What Bettors Need to Know: Tuesday's NBA Action
By Covers.com
Boston Celtics at Atlanta Hawks (-1, 173.5)
THE STORY: The Boston Celtics look to close out the series and advance to the second round when they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Boston took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference showdown when it routed the Hawks 101-79 on Sunday in its best performance of the series. Atlanta faces a tough comeback trail since only eight teams in NBA history have recovered from a 3-1 deficit. Boston has won the last three games.
ABOUT THE CELTICS: The easy Game 4 victory in which Boston led by as many as 43 points gave coach Doc Rivers ample time to rest some of his beat-up players. Forward Paul Pierce re-injured his left knee midway through the second quarter but returned for a short time in the third. He had 24 points in just 17 minutes and doesn’t want to see the series return to Boston. “The NBA is a weird league and one game could give a team confidence,” Pierce said. “We hope that we can take them and advance in the series in the next game.” Guards Ray Allen (ankle) and Avery Bradley (shoulder) also are playing through injuries.
ABOUT THE HAWKS: Center Al Harford played for the first time in nearly four months and performed decently in Game 4 considering his long stretch of inactivity. Horford had been sidelined with a torn pectoral and scored 12 points in 20 minutes. Forward Josh Smith returned after missing Game 3 with a knee injury and had 15 points and 13 rebounds. Guard Joe Johnson was a non-factor with a series-low nine points during the team’s humbling performance. “We’re going to find out what we’re made of,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said. “There is nothing but Game 5 right now. That’s all we have to fight for right now.”
TRENDS:
- The under is 5-1 in the last six meetings in Atlanta.
- The Celtics are 15-6-2 ATS in their last 23 games overall.
- The Hawks are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 playoff games as a favorite.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Sunday’s debacle was Atlanta’s 12th playoff loss by 20 or more points since 2008.
2. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo had 20 points, 16 assists and one turnover in Game 4 and is averaging 19 points and 13 assists in the series.
3. The Hawks are shooting just 38.5 percent from the field and 25.6 percent from 3-point range.
Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers (-10.5, 179)
THE STORY: The Indiana Pacers can advance to the second round for the first time in seven years by beating the visiting Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Indiana has a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series after winning three straight games. Two wins were by double digits before the Pacers recorded a 101-99 overtime victory in Saturday’s Game 4. The Magic are seeking to become the ninth team in NBA history to recover from a 3-1 deficit.
ABOUT THE MAGIC: Orlando refused to roll over in Game 4 and rallied from a 19-point, final-quarter hole to force overtime. Jason Richardson scored 25 points for his second strong performance of the series. He had 17 points in the opening game before combining for just seven in the middle two games. Post player Glen Davis has been the Magic’s most productive player and is averaging 20 points and 9.5 rebounds. The Game 5 task is straightforward, according to guard Jameer Nelson. “We have to go up to Indiana and get one,” Nelson said. “It’s just one game at a time. You don’t get two wins at one time. You have to win one.”
ABOUT THE PACERS: Forward David West was ferocious in Game 4 with 26 points and 12 rebounds for his top performance of the series. West is averaging 16.8 points and 10 rebounds. “He’s just a beast in the post,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “He kept pounding them. He’d either score, of if they double-teamed him, he’d kick it out. We got some open 3s out of it. He’s quite a weapon.” Center Roy Hibbert has also fared well in the interior with Orlando center Dwight Howard sidelined. Hibbert is averaging 11 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.3 blocks and has recorded double-digit board efforts in all four games.
TRENDS:
- The Magic are 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
- The Pacers are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games overall.
- The under is 5-1 in Orlando's last six games as an underdog.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Indiana has outscored Orlando 108-60 in the third quarter.
2. Pacers forward Danny Granger scored 47 points in the two games in Orlando and is averaging 20.5 points in the series.
3. The Magic are shooting just 33.3 percent from 3-point range, with Nelson (3 for 17) and guard J.J. Redick (3 for 15) having the most trouble.
Denver Nuggets at Los Angeles Lakers (-6, 199)
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Lakers can close out their first-round playoff series on their home floor when they host the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 Tuesday night. The Lakers took a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series with a gritty four-point win in Denver on Sunday night, putting the Nuggets in the unenviable situation of having to beat Los Angeles three straight. “It's a powerful challenge. I don't think it's an impossible challenge," Nuggets coach George Karl said.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS: Denver did not play well in any particular facet in Game 4, but still found itself in a tie game with only 66 seconds to play. The points that had come so easily off transition in Game 3 were scarce for the Nuggets, the league's highest-scoring team during the regular season. Point guard Ty Lawson was limited to 11 points after back-to-back 25-point outings. Danilo Gallinari finally broke out of his slump with a series-high 20 points, but Denver received only a combined 18 points from starters Arron Afflalo, Kenneth Faried and Timofey Mozgov.
