NBA Playoffs Betting Info. Updated daily.

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StatFox Super Situations


HOUSTON at PORTLAND
Play Under - Home teams where the total is greater than or equal to 200 a good team (60% to 75%) playing a team with a winning record, on Friday nights 34-11 over the last 5 seasons. ( 75.6% | 21.9 units ) 4-5 this year. ( 44.4% | -1.5 units )


CHICAGO at WASHINGTON
Play On - Any team vs the money line (WASHINGTON) after going over the total by more than 6 points in four consecutive games against opponent after going over the total by 30 or more points total in their last five games 78-55 since 1997. ( 58.6% | 40.4 units ) 5-3 this year. ( 62.5% | 2.4 units )


TORONTO at BROOKLYN
Play Under - All teams where the first half total is between 95.5 and 100.5 points in a playoff series which is tied, with a winning record on the season 62-28 since 1997. ( 68.9% | 31.2 units )

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Rockets at Blazers - Game 3
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Only three teams in the first round of the NBA playoffs head into Game 3 of their series up 2-0. Expectedly, Miami took the first two contests from Charlotte, while Washington rallied for a pair of road victories at Chicago. Out west, the Blazers went on the road to take two games against the stunned Rockets, as Portland is in a prime spot to advance to the second round, as long as they can take care of home-court.

Portland rallied from a 13-point deficit in Game 1 at Houston to beat the Rockets in overtime, 122-120 to cash outright as a 5½-point underdog. LaMarcus Aldridge dominated the Rockets with a 46-point, 18-rebound effort, while Damian Lillard wore down the Houston backcourt in his playoff debut with 31 points. The Rockets actually built a five-point lead in overtime, but Kevin McHale’s club shot just 26-of-40 from the foul line, while James Harden missed 20 shots from the floor.

Game 2 barely went ‘over’ the total of 215 as the Blazers held off the Rockets, 112-105, to cover as 6½-point ‘dogs. All six games between these teams this season have finished ‘over’ the total, while Aldridge stepped up again for Portland with a 43-point output. Portland erased an eight-point deficit after the first quarter, as Harden and Chandler Parsons combined to misfire on 23 shots from the floor. In seven of nine quarters (including overtime of Game 1), the Blazers have outscored the Rockets, but now the target is on Portland’s back heading home.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Vince Akins has several solid trends that back the Blazers tonight. According to Akins, the Rockets are 0-8 ATS since Mar 06, 2012 on the road with at most one day of rest when they have lost their last three games SU and ATS. When Harden doesn’t shoot well, this Houston team doesn’t recover. In Akins’ database, the Rockets are 0-7 ATS since December 31, 2013 after Harden shot worse than 33% from the field.

From a totals perspective, handicapper Stephen Nover feels tonight’s contest will dip ‘under’ the total of 216. Nover explains, “Both matchups were lucky to go ‘over.’ They should have been ‘under.’ It took overtime to push Game 1 above the total. It looked like Game 2 was going to go under, too, but 17 points were scored during the final 67 seconds in a flurry of free throws.” Nover makes an excellent point on the struggles of Houston’s All-Star shooting guard, “Harden's been cold for a while now as he finished the regular season shooting 36.1 percent from the floor during the last five games.”

The Blazers have won 31 of 41 games at the Moda Center, but put together a 19-22 ATS record at home. Portland has captured seven of its last eight home contests, but the Blazers covered just three times in this span. In two home meetings in the regular season with the Rockets, Portland dropped a 116-101 decision in early November as two-point favorites, as Houston shot a blazing 54% shooting from the floor. In the second matchup at the Moda Center in mid-December, Aldridge put up a ridiculous line of 31 points and 25 rebounds to lead Portland to a 111-104 win as two-point favorites.

The Rockets opened up the series as a -195 (Bet $195 to win $100) favorite to advance to the second round. However, following a pair of home defeats, the tables have turned as the Blazers are now a -440 favorite to win this series. If you believe Houston can come back and win four of the next five games, the Rockets are listed at +350 (Bet $100 to win $350), which isn’t crazy since Houston has won two of the last three visits to Oregon.

The Blazers enter tonight’s action as a three-point home favorite, while the total is sitting between 215 ½ and 216. The Rockets own a 1-5 SU/ATS record in their last six road games, as things tip off at 10:35 PM EST and the game can be seen on ESPN.

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History, betting trends against Bulls and Rockets
By Jason Logan
Covers.com

Going down 0-2 to a lower seed in the first round of the NBA Playoffs is nearly a death sentence. Only two of the previous seven higher-seeded squads have fought back to win the series in the past 24 years of postseason basketball.

The Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets find themselves under this ax, having lost their first two games of the opening round at home. In the Eastern Conference, No. 4 Chicago has been stunned twice by No. 5 Washington, while out West, No. 4 Houston has lost two straight to No. 5 Portland.

