Tuesday Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Christmas Day is just one week away with five important games on tap. However, the Tuesday card this week showcases 10 contests with plenty of intrigue. The Timberwolves continue their Sunshine State tour against the Heat, while the Spurs play with no rest in Denver. We'll begin in Brooklyn with two clubs searching for consistency as old acquaintances hook up.
Jazz at Nets
Brooklyn has dropped six of its past eight games, as the Nets hope to avoid a letdown in a look-ahead spot with a trip to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday to take on the Knicks. Deron Williams sees his former team for the third time as the Jazz invades the Barclays Center off a pair of ugly losses to the Suns and Grizzlies.
Utah's offense tallied just 84 points in each of those two defeats on Friday and Saturday, while scoring only 32 points in the second half against Memphis. Tyrone Corbin's club has struggled all season away from Salt Lake City, putting together a 4-10 record and a miserable 1-6-1 ATS mark as a road underdog. This is the start of a four-game trip for the Jazz, who heads to Indiana (Wednesday), Miami (Saturday), and Orlando (Sunday).
The Nets enter Tuesday's action with losses in four of their previous five home contests, while beating the Pistons in double-overtime on Friday night. Brooklyn has failed to cash in each of its last four opportunities in the favorite role, while losing six straight games against teams currently sitting above the .500 mark.
Timberwolves at Heat
Miami got back on track after last Wednesday's last-second loss to Golden State by routing Washington on Saturday as 15-point favorites. The Heat's defense stiffened up by allowing a season-low 72 points, the fourth straight game Miami has yielded less than 100 points. The Wolves head to South Florida following Monday's meltdown at Orlando, as Minnesota blew a 12-point lead in a 102-93 defeat as 3½-point 'chalk.'
Minnesota owns a profitable 6-4 ATS record in the role of a road underdog, but just a 3-3 ATS ledger with Kevin Love in the lineup. The Wolves had problems scoring most of the season, but Rick Adelman's squad has cashed the 'over' in six of the last seven games, while giving up 100 or more points in four consecutive contests.
The Heat has put together a 7-6 ATS mark at home, including a 3-4 ATS record when laying single-digits. Erik Spoelstra's team is 6-2 to the 'over' in eight games against unrested clubs at home this season, as one of those 'unders' came on Saturday versus Washington. Miami has lost two of the last three home meetings with Minnesota, although the two squads didn't play at the American Airlines Arena in the lockout-shortened season.
Celtics at Bulls
Two Eastern Conference rivals that are playing above .500 meet at the United Center for the second time this season. Boston knocked off Chicago in a high-scoring affair (for these teams) on November 12, a 101-95 victory to give the Celtics their first win in the Windy City since December 2009. The C's have plenty to play for on Tuesday as Boston tries to close its three-game road trip with a victory.
The first two attempts for Doc Rivers' team on this trip didn't work out as Boston fell at Houston and San Antonio. The Celtics' offense was stymied each time, scoring an average of 88.5 points per game in each defeat, while losing four straight contests away from TD Garden. Boston hasn't been a factor for bettors as a road 'dog, posting a 1-4-1 ATS mark.
The Bulls return home with no rest after dropping an 80-71 decision at Memphis last night as 6 ½-point 'dogs. Chicago led by nine points after one quarter, but scored just 51 points in the final three quarters, snapping a four-game road winning streak. Since the Bulls lost to the Celtics in mid-November, Chicago is riding a seven-game 'under' streak at home, while allowing less than 90 points five times in this stretch.
Spurs at Nuggets
San Antonio has now lost four straight games at Oklahoma City since the Western Conference Finals in June following Monday's 14-point setback to the Thunder. The Spurs played without Manu Ginobili, who injured his quad in Saturday's win over the Celtics, as the guard is questionable for Tuesday's matchup at Denver. The Nuggets are playing just their third home game since November 26, as Denver looks to capitalize off Sunday's impressive showing in Sacramento.
George Karl's squad scored a season-high 122 points in Sunday's rout over the lowly Kings, just their second road win since Thanksgiving weekend. The Nuggets have taken care of business at the Pepsi Center with a 6-1 record, although only two of those victories have come against quality teams (Memphis and Golden State). This is only the second situation this season that Denver will host an unrested team, as the Nuggets fell to the Heat on November 15 as short favorites, 98-93.
The Spurs own a solid 4-2 SU/ATS record with no rest this season, including the infamous game at Miami in which Gregg Popovich sent three starters home in the finale of a six-game road swing. San Antonio has failed to cover all three times in which only Ginobili sat out, but the Spurs are 12-4 ATS the last 16 games away from the AT&T Center. The Spurs have played well at the Pepsi Center recently by taking four of the previous five meetings, including a 114-99 blowout prior to the All-Star break last season.
NBA: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
Toronto Raptors at Cleveland Cavaliers
The Toronto Raptors (6-19, 12-13 ATS) try to record a rare road victory Tuesday when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers. Raptors are just 1-14 (5-10 ATS) on the road this season but a game at 'The Q' could see Raptors snap it's current 0-11 (3-8 ATS) skid away from Toronto. Raptors off two solid defensive efforts in defeating Mavericks 95-74 and most recently Rockets 103-94 allowing a combined 40.1% from the field, 19.4% from long range have the momentum to get the job done against a Cavalier team just 3-7 SU/ATS on home court netting 93.0 PPG and ridding a 1-8 (2-7 ATS) slump scoring 91.0 per/contest. Raptors on a smart 11-3 ATS road stretch holding opponents to 96 or less points are worth a second look. Keep in mind, Raps are on a 5-2 SU/ATS stretch vs Cavaliers including 3-0 SU/ATS L3 meetings in Cleveland and head into the contest on a profitable 9-1 ATS road streak as dogs vs the Central division.
