Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Tuesday 10/23/18
Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 30th October 2018 by Gracenote
Hawks vs. Cavaliers Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/30/2018
The Cleveland Cavaliers will hit the reset button after firing head coach Tyronn Lue when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. Lue was let go after the team fell to 0-6 with Saturday's 119-107 loss to the Indiana Pacers and the organization handed the reins -- for now -- to Larry Drew as it tries to snap out of a horrendous early-season spell.
"This was a very difficult decision. It is especially so, considering Coach Lue's time with us over the last four years, including four straight trips to the NBA Finals," general manager Koby Altman said in a statement. "We have respect and great admiration for Ty, not only as a coach, but a person. ... This is a different team equation, though, and one that we felt needed a different voice and approach that required this change." Among Cleveland's six straight losses to begin the season was a 133-111 loss at home to Atlanta on Oct. 21, a game in which Hawks rookie Trae Young went off for 35 points and 11 assists. The offensive firepower Atlanta displayed in that contest has faded, as the squad has averaged 88.5 points during a two-game losing streak. Young was limited to a season-low 11 points in Monday's 113-92 loss at Philadelphia.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), FS Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (2-4): Young is averaging 13.7 points while shooting 11-for-37 from the field in three games since his dominant performance at Cleveland. The 20-year-old did hand out eight assists with zero turnovers versus the 76ers after recording nine and 10, respectively, over the previous two contests. Taurean Prince averaged 21.8 points through the first four games but has been held to a total of 21 points on 6-of-25 from the field during the two-game losing streak.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (0-6): Kevin Love, Cleveland's leader in scoring (19 points per game) and rebounding (13.5) has missed two straight games due to a sore left foot and reports that surfaced Monday suggested the five-time All-Star may sit for more than a month. Channing Frye and Sam Dekker have been given one start apiece in place of Love, combining for just 11 points and nine rebounds in those two games. Larry Nance Jr. has been coming on of late after missing the first two games due to a sprained ankle, and the 25-year-old produced 15 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in just 23 minutes off the bench against Indiana.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Drew led the Cavaliers to an 8-1 record as interim coach last season when Lue was out due to a medical issue. He told reporters Monday he is not the team's interim coach but merely "the voice right now" and that he is not making any long-term commitment until an agreement is reached with the team.
2. Young hit 6-of-14 3-pointers in the previous visit to Cleveland, but he's 2-for-15 since then.
3. Cleveland PG Jordan Clarkson is averaging 16.2 points in 22.3 minutes off the bench.
PREDICTION: Cavaliers 104, Hawks 101
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Miami Heat vs. Charlotte Hornets Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 30th October 2018 by Gracenote
Heat vs. Hornets Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/30/2018
The Miami Heat opened their first homestand with a loss to the Charlotte Hornets and they hope to avoid the same fate when they begin a three-game road trip at Charlotte on Tuesday. The Hornets topped the Heat 113-112 in Miami earlier this month behind 39 points from Kemba Walker.
The Heat recovered to win their next two games but fell flat in the finale of the homestand by dropping a 123-113 loss to Sacramento on Monday. Josh Richardson, Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside combined to score 67 points for Miami but their teammates went a collective 14-for-46 from the floor. Charlotte has dropped three of four since its win over the Heat, including a 105-103 setback at Philadelphia on Saturday. Walker went for 37 points in the setback for his fourth game of 30 or more.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Miami), FS Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE HEAT (3-3): Whiteside recorded 24 rebounds -- one shy of his career high -- and blocked five shots in Monday's loss, giving him 40 boards and 11 blocks over the last two games. He also had six of Miami's season-high 19 turnovers, which led to 27 points for the Kings. "Those empty possessions lead to run outs," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told the media. "Any kind of momentum it seemed we would get led to a turnover."
ABOUT THE HORNETS (3-4): Forward Miles Bridges has found an increased role in the last two games and is making the most of his opportunity by averaging 14.5 points on 12-of-19 shooting. Fellow rookie Devonte Graham scored the first seven points of his career in 13 minutes off the bench against Philadelphia. "[The rookies] are working every day. They're developing every day," coach James Borrego told reporters. "They're ready for the moment. Devonte's performance tonight didn't surprise me. It was a great experience for him. I think he handled himself very well. Miles again, he's learning, he's growing. Those minutes down the stretch are only going to build him and grow him."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Walker hit 7-of-15 3-pointers in the win at Miami.
2. Richardson was held to seven points on 3-of-11 shooting in the earlier loss to the Hornets.
3. The Heat have won three straight games at Charlotte.
PREDICTION: Hornets 108, Heat 104
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Sacramento Kings vs. Orlando Magic Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 29th October 2018 by Gracenote
Kings vs. Magic Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/29/2018
The Sacramento Kings seek their fourth consecutive victory when they visit the struggling Orlando Magic on Tuesday. Sacramento opened a four-game road excursion in stellar fashion while recording a 123-113 triumph over the Miami Heat on Monday.
