Sunday's Best NBA Bets
By Covers.com
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers (-3, 203)
Portland is 3-0 for the second consecutive season and plays on the road for the first time this season when it meets the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on Sunday night.
The Trail Blazers are aware that their fast start doesn’t mean much. They went 5-11 in their next 16 games last season.
“We'll try to ride this winning wave and cut down on turnovers - we can't do that against the Clippers, because they love (to take advantage of an opponent's) turnovers,” said Wesley Matthews, who had 25 points in a 111-102 victory over Denver on Thursday.
Portland is second in the league in scoring (106.3) and fourth in rebounds (48).
The Clippers will try to regroup after losing their home opener Friday night to Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls. Los Angeles was outrebounded 45-31.
“Our defense and our rebounding (are) obviously an issue,” coach Vinny Del Negro said. “We're giving up too many points right now.”
All five starters scored in double figures against Chicago, led by Blake Griffin’s 34 points, but the bench contributed just 11 points and five rebounds.
The Clippers were without Chauncey Billups (groin strain) on Friday and he remains day to day, according to Del Negro. Mo Williams started for Billups and had 13 points.
Blake and Blazer big man LaMarcus Aldridge should cancel each other out offensively which isn't good news for the Clippers. Los Angeles is still looking for a reliable, third scoring option.
Pick: Blazers +3
Toronto Raptors at Orlando Magic (-11.5, 186.5)
The rumors of Dwight Howard’s imminent departure do not appear to have phased the Orlando Magic through the first week.
The Magic have won three of their first four games and turned in their best performance yet on Friday with a 100-79 drubbing of the Charlotte Bobcats.
Howard has been a monster on the glass, averaging 17.5 rebounds, but it is the play of leading scorer Ryan Anderson that has really sparked Orlando lately. Anderson will try to throw up his third straight 20-plus point game when the Magic host the Toronto Raptors.
Howard will be stretched defensively while guarding Raptors center Andrea Bargnani, who likes to drift out toward the 3-point line. Bargnani scored 30 points on Friday but could not drag his team to a win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Toronto has dropped back-to-back games since opening the season with a win at Cleveland. New head coach Dwane Casey, who served as a top assistant with the Dallas Mavericks last season and was credited with that team’s defensive turnaround, has been trying to instill the same defensive intensity in his new team.
Toronto has yet to allow an opponent to reach 100 points but the offense has struggled, averaging 85.5 points in its two losses.
Pick: Magic -11.5
BOSTON (1 - 3) at WASHINGTON (0 - 3)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) after allowing 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 7-26 ATS (-21.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 32-53 ATS (-26.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 25-45 ATS (-24.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 266-330 ATS (-97.0 Units) in home games since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 63-95 ATS (-41.5 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 40-63 ATS (-29.3 Units) in home games after scoring 85 points or less since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-3 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 5-3 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY (1 - 3) at CLEVELAND (1 - 2)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 72-95 ATS (-32.5 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 5-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 5-3 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO (1 - 2) at ORLANDO (3 - 1)
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 39-52 ATS (-18.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 4-3 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 4-3 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE (1 - 2) at MIAMI (4 - 0)
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 69-42 ATS (+22.8 Units) after scoring 85 points or less since 1996.
MIAMI is 70-99 ATS (-38.9 Units) in home games vs. division opponents since 1996.
MIAMI is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 6-2 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 6-3 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS (1 - 3) at MINNESOTA (0 - 3)
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 63-42 ATS (+16.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 35-17 ATS (+16.3 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in road games against Northwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 22-40 ATS (-22.0 Units) in home games against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 7-24 ATS (-19.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 4-3 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 6-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS (1 - 2) at CHICAGO (3 - 1)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 58-43 ATS (+10.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 61-36 ATS (+21.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 36-20 ATS (+14.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 39-19 ATS (+18.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 2-2 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 2-2 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS (3 - 2) at DENVER (2 - 2)
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 122-169 ATS (-63.9 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 6-2 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 5-3 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS (2 - 1) at SACRAMENTO (1 - 3)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 6-1 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 5-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND (3 - 0) at LA CLIPPERS (1 - 2)
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 14-2 ATS (+11.8 Units) in home games in January games over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 551-629 ATS (-140.9 Units) in all games since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 26-43 ATS (-21.3 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 180-231 ATS (-74.1 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 4-3 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 6-1 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of New Jersey's last 12 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games
CHARLOTTE vs. MIAMI
Charlotte is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
Charlotte is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games
TORONTO vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Toronto is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing Toronto
Orlando is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
BOSTON vs. WASHINGTON
Boston is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Boston's last 15 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Washington's last 15 games when playing at home against Boston
Washington is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Boston
DALLAS vs. MINNESOTA
Dallas is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Dallas's last 25 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Minnesota's last 25 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Dallas
MEMPHIS vs. CHICAGO
Memphis is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Memphis is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Chicago is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Memphis
Chicago is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games at home
LA LAKERS vs. DENVER
LA Lakers are 7-15 ATS in their last 22 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of the LA Lakers last 12 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 10-3-2 ATS in its last 15 games at home
Denver is 8-17 SU in their last 25 games when playing LA Lakers
NEW ORLEANS vs. SACRAMENTO
New Orleans is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
New Orleans is 4-15 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Sacramento is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans
PORTLAND vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Portland is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games at home
LA Clippers are 16-6 SU in their last 22 games at home
BOSTON at WASHINGTON
BOSTON: 17-30 ATS after 1 or more consecutive unders
WASHINGTON: 19-8 UNDER as a home underdog
NEW JERSEY at CLEVELAND
NEW JERSEY: 4-17 ATS as a road underdog of 6 points or less
CLEVELAND: 94-49 UNDER on Sunday games
TORONTO at ORLANDO
TORONTO: 31-47 ATS after playing a road game
ORLANDO: 109-71 ATS in home games after having won 3 of their last 4 games
CHARLOTTE at MIAMI
CHARLOTTE: 96-60 ATS after playing a game as a home underdog
MIAMI: 4-14 ATS in home games after a non-conference game
DALLAS at MINNESOTA
DALLAS: 41-20 ATS after a game where they covered the spread
MINNESOTA: 2-12 ATS after 2 consecutive non-conference games
MEMPHIS at CHICAGO
MEMPHIS: 26-14 ATS as a road underdog
CHICAGO: 31-19 UNDER in home games
LA LAKERS at DENVER
LA LAKERS: 19-7 UNDER as an underdog
DENVER: 66-42 UNDER in home games in January games
NEW ORLEANS at SACRAMENTO
NEW ORLEANS: 1-5 ATS after scoring 80 points or less
SACRAMENTO: 14-5 OVER off a home loss by 10 points or more
PORTLAND at LA CLIPPERS
PORTLAND: 96-62 UNDER when the total is 200 points or higher
LA CLIPPERS: 82-55 UNDER in home games after a non-conference game