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**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:27 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

NBA notebook: Nets waive Johnson
By The Sports Xchange

The Brooklyn Nets waived former All-Star guard Joe Johnson on Thursday, the club announced.
Johnson, 34, was known to be seeking a buyout of his contract and is interested in joining a playoff team for the stretch run.
Johnson needed to be released by Tuesday to be eligible for the postseason with his new team.
Among the group of teams reportedly interested in Johnson's services are the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and Toronto Raptors.
Johnson is making $24.9 million this season in the final year of a six-year, $124 million contract.

--Point guard Andre Miller and the Minnesota Timberwolves are close to a buyout agreement, his agent said.
Miller wants to join a team contending for a playoff spot, according to agent Andy Miller, before the March 1 deadline.
The 39-year-old Miller signed a one-year contract with the Timberwolves in the offseason in part to help with the team's young guards.

--Veteran forward J.J. Hickson signed a contract for the remainder of the season with the Washington Wizards.
The team did not disclose terms of the deal, but Hickson was expected to receive the pro-rated veteran's minimum salary. He will join the team for Friday night's game against the Philadelphia 76ers.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:27 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Wizards (26-30) at 76ers (8-49)

Date: February 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

There's a distinct difference of opinion on whether the Washington Wizards are overlooking short-handed opponents after another disappointing defeat.

They could be in danger of looking past their next opponent whether its at full strength or not.

The Wizards face the league's worst team twice in a four-day span beginning Friday night at the Philadelphia 76ers.

Washington (26-30) dropped its third straight on the road, 109-104 to Chicago on Wednesday. The Bulls shot 50.0 percent despite playing without Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler.

An exasperated coach Randy Wittman seemed to reference a 20-point loss Saturday to a Miami team without Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to express his displeasure.

"It's happened to us numerous times," Wittman said. "If you don't learn from it, then that's our fault. If you don't learn from it, this happens all the time to this team, this group of guys, last year, year before that, last week."

Star John Wall, who had 16 points and seven assists, insisted that the Wizards did not take the short-handed Bulls for granted.

"We know that's when teams are at their toughest because you've got to worry about so much more," Wall said. "Usually the ball would be in Derrick Rose's hands and Jimmy Butler's hands a lot but without those guys in there, there's a lot more ball movement."

The only notable absence Friday for Philadelphia (8-49) could be rookie reserve guard T.J. McConnell, who missed his first game with an ankle sprain that kept him out of Wednesday's 111-91 defeat to Detroit.

Of course, if there's reason for the Wizards to overlook anyone Friday it will be because of the 76ers' awful record and what figures to be a drab atmosphere with Philadelphia last in the Eastern Conference in average home attendance.

Losers of six straight and 10 of 11, the 76ers fell behind by 13 points after one quarter against the Pistons and never recovered. Philadelphia trailed by as many as 30.

'We had that good stretch before the All-Star break, and it earned us some respect,' guard Ish Smith said. 'The problem is that we've lost what we had, so teams are taking us seriously and beating the crap out of us. That's what the Pistons did tonight.'

Philadelphia is allowing an average of 121.3 points and 40.9 percent 3-point shooting in four games since the All-Star break.

Jahlil Okafor is averaging 17.3 points as he is in a tight race with Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns to finish as the league's top rookie scorer.

Smith may have a chip on his shoulder Friday since he was cut by the Wizards in training camp. He scored a team-high 22 in the Sixers' 106-94 loss at Washington on Feb. 5, with Wall recording his first triple-double of the season with 18 points, 10 assists and 13 boards.

The Wizards got a boost Wednesday with the season debut of Alan Anderson after left ankle surgery. He finished with nine points in 16 minutes.

"I just had to be patient and just be ready," Anderson said. "I didn't know how I was going to play, when I was going to play, I just had to be patient and when I got out there."

Washington has taken seven of the last eight meetings.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:28 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Hornets (29-27) at Pacers (31-26)

Date: February 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Myles Turner's emergence has given the Indiana Pacers a defensive presence inside while allowing Paul George to move more freely at the other end of the floor.

Turner wasn't at his best against Charlotte two weeks ago, though, and the Hornets took advantage.

Charlotte is fresh off having its winning streak snapped and looks to subdue Turner and the Pacers again as it continues a road trip Friday night.

Turner missed all but eight games over the first two months because of a fractured left thumb after being selected with the 11th pick in June's draft, then saw limited action through mid-January.

Coach Frank Vogel inserted Turner into the starting lineup for the last 12, though, and the 6-foot-11 forward had his best game in that stretch Wednesday, scoring 24 points while hitting 10 of 20 from the field as the Pacers (31-26) beat New York 108-105.

'Coach wants me to be aggressive and take those shots and I'm not drawing back,' said Turner, who is averaging 17.0 points and shooting 55.6 percent over his last four. "That's just the mentality I have to start taking.'

George has benefited from the move, too. He finished with 27 points against the Knicks and has scored at least 20 in eight straight after adjusting through the first four with Turner in the starting lineup.

Indiana's new starting five has scored 102.2 points per 100 possessions when on the court together while giving up 85.2.

"Defensively, we get stops and rebounds. Myles gives us that presence," George said. "You still get that stretch offensively, with Myles being able to spread the floor. We still get that small-ball spacing, but we're still big. That's been enjoyable with this group."

Turner struggled against the Hornets on Feb. 10, going 4 of 11 from the field and scoring 10 points with a team-worst minus-18 rating in a 117-95 defeat that snapped the Pacers' 12-game home winning streak in the series.

That victory was part of a five-game win streak for Charlotte (29-27), but it had that run and a four-game road winning streak snapped with Wednesday's 114-103 loss to Cleveland. The defensive effort wasn't nearly as good following an eight-game stretch during which it allowed an average of 94.8 points.

"We've just got to lock back in and forget about this one," guard Kemba Walker said. "We'll learn from our mistakes and go to Indy and try to pull out a big win."

Walker is averaging 25.2 points over his last six - including having 25 in the first meeting with the Pacers - and shooting 55.3 percent over his past three. He's been the catalyst for Charlotte, which leads Detroit by one game for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot but is 1 1/2 behind Indiana for fifth.

The Hornets are 2-1 on a five-game, post-All-Star break trip that ends Sunday against Atlanta.

'For us, we wanted to make the playoffs. Our goals are A, to qualify for the playoffs, and B, be playing at a level to be a factor in the playoffs," coach Steve Clifford said. "There will be two to three teams in the conference that take off and play a lot better from here on out. We want to be one of them.'

Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey, who hasn't played since Jan. 12 because of a foot injury, could return.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:28 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Magic (25-31) at Knicks (24-35)

Date: February 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Kristaps Porzingis thinks the New York Knicks are building toward a championship even as they spiral out of playoff contention.

The Knicks will try to win for the third time in 16 games Friday night against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden.

Porzingis has been a major bright spot for New York (24-35) after the organization was heavily criticized for taking the 20-year-old forward fourth overall last summer. His average of 14.1 points is the highest by a Knicks rookie since Patrick Ewing scored 20.0 in 1985-86, and his 110 blocks is already a club record for first-year players.

Despite Porzingis emerging as a key building block for the future, the Knicks have lost 13 of 15 after showing promise with a 22-22 record while sitting one-half game out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

New York is now 6 1/2 back, but Porzingis claims it's all part of the process.

"This is our first year together. This is my first year in the NBA," he said. "I think I'll grow as a player every season. We'll grow as a team. We have Carmelo (Anthony) to guide us; the young guys. I believe we have a group in the future to be something special.

"That's what I believe in. This is going to make us stronger mentally so when we get to that moment to be a championship team, we'll be ready for it."

Porzingis led the Knicks with 22 points and Anthony missed a potential game-tying 3 at the buzzer of Wednesday's 108-105 loss at Indiana.

"Everybody has to get connected," said interim coach Kurt Rambis, who is 1-4 since replacing the fired Derek Fisher. "We're really not connected as a team yet."

Anthony is averaging 23.8 points in six games since sitting out one with a sore knee. However, he scored 14 while missing 15 of 20 shots Wednesday.

Anthony has averaged 29.4 points while hitting 16 of 28 3-pointers over his last five meetings with the Orlando. He scored 23 while Porzingis was held to nine on 3-for-12 shooting in a 107-99 loss to the Magic (25-31) on Dec. 21. That came after Porzingis went 3 for 13 from the field in a 100-91 defeat at Orlando on Nov. 25.

New York is trying to avoid being swept in the three-game season series, which would be its longest slide against the Magic since dropping six straight from 2009-11.

Orlando, four games out of the East's final playoff spot, has won four of seven following a 2-15 stretch. The Magic, though, allowed Stephen Curry to score 51 points while falling 130-114 to Golden State on Thursday.

They've let opponents average 109.9 points and shoot 47.4 percent over the last 15 games.

"We gotta do a better job of getting stops, doing a better job of playing collective defense," guard Victor Oladipo said.

Evan Fournier led Orlando with 20 points, and he's averaging 21.3 over the last three games - 7.0 higher than his career-best season mark.

The swingman had 16 points at New York in December, while center Nikola Vucevic scored 26.

Vucevic has averaged 24.4 points and 14.0 rebounds over his last five matchups with the Knicks. He enters this one with 23.1 points and 11.3 boards per game over the past seven.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:28 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Cavaliers (41-15) at Raptors (38-18)

Date: February 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

It's been nearly two months since the Toronto Raptors lost at home, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are taking notice.

