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NBA Betting News and Trends For Sunday, April 15, 2018

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Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Sunday, April 15, 2018 from various handicappers and websites

 
Posted : April 14, 2018 10:22 pm
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Sunday’s games

Bucks vs Celtics (0-0)

Milwaukee lost its last seven first round series; their last series win was in 2001. Bucks fired their coach during the season. Milwaukee split its last six games with Boston; they’re 5-3 in last eight games overall, 4-1 vs spread in last five road games. Over is 7-2-1 in last ten series games. Celtics are without Hayward/Irving; they lost four of last six games, but covered three of their last four home games. Six of last seven Celtic games, 8 of last 10 Buck games went over the total. Boston is in playoffs for 10th time in last 11 years; they lost three of last four first round series.

Pacers vs Cavaliers (0-0)

Indiana won/covered three of last four games with Cleveland, splitting pair here; under is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Pacers are in playoffs for 7th time in last eight years; they lost in first round last two years. Indiana won seven of its last 10 games, covered four of last six road games. Over is 5-5 in their last ten games. Cavaliers won six of last eight games, are 3-2 vs spread in last five home games. Three of their last four games went over total. Cleveland was in Finals the last three years; they won their last six first round series.

Jazz vs Thunder (0-0)

Utah is in playoffs for 2nd year in row, after missing them five of previous six years; Jazz won four of last six first round series. Utah lost six of last seven games with Oklahoma City (2-5 vs spread); they’re 2-4 vs spread in last six games in this arena. Last four series games stayed under the total. Jazz won six of their last seven games; they’re 3-3 vs spread in last six road games. OKC won its last three games; under is 8-2 in their last 10 games. Thunder is 0-4-1 vs spread in last five home games; they’re in playoffs eight time in last nine years, and won five of last six first round series.

Timberwolves vs Rockets (0-0)

Minnesota is in playoffs for first time in 14 years; Houston is in playoffs for 6th year in row; they are 2-3 in last five first round series. Rockets won more games this year than in two years when they won NBA title in 90’s. Houston won its last six games with Minnesota, covering last four; Wolves are 3-2 vs spread in last five games in this building. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Minnesota beat Denver in OT Wednesday just to make playoffs; they won five of last seven games, covered last four. Rockets split their last six games, are 1-6 vs spread in last seven, as they coasted at end to get to this point.

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 7:48 am
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Milwaukee Bucks vs. Boston Celtics Preview and Predictions 04-15-2018

14th April 2018 by Gracenote
the boston celtics endured a regular season filled with injuries and were barely above .500 over the final three months. the second-seeded celtics hope to turn the page from some trying times when they host the milwaukee bucks on sunday in game 1 of a best-of-seven eastern conference first-round series.

boston, which lost star forward gordon hayward (ankle) minutes into the first game of the season, will be without all-star guard kyrie irving (knee) for the playoffs and defensive stopper marcus smart for another two weeks, if it lasts that long. "i think the way i look at it is, whether we were 100 percent with all our players or not, we're coming in really focused in what we need to do and really just focused on game 1," all-star forward al horford told reporters. "i really want the guys to understand you're not going to win the series in the first game, you're not going to lose it. it's just being able to stay in the moment and just enjoy this." the seventh-seeded bucks split four meetings with the celtics this season and they have the best active player on the two teams by a wide margin in forward giannis antetokounmpo, who averaged 33.5 points and 10.8 rebounds in the season series. this is the sixth playoff series between the two teams but the first since the 1987 eastern conference semifinals

