Tuesday's Best NBA Bet
Philadelphia 76ers at Memphis Grizzlies (-3.5, 190.5)
The 76ers bandwagon is getting crowded. Thanks to coach Doug Collins, the team is in the midst of one of the biggest turnarounds in the NBA. Philadelphia is 9-3 SU and 8-4 ATS in its past 12 games, including victories over San Antonio, Atlanta and Denver.
The calling card for the team during that streak has been defense. In the nine wins, the 76ers are giving up a mere 89.3 points per game – in the three defeats, the team is coughing up an average of 105. And when the 76ers hold an opponent to below 40 percent shooting, the team is 9-1 SU.
“I think guys know that our identity, if we want to win, has to be on the defensive end, because we don’t have explosive enough scoring,” said Collins. “We’re not going to have nights we put 120 up on the board. If we have any chance, we have to keep teams under 45 percent shooting and defend the three.”
With Collins having guards Jrue Holiday and Andre Igoudala pressuring the ball, the interior defenders simply have to work on their rotations and stand their ground in the paint. This is allowing the team to force not only tough jumpers but more turnovers, which enables the team to get out in transition and rack up easy baskets.
Also, Memphis will struggle scoring enough on its own. Guard Rudy Gay is nursing a sore toe and forward Zach Randolph is hobbled with a sprained ankle. Both should be monitored closely before tip.
Pick: Philadelphia
Miami Heat battle NBA odds at Indiana
By: Adam Markowitz
The Indiana Pacers are inching closer towards the .500 mark this year, and barely hanging on to their spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. On Tuesday night, they'll take on the Miami Heat, a team that they could very well be facing in the first round of the postseason.
This NBA betting contest will be played at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with the tip coming at 4:00 p.m. (PT). The duel can be seen locally on Sun Sports in the Sunshine State or Fox Sports in Indiana.
Miami tried its best to erase a big deficit in the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Beantown on Sunday, but just couldn't get the job done. For a team that scores 101.7 PPG, scoring just 82 points in a three-point defeat was certainly not the norm for the boys from South Beach. It was the second time this year that the C's held the Heat in the low 80s.
The regular theme of trying to get outside scoring from any of the three amigos rang true again on Sunday. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, each of whom played at least 41 minutes, combined to score 62 points. Only Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored more than five points aside from that.
If there was an encouraging sign in spite of the lackluster offensive performance for the Heat on Sunday, it was that they really did play well on the defensive end of the court. This loss to the NBA odds dropped their scoring average down to 93.9 PPG. Teams are only shooting 42.6 percent from the field against head coach Erik Spoelstra and company this year, the best mark in the league.
Ironically, the only team that has held the Miami offense to fewer points in a game other than the Celtics this season? None other than these Pacers.
Indiana really hasn't played the greatest defense in the world this season, but all of a sudden, the offense has really kicked it into gear. The team has scored at least 100 points in eight straight games, of which the Pacers are a rock solid 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS. The scoring average of 107.6 PPG in this run is clearly the best of the season for a team that really looked like it was going to slump for the whole year.
It's about time that Danny Granger really gets a bit of respect, as he is one of the least appreciated big time scorers in the game. He is averaging 21.1 PPG and 5.5 RPG this year, and though it is a relatively down year statistically by his standards, it is still helping out the Pacers in a huge way.
Over the course of the last five seasons, the Pacers really have held their own against Miami, going 10-10 SU and 11-9 against the NBA betting lines. They've won 17 of the last 19 outright against the Heat here at Conseco Fieldhouse and are 11-7-1 ATS in that stretch as well.
Of the two meetings this year, the two teams have split the outright proceedings, with Miami winning 117-112 in February and losing 93-77 in November. Both games have been played in South Beach. Indiana has beaten the basketball betting lines in both duels.
NBA Betting Preview: Utah Jazz at Phoenix
By: Brad Young
Utah and Phoenix, two teams vying for playoff positioning in the Western Conference, renew acquaintances with Tuesday’s tilt. The Jazz (31-24 straight up, 24-30-1 against the spread) currently find themselves in seventh place in the Western Conference, but only two games separate teams in fifth through eighth.
The Suns (26-26 SU, 23-27-2 ATS) continue to play .500 ball, and they remain in second place in the Pacific Division standings. Phoenix would miss the playoffs if the regular season ended today, and the team is searching for some momentum before the upcoming All-Star break.
Utah is currently mired in a two-game SU and ATS losing streak after suffering Friday’s setback to Phoenix as six-point home ‘chalk,’ 95-83. The combined 178 points never seriously threatened the 208½-point closing total, helping the ‘under’ cash the second consecutive contest. That marked Ty Corbin’s first appearance as head coach for the Jazz after Jerry Sloan suddenly stepped down after 23 years on the bench.