Only three games separate the Eastern Conference's top two teams, a deficit the Raptors have a chance to trim when the Cavaliers visit Air Canada Centre on Friday night.

Toronto (38-18) hasn't allowed the Cavaliers to distance themselves by winning 17 times in a 20-game stretch for the first time in team history. The Raptors have been unbeatable at home over that period, winning nine straight to match a single-season franchise record established from March 7-April 4, 1999.

After extending the streak with Wednesday's 114-105 victory over Minnesota, Toronto can tie the club mark for consecutive home wins set between the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons.

Cleveland (41-15) has been able to maintain its hold on the top spot by winning 11 of 14 since losing coach Tyronn Lue's debut on Jan. 23. It had a five-game winning streak halted with Monday's 96-88 home loss to Detroit, but recovered strongly in Wednesday's 114-103 victory over surging Charlotte.

Held to a season low-tying 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting by the Pistons, LeBron James bounced back by scoring 10 of his 23 in the first quarter and helping the Cavaliers to a season-high 40 in the second.

"It was fortunate for us that LeBron was able to attack early and set the tone for us," Lue said.

Kyrie Irving also had 23 points and Channing Frye went 4 of 8 from 3-point range in recording 15 in his second game since being acquired from Orlando at last week's trade deadline.

"He adds another dynamic piece to our team we hadn't had up to this point," James said of Frye.

Frye, a career 38.7 percent 3-point shooter, does add another outside threat to a Cleveland team that's had much success from the perimeter in two prior 2015-16 meetings with Toronto. The Cavaliers were 14 of 29 from beyond the arc in a 103-99 loss at Air Canada Centre on Nov. 25 and finished 17 of 33 in a 122-100 home rout on Jan. 4.

Irving's return from last June's fractured kneecap has also made a difference. He had 25 points in the last matchup after missing the first and is averaging 24.3 points on 52.8 percent shooting over his last seven games.

The Raptors continue to be led by their All-Star backcourt of DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. The duo combined for 52 points against Minnesota and hit two critical 3-pointers each in the final 3 1/2 minutes as Toronto closed the game on a 13-4 run.

"It was a gutsy win. We found a way to win defensively and DeMar DeRozan made some big plays down the stretch," coach Dwane Casey said.

DeRozan ended with 31 points and is averaging 25.3 over his last 11, while Lowry scored 12 of his 21 in the fourth quarter and didn't have a turnover. He's had six giveaways during a five-game stretch in which the Raptors are averaging a league-low 9.6 per game.

Cleveland, which has won four of five against Toronto, did a better job taking care of the ball Wednesday. After committing 18 turnovers - six from James - that led to 23 Detroit points, the Cavaliers had nine against Charlotte.

The Cavaliers will be without guard Mo Williams for at least the next two games so he can receive treatment on his injured left knee.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:28 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Bulls (30-26) at Hawks (31-27)

Date: February 26, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Unexpected contributors have enabled the Chicago Bulls to reverse their recent misfortunes.

The Atlanta Hawks, on the other hand, remain searching for answers to their prolonged struggles.

Though virtually tied in the Eastern Conference standings, the teams have been heading in opposite directions leading into Friday night's matchup in Atlanta.

The Bulls' season appeared to be sinking a week ago following a season-high fifth consecutive loss, but they've won three straight since despite continued absences from All-Star Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic. A resurgence from Derrick Rose has helped trigger the turnaround, as has increased production from a number of players called upon for greater roles.

Rose recorded a third straight game of at least 24 points in Sunday's 126-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers but sat out Wednesday against Washington to rest a tender right hamstring. The offense still didn't skip a beat, as seven players finished in double figures in a 109-104 win.

Tony Snell scored 16 points starting in Rose's place and E'Twaun Moore had 17 three days after recording 24 on 10-of-14 shooting against the Lakers. Doug McDermott, averaging 20.0 points on a 67.6 field goal rate during the streak, added 14 off the bench.

'It's the next man up mentality,' coach Fred Hoiberg said. 'It's not an ideal situation, but it's what guys like Justin Holiday, Tony Snell, E'Twaun Moore, it's why you play this game. It's for opportunities like this when your main players aren't out there.'

The Bulls (30-26) have averaged 117.0 points during the surge and shot 50 percent or better in all three wins. They were a combined 40.9 percent while failing to top 95 points in their previous three losses.

Chicago will see if it can maintain that success on the road, where it's lost four straight, and against a Hawks team it's lost handily to in two prior 2015-16 meetings.

Atlanta (31-27) has been unable to build on a 113-90 rout at the United Center on Feb. 10 that seemed to signal a return to form, however. The Hawks have emerged from the All-Star break with three consecutive home losses while continuing be inconsistent on both ends.

There were some encouraging signs out of Monday's 102-92 defeat to league-leading Golden State. The Hawks outscored the Warriors 36-18 in the third quarter and used a 33-6 run to take an 80-76 lead early in the fourth before the defending NBA champions rallied for their 50th win.

