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**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:51 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

NBA: Dinero Talks Pop's GSW plight
Antony Dinero

Spurs coach faces Warriors dilemma

Gregg Popovich has the NBA by the throat this week.

He can either let his Spurs breathe and stretch their legs out in games against the Warriors, or he can choke out all the fun of what remains of the regular season by sitting out his main guys. The decision is entirely his.

Selfishly, we all want to see the Western Conference’s top heavyweights battle late Thursday and on Sunday evening, but there’s no way Popovich will allow that to happen. He’s already showed his hand against Golden State, pulling off an 87-79 win on March 19 in a dominant defensive performance where he threw caution to the wind and put his theories on how to contain Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on full display. The victory allowed San Antonio to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it can defeat the Warriors if the teams were to meet in a series, something they haven’t done since the 2013 West semifinals, a series won 4-2 by the Spurs.
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Perfect run at home worth fighting for

What we can hope for is one more clash where both teams put it all out there. From San Antonio’s standpoint, they do have something to play for on April 10 since that will be their 40th home game of the season. The Spurs have opened 39-0 at the AT&T Center, setting a single-season record, which means that wins over the Warriors and on April 12 over Oklahoma City would complete the first perfect season at home in NBA history. Of course, Popovich has already been asked about this and intimated that it means as much to him as a “cup of coffee.”

Seriously? There’s no question that the Spurs way is basically beyond reproach given the volume of success that the franchise has attained. Team goals have always been placed over individual ones, and the pursuit of a championship trumps all. While that makes sense, a perfect record at home is a team honor. In fact, it can be viewed as a reward for perhaps the best fan base in the NBA, a loyal group that has supported the Spurs religiously with a devotion few other teams enjoy. If you’ve ever been to San Antonio, that’s crystal clear. Billboards and signs remind you whose town it is at all times. Since the NFL never did make it down to the Alamodome, it’s a one-team city. The fact the team has been so remarkably effective is gravy. They would support it even if the product was mediocre.

Of course, the product is far from that, which is why Popovich shouldn’t overlook the historical aspect of what his team is on the verge of accomplishing. Because of the start the Warriors surged out to, San Antonio’s success has been largely overshadowed. The Spurs have already set a franchise-record for victories after opening 64-12. Considering all the resting Pop has done of starters, not to mention getting new franchise pillar LaMarcus Aldridge up to speed, that’s remarkable. Because the Warriors are still on the chase of the all-time wins record, San Antonio’s success has basically been ignored. Now the Spurs stand in theiway -- twice -- as Golden State needs a perfect 4-0 run to finish an NBA-record 73-9.

It’s a strange dynamic that Popovich and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr are such good friends, with the latter having played in San Antonio, winning titles in 1999 and 2003. Although Popovich has divulged that no team has kept him up trying to find ways to stop them the way Golden State has, you can take the veteran coach at his word that he wishes them no ill will. In that sense, 73 victories mean nothing to him. There’s no motivation to prevent Kerr’s Warriors from reaching that milestone. It means nothing to him.

Golden State’s own pursuit of a perfect record at home ended at the hands of Boston on Saturday night and was compounded by a second loss on Tuesday against Minnesota, so it no longer matters that the Spurs are likely to rest everyone of consequence in Oakland. Why give the Warriors any motivation, especially at home, where they already crushed the Spurs 120-90 on Jan. 25? Popovich is notorious for spoiling nationally televised games with his maintenance plans, having just done it against Oklahoma City on March 26. The Spurs lost that game 111-92 and haven’t faltered since, which means they’ve lost just three times since the All-Star break when at full strength, winning 19 times. This week’s contests should feature more rest for regulars since the Spurs will play at Utah, Golden State and Denver, places that each have unique pitfalls. The Warriors and Nuggets game come on a back-to-back, so there’s no chance San Antonio doesn’t field a depleted roster.

That brings us to April 10. The Warriors will come to town, still chasing history. The Spurs will play their 40th home game, still chasing history. Hopefully, Popovich doesn’t put on his Grinch cap, preventing one last legitimate preview of a likely Western Conference finals that is sure to be epic.

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:51 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Bulls (39-39) at Heat (45-32)

Date: April 07, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Bulls have plummeted from preseason championship expectations to the verge of maybe the biggest disappointment in team history.

Pushing them over the edge could be a matchup with the Miami Heat, who have clinched a playoff spot and have plenty to gain from delivering another drubbing in this series.

The Heat look to continue their push for home-court advantage in the first round by sweeping the visiting Bulls on Thursday night and crushing their slim chances.

While a 3-6 stretch has left Chicago (39-39) on the verge of missing the postseason, Miami (45-32) is in a tight race for the Nos. 3-6 spots in the Eastern Conference. The Heat sit a half-game back of Southeast Division-leading Atlanta for the third seed and they're also battling for the fourth spot, which could also deliver home court to open the playoffs.

