Wednesday's Best NBA Bet
New Jersey Nets at Boston Celtics (-12, 184)
The Celtics might have to start pulling people out of the crowd to have a full roster. Centers Semih Erden (personal), Shaquille O’Neal (achilles) and Jermaine O’Neal (knee) are all out for Wednesday night. Guard Marquis Daniels (neck) remains sidelined and it looks like Delonte West (wrist) won’t return to action after tweaking his hand trying to grab a rebound late in practice.
And guard Paul Pierce, who went 0-for-10 from the floor against the Heat on Sunday and had an ankle MRI on Monday, is expected to be a game-time decision as the team weighs its options with resting him before the All-Star break.
“I would like our second unit to form an identity and get some kind of rhythm,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “I don’t think we’ve registered one minute with our entire second unit this year. That means we are way behind.”
But don’t expect the Nets to shed any tears. The team is coming off a 17-point drubbing at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs and is just 2-5 SU and ATS its past seven games.
None of those, however, were against the Celtics. New Jersey always seems to play Boston tough, especially as a big underdog. The Nets are 1-7 SU but 6-2 ATS in their past eight meetings against the Celtics.
And New Jersey loves being a big underdog. Getting nine or more points against the Green and White, the Nets are 5-1 ATS in such games since 2009. This season, the Nets have a phenomenal 8-4 ATS record in games they get at least nine points.
Pick: New Jersey
Knicks and Hawks part of NBA betting slate
By: Adam Markowitz
The clock is ticking towards the NBA's trade deadline, but the action isn't going to stop for the New York Knicks in their quest to land Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets.
The men from the Big Apple welcome the Atlanta Hawks to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night for an NBA betting affair that is sure to be hot and heavy. These two potential playoff combatants will tip-off at 4:30 (PT) in a duel that can be seen locally on Sports South and MSG.
The Hawks have to be thrilled going into the All-Star break. They're 14 games over .500 coming into this one, and if the playoffs were to start right now, they would be in the No. 4 hole in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. Atlanta is within at least plausible striking distance of the Miami Heat, and knows it really shouldn't fall any further than No. 5 when push comes to shove by the end of the season.
Atlanta flew away from home after a February 12 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats, the second home defeat in a row, and the Hawks won't be back in the Peach State again until March. This roadie started well, as they erased a deficit that once reached 15 points to beat the Detroit Pistons by 15 on Monday.
It's not often that all of the pieces to the puzzle have been in the lineup at the same time for the Hawks. Now that Al Horford is back in the fold, head coach Larry Drew can finally count on his normal rotation of players. At least recently, he has been using Marvin Williams off the bench instead of in a starting role, but Williams is still one of the six men on this team counted on to play at least 30 minutes per night. No one else is averaging anywhere near 20 minutes per game. All six are also double-digit point scorers, save for Mike Bibby, who is at 9.5 PPG.
Kicks head coach Mike D'Antoni was sure to voice his opinions to the Madison Square Garden faithful, stating that the chants of "We Want Me-Lo!" and the sorts are only hurting his team. This is the first game in which New York has been back at home since D'Antoni made those comments following a 113-96 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
We know that, at least in their present form, the Knicks are doing quite well offensively, averaging 106.3 PPG this season, second-best in the NBA. The prospects of adding Anthony to the bunch would be nice, but there is still a question about how much of the team might need to be gutted for it.
Any combination of Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Landry Fields and Anthony Randolph could be moved within the next few days, which always makes this team quite the interesting one to keep an eye on.
It's all good news for the Hawks in this series, though. Atlanta is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 NBA betting affairs on the road, and the road team is 10-4 ATS over the course of the last 14 meetings. The Hawks also took the first two meetings of the year of these teams, winning 111-102 at home in January and 99-90 here at MSG in November.
LA Lakers close road trip at Cleveland
By: Willie Bee
If you were going handpick a team to face and try to end a long road trip on a winning note, chances are it would be the Cleveland Cavaliers. As luck would have it, that's just the team the Los Angeles Lakers will be up against on Wednesday when their seven-game trek ends.
