NBA betting trends, odds and predictions for Saturday, February 25th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
NBA Knowledge
Charlotte lost its last five games, is 2-6 vs spread in its last eight road games. Four of last five Hornet games stayed under total. Sacramento won/covered five of its last six home games; they’re 6-2 in last eight games overall. Kings’ last four games stayed under the total. Road team won four of last six Hornet-King games; teams split last four games played here. Five of last six series games went over.
Atlanta lost three of last four games; they’re 3-5 vs spread in last eight road games. Last three Hawk games stayed under total. Orlando lost six of last seven games; they’re 2-9 vs spread in last 11 home games. Six of their last nine games stayed under the total. Hawks won six of last nine games with Orlando; they won three of last four visits to Magic Kingdom. Six of last nine series games stayed under.
Philly won four of its last five games; they lost six of last eight road games, but covered last three. Five of their last six games went over. Knicks lost six of last seven games; they’re 2-6 vs spread in last eight home games. Over is 8-3 in their last eleven games. 76ers lost five of last six games with New York; they lost last four visits to Manhattan (2-2 vs spread). Three of last four series games went over.
Indiana lost six of its last seven games; they’re 3-1-1 vs spread in last five road games. Last three Pacer games stayed under the total. Miami won 15 of its last 17 games; they’re 7-2 vs spread in their last nine home games. Six of their last nine games went over. Home side won last eight Indiana-Miami games; Pacers lost last four visits to South Beach (1-3 vs spread). Four of last five series games stayed under.
New Orleans is 4-7 in its last 11 games overall; they won three of last four road games. Six of their last eight games stayed under the total. Mavericks lost their last three games; they’re 7-2 vs spread in their last nine home games. Three of their last four games stayed under. Home side won seven of last nine New Orleans-Dallas games; five of last seven series games stayed under. Pelicans lost four of last five visits to Dallas (2-3 vs spread).
Chicago won/covered its last three games but lost last three on road; they won at OT game last night. Four of their last six games stayed under. Cleveland won/covered its last four games; they won six in row at home, covering last five. Over is 12-4 in their last 16 games. Bulls won five of last six games with Cleveland; they won two of last three visits to Ohio. Five of last seven series games stayed under.
Minnesota won three of its last four games; they covered four of last six on road. Wolves’ last three games stayed under the total. Houston won five of its last six games; they’re 4-7 vs spread in their last 11 home games. Four of their last six games went over. Rockets won eight of last nine games with Minnesota but Wolves covered five of last six. Nine of last ten series games went over. Minnesota lost its last four games in Houston but covered three of them.
Brooklyn lost its last 15 games; they’re 5-2 vs spread in last seven road games. Five of their last six games went over. Warriors. won five of their last six games; they’re 7-1 vs spread in last eight home games. Four of their last five games went over. Golden State won seven of last nine games with Brooklyn but Nets covered four of last seven. Four of last six series games stayed under. Nets lost last four visits to Oakland (2-2 vs spread).
Armadillosports.com
Bulls at Cavaliers
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Game of the Night – Bulls at Cavaliers (-11, 215½)
For all the ups and downs that Chicago (29-29 SU, 29-29 ATS) has gone through this season, the Bulls have climbed back to .500 and are in the mix for a playoff spot. The Bulls rallied for the front-door cover on Friday night by beating the Suns, 128-121 in overtime as 5½-point favorites to win their third straight game. Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler combined for 45 points, while Chicago avenged a loss at Phoenix from earlier this month.
Cleveland (40-16 SU, 27-27-2 ATS) has put together a terrific February following a slumping January as the Cavs are 8-1 SU/ATS this month. The latest victory came on Thursday against the Knicks, 119-104 as 10-point home favorites as Cleveland busted the 109-point mark for the ninth time in February. Seven Cavaliers scored in double-figures, as Kyle Korver came off the bench to post 20 points, including six three-pointers.
Last season, the Bulls captured three of four matchups with the Cavaliers, as Chicago has kept the dominance alive this season with a pair of victories over Cleveland. In the first meeting in December at the United Center, the Bulls held off the Cavaliers as two-point underdogs, 111-105. Butler (26) and Wade (24) led the way for Chicago, while Rajon Rondo put together a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.
