NBA Knowledge
Monday's hot teams
-- Celtics/Wizards both won five of last seven games;
-- Boston is 1-5 last 6AU, Washington is 5-9HF.
-- Memphis won four of its last five games (6-2 last 8HF).
-- Rockets won seven of their last ten games.
-- New Orleans won five of its last six games.
-- Denver is 4-3 in its last seven games, all at home (7-2-1 last ten HU).
-- Sacramento won/covered its last five games (7-7HF).
-- Hornets won three of last four games (8-7AU).
-- Spurs won their last 14 games (0-1AU).
-- Golden State won 11 of its last 13 games (3-6 last 9HF).
Cold teams
-- Cavaliers split their last six games (9-8HF).
-- Minnesota lost eight of last ten games (2-7 last 9AU).
-- Orlando lost nine of its last ten games (0-4 last 4AU).
-- Miami lost seven of its last eight games (4-8AU).
-- Chicago lost six of its last nine games (8-13HF).
-- Pistons lost five of their last seven games (4-7 last 11AU).
-- Utah lost four of its last six games (6-4 last 10HF).
-- Hawks lost four of last five road games (3-8 last 11AF).
Series records
-- Cavaliers won their last three games with Minnesota.
-- Celtics won their last three games with Washington.
-- Grizzlies won their last eight games with Orlando.
-- Bulls won three of last four games with Miami.
-- Rockets won three of last four games with New Orleans.
-- Jazz won six of last eight games with Detroit.
-- Nuggets are 7-3 in last ten games with Atlanta; home team won last seven series games.
-- Kings are 5-3 in their last eight games with Charlotte.
-- Spurs won eight of last nine games with Golden State.
Totals
-- Three of last four Minnesota-Cleveland games went over.
-- Five of last six Celtic games went over the total.
-- Last seven Memphis games went over the total.
-- Last five Chicago-Miami games stayed under.
-- Five of last seven Rocket-Pelican games stayed under.
-- Five of last seven Detroit games went over the total.
-- Last five Atlanta games stayed under the total; five of last six Denver games went over.
-- Five of last six Sacramento games stayed under total.
-- Six of last eight Spur-Warrior games stayed under total.
Back/backs
-- Boston is 6-4 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Houston is 4-7 vs spread if it played night before.
Armadillosports.com
NBA: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
San Antonio at Golden State
The eyes of most basketball fans, as well as those focused on basketball betting, will be on the Monday night showdown between host Golden State Warriors (40-4, 26-17-1 ATS) and visiting San Antonio Spurs (38-6, 30-14 ATS).
Home-court advantage is certainly something Golden State can tap into as they're tough nuts to crack on Oracle Arena hardwood. This year, they've won 20 consecutive games in front of the friendly crowd and 38 straight regular season games dating back to last season. However, the Dubs have not been the greatest bets over the impressive run going 20-18 against the betting line including a vig-losing 10-10 ATS this season.
You may regret selling Spurs short in this matchup. Spurs, one of the leagues best at keeping the ball out of their own basket (89.8) carry a 13-0 (9-4 ATS) streak into the contest outscoring opponents by 18.0 points/game and have won seven of eight away from Alamo City (6-2 ATS) by 18.6 points/game. Additionally, Spurs have shown a habit of handling Warriors in regular season winning 15-of-18 matchups with a profitable 11-6-1 mark against the betting line. Spurs are being handed 5.5 points at Bovada/Bodog.
Game of the Day: Spurs at Warriors
By Covers.com
San Antonio Spurs at Golden State Warriors (-4.5, 209)
The Golden State Warriors are undefeated at home and are on pace to set the record for most wins in an NBA regular season, yet they’re only two games clear of the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference standings. The Warriors will put that undefeated home mark on the line when they host the Spurs on Monday in the first meeting of the season between the West heavyweights.
San Antonio rolls into Golden State on a 13-game winning streak and owns a better point differential (plus-14.5) than the Warriors (plus-12.1) thanks to a scoring defense that is far and away the best in the league at an average of 89.8 points allowed, but will be without star power forward Tim Duncan, who will be resting a sore knee. That defense will be going up against a Golden State offense that leads the NBA in scoring (114.7) and has put up 126.3 points while rolling past the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers in the last three games. “It’s great for the NBA and great for us,” Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson told reporters. “It’s going to be a good test for us. It’s such a close race for that No. 1 spot, and San Antonio is playing beautiful ball. It’s going to be fun.” It has been nearly a year since the last time Golden State lost a home game, and Friday’s 122-110 win over Indiana marked their 38th straight home victory spanning two seasons.
LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 3-point home favorites, but after the news came out that Duncan would miss the game, the Warriors were moved a point-and-a-half to -4.5. The total opened at 209.
INJURY REPORT:
Spurs - PF L. Aldridge (probable Monday, back), PF T. Duncan (out Monday, knee).
Warriors - SF J. McAdoo (out Monday, toe).
POWER RANKINGS: Spurs (-18) - Warriors (17.3) + home court (-3) = Warriors -2.7
ABOUT THE SPURS (38-6, 30-14 ATS, 20-23-1 O/U): San Antonio has not been challenged much of late, with only three of its last 13 wins coming by single digits. The Spurs warmed up for the showdown by winning the first two games of the road trip at Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers by a total of 41 points and are looking forward to the test on Monday. “There’s no doubt that players will look at it like more than (just another game),” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. “They can’t help it. They’re playing the best team in the league and they’ll be fired up about that.”
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (40-4, 26-17-1 ATS, 27-17 O/U): There is plenty of mutual respect going back and forth between San Antonio and Golden State, and current Warriors coach and former Spurs player Steve Kerr continues to be amazed by his former team. “I know them pretty well,” Kerr told reporters. “It’s remarkable to me that I’m 50 years old and have been retired for 13 years, and they have three guys (Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) and a coach who are still on that team. It makes no sense. The continuity and the program they’ve built is amazing.” Kerr (complications from back surgery) returned to the bench on Friday after missing the first 43 games and watched star Stephen Curry put up a triple-double in the easy win.
TRENDS:
* Spurs are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
* Spurs are 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Golden State.
* Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Golden State.
CONSENSUS: Bettors are siding with the home team in this matchup with 64 percent of wagers on the Warriors. As for the total, 65 percent of wagers are on the over.
Monday's Top Action
By Sportsbook.ag
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (14-31) at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (30-12)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Cleveland -13.5, Total 203
Tyronn Lue will be looking to earn his first victory as Cleveland’s head coach when the Cavaliers host the Timberwolves on Monday.
The Timberwolves hosted the Grizzlies as 3.5-point home underdogs on Saturday and ended up winning the game 106-101. Minnesota had lost its two previous games both SU and ATS, and the team had lost nine of its 10 games before that two-game losing skid.
The Bulls, meanwhile, embarrassed the Cavaliers, on Saturday, winning 96-83 as 10.5-point road underdogs. Cleveland will now be looking to win against a very beatable Minnesota team before facing an even worse Phoenix group on Wednesday.
These teams met once already this season and the Cavaliers won that game 125-99 as 10-point favorites in Minnesota.
Over the past three seasons, Cleveland is 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS in this head-to-head series. One thing that does favor the Timberwolves in this game is the fact that the team is 7-0 ATS in road games after playing a game as a home underdog this season.
As for injuries, PF Kevin Garnett (Knee) is questionable for Minnesota in this one and Cleveland is currently at full strength.
The Timberwolves are coming off of a win over the Grizzlies and SF Andrew Wiggins (20.8 PPG) played a very good game for Minnesota. Wiggins finished that one 7-for-10 from the floor and 5-for-5 from the charity stripe. He had 19 points and five boards and is now shooting 51.9% from the field over the past five games. If he can continue to take good shots then he will become a much better player in the second half of the season.
C Karl-Anthony Towns (15.8 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 1.8 BPG) is also playing extremely well for the Timberwolves recently. Over the past five games, Towns is averaging 16.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG and 2.2 BPG in 31.2 MPG. Towns will need to be on his game in this one and it’s likely that he will be, as he had 22 points the last time he faced this Cavaliers team.
Another guy that will need to play well for Minnesota is PG Ricky Rubio (9.7 PPG, 8.6 APG, 4.4 RPG, 2.2 SPG). Rubio is averaging 11.5 APG over the past two contests and is really seeing the floor well for the Timberwolves. If he can continue to find his teammates in the right spots then this team should stay competitive, especially against a struggling Cleveland bunch.
