NEW ORLEANS vs. TORONTO
New Orleans is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Orleans's last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Toronto is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home
MIAMI vs. MEMPHIS
Miami is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Memphis's last 9 games at home
Memphis is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Miami
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. SAN ANTONIO
Oklahoma City is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing San Antonio
Oklahoma City is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
MINNESOTA vs. LA LAKERS
Minnesota is 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
Minnesota is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games at home
LA Lakers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games at home
Tips and Trends
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers
Timberwolves: Minnesota is 0-3 since firing head coach Randy Wittman, with former VP of basketball operations Kevin McHale taking over. The Timberwolves have dropped eight in a row overall for the second time this season, and they are shooting just 41.8 percent during the skid. “You can’t get much better than layups and we were missing them,” McHale said following the latest loss. “Some of those will go in, but the hanging the head is what we can’t have and that’s what happened. I think we started feeling sorry for ourselves, and that’s unacceptable.”
Timberwolves are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
The OVER is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
Key Injuries - G Corey Brewer (knee) is OUT.
PROJECTED SCORE: 97
Lakers (-15.5, O/U 209.5): LA has won two straight and 12 of 14, but many of those games have been closer than expected. The Lakers have failed to cover five in a row and seven of nine despite their best start since the 2001-02 season. Kobe Bryant has been a monster in the last two home meetings with the Timberwolves, averaging 40 points, 6.5 rebounds and five assists in a pair of wins that have been decided by a combined 21 points.
Lakers are 4-1-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
The OVER is 8-2 in LA's last 10 games overall.
Key Injuries - NONE
PROJECTED SCORE: 112
Sunday's best NBA bets
Miami Heat at Memphis Grizzlies
A healthy Dwyane Wade has helped the Miami Heat get off to a solid start to this season after a disastrous 2007-08.
The Memphis Grizzlies, meanwhile, are starting to get their season on track thanks to the emergence of rookie O.J. Mayo.
Wade missed 31 games last season due to various injuries, a big reason why Miami (12-10) finished a NBA-worst 15-67.
This season, Wade has helped lead the Heat to the sixth-best record in the Eastern Conference thanks to his league-best 29.1 points per game.
Rookie forward Michael Beasley, the second overall pick of this year's draft, sat out with the flu on Friday. It was the first game missed this season by Beasley, who is Miami's second-leading scorer behind Wade.
The Heat hope Beasley, who is third among all rookies in scoring (13.9), will play on Sunday.
The Grizzlies (8-15) are led by their own budding first-year star, as Mayo, the third overall pick of the draft, leads all rookies in scoring (20.5).
On Friday, Mayo finished with 14 points in Memphis' 103-96 win over Chicago and top overall selection Derrick Rose. Rudy Gay matched a season high with 29 points, and Hakim Warrick added 21 off the bench.
The win marked the first time the Grizzlies won three straight under Marc Iavaroni, now in his second season as their coach. Memphis, which dropped eight of nine before this run, has not won four straight since winning the final five games of the 2005-06 season.
Pick: Grizzlies
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers
With their coach fired, a Hall of Famer stepping down from the front office to take over and three losses in four nights, the Minnesota Timberwolves have endured a challenging week.
The Timberwolves (4-18) dropped eight in a row for the second time this season following their 98-86 loss to San Antonio on Friday night. Minnesota committed a season-low nine turnovers but hit just 40.9 percent of its shots and missed six of 18 free throws.
Minnesota is shooting just 41.8 percent during its losing streak. The Lakers (19-3) are holding opponents to 43.8 percent shooting.
Mike Miller returned to the Wolves' starting lineup on Friday after being sidelined four games with a sprained right ankle, scoring three points and grabbing six rebounds. In his last four games against the Lakers at Staples Center, Miller is averaging 18.0 points and 10.8 rebounds.
Kobe Bryant can vividly remember the first of those four visits. Bryant was suspended two games for elbowing Miller in the throat during the Lakers' 100-99 overtime loss to Memphis on Dec. 28, 2005.
This season, though, there hasn't been much frustration for Bryant and the Lakers, as they're off to their best start since also opening 19-3 in 2001-02 - the last time they won the NBA title.
The Timberwolves haven't been able to contain Bryant in their last two visits to Los Angeles. He's averaging 40.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.5 steals in those two wins
Pick: Over
NEW ORLEANS (12 - 7) at TORONTO (10 - 12)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 65-47 ATS (+13.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 48-31 ATS (+13.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 43-20 ATS (+21.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 42-23 ATS (+16.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 4-18 ATS (-15.8 Units) after allowing 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-2 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 3-1 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI (12 - 10) at MEMPHIS (8 - 15)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 2-2 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 2-2 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY (2 - 22) at SAN ANTONIO (14 - 8)
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 461-395 ATS (+26.5 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 299-245 ATS (+29.5 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) against Northwest division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 6-1 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 6-1 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA (4 - 18) at LA LAKERS (19 - 3)
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 78-104 ATS (-36.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 36-49 ATS (-17.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 20-32 ATS (-15.2 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 21-33 ATS (-15.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 83-55 ATS (+22.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 37-18 ATS (+17.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 33-16 ATS (+15.4 Units) in road games on Sunday games since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 4-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 6-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons