NBA Betting. Stats, Trends and more. 12/18

[TheGame]

Wednesday NBA Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Pacers at Heat

Indiana: 20-4 SU, 16-8 ATS
Miami: 18-6 SU, 12-12 ATS

The Pacers and Heat meet for the second time in eight days, as Indiana rallied past Miami, 90-84 last Tuesday in the first matchup since last season's Eastern Conference Finals. Indiana couldn't pull off the three-game sweep at home after falling short to Detroit on Monday as 11-point favorites in a 101-96 loss. Frank Vogel's team is a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS off a loss, which includes the six-point victory over the Heat after overcoming a 13-point deficit.

Miami continues a five-game homestand after beating Cleveland and Utah in the first two contests. The Heat didn't cash against the Cavs, but brought home the money against the Jazz as 12-point favorites in a 117-94 blowout. LeBron James left the game due to an ankle injury, as he missed practice on Tuesday and is considered questionable for Wednesday. Out of Miami's 13 home games this season, the Heat has been listed as a favorite of six points or less twice, beating the Bulls and Clippers, but failing to cash against Los Angeles.

Pistons at Celtics

Detroit: 12-14 SU, 13-13 ATS
Boston: 12-14 SU, 15-11 ATS

The Pistons began December with four consecutive victories, but Detroit has dropped four of its past six games. One of the two wins in this stretch came at Indiana on Monday as double-digit 'dogs, one night after blowing a late 11-point lead in an overtime setback to Portland. Detroit knocked off Boston last month at the Palace, cashing late as nine-point favorites in an 87-77 triumph, the lowest amount of points the Pistons have limited an opponent to this season. However, the Pistons are currently riding a 10-1 run to the 'over,' which includes six straight 'overs.'

The Celtics have won five of their last seven games to maintain first place in the Atlantic Division in spite of a below .500 record. Boston held off Minnesota on Monday, 101-97 to cash outright as 1½-point home underdogs, improving to 5-1 SU/ATS the past six games at TD Garden. The home team has won nine of the last 10 meetings between the Celtics and Pistons, while Detroit has covered each of the last six matchups in the series.

Spurs at Suns

San Antonio: 19-5 SU, 12-12 ATS
Phoenix: 14-9 ATS, 17-5-1 ATS

The Spurs are coming off their most lopsided loss of the season in Monday's 115-92 setback to the Clippers as three-point road favorites. San Antonio will try to get on track against a surprising Phoenix team that took the Spurs down to the wire in their previous meeting. The Spurs held off the Suns, 99-96, as Phoenix took home the cash as 13-point underdogs in Texas back in early November. Gregg Popovich's team has done a nice job of rebounding off a loss this season by posting a 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS record, with the lone non-cover coming in a 102-100 win over Atlanta as 12-point favorites.

The Suns look to capitalize off Sunday's home triumph over the Warriors, the fifth consecutive win for Jeff Hornacek's young squad. Phoenix has scored at least 106 points in each of its last four victories, while eclipsing the 'over' in seven of the past nine contests. In 10 home games this season, the Suns have posted a strong 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS record, including a 4-1 SU/ATS mark when receiving points in the Valley.

Bulls at Rockets

Chicago: 9-14 SU, 7-16 ATS
Houston: 16-9 SU, 13-11-1 ATS

The Bulls are an unmitigated disaster right now, losing five of the past six games, while last covering nearly two weeks ago in a home blowout of the Heat. Chicago has scored 82 points or less in each of its last five defeats, as the Bulls have finished 'under' the total in each of those losses. The Bulls have been one of the worst ATS teams this season, posting a 3-12 ATS mark the previous 15 trips to the court, including a 2-6 ATS record the last eight games away from the United Center.

Houston returns home following a 1-2 SU/ATS road trip, which saw the Rockets pick up an impressive win at Golden State as short 'dogs. However, the Rockets allowed at least 106 points in all three games, including losses at Portland and Sacramento. Since losing consecutive home games to the Clippers and Lakers in mid-November, the Rockets are 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS the last nine contests at the Toyota Center, while holding five consecutive opponents to less than 100 points.

Pelicans at Clippers

New Orleans: 11-12 SU, 9-13-1 ATS
Los Angeles: 17-9 SU, 15-11 ATS

The Pelicans have stumbled so far on their five-game West Coast swing, losing the first two contests to the Nuggets and Warriors. Things don't ease up tonight with a trip to Staples Center to take on the Clippers, who have won four of their past five games. New Orleans owns a 4-1 SU/ATS record off consecutive losses this season, but the Pelicans have dropped five of the past six meetings with the Clippers, including three straight defeats last season.

The Clippers are playing strong defense of late, limiting six of their last seven opponents to 97 points or less, resulting in a 5-2 mark to the 'under.' Los Angeles has cruised at home this season, winning nine of 11 contests at Staples Center, but has compiled a 1-3 ATS mark when laying at least eight points. Nine of 11 home games have finished 'over' the total for the Clippers, while L.A. has put up at least 100 points in 10 home contests this season

[TheGame]

Pacers at Heat: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Indiana Pacers at Miami Heat (OFF)

The Indiana Pacers had little trouble beating the defending champion Miami Heat at home last week. The Pacers will attempt to prove they can do the same on the road when they visit the Heat on Wednesday. Indiana suffered its first home loss on Monday but still owns the top record in the Eastern Conference by two games over Miami, which will bring an 11-2 home record and the memory of a Game 7 win in the Eastern Conference finals into the meeting.

