NBA Today
SCOREBOARD
Saturday, March 7
Oklahoma City at New Orleans (8 p.m. EST). The Thunder have won three in a row for the first time this season, all of them without top scorer Kevin Durant, while the Hornets are riding a season-best six-game win streak.
STARS
Friday
— Dwyane Wade, Heat, had 42 points, eight assists and six rebounds in Miami’s 108-102 victory over Toronto. The NBA’s leading scorer topped 40 points for the fourth time in seven games.
— Deron Williams, Jazz, had 25 points and 11 assists, his 11th straight game with 10 or more, helping Utah rally from a 19-point deficit to beat Denver 97-91 and extend its winning streak to 10 games.
— Dwight Howard, Magic, had 26 points and 15 rebounds to help Orlando rally to beat the New Jersey Nets 105-102.
— Paul Pierce, Celtics, scored 29 points to lead Boston to a 105-94 victory over Cleveland.
— Ben Gordon, Bulls, scored 34 points, including 21 in the first half of Chicago’s 117-102 win over Milwaukee.
— Aaron Brooks, Rockets, scored a career-high 30 points and drove past Shaquille O’Neal for the winning basket in Houston’s 116-112 win over the Phoenix Suns.
CREEPING CLOSER
Boston tightened the race for the best record in the Eastern Conference and home-court advantage through the conference finals with a 105-94 victory over Cleveland. The Cavaliers (48-13) lead Boston (49-14) in winning percentage .787 to .778, though the Celtics took the lead in the head-to-head tiebreaker, 2-1, with an April 12 game in Cleveland remaining.
BIRTHDAY BOY
Shaquille O’Neal scored 17 points on his 37th birthday, but Phoenix lost 116-112 to Houston on Friday night and slipped three games behind Dallas in the race for the No. 8 playoff spot in the West. Earlier in the day, Suns coach Alvin Gentry presented O’Neal with a chocolate birthday cake after the shootaround, and Goran Dragic sang “Happy Birthday” in his native Slovenian.
MOVING ON UP
Kobe Bryant’s second basket of the game late in the second quarter of the Lakers’ 110-90 victory over Minnesota allowed him to pass Robert Parish for 18th on the NBA’s career scoring list, and he now has 23,354 points. Parish achieved his 23,334 points over 21 seasons, while Bryant is in his 12th year.
SHOOTING WOES
New Jersey shot 1-for-8 over the last 6:16 as Orlando rallied from eight points down and beat the Nets 105-102 on Friday night. … LeBron James was just 5-of-15 from the field, going more than 13 minutes without a field goal in the second half, as Cleveland lost 105-94 in Boston.
STREAKS
Charlotte used a near-perfect first quarter to build a big lead and beat the Atlanta Hawks 98-91 on Friday night for its franchise record-tying fifth straight victory. … The resurgent Detroit Pistons won their fourth straight by routing short-handed Golden State 108-91.
FIGHTING HAWKS
Atlanta played the entire second half of its 98-91 loss at Charlotte on Friday night without power forward Josh Smith, who got into a heated exchange with coach Mike Woodson at halftime that could be heard in the hallway outside the locker room. Neither Smith nor Woodson commented on the incident after the game.
SIDELINED
Milwaukee’s Luke Ridnour hurt his right thumb early in the fourth quarter of the Bucks’ 117-102 loss at Chicago after he was bumped and didn’t return to the game. He broke the thumb last month. … Golden State leading rebounder Andris Biedrins didn’t play in a loss to Detroit because of personal reasons. The Warriors were also without G Monta Ellis (left ankle stiffness) and F Brandon Wright (partial dislocation of his left shoulder).
