NBA: Streaks, Trends, Notes
Sportspic.com
Atlanta Hawks @ Indiana Pacers
No college football betting experts can predict the entirety of the season before it starts, and few NBA experts could have imagined that the Indiana Pacers would remain this good without Danny Granger, their foremost scoring threat. Indiana has done remarkably well without one of its prime talents, forging a 27-19 record with fewer resources than many other NBA clubs. It's true that Roy Hibbert and Paul George give the Pacers some high-value pieces, but this is still a club that is winning because of work ethic, hustle, and determination. Head coach Frank Vogel continues to burnish his credentials as a defensive tactician and motivator, a man who squeezes maximum effort out of his players on a nightly basis. The Pacers should be able to fight their way past an Atlanta team that has not been the same over the past month. The Hawks were very strong in November and December but took several steps back in the month of January. Indiana is the smart selection here. Pick: Indiana
Los Angeles Lakers @ Brooklyn Nets
When people make a bet on sports, they know that they might feel compelled to join in the betting rush on games such as this one. Online football betting gurus who don't devote their attention to the NBA could still point out that while Brooklyn got hammered by the Miami Heat this past Wednesday in a 20-point laugher, the Nets are still worthy of a bettor's confidence in this game because their opponent just isn't measuring up in road games. The Lakers have not won a road game since Dec. 22, when they defeated Golden State in overtime. The notion that the Lakers could go over five weeks without a single road win is mind-blowing in its totality and scope. Yet, that's the world we currently live in. The Nets have struggled in recent days, but Miami is going to make a lot of other teams look bad as well. One lopsided loss to a good team should not dissuade bettors from taking the Nets here. Pick: Brooklyn
Golden State Warriors @ Houston Rockets
When you go over your facts and prepare to make a play at any of the best betting sites around, keep in mind that as of the morning of Jan. 31, the Warriors had gone 5-7 in their last 12 games and were seen struggling at the defensive end of the floor, a change from their progression earlier in the season. Opponents have been scoring in the high 90s and often over 100, as the Warriors have shown some signs of regressing to the mean. Houston, on the other hand, has played some of its best basketball of the season in the past two weeks, shrugging off a seven-game losing streak and rediscovering a winning formula. The Rockets were listless and lacking in energy during their seven-game skid, but they've solved the issues that have plagued them, especially at the offensive end of the floor. They're now running good sets and are making decisive, quick cuts in their halfcourt offense. Every NBA team will go through a pronounced funk at some point in a long and meandering regular season. Houston has, by all appearances, gone through its nightmarish stretch and lived to tell the tale. The Rockets are renewed, and their worst days are behind them. They should be able to take down the Warriors at home. Pick: Houston
Lakers at Nets: What Bettors Need to Know
Covers.com
Los Angeles Lakers at Brooklyn Nets (-3.5, 196)
The Los Angeles Lakers have developed a habit of jumping out to big leads only to sweat out the final few minutes. They will be looking to keep their defensive intensity up for 48 minutes when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. The Lakers have found some success recently with Kobe Bryant entering more of a distribution mode but have been operating against non-playoff teams over the last four contests. That will change with Brooklyn.
The Nets have won two of their last three and are particularly tough at home, where they have taken nine of their last 10. Recently-named All-Star Brook Lopez is shooting 62.2 percent over the last three games and might not have to deal with Lakers All-Star center Dwight Howard, who has missed the last two games with shoulder pain. Howard has reportedly ruled out surgery on his shoulder and will return to the lineup when he is pain-free.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (22-26): Los Angeles led in the fourth quarter before falling to the Phoenix Suns last week, and let leads of 29 and 18 points get trimmed to one or two possessions in tight wins over the Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons. Pau Gasol has picked up his numbers in Howard’s absence with 22.5 points and 11 rebounds in the last two contests. Bryant has failed to reach 20 points in four straight games while shooting 38.7 percent. To make up for the lack of scoring, Bryant has become more of a facilitator for the likes of Gasol, Steve Nash and Metta World Peace. The Lakers are still in 10th place in the Western Conference and will have to visit Boston and Miami before the end of the current seven-game road trip.
ABOUT THE NETS (28-19): Brooklyn has been off since earning a 93-89 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday and will pay for that break with six games in nine days leading up to the All-Star break. The Nets are hoping some of the momentum from that Bulls game will carry over to Tuesday. The bench was particularly impressive in that victory, scoring the first 20 points of the fourth quarter to put Brooklyn on top. Nets point guard Deron Williams has been dealing with an ankle sprain but expects to play on Tuesday. Williams has struggled to 8-of-21 shooting with nearly as many turnovers (nine) as assists (11) in the last two contests. Joe Johnson has had some trouble finding his stroke as well, shooting 38.1 percent and failing to top 16 points in the last five.