Cleveland and Los Angeles tip the contest at 4:30 p.m. (PT) with local coverage on Fox Sports Ohio and back in LA on KCAL-TV.
The Lakers started their trip in great form, winning the first four games of their Grammy-forced exile, a stretch highlighted by a 92-86 win in Boston last Thursday. But the joyride came to a screeching halt on Sunday when Orlando belted LA, 89-75. That loss was followed up by Monday's defeat in Charlotte, pushing the Lakers into this match on a two-game skid.
Five-point chalk on Monday, Los Angeles (38-18 straight up, 25-31 against the spread) couldn't find the bucket for a second consecutive game, especially from three-point range where the Lakers made just three of their 19 heaves. Kobe Bryant, who missed the morning shootaround due to flu-like symptoms, led Los Angeles with 20 points, but came up empty on 12 of his 20 shots and committed five of the team's 12 turnovers.
While Los Angeles had trouble scoring, Charlotte did not against a porous Lakers defense. The Bobcats hit over 51 percent from the field with four players reaching double figures, including Gerald Henderson's 18 points in 29 minutes off the bench.
The 20-point margin at game's end marked the Lakers' biggest defeat this season. They could easily turn that around, and then some, against a Cavs team they routed earlier this season by 55.
Cleveland (9-46 SU, 20-32-3 ATS) enters off Sunday's 115-110 home loss to the Washington Wizards who were 2½-point pups. The game wasn't as close as the final 15-point gap might indicate. One game after the Cavaliers stopped their NBA-record 26-game losing streak, Washington ended its 25-game losing stretch on the road that dated to April 2010.
Nick Young scored 31 for the Wizards on 14-of-21 shooting from the field; John Wall contributed 19 points and 14 assists.
The Lakers rocked Cleveland on Jan. 11 at Staples Center, 112-57, LA's largest margin of victory in 39 years. Phil Jackson's squad peppered the Cavs with 46 field goals, 10 from three-point land, while suffocating Cleveland on defense, limiting Flip Saunders' team to just 23 field goals (77 attempts) and 1-for-14 from beyond the arc.
The last seven games in Cleveland have all topped the number, with the Lakers 4-2 'under' so far on their road trip. January's game between the two clubs closed at 197½, and easily stayed 'under' thanks to Cleveland's paltry 57 points.
Los Angeles isn't reporting any injuries other than possible lingering effects from Bryant's Monday illness. The Cavaliers are listing Leon Powe (knee) as probable for Wednesday's contest, with Daniel Gibson questionable after reinjuring his left quad in Sunday's loss to Washington.
The Lakers will open their post-All Star schedule at home next Tuesday against the Atlanta Hawks, that game followed with a trip up to Portland the following evening. Cleveland will enjoy a full week off after this contest, its next game at home on Feb. 23 versus the Houston Rockets.
NBA RoundUp for 2/16
by Dan Bebe
Washington Wizards @ Orlando Magic (-11) with a total of 200
So far this year, Orlando has beaten Washington 3 times, blowing them out twice, and sneaking by with a 1-point win the other time. Both teams are off until after the All Star Break after this game, so no real scheduling edge. Orlando is coming off a solid win over the Lakers, which makes me think they could get going in the right direction, but Washington is coming off getting their first road win of the year. Do they play with the monkey off their back, or suffer a letdown? I don't want to try to call it. PASS on the side, slight totals lean to the OVER.
Miami Heat (-9.5) @ Toronto Raptors with a total of 202.5
It's a double revenge game for the Raptors, and you can bet the fans are going to come out to boo Chris Bosh, but to some degree, I just don't care. The more important note on this game is that Miami played in Indiana last night, and are still laying 9.5 points on the road. Would Miami really lay 17.5 points at home to the Raptors? The Heat went 16-of-26 from long range in a win over Toronto a few weeks ago, at home, and though I feel strongly Miami wins this game, LeBron hasn't been shy in the past when he would prefer to be in LA, partying with Kenny Smith. Lean to the RAPTORS and the OVER.
