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**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:25 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

NBA notebook: Suns fire Hornacek
By The Sports Xchange

Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek was fired Monday morning.
The team named assistant Earl Watson as interim head coach later Monday.
The Suns have lost 19 of their past 21 games and arrived home Sunday with a 14-35 record. That mark is tied for the NBA's fourth-worst record. The Suns are on pace for the worst season since the inaugural season of the franchise, when the team was 16-66 (.195).
Hornacek, 52, was hired in May 2013, returning to the team with whom he spent his first six professional seasons as a player. In two-plus seasons as head coach of the Suns, Hornacek's teams compiled a 101-112 record.
Watson, 36, joined the Suns as an assistant coach in the offseason. He played 13 NBA seasons in a career that concluded in 2014.
Former star Steve Nash was the first choice of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver to replace Hornacek.
But the franchise's all-time leader in assists elected to pass on a full-time coaching role. Nash currently serves as a part-time assistant for the Golden State Warriors.

---Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Oklahoma City forward Kevin Durant were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Jan. 25-31.
Wade averaged 24 points, seven assists, 4.8 rebounds and two steals while leading Miami to four consecutive wins. His best all-around performance came when he had 27 points, eight assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots in a 102-98 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 26.
Durant averaged 34.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists as Oklahoma City won three consecutive games. His top outing was when he had 44 points, 14 rebounds and five assists during a 128-122 overtime victory over the New York Knicks on Jan. 26.

---The Charlotte Hornets reassigned guard Aaron Harrison to the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA Development League.
Harrison, 21, has appeared in 13 games for Charlotte, averaging 0.5 points and 0.6 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per contest.

---The Memphis Grizzlies signed center Ryan Hollins to a second 10-day contract, the team announced.
Hollins, 31, has averaged 3.1 points and 2.6 rebounds in nine games for Memphis this season. Hollins has been re-signed twice by the Grizzlies this season, once on Dec. 29 (waived on Jan. 7) and to the first 10-day contract on Jan. 21.

---The Atlanta Hawks recalled center Edy Tavares from the Austin Spurs of the D-League, the team announced.
Tavares averaged 9.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots in 10 D-League games.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:25 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Celtics (27-22) at Knicks (23-27)

Date: February 02, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics saw Kristaps Porzingis at his best the last time they faced the New York Knicks, although the rookie hasn't been close to that level lately.

Porzingis and the Knicks have lost five of six entering Tuesday night's home matchup against a Celtics team that just had a five-game win streak snapped.

These Atlantic Division rivals have split two meetings, with each winning at home. New York's 120-114 victory Jan. 12 featured Porzingis scoring 26 points in 26 minutes before he fouled out.

The rookie is averaging 13.0 points on 36.5 percent shooting in his last six games. He scored 14 points in 20 minutes in Sunday's 116-95 home loss to Golden State, picking up two fouls in the first 90 seconds before he sat for the remainder of a scoreless first quarter.

"This is going to be a learning experience for me, just to make those quick two fouls and then sit out and then later on try not to foul again and not really be able to play hard defensively since you don't want to get fouled out," he said. "It's just things that I gotta learn."

The Knicks (23-27) need him on the floor to provide offensive support to Carmelo Anthony, who had 24 points and 10 rebounds. The lack of playing time for Porzingis was magnified since the starting backcourt of Arron Afflalo and Langston Galloway combined for 14 points on 5-of-25 shooting.

"You just never know where it's coming from," Anthony said of getting scoring help. "We've been kinda successful when not knowing where our second scorer was gonna come from. Some games, there's a third and fourth scorer. Tonight, we just couldn't find it."

Galloway made his third straight start in place of Jose Calderon, who is day to day with a strained right groin.

The Knicks will be challenged to stop one of the league's most explosive guards in Isaiah Thomas, who has totaled 55 points and 14 assists in the first two meetings. Thomas is averaging 26.0 points in his last eight road games.

Boston (27-22) seeks to bounce back after Sunday's 119-114 loss at Orlando ended its longest win streak of the season. Marcus Smart matched a career high with 26 points and Thomas scored 23.