"Obviously we're in a little bit of a tough spot, but there's some positives to build on from (Monday)," coach Mike Budenholzer said.

Al Horford and Dennis Schroder have continued to play well for Atlanta, which is trying to avoid its first five-game home skid since December 2006. Horford had 23 points and 16 rebounds against Golden State and is averaging 19.4 points over his last five. Schroder followed a career-high 25-point, near triple-double in Saturday's double-overtime loss to Milwaukee with 18 on 8-of-12 shooting on Monday.

Both have given the Bulls problems this season. Horford's season-high 33 points carried the Hawks to a 120-105 home win on Jan. 9 and Schroder had 18 in this month's first meeting.

Atlanta has won four of the series' past five matchups.

Kirk Hinrich, acquired from the Bulls in a three-team trade at last week's deadline, has yet to appear in any of Atlanta's three games following the swap.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:29 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Nuggets (23-35) at Mavericks (30-28)

Date: February 26, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Dallas is entering the third of a six-game homestand on which the schedule lines up for it to regain some of the ground it's dropped this month, but wasting the opportune stretch is beginning to seem just as likely given the team's recent play.

Denver is next up Friday night in the span of five of six under-.500 teams visiting with the Mavericks seeking a fourth straight win in the series.

Dallas (30-28) has lost six of eight in February to fall into a group along with Portland, Utah and Houston battling for the Western Conference's last three postseason berths. The homestand started with Sunday's 129-103 win over Philadelphia, then regressed with Wednesday's 116-103 loss to Oklahoma City.

The good news for Dallas is the Nuggets (23-35) are followed to town by Minnesota, Orlando and Sacramento. The bad is the Mavericks' 2-6 span has teams averaging 110.1 points and shooting 47.8 percent. Factor in a minus-7.4 rebounding differential and their own 42.7 percent shooting mark, and their coach is understandably more concerned with game-to-game issues than their place in the West.

"I don't look at the standings that much. I'm looking at how we're playing," coach Rick Carlisle told the team's official website. "I didn't like the way we played in the first and fourth quarters tonight. And those are pretty important quarters, so we've got to pick it up. And these games at home are a precious commodity. Oklahoma City is a terrific team, but we can do better than what we did tonight."

Dirk Nowitzki scored 33 points on 10-of-16 shooting, but the rest of the starting five was 16 of 44. Wesley Matthews had 15 points but was 5 of 16 from the field, and the guard has been limited to 9.7 points on 35.9 percent in his last 12 games.

In three of the last four contests, the Mavericks have been outscored in the fourth quarter by at least seven points. The two before Wednesday were overtime losses after entering the fourth with nine-point leads.

"We've got to finish games," Matthews said. "... We had a little slippage, and that seems to be the trend for us this season. We're too good of a team to be doing that, and this loss hurts. But we've got to get back and get one Friday."

There's been no such trend against the Nuggets while winning four of five, including three straight overall and in Dallas after a 92-81 home win on Nov. 28.

Denver is seeking consecutive victories after Wednesday's 87-81 win at the Los Angeles Clippers - an unlikely winning scoreline for the Nuggets after giving up an average of 117.0 points on 49.8 percent on a preceding three-game losing streak. The Clippers put up 46 3-point attempts - more than they'd ever attempted and more than the Nuggets had ever faced - but only 13 fell as Denver had one of its best defensive efforts of the season by limiting Los Angeles to 35.3 percent overall.

"We have beaten some of the best teams in the NBA when we defend, and this is the first game, post All-Star break, where we defended for four quarters," coach Michael Malone said. "Hopefully we can get back to defending at a high level like we were before the break."

Their 37.8 percent mark at the other end was their second lowest winning shooting effort of the season, and a 6-of-24 effort from 3-point range has them at 30.5 percent from deep over a 4-5 span.

Kenneth Faried, however, had 21 points on 10 of 15 and is shooting 65.1 percent in 10 games this month.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:29 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Clippers (37-20) at Kings (24-32)

Date: February 26, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Straying from what had been working resulted in one of the Los Angeles Clippers' poorest offensive performances their last time out.

Facing the high-scoring Sacramento Kings on Friday night, a repeat effort would likely spell further trouble.

Los Angeles (37-20) had been rolling offensively behind a game plan balancing its strong outside shooting with high-percentage looks to DeAndre Jordan in the post. It deviated sharply from that strategy Wednesday against Denver with a franchise-record 46 attempts from 3-point range while Jordan, the NBA's field-goal percentage leader (69.1), had just five shots.

The Clippers made 13 of those 3s and shot 35.3 percent overall - their second-lowest mark of the season - in losing 87-81 at home to the non-contending Nuggets.