Sportsbook.ag currently has the Bulls listed at +380 to come back and defeat the Wizards, who are priced as -480 series favorites. The Rockets are sitting at +350 to erase that 0-2 hole and win the series against the Trail Blazers, who are listed at -440.

Before the NBA extended the first round from a best-of-five format to best-of-seven in 2003, the five higher-seeded teams which lost their first two games at home went on to win the series just once – the 1992-93 Phoenix Suns versus the Los Angeles Lakers.

However, Phoenix failed to cover in all five of those games - including the final three - a trend that has shown up when the higher seed drops the opening two games of the first-round set. Since 1990, those higher seeds are just 6-9 ATS (9-6 SU) in the remainder of the series following back-to-back losses at home in the first round.

There have been two top seeds fall in the opening two games under the best-of-seven format: 2004-05 Dallas Mavericks and 2007-08 Houston Rockets. Dallas managed to battle back and win the first-round series 4-3 over Houston, going 3-2 ATS in the final five games. The 2007-08 Rockets, however, lost to Utah in six games in the opening round, finishing the final four games 3-1 ATS after going 0-2 SU and ATS in the first two.

Both the Bulls and Rockets are set as 3-point road underdogs in their respective Game 3s Friday night.

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Friday’s NBA Playoff Picks
By: David Purdum
Sportingnews.com

The Portland Trail Blazers’ best player is going off. The Houston Rockets’ top scorer is way off. This series shifts to Portland for Game 3 on Friday (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), and something has to change or else it’s over.

Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge has lit up the Rockets for consecutive 40-plus-point performances, lifting the Blazers to a pair of wins in Houston. Aldridge is shooting 59.3 percent from the floor. He buried the Rockets with a barrage of mid-range jumpers in the first two games.

“What can they do to stop him?,” Portland point guard Damian Lillard asked rhetorically after the Blazers’ 112-105 Game 2 win on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Houston guard James Harden has made only 14 of 47 shots and reportedly got rattled by a reporter noting his struggles in an interview after Game 2. Frustration appears to be setting in.

Harden averaged 30.2 points in four games against Portland during the regular season, but managed only 18 points off of 19 shots Wednesday.

While the Rockets prefer to run, they seemed OK with pounding it in to center Dwight Howard early in Game 2. Howard had 25 points in the first half, but a second scorer didn’t step up, and he had only nine points in the second half.

The Trail Blazers won outright as 5.5- and 6.5-point underdogs in Houston to improve to 18-9 ATS as dogs this season. Portland opened as a 3-point favorite in Game 3 on Thursday, with the total between 215 and 216 as of Friday morning. The Rockets are 6-11-1 ATS as underdogs this season.

Portland had a losing record against the spread at home this season (19-22 ATS) and has had trouble in recent meetings with the Rockets in the Rose Garden. Houston is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven games at Portland.

Game 2 was the ninth consecutive Houston-Portland game to go OVER the total.

The Linemakers’ lean: Will somebody please wake James Harden up? He’s been given his chance to shine in the playoffs -- at home -- as the star of a very good team that can make noise in the West, but he’s been shown up each time by Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge. In Game 2, Harden had five turnovers and shot 6-for-19 from the field. There's only one way for Harden to go from here, so there should be a noticeable improvement tonight. Expect him to be much more assertive and Dwight Howard's unheralded performances to continue -- he's been solid against against Portland all season.

Even though these teams have gone OVER in all six of their meetings this season, surprisingly, there hasn't been much of an adjustment on the total, which, as of Friday morning, can be found for as low as 215 at the South Point.

We like Houston in a bounce-back game with their season on the line to cover the 3-point spread, and we have smaller recommendation on the OVER.

Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets (-5, 191)

After a humbling loss at home in Game 1, the upstart Raptors bounced back with an impressive performance in a 100-95 win over the Nets. Toronto out-rebounded Brooklyn 52-30 and held veteran guard Paul Pierce to only seven points to even the series, 1-1.

Brooklyn opened as a 4-point home favorite for Friday’s Game 3. The line had been bet up to -5 as of Thursday. The total was sitting at 191.

The Raptors are 21-11 ATS as underdogs. The Nets are 24-17 ATS at home.

The Linemakers’ lean: Toronto could be up 2-0 in this series. The Raptors' problem has been hanging onto the ball. Turning the ball over 17 times in Game 1 cost them a seven-point loss, and in Game 2, they turned the ball even more -- 20 times -- yet still won by five. Toronto’s has had a huge edge on the boards, out-rebounding the Nets 97-67, and home court isn't going to help the Nets much there. The Raptors went 26-15 ATS in road games during the regular season and should come away with another road cover tonight. The play is Toronto +5.

Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards (-3, 182)

Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau has been praised for finding a way to get his offensive-challenged roster into the playoffs. Does he have another miracle adjustment to rejuvenate the Bulls in Game 3 against the Washington Wizards? Like Houston, Chicago lost the first two games of its series at home.