The Celtics allowed the Magic to shoot 53.7 percent after limiting opponents to 41.6 percent in the previous five games.

"Especially to the caliber that we like to play, it definitely got let down," Smart said. "Those guys were getting offensive rebounds, tip dunks, tip-backs and kicking it out for open 3s."

Jae Crowder was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting after averaging 14.8 in his previous four games. Crowder suffered a leg injury Sunday, although he said it wouldn't prevent him from facing the Knicks.

Crowder has 39 points in the season series.

Boston has outscored New York 34-14 in points off turnovers this season. The Celtics average 19.2 points in that department to rank among the league's best while the Knicks are last at 12.6.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:25 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Heat (27-21) at Rockets (25-25)

Date: February 02, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

A couple of old stars have turned back the clock to help the Miami Heat rise to the top of the Southeast Division. Now they hope to get healthier with Hassan Whiteside's potential return.

That certainly doesn't bode well for the suddenly struggling Houston Rockets, who didn't have much of an answer for the 7-foot center in a blowout defeat in November.

With Whiteside expected to be a game-time decision, Dwyane Wade and Amar'e Stoudemire may have to step up again Tuesday night when the Heat open a three-game road swing looking to extend their longest winning streak since LeBron James departed for Cleveland.

The 34-year-old Wade was named Eastern Conference player of the week after averaging 24.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting with 7.0 assists, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks during a four-game run that has Miami (27-21) percentage points ahead of Atlanta atop the division.

The 33-year-old Stoudemire only played in 12 of the first 40 games before getting pressed into action when Whiteside went down with a strained left hip. He's responded by averaging 9.3 points on 59.5 percent shooting and pulling down 7.5 rebounds over the past six.

Chris Bosh led the way with 18 points, while Wade and Luol Deng added 17 as the Heat moved past the Hawks with Sunday's 105-87 home win over the defending division champs. Stoudemire had season highs of 13 points and 12 boards for his first double-double since Dec. 7, 2014 with New York.

'Amar'e can be who he was in his 20's in short bursts if we're all smart about it and control the minutes,' coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'That's the hardest thing for me to do.'

Since averaging 80.3 points in a season-high four-game skid, Miami has scored 100.8 in its last four. It has been more aggressive, getting to the free-throw line 58 times in the past two.

The Heat could get Whiteside back as they go for their first five-game run since winning eight in a row Feb. 11-March 3, 2014. He's expected to test his hip in shootaround after sitting out the past five.

Whiteside took advantage of Dwight Howard's absence in the first meeting with Houston, finishing with 25 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a 109-89 home win Nov. 1.

Howard hopes to make a difference this time, though he may have to overcome the referees as well as a nagging shoulder injury. The Rockets (25-25) recently petitioned to the league office in an effort to get the four technical fouls Howard received in getting ejected twice last weekend rescinded.

'These referees need to be held accountable for letting people attack Dwight and be that physical with him,' interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. 'And dirty. It's not physical."

Following a 9-3 stretch last month, the Rockets are trying to avoid a season high-tying fourth consecutive defeat. James Harden attempted to pick them up with 40 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and four steals in Saturday's 123-122 home loss to Washington.

The four-time All-Star has averaged 30.6 points while hitting 23 of 49 (46.9 percent) from 3-point range to go along with 9.3 boards and 8.6 assists over his last seven games. Miami, however, limited him to 16 points on 2-of-15 shooting - 0 for 10 from 3 - in the first meeting.

The Heat won't have guard Tyler Johnson for at least two months due to an injured rotator cuff.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:26 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Raptors (32-16) at Suns (14-35)

Date: February 02, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Jeff Hornacek wasn't responsible for the multiple injuries or the combative personality of Markieff Morris. What ultimately concerned Phoenix Suns management was the fact his message no longer resonated with players.

The team's rapid decline cost Hornacek his job, leaving interim coach Earl Watson to lead a battered group hoping to make the most of a lost season.

One of the Suns' rare victories came against the Toronto Raptors, who visit Tuesday night for Watson's debut looking to hand the Suns a 20th loss in their last 22 games.

