NBA Betting News and Notes Friday, April 26

Friday's NBA Playoff Action: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

New York Knicks at Boston Celtics (-3, 182.5)

New York leads series 2-0.

The New York Knicks feature the league's leading scorer in Carmelo Anthony, but it's the team's defense that has driven home one point to the Boston Celtics: You can't win if you can't score. Boston will attempt to dig out of a 2-0 hole in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series when they host the Knicks on Friday night. It figures to be an emotionally charged atmosphere in the first home game for the Celtics since the Boston Marathon bombings.

Anthony has done his part by pouring in 70 points in the first two games, but New York has taken control by suffocating Boston in the second half of each contest. The Celtics are averaging a meager 74.5 points and have been limited to 25 and 23 points, respectively, after halftime. The latter mark tied an NBA postseason record for the fewest points scored in a half. "We know when we really buckle down on the defensive end, it's been hard for teams," Anthony understated.

ABOUT THE KNICKS: Anthony has continued his brilliant play by scoring at least 30 points in nine of his last 10 games and Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith is delivering his typical spark off the bench to carry New York's offense. Still, one of the biggest keys for the Knicks has been guard Raymond Felton, who has totaled 29 points and is the only other player on the team to score in double figures in both games. "He's killing us," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "Getting into the paint, attacking us. ... We have to do a better job on that. Wish I could make a better statement. We have to keep him out of the paint."

ABOUT THE CELTICS: One of Boston's biggest question marks entering the series was the health of center Kevin Garnett, who missed 10 of the final 13 games of the regular season with a sprained ankle. Garnett has scored 22 points in the first two games and was saddled with foul trouble throughout Tuesday's 87-71 loss. Complicating matters is that the Garnett suffered a hip injury in Game 2, which Rivers likened to a hip-pointer in football. Rivers pronounced Garnett is "good to go," while noting how problematic the early fouls were in Game 2. "It hurt us, it was clear," Rivers said. "He really never was allowed to get his rhythm again."

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Boston.
* Knicks are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Boston.
* Knicks are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Road team is 10-4 ATS in the last 14 meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. New York is averaging 86 points in the series, 14 below its regular-season mark.

2. The Celtics have shot a combined 14-of-62 (22.6 percent) in the second half of the first two contests.

3. Knicks backup C Kenyon Martin has been a force on the backboards, averaging 10 rebounds in the series.

San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers (+4.5, 187.5)

San Antonio leads series 2-0.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in dire need of a victory entering Friday's Game 3 of their Western Conference playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. However, their home court may not prove be much of an advantage if they are unable to get their guard unit out of the infirmary. Los Angeles is expected to be without its top four backcourt players Friday after starting guards Steve Nash and Steve Blake suffered hamstring injuries in Wednesday's Game 2.

The Lakers are already without superstar Kobe Bryant and top reserve guard Jodie Meeks missed Game 2 with a sprained ankle, making a comeback against the Spurs even more daunting. San Antonio had its own injury concerns entering the series, but ailing guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili appear to be on the mend after both were hobbled down the stretch. Parker's performance on Wednesday could be an ominous sign for Los Angeles after he broke loose for 24 of his 28 points in the second half to break the game open.

ABOUT THE SPURS: Parker was having the best season of his career until suffering a severely sprained ankle on March 1. He was the driving force during a scintillating stretch in which San Antonio won 16 of 17 games, scoring at least 30 points six times in a span of nine games to elevate himself into MVP consideration. Parker has also been fighting knee, shin and neck injuries, but he dominated the second half Wednesday and later admitted it was the best he's felt "by far" since hurting his ankle. "He's getting his rhythm back," teammate Tim Duncan said after the game. "He felt good tonight. He shot the ball well tonight. He looked like Tony of midseason tonight and that's great for us."

ABOUT THE LAKERS: Blake has been ruled out and Nash and Meeks are listed as doubtful for Friday, which fill force the Lakers to rely on second-year guards Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock along with journeyman Chris Duhon, who did not even play Wednesday. The strategy of forcing the offense through the big men failed when center Dwight Howard encountered foul trouble and scored only six of his 16 points after halftime in Game 2. Forward Pau Gasol also disappeared in the second half, managing only three points and one rebound following a 16-point, 16-board performance in the opener. Blake could wind up being the hardest player to replace after he buried 17 3-pointers in his last five games.

TRENDS:

* Under is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in Los Angeles.
* Under is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings.
* Spurs are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Favorite is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Duncan - who turned 37 Thursday - and coach Gregg Popovich surpassed Bryant and Phil Jackson on Wednesday for the most career postseason wins by a player-coach duo with 119.

