NBA Today
SCOREBOARD
Monday, March 9
New Orleans at Atlanta (7 p.m. EDT). Chris Paul and the Hornets have won seven straight games, but travel to Atlanta, where the Hawks are 21-7.
STARS
Sunday
— Deron Williams, Jazz, had 25 points and nine assists and Utah beat Toronto 109-101 for its 11th straight win.
— Dwight Howard, Magic, scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as Orlando held on to beat Boston 86-79.
— Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, Spurs. Parker had 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the fourth 30-point performance in his last seven games, and Duncan had 17 points and 15 rebounds in San Antonio’s 103-98 victory over Phoenix.
— Devin Harris and Vince Carter, Nets. Harris had 35 points and 10 assists, and Carter added 25 points in New Jersey’s 106-10 win over New York.
— Yao Ming, Rockets, had 24 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks as Houston extended its home win streak to 12 with a 93-83 win over Memphis.
— Kevin Martin, Kings, had 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for Sacramento, which never trailed in defeating Denver 114-106.
STANDINGS
Utah’s win at Toronto and Denver loss in Sacramento boosted the Jazz to the top of the Northwest Division at 40-23. Denver is 40-24 and Portland is 39-23. … With a win at Boston, Orlando moved two games behind the Celtics and three behind first-place Cleveland in the Eastern Conference.
STREAKS
Utah has won 11 in a row after a 109-101 victory over Toronto to match its longest winning streak since April 1-18, 1999. The Jazz have beaten Toronto eight straight times, and the Raptors have lost five in a row overall. … Orlando has won four in a row. … Phoenix lost all four games on its road trip. … The Rockets extended their home-court winning streak to 12 with a 93-83 win over the Grizzlies. … Denver has lost six consecutive road games.
STATS
Utah’s Kyle Korver matched a season-high with 20 points in a 109-101 win at Toronto. … Boston posted its lowest-scoring first quarter (15) and half (33) of the season in an 86-79 loss to the Magic. … Paul Pierce made two free throws with 9:33 left in the game to give him 18,246 in his career and pass Hall of Famer Robert Parish for third on the Celtics’ career list. Larry Bird is next, with 21,791. … The Grizzlies dropped to 1-22 when they failed to score 20 points in the first quarter this season. Memphis was held under 20 points in each of the first two quarters at Houston. … In their 89-74 win over Philadelphia, the Thunder allowed their fewest points all season. … The Kings tied a season high by making 14 3-pointers in a 114-106 win over Denver.
STRONG IN DEFEAT
Chris Bosh had 30 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors in a 109-101 loss to Utah. … Ray Allen had 17 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, scoring nine straight at one juncture, but the Celtics lost to the Magic 86-79. … Steve Nash led the Suns with 23 points and 11 assists in a 103-98 loss to San Antonio and teammate Leandro Barbosa scored 20 points and hit all four of his 3-point attempts. … David Lee had 19 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks, who opened a five-game trip with their fifth loss in six games, 106-101 at New Jersey. … Carmelo Anthony had 32 points and seven rebounds in a 114-106 loss at Sacramento.
SIDELINED
Jazz forward Carlos Boozer missed the win at Toronto with a sore right ankle. Boozer returned to the lineup on Feb. 23 after missing 44 games because of a strained quadriceps tendon and left knee surgery. … Already without Kevin Garnett, who missed his eighth straight game with a strained muscle in his right knee, the Celtics also sat point guard Rajon Rondo (sprained right ankle) against Orlando. Garnett’s backup, Glen Davis, left in the third quarter with a right ankle sprain and did not return.
SPEAKING
“It’s different. I was on the taping table laying down and I fell asleep. That was like 15 minutes before the game, so I was out of it.”—Jazz guard Deron Williams, who had 25 points and nine assists in a 109-101 win at Toronto after barely getting any sleep as Utah flew east (a two-hour time change) and then dealt with the one-hour change to daylight savings time.
