Friday's NBA Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Spurs at Hawks
San Antonio: 32-10 SU, 21-21 ATS
Atlanta: 22-19 SU, 22-19 ATS
The Spurs play 12 of their next 14 games on the road, as the annual "Rodeo Trip" begins in a week. San Antonio hits the highway for a three-game swing starting Friday in Atlanta, as the Spurs closed out their four-game homestand with their third loss of the season to the Thunder on Wednesday. Gregg Popovich's team has won nine of their past 10 contests away from the Alamo dating back to Thanksgiving, while posting a 6-3 ATS record as a road favorite in this span.
The Hawks held off the Magic on Wednesday, 112-109, as Atlanta failed to cash as 5½-point road favorites. However, Atlanta has thrived in the role of a home favorite of late, putting together a 6-1 ATS record, which includes outright wins this month over Miami, Indiana, and Houston. The Hawks are playing with revenge after dropping a two-point decision at the AT&T Center in early December, 102-100, but Atlanta did cash as 12-point 'dogs.
Clippers at Bulls
Los Angeles: 29-15 SU, 25-19 ATS
Chicago: 21-20 SU, 19-22 ATS
The Clippers are coming off their lowest-scoring output this month in Wednesday's 96-91 defeat at Charlotte, only the third loss in 11 games during January. Los Angeles continues its seven-game road swing at the United Center, as the Clips are 5-2 SU and 7-0 ATS on the highway off an away loss this season. Doc Rivers' club looks for the season sweep after L.A. drilled Chicago at Staples Center, 121-82 back in late November.
The Bulls have woken up this month with a 9-2 record to forge above the .500 mark, while winning each of their last three games. Chicago beat Cleveland for the third time this season on Wednesday, 98-87 to cash as 4½-point underdogs. Carlos Boozer missed that victory with a calf injury, as the power forward is listed as questionable for Friday's contest. The Bulls are starting to reclaim their home-court advantage with seven wins in the last 10 games in the Windy City, while compiling a 6-1 ATS record the past seven games in the underdog role.
Pacers at Kings
Indiana: 33-8 SU, 28-13 ATS
Sacramento: 15-26 SU, 18-22-1 ATS
The Kings concluded a six-game road swing winning just twice, while suffering two losses to their two best players. Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins each got injured in Wednesday's 119-98 setback at Houston, the first loss to the Rockets this season in three tries. Gay is out for three-to-five days with an Achilles' injury, while Cousins is doubtful on Friday with an ankle sprain. Sacramento has covered six straight home games in the underdog role since the start of December, including outright victories over the Blazers, Heat, and Rockets in this stretch.
The Pacers started their West Coast trip with an impressive performance at Golden State, but Indiana was tripped up in Wednesday's 24-point loss at Phoenix. Frank Vogel's squad dominated Sacramento 10 days ago at home, 116-92 as 10 ½-point favorites, while the Pacers have covered five of their last six games. Indiana owns a perfect 6-0 SU/ATS off a road loss this season, while going 'under' five times with the lone 'over' needing overtime at New York back in November.
Wolves at Warriors
Minnesota: 20-21 SU, 22-19 ATS
Golden State: 26-17 SU, 19-22-2 ATS
The Warriors have dominated the Wolves over the last few seasons, winning seven straight meetings, including a 106-93 triumph at the Target Center in early November. However, since Golden State won 10 straight games, Mark Jackson's club has lost four of their last six contests. In this stretch, the Warriors have cashed just once, coming in a 97-87 victory at New Orleans last Saturday.
Minnesota pulled off a home-and-home sweep over beat-up Utah to creep within one game of the .500 mark. The Wolves are just 2-7 the last nine games off a victory, while putting up a 1-9 SU and 5-5 ATS this season as a road underdog. Rick Adelman's team has lost all five games in the revenge role this season, while putting up a 1-8 record against the Warriors, Clippers, Spurs, and Thunder.
East vs West
Sportspic.com
The NBA gets back into full swing Friday with eight of the thirteen scheduled game non-conference ones. History suggest the Eastern Conference teams are in for a rough ride. Our trusted NBA Database tells us Eastern Conference teams have been duds running the hardwood vs Western Conference opponents posting a 74-143 SU record with a cash draining 96-119-2 mark at the betting window. However, not all EC teams can be painted with the same brush. Sifting through the numbers one EC team playing tonight has done a superb job, the Indiana Pacers. Although Pacers lost one to the Suns last time out they remain a sharp 11-3 SU/ATS in matchups with the Western Conference. Pacers will improve the numbers this evening with the competition being Sacramento Kings the team with the worst record vs the Eastern Conference at 5-8 SU/ATS. If that matchup doesn't convince, consider these betting nuggets the database chips in. Indiana has responded well in this situation. Pacers are a perfect 4-0 ATS off a loss as a favorite the previous game, 3-0 ATS this year after allowing => 105 points. Look for Pacers to improve the current 3-0 ATS mark vs Kings and it's 5-0 ATS streak on the road vs a team with a losing record.
