NBA Knowledge
Monday's hot teams
-- Miami won three of its last four games (1-3 last 4HF).
-- Oklahoma City won its last seven games (4-1 last 5AF).
-- Toronto won five of its last seven games (3-0HU).
-- Hawks won eight of their last nine games (5-3 last 8AF).
-- Spurs won eight of their last ten games (3-6 last 9AF).
-- Denver won three of its last five games (5-2 last 7HF).
-- Jazz won seven of their last nine games (3-4 last 7HF).
-- Portland won three of its last five games (5-3 last 8HF).
-- Kings won last two games, by 22 points each (0-3-1 last 4AU).
-- Celtics won their last four games (2-8 last 10AU).
-- Clippers won three of last four home games (3-6 last 9HF).
Cold teams
-- Nets lost their last five road games (2-4 last 6AU).
-- Suns lost three of their last four games (4-3 last 7AU).
-- Minnesota lost three of last four home games (4-2 last 6HF).
-- Bulls lost their last three games, to NY (2), Orlando (4-4HU).
-- Memphis lost six of its last eight games (5-1 last 6HU).
-- Knicks lost four of their last six games (4-2 last 6A).
-- New Orleans lost eight of its last ten games (1-3 last 4H).
-- Mavericks lost eight of their last ten games (4-1 last 5AU).
-- Lakers lost seven of their last eight games (4-2 last 6AU).
Series records
-- Nets lost eight of last nine games with Miami.
-- Thunder won five of last eight games with Toronto.
-- Suns won six of last eight games with Minnesota.
-- Hawks won five of last six games with Chicago.
-- Spurs won their last four games with Memphis.
-- Pelicans lost five of last seven games with New York.
-- Mavericks won four of last five games with Denver.
-- Lakers lost four of last five games with Utah.
-- Kings lost their last four games with Portland.
-- Clippers won four of last five games with Boston.
Totals
-- Last four Brooklyn-Miami games went over the total.
-- Eight of last nine Thunder-Raptor games stayed under.
-- Five of last six Phoenix-Minnesota games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Memphis games went over total.
-- Seven of last eight New York games stayed under.
-- Eight of Pelicans' last ten games went over.
-- Six of last eight Dallas-Denver games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Utah games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last nine Sacramento-Portland games stayed under.
-- Six of last eight Boston games stayed under the total.
Back/backs
-- Dallas is 3-6 in last nine games if they played night before.
-- Denver is 6-3 in last nine if they played night before.
-- Lakers are 8-6 vs spread if they played the night before.
-- Kings lost five of last six games if they played night before.
Armadillosports.com
NBA: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Oklahoma at Toronto
Toronto Raptors (49-23, 39-33 ATS) will be aiming for a franchise-best 50 win campaign when they host Oklahoma Thunder (51-22, 32-40-1 ATS) Monday evening north of the border. Home-court advantage is certainly something Toronto can tap into. The Raptors are tough nuts to crack in front of its friendly crowd. On the year, the Raptors have compiled a sharp 28-8 (19-17 ATS) record and have an eye-opening 17-2 stretch on Air Canada Center hardwood (11-8 ATS) since the middle of January.
A few telling basketball betting stats leap out favoring Toronto in this contest. The Raptors have shown a penchant for cashing tickets facing a visitor with a winning record. In the last 10 situations the Raptors are a profitable 8-2 against the betting line. Additionally, Raptors have cashed five consecutive vs Thunder. Finally, visiting Oklahoma has struggled vs the betting line when facing an Atlantic Division team. The Thunder are a money-burning 2-7 this season, 2-12 last fourteen such encounters.
It's mission accomplished for Raptors as they notch win number 50 on the campaign. Raptors getting little respect in the betting market have opened +2.0 point underdogs.
