SPORTS ADVISORS
FRIDAY, MARCH 5
NBA
L.A. Lakers (46-16, 26-33-3 ATS) at Charlotte (28-31, 31-28 ATS)
The Lakers, looking to get back on the winning track a night after losing in Miami, continue their brief three-game road trip with a stop in Charlotte to take on the Bobcats.
Los Angeles fell 114-111 in overtime to the Heat on Thursday, getting upset as a five-point road chalk. Kobe Bryant had 39 points to pace the Lakers, but they allowed Dwyane Wade to go for 27 points and 14 assists as the Heat shot 53 percent from he field and 47 percent from beyond the three-point line. Los Angeles is 17-11 on the highway but just 11-16-1 ATS.
Charlotte has dropped five of six (both SU and ATS), including a 104-80 loss in Boston on Wednesday, never threatening to cover as a 4½-point underdog. The Bobcats have lost two of three at home, including Monday’s 89-84 setback to the Mavericks as a three-point favorite. Charlotte have struggled offensively lately, managing just 88.7 points per game on 41.8 percent shooting over their last six, while giving up 95.8 ppg (48.5 percent).
On Feb. 3, Los Angeles nipped the Bobcats 99-97, falling well short as a 10½-point home chalk. In last year’s meeting in Charlotte, the Bobcats pulled off a 94-84 upset as 5½-point underdogs. Charlotte has dominated this series lately, winning six of the last eight meetings SU and grabbing the cash in nine of the last 10. The Bobcats are 4-0 ATS in the last four battles, but the road team has cashed in five of the last six overall.
Los Angeles is on ATS slides of 1-6-1 overall, 3-8 on Friday, 1-5-1 as a favorite and 3-10-1 on the road against teams with a winning home record. Charlotte is riding positive pointspread streaks of 16-5-1 against Pacific Division teams and 4-1 on Friday, but it is just 3-10 ATS in its last 13 after a day off and 1-5 ATS in its last six against Western Conference teams.
The Lakers have topped the total in five of six against Southeast Division teams, but they remain on “under” streaks of 6-2 on the road, 7-2 as a favorite, 5-1 as a road chalk and 4-2 against teams with a losing record. The Bobcats have stayed below the posted number in four of six overall and three of five against Western Conference teams, but they are on “over” runs of 8-3 on Friday, 34-16-1 against Pacific Division teams and 4-1 as a home ‘dog.
In this series, the “under” has been the play in four of the last six overall.
ATS ADVANTAGE: CHARLOTTE
New Orleans (31-31, 30-31-1 ATS) at San Antonio (34-24, 27-30-1 ATS)
The Hornets head to the AT&T Center in San Antonio looking to snap a three-game losing streak while the Spurs are seeking their third straight victory as these Southwest Division rivals hook up for the second time in four days.
New Orleans has dropped five of six (2-3-1 ATS) overall, including a 104-100 home loss to Memphis on Wednesday, failing as a 2½-point favorite. Both teams shot the ball well but the Hornets were outrebounded 39-34. They are just 11-20 on the highway this season, but they’ve cashed in 16 of the 21 road games.
San Antonio has won two straight (1-1 ATS), most recently scoring a 106-92 road win against these Hornets in New Orleans on Monday, cashing as a three-point road chalk. The Spurs had six players score in double digits with George Hill leading the way with 23 points and Tim Duncan adding 22 points and nine rebounds. Gregg Popovich’s troops are 21-10 in front of the home fans (16-14-1 ATS).
With Monday’s win and cover, the Spurs have taken the last four in this series (3-1 ATS) and seven of the last 10. San Antonio has won all three this season, including a 113-96 home win back on Oct. 28, easily cashing as a 9½-point favorite. The home team is 12-4 ATS in the last 16 series clashes, with the Spurs taking cashing in six of the last seven inside the AT&T Center.
New Orleans is on ATS slides of 3-13 on Friday and 1-5-1 against Western Conference teams, but it is on positive pointspread streaks of 7-1-1 on the road, 6-1-1 after a day off, 13-5-1 as a ‘dog and 9-1-1 on the road against teams with winning home records. San Antonio is on several ATS skids, including 2-5 overall, 3-8 as a favorite, 1-5 on Friday, 0-4 after three or more days off and 1-6 after a straight-up win.