General manager Ryan McDonough and owner Robert Sarver had high hopes in Hornacek's third season after he went 48-34 in 2013-14 before slipping to 39-43 last season. But despite signing Tyson Chandler in the offseason and having an explosive backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, the Suns (14-35) failed to live up to expectations.

Chandler is averaging what would be a career worst of 5.7 points, and his 8.4 rebounds would be his fewest since 2009-10. Bledsoe is done after suffering a season-ending right knee injury in an embarrassing loss to NBA-worst Philadelphia on Dec. 26.

Knight has missed the last six games with a groin strain and is expected to be out until after the All-Star break, and the situation with Morris remains contentious.

Morris, upset when the Suns traded his twin Marcus to Detroit in the offseason, has made it clear he's unhappy in Phoenix and was suspended two games after throwing a towel at Hornacek in the fourth quarter of a loss to Denver on Dec. 23.

Management fired assistants Jerry Sichting and Mike Longabardi on Dec. 28 while deciding to give Hornacek another chance. Watson was promoted from the club's NBA Developmental League team that same day to assist Hornacek.

Although the odds seemingly were stacked against Hornacek, McDonough finally saw enough after Sunday's 91-78 loss to Dallas - the Suns' 14th straight on the road. Hornacek was fired after their conversation, and Watson was named interim coach Monday.

"This definitely has been a tough season, but I feel like there has to be some positives that come out of this," Chandler said.

Watson is only 36 years old and played the last of his 13 NBA seasons with Portland in '13-14. He's the latest in a line of recently retired players to try his hand at coaching, but whether he'll succeed and earn the job full-time remains to be seen.

Phoenix ranks last in the league in field-goal percentage defense at 47.3 and has lost by an average of 15.8 points during a four-game losing streak.

Watson's debut, though, comes against a Raptors team Phoenix has beaten in four of the last five meetings, including a 107-102 victory in Toronto on Nov. 29.

The Atlantic Division-leading Raptors (32-16) were the league's hottest team prior to Monday, but they began a six-game trip by snapping their 11-game winning streak with a 112-93 loss to Denver.

DeMar DeRozan, who scored 29 points in the first meeting with the Suns, finished with 24, but Kyle Lowry was held to 10 and went 3 of 12 from the field. Lowry averaged 23.5 points over his previous four.

"You can describe it any way you want to," coach Dwane Casey said. "That was a stinker. That was one of our worst performances of the year. We played like we were playing in mud. We stunk."

James Johnson left in the second quarter because of a sprained left ankle and his status for this contest is unclear.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:26 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Bucks (20-30) at Trail Blazers (23-26)

Date: February 02, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Portland's success is usually attributed to strong scoring from Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but it's the Trail Blazers' defense that's turning heads of late.

The Blazers go for their longest home winning streak in nearly a year Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lillard and McCollum are the team's top two scorers with career highs of 24.2 and 20.7 points per game, respectively. Although they're both averaging below those marks over the last three games - Lillard at 19.3 and McCollum at 18.7 - Portland (23-26) has yielded 93.7 per game, which is 8.6 below its season mark.

They scored 21 apiece in a 96-93 win over Minnesota on Sunday that was the Blazers' season-best fourth straight and eighth in the last 10 games.

"It's a great sign for us," reserve forward Ed Davis said. "There's going to be games where Damian and C.J. are not shooting great from the field. We have to rely on the defense then.

"We can beat pretty much anybody without playing any defense just because they're going to hit tough shots, hit a lot of 3s, get a lot of easy buckets, they're going to get fouled. It's those games where they don't have it going that we have to lock in on defense."

That didn't happen in a 90-88 loss at Milwaukee (20-30) on Dec. 7. Lillard had 23 points and McCollum scored 17, but the Blazers squandered a four-point lead in the final 17 seconds.

"It's just a matter of us taking care of business," Lillard said. "Over the last couple of games we've defended better, we've shared the ball better. We've played more complete games.

"We're showing signs of growth."

The Blazers are trying to win five in a row at home for the first time since Feb. 25-March 13. They've won seven of their last nine there against Milwaukee, including a 104-97 victory on Dec. 17, 2014, in which Lillard scored 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting and went 4 of 7 from long range.

