Indiana Pacers vs. Washington Wizards
The fans at Verizon Center will be treated to a game between the Indiana Pacers and the Washington Wizards when they take their seats on Saturday.
Roy Hibbert went for 20 points and hauled down nine rebounds on Friday, leading the Pacers over the Nets 107-91. The Pacers covered the 4-point spread, while the combined score went as a PUSH against the posted total of 198.
Tyler Hansbrough collected 21 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Celtics were outplayed in the second half but came away with a 104-102 victory over the Wizards on Thursday. The Celtics failed to cover the 7.5-point spread, while the 206 points made it OVER the posted total of 195.
Rajon Rondo poured in 21 points and dished out 11 assists to lead the Celtics. Ray Allen added 18 points in that win.
Current streak:
Washington has lost 3 straight games.
Team records:
Indiana: 7-13 SU, 7-13 ATS
Washington: 7-13 SU, 6-14 ATS
Indiana most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Orlando are 3-7
After playing New Jersey are 3-7
After a win are 5-5
Washington most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing LA Clippers are 6-4
After playing Boston are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing Washington
Indiana is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Indiana is 3-6-2 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Indiana
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
Next up:
Indiana at Orlando, Monday, December 14
Washington at LA Clippers, Monday, December 14
Golden State Warriors vs. Detroit Pistons
The Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Warriors were defeated 96-91 by the Bulls last time out, as a 4.5-point underdog. The 187 points went UNDER the posted total of 213.5.
Monta Ellis tossed in 27 points with six rebounds and five assists for the Warriors in the loss.
The Pistons were outscored in the fourth quarter, but managed to hang on for a 101-99 victory over the Nuggets on Thursday. The Pistons won the game as an 8-point underdog, while the 200 points made it OVER the posted total of 198.5.
Charlie Villaneuva poured in 27 points with five rebounds and five assists to lead the way. Rodney Stuckey added 25 points in that win.
Current streak:
Detroit has won 4 straight games.
Team records:
Golden State: 7-15 SU, 12-10 ATS
Detroit: 10-12 SU, 13-8-1 ATS
Golden State most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Philadelphia are 3-7
After playing Chicago are 3-7
After a loss are 4-6
Detroit most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Houston are 7-3
After playing Denver are 4-6
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Golden State is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Detroit
Golden State is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Detroit's last 8 games at home
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Detroit is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Next up:
Golden State at Philadelphia, Monday, December 14
Detroit at Houston, Tuesday, December 15
Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
The Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at United Center.
Oddsmakers currently have the Celtics listed as 10½-point favorites versus the Bulls, while the game's total has not yet been posted.
The Wizards were defeated 104-102 by the Celtics on Thursday, as 7.5-point underdogs. That game's 206 points made it OVER the posted total of 195.
Gilbert Arenas had 25 points with three rebounds and eight assists in the loss.
The Bulls rallied in the second half and came away with a 96-91 overtime victory over the Warriors on Friday. The Bulls covered the 4.5-point spread, while the 187 points went UNDER the posted total of 213.5.
Joakim Noah had 18 points with 14 rebounds for a double-double in leading the Bulls. Luol Deng added 21 points in that win.
Current streak:
Boston has won 9 straight games.
Team records:
Boston: 18-4 SU, 10-12 ATS
Chicago: 8-13 SU, 6-14-1 ATS
Boston most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
Before playing Memphis are 4-6
After playing Washington are 5-5
After a win are 8-2
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing LA Lakers are 7-3
After playing Golden State are 6-4
After a win are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games when playing Chicago
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Boston
Chicago is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
Chicago is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Boston
Chicago is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Boston
Next up:
Boston at Memphis, Monday, December 14
Chicago home to LA Lakers, Tuesday, December 15
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The Portland Trail Blazers and the Milwaukee Bucks will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at Bradley Center.
The Trail Blazers were defeated 104-99 by the Cavaliers last time out as a 10-point underdogs. The 203 points sailed OVER the posted total of 186.
Brandon Roy netted 23 points and dished out six assists in the loss.
The Bucks dominated the fourth quarter and came away with a 117-95 victory over the Raptors on Wednesday. The Bucks covered the 3.5-point spread, and the 212 points made it OVER the posted total of 206.
Brandon Jennings poured in 22 points for the Bucks, and Ersan Ilyasova added 17 in the win.
