Wednesday's Tip Sheet
January 25, 2017
There were several high-scoring affairs in the NBA on Tuesday as the OVER cashed in four of six contests. The most impressive victory of the night came by the suddenly streaking 76ers, who erased a 19-point third quarter deficit to stun the Clippers, 121-110 to win their sixth consecutive home game. The Spurs edged the Raptors, 108-106 as 2 ½-point road underdogs as Kawhi Leonard sat out for San Antonio. Favorites posted a 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS record, as the only ‘dog to cash in a loss was Phoenix in a one-point setback to Minnesota.
Game of the Night – Warriors (-9 ½, 222) at Hornets – 8:00 PM EST – ESPN
Golden State (38-7 SU, 20-24-1 ATS) had its seven-game winning streak disappear on Dion Waiters’ three-pointer in the final seconds of its loss at Miami on Monday, 105-102 as 11-point favorites. The Warriors struggled from downtown by hitting only 8-of-30 attempts, including a 1-of-8 effort from Kevin Durant, who scored a team-high 27 points. Steve Kerr’s squad cashed the UNDER for the fifth straight game, while posting their lowest point total since getting held to 89 points at Memphis on December 10.
Charlotte (23-22 SU, 21-23-1 ATS) also saw its hot streak end, albeit at only three games in Monday’s 109-99 setback to Washington as 6 ½-point favorites. The Hornets were held to 39% shooting from the floor, as Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum combined to shoot 9-of-33 from the floor for 25 points. Charlotte wraps up a five-game homestand as the Hornets are seeking their first victory in the home underdog role by posting an 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS mark.
The Warriors have captured each of the past four meetings with the Hornets since 2014, including a pair of victories at Spectrum Center. Charlotte’s last home victory over Golden State came in December 2013, even though Stephen Curry lit up the Hornets for 43 points.
Not So Lucky
The Celtics began January by winning six of their first seven games, but Boston has gone backwards of late by losing three consecutive contests. Boston’s defense has fallen apart during this losing streak by allowing 117, 127 (overtime), and 123 points, while giving up 58% shooting to Washington in last night’s 15-point defeat. The Celtics have yielded at least 100 points in 16 of the last 17 games, while cashing the OVER 15 times in this stretch.
Boston returns home and things don’t ease up tonight against a high-powered Houston offense. The Rockets have alternated wins and losses in each of the past seven games, coming off a 127-114 defeat at Milwaukee on Monday as 4 ½-point favorites. Tonight’s total opened at 230, as Houston is 3-2 to the OVER on totals at 230 or higher, including a 2-0 OVER mark on the road in this situation. In their last meeting in Houston in early December, the Rockets edged the Celtics, 107-106 as 5 ½-point favorites.
Phantastic Philly
The 76ers are no joke anymore, as Philadelphia has won nine of its past 12 games, including Tuesday’s comeback victory over the Clippers. To put things in perspective, Philadelphia grabbed only 10 victories all of last season, as the 76ers travel to Milwaukee tonight. The Sixers have covered 11 of their previous 13 contests, including a 6-2 ATS mark in their last eight games away from Wells Fargo Center.
One of those wins came at Milwaukee on January 16 as the Sixers topped the Bucks, 113-104 as 8 ½-point underdogs. However, Philadelphia has struggled on the road with no rest by posting a 1-7 SU and 2-6 ATS record, while coming off recent losses by 16 and 17 points. Center Joel Embiid will sit out tonight for Philadelphia, as the 76ers have compiled a 3-10 SU and 6-7 ATS record with the former Kansas star sidelined. The Bucks snapped a five-game skid in Monday’s 127-114 underdog victory over the Rockets, but Milwaukee owns a 1-6 ATS record in its last seven in the favorite role as it opened as 11-point chalk tonight.
Pelican Power
New Orleans has seen both sides of the spectrum over the last few days by allowing 143 points to Brooklyn, who owns the worst record in the NBA, while defeating Cleveland (the top team in the East) without its best player, Anthony Davis, in Monday’s 124-122 upset as 9 ½-point underdogs. Terrence Jones and Jrue Holiday combined to torch Cleveland for 69 points, while New Orleans drilled 16 three-pointers.
Davis is probable tonight against the Thunder, who wrap up a six-game road swing. Oklahoma City bounced back from a pair of blowout losses by edging Utah on Monday, 97-95 on Russell Westbrook’s jumper in the final seconds. The Thunder have captured each of the first two matchups with the Pelicans this season, including a 121-110 victory in New Orleans last month as two-point favorites.