The Bucks have dropped five of their last six games, including four straight on the road after falling 111-104 at Sacramento on Monday. They've surrendered an average of 108.0 points and 39.5 percent shooting from behind the arc during the slump.

"We gotta get better at switching and understand who is shooting the ball," coach Jason Kidd said. "We put ourselves in position to win a game on the road, and we just didn't make a couple plays coming down late on both ends."

Greg Monroe can't be blamed for Milwaukee's recent struggles. The center is averaging 22.2 points over the last six games and has totaled 48 while hitting 18 of 30 from the field in the previous two.

Monroe was quieter with 16 points and 12 rebounds at home against the Blazers in December, but he made a decisive layup with 6 seconds left to put the Bucks up for good.

Khris Middleton finished with 14 points while missing 9 of 13 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. The guard enters this matchup with 23 total points in two games, going 8 for 31 from the floor and 2 for 10 from beyond the arc.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:26 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Timberwolves (14-35) at Lakers (9-41)

Date: February 02, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

With their teams rebuilding and their bodies betraying them, both Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett have seen better days.

Garnett will likely miss the final meeting between the future Hall of Famers when Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves Tuesday night attempting to avoid a franchise-worst 11th consecutive loss.

With the 39-year-old Garnett expected to sit out a fifth straight game with an ailing right knee, the historical relevance of this matchup of Western Conference cellar-dwellers will be solely focused on Los Angeles (9-41), which matched the Magic Johnson-coached 1993-94 squad's club record of 10 straight losses with Sunday's 101-82 defeat to visiting Charlotte.

The retiring Bryant delivered one of the better performances of his final season by scoring 23 points in 23 minutes, a small consolation in a game in which the Lakers shot 33.8 percent and were outrebounded 59-42.

Last in the NBA in field goal percentage (41.1) and 28th in scoring (95.8 points per game), Los Angeles has failed to even reach those benchmarks during the skid. The Lakers have averaged 92.2 points and shot 40.8 percent since a 95-91 win over New Orleans on Jan. 12.

"Sometimes, you've got to go to the bottom of the pool, man, and figure it out," Bryant said. "We're almost there, gasping for air.'

Bryant's status is uncertain as well, with the 37-year-old listed as questionable with a shoulder injury that sidelined him two of the previous three games.

He and Garnett were teammates in nine All-Star Games from 1998-2007 and faced one another four times in the playoffs, including two NBA Finals. The Lakers bested Garnett's Celtics in seven games in 2010 to avenge a six-game loss to Boston in 2008.

Neither aging superstar appears headed to this year's postseason with the Lakers last in the West and Minnesota (14-35) tied with Phoenix for 13th. Both have spent much of their injury-plagued seasons serving as mentors to their future successors in the top two picks in the 2015 draft, Garnett to Karl-Anthony Towns and Bryant to D'Angelo Russell.

Towns leads all rookies with 25 double-doubles and has notched one in each of Minnesota's four consecutive losses, with the 20-year-old following Friday's season-high 32-point, 12-rebound effort at Utah with 21 and 13 in Sunday's 96-93 defeat at Portland.

'It's nice to lead the league in double-doubles for rookies, but I'd rather lead with wins,' he said. 'I'm not too happy about that."

Second-year guard Zach LaVine is on a productive run as well, averaging 22.3 points during the losing streak and recording a season-high 35 in Wednesday's 126-123 loss to Golden State.

Russell's transition hasn't gone as smoothly and he's struggled of late, shooting 31.8 percent and averaging 7.0 points off the bench in his last three.

The 19-year-old did score 23 points, and fellow youngster Julius Randle had 20 with 12 rebounds in a Dec. 9 matchup at Minnesota, though the Lakers couldn't overcome Kevin Martin's 37 points and Towns' 26 and 14 rebounds in a 123-122 overtime loss.

Martin, who'll miss a fifth straight game with an injured right wrist, had 23 points and Ricky Rubio amassed 28 and 14 assists in Minnesota's 112-111 victory at Staples Center in the Oct. 28 opener.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:26 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

NBA

Tuesday's hot teams
-- Celtics won five of their last six games (5-2 last 7AF).
-- Miami won its last four games (1-4 last 5AU).
-- Raptors had their 11-game win streak snapped last nite (4-2 last 6AF).
-- Portland won eight of its last ten games (6-1 last 7HF).