In the next matchup at Quicken Loans Arena on January 4, the Cavaliers played without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in a 106-94 defeat to the Bulls as 3½-point favorites. The Bulls dropped 36 second quarter points to grab a six-point halftime lead as Chicago knocked down more three-pointers (13) than free throws (11) for their fifth straight cover in the series.
Chicago has struggled in the second of a back-to-back set by compiling a 5-7 SU/ATS record, while losing four of the past five games away from the United Center. Cleveland has covered five consecutive contests at the “Q,” while eclipsing the OVER in six of the past nine home games.
Encore Performance?
The Kings’ bench stepped up in their first game following the controversial trade of star DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans as Sacramento cruised past Denver, 116-100 on Thursday. Willie Cauley-Stein scored a career-high 29 points, while Buddy Hield put up 16 points in his Sacramento debut. Now, the Kings are listed as a home underdog once again as the Hornets invade Golden 1 Center, looking for their only their second win this month.
Charlotte squandered an 18-point advantage in Thursday’s shocking overtime setback at Detroit to fall to 1-12 SU and 2-9-1 ATS the past 13 games. To make matters worse, the Hornets have dropped 12 straight on the highway, while covering only once in their past seven opportunities as a road favorite. Sacramento held off Charlotte in late January, 109-106 as 7½-point road underdogs, as the last three matchups have been decided by five points or less.
Staying on Fire
Miami continues its push towards a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference after winning its 15th game in 17 tries in Friday’s 108-90 rout of Atlanta as 2½-point underdogs. The Heat had won eight consecutive home games before falling to the Magic prior to the All-Star break, as Miami hosts Indiana tonight. Miami took care of Indiana in its first matchup this season at American Airlines Arena in mid-December, 95-89 as 1½-point underdogs, the fourth straight home victory over the Pacers.
Indiana snapped a six-game losing streak in Friday’s 102-92 home triumph over Memphis, as the Pacers are hitting the road for only the third time in the last 10 games. Both teams have struggled with no rest this season as Miami owns a 3-7 record, while Indiana has lost nine of 12 times on the second of a back-to-back.
Pack on the Points
It’s the best in the league against the worst (with no rest) when the Warriors host the Nets. Golden State is listed as a hefty 22-point favorite before it hits the road for five games starting Monday in Philadelphia. We know what the Warriors are capable of, but no one expected them to light up the scoreboard for 50 (yes, 50) points in the third quarter of Thursday’s 123-113 triumph over the Clippers. Amazingly, only three Warriors scored in double-figures as Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant combined for 78 points.
The Warriors have lost nine times this season, while the Nets have won just nine times as Brooklyn tries to snap a 15-game skid. The latest setback for Brooklyn came in last night’s 129-109 defeat at Denver as 10-point underdogs, as the Nets look for their first victory in 10 tries with no rest this season. However, Brooklyn has covered in its last two visits to Oracle Arena, while taking Golden State to overtime last season in a loss as 16-point road underdogs.
Phillin’ it Up
The 76ers continue to cash tickets at a rapid rate, coming off Friday’s 120-112 home victory over the Wizards as 8½-point underdogs. Philadelphia extended its ATS hot streak to six games, which includes three straight covers on the road. The 76ers make the short trip to Madison Square Garden to face a Knicks’ squad that has dropped eight of their last 10 contests.
New York has lost three straight games in the home favorite role, while allowing 107, 121, and 131 points in those defeats. The last two wins for the Knicks actually came in low-scoring affairs, including a 94-90 triumph as nine-point home ‘dogs over the Spurs in mid-February. New York is playing with revenge after blowing a double-digit lead in a 98-97 defeat to Philadelphia last month.
Head-to-Head Trends
Atlanta and Orlando meet for the final time in the regular season as the teams hook up in central Florida. The Magic outlasted the Hawks in the first meeting, but Atlanta has captured the last two matchups in double-digit blowouts. The Hawks have won in three of the past four visits to Orlando, while limiting the Magic to 96 points or less in three of those games.
The Mavericks and Pelicans have split a pair of games this season with the home team winning each time. The Southwest squads meet in Dallas tonight as the Mavs try to improve on a dreadful 1-10 record with no rest following last night’s loss at Minnesota.
Minnesota travels to Houston for the first time this season after the two teams exchanged a pair of victories at Target Center earlier this season. The Wolves cashed each time in the underdog role, while covering in their past three visits to the Toyota Center.