Weekly Notes - East
By Chris David
(Straight-Up, Against the Spread, Over/Under)
1) Boston (38-12, 24-24-2, 25-24)
Weekly Recap: Boston posted a 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS mark this week but two of the victories against the L.A. Lakers and Magic were impressive. The loss could've easily been a win too, but the Celtics fell to a red-hot Dallas squad (97-101) on Friday. The total went 2-2.
Weekly Outlook: The Celtics start the week with a road trip to Charlotte, which will be played on zero days rest. Following that contest, Boston will get two opportunities at home to strut its championship caliber. The L.A. Lakers visit Thursday before Miami comes to Beantown on Sunday.
2) Miami (37-14, 26-25-1, 27-24-1)
Weekly Recap: Miami is heating up again (pun intended) and bettors either hop on the express or get out of the way. The Heat have won six straight (5-1 ATS), with three of the wins on the road and three at home. The offense has put up 104 or more in four of the wins, which has helped the 'over' go 4-2 during this stretch.
Weekly Outlook: The Heat will host a surging Pacers club on Tuesday before opening up a four-game road trip against Eastern Conference foes. A possible look-ahead spot at Detroit is set up for Friday, especially with a nationally televised affair at Boston on Sunday. The Heat has already lost to the Celtics twice this season, so this is a big statement game.
3) Chicago (34-15, 29-20, 18-31)
Weekly Recap: The Bulls had their six-game winning streak snapped on Saturday at Golden State (90-101) in a game that the offense failed to show up in the fourth quarter. Prior to that loss, Chicago went 3-0 both SU and ATS in its first three games, scoring 99, 110 and 106 points in the wins.
Weekly Outlook: Chicago stays on the road this week for three more games. The team plays Portland on Monday and Utah on Wednesday. Then the Bulls close the trip in the "Big Easy" on Saturday against New Orleans. Even though Tom Thibodeau's squad is considered a serious contender, their 11-11 SU and 12-10 ATS mark is nothing to brag about.
4) Atlanta (33-18, 24-27, 23-28)
Weekly Recap: The Hawks started the week with a loss at Dallas (91-102) but they bounced back with three wins in a row albeit against the Raptors (100-87), Clippers (101-100) and Wizards (99-92). Atlanta currently sits in the fourth seed in the East and is only two games behind the Bulls for the third slot.
Weekly Outlook: Atlanta only has two games this week, both coming at home. Philadelphia visits Tuesday before Charlotte comes to town on Saturday. All-Star Al Horford (back) sat out Saturday's win over the Wizards but is expected to return this week.
5) Orlando (32-20, 21-28-3, 23-26-3)
Weekly Recap: Orlando continues to play inconsistent basketball, plus it's losing close games. The Magic went 1-3 both SU and ATS last week and losses to Memphis (97-100) and Miami (100-104) were by a combined seven points. Sunday's setback at Boston on national television showed more flaws and definitely raised questions about the Magic's toughness. The total went 2-1-1.
Weekly Outlook: The Magic host the Clippers on Tuesday before traveling to Philadelphia the next night. After a day off, Stan Van Gundy's team will welcome two quality contenders from the Western Conference. New Orleans visits Friday before the L.A. Lakers on Sunday.
6) New York (26-24, 32-18, 25-25-1)
Weekly Recap: The Knicks started the week with a pair of losses to the Mavericks (97-113) and 76ers (98-100). The offense couldn't muster up buckets and the defense was missing on both wins. New York found its shot on Sunday and the club avenged that loss to Philadelphia by splitting the home-and-home series with a 117-103 win. The 'over' went 2-1 and has now cashed in four of the last five.
Weekly Outlook: New York will get a couple of days off before facing the Clippers on Wednesday and then the other club from L.A. on Friday as the Lakers visit. The Knicks close the week Saturday with a trip across the river to New Jersey, which will be played on zero days rest.
7) Philadelphia (23-27, 31-19-1, 25-26)
Weekly Recap: Doug Collins has his team playing well lately, winners in six of their last eight games. This past week, Philadelphia went 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS. Defense has been the key to success during this run, as seven of the eight opponents were held under the century mark.
Weekly Outlook: Philadelphia has a real tough schedule this week with four games split into back-to-back situations with travel. And three of the teams are playoff contenders. After facing Atlanta on the road Tuesday, the 76ers host Orlando the next day. Then, another home game against San Antonio won't be easy on Friday nor will a road trip to Minnesota on Saturday.
