NBA Playoffs Betting Info. Updated daily.

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Monday's Playoff Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Heat (-7½, 188) at Bobcats

Miami leads series, 3-0

In the least surprising outcome so far in the NBA playoffs, the Heat are one win away from sweeping the upstart Bobcats and advancing to the second round. Charlotte has still never won a playoff game in its 10 seasons in the league (0-7), as Miami used a 21-6 run at the end of the first half in Saturday’s Game 3 triumph to take the commanding 3-0 series edge.

LeBron James scored the final nine points of the first half in Saturday’s 98-85 victory to easily cash as 4½-point road favorites for the 19th straight win over the Bobcats since 2010. After failing to cover in Game 2 as double-digit favorites, the Heat improved to 2-1 ATS through the first three games of this series, while covering all three contests at Time Warner Cable Arena this season. Only three Heat players scored in double-figures in Game 3 (led by James’ 30), while Miami and Charlotte combined to score 32 points in the final quarter to finish ‘under’ the total of 187½.

Following the loss in Game 3, the Bobcats dropped to 5-2 ATS the last seven games in the home underdog role. The ‘under’ has hit in four of the past five contests at Time Warner Cable Arena, while limiting four opponents in this span to less than 100 points. Miami has drilled the ‘under’ in four of the last six road contests, as five of those opponents were held to 98 points or fewer.

Hawks at Pacers (-7, 186½)

Series tied at 2-2

Atlanta had an opportunity to throw a knock-out punch on top-seeded Indiana in Game 4, but the Pacers hit a pair of three-pointers in the final two minutes to seal a 91-88 victory on Saturday to even the series at two apiece. Paul George and David West drilled three-pointers to overcome a 10-point deficit and save Indiana’s season, while the Pacers covered as 2½-point favorites to regain the home-court advantage.

Indiana’s defense stepped up in the second half, limiting Atlanta to 40 points and 35% shooting from the floor to square the series. Following an ‘over’ in the series opener, each of the last three games between the Hawks and Pacers have finished ‘under’ the total. Frank Vogel’s club will look to turn around its pointspread problems as a home favorite, posting a 2-10 ATS record the last 12 when laying points at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Since April 4, the Hawks own a 9-3 ATS record the last 12 games, while cashing in five of its past six contests away from Philips Arena. However, Atlanta has the odds stacked against them tonight, at least according to last season’s 4-1 SU/ATS record by home teams in Game 5 of a playoff series tied at 2-2. Included in that dominating mark by home clubs was the 106-83 rout by the Pacers over the Hawks in Game 5 as seven-point favorites, as Indiana would eventually win the series, 4-2.

Spurs (-4, 203) at Mavericks

Dallas leads series, 2-1

The top overall seed in the NBA needs to get on track on fast, as San Antonio looks to even up its first round series with rival Dallas tonight. Vince Carter’s three-pointer at the buzzer in Game 3 gave Dallas its second straight win over San Antonio following 10 consecutive losses to the Spurs in a 109-108 triumph as 3½-point underdogs. Both teams shot over 50% from the floor, while Monta Ellis paced the Mavericks with a game-high 29 points.

San Antonio has lost consecutive games for just the second time since the end of January, as one of those losing streaks came at the end of the regular season when the Spurs had nothing to play for. Gregg Popovich’s team has failed to cover a game against the Mavs in this series, while posting a 3-7 ATS record since a 19-game winning streak. Eight times the Spurs have allowed at least 100 points since that hot streak, while allowing at least 109 points in back-to-back contests for the first time all season.

Dallas enters tonight’s action losers of six straight games off a home victory dating back to March 11, but Rick Carlisle’s team has covered three consecutive times in the role of a home underdog. The Mavs have eclipsed the 100-point mark in each of the last 10 games at the American Airlines Center, resulting in an 8-2 record to the ‘over.’

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Game of the Day: Grizzlies at Thunder
By Covers.com

Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder (-6, 186.5)

Series tied 2-2.

There was a different star on the big stage to keep Oklahoma City from falling into a big hole and the Thunder look to take a 3-2 series lead when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. With Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook suffering through horrific shooting performances, backup guard Reggie Jackson stepped up as the premier option with a career-best 32 points in Saturday’s overtime win. Each of the last three games has gone into overtime.

Jackson’s exploits allowed Oklahoma City to regain homecourt advantage and keep the Thunder from needing to reel off three consecutive victories. The Grizzlies blew a five-point lead late in regulation of Game 4 – Jackson scored the final five of the fourth quarter for Oklahoma City – as poor free-throw shooting (13-of-23) and lack of killer instinct came back to haunt them. Memphis guard Tony Allen has taken on the task of guarding Durant and helped hound the league’s scoring champ to 5-of-21 shooting. Westbrook struggled his way to 6-of-24 from the field and is shooting 19.4 percent from 3-point range in the series.

LINE HISTORY: Oklahoma City opened as high as -6.5 but has been bet down half a point. The total opened 187 and early action trimmed it to 186.5.

INJURY REPORT: Memphis - N. Calathes (Out - Suspension)

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Thunder cruised to a blowout victory in Game 1 of this series, but it's evolved into a war since. I don't think the Grizzlies will be short on confidence in Game 5, even after letting a terrific opportunity to take full control of the series slip away in overtime on Saturday night. With that being said, this is obviously the pivotal game of this series and I don't believe we're being asked to lay an unreasonable price with the Thunder, who have to realize the importance of grabbing this one before heading to Memphis for Game 6. In fact, given Oklahoma City's long-term dominance at home, I believe this line is a little short at -6. No doubt the betting majority will agree, perhaps pushing this number up closer to tipoff." - Covers Expert Sean Murphy.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Oklahoma City opened -6 and still remains at that number with us. Looks like we may have a fairly big decision on game as 77 percent of the cash on Grizzlies and 73 percent of bets backing them as well. Memphis has gone 2-0-1 ATS in last three games in series after OKC comfortably covered in Game 1." - Mike Perry, Sportsbook.ag.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Power forward Zach Randolph had his worst outing of the series with 11 points in Game 4 and is just 10-of-34 from the field over the past two games. His substandard play caused him to spend a lot of time on the bench in the second half of Saturday’s game and Memphis needs him to put on a much better display on Tuesday. Randolph is shooting just 36 percent from the field in the series despite averaging 18.3 points and he was one of the culprits of the Grizzlies’ poor free-throw shooting as he missed four of his five attempts.

