Pistons won three in row, eight of last ten games; they covered last three. 10 of their last 14 games stayed under total, as did last five Cleveland games. Cavaliers won three of their last four games, but scored average of just 90 ppg in last three games.
76ers lost last three games, scoring just 86.3 ppg, but are 4-1 vs spread in last five road games. Charlotte lost in OT at Swamp last night; six of their last eight games went over total. They're 1-3 in last four home games, lost twice to 76ers, by 7-31 points.
End of long dismal road for Knicks, who covered five of last six road games, eight of last 11 overall, but lost last two games by 12-6 points. 10 of their last 14 games went over total. Indiana allowed 112 ppg in losing last two games; seven of last eight Pacer games stayed under.
Wizards won five of last six games as they're healthier heading into playoffs; eight of last ten games went over total. Visitor is 3-0 in Wizard-Orlando games this year. Magic won three of its last four games. Seven of their last eight games stayed under.
Celtics are 9-2 in last eleven games (10-1 SU) winning three in a row by 16-10-6 pts; seven of last nine games stayed under the total. Nets beat Charlotte in OT last night in their last home tilt of season; their second win in row after a 1-6 skid.
Miami's season from hell ends here; they've lost nine of last 11 games, but covered four of last six. Nine of their last ten games stayed under total. Hawks got smoked at home last night, their fourth loss in last six games, but they're 5-4 in last nine on road
San Antonio split last six games (1-5 vs spread)- they won six of last seven home games, are 6-12-1 vs spread in last 19 tries as favorite. Utah won six of last seven games (6-0-1 vs spread) four of their last five games stayed under the total.
Minnesota lost seven of last nine games, with five of last six going over total- they lost 95-92 to Bucks in Milwaukee back on Dec 15 (+8). Bucks lost last seven games (0-4 vs spread in last four) they lost 151-135 shootout to Bulls in last game.
Rockets lost last two games by 17-9 points, with six of its last eight games staying under total; they covered last four games as favorite. Clippers mailed season in long time ago; they lost last six games, covering just one of the six losses.
New Orleans is just 2-3 in last five games, but 19-6-1 vs spread in last 26 games; six of their last nine games stayed under total. Dallas lost last two games, both on road, but won four in a row at home- they're 0-4 vs spread in last four games overall.
Raptors won three of its last four games, with wins by 18-28-16 points- their last five games stayed under total. Toronto lost three in row on road by 7-9-7 points. Chicago is ending horrid season; they won 151-135 at Milwaukee in last game, after its last five games had stayed under total. Go figure.
Denver has clinched playoff spot, have Anthony/DUI issues to deal with; they won three of last four games, with all four of those staying under total. Grizzlies got whacked in Portland on Tuesday, but are still 7-2 vs spread in last nine road games.
Suns are 7-3 in last ten games, winning three of last four- they eliminated Warriors Monday, and beat Portland twice this year by 13-5 pts. Blazers lost last four road games (1-3 vs spread), but won three of last four overall, beating Memphis last night.
Golden State can take frustrations of missing playoffs out on a Sonic team that doesn't know where it'll play next year, after an awful season this year. Seattle beat Dallas in what be their last game in Seattle- 10 of their last 12 games stayed under total.
NBA Today
Utah at San Antonio (9:30 p.m. EDT). The Jazz can clinch home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs with a win over the Spurs.
STARS
-Richard Jefferson, Nets, scored 28 points as New Jersey completed its seventh straight winning season at home with a 112-108 overtime victory over Charlotte.
-Maurice Evans, Magic, scored a career-high 27 points on 11-for-16 shooting as Orlando routed Atlanta 121-105.
BACK ON TOP
Pau Gasol had 22 points, Kobe Bryant added 20, and the Lakers beat short-handed Sacramento 124-101 Tuesday night to clinch the No. 1 seed in the West and home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs. Los Angeles (57-25) won eight of its last nine games.
CLINCHED
David West scored 32 points and Chris Paul added 22 points and 12 assists as New Orleans clinched the Southwest Division by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 114-92 on Tuesday night. The Hornets, who won the first division championship in their 20-year history, will be the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
STANDINGS
Detroit clinched the NBA's second-best record with a 115-103 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday night. The Pistons (58-23) will have home-court advantage over any Western Conference opponent if they make the NBA Finals, and will open the postseason against No. 7 seeded Philadelphia.
IMPROVING
James Jones hit six 3-pointers and had 20 points as Portland improved to 41-40 with a 113-91 victory Tuesday night over Memphis. The Blazers have not finished with a winning record since the 2002-03 season.
SLUMPS
Minnesota finished 1-14 in road games against Eastern Conference opponents this season following a 115-103 loss at Detroit on Tuesday night. ... The Clippers have not beaten a team with a winning record since Feb. 22 and are 0-16 on the road against Western Conference teams with winning records after a 114-92 loss at New Orleans.
CHARGED
Denver All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony said Tuesday he was ``truly sorry'' for his arrest on DUI charges Monday, and police denied giving him special treatment, even though one officer gave him a lift after his arrest and another drove his car to a city lot.
SIDELINED
Cleveland swingman Sasha Pavlovic will miss at least the first round of the playoffs with a sprained ankle. Pavlovic averaged 7.4 points and shot 36 percent from the floor in 51 games, including 45 starts. ... Houston point guard Rafer Alston will miss at least a week with a strained right hamstring. Alston started 74 of the Rockets' 81 games this season, averaging 13.1 points and 5.3 assists.
SPEAKING
``I think we thought we had them buried in the books, and you can't do that to any NBA team. You have a team down, you have to kick them. In the NBA, if you don't kick them, they are going to kick you. That's what they did. They got a lot of energy, they got their fans into it, they wanted to win their last home game.'' - Forward Jason Richardson after Charlotte blew a 20-point lead in a 112-108 overtime loss at New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Rockets' Alston expected to miss a week with hamstring injury
ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON (AP) -Houston Rockets point guard Rafer Alston will miss at least a week with a strained right hamstring.
The 6-foot-2 Alston suffered the injury in the Rockets' 111-94 loss to Denver on Sunday. He sat out Monday's loss in Utah.
Alston underwent an MRI exam on Tuesday that revealed a moderate to severe strain. The Rockets said he would miss at least a week of playing time.
Alston has started 74 of the Rockets' 81 games this season, averaging 13 points and five assists per game.
The Rockets finish the regular season against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. The playoffs begin this weekend.