Friday's Best NBA Bets
By Covers.com
Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Hornets (N/A)
Sometimes the Trail Blazers look like one of the elite teams in the Western Conference and others they look absolutely lost on the court.
Consistency has been a major problem and was again in Wednesday’s 103-96 loss to Houston. Portland was asleep at the wheel while the Rockets jumped out to a 60-46 lead at the half. The Blazers have now dropped three of four both straight up and against the spread as they head out on the road.
"I don't know, but we are playing tight,” Wesley Matthews said about the team’s recent slump. “Playing not to mess up. Not to lose. That's not how we are. You look at this team we have dawgs, guys who just get after it, who don't think, basketball is just second nature. We just go out and play. That's when you see us at our best.”
LaMarcus Aldridge was battling the flu and managed just 13 points on 5-for-14 shooting against Houston and should be much better Friday. He's putting up 23.3 points and 8.5 boards per game.
The Blazers will be able to play freely against the Hornets, which should help them snap this slump. New Orleans has dropped seven in a row straight up and against the spread.
Pick: Trail Blazers
Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic (-4.5, 182)
Coming off an impressive 102-89 victory over LeBron James and the Heat, it’s hard not to think about what this Magic team could accomplish if Dwight Howard remains with the team.
Howard had another huge game against Miami, putting up 25 points and 24 rebounds in the win. Despite all the distractions about his contract status, Howard is staying focused on each upcoming game on the schedule.
“Just giving the same energy and effort every night is the big thing,” Howard told reporters. “This is a great win considering the loss we had against the Clippers. But we have to erase this game and move on to the Hawks."
Nine of the last 10 meetings between these two teams have played under the total and we expect a similar story Friday.
Pick: Under
Hot Teams
-- Celtics won five of their last six games.
-- Bulls covered five of last six games as a road favorite.
-- 76ers are 11-4 against spread as a home favorite. Clippers won four of their last five road games.
-- Bucks covered five of their last six road games. Cleveland is 5-2-1 vs spread in last eight games as an underdog.
-- Detroit won its last three games, covered its last four.
-- Pacers covered five of last six games as a road underdog.
-- Dallas won four of its last five road games. Minnesota covered four of five games as a home underdog.
-- New York won last three games, covered last six. Lakers won four of their last six games.
-- Thunder is 6-3-1 vs spread in last ten games as a road favorite. Utah covered ten of its fifteen home games.
Cold Teams
-- Miami covered once in last six games as road favorite. Wizards are 2-6 in last eight games as a home underdog.
-- Raptors covered once in five games as a home underdog.
-- Orlando covered twice in last seven games as a home favorite. Hawks lost three of their last four games.
-- Bobcats covered once in last six games as a home underdog.
-- Nets lost six of last seven games (0-3 vs spread in last three).
-- Memphis lost seven of its last ten games.
-- Portland covered only three of its dozen road games. New Orleans is 4-14 vs spread in its home games.
Wear and Tear
-- Heat: 3rd game/4 nites. Wizards: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Celtics: 3rd game/4 nites. Raptors: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Hawks: 3rd game/5 nites. Magic: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Bulls: 3rd game/5 nites. Bobcats: Had last two nites off.
-- Clippers: 3rd game/5 nites. 76ers: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Bucks: 3rd game/4 nites. Cavaliers: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Nets: 3rd game/5 nites. Pistons: 2nd game/6 nites.
-- Pacers: 3rd game/4 nites. Grizzlies: 4th game/6 nites.
-- Mavericks: 2nd game/6 nites. Wolves: 3rd game/4 nites.
-- Blazers: 3rd game/5 nites. Hornets: 3rd game/5 nites.
-- Lakers: 5th game/8 nites. Knicks: 6th game/9 nites.
-- Thunder: 6th game/9 nites. Jazz: Had last two nites off.
Totals
-- Over is 8-4 in Miami road games this season.
-- Four of last five Toronto home games went over total.
-- Four of last five Orlando home games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Charlotte home games went over total.
-- Seven of last ten Philly home games stayed under total.
-- Nine of Bucks' last ten games went over the total.
-- Seven of last ten New Jersey road games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Indiana road games went over the total.
-- Under is 10-5 in Minnesota's home games this season.
-- Nine of twelve Portland road games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Laker games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Thunder road games went over the total.
