Weekly Notes - East
By Chris David
1) Boston (12-4, 8-7-1, 9-7)
Weekly Recap: Boston played three games last week and the club won all three (1-1-1 ATS), which was needed after back-to-back losses. The most impressive win came at Atlanta (99-76) but it seemed like the club still goes through the motions, evident in other victories over New Jersey (89-93) and Toronto (110-101).
Weekly Outlook: The Celtics will get a chance to avenge one of their four losses on Tuesday when the team visits Cleveland. The Cavs caught the Celtics (95-87) in a letdown spot after Doc Rivers club beat Miami on opening night. After this game, Boston has two nice tests at home versus Portland and Chicago.
2) Orlando (12-4, 5-10-1, 8-7-1)
Weekly Recap: The Magic went 3-1 SU and 1-2-1 ATS last week, with the lone loss coming against a red-hot San Antonio (97-106) club. Orlando did bounce back with solid home wins over Miami (104-95) and Cleveland (111-100), plus they stole a win at Washington (100-99) on a Dwight Howard tip in. All four games went 'over' the number, fairly easily too.
Weekly Outlook: Orlando has another four games on tap this week, three coming on the road and the action is broken into a pair of back-to-back sets. After hosting Detroit on Tuesday, the club heads to Chicago the next night. Then, Stan Van Gundy's team plays Detroit and Milwaukee on Friday and Saturday respectively.
3) Atlanta (11-7, 8-10, 8-10)
Weekly Recap: The Hawks faced the inevitable task of playing five games this week and they answered the bell. Atlanta started the week with a double-digit loss at home to Boston (76-99) but they closed with a victory on Sunday at Toronto by 18 (96-78). In between those contests, the Hawks went 2-1 both SU and ATS to finish with a 3-2 SU and ATS mark during the stretch.
Weekly Outlook: Atlanta only has three games this week and the first two will be at home and they appear to be winnable. Memphis and Philadelphia both visit Philips Arena and then the Hawks face a tough test on Saturday at Miami. Surprisingly, the Hawks have been better on the road (7-2 SU, 7-2 ATS) than at home (4-5 SU, 1-8 ATS) this season.
4) Chicago (9-6, 10-5, 5-10)
Weekly Recap: Chicago's "Circus Trip" concluded Saturday with a win at Sacramento (96-85), which helped the team go 4-3 SU and an eye opening 6-1 ATS over the seven-game span. The losses came to arguably the two best teams in the league, the Lakers and Spurs, and the other came on a buzzer beater to the Nuggets. Defense continues to get better for Chicago and it's translated into a 9-1 run in the last 10.
Weekly Outlook: The Bulls don't catch a break this week, with three battles on tap. Orlando visits the United Center on Wednesday and the team plays a tough home-away set in two nights. Chicago visits Boston on Friday before hosting Houston on Saturday.
5) Miami (9-8, 5-12, 9-8)
Weekly Recap: It was another rough week for Miami, who went 1-3 SU and 0-4 ATS, and they found out forward Udonis Haslem was ruled 'out' for the season. Losses on the road to Orlando (95-104) and Dallas (95-106) exposed the club even more and turned up the heat another notch on head coach Erik Spoelstra. A players-only meeting followed after the loss to the Mavs, perhaps to talk about how much money they've cost gamblers.
Weekly Outlook: This week's slate features four games, three to be played at American Airlines Arena against Washington, Detroit and Atlanta. While two of those look very winnable, the key game of the week will be LeBron James' return to Cleveland on Thursday. TNT will cover the contest nationally and betting on the Cavs looks like the play, with Miami owning a 2-5 road record, both SU and ATS.
6) Indiana (7-7, 8-6, 4-10)
Weekly Recap: The Pacers had a solid week on the hardwood, going 3-1 both SU and ATS. Two of the wins came on the road, and against serious contenders in Miami (93-77) and the L.A. Lakers (95-92). Unfortunately, the Pacers fell to the Thunder (106-110) in overtime on Friday. The 'over' cashed in this contest, which snapped a seven-game 'under' streak but it started again in the victory over Los Angeles.
Weekly Outlook: Indiana continues its West Coast trip on Tuesday at Sacramento and then it plays on zero days rest against Utah the next night. The Pacers conclude the trip on Friday at Phoenix.
7) New York (9-9, 11-6-1, 9-9)
Weekly Recap: New York went 3-1 both SU and ATS last week and the club has now gone 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS in its last eight games. The loss to Atlanta (90-99) came after a home-and-home sweep over Charlotte. However, the team showed some fight in a double-overtime win over Detroit (125-116) on Sunday. The 'over' is on a 6-2 run.
