NBA : Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Houston Rockets at Brooklyn Nets
When Brooklyn hosts Houston on Tuesday they'll have conditions on their side. Nets trying to hang on for shot at the division hit the hardwood with momentum having reeled of a smart 13-4 (12-5 ATS) stretch and catch a Houston team without Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley. Brooklyn taking the court looking to avenge a 114-95 loss suffered in Houston sets the table as Nets are 15-9 against the betting line revenging a loss including 9-3 ATS as a home favorite. As for Rockets, they have a slew of betting trends working against them. Cashing on the road has been a tough proposition for Rockets (17-18 ATS) and when dressed as an underdog they're just 5-8 against-the-number. Rockets off an 11 point loss to the Clippers puts them in dangerous betting territory as we find teams with a .650% winning margin off a 10 or more point loss are just 1-6 ATS when dressed as an underdog the next game. Stick with Nets as they improve the 11-4 ATS mark as a favorite vs a Non-Conference opponent.
Game of the Day: Rockets at Nets
By Covers.com
Houston Rockets at Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets seek a franchise-record 14th straight home win Tuesday while the Houston Rockets aim for their 15th consecutive victory over the Nets when they meet Tuesday in a matchup of teams close to clinching playoff spots. Brooklyn entered Monday with a chance to wrap up a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with a New York loss in Utah, or it can do the trick with a win over the Rockets, whose magic number to clinch a spot in the West was at three entering Monday. The Nets' run at the Barclays Center continued with a 114-99 win over Minnesota on Sunday, matching Oklahoma City's NBA-high 13-game run at home earlier this season.
Houston had won five in a row before a 118-107 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, which left the Rockets two games behind the Clippers in the race for third place in the West entering Monday. Starters Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley missed the game for Houston with injuries; Howard is day-to-day with a left ankle strain and Beverley is out indefinitely with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Howard was one of six Rockets to score in double figures in a 114-95 win over Brooklyn on Nov. 29.
LINE HISTORY: The line opened at -2 for Brooklyn but quickly moved to -3 for the Nets.
INJURY REPORT: Rockets: C Dwight Howard (Out, Ankle), G Patrick Beverley (Out indefinitely, Knee). Nets: F Andre Kirilenko (Questionable, Ankle), F Kevin Garnett (Out indefinitely, Back)
WHAT THE SHARPS SAY: "They blew a 20+ point lead against New Orleans (last) Monday, which cost them their longest win streak of the season. But this is the third best team in the East." Covers Expert Bryan Power.
WHY BET THE ROCKETS (49-23 SU, 37-33-2 ATS, 37-33-2 O/U): Some of those relied upon to pick up the slack for Howard and Beverley fell flat against the Clippers. Guard Jeremy Lin went 1-of-9 from the floor in his first start since Feb. 12 while power forward Terrence Jones managed two points in 19 minutes while dealing with foul trouble. James Harden continued his hot play with 32 points and is averaging 30.8 over his last five games.
WHY BET THE NETS (39-33 SU, 39-33 ATS, 37-31-1 O/U): After a sluggish showing in Brooklyn's last loss Wednesday in Charlotte, Paul Pierce has found the stroke once again, hitting 10-of-14 3-pointers over the course of consecutive 22-point efforts. The veteran has scored a total of 33 points in the last two first quarters, setting the tone for a squad that has won 13 of 17 overall to continue to turn its poor start into little more than a footnote. "I think a lot of teams with bad character, bad leadership in the locker room would've laid down a long time ago," Pierce told reporters Sunday. "Probably by Christmas would've been making summer plans. But not this group."
TRENDS:
* Rockets are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
* Nets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven vs. Western Conference.
CONSENSUS: 57 percent of backers are taking the Rockets
Inside the Paint - Tuesday
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com
It took the oddsmakers a little time but they’re finally selling the Indiana Pacers. For the last three months, Indiana was listed as the second-choice to win the NBA Finals behind Miami. The Pacers are now the fourth choice, listed at 5/1 odds at Sportsbook.ag and that’s probably too short. The Heat are currently a 14/5 (Bet $100 to win $280) favorite at Sportsbook.ag.
Even though the Pacers hold a 9½-game lead over the Bulls in the Central Division, they’ve been mediocre on the court and more importantly, atrocious at the betting counter.
Since the All-Star break, Indiana has gone 12-11 straight up and 3-19-1 against the spread. To put things in perspective, the 76ers have gone 9-11 ATS during the same time frame.
Indiana’s weakness in last year’s playoff run was offense and it clearly hasn’t been fixed. In the last six games, the Pacers have been held to 84 points or less which has translated into a 1-5 SU and 0-6 ATS mark. The bleeding should stop Wednesday when they host the Pistons but I wouldn’t recommend backing this club until they actually notch a wire-to-wire win and cover.