8) Indiana (20-27, 22-23-3, 18-29-1)
Weekly Recap: Don't look now but the Pacers are starting to heat up! Indiana has won four in a row and five of its last six. We might want to tread lightly since the one loss was against a quality opponent in Chicago (89-100) and four of the five victories came against teams with losing records. The winning streak started after the team fired head coach Jim O'Brien. Assistant Frank Vogel has taken over the duties.
Weekly Outlook: Vogel is going to find out how good his squad is this week. Starting Tuesday, the Pacers play the Heat on the road and then at home against the Bobcats the next night. Then, Indiana hosts Minnesota on Friday before facing Milwaukee on zero days rest.
9) Charlotte (21-29, 23-25-2, 23-27)
Weekly Recap: Paul Silas and company finished off a six-game road trip with an impressive 4-2 mark both SU and ATS. Unfortunately, the club must've been gassed from the roadie as they lost their last two at home. To Charlotte's credit, the setbacks came against Miami (97-109) and Dallas (92-101).
Weekly Outlook: The schedule doesn't let up this week with four games on tap. Boston and New Jersey will visit Charlotte. The other two contests will be on the road against Indiana and Atlanta. The battle versus the Hawks will be on zero days rest.
10) Milwaukee (19-30, 22-25-1, 20-28)
Weekly Recap: To no surprise, the Bucks posted a 0-3 record on their West Coast swing. Scott Skiles team was then caught napping against Detroit (78-89) in their first game at home following the trip. Injuries are starting to play a toll, especially on offense. The 'under' went 3-1 as the club was held to 98, 77, 84 and 78 in the losses.
Weekly Outlook: Busy week for Milwaukee with two back-to-back sets on tap, which includes travel. After hosting Toronto on Tuesday, the club heads to Washington the next night. Then, they face the Grizzlies on the road Friday before meeting Indiana at home.
11) Detroit (19-32, 28-22-1, 25-26)
Weekly Recap: Detroit started the week with a 10-point setback (87-97) at Charlotte but quickly rebounded with two straight wins, both by double digits. The Pistons beat the Nets (92-82) at home and then earned a solid road victory over the Bucks (89-78) on zero days rest. The 'under' cashed in all three games.
Weekly Outlook: Four games on the docket for Detroit and the three at The Palace will be tough as San Antonio, Miami and Portland will visit. The lone road affair will be at Cleveland and it will be a back-to-back situation for the Pistons. If Detroit knocks off San Antonio on Tuesday, the letdown could be in play Wednesday.
12) New Jersey (15-37, 24-29, 25-27-1)
Weekly Recap: After beating Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets (115-99) on Monday, it seemed like the Nets were content. Since that victory, the Nets have dropped three straight games by double digits. The total went 2-2 last week.
Weekly Outlook: The losing could continue for New Jersey this week with games against quality competition, fortunately only one is on the road. Home contests are slated against the Hornets and Knicks, while a trip to Charlotte is sandwiched between them. The game against New York on Saturday will be a back-to-back spot.
13) Toronto (14-37, 22-27-2, 24-27)
Weekly Recap: The Raptors snapped their 13-game losing streak on Friday with a home win over Minnesota (111-100). Total players following Toronto have watched the 'under' go 11-3 over the last 14 games.
Weekly Outlook: Toronto starts the week on the road at Milwaukee on Tuesday before coming home for three straight. Those games will be versus Western Conference opponents as the Spurs, Trail Blazers and Clippers visit.
14) Washington (13-37, 18-32, 21-27-1)
Weekly Recap: The Wizards are in a serious funk, losers of their last eight. Flip Saunders' team went 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS last week. All of the setbacks came against playoff contenders and three were by double digits. Two of the losses came on the road, which pushed Washington to 0-25 away from home this season. The 'under' went 3-0-1.
Weekly Outlook: Washington has three games on tap this week, two at home. Milwaukee will visit Wednesday and San Antonio on Saturday. After those affairs, the Wizards might have a shot to earn their first road win when they travel to Cleveland on Sunday.
15) Cleveland (8-43, 18-30-3, 30-21)
Weekly Recap: And then there were 24. Cleveland's losing streak has reached 24 after the team went 0-4 SU last week. The Cavs did go 2-1-1 ATS and the 'over' continues to stay hot with a 4-0 mark. The 'over' has gone 10-3 in the last 13.
Weekly Outlook: Cleveland will have four opportunities to stop the bleeding this week, and we believe it will happen. After playing at Dallas on Monday, the Cavs host the Pistons, Clippers and Wizards.
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Weekly Notes - West
By Kevin Rogers
(Straight-Up, Against the Spread, Over/Under)
1) San Antonio (42-8, 30-18-2, 23-27)
Weekly Recap: The Spurs hit a rough spot on the start of their Rodeo Trip in a 13-point defeat at Portland. San Antonio bounced back nicely with consecutive wins over the Lakers and Kings, improving to 5-1 SU/ATS the last six games. With the victory at Sacramento, the Spurs are 5-2 ATS the previous seven games as road favorites.
