Wednesday's NBA Preview
By Josh Jacobs
No introduction needed for Wednesday’s NBA lineup as a lone ESPN contest between San Antonio and Dallas will headline the 10-game card. Here’s what we have in terms of action, economics and trends.
San Antonio and Dallas will meet for the fourth and final time this season. The Spurs currently lead the series at 2-1 while also taking backers on a 2-1 ATS ride. In their last meeting together, San Antonio walked away from its home court, carrying a 93-76 win into the standings and courting the ATS victory as five-point favorites. The Spurs have been lukewarm in the last nine, putting together a 5-4 SU and ATS record. Possibly the biggest letdown has come from losing games against Cleveland and Portland as four-point underdogs in both contests. Entering this contest, the Spurs are 9-5 ATS on the road versus teams playing above .500 ball.
As for the Mavericks, three wins in the last four sounds ok until a 3-4 ATS record is revealed in the last seven. Dallas is 4-6 SU and ATS against the Southwest division this year 16-20 ATS after just one-day of rest and 12-14 ATS as a home favorite. But there’s always a bright side in an attempt to find offsetting trends in which the team is 18-13 ATS off an ATS loss. This comes at the heals of losing in Oklahoma City, 96-87 as six-point favorites. Shooting 43.7 percent and allowing 98.2 PPG in the last five could help explain the 2-3 ATS stint. And for a team that’s hanging onto the No. 8 seed in the West, a healthy Jason Terry back to the court will be needed. The Spurs’ Tim Duncan returned to action on Sunday after missing three games with a sore knee.
Despite losing it’s All-Star shooting guard, Michael Redd (knee) followed by center, Andrew Bogut going down for the season with a stress fracture in his back, Milwaukee has refused to lie down. The Bucks might be 2-4 SU in the last six but a 6-3 ATS record in the last nine has benefited backers. A No. 8 seed position in the East is added testimony to the resilience of this group despite Chicago, New Jersey, Indiana and Charlotte all vying for the last playoff spot. Despite going 9-21 SU on the road as the ‘dog, Milwaukee has managed to remain above the 50 percent in the ATS department by working for a 16-12-2 ATS record. But with the good comes the bad and a 3-6 ATS slide in the last nine road games is something to watch out for.
Cleveland is leaving Miami garnishing a ‘W’ (107-100, covering the 3 ½-point spread) and completing the four-game road trip with a 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS record. Now coming home to defend its own court, the Cavaliers will bring an unconscious 26-1 SU and 21-6 ATS performance into Wednesday’s contest. In the last 10, Cleveland has been able to outscore its opponents, 96.7 to 89 PPG, holding those teams to 79 points or lower in three of those contests. A 7-2 ATS streak in the last eight and a 4-2 record on the ‘under’ are two more trends to begin your homework with. In the end, an 11-4 ATS run at home versus teams with a losing record and a point margin of 8.9 PPG versus the Central division should speak volumes.
A hot and heavy stare down between Houston and Utah could very well be the event of the evening. Both teams have been running at full speed, combining for 17 wins in the last 20 games (Utah at 9-1 and Houston at 8-2 in the last 10). This 9:00 p.m. EST matchup will have the Rockets at 2-5 SU and ATS in their last seven road games. And how can we ignore a 3-7 ATS fall in the last 10 head-to-head matchups? So as hot as Houston has been in its quest improve or stay at the No. 4 spot out West, we’re still looking at some difficult trends for the club to hurdle over.
The Jazz have ripped down eight wins in a row and are money machines at 10-2 ATS in the last 12. Utah will be coming off two days of rest for which the club is a scorching 11-2 SU but just 7-6 ATS (a point margin of 9.1 PPG). There’s no concealing the sizzling pace of wins, now sitting at 26-6 SU and 20-12 ATS. We’re talking about a group of players working to score 105.4 PPG while the defense has done its part by allowing 95.2 PPG (margin of 10.2 PPG). A 7-1 ATS run in the last eight home contests is just a small picture for the success at playing inside Energy Solutions Arena. At 10-3 ATS at home versus teams playing above .500, backers of Utah should remain giddy.