NEW ORLEANS vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of New Orleans's last 10 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Atlanta is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
CHICAGO vs. MIAMI
Chicago is 13-5-1 ATS in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Chicago's last 16 games
Miami is 7-15 ATS in its last 22 games when playing Chicago
Miami is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Chicago
ORLANDO vs. DETROIT
Orlando is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
Orlando is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
WASHINGTON vs. MINNESOTA
Washington is 1-8-2 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Washington is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Minnesota is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
HOUSTON vs. DENVER
Houston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston's last 10 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver's last 9 games at home
LA LAKERS vs. PORTLAND
LA Lakers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games on the road
LA Lakers are 14-4 SU in their last 18 games on the road
Portland is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games when playing LA Lakers
Portland is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Lakers
New Orleans Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Hornets outscored the Thunder by 14 points in the fourth quarter to come away with a 108-90 victory on Saturday. The Hornets covered the 13-point spread, and the 198 points made it OVER the posted total of 190.
Chris Paul had 21 points and six rebounds, while dishing out 13 assists to lead the way.
Al Horford went for a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds as the Hawks defeated the Pistons 87-83 on Saturday. The Hawks covered the slight 2.5-point spread, while the combined 170 points fell UNDER the posted total of 184.
Josh Smith netted a team-high 19 points, and Mike Bibby added 17 in that win.
Current streak:
New Orleans has won 7 straight games.
Team records:
New Orleans: 39-22 SU, 25-34-2 ATS
Atlanta: 35-28 SU, 33-30 ATS
New Orleans most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Washington are 6-4
After playing Oklahoma City are 5-5
After a win are 8-2
Atlanta most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Utah are 3-7
After playing Detroit are 5-5
After a win are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
New Orleans is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of New Orleans's last 10 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
New Orleans is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Atlanta's last 10 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Atlanta is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Atlanta is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
Atlanta is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Next up:
New Orleans at Washington, Wednesday, March 11
Atlanta home to Utah, Wednesday, March 11
Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons
The Magic defeated Boston 86-79 as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (196.5).
Dwight Howard scored 18 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Orlando, while Hedo Turkoglu added 16 points in the win.
The Pistons were defeated 87-83 by the Hawks last time out, as 2.5-point road underdogs. That game's combined 170 points fell UNDER the posted total of 184.
Rodney Stuckey had 19 points with eight rebounds and six assists, while Richard Hamilton scored a game-high 20 points in that loss.
Current streak:
Orlando has won 4 straight games.
Team records:
Orlando: 46-16 SU, 39-22-1 ATS
Detroit: 31-30 SU, 25-36 ATS
Orlando most recently:
When playing on Monday are 10-0
Before playing Chicago are 5-5
After playing Boston are 8-2
After a win are 4-6
Detroit most recently:
When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing New York are 5-5
After playing Atlanta are 8-2
After a loss are 2-8
A few trends to consider:
Orlando is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Orlando is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Orlando
Detroit is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Orlando
Detroit is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Next up:
Orlando home to Chicago, Wednesday, March 11
Detroit home to New York, Wednesday, March 11
Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat
The Bulls out-gunned the Bucks 117-102 at the United Center Friday.
Chicago covered as a 6.5-point home favorite while the final score played over the 185.5-point total.
The Heat were defeated 99-89 by the Cavaliers last time out, as 9-point road underdogs. The night's 188 points fell UNDER the posted total of 192.
Dwyane Wade had 25 points with eight rebounds and 12 assists in the loss.
Current streak:
Chicago has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Chicago: 29-34 SU, 31-31-1 ATS
Miami: 33-29 SU, 29-32-1 ATS
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Monday are 3-7
Before playing Orlando are 5-5
After playing Milwaukee are 5-5
After a win are 4-6
Miami most recently:
When playing on Monday are 3-7
Before playing Boston are 7-3
After playing Cleveland are 5-5
After a loss are 8-2
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing on the road against Miami
Chicago is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Chicago's last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 6 games when playing Chicago
Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games
Next up:
Chicago at Orlando, Wednesday, March 11
Miami home to Boston, Wednesday, March 11
Washington Wizards vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wizards were crushed 119-103 by the Mavericks last time out, as 12-point underdogs. That game's 222 points sailed OVER the posted total of 198.5.
