NBA Playoffs Betting Info. Updated daily.

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NBA Playoffs

All five Toronto-Brooklyn games were decided by 8 or less points, with three of last four going over total. DeRozan scored 30-30-24-23 points in last four games, but is just 32-88 from floor in series. Toronto was +9 in turnovers last two games; they're -16 (75-59) in series. Brooklyn lost seven of last ten games; they rallied back from 26 down in Game 5, fell point short. Underdogs are 4-0-1 vs spread so far in this series.

Dallas lost 12 of last 14 games vs Spurs, but they've covered all five in this series and last six games overall, covering last two games by half a point each. Underdogs covered last eight Dallas games. Three of last four series games went over total; over is 25-18 in Maverick home games this season, 24-19 in SA road games. Spurs covered once in their last seven games as a favorite. Four of five series games were decided by 6 or less.

Three of five Rocket-Blazer games went OT; Aldridge scored 29+ in all three Portland wins, was held to 23-9 in losses. Portland won 11 of last 15 games. Underdogs covered four of five series tilts; 11 of last 12 series games also went over, helped by OTs. Harden is 41-118 from floor this series, not good for Rockets. Portland is 19-24 vs spread at home, 2-5 in last seven games as the favorite. Over is 24-18 in Rocket road games.

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7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing Brooklyn
Brooklyn is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Brooklyn is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home


8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. DALLAS
San Antonio is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
San Antonio is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games


10:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. PORTLAND
Houston is 6-1-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Portland
Houston is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Portland's last 8 games
Portland is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games

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NBA Playoff Odds & Picks
By: David Purdum
Sportingnews.com

Have the Houston Rockets finally figured out how to control LaMarcus Aldridge? We’ll find out tonight, when the Rockets head to Portland for Game 6 (10:35 p.m. ET, ESPN) of their first-round series against the Trail Blazers.

Leading the best-of-seven series 3-2, the Blazers are 3.5-point favorites to close out Houston. But they’ll need more from their big man than they got in Game 5.

The Rockets held Aldridge to just eight points, the second-lowest output of the All-Star’s season, and dominated in the paint during a 108-98 win over the Blazers Wednesday in Houston. Aldridge averaged 35.75 points in the first four games, highlighted by consecutive 40-plus-point performances in Games 1 and 2, but struggled to find shots against a quick double-team from the Rockets. Houston doubled Aldridge immediately, sending center Dwight Howard to help fellow 7-footer Omer Asik. Aldridge attempted only 12 shots.

Two early fouls also didn’t help Aldridge, who was forced to the bench six minutes into the game.

“I don’t know if it was necessarily (Houston’s) defense,” Portland coach Terry Stotts told reporters.

Then what was it?

Houston owned the boards in Game 5, outrebounding the Blazers 48-34 and outscoring them 60-40 in the paint. The Rockets’ bench, led by point guard Jeremy Lin, outscored Portland’s reserves 34-5 in what was the most convincing performance by either team in this ultra-tight series that has featured three overtime games.

Game 5 was the lowest scoring of the series and ended a streak of 11 straight OVERs played between the Rockets and Blazers.

Handicapping tools: Stats, injuries, trends | Rockets team page | Blazers team page

The Linemakers’ lean: Houston is getting back in sync, and Chandler Parsons has come alive to help save – for now – a series in which James Harden has been off. Look for the Rockets to win again, and to take Game 7 as well, which makes searching for the best series price (+280) worthwhile.

We’re also looking for the OVER to prevail again, as the lowest total (213) of all 10 games played between the two teams this season is being offered.

The main play is the Rockets with a small lean to the OVER.

Toronto Raptors at Brooklyn Nets (-5, 191)

It’s not a series until both teams complain about the officials. First, it was the upstart Raptors – backed by the former gambling ref Tim Donaghy – claiming they were getting a raw deal from referees. Now, it’s Brooklyn coach Jason Kidd’s turn.

Kidd said during a Thursday conference call that if they’re not going to get the calls, his team might need to flop more.

In Toronto’s 115-113 win in Wednesday’s Game 5, the Raptors attempted 36 free throws to the Nets’ 30. Point guard Kyle Lowry scored a playoff career-high 36 points.

Toronto led by 26, but had to hold on late to take a 3-2 lead as the series shifts back to Brooklyn.

The atmosphere in Brooklyn could be an X-factor, depending on how Nets fans react to recent criticism from Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and the team’s Twitter account: “#Nets fans take note- this is what a playoff crowd sounds like..set your DVD and take notes #RAPTORSvNETS.”

The Linemakers' lean: The underdogs are 4-1 ATS in this series, and the Nets are 0-2 as home favorites. Even though Brooklyn is even desperation mode, this point spread is inflated by about 2 points. Selling yourself on the Raptors shouldn't be hard just because they have been so consistently dominant on the boards. The Nets had their best shooting effort of the series in Game 5 (53 percent) and still lost the game. The play is on the better team, which is getting too many points – the Raptors.

San Antonio Spurs (-3, 199.5) at Dallas Mavericks

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker played through a sprained ankle in Game 5. He scored 23 points, but needed 23 shots to do it, helping the Spurs pull out a 109-103 home win.

San Antonio leads the series 3-2 and is looking to close out the Mavericks in Dallas tonight.

Depending on the number you bet in Game 5, the Mavs covered the spread for the fifth straight game against the Spurs.

Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki had his best game of the series, finding his touch in the second half and helping the Mavericks make a run. Nowitzki scored 23 points, his first game of the series with 20 or more points. But he finished with a plus/minus of -15.

Veteran guard Vince Carter, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer in Game 3, remained hot in Game 5, finishing with 28 points, including seven 3-pointers.

The Linemakers' lean: While the Mavericks have covered all five games in this series, the Spurs have regained a little bit of their swagger in the past two games. This was a team that beat the Mavericks nine straight regular-season games before the series, but came into the postseason a bit sluggish – losing four of their last seven regular-season games. We just saw the Spurs’ most complete effort in Game 5 and expect them to close it out here. The play is on the Spurs.

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Game of the Day: Warriors at Clippers
By Covers.com

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (-7, 209.5)

Series tied 3-3.

The Golden State Warriors found just enough in themselves at home to force a Game 7 but might not have a full compliment of weapons by the time they get there. The Warriors hope center Jermaine O’Neal, who suffered a sprained right knee in the second quarter of Game 6, will be able to go when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers for Game 7 on Saturday. The Clippers had some trouble adjusting to a tightly-called Game 6 and Blake Griffin fouled out late.

