Weekly Notes - East
By Chris David
February ends this Sunday and we mention that because the pace of the next month and a half in the NBA really picks up. In those 45 days, the majority of teams will be playing anywhere from 25 to 27 games, which means they'll be playing a minimum of three and sometimes four contests a week. We suggest you keep an eye on teams jockeying for the playoffs and other clubs that have packed it in for the summer. With that being said, let's look at the 15 clubs in the Eastern Conference and what awaits them in the last week of the second month of the year.
1) Cleveland
Weekly Recap: The Cavaliers closed the first-half of the season with a 13-game winning streak and the best record in the NBA. Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung the other way and it hasn't swung back, yet. Cleveland went 0-3 last week both straight up and against the spread and this skid comes after it made a big trade for Antawn Jamison from Washington. The defense struggled in all of the losses against Denver (116-118), Charlotte (93-110) and Orlando (95-101), which helped the 'over' go 2-1.
Weekly Outlook: The bleeding should stop this week when a short-handed New Orleans squad visits Cleveland on Tuesday. If the Cavaliers don't win that contest, then it could be in trouble later in the week. Cleveland plays back-to-back road games on zero days rest starting Thursday against Boston and Toronto. The 'under' has gone 3-0 in the last three road games for LeBron and company.
2) Orlando
Weekly Recap: The Magic started the week strong with an easy double-digit victory at home over Detroit (116-91) and finished stronger with a 101-95 home win over Cleveland on Sunday. The triumph over the Cavs was the first in three tries for Magic. The pair will meet again in Ohio on Apr. 11. Orlando's chance of a clean sheet last week was stopped on Friday, when Dallas earned a 96-85 road win.
Weekly Outlook: Orlando has three games on tap this week and the team will have one day off between each one. After visiting Houston on Wednesday, the club heads to New Orleans on Friday. The Magic will close the week at home for a division battle against Miami, who may or may not be without All-Star Dwayne Wade.
3) Boston
Weekly Recap: A lot of people believe the Celtics are lacking a step this year, which they are, but they did temporarily silence the critics last week. After closing the first-half with two straight losses, the Celtics posted a 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS mark in their four-game trip to the West Coast. Boston owns the best road record (20-10) in the league so it wasn't that surprising but keep in mind that the wins were against the Kings, the Lakers without Kobe and a Trail Blazers squad that is still looking to get healthy. The older C's showed up on Sunday in Denver (105-114), and they were handled fairly easy. The 'under' went 3-1 during this span and is 8-2 in the last 10 for Boston.
Weekly Outlook: The Celtics return to Beantown this week for a three-game homestand, which starts Tuesday against New York. The Cavaliers visit on Thursday for a TNT showdown and then the team faces a possible letdown spot against New Jersey awaits the club on Sunday. Gamblers taking notes should be aware that Boston is 15-9 SU at TD Garden but it owns a league-worst 6-17-1 ATS on the same hardwood.
4) Atlanta
Weekly Recap: The Hawks began the week with a nice road win against the L.A. Clippers (110-92) but they closed with an ugly loss at Golden State (104-108) on Sunday. Atlanta couldn't buy a shot late in the game and was outscored by 21 points (35-14) in the final quarter. The offense struggled on Friday too, in a setback to Phoenix (80-88) in the desert. The 'under' went 2-1.
Weekly Outlook: Atlanta won't have time to dwell on Sunday's loss at Golden State with a quick contest slated on Monday against Utah. Fortunately, the Jazz will be playing on zero days rest too and their win over Portland (93-89) was in overtime. Following this game, the Hawks come home for three in a row against Minnesota, Dallas and Milwaukee. Most would expect the team to get up for the Mavericks on Friday, which could create value for the Timberwolves and Bucks. Keep in mind that Atlanta has gone 21-6 SU and 19-9 ATS at Philips Arena this season.
5) Toronto
Weekly Recap: Toronto opened up the second-half of the season with a tough overtime loss to Memphis (102-109) on Wednesday. Fortunately, it came back strong with wins against New Jersey (106-89) and Washington (109-104). The Raptors went 1-2 ATS and the 'under' went 2-1.