SPEAKING
“Once you start hitting a couple of shots, whether it’s free throws or whether you get to the basket, but especially if it’s jump shots, your confidence builds and builds. You feel like you can’t miss and when you do miss you look at the rim like, ‘What’s going on?’ That’s a feeling that we all love to experience. I’ve been experience it for a couple of games now. I just hope when it dies down, it doesn’t die down too bad.”—Dwyane Wade, after he scored 42 points in Miami’s 108-102 victory over Toronto, his fourth 40-point game in his last seven outings.
Detroit Pistons vs. Atlanta Hawks
The Pistons continued their hot play with a 108-91 pounding of the Warriors at The Palace of Auburn Hill Friday night.
Detroit covered as a 10.5-point home favorite while the final score played under the 207.5-point total.
The Atlanta Hawks were edged 98-91 by the Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena Saturday.
Charlotte covered as a 3-point home favorite while the final score played over the 183-point total.
Current streak:
Detroit has won 4 straight games.
Atlanta has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Detroit: 31-29 SU, 25-35 ATS
Atlanta: 34-28 SU, 32-30 ATS
Detroit most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Orlando are 7-3
After playing Golden State are 6-4
After a win are 5-5
Atlanta most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing New Orleans are 3-7
After playing Charlotte are 2-8
After a loss are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing Atlanta
Detroit is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
Atlanta is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games at home
Next up:
Detroit home to Orlando, Monday, March 9
Atlanta home to New Orleans, Monday, March 9
Miami Heat vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Heat stole a 108-102 win from the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre Friday.
Miami covered as a 1-point road favorite while the final score played over the 202.5-point total.
The Cavaliers were knocked off 105-94 by the Celtics at TD Banknorth Garden Friday.
Boston won as a 1.5-point home favorite while the final score played over the 185.5-point total.
Current streak:
Miami has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Miami: 33-28 SU, 29-31-1 ATS
Cleveland: 48-13 SU, 39-22 ATS
Miami most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Chicago are 2-8
After playing Toronto are 6-4
After a win are 3-7
Cleveland most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing LA Clippers are 3-7
After playing Boston are 6-4
After a loss are 9-1
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Miami's last 18 games when playing Cleveland
Miami is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Miami is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Cleveland is 24-1 SU in its last 25 games at home
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Miami
Cleveland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games at home
Next up:
Miami home to Chicago, Monday, March 9
Cleveland at LA Clippers, Tuesday, March 10
Charlotte Bobcats vs. New York Knicks
The Bobcats got double figures from every member of the starting five to edge the Hawks 98-91 at Time Warner Cable Arena Saturday.
Charlotte covered as a 3-point home favorite while the final score played over the 183-point total.
The Knicks were outplayed in the fourth quarter, but managed to hang on for a 109-105 victory over the Hawks on Wednesday. The Knicks won that game as a pick'em, and the 214 points went as a PUSH against the posted total of 214.
Larry Hughes led the way with 23 points for the Knicks, while Al Harrington added 20 and Danilo Gallinari chipped in with 18 points.
Current streak:
Charlotte has won 5 straight games.
Team records:
Charlotte: 27-35 SU, 38-24 ATS
New York: 25-35 SU, 34-26 ATS
Charlotte most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 2-8
Before playing San Antonio are 4-5
After playing Atlanta are 6-4
After a win are 6-4
New York most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing New Jersey are 2-8
After playing Atlanta are 3-7
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Charlotte is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Charlotte is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Charlotte is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone OVER in 9 of New York's last 10 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 14 of New York's last 16 games
New York is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Charlotte
New York is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Charlotte
Next up:
Charlotte at San Antonio, Tuesday, March 10
New York at New Jersey, Sunday, March 8
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies
Andre Iguodala dropped 30 points for Philadelphia in its 98-91 loss to New Orleans on Monday night.
New Orleans cashed as 1.5-point road underdogs as the game played under the 189.5-point total posted by oddsmakers.
The Grizzlies dominated the second half and ran over the Clippers 118-95 on Wednesday, as 2-point underdogs. The 213 points made it OVER the posted total of 193.5.