Golden State is already without starting center Andrew Bogut due to a fractured rib and has been using a smaller lineup with David Lee in the middle and O’Neal coming off the bench while Draymond Green takes on a bigger role guarding Griffin. O’Neal was not happy about the play that knocked him out of the game, telling USA Today, “It’s just a dirty play, to be quite honest. I mean, I’m not going to go try to dive into somebody’s legs. It wasn’t a scramble for the ball.” The Warriors gave more time to Marreese Speights off the bench when O’Neal went down and the veteran big man responded with 12 points and six rebounds.

LINE HISTORY: The Clippers opened as big as 7.5-point favorites and were bet down to -7. The total opened 209.5.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - J. O'Neal (Ques. - Knee). Clippers - H.Turkoglu (Ques. - Back)

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "With everything that has surrounded the Clippers during this series, I see them coming up extremely focused to close this series out. So far we are seeing 65 percent of the action backing the Clippers to win outright, while the 6.5-point spread is seeing good two-way action." - Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Clippers benefited from an emotionally-charged home crowd in Game 5 and it obviously affected the officials as Los Angeles had a 41-to-19 free-throw edge in their 113-103 win. The whistle was more balanced on the road in Game 6 as the Warriors held a 37-to-33 free-throw edge in their 100-99 victory. It will be interesting to see if the Clippers can use a strong home-court edge to once again influence the officials in Game 7 Saturday night. - Covers Expert Steve Merril.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Stephen Curry had a lot of questions to answer after a Game 5 loss in which he turned the ball over eight time and finished with 10 field-goal attempts. The All-Star guard was noticeably more aggressive in Game 6 and attempted 12 shots in the first quarter alone to keep his team in the game before Green, Speights and David Lee started to provide some support. Lee and Green both battled foul trouble, with Lee drawing his sixth early in the fourth quarter, but still managed to play strong defense on Griffin (8-of-24) and win the scrambles down low. “You know, it’s a battle,” Green told reporters. “We knew that coming into the series. For the last two years, as long as I’ve been here, it’s been a battle every time we played this team, and it’s grown into a rivalry.”

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS: Chris Paul is banged up with right hamstring and left hand issues and battled foul trouble throughout Game 6, finishing with nine points, eight assists, four turnovers and five fouls. “(Paul) is dealing with a lot of stuff, but, listen, he’s on the floor and Golden State doesn’t care, bottom line,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He does have injuries, and there is no doubt about that. I’m sure they have some too, but, listen, I think once you’re on the floor, you’re on the floor.” Los Angeles got another big game from DeAndre Jordan on Thursday with nine points, 19 rebounds and four blocks and Matt Barnes stepped up with a double-double, but the off nights from Griffin and Paul kept the Clippers from getting over the hump in the 100-99 setback.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Los Angeles.
* Over is 11-4 in the last 15 meetings.
* Warriors are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings in Los Angeles.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 67 percent of action is on Golden State while 67 percent is on the Over.

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Game 7 - Warriors at Clippers
By Sportsbook.ag

Golden State (54-34) at L.A. Clippers (60-28)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Los Angeles -7, Total: 209.5

A heated battle between the Clippers and Warriors will come to a close on Saturday night as the teams play the decisive Game 7 in Los Angeles.

Another exciting game took place on Thursday night as Golden State successfully defended its home court in Game 6, defeating the Clippers 100-99 in a game that was a pick 'em spread. The score remained close throughout, while neither team shot very well from the field, as the Warriors shot just 39.3% while Los Angeles made only 36.8% FG. Surprisingly, Golden State did not win this game from the three-point line where it was just 7-of-24, but instead from inside where it outscored L.A. 42 to 24 in the paint. Stephen Curry was very aggressive in the game and after taking just 10 shots and scoring 17 points in the Game 5 loss, he attempted 24 shots on Thursday and led the team with 24 points. Jamal Crawford had a team-high 19 points for the Clippers coming off the bench. It will be very tough for the Warriors to pull off this upset, as Los Angeles is an impressive 36-8 SU at home while going 23-21 ATS.

Meanwhile, Golden State is 25-19 SU (24-20 ATS) as the road team. The series so far has been neck-and-neck with each team shooting the same 45.5% FG clip for the series. With their win on Thursday, the Warriors now hold a 10-8 SU edge (11-7 ATS) over the Clips in the past three seasons, and they have split the 10 games between the regular season and postseason this year (5-5 SU). Golden State has absolutely dominated ATS in the first round since 1996, going 15-3 ATS in that timeframe, while Los Angeles is 20-7 ATS after one or more consecutive losses this season. C Andrew Bogut (ribs) will continue to miss time for the Warriors, while teammate C Jermaine O’Neal (knee) is questionable for Game 7. For Los Angeles, SF Hedo Turkoglu (back) is doubtful for the last game of the series, but star PG Chris Paul (hamstring) is expected to start.

The Warriors lived and died by the three-pointer during the regular season, but are hitting 8.8 threes per game in the playoffs at just a 33.3% clip. PG Stephen Curry (21.3 PPG, 8.3 APG, 1.5 SPG in playoffs) has shot 29 long-range shots in the past three contests, making 13 of them (45%) and having a big game on Thursday with 24 points and nine assists. He did not record a steal in the game for the first time in the postseason. PF David Lee (14.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG in playoffs) has had a lot of trouble with fouls in this series, and had five in both Game 4 and Game 5, while fouling out early in the fourth quarter of Game 6. He scored just eight points in Thursday's win before fouling out, but he did have a strong nine rebounds in just 26 minutes. SG Klay Thompson (16.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.0 SPG in playoffs) was ineffective in Game 6, getting just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting while adding just one rebound and one assist. He is shooting only 36% from three-point range in the series compared to the 42% that he shot during the regular season. SF Andre Iguodala (13.0 PPG, 4.7 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG in playoffs) has been much better offensively in the past three contests, averaging 18.3 PPG (56% FG), but added just three rebounds and two assists in Game 6. SF Draymond Green (9.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.7 BPG, 1.7 SPG in playoffs) has stepped it up in the postseason and has had a double-double in three of his past four games while also grabbing five steals on Thursday.

The Clippers had the best scoring offense in the regular season (107.9 PPG) and have surpassed that over the first six games of the postseason with 108.3 PPG on 46% FG. PG Chris Paul (16.7 PPG, 8.2 APG, 5.2 RPG, 3.0 SPG in playoffs) shot just 3-for-10 with nine points in the Game 6 loss, but added eight assists and five rebounds. He has been struggling with a hamstring injury and a thumb injury for the duration of the series. PF Blake Griffin (23.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG in playoffs) fouled out of the game after 40 minutes on the floor Thursday while scoring just 17 points on 8-of-24 shooting. The Warriors looked to double-team Griffin as much as possible, forcing the poor shooting percentage.