'We want to play at home in the playoffs and that is the most important thing right now,' said point guard Goran Dragic, who had 22 points and eight assists in Tuesday's 107-89 rout of Detroit. 'We still have five games left and everything counts.'

The Heat have alternated losses and wins in the last four but are 10-2 at home and 16-8 overall since the All-Star break, when they found out Chris Bosh was again dealing with blood clot concerns.

Bosh is likely out the rest of the season, but the Heat have flourished offensively behind Dragic, Luol Deng, midseason pickup Joe Johnson and rookies Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow.

There's also Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside, of course. Wade scored 16 points against the Pistons in his return from a two-game absence with back and neck injuries, and Whiteside had 14 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, his fourth double-double in the last six games with at least those numbers.

Miami has shot at least 50 percent in 10 of the last 14 games. One was a 51.6 showing in a 118-96 win at Chicago on March 11, but that wasn't even close to its best shooting performance against the Bulls this season - a 67.5 clip in a 129-111 home win March 1. That's a team record that at the time matched the best effort in the league over the last 18 years.

Now the Heat draw a Bulls team in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. A huge blow was Tuesday's 108-92 loss to Memphis that snapped Chicago's three-game road win streak and came without Grizzlies stars Marc Gasol and Mike Conley.

"Sometimes we look like a really good team; sometimes we just look awful," guard Jimmy Butler told the team's official website. "I don't know what the basis of it is. Why? I can't answer that."

Maybe Tuesday's numbers can shed some light.

The Bulls turned the ball over 20 times, leading to 38 Memphis points, and one of the top rebounding teams in the league ended up even with the Grizzlies at 42 while allowing 12 on the offensive glass.

Derrick Rose shot 5 of 15 for 12 points after missing the previous two games with a left elbow contusion, and Butler was completely neutralized. The All-Star didn't score through three quarters and finished 2 of 8 for five points - the fifth time all season he has been held to single digits.

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:52 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Suns (20-58) at Rockets (38-40)

Date: April 07, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Houston Rockets suffered a blow to their playoff hopes but all is not lost.

They have a favorable remaining schedule consisting solely of losing teams, beginning with Thursday night's home matchup with a Phoenix Suns club that has lost seven straight.

Houston (38-40) fell 88-86 at Dallas on Wednesday, falling two games behind the seventh-place Mavericks and one behind eighth-place Utah in the Western Conference playoff race. James Harden scored 26 and Dwight Howard had 14 and 16 rebounds for his 37th double-double.

'We all know how difficult it is, how important this game was,' Harden said. 'It's not rocket science."

One factor still in Houston's favor is that it holds the two-team tiebreaker over the Jazz thanks to a superior conference record, and Utah has difficult contests left with the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas. If the Jazz falter once, the Rockets can get in by sweeping their final four games and that's not unreasonable with a closing slate that also includes the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota and Sacramento.

Houston has taken seven of the last eight meetings with Phoenix, including two this season despite Harden shooting 28.6 percent and totaling 44 points. He shoots 43.4 percent and averages 28.6.

The Rockets superstar is even more dangerous in the second game of a back-to-back set, averaging a league-best 30.6 points on 44.8 percent shooting and connecting on 43.9 percent of his 3-pointers compared to his overall mark of 34.7.

Houston is 7-11 in second games of back-to-backs.

Phoenix (20-58) is headed for its worst season since winning 16 times in its inaugural 1968-69 campaign. The Suns are mired in their third-longest losing streak of the season after falling 103-90 to Atlanta on Tuesday to open a three-game trip. They built a 12-point halftime lead only to get outscored 59-34 the rest of the way.

'We were talking a lot, communicating a lot. That stopped in the second half,' rookie guard Devin Booker said. 'It's something we've been working on all year, trying to put two halves together. But I think we're getting a lot better. I think we're showing a lot of fight."

Booker matched his second-best scoring effort with 34 points after consecutive 14-point efforts in which he shot 29.7 percent. He has yet to find the range against the Rockets, shooting 26.1 percent and totaling 27 points.

The Suns are last in the league with 17.1 turnovers per game and are allowing an NBA-worst average of 20.3 points off those miscues. Houston has totaled 67 points off 45 turnovers in the season series with a 63-31 edge in fast-break points.

The Rockets, who have dropped six of nine, entered Wednesday third in the league with an average of 17.7 fast-break points. They were limited to 14 by some physical Dallas defense.

'They got very handsy, they did a very good job of keeping us out of the break,' coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. 'They smothered us in the backcourt.'

Trevor Ariza, who averages 12.5 points, was held to nine. He has been a major beneficiary on the break versus Phoenix, totaling 47 points on 55.6 percent shooting.

"We can't play to their pace, we have to play to our pace," said Ariza about being slowed down by the Mavericks.