Weekly Outlook: The road swing moves east to Detroit on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Toronto with no rest on Wednesday. San Antonio plays another back-to-back set at Philadelphia (Friday) and Washington (Saturday), as the Spurs are 2-3-1 ATS this season on the road against Eastern Conference foes.
2) L.A. Lakers (35-16, 22-28-1, 21-30)
Weekly Recap: The Purple and Gold has turned into 'fade' material with non-covers in four of the last five games. Los Angeles failed to cash as 8 ½-point favorites in an overtime win over Houston, followed by a last-second loss to San Antonio as three-point 'chalk.' The Lakers rebounded with a 101-95 victory at New Orleans on the start of a seven-game road trip.
Weekly Outlook: L.A. continues its road swing with the Grammys and All-Star Game taking over Staples Center. The Lakers head to Memphis on Monday to battle the hot Grizzlies, looking to avenge a pair of losses from earlier in the season. The Lakers and Celtics renew acquaintances on Thursday, while Phil Jackson's club travels to New York on Friday. The week concludes at Orlando on Sunday in a rematch of the 2009 NBA Finals in which the Lakers knocked the Magic out in five games.
3) Dallas (35-15, 27-21-2, 28-22)
Weekly Recap: The Mavericks are rolling once again with eight straight victories, including a three-game sweep of the road trip at New York, Boston, and Charlotte. Dallas is scoring plenty as of late by eclipsing the 100-point mark in seven consecutive games, while going 6-1 to the 'over' in this stretch.
Weekly Outlook: Rick Carlisle's squad returns home to host the woeful Cavs on Monday, as Cleveland is riding a 24-game losing streak. The Mavs go back on the road for three more games starting Wednesday at Sacramento. Dallas heads to Denver on Thursday, as the road team has won the first two meetings this season. The Mavs conclude the trip in Houston on Saturday, as the Rockets will play with three days of rest.
4) New Orleans (32-20, 26-25-1, 18-34)
Weekly Recap: The Hornets were rolling in January with 10 consecutive victories, but New Orleans has hit a rough spot with losses in four of the last five games. The lone triumph in this stretch came against the Wizards, who are winless on the road this season. New Orleans has failed to cover in five straight games, including losses to the Thunder and Lakers to wrap up the week.
Weekly Outlook: Things ease up for the Hornets on Monday with a home contest against the Wolves, followed by a trip to New Jersey on Wednesday. New Orleans heads to Orlando on Friday, looking for a season sweep of the Magic. The week ends on Saturday with a visit by the Bulls, as Chicago plays the final game of a five-game road trip.
5) Oklahoma City (33-17, 26-24, 31-19)
Weekly Recap: The Thunder grabbed three victories over the Hornets, Suns, and Jazz to improve to 6-2 the previous eight games. Oklahoma City needed comebacks at Phoenix and Utah to capture some breathing room atop the crowded Northwest Division.
Weekly Outlook: Oklahoma City returns to the Ford Center on Tuesday to host Memphis, as the Grizzlies will be playing their fourth game in five nights. The Thunder heads to California for a pair of games at Sacramento (Saturday) and Golden State (Sunday), as each the Kings and Warriors will be playing with two days of rest.
6) Denver (30-21, 22-26-3, 26-24-1)
Weekly Recap: It's been a rocky road recently for the Nuggets by splitting four games last week. Denver lost a 16-point decision at New Jersey as three-point favorites, but bounced back with a 109-90 blowout of Portland. The Nuggets stubbed their toe in a seven-point home setback to the Jazz, while wrapping up the week with a victory at Minnesota.
Weekly Outlook: The Nuggets alternate home and road games this week with four contests. Denver hosts Houston on Monday, followed by a Wednesday trip to Golden State. George Karl's club returns to Pepsi Center on Thursday to entertain the red-hot Mavericks. The Nuggets conclude the first half of the season with a three-game road trip that starts in Memphis on Sunday.
7) Utah (30-22, 23-28-1, 28-24)
Weekly Recap: The Jazz saw their share of struggles in January by going 7-9 SU and 4-12 ATS. Utah finished last week with a 2-2 SU/ATS mark, including a pair of home losses to Houston and Oklahoma City. The strongest victory came with point guard Deron Williams back in the lineup as nine-point underdogs at Denver last Friday.
Weekly Outlook: Utah heads to Sacramento on Monday, followed by a three-game homestand in Salt Lake City. The Jazz host the Bulls on Wednesday, while the Suns come to town on Friday playing on no rest.
