Indiana Pacers vs. Toronto Raptors
The Indiana Pacers and the Toronto Raptors will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at Air Canada Centre.
The Pacers lost to Charlotte 104-88 as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (188.5).
Dahntay Jones led the Pacers with 19 points and Danny Granger netted 18 points.
The Raptors lost to Orlando 104-96 as a 3.5-point underdog on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (207.5).
Chris Bosh led Toronto with 22 points and Jose Calderon had 16 points.
Current streak:
Indiana has lost 3 straight games.
Team records:
Indiana: 5-6 SU, 5-6 ATS
Toronto: 6-8 SU, 7-7 ATS
Indiana most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 5-5
Before playing LA Clippers are 4-6
After playing Charlotte are 4-6
After a loss are 6-4
Toronto most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 8-2
Before playing Charlotte are 3-7
After playing Orlando are 5-5
After a loss are 4-6
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 10 games
Indiana is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Next up:
Indiana home to LA Clippers, Wednesday, November 25
Toronto at Charlotte, Wednesday, November 25
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Washington Wizards
The fans at Verizon Center will be treated to a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Washington Wizards when they take their seats on Tuesday.
The 76ers were defeated 97-91 by the Cavaliers on Saturday as a 10-point underdog. The 188 points fell UNDER the posted total of 192.5.
Elton Brand collected a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds in that loss.
The Wizards were toppled 106-84 by the Spurs on Saturday as a 7.5-point underdog. The 190 points went UNDER the posted total of 195.
Gilbert Arenas tossed in 18 points with six rebounds for the Wizards.
Current streak:
Philadelphia has lost 2 straight games.
Washington has lost 2 straight games.
Team records:
Philadelphia: 5-8 SU, 4-9 ATS
Washington: 3-9 SU, 3-9 ATS
Philadelphia most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing Boston are 5-5
After playing Cleveland are 5-5
After a loss are 5-5
Washington most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 5-5
Before playing Miami are 4-6
After playing San Antonio are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Washington's last 16 games
Next up:
Philadelphia at Boston, Wednesday, November 25
Washington at Miami, Friday, November 27
Golden State Warriors vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Golden State Warriors and the Dallas Mavericks will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at American Airlines Center.
Monta Ellis poured in a game-high 34 points to lead the Warriors to a 108-94 win over the Trail Blazers last time out, as 8-point underdogs. The teams played UNDER that game's posted total of 207.5.
Anthony Morrow tossed in 23 points with six rebounds in that win.
Dirk Nowitzki tossed in 20 points on Friday night as the Mavericks slipped past the Kings for a 104-102 victory.
The Mavericks failed to cover the 10.5-point spread in that contest, while the combined score went OVER the night's posted total (203).
Current streak:
Dallas has won 5 straight games.
Team records:
Golden State: 4-8 SU, 7-5 ATS
Dallas: 10-3 SU, 9-4 ATS
Golden State most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing San Antonio are 3-7
After playing Portland are 6-4
After a win are 2-8
Dallas most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing Houston are 9-1
After playing Sacramento are 5-5
After a win are 7-3
A few trends to consider:
Golden State is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Golden State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Golden State's last 12 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Golden State is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
Dallas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Golden State
Next up:
Golden State at San Antonio, Wednesday, November 25
Dallas at Houston, Wednesday, November 25
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz
The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz will both be gunning for a victory on Tuesday when they meet at EnergySolutions Arena.
The Thunder lost to the Lakers 101-85 as an 11-point underdog on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (200).
Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 19 points and Russell Westbrook had 14 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Carlos Boozer poured in 22 points with seven rebounds and the Jazz pulled out a 100-97 victory over the Pistons in OT on Saturday. The Jazz failed to cover the 8.5-point spread, while the 197 points made it OVER the posted total of 191.
Andrei Kirilenko also netted 22 points in that win.
Current streak:
Utah has won 3 straight games.
Team records:
Oklahoma City: 7-7 SU, 8-6 ATS
Utah: 7-6 SU, 6-7 ATS
Oklahoma City most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 2-8
Before playing Milwaukee are 7-3
After playing LA Lakers are 1-9
After a loss are 6-4
Utah most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing Chicago are 6-4
After playing Detroit are 5-5
After a win are 2-8
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oklahoma City's last 8 games when playing Utah
Oklahoma City is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Oklahoma City's last 13 games on the road
Utah is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Oklahoma City
Utah is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Utah is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Utah is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Next up:
Oklahoma City home to Milwaukee, Friday, November 27
Utah home to Chicago, Thursday, November 26
New Jersey Nets vs. Denver Nuggets
The New Jersey Nets and the Denver Nuggets will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at Pepsi Center.