Antawn Jamison had 24 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double in the loss.
The Timberwolves were defeated 95-93 by the Trail Blazers last time out, as 14-point underdogs. That game's 188 points fell UNDER the posted total of 200.
Ryan Gomes netted a team-high 28 points and Randy Foye had 23 points in the loss.
Current streak:
Washington has lost 5 straight games.
Minnesota has lost 9 straight games.
Team records:
Washington: 14-49 SU, 22-39-2 ATS
Minnesota: 18-44 SU, 27-34-1 ATS
Washington most recently:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing New Orleans are 7-3
After playing Dallas are 5-5
After a loss are 3-7
Minnesota most recently:
When playing on Monday are 3-7
Before playing Memphis are 4-6
After playing Portland are 2-8
After a loss are 1-9
A few trends to consider:
Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Washington's last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games
Minnesota is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Minnesota's last 19 games at home
Minnesota is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Next up:
Washington home to New Orleans, Wednesday, March 11
Minnesota home to Memphis, Wednesday, March 11
Houston Rockets vs. Denver Nuggets
The Rockets defeated Memphis 93-83 as a 14-point favorite on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (196).
Yao Ming scored 24 points to go along with 17 rebounds for Houston, while Luis Scola added 18 points and 14 rebounds in the win.
The Nuggets lost to Sacramento 114-106 as a 9-point favorite on Sunday. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (214.5).
Carmelo Anthony led Denver with 32 points and Chauncey Billups delivered 22 points and eight assists.
Current streak:
Houston has won 2 straight games.
Denver has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Houston: 41-23 SU, 30-33-1 ATS
Denver: 40-24 SU, 35-28-1 ATS
Houston most recently:
When playing on Monday are 7-3
Before playing LA Lakers are 8-2
After playing Memphis are 8-2
After a win are 7-3
Denver most recently:
When playing on Monday are 7-3
Before playing Oklahoma City are 5-5
After playing Sacramento are 7-3
After a loss are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Houston is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston's last 10 games when playing on the road against Denver
Houston is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Denver
Houston is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Denver
Denver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Denver's last 10 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver's last 9 games at home
Next up:
Houston home to LA Lakers, Wednesday, March 11
Denver home to Oklahoma City, Wednesday, March 11
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Portland Trail Blazers
The Lakers rolled over the Timberwolves 110-90 at the STAPLES Center Friday night.
Los Angeles covered as a 15.5-point home favorite while the final score played under the 216-poin total.
The heavily favored Trail Blazers scored a last second basket to seal a close 95-93 win over the Timberwolves on Saturday. The Trail Blazers could not cover the 14-point spread, and the 188 points fell UNDER the posted total of 200.
Brandon Roy went for a game-high 31 points with four rebounds and six assists.
Current streak:
Los Angeles has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Los Angeles: 50-12 SU, 31-30-1 ATS
Portland: 39-23 SU, 31-31 ATS
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Houston are 4-6
After playing Minnesota are 7-3
After a win are 8-2
Portland most recently:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Dallas are 5-5
After playing Minnesota are 4-6
After a win are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games
LA Lakers are 15-3 SU in their last 18 games
LA Lakers are 14-4 SU in their last 18 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of the LA Lakers last 11 games when playing on the road against Portland
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Portland is 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Portland is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Portland is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games when playing LA Lakers
Next up:
LA Lakers at Houston, Wednesday, March 11
Portland home to Dallas, Wednesday, March 11
NEW ORLEANS (39 - 22) at ATLANTA (35 - 28)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 23-45 ATS (-26.5 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 131-102 ATS (+18.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 63-45 ATS (+13.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 60-38 ATS (+18.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 4-1 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 4-1 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO (46 - 16) at DETROIT (31 - 30)
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 40-22 ATS (+15.8 Units) in all games this season.
ORLANDO is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) as a road underdog of 3 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) in road games this season.
ORLANDO is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent this season.