Rudy Gay tossed in a game-high 35 points to lead the Grizzlies, and Marc Gasol added 20 points with eight rebounds and 10 assists.
Current streak:
Philadelphia has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Philadelphia: 29-30 SU, 27-30-2 ATS
Memphis: 16-44 SU, 25-34-1 ATS
Philadelphia most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 8-2
Before playing Oklahoma City are 5-5
After playing New Orleans are 5-5
After a loss are 5-5
Memphis most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 3-7
Before playing Houston are 3-7
After playing LA Clippers are 3-7
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 11 games when playing Memphis
Philadelphia is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Memphis's last 11 games when playing Philadelphia
Memphis is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games
Next up:
Philadelphia at Oklahoma City, Sunday, March 8
Memphis at Houston, Sunday, March 8
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Orleans Hornets
Oklahoma City climbed out to a small lead and held off the Wizards for an 88-83 win on Wednesday. Oklahoma City covered the 4.5-point spread, and the 171 points went UNDER the posted total of 194.
Thabo Sefolosha netted 15 points with eight rebounds, and Nenad Krstic scored a team-high 18 points in that win.
Chris Paul went for 27 points and dished out 15 assists to lead the Hornets in a 104-88 victory over the Mavericks on Thursday. The Hornets covered the 6.5-point spread, while the 192 points went UNDER the posted total of 195.
David West tossed in 19 points to go with 11 rebounds for a double-double, and Rasual Butler added 18 points in that win.
Current streak:
Oklahoma City has won 3 straight games.
New Orleans has won 6 straight games.
Team records:
Oklahoma City: 16-45 SU, 36-24-1 ATS
New Orleans: 38-22 SU, 25-33-2 ATS
Oklahoma City most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Philadelphia are 6-4
After playing Washington are 6-4
After a win are 5-5
New Orleans most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Atlanta are 4-6
After playing Dallas are 6-4
After a win are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oklahoma City's last 10 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
Oklahoma City is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
New Orleans is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
New Orleans is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
New Orleans is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
New Orleans is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Next up:
Oklahoma City home to Philadelphia, Sunday, March 8
New Orleans at Atlanta, Monday, March 9
Washington Wizards vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Wizards were smacked around 100-78 by the Spurs at the AT&T Center Friday.
San Antonio covered as a 12.5-point home favorite while the final score played under the 186-point total.
Dirk Nowitzki dropped 27 points and hauled down seven rebounds in the Mavericks 104-88 loss to the Hornets last time out, as 6.5-point underdogs. That game's 192 points went UNDER the posted total of 195.
Current streak:
Washington has lost 4 straight games.
Team records:
Washington: 14-48 SU, 22-38-2 ATS
Dallas: 37-25 SU, 29-33 ATS
Washington most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 1-9
Before playing Minnesota are 4-6
After playing San Antonio are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7
Dallas most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 6-4
Before playing Phoenix are 7-3
After playing New Orleans are 6-4
After a loss are 8-2
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Dallas
Washington is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Washington is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing Dallas
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 6 games at home
Dallas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing Washington
Next up:
Washington at Minnesota, Monday, March 9
Dallas at Phoenix, Tuesday, March 10
Golden State Warriors vs. Milwaukee Bucks
The Warriors ran into a red-hot Pistons club, losing 108-91 at The Palace of Auburn Hill Friday night.
Detroit covered as a 10.5-point home favorite while the final score played under the 207.5-point total.
The Bucks were beat up 117-102 by the Bulls 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.
Current streak:
Golden State has lost 2 straight games.
Milwaukee has lost 3 straight games.