"You have to give them a lot of credit for playing hard, but at the same time, we have to win games like this," point guard Chris Paul said. "It was kind of flat out there, kind of dead. In these tight games, we have to win."

Coach Doc Rivers didn't have much of an issue with his team's shot selection, attributing the outcome to simply an off night.

"We played with the right intentions," he said. "We missed wide-open shot after wide-open shot. It's going to happen."

Los Angeles went 13 of 24 from beyond the arc in Monday's 124-84 rout of Phoenix and had shot 43.5 percent from deep in its previous four games.

Another perimeter-oriented approach may in the works Friday, considering Sacramento (24-32) has allowed a league-high 598 3-pointers and the Clippers are still without Blake Griffin, who totaled 70 points in two October wins over the Kings but missed a 110-103 home loss Jan. 16 due to a partially torn quadriceps.

Los Angeles will have to hit those shots, however, to succeed against the league's third-highest scoring team. That wasn't the case in the previous meeting, when the Clippers shot 39.6 percent after making a combined 51.9 percent of their attempts in the two wins.

The Clippers have won six straight in Sacramento and 18 of the series' last 22 matchups, and they're an NBA-best 12-3 on the road since Christmas.

Sacramento averaged 114.7 points during a three-game win streak it brought into Wednesday's matchup with San Antonio, but it had a far tougher time against the Spurs' stout defense in a 108-92 loss. DeMarcus Cousins was held to 22 points on 8-of-23 shooting after the All-Star center scored 37 and 39 in consecutive victories over Denver out of the All-Star break.

"You're looking at a championship team that's probably going to play for the Western Conference finals," coach George Karl said. "Their defense is in the top echelon of the league, maybe the best defense in the league right now."

The Clippers have been very solid in that area as well, having limited 10 of their last 13 opponents to 93 points or less. They're second in the NBA in scoring defense (96.5) and third in field-goal percentage defense (42.7) during that stretch.

Sacramento stands on the other side of the spectrum, surrendering a league-high 109.1 points per game. The Kings have allowed 107 or more in 13 straight.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:29 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Grizzlies (33-23) at Lakers (11-48)

Date: February 26, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Memphis Grizzlies are known for stingy defensive play that compensates for their lack of offense.

That hasn't been the case for the past six weeks.

The Grizzlies look to build on their best offensive showing of the season and continue their dominance of the Los Angeles Lakers with a sweep of this home-and-home set Friday night.

Memphis ranks sixth in the league in scoring defense (99.5), but it's been the offense that's keyed a 12-4 run. The Grizzlies (33-23) are averaging 105.6 points during that stretch, a major improvement from their 95.9 over the first 40 games.

"It's a lot different," guard Mike Conley said. "We're taking the wide-open shot. We're not just settling. ... I think everybody's having a lot of fun. And, as you can see, when you have fun, we put up points."

Fun is something the Grizzlies have had a lot of lately against the Lakers (11-48), averaging 107.8 points during an eight-game winning streak - their longest in series history.

They set a season high in points and shot 56.5 percent - their second-best mark of the season - in Wednesday's 128-119 home victory. Memphis set a season high with 13 3-pointers, getting five from Matt Barnes, who had his most productive game of 2015-16 with 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting and eight rebounds.

Conley added 24 points, eight assists and six boards, and is averaging 20.8 points on 52.0 percent from the floor over the last five games. He's scored 20 per game on 55.8 in his past seven against Los Angeles.

The Western Conference-worst Lakers are playing out the remainder of a dreadful season, having lost 21 of 24 as Kobe Bryant's retirement tour continues.

With 23 games remaining, they're on pace to break the team record for fewest wins in a season - 19 in 1957-58 when the team was located in Minneapolis.

Los Angeles has been particularly awful during a seven-game skid, allowing 120.2 points and 47.6 percent from 3-point range in the last five contests.

"The last three games especially, we just haven"t been able to guard anyone," coach Byron Scott said. "Teams are pretty much scoring at will."

Jordan Clarkson has been one of the few bright spots of late, averaging 21 points and making 19 of 32 from long range in the last five games. He had 28 points Wednesday and set a career-high with six 3-pointers.

Clarkson has scored 21.7 in his last three meetings with Memphis.

Bryant has had a tough time over the last two games, shooting 8 of 26 and totaling 28 points after finishing with 13 against the Grizzlies. He was averaging 24.5 points over the previous eight games.

D'Angelo Russell is looking to build on his 22 points and eight assists from Wednesday. The rookie guard, though, is averaging 10.7 and 3.3 at home.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:30 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

NBA Odds: Friday, February 26, 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

While it's easy for Golden State to cast a huge shadow over every other team in the NBA, there's actually other important basketball being played at times. And the game of the year in the Eastern Conference is Friday night when Cleveland visits Toronto, one of the biggest regular-season games in that city's history. The Cavs (41-15) lead the Raptors (38-18) by three games atop the conference. Oddsmakers have little faith in the Raptors winning the East as they are +700 compared to -450 for Cleveland. I'd give Toronto a shot if it can get the top seed and home-court advantage. The winner of this game would hold the head-to-head tiebreaker as it's the final of three meetings. There's no doubt they will finish 1-2 in some order. The Cavs and Raptors have split the first two games, each winning at home.