Chicago has the worst offensive efficiency of any playoff team. It’s showed throughout back-to-back losses to the Wizards, especially in the fourth quarter. The Bulls have squandered double-digit leads in the fourth quarters of both games.

The Blazers and Wizards are only the third and fourth teams to have won the first two games on the road of a first-round, seven-game series. In the 2005 Western Conference playoffs, Houston opened with two wins at Dallas. The Rockets lost and failed to cover the spread in Game 3 and would go on to lose the series. In 2008, the Utah Jazz won at Houston twice and went on to win the series. The Jazz won and covered in Game 3.

The Wizards are 21-11 straight-up since the All-Star Break, and have covered the spread in eight of their last 10. They’ve also covered in eight of their last 10 against the Bulls.

The Linemakers' lean: This series has offered the playoff's best brand of basketball, with both teams playing at an extremely high level and neither turning the ball over much. The Bulls held opponents to 43 percent field-goal shooting during the regular season, but Washington, with a healthy Nene, has hit 48 and 47 percent, respectively, in the first two games -- and they did it on the road.

Offensively, the Wizards keep coming full-throttle at the Bulls from every position. Chicago doesn't have that ability, but they do have the best defense in the NBA, and we expect a standout defensive performance from them in Game 3. While Washington and OVER bettors cashed in the first two games, we'll look for the opposite correlation parlay tonight with Chicago to the UNDER.

We like the Bulls +3 and UNDER 182.5, with the side being the top play.

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Saturday's Early Action
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Pacers at Hawks

Atlanta (40-45 straight up, 40-44-1 against the spread) took a 2-1 series lead over Indiana with Thursday's 98-85 win as a two-point home underdog. Jeff Teague was the catalyst, scoring a game-high 22 points while also dishing out 10 assists. With the exception of the second half of Game 2, the Wake Forest product has dominated this series by getting into the lane off of dribble penetration whenever he feels like it. Kyle Korver added 20 points in the Game 3 triumph, knocking down 4-of-7 attempts from 3-point range. Paul Millsap made just 3-of-11 shots from the floor, but he found a way to produce 14 points, 14 rebounds and four assists.

Paul George's lockdown defense on Teague in the second half of Game 2 was pivotal. However, when he got his second personal foul very early in the first quarter of Game 3, that strategy went out the window for Frank Vogel. George never got into a rhythm offensively and scored only 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field. He did pull down 14 boards and handed out four helpers. If there was a bright side to Game 3 for Indiana, it was the inspired play of Lance Stephenson, who tallied 21 points, 13 boards, four assists and three steals.

Atlanta only shot 38.4 percent from the field and got out-rebounded by a 51-41 margin in Game 3. Nevertheless, it got into the win column in large measure thanks to converting 30-of-37 attempts from the free-throw line.

These long-time Eastern Conference adversaries have now faced each other seven times this year, and the Hawks have prevailed in four of those meetings.

For Game 4, most books have installed Indiana (57-28 SU, 39-45-1 ATS) as a two-favorite with a total of 186.5. Bettors can take the Hawks to win outright for a +115 return (risk $100 to win $115).
The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag has the Pacers as -140 favorites, while the Hawks are +120 underdogs.

In its last eight games as an underdog, Atlanta owns a 7-1 spread record with six outright victories.

The Hawks are 26-16 SU and 22-20 ATS at home this season. Meanwhile, the Pacers are 21-21 SU and 17-25 ATS on the road.

The 'over' is 45-39-1 overall for Atlanta, but the 'under' is 22-20 in its home games.

The 'under' is 46-36-3 overall for Indiana, 20-19-3 in its road assignments.

The 'under' is 2-1 in this series so far, cashing in back-to-back contests. The combined scoring outputs have been 194, 186 and 183.

Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

Spurs at Mavericks

Dallas (50-34 SU, 46-38 ATS) pulled even in this best-of-seven series by cruising to a 113-92 win in Wednesday's Game 2 at San Antonio. The Mavs won outright as 7.5-point underdogs, hooking up money-line supporters with a tasty +340 payout (paid $340 on $100 wagers). They shot 48.9 percent from the field, won the rebounding battle (35-32) and forced 22 turnovers while committing just seven.

Monta Ellis scored a team-high 21 points in the Game 2 victory. Shawn Marion added 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. He also had five rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists. Devin Harris, who had 19 points and five assists in Game 1, had another stellar performance in Game 2, finishing with 18 points, five assists and four rebounds. Harris made 7-of-9 shots from the field.

In the losing effort, Manu Ginobili scored a game-high 27 points in just 22 minutes of playing time off the bench. Ginobili made 9-of-12 attempts from the field and drained 5-of-6 shots from beyond the arc. He was terrific in Game 1, too, scoring 17 points and pulling down six rebounds.

Tony Parker scored just 12 points in Game 2 and perhaps more disconcerting for Gregg Popovich, he had as many assists (three) as turnovers (three). After producing 27 points and seven rebounds in Game 1, Tim Duncan finished with only 11 points and seven boards in the Game 2 loss.