C DeAndre Jordan (11.7 PPG, 14.7 RPG, 4.2 BPG in playoffs) has been a man among boys on the boards recently with 18+ rebounds in three of his past four games. He had 19 rebounds in Game 6 while adding another four blocks to his postseason total. SG Jamal Crawford (15.8 PPG in playoffs) led the team with 19 points in the loss, and has posted 21.3 PPG over the past three contests. SG J.J. Redick (13.3 PPG in playoffs) has not been able to find his stroke, making just 2-of-13 threes over the past two games, while fouling out after scoring 15 points in 31 minutes on Thursday.

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Game 7 - Hawks at Pacers
By Sportsbook.ag

Atlanta (41-47) at Indiana (59-29)

Sportsbook.ag Line: Indiana -6, Total: 186

After staving off elimination on the road Thursday night, the top-seeded Pacers will try to clinch their first-round series versus the Hawks in a decisive Game 7 on Saturday afternoon.

After allowing Atlanta to score 107 points on 50% FG (56% threes) in Game 5, Indiana played shutdown defense in Thursday's Game 6 by limiting its opponent to 88 points on 36% FG (26% threes) and prevailing 95-88. The Hawks had nearly as many turnovers (13) as assists (14), and lost both the edge in rebounding (47-44) and points in the paint (40-32). But Atlanta has not lost two straight games in these playoffs, and is 11-12 SU (11-11-1 ATS) in this series over the past three seasons. The Hawks are only 19-23-2 ATS on the road this season, but are 27-16-1 ATS (63%) with one day's rest. The Pacers may be the top seed in their conference, but have won two games in a row just once since March 18, going 9-12 SU (7-14 ATS) over their past 21 games. They are just 19-26 ATS (42%) with one day's rest, 26-32 ATS (45%) after an SU win this season, and 22-21-1 ATS (51%) at home.

Over the past three seasons, Indiana holds an 8-4 SU (6-5-1 ATS) advantage in this series. Both teams have negative betting trends for Game 7, as underdogs of 3.5 to 9.5 points (like Atlanta), after 1 or more consecutive Unders, a good offensive team (98-102 PPG) facing an average defensive team (92-98 PPG) after 42+ games are just 49-94 ATS (34%) over the past five seasons, but the Pacers are only 11-25 ATS (31%) versus poor foul-drawing teams (24 or less FTA per game) in the second half of this season. While there are no significant injuries for either team, there is a chance that the Pacers could be missing reserve SG Rasual Butler -- due to a possible one-game suspension for stepping on the court from the bench during an altercation in Game 6.

The Hawks' poor shooting wasn't confined to just one player, as nobody on the team made more than half of his FG attempts in Thursday's loss. PG Jeff Teague (19.8 PPG, 5.3 APG, 3.8 RPG in series) was the only player to exceed 16 points, as he netted a game-high 29 points on 9-of-21 FG and 9-of-9 free throws. But Teague had only two assists in his 40 minutes of action, and will need to set up his teammates better for Atlanta to pull off the big upset on Saturday. PF Paul Millsap (20.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 2.0 BPG in series) continues to be a beast in this series, carrying his team with 16 points, 18 rebounds (5 offensive), five assists and three steals in Game 6. But he made just 4-of-13 from the floor before fouling out. SG Kyle Korver (12.5 PPG, 41% threes, 5.7 RPG in series) did not attempt a shot from inside the three-point arc, finishing a lackluster 3-for-8 for nine points and four rebounds.

SF DeMarre Carroll (10.0 PPG, 52% FG, 4.8 RPG in series) also struggled, scoring a mere seven points (3-of-7 FG) with four boards in his 39 minutes, while posting a poor rating of minus-9. But PF Mike Scott (8.5 PPG in series) had the worst rating of Game 6 with a minus-15, and made just 2-of-9 shots, including 0-for-6 from three-point range. Scott had made all six of his shots, including 5-for-5 threes in the second quarter of Game 5. SG Louis Williams (9.7 PPG, 1.2 SPG in series) was the lone Atlanta player to make half of his shots on Thursday, connecting on 6-of-12 FG for 16 points, but he was bad in other areas with three turnovers, zero assists and a minus-11 rating.

SF Paul George (22.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 4.8 APG, 2.5 SPG in series) has carried the team in all facets during these playoffs. He didn't have his best game on Thursday with more turnovers (4) than assists (3), but still poured in 24 points and eight rebounds while posting a game-high rating of +19. PF David West (15.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.2 SPG in series) also scored 24 points in Game 6, including some big baskets late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. He finished the day with 24 points, 11 boards, six assists and two steals. The starting backcourt of SG Lance Stephenson (14.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG in series) and PG George Hill (12.7 PPG, 4.0 APG in series) also played well, as they have done throughout most of this series. Stephenson finished with 21 points and nine boards, while Hill chipped in 14 points and four assists. All-Star C Roy Hibbert (4.0 PPG on 30% FG, 3.2 RPG in series) continues to provide nothing for his team, posting his second consecutive scoreless game with just two rebounds and a minus-12 rating in his 12 minutes. The Indiana bench also needs to contribute more, tallying only 12 points on 4-of-13 FG (1-of-5 threes) in the Game 6 victory.

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5:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. INDIANA
Atlanta is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games on the road
Atlanta is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games


8:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Memphis is 3-8-1 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Oklahoma City's last 22 games when playing at home against Memphis


10:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Golden State's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Golden State's last 15 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 11 of the LA Clippers last 15 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 7 of the LA Clippers last 8 games when playing at home against Golden State

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2014 NBA Playoff Previews for Saturday, May 3
Atssportsline.com

The record has been set for Saturday as for the first time in NBA history, three NBA Game Seven's will be played on the same day. The home teams do have the advantage and nobody has a stronger edge than Oklahoma City. The Thunder caught a huge break when it was announced that Memphis forward Zach Randolph would be suspended for Game 7. We'll take an NBA betting odds preview of all three games below.

Atlanta (41-47 SU, 41-46-1 ATS, 46-41-1 O/U) at Indiana (59-29 SU, 41-46-1 ATS, 37-48-3 O/U)

Series: Tied at 3-3

Last game:

(5/1/14): Indiana (pk) over Atlanta, 95-88.

Intangibles:

Indiana came back from five points down with 3:15 left in Game 6.
Roy Hibbert went scoreless in 12 minutes.
Atlanta went just 9-of-35 from three-point range in Game 6.

Key Betting Trends:

Atlanta is:

8-3 ATS last 11 overall
5-0 ATS last 5 following a SU loss.
Road team is 6-2-1 ATS last 9 in series.

Indiana is:

2-6 ATS last 8 Saturday games.
5-21 ATS last 26 following a SU win.
4-24 ATS last 28 playing on 1 days rest.
16-5-1 last 22 matchups on the over bet at home in series.

