NBA Knowledge
Hot teams
-- Knicks won/covered their last four home games (7-3HF).
-- Portland won three of last four games (7-2 last 9AU).
-- Wizards won four of last five games (2-7 last 9HF).
-- Memphis won four of its last five games (6-1 last 7HF).
-- Pelicans won their last two games after losing seven of eight games before that (3-0 last 3AU).
-- Hawks won six of their last seven games (8-3 last 11HF).
-- Toronto won its last four games (2-8 last 10HF).
-- Cavaliers won nine of their last ten games (4-1 last 5HF).
-- Celtics won their last three games (1-4 last 5AU).
-- Rockets won five of their last six games (3-6AU).
-- Clippers won nine of their last ten games (4-2 last 6HF).
Cold teams
-- 76ers lost lost four of last five games but covered last three.
-- Charlotte lost nine of last ten games (1-4 last five HF).
-- Jazz lost seven of last eight road games (1-5 last six AU).
-- Bulls lost four of their last five games (2-7 last 9AU).
-- Detroit is 4-2 in its last six games (10-1 last 11HF).
-- Orlando lost six of its last seven games (0-3 last 3AU).
-- Nets lost seven of their last eight games (11-4 last 15AU).
-- Golden State lost two of last three games (1-0AU).
-- Dallas is 4-5 in its last nine games (8-5HF).
Series records
-- Knicks won seven of last eight games with Philly.
-- Jazz won nine of last ten games with Charlotte.
-- Portland lost last three games in Washington by 8-10-2 points.
-- Grizzlies won four of last six games with New Orleans.
-- Pistons won four of last five games with Chicago, winning last two in OT, the last one in four OTs.
-- Hawks won five of last six games with Orlando.
-- Nets-Raptors split their last ten games.
-- Warriors won their last four games with Cleveland.
-- Mavericks won their last six games with Boston.
-- Clippers lost their last five games with Houston.
Totals
-- Eight of last nine New York home games went over.
-- Five of last seven Charlotte home games stayed under.
-- Seven of last nine Washington home games stayed under.
-- Last five Memphis home games went over total.
-- Seven of last eight Chicago road games went over.
-- Five of last six Atlanta home games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Brooklyn games stayed under.
-- 10 of last 14 Cleveland games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Boston games went over the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Houston games went over total.
Back/backs
-- Dallas is 6-3 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Houston is 4-6 vs spread if it played night before.
Armadillosports.com
Game of the Day: Warriors at Cavaliers
Covers.com
Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Warriors (-3, 206.5)
The Golden State Warriors head into their toughest game yet playing anything but their best basketball as they prepare to visit the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. The Warriors opened the three-game road trip with a loss at Detroit on Saturday and have dropped two of three.
“Struggle” is a relative term for a team with four losses in its first 41 games, but Golden State is in the midst of its worst stretch so far this season. “I think it’s a wake-up call that we got punched, but there have been some signs the past several weeks,” Warriors center Andrew Bogut told reporters after Saturday’s loss. “It just hasn’t been addressed that much because we’ve been winning. We need to pick it up, pick up our intensity and get our defense better.” Golden State should not have any trouble finding intensity in the NBA Finals rematch on Monday, and the Cavaliers are at the top of their game at the moment. Cleveland has won nine of its last 10 games and is coming home after breezing through a 5-1 road trip that closed with a 91-77 domination of the Houston Rockets on Friday.
LINE HISTORY: The Cavaliers opened as 3-point home favorites for their second Finals rematch of the season with the Warriors. The total opened at 208 and has been bet down a point-and-a-half to 206.5.
INJURY REPORT:
Warriors - SF J. McAdoo (doubtful Monday, toe).
Cavaliers - PG M. Williams (questionable Monday, personal).