For Game 3 back in Dallas, most spots have made San Antonio (63-21 SU, 45-39 ATS) a 3.5-point 'chalk' with a total of 202.5. Gamblers can take the Mavs on the money line for a +145 return (risk $10 to win 145).

The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag: San Antonio -420, Dallas +330.

Dallas has been a home underdog seven times this season, going 2-5 both SU and ATS. The Mavs are 26-15 SU and 17-24 ATS at home.

San Antonio has been dynamite on the road all year, going 30-11 SU and 25-16 versus the number. The Spurs have seen the 'over' hit at a 23-18 clip in their road assignments.

The 'over' has gone 24-17 for Dallas in its home games.

Dallas has failed to cover the number in five consecutive home games. In addition, the Spurs have won four straight at Dallas both SU and ATS.

These teams have now faced each other six times this season, with San Antonio going 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS. The 'over' is 4-2 in those encounters, cashing in three of the last four meetings.

Despite losing homecourt advantage against the eighth-seeded Mavs, San Antonio maintains the second-shortest future odds (behind the Heat's +160 price) at Sportsbook.ag (+340). The Mavs are 60/1 longshots.

TNT will have the telecast at 4:35 p.m. Eastern.

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NBA Playoffs

Miami has won 17 games in row over Bobcat team that is 0-6 all-time in playoff games; Heat covered nine of last 12 series games- they made 20 of 46 from arc in first two games. Miami subs are killing Charlotte's; in two games, Miami's subs combined to be +128; Charlotte's bench was -99. Heat was -15 with Dwyane Wade on floor in first two games, +30 when he was off floor. Under is 25-15-1 in Charlotte home games.

Mavericks forced 22 turnovers (+15) in Game 2 to snap ten-game skid against San Antonio; they were up 10 at Alamo in Game 1, so they've got to have confidence coming home, even though they're just 4-5 in last nine home games. Duncan had only 11 points last game after dominating Game 1; Spurs lost three of last four road games but are 25-16 vs spread overall on foreign soil. Over is 24-17 in Dallas home games this year.

Pacers are now 7-11 in last 18 games, 7-26-1 against spread in last 34, as they often look like they'd be just as happy if season ended. Indiana is 3-4 vs Atlanta this season, 1-2 here- they've lost 14 of last 16 visits to Atlanta. Hawks won eight of last eleven games. Scola has 37 points in 39:00 off bench in last two games; George shot 3-11 from floor in Game 3- he is the Pacers' barometer. Hawks' bench was just 6-20 in Game 3.

Thunder lost five of last six visits to Memphis; their bench is 14-56 in series (25%!!!!), as Ibaka has been only scoring option after Westbrook, Durant. Griz covered three of last eight games as an underdog. Grizzlies won seven of last eight games; they lost Game 1 vs Thunder LY, then won series in 5- their bench made 29-53 shots in last two games, after going 9-28 in Game 1. Favorites are 9-13 SU, 5-17 vs spread; over is 16-6 in NBA playoffs so far this month. .

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NBA Fact or Fiction
By Mike Rose
VegasInsider.com

The postseason has begun, and most of the series are three games into their NBA betting action. It's the perfect time to look at another edition of Fact or Fiction, as we separate the contenders from the pretenders from a betting standpoint.

FACT

The Pacers are done: It's a common thought right now that Indiana has had it, and after that G3 performance, I’m starting to believe that’s exactly the case. Over the course of the last 20 games of the regular season, this was a very ordinary team in spite of the fact that it did do enough to win the top seed in the East, but these two losses in three games to the Hawks are bad news. Even if the Pacers do find a way to win this series in six or seven games, you still have to think that they stand no chance as the competition gets harder in the Eastern Conference.

Indiana's best option at center is David West: More on the Pacers… At the end of Game 3, Head Coach Frank Vogel decided to put C Roy Hibbert on the bench and go with a few different options at center. Perhaps the best way to deal with an undersized Atlanta team is to go with a small lineup, which includes putting West at center for long stretches of time. Hibbert shouldn't sniff the court with the way that he is playing, and if Vogel doesn't realize that, he will soon have his team out of the playoffs, and likely be out of a job.

The Mavericks are the scariest team in the West: There's something about the look of this Dallas team right now that has us intrigued. The Mavs darn well should be up 2-0 going back home against the Spurs, the team with the best record in the NBA in the regular season, and they have done so with F Dirk Nowitzki scoring a total of 27 points in two games. Dallas’ defense has been much better in the last four weeks, and if that trend continues, not only could San Antonio get knocked out here, but so too could several others out West.