For the Hornets, the over is on runs of 4-1 overall, 8-1 on the road, 8-3 against Western Conference teams, 9-4 as an underdog, 10-2 after a straight-up loss and 7-1 on the road against teams with winning home records. The Spurs are also on several “over” streaks, including 5-1 overall (3-0 last three), 4-0 against Southwest Division rivals and 5-1 as a chalk.
Finally, the over has been the play in this rivalry in three of the last four meetings overall and five of the seven clashes in San Antonio.
ATS ADVANTAGE: OVER
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MISSOURI VALLEY TOURNAMENT
(at St. Louis, Mo.)
Missouri State (20-11, 15-16 ATS) vs. Wichita State (23-8, 11-12-1 ATS)
Wichita State shoots for its fifth straight victory over the Bears – including the third this season – when these teams clash in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament at the Scottrade Center.
Missouri State advanced with last night’s 52-46 victory over Evansville, falling short as a 9½-point favorite. The Bears have won three of their last four games following a 5-9 SU tumble, all in conference. However, they’ve been a disaster at the betting window lately, going 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games.
The Shockers closed out regular-season play with Saturday’s 76-55 destruction of Southern Illinois, easily cashing as a 7½-point home favorite to finish second in the league standings and earn a first-round bye. With the win over Southern Illinois, Wichita State snapped a two-game SU and six-game ATS losing skid. The Shockers started the season 19-4 but split their final eight games. Also, they’ve lost four straight (1-3 ATS) and six of seven (1-5-1 ATS) on the highway.
Wichita State swept the season series from the Bears by a total of five points, winning 65-62 as a 2½-point road underdog on Jan. 6 and 66-64 as a seven-point home chalk on Valentine’s Day. The Shockers are 4-0 (2-2 ATS) going back to last February, including a 59-46 rout as a four-point favorite in the quarterfinals of last year’s MVC tourney.
Missouri State has cashed in four of its last five games after a non-cover, but is otherwise in ATS funks of 16-34-2 in conference play and 0-5 at neutral sites. The underdog is 6-1 ATS in the Bears’ last seven games and 11-4 ATS in their last 15. Meanwhile, the Shockers have failed to cover in eight of their last 11 games, going 1-6 ATS in their last seven as a favorite.
The under is 5-0 in the Bears’ last four neutral-site contests and 5-0 in their last five after a non-cover. The under is also 6-3 in Wichita’s last nine games, including 4-1 away from home. Finally, the last three meetings in this rivalry going back to last season’s MVC tourney contest have stayed under the total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
Indiana State (17-13, 16-11 ATS) at Illinois State (21-9, 13-13 ATS)
Indiana State battles the Redbirds for the second time in eight days, this time in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley tournament.
The Sycamores got dumped 75-58 at Illinois State as a 10-point underdog last Thursday, but rebounded with Saturday’s 75-72 overtime victory over Missouri State as a one-point road underdog. Indiana State is 6-4 SU and 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games, but it has lost four straight away from home (2-2 ATS). Indiana State finished in a tie for fifth in the Missouri Valley with a .500 league record in 18 games (11-7 ATS).
Illinois State ran its winning streak to six in a row with last week’s rout of Indiana State, but the run ended Saturday with a 61-55 loss at first-place Northern Iowa. However, the Redbirds covered as a 7½-point road pup, so they’ve rebounded from a 4-8 ATS funk to cash in each of their last three games. Illinois State finished third in the league standings at 11-7 (10-8 ATS), one game ahead of Creighton and one game behind Wichita State.
These teams split their two battles this season, with Indiana State prevailing 72-65 as a two-point home underdog on Feb. 3. With last Thursday’s victory at home, the Redbirds snapped a four-game SU and six-game ATS streak to the Sycamores in this rivalry. Also, the ‘dog had been on an 8-0 ATS roll prior to last week’s clash.
Indiana State is on pointspread upticks of 8-2 overall, 19-7 within the Missouri Valley, 4-1 at neutral sites, 5-0 after a SU victory and 6-1 against winning teams. The Redbirds are on ATS runs of 4-1 overall (all versus winning teams), but the underdog has covered in six of their last seven games, the only exception being last week’s contest against the Sycamores.
Indiana State is on “over” surges of 4-1 overall, 4-0 in conference and 5-0 versus winning teams, while Illinois State has topped the total in five of six after a spread-cover and four of five following a SU victory. However, the under is 10-3 in the Redbirds’ last 13 neutral-site outings and 4-1 in their last five on Friday.
Finally, these teams have topped the total in each of their last seven series meetings.
ATS ADVANTAGE: INDIANA STATE
