well-conditioned player and the extra weight he carries (he's listed at 285 pounds) can only increase the stress put on the injured knee.
ZACH BACK: Randolph was expected to join the team in Dallas last night after spending the weekend at home in Indiana to deal with "personal issues." Randolph has missed the past five games with a sore right foot.
nydailynews.com
SUN BELT CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
at Mobile, Ala.
Middle Tennessee St. (18-14, 16-10-2 ATS) vs. Western Kentucky (26-6, 16-12 ATS)
Middle Tennessee State (14-7, 15-6 ATS in conference) advanced to the Sun Belt Conference tournament final by stunning top-seeded South Alabama 82-73 as an 11½-point underdog in Monday night’s semifinal matchup, recording its fourth consecutive wins (3-1 ATS). The Blue Raiders, who scored narrow victories over Louisiana-Monroe (74-69) and Troy (65-59) in the opening rounds of this tourney, are on a 10-3 SU and ATS roll, all in league play.
Shortly after Middle Tennessee finished off its upset of South Alabama, No. 2 seed Western Kentucky (18-2, 10-10 ATS in conference) took the floor at Mitchell Center Arena and dusted Arkansas-Little Rock 70-55, cashing as a nine-point chalk. The Hilltoppers have won five in a row and 16 of their last 17. They’re also on a 4-0 ATS run, all as a favorite.
These teams faced off twice in the regular season, with Western Kentucky winning both contests and Middle Tennessee covering the spread in each outing. The Hilltoppers prevailed 62-51 as a 15½-point home favorite on Jan. 2 and 71-66 as a 6½-point road chalk on Feb. 16.
Middle Tennessee has won six of its last eight on the highway (5-3 ATS) and is 2-1 SU (2-0-1 ATS) on neutral courts. Also, the Blue Raiders are 7-2 ATS in their last nine as an underdog.
Western Kentucky is 5-0 ATS at neutral sites this season (3-2 SU), with the two outright losses coming against Top 25 foes Tennessee (88-82) and Gonzaga (74-71). Also, the Hilltoppers enter this contest having won nine consecutive games on the highway (7-2 ATS).
The under is 13-6 in Western Kentucky’s last 19 contests, all in Sun Belt action. Also, both series meetings with Middle Tennessee this year stayed low.
ATS ADVANTAGE: WESTERN KENTUCKY and UNDER
HORIZON LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
at Indianapolis
Cleveland State (21-11, 17-11 ATS) vs. (12) Butler (28-3, 15-13-2 ATS)
After getting a bye through the first round of the Horizon League tournament, top-seeded Butler (17-2, 6-11-2 ATS in conference) ripped Illinois-Chicago 66-50 as a 10-point favorite to reach the tournament championship game for the second straight year. The Bulldogs have won 12 consecutive Horizon League games (5-6-1 ATS) since losing at Cleveland State on Jan. 17.
Cleveland State (13-6, 12-7 ATS in conference) has won four in a row of seven of eight, including Saturday’s 78-73 victory over Valparaiso in the Horizon League semis. The Vikings have cashed in seven straight games, which comes on the heels of an 0-6 ATS slump.
A month after the Vikings upset Butler in Cleveland, the Bulldogs got revenge in a 51-46 home victory. However, they failed to cash as a 12-point underdog, falling to 3-6 ATS in the last nine meetings against Cleveland State. Still, the home team has cashed in eight of the last 11 battles.
The Horizon League tournament is being played on Butler’s home court, Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, where the Bulldogs are 14-1 (8-7 ATS), including 10-0 in conference play, but just 4-6 ATS. Meanwhile, the Vikings are 5-5 in conference road games, going 6-4 ATS, including 4-0 ATS in the last four.
The under is 10-5 in Cleveland State’s last 15 overall, 4-0 in its last four on the road, 4-1 in Butler’s last five Horizon League outings and 8-2 in the last 10 series meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
NBA
Utah (42-22, 35-29 ATS) at Chicago (25-38, 28-35 ATS)
The red-hot Jazz put a five-game SU and ATS winning streak on the line when they invade the United Center to battle the slumping Bulls.
Utah destroyed Denver 132-105 as a six-point home favorite on Saturday. The Jazz are averaging 118.4 points per game and giving up just 100.2 during their five-game winning streak, with three of the wins coming by margins of 27, 29 and 21 points.
