Game of the Day: Nets at Heat
By Covers.com
Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat
The Brooklyn Nets have spent the last few months proving they belong among the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. The Nets will get a chance to make their case once again when they visit the Miami Heat on Tuesday. Brooklyn won each of the first three meetings with the Heat and owns a 32-13 record in 2014 while East-leading Miami is 29-16 in that span with a pair of losses to the Nets.
The Heat appear to have recovered completely from their rough stretch in March and tried to damage the New York Knicks’ playoff dreams with a 102-91 home victory on Sunday. Miami is a game up on the Indiana Pacers for the top spot in the East - two games clear in the loss column - and will get Indiana at home on Friday after a tough back-to-back against Brooklyn and at Memphis. The Nets are still clinging to the hope that they can catch Toronto for the top spot in the Atlantic Division and homecourt advantage in the first round. They sit 2 1/2 games back in that race with six left.
LINE HISTORY: Suggested lines out of Las Vegas have the Heat as 6.5-point home faves with a total of 196.
INJURY REPORT: Heat - G Dwyane Wade (Questionable, hamstring), C Greg Oden (Questionable, back), F Chris Andersen (Questionable, back). Nets - F Kevin Garnett (Out, back)
WHY BET THE NETS (42-34 SU, 41-35 ATS, 38-34-4 O/U): Brooklyn got Kevin Garnett (back spasms) back from a 19-game absence on Sunday and the veteran worked his way into game action with 10 points and four rebounds in 13 minutes during a 105-101 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Garnett is not expected to play on Tuesday but should be back for the second half of the Florida trip at Orlando on Wednesday and is following a strict plan to get back in game shape for the postseason. “Obviously, I’m not where I want to be, but I felt good, I felt strong,” Garnett told reporters. “It’s been a journey to get back to this point, so I’m just trying to contribute at this point.”
WHY BET THE HEAT (53-23 SU, 36-38-2 ATS, 41-35 O/U): Miami is hoping to get one of its own stars healthy for the playoffs in Dwyane Wade, who has missed the last six games with a hamstring injury. The Heat are 5-1 in that span, and LeBron James is carrying the load by putting up at least 32 points in three of the last four games. The superstar put up 38 points in Sunday’s 102-91 triumph. Miami’s best work lately has come on the defensive end, where they have held opponents to an average of 79.2 points in the last five victories.
TRENDS:
* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Miami.
* Home team is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Nets are 0-4 ATS in their last four road games.
* Heat are 6-0 ATS in their last six vs. Eastern Conference.
Tuesday's NBA Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Pistons at Hawks
Detroit: 28-49 SU, 32-44-1 ATS
Atlanta: 34-42 SU, 33-42-1 ATS
The Pistons and Hawks are making up this game after bad weather kept Detroit away from the Peach State on January 29. Atlanta is making a comeback following a six-game skid, winning three of its past four contests, including Sunday’s rout of Indiana as eight-point underdogs, 107-88. Following New York’s two-game losing streak, the Hawks have grabbed a two-game edge for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons are looking for consecutive victories for the first time since mid-February, coming off Saturday night’s rally over the Celtics, 115-111. Detroit failed to cover as 6½-point home favorites, falling to 1-6 ATS the last seven games, with the lone cover coming as 10½-point underdogs at Indiana. The Hawks have won two of the first three meetings with the Pistons this season, while Atlanta has taken each of the past 10 matchups at Philips Arena, dating back to 2008.
Nets at Heat
Brooklyn: 42-34 SU, 41-35 ATS
Miami: 53-23 SU, 36-38-2 ATS
The Heat has rallied back to steal the top spot in the Eastern Conference to pass the fading Pacers, but Miami hasn’t figured out how to beat Brooklyn this season. In three meetings, the Nets have won all three times, including two victories by one-point apiece, as Brooklyn staved off Miami, 96-95 as nine-point ‘dogs in mid-March. The Nets will likely finish as the fifth-seed in the Eastern Conference, which means Brooklyn could draw Miami in the second round of the playoffs, assuming the Heat capture the top seed.
Miami has won five of its past six games, including Sunday’s 102-91 triumph over New York as 6½-point favorites. Brooklyn is also rolling of late, winning five of six following consecutive overtime losses at New Orleans and Charlotte. Since upsetting Miami on March 12, the Nets have dropped four of their past six contests away from Barclays Center, while allowing at least 100 points in each of those games. Brooklyn has pushed the tempo of late by hitting the ‘over’ in eight of the last 11 contests.
Spurs at Wolves
San Antonio: 60-17 SU, 43-34 ATS
Minnesota: 38-38 SU, 37-39 ATS
The Spurs are on the verge of locking up home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, as San Antonio goes for its 21st win in 22 tries. Gregg Popovich’s club heads to Minnesota after blowing out Memphis on Sunday night, 112-92 to cash as seven-point favorites. San Antonio has won and covered seven of its past eight in the role of a road favorite, but it will be without point guard Tony Parker, who suffered a back injury against the Grizzlies.
The Wolves have climbed back to the .500 mark, but this team won’t be headed to the playoffs. Minnesota was tripped up at Orlando on Saturday, one night after shocking Miami in double-overtime as an 8½-point underdog, 122-121. Rick Adelman’s team has won five of their past seven games at the Target Center, but Minnesota has dropped each of its two matchups with San Antonio this season on the road. The Wolves will be without two starters on Tuesday as guard Kevin Martin (foot) and center Nikola Pekovic (ankle) are both out due to injury.
Mavericks at Jazz
Dallas: 47-31 SU, 42-36 ATS
Utah: 24-53 SU, 31-40-6 ATS
The Mavericks were put in a tough position towards the end of the season by hitting the road for four games. However, Dallas has come through with flying colors by winning each of the first three games to stay alive for a playoff berth in the Western Conference, as Rick Carlisle’s team staved off Sacramento on Sunday, 93-91. The Mavs have taken care of non-playoff squads with recent wins over the Kings and Lakers, as Dallas goes for the season sweep of Utah tonight after grabbing the first three meetings.
The Jazz has lost 17 of their past 20 games, including Sunday’s 130-102 blowout loss at Golden State as 12-point underdogs. Utah has struggled at home as well, winning just twice in the last eight contests at Energy Solutions Arena, while posting a 2-5-1 ATS the previous eight in the home underdog role. Utah’s offense has stunk of late by scoring less than 100 points in eight of the last 10 games, but the ‘over’ has hit in five of the past seven games.