Thunder at Celtics: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com
Oklahoma City Thunder at Boston Celtics (+6, 195)
The Oklahoma City Thunder have risen to the top of the Western Conference with a five-game winning streak and look to add another when they visit the injury-depleted Boston Celtics on Friday. NBA leading scorer Kevin Durant continued his hot streak with 36 points in a 111-105 win at San Antonio on Wednesday and is averaging 40.4 over the last five games. The Celtics are 2-12 over the last 14 contests and are expected to be without second-leading scorer Avery Bradley due to an ankle injury.
The Celtics won at Washington in overtime on Wednesday without Bradley and Rajon Rondo, who was rested on the second of a back-of-back. Jeff Green, who spent his first 3 1/2 seasons with the Oklahoma City franchise, leads Boston against a Thunder squad near the end of a stretch with seven games in 10 days. Durant scored at least 30 points in nine straight outings since registering 21 in the 119-96 victory over Boston on Jan. 5 at home.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (33-10): Durant averages 31 points and 5.1 assists overall and is shooting 52.8 percent – 41.3 from 3-point range – since Christmas Day. Serge Ibaka is averaging 17.2 points over the last five games - 14.3 overall - while Reggie Jackson scored 27 against Boston earlier this month. The Thunder stand fourth in the league in scoring (105.5) and second in rebounding (46.5) without second-leading scorer Russell Westbrook (arthroscopic knee surgery) for almost a month.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (14-29): Green, who averages 16.2 points, scored 39 in the victory Wednesday to carry the Celtics without Rondo, Bradley and injured guard Jerryd Bayless (left big toe). Rondo should be back in the lineup after collecting 15 points and 13 assists while shooting 7-of-27 from the field over three games since returning from knee surgery. Jared Sullinger has recorded 14.1 points and 11 rebounds over the last eight, with five of his 12 double-doubles coming in that span.
TRENDS:
* Home team is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Thunder are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 4-1 in Celtics last five home games.
* Thunder are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Boston F Chris Johnson has totaled 20 points on 7-of-16 shooting in two games since being signed to a 10-day contract on Jan. 17.
2. Thunder F Jeremy Lamb, who has come off the bench in all 43 games, is averaging 10.6 points since Christmas and 9.8 overall.
3. Oklahoma City is 11-2 against Eastern Conference teams and the Celtics are 3-15 against Western opponents.
Timberwolves at Warriors: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Minnesota Timberwolves at Golden State Warriors (-3, 210)
The Golden State Warriors went from the hottest team in the NBA to a club searching for answers after four losses in six games. The Warriors will attempt to find some of those answers on both ends of the floor when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday. The Timberwolves pulled out of their own funk with a pair of dominating performances against the Utah Jazz and have an opportunity to move back to .500 with a third straight triumph.
Golden State dropped the opener of a five-game homestand 102-94 to the Indiana Pacers on Monday and still has visits from Western Conference contenders Portland and the Los Angeles Clippers to look forward to over the next week. The Warriors fell behind early against the Pacers and are developing a trend of weak starts. “(The Pacers) made an effort to assert themselves early and I don’t know if we didn’t show up, we just didn’t have any kind of punch early in the game,” Stephen Curry told reporters. Hot starts were a key to Minnesota’s last two victories.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (20-21): Minnesota held the Jazz 23 first-half points at home on Saturday and limited them to 39 before the break at Utah on Tuesday before coasting through the second half on both occasions. The Timberwolves have been searching for consistency on the defensive end and dominated that area against the Jazz, though Golden State’s plethora of weapons provides a different challenge. The Warriors shot 50 percent from the field in a 106-93 victory at Minnesota on Nov. 6 and Kevin Love’s 25 points and 16 rebounds could not make up the gap. Love has not reached 20 points in any of his last three games but is averaging 5.3 assists in that span.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (26-17): Klay Thompson did most of the damage with 30 points in the Nov. 6 meeting and hit five 3-pointers in the loss to the Pacers on Monday. Thompson and Curry are two of the most prolific 3-point shooters in the league but Curry’s once gaudy percentage from beyond the arc has taken a hit recently, and he is connecting on just 32.3 percent of his attempts this month. Those two will be counted on even more if the depleted front line can’t play to its usual standards. David Lee (shoulder) and Andrew Bogut (knee) were both limited in practice on Thursday while Jermaine O’Neal (wrist), who has been out since Dec. 9, returned to practice this week.
TRENDS:
* Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings in Golden State.
* Timberwolves are 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Warriors are 1-4 ATS in their last five home games.
* Over is 5-0 in Timberwolves last five games playing on 2 days rest.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Love (35) and Lee (23) each rank in the top 10 in the NBA in double-doubles, and Love has posted four straight.
2. Love, Curry, Thompson, Lee and Warriors F Andre Iguodala were all announced as members of the pool of 28 players for Team USA.
3. Golden State has taken seven straight in the series and won the last two by an average of 14.5 points.