ABOUT THE THUNDER: Jackson was a non-factor over the first three games when he averaged five points on 3-of-19 shooting before going 11-of-16 in Game 4. Both Durant and Westbrook recognized they were struggling and acquiesced to the third-year pro, who single-handedly prevented Oklahoma City from losing in regulation. “I was seeing it in their eyes – they wanted me to keep going,” Jackson told reporters. “I was bringing it up and they weren’t stopping me. We lean on our two stars but their shots weren’t going.”

TRENDS:

* Home team is 4-1-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Grizzlies are 8-3-2 ATS in the last 13 meetings.
* Over is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings in Oklahoma City.
* Grizzlies are 7-3-1 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Oklahoma City.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 51 percent of bets are on Memphis +6 while 71 percent are on Over 186.5.

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NBA Playoffs

Washington won seven of last eight games overall, with last six going over total, but they haven't won playoff series since '05; can they take care of business and eliminate Bulls here? Chicago lost five of last seven games, with six of last seven going over. All four series have gone over total; Bulls lost previous two games here, by 9-2 points. Wizard bench is just 8-24 from floor last two games; win here gives starters little rest.

Last three Griz-Thunder games went OT, after OC won opener by 14; despite OTs, team that led at halftime won all four series games. Both Thunder wins stayed under total; both Memphis wins went over. OC is 22-86 from arc in last three games, shooting under 40% from floor in all three games- five of their last eight games went over. Griz outscored OC 28-16 in 4th quarter to force OT, after blowing 5-point lead in last 1:20.

Numbers don't really matter in Warrior-Clipper series, which became a media circus with off-court issues dominating. Do Clippers want to be playing anymore? They didn't practice Monday. NBA will probably ban Sterling indefinitely this afternoon, in which case this becomes total crapshoot. LA won nine of its last 14 games, with 11 of those 14 going over the total. Warriors won seven of last eleven games overall; under is 48-36 in their games this year, 25-18 on road. If somehow NBA doesn't ban Sterling this afternoon, Clippers aren't going to win.

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8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CHICAGO
Washington is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Washington's last 24 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

9:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Memphis's last 15 games on the road
Memphis is 2-8-1 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Oklahoma City is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Memphis

10:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. LA CLIPPERS
Golden State is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Golden State's last 13 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
LA Clippers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing Golden State

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NBA Playoff Picks
By: Marcus DiNitto
Sportingnews.com

In Tuesday night NBA playoff action, the Wizards can advance to the second round with a win in Chicago, while the West features a pair of series tied at two games apiece, one marred by the ugly situation surrounding Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls (-4.5, 183.5)

After a convincing win at home on Sunday, Washington is up 3-1 with a chance to end this series with win on the road tonight. The Wizards have proved themselves up to the task of beating the Bulls in Chicago – in fact, they’re 3-0 at United Center this season, including Games 1 and 2 of this series.

Still, Chicago is a 4.5-point favorite around Las Vegas for Tuesday’s contest. That spread marks little to no adjustment from Games 1 and 2,when the Bulls were laying 4.5 and 5, respectively. Getting this number of points with a team that’s 5-2 straight up against the favorite on the season has to intrigue underdog bettors.

Meanwhile, all four games in this series have gone OVER the total. But in this case, there’s been more of an adjustment by the bookmakers. Tonight’s 183.5 ties the Game 4 number as the highest of the series. The Game 1 number was 177.5 and it’s moved up steadily from there.

The Linemakers’ lean: This spread suggests the Bulls are better – or at least higher-rated – than the Wizards, which may have been the case before this series started, but after four games, it’s clear that no longer holds. Washington is the better team. They won two of three in the regular season and now three of four in the postseason.

The Wizards’ most impressive performance, in fact, may have been in Game 4, when they shot a series-worst 40 percent but still won by nine while playing without the suspended Nene. The Bulls have played well, but they don’t have any defensive answer for the diverse attack of the Wiz, and they lack a consistent scorer to rely on. Who does Chicago key on? Who will get the points for the Bulls?

Because the Wizards have been so consistent and the Bulls have fallen into playing Washington’s style, expect another Wizards-to-OVER combination. The total is inflated from the Game 1 number, but we’re not sure the adjustment is big enough. Take the points and OVER.

Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder (-6.5, 186.5)

The last three games in this series have gone into overtime, making a 6.5-point spread seem awfully juicy. On the other hand, it’s the shortest number OKC’s been asked to lay at home this series, so favorite players may see value on the Thunder here.

The two games in Memphis were marked by the Grizzlies’ remarkable defensive performance on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Ironically, each star had 30 points in Game 3 (a loss) and 15 points in Game 4 (a win). They shot a combined 30-for-98 from the field and 6-for-34 from 3-point range over the two games.

The Game 5 total has bounced between 186.5 and 187, in either case the lowest number of the series.

The Linemakers’ lean: Only Atlanta’s 39.1 field-goal percentage in the playoffs is worse than Oklahoma City’s 39.9. Memphis has given the Thunder all they can handle, which has led to poor shooting and turnovers by Durant and Westbrook. The Thunder should shoot better at home – they can’t really be any worse – and will force a faster pace, which makes this a good OVER play.

It’s the lowest total of the series, and with a quicker pace expected, the main play is OVER. We’ll also offer a small lean to the Grizzlies, even though tonight’s spread is the lowest of the three playoff games at Oklahoma City.

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (-6.5, 210.5)

With the cloud of Donald Sterling hovering over them, the Clippers were listless on Sunday, handed a 118-97 loss at Golden State. The series heads back to L.A., tied at two games apiece, and as the Sterling situation festers, handicappers ponder how the Clips will respond.