MIAMI (19 - 7) at WASHINGTON (5 - 21) - 2/10/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
WASHINGTON is 40-57 ATS (-22.7 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 195 and 199.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 41-63 ATS (-28.3 Units) in home games on Friday nights since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 128-174 ATS (-63.4 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 167-209 ATS (-62.9 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 66-100 ATS (-44.0 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-4 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 7-1 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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BOSTON (14 - 11) at TORONTO (8 - 19) - 2/10/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 69-90 ATS (-30.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 36-58 ATS (-27.8 Units) as a home underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.
TORONTO is 124-161 ATS (-53.1 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
TORONTO is 48-69 ATS (-27.9 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 30-52 ATS (-27.2 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 8-1 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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ATLANTA (17 - 9) at ORLANDO (16 - 10) - 2/10/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 54-78 ATS (-31.8 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.
ATLANTA is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 133-171 ATS (-55.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
ORLANDO is 40-54 ATS (-19.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 10-8 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 10-8 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
16 of 18 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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CHICAGO (22 - 6) at CHARLOTTE (3 - 22) - 2/10/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 72-49 ATS (+18.1 Units) after scoring 85 points or less since 1996.
CHICAGO is 73-52 ATS (+15.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 40-26 ATS (+11.4 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
CHARLOTTE is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 5-4 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 6-3 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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LA CLIPPERS (15 - 8) at PHILADELPHIA (18 - 8) - 2/10/2012, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 383-455 ATS (-117.5 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 36-53 ATS (-22.3 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 74-113 ATS (-50.3 Units) in February games since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 28-45 ATS (-21.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 140-181 ATS (-59.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 69-102 ATS (-43.2 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=91 points/game since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 66-97 ATS (-40.7 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 69-102 ATS (-43.2 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 2-2 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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MILWAUKEE (11 - 14) at CLEVELAND (10 - 14) - 2/10/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 107-85 ATS (+13.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 4-4 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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NEW JERSEY (8 - 19) at DETROIT (7 - 20) - 2/10/2012, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 82-107 ATS (-35.7 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 5-3 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 5-4 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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INDIANA (17 - 8) at MEMPHIS (13 - 13) - 2/10/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 72-48 ATS (+19.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 35-23 ATS (+9.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 37-21 ATS (+13.9 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 166-113 ATS (+41.7 Units) on Friday nights since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 4-0 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 4-0 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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DALLAS (15 - 11) at MINNESOTA (13 - 13) - 2/10/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) as an underdog this season.
DALLAS is 76-51 ATS (+19.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 41-22 ATS (+16.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games against Northwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 135-101 ATS (+23.9 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
DALLAS is 24-9 ATS (+14.1 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 28-44 ATS (-20.4 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 6-3 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 6-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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PORTLAND (14 - 12) at NEW ORLEANS (4 - 22) - 2/10/2012, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 4-4 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 4-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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LA LAKERS (15 - 11) at NEW YORK (11 - 15) - 2/10/2012, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 99-122 ATS (-35.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in home games on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 4-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 5-0 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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OKLAHOMA CITY (20 - 6) at UTAH (13 - 11) - 2/10/2012, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 116-94 ATS (+12.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 63-45 ATS (+13.5 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
UTAH is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in home games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-2 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-2 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO vs. CHARLOTTE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Charlotte is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Charlotte is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
MIAMI vs. WASHINGTON
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Miami is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games
Washington is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Miami
Washington is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
LA CLIPPERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 6 games on the road
LA Clippers are 2-12 SU in their last 14 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
BOSTON vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Toronto is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Boston
Toronto is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
ATLANTA vs. ORLANDO
Atlanta is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games
Orlando is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games at home
Orlando is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
MILWAUKEE vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Milwaukee's last 10 games
Milwaukee is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Cleveland is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games
NEW JERSEY vs. DETROIT
New Jersey is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New Jersey's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games at home
Detroit is 5-17 SU in its last 22 games
LA LAKERS vs. NEW YORK
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing New York
LA Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
New York is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
DALLAS vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Dallas's last 13 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Minnesota is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Minnesota is 3-18 SU in its last 21 games when playing Dallas
INDIANA vs. MEMPHIS
Indiana is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Indiana is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Memphis's last 10 games when playing at home against Indiana
Memphis is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Indiana
PORTLAND vs. NEW ORLEANS
Portland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games when playing New Orleans
New Orleans is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Portland
New Orleans is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. UTAH
Oklahoma City is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Utah
Oklahoma City is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah's last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
Utah is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Oklahoma City
Hoop Trends - Friday
By Vince Akins
VegasInsider.com
SU TREND OF THE DAY:
The Magic are 10-0-1 ATS (7.7 ppg) since March 27, 2009 at home after a game at home after a win in which they made fewer baskets than their opponent.
