NBA betting trends, odds and predictions for Wednesday, February 1st, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
NBA Knowledge
Timberwolves won five of its last six games; they’re 6-2 in last eight games as a road underdog. Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Minnesota games. Cleveland is 4-7 in its last 11 games, 2-5-1 in its last eight games as a home favorite. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Cavaliers won last four games with Minnesota (3-1 vs spread); Timberwolves lost last three visits to Cleveland, by 1-21-7 points. Four of last five series games went over.
Pacers won their last three games, are 1-5 vs spread as road favorites. Over is 5-2 in their last seven road games. Magic lost seven of last nine games, is 2-10 vs spread as a home underdog; over is 7-3 in their last ten games. Indiana won/covered nine of last ten games with Orlando; Pacers won/covered last four trips to Orlando by 15-7-9-3 points. Four of last six series games stayed under.
Hawks won six of last nine games, are 5-6 as road favorites. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games. Miami won its last eight games (6-2 vs spread); they covered last three tries as a home underdog. Under is 8-3 in their last 11 games. Road team won six of last nine Atlanta-Miami games; Hawks won four of last five visits to Miami. Seven of last eight series games stayed under the total.
Knicks lost five of last seven games; they’re 1-2 as road favorites. Over is 6-3 in last nine New York games. Brooklyn lost its last six games but covered six of last eight; they’re 7-4 in last 11 games as a home underdog. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Home side won last five New York-Brooklyn games; Knicks lost last four visits to Barclays Center, by 11-4-6-11 points. Four of last six series games went over total.
New Orleans lost its last three road games; they’re 5-2 in last seven games as a road underdog. Five of their last seven games went over total. Pistons lost their last three games, are 1-8 in last nine games as a home favorite. Last five Detroit games went over total. Pelicans won their last eight games with Detroit (7-1 vs spread); New Orleans won/covered their last four visits to the Motor City. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games.
Toronto lost six of last eight games, is 6-2-1 as a road underdog. Under is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Celtics won their last four games, are 6-9 vs spread in last 15 games as a home favorite. Six of their last seven games went over the total. Toronto won/covered five of last six games with Boston; three of last four series games stayed under total. Raptors won three of last five visits to Boston.
76ers won six of last nine games, are 9-5 vs spread in last 14 games as a road underdog. Last six Philly games went over total. Mavericks won four of last five games, covered five of last six; they’re 3-1 as home favorites. Last three Dallas home games stayed under total. Dallas won nine of last ten games with Philly, but 76ers covered four of last six series games; over is 5-3 in last eight series games. 76ers lost last four visits to Dallas (1-3 vs spread).
Milwaukee lost eight of last nine games, is 0-5 vs spread in last five road games. Three of their last four games went over the total. Jazz lost three of last four games, are 3-7 in last ten games as a home favorite. Three of their last four games stayed under. Utah won its last four games with Milwaukee (3-1 vs spread); Bucks lost their last five visits to Utah (1-4 vs spread). Under is 7-3 in last ten series games.
Grizzlies won three of last four games; they’re 6-8 vs spread in last 14 road games. Last three Memphis games went over the total. Nuggets won seven of last ten games, are 8-2 vs spread in last ten games. Over is 12-3 in their last 15 games. Memphis won eight of its last ten games with Denver; Grizzlies won three of last four visits to Denver. Three of last four series games went over.
Clippers are 1-4 since Chris Paul got hurt; they’re 1-9 vs spread in last ten games as a road favorite. Over is 4-1-1 in LA’s last six games. Phoenix lost its last four games; they’re 8-6 vs spread as home underdogs. Over is 9-2 in their last 11 games. Home side won last six Clipper-Phoenix games; LA lost its last two visits to desert, by 14-9 points. Over is 6-4 in last ten series games.
Chicago is 3-4 in its last seven games; they’re 3-7 vs spread in last ten games as a road underdog. Four of their last six games stayed under. Oklahoma City won/covered its last five home games; they’re 4-5 in last nine games in last games overall. Five of their last six games stayed under the total. Thunder won seven of last ten games with Chicago; under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Bulls lost four of last five visits to Oklahoma (2-3 vs spread).