Team records:
Golden State: 21-41 SU, 28-33-1 ATS
Milwaukee: 29-36 SU, 35-28-2 ATS
Golden State most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing New Jersey are 2-8
After playing Detroit are 6-4
After a loss are 6-4
Milwaukee most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 1-9
Before playing New York are 1-9
After playing Chicago are 5-5
After a loss are 4-6
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Golden State is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 9 games when playing Milwaukee
Golden State is 8-15 SU in its last 23 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 9 games at home
Milwaukee is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 9 games when playing Golden State
Next up:
Golden State home to New Jersey, Wednesday, March 11
Milwaukee home to New York, Tuesday, March 10
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Portland Trail Blazers
The Timberwolves were rolled by the Lakers, losing 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 Trail Blazers fell 106-90 to the Nuggets last time out, as 7.5-point road underdogs. That game's 196 points fell UNDER the posted total of 199.5.
Brandon Roy led the Trail Blazers with 22 points, and Lyle Aldridge collected 19 in the loss.
Current streak:
Minnesota has lost 8 straight games.
Team records:
Minnesota: 18-43 SU, 26-34-1 ATS
Portland: 38-23 SU, 31-30 ATS
Minnesota most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Washington are 6-4
After playing LA Lakers are 1-9
After a loss are 1-9
Portland most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing LA Lakers are 2-8
After playing Denver are 5-5
After a loss are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota's last 10 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Minnesota's last 22 games when playing Portland
Minnesota is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Portland
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Portland is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Minnesota
Next up:
Minnesota home to Washington, Monday, March 9
Portland home to LA Lakers, Monday, March 9
Indiana Pacers vs. Los Angeles Clippers
The Pacers fell 107-105 to the Trail Blazers last time out, as 10-point road underdogs. The 212 points made it OVER the posted total of 208.
Marquis Daniels also scored a game-high 28 points in the loss.
The Clippers were crushed 118-95 by the Grizzlies last time out, as 2-point favorites at home. That game's 213 points made it OVER the posted total of 193.5.
Al Thornton led the Clippers with 25 points, and Baron Davis had 16 in the loss.
Current streak:
Los Angeles has lost 4 straight games.
Team records:
Indiana: 27-37 SU, 35-27-2 ATS
Los Angeles: 15-47 SU, 23-39 ATS
Indiana most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Utah are 3-7
After playing Portland are 4-6
After a loss are 8-2
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Saturday are 5-5
Before playing Cleveland are 4-6
After playing Memphis are 5-5
After a loss are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
Indiana is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 9 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 9 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Indiana is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the LA Clippers last 9 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the LA Clippers last 9 games when playing at home against Indiana
LA Clippers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 6 games
Next up:
Indiana home to Utah, Tuesday, March 10
LA Clippers home to Cleveland, Tuesday, March 10
DETROIT (30 - 29) at ATLANTA (34 - 27)
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 24-35 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all games this season.
DETROIT is 73-53 ATS (+14.7 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 6-3 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 6-3 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI (32 - 28) at CLEVELAND (48 - 12)
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 60-80 ATS (-28.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 39-21 ATS (+15.9 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 34-17 ATS (+15.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) in home games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 5-5 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 6-4 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE (26 - 35) at NEW YORK (25 - 35)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 5-4 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 6-3 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA (29 - 30) at MEMPHIS (16 - 44)
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 68-45 ATS (+18.5 Units) after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 25-34 ATS (-12.4 Units) in all games this season.