Weekly Outlook: The Knicks have three games on tap this week, starting with a trip across the river to New Jersey on Tuesday. A weird scheduling gaff has the team headed to New Orleans on Friday and then back to Toronto for a Sunday matinee.
8) Cleveland (7-9, 8-7-1, 6-10)
Weekly Recap: The Cavs went 2-2 SU and 2-1-1 ATS. The wins came by a combined eight points, but both losses were by double digits, which occurred on the road. The 'under' went 3-1.
Weekly Outlook: Cleveland has four games on tap this week and the big matchup happens Thursday when LeBron and Miami make a trip to Quicken Loans Arena. Other contests include Boston at home and then a back-to-back road set versus the Pistons and 76ers over the weekend.
9) Detroit (6-11, 11-6, 8-9)
Weekly Recap: Detroit had a rough week, going 1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS. Losses to Dallas (84-88) and New York (116-125) were very winnable but the club continues to lose focus late. The total went 2-2.
Weekly Outlook: The Pistons start the week with the Sunshine State trip, meeting Orlando on Tuesday and Miami on Wednesday. Then, the club hosts Orlando on Friday before Cleveland comes to The Palace on Sunday.
10) Milwaukee (6-10, 6-10, 6-10)
Weekly Recap: The good news for Milwaukee is that they beat Charlotte (104-101) on Saturday at home. The bad news is that the team dropped five in a row prior to the win. Gamblers have watched the Bucks struggle to a 1-6 ATS mark in their last seven.
Weekly Outlook: Keeping the win streak alive this week could be tough, especially with road trips to Denver and Utah. And then Orlando visits the Bradley Center on Saturday. Scott Skiles team is 1-6 SU and 0-7 ATS against the Western Conference this season.
11) Toronto (6-11, 9-7-1, 7-10)
Weekly Recap: Toronto beat Philadelphia (106-90) for its fourth straight win on Wednesday but followed up that victory with back-to-back losses to the Celtics (101-110) and Hawks (78-96). The 'under' cashed in two of the three and is on a 4-2 run the last six.
Weekly Outlook: The Raptors have three games on tap this week and all will take place from Air Canada Centre. Washington, Oklahoma City and New York will be the visitors. Watch the Thunder game, since Toronto is just 1-5 versus the Western Conference this season.
12) Charlotte (6-11, 7-8-2, 10-7)
Weekly Recap: Another rough week for Larry Brown's team, which went 1-3 both SU and ATS. What's tougher is that the three losses came by 3, 4 and 3 points. The total went 2-2.
Weekly Outlook: Charlotte meets New Orleans in "The Big Easy" on Wednesday before heading home on Friday to face New Jersey. Soon after, the Bobcats head to Philadelphia on zero days rest. Charlotte is 1-4 SU in back-to-back spots this season.
13) Washington (5-10, 6-9, 8-7)
Weekly Recap: The Wizards stole an overtime win from Philadelphia (116-114) on Wednesday but that victory was quickly forgotten. Washington was humbled on Thanksgiving to Atlanta (96-116) before losing a heartbreaker at home to Orlando (99-100) on Saturday. The defense has been missing lately, giving up 100-plus in five of the last six. The 'over' is 5-1 during this span.
Weekly Outlook: Washington plays three games this week, starting with road games at Miami and Toronto. Make a note that the Wizards have gone 0-7 SU and 2-5 ATS outside of D.C. this season. The home game is versus Portland. Rookie John Wall (thigh) missed Saturday's loss to the Magic and has now sat out five games this season.
14) New Jersey (6-11, 10-7, 7-9-1)
Weekly Recap: The Nets went 2-2 SU and 3-1 ATS last week and the victories were impressive, coming at home against Atlanta (107-101) and Portland (98-96). The 'over' cashed in both wins, while the 'under' went 2-0 in the losses, both on the road too.
Weekly Outlook: New Jersey has another four scheduled this week, two on the road and two at home. Contests at New York and Charlotte don't seem impossible, but home affairs will Oklahoma City and Boston will be tough.
15) Philadelphia (4-13, 9-7-1, 6-11)
Weekly Recap: Do you think 76ers head coach Doug Collins wishes he kept his job at TNT as an analyst? Philadelphia started the week with an atrocious loss to Washington (114-116) and followed that up with setbacks to the Raptors (90-106) and Heat (90-99). They did beat New Jersey (102-86) on Saturday and managed to go 3-1 ATS during the four-game stretch too.