OU TREND OF THE DAY:
The Nets are 0-11-1 OU (-6.7 ppg) since March 18, 2009 on the road with at most one day of rest when they have lost their last three games SU and ATS.
PLAYER BASED TREND OF THE DAY:
The Pacers are 17-0-1 ATS (7.3 ppg) since January 11, 2010 with at least a day of rest after a loss on the road in which Danny Granger was the Pacers’ high scorer.
CHOICE TREND:
The Raptors are 0-10-1 ATS (-6.9 ppg) since February 15, 2002 as a home dog after a game in which more than 70% of their baskets were assisted.
TODAY’S TRENDS:
The Wizards are 0-12 ATS (-7.8 ppg) since December 16, 2010 with at least a day of rest after a loss in which Javale Mcgee shot better than 66% from the field.
Friday's Tip Sheet
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com
Twelve games on the NBA docket tonight and rather than focusing on one key matchup, let's play handicapper and break down the entire slate. My style parallels a few individuals on VegasInsider.com, but my technique always analyzes the line first and then the current form of each squad. Looking blindly at the board, you have nine openers of four points or less. Before we get to them, let's look at two of the other three, which appear to be passes.
If you have time, check out Marc Lawrence's Cram Session piece, give it a read. Good angles and stats on the shortened season. He also mentioned how well double-digit favorites, specifically 12 points or more have fared this season. Coincidentally, the two best teams in the Eastern Conference are giving up comparable numbers - on the road.
Miami at Washington: The Heat are laying 12½-points to the Wizards, deservingly so. Miami has won four straight against Washington but is just 1-3 ATS with point-spreads in the same neighbourhood.
Chicago at Charlotte: The Bulls have been a beast on the road (13-5 SU, 12-6 ATS) this season and I never have an issue giving points with a team that plays defense. However, it's a dumb bet either way. You can't back the 'Cats, who are 3-22 on the season. Chicago wraps up its nine-game road trip on Sunday against Boston, which spells look-ahead tonight. Then again, the Bulls have won their last three by 23, 21 and 23 points. Dare we call them Bullies?
Competitive Clashes
Boston at Toronto: I thought the Celtics would be giving more points (-4) here considering they've dominated Toronto recently (5-0 SU, 4-1 ATS), all wins by double digits. With no Andrea Bargnani or Jerryd Bayless in the lineup, the Raptors don't have much punch offensively. Even though most would expect a letdown for the Celtics after losing to the Lakers in OT last night, make a note that Toronto is 1-4 ATS as home 'dog this season. Atlanta at Orlando: The Hawks and Magic are two of the toughest teams to gauge. They both notch impressive wins on occasion and then they both look horrible too. My money won't go on either side but the total players should be aware that the 'under' has gone 16-2 in the last 18 encounters. The way Orlando chucks from downtown, the 'over' is always in play.
L.A. Clippers at Philadelphia: Quality matchup here and a tough one to handicap. The 76ers aren't an elite team, which was shown in recent home losses to the Spurs (90-100) and Heat (79-99), but they have talent and a good coach. The Clippers were caught at Cleveland (92-99) on Wednesday and the loss of Chauncey Billups (Achilles) will be tough to overcome. I do believe the 76ers backcourt can hang with CP3, but the frontcourt could have issues. I'd grab the points here and even go money-line on the Clips, who have gone 4-1 in their last five road games. Then if they win, I'd look to fade them tomorrow at Charlotte. Did I just say that?
Milwaukee at Cleveland: Complete toss-up here. My thinking is that Milwaukee needs to grab this one with Orlando and Miami on deck. The one thing I can say about the Cavaliers this season is that they step up for contenders and fold for pretenders. They just beat the Mavericks and Clippers at home, but a couple weeks back they lose to the Nets. Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving (concussion) is 'doubtful' for tonight.
New Jersey at Detroit: Break up the Pistons! Detroit has gone 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS in its last four, which includes a 99-92 win over New Jersey on Wednesday. The rematch takes place from The Palace and it's hard to back New Jersey, who's been depleted with injuries. I'd consider a short price on Detroit but did you know the club has been a favorite twice all season? And the Pistons are 0-2 both SU and ATS in those spots.
