NBA
Thursday, January 16
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NBA doubleheader: Knicks at Pacers, Thunder at Rockets
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New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers (-10, 184)
The Indiana Pacers are seemingly invincible at home, where they'll try for their ninth straight victory when the New York Knicks visit Thursday. The Pacers' 19-1 home mark is a big reason why they own the NBA's best record, and they're coming off a 116-92 pasting of visiting Sacramento on Tuesday. The Knicks had a season-best five-game winning streak snapped with a 108-98 loss at Charlotte on Tuesday and dropped a half-game out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Indiana is the top defensive team in the league, and the Pacers are especially stingy at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where they allow just 83 points per game and hold opponents to 38.9 percent shooting. "It's a different story when you come to play here," Pacers star Paul George told reporters. "Whatever you've done previously, when a team comes in hot, we make that commitment that it's going to be tough to play here." The Knicks have not lost a season series to the Pacers since Indiana swept four games in 2007-08, but the Pacers won the first game of this season's three-game series 103-96 in overtime Nov. 20 in New York.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, TNT, MSG (New York)
LINE: The line is currently at Pacers -10. The total is opened at 184.
POWER RANKINGS: New York (-6.1) - Indiana (-14.3) - home court (-3) = Indiana -11.1
ABOUT THE KNICKS (15-23, 16-22 ATS): New York's hot streak has come amid turmoil between coach Mike Woodson and enigmatic swingman J.R. Smith, who was benched for the second time in four games against the Bobcats. Smith (11.4 points) is one of only four players who average double-digit scoring for the Knicks. The Knicks got big man Tyson Chandler back against Charlotte after he missed the previous four games with bronchitis, but he didn't make much of an impact with five points and four rebounds in 16 minutes, and they're still without guard Pablo Prigioni (toe) and forward Metta World Peace (knee).
ABOUT THE PACERS (30-7, 25-12 ATS): Indiana's league-best defense starts with defending the rim, as the Pacers allow an NBA-low 34.2 points per game in the paint and ranks sixth in the league with 5.8 blocked shots per contest. The Pacers don't need to light up the scoreboard, but they're efficient and balanced on offense with all five starters averaging double-digit scoring and reserve Danny Granger (9.1 points) continuing to improve as he works his way back from injury. Indiana turned in one of its best offensive showings of the season against the Kings, shooting a season-high 54.9 percent and getting 31 points from leading scorer Paul George (22.8 points, 6.2 rebounds).
TRENDS:
* Favorite is 6-0 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Home team is 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Knicks are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Knicks are 0-4 ATS in the last four meetings in Indiana.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Indiana has not allowed 100 or more points in its past 13 games and has done so only six times all season.
2. Knicks leading scorer Carmelo Anthony (26 points, 8.8 rebounds) tallied 30 points and 18 boards in the first meeting this season and averages 25.3 points in 26 career regular-season games against Indiana.
3. The Pacers are 20-0 when holding opponents under 90 points.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets (-2.5, 206)
The Houston Rockets finished up a four-game road trip with three straight wins but will get little time pat themselves on the back when they return home to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on the second night of a back-to-back Thursday. James Harden played the hero with eight points in the final three minutes of a 103-100 victory at New Orleans but is not always at his best against his former team. The Thunder are losers of three of four.
Oklahoma City is having a hard time without Russell Westbrook and is averaging 94.3 points in the last four games - more than 10 below its season mark. Kevin Durant is putting up an average of 37 points in that span but is getting little help. Harden is finding help up and down the Rockets roster of late with Terrence Jones and Chandler Parsons stepping up to join Harden, Dwight Howard and Jeremy Lin as a formidable offensive and defensive unit.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
LINE: The Rockets opened as 2.5-point faves. The total is currently at 206.
POWER RANKINGS: Oklahoma City (-12.5) - Houston (-10.5) + home court (-3) = Houston -1
ABOUT THE THUNDER (28-10, 20-18 ATS): Oklahoma City won its first two after Westbrook went down with another knee surgery but has since dropped five of eight, including its last three on the road. Durant went 15-of-28 from the floor in Tuesday’s 90-87 loss at Memphis but passed up the last shot and instead fired a pass to Serge Ibaka, who missed a 3-pointer. “That’s the thing I love about (Durant),” coach Scott Brooks told reporters. “He makes the right play. He can force a shot, but that wasn’t the right play.”
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (26-14, 20-17-2 ATS): Harden’s late-game offense was the key to overcoming a 17-point deficit at New Orleans on Wednesday, but defensive plays by Howard and Jones underneath were what set that offense up. Jones scored a career-high 25 points on Wednesday but also blocked six shots and has recorded 12 blocks in the last three games. The second-year forward has seen his minutes stay steady over the past two games even with Parsons back from a hamstring injury as Houston experimented with some bigger lineups.
TRENDS:
* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
* Thunder are 1-4 ATS in their last four road games.
* Rocket are 5-1 ATS in their last six games on no days rest.
* Under 6-1 in Thunder last seven versus a team with a winning SU record.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Harden was held to eight points on 2-of-9 shooting in a 117-86 loss at Oklahoma City on Dec. 29 and is averaging 24 points on 41 percent shooting in four career regular-season games against his original franchise.
2. Durant is just 6-for-30 from 3-point range in the last five games.
3. Houston G Aaron Brooks (knee) sat out Wednesday and is questionable for Thursday.
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NBA
Thursday, January 16
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Nets at Hawks: What bettors need to know
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Brooklyn Nets vs. Atlanta Hawks (+2, 192.5)
Game will be played at O2 Arena, London, England
The sightseeing in London will conclude and the game takes center stage on Thursday when the Brooklyn Nets face the Atlanta Hawks at The O2. The 19,000-seat venue has long been sold out and the Nets are finally playing solid basketball and rolled off five straight wins before falling to the Toronto Raptors on Saturday. The Hawks have hit a rough patch with four losses in six games and will serve as the home team.