MEMPHIS is 46-63 ATS (-23.3 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 29-43 ATS (-18.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 44-61 ATS (-23.1 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 2-2 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 4-1 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY (16 - 45) at NEW ORLEANS (38 - 22)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 130-102 ATS (+17.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 62-45 ATS (+12.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 46-33 ATS (+9.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games in March games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 35-24 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 32-18 ATS (+12.2 Units) as an underdog this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) against Southwest division opponents this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 56-82 ATS (-34.2 Units) after a division game since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-4 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 8-2 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE (21 - 40) at MILWAUKEE (29 - 35)
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 62-79 ATS (-24.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) in road games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
MILWAUKEE is 207-264 ATS (-83.4 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 80-113 ATS (-44.3 Units) on Saturday games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 27-46 ATS (-23.6 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 146-184 ATS (-56.4 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 45-65 ATS (-26.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 8-23 ATS (-17.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON (14 - 47) at DALLAS (37 - 25)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-2 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 3-2 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA (18 - 42) at PORTLAND (38 - 23)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 96-123 ATS (-39.3 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 49-64 ATS (-21.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 30-55 ATS (-30.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 30-45 ATS (-19.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 9-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 9-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA (27 - 37) at LA CLIPPERS (15 - 47)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 3-2 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 3-2 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT vs. ATLANTA
Detroit is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Detroit is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
CHARLOTTE vs. NEW YORK
Charlotte is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing New York
Charlotte is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New York
New York is 14-7 ATS in its last 21 games
New York is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
MIAMI vs. CLEVELAND
Miami is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
Cleveland is 19-5 ATS in its last 24 games at home
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. NEW ORLEANS
Oklahoma City is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing New Orleans
New Orleans is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
New Orleans is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
PHILADELPHIA vs. MEMPHIS
Philadelphia is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Philadelphia is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Memphis is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Memphis is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
GOLDEN STATE vs. MILWAUKEE
Golden State is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Golden State is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Milwaukee is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing at home against Golden State
WASHINGTON vs. DALLAS
Washington is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
MINNESOTA vs. PORTLAND
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Minnesota is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Portland
Portland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
INDIANA vs. LA CLIPPERS
Indiana is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Indiana is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games on the road
LA Clippers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games when playing at home against Indiana
LA Clippers are 4-10 SU in their last 14 games when playing at home against Indiana
Tips and Trends
Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers
Heat: Miami guard Dwyane Wade has made his case for the NBA MVP award over the last week, although Cleveland's LeBron James scored two more points than him in the last meeting on Monday and walked away with a 107-100 victory. Wade scored 40 against the Cavs and has hit that mark in three of his last four games. He is also averaging 30.3 points vs. Cleveland this season and totaled 42 in a 108-102 win at Toronto on Friday. “I enjoyed the battle that we had,” Wade said. “You all saw it on ESPN, right? It was a good show.”
Heat are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games vs. Central Division.
The OVER is 7-1-1 in Miami's last 9 games overall.
Key Injuries - C Mark Blount (personal) is day-to-day.
PROJECTED SCORE: 93 (OVER - Total Play of the Day)
Cavs (-9.5, O/U 189): Cleveland owns a 27-1 mark at home this season but suffered a tough 105-94 loss at Boston on Friday. The home team won for the 15th straight time in the series with the Celtics, making James realize just how important home-court advantage could be in the playoffs. “Both teams know it takes on a different meaning because we may face each other late in the season,” James said. “At one point, somebody’s going to have to get a win on the other’s home court.”
Cavs are 1-3 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
The OVER is 7-2 in Cleveland's last 9 Saturday games.
Key Injuries - C Ben Wallace (leg) is OUT.
PROJECTED SCORE: 102
(507) PHILADELPHIA vs. (508) MEMPHIS
MEMPHIS is 11-1 UNDER (+9.9 Units) as a home underdog of 6 points or less this season. The average score was MEMPHIS 91.7, OPPONENT 89.1 - (Rating = 3*)
(509) OKLAHOMA CITY vs. (510) NEW ORLEANS
NEW ORLEANS is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - shooting pct defense of >=46% this season. The average score was NEW ORLEANS 95.6, OPPONENT 94.6 - (Rating = 2*)
(511) GOLDEN STATE vs. (512) MILWAUKEE
MILWAUKEE is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in 2nd half of the last 2 seasons. The average score was MILWAUKEE 100, OPPONENT 106.3 - (Rating = 2*)
Saturday NBA Report
by Andre Gomes
Detroit @ Atlanta
Detroit really seems to be picking up without Iverson and the truth is that they have won their last four games without him. And we are talking about four quality wins. They won at Orlando and at Boston and then defeated Denver and Golden State at home. The most impressive is that they held four of the best offenses of the league to 85, 95, 95 and 91 points! The Pistons really seem to be coming back to what they were in the past few seasons, but now they will be facing the Hawks on the road, a team they tradicionally struggle against. The Pistons are 3-9 ATS against the Hawks in their last 12 meetings and Atlanta has already won two games against them this season, one at home and one on the road. The Hawks are coming from two road losses, but they are a different team at home, where they have a great 20-7 record. This promises to be a really close match between two teams who will be fighting for home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs until the last week of the regular season.