Celtics at Bulls: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com
Boston Celtics at Chicago Bulls (-1.5, 181.5)
The Boston Celtics had seen their fortunes improve at the beginning of the month as they started to lock down at the defensive end. That defensive intensity has abandoned the team on the current road trip. The Celtics will be looking to salvage one win on the three-game trip when they finish up at the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. The Bulls have had no problems on the defensive end. It’s scoring that can be a issue.
Chicago will be playing the second night of a back-to-back after falling at Memphis, 80-71, on Monday. The Bulls had won seven of their previous nine games but had topped 100 points just twice in that span. Boston took a 101-95 decision in Chicago on Nov. 12, marking the beginning of a four-game stretch that saw the Bulls allowing at least 100 points in each. They have surrendered 100 in just one of the 13 games since the end of that span.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (12-11, 8-13-2 ATS): Boston dropped a 12-point decision at Houston on Friday and lost to San Antonio by 15 the next night while struggling on both ends. Rajon Rondo is attempting to shoulder more of the offensive load as the rest of the cast settles into their roles but has committed 14 turnovers in the first two games of the trip and is averaging 5.5 in six games this month. Rondo’s worst game of the season came in San Antonio on Saturday, when he was held to six points and nine assists while committing seven turnovers. It was only the second time this season that he had failed to reach double figures in assists. The Celtics’ biggest struggles on the defensive end have come in guarding the 3-point line. San Antonio hit 12 of 25 from beyond the arc on Saturday.
ABOUT THE BULLS (13-10, 8-14-0 ATS): Chicago knew that with Derrick Rose out for a large chunk of the season scoring could become an issue. The Bulls shot just 37.3 percent in the loss at Memphis on Monday, with Carlos Boozer’s 16 points leading four players in double figures. Luol Deng was being counted on to pick up some of the slack but has been in a shooting slump of late and is 7-for-31 in Chicago’s last two losses. What keeps the Bulls in games is the defense, which is again one of the best in the league. The Bulls slow the pace and play strong on the perimeter, holding opponents to 32 percent from 3-point range. Coach Tom Thibodeau was the designer of the Boston defense as an assistant before taking over in Chicago.
TRENDS:
* Under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Chicago.
* Favorite is 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Home team is 5-2-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Celtics are 3-7-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
* Celtics are 1-4-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Chicago.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Celtics G Avery Bradley, who has been out since May following shoulder surgery, participated in contact activities in practice for the first time on Monday.
2. Chicago has taken five of the last seven in the series.
3. Rondo has averaged 12.2 points, 9.4 assists and 2.6 turnovers in 23 career games against the Bulls.
NBA Point Spreads and Trends
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
Tuesday night’s NBA schedule features 11 games, including the Celtics at Bulls, Timberwolves at Heat and Bobcats at Lakers. The lines below are from the LVH SuperBook as of about 10:30 a.m. PT on Tuesday morning.
NBA trends:
* The Hawks have covered their last four games following a loss. The Wizards are 3-0-1 against the spread in their last four home games. Atlanta is laying 7 points tonight in Washington.
* The Raptors have covered five of their last six games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. The Cavs have covered only two of their past seven games following a loss. Cleveland is a 4.5-point home favorite.
* The Nets have covered only two of their past eight games. The Jazz have covered six of their past seven meetings with the Nets. Utah is a 5-point dog in Brooklyn.
* The T'Wolves have covered four of their past five Tuesday games. They have also gone OVER the total in their last four games. The road team has covered in four of the last five meetings between the T'Wolves and Heat. Minnesota is getting 8.5 points in Miami, and the total is 200.
* The Celtics have covered four of their past five games coming off a loss, but only once in their last six games in Chicago. The Bulls are a 1.5-point home favorite.
* The Pacers have covered eight of their last 10 Tuesday games. The Bucks have covered four of their last five games. Milwaukee is -2.5 at home tonight.
* The 76ers have covered their last four games following a home loss of 10 points or more. The 76ers and Mavericks have gone UNDER the total in six of their past seven meetings in Dallas. Dallas is -5.5, with a total of 192.5.
* The Spurs have covered their last six Tuesday night games. The Nuggets and Spurs have gone OVER the total in four of their past five meetings. San Antonio is a 2-point dog on the road tonight, and the total is 208.5.
* The Lakers have covered only three of their last 10 games following a win of 10 points or more. The Bobcats have covered six of their last seven meetings with the Lakers in Los Angeles. Charlotte is getting 12 at Staples Center tonight.
* The Warriors have covered five of their last six home games. Golden State is a 7.5-favorite against New Orleans.
NBA injuries:
* Wizards center Nene (foot) is questionable tonight.
* Raptors forward Andrea Bargnani (elbow) is OUT.
* Raptors guard Kyle Lowry (tricep) is OUT.
* Cavs guard Dion Waiters (ankle) is probable.
* T'Wolves guard Ricky Rubio (knee) is OUT.
* 76ers guard Jrue Holiday (foot) is doubtful.
* Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (quad) is questionable.
* Lakers forward Pau Gasol (knee) is questionable.