The Nets lost their 13th straight game of the season, falling 98-91 to the Knicks at the IZOD Center Saturday.
New York covered as a 2.5-point road underdog while the final score played UNDER the 194.5-point total.
Carmelo Anthony dropped 30 points with 11 rebounds for a double-double on Saturday, as the Nuggets defeated the Bulls 112-93. The Nuggets covered the 8-point spread, while the combined score went UNDER the posted total of 207.
Chauncey Billups added 21 points for the Nuggets, and J.R. Smith chipped in with 19 points in the win.
Current streak:
New Jersey has lost 13 straight games.
Team records:
New Jersey: 0-13 SU, 4-8-1 ATS
Denver: 9-4 SU, 7-6 ATS
New Jersey most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 4-6
Before playing Portland are 2-8
After playing New York are 5-5
After a loss are 0-10
Denver most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing Minnesota are 7-3
After playing Chicago are 4-6
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 5 games on the road
New Jersey is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Denver
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 7 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Denver is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New Jersey
Denver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing New Jersey
Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Next up:
New Jersey at Portland, Wednesday, November 25
Denver at Minnesota, Wednesday, November 25
New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers will both be trying to pick up a win on Tuesday when they battle at STAPLES Center.
The Knicks lost to Boston 107-105 in overtime as a 10-point underdog on Sunday. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (195.5).
Al Harrington led the Knicks 30 points and nine rebounds, while David Lee had 22 points and 15 rebounds.
The Lakers defeated Oklahoma City 101-85 as an 11-point favorite on Sunday. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (200).
Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 26 points to go along with six rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers, while Andrew Bynum added 25 points and nine rebounds in the win.
Current streak:
Los Angeles has won 3 straight games.
Team records:
New York: 3-10 SU, 5-8 ATS
Los Angeles: 10-3 SU, 6-7 ATS
New York most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 3-7
Before playing Sacramento are 1-9
After playing Boston are 5-5
After a loss are 3-7
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 6-4
Before playing Golden State are 7-3
After playing Oklahoma City are 6-4
After a win are 8-2
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of New York's last 15 games on the road
New York is 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing at home against New York
LA Lakers are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games at home
LA Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games at home
LA Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against New York
Next up:
New York at Sacramento, Wednesday, November 25
LA Lakers at Golden State, Saturday, November 28
NBA RoundUp for 11/24
by Dan Bebe
There were four NBA games last night, but the big news out of the National Basketball Association is that the Golden State Warriors have been hit by another situation. No, Monta Ellis didn't get into an altercation with Stephen Curry; no, Corey Maggette's hamstrings didn't suffer their usual mid-season detachment; and no, they didn't figure out a way to get Stephen Jackson BACK. This time, the Warriors have come face to face with their arch nemesis.
Pneumonia.
Don Nelson will not be traveling with the team for the foreseeable future, and Coach-in-Training Keith Smart will assume coaching duties for the time being. It has long been assumed that Smart would be the Head Coach of the Warriors following Nelson's tenure, which, according to his contract, isn't done for another 2 seasons. I'm not one to make predictions of firings, since I generally think it's in poor taste, but I think it may be time for Nelson to step down. He seems to hate his current job, and his presence just seems to be a continual rub the wrong way for the team and its fans. Plus, who would really want to be stuck in that chaos?
Sports Wagering
Raptors/Pacers - Toronto by 5 at home with a very high total of 214. In an effort to make these writeups a little more organized, I'll try to analyze things, one team at a time. We'll start with the road club, the Pacers. Indiana won 5 straight games, but that seems like a distant memory now. They have lost their last 3, a streak that started when Indy blew a 19-point lead to the Knicks, and continued with a 10-point defeat at the hands of the Cavs, and topped off by an 18-point clubbing by the Bobcats. The Pacers' offense seems to be regressing a tad, and what's worse is that their rebounding has gone down the drain, as well. You just have to wonder if perhaps Granger is dealing with his nagging injury issues again. Whatever you decide on that front, Indiana is not doing anything to inspire confidence, as they're allowing an absolute ton of points, and failed to break 100 in the losses to Cleveland and Charlotte. Toronto is coming off a home loss to Orlando, but Orlando remains one of the best road teams in the League, and Toronto is still a solid home team (4-2 at home, 2-6 on the road). Toronto's biggest issue is their defense, which leads me to believe that this game might actually go Over the posted total. Indiana has been missing shots, and some wide open looks might be just what the doctor ordered. Still, when people see these two offensive-minded teams squaring off, the first thought is "high scoring". My favorite lean on this game is on Toronto to cover.