Miami @ Cleveland
Dwayne Wade is really carrying the Heat right now with some astonishing performance and the truth is that Miami is currently ahead of teams like Detroit and Philadelphia in the standings right now. This will be the second time in less than a week that these two teams will face each other, as Cleveland won at Miami by 107-100 last Monday. The Cavs are coming from a tough defeat as Boston last night, but we all know how they play at home and the proof of that is their 25-6 ATS record in their last 31 home games. Still one of the times they didn't cover the spread during this span was against Miami earlier this season. It's true that the Cavs are coming mad to this game, while the Heat are coming from a great win at Toronto, but do we really want to lay almost 10 points on a team who will face the red hot Dwayne Wade tonight?
Charlotte @ New York
Really contrast of styles in this game between the run and gun Knicks and the defensive Bobcats. Charlotte has won their last five games and once again last night, they showed their good form by taking out the Hawks by 98-91. The main problem for them is to play on the road, where they have a poor 9-20 record. The Knicks were struggling until they got a great home win against the Hawks. But Nate and Jeffries are questionable for this match and especially Nate is one of the most important pieces of the Knicks' puzzle. New York is 2-0 against the Bobcats this season, but Charlotte really seems to be the better team of the two right now. With such a contrast of styles, it's hard to predict something in this matchup.
Philadelphia @ Memphis
This will be a match between two teams who aren't exactly in top form right now. The Sixers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 matches and they have lost their last two games at home against the Hornets and Orlando. However their last game was last Monday, so they had plenty of time to rest for this game. On the other side, Memphis is 3-10 ATS in their last 13 home games, but they are actually coming from a rare road win against the Clippers. The Grizzlies don't have a lot to fight for, but they have actually been competitive in the last games, including a nice fight in LA against the Lakers. Both teams are rested and the Sixers really look to have a nice spot to get an important win in here, but can we trust them in a road underdog spot? Note that the under is 9-1-1 in the last 12 matches between these two teams.
Oklahoma City @ New Orleans
The Hornets are really getting into form and they have won their last 6 games. But one thing is winning and other thing is covering the spread and while the Hornets have won their last 6 games, they went 2-4 ATS in those games. Still those games were tough ones, including home games against Dallas and Detroit and road games against Philadelphia and New Jersey. The Hornets aren't still totally clean from injuries, as Peja and Peterson are currently injured. On the other side, the Thunder have surprisingly won their last three matches, even without Durant in these three matches and also Green in the last two. But this match will be much tougher, as they will play against a top team on the road, where the missing of these two players will be more explored. The Hornets are returning to be double digits favorites due to their good run and it's not clear in my opinion how they will behave today in such spot against a confident team who doesn't show to be missing their best two players.
Golden State @Milwaukee
Two struggling teams are going head to head in here. Milwaukee has lost 7 of their last 9 games and the fact that they are without Bogut and Redd is really getting into the performance of the team. They lost their last two matches by 18 and 15 points at Cleveland and Chicago, so they will have a good chance to bounce back tonight at home against the lowly Warriors. But be careful with the lowly Warriors! It's true that they are 6-26 on the road this season and they are currently 7-21-2 ATS on their last 30 road games, however they use to get their wins when nobody expects them to happen and I wouldn't be surprised to see the Warriors bouncing back tonight after two very tough losses at Chicago and Detroit. There are a lot of injuries on the Warriors, but they don't lack scorers on their roster and in a run and gun game against a team who is missing two of their best scorers, everything can really happen in here.