FICTION

The Heat are the best bet in the East: To win the Eastern Conference, we aren't going to make the argument against Miami. Simply put, this team is going to the NBA Finals. However, we really question whether the Heat are a good bet to make on a nightly basis or not. They have failed to cover each of their first two games in this series against a gritty Charlotte team, and we wouldn't be shocked if the Bobcats do find a way to pull out a win somewhere along the way in this series as well. The oddsmakers are just loading too many points onto the backs of Miami's foes, and it is going to cost bettors in the second season.

The Rockets are finished: We refuse to believe that Houston is done yet. The Rockets haven't figured out how to defend against LaMarcus Aldridge, but the Blazers haven't figured out how to defend against Dwight Howard. The difference between winning and losing games in this series for Houston is a shot by James Harden. If you think that Harden is going to shoot 28 percent from the field in this series, you're crazy. Houston is far from done.

The Wizards have figured out how to run with the Bulls: We aren't all that sure that we buy this concept either. The Wizards have been a heck of a lot better than we thought they were going to be in this opening round series, but there are still two games to win out of five, and that isn't the easiest thing in the world to do against the grittiest team in the NBA. Chicago isn't finished until it has four losses in seven games on the stat sheet. We aren't writing this team off either. Head Coach Tom Thibodeau is too good of a coach to let this opening round series be a total bust.

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NBA Playoff Picks - Postseason action continues into Sunday evening
By: Michael Robinson
Sportingnews.com

Sunday's NBA playoff action continues with a pair of evening contests.

Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets (-4, 192)

The Nets took a 2-1 series lead with a 102-98 home win on Friday as 4.5-point favorites. They led by 15 points (93-78) with about four minutes left before a 20-9 Raptors run made it close and gave them the cover.

Toronto has been a great ATS road team all year at 27-15. DeMar DeRozan easily leads the team at 24.7 PPG this series, but it's taking him a lot of shots at 35.7 percent shooting from the field. He needs to be more efficient with point guard Kyle Lowry also streaky.

Brooklyn is very tough at the Barclays Center, sporting a 15-game winning streak there that ended on April 11th. The home ATS mark is 24-18.

Nets' guard Joe Johnson has almost matched DeRozan's scoring at 23.7 PPG, and done it while shooting over 60 percent from the field. That kind of production makes them hard to beat, especially at home.

The Linemakers' lean: The Raptors fought back strong in the fourth quarter of Game 3 and got the cover of a game that they had no business cashing in. Outside of rebounding, where there is a huge gap with Toronto crashing the boards, the Nets have played smart basketball and have turned the ball over only 29 times between the three games. Toronto has been one of the best road cover teams this season, but laying only -4 at home with the Nets looks to be the way to go. The play is on Brooklyn.

Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers (-2.5, 216)

The Rockets also likely saved their season on Friday with a 121-116 OT win as 2-point dogs. A key move was starting Omer Asik at power forward, who helped limit LaMarcus Aldridge to 23 points after 44.5 PPG the first two. They also played more pick-and-roll offense with James Harden having his biggest game of the series (37 points).

The road team has won all three games this series, also going 3-0 ATS. The OVER is 10-0 in the last 10 meetings between the teams.

Portland is still up 2-1 and needs to remain calm, hoping that Game 3 was the Rockets' best shot. Aldridge (8-of-22 shooting last game) should bounce back on Sunday and Damian Lillard (26.3 PPG this series) is getting a break with Houston point guard Patrick Beverley playing through a knee sprain.

The Linemakers' lean: The Rockets finally showed some toughness in Game 3 and looked like the team from February and March that was giving the rest of the league a hard time. That was until Dwight Howard got hurt and missed eight games, and then played sparingly in the final three regular season contests. In Game 3, they looked like the aggressors and James Harden made a huge impact even though he shot only 13-of-35 from the field. They also had the benefit of not having LaMarcus Aldridge put over 40 on them like in the first two games. We like the Rockets to keep their rhythm going and take Game 4, and there is some value with Houston to win the series at +170. Also, all seven of their meetings this season have gone OVER, so why stop now, especially when the total hasn’t been adjusted too much along the way. The plays are Houston +2.5 and OVER 215.5.

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NBA Playoff Picks - Game 4 action kicks off Sunday afternoon
By: Michael Robinson
Sportingnews.com

Underdogs have been barking big-time in the NBA playoffs with a 17-4-1 against-the-spread record through Friday. The trend looks to continue on Sunday with four more crucial games -- two in the afternoon and two more in the evening.

Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards (-2.5, 182)

Chicago likely saved its season on Friday with a 100-97 win as 2.5-point dogs. Mike Dunleavy had one of the best games of his career with 35 points, including 8-of-10 from three-point land. The Bulls starters were previously struggling, with the early-season loss of Derrick Rose really starting to be felt.

The road team has won and covered all three game this series. The OVER is also 3-0.

The Wizards saw their six-game ATS winning streak snapped. They are still in the driver's seat up 2-1 and have a great shot for their first playoff series win since 2005, when the opponent was also Chicago.