"I just thought they were the tougher team and it wasn't even close,” L.A. coach Doc Rivers said after his team’s blowout loss in Game 4. “Should have been a first round knockout.".

The Game 5 number at South Point was bet down from L.A. -7 to -6 on Monday, an indication bettors aren’t sure the Clippers will be ready to fire so soon after the situation around their owner erupted. The Clippers, though, were asked to lay bigger numbers at home in Games 1 and 2.

But Game 4 wasn’t the first blowout of the series – the Clippers ran the Warriors out of the gym in Game 2, 138-98. That was the Clippers’ only cover of the series so far.

After the total was adjusted down to 209.5 for Game 4, there’s been a correction in the other direction, although Game 5’s 210.5 isn’t as high as the totals for the first three games of the series.

OVER is 6-1 in the last seven meetings between these teams in Los Angeles.

The Linemakers’ lean: A bad loss in Game 4 alone would have made the Clippers’ return to L.A. ripe for a bounce-back play. But because of Sterling, this feels like a bounce-back scenario of epic proportions. The crowd is going to be absolutely nuts, the Clipper players are going to be fired up, and it has the look of a wipeout. Maybe not a 40-point win like in Game 2, but a game where they just unleash some pain and the emotions that dragged them down from Game 4 build up into an angry boomerang.

The spread is light, so lay the points; and if L.A. covers, the game is most likely to go OVER the total as both previous games at Staples Center did. The plays are on the Clippers and OVER

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Tuesday's Playoff Tip Sheet
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Wizards at Bulls

This best-of-seven series heads back to Chicago for Game 5 with Washington (47-39 straight up, 46-39-1 against the spread) looking for the kill shot. The Wizards took a 3-1 advantage by winning Sunday's Game 4 by a 98-89 count as two-point home favorites. Trevor Ariza was the catalyst with a team-best 30 points and eight rebounds. Bradley Beal and Marcin Gortat added 18 and 17 points, respectively, while John Wall finished with 15 points and 10 assists.

In Sunday's losing effort, Taj Gibson scored a game-high 32 points by making 13-of-16 shots from the field. Jimmy Butler added 16 points for the Bulls, who trailed by 10 at the end of the first quarter, by 15 at intermission and by 20 going into the final stanza. Joakim Noah finished with 10 points, 15 boards and five assists.

After allowing fourth-quarter leads to get away in Games 1 and 2 at home, Chicago (49-37 SU, 42-43-1 ATS) won a 100-97 decision at Washington in Friday night's Game 3 at Verizon Center. The Bulls won outright as 2.5-point underdogs, while the 197 combined points soared 'over' the 180.5-point total. Mike Dunleavy Jr. erupted for a game-high 35 points thanks to a 8-of-10 shooting from 3-point range.

For Tuesday's Game 5, most books have the Bulls installed as 4.5-point favorites with a total of 183.5. Gamblers can back the Wizards on the money line for a +170 return (risk $100 to win $170).

Sportsbook.ag has the updated series price as Washington -550, with the Bulls available at +400 on the comeback.

The 'over' is 46-40 for the Wizards, 26-17 in their road assignments.

The 'under' is 48-38 for the Bulls, 27-16 in their home outings.

The 'over' has hit in all four games of this series and is on a 7-1 run in the last eight head-to-head meetings between these Eastern Conference rivals.

Tip-off is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

Grizzlies at Thunder

Trailing this first-round series 2-1 in Game 4 at Memphis, Oklahoma City (61-25 SU, 44-39-3 ATS) pulled even thanks to Saturday's 92-89 overtime win as a three-point 'chalk.' The 181 combined points stayed 'under' the 188-point total despite the extra session. On a night when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined to make only 11-of-45 shots from the field, Reggie Jackson exploded for 32 points off the bench to lead the Thunder to victory. The Boston College product made 11-of-16 attempts from the field and converted all eight of his trips to the charity stripe. Durant scored 15 points, pulled down 13 rebounds, dished out four assists, made two steals and blocked a pair of shots. Westbrook finished with 15 points, nine boards, seven assists and three steals, while Serge Ibaka produced 12 points, 14 board and five blocked shots.

In the Game 4 loss, Marc Gasol tallied 23 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots for the Grizzlies, who made just 13-of-23 free throws compared to 18-of-20 for the Thunder. Mike Conley Jr. had 14 points and 10 assists, while Tony Allen had 14 points and 13 boards. Allen's defense on Durant throughout the series has been nothing short of sensational.

Prior to his Game 4 eruption, Jackson had made only 3-of-19 shots in the first three games of this best-of-seven set.

This series has featured three consecutive overtime games. The only other time that's happened in NBA postseason history was the epic 2009 series waged between the Celtics and Bulls.

In Game 3, Memphis (52-34 SU, 38-44-4 ATS) won 98-95 as a 2.5-point home underdog. Conley led the way with a team-best 20 points and Zach Randolph produced 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Durant and Westbrook had 30 points apiece in the losing effort, but Durant made only 10-of-27 shots from the field and missed all eight of his attempts from 3-point range.

Randolph was held to a series low 11 points in Game 4. He has drained just 10-of-34 shots in the last two contests.

Westbrook has made only 19.4 percent of his 3-pointers in this series.

Assuming OKC's veteran reserve guard Derek Fisher gets playing time in Game 5, he'll break Robert Horry's record for career playoff games with his 245th appearance in postseason history.

The 'under' is 45-41 overall for the Grizzlies, 27-16 in their road assignments.

The 'over' is 44-42 overall for OKC, 22-21 in its home games.

The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag: OKC -330, Memphis +265.

Tip-off is slated for 9:35 p.m. Eastern on NBA-TV.

Warriors at Clippers

For Game 5 at Staples Center, most books have Los Angeles (59-27 SU, 47-38-1 ATS) listed as a six-point favorite with a total of 210. Bettors can take the Warriors to win outright for a +240 payout (risk $100 to win $240). For first-half wagers, the Clippers are favored by 3.5 with a total of 106.