The Kings are above .500 after seven games for just the second time in 12 seasons, the other time being a 5-2 start in 2014-15. Sacramento will look to control the interior against the Magic in the same way it did against the Heat, holding a 68-38 edge in points in the paint while also possessing an 18-8 margin in fast-break points. Orlando has dropped back-to-back games behind a suspect defense -- the Magic allowed 120.5 points in the two losses -- and has lost four of its last five contests. "We're getting crushed -- two games in a row, here -- by the good (but not great) players," Orlando coach Steve Clifford told reporters. "I'm not saying that it's easy, but if we're not going to be able to guard the good players, then we're not going to be able to play defense."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Sacramento), FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE KINGS (4-3): Center Willie Cauley-Stein had another big game with 26 points and 13 rebounds against the Heat and he has recorded three consecutive double-doubles. Cauley-Stein was 11-of-17 shooting to raise his percentage to 58.1 and he has scored in double digits in all seven games, including three outings of 20 or more points. Shooting guard Buddy Hield has topped the 20-point mark in each game of the winning streak and he was 4-of-6 from 3-point range versus Miami while matching his season high of 23 points.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (2-4): Orlando took a franchise-record 43 3-point shots in Saturday's 113-91 road loss to the Milwaukee Bucks but managed to make just 10. "It is part of our game plan to have a lot of us shooting 3s and space the floor," center Nikola Vucevic told reporters. "Our 3s (against the Bucks) weren't exactly good ones. You can't just shoot any shot. You've got to make sure you work for the right one." The Magic are shooting just 31.6 percent behind the arc with the struggling players including Jonathon Simmons (18.8), Evan Fournier (29.3), Terrence Ross (30.3) and Aaron Gordon (30.8).
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Kings have won the past three meetings.
2. Sacramento backup PF-C Kosta Koufos (hamstring) had six points and four rebounds in 12 minutes in his season debut.
3. Gordon had just nine points on 3-of-15 shooting against Milwaukee and missed all six 3-point attempts.
PREDICTION: Magic 112, Kings 106
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Detroit Pistons vs. Boston Celtics Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 29th October 2018 by Gracenote
Pistons vs. Celtics Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/29/2018
The Boston Celtics handed the Detroit Pistons their first loss on Saturday as Jaylen Brown broke out of an early slump and the team turned up the pressure on the defensive end. The Celtics will try to make it two in a row over the Pistons when they host Detroit in the back end of a home-and-home set on Tuesday.
Brown, who averaged 14.5 points on 46.5 percent shooting last season, averaged six points on 5-of-26 shooting in the three games prior to Saturday, when he broke out for a season-high 19 points. "I wasn't tripping, for me it's just coming out playing basketball," Brown told reporters. "It's a blessing, just coming out and being able to see something go down was good for me but for us to continue to win and come out and beat a team that's 4-0, it's even better." First-year Detroit coach Dwane Casey is trying to mold his roster into a winner and acknowledged that the Pistons aren't quite where they need to be. "They are rated the best defensive team in the league," Casey told reporters. "But that level of play is how hard you have to play from start to finish. I take responsibility for us not coming out and being as focused as we should've been. When you play against a team like Boston, they expose you. We only had - what? Sixteen assists? The ball wasn't moving and against a good defensive team, it'll expose you."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, NBCS Boston
ABOUT THE PISTONS (4-1): Detroit forward Blake Griffin averaged 33.8 points on 55.7 percent shooting over the first four games but was held to seven points on 2-of-13 shooting by Boston on Saturday. "I just missed open shots early," Griffin told reporters. "I tried to attack at times and get to the foul line and it didn't go that way." The Pistons went 7-of-37 from 3-point range in the 109-89 setback as Griffin (0-of-4), point guard Reggie Jackson (1-of-6) and shooting guards Reggie Bullock (1-of-5) and Langston Galloway (0-of-5) all struggled from beyond the arc.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (4-2): Boston reserve power forward Daniel Theis is out indefinitely after suffering a tear of the plantar fascia in his right foot. "It's not going to be season derailing or anything like that," coach Brad Stevens told reporters. "We'll see how he progresses over the next few weeks and then the next steps will be determined, but they think it'll be a pretty quick recovery, which is fortunate." Fellow reserve power forward Marcus Morris added 18 points and is 7-of-11 from 3-point range over the last two contests.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pistons C Andre Drummond failed to record a double-double for the first time this season when he was held to 18 points and eight rebounds on Saturday.