ORLANDO is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
ORLANDO is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
ORLANDO is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DETROIT is 25-36 ATS (-14.6 Units) in all games this season.
DETROIT is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in home games this season.
DETROIT is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 12-5 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 16-3 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
10 of 19 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO (29 - 34) at MIAMI (33 - 29)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 20-34 ATS (-17.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 31-44 ATS (-17.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 61-81 ATS (-28.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 27-45 ATS (-22.5 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 7-6 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 9-4 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON (14 - 49) at MINNESOTA (18 - 44)
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 22-39 ATS (-20.9 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) as an underdog this season.
WASHINGTON is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) in road games this season.
WASHINGTON is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
WASHINGTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
MINNESOTA is 97-124 ATS (-39.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 31-56 ATS (-30.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) against Southeast division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
MINNESOTA is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MINNESOTA is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-0 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 4-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON (41 - 23) at DENVER (40 - 24)
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 56-42 ATS (+9.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 279-230 ATS (+26.0 Units) in road games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 35-19 ATS (+14.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 42-29 ATS (+10.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 82-57 ATS (+19.3 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game since 1996.
DENVER is 104-143 ATS (-53.3 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 6-4 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 6-4 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS (50 - 12) at PORTLAND (39 - 23)
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
PORTLAND is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PORTLAND is 35-18 ATS (+15.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 88-74 ATS (+6.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 46-31 ATS (+11.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) in road games second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in road games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 7-2 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 5-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of New Orleans's last 10 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Atlanta is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games
CHICAGO vs. MIAMI
Chicago is 13-5-1 ATS in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Chicago's last 16 games
Miami is 7-15 ATS in its last 22 games when playing Chicago
Miami is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing Chicago
ORLANDO vs. DETROIT
Orlando is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
Orlando is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
WASHINGTON vs. MINNESOTA
Washington is 1-8-2 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Washington is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Minnesota is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
HOUSTON vs. DENVER
Houston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston's last 10 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver's last 9 games at home
LA LAKERS vs. PORTLAND
LA Lakers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games on the road
LA Lakers are 14-4 SU in their last 18 games on the road
Portland is 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games when playing LA Lakers
Portland is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Lakers
Tips and Trends
Los Angeles Lakers at Portland Trail Blazers
Lakers (-2.5, O/U 203.5): LA begins a three-game road trip in Portland following a 110-90 rout of Minnesota on Friday night. Kobe Bryant scored 23 points and Pau Gasol added 21 as the Lakers became the first team to reach 50 wins. “First to 50 is important in establishing dominance,” LA head coach Phil Jackson said. “We have 20 games left and we’d like to be the first to 60.” Jackson did admit that victory over the Timberwolves wasn't easy though. “We just played down to the level of the competition,” Jackson said. “Then we elevated our game and played a lot better in the third quarter and the second unit jammed it even further.”
Lakers are 1-3 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
The UNDER is 5-1 in LA's last 6 games overall.
Key Injuries - C Andrew Bynum (knee) is OUT.
PROJECTED SCORE: 100
Blazers: Portland is riding a 11-game home winning streak and has beaten the Lakers six straight times at the Rose Garden. The Blazers know both streaks will be tough to extend. “The Lakers are a big step for us to see where we are at," Portland leading scorer Brandon Roy said. "We’ve played them well, but they know that, so they’ll be ready to go. It should be a fun game. Guys are going to bring some energy.” Roy's teammate Joel Pryzbilla agreed. “That’s going to be a great test for us,” Pryzbilla said. “The Lakers will come in here ready. We’ve won a lot in a row at home. They’re going to know that. That’ll spark them. And you know how Kobe (Bryant) is. He’s always looking for ways to get self-motivated.”
Underdog is 22-6 ATS in the last 28 meetings.
The UNDER is 11-4 in Portland's last 15 games as an underdog.
Key Injuries - C Greg Oden (knee) is OUT.
PROJECTED SCORE: 103 (Side Play of the Day)
Hot Teams
-- Hornets won last seven games, covered last three.