Houston has had the Jazz’s number, going 2-0 SU while splitting the ATS record at 1-1. It was on Jan. 21 that the Rockets shot 46 percent from the field, finalizing the win at 108-99. But in the grand scheme of things, Houston has suffered throughout the long run, failing to cover the spread 11 times in the last 16 head-to-head showdowns.
vegasinsider.com
Hot and Cold Bets - Week 18
By Matt Fargo
The NBA is just past the two-third mark and the games are becoming that much more important. Matt Fargo has been looking into Hot and Cold NBA bets throughout the season and he takes a look at four games that you will want to pay attention to coming up over the next few days.
NBA Hot Bets
Wednesday – Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz 9:00 PM ET
While the Rockets are on the right side of the “Cold” section against Toronto, they are on the wrong side in this spot as they are playing an insanely hot Utah team. The Jazz have won seven straight games (6-1 ATS) and finished February with a 10-1 record (9-2 ATS) to vault back up into the Western Conference playoff race. Despite this, they are still sitting in sixth place but at the same time, they are just two games out of third place and a game out of fourth place. The fourth place spot is held by Houston who Utah has lost to twice this season, both coming on the road. While the Rockets have been hot, most of that has come at home as they are 2-5 in their last seven road games (2-5 ATS) and are currently two games under .500 for the year. Houston is just 14-22 ATS following a win this season.
NBA Cold Bets
Wednesday – Indiana Pacers at Portland Trailblazers 10:00 PM ET
Indiana has been playing pretty well and remains in the hunt in the Eastern Conference playoff race as it trails eighth place Milwaukee by three games. The problem is that the upcoming schedule is a tough one as five of the next six games are on the road. The first is at Sacramento Tuesday while the third is at the Clippers on Saturday so both of those games are very winnable. The issue is that Indiana is 7-25 on the road this season (16-15-1 ATS) and while that ATS mark is at least respectable, it is 8-17 coming off a win (9-16 ATS), and it should be in that spot after Tuesday. Portland is playing very well, going 12-5 in its last 17 games (11-6 ATS) and that includes a 9-0 record at home (7-2 ATS). The Blazers are 21-4 as a home favorite (15-9-1 ATS) and a solid 18-5 against the East (13-10 ATS).
MILWAUKEE (29 - 33) at CLEVELAND (47 - 12)
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 207-262 ATS (-81.2 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
CLEVELAND is 38-21 ATS (+14.9 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 36-19 ATS (+15.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 35-25 ATS (+7.5 Units) in all games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 6-5 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 8-3 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON (47 - 14) at NEW JERSEY (26 - 33)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 154-117 ATS (+25.3 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
BOSTON is 100-68 ATS (+25.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 79-58 ATS (+15.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 50-34 ATS (+12.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 195 and 199.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 55-37 ATS (+14.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 22-6 ATS (+15.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
BOSTON is 45-26 ATS (+16.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 53-29 ATS (+21.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 28-48 ATS (-24.8 Units) as a home underdog of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.
NEW JERSEY is 21-41 ATS (-24.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 8-2 against the spread versus NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 8-2 straight up against NEW JERSEY over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA (34 - 26) at NEW YORK (24 - 35)
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
NEW YORK is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 6-3 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 6-3 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX (34 - 25) at MIAMI (31 - 28)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 4-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 3-2 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON (14 - 46) at OKLAHOMA CITY (15 - 45)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 4-1 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 5-0 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE (20 - 39) at CHICAGO (27 - 33)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 3-2 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 3-2 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO (40 - 19) at DALLAS (36 - 24)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 6-5 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 6-5 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON (38 - 22) at UTAH (37 - 23)
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 83-69 ATS (+7.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 50-27 ATS (+20.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) second half of the season this season.