Cold teams
-- Knicks lost five of their last six games (5-7HU).
-- Houston lost its last three games (4-5 last 9HF).
-- Suns lost their last four games (5-3HU).
-- Bucks lost five of their last six games (0-4 last 4AU).
-- Minnesota lost six of its last seven games (1-2AF). Lakers lost their last ten games (3-2 last 5HU).

Series records
-- Knicks lost four of last five games with Boston.
-- Rockets lost eight of last ten games with Miami.
-- Suns won four of last five games with Toronto.
-- Bucks won six of last nine games with Portland.
-- Minnesota is 5-3 in its last eight games with the Lakers.

Totals
-- Five of last six New York games stayed under.
-- Six of last eight Miami games stayed under.
-- Six of last eight Phoenix games stayed under.
-- Six of last seven Portland games stayed under.
-- Over is 5-2 in last seven Laker-Minnesota games.

Back/backs
-- Toronto is 5-2 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Milwaukee is 5-3 vs spread on road if it played night before.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:27 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

NBA Odds: Tuesday, February 2 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

I felt pretty confident that the plummeting Phoenix Suns were going to fire coach Jeff Hornacek during the All-Star break, but ownership decided to do so ahead of schedule as Hornacek was dumped on Monday. The Suns have lost 19 of their past 21 games and are 14-35 (.286), which is on pace to be the franchise's worst season since the inaugural team went 16-66 (.195). The team has lost 14 straight road games. Only five players remain from Hornacek's rookie head coaching season, when the Suns were a surprising 48-34 and Hornacek was the NBA Coach of the Year runner-up. That whole franchise needs an overhaul right now. The Suns were hoping to lure back the all-time face of the franchise, former two-time league MVP Steve Nash, to replace Hornacek, but Nash has no interest in that as of now. So one of the assistants will be promoted to interim head coach to finish out the season.

Celtics at Knicks (+2, 207)

Boston had a five-game winning streak end in Orlando on Sunday, 119-114, blowing a 14-point lead. Marcus Smart matched his career high by scoring 26 points for the Celtics. It was their 12th straight game scoring at least 100 points. It's not clear if the team will have Jae Crowder for this game. He suffered an injury at practice on Monday. Evan Turner would start if he's out. New York lost for the fifth time in six games on Sunday, 116-95 to Golden State. Carmelo Anthony had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks. Starting point guard Jose Calderon missed his third straight game with a sore right groin but could play Tuesday. The Knicks and Celtics have split two meetings this season, each winning at home.

Key trends: The home team is 4-0 against the spread in the past four meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in five of New York's past six overall.

Early lean: Celtics and under.

Heat at Rockets (-5.5, 204)

Miami won a season-high fourth in a row on Sunday, 105-87 over Atlanta. Chris Bosh had 18 points and Amare Stoudemire 13 points and 12 rebounds. Stoudemire has been really good filling in for injured center Hassan Whiteside, who doesn't have a timetable to return from a hip injury but is officially questionable here. Backup point guard Tyler Johnson will have rotator cuff surgery on Wednesday and he's potentially out for the season. Houston dropped a third straight Saturday, 123-122 at home to Washington. James Harden had 40 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Dwight Howard was ejected for the second straight game. Houston has won two straight at home vs. Miami but lost 109-89 in south Florida on Nov. 1. Whiteside had 25 points and 15 rebounds. The Heat were down 21 points in the second half yet still won by 20.

Key trends: The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five in Houston.

Early lean: Rockets and over.

Raptors at Suns (+9.5, 201)

Toronto started a six-game road trip on Monday in Denver on an 11-game winning streak. Phoenix dropped a fourth in a row, all by double digits, on Sunday, 91-78 in Dallas. Phoenix was held to nine fourth-quarter points and that apparently was the last straw for Hornacek's job status. Rookie guard Devin Booker led the Suns in scoring for the third straight game with 19 points. Starting guard Brandon Knight was out again with a left groin strain and may not return until after the All-Star break. Phoenix won in Toronto 107-102 on Nov. 29. The Suns' bench outscored the Raptors' 51-25. Phoenix has won nine of the past 11 at home in the series.