tv: 1 p.m. et, tnt, fs wisconsin (milwaukee), nbcs boston

about the bucks (44-38): milwaukee is in the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2003 and 2004 and is looking to snap a string of seven straight first-round exits, including a six-game setback against toronto last spring. "we're a better team than last year, more mature," antetokounmpo told the milwaukee journal sentinel. "we're older and hopefully we can be focused as a team because i think that's what sometimes lacks on our team. there's some stages of the game that we're not focused. i don't know why that comes to our team, but hopefully this year when we get to the playoffs we can be focused for 48 minutes and do what we got to do and that's getting the job done." the bucks did not have jabari parker in the playoffs last year due to an acl tear but the 23-year-old forward is all the way back from the injury and averaged 19.5 points in april.
about the celtics (55-27): boston will lean heavily on second-year guard jaylen brown and rookie jayson tatum for scoring, while terry rozier - who took over at point guard when irving was lost for the season - will be trying to prove he can run the show in a more pressure-packed environment. "it sucks to see your brothers go down ... but, like i said, it's not over," rozier told reporters. "it's not going to be an easy road for our opponents. they still have to go through us. we're ready." reserve center greg monroe, who spent two-plus seasons with the bucks before being traded to phoenix in november, has become a key contributor and averaged 13.5 points on 63.3 percent shooting and 7.7 rebounds in april.

walk-offs

1. bucks pg eric bledsoe averaged 24.7 points in a six-game run from march 30 through april 9, and he was 8-of-9 from the floor in a win over boston in the middle of that stretch.

2. rozier shot 10-of-38 from the floor over his last four games of the regular season.

3. antetokounmpo averaged 24.8 points on 53.6 percent shooting in the first round against the raptors last season.

prediction: celtics 107, bucks 105

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 7:55 am
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Indiana Pacers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Preview and Predictions 04-15-2018

14th April 2018 by Gracenote
the cleveland cavaliers are hitting the playoffs and trying to earn their fourth consecutive trip to the nba finals but will be doing it from an unfamiliar position - fourth place. the cavaliers will have homecourt advantage in the first round as they try to carry the momentum from a strong finish in the regular season into game 1 against the visiting no. 5 seed indiana pacers on sunday.

cleveland revamped its roster at the trade deadline and battled through some inconsistency with the new rotations and injured players until putting everything together and finishing the regular season with wins in 11 of the last 14 games. "the most important thing, i think, is competing and playing hard," cavaliers coach tyronn lue told reporters. "i think you get deflections, get a steal, get an easy basket. the easiest way to play your first time in the playoffs is just playing hard. i think the fans appreciate that, guys on the floor, taking charges, that's what gets you motivated. that's what gets the crowd motivated, and it helps you ease into the game better." the pacers were a surprising contender for homecourt in the east behind all-star guard victor oladipo, who is looking forward to leading a team into the playoffs. "we've just got to go out there and play at a high level," oladipo told reporters. "it's not going to be easy, but it ain't been easy all year for us. we've got to go out there with that mentality and try to win it. that's what we're trying to do. we're trying to go make it close and have fun, we're trying to win."

tv: 3:30 p.m. et, abc

about the pacers (48-34): indiana was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the cavaliers last spring but is a different team this time around thanks to the presence of oladipo, who was acquired last summer in the deal that sent paul george to oklahoma city. oladipo led the team in scoring at an average of 23.1 points and is part of a roster that enjoys being around one another. "great group of guys, man," point guard darren collison - another new addition this season - told the team's website. "everybody is great people. it's one thing to have great players, but i've been on a lot of teams. when you play with great people, it makes everybody's job easier. everybody's listening. nobody has egos. you come in the locker room and everybody's smiling. it's positivity. we trust each other."

about the cavaliers (50-32): cleveland's advantage over every other team in the east is the presence of superstar forward lebron james, who played in all 82 regular-season games for the first time in his career. james, 33, averaged career highs in rebounds (8.6) and assists (9.1) while adding 27.5 points on 54.2 percent shooting. "has it been my best year? it's the best i've felt all season and i've got the numbers to back it up and i've got the wins to back it up as well," james told reporters. "me, personally, i've just tried to be available to my teammates every single night and do everything that i could to win ball games. either by scoring, by rebounding, by defending, by assisting, taking charges, whatever the case may be. statistically it all speaks for itself."

buzzer beaters

1. cavaliers sg rodney hood (achilles) sat out the final two games of the regular season but is expected to be available on sunday.