Monday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Thunder at Raptors
Following a shaky February, Oklahoma City (51-22 SU, 32-40-1 ATS) has turned it on this month by winning seven straight games. The Thunder swept their three-game homestand against the Rockets, Jazz, and Spurs, while blowing out a short-handed San Antonio squad on Saturday, 111-92 as 12½-point favorites. Billy Donovan’s team has scored at least 111 points in each of the seven wins during this hot streak, while covering five times in this span.
The Raptors (49-23 SU, 39-33 ATS) avoided their third three-game losing streak of the season in Saturday’s 115-91 blowout at New Orleans to cash as 11-point favorites. Toronto owns a 17-2 SU and 11-8 ATS in the last 19 games at the Air Canada Center, while putting together a perfect 4-0 ATS record in the role of a home underdog this season. These teams last met in November as the Raptors pulled out a 103-98 victory as eight-point road underdogs, the fifth straight cover by Toronto in the series.
Hawks at Bulls
Things have spiraled out of control in the Windy City as the Bulls (36-36 SU, 29-43 ATS) sit two games behind the Pistons for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Chicago dropped its third straight contest on Saturday as the Bulls were drilled at Orlando, 111-89 as seven-point favorites. Fred Hoiberg’s club has failed to cover in four consecutive games, while the Bulls have allowed at least 100 points in 25 of the last 27 games.
The Hawks (44-30 SU, 40-33-1 ATS) go for the four-game series sweep of the Bulls with the first three victories coming by double-digits. Atlanta captured the last meeting at Philips Arena on February 26 with a 103-88 triumph as 7½-point favorites, as both Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose sat out due to injuries. Mike Budenholzer’s team has caught fire of late by winning eight of the last nine games, capped off by a 112-95 victory at Detroit on Saturday. The Hawks have topped the 100-point mark in eight consecutive games, while putting together an incredible 7-2 SU and 8-1 ATS record in the last nine road contests.
Spurs at Grizzlies
Time is running out on San Antonio (61-12 SU, 42-31 ATS) to potentially grab home-court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs, sitting five games behind Golden State with nine games remaining. The Spurs took their foot off the pedal in Saturday’s 111-92 setback at Oklahoma City, sitting out LaMarcus Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, and Tim Duncan. Aldridge is expected to return to the lineup on Monday, but Leonard is listed as questionable, while Parker and Duncan are both expected to rest once again.
Memphis (41-32 SU, 39-33-1 ATS) begins a three-game homestand after dropping six of its last eight contests. The Grizzlies fell short at San Antonio on Saturday, 110-104, but managed to cover as 13-point underdogs, while shooting 53% from the floor. Memphis has lost all three meetings with San Antonio this season, while dropping eight of the past 10 matchups since 2013. Dave Joerger’s team have cashed in seven of the last 10 games in the underdog role, including recent outright home ‘dog victories over the Clippers, Pelicans, and Jazz.
Kings at Blazers
Sacramento (29-44 SU, 32-40-1 ATS) won consecutive games for only the second time since the All-Star break after pulling off back-to-back home victories over Phoenix and Dallas. The Kings dropped the Mavericks from start to finish in Sunday’s 133-111 drubbing of Dallas, while improving to 4-1 ATS in the last five games overall. Leading scorer DeMarcus Cousins will likely sit out tonight to rest an ailing foot, as Sacramento has compiled a 2-9 SU and 4-7 ATS record without their center this season. The Kings haven’t fared well without rest, putting together a 3-14 SU and 9-8 ATS record, but have covered each of the last two times in this situation on the road.
The Blazers (38-36 SU, 41-33 ATS) have yet to win back-to-back games in March, going 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS off a victory this month. Portland outlasted Philadelphia on Saturday, 108-105, but failed to cash as 15-point home favorites in spite of taking a 12-point lead into the fourth quarter. Terry Stotts’ club has finished ‘under’ the total in three straight games at the Moda Center, but owns an 0-3 ATS record in its last three opportunities as a favorite. Portland has won each of the first two matchups with Sacramento this season, including a 112-97 victory as five-point home favorites in late January.