Wizards/Sixers - This line is OFF. And for my money, this game is off. The Wizards breathe a sigh of relief getting home after a hugely disappointing 0-2 short roadie through Oklahoma and San Antone'. This will be an interesting spot for them. Washington has looked better offensively with Antawn Jamison back in the lineup, but got completely shut down away from home, and you wonder how much of that is a road slump, and how much is the backlash from Antawn's monster debut in the home win over the Cavs. The Wizards are a sad 3-9 so far, though this team is obviously better than that record would indicate. Their biggest problem remains falling in love with jumpshots. They have the personnel to take the ball to the basket and create open looks and layups, but yet they seem fully pleased to fire away from the elbow and out. The Sixers have even bigger issues, though the 5-8 would seem to indicate they're somehow better than Washington. Both of these teams have the talent to succeed, with Washington boasting a solid 3-star core, and Philly touting Iguodala and Elton Brand. While Washington's issue is shot selection, Philly's is defense. They tried to out-run opponents, and couldn't score enough, then they tried to slow things down and couldn't defend quite well enough, and now they're letting Elton Brand get his basketball legs back, and hoping for the best. Philly's 2 road wins this year came at New Jersey and at New York, and I believe Washington wins this game by a narrow margin with a total near 195.
Mavericks/Warriors - This line is OFF, too. Very frustrating time to handicap an NBA card, since tomorrow's 6-game card has just 3 lines out, and of those 3, two (as you'll soon see) are huge. In this one, we figure to see another rather beefy line, with Dallas bringing a 5-game winning streak into a contest against the team that ran them out of the playoffs a few years back. Still, Don Nelson was the true mastermind behind that upset, and his pneumonia could have an impact on this game. Will his inability to coach bring the Warriors youngsters together, or will his absence leave the team without the proper tools for trying to take down this Mavs team that Nelson helped build. The Mavs are getting a ton of open shots, but this game will force them to run a little, and I'll be curious to see how this team performs. This is the type of matchup where we'd normally see a Josh Howard just dominate. Athletic wing guys can break down the Warriors flimsy defense much easier than an aging distributor (Jason Kidd) or a 7-footer that prefers the fade-away jumper (Dirk), no matter how skilled he may be. Will the Warriors make shots, though? Golden State is coming off a nice home upset of the Portland Trailblazers, and so far, the departure of Stephen Jackson seems to have helped this team. They're not winning every night, but they've covered 5 straight spreads, and this one may be number 6, depending on the line. I expect to see the Mavs open as double-digit faves, and I think the Warriors might be worth a very small wager. I expect a total near 210.
Nuggets/Nets - One of two colossal mismatches on tomorrow's card, with the Nuggets favored by 14.5 at home with a total of 203. First thing that jumps out at me is the thought, "How many points will the Nuggets need to score if the Nets can't break 90?" The answer is at least 113. Let's look at some recent games to see if this makes any sense. For one, the Nugget beat the Nets by 28 points in New Jersey earlier this year, which definitely gives a little precedent for taking the Nuggets to cover this monster line. In actuality, this is the type of spread where a wise man would probably look at the total or nothing at all. The last two straight Nuggets games have hit a total of 205, but digging deeper we find a little more key info. The Nuggets really get caught up in the wildness of games in their home building, and try to run opponents out of town. They know they have the advantage with the thin air factor, so the faster the game in Denver, the better the Nuggets' chances of dominating. In fact, while Denver games have averaged a total of around 209 on the season, home games have seen 220 points, on average. Also, Denver has been winning at home by a margin of 16.4, so we definitely see some keys that point to Denver and an Over. Still, those scream public choice, so let's take a peek at the line, and if nothing gives us cold chills, then perhaps we can move on it. We haven't really broken down New Jersey, and that's because we really don't know what to expect. Devin Harris is back, but he's not at full strength, so the expectation is that the Nets will try to keep the game relatively slow. I'm just not sure they can have that kind of impact on the tempo of the game, not when Denver will take every defensive rebound and ram it down the Nets' throats. Eventually, you'll have to score to keep up, and we'll see the quarter by quarter total swell. Oh, and the Nets are 0-13. Yowza.