Team records:
Portland: 14-10 SU, 12-12 ATS
Milwaukee: 10-11 SU, 12-9 ATS
Portland most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Sacramento are 4-6
After playing Cleveland are 6-4
After a loss are 7-3
Milwaukee most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing LA Lakers are 6-4
After playing Toronto are 4-6
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Portland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Portland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Portland's last 12 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Milwaukee's last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games at home
Milwaukee is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Milwaukee's last 12 games when playing Portland
Next up:
Portland home to Sacramento, Tuesday, December 15
Milwaukee home to LA Lakers, Wednesday, December 16
Charlotte Bobcats vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Charlotte Bobcats and the Dallas Mavericks will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at American Airlines Center.
The Bobcats were clawed apart 104-85 by the Spurs last time out, as 7.5-point underdogs. The 189 points made it OVER the posted total of 188.
Stephen Jackson collected 23 points and hauled down five boards in a losing effort.
The Mavericks got out to an early lead and went on to down the Heat 106-93 on Friday. The Mavericks covered the 1.5-point spread, and the 199 points made it OVER that game's posted total of 194.5.
Dirk Nowitzki tossed in a team-high 25 points to lead the way, and Erick Dampier had a double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds.
Current streak:
Dallas has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Charlotte: 9-12 SU, 12-9 ATS
Dallas: 16-7 SU, 13-10 ATS
Charlotte most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing New York are 6-4
After playing San Antonio are 1-9
After a loss are 3-7
Dallas most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing New Orleans are 6-4
After playing Miami are 4-6
After a win are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Charlotte's last 10 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Charlotte is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
Charlotte is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Charlotte
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Charlotte
Dallas is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Dallas's last 10 games when playing Charlotte
Next up:
Charlotte home to New York, Tuesday, December 15
Dallas home to New Orleans, Monday, December 14
Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets
The Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at Pepsi Center.
Amare Stoudemire went for a game-high 28 points to lead the Suns over the Magic 106-102 on Friday. The Suns failed to cover the 3-point spread, while the 208 points went UNDER the posted total of 214.
Steve Nash netted 20 points with seven rebounds and 18 assists in that win.
The Nuggets were upset 101-99 by the Pistons last time out, as 8-point favorites. That game's 200 points made it OVER the posted total of 198.5.
Carmelo Anthony tossed in a game-high 40 points in the loss.
Current streak:
Denver has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Phoenix: 16-7 SU, 14-9 ATS
Denver: 16-7 SU, 13-10 ATS
Phoenix most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing San Antonio are 5-5
After playing Orlando are 9-1
After a win are 6-4
Denver most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 7-3
Before playing Oklahoma City are 5-5
After playing Detroit are 6-4
After a loss are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing on the road against Denver
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Phoenix's last 9 games when playing Denver
Phoenix is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing Denver
Denver is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home
Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Next up:
Phoenix home to San Antonio, Tuesday, December 15
Denver home to Oklahoma City, Monday, December 14
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz will both be gunning for a victory on Saturday when they meet at EnergySolutions Arena.
Pau Gasol tossed in 17 points with 20 rebounds in a double-double on Friday, leading the Lakers over the Timberwolves 104-92. The Lakers failed to cover the 15-point spread, while the 196 points went UNDER the posted total of 198.
Kobe Bryant finished with 20 points and five rebounds in the win.
Deron Williams poured in a team-high 32 points and dished out 15 assists to lead the Jazz over the Magic 120-111 on Thursday. The Jazz won the game as a 3-point underdog, while the combined 231 points sailed OVER the posted total of 201.5.
C.J. Miles chipped in with 22 points for the Jazz, and Carlos Boozer added 20 in the win.
Current streak:
Los Angeles has won 11 straight games.
Team records:
Los Angeles: 18-3 SU, 10-11 ATS
Utah: 13-9 SU, 12-10 ATS
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
Before playing Chicago are 7-3
After playing Minnesota are 7-3
After a win are 10-0
Utah most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 7-3
Before playing Minnesota are 7-3
After playing Orlando are 6-4
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games
LA Lakers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing Utah
LA Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing Utah
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Utah is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
Next up:
LA Lakers at Chicago, Tuesday, December 15
Utah home to Minnesota, Monday, December 14
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Sacramento Kings
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Sacramento Kings will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at ARCO Arena.
The Timberwolves were defeated 104-92 by the Lakers on Friday, as 15-point underdogs. That game's 196 points went UNDER the posted total of 198.
Al Jefferson netted 24 points with 13 rebounds for a double-double in the loss.
The Kings were toppled 118-106 by the Spurs last time out, as 12.5-point underdogs, That game's 224 points sailed OVER the posted total of 201.