Key trends: Toronto is 0-5 ATS in the past five meetings. The over has hit in four of those.

Early lean: Suns and over.

Bucks at Trail Blazers (-6.5, 204.5)

Milwaukee was in Sacramento on Monday night to start a three-game trip. Portland won a fourth consecutive game on Sunday, 96-93 over Minnesota. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum scored 21 points apiece. It was the Blazers' first win of the season by three points or fewer. The Blazers lost in Milwaukee 90-88 on Dec. 7. The Bucks were down four late but scored six points in the final 22.0 seconds. Portland has won two straight home games against Milwaukee and is 7-2 against the Bucks at the Moda Center since the start of the 2006-07 season.

Key trends: The Bucks have covered four straight in Portland. The under is 5-1 in the past six meetings.

Early lean: Bucks and under.

Timberwolves at Lakers (+4, 202.5)

Minnesota lost a fourth in a row on Sunday, 96-93 in Portland. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, his rookie-best 25th double-double of the season. The Wolves have dropped 11 straight on the road. Kevin Garnett and Kevin Martin both missed their fourth game in a row. Neither is likely here. The Lakers dropped their 10th straight Sunday, 101-82 at home to Charlotte. That ties the longest losing streak in team history. Kobe Bryant had 23 points in 23 minutes. Minnesota has won two high-scoring games vs. the Lakers this season, taking each by one point.

Key trends: The Wolves are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 5-2 in the past seven.

Early lean: Lakers and over.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:27 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

'Rockets misfire'

The Houston Rockets (25-25, 21-29 ATS) will be looking to halt a three game skid when they host Miami Heat (27-21, 24-23-1 ATS) Tuesday night at the Toyota Center. As a team, the Rockets have trouble stopping teams from scoring. They rank 29th in scoring defense allowing 106.6 points/game and it's been worse the past three on the hardwood as they've given up a whopping 122.7.

Got to like Miami as +5.0 point underdog in tonight's match-up. The Rockets are 2-8 ATS as home chalk of -4.0 to -9.5 points, 5-13 ATS in non-conference games including a 109-89 beat-down in South Beach when they two met back in November. If that hasn't got you leaning Heat, consider Miami is 7-2 against the betting line this season scoring 105 or more points, a money-making 20-3-1 ATS the past twenty-four games netting 105 or more points.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 07:27 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Tough Road Ahead!

Toronto clicking on all cylinders have reeled off eleven straight victories (8-3 ATS) behind a stingy defense holding opponents to 93.9 per/contest with the offense dropping a solid 105.6 points/game. The Raptors have packed their bags and are headed on the road for three before the break with stops in Denver, Phoenix and Portland.

Going against red-hot Raptors facing three teams with losing records might be considered sacrilege. But, you do bet Raptors at some risk. Purple Dinos have had trouble solving these three teams on the road going 2-6 SU, 3-5 ATS in Denver, 2-7 SU, 3-6 ATS in Phoenix and 0-7 SU, 1-6 ATS in Portland.

**TheGame** · 02-02-2016, 08:24 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

BOSTON vs. NEW YORK
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 10 games
New York is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 6 games

MIAMI vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Miami's last 23 games on the road
Miami is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston's last 10 games at home
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home

TORONTO vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Toronto is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
Phoenix is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Toronto

MILWAUKEE vs. PORTLAND
Milwaukee is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing Portland
Portland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Portland is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

MINNESOTA vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 3-6 ATS in their last 9 games
LA Lakers are 15-3 SU in their last 18 games when playing at home against Minnesota