Weekly Outlook: The Raptors will get three days off and they'll need it considering the opponents they face this week. Starting Wednesday, Portland visits Air Canada Centre before Cleveland comes to town on Friday. After these home tests, a quick road trip to Oklahoma City, follows and the Raptors have only produced 10 of their 31 wins this year on the road.
6) Chicago
Weekly Recap: Don't look now but there's a freight train running through the Midwest and we're not talking about Cleveland. Derrick Rose and the Bulls went 4-0 both SU and ATS last week and even though the wins were against the Knicks (twice), Timberwolves and 76ers, you have to look at the offense. The attack posted triple digits in all four games and you can finally start to see the youngsters being used efficiently by head coach Vinny Del Negro. The 'over' went 3-1 in the four wins.
Weekly Outlook: Don't be surprised to see the winning streak get extended this week with four more winnable games on the schedule. After playing at Washington on Monday, the Bulls have a home-and-home series with Indiana on Wednesday and Saturday. Slated between that pair is Portland, who can be dangerous but its still looking for team chemistry.
7) Miami
Weekly Recap: Just before the All-Star break, Miami closed with a pair of double-digit wins. That momentum carried over to the second-half as the club extended its winning streak to five with victories over Philadelphia (105-78), New Jersey (87-84) and Memphis (100-87). The win over the Grizzlies came in double-overtime and without the services of Dwayne Wade (calf). The streak snapped Saturday in a loss at Dallas (91-97) but the Heat still covered the 10-point number.
Weekly Outlook: Wade has now missed two straight games after coming up lame in the win over the Nets last Wednesday. He's listed as day-to-day and could sit out a couple more, which might not be a bad idea due to the schedule. After Minnesota visits on Tuesday, the team has three days off before the Bucks hit South Beach on Saturday. If Wade passes in those spots, you'll probably see him play at Orlando on Sunday.
8) Charlotte
Weekly Recap: Larry Brown's team currently holds a one-game lead over Milwaukee, who it just lost to 88-93 on Saturday, for the eighth and final playoff spot. The loss was clear evidence how inconsistent the team has been all season and it came a night after Charlotte beat Cleveland (110-93) at home. Unfortunately that win was much-needed because the Bobcats lost at home to New Jersey (94-103) on Tuesday.
Weekly Outlook: It's tough to figure out what squad will show up for Brown this week but they better step up with three games on the road. After playing at the L.A. Clippers on Monday, the team heads to Salt Lake City on Wednesday for a battle against the red-hot Jazz. Soon after, they conclude the trek at Memphis on Friday.
9) Milwaukee
Weekly Recap: Milwaukee was lit up by Houston (127-99) on Wednesday in a game the Rockets went 16-of-23 from 3-point land. The Bucks rebounded nicely with two wins in two nights versus the Pistons (91-85) and Bobcats (93-88). Neither team was on fire, which helped the 'under' cash in both contests.
Weekly Outlook: Busy, busy week for the Buckaroos. Five games in seven days and four of them are on the road too. After playing the Knicks at MSG on Monday, the club hosts New Orleans Wednesday. The club then starts a three-game road trip on Thursday against Indiana (zero days rest) before heading to Miami on Saturday. To close the week, they travel back up to Atlanta (zero days rest) on Sunday.
10) Philadelphia
Weekly Recap: The 76ers are one of the hardest teams to figure out in the East and some are surprised they didn't make any moves. After getting blasted by Miami (78-105) at home on Tuesday, Eddie Jordan's team rebounded on Friday as a home underdog against San Antonio (104-96). That nice win was quickly forgotten as the 76ers were routed at Chicago (90-122) on Saturday.
Weekly Outlook: Philadelphia heads to the West Coast this week, with three road games in four nights against the Warriors, Suns and Lakers. Before you begin to fade the 76ers, keep in mind they went 3-2 both SU and ATS in their last visit out West. The two losses were by double digits and the 'over' went 3-2 during the five-game stretch.
11) Washington
Weekly Recap: The new-look Wizards have been pretty darn good in their first three games, posting a 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS mark last week. The youngsters run 'n gun style even caught the Nuggets (107-97) napping on Friday. Unfortunately, the upset win didn't carry over the next night in Toronto (104-109). The team is sharing the basketball more but the defense is still second-rate.