Weekly Outlook: The 76ers have three games this week, two coming at home versus Portland and Charlotte. A trip to Atlanta is sandwiched in between the pair. Total players may want to keep an eye on the 'under' with Philadelphia, which is on a 6-1 run.
Weekly Notes - West
By Kevin Rogers
1 - Spurs
Weekly Rewind: San Antonio finished off a 3-1 week with a comeback victory at New Orleans on Sunday. The Spurs also picked up wins over the Magic and Timberwolves before getting tripped up at home by the Mavs as 4 ½-point favorites. Gregg Popovich's squad owns a league-best 14-2 mark, while covering 10 times.
Weekly Outlook: The Spurs head west for a back-to-back set in California starting Tuesday against the Warriors, followed by a Wednesday matchup with the Clippers. San Antonio returns home to host the Timberwolves on Friday and wrap up the week against New Orleans on Sunday.
2 - Lakers
Weekly Rewind: Los Angeles wrapped up the week with consecutive losses to Utah and Indiana, marking an 0-3 ATS week. The Lakers' lone victory came over the Bulls, 98-91, but L.A. failed to cover as eight-point 'chalk.'
Weekly Outlook: The Lakers hit the road on Tuesday to battle the Grizzlies, while traveling to Houston on Wednesday. Los Angeles is a perfect 2-0 SU/ATS on the road with no rest this season. The defending champs come home on Friday to entertain the Kings before three days off.
3 - Mavericks
Weekly Rewind: Dallas continues to roll after picking up its fifth straight win over Miami, 106-95 as two-point favorites. The Mavs also came back to beat Oklahoma City and San Antonio on the road as short underdogs. Dallas owns a perfect 7-0 ATS record away from the American Airlines Center.
Weekly Outlook: The Mavs return to the court on Monday night against the unrested Rockets, followed by a visit from the T'wolves on Wednesday. Rick Carlisle's squad hits the road for a back-to-back at Utah (Friday) and Sacramento (Saturday). Dallas is 3-0 SU/ATS with no rest this season, including wins over the Hawks, Thunder, and Heat.
4 - Jazz
Weekly Rewind: Utah is riding a five-game winning streak after Sunday's road victory over the Clippers. The Jazz took care of business at home with wins over the Hornets and Lakers, while holding each team below 96 points. Following a 1-3 ATS start at home, the Jazz is 4-1 ATS the last five games in Salt Lake City.
Weekly Outlook: The Jazz starts a season-high six-game homestand with the Bucks coming to town on Monday. Utah hosts Indiana on Wednesday, then the Jazz have a huge showdown with Dallas on Friday.
5 - Hornets
Weekly Rewind: New Orleans was tripped up on its four-game road trip with losses to the Clippers and Jazz, but managed a 19-point victory at Portland. The Hornets finished the week on a sour note by blowing a 17-point third-quarter lead in a home loss to the Spurs.
Weekly Outlook: Things don't get easier for Monty Williams' club as the Hornets head to Oklahoma City on Monday night. New Orleans returns to the Big Easy on Wednesday to host Charlotte, followed by a Friday visit from New York. The week wraps up on Sunday for a rematch at San Antonio, as the road team has won each of the first two meetings.
6 - Thunder
Weekly Rewind: Oklahoma City had an up-and-down week by alternating wins and losses in four games. The Thunder knocked off the T'wolves and Pacers in games decided in the final minutes. OKC fell to a pair of Texas teams with losses to Dallas and Houston as favorites.
Weekly Outlook: This can be a clean-up week for the Thunder after they host the Hornets on Monday. Oklahoma City heads to New Jersey on Wednesday, followed by a trip north of the border to Toronto on Friday. The week concludes at home against Golden State on Sunday at the Ford Center.
7 - Nuggets
Weekly Rewind: Denver is slowly finding some consistency after a rocky start with four consecutive wins. The Nuggets outlasted the Suns in a shootout to snap a five-game ATS skid at Pepsi Center. Denver edged Chicago thanks to a Carmelo Anthony buzzer-beater, but the Nuggets failed to cover as six-point favorites.
Weekly Outlook: The homestand continues on Wednesday when the Bucks invade Denver, followed by a visit from the lowly Clippers on Friday. Denver concludes the five-game homestand against Memphis on Sunday, as the Nuggets try to improve on a 3-6 ATS mark when laying points.
8 - Blazers
Weekly Rewind: There's very little to review with the struggling Blazers, coming off an 0-2 week. Portland was trounced by New Orleans at home in Brandon Roy's first game off a knee injury. The Blazers then went out east and blew an early lead in a two-point loss at New Jersey.