Hornets at Pacers (-4, 205)

Charlotte's five-game winning streak predictably ended in a 114-103 loss in Cleveland on Wednesday. Kemba Walker had 20 points for Charlotte, which had won four straight on the road. Frank Kaminsky scored 16 points for the Hornets, who fell to eighth place in the East. Reserve big man Spencer Hawes missed a third straight game with a sore lower back. Indiana beat the visiting Knicks 108-105 on Wednesday. Paul George scored 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter. Good-looking Pacers rookie Myles Turner had 24 points, including a key late free throw. The Pacers shot 50.5 percent from the field. Guard C.J. Miles did not play because of a strained calf injury. Charlotte won the lone meeting thus far, 117-95 at Indiana on Feb. 10 to snap a 12-game road losing streak in the series. Walker led all scorers with 25 points.

Key trends: The home team is 4-1-1 against the spread in the past six meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in six of the past eight in Indianapolis.

Early lean: Pacers and over.

Wizards at 76ers (+7.5, 215)

Washington couldn't beat a decimated Bulls team in Chicago on Wednesday, falling 109-104. Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 19 points. Forward Alan Anderson played for the first time this season after surgery on his left ankle. He finished with nine points in 16 minutes. Philadelphia dropped a sixth in a row Wednesday, 111-91 in Detroit. Jahlil Okafor had 13 points, but just two rebounds. Washington won the first meeting, 106-94 at home on Feb 5. John Wall had 18 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth career triple-double. It was 38-18 Wizards after one quarter.

Key trends: The Wizards are 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 17-4 in Philly's past 21 at home vs. teams with a losing road record.

Early lean: Wizards and over.

Magic at Knicks (-1.5, 206.5)

Orlando hosted Golden State on Thursday. So this probably is a huge letdown game regardless of what happens there, especially also having to travel. New York lost a second in a row Wednesday, 108-105 at Indiana. Kristaps Porzingis missed a 3-point shot that would've given the Knicks the lead with 1.9 seconds remaining, and Carmelo Anthony missed a 3 at the buzzer. Porzingis led New York, which has dropped 13 of 15, with 22 points. Orlando leads the season series 2-0. The Magic won at the Garden 107-99 on Dec. 21. Nik Vucevic had 26 points and nine boards. Orlando is still only 2-5 in its past seven visits.

Key trends: The Magic are 4-10-1 ATS in the past 15 meetings. The over is 5-0 in the Knicks' past five vs. the Eastern Conference.

Early lean: Knicks and under.

Cavaliers at Raptors (+1, 208)

You knew Cleveland was going to play well at home Wednesday after laying an egg there Monday, and the Cavs did in beating red-hot Charlotte 114-103. LeBron James and Kyrie "bed bug" Irving scored 23 points each. Cleveland used a 40-point second quarter to take control of the game. Channing Frye showed why the Cavs acquired him, hitting four 3-pointers and finishing with 15 points. Iman Shumpert missed a third straight game with a shoulder injury but is close to returning. Toronto won a 12th straight home game over Minnesota on Wednesday, 114-105. DeMar DeRozan had 31 points as the Raptors tied a team record with a ninth home win in a row overall.

Key trends: The Cavs are 6-1 ATS in the past seven in Toronto. The over is 4-0 in the past four meetings.

Early lean: Cavs and over.

Bulls at Hawks (TBA)

First of an ESPN doubleheader and will have live betting at sportsbooks. It's so aggravating betting on Chicago because you never know when brittle Derrick Rose will beg out of a game right before tipoff. He did on Wednesday with a hamstring issue yet Chicago beat the visiting Wizards 109-104 despite using a starting backcourt of E'Twaun Moore and Tony Snell. There are a few NCAA backcourts I'd rather have. But they played well, as Moore had 17 points and Snell 16. Rose said it was nothing serious and was just being cautious. Atlanta lost a third straight Monday, 102-92 to Golden State. Al Horford led the Hawks with 23 points. It was Atlanta's fourth straight home loss, a franchise first since 2007. Atlanta has blown out Chicago twice this season.

Key trends: The Bulls are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 13-5 in the previous 18.

Early lean: TBA for Rose; Bulls will lose regardless.

