NBA betting trends, odds and predictions for Sunday, April 9th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
NBA Knowledge
Raptors won 10 of last 12 games; they’re 4-1 vs spread in last five road games. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. New York lost three of last four games; they’re 6-3 vs spread in last nine home games. Knicks’ last seven games stayed under total. Toronto won its last six games with the Knicks; they won last three visits to Manhattan, by 27-1-4 points (1-2 vs spread). Three of last four series games stayed under.
Cleveland won four of last five games; they’re 4-7 vs spread in last 11 road games. Over is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Hawks won four of last six games, are 2-10 vs spread in last 12 home games. Under is 9-2-1 in their last 12 games. Road team won last five Atlanta-Cleveland games; Hawks beat Cavs by 14 Friday while Atlanta was resting their starters. Cavaliers won their last four visits here (3-1 vs spread). Five of last six series games went over total.
Oklahoma City lost three of last five games; they’re 4-2-1 vs spread in last seven road games. Four of their last five games stayed under total. Nuggets won three of last four games (4-0 vs spread); they’re 5-2 vs spread in last seven home games. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games. Thunder won their last eight games with Denver (6-2 vs spread); they won last four games in this building (3-1 vs spread). Eight of last nine series games went over.
Pistons lost seven of last nine games, are 2-8 vs spread in last ten road games. Under is 5-2 in their last seven games. Grizzlies lost three of last four games, are 5-1 vs spread in last six home games. Under is 9-4 in their last thirteen games. Memphis won nine of last ten games with Detroit (7-3 vs spread); over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Pistons lost their last five visits to Memphis (2-3 vs spread).
Houston lost four of last six games (0-6 vs spread); they’re 1-4 vs spread in last five road games. Five of their last six games stayed under. Kings are 4-3 in their last seven games, 4-6-1 vs spread in last 11 home games. Seven of their last eight games stayed under. Rockets won nine of last ten games with Sacramento (8-2 vs spread); six of last nine series tilts went over total. Houston won/covered three of last four games in Sacramento.
Mavericks lost seven of last eight games, are 5-7-1 vs spread in last 13 road games. Three of their last four games went over. Suns lost 13 of last 14 games, are 3-0-1 vs spread in last four home games. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games. Dallas won five of last seven games with Phoenix; four of last five series games stayed under total. Mavericks won last two visits here, by 16-5 points.
Minnesota lost four of last five games, is 2-8 vs spread in last ten road games. Six of their last seven games went over total. Lakers won last three games, covered last four; they’re 5-3 vs spread in last eight home games. Under is 3-1 in their last four games. Minnesota won four of last six games with the Lakers; home side won last five series games. Timberwolves lost three of last four series games in Staples. Last seven series games went over the total.
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NBA: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Toronto Raptors at New York Knicks
Raptors take on the New York Knicks Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Toronto needs to keep winning to hold onto third place in the Eastern Conference and looking to hit the postseason with some momentum expect Raptors to notch a seventh straight win over the Knickerbockers in shutdown mode.
However, there are caveats laying points. Raptors haven't exactly been kind towards supporters recently posting a money-burning 1-4-1 record against the betting line.
Additionally, it hasn't been automatic money for Raptors when facing Knicks. In the last six meetings the result is a vig-losing 3-3 record at the betting window and just 4-9 against the betting line last 13 meetings including 1-5 ATS last six trips to the Big-Apple.
Sunday's NBA Essentials
By Tony Mejia
VegasInsider.com
Game of the Night - Oklahoma City at Denver
OKC's Russell Westbrook has probably done enough to win the MVP. On Friday night in Phoenix, he officially clinched averaging a triple-double for the season. Oscar Robertson used to be the only NBA player to have managed that, doing so 55 years ago. Now he's got company.
Westbrook (31.7 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 10.7 apg) is looking to bring the two-man club its first Most Valuable Player trophy.
Bill Russell won back in 1962. Robertson finished third in that year's voting despite his unprecedented achievement. Wilt Chamberlain, having dropped 100 points in a game that season, finished with a 50.4 scoring average that earned him the runner-up nod.
Westbrook won't finish third, but Houston's James Harden could edge him out for 2016-17 MVP honors. There could be enough love for Cleveland's LeBron James and San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard to cost him votes since he's on the team with the worst record among those four, while Harden has been the choice of many voters for months.
For Westbrook, it's all about eliminating doubt, which he's done a great job of doing since Feb. 27. This week's MVP odds have seen him improve to a 4-to-7, making him the current betting favorite over Harden (7-to-5). By clinching the triple-double average, he's accomplished something people think they would ever see in their lifetimes.
Harden has been so fantastic in leading Houston to the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference that the MVP race isn't a wrap yet. Despite Westbrook's eight games scoring 40 or more points since the All-Star break, there are still plenty of voters that won't be swayed solely by the numbers. Westbrook's 57-point, 13-board, 11-assist game in Orlando on March 29 went down as the highest-scoring triple-double in history, but it came in overtime, against a slumping Magic team, in a game the Thunder nearly lost.
