NBA Betting Info. 1/9

[TheGame]

Thunder at Nuggets: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets

Kevin Durant is doing his part to make up for the loss of Russell Westbrook but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still finding it more difficult to win. The Thunder will look to bounce back from a tough loss when they visit the red-hot Denver Nuggets on Thursday. Durant put up an NBA season-high 48 points at Minnesota on Saturday and matched that number at Utah on Tuesday, but Oklahoma City only got the win in one of those contests.

The Thunder won their first two after Westbrook went down but dropped three of the next five, including the 112-101 loss at Utah on Tuesday in which they were burned down the stretch by Gordon Hayward. “That’s not how we play,” coach Scott Brooks said of the poor defensive effort. “That’s not what makes us successful. I knew the guys were going to battle back and make a game out of it. We had a chance to cut it to two or three but our defense gave up 58 percent shooting.” Oklahoma City will need to tighten things up against a Nuggets squad averaging 125.7 points during a three-game winning streak.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (27-8): Durant has gone for 33 or more points in five of the seven games since Westbrook went out with a knee injury and Reggie Jackson is producing in the point guard spot but the absence of Serge Ibaka (flu-like symptoms) on Tuesday hurt the defense. “(I want to see) toughness and even more toughness and some fight,” Durant said. “We just have to stay together. We lost a basketball game on the road. It’s not the end of the world. … We just have to regroup and be better next game.” Oklahoma City had won eight in a row on the road before falling to the Jazz.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (17-17): Denver cleared the air with a series of meetings around the New Year and is surging in the last three games. The Nuggets destroyed the Boston Celtics 129-98 on Tuesday after putting up 137 points on the Los Angeles Lakers in the previous contest. “Coach let us hoop,” forward Kenneth Faried said of the difference the last few games. “He just let us get out and play. He figured out that this altitude (in Denver) is a killer for teams and the personnel that we have is people who will get out and run, play great defense, and it’s fun when we do that instead of just calling plays all the time.”

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-1-1 in the last eight meetings in Denver.
* Thunder are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 4-0 in Nuggets last four overall.
* Thunder are 5-1 ATS in their last six games following a S.U. loss.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Thunder won in Denver 105-93 on Dec. 17 and have taken each of the first two meetings this season.

2. Faried is averaging 18 points on 69 percent shooting over the past three games.

3. Oklahoma City G Thabo Sefolosha is dealing with a finger injury and is just 5-for-22 from the field in the last three games.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/9

Thursday Night NBA Doubleheader: Injury Report
By Covers.com

The first NBA Thursday night doubleheader of 2014 features the Heat visiting the Knicks and the Nuggets hosting the Thunder. Check out who's ailing and may not be able to suit up for tonight's games.

Miami Heat at New York Knicks (+6.5, 197)

Knicks center Tyson Chandler is listed as questionable with an illness that has been going around the New York locker room. Chandler left during Saturday's game at Dallas and hasn't returned to the lineup since. Forward Kenyon Martin will also be a game-time decision with the same illness.

For the Heat, starters Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier are both game-time decisions. Chalmers left Sunday's game versus the Raptors with an Achilles injury, while Battier has missed the last three games with a sore quad.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (+3, 208.5)

Thunder center Segre Ibaka is also feeling under the weather. He is listed as questionable for Thursday's game with flu-like symptoms. Thabo Sefolosha is also questionable with a hand injury.

For the Nuggets, starter Wilson Chandler and backup point guard Nate Robinson are both listed as questionable versus the Thunder after suffering injuries Tuesday against the Celtics. Chandler strained his groin, while Robinson is nursing an ankle injury.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/9

Inside the Paint
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

Now that the college football season is over and the NFL only has seven games left to bet, sportsbooks are catering to the serious bettors and the majority of those individuals are betting the NBA. The Association is a grind but certainly a fun one to follow and bet. With that being said, let’s bring you up to speed on this week before we break down Thursday’s card, which will feature a pair of contenders against two clubs that appear to be turning the corner.

Since Monday, we’ve seen favorites go 17-7 straight up and 15-9 against the spread. The books finally saw the underdogs show up on Wednesday with a 5-4 ATS mark and that included four outright wins. A few notable upsets were Brooklyn’s 102-98 victory over Golden State and Phoenix’s 104-103 road win at Minnesota as an eight-point ‘dog. With that win, the Suns own the best ATS record (24-9) in the league.

Total players have watched the ‘under’ go 16-8 since Monday.

Miami at New York

The Heat (27-8 SU, 16-19 ATS) and Knicks (12-22 SU, 14-20 ATS) will collide from MSG tonight and even though the game looks like a mismatch based on records, New York has been in better form lately.

Mike Woodson’s team has won three of four games and the lone loss during this stretch came by two points at Houston (102-100). Despite the recent run, some bettors might have trouble backing a team that is just 5-12 SU and 4-13 ATS at home. Plus, it’s even harder to fade the two-time defending

champions. To no surprise, Miami is laying points (Opening Line 6½) on the road and it’s proven to be a solid team to back in this spot. As a road favorite, the Heat have gone 10-4 SU and 9-5 ATS this season.