Nuggets at Mavericks (-6, 209.5)

Denver ended a three-game losing streak with a surprise 87-81 win at the Clippers on Wednesday. Kenneth Faried had 21 points and 11 rebounds as the Nuggets improved to 7-13 on the road vs. Western Conference opponents. Denver outscored the Clippers in the paint 44-22. It was a season low in points allowed overall for the Nuggets. Dallas lost 116-103 at home to Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Dirk Nowitzki had a season-high 33 points to lead the Mavericks, who were swept in the season series. David Lee had four points and four boards in 15 minutes in his Dallas debut. The Mavericks have won three straight and four of the last five regular-season meetings with the Nuggets. Dallas won the first this season, 92-81 at home on Nov. 28. It also has won three in a row at home in the series.

Key trends: The home team has covered four of the past six meetings. The under is 5-2 in the past seven in Dallas.

Early lean: Mavs and over.

Clippers at Kings (+2.5, 219)

L.A. was stunned at home by Denver on Wednesday, 87-81. I get the NBA is a 3-point shooting league these days, but the Clippers threw up a franchise-record 46 of them. That's crazy. They made just 13. Chris Paul had 17 points, 10 assists and six rebounds but appeared to suffer a calf injury in the game, although he played through it. Monitor that. Sacramento's three-game winning streak ended in a 108-92 home loss to San Antonio on Wednesday. DeMarcus Cousins started 0-for-10 from the field, failing to score in the first quarter for the first time this season. Rajon Rondo had seven points, 18 assists and eight rebounds. This closes the season series and will be L.A.'s final game ever at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings have lost six in a row there to Los Angeles but did pull off an upset at Staples Center in the most recent meeting.

Key trends: The Clippers are 4-1 ATS in the past five in Sacramento. The over is 5-1 in the past six meetings.

Early lean: Clippers (unless Paul sits) and over.

Grizzlies at Lakers (+4, 209)

Second ESPN game and also the second of a home-and home between these two. On Wednesday, the Lakers lost their seventh straight game, 128-119 in Memphis. Matt Barnes had a season high 25 points and the Grizzlies also had a season high in points. Guard Tony Allen missed a second straight game with a sore left knee. Jordan Clarkson scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half to lead the Lakers. Kobe Bryant had 13 points in his final game at Memphis. The Lakers have scored at least 101 points in their past five games but have allowed at least 108 in each of them.

Key trends: The home team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 4-1 in the previous four in L.A.

Early lean: It's actually quite tough to sweep a home-and-home regardless of the opponent. So I'll take the points here.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 07:30 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

NBA

Friday's hot teams
-- Washington is 5-4 in its last nine games (2-2AF).
-- Charlotte won seven of its last nine games (10-9AU). Indiana won five of its last seven games (11-6 last 17HF).
-- Orlando won four of last seven games, covered eight of last 11.
-- Toronto is 14-3 in its last 17 games (2-0HU). Cleveland won six of its last seven games (4-0 last 4AF).
-- Chicago won last three games, covered last four (2-5 last 7 AU).
-- Sacramento won three of last four games (3-5HU).
-- Memphis won 14 of its last 19 games (7-5AF).

Cold teams
-- 76ers lost 10 of their last 11 games (6-2 last 8HU).
-- Knicks lost nine of their last ten games (9-6HF).
-- Atlanta lost five of its last six games (0-3 last 3HF).
-- Nuggets lost four of their last six games (7-2 last 9AU). Dallas lost six of last eight games (7-3 last 10HF).
-- Clippers lost three of last five games (5-1 last 6AF).
-- Lakers lost their last seven games (5-2 vs spread).

Series records
-- 76ers lost seven of last eight games with Washington.
-- Pacers won seven of last ten games with Charlotte.
-- Knicks lost five of last seven games with Orlando.
-- Cavaliers won four of last five games with Toronto
-- Hawks won four of last five games with Chicago.
-- Dallas won four of its last five games with Denver.
-- Clippers won five of last six games with Sacramento.
-- Lakers lost last eight games with Memphis (5-2-1 vs spread).

Totals
-- Four of last five Washington road games went over the total.
-- Nine of last 12 Indiana games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Orlando games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Toronto games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in last eight Chicago games.
-- Last six Dallas games went over the total.
-- Nine of last eleven Sacramento games went over.
-- 15 of last 18 Memphis games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- Orlando is 6-4 vs spread if it played the night before.