Naysayers will tell you that for all of Westbrook's exploits, the Thunder currently have the 10th-best record in the NBA, which typically doesn't merit MVP conversation. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and Westbrook has actually shown signs of slowing down some. In OKC's last meeting with Golden State three weeks ago, Westbrook shot 4-for-16 and the Kevin Durant-less Warriors walked out of Chesapeake Energy Arena with a 15-point win. He scored just 12 points earlier this week against Milwaukee and is coming off a 6-for-25 shooting night in Friday night's 120-99 loss in Phoenix. He's shooting just less than 41 percent through four games this month.
The Suns denied Westbrook the cherry to his MVP resume sundae and made a concerted effort to do so. His next triple-double would give him 42, eclipsing the mark he shares with Robertson. That's going to be the final record he can break to change any minds who aren't willing to reward a season that's already historic but not guaranteed to yield any hardware.
The voting deadline for all the league's major awards arrives Friday, so the 100 media members set to crown the winner are about to make their final determinations. Playoffs don't factor into the vote, so while we'll get to see Westbrook and Harden go head-to-head in a first-round series starting next weekend, the race will have already been decided even though results won't be announced until the NBA's inaugural Award Show on June 26.
Westbrook was a couple of assists shy of triple-double No. 42 with the game already decided on Friday and you would've thought the Suns were still in playoff contention given the intensity they were defending with. Devin Booker said he didn't want history made in Phoenix.
Denver doesn't want to see Westbrook go off for reasons that extend much further than just personal pride. Although they have to win out and hope the Trail Blazers lose their final two games, the Nuggets aren't mathematically eliminated yet. They'll have to beat the Thunder twice and beat the Tony Romo-led Mavs in Dallas on Tuesday, but that's not at all out of the question. Portland has two home games remaining, but the first will be against the Spurs at full strength and the finale will come against the Anthony Davis-led Pelicans.
In order to dream for another day, the Nuggets must prevail in their home finale. They're favored since they have more to play for and may even be fortunate enough not to have to see Westbrook again if he gets his 42nd triple-double here. Locked into the No. 6 seed, Oklahoma City will want to get its overworked superstar some rest next week before the postseason begins and may not risk him much in the regular-season finale against Denver since it comes on the second night of a back-to-back.
He could also skip Tuesday's game at Minnesota and play Wednesday, but the possibility that the Nuggets know a realistic path exists for them to enter the final night of the regular season with something to play for should be a driving force.
It also provides a great setting for Westbrook to prove he deserves MVP honors by playing grim reaper on the road. OKC has won the first two meetings between the teams this season and eight consecutive games overall. The Thunder have covered in four straight. Westbrook has notched triple-doubles is both of this season's contests, averaging 34 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists. Five of the last six meetings have gone over the posted total.
Nuggets point guard Jameer Nelson has been sidelined with a calf injury and is considered doubtful, while backup Emmanuel Mudiay is questionable with an ankle injury. Rookie Jamal Murray would be in for major minutes if neither can play. Denver wing Will Barton, who has missed the past few games with a foot issue is also questionable, as is OKC's top defender, Andre Roberson, who was absent against the Suns due to a knee injury.
Injury Concerns
There aren't many games with playoff implications on Sunday, but the two that impact the East race each have situations to monitor.
The Cavs will look to maintain their one-game edge on Boston, a lead magnified by the fact they hold the tie-breaker in the race for the No. 1 seed. Point guard Kyrie Irving has admitted to being bothered by a sore knee, so even though head coach Tyronn Lue said he planned on playing all his healthy regulars until homecourt advantage was wrapped up, that may have to be revisited.
Tristan Thompson has missed the last two games with a sprained right thumb and is unlikely to play on Sunday. The Hawks rested Paul Millsap Dennis Schroder, Dwight Howard and Kent Bazemore and still won in Cleveland 114-100 on Friday night, so they'll be fresh for this one. Thabo Sefolosha (groin) is out.
Toronto is out to wrap up the No. 3 seed by picking up a 50th win for the first time in franchise history and could be facing a decimated Knicks squad at Madison Square Garden. Carmelo Anthony (knee) may or may not play, while Kristaps Porzingis (back) has likely played his last game this season.
Dallas and Phoenix are playing out the string, but the Mavericks are really limping home down the stretch. Wes Matthews has been dealing with nagging issues and banged knees with a Spurs defender last time out. Harrison Barnes should play, but guards Seth Curry and JJ Barea (shoulder) will be sidelined, leaving more minutes for Argentine rookie guard Nicolas Brussino.
Head-to-head Trends
The Grizzlies are locked in to the No. 7 seed and have already started breaking down the Spurs, but they have won 13 of 14 against the Pistons and will be looking to sweep them for the sixth time in seven seasons.
The Rockets have won 11 of 12 games against the Kings since Jan. 2014 and will be looking to pick up their second series sweep over them in three seasons. Sacramento native Ryan Anderson is back from an ankle injury, so Houston might be at full strength as it looks to win a 54th game for the third time in four seasons.
It doesn't make sense for the Lakers to be winning games since it could ultimately cost them their first-round pick, but that hasn't stopped them from matching their longest winning streak of the season. L.A. has never lost the regular-season series against the Timberwolves in consecutive years, so it will be looking to avoid that fate for the first time. The last six meetings between these teams have all gone over the posted total.