The Bulls return home after a pair of road losses at Boston on Friday (116-93) and Detroit on Sunday (116-109), falling to 5-9 in their last 14 games. However, the Bulls cashed as a nine-point underdog at the Pistons, moving to 12-6 ATS in their last 18 contests. Also on the bright side for Chicago: It hasn’t lost three in a row since the end of December, a stretch of 37 games.
These teams met a month ago in Utah, and the Jazz rolled to a 97-87 victory, but the Bulls got the cash as a 12-point road underdog. Utah has won the last four in a row (2-2 ATS) in this series, while the underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 and the visitor is 4-1 ATS in the last five.
The Jazz are on positive ATS streaks of 4-1 against the Central Division and 9-0 following a double-digit victory. But they’re 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on exactly two days’ rest, and despite their current 3-0 ATS run on the highway, they’re still only 14-19 SU and ATS as a visitor.
Chicago is on pointspread runs of 13-3 after a SU loss, 4-1 at home, 4-0 against the Northwest Division, 8-2 against the Western Conference and 10-3 when playing on one day of rest.
The over is 5-2-1 in Utah’s last eight overall, 8-2-1 in Chicago’s last 11 (4-0 in the last four), 8-3 in Chicago’s last 11 against the Northwest Division.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
Toronto (34-28, 33-28-1 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (44-19, 39-22-1 ATS)
The Lakers will attempt to rebound from Sunday’s stunning home loss to the Kings when they host the shorthanded Raptors at Staples Center.
Kobe Bryant missed a game-winning fall-away jumper at the buzzer Sunday night, as Los Angeles fell 114-113 to Sacramento as a hefty 13½-point home favorite. The loss ended a six-game home winning streak for the Lakers, but they’re still 16-3 in their last 19 outings and 16-5 ATS in their last 21.
Toronto held off the Sonics 114-106 on Sunday at home, but failed to cover as a 12-point home favorite. That ended an astonishing string in which the straight-up winner had covered the pointspread in 35 consecutive Raptors games. Still, the winner is 57-4-1 ATS when Toronto plays this season, including 26-3-1 ATS in road games.
Since All-Star center Chris Bosh went down with a knee injury on Feb. 29 in Indiana, the Raptors are just 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS).
The Lakers’ current 16-3 SU run began with a 121-101 rout of the Raptors as a 6 ½-point road underdog back on Feb. 1. L.A. is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings (6-2-2 ATS), including 4-1 ATS at home. During this 10-game stretch, the SU winner is 8-0-2 ATS and the favorite is 6-2-2 ATS.
In addition to their 16-5 over ATS streak, the Lakers sport positive pointspread runs of 10-1 against the Eastern Conference, 4-0 against Atlantic Division foes, 8-1 on Tuesdays, 5-1-1 following a non-cover and 9-3 when playing on one day of rest. However, Los Angeles has alternated ATS wins and losses in its last six at Staples Center and is 17-12 ATS at home this season (22-8 SU).
Toronto is mired in ATS funks of 1-6 against the Pacific Division, 0-4 on Tuesdays, 0-5 when playing on one day of rest and 0-4 after scoring 100 points or more in the previous game.
The over is on runs of 4-1 for the Lakers overall, 4-1 for the Lakers against the Atlantic Division, 5-2 for the Lakers on Tuesdays, 18-8 for the Raptors overall, 4-0 for the Raptors against the Pacific Division and 6-2 for the Raptors on Tuesday.
ATS ADVANTAGE: L.A. LAKERS and OVER
Gametimepicks.com
Today's CBB analysis
PENNSYLVANIA (12 - 18) at PRINCETON (6 - 22)
Top Trends for this game.
PENNSYLVANIA is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PENNSYLVANIA is 47-29 ATS (+15.1 Units) in road games against conference opponents since 1997.
PENNSYLVANIA is 29-13 ATS (+14.7 Units) in road games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=64 points/game since 1997.
PRINCETON is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PRINCETON is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PRINCETON is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PENNSYLVANIA is 4-1 against the spread versus PRINCETON over the last 3 seasons
PENNSYLVANIA is 4-1 straight up against PRINCETON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND ST (21 - 11) at BUTLER (28 - 3)
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND ST is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in conference tournament games since 1997.