Hornets lost their last five games, are 0-6 vs spread in last six games; eight of their last ten games stayed under the total. Warriors 10 of last 11 games; they covered last four games at home. Under is 8-3 in their last 11 games. Golden State won its last five games with Charlotte (3-2 vs spread); Hornets lost three of last four visits to Oakland (2-2 vs spread). Four of last six series games stayed under.
Armadillosports.com
Wednesday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
Game of the Night – Bulls at Thunder (-3, 207½)
Oklahoma City (28-21 SU, 26-22-1 ATS) returns home after a pair of double-digit losses at Cleveland and San Antonio in the last three days. The Thunder trailed the Spurs last night by 18 points in the first half, but used a 24-4 run to grab a 73-70 lead in the third quarter. However, that advantage was short-lived as San Antonio pulled away for a 108-94 triumph as 9½-point favorites to hand OKC its 9th road loss in its last 13 tries.
The biggest soap opera in the league this season has taken place in Chicago (24-25 SU, 23-26 ATS), as the Bulls have failed to find consistency following a roster overhaul in the offseason. The Bulls snapped a two-game skid with a 121-108 home triumph over the 76ers on Sunday as Jimmy Butler led Chicago with 28 points following his 1-for-13 performance two nights earlier against Miami. Fred Hoiberg’s team has slumped to a 2-5 ATS mark in spite of covering as seven-point favorites against Philadelphia as the Bulls embark on a six-game road swing against Western Conference foes.
These teams are meeting for the second time in less than a month, as the Thunder crushed the Bulls as one-point favorites at the United Center, 109-94 on January 9. OKC scorched Chicago from the floor by shooting 56%, while receiving 42 points from the frontcourt duo of Steven Adams and Enes Kanter. However, Kanter is sidelined with a broken wrist, but the Thunder limited Butler to one point on 0-for-6 shooting. Chicago snapped a five-game skid at Chesapeake Energy Arena last season with a 105-96 triumph on Christmas Day.
Where’s the Love?
If you’re talking about Kevin Love, he is going to miss his second straight game with a back injury. However, the Cavaliers are looking beat Love’s former team, the Timberwolves when the two teams meet up at Quicken Loans Arena. The defending champions are scuffling at the moment in spite of an Eastern Conference-best 32-15 record as the Cavs have dropped four of their past six games. Cleveland owns the second-worst ATS mark in the league at 19-26-2, including a 3-12 ATS record in January.
The Wolves are sitting in last place of the Northwest division, but Minnesota is playing better of late by winning five of its previous seven games. Minnesota is listed as an underdog for the first time in the last seven contests, as the Wolves covered in their last underdog opportunity at San Antonio on January 17 in a 122-114 defeat. The Cavaliers have won each of the past four matchups with the Wolves since December 2014, as three of those games finished OVER the total.
Top of the Atlantic
The race for first place in the Atlantic division has tightened up between Boston and Toronto as the Celtics have pulled into the top spot by one half-game. The two squads hook up at TD Garden tonight as the Raptors are fresh off an overtime victory over the Pelicans last night. Toronto won without top scorer DeMar DeRozan, who will be out again this evening with a lingering ankle injury. In Tuesday’s victory, Kyle Lowry stepped up with a game-high 33 points and the game-winning jumper in the final seconds of overtime.
The Celtics seek their fifth consecutive victory after holding off the Pistons on Monday, 113-109, but Detroit cashed as five-point underdogs. Isaiah Thomas continued his All-Star season as the diminutive guard poured in 41 points for his fourth game this season of 40 points or more. The Celtics have had their issues with the Raptors this season by losing each of the first two meetings, including a 114-106 setback at Air Canada Center in early January.
Fired Up
The Heat were left for dead following an 11-30 start to the season, but Miami seeks its ninth consecutive victory tonight against Atlanta. Following Monday’s 104-96 triumph over Brooklyn, the Heat have won six straight games at American Airlines Arena, while topping the 100-point mark in seven wins during this streak.