Toronto Troubles
The Raptors suffered their fourth consecutive setback in last night’s 108-106 defeat to the Spurs, as Toronto continues to play without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan. The shooting guard will sit out again tonight at Memphis with a sprained ankle, suffered in Sunday’s loss in Phoenix. The Raptors have allowed at least 100 points in nine of the past 10 games, while dropping six of the previous eight contests away from Air Canada Center.
The Grizzlies have lost three of their past four games, coming off Saturday’s 119-95 home blowout loss to the Rockets. Memphis has cashed the UNDER in six of the last seven contests, including four of the past five at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies have struggled with the Raptors the last few seasons by losing six of the previous seven meetings, including a 120-105 setback in Toronto in late November.
Bull Busters
The Hawks have won six consecutive meetings with the Bulls, including a pair of victories at Philips Arena earlier this season. Atlanta looks to bounce back following a 10-point defeat to the Clippers on Monday as the Hawks have won seven straight off a loss since early December. The Bulls are looking to build on a two-game winning streak after Tuesday’s 100-92 victory at Orlando, the fourth straight UNDER cashed by Chicago.
Head-to-Head Trends
-- Cleveland has won four straight matchups with Sacramento, as the Cavaliers have scored exactly 120 points in each of the last three meetings. The Cavs have covered in all four of these wins, including as six-point road favorites earlier this month, 120-108.
-- The Heat and Nets are meeting for the first time this season, as Miami captured three of four matchups last season. Miami has had its way at Barclays Center recently by winning and covering the last five visits to Brooklyn, but the Heat are currently on a 1-12 stretch on the road.
-- Dallas entered this season with five consecutive wins over New York before the Knicks dominated the Mavericks in mid-November, 93-77. The teams meet at American Airlines Center tonight as the Knicks have covered in each of their past three trips to Dallas, despite losing by two points in Texas last season.
-- The Lakers are coming off their worst loss in franchise history, falling to the Mavericks on Sunday, 122-73. Los Angeles will try to turn things around tonight at Portland against a Blazers’ squad that has beaten the Lakers twice this season. Portland has won 10 consecutive meetings with Los Angeles, while covering eight times in this stretch, including four straight covers at Moda Center.
January 25, 2017
There were several high-scoring affairs in the NBA on Tuesday as the OVER cashed in four of six contests. The most impressive victory of the night came by the suddenly streaking 76ers, who erased a 19-point third quarter deficit to stun the Clippers, 121-110 to win their sixth consecutive home game. The Spurs edged the Raptors, 108-106 as 2 ½-point road underdogs as Kawhi Leonard sat out for San Antonio. Favorites posted a 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS record, as the only ‘dog to cash in a loss was Phoenix in a one-point setback to Minnesota.
Game of the Night – Warriors (-9 ½, 222) at Hornets – 8:00 PM EST – ESPN
Golden State (38-7 SU, 20-24-1 ATS) had its seven-game winning streak disappear on Dion Waiters’ three-pointer in the final seconds of its loss at Miami on Monday, 105-102 as 11-point favorites. The Warriors struggled from downtown by hitting only 8-of-30 attempts, including a 1-of-8 effort from Kevin Durant, who scored a team-high 27 points. Steve Kerr’s squad cashed the UNDER for the fifth straight game, while posting their lowest point total since getting held to 89 points at Memphis on December 10.
Charlotte (23-22 SU, 21-23-1 ATS) also saw its hot streak end, albeit at only three games in Monday’s 109-99 setback to Washington as 6 ½-point favorites. The Hornets were held to 39% shooting from the floor, as Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum combined to shoot 9-of-33 from the floor for 25 points. Charlotte wraps up a five-game homestand as the Hornets are seeking their first victory in the home underdog role by posting an 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS mark.
The Warriors have captured each of the past four meetings with the Hornets since 2014, including a pair of victories at Spectrum Center. Charlotte’s last home victory over Golden State came in December 2013, even though Stephen Curry lit up the Hornets for 43 points.
Not So Lucky
The Celtics began January by winning six of their first seven games, but Boston has gone backwards of late by losing three consecutive contests. Boston’s defense has fallen apart during this losing streak by allowing 117, 127 (overtime), and 123 points, while giving up 58% shooting to Washington in last night’s 15-point defeat. The Celtics have yielded at least 100 points in 16 of the last 17 games, while cashing the OVER 15 times in this stretch.