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:52 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Raptors (52-25) at Hawks (46-32)

Date: April 07, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors are one of two Eastern Conference teams to have clinched home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. The Atlanta Hawks won't get any closer to doing the same Thursday night without finally beating them.

A near-lock to be the East's No. 2 seed, Toronto heads to Atlanta with little left to play for but could make a statement by completing a season sweep of a Hawks team that's in a crowded race for the Nos. 3 and 4 spots.

It's possible these teams will meet again in the second round of the playoffs if the Hawks (46-32) can hang on to the No. 3 seed, but Boston, Miami and Charlotte are all close on their heels. None of those teams can catch the Raptors (52-25), who have wrapped up a third straight Atlantic Division title but find Cleveland atop the East virtually out of reach.

"The only thing we do is focus on us, just us, and finishing out these last five games," forward Patrick Patterson said. "Treating them like playoff games and staying focused."

Atlanta has been better over the past month, winning 13 of 17. However, two of those losses came to the Raptors, who have won four straight and seven of eight against the Hawks. Toronto now looks to sweep this season series for the first time since taking all four meetings in 2001-02.

DeMar DeRozan averaged 28 points in last month's two wins over the Hawks and has scored at least 26 in three straight games.

DeRozan and Kyle Lowry were rested in Toronto's only loss in its past four games, 102-95 at San Antonio on Saturday. The Raptors followed with a 96-90 win over the Hornets on Tuesday as DeRozan scored 26 and Lowry added 21.

"When we are going against a playoff team that's definitely fighting for home court, you can't let up," DeRozan said.

Now Toronto goes on the road to face another one.

Atlanta has won eight of 10 at home with the most recent defeat coming in overtime to the Cavaliers on Friday. The Hawks came out flat four nights later against woeful Phoenix, needing to overcome a 13-point deficit in the third quarter to win 103-90.

'Most of our motivation was having something to fight for going into the playoffs,' said Paul Millsap, who was two assists shy of his second career triple-double. '... That's where our motivation comes from, just taking pride in who we are and what we're trying to accomplish.'

Jeff Teague had a team-high 20 points as his surge continued, averaging 23 in the past four games.

The key for the Hawks, though, remains on the defensive end. They've held their past seven opponents to a combined 40.2 percent from the field. Atlanta forced 24 turnovers, one off a season high, against the Suns and held them under 20 points in each of the final three quarters.

"Our defense has been who we are through the whole season, so that's what we gotta lean on when times get tough," Millsap said.

The Hawks are 15-2 when forcing 20 or more turnovers, but Toronto hasn't committed that many in a game in nearly three months. The Raptors have averaged 13 in three meetings with Atlanta.

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:52 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Timberwolves (26-52) at Kings (31-47)

Date: April 07, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Though they'll be watching the playoffs for the 12th year in a row, the Minnesota Timberwolves just pulled off a stunning win they hope is a prelude to future success.

After playing in a key role in the upset, Karl Anthony-Towns gets his second look at All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins on Thursday night when the visiting Wolves try to sweep the season series from the Sacramento Kings for the first time.

Golden State, which had lost once in its previous 56 home games, led Minnesota by 17 points Tuesday as it tried to become the second team in NBA history to reach 70 wins. The Wolves, however, outscored the Warriors 46-31 in the fourth quarter and overtime for a 124-117 win.

Shabazz Muhammad led the Wolves (26-52) with a career-high 35 points. He had averaged 6.8 over his previous eight games and scored one in Monday's 88-78 home loss to Dallas.

"You know Bazz, when Bazz gets rolling like that, Bazz don't get tired," interim coach Sam Mitchell told the team's official website.

Andrew Wiggins scored 27 of his 32 points in the second half and OT to become the sixth player in club history to record 10 30-point games in a season. Towns, who finished with 20 points and 12 rebounds, has averaged 20.5 and 11.6 while recording 13 straight double-doubles.

The Wolves, who have last year's Rookie of the Year in Wiggins and this year's favorite for the award in Towns, certainly showed glimpses of what they hope is a promising future.

"You want to go out there and win," Towns said. "Every game, you want to go out there and you want to be a very competitive team that goes out there and wins.'

He's bracing for what should be an exciting matchup with Cousins, a two-time All-Star averaging a career-high 27.1 points. Cousins returned from a two-game absence Tuesday, scoring 30 in a 115-107 home loss to Portland.

Though he isn't expected to play in any more road games, Cousins should be available for the final two at home against Minnesota and Oklahoma City. In his only meeting with the Wolves this season, he had 24 points and 12 rebounds in a 99-95 road loss Dec. 18.

Towns scored 15 in that contest and was held to seven in a 101-91 road win over the Kings on Nov. 27, but led the way with 26 points and 11 boards in a 113-104 home victory March 23.

Wiggins has averaged 26.5 points in six career meetings with Sacramento (31-47) for his highest mark against any Western Conference opponent.

