Wednesday's Tip Sheet
April 6, 2016
Cavaliers at Pacers – 7:05 PM EST
Cleveland (56-22 SU, 36-39-3 ATS) is creeping closer towards wrapping up the top seed in the Eastern Conference after dominating Milwaukee last night, 109-80 to pick up their fourth straight win and cover. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 24-point halftime lead and never looked back, while evening their mark at 3-3 SU/ATS against division foes on the road this season. Cleveland goes for the season sweep of Indiana after capturing the first three meetings, but the Pacers have covered in two of three losses.
Indiana (41-36 SU, 37-39-1 ATS) received some help on Tuesday when both Detroit and Chicago lost on the road, as the Pacers moved all alone into seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. As of now, the Pacers would avoid the Cavaliers in the opening round of the postseason, as Frank Vogel’s team has one game in hand on the Pistons. The Pacers return home after sweeping a pair of road contests at New York and Philadelphia, but Indiana is coming off an eight-game stretch against teams currently outside of the playoffs. Indiana has been unimpressive against the number recently at 3-7 ATS, including home losses to Oklahoma City, Toronto, and Chicago in this span.
Pistons at Magic – 7:05 PM EST
Four games remain for Detroit (41-37 SU, 39-37-2 ATS), who is seeking its first playoff appearance since 2009. The Pistons were flattened by the Heat on Tuesday, 107-89 as 4 ½-point underdogs, suffering their first loss to Miami this season in three matchups. Stan Van Gundy’s offense continues to struggle by scoring less than 95 points or less in five straight games, resulting in five consecutive ‘unders.’ Detroit owns a 5-0 SU/ATS record in the last five matchups with Orlando since 2014, including a pair of double-digit victories at the Palace of Auburn Hills this season.
Even though they won’t be headed to the playoffs, Orlando (33-44 SU, 43-33-1 ATS) is playing well down the stretch by winning four of its last five games. The Magic cruised past the Grizzlies on Sunday, 119-107 to pick up their fifth consecutive home cover. Scott Skiles’ club is scoring plenty of points of late by posting at least 110 points in each of their past five contests, while eclipsing the ‘over’ in four of the last five home games.
Hornets at Knicks – 7:35 PM EST
Charlotte (44-33 SU, 39-37-1 ATS) suffered a tough loss at Toronto last night, hurting its hopes to win the Southeast division after both Atlanta and Miami won at home. The Hornets lost their second straight game to a top-two team in the East after falling at Cleveland on Sunday, as Steve Clifford’s squad fell behind by 14 points at halftime and fell short in a 96-90 defeat at Toronto as five-point underdogs. Nicolas Batum missed Tuesday’s loss with a strained left knee and is questionable for tonight, as the Hornets dropped to 5-4 SU/ATS without the swingman in the lineup.
New York (31-47 SU, 42-36 ATS) has made strides since last year’s disastrous 17-65 campaign, but the Knicks are going to fall short of the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The Knicks have covered three consecutive games, coming off Sunday’s 92-87 home defeat to the Pacers as seven-point underdogs, even though both Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis sat out. Anthony is expected back tonight while Porzingis is out with a shoulder injury, as the Knicks seek the season split with the Hornets after losing two of the first three meetings.
Rockets at Mavericks – 9:35 PM EST
A Texas-sized battle takes place at the American Airlines Center as these two division rivals hook up for an important game for seeding in the Western Conference playoffs. Houston (38-39 SU, 34-43 ATS) is currently on the outside looking in one season after playing for the Western Conference title. The Rockets sit one half-game behind the Jazz following Utah’s loss to San Antonio on Tuesday, as Houston has lost five straight games off a victory coming off Sunday’s home underdog triumph against Oklahoma City.
The Mavericks (39-38 SU, 42-34-1 ATS) have surged back into the top eight of the West following four consecutive victories, capped off by Sunday’s 88-78 win at Minnesota as 2 ½-point favorites. Dallas has slowed down the pace during this stretch with starting point guard Deron Williams sidelined as the Mavs have scored 98 points or fewer in all four wins. However, Rick Carlisle’s club has stepped up on the defensive side by allowing 89 points or less in each game during this hot streak, resulting in a 4-0 mark to the ‘under.’ The Mavs have dropped two of three matchups with the Rockets this season, including a 100-96 home setback in December.
Thunder at Blazers – 10:05 PM EST
Oklahoma City (54-24 SU, 34-43-1 ATS) locked up the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs after routing Denver on Tuesday, 124-102 as nine-point favorites. The Thunder have struggled with no rest by compiling a 6-8 SU/ATS record on the second of a back-to-back, including a 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS mark in the last six road games with no rest. Billy Donovan’s team has won two of the first three meetings with the Blazers, including a 128-94 blowout as 7 ½-point home favorites on March 14.
If the playoffs started today (big if), the Blazers (42-37 SU, 44-35 ATS) would face the Thunder in the 3/6 matchup in the opening round. Portland returns home after rallying past Sacramento last night, 115-107 as four-point favorites to pull off the season sweep of the Kings. The Blazers haven’t performed well with no rest, winning just five times in 18 tries in this situation, including a 2-4 SU/ATS record at home. The ‘under’ has hit in six of the last eight games for Portland, even though the Blazers have scored at least 105 points seven times in this stretch.