Utah jumped to a 12-point advantage at the end of the first quarter, 31-19, but the team was outscored by the Suns in the second half, 51-27. Phoenix grabbed more rebounds, 47-45, but the Jazz delivered more assists, 27-19.
The Suns shot 40 percent (36-of-89) from the field and just 22 percent (5-of-23) from behind the arc. Veteran point guard Steve Nash paced the offense with 18 points and 10 assists, while forward Hakim Warrick provided 16 and six rebounds.
Utah connected at a 44-percent clip (34-of-78) from the field, and 41 percent (7-of-17) from 3-point land. Point guard Deron Williams accounted for 19 and 14 assists in the setback, while small forward C.J. Miles had 19 and six boards.
Phoenix has now won the previous four meetings with Utah SU and ATS, with the ‘under’ prevailing each time. The only other meeting this season occurred Oct. 28 when the Suns triumphed as a 7½-point road underdog, 110-94. The combined 204 points failed to eclipse the 209-point closing total. However, the Jazz are a surprising 8-2 ATS the last 10 road meetings in this series.
Phoenix was riding a three-game SU and ATS winning streak before falling to Sacramento Sunday as a 9½-point home favorite, 113-108. The combined 221 points soared ‘over’ the 205 ½-point closing total, ending a string of three straight ‘under’ outings.
The Suns entered halftime with a seven-point advantage, 57-50, but they were outscored in the second half, 63-51. Phoenix was on the short end of rebounding, 51-36, and assists, 25-19, while shooting 47 percent (42-of-90) from the field and 30 percent (6-of-20) from behind the arc. Nash provided 22 and 18 assists in the setback, while center Channing Frye had 15 and seven boards.
Utah guard Raja Bell (calf injury), forward Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) and guard Ronnie Price (toe) are ‘questionable’ versus the Suns. The Jazz host Golden State Wednesday before embarking on a three-game road trip at Dallas, Indiana and Detroit. Utah has seen the ‘over’ go 10-3 its last 13 road games.
Phoenix guard Goran Dragic (foot) is ‘questionable’ against the Jazz. The Suns continue a three-game homestand with games against Dallas and Atlanta. Phoenix is 6-2 ATS its past eight outings overall.
Tuesday’s contest is scheduled to start at 6:00 p.m. PT from Phoenix’s US Airways Center.
NBA RoundUp for 2/15
by Dan Bebe
Miami Heat (-5.5) @ Indiana Pacers with a total of 205
Rematch time, but I'm not sure this one is going to work like a typical revenge spot. The Pacers did EVERYTHING in their power to beat the Heat, and still came up just a hair short. This game reminds me an awful lot of the Heat's recent trip to Detroit, with a few small differences. One, the Pacers are still playing pretty well. I'm not willing to crown Coach Vogel the hero of Indianapolis, but the team is hot, and that can't be argued. Two, the Heat are coming off a loss in Boston that snapped the team's 8-game win streak. You all know how I like to fade teams off a long win streak, though the Heat have shown some solid resiliency off a loss this season, aside from when 2/3 of the Heatles got hurt. And three, the Heat just fell out of the top spot in the East, and something tells me LeBron doesn't take kindly to that. I know this line is inflated, and I also realize that the 5.5 is a dubious number, but I think Indy fired their bullets in Miami - lean to the HEAT and the UNDER.
Philadelphia 76ers @ Memphis Grizzlies (-4) with a total of 190.5
I find it unfair that oddsmakers would force two of the hotter teams in the NBA to play one another. Throughout most of the season, these two teams have been some of the best ATS wagers in the League, so picking between the two seems almost sacrilegious. Hoowwweevverr, the Grizzlies beat the Sixers on a ridiculous comeback effort on the road just about 3 weeks ago, and something tells me Philly hasn't forgotten that game, even if a lot of us have. I love the way Memphis is dominating the painted area (quoth the Hubie Brown), but with this being the Grizzlies' final game before the All Star Break, and Philly on revenge with another game to go before their own hiatus, I can't help but like the SIXERS and the OVER.