The Kings have been dominated on the glass with a minus-10.3 rebounding margin in the series. That was also a problem Tuesday when they were outrebounded 49-34 by Portland.

"I think those rebounds caught up to us," said guard Seth Curry, who has scored 18.3 per game while going 9 for 16 from beyond the arc over his last three.

Rajon Rondo matched a career high with his sixth triple-double Tuesday, finishing with a season-high 27 points, 12 assists and 10 boards. The veteran point guard has averaged 17.3 points, 13.7 assists and 5.3 boards in the three meetings with Minnesota.

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:53 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Spurs (65-12) at Warriors (69-9)

Date: April 07, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The margin of error is gone.

If the Golden State Warriors want to break Chicago's single-season wins record of 72, they must win their final four games starting with Thursday night's showdown at home against San Antonio.

The bigger priority down the stretch is securing the top seed in the Western Conference, which can be done with a combination of two Warriors wins or Spurs losses, and getting their game back in top form for the start of the postseason next week.

With two losses in their past three home games, a recent uptick in turnovers and a loss of defensive intensity, the grinding NBA season is finally showing signs of taking its toll on the Warriors (69-9).

'It's a miracle that we've gone this far without hitting a bump in the road,' coach Steve Kerr said Wednesday. 'This is to be expected. Every team goes through it. It's just probably surprising for people out there and maybe even our own guys because this season has maybe come too easy for us.'

The past weeks have gotten tougher with Tuesday night's 124-117 overtime loss to Minnesota being Golden State's fourth loss in the past month after falling just five times in the first four months of the season.

Despite that, the Warriors can break Chicago's record of 72 wins set in 1995-96 by beating the Spurs (65-12) on Thursday night, sweeping a weekend road trip to Memphis and San Antonio and then winning the season finale at home against the depleted Grizzlies next Wednesday.

'The record is great,' center Andrew Bogut said. 'We'll obviously have balloons and celebrate for a good five-minute period if we get it. Then you have a playoff series to win and a championship to try to win. In the grand scheme of things it's small potatoes.'

The pressure of chasing the record has been on the Warriors ever since they opened the season by winning the first 24 games. Everywhere they go this season they have faced increased media attention, opponents excited for the opportunity to knock off the league's top team and comparisons to the great teams of the past like those record-setting Bulls.

Draymond Green said the talk has been impossible to escape since it hits him every time he opens his phone. But reigning MVP Stephen Curry said the attention shouldn't be viewed as a hindrance since many of the players have openly talked about wanting to set the mark.

'It can't be an excuse that we put ourselves in this situation and now it's draining us to finish,' Curry said. 'I think we're mature enough and have enough of an edge to get it done. We just have to figure it out.'

Possibly dampening the excitement for the two upcoming showdowns with the Spurs are questions about how seriously San Antonio will take the games. Coach Gregg Popovich frequently rests veterans like Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan down the stretch and he has not said how he will approach these two contests.

The Warriors plan to go all out Thursday when they can clinch home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a victory. Kerr said he doesn't know how he will approach the final three games but he does want to give playing time to key reserves Andre Iguodala and Festus Ezeli, who both recently returned from injuries.

'The fact is they rest a lot of people but they need more rest than we do,' Kerr said. 'Their core is older than ours. He's been the master of this for a long time. He knows exactly what he's doing with his team. We're not too concerned about what they do. We're just trying to play better ourselves.'

The Spurs are downplaying the upcoming games, saying a win at Oracle Arena on Thursday will not give them a psychological edge if the teams do meet again in the Western Conference finals.

'I don't think about it like that, playoffs are a different game,' forward Kawhi Leonard said. 'We don't even know if we will see each other in the playoffs so we will just go out and try to make our team better going into the playoffs.'

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:53 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

NBA notebook: Hawks' Sefolosha sues police in NY incident
By The Sports Xchange

Atlanta Hawks forward Thabo Sefolosha filed a civil suit on Wednesday against five New York City police officers over an arrest last year that left him with a broken leg.
On April 8, 2015, Sefolosha was outside a Manhattan nightclub with Hawks teammate Pero Antic when officers claimed the two were interfering with a crime scene.
Police arrested Sefolosha, who sustained a broken fibula while being handcuffed, and Antic. A Manhattan jury found Sefolosha not guilty of all charges in October.
The 31-year-old Sefolosha, a 10-year NBA veteran, missed the rest of the regular season and the Hawks' playoff run to the conference finals due to the injury.
Sefolosha's lawsuit accuses the five arresting officers and the city of false arrest, excessive force, malicious prosecution and false imprisonment. Sefolosha's notice of claim, filed last year, sets $50 million as the ceiling he can be compensated for both material and punitive damages, according to ESPN.com.
Antic filed his own suit against the police officers and the city. Under Antic's notice of claim, $25 million was set as the maximum amount Antic can recover.