2. pacers c domantas sabonis closed the regular season strong with 30 points last sunday at charlotte and a double-double in the season finale on tuesday.

3. indiana took three of the four meetings this season, though all four came before cleveland remade its roster at the trade deadline.

prediction: cavaliers 121, pacers 113

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 7:55 am
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Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Preview and Predictions 04-15-2018

14th April 2018 by Gracenote
the utah jazz were one of the hottest teams in the nba over the final two-plus months of the regular season and they'll try to carry that momentum into the playoffs, which begins with a visit to the oklahoma city thunder for game 1 of their best-of-seven western conference first-round series on sunday. the jazz were 19-28 after a loss at atlanta on jan. 22 but stormed back with a 29-6 mark down the stretch to seize the fifth seed in the west.

"it's only brighter from that point," center rudy gobert told the salt lake tribune of the moment when the turnaround began. "i looked at our team, our organization, and i thought, 'why not turn things around?' we were 19-28, but we had everything in our hands. we knew we were going to turn." utah leans on dynamic rookie guard donovan mitchell, while the fourth-seeded thunder boast a trio of veteran stars led by russell westbrook, who averaged a triple-double for the second straight season. the reigning nba mvp did the same in helping oklahoma city win three of four matchups with the jazz, averaging 22.8 points, 11.3 rebounds and 10 assists in the season series. the thunder won 14 of their final 21 games and much of that late success came with the early-march signing of veteran corey brewer, who is questionable for the opener due to a sprained knee.

tv: 6:30 p.m. et, tnt, at&t sportsnet rocky mountain (utah), fs oklahoma

about the jazz (48-34): utah's turnaround roughly coincided with gobert's return from a knee injury and he was dominant at times during the stretch run, averaging 16.6 points on 68.2 percent shooting to go along with 12.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in march. "as a competitor, it's always hard to watch from the sideline," he told the tribune. "but watching them every night really gave me the motivation. when i came back, i really felt like we could do something special." mitchell averaged 20.5 points in his first season and did not show any signs of hitting a rookie wall by scoring above his average in 12 of the final 14 games of the regular season.
about the thunder (48-34): following a first-round exit last season during westbrook's mvp campaign, oklahoma city brought in forwards paul george and carmelo anthony for support, and while it took time to develop, a strong finish has the team feeling pretty good entering the postseason. "this is part of kind of why we wanted to all come together, because we saw an opportunity," anthony told reporters. "this is actually a part of the big picture. this is the journey; to be able to accomplish what we came together to accomplish." while westbrook rallied late to produce his historic triple-double average, george heated up offensively down the stretch while averaging 27.6 points and shooting 40.7 percent from 3-point range in april.

buzzer beaters

1. the season series was over by dec. 23, with oklahoma city winning three straight over utah in a 19-day span that month.

2. westbrook averaged 37.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, 10.8 assists and 2.4 steals in five games of the first-round series loss to the houston rockets last season.

3. this marks the first meeting in the playoffs between the teams since 2000, when the thunder franchise was located in seattle.

prediction: thunder 109, jazz 106

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 7:57 am
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Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Houston Rockets Preview and Predictions 04-15-2018

14th April 2018 by Gracenote
the minnesota timberwolves needed to scratch their way to an overtime victory on the final day of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot - the franchise's first since kevin garnett led the team to the 2004 western conference finals. the timberwolves' reward for that strong finish is a date with the nba-best houston rockets, who host game 1 of the first-round series on sunday.

minnesota has been in playoff mode for well over a week after winning its last three regular-season games to stay alive and finally clinch a spot in the postseason, with all-star swingman jimmy butler leading the way. "let's keep it going," butler told reporters. "it's no different now. it's basketball. there's no pressure on us. we've just got to go out and hoop." the pressure would be on the top-seeded rockets, who set a franchise record with 65 wins during the regular season and appear poised to disrupt the golden state-cleveland lock on the nba finals. "we've enjoyed the year. it's been a great year," houston coach mike d'antoni told reporters. "now it's time for the second phase of it. i think everybody's anxious to get started."