Keys to the Game:

Here we are in Game 7 as neither team in this series has won consecutive games. Indiana has prospered when they've gone with a smaller lineup led by Chris Copeland in the lineup and David West (24 points, 11 rebounds) at center. However, the key is All-Star Paul George, who scored 24 points and grabbed eight boards in Game 6. Lance Stephenson added 21 points and nine boards for the Pacers, who were down by 30 points in the third quarter at home in Game 5. Atlanta had this team on the ropes at home and couldn't finish them. Jeff Teague led the Hawks with 29 points, but the Hawks shot just 35.8 percent from the field. Paul Millsap added 16 points and 18 boards but he shot just 4-of-13 from the field. NBA Odds: Indiana is a 6-point betting odds favorite. Total: 186.0.

Memphis (53-35 SU, 39-45-4 ATS, 43-45 O/U) at Oklahoma City (62-26 SU, 45-40-3 ATS, 46-42 O/U)

Series: Tied at 3-3.

Last game:

(5/1/14): Oklahoma City (-2.5) over Memphis, 104-84.

Key Betting Trends:

Memphis is:

2-8-2 ATS last 12 playing on one days rest.
14-6 ATS last 20 following a SU loss.
8-2-1 ATS last 11 first round games.

Oklahoma City is:

2-6-1 ATS last 9 overall.
15-5-1 ATS last 21 Saturday games.
16-6 last 22 matchups on the over bet at home in series.

Intangibles:

Kevin Durant continues to struggle from beyond the arc, going 0-6.
Memphis forward Zach Randolph has been suspended for Game 7 for punching Steven Adams.
Oklahoma City blocked 11 shots in Game 6.

Keys to matchup:

Kevin Durant was called unreliable in a local Oklahoma newspaper and he went wild in Game 6, scoring 36 points on 11-of-23 shooting. However, Durant is still struggling from the three-point line, shooting just 4-of-29 in his last four games. The Thunder were all over Memphis in Game 6 on the road as Reggie Jackson continued to give them great production off the bench, scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Defensively, Oklahoma City held Mike Conley to just five points on 2-of-10 shooting. He's bothered by a leg strain but he and Courtney Lee along with Marco Gasol will have to step up with Randolph out. The Memphis bench did get 13 points from defensive whiz Tony Allen but next to nothing from Mike Miller (21 points in Game 5) and Beno Udrih though James Johnson did score 15 points. The Grizzlies shot just 37.3% from the field and were outrebounded, 47-36 in Game 6. If that happens again, Game 7 will be a blowout. NBA Odds: Oklahoma City is a 9-point betting odds favorite. Total: 185.0.

Golden State (54-34 SU, 45-40-3 ATS, 37-49-2 O/U) at Los Angeles Clippers (60-28 SU, 48-39-1 ATS, 48-39-1 O/U)

Series: Tied at 3-3

Last Game:

(5/1/14): Golden State (+1.5) over LA Clippers, 100-99.

Intangibles:

Golden State has covered three of four games.
The Clippers shot just 36.8% in Game 6.
Golden State center Jermaine O'Neal (knee) is not likely to play.

Key Betting Trends:

Golden State is:

14-2 ATS last 16 in first rond games.
5-2 ATS last 7 Saturday games.
8-2 ATS last 10 overall.

LA Clippers are:

4-1 ATS last 5 home games.
20-7 ATS last 27 following a SU loss.
Home team is 5-0 ATS last 5 in series.
11-4 last 15 matchups on the over bet in series.

Keys to matchup:

The Warriors won an ugly Game 6 at home as Draymond Green stepped up, scoring 14 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 24 points and nine assists. The Clippers did not get strong games from stars Chris Paul (nine points, four turnovers) and Blake Griffin (17 points, nine rebounds). Jamal Crawford added 19 points off the bench and Matt Barnes scored 18 points and 11 boards. The Clippers were up by three with 5:07 left in the third quarter before Golden State went on a 13-3 run to take over the game. The Warriors need David Lee to stay out of foul trouble with Jermaine O'Neal probably out with a knee injury. He fouled out with 9:44 left and finished with eight points and nine boards. NBA Playoff Lines: LA Clippers are a 7-point betting odds favorite. Total: 209.5.

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Game of the Day: Warriors at Clippers
By Covers.com

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (-7, 209.5)

Series tied 3-3.

The Golden State Warriors found just enough in themselves at home to force a Game 7 but might not have a full compliment of weapons by the time they get there. The Warriors hope center Jermaine O’Neal, who suffered a sprained right knee in the second quarter of Game 6, will be able to go when they visit the Los Angeles Clippers for Game 7 on Saturday. The Clippers had some trouble adjusting to a tightly-called Game 6 and Blake Griffin fouled out late.

Golden State is already without starting center Andrew Bogut due to a fractured rib and has been using a smaller lineup with David Lee in the middle and O’Neal coming off the bench while Draymond Green takes on a bigger role guarding Griffin. O’Neal was not happy about the play that knocked him out of the game, telling USA Today, “It’s just a dirty play, to be quite honest. I mean, I’m not going to go try to dive into somebody’s legs. It wasn’t a scramble for the ball.” The Warriors gave more time to Marreese Speights off the bench when O’Neal went down and the veteran big man responded with 12 points and six rebounds.

LINE HISTORY: The Clippers opened as big as 7.5-point favorites and were bet down to -7. The total opened 209.5.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - J. O'Neal (Ques. - Knee). Clippers - H.Turkoglu (Ques. - Back)

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "With everything that has surrounded the Clippers during this series, I see them coming up extremely focused to close this series out. So far we are seeing 65 percent of the action backing the Clippers to win outright, while the 6.5-point spread is seeing good two-way action." - Michael Stewart, CarbonSports.ag.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The Clippers benefited from an emotionally-charged home crowd in Game 5 and it obviously affected the officials as Los Angeles had a 41-to-19 free-throw edge in their 113-103 win. The whistle was more balanced on the road in Game 6 as the Warriors held a 37-to-33 free-throw edge in their 100-99 victory. It will be interesting to see if the Clippers can use a strong home-court edge to once again influence the officials in Game 7 Saturday night. - Covers Expert Steve Merril.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS: Stephen Curry had a lot of questions to answer after a Game 5 loss in which he turned the ball over eight time and finished with 10 field-goal attempts. The All-Star guard was noticeably more aggressive in Game 6 and attempted 12 shots in the first quarter alone to keep his team in the game before Green, Speights and David Lee started to provide some support. Lee and Green both battled foul trouble, with Lee drawing his sixth early in the fourth quarter, but still managed to play strong defense on Griffin (8-of-24) and win the scrambles down low. “You know, it’s a battle,” Green told reporters. “We knew that coming into the series. For the last two years, as long as I’ve been here, it’s been a battle every time we played this team, and it’s grown into a rivalry.”

