Wednesday's Tips
April 2, 2014
Nets at Knicks – 7:05 PM EST
Brooklyn: 40-33 SU, 40-33 ATS
New York: 32-43 SU, 33-42 ATS
Following a slow start, the Nets figured things out and are in line to head to the Eastern Conference playoffs. Brooklyn’s rivals over in Manhattan have been stumbling all season, but the Knicks may be able to sneak into the postseason following a solid run of late and Atlanta’s meltdown over the last two months. The Nets make the short trip to Madison Square Garden after Tuesday’s home victory over the Rockets, as Brooklyn’s last three road games have gone to overtime.
The Knicks return home from a disjointed 3-2 road trip which saw them get run out by the Lakers and Suns, but picked up a solid underdog triumph at Golden State. New York scored 96 points or less four times on that West Coast swing, while drilling the ‘under’ in three straight games. Mike Woodson’s club has won four of their last five games at Madison Square Garden, but was blown out by the Nets the last time these teams hooked up at the Garden in January, 103-80.
Rockets at Raptors – 7:05 PM EST
Houston: 49-24 SU, 37-34-2 ATS
Toronto: 42-32 SU, 43-29-2 ATS
The Rockets are one win shy of 50, but have lost each of their last two games to the Clippers and Nets, while Dwight Howard continues to sit out with a sprained ankle. Now, Houston heads to Toronto with no rest looking to improve on a 2-3 SU/ATS record in the last five road opportunities on the second of a back-to-back. The Rockets have stumbled on the highway of late against teams currently in the top eight of either conference, going 2-6 SU/ATS the past eight with the only victories at Charlotte and Phoenix.
The Raptors are back north of the border after splitting a pair of games in Florida against the Magic and Heat. Toronto has performed well off a road setback the last two months, posting an 8-2 SU and 7-2-1 ATS record in this situation, coming off Monday’s defeat at Miami. In the last 12 games at the Air Canada Center, the Raptors have put together an 8-4 SU record with two losses coming in overtime to the Thunder and Wizards. The last time the Raptors and Rockets hooked up in November, Toronto rallied from a 17-point deficit to force overtime, but Houston held on for a 110-104 victory as seven-point favorites.
Warriors at Spurs – 8:35 PM EST
Golden State: 46-28 SU, 35-36-3 ATS
San Antonio: 58-16 SU, 41-33 ATS
The Spurs continue to stay on fire after winning their 18th straight game in Monday’s dominating effort at Indiana. San Antonio picked up a 103-77 rout at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as four-point favorites to improve to 11-2 ATS in the last 13 games. Gregg Popovich’s team is inching closer to home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, while winning each of the last 12 games at the AT&T Center since the start of February.
The Warriors make the short trip to San Antonio after holding off Dallas in overtime on Tuesday night, as Mark Jackson’s club has lost five straight meetings with the Spurs since taking a 2-1 series lead in last season’s conference semifinals. Golden State tries to avoid the season sweep on Wednesday, as the Warriors lost at home to the Spurs on March 22 as 3 ½-point home favorites, 99-90. This team has performed well with no rest since December, winning six of the last eight in the second of a back-to-back.
Clippers at Suns – 10:05 PM EST
Los Angeles: 53-22 SU, 42-32-1 ATS
Phoenix: 44-30 SU, 48-25-1 ATS
The Suns have been the most surprising team in the league after low expectations were predicted. Phoenix is looking for its first playoff appearance since 2010, as Jeff Hornacek’s squad starts tonight’s action sitting in the eighth spot in the Western Conference, one half-game ahead of Dallas. Six of Phoenix’s final eight contests come against teams in playoff contention, as the Suns look to bounce back from Sunday’s ugly showing in a 115-99 defeat to the Lakers to snap a six-game skid.
The Clippers will likely be without Blake Griffin for the second straight game due to a back injury, as Los Angeles looks to finish off this road swing at 4-1. L.A. was tripped up at New Orleans to start the trip, but the Clips pulled off victories over the Mavericks, Rockets, and Timberwolves, while hitting the ‘over’ in all three wins. After getting destroyed by the Suns at Staples Center in late December, the Clippers have won each of the last two meetings with Phoenix, including a 112-105 home triumph on March 10, but the Suns covered as 10 ½-point underdogs.