Washington needs young guards Bradley Beal and John Wall to shoot better. The duo has combined for about 40 percent from the field this series. If they do play well, it will take another heroic performance from Dunleavy or someone else to beat them.

The Linemakers' lean: The Bulls finally got the Wizards to come down to earth in Game 3 by holding them to 43 percent shooting, which was the Bulls' average allowed this season. Chicago got their best offensive output of the series, shooting 47 percent, and had Mike Dunleavy bring some long distance offense to the table, but they still only won by three. And when considering the Wizards were without big man Nene down the stretch, and the Bulls were still fortunate to win the game, there is a lot to ponder before wagering on Game 4. With Nene in the game, the Wizards are a dynamic team and create all kinds of matchup problems for the best defense in the league. All three of the playoff games have gone OVER the total despite the Bulls playing their best in Game 3. Look for the Wizards to bounce back and for the flow to be at their pace which means OVER again.

L.A. Clippers (-2.5, 209.5) at Golden State Warriors

Los Angeles did just enough to sneak out a 98-96 road win on Thursday, although failing to cover as 3-point favorites. That makes Sunday a must-win for Golden State, who can't afford to head back to Southern California down 3-1.

Clippers' power forward Blake Griffin has taken over the last two contests at 33.5 PPG. The only game they lost this series was Game 1 (109-105), when foul trouble limited Griffin to 19 minutes. He's also being helped inside by center DeAndre Jordan, who did his best Moses Malone impersonation with 22 boards in Game 3.

The Warriors are overmatched physically up front with center Andrew Bogut (ribs) missing the first three games and out indefinitely. Guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson need to be hot in the same game, which has yet to happen in this series. The team is a woeful 10-of-50 (20 percent) from beyond the arc the last two games.

The OVER is 5-1 in the last six games for both teams, although going UNDER the 212-point total last game.

The Linemakers' lean: The problem with the Warriors is that they live and die by the three-point shot, and when it’s flowing, they’re hard to beat. But when it’s not, they can be beaten by just about anyone. In Game 3, it wasn’t flowing and they made only 6-of-31 attempts, but they still only lost by two points. Yet, somehow through good defense and a 52-47 rebounding edge, they clawed back into the game and almost won. Look for the Warriors to play much better this time around, and you might want to wait as long as possible to bet it because the number should go higher. The play is on the Warriors, hoping to get +3.

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Game of the Day: Rockets at Trail Blazers
By Covers.com

Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers (-2, 214.5)

Somebody named Troy Daniels kept Houston alive and the Rockets now attempt to even the best-of-seven Western Conference series when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. Daniels, a recent D-League call-up, knocked down the tiebreaking 3-pointer in overtime as the Rockets avoided falling behind 3-0 in the series with a dramatic 121-116 victory. James Harden set a personal playoff high with 37 points while Houston limited Portland star LaMarcus Aldridge to 23 points after he combined for 89 in the first two games.

The Rockets can regain homecourt advantage with a Game 4 victory and coach Kevin McHale isn’t ready to proclaim his team is back in the series until it wins another one. “We haven’t done anything yet,” McHale said after Friday’s victory. “We’ve won one game. But it feels a lot better than losing.” Portland knows what’s at stake and would prefer to go back to Houston with a chance to clinch the series. “It’s the playoffs and nobody said we were going to come out and sweep them,” point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. “We’re lucky that we were able to win two games in Houston and be in the position we’re in right now.”

LINE HISTORY: The Blazers opened as 2-point home faves. The total opened 216, but has been bet down to 215.5.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Home court has meant nothing in this series so far, but that's nothing new as the visitor is 5-3 SU in the last eight matchups between these two budding rivals. All three games have been barn-burners to this point, and we can expect more of the same on Sunday. The Rockets know they can ill afford to fall behind 3-1 in this series - three straight wins over a quality opponent like the Blazers would be an uphill battle to say the least. The line is sharp with Portland laying a bucket; I prefer the Rockets moneyline, noting that the ATS winner has gone 8-1 SU in the last nine meetings in this series." Covers Expert Sean Murphy.

WHY BET THE ROCKETS: Daniels played just 75 minutes in the regular season – 44 of them in the meaningless finale – and didn’t play in the first two games of the playoff series. But he logged 20 minutes in Game 3 and was in at the finish because forward Chandler Parsons had fouled out. His third 3-pointer of the contest was the decisive one with 11 seconds left, changing the status of the undrafted free agent from Virginia Commonwealth from unknown commodity to playoff hero. “As a rookie, you never know when you’re going to play,” Daniels told reporters. “When (McHale) called my name, I was ready to play. That just shows how much confidence he has in me.”

WHY BET THE BLAZERS: Aldridge was just 8-of-22 shooting in Game 3 as the Rockets started a second big man in Omer Asik and repeatedly hounded Aldridge with either Asik or Dwight Howard. Aldridge only had four first-half points before finding some opportunities to get loose in the second half but wasn’t the dominating force he was in the first two games. “The rotated big to big,” Aldridge said afterward, “so they made it a point to take me out and not let me get up a lot of shots and not find a good rhythm.”