ABOUT THE LAKERS: Los Angeles' reserves stepped up big time Sunday. Steve Blake scored eight of his 10 points in the final quarter, including a killer 3-pointer with 18.9 seconds that all but buried the Nuggets. Forward Jordan Hill added 12 points and 11 boards, marking the third time in the series he has reached double figures in rebounds. Such contributions cannot be minimized given the fact that the Lakers are getting next to nothing from Ron Artest fill-in Devin Ebanks and reserve Matt Barnes, who have combined to score a total of 20 points in the last three games.
TRENDS:
- The under is 35-17 in the last 52 meetings.
- The Nuggets are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games following a straight up loss.
- The Lakers are 4-12 ATS in their last 16 home games.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant will be happy to return to the Staples Center. He struggled with his shot and scored 22 points in each game at Denver after erupting for 69 points in the first two games of the series.
2. Denver has trailed 3-1 in a playoffs series on 10 occasions and has lost all 10.
3. Lakers PG Ramon Sessions had missed 10 straight attempts from behind the arc until hitting the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute of Game 4.
Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls (-5, 171.5)
THE STORY: The Chicago Bulls are putting up a strong effort, they just don’t appear to have the weapons left. The Bulls will be looking to avoid becoming the fifth top seed in NBA history to lose an opening-round series when they host the eighth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in Game 5 on Tuesday. The 76ers have taken advantage of Derrick Rose being out of the lineup and have relied on big baskets from Jrue Holiday in taking the last three games.
ABOUT THE 76ERS: While Rose being out of the lineup for Chicago has proven to be a huge advantage in Philadelphia’s favor, the team also made significant lineup changes after Game 1 that have paid dividends. Spencer Hawes moved into the starting lineup at center and has led the team in scoring in each of the last two games, going for 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting in Sunday’s Game 4 after posting 21 in Game 3. Evan Turner has moved into the shooting guard spot, which has allowed Holiday to attack the basket more - especially since Rose is not standing in front of him on defense. Holiday went 1 for 13 in the first half on Sunday but recovered to shoot 6 for 10 in the second half and score eight points in the final 4:13.
ABOUT THE BULLS: Rose (knee) is out while starting center Joakim Noah (ankle) missed Game 4 and is day-to-day for the remainder of the series. Without Rose, Chicago has had no one to turn to for scoring late in games. All-Star Luol Deng has been bottled up by the Philadelphia defense, averaging eight points in the last three games, while C.J. Watson has struggled with his consistency in Rose’s starting point guard spot and Richard Hamilton has faded in second halves. Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson were strong on the inside in Game 4 but struggled to guard Hawes away from the basket.
TRENDS:
- The over is 14-6-1 in the last 21 meetings.
- The Bulls are 0-4 ATS in their last four games as an underdog.
- The 76ers are 7-2 ATS in their last nine games overall.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Philadelphia has not won a playoff series since 2003.
2. The Bulls went to the free throw line 17 fewer times than the 76ers in Game 4.
3. The 76ers have shot under 40 percent from the field in each of the last two games but have won both.
Tuesday's Playoff Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
This season's NBA playoffs have seemed predictable to a certain extent, even though one of the two top seeds can be knocked out in five games. Granted, the Bulls are playing without last season's MVP Derrick Rose, but Philadelphia can send Chicago home for good with a victory on Tuesday. The 76ers are one of four teams that can advance to the second round with a win, while the Pacers, Celtics, and Lakers are on the doorstep of the conference semifinals. We'll start in Indianapolis with the Pacers looking to make the Magic disappear for good.
Magic at Pacers
This series felt like a sweep when the news came down that Orlando would be without Dwight Howard for the postseason. Magically, Stan Van Gundy's club overcame a seven-point deficit late in Game 1 to steal the opener, 81-77 as 9½-point road underdogs. The Pacers bounced back with three consecutive victories to take the commanding 3-1 series advantage, but Game 4 was no walk in the park.
Indiana built a 19-point lead with eight minutes left in regulation on Saturday, but Orlando rallied back to force overtime. The Pacers held off the Magic, 101-99, as Indiana failed to cover as five-point road 'chalk.' David West and Danny Granger combined to score 47 points, but George Hill was the hero in overtime by tallying the final six points for the victory. Six Orlando players finished with double-figures, while knocking down only nine of 29 attempts from three-point range.
The Magic own a 6-3 ATS and 5-4 SU record when facing elimination in the playoffs since 2008, as Orlando has compiled a 7-2 mark to the 'under' in these nine games. Indiana is looking to advance to the second round for the first time since 2005, when the Pacers routed the Celtics in Game 7 by a 97-70 count. Frank Vogel's club has won and covered six straight games at home off a road win since late March.
Celtics at Hawks
Atlanta fell short in a Game 3 overtime defeat without Josh Smith and Al Horford, but the two forwards returned for Sunday's 22-point blowout loss at Boston to fall down, 3-1 in the series. The Celtics have an opportunity to close the series on the road, while attempting to advance to the second round for the fifth straight postseason.