Jazz/Thunder - The third and final OFF line of the night. Oddsmakers need to just make some damn lines for us to analyze! This one is a tough one to break down. The Jazz are suddenly a game over .500 on the season at 7-6 (I know, that blew my mind, too), having won 3 straight, including their first win in a decade in San Antonio, and home wins over the Pistons and Raptors. The wins aren't the most impressive I've ever seen, but for Jazz team that appeared to be spiraling a bit just a couple weeks ago, 3 straight wins over anyone is a great success. Maybe more appropriate (and why betting the first few weeks of the season is always dicey), the Jazz are now 4-2 at home, and 3-4 on the road. Ah, sweet normalcy. The Thunder are all over the place, re-complicating matters. They've been alternating terrible games and great ones, getting blasted in LA in their most recent tilt just 2 days after blowing Washington out at home. By that pattern, they're on pace for a good game, but I'm just not sure I see them getting it done in a very difficult road venue. The Thunder feel ripe for another loss, here, but the spread is clearly going to play a large role. I suspect the Jazz will open as 7 point favorites with a total just under 190. More to come.
Lakers/Knicks - Lakers by 13.5 with a total of 210. Sometimes the world just doesn't want you to bet on a particular sport on a particular day. Huge lines and OFF lines have me frustrated, since I missed out on Monday's card (aside from a small play on Minnesota at the last moment) due to travel across this fine nation. The Lakers have been extremely streaky against the spread. 6-7 on the year, but the way they got there is the real key here. The Lakers lost their first 5 against the spread, won 3, lost 2, and have won the last 3. So, as you can see, LA has followed any W and any L ATS with another one. Unfortunately, that doesn't set us up very well for this one. They've won their last 3 games by 13, 15, and 16 points, and those games came against Detroit, Chicago and Oklahoma. Those big wins have given us the monster line we're seeing now. On the other side, believe it or not, the Knicks have actually been playing "marginal" basketball, winning 2 of 3, and taking Boston to OT before losing on a KG buzzer-beater. Generally, I like to fade teams after losing a heart-wrenching game, but I get the feeling the Knicks are using all 3 of their recent games, wins and loss, as building blocks. They didn't go into that game expecting to win, but they played well enough to do so. The Lakers' massive size advantage is going to make this one impossible, I would think, for the Knicks to win outright, but if Al Harrington continues to drain threes, the Knicks can hang in there. Time will tell. The total of 210 feels pretty accurate, though I do get the feeling the Lakers have the personnel to shut down the Knicks. This total AND side will depend almost entirely on whether New York can hit a few outside shots.
Fantasy Advice
Greg Oden - I mentioned much earlier that his production would skyrocket playing with Andre Miller, and it truly has. Oden has become a dunk and layup machine, and he's hitting his free throws, as well. One of the best FG% and block specialists in fantasy sports right now on a very good basketball team.
Tips and Trends
New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers
Knicks: The Knicks are only 3-10 SU on the season, but have won their past 2 road games coming into today. The Knicks have also won their past 3 games ATS. New York has found it's offensive game, scoring more than 100 PTS in 4 of their past 5 games. The Knicks are happy to have G Nate Robinson back, as he's both a scoring asset as well as an emotional leader on this team. Robinson had 19 PTS in his most recent game against the Celtics. The Knicks have good offensive balance, as all 5 starters average double digits in PTS. Defensively the Knicks must get better, as they are the 2nd worst team in the NBA in points allowed per game. Kobe Bryant scored 61 PTS the last time these teams faced off.
Knicks are 4-0 ATS last 4 games as a road underdog of 11 points or greater.
Over is 7-1 last 8 vs. NBA Pacific.
Key Injuries - None.
PROJECTED SCORE: 111
Lakers (-13, O/U 209.5): The Lakers are happy to have F Pau Gasol back in the starting lineup. The Lakers haven't lost since welcoming back Gasol 3 games ago. Overall, the Lakers have won 6 of their last 8 games both SU and ATS, with all 6 wins coming by double digits. G Kobe Bryant is 2nd in the NBA in scoring, at just under 30 PPG. Along with Bryant, C Andrew Bynum is playing well this month. Bynum is averaging nearly 20 PTS and 12 rebounds this month. On their current 3 game winning streak, the Lakers have only allowed an average of 90 PPG. The Lakers won both games last year against the Knicks.
Lakers are 6-1 ATS last 7 games as a home favorite.
Under is 12-5 last 17 games as a home favorite.
Key Injuries - F Luke Walton (finger) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 117 (OVER - Total of the Day)