TRENDS:
* Lakers are 1-5 ATS in their last six road games.
* Nets are 1-4 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Lakers are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Under is 6-0 in the last six meetings in Brooklyn.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Lakers earned a 95-90 home victory over the Nets on Nov. 20. Bryant led Los Angeles with 25 points while Lopez had 23 for Brooklyn.
2. Gasol is averaging 23.3 points in three games as a starter and 13.1 in seven as a reserve since returning to the lineup on Jan. 17.
3. Williams has averaged 18.8 points and eight assists in 21 career games against the Lakers.
NBA Point Spreads and Betting Guide
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
The Lakers have won five of their last six games and are off to a 2-1 start on their current seven-game road swing. But L.A. hasn't fared too well against quality opponents this season, and their schedule gets tougher beginning with tonight's game at the Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers move on to Boston on Thursday, Charlotte on Friday (the Bobcats have actually had a lot of success vs. L.A.) and Miami on Sunday.
The Nets are a 2.5-point favorite tonight, with a total of 196.
While the Lakers-Nets matchup will grab most of tonight’s NBA headline, we’re taking a closer look at Hawks vs. Pacers. The Pacers are -6, and the total is 183.
The Hawks are coming off a 93-76 home loss to the Bulls, who were without Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer. But that’s not necessarily surprising, since Atlanta has been a better bet on the road than at home this season. The Hawks are 11-11 ATS on the road and 8-14-2 ATS at home.
With Lou Williams out for the season with a torn ligament in his right knee, the Hawks have been forced to rely on guys like John Jenkins, who can't come close to matching Williams' offensive production, and Kyle Korver, who's a liability on defense.
While the Hawks have been tough away from Atlanta — losing recently by just two at the Knicks and by five at the Nets, covering in both games — the Pacers have reeled off a bankroll-swelling 14 straight wins at home, with victories against Bulls Monday night, the Heat (twice), Knicks, Rockets, Grizzlies and Jazz.
Indiana will also be looking for revenge tonight, as they were beaten both times in Atlanta this season.
The point spread is a little higher than we anticipated, so there may be some value with the Pacers tonight; we thought the line would be 7 or 7.5.
But the better play tonight may be on the UNDER (183). This should be a tight, hard-fought game, and the Pacers have played UNDER in 28 out of 48 games (with one push) this season. That’s the second most UNDERs in the NBA, behind the Grizzlies.
Here are some more trends and injuries to help you handicap Tuesday night's NBA card.
NBA trends:
* The Hawks have failed to cover their past seven games on two days of rest. The Pacers have covered their last four home games. The home team has covered six of the last eight meetings between the Hawks and Pacers. The Pacers have stayed UNDER the total in eight of their past 11 home games.
* The Lakers have covered only one of their last five road games. The Nets have covered 20 of their last 27 games against Pacific Division teams. The Lakers have stayed UNDER the total in their last six games against winning teams.
* The Suns have covered only once in their last five games. The Grizzlies have covered just twice in their last seven against Western Conference teams. The Grizzlies have stayed UNDER the total in 20 of their last 29 games and in six of their last eight meetings with the Suns. Memphis is -8.5 at home tonight, and the total is 183.
* The Warriors have covered seven of their last 10 games. The Rockets have covered four of their last five games. The favorite is 7-1 ATS in the last eight meetings between these teams. The Rockets have gone OVER the total in their last eight home games against teams with a winning road record. Houston is -2.5, the total is 216.5.
* The Bucks have covered four of their last five against Western Conference teams. The Nuggets have covered their last seven home games against teams with a winning road record. The Bucks have gone OVER the total in seven of their last eight games, while the Nuggets have gone OVER in their last eight home games. Denver is a 7-point favorite, with a total of 214.5.
Injuries:
* Lakers center Dwight Howard (shoulder) is questionable.
* Rockets guard Jeremy Lin (ankle) is questionable.
* Rockets guard Carlos Delfino (elbow) is questionable.
* Nuggets center JaVale McGee (tibia) is questionable.
Inside the Paint - Tuesday
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com
The Association has five contests scheduled on the hardwood Tuesday and the home team is favored in all of the games. Rather than focus on the sides, we’re pointing our attention to the totals and we have some solid trends to press tonight. Before we get into the card, let’s recap the recent ‘over/under’ outcomes on the hardwood.