Jason Thompson netted 19 points and hauled down nine rebounds.
Current streak:
Minnesota has lost 3 straight games.
Sacramento has lost 4 straight games.
Team records:
Minnesota: 3-20 SU, 11-11-1 ATS
Sacramento: 9-12 SU, 14-6-1 ATS
Minnesota most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing Utah are 1-9
After playing LA Lakers are 1-9
After a loss are 2-8
Sacramento most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 2-8
Before playing Portland are 4-6
After playing San Antonio are 1-9
After a loss are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Sacramento
Minnesota is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Minnesota is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Minnesota is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento
Sacramento is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Sacramento is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Sacramento is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Sacramento is 6-1-1 ATS in its last 8 games
Next up:
Minnesota at Utah, Monday, December 14
Sacramento at Portland, Tuesday, December 15
Phoenix (16-7, 12-10-1 ATS) at Denver (16-7, 13-10 ATS)
The Nuggets return to the Pepsi Center following a disappointing four-game road trip and will host the Suns, who have dropped four of six overall and four straight on the highway.
Phoenix is coming off Friday’s 106-103 victory over the Magic, pushing as a three-point home favorite. The Suns have lost four of their last six, with all four losses coming on the road. The Suns have failed to cover in five of their last six games, which follows a 4-0 ATS run.
Denver began its road trip with impressive wins at San Antonio last Saturday (106-99 as a four-point underdog) and Philadelphia on Monday (93-83 as a 6½-point chalk), but closed it with a pair of upset defeats at Charlotte on Tuesday (107-95 as a three-point favorite) and Detroit on Thursday (101-99 as a 7½-point chalk). On the bright side, George Karl’s team is 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS at home, outscoring visitors by nearly 14 points per game (117.2-103.3) while shooting 50.3 percent from the field.
This is the first battle of the season between these squads, and the host has owned this rivalry of late, winning nine in a row (8-1 ATS). Last year, the Nuggets cashed in two of the three meetings – including a 119-113 overtime victory at the Pepsi Center as a three-point chalk. The last four clashes have been decided by a total of 22 points (all by seven points or less).
Going back further in this rivalry, the home team is 13-3 ATS in the last 16 meetings, the favorite is 7-1 ATS in the last eight and Phoenix has failed to cash in five straight trips to the Pepsi Center.
Phoenix has covered in four of its last five on Saturday, but is 2-5-1 ATS in its last eight against opponents with a winning record and 1-4 ATS in its last five when playing on back-to-back nights. The Nuggets sport nothing but positive pointspread trends, including 20-8 at home, 36-16 against Western Conference foes, 13-6 versus the Pacific Division, 7-2 on Saturday, 25-10 against winning clubs and 4-1 when playing on one day of rest.
Despite their high-flying offense, the Suns are riding a plethora of “under” streaks, including 10-1-2 overall, 7-0-1 on the road and 5-0 on Saturday, but the over is 9-3 in their last 12 back-to-backs. Denver is on “under” rolls of 7-3 against the Pacific Division, 7-3 when going on one day of rest and 13-6 on Saturday.
Finally, seven of the last 10 meetings between these teams have hurdled the total, including the last four in a row in Denver.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DENVER
NBA RoundUp for 12/12
By Dan Bebe
Sports Wagering
Wizards/Pacers - Washington by 8 with a total of 205.5. I'll tell you, if either of the teams in this game was a public favorite, I'd call this the ultimate trap line, but given that it's the Wizards and Pacers, I'm jut not sure. That right there is one vote for a no-play, but let's see what we can figure out. The Pacers played last night, picking up a rare win, at home, against the pathetic New Jersey Nets. The Pacers outscored the Nets by a few points in every quarter, and before they knew it, they were up double digits. Life will not be quite so easy for Indiana tonight. Generally, I like to back a team that picks up a win to snap a long losing streak, but even with 8 points, I'm not sure I can get behind the Pacers. Over the last couple weeks, the Pacers lost 4 straight, won 1, then lost 6 straight before grabbing the "w" last night. This team is clearly not built to go on a winning streak, and getting 8 points feels like way, way too many, which makes me think the Wiz blow them out of the building. Washington is coming off a narrow loss to the Celtics on TNT, so they have had a day to rest up for this very winnable match. The Wizards have lost 3 straight, overall, and the other two came at the hands of the Pistons and Raptors. It really makes you wonder how oddsmakers could give this team an 8 point advantage, another tally in the "trap" column. Washington is definitely a better team than Indiana, especially with the injuries the Pacers are dealing with, but 8 points? I lean Washington because something smells fishy. In terms of the total, it seems like we have some value with the Under, given the Pacers fatigue and injury list.