Indiana Pacers (-1) @ Detroit Pistons with a total of 198
Detroit is a MESS. Mess, mess, mess, mess, mess. Do not bet on teams that are in turmoil, simple as that. I'm not saying that we should be laying points with a resurgent Pacers club coming off a home game with the Heat, but I certainly wouldn't bet the Pistons. Coach Kuester appears to be hanging by a thread, his rotations all over the map, and his players no longer listening. The team is being sold, the management is in as much trouble as the players, and there's no telling when this team will wake up and play a good game. I can't back a team with that many problems behind mostly closed doors. Slight lean to INDY and the UNDER.
Atlanta Hawks @ New York Knicks with a total of N/A
It seems Stoudemire and Gallinari are both dealing with some nagging injuries, so this line might not pop up until pretty late. Regardless, I'm trying to find a way to back the Knicks. The Hawks have taken down New York twice this year, each time by 9 points, most recently at the tail end of January. But let's remember, that game came on a back-to-back for the Knicks after they beat the Heat at home. A letdown spot, if ever there was one. If the Knicks are healthy, they have a perfectly reasonable shot to win this game. The Hawks are hugely inconsistent, and a win over Detroit probably felt nice, but doesn't say much about them. Lean to the KNICKS and the UNDER.
New Jersey Nets @ Boston Celtics (-12) with a total of 184
This one is a toss-up, to me. Boston is coming off a big win over the Heat, but they don't tend to suffer letdowns unless it's a back-to-back and the Celts just get tired. Jersey, meanwhile, has lost to Boston twice this year to no one's surprise, and while they managed to keep one of the two games close, it seems almost like both teams are just going to spin the wheel, and if it comes up "max effort" they'll cover. I want no part of a giant spread game like this one where the road team isn't playing that well. PASS on the side, totals lean to the UNDER.
Los Angeles Lakers (-11) @ Cleveland Cavaliers with a total of 204
I almost can't believe what I'm about to say...I love the Cavs. Not in general, but in this game, for sure. The only problem, from what I can see, is that the Cavs have been so bad that they've been getting a ton of attention, and ESPN is going to be rolling highlights of the Lakers beating them by what felt like 200 points a couple months back. Simple as that. Cleveland got a win, then they had a letdown game, lost to Washington, and now it's time to avenge one of the ugliest losses I've ever seen on an NBA court. Lean to CLEVELAND and the OVER.
Los Angeles Clippers @ Minnesota Timberwolves with a total of N/A
The Clippers are sputtering, big time. Losses in Cleveland and Toronto have, hopefully for them, bottomed out LA, but then, they have this one more game before the All Star Break, and you have to think they're looking forward to a few days off from this horrendous road trip. Meanwhile, the Wolves have been stinking up the joint themselves, and after beating the Clippers on opening night, they've been blown out by LA, in LA, twice. So, there's a little revenge for Minnesota, the Clippers are clearly exhausted, and as we've noted before, Kevin Love and Blake Griffin cancel each other out, to some extent. Lean to MINNESOTA and the OVER.
Sacramento Kings @ Dallas Mavericks (-11) with a total of 201
So many garbage lines on this card, and here we have Dallas laying double digits to a team they've defeated twice in Sacramento, and each time by just 2 points. The line is crazy, the matchups are unpredictable (especially with the Kings internal issues), and Sacramento is coming to Dallas on a back-to-back from a game in Oklahoma City. To be quite frank, I don't really know what to expect, though with the Kings heading into the break after this one, and Dallas still with a game to play, that might be a tiny edge for the Mavs. I'd rather leave another of this monster lines alone. PASS on the side, totals lean to the UNDER.