--New York Knicks president Phil Jackson is pushing to make Kurt Rambis the team's permanent head coach, according to reports.
Sources told ESPN.com that Rambis, who has served as the Knicks' interim head coach since Derek Fisher was fired on Feb. 8, is the preferred choice of Jackson.
Despite Rambis going 8-16 since the coaching change, Jackson wants to give him a new multiyear deal, according to the report.
Rambis, 58, has a longstanding relationship with Jackson.

--The Chicago Bulls named Horace Grant as a special advisor to the team's president and chief operating officer.
As an NBA Goodwill Ambassador for six years, Grant has appeared on behalf of the league more than 85 times in 14 countries, including China, Brazil, Spain, Mozambique and the Philippines. He will continue to work with the NBA and represent the league internationally.
Grant, 50, joins Scottie Pippen and Toni Kukoc as special advisors to Bulls president and COO Michael Reinsdorf. Grant's new role begins in October.

--The Brooklyn Nets signed center Henry Sims for the remainder of the season.
The 6-foot-10, 248-pound Sims, 26, was originally signed to the first of two 10-day contracts on March 17. He has appeared in nine games (two starts) with the Nets, averaging 6.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per game.

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:53 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

NBA Odds: Thursday, April 7 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

OK, Gregg Popovich. You are clearly one of the best coaches in NBA history and a future Hall of Famer. You obviously know much better than I do when to rest your players or not. But, please, please, don't do it Thursday night when the Spurs visit the Warriors, who are looking for regular-season win No. 70, two shy of the Bulls' league record. But knowing Popovich, he's not going to play the likes of Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. He already has hinted as much and it frankly does the Spurs franchise no good to stop the Warriors' quest for 73 wins. I wish the NBA could step in here and do something, but clearly the league's hands are tied. Do you think Michael Jordan would have taken a game like that off? No chance. I have no problem with Pop resting his guys Friday in Denver. San Antonio is then off until the Warriors visit on Sunday. Pop I think will play his guys there to try for the perfect home record this season. Let's hope he does Thursday too.

Raptors at Hawks (-3.5, 201)

Toronto beat Charlotte 96-90 on Tuesday. DeMar DeRozan had 26 points and Kyle Lowry 21. Lowry showed no ill effects from attending Villanova's national title game win in Houston the night before and getting back home around 5 a.m. Lowry of course starred at Nova. Atlanta beat Phoenix 103-90 on Tuesday, rallying from a 13-point third quarter-hole. Paul Millsap had 17 rebounds, 13 points and a game-high eight assists. Toronto is 3-0 vs. Atlanta this season and just won by eight at home on March 30. The Raptors also have won three in a row in Georgia.

Key trends: The favorite is 6-2 against the spread in the past eight meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in eight of Atlanta's past 11 at home.

Early lean: Hawks as they still have the No. 3 seed to play for, while Raptors have no reason to play everyone.

Bulls at Heat (-5, 205.5)

First game of a TNT doubleheader and will have live betting at sportsbooks. Chicago is on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention after a terrible 108-92 loss at injury-ravaged Memphis on Tuesday. Derrick Rose returned from a two-game absence and had 12 points and eight assists. Jimmy Butler was scoreless through three quarters and finished with five points. Taj Gibson sat again and you won't see him here. Miami beat Detroit 107-89 on Tuesday, doing the Bulls a temporary favor. Goran Dragic had 22 points and Dwyane Wade, who was a game-time call, had 16 points. Miami leads the season series 3-0. The Heat have swept the Bulls just once before, in 2003-04.

Key trends: The Bulls are 1-4 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 6-2 in the past eight.

Early lean: Heat -- as long as Wade goes; ditto Hassan Whiteside, who didn't practice on Wednesday due to a thigh injury -- and under.

Suns at Rockets (-13, 217)

Phoenix dropped a seventh straight Tuesday, 103-90 in Atlanta. One bright spot this season has been the play of rookie Devin Booker and he had 34 points in the loss. Phoenix will have a nice backcourt with Booker, Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe when those latter two return from injury next season. Perhaps Booker makes one expendable, however. Houston was in Dallas on Wednesday in a huge game. Houston leads Phoenix 2-0 this season and has won seven of the past eight. Both teams have scored at least 100 points in seven of the past eight meetings.

Key trends: The Rockets are 6-2 ATS in the past eight meetings. The over is 4-1 in the previous five.

Early lean: Houston will expend a lot of energy on Wednesday, win or loss. Take the points here. Go over.

Timberwolves at Kings (-5, 223.5)

Minnesota pulled an absolute shocker in Oakland on Tuesday night, 124-117 in overtime, to end a three-game losing streak. Shabazz Muhammad scored a career-high 35 points, Andrew Wiggins had 32 and Karl-Anthony Towns added 20 points, 12 rebounds. Minnesota never led after the first quarter until overtime. Sacramento lost 115-107 at home to Portland on Tuesday. DeMarcus Cousins had 30 points and nine rebounds for the Kings. Rajon Rondo had his sixth triple-double with a season-high 27 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. George Karl rested Darren Collison, Kosta Koufos and Rudy Gay. Minnesota leads the series 3-0 and is looking for its first season sweep ever vs. Sacramento.