TRENDS:

* Over is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings.
* Underdog is 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Rockets are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games.
* Trail Blazers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home games.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 63 percent of wagers are on the Blazers at -2 while 59 percent of wagers are on the Over 214.5.

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Re: NBA Playoffs Betting Info. Updated daily.

NBA Playoffs

Chicago is weird NBA team; different guy takes most shots every game; Dunleavy scored 35 in Game 3, making 8-10 from arc. Washington won six of last seven games overall, with last five going over total. Chicago lost three of last five visits here, losing by 13-4-3 points. Bulls lost four of last six games, with five of last six going over total. Favorites are 7-19 vs spread; over is 17-9 in NBA playoffs so far this month.

Golden State was just 6-31 from arc in Game 3, lost by only hoop; they ain't going 6-31 again. Home side won eight of last ten series games; Clippers lost five of last six games in Oakland- nine of last 11 series games went over total. LA won nine of its last 13 games, with ten of those 13 going over the total. Warriors won six of last ten games overall; under is 48-35 in their games this year, 23-17 at home.

All three Toronto-Brooklyn games were decided by 7 or less points. DeRozan scored 30 points in each of last two games, but is just 20-56 from floor in series. Toronto is -25 in turnovers (54-29) in series. Nets are 18-68 from arc in series. Toronto lost five of its last six visits here overall, two of three this season. Nets lost five of last eight games, but are 24-18 vs spread at home this season. Over is 8-5 in east, 9-4 in west.

Aldridge scored 23 in Game 3, after he had 89 points, 26 boards in pair of road wins to open series; Portland won 11 of last 13 games; they've won four of last five home games, all decided by 6 or less points, but Houston won six of their last eight viits here. Blazers had lost five of last six games with Rockets before this series- last ten games in series went over total. Harden is 27-82 from floor this series, not good for Rockets.

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1:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. WASHINGTON
Chicago is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Chicago is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
Washington is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago


3:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 9 of the LA Clippers last 12 games when playing Golden State
LA Clippers are 19-6 SU in their last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
Golden State is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home


7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. BROOKLYN
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Brooklyn's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games when playing Toronto


9:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Houston's last 12 games
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Portland's last 10 games at home
Portland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home

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Re: NBA Playoffs Betting Info. Updated daily.

Game of the Day: Spurs at Mavericks
Covers.com

San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks (+4, 203)

The NBA playoffs have yielded unexpected results so far, with the Dallas Mavericks providing a stunning scenario in a best-of-seven matchup with top-seeded San Antonio in the West. The Mavericks look to build off a dramatic Game 3 win and take a commanding 3-1 series lead when they host the Spurs in Game 4 on Monday. After snapping the Spurs' 16-game home winning streak in Game 2, Dallas got a last-second 3-pointer by Vince Carter to steal a 109-108 win in Game 3 on Saturday.

Monta Ellis scored 12 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter for the Mavericks, who also won at home against San Antonio for the first time in over two years. Ellis was part of an eighth-seeded Golden State team that knocked out No. 1 Dallas in 2007, so he understands the mentality that is necessary at this point in time. "We're not getting ahead of ourselves," he said after Saturday's victory. "We're not going to get big-headed because we've won two games."

LINE HISTORY: The Mavericks opened as 4-point home dogs. The total opened at 203.

WHY BET THE SPURS: San Antonio has struggled to get consistent production from the supporting cast around the star trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili - who have combined to average 56 points on 53.8 percent shooting in the series. Kawhi Leonard and Tiago Splitter shook off their struggles to combine for 31 points, 18 rebounds and six steals in Game 3, but fellow starter Danny Green continued to be a non-factor, making one of his five shot attempts in a rather insignificant 13 minutes. Green averaged 12.3 points on 57.1 percent shooting versus Dallas during the regular season, but has only three baskets in 59 minutes in the series.

WHY BET THE MAVERICKS: Dallas was outrebounded by San Antonio in all four regular-season meetings and again in Game 1 before winning the battle on the glass in Game 2 and holding its own in Game 3, when the Spurs had a 36-35 edge. Some of the credit for the turnaround goes to Samuel Dalembert, who grabbed 6.8 rebounds per game during the regular season but has averaged 8.3 in the series, including 10 to go along with four blocked shots on Saturday. Dalembert also went 5-for-5 from the line, including two big ones in the final minute, as Dallas bumped its free-throw percentage for the series to 83.3 percent, compared to 72.1 for San Antonio.

TRENDS:

* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings in Dallas.
* Spurs are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Dallas.
* Underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Road team is 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-four percent of the wagers are on the Spurs -4.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Playoffs Betting Info. Updated daily.