Celtics at Clippers
Boston (43-30 SU, 39-33-1 ATS) continues a five-game West Coast swing after holding off Phoenix on Saturday, 102-99 as 8½-point favorites to extend its winning streak to four games. The Celtics have stepped up their defense of late by allowing 99 points or less in each of their past three victories, while going on a 6-2 run to the ‘under’ the last eight contests. Brad Stevens’ team has struggled recently in the underdog role by losing five straight times when receiving points, while failing to cover in all five of those defeats since the All-Star break.
Los Angeles (45-27 SU, 33-36-3 ATS) hits the court following a 105-90 triumph over Denver on Sunday afternoon to pick up only its second cover in the last 11 games. The Clippers have won eight of their past 11 times in the home favorite role, but have covered only four times in this span dating back to mid-January. L.A. looks for revenge after losing at TD Garden on February 10 in a 139-134 overtime epic as 1½-point underdogs, snapping a four-game winning streak against Boston dating back to 2013.
Game of the Day: Thunder at Raptors
Covers.com
Oklahoma City Thunder at Toronto Raptors (+3, 211)
The Toronto Raptors and the Oklahoma City Thunder have both already clinched playoff spots and are both relatively secure in their spots in their respective conferences but that doesn’t mean that either team has started slowing down. Both teams will try to continue a sprint to the finish when the Raptors host the Thunder on Monday.
Toronto sits in second place in the Eastern Conference, six games clear of third-place Atlanta and 2 1/2 behind the Cleveland Cavaliers with 10 games left in the regular season. The Raptors tied the franchise record – set last season – with their 49th win on Saturday, crushing the New Orleans Pelicans 115-91 to bounce back from a pair of tough losses. Oklahoma City sits comfortably in the No. 3 slot in the West and ran its winning streak to seven straight with a 111-92 destruction of the second-place San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. The Thunder are averaging 117 points during the winning streak and got a combined 60 points from stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant on Saturday.
LINE HISTORY: The spread for this Monday night matchup opened with the Raptors getting two points from most books. The betting public immediately hit the Thunder and they were bumped up to three-point favorites. The total began at 211 and has been steady since release.
INJURY REPORT:
Thunder - No injuries to report.
Raptors - SF T. Ross (Questionable Monday, thumb).
POWER RANKINGS: Thunder (-9.9) - Raptors (-7.7) + home court (-3) = Raptors -0.8
ABOUT THE THUNDER (51-22, 32-40-1 ATS, 33-40 O/U): Oklahoma City did not face a full-strength San Antonio team on Saturday but made the most of its time against the Spurs’ backups and avoided a letdown by leaning on Durant, who went for 31 points on 13-of-20 shooting. “There’s a balance for him because he’s so unselfish,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan told reporters of Durant. “He’s such an efficient player. He’s as good as anybody in the word from that 15- to 18-foot range, whether he’s facing up or with his back to the basket. He’s just an incredible scorer from there.” Durant’s efficiency has been on display of late as he is shooting 58.1 percent from the field in the last five games.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (49-23, 39-33 ATS, 37-34-1 O/U): Toronto may have squandered its best chances to hang with the Cavaliers in the fight for the No. 1 spot with losses in Boston and Houston to begin the road trip but started looking like a contender again in Saturday’s drubbing of the Pelicans. The Raptors shot 53.4 percent from the field in the win while All-Star DeMar DeRozan led the way with a 9-of-11 effort. DeRozan managed to keep his cool in the contest after drawing a pair of technical fouls and getting ejected with three minutes remaining in the 112-109 loss to the Rockets on Friday.
TRENDS:
* Thunder are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Raptors are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 8-1 in the last 9 meetings.
* Over is 9-1-1 in Raptors last 11 vs. Western Conference.
CONSENSUS: The early Sunday night consensus action was split 50/50 on both the side and the total.