Indiana at Memphis: The Pacers aren't considered serious contenders in the East but maybe they should be. Indiana has the fourth best record in the conference and along with Chicago it's the only team that hasn't lost back-to-back games. We mention that because the Pacers lost at Atlanta (87-97) on Wednesday. Memphis was an ATS darling last season but its offense is in a funk lately and all signs point to a win by the visitor here.
Dallas at Minnesota: Minnesota has beaten Dallas by 17 and 15 points this season, yet it's catching points tonight in their third encounter? Kevin Love returns for the Timberwolves, who only scored 80 and 86 points in his absence. The Mavs opened as 1½-point favorites and have been pushed up to 2½, which tells you something. Jason Kidd is still 'questionable' for Dallas and Jason Terry is banged up too. Even though the number is short, Dallas is 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS in its last four as a favorite.
Portland at New Orleans: Pick your poison here! Portland has been awful on the road (3-9 SU, 3-9 ATS) and New Orleans has been just as bad at home (2-13 SU, 4-11 ATS). Portland opened as a 6 ½-point favorite and it's hard to justify laying or taking in this spot. The total (182.5) could be worth a look here. Both clubs hold identical 15-11 marks to the 'under' and I would expect the defensive effort for Portland to be much better after allowing 111 and 103 at home.
For the last two affairs, I reached out to VegasInsider.com handicapper Kevin Rogers, who's starting to figure out this 66-game season.
L.A. Lakers at New York: The Lakers continue their six-game road trip at Madison Square Garden tonight as they look to capitalize off last night's OT win at Boston. The Knicks will be without Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony once again, but the emergence of point guard Jeremy Lin has propelled New York to back-to-back wins and covers. In fact, New York has cashed in six straight games, while looking to snap a nine-game skid against the Lakers that dates back to 2007.Despite the win at Boston yesterday, L.A. is just 4-9 both SU and ATS on the road.
Oklahoma City at Utah: Oklahoma City's two-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt in last night's five-point setback at Sacramento, as the Thunder heads to Salt Lake City for a division battle the Jazz. Utah returns home after losses at New York and Indiana, while the Jazz have lost four of their past five games. Oklahoma City owns a 3-5 ATS record when playing with no rest, but the Thunder hasn't disappointed 'over' bettors by putting together an 8-1 'over' record the previous nine games.
Game of the day: Los Angeles Clippers at Philadelphia 76ers
Covers.com
Los Angeles Clippers at Philadelphia 76ers (-4, 189.5)
THE STORY: The Philadelphia 76ers haven’t lost back-to-back home games this season and are 13-4 at home. The Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles Clippers figure to provide a good test for the Atlantic Division leaders and are 2-1 during a six-game road excursion. The Clippers lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday in what All-Star point guard Chris Paul described as “definitely one of our worst showings.” Philadelphia has won six of its last eight despite losing to San Antonio at home on Wednesday.
LINE: The opening spread of -4 has held steady, however, the total has dropped from 189.5 to 188.5 at some books.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (15-8, 13-10 ATS): Randy Foye drew the start Wednesday against Cleveland in Los Angeles’ first game without Chauncey Billups (Achilles’ tendon). Foye scored 15 points and has reached double digits in five of his seven starts this season. Coach Vinny Del Negro opted to keep Mo Williams in a reserve role and Williams had just five points in 34 minutes. Williams has made just 5 of 22 shots over the past two games but is averaging 14.1 points overall.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (18-8, 17-8-1 ATS): Versatile Andre Iguodala was named to the All-Star team Thursday for the first time in his eight-year career. Iguodala has been a superb all-around player during Philadelphia’s surprise rise, averaging 13 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.2 assists with nearly as many steals (46) as turnovers (49). Philadelphia sees his inclusion as a sign of respect for its team-first philosophy. The Sixers have committed the fewest turnovers per game in the league at 10.7.
TRENDS:
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Clippers are 6-13 ATS in the last 19 meetings.
* Road team is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Philadelphia guard Jrue Holiday averaged 22 points and seven assists as the Sixers swept two games from Los Angeles last season.
2. Griffin shot just 32.1 percent from the field against the 76ers last season.
3. Philadelphia is 0-5 this season when allowing 100 or more points.
PREDICTION: 76ers 91, Clippers 87