tv: 9 p.m. et, tnt, fs north (minnesota), at&t sportsnet southwest (houston)

about the timberwolves (47-35): minnesota hovered around the third or fourth spot in the west for much of the season before falling off when butler went down with a knee injury. butler's return sparked the team down the stretch, and the no. 8 seed and a date with the rockets is not about to intimidate the timberwolves. "we're a talented group, we got a lot of talent on this team," point guard jeff teague, whose atlanta squad took top-seeded indiana to seven games in the 2014 postseason, told the minneapolis star tribune. "in the playoffs, you need someone who can make shots and take over games at times. i think we have a lot of people on this team who can take over games and have moments. it's all about having fun now. there's no pressure on us. we got in, eighth seed. i've been there and it's a lot of fun. when you're the eighth seed, i promise you it's a lot of fun."

about the rockets (65-17): houston is led by superstar guard james harden, who is the odds-on favorite to win his first mvp award this season after leading the league in scoring at an average of 30.4 points and adding 8.8 assists. the difference for the team this time around in the playoffs is that harden has another future hall of famer in the backcourt with the addition of point guard chris paul, who is in awe of his teammate. "you just never get this opportunity too often in your career to play with somebody like james," paul told reporters. "you get a chance to appreciate greatness. what he's doing on a nightly basis and stuff like that, it's crazy, and i'm grateful that i get the opportunity to play alongside him."

buzzer beaters

1. rockets pf ryan anderson (ankle) is questionable for sunday while pf luc mbah a moute (shoulder) could miss the entire series.

2. minnesota c karl-anthony towns led the nba with 68 double-doubles while averaging 21.3 points and 12.3 rebounds.

3. houston took all four meetings in the regular season with harden averaging 27.3 points and 10.3 assists.

prediction: rockets 119, timberwolves 106

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 7:58 am
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Sunday's Early Tips
April 16, 2018
By Kevin Rogers

Eastern Conference First Round
No. 7 Milwaukee at No. 2 Boston (TNT, 1:05 p.m. ET)

2017-18 Regular Season (Tied 2-2)
Apr. 3 Bucks (-4.5) vs. Celtics 106-102 (Over 204)
Dec. 4 Celtics (-4.5) vs. Bucks 111-100 (Over 203)
Oct. 26 Celtics (+4.5) at Bucks 96-89 (Under 207)
Oct. 18 Bucks (+1.5) at Celtics 108-100 (Over 203.5)

The expectations were sky-high for the Celtics (55-27 SU, 50-30-2 ATS) entering this season with the acquisitions of Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. However, Boston will not have either player in the postseason as the Celtics will have a tough road trying to duplicate last season’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Hayward suffered a devastating leg injury in the first five minutes of the season at Cleveland, as the forward won’t return until next season. Irving put together terrific numbers (24.4 points per game, 5.1 assists per game) in 60 games, but has been sidelined since March 11 with a left knee injury. The former Cavaliers’ standout will also be on the shelf for the playoffs, as the Celtics will have to depend on many of their young guys to pick up the slack.

Among those players, rookie Jayson Tatum played in 80 games this season and produced the third-highest scoring average on the Celtics with 13.9 ppg, while second-year guard Jaylen Brown more than doubled his scoring output by posting 14.5 ppg. Former Louisville guard Terry Rozier blossomed in his third season with Boston by scoring 11.3 ppg off the bench, while participating in 80 contests.

The Bucks (44-38 SU, 34-43-5 ATS) also were a team that were predicted to make strides in the Eastern Conference behind Cleveland. However, the team fired head coach Jason Kidd on January 22 after going 23-22 through 45 games. Milwaukee finished 21-16 under interim coach Joe Prunty and six games back of Cleveland for the top spot in the Central division.