**Satch** · 02-02-2016, 09:47 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Cavaliers’ controversial coaching change a big benefit to NBA betting
By BIG AL MCMORDIE
In a week in which there were two meetings among the top three contenders for the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the games were overshadowed by a development off the court.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin decided to further sabotage his team’s chances by breaking his hand on a team equipment manager’s face. Of course, in the sports business, off-court drama often fuels the industry more than the games, themselves. Still, a lot is happening on the court. “Big” Al McMordie takes a look at the week ahead in NBA wagering.
Spread watch
It’s true that first impressions die hard. And, after getting embarrassed by the Chicago Bulls in coach Tyronn Lue’s first game, many assumed that the firing of David Blatt was ill advised. Some even went further and proclaimed that Lue shouldn’t be allowed to coach in this year’s All-Star Game. But Lue’s Cavaliers rebounded off that Chicago loss to win their next four games (and cover their last three), including a 117-103 beatdown of the San Antonio Spurs.
Lue wants his team to play at a much faster pace than did Blatt, and Cleveland has scored 114-plus points in each of the last four games. Even more impressive is the fact that the Cavaliers’ “Big Three” of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have all been important cogs in a more balanced offense. In Cleveland’s last two wins (over the Spurs and Pistons), all three players reached the 20-point plateau.
This week, the Cavs will play road games at Indiana and Charlotte, before coming back home to take on Boston and New Orleans. And, should Cleveland win its first two games this week, Lue would surpass Steve Kerr for the best win percentage of any coach in NBA history.
Certainly, Monday’s game at Indiana will be a tough test (the Pacers have covered four straight vs. the Cavs), but the upcoming schedule is not that daunting. If Lue’s men can get out of Indiana with a win, then I would expect Cleveland to have an 11-game win streak going into its game at Oklahoma City on February 21.
Total watch
In our last two weekly articles, I highlighted the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans, as both had started to play a lot of games Over the total. And each team has continued on that front. New Orleans has played its last eight games Over while Memphis has done the trick in nine of its last 10 games.
Interestingly, a team I’ve yet to focus on this season is the defensively-challenged Houston Rockets. But I can’t ignore James Harden & Co. any longer. Houston has played 16 of its last 19 games Over the total, including its last five. And in those last five games, Houston’s allowed an average of 116.8 points. For the season, the Rockets’ defense is the worst of any team with a .500 (or better) record, ranked No. 28 in defensive efficiency. In comparison, the next-worst team, with a .500 (or better) record, is Memphis, which ranks No. 17.
On Saturday, Houston will host the Portland Trail Blazers. And, given that 14 of the previous 17 meetings have sailed Over the total (including eight of nine at the Toyota Center), we could see yet another high-scoring affair.
Injury watch
Six-foot-10 Clippers star forward Blake Griffin beat up a 5-foot-8 equipment manager last week, and broke his hand in the process. Griffin was scheduled to play this week after rehabbing a quad injury sustained on December 25, but he now will be sidelined until late March. So his team’s already-dwindling championship hopes are hampered further.
The good news for Los Angeles is that it’s been playing well in his absence. Since Christmas, the Clippers are 15-3 SU and 13-5 ATS (though mainly against soft competition). But the bad news is that Griffin will miss L.A.’s three most important home games in the season’s second half: Spurs (Feb. 18), Warriors (Feb. 20) and Thunder (Mar. 2).
Without Griffin, the Clips have realized that their games against the NBA’s lightweights are “must wins” and they’ve generally taken care of business. This week, Los Angeles will play Minnesota (3-19 SU last 22), Orlando (2-12 SU last 14), and Miami (5-7 SU last 12), so the opportunity to pick up three wins is very good.
I especially like their chances to cover against the T-Wolves, as the Clippers have won 14 straight in the series (8-5-1 ATS). Even worse for the Timberwolves is the fact they’ll be unrested, and playing their third game in four nights, while the Clippers will have had the previous two days off.
Schedule watch
The San Antonio Spurs have been unbeatable at home this season. They’re 25-0 SU and 17-7-1 ATS. But playing away from the Alamo City has been a different story. The Spurs are a mortal 14-8 SU and 13-9 ATS, including 6-7 SU/ATS versus non-losing teams, and 0-3 ATS their last three overall.
This week, San Antonio will travel to Dallas Friday. The Mavericks have controlled the series at home, going 4-1 SU and ATS in the last five games with their bitter rivals. Dallas will be playing with revenge from a 29-point loss less than three weeks ago, in San Antonio. And the Mavs are 26-15-1 ATS when playing with revenge from a 20-point (or worse) defeat. Don’t be surprised if Dallas delivers some payback Friday night.