Philadelphia 76ers @ Houston Rockets (-4) with a total of 204
This is another tough game to handicap, even though the line is significantly more workable than the double digit Goliaths above. Houston is coming off stomping Denver for the second time in as many tries, and the Sixers are playing the second half of a back-to-back that started last night with a revenge game in Memphis. Do we think Houston can win? Do we think they can cover? This line, to me, looks about right, though I suppose the Rockets, one could argue, "need it more." That expression doesn't make a ton of sense, especially since Houston has a tendency to play very close games. Tiny, tiny lean to HOUSTON, but likely a pass, and totals lean to the OVER.
Denver Nuggets @ Milwaukee Bucks with a total of N/A
Denver has been a total disaster lately, winning an odd game here or there, but for the most part, the team defense has been epically bad. I would have more confidence in fading them if I had more confidence in Milwaukee's offense, but considering the Bucks are on revenge, and trying to make some sort of push now that a few of their previously injured bodies are coming back, I can't help myself. Carmelo is day-to-day with an injured shoulder, so that could derail any plans we might have of betting this game, but if everything shakes out in a normal fashion, I can't expect the Nugs to win on the road - lean BUCKS and the UNDER.
Golden State Warriors @ Utah Jazz (-6) with a total of 207
Golden State is playing pretty solid basketball, but they haven't really been on the road in ages. The Warriors have played 15 of 17 games at home, so heading into altitude on the second half of a back-to-back is sort of the "trial by fire" road test. Add to that the Warriors and Jazz are both heading into the All Star Break off this game, and you have to think the home team is going to have both the adrenaline and energy edge. On top of that, the Jazz were held to just 37% shooting when they traveled to Oakland a few weeks back, and scored only 81 points. I hate asking a slumping team (Utah) to cover 6 points, since a win is rare enough, but I don't think I can back the Warriors here as they try to do anything on the road, and nearly a mile high to boot. Lean to JAZZ and the OVER.
New Orleans Hornets @ Portland Trailblazers (-4.5) with a total of 183
Portland is hot right now, and you can tell the team is excited by the returns of Marcus Camby and Brandon Roy, though the offense will, as Coach McMillan has noted, continue to be run through Aldridge. I'm not a huge fan of Portland's scheduling situation, considering they had a pair of 3-game road trips around a home game with the Bulls, but over the Blazers 5-game win streak, scheduling spots haven't really mattered. They're scoring, they're defending, and they're taking momentum into the Break. New Orleans, on the other hand, has very little momentum, and are coming off a sprint-fest in Golden State. Portland should win this double revenge game, but covering is another story. I think PORTLAND does get it done, but it could be closer than people expect, and the total is spot on.
Wednesday Tips
By Kevin Rogers
The final loaded NBA card of the first half comes on Wednesday night with 12 games to bet on. There will be several games with long spreads, but also a handful of contests involving playoff squads. The lone nationally televised game takes place at the Bradley Center when the Bucks host the struggling Nuggets on ESPN. The Blazers return home to battle the Hornets, while the Sixers and Rockets hook up in a possible high-scoring affair. We start in New York with the Hawks and Knicks ready to throw down following a skirmish at Philips Arena last month.
Hawks at Knicks
The last time these two teams met up, Marvin Williams and Shawne Williams came to blows at the end of Atlanta's 111-102 victory over New York on January 28. Each player was handed a short suspension, as the Hawks put up their most points since a 116-102 win against New Jersey in mid-December. Now, the Knicks look to return the favor as Amare Stoudemire comes back to the lineup after missing Saturday's win at New Jersey with a toe injury.
The Knicks drilled 16 three-pointers in the victory over the Nets as 1 ½-point favorites, while Wilson Chandler put up 21 points. New York had lost four of five prior to Saturday's triumph, including home setbacks to the Lakers and Clippers. The Knicks' defense stepped up against the stumbling Nets as Mike D'Antoni's club allowed 100 points or more in seven straight games before limiting the Nets to 95 points.