Homecourt advantage played a big role in the series between the Heat and the Pacers last spring, with the home team winning each of the final four games. One key to those games - and most games - for Miami was reigning MVP LeBron James, who will be a game-time decision after missing practice on Tuesday with a sprained left ankle. “Treatment was better,” coach Eric Spoelstra told reporters. “It’s not the first time he’s gone through it with that ankle. “A lot of treatment (Tuesday), a lot of rest, and we’ll see how he feels (Wednesday).”

LINE: The line and the total are currently off the board.

COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Indiana (-14.3) - Miami (-14.5) + home court (-3) = Miami -3.2

ABOUT THE PACERS (20-4, 16-8 ATS): Indiana may have gotten caught looking ahead in Monday’s game against the Detroit Pistons, when Roy Hibbert (2-for-12) and Paul George (4-for-14) suffered through sub-par efforts in a 101-96 setback. The Pacers have not won a regular-season game in Miami since Nov. 2010, but offer matchup advantages over the Heat with Hibbert, George and David West going up against a smaller front line. “Just going to do what I always do,” Hibbert said. “Try to play aggressive on the offensive end, clog up the paint and guard shooters.”

ABOUT THE HEAT (18-6, 12-12 ATS): Miami’s 90-84 loss at Indiana marked its lowest point total of the season and James was limited to 17 points on 6-of-16 shooting. James, who averaged 27.5 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the Heat’s last two games, is taking the long-term view on his ankle injury and is not ready to declare the meeting with the Pacers as a pivotal contest. “I’m going to sit if I’m not feeling comfortable,” James told reporters. “It doesn’t matter who we are playing. Obviously, if it was a playoff game, I would play. We are a long-term team, and I am a long-term player.”

TRENDS:

* Under is 4-0 in the last four meetings.
* Home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Pacers are 11-1 ATS in their last 12 games following an ATS loss.
* Under is 4-0 in the Heat's last four games versus a team with a winning SU record.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The loss to Indiana marked the only time in the last five games that James did not shoot at least 66.7 percent from the field.

2. Pacers F Danny Granger (calf) is expected to make his season debut on Friday against the Houston Rockets.

3. Indiana F Lance Stephenson put up a career-high 23 points on Monday and is averaging 21.5 on 64.3 percent shooting in the last two games.

[TheGame]

NBA

Wednesday, December 18

Hot teams
-- Miami won four of its last five games (5-8 as HF)., Pacers covered nine of their twelve road games.
-- Bobcats are 8-1-1 vs spread on n road. Toronto won three of last four.
-- Hawks won five of last six home games (8-5 vs spread at home).
-- Boston won five of its last seven games (5-2 as HF). Pistons won four of their last five road games.
-- Brooklyn won four of its last five games.
-- Portland won last five games, is 10-4 vs spread on road.
-- Dallas won three of its last four home games (1-4 last five HF).
-- Phoenix won/covered its last five games. Spurs won four of last five games, are 8-5 vs spread on road.
-- Rockets covered six of last eight games as a home favorite.
-- Clippers won four of last five games (4-6 as HF).

Cold Teams
-- Orlando lost eight of last ten games, is 4-7 vs spread on road. Jazz lost six of their last eight games.
-- Sacramento lost three of its last four games.
-- Wizards lost four of their last five games.
-- Milwaukee lost six of its last eight games. Knicks lost three of their last four road games.
-- Minnesota covered once in its last five home games.
-- Grizzlies lost six of their last seven games (2-4 as AU).
-- Bulls lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Pelicans lost four of last six games, losing last two by 9-11 points.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Indiana games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Orlando games stayed under total.
-- Seven of last ten Charlotte games stayed under total; five of Toronto's last seven games went over.
-- Five of last seven Sacramento games went over total.
-- Last six Detroit games went over the total; four of last five Celtic tilts stayed under.
-- Four of last five Washington games went over the total.
-- Eight of eleven New York road games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last ten Portland games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Memphis games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last nine San Antonio games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of eleven Clipper home games went over the total.

Series records
-- Pacers lost five of last six visits to Miami (Ls by 32-14-1-11-23).
-- Jazz won their last five games against Orlando.
-- Bobcats won nine of last twelve games with Toronto.
-- Hawks won their last ten games with Sacramento.
-- Pistons won four of their last five games with Boston.
-- Wizards lost last three visits to Brooklyn by 12-17-5 points.
-- Knicks won their last six games against Milwaukee.
-- Portland won five in row, 16 of last 18 games with Minnesota.
-- Grizzlies won seven of last nine games with Dallas.
-- Spurs won ten of last twelve games with Phoenix (1-3-1 vs spread in last five meetings).
-- Rockets won last three games vs Chicago, by 6-4-23 points.
-- Clippers won five of last six games with New Orleans.