Key trends: The Wolves are 5-0 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 11-4 in Minnesota's past 15 after a win.

Early lean: Really like Sacramento if all the Kings regulars play, but I'm not sure they will. How are the Wolves not going to suffer a massive letdown?

Spurs at Warriors (TBA)

Second TNT game and will have live betting at sportsbooks. San Antonio played everyone but Boris Diaw (out two more games) on Tuesday in Utah and won 88-86 for its fourth straight victory. Leonard made the go-ahead jumper with 4.9 seconds and gave Duncan his 1,000th career regular-season win. The only other players with 1,000 are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Robert Parish but they did it with multiple teams. I have no explanation for Golden State's 124-117 overtime home loss to Minnesota on Tuesday. That was more stunning in some ways than the loss at the Lakers a few weeks ago. The Warriors had won 114 consecutive games (including playoffs) in which they had at least a 15-point lead at any time in a game. Draymond Green admitted after the team is tired and bored at this point and wants the regular season over. Now the Warriors have to win all four remaining to pass the Bulls' record. This will be the best matchup in NBA history at this stage of a season as measured by winning percentage. The previous highest combined winning percentage for opponents at least 65 games into a season was .816 (120-27) when the Bulls and Magic played on April 7, 1996. San Antonio and Golden State have split two games this season, each winning impressively at home. The Warriors won theirs at home by 30 on Jan. 25.

Key trends: The home team is 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The under is 4-0 in the previous four.

Early lean: Warriors, who are trying to become the first team to not have back-to-back losses in a season.

**TheGame** · 04-07-2016, 08:54 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

'Spurs-Warriors in Western Finals Warm-Up'

The top two teams in the NBA will lock horns Thursday night (10:30 PM ET, TNT) when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Golden State Warriors. There isn't a lot of motivation for the Spurs (65-12 SU, 43-34 ATS) in this matchup, but the Warriors (69-9 SU, 42-34-2 ATS) are still trying to break the regular-season record of 72 wins set by the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls.

These two teams have split a pair of games straight up and against the spread this year, with the home team winning both times. However, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich didn't start Tim Duncan (17.2 PER) in either contest. There's every chance Popovich will sit Duncan again for the rubber match. San Antonio is cruising toward the playoffs in a lower gear at 5-1 SU and 1-5 ATS over the past six games.

The Warriors, meanwhile, have been struggling to meet market expectations during their Quest for 73. They're 7-3 SU and 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games, starting with their 79-87 loss in San Antonio as 4.5-point road dogs. Turnovers have been a problem lately; the Dubs coughed up the ball 23 times in Tuesday's 117-124 overtime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

**Satch** · 04-07-2016, 10:28 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Toronto At Atlanta
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 7, 2016
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
The Toronto Raptors look to complete a season sweep of Atlanta for the first time in 14 years when they visit the Hawks on Thursday. Toronto won the first three meetings by an average of 8.7 points, including a 105-97 home win on March 30.
The Raptors have clinched the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and are close to being locked into the spot as the Cleveland Cavaliers are on pace to sew up the top seed. “The only thing we do is focus on us, just us, and finishing out these last five games,” forward Patrick Patterson told reporters. “Treating them like playoff games and staying focused.” Atlanta is in a three-way tussle with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat for the third seed with the Charlotte Hornets also in close proximity. “Most of our motivation was having something to fight for going into the playoffs,” All-Star power forward Paul Millsap said after Tuesday’s 103-90 comeback victory over the Phoenix Suns. “That’s where our motivation comes from, just taking pride in who we are and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TSN4 (Toronto), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (52-25): All-Star shooting guard DeMar DeRozan scored 26 in Tuesday’s 96-90 win over the Charlotte Hornets, his third straight outing of 26 or more points. DeRozan (9,383) is just 37 points away from catching second-place Vince Carter on the franchise’s all-time scoring list and he will likely catch first-place Chris Bosh (10,275) sometime next season. All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry has posted back-to-back 20-point outings after suffering through a five-game slump in which he made just 20-of-80 field-goal attempts.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (46-32): Atlanta lost back-to-back games and trailed struggling Phoenix by 13 in the third quarter before recovering for the victory. The defensive effort saved the day for the Hawks as they forced 24 turnovers and limited the Suns to 18 or fewer points in each of the final three quarters. “Our defense has been who we are through the whole season,” Millsap told reporters, “so that’s what we’ve got to lean on when times get tough.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors have won seven of the past eight meetings.
2. Atlanta PG Jeff Teague has scored 20 or more points in three of the past four games and is averaging 23 during the stretch.
3. Toronto C Jonas Valanciunas has four double-doubles over the past seven games and has 21 for the season.
PREDICTION: Hawks 102, Raptors 100