Boston returns home and things don’t ease up tonight against a high-powered Houston offense. The Rockets have alternated wins and losses in each of the past seven games, coming off a 127-114 defeat at Milwaukee on Monday as 4 ½-point favorites. Tonight’s total opened at 230, as Houston is 3-2 to the OVER on totals at 230 or higher, including a 2-0 OVER mark on the road in this situation. In their last meeting in Houston in early December, the Rockets edged the Celtics, 107-106 as 5 ½-point favorites.
Phantastic Philly
The 76ers are no joke anymore, as Philadelphia has won nine of its past 12 games, including Tuesday’s comeback victory over the Clippers. To put things in perspective, Philadelphia grabbed only 10 victories all of last season, as the 76ers travel to Milwaukee tonight. The Sixers have covered 11 of their previous 13 contests, including a 6-2 ATS mark in their last eight games away from Wells Fargo Center.
One of those wins came at Milwaukee on January 16 as the Sixers topped the Bucks, 113-104 as 8 ½-point underdogs. However, Philadelphia has struggled on the road with no rest by posting a 1-7 SU and 2-6 ATS record, while coming off recent losses by 16 and 17 points. Center Joel Embiid will sit out tonight for Philadelphia, as the 76ers have compiled a 3-10 SU and 6-7 ATS record with the former Kansas star sidelined. The Bucks snapped a five-game skid in Monday’s 127-114 underdog victory over the Rockets, but Milwaukee owns a 1-6 ATS record in its last seven in the favorite role as it opened as 11-point chalk tonight.
Pelican Power
New Orleans has seen both sides of the spectrum over the last few days by allowing 143 points to Brooklyn, who owns the worst record in the NBA, while defeating Cleveland (the top team in the East) without its best player, Anthony Davis, in Monday’s 124-122 upset as 9 ½-point underdogs. Terrence Jones and Jrue Holiday combined to torch Cleveland for 69 points, while New Orleans drilled 16 three-pointers.
Davis is probable tonight against the Thunder, who wrap up a six-game road swing. Oklahoma City bounced back from a pair of blowout losses by edging Utah on Monday, 97-95 on Russell Westbrook’s jumper in the final seconds. The Thunder have captured each of the first two matchups with the Pelicans this season, including a 121-110 victory in New Orleans last month as two-point favorites.
Toronto Troubles
The Raptors suffered their fourth consecutive setback in last night’s 108-106 defeat to the Spurs, as Toronto continues to play without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan. The shooting guard will sit out again tonight at Memphis with a sprained ankle, suffered in Sunday’s loss in Phoenix. The Raptors have allowed at least 100 points in nine of the past 10 games, while dropping six of the previous eight contests away from Air Canada Center.
The Grizzlies have lost three of their past four games, coming off Saturday’s 119-95 home blowout loss to the Rockets. Memphis has cashed the UNDER in six of the last seven contests, including four of the past five at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies have struggled with the Raptors the last few seasons by losing six of the previous seven meetings, including a 120-105 setback in Toronto in late November.
Bull Busters
The Hawks have won six consecutive meetings with the Bulls, including a pair of victories at Philips Arena earlier this season. Atlanta looks to bounce back following a 10-point defeat to the Clippers on Monday as the Hawks have won seven straight off a loss since early December. The Bulls are looking to build on a two-game winning streak after Tuesday’s 100-92 victory at Orlando, the fourth straight UNDER cashed by Chicago.
Head-to-Head Trends
-- Cleveland has won four straight matchups with Sacramento, as the Cavaliers have scored exactly 120 points in each of the last three meetings. The Cavs have covered in all four of these wins, including as six-point road favorites earlier this month, 120-108.
-- The Heat and Nets are meeting for the first time this season, as Miami captured three of four matchups last season. Miami has had its way at Barclays Center recently by winning and covering the last five visits to Brooklyn, but the Heat are currently on a 1-12 stretch on the road.
-- Dallas entered this season with five consecutive wins over New York before the Knicks dominated the Mavericks in mid-November, 93-77. The teams meet at American Airlines Center tonight as the Knicks have covered in each of their past three trips to Dallas, despite losing by two points in Texas last season.
-- The Lakers are coming off their worst loss in franchise history, falling to the Mavericks on Sunday, 122-73. Los Angeles will try to turn things around tonight at Portland against a Blazers’ squad that has beaten the Lakers twice this season. Portland has won 10 consecutive meetings with Los Angeles, while covering eight times in this stretch, including four straight covers at Moda Center.