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS: Chris Paul is banged up with right hamstring and left hand issues and battled foul trouble throughout Game 6, finishing with nine points, eight assists, four turnovers and five fouls. “(Paul) is dealing with a lot of stuff, but, listen, he’s on the floor and Golden State doesn’t care, bottom line,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He does have injuries, and there is no doubt about that. I’m sure they have some too, but, listen, I think once you’re on the floor, you’re on the floor.” Los Angeles got another big game from DeAndre Jordan on Thursday with nine points, 19 rebounds and four blocks and Matt Barnes stepped up with a double-double, but the off nights from Griffin and Paul kept the Clippers from getting over the hump in the 100-99 setback.

TRENDS:

* Home team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Over is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Los Angeles.
* Over is 11-4 in the last 15 meetings.
* Warriors are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings in Los Angeles.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 67 percent of action is on Golden State while 67 percent is on the Over.

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Game of the Day: Mavericks at Spurs
By Covers.com

Dallas Mavericks at San Antonio Spurs (-6.5, 197.5)

Series tied 3-3.

The Dallas Mavericks aim to become the sixth No. 8 seed in NBA history to win a first-round playoff series when they visit the San Antonio Spurs for Game 7 on Sunday. Dallas rallied to grab a 113-111 win in a do-or-die Game 6 at home Friday, pushing the Spurs to the verge of its second first-round loss as a top seed in just four seasons. The Mavericks will be undaunted by a Game 7 on the road, having won Game 2 in San Antonio by 21 points and going to the wire in their other two road games.

The numbers are in San Antonio's favor, as home teams were 91-23 all-time in Game 7s in all rounds entering the weekend, but Dallas has given itself a chance to pull off the upset. "It's the ultimate thrill," Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki said of having one game to stay alive. San Antonio is 3-5 in Game 7s, including a loss in the NBA Finals last season and another in overtime against Dallas in the 2006 Western Conference semifinals.

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened as 6-point home faves but have been bet to -6.5. The total opened 198 and has been bet up to 198.5.

INJURY REPORT: Mavericks - Jose Calderon (Probable, Nose).

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "While the Spurs controlled the regular season meetings, going 4-0 SU (3-1 ATS) versus the Mavericks, that has not been the case in this playoff series. It is tied 3-3, but the Mavericks are a perfect 6-0 ATS as their three playoff losses have come by just 5, 4, and 6 point margins. Home teams historically win Game 7 straight-up, but covering might be a different story as the current line is Spurs -6.5 and San Antonio has yet to win by that large of a margin in this entire playoff series." Covers' Experts Steve Merril

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS: It is clear that Dallas missed the presence of forward DeJuan Blair in its Game 5 at San Antonio, as the former Spur was suspended during the Mavericks' 109-103 loss but returned to provide 10 points, 14 rebounds and four steals on Friday. Blair, Devin Harris and Vince Carter combined for 34 points off the Dallas bench in Game 6, continuing a solid contribution for the reserves in support of Nowitzki and Monta Ellis, who is the top scorer among both teams in the series. "We pride ourselves on trying to outscore and dominate the other team’s second unit," Carter said after the Mavericks' bench secured a 37-25 scoring advantage on San Antonio's reserves.

ABOUT THE SPURS: Despite the loss in Game 6, San Antonio has to feel good about the emergence of guard Danny Green, who shook off a series of lackluster play with 17 points on 7-of-7 shooting in the loss. Green had only six baskets combined in the first five games and was never a factor down the stretch until he buried a big 3-pointer with 12 seconds left to help keep the Spurs close in Game 6. His emergence did plenty to offset a difficult game for fellow shooting guard Manu Ginobili, who entered leading the team in scoring for the series before going 1-for-8 from the floor and missing all five of his 3-point tries in a six-point showing.

TRENDS:

* Mavericks are 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
* Underdog is 8-0 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Spurs are 0-8 ATS in their last eight vs. Western Conference.

CONSENSUS: 54 percent of wagers are on the Mavericks.

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2nd Round Betting Angles
By Marc Lawrence
VegasInsider.com

With the top seeds having flexed their muscle in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, it’s one to Round Two where a series upset or two is always in the realm of possibility.

Here are four solid moneymaking angles from my powerful database that have withstood the test of time throughout 2nd round playoff action, along with a few tempting team trends.

All results are ATS and since 1991, unless noted otherwise. Enjoy.

Thou Shall Not Lay Points Into A No. 1 Seed

One golden rule in this round applies to top seeds, namely: do not lay points against No.1 seeds.

That’s because inferior teams are just 18-27-1 ATS when playing points into No. 1 seeds since 1996.

Worse, if the inferior teams are laying 4.5 or fewer points they are just 9-21 ATS, including 3-19 ATS when they own a win percentage of .575 or more.

Portland – you’ve been warned.

Tripped Out Favorites

Teams that take it on the chin three times in a row do not fare well when laying points in Round Two.

That’s confirmed by the fact that teams laying points off three consecutive losses that are 3-14 ATS in these games. Last year saw Oklahoma City laying 4.5 points to Memphis in this non-desirous role. The Grizzlies won the game, 88-84.

Worse, if the tripped-out chalk dropped their last game straight up as a favorite these teams generally fall off the map - and out of the playoffs - going 3-7 SU and 0-10 ATS.

Role Reversals

You may not be comfortable changing roles in a relationship, but NBA teams in this round of the playoffs certainly are.

Round Two dogs (or picks) off a straight-up loss as a favorite are a 58.6% ATS proposition, going 34-24 ATS.

Best of all, send them home in this role and they respond with aplomb, going 5-1 SU and ATS.

Running On Empty

Home favorites that scored well below their average (77 or less points) in their previous game tend to fuel up with a frenzy the next game in this round.

That’s evident by a sparkling 22-9-1 ATS mark by Round Two favorites that tallied 77 or fewer points in their last game.

The Pacers were put to the test last season and they ignited as 5.5-point favorites in a 98-79 annihilation of Atlanta.

FYI: Put these same favorites up against .625 or greater opposition and they top off at 16-3 ATS, including 13-1 when laying four or more points.

Perfect 2nd Round Playoff Teams Trends

Brooklyn: Nets 5-0 ATS away vs. opponent off win of 7 or more points

Indiana: Pacers 0-4 ATS vs. opponent off SS SU underdog wins

Los Angeles: Clippers 0-5 SUATS off a win

Miami: Heat 7-0 ATS off a DD loss

Oklahoma City: Thunder 0-6 SUATS away off win of 9 more points

Portland: Trail Blazers 4-0 SUATS off a loss of 6 or more points

San Antonio: Spurs 0-4 SUATS as a favorite off a SU underdog win

Washington: Wizards 0-4 ATS as dogs of less than 12 points

There you have it. Rock-solid betting theories you can hang your hat on throughout the 2nd round of this year’s NBA playoffs. Use your head and play accordingly.