2. Celtics PG Kyrie Irving was held to a season-low three points on 1-of-5 shooting Saturday.
3. Detroit earned a 118-108 win in its lone trip to Boston last season on Nov. 27 behind 26 points and 22 rebounds from Drummond.
PREDICTION: Celtics 113, Pistons 106
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Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 30th October 2018 by Gracenote
76ers vs. Raptors Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/30/2018
The Toronto Raptors are no longer undefeated and they aim to get back on the winning track when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Toronto set a franchise mark with a 6-0 start but the impressive streak reached an end with Monday's 124-109 loss to the unbeaten Milwaukee Bucks.
Raptors star forward Kawhi Leonard was rested on the front end of the back-to-back and is slated to be back in the lineup against the 76ers. The contest was the second Leonard has sat out as he regains his fitness after playing in only nine games with the San Antonio Spurs last season because of a quadriceps injury. Philadelphia has recorded back-to-back victories and Monday's 113-92 rout of the Atlanta Hawks may have been the team's best performance of the young season. "I think we just needed a spark and I was able to provide that for the team," point guard Ben Simmons told reporters after scoring 15 of his 21 points in the third quarter. "I told the guys to keep running with me and I'll find them."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, NBCS Philadelphia Plus, TSN (Toronto)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (4-3): Backup point guard Markelle Fultz flashed some of his potential against Atlanta when he scored a career-best 16 points in 23 minutes. Fultz was a big disappointment last season after being the No. 1 overall pick and Philadelphia is letting him run the team while Simmons is resting and that is allowing him more freedom on the floor. "I'm a great basketball player," Fultz told reporters after the win over the Hawks. "I think I can do pretty much anything. I can pass the ball, I can pull up (and shoot) the 3, I can get to the rim. I just think I have an all-around game."
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (6-1): Toronto badly missed Leonard (26.6 average) in the showdown against the Bucks while scoring its fewest points of the season and putting forth a horrific showing (9-of-44) from 3-point range. Leonard's absence allowed power forward Serge Ibaka to get 21 shots and he poured in 30 points - one shy of his career high - and also collected nine rebounds. Point guard Kyle Lowry recorded 15 assists - three shy of his career high - but scored a season-low nine points and missed all nine 3-point attempts during a 3-of-14 shooting performance.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The 76ers have dropped their past 11 visits to Toronto.
2. Toronto G Fred VanVleet (toe) will likely miss his third straight game, while the status of SF OG Anunoby (personal reasons) is uncertain after he sat out Monday.
3. Philadelphia SF Wilson Chandler (hamstring) is expected to be cleared to make his season debut later this week.
PREDICTION: Raptors 108, 76ers 105
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LA Clippers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 29th October 2018 by Gracenote
Clippers vs. Thunder Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/29/2018
The Oklahoma City Thunder finally left the ranks of the winless with a 117-110 home win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday and intend to continue an upward trajectory. The Thunder will try to make it back-to-back victories when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Oklahoma City's uneven start had a lot to do with Russell Westbrook missing the first two games and most of training camp following knee surgery, and Sunday's performance looked more like the Thunder team the front office envisioned. "We're going to keep building off that win and we're going to keep getting better," point guard Dennis Schroder, who shared the court at times with Westbrook and Paul George on Sunday as part of a package designed to let Westbrook work off the ball, told reporters. The Clippers, who breezed to a 108-92 home win over the Westbrook-less Thunder on Oct. 19, come in hot after averaging 134.5 points in back-to-back wins. "Unselfishness," Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers told reporters. "They don't care. No one's hunting points, you know, they're hunting the open guy and that's a good way to play; it's the only way we can play, it's the only way we'll be good."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FS Oklahoma
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (4-2): Los Angeles' offensive surge over the last two games has a lot to do with the improved play of shooting guard Avery Bradley, who averaged 4.3 points on 25.8 percent shooting in the first four games before combining for 29 points on 12-of-22 in the last two contests. "I'm starting to pick my spots and try to find out how to play off Tobias (Harris), (Danilo Galliniari), Pat (Beverley); we're trying to learn how to play with each other," Bradley told the Los Angeles Times. "We knew it would take time but it's good it's flowing a little better now." Nine players scored in double figures in Sunday's 136-104 win over the Washington Wizards, led by Harris' 22 points.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (1-4): Schroder is one of a few newcomers to Oklahoma City this season and is joined by power forward Nerlens Noel, who is trying to resurrect his career after a pair of down seasons with Philadelphia and Dallas. Noel, 24, got the start on Sunday in place of injured center Steven Adams (calf) and responded with 20 points, 15 rebounds and four steals in 26 minutes. "It's just being a professional, ready for whatever is thrown at me in this position," Noel told reporters. "It's being able to be ready no matter what."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Adams, who is averaging 14 points and 12.3 rebounds, is day-to-day.