Weekly Outlook: The East Coast swing continues for the Blazers on Tuesday in Philadelphia. Portland makes the quick turnaround on Wednesday to battle Boston, as the Celtics will be playing with no rest as well. The trip wraps up in Washington on Friday, while the Blazers head home on Sunday to host the Clippers.
9 - Suns
Weekly Rewind: The Suns are struggling to find themselves after a 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS week. Phoenix hit the 'over' in all four games, including losses to Chicago and Denver. The 'over' is now on a 7-2 run, while hitting in five of the last six on the highway.
Weekly Outlook: Expect another shootout on Thursday when the Suns head to Oracle Arena to battle the Warriors for the first time this season. Phoenix comes home on Friday to host Indiana, as the Pacers will be playing the fourth game on their road trip. The week ends on Sunday with the Wizards invading the Valley.
10 - Warriors
Weekly Rewind: Golden State suffered through an incredibly cold ATS streak by failing to cover seven straight games with power forward David Lee sidelined thanks to an elbow injury. The Warriors picked up a pair of covers to wrap up the week at Memphis and Minnesota, including a 10-point underdog victory over the T'wolves.
Weekly Outlook: This will be a tough week for Keith Smart's team as the Spurs (Tuesday) and Suns (Thursday) come to the Bay Area, as the Warriors have played just three home games since November 6. Golden State hits the road for a three-game road trip beginning on Sunday in Oklahoma City.
11 - Grizzlies
Weekly Rewind: Memphis' three-game winning streak came to a halt at Cleveland in a 92-86 setback. The Grizzlies took care of business at home in victories over the Pistons and Warriors, but Golden State picked up a backdoor cover in a 116-111 loss as seven-point 'dogs.
Weekly Outlook: The Grizzlies will be tested immediately with the struggling Lakers coming to town on Tuesday. Memphis makes the short trip to Atlanta on Wednesday with no rest. The Grizzlies host the Rockets on Friday night, followed by a four-game swing that starts in Denver on Sunday.
12 - Rockets
Weekly Rewind: The season hasn't gotten off to the start as Rick Adelman would have hoped for with a 5-11 record out of the gate. Houston split four games this past week, including a one-point home underdog win over Oklahoma City. The Rockets also grabbed a 111-101 home victory over the Warriors for only their second favorite win in eight tries.
Weekly Outlook: The Rockets are still without two of its key pieces with Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming out due to injury. Houston heads to Dallas on Monday before hosting the Lakers on Wednesday. The Rockets hit the highway for a pair of games starting Friday in Memphis, followed by a trip to Chicago on Saturday.
13 - Kings
Weekly Rewind: Sacramento is who we thought they were after a 3-1 start by dropping 10 of its previous 11 games. The Kings have turned into a terrific 'fade' for bettors with a 2-10 ATS in the month of November. Sacramento isn't scoring much either, getting held to 85 or less in losses to the Jazz, Clippers, and Bulls, while scoring nine points in the fourth quarter against Chicago.
Weekly Outlook: The Kings may be able to catch Indiana in a letdown spot on Tuesday at Arco Arena as the Pacers upset the Lakers on Sunday night. After that, good luck to Paul Westphal's team. Sacramento heads to Staples Center on Friday to battle the Lakers, followed by a home contest with no rest against the hot Mavericks on Saturday.
14 - Timberwolves
Weekly Rewind: Minnesota completed an 0-3 week, despite competing admirably in losses to Oklahoma City and San Antonio. The T'wolves dropped to 0-3 ATS as a favorite after a 104-94 home loss to the Warriors, only the second 'under' in the last seven games.
Weekly Outlook: The T'wolves head down to Texas for a pair of games with two of the Western Conference elites starting Wednesday in Dallas and then San Antonio on Friday. Minnesota comes home with no rest to battle Cleveland on Saturday, looking for its fourth victory at the Target Center this season.
15 - Clippers
Weekly Rewind: For most teams, a 2-2 week would be considered average or mediocre. But when you're talking Clipper basketball, you take a two-win week, including back-to-back home victories over the Hornets and Kings. Even though it's nothing to get excited about, the Clippers are a profitable 8-6 ATS over the last 14 games since an 0-4 ATS start.
Weekly Outlook: There can be some good value with the Clippers this week as they will be listed as an underdog in all three games starting with Wednesday's home contest against the Spurs. Los Angeles hits the highway on Friday to battle Denver, while finishing the week in Portland on Sunday.
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