Weekly Notes - East
By Chris David
The NBA regular season finishes next Wednesday Apr. 13 followed up by the postseason on Saturday Apr. 16. With that being said, this will be the last installment of our Weekly Notes. Without further adieu, let's look at all 15 teams in the Eastern Conference and their final path over the next nine days.
(Straight-Up, Against the Spread, Over/Under)
Headed to the Dance
1) Chicago (56-20, 47-29, 33-43)
Final Notes: The Bulls have all but locked up the top spot in the East and have a magic number of three. Chicago has six games left and three of them will be nice tests. This Thursday, the Celtics visit the United Center. Then, the club has three straight on the road against Cleveland, Orlando and New York. The finale at home against New Jersey will more than likely be a layup before the playoffs.
2) Miami (54-23, 36-40-1, 40-36-1)
Final Notes: It appears that Miami will be facing the 76ers or Knicks in the first round, which could be an exciting matchup but the Heat should still win out. Erik Spoelstra's team has been in great form since losing five straight in early March, producing an 11-2 mark (8-5 ATS) over the last 13 games. Miami plays three straight at home, including a Sunday showdown against Boston, which should determine the two and three seeds in the East. The Heat close the season with road games at Atlanta and Toronto, which should see a lot of bench players.
3) Boston (53-23, 35-39-2, 35-40)
Final Notes: The Celtics continue to falter down the stretch and they could get clipped in the postseason without a healthy frontcourt. Boston is 3-4 SU and 2-5 ATS in its last seven and it hasn't been able to muster up back-to-back wins during this span. Four of the final six games will be against playoff opponents in the East, including Chicago and Miami. The other two will be versus the Wizards. Boston should be eyeing up the Sunday affair at Miami, but keep in mind they do own the tiebreaker over the Heat already. Still, they might have to go 5-1 and stop the Heat in South Beach to earn the second slot.
4) Orlando (48-29, 30-44-3, 30-43-4)
Final Notes: It's almost set in stone but Orlando and Atlanta will be meeting in the first round of the playoffs. The Magic can't wait for the playoffs, and neither can gamblers backing this club. Stan Van Gundy's team is a pedestrian 8-7 SU in the last 15 games. More importantly, the squad is a miserable 2-13 ATS during this stretch. For whatever reason, the offense has gone missing during this span, which has helped the 'under' produce an 11-4 mark. Three of the last five games appear to be winnable but a back-to-back set starting Sunday at home versus Chicago and ending in Philadelphia on Monday will be a nice barometer.
5) Atlanta (44-33, 37-40, 33-44)
Final Notes: The Hawks are penciled into the fifth spot and unlike the Magic, this team is playing well down the stretch, at least for gamblers. Atlanta is 4-2 SU and 6-0 ATS in its last six, with the two losses coming by five points a piece. Two of the wins that were impressive came at home against Orlando (85-82) and Boston (88-83). The Hawks have two more games at Philips Arena and they'll be tough matches versus San Antonio and Miami. The other three will be on the road against Indiana, Washington and Charlotte.
6) Philadelphia (40-37, 46-30-1, 40-37)
Final Notes: Doug Collins probably won't win Coach of the Year honors but he's done a great job in his debut season with the 76ers. The club has won and covered three of their last four, with the loss coming in overtime to Milwaukee (87-93) last Saturday. Tuesday's road affair at Boston could be a playoff preview. Following the C's, the 76ers close the season with four straight at home versus the Knicks, Raptors, Magic and Pistons.
7) New York (38-38, 42-32-2, 40-35-1)
Final Notes: The Knicks still have a chance to unseat Philadelphia for the sixth spot but either way it appears that they'll be facing Miami or Boston in the first round of the playoffs. After dropping six straight, New York has rebounded with three wins a row. Four of the last six are on the road, including Wednesday's battle against the aforementioned 76ers. Total players should make a note that the 'over' has cashed in six straight heading into the final stretch.
Fighting for Last
8) Indiana (35-43, 35-40-3, 35-42-1)
Final Notes: The Pacers control their own destiny down the stretch. They need to win three out of their final four games to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot in the East and fortunately three of them will be played at Conseco Fieldhouse. Washington, Atlanta and New York will visit this week and all games will be separated by a day. The road finale will be at Orlando, who could be resting.
