Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Thursday, March 1, 2018 from various handicappers and websites
Thursday’s NBA
Home side won last five Laker-Miami games; Lakers are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits here. Four of last six series games stayed under the total. LA won its last three games and seven of last ten; they’re 9-6 in last 15 games as road underdogs. Over is 5-0-1 in their last six games. Miami won its last three home games but is 3-7 in last ten games overall; they’re 3-5 in last eight games as home favorites. Seven of their last nine games went over.
Cleveland won its last ten games with Philly, covered last three; 76ers are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Ohio. Five of last seven series games stayed under. Philly lost its last two games after a 7-game win streak; they’re 1-5 in last six games as road underdogs. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games. Cavaliers won six of their last eight games; they’re 5-10 in last 15 games as home favorites. Three of their last four games stayed under.
Nets won five of last eight games with Sacramento; they covered their last three visits here. Five of last seven series games went over total. Brooklyn lost nine of its last ten games; they’re a road favorite for first time this year. Four of Nets’ last five games stayed under. Sacramento lost its last five games; they’re 1-7 in last eight games as home underdogs. Over is 6-2-1 in their last eight games.
Home side won last six Minnesota-Portland games; Wolves are 0-3 vs spread in last three visits to Oregon. Four of last five series games went over the total. Minnesota won three of its last four games; they’re 2-6 in last eight games as road underdogs. Eight of their last nine games went over the total. Trailblazers won six of its last seven games; they’re 6-4 in last ten games as home favorites. Four of their last six games went over.
NBA
Thursday, March 1
Trend Report
LA LAKERS @ MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Lakers's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 5 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Miami is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games
PHILADELPHIA @ CLEVELAND
Philadelphia is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Philadelphia's last 20 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
BROOKLYN @ SACRAMENTO
Brooklyn is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Sacramento's last 8 games
Sacramento is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
MINNESOTA @ PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Portland
Portland is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home
Portland is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Minnesota
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Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat Preview and Predictions 03-01-2018
28th February 2018 by Gracenote
The Los Angeles Lakers looked impressive in three straight wins against teams at the bottom of the standings in their respective conferences. They will try to make it four straight wins when the level of competition goes up in a visit to the playoff-hopeful Miami Heat on Thursday.
The Lakers knocked off Dallas and Sacramento before cruising past the Eastern Conference-worst Atlanta Hawks 123-104 on Monday to match last season's win total at 26 with 22 games left in the regular season. "The camaraderie we had this year from last year is a lot better," Los Angeles small forward Brandon Ingram told reporters. "I think guys came in and we worked extra hard, whether it was individually, whether it was as a team, we just thought we could figure it out sooner or later. And we came in every single day and worked at our game and then we started to figure it out." The Heat are sitting in the No. 8 spot in the East but are looking to move up during a stretch of seven of eight at home. Miami already won the first two in that stretch, including a 102-101 triumph over Philadelphia on Tuesday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), FS Sun (Miami)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (26-34): Ingram is one of several young players stepping up of late, a list that includes rookie Lonzo Ball. The highly-touted UCLA product is shooting 36.3 percent from the floor on the season but went 4-of-4 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range, and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line on Monday. "If the only goal was strictly to win every single night, then you take away from some of the development of our young players, and it is showing now why it was so important early in the year to let some of those guys play through mistakes and finish games," Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters. "Because now we are getting to see the confidence level they are playing down the stretch of games and closing games out."
ABOUT THE HEAT (32-29): Dwyane Wade struggled in his first five games after coming over from Cleveland but turned back the clock on Tuesday with 27 points in 25 minutes, including the go-ahead basket. "He's really been working at it, trying to get in shape, get in rhythm," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters of Wade. "He knew he'd have a little bit of a different role with us than he did in Cleveland but (Monday) in practice was the first day I recognized him. I thought that was the guy I remembered, and he did six or seven things in practice where everybody stopped and looked around and said, 'OK that's a little bit different than what we've seen all year long.' But he's really been working at it." Wade, Tyler Johnson and Goran Dragic combined to go 24-of-43 from the floor out of the Heat backcourt on Tuesday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Heat C Kelly Olynyk (shoulder) returned from a six-game absence on Tuesday and managed nine points in 25 minutes off the bench.
2. The Lakers reached a buyout agreement with SF Corey Brewer on Wednesday.
3. The home team took each of the last five in the series.
PREDICTION: Heat 109, Lakers 102
Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers Preview and Predictions 03-01-2018
28th February 2018 by Gracenote
The Philadelphia 76ers were talking homecourt advantage in the playoffs during a seven-game winning streak, but back-to-back losses to fellow Eastern Conference postseason contenders let them know that there is still work to be done. The 76ers will try to avoid a third consecutive setback when they visit another East power at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.
Philadelphia dropped a 109-94 decision at Washington to begin the road trip and lost a heartbreaker at Miami 102-101 on Tuesday when JJ Redick's 3-point attempt at the buzzer ended up just short. "We lost to a good team on their home court," 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters. "It's a game that we feel like going down the stretch we could've -- and in many ways should've -- won, but we didn't. I like the direction we're trending." The Cavaliers are trending in the right direction as well behind superstar LeBron James, who averaged a triple-double in February. "I'm just playing some good ball, and the most consistent thing for me right now is I'm available out there on the floor for my teammates," James told reporters. "They give me the room to go out and do what I need to do to help them as much as I can. And for me to have the month of February, when I averaged a triple-double for the first time in my career, I'm just trying to make plays, get rebounds and also try to score the ball a little bit as well."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE 76ERS (32-27): Philadelphia is still a young team trying to win together for the first time and committed 23 turnovers at Miami after shooting 36 percent against the Wizards on the second night of a back-to-back. "I think we just need to come ready," rookie point guard Ben Simmons told reporters. "Mentally, it was tough. We have to come ready every game." All-Star Joel Embiid is bringing it every game and is averaging 26.5 points on 55.7 percent shooting in four games since the break.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (36-24): James posted averages of 27 points, 10.5 rebounds and 10.5 assists in February and became the first player in NBA history to record at least 30,000 points, 8,000 rebounds and 8,000 assists during Tuesday's win over the Brooklyn Nets. "With the long list of so many great players that have come through this league, in the history of this league, for me to be the only (person) in a category, I think it's pretty cool," James told reporters. "It's pretty cool. I take pride in my game. I've always taken pride in being a triple threat since I started playing basketball, and I never wanted to be labeled as a scorer." James, who can become a free agent after this season, was recruited to Philadelphia with three billboards in Cleveland bought by a company based in Pennsylvania.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. 76ers SF Robert Covington is shooting 26.5 percent from the floor over the last five games.