UTAH is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 25-10 ATS (+14.0 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 46-27 ATS (+16.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 278-230 ATS (+25.0 Units) in road games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 41-28 ATS (+10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 13-8 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 13-9 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
11 of 21 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA (26 - 36) at PORTLAND (37 - 22)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 4-0 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 4-0 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS (15 - 43) at LA CLIPPERS (15 - 46)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 7-2 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 7-2 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE vs. CLEVELAND
Milwaukee is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Cleveland
Milwaukee is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games
Cleveland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
ATLANTA vs. NEW YORK
Atlanta is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against New York
Atlanta is 3-16 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of New York's last 9 games at home
BOSTON vs. NEW JERSEY
Boston is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Boston is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games on the road
New Jersey is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
New Jersey is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
PHOENIX vs. MIAMI
Phoenix is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Phoenix is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Miami
Miami is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games
WASHINGTON vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Washington is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Oklahoma City
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
Oklahoma City is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Washington
GOLDEN STATE vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing Chicago
Golden State is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Chicago is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
HOUSTON vs. UTAH
Houston is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Utah
Houston is 4-21 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Utah
Utah is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
SAN ANTONIO vs. DALLAS
San Antonio is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
San Antonio is 8-15-1 ATS in its last 24 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
INDIANA vs. PORTLAND
Indiana is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Indiana is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Portland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
MEMPHIS vs. LA CLIPPERS
Memphis is 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games when playing LA Clippers
Memphis is 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games
LA Clippers are 2-6 SU in their last 8 games
NBA Today
SCOREBOARD
Wednesday, March 4
San Antonio at Dallas, (9 p.m. EST). The Texas rivalry resumes with the Spurs holding a 4 1/2 - games lead over the fourth-place Mavericks in the Southwest Division.
STARS
Tuesday
— Kobe Bryant, Lakers, scored 31 points to help Los Angeles avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season with a 99-89 win overt Memphis.
— Dwight Howard, Magic, had 21 points and eight rebounds in his matchup with Shaquille O’Neal and Orlando beat Phoenix 111-99.
— Stephen Jackson, Warriors, had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists to lead Golden State to a 118-94 victory against Minnesota.
— Brook Lopez, Nets, scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as New Jersey beat Milwaukee 99-95.
— Troy Murphy, Pacers, had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists to lead Indiana to a 117-109 victory over Sacramento.
STANDING OVATION
Detroit Pistons fans gave a warm welcome back to Chauncey Billups, the 2004 NBA finals MVP, who was playing at the Palace in Auburn Hills for the first time since being traded to Denver earlier this season. His introduction with a signature, “Buh! Buh! Buh! Billups!” set off a standing ovation that lasted a couple of minutes and led to him blowing kisses in each direction. He scored a season-high 34 points, but the Pistons won 100-95.
SIBLING RIVALRY
Lakers center Pau Gasol, matched in the middle against younger brother Marc, had 13 points and eight rebounds in Los Angeles’ 99-89 victory against Memphis. Marc Gasol, four years younger than the 28-year-old Pau, outdid his brother, scoring 17 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
STREAKS
Raymond Felton had 18 points and nine assists and the Bobcats beat undermanned Chicago 96-80 for their season-high fourth straight victory. … The Pistons, playing their third straight game without injured All-Star Allen Iverson, won their third straight game, beating Denver 100-95. It’s the first time in two months Detroit has won three in a row. … The Rockets won their 10th straight home game, beating Toronto 107-97.
STANDINGS
The New Jersey Nets beat Milwaukee 99-95 and move within a half game of the Bucks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
STATS
The Minnesota Timberwolves dropped to 1-9 without star center Al Jefferson, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, in their 118-94 loss to Golden State.
SEEING DOUBLE
Troy Murphy had 23 points and 10 rebounds in Indiana’s 117-109 victory at Sacramento, his eighth straight double-double 38th this season.
SPEAKING
“I’m really too old to be trying to outscore 18-year-olds.”—Suns center Shaquille O’Neal, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds in his matchup against Dwight Howard, who scored 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds in Orlando’s 111-99 victory over Phoenix. O’Neal will be 37 on Friday. Howard is 23.
Hot Teams
-- Cavaliers won three in row, eight of last nine games.
-- Suns won six of their last nine games.
-- Nets won three of their last four games (4-0 vs spread).
-- Thunder won last two games, after dropping previous seven.
-- Mavericks won five of their last seven games.
-- Rockets won eight of their last nine games. Jazz won eight games in a row (7-1 vs spread).
-- Pacers won five of their last seven games. Portland won five of their last seven games, covered five of last six.
Cold Teams
-- Bucks lost five of their last seven games.
-- Miami covered just three of its last eleven games.
-- Celtics are just 3-3 since the All-Star break.
-- Hawks lost four of their last five road games. Knicks lost four of their last five games overall.
-- Wizards lost four of their last five games.