9) Charlotte (32-44, 37-37-2, 35-41)
Final Notes: The playoff hopes for Charlotte are all but gone, especially without a healthy Stephen Jackson (hamstring). The team needs to win out or hope Indiana loses every one of its games down the stretch. The 'Cats don't have the tiebreaker over the Pacers, so ties fall the other way. Prior to losing two in a row over last weekend, Charlotte had strung together four straight victories. Game against Orlando and Miami will be tough, but the other four tilts versus Cleveland, Detroit, New Jersey and Atlanta are winnable.
10) Milwaukee (31-45, 37-37-1, 28-47)
Final Notes: Similar to the Bobcats, the Bucks will have an improbable chance of making the postseason, especially the way the season ends. Milwaukee plays three straight on the road against Orlando, Miami and Detroit. Then, after hosting Cleveland and Toronto in what will be heavy spreads, the Bucks finish the season at Oklahoma City. The word improbable should be replaced with impossible.
Get ready for the Draft
11) Detroit (26-50, 40-35-1, 41-35)
Final Notes: The Pistons have been impossible to figure out all season and this team will completely altered in the offseason. They have the talent to compete but a lackluster attitude is obvious. They've gone 1-6 over the last seven games, but four of the games were decided by eight or less. All six of Detroit's final contests are winnable, including road games at Washington, Charlotte and Philadelphia. It's just a matter of which team shows up.
12) New Jersey (25-53, 35-41, 37-38-1)
Final Notes: It looks like the Nets have talent on paper but this team is still far away from competing. The club is 2-10 over the last 12 and has dropped six straight, four of those by double digits. Fortunately, New Jersey will play four of its final six games against non-playoff teams and Chicago should rest its starters in the finale. A 4-2 or 5-1 finish would be positive but 3-3 seems likely.
13) Toronto (21-55, 33-41-2, 37-39)
Final Notes: The Raptors snapped a six-game slid on Sunday to Orlando (98-102) as 10-point home underdogs. The club has been playing up-tempo to close the season, which has helped the 'over' go 5-1 in the last six. Expect more of the same to close the year and don't look for Andrea Bargnani (ankle) or Jose Calderon (hamstring) to suit up anytime soon. As much as LeBron hurt Cleveland, Chris Bosh leaving Toronto was comparable.
14) Washington (20-56, 29-47, 32-42-1)
Final Notes: Despite a barrage of injuries all season, Washington is finishing the season strong, evidenced by a 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS run. Home games against Detroit, Atlanta and Boston could see the club catching a few points along with road tilts versus the Pacers and Celtics. It's fitting that Washington faces Cleveland on the road in the season finale.
15) Cleveland (15-61, 31-42-3, 42-34)
Final Notes: The abysmal season is almost over in Cleveland and some wonder if it will ever get better in the city. The Cavaliers have some winnable games on tap to close the season with five games against teams with losing records. The other battle will be versus Chicago at home, which would be a nice final stamp. The 'over' is on a 3-0 heading into the final stretch.
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Weekly Notes - West
By Kevin Rogers
(Straight-Up, Against the Spread, Over/Under)
1) San Antonio (58-19, 42-33-2, 43-34)
Weekly Recap: Things were falling apart at the seams for the Spurs with six consecutive losses, including setbacks to the Blazers, Celtics, and Rockets. San Antonio rebounded in a huge way with a blowout of Phoenix on Sunday as 11-point favorites.
Weekly Outlook: The Spurs make a quick trip to Atlanta on Tuesday, followed by a pair of home contests against the Kings (Wednesday) and Jazz (Saturday). San Antonio is 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS against its upcoming opponents this season, while the Spurs have cashed the 'over' in eight of the last nine games.
2) L.A. Lakers (55-21, 37-38-1, 30-46)
Weekly Recap: The Lakers lost only their second game since the All-Star break with Sunday's home setback to the Nuggets. The defending champs had won nine straight prior to the Denver defeat, including routs of the Mavs and Jazz.