8) Portland (27-24, 23-25-3, 22-28-1)
Weekly Recap: The injuries are starting to take a toll on Portland's depth as the Blazers are 2-4 after winning five straight games. Portland upended San Antonio to start the week, but dropped consecutive contests at Denver and Indiana. The Blazers sent the Cavs to their 24th straight loss, as Portland broke the 100-point mark for the first time in seven games.
Weekly Outlook: Nate McMillan's team returns to the Rose Garden for just one game on Monday night against Chicago before going back on the highway for three more games. The Blazers travel east with the first matchup in Toronto on Friday, followed by a Sunday meeting in Auburn Hills against the Pistons.
9) Memphis (27-25, 32-19-1, 24-28)
Weekly Recap: The Grizzlies are right in the playoff mix after winning nine of 11 games, including a huge home victory over the Magic to start the week. Memphis beat also-rans Minnesota and Cleveland, prior to an overtime defeat at Houston, but the Grizzlies managed a cover against the Rockets as 4 ½-point 'dogs.
Weekly Outlook: The week toughens up with matchups against three of the top teams in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies host the Lakers on Monday, followed by a trip to Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Memphis returns home for three games starting Friday against Milwaukee, while the week ends with a Sunday visit from Denver.
10) Phoenix (23-25, 20-26-2, 25-23)
Weekly Recap: As evidenced by their nearly .500 record, the Suns have seen their shares of ups and downs this season. Phoenix won five straight, but then lost three in a row, followed by a 3-1 SU/ATS run. The Suns knocked off the Hornets and Bucks, followed by a four-point home defeat to the Thunder.
Weekly Outlook: The Suns will be doing very little traveling until the All-Star Break with five of seven games at home, with the two road contests at Golden State (Monday) and Utah (Friday). In between those two contests, the Warriors invade the Valley on Thursday, while the Suns host the Kings on Sunday.
11) Houston (24-28, 26-24-2, 25-27)
Weekly Recap: The Rockets started the season slow with a 3-11 start, but managed to come back to life to wrap up 2010. However, Houston has won just eight of 20 games since the New Year, but picked up victories over the Jazz and Grizzlies to wrap up the week. The Rockets are riding a 5-2 ATS run, including a 4-1 ATS spurt on the highway.
Weekly Outlook: Houston hits the road for one game on Monday in Denver, looking to beat the Nuggets for the first time in three tries this season. The Rockets return home for four games prior to the All-Star Break, starting with Minnesota on Tuesday. Houston has three days off before battling Dallas on Saturday at the Toyota Center, as the Rockets are winless in two games against the Mavs.
13) L.A. Clippers (19-31, 25-24-1, 27-22-1)
Weekly Recap: The Clippers had their nine-game home winning streak snapped by the Bulls, scoring below 90 points at Staples Center for the first time since mid-December. Los Angeles dropped a pair of contests to begin an 11-game road trip in Atlanta and Miami, while the Clippers are 1-5 ATS the last six games as an away underdog.
Weekly Outlook: Los Angeles plays four games this week, starting in Orlando on Tuesday. The Clips turn around to battle the Knicks in New York on Wednesday, followed by a Friday trip to Cleveland. The week concludes on Sunday north of the border when the Clips take on the struggling Raptors.
14) Sacramento (12-35, 19-27-1, 22-25)
Weekly Recap: The Kings have been one of the hotter ATS teams with an 11-6 run since the start of January. Sacramento dropped a pair of home contests to Boston and San Antonio, but picked up a backdoor cover against the Celtics thanks to a late three-pointer from Tyreke Evans.
Weekly Outlook: Sacramento will be listed as a home underdog three times this week with Utah (Monday), Dallas (Wednesday), and Oklahoma City (Saturday) invading Arco Arena. The Kings start a seven-game road trip on Sunday at Phoenix, as Paul Westphal's club is 7-2 ATS the last nine games on the highway.
15) Minnesota (11-39, 22-28, 24-26)
Weekly Recap: The Wolves are back at the bottom of the pack after losing all three games to the Grizzlies, Raptors, and Nuggets. Minnesota is 2-14 SU and 5-11 ATS the last 16 games with the only victories coming at home over Washington and Toronto. The Wolves are riding a nice 'under' streak by cashing in five straight games.
Weekly Outlook: Minnesota hits the court four times this week, including the first three on the road. The Wolves head to New Orleans on Monday, while traveling to Houston with no rest on Tuesday. Minnesota concludes the trip at Indiana on Friday, followed by a home contest with Philadelphia, as the Sixers play their fourth game in five nights.
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