Golden St. (53-33 SU, 44-39-3 ATS) won Game 4 in blowout fashion just 24 hours after a TMZ report rocked the Clippers organization. The website released a tape of a conversation between owner Donald Sterling and his ex-girlfriend in which Sterling (allegedly) makes racist remarks. The NBA is expected to come down hard on Sterling on Tuesday and it's almost inconceivable that he'll be able to keep the team pending the Association taking care of everything from a legal standpoint. In protest before Game 4, the Clippers went to midcourt and each player removed his warm-up top featuring the team's mascot. The undershirts were turned inside-out to hide the mascot.

Whether it was being distracted by the controversy or not, the Clippers got blasted by a 118-97 score in Game 4. Golden St. won outright as a two-point home underdog behind the stellar play of All-Star guard Steph Curry, who had 33 points, seven rebounds and seven assists compared to only two turnovers. Andre Iguodala added 22 points, nine assists and four rebounds. David Lee, Harrison Barnes and Klay Thompson chipped in 15 points apiece.

Jamal Crawford had a team-high 26 points for L.A. in the Game 4 setback. Blake Griffin added 21 points but his plus/minus rating was -22. Chris Paul had 16 points, six assists and five rebounds, but he committed four turnovers.

After losing Game 1 in large part due to Griffin's foul trouble, the Clippers bounced back to win Games 2 and 3. In Game 3 at Golden St., L.A. captured a 98-96 victory but disappointed its backers by giving up a backdoor cover as a 2.5-point underdog. The Clippers were outscored by nine points in the fourth quarter and failed to take the cash due to abysmal 10-of-23 shooting from the free-throw line. Griffin scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while DeAndre Jordan finished with 14 points, 22 boards and five blocked shots.

Jordan was held scoreless and took only one shot in 25 minutes of playing time in Game 4.

Draymond Green was inserted into the starting lineup for Golden St. in Game 4. He played 41 minutes and finished with four points (just four shots attempted), five rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocked shots. Those stats certainly don't jump off the paper, but Green had the best plus/minus rating of the game at +33.

The 'over' is on a 6-1 run for the Warriors, who have seen the 'under' go 25-18 in their road contests.

The 'over' is on a 10-3 run in the last 13 meetings between these Western Conference rivals.

Sportsbook's updated series price: L.A. -330, Golden St. +265.

TNT will have the broadcast at 10:35 p.m. Eastern.

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StatFox Super Situations


PORTLAND at HOUSTON
Play Against - Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (HOUSTON) off a road cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog, playing with 2 days rest 71-34 since 1997. ( 67.6% | 33.6 units ) 3-2 this year. ( 60.0% | 0.8 units )


DALLAS at SAN ANTONIO
Play Against - Road underdogs of +145 to +350 vs. the money line (DALLAS) after beating the spread by 24 or more points total in their last three games against opponent after being beaten by the spread by 24 or more points total in their last three games 106-24 since 1997. ( 81.5% | 50.7 units )


DALLAS at SAN ANTONIO
Play Under - All teams where the first half total is between 95.5 and 100.5 points a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a winning team, in April games 175-102 since 1997. ( 63.2% | 62.8 units ) 14-3 this year. ( 82.4% | 10.7 units )

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7:00 PM
DALLAS vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing San Antonio
Dallas is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of San Antonio's last 13 games when playing at home against Dallas


8:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. TORONTO
Brooklyn is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Brooklyn is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Toronto is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Toronto's last 8 games at home


9:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 5 games when playing Portland

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Wednesday's Playoff Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Mavericks at Spurs (6½, 198½)

Game 5 – Series tied at 2-2

The Spurs escaped American Airlines Center with a 93-89 victory to even up their series at two games apiece with the rival Mavericks on Monday. San Antonio made its mark in an impressive second quarter showing, outscoring Dallas, 32-13 to build a 20-point advantage. The Mavs rallied back in the second half, but fell short, while picking up a backdoor cover as 4½-point home underdogs to cash for the fourth time in this series.

San Antonio’s bench came through in the Game 4 victory, scoring 50 points, including a game-high 23 points from Manu Ginobili. Following an exciting, high-scoring affair in Game 3, Sunday’s Game 4 finished ‘under’ the total of 200, as San Antonio’s defense stepped up after allowing 113 points in Game 2 and 109 points in Game 3 of this series. Now, the series shifts back to the AT&T Center in San Antonio, where the Spurs have won 15 of their past 16 games.

Of course the lone loss came to the Mavericks in Game 2 of this series, but San Antonio enters Wednesday’s action at 0-6 ATS the last six games. Since early January, Dallas owns an outstanding 9-1 SU and 6-4 ATS record off a home loss, while Rick Carlisle’s club has compiled a 12-1-1 ATS ledger on the road in the postseason since 2011.

Nets at Raptors (-3½, 191)

Game 5 – Series tied at 2-2

These two division rivals have alternated wins and losses through the first four games of this series, as Toronto can seize control tonight by taking advantage of home-court. The Raptors held off the Nets to grab Game 4 at the Barclays Center, 87-79, in spite of blowing an early 17-point lead. Toronto used a late 14-2 run to snap a 13-game road losing streak in the playoffs, while covering as a four-point underdog.

The favorite has not cashed through the first four games of this series, posting an 0-3-1 ATS record. The constant in this series for the Raptors has been their leading scorer DeMar DeRozan, who paced Toronto with 24 points in Game 4. Only two other Raptors put up double-figures in Game 4, but the Nets’ offense disappeared at key times as Joe Johnson was limited to seven points on 2-of-7 shooting, while Brooklyn converted only 4-of-20 attempts from three-point range.

Toronto hasn’t performed well against the number as a home favorite off a road win of late, putting together an 0-5-1 ATS record in the last six in this situation. In spite of the low-scoring contest in Game 4, the Raptors have been an ‘over’ machine recently at the Air Canada Center, going 9-2 to the ‘over’ the last 11 at home. The Nets are riding a dreadful 1-7-1 ATS record the past nine contests, while compiling a 2-4-1 ATS mark the last seven in the role of a road underdog.