NBA Playoffs

Miami has won 18 games in row over Bobcat team that is 0-7 all-time in playoff games; Heat covered 10 of last 13 series games- they made 29 of 64 from arc first three games. Miami subs are killing Charlotte's; in first three games, Miami's subs combined to be +137; Charlotte's bench was -78. Heat was -3 with Dwyane Wade on floor in first two games, +31 when he was off floor. Under is 26-15-1 in Charlotte home games.

Dallas subs were -33 in Game 3, but Carter hit 3-ball from left corner to win game, Mavs' second straight series win after they had lost ten in a row vs Spurs. Dallas is just 5-5 in last ten home games. Spurs lost four of last five road games but are 25-17 vs spread overall on foreign soil. Spurs lost last two games, despite shooting 50%+ from floor both times. Over is 25-17 in Dallas home games this year.

Pacers are now 8-11 in last 19 games, 8-26-1 against spread in last 35, as they head back home for pivotal Game 5. Indiana is 4-4 vs Atlanta this season, 2-2 here. Hawks won eight of last twelve games. George made 10-18 from the floor in Game 4- he is Pacers' barometer. Hawks' bench was just 15-50 from floor in last two games; Indiana blocked 11 shots in Game 4- they had give guys with two blocks each.

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Re: NBA Playoffs Betting Info. Updated daily.

Monday's NBA Playoff Picks
By: Craig Williams
Sportingnews.com

A trio of NBA playoff games is on tap for Monday night. Heat-Bobcats (7 p.m. ET) and Spurs-Mavericks (9:30 p.m. ET) comprise a TNT double-header, while Hawks-Pacers (8 p.m. ET) airs on NBA TV.

Miami Heat (-7.5, 187) at Charlotte Bobcats

The Heat have a chance to complete the sweep of the Bobcats and advance into the next round, which would afford them some extra rest.

LeBron James led the charge in Game 3 with 30 points, 10 boards and six assists, and helped the Heat build an 86-65 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. "We were locked in on what needs to be done and our keys to win this game," said James following the win.

He's now 18-0 against the Cats since joining the Heat in 2010.

The Heat are 2-1 ATS through the series' first three contests, but they were just 4.5-point favorites Saturday night in Charlotte -- the Game 4 point spread marks a major adjustment by the betting market.

The Linemakers' lean: The fat lady is tuning up and the buzzards are circling Charlotte, which is one reason the Heat are favored 4 points over what the power ratings say it should be (the hobbled Al Jefferson is another reason). Even with a hefty number like 7.5, though, we can’t recommend taking the home dog here. As reality sets in with the Bobcats that their season is nearing an end, the slumped shoulders and drained body language is good enough for 4 extra points by the Heat. Miami has covered all three games at Charlotte this season, but the better value may rest with the total. Look for a much faster pace because of the series situation. The only play is OVER 187.

Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers (-7, 186.5)

Not too long ago it looked like the Hawks were playing themselves out of postseason contention. Even with their strong finish, and in spite of the Pacers' struggles down the stretch, many still expected Indiana to advance in five.

The series, tied at two games apiece, heads back to Indiana, where the first two games split SU, ATS and O/U. For the series, each team has covered two games, and three of the four have stayed UNDER.

The Linemakers' lean: While it's not hard to envision the Pacers winning by double digits Monday, we're not exactly comfortable laying this number. What looks like a more favorable proposition is the total staying UNDER, like it has the past three games. You can feel at least some sense of urgency by the Pacers to slow things down and create offense with good defense -- the strategy they used in the first half of the season. You also have the Hawks playing their best ball of the season coinciding with staying UNDER in nine of their past 12 games. The play is UNDER 186.5.

San Antonio Spurs (-4, 203.5) at Dallas Mavericks

The Pacers aren't the only No. 1 seed that finds itself in some first-round trouble. The Spurs, who had beaten the Mavericks nine straight times heading into the playoffs, lost home-court advantage in Game 2, and were stabbed by a Vince Carter dagger in Game 3. Carter's game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Mavs a 2-1 series advantage and guaranteed two more games in Big D.

Following the game, Carter discussed his big bucket, "I don't mind taking the game-winning shot. I don't mind missing them, and dealing with. So I think having that mentality helps me."

Of course, that moment may not have been possible had Monta Ellis (29 points on 12 of 22 shooting) not delivered a monster game to keep the Mavs within striking distance.

The Mavs have covered all three games this series.

The Linemakers' lean: While the Spurs losing four of their last seven regular-season games did not bother us, it’s obvious there was some rust in the system come playoff time, and the Mavericks have taken advantage. Because of a respected Spurs squad being down in the series -- and desperate -- bettors will have to lay a premium of about 2 points. But we’re okay with that. The Spurs are one of the best road cover teams in the NBA and because they’ve been through much tougher playoff situations as a group through the years, this one shouldn’t faze them. Look for the Spurs to bounce back big, and laying -190 on them to win the series is decent value if believing the Spurs will win Game 4. The play is on the Spurs -4.