Boston led by as many as 37 points in the 101-79 rout in Game 4, as Paul Pierce put together his third straight solid performance with 24 points in 16 minutes. Pierce suffered a knee injury, but is expected to be in the starting lineup for Game 5. Horford returned to the Atlanta lineup after missing the last four months with a pectoral tear, as the former Florida Gator scored 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting from the floor. The Celtics became the first team to eclipse the 100-point mark in the series, while the 'over' hit for the second straight game.
The Hawks are riding a 4-0 SU/ATS streak off a double-digit loss, as three of those victories came at Philips Arena. Boston is 5-2 ATS as a road underdog off a win this season, while one of those two losses came in the series opener to Atlanta.
76ers at Bulls
Things didn't go according to plan for Chicago, who expected to be on a collision course with Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season. Following Rose's left ACL tear in the series opener, the Bulls lost leading rebounding Joakim Noah to an ankle injury in Game 3. Noah sat out the Game 4 loss at Philadelphia, while he is expected to sit once again on Tuesday as the Bulls try to fight off elimination.
The Bulls were put on the brink following another low-scoring affair at the Wells Fargo Center on Sunday, an 89-82 setback as three-point road underdogs. Jrue Holiday continued to take advantage of the Rose injury by scoring 20 points, including a critical three-pointer down the stretch. Spencer Hawes put up a game-high 22 points for the Sixers, as Philadelphia is in a position to win its first playoff series since 2003 against New Orleans.
Chicago has compiled a 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS record as a home favorite off a road loss, while going 10-1 SU and 7-3-1 ATS at home off a defeat overall. The Sixers are 5-1 ATS the previous six contests on the road off a win, which includes a loss in the season finale at Detroit.
Nuggets at Lakers
Denver made the series interesting with a Game 3 rout of Los Angeles at home, but the Lakers hit several big shots down the stretch to steal Game 4 at the Pepsi Center, 92-88. The Lakers cashed as 2½-point 'dogs, just their second cover in the last six tries when receiving points on the highway. Now, Los Angeles can shut the door on Denver with Oklahoma City waiting in the wings after the Thunder swept the Mavericks.
Neither team led by more than seven points in Game 4, which teetered back and forth in the second half. Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake each turned into unsung heroes by nailing consecutive three-pointers in the final minute, while six Lakers scored in double-figures. Kobe Bryant has struggled all season long at Pepsi Center, but the Lakers' star overcame a 10-for-25 shooting night to score a game-high 22 points. The Nuggets fell to 0-8 SU/ATS since January 3 when scoring 91 points or less, as the 'under' has improved to 3-1 in this series.
Denver owns a solid 6-1 ATS record the last seven games as a road team off a loss, while posting a 5-1 ATS ledger the previous six contests away from the Pepsi Center. The Lakers have cashed in just three of nine opportunities at home off a win, as Los Angeles goes for its eighth straight win when looking to advance to the next round (6-1 ATS).
ORLANDO (38 - 32) at INDIANA (45 - 25)
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 22-35 ATS (-16.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 30-43 ATS (-17.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 8-7 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 10-5 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON (42 - 28) at ATLANTA (41 - 29)
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in home games in the first round of the playoffs since 1996.
BOSTON is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) against Southeast division opponents this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 8-6 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 7-7 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA (38 - 32) at CHICAGO (51 - 19)
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO is 40-30 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 36-27 ATS (+6.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
CHICAGO is 44-31 ATS (+9.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 86-70 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 8-6 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-7 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
DENVER (39 - 31) at LA LAKERS (44 - 26)
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 85-69 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 39-23 ATS (+13.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games this season.
DENVER is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DENVER is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 29-40 ATS (-15.0 Units) in all games this season.
LA LAKERS are 17-27 ATS (-12.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
LA LAKERS are 33-48 ATS (-19.8 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 20-34 ATS (-17.4 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 9-6 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 8-7 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
12 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO vs. INDIANA
Orlando is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games when playing Indiana
Indiana is 6-15 SU in its last 21 games when playing Orlando
Indiana is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando
BOSTON vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Atlanta's last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Atlanta's last 12 games
PHILADELPHIA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Philadelphia's last 21 games when playing Chicago
Philadelphia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Chicago's last 21 games when playing Philadelphia
DENVER vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Denver is 4-21 SU in their last 25 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing at home against Denver
LA Lakers are 21-4 SU in their last 25 games when playing at home against Denver
Orlando at Indiana
Orlando: 15-35 ATS off BB home losses
Indiana: 41-19 Under at home off ATS loss/SU win
Boston at Atlanta
Boston: 13-31 ATS off win by 15+
Atlanta: 12-3 Under when facing elimination in a playoff series
Philadelphia at Chicago
Philadelphia: 5-9 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points
Chicago: 14-4 ATS w/ triple revenge
Denver at LA Lakers
Denver: 30-14 Under in 1st Rd playoff games
LA Lakers: 4-0 Under when attempting to close out a playoff series