Blazers at Rockets (-5½, 213½)

Game 5 – Portland leads series, 3-1

Everybody figured this series was going to be probably the most competitive of all the first round matchups and its lived up to the billing. Portland and Houston have needed overtime in three of the first four games of this series, as the Blazers held off the Rockets in Game 4, 123-120. Houston cashed as four-point underdogs, while the game sailed ‘over’ the total for the fourth time in the series and eighth time in eight meetings this season.

The Blazers depended on their starters to lift them to the commanding 3-1 series edge in Game 4, as four starters put up at least 21 points, led by LaMarcus Aldridge’s 29 points. The Rockets actually put up their best shooting performance of the series in spite of the loss, knocking down 48% of their attempts from the floor, as unheralded Troy Daniels contributed 17 points off the bench. James Harden paced the Rockets with a team-high 28 points, but his shooting struggles continued, which included an 0-for-5 performance from downtown.

The underdog owns a perfect 4-0 ATS record in this series, while the Blazers have covered three of four visits to the Toyota Center this season. Portland continues to stay hot over the last month, winning 12 of its past 14 games, as the Blazers enter tonight’s action with a 5-1 ATS record the previous six contests as a road underdog. The Rockets have put together a 7-1 mark to the ‘over’ since December at home off an away loss, while Houston has scored at least 100 points in 17 straight contests at the Toyota Center.

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Game of the Day: Nets at Raptors
By Covers.com

Brooklyn Nets at Toronto Raptors (-3.5, 191)

Series tied 2-2.

Coming off one of the best wins in franchise history, the Toronto Raptors look to grab control of their Eastern Conference first-round series when they host the Brooklyn Nets in Game 5 on Wednesday. Toronto had not won a road playoff game since 2001 and was banged up, but it rallied to steal Game 4 in Brooklyn on Sunday by an 87-79 score, tying the series at two games apiece. The Raptors lost a 17-point lead but held the Nets scoreless over the final 4:58 to take back home-court advantage.

Perhaps the biggest key for Toronto was its ability to bottle up Brooklyn shooting guard Joe Johnson, who had seven points in 42 minutes after averaging 23.7 points in the first three games of the series. "Their defense was a big difference," Johnson told reporters after Game 4. "I mean, I looked out and there were three guys coming at me at once." DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points to lead the Raptors and is averaging 28 points over the last three contests.

LINE HISTORY: Toronto opened as high as a 4-point favorite but has been bet down as low as -3. The total opened 191.

INJURY REPORT: Nets - A. Anderson (Ques - Groin). Raptors - L. Fields (Ques. - Back)

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Toronto showed some grit in their comeback win in Game 4 after blowing an early 17-point lead. The Raptors where held to 20 points or less in three of four quarters, so they are also fortunate that they won that game. Brooklyn scored just 12 points in the fourth quarter, so the Nets should be ready in Game 5 from the opening tip."

ABOUT THE NETS: Brooklyn has a notable advantage in terms of experience, a factor many thought would eventually decide the series, but Toronto has outscored the Nets 88-66 in the fourth quarter over the last three games. "They're a younger team that doesn't have as much proper experience, but they ain't playing like it," guard Deron Williams said Sunday. Williams missed all five of his 3-point attempts in Game 4 as the Nets went 4-of-20 from outside the arc, falling to 25 percent for the series.

ABOUT THE RAPTORS: DeRozan has played through a hand injury for weeks, Kyle Lowry is limping through the series with knee issues and other Toronto players are banged up, but the club keeps coming. "We're really nicked up right now, so it was huge courage, really courageous by those guys," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said following Game 4. Among the others on the injured front is forward Amir Johnson, who left Game 4 with a knee injury before returning to polish off a 17-point effort.

TRENDS:

* Under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Toronto.
* Underdog is 3-0-1 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Road team is 3-0-1 ATS in the last four meetings.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 51 percent of bets are on Toronto -3.5 while 53 percent is on Over 191.

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Game of the Day: Thunder at Grizzlies
By Covers.com

Oklahoma City Thunder at Memphis Grizzlies (+2.5, 184)

Memphis leads series 3-2.

The Memphis Grizzlies will try to sew up a historic first-round series when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. The Grizzlies hold a 3-2 lead in the tense matchup after prevailing on Tuesday in a record fourth consecutive overtime game. Oklahoma City stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have struggled with poor shooting and the Thunder are facing elimination by the Grizzlies for the second straight postseason.

Memphis blew a 20-point third-quarter lead in Game 5 but escaped with a 100-99 victory as a putback by Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka came just after the buzzer. “Nothing comes easy for us,” Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph told reporters afterward. “We get it out of the mud, we grind and we’re underdogs. It’s what we do.” The Thunder split two games in Memphis earlier in the series and will be trying to force a Game 7 in Oklahoma City. “We have won there before,” Westbrook told reporters. “We know what we need to do to win the game. We just need to come out and play our game.”

LINE HISTORY: Oklahoma City opened as a 2.5-point road favorite and was bet up to -3 before money came back on the Grizzlies. The total opened 186 and dropped to 184.

INJURY REPORT: Memphis - N. Calathes (Out - Suspension)

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "It's interesting to note that while the Grizzlies are priced around a -140 favorite to win this series, the Thunder are favored in Memphis in Game 6, and should there be a Game 7, will be favored in that contest as well. Memphis has done a number of Oklahoma City's big guns defensively, and has to realize that this is where it needs to bring its best effort of the entire series. A seventh and deciding game in Oklahoma City would be extremely difficult to win, especially with the Grizzlies trying to take three-of-four from the Thunder on the road. Sharp line here, but I'm leaning to the Thunder to prove why they've been one of the league's best teams all season." Covers Expert Sean Murphy.