-- Pistons won four of their last five games. Orlando won its last four.
-- Bulls won three of their last four games. Miami is 4-1 vs spread in the game after their last five losses.
-- Rockets won ten of their last twelve games.
-- Lakers won 15 of their last 18 games. Portland won four of last five.
Cold Teams
-- Hawks lost six of their last nine games.
-- Minnesota lost its last nine games (2-7 vs spread). Wizards lost last five games (0-4-1 vs spread).
-- Nuggets lost four of their last five games.
Totals
-- Last three Atlanta home games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Orlando road games went over the total.
-- Over is 7-2-1 in Miami's last ten games.
-- Last five Minnesota games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Denver home games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Laker games stayed under the total.
Back-to Back
-- Orlando is 7-2 vs spread if it played the day/night before.
-- Denver is 5-7 vs spread if they played the night before.
Western Wars
By Chris David
It’s safe to say that the Western Conference playoff race is all sealed up with less than 20 games remaining, unless Phoenix digs down deep. However, that’s asking a lot from a team that just went 0-4 on a crucial road trip late in the season. The Suns now trail Dallas by four games for the eighth and final playoff spot. The two teams tangle on Tuesday from the desert in what now looks like a must-win spot for Terry Porter’s team.
Regardless of what happens between the Suns and Mavs, it appears that whoever comes out will face the Lakers, who are just games away from locking up the No. 1 seed in the conference. The other six seeds between two and seven are toss ups right now and can change quickly.
If the playoffs started today, Denver and Houston would square off in the first round. The two squads meet Monday from Pepsi Center for the fourth and final time of the year. The home team has won the first three meetings, including Denver’s 104-94 victory on Nov. 30. All three games have gone ‘over’ the closing number as well.
The Rockets are one of the hotter teams in the league right now, going 10-2 straight up and 7-5 against the spread in their last 12. Houston won but failed to cover for the second consecutive game on Sunday after it defeated Memphis, 93-83.
Denver has been down on the road, and up at home. The Nuggets were shocked by the Kings 114-106 on Sunday. It was their sixth straight loss outside of Colorado. At home, Denver has won three in a row and the victories came up against playoff-bound teams(Hawks, Lakers, Blazers) too. Fortunately, George Karl’s team has four straight at home scheduled and all are winnable too.
Houston has gone 10-7 SU and 11-6 ATS in back-to-back spots, while Denver has posted a less than stellar 7-10 SU and 8-9 ATS ledger.
Another possible playoff showdown in the West on Monday takes place from Portland, when the Trail Blazers and Lakers tangle in the Great Northwest. Los Angeles has captured both of the two battles against Portland this season, but both victories at home (100-86, 96-76). Including the Lakers recent victories, the home team has dominated this series to a 9-1 record over the last 10.
Last year, Portland won and covered both contests against Los Angeles as home underdogs. Oddsmakers listed the Lakers as 2 ½-point road favorites for Monday’s battle. The Blazers have gone 3-2 ATS as home 'dogs this season.
Los Angeles is 8-2 SU and 5-5 ATS over its last 10. The two losses have come on the road to Denver (90-79) and Phoenix (118-111).
Portland has been a tough out at home (26-5 SU, 18-12 ATS) this year and the club is on a roll right now too. The Blazers have strung together 11 consecutive wins (7-4 ATS) at the Rose Garden.
Other Games to Watch this Week:
Monday – Orlando at Detroit: Magic off a big win on Sunday over Boston. Can they avenge a recent loss to the Pistons?
Tuesday – Dallas at Phoenix: Suns would fall five games back in the playoff chase if they lost.
Wednesday – L.A. Lakers at Houston: Rockets are playing great ball right now and would gain confidence with a win over the Purple and Gold.
Thursday – TNT Games: Lakers visit San Antonio and the Suns welcome Cleveland in a nice double-header.
vegasinsider.com
Game of the day: L.A. Lakers at Portland Trail Blazers
By The Prez
Los Angeles Lakers at Portland Trail Blazers (+4, 204.5)
Season series
Los Angeles has had Portland's number this season, going 2-0 ATS with both victories coming by double digits. The Blazers have scored just 76 and 86 points, respectively, in the two losses and they had a healthy Greg Oden for both of those games. The 2007 No. 1 overall pick is expected to be out at least another week with a knee injury.