Sacramento Kings @ Oklahoma City Thunder with a total of N/A
It would appear Durant's day-to-day status is keeping this line off the board, and I suppose he's high profile enough to warrant it. Between his injury and the potential revenge angle, I'm not 100% sure what to make of this game. The Thunder beat Sacramento by just 2 points in Northern California only a couple days ago, but Sacramento destroyed Oklahoma on the glass, and it almost seems like, from looking at the box score, the Kings should have won that game. So, do we see an extra-motivated Thunder team coming home, trying to show that Sacramento "hanging tough" was an aberration, or do we see the Kings come out with confidence, feeling like if they make a few shots, they can beat the vaunted Thunder? Tough to say, and without knowing Durant's status, and given the locker room mess coming from the Kings side, they would be a tough team to back. PASS on the side, most likely, small totals lean to the OVER, line depending.
Charlotte Bobcats @ Chicago Bulls (-9.5) with a total of 182.5
Fatigue versus sluggishness in the ultimate battle of who can be more off their game. In general, I'd probably err towards backing the team that could be considered fatigued, but this matchup is striking in that the better of the two teams is actually 0-2 against the lesser. Is that a sign that Charlotte just matches up well with Chicago? Maybe. Did Charlotte catch Chicago at a couple of bad times? That's tough to argue, really. I would certainly argue that Chicago coming home off a 5-game road trip isn't a particularly good spot for the Bulls, but Charlotte traveling to Illinois off a game with the Lakers. This total is probably pretty close to where it should be, but given how poorly the teams have shot in both previous meetings, I could see this squeaking by. Slight leans to CHARLOTTE and the OVER.
Utah Jazz @ Phoenix Suns with a total of N/A
We'll keep this one relatively simple - the Jazz got beat by Phoenix like a schoolyard bully takes down the first kid to get glasses, and the post-Sloan era kicked off with a whimper. Luckily, Utah gets to travel to Phoenix on a ton of rest and try to atone for that loss very, very quickly. It's rare when a team can make up for an ugly effort so quickly, but Utah has this opportunity, and I expect them to shoot a whole heck of a lot better than they did at home. Utah forced only 6 turnovers by the Suns (committing 14, themselves), got beat on the offensive glass, and shot only 12 free throws. That is some weak, weak aggression. Utah turns it up in this one, there's zero question in my mind. Is that enough to overcome the lack of true leadership? Only time will tell, but I have to like UTAH on revenge, and some significantly less hideous offense from both sides leans me OVER.
New Orleans Hornets @ Golden State Warriors (-1.5) with a total of 201
So far, the road team has won each game in this series, this year. And, if it wasn't completely evident by the short paragraph that follows, this is not one of the games on the card that I find particularly compelling. The Hornets have been wholly unimpressive since losing Emeka Okafor to injury, and while they did pick up a somewhat unexpected road win in Orlando, they came right back home and got spanked by Chicago. The Warriors can't beat Phoenix, but they're playing alright against everyone else. I happen to think this game is, in fact, decided by a bucket or two, and while I think Golden State has the better offensive firepower to get it done (certainly without Okafor defending the paint), it's not among my list of games I want to bet. Tiny, and I mean tiny side lean to the WARRIORS, and with both previous meetings going well over the total, I think this one is a little more plodding, lean UNDER.
Tuesday NBA Betting Preview
Miami looks to rebound after falling from top spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Jazz also look to avenge a sloppy defeat in Tuesday NBA betting action.
Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers
Since the Indiana Pacers (24-28 SU, 25-24-3 ATS) brought in Coach Frank Vogel they have torn off seven wins in eight attempts, but it’s the Miami Heat (39-15 SU, 26-27-1 ATS) who get the edge on the NBA betting lines as a 5.5-point road favorite.
Indiana is scoring on average 10 points more per game in this stretch and could present trouble for the Heat, who lost to Boston on Sunday - and fell out of top spot in the conference. The Pacers are eager to avenge an earlier loss to the Heat – their only one during the current streak.
While the Pacers could be a good home underdog bet with five straight victories at Conseco Fieldhouse, it is the Heat who have taken five of the last six and two straight in Indiana. The smart money on the NBA betting lines will still favor Miami by a long shot, regardless of how well the Pacers are playing.
The Heat have also been good against the pointspread on the road at 17-6 ATS, and have covered in four of the last six head-to-head. Indiana typically has played into the hands of UNDER bettors at home in totals wagering, sending UNDER bettors to the payout window 17 times out of 26 home contests this season.
Utah Jazz at Phoenix Suns
Utah (31-24 SU, 24-30-1 ATS) tries to shake off a dreadful second half that saw them crumble in a loss to the Phoenix Suns (26-26 SU, 24-27-1 ATS) on Friday when the two meet again - this time in the desert.
Utah will be a road underdog in this contest, but don’t expect the line to heavily favor the Suns who are not burning it up at home - owning a 15-12 record at the US Airways Center.