ABOUT THE THUNDER: Durant might be about to wrestle regular-season MVP honors away from LeBron James but he has experienced a shaky series while being hounded by smaller Memphis defender Tony Allen. Durant is shooting just 40 percent from the field – and 28.6 percent from 3-point range – and also missed a tying free-throw attempt with 27.5 seconds left in Tuesday’s one-point loss. He also hasn’t been as assertive in searching for shots as the misses add up. “Sometimes you’ve got to be a decoy out there and I’m fine with that,” Durant told reporters. “Once the ball comes my way I have to be ready and be aggressive when I touch it.”

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Point guard Mike Conley scored 17 points in Game 5, including the tiebreaking basket in overtime, but he was close to being labeled the goat of the contest as Memphis blew the big lead. With the Grizzlies leading late in regulation, Westbrook stole the ball from Conley and raced for a tying dunk with four seconds remaining. “We’re a team that is able to bounce back from adversity,” Conley told reporters afterward. “We’ve had a lot of tough plays – especially mine at the end of regulation. For us to still come back and compete and stay focused in overtime, it just says a lot about the resiliency of this team and the focus level.”

TRENDS:

* Thunder are 1-4-1 ATS in the last six meetings in Memphis.
* Underdog is 3-0-1 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in Grizzlies' last five home games.
* Under is 7-3 in Thunder's last 10 games following a loss.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 57 percent of bets are on Oklahoma City while 63 percent are on Over 185.

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NBA Playoffs

Pacers are now 8-12 in last 20 games, 8-27-1 against spread in last 36, as they head south to stay alive in series. Indiana is 4-5 vs Atlanta this season, 2-2 here. Hawks won nine of last thirteen games. George made 10-18 from the floor in Game 4- he is Pacers' barometer. Hawks' bench was 14-25 in Game 5, after being 15-50 from floor in games 3-4- they were +50 for game. Pacers' bench was 9-21 last game, a combined -31. Three of last four series games stayed under.

Last four Griz-Thunder games went OT, after OC won opener by 14; despite OTs, team that led at half lost four of five series games. Both Thunder wins stayed under total; three Memphis wins went over. OC is 34-117 from arc in last four games, shooting under 40% from floor in all four games- six of their last nine games went over. Griz led Thunder by 12 last game, was +8 in OT (9-17). Three of last four series games went over the total.

Clippers outscored Golden State 31-13 on foul line in Game 5 win, and it would've been worse had Jordan not missed eight (9-17) FTs. He had 25 points, 18 boards after going scoreless in Game 4. Clippers won 10 of last 15 games, with 12 of those 15 going over total. Warriors won seven of last 12 games overall; under is 48-37 in their games this year, 23-18 at home. Curry was held to 17 points Tuesday after having 33 in Game 4. Warrior bench was 8-22 last game, after making 12-18 in Sunday's win.

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Thursday's Playoff Tips
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Pacers at Hawks

The top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference finds itself on the brink of elimination Thursday night at Philips Arena. Indiana (58-29 straight up, 40-46-1 against the spread) fell behind 3-2 to Atlanta in its best-of-seven series by losing at home to the Hawks for the third time in 22 days.

Atlanta (41-46 SU, 41-45-1 ATS) led by 30 at one point in Monday's 107-97 win as a seven-point underdog. The Hawks hooked up money-line backers with a sweet payout in the +260 range. The Game 5 triumph was sparked by an incredible second-quarter shooting display from Mike Scott, who came off the bench and buried four treys in a 76-second stretch. Scott drained five 3-balls in the second quarter alone and scored all 17 of his points in the stanza. Shelvin Mack had 13 points in the second quarter and went on to score a team-best 20 points to go with five assists, two steals and just one turnover. Paul Millsap added 18 points and eight rebounds, while DeMare Carroll and Jeff Teague chipped in with 15 and 12 points, respectively.

In the Game 5 defeat, Paul George produced a game-high 26 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and six steals. However, Roy Hibbert didn't score or pull down a rebound and was whistled for four fouls in only 12 minutes of playing time. You have to wonder if Frank Vogel, whose job is clearly on the line here, will put the Georgetown product back on the court the rest of the series. David West, Lance Stephenson and George Hill finished with 16 points apiece in Game 5.

Sportsbook.ag has updated the series price and now has the Hawks as -175 favorites. The Pacers are +155 on the comeback (risk $100 to win $185).

As of early Wednesday night, most betting shops had the Pacers listed as one-point favorites with a total of 187.

The 'over' is 46-40-1 overall for the Hawks this year, but the 'under' has cashed in five consecutive head-to-head meetings between these rivals in games played at Atlanta.

The 'under' is 3-2 in this series, cashing in Games 2, 3, and 4.

The 'under' is 47-37-3 overall for the Pacers this season, but the 'over' is 21-20-3 in their road assignments.

On the verge of this potential upset, you would think the city of Atlanta would be embracing the Hawks? Well, at least the local media, right? Wrong. As I just went to the sports page at AJC.com at 4:45 p.m. Eastern, there were six top stories posted atop the page. Two were on the Falcons and the NFL Draft, one was on the Braves, there was one apiece for UGA and Georgia Tech football recruiting and another about Nick Saban and other college coaches playing golf?! Really???

The Hawks remain 75/1 longshots to win the NBA title at both Sportsbook.ag and 5Dimes. Correction: Atlanta remains at 75/1 at 5Dimes, but Sportsbook.ag has moved it from 75/1 to 50/1 in the last few hours (at some point Wednesday afternoon).

Tip-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Eastern on NBA TV, which is channel 216 on DirecTV and 156 on DISH Network.

Thunder at Grizzlies

For the first time in NBA history, a postseason series has had four straight overtime games. In Tuesday's Game 5 at Oklahoma City, the Thunder and Grizzlies needed an extra session to determine a winner once again. Memphis (53-34 SU, 39-44-4 ATS) became that team thanks to stellar defense, mostly from Tony Allen on Kevin Durant, and the hot 3-point shooting of Mike Miller, who splashed the nets with a pair of attempts from deep early in OT. Miller would finish with a team-high 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and zero turnovers, leading his team to a 100-99 triumph as a 6.5-point underdog. The Grizz hooked up money-line supporters with a +250 return. Zach Randolph had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Allen finished with seven points, nine boards, three steals, two assists and defensive plays galore that don't show up in the box score.