Weekly Outlook: Washington will have a busy week with four contests on the schedule but all will be separated by a day off. Also, the first three are at home - Chicago, Memphis and New York. The Wizards close the week at New Jersey, who's playing better but that's a winnable game for the road club.
12) New York
Weekly Recap: The Knicks went 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS last week but the team is still smiling. They cleared a ton of cap space for next season, which should make them a big player in the free agent market. While making cuts, the team picked up veteran Tracy McGrady (26 points, 32 minutes) and he played great in the team's overtime loss (1118-121) to Oklahoma City on Friday. The 'over' cashed in all three setbacks, and the high-octane tempo appears to be back in the Big Apple.
Weekly Outlook: Four games for New York this week and they're split into a pair of back-to-back showdowns, with travel too. After hosting the Bucks on Monday, the team heads to Boston. New York catches a two-day break before visiting Washington on Friday. They close the week on Saturday from Madison Square Garden against Memphis.
13) Indiana
Weekly Recap: The Pacers ended the first half with two straight losses and they started the second-half in the same fashion. Indiana came up short against San Antonio (87-90) and New Orleans (101-107) but did manage to outshoot Houston (125-115) for a road victory on Saturday. The 'over' went 2-1 last week and that could be the play to come, especially with the number of shots Indiana gives up on defense.
Weekly Outlook: Indiana will say on the road to start the week with a game at Dallas on Monday before visiting Chicago on Wednesday. After the Bulls, the club hosts the Bucks on zero days rest. The Pacers close the week on Saturday at home against the aforementioned Bulls.
14) Detroit
Weekly Recap: It was a break-even week for the Pistons, who went 2-2 both SU and ATS. Both victories came at home and Sunday's 109-101 overtime win over San Antonio helped backers money-line players cash at a price of plus-180 (Bet $100 to win $180). The total went 2-2.
Weekly Outlook: The Pistons embark on a four-game road trip to the West Coast this week and the schedule has split the quartet into a pair of back-to-back sets. After playing the Kings at ARCO Arena on Tuesday, the club flies to Los Angeles to meet the Clippers. On Friday, Detroit travels to Denver before visiting California again on Saturday to face the Warriors. The Pistons have gone 4-11 SU and 4-10-1 ATS on zero days rest this season.
15) New Jersey
Weekly Recap: The Nets earned their fifth victory of the season last week after surprising Charlotte (103-94) on the road. Unfortunately, the club lost their next three games, all at home too, and they blew leads in two of them. New Jersey went 2-2 ATS and the total was 2-2 as well.
Weekly Outlook: New Jersey welcomes Portland on Tuesday and then gets three days off before closing the week with two games in two nights. After playing at Boston in an afternoon matinee on Sunday, the Nets host the Wizards on Sunday.
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Weekly Notes - West
By Kevin Rogers
1 - Lakers
Weekly Rewind: The Lakers played the least amount of games of any club in the league, going 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS. Kobe Bryant continued to sit with a sprained ankle, marking the fifth consecutive game the Lakers' star was out. L.A. failed to cover as 13-point home favorites in a 104-94 victory over Golden State, but fell by one to the Celtics as 2 ½-point 'chalk.'
Weekly Outlook: The Champs will be busy this week with four games on the slate, beginning with a back-to-back on Tuesday in Memphis. The Lakers head to Dallas on Wednesday, trying to beat the Mavs for a third time this season. L.A. comes home for three games on Friday, hosting the Sixers. The week concludes with a Western Conference Finals rematch against the Nuggets.
2 - Nuggets
Weekly Rewind: Denver saw its share of highs and lows this week, beating Cleveland and Boston, but falling at Washington. The Nuggets improved to 6-0 ATS as a road underdog of at least four points with a 118-116 overtime victory at Cleveland. Denver turned in a flat performance in D.C. the next night, slipping up against the revamped Wizards, 107-97. The Nuggets bounced back with a 114-105 win over the Celtics as 4 ½-point home favorites.
Weekly Outlook: George Karl's squad is off until Thursday, but then plays three games in four nights to wrap up the week. The Nuggets travel to the Bay Area on Thursday to take on the Warriors, prior to a home contest against the Pistons on Friday. Denver heads back to Staples Center for the second time this month to battle the Lakers on Sunday.