POWER RANKINGS: Warriors (-17) - Cavaliers (-9.5) + home field (-3) = Cavaliers +4.5
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (37-4, 24-16-1 ATS, 24-17 O/U): Harrison Barnes made his return to the starting lineup in Detroit after easing his way back into the rotation off the bench, and the starting frontcourt seemed to struggle to find a rhythm. “Guys were playing hard and cutting and moving, but we weren’t on the same page and didn’t have the same timing,” interim coach Luke Walton told reporters. “The flow we like to play with was missing. It looked a little chaotic.” Barnes and Draymond Green each finished with five points and combined to shoot 3-of-18 from the field.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (28-10, 17-20-1 ATS, 17-21 O/U): Cleveland is having no trouble finding its timing with guard Kyrie Irving back in the lineup on a regular basis. “I think just being on the road, just together for 12 days just brought us together more,” center Tristan Thompson told ESPN.com. “And you can see it on the court. There’s more flow. Guys are understanding where guys are going to be at.” Irving was playing only his third game back from a fractured kneecap when the Cavaliers went into Golden State on Christmas Day and suffered an 89-83 loss.
TRENDS:
* Warriors are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Cavaliers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings.
CONSENSUS: The public is split down the middle for the second edition of the Finals rematch, with 52 percent of wagers on the Warriors. As for the total, 63 percent of wagers are on the over.
Monday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Bulls at Pistons
These two Central division rivals are meeting for the third time this season as Detroit (22-18 SU, 22-17-1 ATS) has won the first two matchups in overtime. In the last contest between these teams at the United Center on December 18, the Pistons pulled out a 147-144 triumph in four overtimes to cash outright as five-point underdogs. Detroit center Andre Drummond scored 33 points and pulled down 21 rebounds, as the Pistons look to improve on a 4-1 SU/ATS record at home against division opponents. The Pistons are fresh off a solid performance on Saturday night against the defending champion Warriors, knocking off Golden State, 113-95 as seven-point home underdogs.
Chicago (23-16 SU, 15-24 ATS) has struggled of late, losing four of its past five games with the lone victory coming against the lowly 76ers in overtime. One game after Jimmy Butler dropped a career-high 53 points at Philadelphia, the Bulls’ shooting guard was limited to four points in Friday’s 83-77 home setback to the Mavericks. Chicago shot 36% from the field, as Fred Hoiberg’s team has failed to cover in five straight games. The Bulls have struggled in the road underdog role by owning a 2-6 SU/ATS record in this situation since late November.
Magic at Hawks
The Hawks (24-17 SU, 20-20-1 ATS) remain atop the Southeast division in spite of losing two of their last three games. Atlanta ended a mini two-game skid with Saturday’s 114-86 blowout of Brooklyn as 10 ½-point home favorites to improve to 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS in the last seven contests at Philips Arena. Mike Budenholtzer’s club has eclipsed the 100-point mark in seven straight home games, while the Hawks have claimed five of the past six matchups with the Magic. These two met last month in Orlando as Atlanta rallied for a 103-100 victory to cash as 1½-point favorites.
The magic has disappeared for Orlando (20-19 SU, 23-15-1 ATS) following a promising start as Scott Skiles’ squad has lost six of its past seven games. The Magic returns to the states after an overtime loss in London to the Raptors on Thursday, 106-103, but Orlando cashed as 4½-point underdogs. Orlando has been limited to 99 points or less in seven straight contests, even though it has cashed the ‘over’ in the last two games. The Magic have split their last six road games, although two of those three victories came at Brooklyn.
Warriors at Cavaliers
The last time Golden State (37-4 SU, 24-16-1 ATS) visited Quicken Loans Arena, the Warriors captured their first NBA championship since 1975. Golden State faces Cleveland for the second time in less than a month as the Warriors held off the Cavaliers on Christmas Day, 89-83. Luke Walton’s team failed to cover as seven-point favorites, but the Warriors limited the Cavs to 31% shooting from the floor. Golden State began the season with a 14-0 road record, but have split their last eight games away from Oracle Arena, including back-to-back losses at Detroit and Denver.