**Satch** · 04-07-2016, 10:29 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Chicago At Miami
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 7, 2016
Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
The Chicago Bulls are running out of chances to close the gap on the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference while the Miami Heat are closing in on homecourt advantage in the first round. The Bulls will try to make up some of the two-game gap on the Detroit Pistons at the expense of the Heat when they visit Miami on Thursday.
Chicago appeared to be making its way back into the race with wins in three of four games following a four-game slide but could not find its way around the depleted Memphis Grizzlies in a 108-92 road setback on Tuesday. The Grizzlies had dropped six straight before forcing the fading Bulls into 20 turnovers. The Heat tried to offer Chicago some help on Tuesday and rolled past the Pistons 107-89 after getting Dwyane Wade (back, neck) back from a two-game absence. Wade delivered 16 points in 25 minutes and Miami moved within a half-game of the third-place Atlanta Hawks.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, WGN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE BULLS (39-39): All-Star Jimmy Butler managed only five points and Derrick Rose (elbow) went 5-of-15 from the field in his return from a two-game absence on Tuesday. “(Memphis) was the absolute aggressors in that game,’’ Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters following the loss. “It’s very disappointing. Very disappointing. To throw away an opportunity like this, especially with Detroit losing tonight. I told the guys, ‘I’ve never quit in my life, I ain’t quitting on you now.’ We’re going to keep going out and fighting, try and get these guys right and go with a good effort in Miami.” Forward Taj Gibson (ribs) missed his fourth straight game on Tuesday and is not expected to play on Thursday.
ABOUT THE HEAT (45-32): Miami lost at the lowly Los Angeles Lakers and at Portland in a 1-2 West Coast trip but looked like a different team in rolling past Detroit upon its return home on Tuesday. “It was good to be home and good to see us play with a lot more energy on both ends,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. “I thought we were more aggressive (Tuesday), had a better disposition. So we’ll take it.” Miami will play three of its final five games on the road, including stops in Detroit and Boston next week to close the regular season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bulls F Nikola Mirotic is averaging 20.2 points in the last five games and is 23-of-45 from 3-point range in that span.
2. Heat G Josh Richardson is 6-of-8 from beyond the arc in the last three contests.
3. Miami took each of the previous three meetings this season by an average of 15 points.
PREDICTION: Heat 109, Bulls 99

**Satch** · 04-07-2016, 10:29 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Phoenix At Houston
When: 8:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 7, 2016
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
The Houston Rockets are spiraling downward at the worst time and will attempt to turn things around when they host the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. Houston has dropped six of its last nine games and fell to ninth place in the Western Conference when it suffered a devastating 88-86 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
The Rockets are one game behind the eighth-place Utah Jazz and two games behind the seventh-place Mavericks with just four games remaining. Standout guard James Harden had 26 points against Dallas but committed his sixth and most costly turnover in the final seconds of the setback. “We all know how difficult it is, how important this game was,” Harden said afterward. “It’s not rocket science.” The lowly Suns have lost seven games in a row after Tuesday’s 103-90 loss to the Atlanta Hawks and need to win three of their final four games to avoid the second 60-loss campaign in team annals.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona-Plus (Phoenix), ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE SUNS (20-58): Rookie Devin Booker scored 34 points in the loss to Atlanta, falling one point shy of a season high as he continues to display that he’s the club’s shooting guard of the future. Booker has scored 30 or more points in five of the past 19 games and has scored in double digits in 20 of the last 21 games. Point guard Brandon Knight (sports hernia) is done for the season and journeyman Ronnie Price had 14 points against the Hawks as the fill-in starter after making just 2-of-13 shots during the previous two games.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (38-40): Houston’s position may be dire but the schedule certainly rates as a positive as all four remaining games are against teams with losing records. After the contest with the Suns, the Rockets host the Los Angeles Lakers, visit the Minnesota Timberwolves and host Sacramento with the Kings already having announced that All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins won’t play in any more road games this season. The loss to Dallas continued a season-long trend when Houston fails to reach 100 points as it fell to 2-17 in such games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets are 3-0 against the Suns this season and have won seven of the past eight meetings.
2. Phoenix C Tyson Chandler has posted four straight double-doubles and is averaging 13.8 points and 14.8 rebounds during the stretch.
3. Houston F Corey Brewer was 1-of-9 shooting against Dallas and is 8-of-40 during the past five games.
PREDICTION: Rockets 118, Suns 99