3 - Mavericks
Weekly Rewind: The Caron Butler era in Dallas began with a loss at Oklahoma City on Tuesday, but the Mavs rebounded with three straight wins. Dallas knocked off Phoenix, 107-97 as four-point 'chalk,' ending an 18-game ATS skid as a home favorite. The Mavs rallied past the Magic as seven-point 'dogs, followed by a six-point win over the short-handed Heat. However, Dallas failed to cover against Miami as double-digit favs.
Weekly Outlook: The Mavs play three of four games at American Airlines Center, starting with the Pacers on Monday. The Lakers invade "Big D" on Wednesday, as L.A. will be playing with no rest after Tuesday's contest in Memphis. Rick Carlisle's team travels to Atlanta on Friday, prior to a Sunday divisional matchup at home against New Orleans.
4 - Jazz
Weekly Rewind: Utah remains on fire, winners of 13 of 14 following a monumental rally at Portland, topping the Blazers in overtime after being down by 25 points. The Jazz finished the four-game road trip at 4-0, including victories at Houston, New Orleans, and Golden State.
Weekly Outlook: The Jazz returns home for three of four games this week, starting off with a visit from the Hawks on Monday. Charlotte comes into Utah on Wednesday, followed up by a quick trip to Sacramento on Friday. The Jazz turns around on Saturday to host the Rockets. Keep an eye on both the Atlanta and Houston games, as Utah is 8-0 SU/ATS at home against teams playing with no rest.
5 - Thunder
Weekly Rewind: Oklahoma City sure isn't looking like the team that moved out of Seattle before last season, as the Thunder is exceeding expectations with nine straight wins. OKC is in line for a solid playoff seed in the Western Conference, as Scott Brooks' squad has now won six in a row on the road. The Thunder downed the Mavs in convincing fashion, 99-86, the fifth straight game in which OKC held its opponents to below 100 points. Oklahoma City wrapped up the week with back-to-back road wins at New York and Minnesota, but failed to cover each game as 'chalk.'
Weekly Outlook: OKC will look to extend its hot streak to ten when the Suns invade the Ford Center on Tuesday. Things don't get easier for the Thunder with a quick turnaround on Wednesday to San Antonio. The Thunder has an opportunity for two more home wins on Friday and Sunday, hosting Minnesota and Toronto, respectively.
6 - Suns
Weekly Rewind: Now that the Amar'e Stoudmire trade rumors are over, the Suns are getting on track, winning three of four games this past week. Phoenix split a back-to-back at Memphis and Dallas, prior to capturing home games over the Hawks and Kings. Phoenix has been on an incredible 'under' run, finishing 'under' the total in eight consecutive games.
Weekly Outlook: The bookend road games will not be easy, heading to Oklahoma City on Tuesday and San Antonio on Sunday. However, the two home games are extremely winnable, hosting the Sixers on Wednesday and the Clippers on Friday.
7 - Spurs
Weekly Rewind: The "Rodeo Trip" is over for the Spurs, as San Antonio stumbled to the finish line. The Spurs barely beat the Pacers, 90-87, while losing at Philadelphia and Detroit. San Antonio failed to cover in all three games, as the Spurs limped to a 2-6 ATS mark on the long trip.
Weekly Outlook: Gregg Popovich's club takes the court three times, starting with the Thunder at home on Wednesday. Oklahoma City will be playing its fourth game in five nights, as the road team has won each meeting this season. The Spurs make the short trip to Houston on Friday, followed by a Sunday home meeting with the Suns.
8 - Blazers
Weekly Rewind: The good news for Portland is Brandon Roy returned from the lineup after missing 12 games with a hamstring injury. Also, the Blazers acquired Marcus Camby from the Clippers to help bolster the middle of their lineup. However, the Blazers went 1-2 SU/ATS, including bad losses to the Celtics (by 20) and Jazz. The Utah setback was more of a shocker, as the Blazers threw away a 25-point lead to fall in overtime, the fourth loss to the Jazz this season.
Weekly Outlook: The Blazers head east for a five-game road trip that begins in New Jersey on Tuesday against the horrible Nets. Portland turns around to battle Toronto on Wednesday, prior to a Friday meeting in Chicago with the Bulls. The Blazers wrap up the week on Saturday in Minnesota against the Wolves.