2. Los Angeles PF Luc Mbah a Moute (knee) sat out the last two games and is questionable for Tuesday.
3. Oklahoma City won both meetings at home last season by an average of 8.5 points.
PREDICTION: Thunder 113, Clippers 111
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Washington Wizards vs. Memphis Grizzlies Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 29th October 2018 by Gracenote
Wizards vs. Grizzlies Preview and Predictions
by Gracenote on 10/29/2018
The Memphis Grizzlies look like a much different team at home in the early going and will try to improve to 3-0 in their own arena when they host the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. The Grizzlies are averaging 124 points in two home games while posting an average of 89 in three games on the road.
Memphis, which begins a three-game road trip on Friday at Utah, opened its two-game homestand by blasting Phoenix 117-96 on Saturday while shooting 55.7 percent from the floor and handing out 30 assists on 44 made field goals. "We want to be a versatile team where you can't key in on one or two guys to shut us down," Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "It's good to see a bunch of guys get double-figure points. That means we're sharing the ball well, that we're moving and doing all the little things well that we preach." The Wizards are having some trouble practicing what they preach and suffered through another terrible effort in a 136-104 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, two days after stars Bradley Beal and John Wall called out teammates for selfishness at the defensive end. Washington is last in the NBA in scoring defense, allowing an average of 125 points.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, FS Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (1-5): Washington is at the end of a five-game road trip that began with a 125-124 overtime win at Portland but quickly turned sour with three consecutive losses. The worst of the performances may have come on Sunday, when the Wizards allowed the Clippers to shoot 54.4 percent from the floor, including 16-of-29 from 3-point range, while struggling to 39.2 percent and 5-of-27 from beyond the arc on their own end. Beal managed to keep alive his streak of scoring at least 20 points in each game this season with 20 on 8-of-16 shooting but was 1-of-6 from 3-point range.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (3-2): Center Marc Gasol scored a season-high 19 points in Saturday's win and is trying to lead his younger teammates to bigger things. "We have to be consistently growing and do more of what we do well and not be afraid to get in the paint," Gasol told reporters. "We can do both. Guys here are really athletic and long, so you can be in the paint and take things away." The Grizzlies shot 66 percent from inside the arc on Saturday as guards Mike Conley, Shelvin Mack, MarShon Brooks and Garrett Temple attacked the paint.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Grizzlies SF Chandler Parsons (knee) sat out the last two games and is not expected to return by Tuesday.
2. Wizards PF Markieff Morris (concussion) left Sunday's game and is questionable for Tuesday.
3. Washington took both meetings last season, earning a 102-100 triumph in Memphis on Jan. 5 behind 34 points from Beal.
PREDICTION: Grizzlies 113, Wizards 106
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Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets Preview and Predictions 10-30-2018 in NBA
NBA Previews 29th October 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 10/29/2018
The Houston Rockets are off to a dreadful 1-4 start and attempt to snap a three-game slide when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Reigning MVP James Harden (hamstring) will miss second straight game for a squad that has lost its three previous home games by an average of 16.7 points.
The Rockets won an NBA-best 65 games and took the Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals last season but have been colossal disappointments at the start of the current campaign. "It's a different team. It's not the same team," forward PJ Tucker told reporters. "I hate talking about last year anymore because it's gone. It's not the same team so we have to figure it out." Portland is 2-1 on a four-game road excursion after posting a 103-93 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday - the points being the fewest the Trail Blazers have allowed this season. Star point guard Damian Lillard scored a season-low 16 points after scoring more than 40 in consecutive games.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS Northwest (Portland), AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (4-2): Second-year big man Zach Collins scored a career-best 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting against the Pacers and is making a strong case for more playing time. Collins has scored at least 13 points in each of the past three games and has reached double digits four times overall while averaging 11.8 points. Shooting guard CJ McCollum also had 17 points on Monday and he has reached double figures in all six games, including three 20-point efforts.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (1-4): Forward Carmelo Anthony made his first start of the season in Friday's 133-113 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers and he made six 3-pointers en route to a season-best 24 points. The 34-year-old, who scored 22 against Utah two nights earlier, is in his first season with the team and he is unsure why the troubles have been so substantial. "I can't really pinpoint it at this point right now," Anthony told reporters. "We're still all trying to just figure it out. I know we keep saying that it's early but there's some things we have to figure out quickly just to try to get this thing rolling."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets won all four of last season's meetings and have prevailed in seven of the past eight matchups.
2. Portland SF Maurice Harkless (knee) is expected to miss his second straight contest.
3. Houston SG Eric Gordon is 8-of-35 shooting over the past two games, including 2-of-18 from 3-point range.
PREDICTION: Rockets 120, Trail Blazers 118
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