The Hawks have had several days off since Sunday’s four-overtime marathon victory over the Knicks, but Atlanta failed to cash as 6½-point favorites. Atlanta is rolling on the highway of late by capturing wins in six of the past seven games away from Philips Arena. The Hawks have won each of the first two meetings with the Heat this season, but Miami covered each time in the underdog role.
Buzz Kill
The Hornets can’t buy a win away from home as Charlotte suffered not only its fifth straight loss overall, but its eighth consecutive road defeat in last night’s 115-98 setback at Portland. Things don’t get any easier for Steve Clifford’s squad as the Hornets travel to Golden State tonight to face the Warriors. These teams met last Wednesday in Charlotte as the Warriors held off the Hornets, 113-103 to barely cover as 9½-point road favorites.
Stephen Curry is listed as probable after missing Sunday’s victory at Portland with an illness, as the Warriors have covered in each of their past four home wins. Golden State has turned into a solid UNDER team of late by cashing the UNDER in eight of the last nine games, although the lone OVER in this stretch came in Saturday’s 144-98 blowout of the Clippers.
Texas Two-Step
Although both the Mavericks and 76ers have won 18 games apiece this season, these two squads are on fire from an ATS standpoint. Philadelphia has compiled a solid 13-3 ATS mark in the past 16 games, while winning 10 games in January, which equaled its season total from last season. The 76ers head to Dallas tonight looking to improve on a 9-5 ATS record on the road since the start of December. However, leading scorer Joel Embiid is out tonight with a knee injury, but the Sixers have won three of the last four games without the former Kansas standout.
The Mavericks are fresh off a pair of impressive victories in a two-day span by knocking off San Antonio as heavy road underdogs on Sunday, followed by a 104-97 triumph over Cleveland on Monday. Dallas has cashed in eight of the past 10 games, including five consecutive covers at American Airlines Center. The Mavs have captured seven straight meetings with the 76ers, including blowouts in each of the last two home matchups.
Head-to-Head Trends
Indiana travels to Orlando as the Pacers have owned the Magic this season with a pair of home victories. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Pacers have won eight of the last nine meetings with the Magic, including three victories in Orlando.
The battle of New York City pits two underachieving teams as the Knicks and Nets meet at Barclays Center. New York cruised past Brooklyn in its first meeting at Madison Square Garden in November, as the home team has won each of the past five matchups.
The Pelicans travel to Detroit after last night’s two-point overtime setback at Toronto. New Orleans has had its way with Detroit over the years by winning eight consecutive meetings, as the teams hook up for the first time this season.
Memphis and Denver have played some exciting games in their recent matchups, including a one-point triumph by the Grizzlies back in November. The Grizzlies have won six of the last seven meetings with the Nuggets, but each of the past five matchups have been decided by seven point or less.
Milwaukee begins a three-game road swing in Utah as the Bucks have dropped eight of their last nine contests. Playing the Jazz isn’t the cure to Milwaukee’s ills as the Bucks have lost four straight matchups with Utah since January 2015.
The Clippers have cruised past the Suns in two meetings this season at home as Los Angeles visits Phoenix. The Suns have won each of the last two home matchups with L.A., but have dropped six straight games at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
Trends to Watch - Wednesday
VegasInsider.com
Days of Glory Past
Syracuse will travel to PNC Arena in Raleigh to meet North Carolina State in a battle between two schools who desperately need wins, and a lot of them, to keep their slim hopes alive for an NCAA Tournament bid. These schools used to make the Big Dance routinely, but have hit hard times recently. The Orange are 2-5 ATS in the past seven meetings, and they're 0-6 ATS in their past six road games. The Wolfpack are 6-2 ATS in their past eight home outings.
Florida is Not Just For Football
Florida State and Miami-Fla. make sports fans think of just one things -- football. However, the Seminoles have been very good on the hardwood this season, and the Hurricanes haven't been too bad, either. While FSU has dropped their past two road games, overall they're 18-4 SU and 11-8-1 ATS. The 'Noles have had some trouble against the spread lately, going 0-4-1 ATS in their past five outings.