The NBA continues to cultivate its presence in London with its fourth regular-season game held in the city but Brooklyn forward Andrei Kirilenko told reporters he doesn’t foresee a time when the league expands to London. “I don’t think it’s realistic only because of the traveling,” said Kirilenko, who is from Russia. “Maybe if it’s going to be a whole division, like the Euroleague is a division for the NBA like the West or Eastern Conference – so once a year you go to another continent and play three games there and then come back and adjust, maybe it’s going to work. But it’s definitely not going to work coming to London and then coming back. It’s physically impossible.”
TV: 3 p.m. ET, NBATV, YES (Brooklyn), SportSouth (Atlanta)
LINE: The line opened with the Nets as 1.5-point faves and now sit a -2. The total opened at 192.5.
POWER RANKINGS: Brooklyn (-6) - Atlanta (-6.5) + neutral site (0) = Atlanta -0.5
ABOUT THE NETS (15-22, 17-20 ATS): Guard Joe Johnson had 23 points when Brooklyn beat the Hawks on Jan. 6 and would like to have another solid outing against his former club. Johnson averaged 27.3 points over a three-game span before dropping to 11 in the loss to Toronto. Johnson is two 3-pointers away from becoming the 20th player in NBA history to reach 1,500 for his career and feels Brooklyn is finally in rhythm as a team. “We’ve kind of figured out some minor things and to roll with what we’ve got,” Johnson told reporters. “And we’ve been doing a pretty good job of guys helping one another on both ends of the floor.”
ABOUT THE HAWKS (20-18, 21-17 ATS): Atlanta’s offensive prowess has diminished since losing center Al Horford to a season-ending injury and the squad has failed to reach 100 points in five of the last seven games. The recent loss to the Nets was a prime example as the Hawks scored just 34 second-half points on 11-of-31 shooting. Power forward Paul Millsap appears to be on his game with his first back-to-back 20-point outings of the season. Millsap suffered through a 1-of-10 shooting performance (for four points) in a loss to the Indiana Pacers before rebounding with the two strong efforts.
TRENDS:
* Nets are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
* Hawks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games playing on three or more days rest.
* Under is 6-1 in the Hawks last seven games overall.
* Over is 7-2-1 in Nets last 10 games vs the Southeast.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Brooklyn has won three of the past four meetings, including a 91-86 home victory earlier this month.
2. Hawks SF Kyle Korver has extended his record streak of consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer to 107.
3. Nets PG Deron Williams (ankle) didn’t make the trip to London and will miss his 16th game of the season.
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NBA
Thursday, January 16
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NBA betting: Faves dominate in NBA games played abroad
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The NBA is always trying to expand its brand and has made a habit of scheduling regular season games abroad. This season is no different as the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks will play at the O2 Arena in London, England Thursday afternoon.
It's no secret that the league would love having a European division with franchises in cities like London, Paris, and Madrid. Regular season matchups in international cities are nothing new to the league. In fact, since 1990, there have been 16 regular season games played abroad.
The favorite has dominated SU and ATS in those 16 games on foreign turf, going 14-2 SU and 11-5 ATS.
Here is a list of the regular season games played in countries outside of the USA and Canada.
January 17, 2013 (London, England) - New York Knicks 102, Detroit Pistons 87 (Knicks -5.5, U 195)
March 4, 2011 (London, England) - New Jersey Nets 116, Toronto Raptors 103 (Nets -2.5, O 203.5)
March 5, 2011 (London, England) - New Jersey Nets 137, Toronto Raptors 136 (Nets -2.5, O 205.5)
October 30, 2003 (Saitama, Japan) - Seattle Sonics 109, Los Angeles Clippers 100 (Sonics -1.5, O 180.5)
November 1, 2003 (Saitama, Japan) - Seattle Sonics 124, Los Angeles Clippers 105 (Sonics -3.5, O 186)
November 6, 1999 (Tokyo, Japan) - Sacramento Kings 100, Minnesota Timberwolves 95 (Kings -2.5, U 208)
November 7, 1999 (Tokyo, Japan) - Minnesota Timberwolves 114, Sacramento Kings 101 (Timberwolves -1.5, O 205)
December 6, 1997 (Mexico City, Mexico) - Houston Rockets 108, Dallas Mavericks 106 (Rockets -9.5, O 202.5)
November 7, 1996 (Tokyo, Japan) - Orlando Magic 108, New Jersey Nets 95 (Magic -7, O 181.5)
November 9, 1996 (Tokyo, Japan) - Orlando Magic 86, New Jersey Nets 82 (Magic -6.5, U 190)
November 4, 1994 (Yohohama, Japan) - Portland Trail Blazers 121, Los Angeles Clippers 100 (Blazers -7.5, O 217)
November 5, 1994 (Yokohama, Japan) - Portland Trail Blazers 112, Los Angeles Clippers 95 (Blazers -8, U 215)
November 6, 1992 (Yokohama, Japan) - Seattle Sonics 111, Houston Rockets 94 (Rockets -2.5, U 212)
November 7, 1992 (Yokohama, Japan) - Seattle Sonics 89, Houston Rockets 85 (Sonics -3, U 209.5)
November 2, 1990 (Tokyo, Japan) - Phoenix Suns 119, Utah Jazz 96 (Suns -2.5, U 215.5)
November 3, 1990 (Tokyo, Japan) - Utah Jazz 102, Phoenix Suns 101 (Suns -3.5, U 214)
Favorite ATS: 11-5 ATS
Favorite SU: 14-2
O/U: 8-8