2. Cavaliers PF Larry Nance Jr. recorded his first double-double since joining the team at the trade deadline when he collected 10 points and 10 rebounds on Tuesday.
3. James averaged 30 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists in a pair of wins over Philadelphia earlier this season.
PREDICTION: Cavaliers 122, 76ers 116
Brooklyn Nets at Sacramento Kings Preview and Predictions 03-01-2018
28th February 2018 by Gracenote
The race to the bottom in the NBA includes a list of eight teams -- four from each conference -- and the Sacramento Kings and Brooklyn Nets are both part of the pack. One team will earn a rare win when the Kings host the Nets on Thursday.
While seven of the eight teams appear to be tanking in an effort to improve their chance at a great draft position, Brooklyn doesn't control its first-round pick this season and is still trying to win. "I feel with this group here being healthy now, we're going to keep getting better," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters after a 129-123 loss at Cleveland on Tuesday. "We want to finish the rest of this season on an upswing. Now, we've got a tough West Coast trip coming up, but I do feel good about the direction we're going right now." The Kings are giving the rest of their season over to development and are losers of five in a row and nine of their last 11. Sacramento dropped a 116-99 decision at Portland on Tuesday but got solid performances out of young players De'Aaron Fox and Willie Cauley-Stein.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), NBCS California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE NETS (20-42): Brooklyn point guard D'Angelo Russell made his way back slowly from a knee injury that cost him two months, and he only recently returned to the starting lineup. Russell enjoyed his best game since rejoining the first unit on Tuesday, when he collected 25 points, six assists and five rebounds while going 9-of-18 from the floor. "It was only a matter of time," Rondae Hollis-Jefferson told Newsday. "That's D'Angelo's game. He can score, he can pass, make plays. There ain't much he can't do. It just feels good to have him back."
ABOUT THE KINGS (18-43): Fox was Sacramento's first-round pick last June and became the undisputed starter at point guard when George Hill was sent to Cleveland at the trade deadline. Fox is starting to grow in the role and contributed 13 points, eight assists and three steals in Tuesday's loss to the Trail Blazers. Cauley-Stein is still trying to establish himself in his third season and posted double-doubles in two of the last three games, including an 18-point, 15-rebound effort against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kings PF Skal Labissiere followed up 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting on Monday with six points on 1-of-5 on Tuesday.
2. Nets SF Dante Cunningham is 7-of-11 from 3-point range over the last three games.
3. Sacramento earned a 104-99 win at Brooklyn on Dec. 20.
PREDICTION: Nets 113, Kings 101
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Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers Preview and Predictions 03-01-2018
28th February 2018 by Gracenote
The Minnesota Timberwolves are sitting in the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference but are only 3 1/2 games clear of the ninth-place Denver Nuggets. The Portland Trail Blazers, who host the Timberwolves on Thursday, are in that pack of teams stuck between three and nine but are moving up with wins in four straight.
Minnesota is winning the games it is supposed to win and breezed past the tanking Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings in the last two games to move ahead of the San Antonio Spurs despite losing All-Star Jimmy Butler to a knee injury over the weekend. "The important thing is to understand we're not going to replace Jimmy with any one individual," Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. "We're going to have to do it collectively as a team. We can't underestimate how hard we have to play. Anytime you're shorthanded you have to play with great intensity on every possession. If we do that we'll be able to win games." The Trail Blazers are having no trouble winning games of late and are aiming for a top-four spot in the West. "We're in a good space as a team mentally and in the standings, so as long as we continue to focus on us I think we control wherever we want to be at the end," Portland All-Star Damian Lillard told reporters.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (38-26): Minnesota replaced Butler in the starting lineup with power forward Nemanja Bjelica, who contributed 12 points, eight rebounds and four steals to Monday's win at Sacramento. "The versatility is big for us," Thibodeau told reporters of having Bjelica in the lineup. "The shooting adds a lot to our team. We're long. When you have him at the '3,' you add another 6-11 guy there and that moves (Andrew Wiggins) to the '2' and you have good length there also. So, it's a different look than with Jimmy, but I think the size there does help us." Wiggins is picking things back up after a brief slump and scored over 20 points in each of the last three games.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (35-26): Lillard scored 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting and added 12 assists in Tuesday's win over the Kings to cap a strong February. The 27-year-old averaged 31.4 points in 10 games during the month, including a 50-point outburst and two other games in which he scored at least 40. "I don't know if there's more to say," Portland coach Terry Stotts told reporters of Lillard. "He's very focused. His leadership permeates the team. He has a way not only of elevating his game but his teammates' game."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lillard's 223 points over the last six games are a franchise record for any player in a six-game span.
2. Timberwolves C Karl-Anthony Towns leads the NBA with 54 double-doubles.
3. Minnesota took the first two matchups, but Portland earned a 123-114 home win in the most recent meeting on Jan. 24.
PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 106, Timberwolves 104