Like Indiana, Oklahoma City (61-26 SU, 44-40-3 ATS) has surrendered homecourt advantage twice in this series already. On the one hand, you have Russell Westbrook making the type of incredible play he die at crunch time, stripping Mike Conley Jr. for a run-out lay-up to force OT in the waning seconds of regulation. From another point of view, you have Westbrook taking 31 shots, an astounding amount for a point guard, especially compared to the 24 taken by the NBA's leading scorer, and making only 10. And once again here we are in the postseason, with Westbrook taking more shots than Durant, and you have to feel like if Memphis wins Game 6, the OKC organization has to make one of two moves -- get rid of Scott Brooks for a coach that'll correct what seems to be an easy fix in terms of who gets more shots, or jettison Westbrook, a PG who is a high-volume shooter, out of town to put better pieces around the franchise player. That might seem dramatic, especially since Westbrook was injured in the postseason last year, but hasn't this been a point of discussion for nearly five years? These are certainly fair questions, ones that'll only be eradicated by an OKC win in Memphis on Thursday night.

As of early Wednesday night, most books had OKC favored by 2.5 with a total of 185. Gamblers can back the Grizzlies on the money line for a +125 return (risk $100 to win $125). For first-half bets, the Thunder is a 1.5-point 'chalk' with a 92.5-point tally.

The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag: Memphis -150, OKC +130. As for odds to win the NBA title, the Thunder is sporting a 10/1 number, while the Grizz remain at attractive 25/1 odds. Go figure (considering the variance in the series price and the future numbers).

The 'over' is 45-42 overall for OKC this season, 22-21 in its road assignments.

The 'under' is 45-42 overall for Memphis, but the 'over' has hit at a lucrative 25-18 clip in its home games.

TNT will have the broadcast from FedEx Forum at 8:05 p.m. Eastern.

Clippers at Warriors

As of early Wednesday night, most spots had Los Angeles (60-27 SU, 48-38-1 ATS) listed as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 209. The total for first-half wagers was 105.5.

Prior to Tuesday's Game 5 at home against Golden State, which was arguably the biggest game in the history of this moribund franchise, Doc Rivers's Clippers team had to deal with an ocean of turmoil for 72 straight hours. First on Saturday as it prepped for Sunday's Game 4 at Golden State with a 2-1 series lead, reports surfaced of an audio tape released by TMZ that had the team's owner making racist remarks and otherwise presenting himself as a complete bigot. Not just a bigot towards any black man in general. No, towards the city of L.A.'s biggest basketball star ever, Magic Johnson. Then with pressure to either boycott or make some sort of statement in the midst of what the team hoped would be a run to the finals, it suffered a blowout loss in Game 4 at Golden State An "off day" was next and it was spent answering questions and facing scrutiny over what (if anything) the team would do if Donald Sterling wasn't harshly punished on Tuesday by the NBA and new Commissioner Adam Silver. Finally, just hours before the crucial Game 5, Silver came down hard on Sterling, banning him for life and suddenly allowing this legit contender to get back to focusing on basketball. The Clips did just that, beating the Warriors by a 113-103 count as seven-point home favorites.

The 216 combined points in Game 5 jumped 'over' the 208-point total in large part thanks to Mark Jackson's propensity to employ a hack-a-Jordan strategy ahead of the two-minute mark. The Warriors repeatedly fouled DeAndre Jordan, stopping the clock and forcing him to the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. Bettors on the 'over' had to be thrilled because those on the 'under' were looking real good beforehand.

Jordan was the catalyst for L.A. in the winning Game 5 effort at Staples Center. The Texas A&M product tallied 25 points, 18 boards and four blocked shots. Chris Paul added 20 points, seven assists, six boards and five steals, while Jamal Crawford pitched in 19 points. Despite battling foul trouble, Blake Griffin had 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Golden State (53-34 SU, 44-40-3 ATS) played from behind for nearly all of Game 5, but it took a one-point advantage at 70-69 with 1:49 left in the third quarter after Steph Curry pulled up on a fast break to launch a 3-pointer from the top of the key. The shot appeared to be ill-advised on first glance, but at this point should anyone ever question Curry's shot selection? The attempt got all nets and appeared to give the Warriors momentum. Alas, it wouldn't last as Paul, Griffin and Jordan were too much for a team lacking its best interior defender in Andrew Bogut.

The updated series price at Sportsbook.ag is the Clippers as the -700 'chalk,' while the Warriors are available for a monster +500 return (risk $100 to win $500).

L.A. is an atrocious 1-6 ATS in its last seven games at Golden State

The 'over' has cashed at a 4-1 clip in this series so far.

The 'over' is 48-38-1 overall for the Clippers, 24-19 in their road assignments.

The 'under' is 48-37-2 overall for the Warriors, 23-17-2 in their home games this year.

Tip-off is scheduled for 10:35 p.m. Eastern on TNT.

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Western Conference Tips
By Brian Edwards
VegasInsider.com

Spurs at Mavericks

As of early this morning, most books had San Antonio (65-22 straight up, 45-42 against the spread) favored by three for tonight's Game 6 at Dallas. Gamblers can back the Mavericks on the money line for a +135 return (risk $100 to win $135), while the total is 198.5. The Spurs are favored by 1.5 for first-half bets, with the total at 99.

Gregg Popovich's club has won back-to-back games after falling behind 2-1 in this best-of-seven series. The Spurs captured a 109-103 victory in Wednesday's Game 5 at AT&T Center, but Dallas hooked up its supporters with a backdoor cover as a 6.5-point road underdog. Tony Parker led five players in double figures with 23 points and five assists without a turnover. Manu Ginobili produced another stellar stat line, finishing with 19 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals. The veteran guard committed only one turnover in 30 minutes of playing time. Tim Duncan added 16 points, 12 boards and three blocked shots.