**TheGame** · 02-26-2016, 09:29 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

WASHINGTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Washington is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Washington is 4-8-1 ATS in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games when playing at home against Washington

CHARLOTTE vs. INDIANA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 7 games on the road
Charlotte is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games at home
Indiana is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Charlotte

CLEVELAND vs. TORONTO
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Cleveland is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
Toronto is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Cleveland

ORLANDO vs. NEW YORK
Orlando is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing New York
Orlando is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando

CHICAGO vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Chicago's last 16 games on the road
Chicago is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Atlanta is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing Chicago
Atlanta is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games

DENVER vs. DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 6 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 7 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing at home against Denver
Dallas is 5-10-2 ATS in its last 17 games when playing at home against Denver

LA CLIPPERS vs. SACRAMENTO
The total has gone OVER in 6 of the LA Clippers last 7 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 6 games when playing Sacramento
Sacramento is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Sacramento's last 24 games at home

MEMPHIS vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
Memphis is 2-7-2 ATS in their last 11 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 6 games at home

**Satch** · 02-26-2016, 09:31 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Charlotte At Indiana
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, February 26, 2016
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
When the Indiana Pacers are struggling, at least they know they have a superstar willing to bail them out of trouble. Paul George will try to put together another spectacular performance when the Pacers host the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.
George scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half, including 15 in the fourth quarter, of Wednesday’s 108-105 win over the New York Knicks and has gone for 20 or more points in eight straight contests. “I just imposed my will,” George told reporters after Wednesday’s performance. “I got to my sweet spot, which is in the paint pull-ups. Those are confidence boosters when I start in close and work my way out.” The Hornets had a five-game winning streak come to an end on Wednesday with a 114-103 loss at the Cleveland Cavaliers. The pour defensive effort snapped a string of eight straight games holding opponents under 100 points, during which Charlotte went 7-1.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Charlotte), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE HORNETS (29-27): Charlotte committed 14 turnovers and gave up 28 fast-break points to the Cavaliers, on which coach Steve Clifford placed the blame for the loss. “Bad ones that led directly to fast-break points,” Clifford told reporters of the turnovers. “We’re not going to be able to play that game. We can’t expect to win a game here 117-115. If we score 103, we’ve got to win.” The Hornets surrendered only seven fast-break points at Indiana on Feb. 10 while cruising to a 117-95 win.
ABOUT THE PACERS (31-26): George scored 22 points in that Feb. 10 meeting but Indiana only got 10 points from rookie forward Myles Turner, who has picked up his level of play since the All-Star break. The Texas product is averaging 17 points in four games since the break, topped by a 24-point effort in Wednesday’s win. “These last four games have been a test for us,” Turner told reporters. “So the fact that we’re coming out pretty successful, minus (Monday’s overtime loss in Miami), in these late game situations is only good for us. Because that’s what the playoffs are going to be like.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pacers F C.J. Miles (calf) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.
2. Hornets C Spencer Hawes (back) sat out the last three contests and is questionable for Friday.
3. Indiana G Monta Ellis totaled 15 points in the last two games after putting up 48 in the previous two contests.
PREDICTION: Hornets 102, Pacers 98

**Satch** · 02-26-2016, 09:32 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 2/26

Preview: Washington At Philadelphia
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, February 26, 2016
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Washington Wizards are trying to scratch their way back into the postseason picture in the Eastern Conference but are having trouble putting wins together. The Wizards will try to bounce back from another disappointing setback when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
Washington had a chance to make up some ground on one of the teams they are chasing at the bottom of the East playoff bracket and could not find a way around a Chicago Bulls team that was missing Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler and had Pau Gasol dealing with an illness. The Wizards are 3-2 since the All-Star break but both of those losses have come on the road, where they have dropped three straight. The 76ers own the NBA’s worst record and dropped their last three by an average of 18.3 to extend the latest losing streak to six straight. “Whatever we were doing before the All-Star break we have to find that and play for each other and have fun in what coach (Brett Brown) calls the last part of the season,” Philadelphia point guard Ish Smith told reporters after a 111-91 loss at Detroit on Wednesday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (26-30): Washington is 14th in the Eastern Conference in scoring defense (104.7 points) – ahead of only the 76ers – and the team is well aware of its deficiencies. “We scored enough points to win,” coach Randy Wittman told reporters after Wednesday’s loss. “We got 104 and had been averaging 102, which is above league average. We missed too many defensive assignments and gave up too many easy baskets.” The Wizards allowed an average of 111.5 points in their two losses since the break while holding opponents to an average of 88 in the three wins and signed forward J.J. Hickson on Thursday.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (8-49): Philadelphia has had a chance to influence the playoff picture in its four games since the break and is so far only helping other teams improve their standings. “I think that what we’re seeing is teams that are fighting for their lives to get into the playoffs and I look at their roster and they’re good,” Brown told reporters. “They have a hell of a team and I think that we’re getting “A” games. (The Pistons) hit us, and hit us hard at the start and we just dug ourselves far too deep of a hole on the road.” The 76ers will face teams fighting for playoff positioning in each of the next six games, including two against Washington.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wizards G Alan Anderson (ankle surgery) made his season debut on Wednesday and scored nine points in 16 minutes off the bench.
2. 76ers PG T.J. McConnell (ankle) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.
3. Washington has taken three straight in the series, including a 106-94 home win on Feb. 5.
PREDICTION: Wizards 112, 76ers 95

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NBA Betting Info. 2/26

NBA Betting Info. 2/26

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