Both of those games were in L.A. and Portland enters this one having won a season-high 11 in a row at the Rose Garden. The Blazers’ 26-5 home mark (18-12 ATS) is second-best in the Western Conference.
If tonight’s game is close in the final minutes it bodes well for the Blazers. They lead the NBA with an 8-1 record in games decided by three points or less and are 10-1 in those decided by four or less.
Some other excellent home numbers for Portland: The Blazers are 20-0 when leading at the half and 17-1 when ahead after the first quarter.
What's up with Odom?
The Lakers' Lamar Odom has been at the top of his game since replacing the injured Andrew Bynum in the starting lineup.
Only recently has Odom shown some signs of regressing as scorer, totaling four, two and two points in the past three games. He attempted just two shots in Friday’s game against Minnesota. His minutes have decreased, probably not coincidentally, in those three games, to 26 minutes compared to the 35.9 before Bynum went down.
“We know he can have little sessions of doubt or doldrums or whatever. He'll get it back," Lakers coach Phil Jackson told the Los Angeles Times.
First to 50
The Lakers' win over Timberwolves Friday night meant L.A. was the first NBA team to 50 wins this season. It's the eighth time in club history that the Lakers were the first team to 50 victories, the first time since 2001-02. In six of the previous seven instances, the Lakers went on to win the NBA championship that season.
"With 20 games left, we'd like to be the first to 60 (wins)," Jackson said.
This and that
The Lakers have lost six in a row at the Rose Garden with Portland having the NBA's third-best home record this season.
"It's a team that really gets up for us," Odom said.
This is the first of a tough three-game road trip for Los Angeles with trips to Houston and San Antonio following. The Lakers play 10 of their next 13 away from home. L.A. is 21-8 on the road (16-13 ATS) but has lost its past two road games (Denver and Phoenix).
Portland has been solid protecting the ball this year having committed fewer or the same number of turnovers as its opponent in nine straight games.
Bynum has been working out on exercise machines for the past two weeks, but won't be back until next month.
Portland's Brandon Roy has raised his game of late, averaging 26.8 points this month with the Blazers winning three of four (but just 1-3 ATS).
The Lakers are just 3-13 ATS in their past 16 at Portland.
NBA Monday Report
by Andre Gomes
New Orleans @ Atlanta
Important match for both teams, who are currently fighting for a Top 4 position in their respective conference. The Hawks are coming from another win over the Pistons, which allowed them to sweep the series. Josh Smith after some problems with his coach played very well in that game and led the Hawks to a very important win. Now Atlanta will face the Hornets who have won their last 7 matches and who will win a very important road trip in the East, which may decide their fate in their conference at the end of the regular season. They are coming from a tough win against Oklahoma City last Saturday, where they were just able to get a comfortable gap late in the game. The Hornets should play once again today without Morris Peterson and Peja Stojokovic, who are doubtful for this game.
Orlando @ Detroit
Orlando is coming from a fantastic win yesterday at Boston, where they built a good gap in the first half, which they were able to secure in the second half against a late comeback from the Celtics. However, the Magic won't time to rest, as they will play today in Detroit, in a back to back game. This is a tough spot for Orlando, but they have already showed earlier this season that they are almost impossible to stop when they gain some momentum. On the other side, Detroit is coming from a tough loss at Atlanta, where they saw their winning streak getting stopped by the energetic Hawks. This is a revenge game for Orlando, as Detroit defeated them on the road a couple of weeks ago. However, I doubt if the Magic will be able to play two very intense games in two consecutive days.
Chicago @ Miami
Miami is coming from an expected loss at Cleveland, who was coming from a loss and we all know how the Cavs are after a loss. The Heat are playing well lately, especially because Wade has been playing like a MVP and his performances have been too good for the opponents to stop him. Miami has won two games against Chicago already this season and they will be trying to get their third over the Bulls this one. On the other side, Chicago is coming from two big home wins against Golden State and Milwaukee and these wins gave them the necessary confidence to try to be competitive. The games between these two teams use to be extremely close and trying to guess a winner in here is really hard.