Washington @ Dallas
If the Wizards are horrible by nature this season, they only got much worse now that they have been playing without Butler. However the sportsbooks also now that and I expect a really big line for the Mavs to cover and they have Howard questionable for this matchup and we can't say that they a great team in covering large spreads. Washington lost at San Antonio last night by 78-100 and they can't really get nothing going on the offense. But the real question in here is to know if we can trust Dallas a big favorite. They are 1-4 ATS this season as a home favorite by more than 12 points and I wouldn't be surprised if the Wizards are capable of being kinda competitive tonight. Note that Butler is questionable for tonight, so he hasn't been ruled out of tonight's game.
Minnesota @ Portland
The Wolves can't really catch a break right now and after getting trashed by the Lakers last night, they will play tonight at Portland, in another match which promises to be a really tough game for them. Minnesota can't really be competitive without Al Jefferson and they are 2-12 ATS on their last 14 games! On the other side, Portland is coming from a tough defeat at Denver in a TNT game last Thursday and they will now try to bounce back at home against the lowly Wolves. The problem in backing the Blazers is really the large spread. Portland will host the Lakers next Monday and then Dallas next Wednesday, so a lookahead spot for the Blazers isn't out of question, especially when the standings in the Western conference show how almost all top teams are so close to each other.
Indiana @ LA Clippers
Both teams are coming to this matchup rested, as they haven't played since last Wednesday. The Pacers were extremely competitive in Portland and considering they are playing without Granger and Dunleavy, this is really great news for them. They still have a tiny shot at reaching the Playoffs, but they know that unless they make an amazing road trip, they will out of the contention soon. The problem is really their poor road record and the fact that they are without their best scorer who is averaging 25 points per game this season. On the other side, the Clippers are fighting for nothing right now, but they have talent enough on their roster to be competitive in games like this one. Eric Gordon will return tonight to the lineup and we know that the Pacers aren't exactly a very consistent team and the fact this is their last game of the road trip really makes me think that this may be a flat spot for them. However, can we really trust the worst home team of the league to beat them? I am not so sure.
DETROIT at ATLANTA
DETROIT: 20-9 ATS after 2 consecutive covers as a favorite
ATLANTA: 16-29 ATS when playing their 3rd game in 4 days
MIAMI at CLEVELAND
MIAMI: 4-14 ATS when the total is between 180 and 189.5
CLEVELAND: 12-3 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12
CHARLOTTE at NEW YORK
CHARLOTTE: 25-12 ATS after an ATS win
NEW YORK: 12-2 OVER second half of the season
PHILADELPHIA at MEMPHIS
PHILADELPHIA: 17-6 ATS AWAY on Saturday
MEMPHIS: 7-16 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5
OKLAHOMA CITY at NEW ORLEANS
OKLAHOMA CITY: 11-3 ATS against Southwest division opponents
NEW ORLEANS: 6-15 ATS after covering 2 of their last 3
GOLDEN STATE at MILWAUKEE
GOLDEN STATE: 32-14 ATS after having lost 3 of their last 4
MILWAUKEE: 9-21 ATS in March
WASHINGTON at DALLAS
WASHINGTON: 4-13 SU when playing their 3rd game in 4 days
DALLAS: 8-2 SU after having lost 2 of their last 3
MINNESOTA at PORTLAND
MINNESOTA: 11-2 ATS after 5+ consecutive losses
PORTLAND: 6-14 ATS after playing a game as an underdog
INDIANA at LA CLIPPERS
INDIANA: 6-1 OVER when playing their 3rd road game in 5 days
LA CLIPPERS: 22-44 ATS as a home underdog