Also, New York has struggled as a home underdog this season, going 1-5 both SU and ATS. The lone win during this span came in mid-December when the Knicks defeated the Hawks 111-106 as one-point dogs.

Miami has gone 17-6 versus the Eastern Conference this season. However, the club is just 10-13 ATS. On the road against the East, the Heat have gone 6-4 both SU and ATS. Against the Atlantic Division, Miami is 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS.

This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season. Last year, the Knicks took three of four against the Heat and the lone loss was by six points. The total went 2-2.

The Heat could be without Shane Battier (quad) and Mario Chalmers (Achilles) for tonight. Both are listed as ‘questionable’ and so are the Knicks’ Keynon Martin (illness), Tyson Chandler (illness) and Beno Udrih (back).

This will be the first of a six straight games on the road for the Heat, all of them on the East Coast. After this game, the Knicks will head to Philadelphia on Saturday.

Oklahoma City at Denver

Similar to the Knicks, the Nuggets (17-17 SU, 15-18 ATS) have also underachieved this season but they’ve been starting to heat up. After dropping eight straight, Denver has bounced back with three consecutive victories, the last two coming by 22 and 31 points against the Lakers and Celtics respectively.

Oklahoma City (27-8 SU, 19-16 ATS) is on a much higher level than Los Angeles and Boston, which was noted in the opening number. Despite being banged up, the Thunder opened as short road favorites and that number could be based on the recent encounters between the pair.

Oklahoma City has already defeated Denver twice this season, winning 115-113 at home on Nov. 18 before capturing a 105-93 road win on Dec. 17. For what it’s worth, Denver took three of four from Oklahoma City last season but both teams had completely different rotations and players.

It is rare to see Denver catching points at the Pepsi Center but it’s happened six times so far this season. Unfortunately for the Nuggets, they’ve gone 2-4 both SU and ATS. The ‘under’ has gone 5-1 in these situations.

Meanwhile, bettors should be aware that Oklahoma City has been a strong road favorite, going 10-1 SU and 7-4 ATS. However, they’ve gone 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS in their last two games as a road ‘chalk’ which might make you believe that things are starting to balance out. Keep an eye on the fatigue factor for OKC as well, since it will be playing its fourth game in six days tonight.

The opening number on the total came out at 208. The Nuggets have watched their last four games go ‘over’ the number and OKC is on a decent 3-0 ‘over’ run as well.

OKC forward Serge Ibaka (illness) missed Tuesday’s loss at Utah and is listed as ‘questionable’ for tonight. Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler (groin) is listed as ‘questionable’ as well.

The Thunder will return home on Saturday to face Milwaukee. Denver will host Orlando on Saturday.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/9

Heat at Knicks: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Miami Heat at New York Knicks

The last thing the stumbling New York Knicks need is a distraction - but they have one looming as they prepare to host the Miami Heat on Thursday evening. The Knicks are reportedly looking to deal enigmatic guard J.R. Smith following his latest discretion - untying Greg Monroe's shoe during New York's 89-85 win over Detroit and earning a $50,000 fine in the process. The Knicks will have their hands full with a Heat team looking to build on its three-game winning streak.

While the Knicks continue their slow implosion in a year when a top-4 seed in the East is up for grabs, the Heat are rolling along in what looks more than ever like a showdown with the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals. The two-time defending NBA champions steamrolled the New Orleans Hornets 107-88 on Tuesday night to improve to 3-1 in the new year. Not even home-court advantage is on the side of the Knicks, who are 5-12 at Madison Square Garden.

ABOUT THE HEAT (27-8): Miami has long been known for using a small-ball lineup, but head coach Erik Spoelstra isn't afraid to clog the paint. With Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen in at the same time, the Heat limited New Orleans to one offensive rebound over the final 24 minutes of the rout. "It wouldn't be as effective now if (Bosh) hasn't had the evolution that he's had," Spoelstra told the Miami Herald. "He knows how to play on the perimeter now, he knows how to play with another big that doesn't compromise our spacing and he can still get to the rim."

ABOUT THE KNICKS (12-22): Smith's tumultuous tenure with the Knicks appears to be coming to an end following his shenanigans against the Pistons. Head coach Mike Woodson referred to Smith's tactics as "unacceptable" in an interview on an ESPN New York radio show. "I'm not happy about this, because he was warned, he comes back and he makes the same mistake, and it's not right," Woodson said. "It's just got to stop. I keep saying this every time something pops up, but it's got to stop."

TRENDS:

* Under is 7-0 in the last seven meetings in New York.
* Favorite is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.
* Knicks are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Over is 9-2 in Heat last 11 vs. NBA Atlantic.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. New York has won four of the previous six meetings, while the road team has prevailed in three straight.

2. Bosh averages 20.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in 36 career games against the Knicks.

3. Miami is 21-5 when scoring 100 or more points, while New York is just 7-5.