2. Mike D'Antoni is the first coach in franchise history to lose his first two playoff games with the Lakers.

3. San Antonio has a 72-34 edge in bench points through the first two games.

Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors (-1, 212.5)

Series tied 1-1.

No David Lee, no problem for the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors won without their All-Star in Game 2 and will be looking to take the series lead when they host the Denver Nuggets in Game 3 on Friday. Golden State became the first team to win in Denver since January by shooting 64.6 percent in Game 2 and getting 30 points and 13 assists from Stephen Curry. The Nuggets will need to adjust to the Warriors’ smaller lineup.

Denver edged the Warriors in Game 1 on a last-second shot by Andre Miller but could not figure out a way around Golden State in Game 2. Instead of moving Carl Landry into the starting lineup when Lee went down with a torn hip flexor in Game 1, Warriors coach Mark Jackson decided to feature a three-guard attack with Jarrett Jack in the starting lineup and Harrison Barnes pushing over to power forward. The quicker lineup was able to match the Nuggets’ pace and its superior outside shooting led to a relatively easy 131-117 triumph. As long as Curry is healthy, that shooting should be a feature for Game 3.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS: Denver struggled on the glass even with Lee out and could not get out on the break in Game 2. The easy points in the paint the team thrives on were taken away, and the Nuggets struggled to 9-for-26 from beyond the arc. Kenneth Faried missed Game 1 with an ankle injury and came off the bench in Game 2 without the explosiveness that usually highlights his game. Faried getting his feet back under him would help Denver even up the rebounding discrepancy and provide someone else that can finish in the paint and make Barnes work harder on the defensive end. The Nuggets’ best performers in the opening two games have been the point guards Miller and Ty Lawson. Miller’s heroics saved Game 1 and the two combined for 37 points on Tuesday.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Curry rolled his left ankle late in the third quarter of Game 3 but came back for the start of the fourth and finished strong. The ankle swelled up after the game, and Golden State’s leading scorer sat out Thursday’s practice. Curry told reporters he would not have been able to play if the game were held on Thursday, but is still confident that he’ll be ready by tip off on Friday. Losing Curry would be a huge blow to the Warriors without Lee around. “We’re a resilient team,“ Curry said after Game 2. “When guys go down, other guys step up.” Curry, Jack and Klay Thompson overwhelmed the Nuggets on the perimeter in Game 2, totaling 77 points and 22 assists while going 10-for-17 from beyond the arc. Denver did not have an answer for Barnes’ quickness at the No. 4 spot and the rookie provided some highlight drives and dunks.

TRENDS:

* Over is 16-5 in the last 21 meetings in Golden State.
* Nuggets are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 vs. NBA Pacific.
* Warriors are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Over is 11-3-1 in Nuggets' last 15 road games.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The teams split the two meetings at Golden State during the regular season, with the Nuggets grabbing a 107-101 overtime victory on Nov. 10 and the Warriors responding with a 106-105 triumph 19 days later.

2. Golden State’s 64.6-percent shooting effort was the highest in a playoff game since the Utah Jazz shot 65.1 percent in a win over Phoenix on April 25, 1991.

3. Faried could move back into the starting lineup in Game 3.

Friday Playoff Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Three series shift venues on Friday night with two clubs looking to grab their first win of the playoffs. The Nuggets and Warriors are deadlocked at one game apiece with the action heading to Oakland, as Golden State is potentially one stop away from being up 2-0. In the other two series, the home squad tries to avenge a pair of double-digit road losses, starting with the first game back in Boston since the tragedies last Monday.

Knicks at Celtics (-3, 183)

New York hasn't advanced past the first round since 2000, as the Knicks are two victories away from the conference semifinals. Mike Woodson's club put together two stifling defensive efforts in each second half of the first two wins, limiting Boston to just 23 points in the final 24 minutes of Game 2. The Knicks overcame a poor second quarter to chase the Celtics, 87-71 to cash as 6 ½-point favorites, while the game finished 'under' the total for the second straight contest.

Boston received a better contribution off the bench in Game 2 from Jason Terry and Jordan Crawford, who combined to score 19 points (0 points in Game 1). The Knicks outscored the Celtics, 24-4 to start the third quarter, while Boston put up just six points in the first eight minutes of the second half. The victory was the fifth straight by New York over Boston, including the third consecutive triumph at Madison Square Garden.

Now the series heads to TD Garden, in which the Celtics haven't played since before the bombings at the Boston Marathon on April 15. Doc Rivers' squad owns a 2-4 ATS record the last six games as a home favorite, while losing four of their past seven contests at TD Garden. The Knicks have won seven of their previous nine away from home, as one of those losses came without all their stars at Charlotte towards the end of the season. New York is rolling in the role of a road underdog, cashing six straight when receiving points away from MSG.

