NBA betting trends, odds and predictions for Thursday, March 30th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
NBA Knowledge
Nets are 3-2 in their last five games; they covered five of last six road games. Over is 10-5 in their last 15 games. Pistons lost five in row, eight of last nine games; they’re 13-4 vs spread in last 17 home games. Under is 9-2 in their last 11 games. Home side won seven of last eight Brooklyn-Detroit games; Nets lost last three visits to Motor City, by 5-12-14 points. Three of last four series games went over.
Cavaliers lost three of last four games; they’re 4-7 vs spread in last 11 road games. Four of their last five games went over. Chicago won three of last five games, is 3-5 vs spread in last eight home games. Three of their last four games went over. Bulls won six of last seven games with Cleveland; three of last four series games went over the total. Cavaliers lost last three visits to Chicago, by 2-3-6 points.
Lakers lost 16 of last 18 games, are 1-5 vs spread in last six road games. Four of their last five games went over. Timberwolves lost six of last seven games, are 6-3 vs spread in last nine home games. Over is 6-2 in their last eight games. Lakers are 5-3 in last eight games with Minnesota, but lost by 1-26 points in last two visits to the Twin Cities. Over is 8-2 in last eight series games.
Clippers lost four of last five games away from Staples Center; they’re 2-5 in last seven away games. Over is 10-6-1 in their last 17 road games. Suns lost their last nine games (2-7 vs spread); they’re 0-4-1 vs spread in last five home games. Three of their last four games went over. Clippers won their last three games with Phoenix, by 18-11-10 points; they won three of last five games in the desert (2-2-1 vs spread). Three of last four series games went over.
Rockets won seven of last nine games, are 6-1 vs spread in last seven road games. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Trailblazers won/covered seven of last eight games; they’re 5-3 vs spread in last eight home games. Four of their last five games stayed under. Rockets won/covered last three games with Portland; over is 7-2 in last nine series games. Houston won last two visits here, by 14-16 points.
Armadillosports.com
NBA: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Cleveland Cavaliers at Chicago Bulls
Taken behind the woodshed spanked 103-74 by San Antonio last effort, King James and his Cavaliers continue to fall apart in the month of March. Unable to stop the opposition allowing a whopping 114.6 points in defensive efficiency metrics the Cavaliers have six wins, nine losses along with a dismal 5-9-1 record against the betting line.
As for Chicago, the Bulls have had issues of their own during the month managing five wins, nine losses with a vig-losing 7-7 record at the betting window.
Oddsmakers at Bovada.lv currently have Cavaliers -5.5 point road favorites. Buyer beware.
Cavaliers haven't exactly been a peg to hang your hopes on when laying -4.5 to -7.0 points in enymy territory. In the last 18 such away games the result is 3 trips to the cash window, 14 tickets tossed in the waste basket with 1 push. Additionally, Cavaliers have floundered when it come to division rival Bulls. In three meetings this season Caves are 0-3 SU/ATS which gives them a 0-6 ATS skid last six meeting, 1-8 ATS slide last nine encounters.
Thursday's NBA Essentials
By Tony Mejia
VegasInsider.com
Game of the Night - Houston at Portland
On the heels of a home loss to Golden State that snapped a four-game losing streak, the Rockets hit the road for the first leg of a back-to-back that's going to test their desire to go all out while other contenders opt to pace themselves.
Houston is paying visits to the two teams that have fared best in March thus far, Portland and Golden State. Although the Warriors have won nine straight entering their final game of the month against the Rockets on Friday night, the Trail Blazers have actually had the fewest losses, coming into this one 12-3 (11-4 ATS).
The Rockets' Tuesday night loss to the Warriors dropped them to 9-4, but the bigger news that came out of that game was that despite recording his 20th triple-double, James Harden's left wrist was an obvious issue. He's admitted feeling pain and not being able to follow through, but is relying on ice and treatment to keep him going. Unless any mandates come down from the front office or head coach Mike D'Antoni, his intent is to play.