The Cavaliers (28-10 SU, 17-20-1 ATS) have lost just once in 16 tries at Quicken Loans Arena, while returning home from a 5-1 road swing. Cleveland’s lone blemish came in a 99-95 setback at San Antonio last Thursday, but the Cavs bounced back with a convincing 91-77 victory at Houston on Friday. David Blatt’s club lost two of three home meetings with the Warriors in last June’s NBA Finals (all as an underdog), but beat Golden State in the regular season as a three-point favorite, 110-99.
Celtics at Mavericks
Boston (22-19 SU, 22-18-1 ATS) continues a three-game road trip after holding off Washington on Saturday, 119-117 to win its third consecutive contest following a four-game skid. The Celtics have cashed the 'over’ in four of the last five games, while allowing at least 100 points in four straight road contests. Brad Stevens’ team is playing with revenge after blowing a 15-point lead to the Mavericks in a 106-102 home setback in November as five-point favorites. The Celtics have lost six straight meetings with Dallas since 2013, while last winning at the American Airlines Center in 2010.
The Mavericks (23-18 SU, 24-16-1 ATS) return home with no rest after getting blown out by the Spurs on Sunday, 112-83 as 12½-point underdogs. Dallas owns a 6-4 SU/ATS record on the second of a back-to-back, while posting a 1-1 SU/ATS mark at home in this situation. Rick Carlisle’s club is on a strong ‘under’ run recently by cashing the ‘under’ in 10 of the last 12 games, although those two ‘overs’ in this stretch came at home.
Rockets at Clippers
It’s a quick turnaround for Houston (21-20 SU, 16-25 ATS), who is playing at Staples Center for the second straight night after facing the Lakers on Sunday. The Rockets have cashed the ‘over’ in seven of 10 games with no rest, while posting a 5-5 SU and 4-6 ATS record in this situation. Houston has owned Los Angeles since rallying from a 3-1 deficit in the second round of the playoffs last season, winning five straight over the Clippers, including a pair of victories this season. The Rockets held off the Clippers in their first matchup at Staples Center, 109-105 as five-point underdogs.
Los Angeles (26-14 SU, 18-19-3 ATS) saw its 10-game winning streak snapped by Sacramento on Saturday, 110-103. The Clippers played for the second straight game without center DeAndre Jordan, who sat with the flu, but Cole Aldrich stepped up by scoring 19 points each against the Heat and Kings. Los Angeles heads out of town for five games following Monday’s contest, as Doc Rivers’ team has won six of the past eight home games.
Monday's Top Action
By Sportsbook.ag
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (37-4) at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (28-10)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Cavaliers -3, Total 206.5
The Warriors will be looking to get right back into the win column with a win over the Cavaliers in Cleveland on Monday night.
Golden State has actually hit something of a rough patch over the past week, losing two of its past three games after a 113-95 loss in Detroit on Saturday. The Warriors were a seven-point road favorite in that game and have now lost three of their past four games ATS.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, defeated the Rockets 91-77 as two-point road favorites on Friday. Cleveland will be really hungry to pick up a win in this game, as the team lost to this Warriors group in the NBA Finals last year.
The Warriors also won in the first meeting between these teams this season. Golden State was home in that one and won the game 89-83 as a 6.5-point favorite. One thing worth pointing out in this game is that the Warriors are just 5-9-1 ATS when facing Eastern Conference opponents this season.
Golden State is, however, 3-0 SU and 2-0-1 ATS when coming off of a SU loss on the year. The Cavaliers have also had some trouble covering when coming off of two days rest this year, going 2-7 ATS in that situation.
PF James Michael McAdoo (Foot) is questionable for the Warriors in this game and PG Mo Williams (Personal) is questionable for the Cavaliers.
The Warriors have played poorly over the past week and they’ll now look to turn things around against the team they defeated in the Finals last year. The last time these teams met, Golden State came away with a victory and a lot of that was because of the play of PF Draymond Green (14.7 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.4 SPG).