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A Look Ahead to the NBA Conference Semifinals
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com

The first round of the NBA Playoffs is in the books; a near perfect storm for underdog bettors. Dogs emerged victorious in three series: Portland over Houston, Washington over Chicago and Brooklyn over Toronto. The underdog – Dallas in every game – went 6-1 ATS in the Spurs – Mavs series. Other series losers like Atlanta, Memphis and Golden State proved to be feistier than expected. Put it all together and we saw dogs go 32-15-3 ATS for the full 50 games played in the first round.

Should we expect Round 2 to follow the same path? All four series certainly look competitive on paper, although top seeds Miami and San Antonio are both significant favorites to knock off Brooklyn and Portland respectively. The series prices for Washington – Indiana and LA Clippers – Oklahoma City are certainly indicative of tight battles to come. In this week’s Vegas Wiseguy Report I’ll examine all four of these second round series, looking for potential matchup edges that could offer ATS value as the series progress.

Indiana was lucky to survive their first round test against Atlanta. The Hawks gave away Game 4 at home down the stretch, then did the exact same thing in Game 6; suffering a major meltdown over the final three minutes of the game. That being said, the Pacers finished the series with a winning ATS mark over the seven games along with a significant confidence/momentum boost from the way they stepped up with their season on the line in Game 7.

Washington wasn’t lucky to knock off Chicago – they were good. That being said, the Bulls blew multiple games due to fourth quarter shooting woes and didn’t resemble the mentally tough, defensively tough squad that won 48 regular season games. And this is rarified air for a Wizards team that hadn’t won a playoff series since 2005.

The Wizards dominated the only post- All Star Break regular season meeting; winning by double digits as home underdogs despite hitting less than 40 percent from the floor and playing without injured (at the time) center Nene. The key to that victory was the same key to their series win over Chicago – Washington owned the paint, didn’t give open looks from three point range and forced turnovers in bunches on the perimeter.

In my mind, the key to this series is Roy Hibbert. Hibbert was arguably the single most disappointing player of the first round. Benched for extended stretches against a Hawks team that concentrated on their perimeter game, the Pacers won’t be able to hide him here if he can’t score, rebound or defend. Hibbert had his best game of the first round in Game 7 – he’s not a lost cause right now, and neither is Indiana.

Brooklyn was the only team to dominate Miami in the regular season, although ‘dominate’ really isn’t an appropriate word. The Nets went 4-0 SU and ATS in their four battles with the Heat. And that can’t be a surprise – this team was built last offseason specifically to beat Miami. But don’t overstate the level of success Brooklyn enjoyed during the regular season. The four wins came by a grand total of three points in regulation – three one point victories, with the fourth win coming in OT. That’s not dominance – period.

Brooklyn certainly is battle tested when it comes to winning tough games in the postseason. As a team, they had 27 previous Game 7’s between them prior to their gut-it-out Game 7 win at Toronto. Paul Pierce has given LeBron James fits over the years and Brooklyn is no pushover on either floor; dominant at home over the back half of the season and more than capable of stealing a road win or two.

But the two-time defending champs don’t look all that vulnerable these days. Unlike the Celtics, Miami’s veterans will have had a week off to recuperate between the first two rounds; a legitimate difference maker, especially as this series drags on. Brooklyn is going to need Joe Johnson to stay hot from the perimeter, Deron Williams to control the game flow and the Kevin Garnett/Andray Blatche/Mason Plumlee trio to win the battle in the low post. Frankly, I don’t think they can do it.

San Antonio covered only one pointspread in seven tries against Dallas in the first round, but that one ATS cover was a thing of beauty: a dominating Game 7 performance. It was clear that the Spurs were priced wrong in that series, asked to lay pointspreads that were a notch or two too high against a quality foe that hung very tough for the first six games. And the potential for San Antonio to remain overvalued here in Round 2 is very real, because they’re still laying high prices and because Portland isn’t going down without a fight.

The Spurs didn’t have an easy time against the Blazers in the regular season, a 2-2 series split (both SU and ATS) with each squad winning once on their opponent’s home floor. It’s surely worth noting Portland’s high scoring ways in those matchups, hanging 109+ three times in the four meetings, utilizing the same inside/outside balance that gave Houston so much trouble in the first round. It’s also worth noting that LaMarcus Aldridge didn’t play in San Antonio’s two point win at Portland. With the Spurs offensive execution in stellar form and Portland’s defensive acumen lacking for extended stretches of the first round, I’ll take taking a long, hard look at betting some Overs in this series.

The Clippers and Thunder split the four regular season meetings as well, each team winning and covering once at home and once on their opponent’s home floor. Frankly, I was surprised to see the Thunder open as -200 favorites in the series. That number was clearly influenced by the likely support for OKC in Game 1 against a Clips squad that the markets expect to be physically and emotionally exhausted. And that number is also affected by Chris Paul’s lingering hamstring injury, just one of his many nicks and bruises.

But Doc Rivers can coach circles around Scott Brooks, both as a motivator and as an X’s and O’s guy. The Thunder take an extraordinary number of bad shots, relying on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s talent more than exemplary execution and well-designed sets. And the Clippers have certainly proven to be mentally tough – their series win over Golden State would have been a series loss for any lesser squad. If the Clippers can find ways to keep Paul in front of Westbrook and if they continue to get solid production from their bevy of veteran wings, they’re very live to win the series and move on to the Western Conference Finals.

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

Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat (-7, 191.5)

The Brooklyn Nets won all four regular-season contests against Miami this season and recording four more would qualify as quite the upset as they prepare to face the host Heat in Tuesday’s opener of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Brooklyn won three of the meetings by a single point and also recorded a 104-95 double-overtime victory as a veteran group led by Paul Pierce isn’t intimidated by LeBron James and his teammates. Miami is certainly the more rested team after completing a sweep of the Charlotte Bobcats on April 28.

The sixth-seeded Nets went seven games against Toronto in the first round before squeezing out a 104-103 win on Sunday to advance but are highly confident in terms of facing the two-time defending champions. “We know we can beat them, but it is going to be a lot different from the regular season in the playoffs,” swingman Joe Johnson said after Sunday’s win. “So we understand that we will definitely have our work cut out for us and it is going to take a collective team effort.” Miami knows it will have to play better in the playoffs to stymie Brooklyn. “Hats off to them because they beat us four times,” guard Ray Allen told reporters. “We don’t particularly like how we played in those games.”