A key component will be missing for Utah on Tuesday with Andrei Kirilenko on the sidelines; combine this with the Suns' dominance over the Jazz and bettors will be wagering heavily with home favorite Phoenix.
Totals bettors can take some comfort in the fact these two teams have rewarded the UNDER bet in four straight head-to-head matchups.
Inside the Paint - Tuesday
By Chris David
Gamblers following the NBA last night were treated to a barrage of favorites, which more than likely created some deep lines at the betting counter. The ‘chalk’ produced a 5-1 record both straight up and against the spread. What’s more impressive is that all of the victories were by double digits and none of them were classified as sweat shops.
The saving grace for the sportsbooks on Monday was Charlotte, who embarrassed the L.A. Lakers by 20 points (109-89) as a five-point home underdog. The margin was the worst loss of the season for L.A. and the outcome was surprising since Phil Jackson’s team was 9-1 SU in back-to-back sets this season. Even though the Purple and Gold have dropped two in a row, a win tomorrow at Cleveland would produce a 5-2 record on their seven-game road trip. Not too shabby!
The Bobcats have been a tough team to figure out but right now they’re 1 ½ games behind Indiana for the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte (24-31 SU, 29-25 ATS) passed last night’s test against the Lakers and it will get another measuring stick tonight when it visits Chicago (36-16 SU, 30-20-2 ATS). Paul Silas and the ‘Cats haven’t been a good team to back on zero days rest, going 4-12 SU and 6-9-1 ATS this season.
Oddsmakers may have taken those numbers into consideration, since they opened Chicago as a healthy nine-point favorite. The Bulls have outscored teams by an average of 10 points per game (99-89) at home this season, which has translated into an impressive 23-4 SU and 17-10 ATS ledger.
Charlotte has gone 10-17 SU on the road, yet its helped backers with a 16-11 ATS record. And those numbers include an 83-82 win at Chicago on Jan. 18 as a 7 ½-point underdog, which was the second win for Charlotte over the Bulls this season, the first coming at home (96-91) on Jan. 12.
VegasInsider.com writer and handicapper Kevin Rogers believes Charlotte might be a look for another reason. He explained, “One of the best angles in the NBA is fading a home team in their first game back from a road trip of three or more games. And when the host is favored by nine points or more, the odds of that team covering aren’t good at all. It’s your classic flat spot and if you don’t like the ‘Cats in this matchup, the best play for you could be a pass.”
Chicago wrapped up a five-game road trip on Saturday with a 97-88 win over New Orleans from the “Big Easy.” Defense was the key as the Bulls held all three opponents under 100 in the victories, but gave up 101 and 109 in the setbacks.
It’s fair to say that the Bobcats could have a letdown as well tonight after last night’s win over the Lakers but the Bulls also face a look-ahead spot here too. On Thursday, the league’s best team in San Antonio visits the United Center for a nationally televised tilt just before the All-Star break.
One Week Later…
Miami (39-15 SU, 26-27 ATS) and Indiana (24-28 SU, 26-24 ATS) will tangle for the second time in two weeks tonight from Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers fell to the Heat 117-112 last Tuesday, but managed to cover as 10 ½-point road underdogs. Indiana is still catching points (+5) at home but the spread has been cut in half. Since handing over the coaching duties to Frank Vogel, the Pacers have gone 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS behind an up-tempo style. The club has posted 100-plus points in all eight affairs and the ‘over’ has gone 5-3 during this span. Getting triple digits tonight might be tough to ask against Miami, who are holding teams to 93.9 PPG. The Heat had their eight-game winning streak snapped by Boston (82-85) on Sunday, which dropped their record to 0-3 against the Celtics this season. Miami has been a beast on the road (19-10 SU, 17-12 ATS) this season, especially against the spread. However, the Pacers are 15-11 SU and 14-11 ATS at home and that includes five straight wins, four coming under Vogel as coach.
Phoenix and the Under?
Utah (31-24 SU, 24-31 ATS) and Phoenix (26-26 SU, 22-27 ATS) tangle in the desert tonight and based on recent history, gamblers might be tempted to press the Suns and the ‘under.’ The Suns have won and covered four straight against the Jazz, including both encounters this season. All four of the battles during this span have gone ‘under’ the total, due to the inept offense of the Jazz. Utah has scored 100, 86, 94 and 83 points in those four against Phoenix, yet the ‘over/under’ on tonight’s tilt is hovering between 206 and 207 points. While a lot of novice gamblers still think the Suns run ‘n gun, it’s been the exact opposite since they traded Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu. Those two players both had a knack of shooting from downtown and the now options are limited from 3-point land.
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