The ‘under’ has gone 7-4 the past two days, which includes a 5-3 mark last night. If you delve into Monday’s action further, bettors could’ve easily watched the ‘under’ go 6-1. In the Portland-Minnesota matchup, the Timberwolves outscored the Trail Blazers 40-23 in the fourth quarter, which helped the combined 198 points jump ‘over’ the closing total of 193.
Another bad beat worth noting was the Clippers-Wizards matchup. It was a low total (187½) and it had a decent pace at halftime, but the game slowed down late with Washington leading. Sure enough, the Clippers kept fighting and the two teams posted 13 points in the final 90 seconds, which helped their total go ‘over’ by one point (98-90).
For Tuesday, the oddsmakers are expecting two shootouts, two defensive battles and a possible back-and-forth affair in Brooklyn. Let’s take a closer look.
Atlanta at Indiana: This number opened at 180½ and is up to 183. The Pacers put up 108 points in their home win over Chicago last night. Make a note that last night’s affair versus the Bulls was a make-up game, which means Indiana will be playing three games in three nights with tonight being the second of the stretch. On no rest this season, the Pacers have seen the ‘over’ go 7-6. Atlanta hasn’t played since Saturday but its last two games have gone ‘under’ the number. These teams have met twice this season, both encounters in Atlanta. The total went 1-1 in those games and the Hawks won both games (109-100, 89-86). Indiana has watched the ‘under’ go 28-19 on the season, which includes a 13-8 mark at home.
L.A. Lakers at Brooklyn: The Lakers continue their seven-game road swing tonight when they visit the Nets. Los Angeles has seen the ‘under’ go 2-1 on this trip so far but all of those totals were listed above 200. Truth be told, the 98-97 win over Detroit on Sunday could’ve easily gone ‘over’ the number. The last two times, the Lakers had totals below 200 points, the ‘over’ cashed easily. While Los Angeles has shown the ability to put up triple digits, the Nets certainly have trouble offensively. The Nets only attempt 79 shots per game, which is the second lowest pace in the NBA. Most shops have Brooklyn listed as a 2½-point favorite tonight with a total of 196. Doing the quick math, oddsmakers expect the Nets to score 99 points. In the last 10 games, Brooklyn has topped that number twice and it came against inferior defensive teams that push the tempo in Toronto (113) and Houston (106). Lakers' center Dwight Howard (shoulder) is listed as 'doubtful' for tonight.
Golden State at Houston: This total is hovering around 216 points, which is the highest number on the board. I tell people all the time that you can’t be scared of these numbers since you’re not asking much from two teams that push the tempo. When you look at Houston, it’s the perfect ‘over’ club and you should never see a total under 200 points the rest of the season barring injuries. The Rockets get to the free throw line nearly 26 times a game, plus they shoot 28 bombs from 3-point land. More importantly, Houston gives up 102.6 points per game, which is the fourth worst unit in the league. Golden State (99.4) isn’t much better but it has played a tad better defense with center Andrew Bogut in the lineup. The Warriors have watched the ‘over’ 16-9 in their road games and that includes five straight ‘over’ tickets outside the Bay Area. Despite the run ‘n gun approach, Houston has seen the ‘under’ go 7-3 in its last 10 yet the team has averaged 112.6 PPG in the last five games. Even though the Rockets can score, you need the opponents to do their job as well. This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season. In last year’s shortened-lockout season, the ‘under’ went 3-0 in their meetings.
Phoenix at Memphis: The Grizzlies are the best defensive team in the league, allowing 89.5 PPG. Offensively, Memphis pounds the ball inside and the recent trade of Rudy Gay already hurts a team that is ranked last in 3-pointers made. Phoenix isn’t a great team offensively and interim head coach Lindsay Hunter accepts that fact, which is why he’s letting his team run more. Unfortunately for Hunter, the defense has given up 108 points in four of the last five. This will be fourth and final meeting of the season between these teams. The first game went ‘over’ but it was helped with 18 extra points put up in overtime. The next two games were easy ‘under’ tickets as the pair combined for 162 and 173 points.
Milwaukee at Denver: Another high number and if these teams make their shots, this game should go ‘over’ easily. The Bucks are attempting 87 field goals per game, which is the fastest pace in the NBA. Denver takes 86 shots, which is ranked second. Since head coach Scott Skiles put down his clipboard in Milwaukee, the Bucks have seen the ‘over’ go 10-4 under assistant Jim Boylan. The Nuggets have always played fast under head coach George Karl and the club has turned up the heat lately. Denver is averaging 111.6 PPG in its last 10 games and the ‘over’ has gone 9-1 during this stretch. Despite those numbers, some believe the opening line was inflated. The ‘over/under’ opened at 215½ and dropped to 214.