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Heat as 7-point home faves. The total opened 191.5.

INJURY REPORT: Brooklyn Nets - C Brook Lopez (out for season, foot). Miami Heat - F Michael Beasley (Questionable, ankle).

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "Got sharp bet on Brooklyn +8 (-120), buying a 1/2-point, so we moved Miami to -7.5 (-105). Seventy-three percent of cash and 69 percent of bets are on the Nets. Brooklyn not only covered, but won all four regular season meetings straight up with Miami." Mike Perry, Sportsbook.com.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Brooklyn went 4-0 SU versus Miami this season, but three of the four wins came by a single point, and the other win came in overtime. Tough spot for the Nets in Game 1 since they come off a Game 7 on the road and play on the road again with just one day of rest. However, Miami hasn't played since April 28, so they have been off for seven days which could disrupt their rhythm." Covers Expert Steve Merril.

ABOUT THE NETS: Brooklyn has a veteran group led by Johnson and Pierce that won’t succumb to the playoff pressure against the Heat. Forward Kevin Garnett is no longer the big-time force but he is always ready to mix it up on the boards and point guard Deron Williams thrives when he’s in attack mode – which the Nets will need him to be to slay the Heat. Part of the offseason spending spree was designed with Miami in mind and the regular-season success is at least an indication that the series won’t be one-sided. Getting solid contributions from complimentary players like guards Alan Anderson, Shaun Livingston and Marcus Thornton and forwards Andray Blatche and Mirza Teletovic will be necessary.

ABOUT THE HEAT: The extended break should be good for James’ injured thigh and guard Dwyane Wade’s troublesome knees. James was injured in Game 4 of the series against Charlotte and has been undergoing treatment and told reporters that he will be “close to 100 percent” for the series opener. Miami could use some improved interior play against Brooklyn after being outrebounded by an average of 6.3 boards in the four regular-season meetings. Udonis Haslem was in a starting role against the Bobcats but veteran reserve Chris Andersen (8.5 points, 4.3 rebounds in the series) was a much more significant contributor.

TRENDS:

* Nets are 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings.
* Under is 5-0 in the last five meetings in Miami.
* Nets are 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings in Miami.
* Heat are 1-4 ATS in their last five games following a ATS win.

COVERS CONSENSUS: 52 percent of wagers on Covers Consensus are on the Brooklyn Nets .

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Game 2 - Clippers at Thunder
By Sportsbook.ag

L.A. Clippers (61-28) at Oklahoma City (63-26)

Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Oklahoma City -5, Total: 214.5

After an embarrassing Game 1 performance, the Thunder will look to even their second-round series with the Clippers on Wednesday night.

It is hard to predict what will happen in postseason basketball, but not many could have guessed that 5.5-point underdog Los Angeles would come out on the road against second-seeded Oklahoma City on Monday night and blow them out by 17 points. The Clippers took a bloated 69-52 halftime lead after dropping 39 points on the home team in the first quarter and eventually won the game by a score of 122-105. They hit 54.9% of their field goals in the contest, including going 15-for-29 (52%) from behind the arc. Chris Paul made 6-of-6 threes in the first quarter and finished the night off with a game-high 32 points on 12-of-14 shooting (8-for-9 threes).

The Thunder just could not keep up, shooting 45.9% on field goal attempts and getting a team-high 29 points from Russell Westbrook. Surprisingly, the Oklahoma City won the rebounding battle by a large margin, grabbing 47 boards (15 offensive) compared to just 31 rebounds (6 offensive) by the Clippers, but turned the ball over nine more times (17-8).

The win boosted L.A.'s road record to 25-20 SU (26-18 ATS) for the entire season, while the Thunder dropped to 36-10 SU (25-20 ATS) in front of their fans. The victory also gave an edge to L.A. on the season series, as the clubs split the four regular-season games (both SU and ATS) and have now split their past 12 games against each other both SU and ATS (6-6) going back three seasons. In that time, the Over is 9-3 overall while being 5-1 when the teams have matched up in Oklahoma City.

Both teams have positive betting trends for Game 2, as Clippers head coach Doc Rivers is 27-7 ATS (79%) on the road versus excellent free-throw shooting teams (80%+ FT) in his coaching career, but the Thunder are difficult to beat twice in a row, going 36-19 ATS (66%) off an upset loss as a favorite over the past three seasons.

SF Hedo Turkoglu (back) is still expected to be out for Los Angeles in Wednesday’s game.

The Clippers once again showed the world why they were the best offensive team during the regular season with their Monday night performance, and are now averaging an incredible 112.2 PPG (48% FG) in the postseason thus far.

PG Chris Paul (19.3 PPG, 9.1 APG, 2.8 SPG in playoffs) was a true leader in Game 1, coming out of the gate to score 17 points in the opening quarter and finishing with a strong double-double (32 points, 10 assists). The one negative is that he did not get a steal in the game after averaging 3.1 SPG in the first round.

PF Blake Griffin (23.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG in playoffs) had his fifth performance of 20+ points over the first eight postseason games after tallying 23 points on Monday night, but has been getting far fewer boards in the playoffs. After averaging 9.5 RPG during the regular season, he has yet to grab double-digit rebounds against either the Warriors or Thunder.

C DeAndre Jordan (11.5 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 3.5 BPG in playoffs) did not record a blocked shot for the first time in the postseason, but did grab four steals while adding just seven points and a playoff-low five rebounds in Monday's win. Jordan grabbed 18+ rebounds four times in the first round and swatted away 4+ shots in five games, but did have a contest where he went for 0 points and six rebounds, so expect him to come back from this subpar performance just fine.

SG Jamal Crawford (16.8 PPG in playoffs) continued to be an efficient scorer and netted 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting Monday night while playing just 19 minutes.

The Thunder have been able to put up an impressive 102.5 PPG (44% FG) this postseason despite playing a tough Memphis defense in the first round, but did not have the firepower Monday to compete with the hot shooting of Los Angeles.

SF Kevin Durant (29.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 BPG in playoffs) will accept his league MVP Award on Wednesday, but is coming off a poor game by his lofty standards. Durant had 25 points (9-of-19 FG) in Game 1, but missed three foul shots and pulled down only four rebounds en route to a game-worst rating of minus-26. He is still a threat to break out in a big way at any point after posting five 30-point performances against the Grizzlies in the first round.

PG Russell Westbrook (26.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.4 SPG in playoffs) had two triple-doubles in the first round and scored a team-high 29 points on Monday night, but added just four rebounds and four assists. He was efficient though, nailing 9-of-14 FG (2-for-5 threes) in the loss, while also going 9-for-10 from the charity stripe.