Harden has openly talked about what playing every night means to the MVP race and will be aware that Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook recorded the highest-scoring triple-double in league history on Wednesday night, posting 57 points, 13 boards and 11 assists. Teammate Patrick Beverley has talked about sitting out and resting as disrespecting the game. There's no question that the greater goal of winning a title should mean more than any individual awards, but this team clearly wants to do it their way, maintaining their rhythm and pushing through.
"I think it matters, because you aren't leaving your teammates out to dry," Harden told the Houston Chronicle about his desire to play in all 82 games. "I worry about always having my teammates' back. No matter what, I am always going to be out there unless I'm injured."
Harden will look to rebound from shooting 5-for-20 on Tuesday against a Blazers defense that he averaged 32 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists against in a pair of November victories. Although he's had another fantastic month, he's shot 3-for-17 from 3-point range over his last two games and has also posted games shooting 0-for-8 and 1-for-9 since the All-Star break. How he performs tonight will likely dictate whether he participates in Oakland. The Rockets come off a season-worst 5-for-31 3-point shooting night and won't have Ryan Anderson, who is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Portland has lost its last two home games against the Rockets and three in a row overall, last winning in February of 2016. They famously eliminated the favored Rockets in the first round back in 2014 thanks to Damian Lillard's buzzer-beater in Game 6, but only he, Harden and Beverley remain from that series. The Blazers have a different look than they did even a few months ago since they've really taken off since acquiring Jusuf Nurkic from Denver.
Nurkic scored a career-high 33 points and added 16 rebounds on 12-for-15 shooting against the Nuggets in Tuesday's 122-113 home win that helped snap a tie for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. CJ McCollum scored 39 points in his most productive season to date, so Portland is definitely rising to the occasion when it matters most.
The Trail Blazers opened as a one-point home underdog, a position they've only been in once since covering as 6-point 'dog against the Warriors in a 113-111 loss on Jan. 29. They defeated Oklahoma City as a plus-1 on March 2 (114-109). Five of the last six meetings between these teams have gone over the posted total, with the figure, 228.5, coming in as the highest in that span. The Nov. 16 game closed at 226.5.
Game of the Night II - Cleveland at Chicago
Remember when LeBron James had to save the Cavs from a 3-1 series deficit against the Bulls back in 2015, ultimately closing out those Eastern Conference semis with three straight wins? Cleveland has only one game since that span and has lost three consecutive close ones in Chicago.
The Bulls will look to sweep the season series from Cleveland for the first time since 2012, part of a run off 11 in a row over their Central Division foe while James was continuing his run in Miami. This is definitely a game the Cavs will take personally, which really makes this interesting.
Cleveland is mired in a major slump that has seen them lose four of six by double-digits and guaranteed a second losing month in 2017. They hadn't had a single of those since James returned, but the team isn't overly concerned. Despite being locked in a battle for the No. 1 seed with Boston that it leads by percentage points entering Thursday, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue has reiterated that resting players who aren't yet at full speed will remain the priority over the regular season's final weeks.
That means some guys could take tomorrow's game against Philadelphia off, but LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love should all be in tonight's lineup. Iman Shumpert, who has missed two games due to a knee, is also expected to return. Kyle Korver won't be back from his foot injury, so J.R. Smith should continue to receive major minutes as he tries to break out of a shooting slump that has haunted him since his return this month. Smith is at a 31 percent clip from the field and has made 19-of-66 (27 pct) from 3-point range, including a 7-for-35 run over the last six.
The Bulls come off an impressive win in Milwaukee, which cooled off the Celtics last night and has been playing great of late. Jimmy Butler dished out 14 assists and has distributed 37 over the past three games while averaging 24 points and six boards. He'll be a tough matchup and is looking to build on averages of 21.3 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists against the Cavs in Chicago's three wins. All those wins featured Dwyane Wade, who remains out with an elbow injury expected to cost him the remainder of the regular season. Rajon Rondo has taken on a greater role in his absence, while streaky forward Nikola Mirotic has averaged 23.7 points over the last three games, hitting 14 of 21 3-pointers.