The face of the franchise, Giannis Antetokounmpo set career highs in points per game (26.9) and rebounds per game (10.0), while averaging a double-double for a whole season for the first time in his five-year career. Small forward Khris Middleton rebounded from a 29-game campaign in 2016-17 to play in all 82 games this season and put together a career-best 20.1 ppg. Eric Bledsoe helped solidify the backcourt after the Suns traded the disgruntled guard to the Bucks in November as he averaged 17.8 ppg.

These two teams split their four meetings this season as three of the matchups came before New Year’s Day. Milwaukee caught Boston with no rest after losing Hayward in the season opening defeat at Cleveland, as the Bucks went into TD Garden on October 18 and grabbed a 108-100 victory as 1 ½-point underdogs. The Bucks outscored the Celtics, 32-20 in the final quarter as Antetokounmpo torched Boston for 37 points and 13 rebounds.

The Celtics picked up quick revenge eight days later in Milwaukee at the old MECCA on the campus of UW-Milwaukee. Al Horford scored 27 points on 11-of-14 shooting, while Irving put up 24 points in a 96-89 victory for Boston. Bledsoe didn’t play in the first two matchups for the Bucks, while the Celtics were limited to 42% shooting from the floor in those first two contests.

Boston knocked off Milwaukee in early December at TD Garden, 111-100 as 4 ½-point favorites. The Celtics’ offense finally busted out against the Bucks by hitting 55% of its shots, while Irving posted 32 points in the win. Antetokounmpo scored 40 points in the loss for Milwaukee, who suffered its only loss in a seven-game stretch from November 28 through December 9.

Milwaukee evened the season series in early April, 106-102 as 4 ½-point home favorites. Bledsoe scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor, while Antetokounmpo posted another double-double against the Celtics with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Three of the four matchups sailed OVER the total, including both meetings at TD Garden.

The Bucks closed the season on a 15-2 run to the OVER, including five consecutive OVERS on the highway. Milwaukee lost six of its final nine games in the role of a road underdog, but two of those wins came at Golden State and Toronto. Boston finished off March with six straight wins, but stumbled in April by going 2-4 SU and 3-3 ATS, while hitting the OVER five times.

The Celtics and Bucks are meeting in the playoffs for the first time since 1987, while Milwaukee is looking to advance past the opening round for the first time since 2001.

Eastern Conference First Round
No. 5 Indiana at No. 4 Cleveland (ABC, 3:35 p.m. ET)

2017-18 Regular Season (Pacers 3-1)
Jan. 26 Cavaliers (-6) vs. Pacers 115-108 (Push 223)
Jan. 12 Pacers (+1.5) vs. Cavaliers 97-95 (Under 221)
Dec. 8 Pacers (+3.5) vs. Cavaliers 106-102 (Under 221.5)
Nov. 1 Pacers (+10)vs. Cavaliers 124-107 (Over 217.5)

One of the most remarkable feats in sports is how LeBron James has managed to make the NBA Finals for seven consecutive seasons. That means in four seasons with the Heat and three with the Cavaliers, James’ teams have never lost a playoff series to an Eastern Conference team, going 21-0 in those series.

Last season, the Cavaliers pulled off a four-game sweep in the opening round of the playoffs against the Pacers. It was the third straight season Cleveland needed only four games in the first round to advance, but the Pacers gave the Cavs all they can handle as all four contests were decided by six points or less. In Game 3 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the Cavaliers erased a 26-point deficit to shock Indiana, 119-114 as James put together a triple-double (41 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists) to end any hopes of the Pacers creeping back in the series.

Fast-forward to this season where the Cavaliers (50-32 SU, 32-49-1 ATS) blew up their roster at the All-Star break as guard Isaiah Thomas was sent to the Lakers, while Dwyane Wade, Jae Crowder, and Iman Shumpert were also sent elsewhere. The new nucleus of Rodney Hood, Larry Nance, Jr., and Jordan Clarkson to go along with James and Kevin Love compiled a 20-12 record in the final 32 games to overtake Indiana for the Central division crowd.