Pistons/Warriors - This line is OFF. Damn unfortunate, too, because the moment the Warriors game went into OT last night, we had some value with the Pistons that we can't capitalize on thanks to the line being unavailable. Golden State continues to play serviceable basketball, beating the bad teams at home with a rare solid home win, and then generally losing on the road. The Warriors are just 3-10 away from home this season, and last night's road loss to the slumping Bulls was a decent indicator of how important playing in Oakland can be for this team. The Warriors score a ton of points, but they seem to have some issues forcing the tempo on the road - not sure if it's an energy thing or what, but last night's OT game in Chicago still ended with a total of 187. The Pistons, meanwhile, are coming off a gutsy win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday. Detroit has won 4 straight, and somehow, even without Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon, this team is only 2 games under the .500 mark. The Pistons are 13-8 ATS, and are 7-4 SU on their home court. With Golden State likely tired from last night's game, and the situation exacerbated by the Warriors short bench, the Pistons are in position to grab another home win. My one concern with this one, and it does become a factor because I think we'll see the Pistons laying 6-7 points, is that Detroit may be in letdown mode after the big win over Denver. I'm not saying they'll lose the game, but the effort might not be what we need for a cover. Very curious where we see the total open, too, since I think there may be some value on another Under.
Bulls/Celtics - Chicago is getting 11 points at home with a total of 187. This is bordering on obscene, and I have to think this line is inflated a bit. Laying 11 points in a road venue is almost unheard of, because this basically means if the home court was reversed, the Celtics would be a favorite of at least 17 points. Yes, Chicago played an overtime game last night, putting them in a fatigue spot, but you can bet someone like, say, Derrick Rose, is not going to back down from the Celtics. Still, Chicago has made it about as tough as humanly possible to back this team. The win last night was only the Bulls' second victory since November 19, a stretch over which the team has gone 2-9. They have lost to Toronto and New Jersey at home over those few weeks, inspiring little confidence despite the team's 6-3 home mark SU coming into this game. Still, you know the team will be juiced up for this game, especially after the ass-whooping the Celtics laid on Chicago back in the first week of the season, in Boston. Boston, on the other hand, has won 9 games in a row. They have failed to cover in the last two, though, and oddsmakers are in a nice spot where they can continue to inflate Celtics lines (the team is winning, after all), but still collect the public's money when Boston loses the cover. I lean Chicago on the side, and I simply have to lean to the Under, since Chicago has zero prayer of outscoring Boston, and this should be a grinder.
Bobcats/Mavs - This line is OFF. This should be an interesting one, if only we could get a line to work with. The Mavs, at 16-7, are clearly one of the elite teams in the NBA, and they're only getting better. The return of Josh Howard (even in limited minutes) is helping this team with their depth, and once he gets strong enough to start, look out. Dallas beat up on Miami last night on the road, so there is certainly a letdown situation on hand here, but I still think we see Dallas favored by a small margin. They've shown the ability to win on the road (9-4 SU and ATS), winning by an average margin of over 5 points. I don't know what the people of Charlotte put in the water, though, because teams just don't seem to play well in this building. The Bobcats are a miserable 1-8 on the road, but 8-3 at home, one of the most pronounced home/road splits in the NBA. They win by 6.2 points on average at home and lose by over 8 on the road. If oddsmakers truly adjusted the line for Charlotte based on their performance, we'd see a home/road line move of well over the normal 6-7 points. That being said, I still think the Bobcats are a small home dog, and I would love to back them here. They are coming off a rather dominant home win over the Nuggets, and there's very little reason to think they can't do it against another good team today. They've also played 4 straight Overs, so that's something to think about, as well.
Bucks/Blazers - Milwaukee by 3 with a total of 189.5. This one is a strange line, and at first glance, I would love to take Milwaukee in a monster win. I'll tell you why. The Blazers continue to get public love despite their recent stretch of rather pedestrian basketball. Portland played a tough game against Cleveland last night and lost by 5, meaning this team should be pretty tuckered out heading into Milwaukee for the "less interesting" half of their back-to-back, and I'm not sure how much Portland will have in the tank. The Blazers have covered their last 2 games, so that's something, but they are easily the worst 14-10 team in the NBA right now. The Bucks, on the other hand, are one of the league's toughest 10-11 teams. Milwaukee is 8-3 at home, and coming off a furious beatdown of the lowly Raptors. I think Milwaukee catches Portland in a bad spot, here, and I think the Bucks can win this thing by 6-8 points, well over the current listed spread. If this line moves the way I want it to throughout the day, and we can fair money coming in on both sides, this could very well be a play. The total of 189.5 feels awfully low for a Bucks game, and the Blazers have played 2 straight Overs, as well, and I feel the value here is in the Over.
