Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
- The division rival Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers are set to renew hostilities on Thursday when they meet at Quicken Loans Arena.
Oddsmakers currently have the Cavaliers listed as 7-point favorites versus the Bulls, while the game's total has not yet been posted.
Tyrus Thomas led Chicago with 24 points and seven boards in its 106-92 loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.
Boston covered as 8-point road favorites as the teams played under the 200-point total posted by sportsbooks.
LeBron James had 29 points in helping lead the Cavaliers to a 118-114 win over the Bobcats on Wednesday. The Cavaliers covered the 3-point spread, and the combined score sailed OVER the posted total of 193.
James shot 11-for-19 with four rebounds and five assists, while Devin Brown chipped in with 20 points in the win.
Current streak:
Cleveland has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Chicago: 29-45 SU, 32-42 ATS
Cleveland: 42-33 SU, 35-40 ATS
Chicago most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 2-8
Before playing Washington are 6-4
After playing Boston are 5-5
After a loss are 5-5
Cleveland most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 7-3
Before playing Orlando are 7-3
After playing Charlotte are 6-4
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Cleveland is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Cleveland's last 9 games at home
Cleveland is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Chicago
Cleveland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Chicago
Next up:
Chicago home to Washington, Saturday, April 5
Cleveland home to Orlando, Saturday, April 5
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Sacramento Kings
- The Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings will both be gunning for a victory on Thursday when they meet at ARCO Arena.
Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total.
The Clippers dominated most of the night on Wednesday, as they defeated the Supersonics 102-84. The Clippers won the game as 4.5-point underdogs, while the 186 points were well UNDER the posted total of 205.
Al Thornton led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double in the victory.
Ron Artest had 30 points and five steals to lead the Kings to a 99-98 upset of the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Sacramento covered as 2-point home underdogs as the teams played under the 202-point total listed by sportsbooks.
Current streak:
Sacramento has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Los Angeles: 23-52 SU, 33-42 ATS
Sacramento: 34-40 SU, 38-35-1 ATS
Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 8-2
Before playing Houston are 3-7
After playing Seattle are 6-4
After a win are 1-9
Sacramento most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 4-6
Before playing Denver are 2-8
After playing Houston are 6-4
After a win are 5-5
A few trends to consider:
LA Clippers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Sacramento
LA Clippers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the LA Clippers last 8 games when playing Sacramento
LA Clippers are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Sacramento is 17-2 SU in their last 19 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games at home
Sacramento is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
Sacramento is 19-6 SU in their last 25 games when playing LA Clippers
Next up:
LA Clippers home to Houston, Sunday, April 6
Sacramento at Denver, Saturday, April 5
Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers
- The Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers will both be gunning for a victory on Thursday when they meet at Rose Garden.
Odds aren't yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total.
Tracy McGrady paced Houston with 32 points and seven rebounds in its 99-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.
Sacramento covered as 2-point home underdogs as the teams played under the 202-point total listed by sportsbooks.
The Trail Blazers lost 104-91 to the Lakers last time out, as 13.5-point underdogs. The 195 points fell UNDER the posted total of 205.
Travis Outlaw had 23 points and six rebounds in a losing effort for the Trail Blazers.
Current streak:
Houston has lost 2 straight games.
Portland has lost 3 straight games.
Team records:
Houston: 49-25 SU, 41-31-2 ATS
Portland: 38-37 SU, 38-37 ATS
Houston most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 5-5
Before playing Seattle are 8-2
After playing Sacramento are 5-5
After a loss are 6-4
Portland most recently:
When playing on Thursday are 3-7
Before playing San Antonio are 4-6
After playing LA Lakers are 4-6
After a loss are 6-4
A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 8 games when playing Portland
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Portland
Houston is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games
Houston is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 8 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Portland's last 13 games when playing at home against Houston
Portland is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games at home
Next up:
Houston at Seattle, Friday, April 4
Portland home to San Antonio, Sunday, April 6
NCAAB Tips and Trends
NIT Title Game: Massachusetts vs. Ohio State
UMass: The Minutemen have trailed by at least 9 points in each of their last 3 games before rallying back to win and now find themselves playing for the NIT title. They seem to be a team of destiny with 6 players from New York on their roster, 3 of whom are seniors. “We have come back a lot this year - what we have done leans on the shoulders of our seniors," UMass head coach Travis Ford said. "You look at those guys and they don’t want our season to end. They are the backbone of our team right now, and I give them a lot of the credit."
UMass is 10-1 SU & 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games overall.
Key Injuries- F Tony Gaffney (3 ppg; knee) is probable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 75 (Side Play of the Day)
Ohio State (-3, O/U 149): The Buckeyes are hoping to finish off this season differently than they did last as they head into another postseason tournament title game. Ohio State lost to Florida in the 2007 national championship game, and freshmen Mike Conley Jr. and Greg Oden left for the NBA. But senior guard Jamar Butler remains, and he has played more games than anybody ever at the school. “This is still a tournament and a way to keep playing,” Butler said. “We have young guys stepping up and we’re playing the best we have all year.”
The OVER is 8-0 in Ohio State's last 8 Thursday games.
The OVER is 7-3 in Ohio State's last 10 neutral site games.
Key Injuries- NONE
PROJECTED SCORE: 74
NBA Tips and Trends
Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers
Bulls: The playoffs are pretty much out of reach, so the Bulls are left to play for personal pride the final 8 games of the season. They put up a decent fight against Boston but couldn’t guard the 3-point line and lost Tuesday at the United Center. Chicago is just 2-5 SU in its last 7 games overall and allowing 107 ppg during that stretch. The Bulls crumbled in the fourth quarter last time at the Quicken Loans Center in losing to these Cavs 95-86 in March.
Bulls are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
The OVER is 8-3 in Chicago's last 11 games vs. Eastern Conference.
Key Injuries- F Drew Gooden (14 ppg; abdominal) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 95
Cavs (-7, O/U 197.5): Cleveland has been battling injuries all season long but is enjoying having Delonte West back and available. West had 18 points and a season-high 11 assists in the win against the 76ers over this past weekend. The Cavs are 10-1 SU at home in their last 11 games, and the only setback was a 1-point defeat to the Hornets. LeBron James went off for 37 points the last time he faced the Bulls team in this building.
Home team is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 meetings.
Favorite is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
The UNDER is 8-1 in Cleveland's last 9 home games.
Key Injuries- C Ben Wallace (5 ppg; back) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 102
Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers
Rockets (-5, O/U 183): A few days after they headed out on a 5-game road trip with a chance to move into first place with a win Sunday at San Antonio, the Rockets have losses to the Spurs and Kings and are now in sixth in the West. Houston struggled to slow down the Kings in its most recent loss while also going through some terrible offensive stretches. The Rockets defense has allowed 105 ppg in those defeats, and Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge lit them up for 22 points in the last meeting.
Rockets are 22-8-3 ATS in their last 33 Thursday games.
The OVER is 7-3 in Houston's last 10 games vs. Western Conference.
Key Injuries- NONE
PROJECTED SCORE: 94
Blazers: Portland is virtually eliminated from playoff contention and has been playing without its leading scorer in Brandon Roy this entire week. Roy is expected to miss at least 2 more games with a groin injury, and the Blazers had a horrible 85-point offensive performance in their last home game against the Bobcats on Saturday. Portland hasn’t defeated the Rockets since the 2007 season.
Blazers are 3-13 ATS in their last 16 home games.
The UNDER is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings.
Key Injuries- G Brandon Roy (19.3 ppg; groin) is out.
PROJECTED SCORE: 89