Including San Antonio’s 103-77 win over Indiana last night, the favorites posted a 9-1 SU and 6-4 ATS mark on Monday. The ‘under’ went 7-3.
Tuesday’s card features three games.
Houston (49-23 SU, 37-33 ATS) at Brooklyn (39-33 SU, 39-33 ATS)
The Nets opened as one-point favorites and the number has been bumped up to three at most books and I expect it close higher. Brooklyn continues to finish the regular season strong and this club has the ability to play with an Indiana or Miami in the playoffs.
The Nets have gone 7-3 (6-4 ATS) in their last 10 games and two of the losses came in overtime. The offense has been clicking lately for the Nets, who have scored 100-plus in their last eight, which has helped the ‘over’ go 7-1 during this stretch.
The total opened 208 and it has been pushed up to 209½ points.
The Rockets had their five-game winning streak snapped on Saturday as they lost to the L.A. Clippers 118-107 at home. Houston closed as one-point favorite, which was a little surprising since the team was playing without All-Star Dwight Howard (ankle) and point guard Patrick Beverly (knee). Howard has been ruled out indefinitely while Beverly could miss the rest of the season.
These teams met in late November and Houston earned a 114-95 home win over Brooklyn as 11-point favorites.
The Rockets have gone 23-5 SU and 13-14-1 ATS versus the Eastern Conference this season and all five of the losses have come on the road.
This will be the last non-conference matchup for the Nets, who have gone 17-12 both SU and ATS this season. At home, Brooklyn has gone 10-4 SU and 9-5 ATS versus the West which has been helped with six straight wins and covers at the Barclays Center. Make a note that five of the six wins came by double digits.
Golden State (45-28 SU, 35-36 ATS) at Dallas (44-30 SU, 40-34 ATS)
The Warriors and Mavericks will meet for the fourth and final time this season and this matchup is very important for both clubs. Golden State currently sits in the sixth spot in the Western Conference and Dallas holds the seventh seed. The Warriors and Mavericks have a chance to get as high as the fifth seed or they could both miss out entirely on the postseason.
Just three weeks ago, Golden State defeated Dallas 108-85 as a 5 ½-point home favorite on Mar. 11. The game was over after three quarters as the Warriors shot 51 percent from the field while the Mavericks struggled (36%) on offense.
Dallas opened as a four-point favorite for tonight’s matchup. The Mavericks have gone 25-13 SU and 17-21 ATS at home this season and this game will be the last game of an eight-game homestand for the club. In the first seven games of this stretch, Dallas has gone 4-3 SU and 2-5 ATS, with the three losses coming by a combined 10 points.
VegasInsider.com handicapper Joe Nelson doesn't like to back the Mavericks against quality opponents. He explained, "Dallas is actually just 4-12 ATS at home facing winning teams as they have delivered the most success against the bottom of the league. Dallas is also actually just 3-8 ATS when favored by at least four points but less than eight points this season.
Golden State only played five road games in March and it went 3-2 both SU and ATS. On the season, the Warriors have gone 21-15 SU and 19-17 ATS as visitors. After tonight’s game, the club will travel to San Antonio tomorrow.
The total on this matchup is hovering around 204 points and bettors should make a note that the ‘under’ has cashed in the first three meetings this season between the pair.
Portland (48-27 SU, 41-34 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (25-48 SU, 37-35 ATS)
It’s become very clear that LaMarcus Aldridge’s health will determine Portland’s success down the stretch. The All-Star missed six games with a back injury and the club went 3-4 in his absence. Fortunately for Portland, he returned to the club last Thursday and they’ve gone 3-0 both SU and ATS with him in the lineup. On Sunday, Aldridge scored 28 points in 33 minutes as the Trail Blazers defeated the Grizzlies 105-98.
Tonight will be the third meeting of the season between these teams and the visitor has won the first two matchups. The last encounter took place on Mar. 3 and the Lakers pulled off a 107-106 upset over the Blazers as 12-point road ‘dogs.
Will Portland get knocked off again on Tuesday? The oddsmakers don’t believe so, listing the Blazers as 8½-point road favorites.
Los Angeles has become one of the tougher teams to handicap lately. After getting run by the Timberwolves (107-143) and Bucks (105-108) on the road last week, the Lakers bounced back Sunday with a wire-to-wire 115-99 victory over Phoenix as 9 ½-point home underdogs. Los Angeles led by 18 points (61-43) at the break and wound up cashing +400 money-line tickets (Bet $100 to win $400).
Prior to this stretch, the Lakers dismantled the Knicks (127-96) and Magic (103-94) from the Staples Center.
The Lakers (41-31) and Blazers (42-32) have both leaned to the ‘over’ this season. The total on tonight’s game opened at 222 and has dipped to 221½ this morning.
Los Angeles forward Pau Gasol (vertigo) is expected to play after missing the last four games. Guards Kent Bazemore (eye), Xavier Henry (back) and Steven Nash (rest) are all ‘questionable.’