-- Bulls, Warriors both lost three of their last four games.
-- Spurs are just 4-4 in their last eight games.
-- Clippers lost three in row, 14 of last 19 games. Memphis lost eight in row, but went 5-3 vs spread in those eight.
Totals
-- Four of last five Cleveland home games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Miami games.
-- Seven of last eight New Jersey games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Atlanta games stayed under the total.; over is 13-2 in Knicks' last fifteen games.
-- Four of last five Washington games stayed under the total.
-- Over is 9-4 in last thirteen Chicago games.
-- Last three Dallas games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Utah games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Indiana games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Clipper games stayed under the total.
Back-to Back
-- Bucks are 4-6 vs spread on road if they played the night before.
-- Suns are 6-3 vs spread on road if they played the night before.
-- New Jersey is 10-4 vs spread if they played the night before.
-- Bulls are 6-2 vs spread at home the night after playing on the road.
-- Houston is 4-5 vs spread on road if they played the night before.
-- Pacers are 3-8 vs spread on road if they played the night before.
-- Memphis is 4-7 vs spread if they played the night before.
Tips and Trends
San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks
Spurs: San Antonio has won five of the last six meetings with Dallas despite having its three top players (Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) on the floor in just half of those games. The Spurs crushed the Mavs 93-76 on February 24th despite playing without Duncan and Ginobili and will have Duncan back after he missed three games with a sore knee and quad injury. “I can only shutter to think what would happen had (Duncan and Ginobili) played,” Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle said. Carlisle will find out what happens with Duncan in the lineup on Wednesday.
Spurs are 2-8 ATS in their last 10 Wednesday games.
The UNDER is 6-2 in San Antonio's last 8 Wednesday games.
Key Injuries- G Manu Ginobili (ankle) is OUT.
PROJECTED SCORE: 94 (Side Play of the Day)
Mavs (-1, O/U 186): Dallas could be without one of its best players but will have one back for this meeting with the Spurs. Josh Howard aggravated an ankle injury in a 96-87 loss to Oklahoma City on Monday and did not play in the second half. Jason Terry has played the last two games though after missing eight with a fractured finger. Terry has averaged 24 points vs. San Antonio in two meetings this season while Dirk Nowitzki is averaging 31 in his last three games overall. Both will likely need to keep playing well in order to win this rivalry game.
Mavs are 1-5 SU in the last 6 meetings.
The UNDER is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
Key Injuries- F Josh Howard (ankle) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 92
Monday Research
By Indiancowboy
Milwaukee vs. Cleveland
Two-thirds of the public favor Cleveland here as they should. Cleveland beat this team by 8 on the road, 12 on the road and 6 at home this year. Clevleand is one of those teams that consistently starts slow in the game and then turns it up in the second and third quarters. In particular, they always turn up the heat in the fourth quarter of games as they did in Miami in just their last game. In the end, I don't want to bet against a Cavs team that is 39-20 ATS, nor go with 66% of the public giving up 13 points. no thanks.
Boston vs. New Jersey
Over 80% are on Boston here and that is bad news for Celtics backers usually. The C's are a bit banged up as they do not have Garnett back yet, Scalabrine is out till' early April, Tony Allen is out due to his thumb for the rest of the year and Pruitt is suspended for this game. Hence, the bench is a bit depleted for the C's as they hit the road to Jersey who has covered 4 straight. I lean on Jersey to stay inside the number here as they do have revenge as well.
Atlanta vs. New York
The public favors the Knicks silghtly more here. Bear in mind with no Robinson as he is questionable, the Knicks will be a bit hampered with their scoring. NY beat this team back on January 28th so Atlanta does have revenge and the Hawks have covered 4 straight to their credit. But, the Knicks come off a loss at Miami. I think it's tough to find value here - the lines are too rich for my blood.
Washington vs. OKC
OKC has been hot with or without - Durant/Green. This team beat the Mavs at home without them as Westbrook should be Rookie of the Year imo. The Thunder have revenge as well and Wash will likely have no Butler. Having said that though, I am weary that 77% of the public favor OKC here so I might just lay off for that reason alone as everything else looks good for OKC.