April 6, 2016
Cavaliers at Pacers – 7:05 PM EST
Cleveland (56-22 SU, 36-39-3 ATS) is creeping closer towards wrapping up the top seed in the Eastern Conference after dominating Milwaukee last night, 109-80 to pick up their fourth straight win and cover. The Cavaliers jumped out to a 24-point halftime lead and never looked back, while evening their mark at 3-3 SU/ATS against division foes on the road this season. Cleveland goes for the season sweep of Indiana after capturing the first three meetings, but the Pacers have covered in two of three losses.
Indiana (41-36 SU, 37-39-1 ATS) received some help on Tuesday when both Detroit and Chicago lost on the road, as the Pacers moved all alone into seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. As of now, the Pacers would avoid the Cavaliers in the opening round of the postseason, as Frank Vogel’s team has one game in hand on the Pistons. The Pacers return home after sweeping a pair of road contests at New York and Philadelphia, but Indiana is coming off an eight-game stretch against teams currently outside of the playoffs. Indiana has been unimpressive against the number recently at 3-7 ATS, including home losses to Oklahoma City, Toronto, and Chicago in this span.
Pistons at Magic – 7:05 PM EST
Four games remain for Detroit (41-37 SU, 39-37-2 ATS), who is seeking its first playoff appearance since 2009. The Pistons were flattened by the Heat on Tuesday, 107-89 as 4 ½-point underdogs, suffering their first loss to Miami this season in three matchups. Stan Van Gundy’s offense continues to struggle by scoring less than 95 points or less in five straight games, resulting in five consecutive ‘unders.’ Detroit owns a 5-0 SU/ATS record in the last five matchups with Orlando since 2014, including a pair of double-digit victories at the Palace of Auburn Hills this season.
Even though they won’t be headed to the playoffs, Orlando (33-44 SU, 43-33-1 ATS) is playing well down the stretch by winning four of its last five games. The Magic cruised past the Grizzlies on Sunday, 119-107 to pick up their fifth consecutive home cover. Scott Skiles’ club is scoring plenty of points of late by posting at least 110 points in each of their past five contests, while eclipsing the ‘over’ in four of the last five home games.
Hornets at Knicks – 7:35 PM EST
Charlotte (44-33 SU, 39-37-1 ATS) suffered a tough loss at Toronto last night, hurting its hopes to win the Southeast division after both Atlanta and Miami won at home. The Hornets lost their second straight game to a top-two team in the East after falling at Cleveland on Sunday, as Steve Clifford’s squad fell behind by 14 points at halftime and fell short in a 96-90 defeat at Toronto as five-point underdogs. Nicolas Batum missed Tuesday’s loss with a strained left knee and is questionable for tonight, as the Hornets dropped to 5-4 SU/ATS without the swingman in the lineup.
New York (31-47 SU, 42-36 ATS) has made strides since last year’s disastrous 17-65 campaign, but the Knicks are going to fall short of the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The Knicks have covered three consecutive games, coming off Sunday’s 92-87 home defeat to the Pacers as seven-point underdogs, even though both Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis sat out. Anthony is expected back tonight while Porzingis is out with a shoulder injury, as the Knicks seek the season split with the Hornets after losing two of the first three meetings.
Rockets at Mavericks – 9:35 PM EST
A Texas-sized battle takes place at the American Airlines Center as these two division rivals hook up for an important game for seeding in the Western Conference playoffs. Houston (38-39 SU, 34-43 ATS) is currently on the outside looking in one season after playing for the Western Conference title. The Rockets sit one half-game behind the Jazz following Utah’s loss to San Antonio on Tuesday, as Houston has lost five straight games off a victory coming off Sunday’s home underdog triumph against Oklahoma City.
The Mavericks (39-38 SU, 42-34-1 ATS) have surged back into the top eight of the West following four consecutive victories, capped off by Sunday’s 88-78 win at Minnesota as 2 ½-point favorites. Dallas has slowed down the pace during this stretch with starting point guard Deron Williams sidelined as the Mavs have scored 98 points or fewer in all four wins. However, Rick Carlisle’s club has stepped up on the defensive side by allowing 89 points or less in each game during this hot streak, resulting in a 4-0 mark to the ‘under.’ The Mavs have dropped two of three matchups with the Rockets this season, including a 100-96 home setback in December.
Thunder at Blazers – 10:05 PM EST
Oklahoma City (54-24 SU, 34-43-1 ATS) locked up the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs after routing Denver on Tuesday, 124-102 as nine-point favorites. The Thunder have struggled with no rest by compiling a 6-8 SU/ATS record on the second of a back-to-back, including a 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS mark in the last six road games with no rest. Billy Donovan’s team has won two of the first three meetings with the Blazers, including a 128-94 blowout as 7 ½-point home favorites on March 14.
If the playoffs started today (big if), the Blazers (42-37 SU, 44-35 ATS) would face the Thunder in the 3/6 matchup in the opening round. Portland returns home after rallying past Sacramento last night, 115-107 as four-point favorites to pull off the season sweep of the Kings. The Blazers haven’t performed well with no rest, winning just five times in 18 tries in this situation, including a 2-4 SU/ATS record at home. The ‘under’ has hit in six of the last eight games for Portland, even though the Blazers have scored at least 105 points seven times in this stretch.