Dallas (51-36 SU, 49-38 ATS) got spectacular performances out of Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki in the Game 5 defeat. In only 27 minutes of action, the 37-year-old Carter had 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. The University of North Carolina product drained 7-of-9 attempts from 3-point range. Nowitzki scored 26 points and pulled down 15 rebounds. Monta Ellis had 21 points and six assists.

In Game 3 at Dallas, Carter hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lift his team to a 109-108 win as a 4.5-point home underdog. In Game 4 at the same venue, San Antonio won a 93-89 decision but failed to take the cash as a 4.5-point road 'chalk.'

Ginobili is enjoying a remarkable series, averaging 19.6 points, 4.4 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.

After being ejected from Game 4 and suspended for Game 5, Dallas will get power forward DeJuan Blair back tonight. Blair averaged 6.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game during the regular season. Before getting tossed in Monday's home loss, Blair had 12 points and 11 rebounds. The University of Pittsburgh product had eight points and seven boards in the Game 2 win at San Antonio.

The 'over' has hit in three of the last four games.

The 'over' is 47-39-1 overall for the Spurs, 24-19 in their road assignments.

The 'over' is 48-39 overall for the Mavs, 25-18 in their home games.

NBA TV will have the telecast at 8:05 p.m. Eastern.

Rockets at Trail Blazers

Houston (56-31 SU, 43-42-2 ATS) sliced the series deficit to 3-2 with a 108-98 win as a 4.5-point home favorite. The 206 combined points fell 'under' the 214.5-point total. Dwight Howard led the way with 22 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots. Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parson chipped in 21 and 20 points apiece, while James Harden had 17 points, seven assists and three steals.

As of early this morning, most spots had Portland (57-30 SU, 46-41 ATS) installed as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 213. The Rockets were +155 on the money line (risk $100 to win $155). For first-half wagers, the Trail Blazers were favored by two with a 107-point tally.

In the Game 5 loss, Wesley Matthews scored a game-high 27 points by knocking down 5-of-9 shots from 3-point range. Damian Lillard finished with 26 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals. LaMarcus Aldridge was held to a series-low eight points, as he made only 3-of-12 shots from the field. Aldridge had scored 46, 43, 23 and 29 points in the first four games of the series.

Lillard has been terrific throughout the series, averaging 25.6 points and 7.4 assists per game.

Harden is scoring at a 25.4 PPG clip in the first five games, but he's shooting only 34.7 percent from the field and just 25.0 percent from beyond the arc.

If Portland wins tonight, it will snap a string of six straight exits from the first round of the postseason.

Until the 'under' appeared in Game 5, the 'over' had hit in nine consecutive head-to-head meetings between these teams.

Houston owns a 7-1-1 spread record in its last nine games at Portland.

The 'over' is 50-36-1 overall for the Trail Blazers, 24-18-1 in their home games.

The 'over' is 48-37-2 for the Rockets, 24-18-1 in their road contests.

Tip-off on ESPN is scheduled for 10:35 p.m. Eastern.

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

Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers (-3.5, 213.5)

Portland leads series 3-2.

The Houston Rockets staved off elimination and attempt to even the Western Conference first-round series at 3-3 when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. The Rockets thrived with their season on the line in Game 5 and avoided the late-game breakdowns that hurt them earlier in the series while posting a 108-98 victory on Wednesday. Now the Trail Blazers feel the urgency to wrap up the series at home to keep from having to travel back to Houston for a Game 7.

The Rockets held Portland star LaMarcus Aldridge to eight points while being highly intent on keeping their season going. “I don’t want to go on vacation,” Houston center Dwight Howard told reporters after Game 5. “I want to win. I want to give everything I’ve got. Every night, put my heart into it and sacrifice my body and do whatever I can to help this team win.” The Trail Blazers are trying to halt a streak of six straight first-round exits that dates back to 2000. “We’ve been good at home all year and now we’ll go back home and take care of business,” Aldridge told reporters.

LINE HISTORY: The line opened at Portland -3.5 with a total of 213, but the total quickly moved half a point to 213.5.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "The Blazers are 3.5-point favorites in Game 6 - a close-out game for them, and in my opinion a must-win game as I do not see them winning Game 7 in Houston. So far we are seeing over 60 percent of the action come in on the Rockets to cover the spread and 51 percent of the action on them to win outright." - Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Houston finally slowed down LaMarcus Aldridge in Game 5 as he scored just 8 points on 3 of 12 shooting from the field. But in a critical Game 6 at home, Aldridge will likely bounce back with a strong performance, and if he does, the Rockets will have their work cut out for them in Game 6 in Portland." - Covers' Experts Steve Merril

WHY BET THE ROCKETS: Starting point guard Patrick Beverley was limited in Game 5 due to an illness and Jeremy Lin stepped up to have his best performance of the series. Lin had 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting as he rebounded from a poor Game 4 performance that included a costly turnover late in regulation. “I just tried to be aggressive,” Lin told reporters. “I felt like I needed to be more of a spark for the team. I hadn’t done a great job of that in this series so I just tried to come out as aggressive as I can be.” Howard has been Houston’s best player of the series, posting five straight double-doubles while averaging 26 points, 14.2 rebounds and three blocks.

WHY BET THE TRAIL BLAZERS: Aldridge averaged 35.3 points over the first four games – including outings of 46 and 43 points to begin the series – before being a complete nonfactor in Game 5. Houston’s lineup switch to Omer Asik from Terrence Jones has allowed Howard to guard Aldridge more often and the results were even better than what Houston expected. Aldridge, who was 3-of-12 shooting, bristled over the notion that Howard silenced him. “The ball didn’t come to me as much,” Aldridge told reporters. “Our guys were making shots and we were playing off them and that’s how the game went. It wasn’t about how Dwight guarded me or anything like that.”

TRENDS:

* Over is 6-0 in the last six meetings in Portland.
* Rockets are 7-1-1 ATS in the last nine meetings in Portland.
* Over is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings.
* Rockets are 11-5-1 ATS in the last 17 meetings.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 54 percent of bets are on Portland -3.5 while 67 percent are on Over 213.5