Washington @ Minnesota
The good news for these two teams is that one of them will get a rare win in here. The Wolves have lost their 9 games, but they were surprisingly competitive two nights ago in Portland, where they just lost by 2 points. Minnesota is really struggling without Al Jefferson and the number of games where they will stand a chance of winning is short, so they must take every opportunity like this one. The problem is that the Wizards are also in the same spot and they can't beat the Wolves, they basically can't beat anyone right now. Washington is coming from two blowouts in San Antonio and Dallas, but they have potential to be competitive in here and try to win the game outright. Caron Butler is back on the team, but can the Wizards really be focus tonight to get a rare win in their last game of a terrible road trip on the West?
Houston @ Denver
Denver must have been already thinking about this game yesterday, at they had a no show in Sacramento, where they lost by 114-106 against the lowly Kings. It was their fourth loss in the last five games, but the truth is that none of their losses during this span was at home. The fact that they are playing without Kenyon Martin surely isn't helping them. On the other side, the Rockets finally had revenge over the Grizzlies, after two losses on the road against them. Yao had a monster game with 24 points and 17 rebounds, but can we do that again today against a much tougher frontcourt? Houston leads the series by 2-1, with the home team always winning, however I can see Denver having some problems in stopping the Rockets, who have won 12 of their last 14 games.
LA Lakers @ Portland
After getting destroyed in LA twice earlier this season, Portland has now a chance to get revenge over the Lakers at home, where they are a much better team. The Blazers struggled to beat the Wolves last Saturday and in fact, they are 0-3 ATS in their last three games. This poor moment didn't arrive in a good moment, as they will host the Lakers and Dallas this week, in two very important games for them. On the other side, the Lakers are fully rested for this game and they will enter a terrible span right now. They will face Portland, Houston and San Antonio on the road and then, they will host Dallas and the Sixers at home. The Blazers have serious revenge in this game, but the Lakers seem to be more rested and the only thing I can predict for sure is that this will be a very physical matchup, with lots of contact.
Monday Research
By Indiancowboy
New Orleans vs. Atlanta
Atlanta beat this team on the road when NO was banged up. Atlanta comes off a big win and cover against Detroit. New Orleans has covered its last 3 contests and won the last 7 games. I can see it both ways.
Orlando vs. Detroit
Detroit has been playing great. I even wrote an article about how well the Pistons were playing without Iverson. Detroit could bounce-back nicely at home off a loss and Orlando comes off a huge win at Boston. Orlando does have revenge from losing to Detroit earlier this year. I know Orlando has revenge, but I can see Detroit getting it done here as they have 40% of the backing.
Washington vs. Minnesota
Wash didn't play all that bad at Dallas. They were tied at the half and even led by 6-8 points at one point only to collapse in the second half. I hate Dallas with a passion. If Dallas did not have that huge run in the fourth quarter and Jason Terry does not decide that he wants "30 points" instead of "25 points" I would have went 9-5 rather than 8-6. But, no, I'm not sore about it. But, Terry is on my ****list without a doubt this week. Minny returns home after playing a very good game in Portland and do have Telfair back in the lineup. I just hate 73% of the public is on Minny thought.
Chicago vs. Miami
Chicago should do extremely well in this game. Bear in mind you have a Bulls team that is healthy, playing well with Salmons who scored 20+ against the Bucks and provides that University of Miami type of athleticism, Miami does come off a loss, but the Bulls are much deeper given the trades they have made and can certainly win this game Outright as 71% of the public is on Miami.
Houston vs. Denver
Denver is playing horrible right now. They return home and will look to bounce-back but Houston is playing great with Artest. Denver does have revenge, but again, they are not a 4-quarter team and lost to the Kings on the road with Martin back. Public once again sucking on Denver like a baby on a mother. No thanks.