9 - Hornets
Weekly Rewind: After falling to the Jazz to start the week as four-point home 'dogs, the Hornets picked up consecutive home wins over the Pacers and Rockets. Following an 0-6 ATS run in the Big Easy, the Hornets have covered three of their past four at home.
Weekly Outlook: New Orleans hits the road for three of four games this week, starting with a back-to-back at Cleveland (Tuesday) and Milwaukee (Wednesday). The Hornets come home on Friday to host a Magic team that rallied past New Orleans earlier this month in Orlando. Jeff Bower's team concludes the week on Sunday in Dallas against the surging Mavs.
10 - Rockets
Weekly Rewind: Houston continues to struggle, dropping three of four games this week, including both contests at home. The Rockets went back and forth with the Jazz before falling to Utah, 104-95. Houston shot lights out the next night in a 127-99 blowout at Milwaukee, but then was outgunned by Indiana, 125-115 as 7 ½-point favorites. The Rockets fell short in New Orleans to end the week, 102-94 as two-point 'dogs.
Weekly Outlook: It will be a difficult week for Rick Adelman's club, starting with a home contest against the Magic on Wednesday. The Spurs invade the Toyota Center on Friday, as the Rockets try to end a 1-11 ATS slide at home. Houston wraps up the week with no rest battling Utah in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
11 - Grizzlies
Weekly Rewind: Memphis split four games this past week, winning both road contests, but losing each game at home. The Grizzlies fell to the Suns and Heat at FedEx Forum, however picked up road victories over the Raptors and Nets.
Weekly Outlook: It's a busy week for the Grizzlies, as the Lakers come to town on Tuesday. Memphis turns around with a trip to Washington on Wednesday, prior to returning home for a Friday matchup with Charlotte. The Grizzlies play their fourth game in five nights to conclude the week in New York against the re-tooled Knicks.
12 - Clippers
Weekly Rewind: The Clippers continued to struggle out of the gate following the break with consecutive losses to the Blazers and Hawks, extending their skid to six. L.A. finally broke through the win column for interim coach Kim Hughes by beating Sacramento, 99-89 as a short home 'dog.
Weekly Outlook: Los Angeles won't do much traveling over the next seven games, playing five contests at Staples Center. The Clips host the Bobcats on Monday, followed by a visit from the Pistons on Wednesday. L.A. hits the road for a pair of games starting Friday in Phoenix, then in Sacramento on Sunday.
13 - Kings
Weekly Rewind: Kevin Martin is now out of Sacramento, following his trade on Wednesday night to Houston. The Kings wrapped up the week by losing four times, while covering only once in a three-point home setback to the Celtics. Sacramento went 0-3 on its road trip with defeats to the Warriors, Clippers, and Suns.
Weekly Outlook: The Kings head home for three games this week, starting with the Pistons on Tuesday. Sacramento gets two days off before hosting Utah on Friday, as the Kings are 2-0 ATS against the Jazz this season. The Kings and Clippers hook up at Arco Arena on Sunday in a game that will no doubt tip the landscape in the Western Conference.
14 - Warriors
Weekly Rewind: Golden State started a six-game homestand strong by going 2-1 SU/ATS out of the gate. The Warriors drilled the Kings, 130-98, improving to 5-0 ATS this season without Monta Ellis. Golden State's leading scorer returned for a home underdog loss to Utah, but the Warriors pulled off a nice rally in upending the Hawks, 108-104.
Weekly Outlook: The home cooking continues for Don Nelson's club, hosting the Sixers on Tuesday. Denver invades the Bay Area on Thursday, followed by a Saturday contest against the Pistons, as Detroit will be playing their fourth game in five nights.
15 - Timberwolves
Weekly Rewind: Minnesota continues to struggle, dropping all three games. The Wolves blew a late lead at Washington, dropping Minnesota to 1-7 ATS the last eight on the road. Kurt Rambis' squad fell to the Bulls and Thunder at home, but Minnesota did pick up a backdoor cover against Oklahoma City.
Weekly Outlook: The Wolves are busy again this week with four games in five nights. Minnesota heads south for a back-to-back starting Tuesday in Miami, followed by a trip to Atlanta on Wednesday. The Wolves meet up with the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Friday, then come back to the Target Center on Saturday against the Blazers.
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