The over has prevailed in four of five in the series and is 4-0 in Chicago's last four outings. It is 4-1 over Cleveland's last five games since its defense has fallen completely apart, surrendering 120 or more three times. The total of 210 is consistent with what oddsmakers put on their last game (Feb. 25), which the Bulls won 117-99.
Injury Concerns
Devin Booker has only played once since scoring 70 points last Friday night, citing ankle soreness. He didn't play on the last leg of a six-game road trip that extended the Suns' run of losses to nine, but there's a chance he plays at home against the Clippers.
L.A. beat Washington 133-124 on Wednesday night, so it will be interesting to see how Doc Rivers plays his final back-to-back situation of the season out. Guard Austin Rivers left with a sore left hamstring and won't play. J.J. Redick scored a season-high 31 points in his return from an ankle injury, so it could be risky to put him right back out there. The Clips are 3-9 on the second night of a back-to-back, so the Suns could be a live dog if Booker plays and the visitors go deeper into their bench than usual.
The Lakers are in action at Minnesota before returning to Staples for a "road" game with the Clips on April 1. Brandon Ingram remains out with a knee tendinitis and isn't likely to play, while Nick Young remains questionable with a lingering ankle issue that has kept him out of seven of L.A.'s last nine.
Head-to-head Trends
The Pistons could get swept by the Nets this season, something that has only happened once since 1980. They'll look to snap a five-game losing streak and revive their fading playoff hopes by beating Brooklyn in its final visit to Auburn Hills.
The Clippers will try to sweep the Suns for the second time in three seasons and have beaten them in 12 of the last 14 meetings under Doc Rivers. L.A. has scored at least 120 points in five of the last 11.
Cavaliers, Bulls meet in Chicago
By: StatFox.com
The Cavaliers will be looking to get back on track with a victory over the Bulls in Chicago on Thursday.
Cleveland is coming off of an embarrassing loss to San Antonio, as the Cavaliers lost 103-74 as a five-point road underdog in that game on Monday. The Cavaliers had just lost by double digits to the Wizards in Cleveland, and they have now dropped three of their past four both SU and ATS. The Cavaliers have also failed to cover in five of their past six. The Bulls, meanwhile, are playing some solid basketball right now. Chicago has won three of its past five games, and the team has covered in five of its past six. The offense has really been clicking lately, as the Bulls have shot 45.0% or better from the floor in five of their past six games. They now face a Cleveland team that they are 3-0 both SU and ATS against this season. One trend that does favor the Cavs is the fact that they are 33-15 ATS when playing only their second game in five days over the past two seasons. The Cavaliers are, however, just 1-9 ATS after scoring 85 points or less over the past two seasons. SG Kyle Korver (Foot) is out indefinitely for Cleveland, and SG Dwyane Wade (Elbow) is out for the season for Chicago.
SF LeBron James (26.0 PPG, 8.8 APG, 8.4 RPG, 1.2 SPG) hurt his neck against the Spurs, but he will be back out there on Thursday against the Bulls. James is averaging 25.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 7.8 APG over the past five games. He should be better in the coming weeks, as James knows his team is struggling and is aware that he needs to begin to lead by example. It also helps that he is averaging 29.0 PPG and 10.0 APG against Chicago this season, so he’ll be confident in his ability to turn it around starting Thursday. James does, however, need help from both PG Kyrie Irving (25.3 PPG, 5.7 APG, 1.2 SPG) and PF Kevin Love (19.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG). Irving was down after shooting just 4-for-13 from the floor in a loss to the Spurs on Monday, so he stayed and shot around after the game. Look for him to get back on track on Thursday, as he is averaging 27.0 PPG in two meetings with Chicago this season. Love will also need to be better, as he has failed to score in double digits in two of the past four games.