The Pacers (48-34 SU, 47-35 ATS) exceeded expectations as this team opened the season with a win total of 30 ½. Paul George’s seven-year tenure with Indiana ended last summer after the All-Star forward was dealt to Oklahoma City for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. Oladipo, whose NBA career never lived up its potential after a successful college career at University of Indiana, exploded for 23.1 ppg and shot a career-best 37% from three-point range.

Indiana captured three of four meetings from Cleveland this season, including a pair of wins in Indianapolis. However, the Pacers shocked the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena in their first matchup on November 1 as 10-point underdogs, 124-107. Indiana knocked down 16 three-pointers in the victory, while the backcourt duo of Oladipo and Darren Collison combined to score 48 points. James paced the Cavs with 33 points and 11 assists, but Cleveland was limited to 7-of-31 shooting from three-point range.

In the next contest in early December at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the Pacers limited the Cavaliers to 39 second half points in a 106-102 triumph. Oladipo led Indiana with 33 points, while Indiana drilled 15 treys in the victory. The Pacers erased a 22-point first quarter deficit in the following meeting in January to shock Cleveland, 97-95. The Cavs struggled again from long distance by going 7-of-34 from three-point range, including a 2-for-9 effort from James.

Cleveland avoided the sweep by beating Indiana, 115-108 to barely cash as six-point favorites. James posted a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, but also committed 11 turnovers. The Cavaliers owned the worst ATS home record in the league at 13-27-1 ATS, but 14 of those non-covers came against non-playoff teams.

In the last three first round series openers, Cleveland has cashed the OVER each time, while going 1-2 ATS in those games. The Pacers have been a solid road team to back in the playoffs since 2016 by cashing in five of the last six opportunities, including in both visits to Cleveland in last season’s first round.

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 8:45 am
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Sunday's Late Tips
April 15, 2018
By Brian Edwards

Western Conference First Round
No. 5 Utah at No. 4 Oklahoma City (TNT, 6:35 p.m. ET)

2017-18 Regular Season (Thunder 3-1)
Dec. 23 Thunder (+1.5) at Jazz 103-89 (Under 197.5)
Dec. 20 Thunder (-8) vs. Jazz 107-79 (Under 196.5)
Dec. 5 Thunder (-8) vs. Jazz 100-94 (Under 199)
Oct. 21 Jazz (+4) vs. Thunder 96-87 (Under 200)

-- As of early this morning, most betting shops had Oklahoma City (48-34 straight up, 34-47-1 against the spread) installed as a 3.5-point home favorite for tonight’s series opener vs. Utah. The total was 206 points and the Jazz were +145 on the money line (risk $100 to win $145).

-- These franchises haven’t met in the playoffs since 2000 when Utah defeated the Seattle Supersonics 3-2 in the opening round.

-- Billy Donovan’s club compiled a 27-14 SU record and a 16-24-1 ATS mark at home during the regular season.

-- OKC star guard Russell Westbrook averaged a triple-double for the second straight season. The UCLA product averaged 25.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. Westbrook also averaged 1.8 steals per game, but he commits 4.8 turnovers per contest. Paul George averaged 21.9 PPG during the regular season, shooting at a 40.1 percent clip from 3-point land. Carmelo Anthony, another star player acquired during the offseason, averaged 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

-- OKC veteran center Steven Adams (13.9 PPG, 9.0 RPG) made 62.9 percent of his field-goal attempts during the regular season, but he’s a liability at the free-throw line (55.7%). Adams is one of The Association’s best offensive rebounders, pulling down 5.1 per game.

-- After the veteran swingman was released by the Lakers back in early March, Corey Brewer reunited with Donovan, his head coach in college at Florida when the Gators won back-to-back national titles. Turns out, the 32-year-old from Portland, Tenn., does have some gas left in the tank. In 18 games with the Thunder, Brewer has averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.3 APG. However, Brewer is listed as ‘questionable’ tonight vs. Utah due to a knee injury.

-- Oklahoma City limped to a 3-6-1 spread record in its last 10 regular-season games.