Weekly Outlook: The push for the top seed in the Western Conference continues this week for the Lakers with the struggling Jazz coming to town on Tuesday. L.A. turns around on Wednesday for a trip up I-5 to battle the Warriors in Oakland, following a key road matchup at Portland on Friday. The week concludes on Sunday at home against the dangerous Thunder, as the Lakers are 2-0 SU/ATS in the season series.
3) Dallas (53-24, 40-35-2, 44-33)
Weekly Recap: The road wasn't too kind to the Mavs, who dropped the final three games of their six-game swing. Rick Carlisle's team held off the Clippers, but lost to the Lakers, Warriors, and Blazers to wrap up the week, as Dallas may have to settle for the three-seed in the West.
Weekly Outlook: The Mavs return to the American Airlines Center for three games this week, starting with the unrested Nuggets on Wednesday. The Clippers invade Dallas on Friday, while the Suns play the fifth and final game of their road trip on Sunday in 'Big D,' as the Mavs go for the four-game season sweep of each foe.
4) Oklahoma City (50-26, 39-36-1, 41-35)
Weekly Recap: The tired legs caught up to the Thunder at the end of a four game in five night stretch with losses to the Blazers and Clippers. Oklahoma City managed wins over Golden State and Phoenix to start the week, but the back-to-back defeats to end the week may have damaged its chances at the third seed.
Weekly Outlook: Oklahoma City concludes a four-game road swing in Denver on Tuesday, a potential first-round matchup in the Western Conference playoffs. The Thunder returns home on Wednesday to host the Clippers, followed by a rematch with the Nuggets in OKC on Friday. The week wraps up at Staples Center against the Lakers on Sunday.
5) Denver (47-29, 40-32-4, 35-40-1)
Weekly Recap: The Nuggets stayed hot with five straight victories, including back-to-back wins over the Kings and a huge road triumph over the Lakers. The key has been strong defense for Denver as the Nuggets are 8-1 to the 'under' the last nine games, while holding seven opponents to less than 100 points in this span.
Weekly Outlook: Denver tries to nail down the fifth seed with a big week, but George Karl's team will be tested. The Thunder invades the Pepsi Center on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Dallas on Wednesday. The Nuggets head to Oklahoma City on Friday, while concluding the week at home against the Wolves on Saturday.
6) Portland (45-32, 40-34-3, 37-39-1)
Weekly Recap: The Blazers went through an up-and-down week by alternating wins and losses in four games, capped off by a key home victory over the Mavs. Nate McMillan's squad can't slip up with Memphis and New Orleans lurking around for the sixth seed.
Weekly Outlook: Portland finishes off a three-game homestand against Golden State on Tuesday, followed by a trip to Utah on Thursday. The Blazers look to avoid the season sweep against the Lakers at home on Friday.
7) Memphis (44-33, 50-26-1, 38-39)
Weekly Recap: The Grizzlies dominated in three games with double-digit blowouts in each victory over the Warriors, Hornets, and Wolves. In the wins over Golden State and Minnesota, each opponent was unrested; the Grizzlies improved to 17-1 SU/ATS against teams on the second of a back-to-back.
Weekly Outlook: It's home cooking for the Grizzlies this week with three games at FedEx Forum starting Tuesday against the Clippers. Memphis entertains Sacramento on Friday, followed by a visit from the Hornets on Sunday. The Grizzlies are riding a six-game SU/ATS winning streak at home, while going 11-2 SU/ATS the last 13 at FedEx Forum.
8) New Orleans (44-33, 37-38-2, 28-49)
Weekly Recap: The Hornets rode a similar roller-coaster to the Blazers by alternating wins and losses in the last five games. New Orleans drilled Indiana on Sunday, just days after a disappointing home loss to Memphis. The inconsistency continues for the Hornets, who are 3-5-1 ATS the last nine games.
Weekly Outlook: New Orleans returns to the court on Wednesday when it hosts Houston, looking to avenge a home loss to the Rockets in late February. The Hornets wrap up the homestand against the Suns on Friday, followed by a trip to Memphis on Sunday.