Green was a monster in that game, finishing with 22 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. He will need to be on his game on both ends of the floor in this one, as he’ll likely spend a ton of time guarding LeBron James. PG Stephen Curry (29.9 PPG, 6.4 APG, 5.3 RPG, 2.1 SPG) will need to play a good game for Golden State on Monday as well.
Curry struggled a bit in the first meeting between these teams, finishing with 19 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. If he can find his stroke then it’ll be tough for the Cavaliers to defeat this team. It shouldn’t really be an issue for Curry, as he has put up 34.2 PPG over the past five contests.
The Cavaliers are coming off of a big win in Houston and SF LeBron James (25.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 6.1 APG) has really been playing some very smart basketball for Cleveland.
Over the past five games, James is averaging 23.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 7.2 APG and he has been doing so on an extremely efficient 54.9% shooting from the field. James did, however, shoot very poorly when these teams met on Christmas. James scored 25 points in that game, but he did it on a hurtful 10-for-26 from the floor. He’ll need to pick his spots better on Monday.
One thing that should help James is that PG Kyrie Irving (17.0 PPG) is playing well and commanding some attention from opposing defenses. Irving had 23 points in a win over the Rockets last game and he will be extremely important in Monday’s game. If he can hold his own against Steph Curry then the Cavaliers should have a very good chance to win this one on Monday.
HOUSTON ROCKETS at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Sportsbook.ag Line: L.A Clippers -5, Total: 209
Both the Rockets and Clippers will be looking to get back on track when the teams meet at Staples Center on Monday.
The Rockets will be coming into this game a bit tired after playing against the Lakers on Sunday night, but the travel will not be an issue considering the Lakers and Clippers share the same building.
The Clippers, meanwhile, were four-point home favorites against the Kings on Saturday and lost 110-103. Los Angeles had been hot entering that game and will be hoping to get right back into the win column with a win at home in this one.
Houston has dominated this head-to-head series this season already though. Houston has won-and-covered in both meetings between these teams, and one of those victories was in Los Angeles too. One thing worth noting about the Clippers is that they are 4-8-1 ATS when coming off of a SU loss on the season.
C DeAndre Jordan (Illness) is questionable for Los Angeles, which is without PF Blake Griffin (Quad) for the next couple of games.
The Rockets have played very well against the Clippers this season and that has everything to do with SG James Harden dominating in this matchup. In two meetings with Los Angeles, Harden is averaging an absurd 32.0 PPG with 6.5 APG and 4.5 RPG.
Harden is also shooting very well in those games, shooting 46.2% from the field. If he can keep up his efficiency and continue to score the way he has against the Clippers then the Rockets have a good shot of winning on the road in this one.
C Dwight Howard has also been absolutely dominant against the Clippers this season. In the two meetings, Howard is averaging 21.0 PPG, 17.0 RPG and 1.5 BPG. He could be in for an even bigger game if he happens to be going up against the Clippers without DeAndre Jordan.
If Jordan doesn’t play then Los Angeles has nobody with the size and athleticism to stay with Howard the entire game. Houston would be wise to pound it into Howard often.
The Clippers will be facing a Rockets team that should be pretty tired after playing the Lakers the night before. That will mean that PG Chris Paul will be looking to push the pace. Paul has played extremely well recently, averaging 20.2 PPG and 11.2 APG over the past five games.
Paul did really struggle against the Rockets in his only game against the team this season. Paul played 31 minutes in that game and went just 3-for-13 from the field. He’ll need to be a lot better on Monday or his team will have trouble winning without Griffin.
It’s also important that C DeAndre Jordan (11.6 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG) is back on the court in this one. Dwight Howard will give Los Angeles a lot of trouble if Jordan doesn’t play. There also isn’t somebody that can fill in for Jordan in general. Without Griffin and Howard, this team does not have the athleticism it needs to play the way Doc Rivers wants to play.