The Bulls are playing well right now and PG Rajon Rondo (7.5 PPG, 6.5 APG, 4.9 RPG, 1.4 SPG) is a big reason for that. Rondo has recently seen a major increase in minutes, and he is averaging 11.2 PPG, 7.2 APG, 4.4 RPG and 2.0 SPG over the past five contests. Rondo also happens to be shooting the ball extremely well, as he is hitting 50.0% of his threes over the past five. One guy that has benefitted from Rondo’s ability to move the ball is PF Nikola Mirotic (10.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG). Over the past three games, Mirotic is averaging 23.6 PPG. He is a ridiculous 28-for-40 from the floor and 14-for-21 from three in those games, and he should be able to keep up the hot shooting moving forward. The Bulls also continue to get some excellent play out of SF Jimmy Butler (23.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.9 SPG). Over the past five games, Butler is averaging 26.4 PPG, 10.0 APG, 6.4 RPG and 2.4 SPG. He is one of the best two-way players in basketball, and he will need to play well against LeBron James on Thursday.
Thursday’s NBA Game of the Day: Rockets at Trail Blazers
By Covers.com
Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers (+2, 230)
The Houston Rockets averaged 128 points in two victories over Portland earlier this season and look to complete a three-game season sweep when they visit the Trail Blazers on Thursday. Star guard James Harden averaged 32 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds in the wins that came by an average of 16.5 points.
Portland is one of the hottest teams in the NBA with a 12-3 record in March and it holds a one-game lead over the Denver Nuggets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference after registering a 122-113 victory over the Nuggets on Tuesday. "(The game) was a battle for the keys to the car," standout point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. "We got the keys - now we have to control where it's going. We know what the destination is, but we have to make sure to stay locked in to get it to where we need to go." Houston is opening a three-game road trip and is close to clinching the third seed in the Western Conference. The Rockets dropped a 113-106 decision to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday after winning seven of their eight previous contests.
LINE HISTORY: The Rockets hit the betting board as 1-point road favorites heading to Portland and has been bet up a full point to an even 2. The total opened at 228.5 and has been inching up since opening, currently up to 230. Check out the complete line history here.
INJURY REPORT:
Rockets - PF Montreal Harrell (Out, personal), PF Ryan Anderson (Mid April, ankle)
Trail Blazers - C Festus Ezeli (Out For Season, knee), PF Ed Davis (Out For Season, shoulder)
POWER RANKINGS: Rockets (-9.4) - Trail Blazers (-2.6) + home court (-3) = Rockets - 3.8
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (51-23 SU, 42-32 ATS, 38-35-1 O/U): Harden racked up his 20th triple-double of the campaign with 24 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds against the Warriors but was struggling with an injured left wrist. Harden has played in all 74 games and said he has no interest in sitting out and will seek treatment and ice the wrist to make sure he is ready to go against the Trail Blazers. "It's pretty tough, man, I'm not going to lie," Harden told reporters. "I don't like to feel sorry for myself at all, but just the shot is short and frustrating when you can't really follow through and whatnot. I'm going to continue to go out there and do my best."
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (36-38 SU, 34-40 ATS, 41-33 O/U): Center Jusuf Nurkic scored a career-best 33 points and recorded 16 rebounds against Denver - the organization that traded him to Portland in February. "He's had this game circled since he got here," shooting guard CJ McCollum told reporters. "We got the slogan for Big Nurk, 'From the bench to the playoffs.'" The 22-year-old Nurkic is averaging 15 points and 10.4 rebounds in 19 games since joining the Trail Blazers and has become a huge fan favorite in Portland.
TRENDS:
* Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Trail Blazers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 vs. NBA Southwest.
* Over is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
* Over is 4-1 in Trail Blazers last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Over is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings in Portland.
CONSENSUS: 67 percent of the point spread wagers are siding with the road chalk Houston Rockets and 70 percent of the totals picks are on the Over.