GS vs. Chicago
GS comes off routing Minny. Having said that, this team will be without Ellis and Biedrins is Questionable. But, this team does have plenty of offense with Jackson, Maggatee and Crawford. Tack on the fact that Tyrus Thomas and Deng are doubtful, this leaves the Bulls a bit handicapped. Chicago comes off an ugly loss to Charlotte but GS does have revenge. A small lean on GS here.
Houston vs. Utah
Sure, Houston is playing well, but one of the first things you learn in betting about the modern Jazz, is that you do not bet against this team in Utah. You are just begging for trouble if you do usually as this is the same team that beat the Lakers and Celtics without Boozer in Salt Lake. Houston beat this team by 9 earlier this year and given the fact that these two teams hooked up in the playoffs last year, these two teams are not fond of each other. Both teams are on solid streaks has won 9 of 10 SU and so have the Jazz. The Jazz have covered 8 of their last 10 to their credit however. Lean on the Jazz.
San Antonio vs. Dallas
Dallas is dismal as they simply do not have a bench. Tack on Howard is questionable and Dallas should haev a rough go. But, they will try to get revenge despite losing by 17 to San Antonio earlier this year and do come off a loss to OKC so they will have plenty of incentive in this near pick-em as these two teams are rivals. Nevertheless, I find it tough to trust Dallas for four quarters, as if you wanted to do a halftime play on this game you could on Dallas, but a lean on the spurs for the game as they make adjustments as good as any team in the league.
Phoenix vs. Miami
Just quick note on this game, Phoenix is playing better and they could certainly win this game Outright. Miami beat this team by 15 on the road earlier thsi year so Phoenix does have revenge. But, Miami comes off a tough loss to Cleveland after coming all the way back in that game. Phoenix comes off a tough loss to Orlando as well as both teams lost the cover in their previous game. A small lean on the under here.
Injury Updates:
Cavaliers: West is Questionable.
Knicks: Robinson is Questionable.
Phoenix: Hill and Nash are both Probable.
Washington: Butler is Doubtful
Oklahoma City: Green and Durant are both Doubtful.
Warriors: Biedrins is Questionable. Ellis OUT.
Bulls: Thomas and Deng are Doubtful.
Mavericks: Howard is Questionable.
Pacers: Granger is Doubtful.
Blazers: Oden is OUT.
Clippers: Gordon is OUT. Randolph is OUT. Davis is Questionable.
NBA Wednesday Report
by Andre Gomes
Bucks @ Cavs
The Cavs have a big game against the Celtics this Friday so it's not bad to think that this can be a look ahead game spot for them, after all they return home after a tough road trip and facing a team that the Cavs already beat 3 times this season isn't worth their best effort on the floor right? The bad news for the Bucks is that teams who played the second game of back to back series in Cleveland this season are 0-6 ATS!
Celtics @ Nets
This isn't a good spot for the Nets as they play tonight their third game in four nights and the two previous games were ballgames. They face the Boston who wants to bounce back after a tough home loss against the Pistons. Do you realize that the Celtics played three consecutive poor games? They lost @ Clippers, won by only 5 points against the Pacers at home and lost against the Pistons. No Garnett, no Scalabrine and Tony Allen and having to insert Marbury and Moore takes time to adjust and they are "struggling lately"
Suns @ Heat
The Suns had a tough loss last night in Orlando fading down the stretch. Playing a back to back isn't easy for one of the oldest teams in the league, they committed 21 turnovers last night and Shaq usually struggles in b2b games. Meanwhile the Heat had a tough loss against the Cavs as Lebron James owned Wade down the stretch, do you know that the Heat are 6-0 ATS at home after a home loss? Some of those wins were against Lakers, Magic or the Sixers!
Wizards @ Thunder
The Thunder had probably the most unexpected win of the season in their last game against the Mavericks. They are now in a good mood and they will now host the Wizards, so this might be a great spot for them especially because Caron Butler won't play tonight. But honestly do you believe in some guys like Kyle Weaver, Sefolosha or Malik Rose to put big numbers like they did against the Mavs in a daily basis?
Warriors @ Bulls
The Bulls suffered an humiliating loss last night in Charlotte by 80-96 and they look to bounce back tonight, the reverse is happening with the Warriors as they are coming from a huge win last night in Minnesota and note that they are 5-15 ATS after a win and 0-5 ATS as away underdogs! If the Bulls want to make a playoff push they cannot afford to lose this game.