BUTLER is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) after allowing 60 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND ST is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) off a win against a conference rival this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
BUTLER is 3-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND ST over the last 3 seasons
BUTLER is 5-1 straight up against CLEVELAND ST over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
LOUISIANA TECH (6 - 23) vs. SAN JOSE ST (12 - 18)
Top Trends for this game.
LOUISIANA TECH is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) in road games off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
LOUISIANA TECH is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) after allowing 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LOUISIANA TECH is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
LOUISIANA TECH is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record after 15 or more games this season.
SAN JOSE ST is 2-8 ATS (-6.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
LOUISIANA TECH is 4-2 against the spread versus SAN JOSE ST over the last 3 seasons
LOUISIANA TECH is 4-2 straight up against SAN JOSE ST over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
WEBER ST (16 - 13) vs. N ARIZONA (20 - 10)
Top Trends for this game.
WEBER ST is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WEBER ST is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
WEBER ST is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
WEBER ST is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
WEBER ST is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) after a conference game over the last 2 seasons.
WEBER ST is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) revenging a road loss vs opponent since 1997.
WEBER ST is 49-27 ATS (+19.3 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
WEBER ST is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
WEBER ST is 13-2 ATS (+10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record after 15 or more games over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
WEBER ST is 5-2 against the spread versus N ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
N ARIZONA is 4-3 straight up against WEBER ST over the last 3 seasons
6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
IDAHO ST (12 - 18) at PORTLAND ST (21 - 9)
Top Trends for this game.
IDAHO ST is 75-104 ATS (-39.4 Units) in all games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 75-104 ATS (-39.4 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 49-71 ATS (-29.1 Units) against conference opponents since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 43-71 ATS (-35.1 Units) after a conference game since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) off a win against a conference rival since 1997.
IDAHO ST is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND ST is 5-1 against the spread versus IDAHO ST over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND ST is 5-1 straight up against IDAHO ST over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NBA Tips and Trends
Milwaukee Bucks at Washington Wizards
Bucks: Milwaukee has dropped 4 of its last 5 games without Mo Williams running the offense, losing its last 2 games at home by a combined 24 points. Insiders believe his replacement Royal Ivey will struggle against Washington's bigger guards.
Bucks are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Road team is 13-5 ATS in the last 18 meetings.
Key Injuries
G Maurice Williams (abdominal) and F Yi Jianlian have both been ruled out.
Wizards: Washington's Caron Butler has missed the last 15 games but practiced on Monday for the first time since February 18th. While Butler isn't expected to play, his presence at practice was believed to be a positive influence on his teammates.
Wizards are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
Wizards are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Key Injuries
G DeShawn Stevenson (knee) is questionable.
Utah Jazz at Chicago Bulls
Jazz: Utah begins a 4-game road trip in Chicago and hopes to build on an impressive 126-118 win at Phoenix on Friday, bringing the team's road record to 14-19. "We haven't played well on the road, especially on the East Coast, so these are important games for us," Utah point guard Deron Williams said.
Jazz are 5-0 SU & ATS in their last 5 games.
Key Injuries
F Andrei Kirilenko (hip) is day-to-day.
Bulls: Six of Chicago's next seven games will be played at the United Center, where the team will have an excellent chance to improve on a 14-15 home mark. This will equal the longest stretch at home for the Bulls this season and give them the perfect opportunity to make a push for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Underdog is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
Key Injuries
G Chris Duhon (coach's decision) is day-to-day.
Toronto Raptors at Los Angeles Lakers
Raptors: Toronto begins a 5-game West Coast road trip in LA without star Chris Bosh, who is still nursing a knee injury. Rasho Nesterovic has filled in for Bosh and is coming off a 17-point performance against Seattle on Sunday. "This is one of the hardest trips of the season," Nesterovic said. "We play against teams that are on top in the West. The first thing is to stay healthy. If we play focused, and stay aggressive things will go well."
Raptors are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
2-6-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
Key Injuries
F/C Chris Bosh (knee) is out indefinitely.
Lakers: This is a critical game for the Lakers to win since they begin a 4-game road trip on Friday, visiting New Orleans, Houston, Dallas and Utah during a stretch of 7 days. Kobe Bryant averages 28 points against the Raptors - his second-highest average against any opponent - bolstered by his career-high 81-point effort 2 years ago.
Lakers are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games overall.
Lakers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 Tuesday games.
Key Injuries
NONE