**Satch** · 04-07-2016, 10:30 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: Minnesota At Sacramento
When: 10:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 7, 2016
Where: Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, California
The Minnesota Timberwolves were down on themselves following a series of lackluster performances but are riding high now after knocking off the Golden State Warriors in overtime on Tuesday. The Timberwolves will try to ride that momentum to back-to-back victories when they continue the road trip by visiting the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
Minnesota overcame a 17-point deficit and got 32 points and six steals from Andrew Wiggins in Tuesday’s 124-117 triumph. Zach LaVine added four steals and 16 points while Rookie of the Year favorite Karl-Anthony Towns completed a huge game for the Timberwolves’ trio of young stars with 20 points, 12 rebounds and solid defense against Golden State star Stephen Curry when he was forced to switch. The Kings are playing out the string with an eye to the future as well and have only two games left in their arena before moving into a new state-of-the-art building in time for next season. The roster that christens that new building could have several new pieces, though enigmatic star center DeMarcus Cousins figures to be in the middle as Sacramento tries to find a way to build around the Kentucky product.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), CSN California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (26-52): Shabazz Muhammad was Minnesota’s prized first-round pick in 2013 but fell behind Towns, Wiggins and LaVine in the pecking order as he struggled to adjust to the pro game at both ends of the floor. The UCLA product looked like he found his way in the NBA on Tuesday, when he kept the Timberwolves within shouting distance with his scoring off the bench in the first half and finished with a career-high 35 points in a career-high 39 minutes. Muhammad totaled one point in an 88-78 loss to Dallas on Sunday but was 9-of-12 from the floor against the Warriors and relentlessly attacked the rim en route to a 15-of-17 effort from the line.
ABOUT THE KINGS (31-47): Cousins scored 30 points on Tuesday to match Mitch Richmond’s franchise record of 26 30-point outings in a season and Rajon Rondo set a franchise single-season mark with his sixth triple-double, but Sacramento still lost to the Portland Trail Blazers 115-107. The Kings don’t plan on playing Cousins on the road the rest of the way and are liberally resting players in a transparent effort to hang onto a top-10 protected draft pick. Forward Rudy Gay, who had 25 points and nine rebounds in a 115-106 win at Denver on Saturday, took his turn on the bench Tuesday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kings G Seth Curry is averaging 15.3 points in the last seven games and is 17-of-33 from 3-point range in that span.
2. Towns has recorded 13 consecutive double-doubles.
3. Minnesota has taken each of the first three meetings this season, including a 101-91 win in Sacramento on Nov. 27.
PREDICTION: Timberwolves 116, Kings 112

**Satch** · 04-07-2016, 10:30 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/7

Preview: San Antonio At Golden State
When: 10:30 PM ET, Thursday, April 7, 2016
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
The Golden State Warriors are looking very vulnerable lately and now need to win each of their four remaining games in order to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 regular-season wins. The path to 73 will have to include two wins over the San Antonio Spurs, who visit the Warriors on Thursday.
Golden State lost to Boston on Friday to end an NBA-record 54-game home winning streak and fell again at home on Tuesday in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead against the Minnesota Timberwolves. “You have so much media attention and everybody talking about breaking the record and you lose focus a little bit,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who was a member of the 95-96 Bulls, told reporters. “The same thing happened 20 years ago. (The Bulls) didn’t play well down the stretch. This doesn’t surprise me. It’s easy to get lost in all this stuff. We haven’t been very dialed in of late.” The Spurs are only 3 1/2 games behind Golden State in the standings and still have a shot at 70 victories if they win out. San Antonio scratched its way past Utah 88-86 to earn a fourth straight win on Tuesday and may have all of its starters available on Thursday.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, CSN Bay Area (Golden State)
ABOUT THE SPURS (65-12): The assumption has been that San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich would rest starters in the two remaining games against the Warriors, but point guard Tony Parker refuted that notion in a postgame TV interview on Tuesday. “I think we’ll play,” Parker said in the interview. “Utah, I thought (Popovich) was going to rest everybody. But we played Utah, so I don’t see any reason we’re not playing Golden State.” That win over the Jazz marked the 1,000th career regular-season victory for Spurs center Tim Duncan, making him the third player in history (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1,074, and Robert Parish, 1,014) to reach the mark.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (69-9): Golden State bounced back from its last to the Celtics by cruising past the Portland Trail Blazers 136-111 on Sunday but had the same problems crop up against the Timberwolves on Tuesday that plagued it in other losses this season. “We’re trying to hit the home run, instead of just a bunch of singles,” Kerr told reporters after his team committed a season-high 24 turnovers. “…Bad coaching. Bad playing. Bad everything.” The letdown came despite the return of sixth man Andre Iguodala, who sat out the previous 13 games with a sprained ankle.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Spurs F Kawhi Leonard is 3-of-14 from 3-point range in the last three games.
2. Warriors PG Stephen Curry, who earlier this season became the first player to hit 300 3-pointers in a season, needs 18 in the final four games to reach 400.
3. The teams have split two meetings this season, with Golden State blasting San Antonio 120-90 at home on Jan. 25.
PREDICTION: Warriors 101, Spurs 99

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