PF Serge Ibaka (12.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.5 BPG in playoffs) has had 12 points in each of his past two games while putting together an underwhelming performance on the boards in the same timeframe (5.0 RPG). He did get back to blocking shots though, turning away two in the first game after putting up a goose egg in that category in three contests during the first round.

PG Reggie Jackson (11.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG in playoffs) was just 1-for-8 with four points in 30 minutes on the floor Monday night after scoring 16 points in his previous two games. He has the ability to be a big factor off the bench for the Thunder in this series.

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Game 2 - Wizards at Pacers
By Sportsbook.ag

Washington (49-39) at Indiana (60-30)

Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Indiana -4, Total: 185

The sizzling-hot Wizards look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the top-seeded Pacers when the clubs meet in Wednesday's Game 2.

Washington improved to 9-1 (SU and AS) in its past 10 games when it upset Indiana 102-96 in the opener of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Monday night. The Wizards dominated the boards with a 53-36 rebounding advantage over the Pacers, including 17-6 on the offensive glass, and shot lights-out from behind the arc, draining 10-of-16 threes (63%). Washington got great offensive balance with six players netting at least 12 points, while Indiana shot only 40.7% FG and had no player score more than 18 points.

The Wizards' win on Monday snapped a 12-game SU losing skid (3-7-2 ATS) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The previous two visits this season were both blowouts, with the Pacers prevailing 93-73 on Nov. 29 and 93-66 on Jan. 10. Washington has been an excellent road team this season at 26-19 SU (30-15 ATS), including 22-11 ATS (67%) as a road underdog. This club has also thrived with little rest this season, going 39-27-1 ATS (59%) with 0-to-1 days off in between games.

While Indiana is a strong 37-9 SU at home this season, they are just 23-22-1 ATS in these games, and they have also been subpar with little rest, going 27-40 ATS (40%) with less than two off-days before a game.

Two other betting trends to consider are that the Wizards are a phenomenal 11-1 ATS on the road when playing six or less games in a 14-day span this season, and Indiana is 0-12 ATS versus good ball-handling teams (14 or less TOPG) in the second half of this season. But not all is bleak for the Pacers, who are 21-8 SU (15-13-1 ATS) after an SU loss this season, and all NBA favorites that play good defense (41.5% to 43.5% FG allowed) against a poor defense (45.5% to 47.5%), after three straight games allowing a shooting percentage of 42% or less are 70-41 ATS (63%) since 1996.

There are no significant injuries for Washington, while Indiana remains without backup C Andrew Bynum (knee).

Although the Wizards have shot just 43.9% on two-point FG tries in the postseason, they have drained 42.3% threes. This outstanding long-range shooting is a product of great teamwork, with the club dishing out 20.8 APG and turning the ball over only 11.5 times per game. Washington's team defense has also been strong in the playoffs, where it has limited opponents to an NBA-low 91.0 PPG on 42.0% FG, while also compiling 8.0 SPG and 6.8 BPG.

SG Bradley Beal (20.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.7 SPG in playoffs) opened this series with a bang, scoring a game-high 25 points with seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Beal made 8-of-18 shots (44%), which was quite an improvement from his 8-of-31 shooting (26%) versus the Pacers during the regular season. While Beal was the team's best all-around player, backcourt mate PG John Wall (17.8 PPG, 7.2 APG, 4.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG in playoffs) did an excellent job of controlling the offense with nine assists, one turnover and a game-high rating of +19. Those numbers made up for Wall's poor shooting night (4-of-14 FG), dropping him to a dismal 12-of-43 FG (28%) in three games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season.

SF Trevor Ariza (16.7 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.2 SPG in playoffs) had no trouble with his shot in this arena, as he drained 7-of-10 FG, including a perfect 6-for-6 from three-point range. This upped Ariza's postseason shooting numbers to an impressive 52% FG and 56% threes.

The rest of Washington's frontcourt also played well with C Marcin Gortat (11.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.2 BPG in playoffs) posting a double-double (12 points, 15 boards) and PF Nene Hilario (17.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.4 SPG in playoffs) contributing 15 points, six rebounds and a +18 rating. This duo also combined for five blocked shots and took Roy Hibbert completely out of the game.

PF Drew Gooden (2.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG in 10.8 MPG in playoffs) was also spectacular off the bench with 12 points and 13 rebounds (7 offensive) in just 18 minutes of action. As long as the Wizards continue to share the basketball (23 assists on 35 field goals in Game 1), and attack the glass, they have a great chance at pulling off another upset in Game 2.

Indiana's offense wasn't a juggernaut during the regular season (96.7 PPG on 44.9% FG and 35.7% threes), and it hasn't been good in the playoffs either with 93.8 PPG on 44.4% FG (37.3% threes). Turnovers have also caused problems in the postseason (14.6 TO per game), but the defense has carried the club by holding opponents to 93.6 PPG on a meager 38.9% FG (36.2% threes).

SF Paul George (23.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4.6 APG, 2.3 SPG in playoffs) had been averaging 26.0 PPG and 10.3 RPG in his previous four games, but the Wizards really made him work for his points on Monday, as George, who shot 33% FG during the regular-season versus Washington, finished with 18 points on 4-of-17 FG. Although George did have six rebounds and five assists, he finished the game with a horrible minus-13 rating.

The only player with a worse rating than George was All-Star C Roy Hibbert (4.6 PPG on 36% FG, 3.3 RPG, 1.4 BPG in playoffs), who continues to crush his team's chances of a deep playoff run. In 18 uninspiring minutes in Game 1, Hibbert had zero points (0-for-2 FG), zero rebounds, two blocks, two turnovers, five fouls and a hideous minus-17 rating. If Hibbert continues to give the Pacers nothing, they are in serious trouble.

PF David West (13.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.1 SPG in playoffs) helped pick up the slack for Hibbert with 12 rebounds (3 offensive) and a team-best +11 rating to go along with 15 points (6-of-15 FG). PG George Hill (13.6 PPG, 3.6 APG, 3.6 RPG in playoffs) was the only Indiana starter to make more than 40% of his field goals on Monday, as he scored 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting. But Hill dished out only one assist in his 33 minutes of action and was outplayed by opposing point guard John Wall.

SG Lance Stephenson (15.0 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.9 APG in playoffs) had his moments in Game 1 with 12 points, six boards, two steals and a +9 rating, but he also turned the ball over four times and made only 4-of-13 FG. The Pacers' bench played pretty well in the series opener, combining for 33 points on 13-of-23 FG (57%).

PF Luis Scola (8.1 PPG, 3.1 RPG in playoffs) and PG C.J. Watson (8.3 PPG, 1.4 SPG in playoffs) were the main contributors with 12 points (6-of-11 FG), and nine points (3-of-5 FG), respectively.