The Cavaliers did not look good against the Bulls on Saturday and will now be extra hungry for a win over the Timberwolves on Monday.
If Cleveland is going to win this game then SF LeBron James (25.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.4 SPG) will need to play a good game. James finished with 26 points, 13 boards, nine assists and two steals against Chicago, but the superstar was a lousy 11-for-27 from the field and 0-for-5 from three in that one. The Cavaliers need James to play a lot better on Monday and he needs to take better shots in order to do so.
Another guy that will need to be on his game on Monday is PF Kevin Love (15.6 PPG, 10.9 RPG). Love should be amped up to play against his former team and he did have 20 points and nine boards the last time he faced the Timberwolves.
Tyronn Lue has promised to make Love more of a focal point in this offense moving forward, so it’ll be interesting to see the looks he gets in this one.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (38-6) at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (40-4)
Sportsbook.ag Line:Golden State -5.5, Total 212
The Spurs will be going for their 14th straight victory when they face the Warriors in Golden State on Monday.
San Antonio is scorching hot at the moment, winning each of its past 13 games and covering in nine of those contests as well. The Spurs most recently faced the Lakers as 16.5-point favorites in Los Angeles and came away with a 108-95 victory. Ten of their past 13 victories have been by 10 or more points and the team will be looking to make a statement at Oracle Arena on Monday.
The Warriors, meanwhile, defeated the Pacers 122-110 as 12.5-point home favorites on Friday. Golden State has now won three straight games and 11 of its past 13 as well. This team has been the class of the NBA all season long, but it now faces a Spurs team that has been equally as impressive.
Over the past three seasons, San Antonio is 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS when facing Golden State and that includes a 3-1 record both SU and ATS at Oracle Arena.
Considering the way these teams have played on the season, both have some favorable trends pointing in their direction. For San Antonio, the team is an impressive 12-1 ATS after a game where it failed to cover this season.
Golden State, however, is 20-7 ATS when playing with two days rest over the past three seasons.
PF LaMarcus Aldridge (Back) is probable for the Spurs, who are going to be without PF Tim Duncan (Knee) in this one. The Warriors, meanwhile, will be without PF James Michael McAdoo (Toe) for this game.
If it weren’t for the Warriors’ play this season then everybody would be talking about the Spurs. Now San Antonio has a chance to show everybody that it is the best team in the NBA.
SF Kawhi Leonard (20.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG) is going to have to play an incredible game for San Antonio in this one. Leonard is one of the best defensive players in basketball, but he is also an offensive force this season. Leonard is shooting 50.2% from the field and 47.8% from the outside on the year and the Spurs need him to catch fire in this game.
PF LaMarcus Aldridge (15.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG) missed the game against the Lakers on Friday, but he will be counted on to produce against Golden State on Monday. The Spurs brought Aldrige in to be their top offensive option and he’ll see some extended minutes with Duncan out. If he can get it going then it would really take some pressure off of Leonard in this one.
PG Tony Parker (12.7 PPG, 5.1 APG) will also be extremely important in this one for the Spurs. Parker must hold his own against Steph Curry or San Antonio could get blown out in this game.
The Warriors have been the talk of the NBA season, but they must now defeat a team that has been keeping pace with them all year. If Golden State is going to win this one then PG Stephen Curry (30.1 PPG, 6.6 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.1 SPG) is going to need to go off for his team. Curry has been on fire over the past five games, averaging 32.6 PPG, 7.0 APG and 7.0 RPG on 53.5% shooting from the floor and 49.3% shooting from the outside. He was dominant in a win over the Pacers on Friday, finishing with 39 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in 37 minutes. He will look to be aggressive as a scorer with the slower Tony Parker on him on Monday.
SG Klay Thompson (20.5 PPG) will also need to play a very good game for his team, as he could be the guy matched up with Kawhi Leonard on Monday. If that’s the case, Thompson will need to be locked in defensively and he’ll also need to find a way to get some solid shots off. If he is not hitting from the outside then it’ll be tough for Golden State to win this game.
PF Draymond Green (14.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG) will also need to be ready to play well on both ends of the floor. He could be guarding LaMarcus Aldridge in this game and will need to stay out of foul trouble and also contribute in all of the areas he usually does on offense.