Atlanta rebounded from consecutive home losses to Philadelphia and Charlotte by rallying at Detroit for a 94-79 win as four-point 'chalk.' The Hawks are riding an 8-2 SU run on the highway in 2011, even though only two of the victories came against above .500 teams at Miami and Utah. The offense has struggled recently by scoring 99 points or less in four straight games, even though the Hawks held each of their last two opponents to below 88 points each.
Sixers at Rockets
Philadelphia is making a push to become a playoff team in the Eastern Conference following a 3-13 start as the Sixers head to Houston. The Rockets blew out the Nuggets on Monday night, 121-102 to halt a two-game skid, while putting the most points at home this season. Houston goes for its 16th win of the season at Toyota Center as Philadelphia comes in off of Tuesday's game at Memphis.
Following a substantial amount of 'unders' through the first month of the season, the Rockets are back to play uptempo basketball with 'overs' in 12 of the last 19 games. In this same span, Rick Adelman's team has eclipsed the 100-point plateau 14 times, with the 'over' cashing on 12 occasions. The Rockets have taken care of business against Eastern Conference opponents by compiling seven wins in the last nine opportunities since mid-December.
The Sixers and Spurs each own the best ATS marks in the league at 34-19, as Philadelphia has won nine of 12 games to pull into the seventh spot of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Philadelphia is a solid ATS road squad with a 14-5 mark since late November, including outright wins at Atlanta, Phoenix, Orlando, and Denver. Eleven of the Sixers' last 12 opponents have been limited to 100 points or less, with the Knicks shooting nearly 60% from the floor in a 117-103 win on February 6 at Madison Square Garden.
Nuggets at Bucks
The tumultuous first half for Denver with all the Carmelo Anthony trade drama comes to a close at the Bradley Center. The Nuggets have dropped four of five after getting run out at Houston, as Denver blew an early 15-point lead. Denver's defense has been sliced up by giving up 116 points or more in each of the last four games, all 'overs.' The Bucks try to close the first half with consecutive victories after dominating the Clippers on Monday, 102-78 as six-point favorites.
Since a 5-2 run at the end of January, Milwaukee is 2-7 SU and 4-5 ATS, while cashing the 'under' in seven of the last eight games. The Bucks are slowly getting back to full strength with Brandon Jennings and John Salmons both healthy, but it took nine games for Milwaukee to break the 100-point plateau against the Clips. Milwaukee looks for its fourth straight home win over Denver, as the Bucks cashed as underdogs in high-scoring battles.
The Nuggets are 3-7 ATS since a four-game ATS winning streak in late January, including a 1-5 SU mark the last six away contests. George Karl's defense has allowed at least 110 points in each of the previous five road defeats, as the Nuggets own a disastrous 9-18 SU mark on the highway. Denver goes for the season sweep of Milwaukee after knocking off the Bucks, 105-94 at Pepsi Center on December 1.
Hornets at Blazers
Portland returns to the Rose Garden seeking a sixth straight victory after finishing off a perfect 3-0 road trip at Toronto, Detroit, and Minnesota. The Blazers battle a Hornets' squad that has dropped five of six, including Saturday's home loss to the Bulls. New Orleans has been an ATS killer recently with a 1-8 mark against the number since a 10-game winning streak.
The Hornets are still playing without center Emeka Okafor, who has missed the last seven games with an oblique strain. New Orleans hasn't been worthy of a look as an underdog of late by going 1-4 ATS the last five games when receiving points. The only positive is the Hornets have beaten the Blazers twice this season, including a 97-78 blowout at the Rose Garden in late November as four-point 'dogs.
The Blazers are rolling as they look to return to the postseason even with Brandon Roy and Marcus Camby hurt. Portland has covered four consecutive games, while going for its third straight home victory after knocking off Chicago and San Antonio as underdogs. The offense is rolling despite the loss of two starters by scoring at least 100 points in four of the five victories during this hot streak.
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