9) Houston (41-36, 41-34-2, 40-37)
Weekly Recap: The Rockets aren't going away just yet in the Western Conference after winning three of four games. Houston held off San Antonio in overtime, while outlasting Atlanta at home, the seventh straight win at the Toyota Center.
Weekly Outlook: The late playoff push for Rick Adelman's club continues with the Kings coming to the Toyota Center on Tuesday. Houston heads to New Orleans for a key Southwest Division battle on Wednesday, followed by a Saturday home matchup with the Clippers.
10) Phoenix (37-39, 34-39-3, 38-38)
Weekly Recap: The Suns keep stumbling by dropping five of six games to fall below .500. Phoenix blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's setback at Sacramento, followed by a home defeat to Oklahoma City. The Suns managed a blowout win of the Clippers, but were run out by the Spurs to finish the week as Steve Nash missed each of the final two games.
Weekly Outlook: A five-game road trip takes Alvin Gentry's squad to Chicago on Tuesday, then Minnesota on Wednesday. The Suns head to the Big Easy on Friday to battle the Hornets, followed by their last away game of the season at Dallas on Sunday.
11) Utah (36-41, 31-44-2, 40-37)
Weekly Recap: The Jazz continued to lose by extending their skid to eight with Sunday's nine-point setback at Sacramento. Despite injuries, Utah has packed it in with a 2-6-1 ATS mark on the road the last nine games, and just five wins since trading away Deron Williams at the All-Star break.
Weekly Outlook: Utah may not win a game the rest of the way with five games against all teams destined for the playoffs. The Jazz heads to Staples Center on Tuesday to battle the Lakers, followed by a Thursday visit from the Blazers. Utah travels to San Antonio on Saturday, looking to avoid the season sweep to the Spurs.
12) Golden State (33-44, 37-39-1, 35-42)
Weekly Recap: The Warriors cashed two of three games despite going 1-2 SU this past week. Golden State was nipped in overtime at Oklahoma City, but covered as 11-point underdogs. The Warriors rallied past the Mavericks as home underdogs to avoid the season sweep by Dallas.
Weekly Outlook: Keith Smart's team heads up the coast to Portland on Tuesday, while returning home with no rest to battle the Lakers. Golden State hosts Sacramento on Sunday in what could be the final visit by the Kings as a Northern California resident.
13) L.A. Clippers (30-47, 35-41-1, 38-38-1)
Weekly Recap: The Clippers fell short as underdogs in losses to the Mavericks and Suns, but Vinny Del Negro's club made a massive rally in Saturday's stunning win over Oklahoma City. After having their moments earlier this season from an ATS perspective, the Clips are just 2-8 ATS the last 10 contests.
Weekly Outlook: Los Angeles hits the highway for a four-game road trip starting with a back-to-back set at Memphis (Tuesday) and Oklahoma City (Wednesday). The Clips play consecutive games at Dallas (Friday) and Houston (Saturday) to finish the week, as L.A. is 2-5 ATS the last seven games as a road 'dog.
14) Sacramento (22-54, 34-40-2, 42-34)
Weekly Recap: The Kings didn't have much luck in consecutive losses to the Nuggets, but were able to rebound nicely with a wire-to-wire home win over the woeful Jazz. Paul Westphal's club is 6-3 SU and 6-2-1 ATS the last nine games, which gives this young Kings' team some hope going into next season.
Weekly Outlook: Sacramento heads on the road for its final road swing of the season with a trip through Texas to battle Houston (Tuesday) and San Antonio (Wednesday). The Kings take on the Grizzlies on Friday, followed by a ride back to the Bay Area against the Warriors on Sunday.
15) Minnesota (17-60, 34-43, 36-41)
Weekly Recap: The losing streak reached a season-high 10 games with Saturday's blowout loss at Memphis. Prior to that, the Wolves failed to cover in home losses to the Bulls and Heat, while getting limited to less than 100 points in seven of the last eight games.
Weekly Outlook: Minnesota actually plays a team that isn't in playoff contention when the Wolves head to New Jersey on Tuesday. Things toughen up again on Wednesday at home against the Suns, followed by a Saturday trip to Denver to battle the hot Nuggets.
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