**Satch** · 02-02-2016, 09:48 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Boston At New York
When: 7:30 PM ET, Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
The Boston Celtics saw their season-best five-game winning streak come to an end on Sunday, but their high-scoring offense remains intact. The Celtics will try to post 110 points or more for the seventh straight game when they visit the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Boston has scored over 100 points in 12 consecutive games but let up on the defensive end in a 119-114 loss at Orlando on Sunday. The Celtics are torching other teams in the backcourt, and Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart each did their parts with a combined 71 points against the Magic. The Knicks’ strength is up front, where Carmelo Anthony and rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis do their best work. The two stars have both been battling nagging injuries and have seen their production slip of late, leading to five losses in the last six games.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (27-22): Smart has been a strong defensive player since entering the league last season, but the offense has come along slowly. Smart is the leader of the second unit and has scored in double figures in seven of the last 10, including a career high-tying 26 points in Sunday’s setback. “Marcus is a guy that adds value to the group, defensively, for sure,” Boston coach Brad Stevens told reporters. “And then, the way we like to play, I like having multiple ball handlers on the floor at once. And he can play off the ball, post a little, or play with it.”
ABOUT THE KNICKS (23-27): New York’s lone win in the last six games came against the rapidly imploding Phoenix Suns at home on Friday, and they followed it up with a 116-95 loss to Golden State. Anthony (24 points) and Porzingis (14) were the top scorers for the Knicks in Sunday’s loss but combined to go 11-of-26 from the floor as part of a 36.7 percent shooting effort from the Knicks. “We had a few guys who shot the ball well for us this season, didn’t shoot it well (Sunday) percentage-wise,” New York coach Derek Fisher told reporters. “We definitely needed another guy to have a decent type of night.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Celtics PF Amir Johnson is averaging 9.6 rebounds in the last five games.
2. Knicks SG Arron Afflalo is shooting 32.1 percent from the field in the last six games.
3. New York snapped a four-game losing streak in the series with a 120-114 win over Boston on Jan. 12.
PREDICTION: Celtics 117, Knicks 106

**Satch** · 02-02-2016, 09:48 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/2

Preview: Miami At Houston
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
The Miami Heat have followed up four straight losses with four straight wins and will try to keep the arrow pointing up when they visit the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. The Heat battled injuries all throughout January and are nearly healthy with February here, and only Hassan Whiteside (back) is questionable among the starters.
Whiteside missed the last five games and Miami moved to a smaller lineup with Amar’e Stoudemire starting at center and Chris Bosh sliding over to the middle at times with the second unit. “The ball has really been moving,” Heat coach Eric Spoelstra told reporters following a 105-87 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. “More guys have been involved, and I think that’s been the improvement.” The Rockets have had trouble stopping teams from moving the ball of late and lost three in a row while surrendering an average of 123 points. Houston center Dwight Howard was ejected from each of the last two games and is unhappy with how contact on the inside is being officiated.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Sun (Miami), ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE HEAT (27-21): Miami is happy with the winning streak but knows it needs a defensive anchor like Whiteside in the middle to go deep into the playoffs, and the center is getting closer to a return. Whiteside (strained left hip) continues to increase his workouts and was on the court shooting prior to Sunday’s contest. “The biggest part now is just running,” Whiteside told reporters. “You use your abs a lot, your oblique a lot running and turning, a lot of stuff I do during games.”
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (25-25): Houston interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff was not afraid to call out the referees after Saturday’s 123-122 loss to the Washington Wizards. “It’s not fair the way the referees ref Dwight,” Bickerstaff told reporters. “You can go back and look at clip after clip after clip. They initiate contact with him, they grab him, they hold him. Dwight gets punished more than anybody in the league. The referees need to be held accountable.” Howard still managed to score 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting in 29 minutes on Saturday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Rockets G James Harden has scored 33 or more points in three of the last four games.
2. Heat G Tyler Johnson (shoulder) is day-to-day.
3. Howard sat out and Whiteside collected 25 points and 15 rebounds in Miami’s 109-89 home win over Houston on Nov. 1.
PREDICTION: Rockets 106, Heat 105

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NBA Betting Info. 2/2

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