Miami isn't much better with a 3-8 ATS mark in their past 11 league games, and 2-8 ATS in their past 10 home games. The Canes are also 1-8 ATS in their past nine as a home favorite. Miami is favored by a bucket, and that doesn't bode well for them, either. The underdog is 5-1-1 ATS in the past seven meetings in this series.
Big East Bound and Down
Villanova and Providence do battle at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Rhode Island, and the Wildcats look to stay hot against the number. The road team is 10-3 ATS in the past 13, and 34-16-1 ATS in their past 51 as a road favorite. The Friars are tough against the number, going 4-1 ATS in their past five and 35-17 ATS in their past 52 as an underdog.
Marquette looks to keep winning, and keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. They travel to St. John's for a game Vegas feels will be very close. As of Wednesday morning the Golden Eagles are installed as two-bucket favorites. If you feel the number is low, consider the Golden Eagles are 0-4 ATS in the past four meetings, and 1-3-1 ATS in their past five trips to MSG.
In the late-night Big East battle, Seton Hall and Xavier square off in the 'Nati, and the Musketeers are fighting to stay in the picture. Xavier is in a tailspin, going 2-4 SU/1-5 ATS over their past six games. Seton Hall hasn't done much better, going 1-4 SU/2-3 ATS over their past five outings. The Pirates have covered four in a row in this series, however, and the 'over' has cashed in each of those outings.
Mountain Men
Nevada has been dominant at 18-4 SU, and they have picked up the pace against the number by going 5-2 ATS over their past seven outings. They face a struggling Utah State team which has dropped four of the past five, while also going 1-4 ATS during the span. The Wolf Pack are just 5-14 ATS in the past 19 in this series, and 2-7 ATS in their past nine trips to Logan.
Air Force might be struggling at just 10-11 SU, but they have been a tough out lately. The Falcons have covered four of their past five games, including each of their past two on the road. Fresno State covered nine in a row from Nov. 25-Jan. 4, but they just 3-3 ATS over the past six. However, the Bulldogs are a perfect 5-0 ATS in their past five games at home. Totals bettors might like the 'over', as it has cashed in nine of the past 11 league games for the Falcons, and 14 of the 19 MWC games for the Bulldogs.
New Mexico heads to Sin City to take on UNLV. The Lobos cannot afford a lose against the sub-.500 Runnin' Rebels, but they're favored by just two points in what is expected to be a close one. UNM hasn't been very good as a favorite lately, going just 1-5 ATS in their past six in the situation. They're also 5-11-1 ATS in their past 17 league games, and 9-19 ATS in their past 28 road outings. The good news is that the Lobos are 7-3 ATS in their past 10 trips to Vegas, and the road team is 6-2 ATS in the past eight in this series.
Pac-king It In
UCLA started out 19-1 SU, but they have dropped two in a row. The Bruins are also struggling against the number lately, going just 2-8 ATS over the past 10 games after opening the season 10-2 ATS in their first 12 outings. They travel to Washington State as 15-point favorites against a Cougs team which has covered three in a row, and four of the past five. The Bruins are a dismal 3-13 ATS in their past 16 league games, and they're 5-21-1 ATS in their past 27 as road favorites. The Cougars are 4-14 ATS in their past 18 at home, so something's gotta give. The Bruins are 0-4 ATS in their past four trips to the Palouse, and the home team is 7-1 ATS in the past eight in this series.
Southern California travels to Seattle to battle Washington. On paper, the two-point spread might be a bit curious, but USC is an awful 1-7 ATS in their past eight as a favorite, and 4-9 ATS in their past 13 road games. The Trojans are also just 5-12 ATS in their past 17 league games and 3-10 ATS in their past 13 overall. The Huskies aren't much better, though, going 1-3-1 ATS in their past five at home, and 2-8 ATS in their past 10 as an underdog. The favorite is 6-2 ATS in the past eight meetings, while the home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings overall.