Spurs (-5, 188) at Lakers

Los Angeles managed to make the playoffs without Kobe Bryant by beating San Antonio and Houston in the final two games of the season. However, the Lakers may not even win one postseason contest as they head home down 2-0 after getting smoked at San Antonio twice. The Spurs took control of Game 2 on Wednesday in the second half to grab a two-game advantage, 102-91 as nine-point favorites, while cashing the 'over' of 189.

After struggling from the field in the series opener, the Spurs rebounded by shooting 51% from the floor in Game 2, including a game-high 28 points from Tony Parker. The Lakers were led by Steve Blake and Dwight Howard, who each put up 16 points, but Howard was mired in foul trouble for most of the night. Following a clear-cut 'under' in Game 1, the 'over' was destined to hit thanks to a 104-point first half. However, 'over' bettors had to sweat things out in the final minutes after a slow third quarter and relatively low-scoring fourth until some easy baskets in the waning minutes.

San Antonio now has the seemingly difficult task to win on the highway, as the Spurs have dropped seven straight road games with their last away victory coming at Phoenix on February 24. The Spurs were limited to less than 100 points in seven of the past eight away games, resulting in a 7-1 mark to the 'under.' Since losing to the Clippers on Valentine's Day, the Lakers have won 13 of their last 14 home contests, but they were listed as an underdog only twice in this stretch. L.A. will be short several guards on Friday as Blake and Steve Nash are both out with hamstring injuries.

Nuggets at Warriors (-1, 212½)

One of the two series that saw a split through the first two games heads to Oakland on Friday. Denver's 24-game home winning streak went up in smoke in Tuesday's Game 2 defeat to Golden State, 131-117, as the Warriors cashed outright as 8½-point underdogs (+350 on the moneyline). The game easily eclipsed the 'over' of 208 thanks to a 60-point second quarter and 62-point third quarter, while Golden State torched the nets with 65% shooting from the floor.

Four Warriors' starters (Jarrett Jack, Stephen Curry, Harrison Barnes, and Klay Thompson) combined to score 101 points, but Curry left the game with a sprained ankle. Six different Nuggets put up at least 14 points, while Kenneth Faried returned to the lineup for the first time in three games, scoring just four points in 20 minutes off the bench.

Golden State is riding a five-game ATS hot streak, while winning six of its last nine at Oracle Arena. The Warriors have split a pair of home contests with the Nuggets this season, including a thrilling 106-105 triumph in late November as short 'dogs. Since a four-game road skid in February, the Nuggets have compiled an 8-3 SU and 6-4-1 ATS record away from the Pepsi Center.

2013 NBA Playoffs

Boston led 53-49/48-42 at halftime of first two games, then went out in second half and scored 25-23 points; thats 48 points in 48:00 in second half of games in this series. Knicks won last five games with Celtics, by 3-15-19-7-16 points, they made just 16-56 behind arc in two visits to Boston, winning by 3-15 points. Boston's dilemma is that Knicks have three PGs better than anyone playing for Celtics. Playing at home will help C's, but gaps between games helps NY as much as Boston, since they're both old teams. Five of six series games this year stayed under the total, including both games in this series.

Golden State shot 64.4% from floor, 14-25 behind arc, as they whacked Nuggets 131-117 in Game 2, winning without Lee, who is out for season (hip flexor). Denver bench was +5 in Game 2- they outscored Warriors 28-15 on foul line, but when a team's eFG% is 73.4%, they ain't losing. Question now is, what do they for encore as scene shifts to Oakland for Game 3? Denver won four of six vs Golden State this season, splitting pair here, with games decided by total of seven points. Denver got to the foul line 65 times in first two games, compared to 35 for Golden State, but Nuggets are just 12-42 behind arc so far in series.

Nash is hurt, Blake is hurt, Bryant is hurt, Lakers lost first two series games by 12-11 points, trailing both by 8 at half. Spurs shot under 39% in three of five games vs Lakers, but are 4-1 in those games, winning by 2-3-12-11 points; they split pair with Lakers in Staples, with two games decided by total of seven points. LA is +20 in FT's tried in five series games this year, but its bench is -78 in series so far. Ginobili was +38 in last two games, with +19 in 19 minutes in both games. Hard to gauge the Spurs on road, since they rested guys so much during season; opposite will be true here- they'll be gung-ho to get sweep and gets some time off before next series, against much more formidable opponent.

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