Nuggets/Suns - Denver by 8.5 with a total of 227. This couldn't be a worse spot for the Suns. Truthfully, the only way this could be a poorer situational spot for Phoenix would be if their game last night went into some number of overtime periods. As it is, the Suns played a hotly contested game with the Magic, pushed on the spread of 3 points, had to win with late heroics, and then had to rush like hell to the airport, fly to Denver in the wee hours, try to adjust to the thin air, and take on the Nuggets tonight in what could have been a great game if the Suns weren't flying into that silly-looking Denver airport off a late-night contest with the Magic. Fact of the matter is, this line is high for a reason. The Nuggets are lethal at home, and the Suns might hit "E" on their gas tank by about the 9 minute mark of the 3rd quarter. Denver, by the way, is coming off back-to-back losses on the road to finish a 4-game road trip, so they're not in the world's best spot here, but their situation is certainly better than that of the Suns. I lean Denver on the side and the Under on the total, with fatigue playing a factor, and the Nuggets first game home should mean at least one quarter of less-than-stellar focus from the home team.
Jazz/Lakers - The Jazz are underdogs of 1.5 points with a total of 203.5. Seriously, try to convince me that the Lakers laying just 1.5 points doesn't feel like far, far too few. We're talking about a team from LA that has won ELEVEN straight games. There is no hotter team in the entire NBA than the Lakers, who are playing the best defense we've seen in LA, well, maybe ever, and beat the Jazz by 24 just three days ago. That being said, the Lakers have not been covering all of their spreads, and there is no better time to fade a team than when they're winning SU and losing ATS. The public's memory isn't that great, and when they look at the last few weeks and see W11 next to the Lakers, they're going to jump all over this tiny spread. I'll tell you right now, Utah wins this game. There is zero question in my mind. The Lakers finished their 6-game homestand last night with a win (loss ATS) against the T'Wolves, and Kobe Bryant broke his finger in the process. That maniac will continue to play through it, but he won't be at full strength, and the Jazz are going to be in revenge mode. The Jazz are 10-3 at home (9-1 in their last 10 home games), and Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are playing some of the best basketball of their careers. The Jazz are coming off a monster second half in their game against the Magic, and I think with the Lakers getting into Utah late (a city with some mild altitude, as well), we may see another Jazz attack in the second half. I lean hard to Utah. I also like the Under, as I see the Lakers falling apart offensively when fatigue sets in.
Kings/Timberwolves - Kings by 7.5 with a total of 206. Bad spot for the Wolves, not a very good spot for the Kings, but someone's got to win, so...Anyway, the Wolves come to Sactown after a loss late last night in Los Angeles. To their credit, Minnesota did cover, and despite being 3-19 SU, the Wolves are 11-11 ATS, so oddsmakers have had a nice handle on this team so far. They've actually covered 7 straight after a terrible ATS start to the season, and have been the quietest cash cow over the last 2 weeks for underdog bettors. This might be another chance to grab some points. The return of Kevin Love has made this team much more formidable on the inside, and with both Jefferson and Love on the glass, the Wolves have outrebounded 5 of their last 6 opponents. If they could shoot the ball, they might win a few games. Still, they've been able to keep games close with the low and mid-tier teams of the League. My obvious concern in this one is fatigue, coming off the game with LA. The Kings come home after a short 2-game road trip, so the "first game home" capping angle shouldn't really come into play. What might come into play is the fact that the Kings have lost 4 straight games, and they've let their last 3 opponents all shoot over 50%. This poor defense has led to 2 of 3 games going Over, and it has also led to the aforementioned losing streak. This is a nice chance for the Kings to get back in the win column, but the large spread is a little bit too much to chew on. I'd lean to the Wolves just slightly, no lean on the total.
Fantasy Advice
Chris Duhon - I mentioned him back at the top of this write-up, and I noted him a week ago, but he's coming out of his coma, and has the potential to be a 15-point, 8-assist point guard that hits a few threes, putting him as roughly the equivalent of a 4th or 5th-round draft pick. Pick him up, and trade him after he puts together 4 or 5 straight good games.