-- Utah (48-34 SU, 43-39 ATS) closed the regular season on an incredible 29-6 run in its last 35 games. The catalyst in the late-season surge has been rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell, who set an NBA record for first-year players with 187 makes from 3-point range. Since entering the starting lineup in November, Mitchell has averaged 21.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

-- Utah’s Joe Ingles finished fourth in the NBA in 3-point accuracy by burying 44.0 percent of his attempts. He was 10th in total treys made with a franchise record 204 makes. Ingles joined James Harden, Damian Lillard and Kyle Lowry as the league’s only four players to tally 200 3-pointers, 300 assists and 300 rebounds.

-- Utah veteran point guard Ricky Rubio (13.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG) is set to make the first postseason appearance of his career. He led the Jazz in assists (5.3 APG) and steals (1.6 SPG). Rudy Gobert (13.5 PPG, 10.7 RPG) averages team-highs in FG percentage (62.2%) and blocked shots (2.3 BPG), while Derrick Favors (12.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG) converted 56.3 percent of his FGAs and averaged 1.1 blocked shots per game.

-- Utah is 20-21 SU and 21-20 ATS on the road.

-- Utah is ranked second in the NBA in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 99.8 PPG. The Jazz are sixth in FG percentage ‘D’ (44.9%).

-- All four regular-season meetings between these teams came before Christmas. OKC won the season series 3-1, but that was before the Jazz’s furious finish. The ‘under’ cashed in all four encounters. The first meeting took place in Salt Lake City on Oct. 21 when Utah captured a 96-87 win as a 3.5-point home underdog. Ingles led five players in double figures with 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from downtown. Rubio produced 16 points, six rebounds and five assists, while Gobert finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Anthony had a game-high 26 points and George contributed 22 points, five boards and five steals. Westbrook had one of his worst performances of the year with more turnovers (seven) than points (six). Westbrook had 13 rebounds and nine assists, but he was only 2-of-11 from the field.

-- OKC beat Utah by a 100-94 count but failed to cover the number as an eight-point home favorite on Dec. 5. The 194 combined points ‘under’ the 198.5-point tally. The Thunder trailed by seven at intermission and 11 going into the final stanza, but they outscored the Jazz 32-14 in the fourth quarter. Westbrook stole the show with 34 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds. George added 21 points and Adams finished with 20 points and nine boards. Mitchell had 31 points, five steals and four assists in the losing effort.

-- Oklahoma City destroyed Utah 107-79 as an eight-point home ‘chalk’ on Dec. 20. The Thunder raced out to a 25-9 lead to end the first quarter and coasted to victory. Westbrook had 24 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists compared to merely one turnover. George and Anthony added 18 points apiece.

-- Three days later on Dec. 23, OKC captured a 103-89 win at Utah as a 1.5-point road underdog. Westbrook led the way with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while George tallied 26 points, six steals, five rebounds and two blocked shots. Mitchell had a team-best 29 points in defeat.

-- Sportsbook.ag has OKC as the -135 favorite to win the series, leaving the Jazz at +115 on the comeback.

-- The ‘under’ finished the regular season on an 8-2 run for OKC. The Thunder has seen the ‘under’ go 46-36 overall, 23-18 in its home outings.

-- The ‘over’ went 8-3 in Utah’s last 11 games despite back-to-back ‘unders’ to close the regular season. The Jazz have watched the ‘under’ go 42-39-1 overall, but the ‘over’ cashed at a 23-17-1 clip in its road assignments.

Western Conference First Round
No. 8 Minnesota at No. 1 Houston (TNT, 9:05 p.m. ET)

2017-18 Regular Season (Rockets 4-0)
Mar. 18 Rockets (-7) at Timberwolves 129-120 (Over 222.5)
Feb. 23 Rockets (-7.5) vs. Timberwolves 120-102 (Under 223)
Feb. 12 Rockets (-3.5) at Timberwolves 126-108 (Over 224)
Jan. 18 Rockets (-5.5)vs. Timberwolves 116-98 (Under 225)

-- As of early this morning, most spots had Houston (65-17 SU, 41-40 ATS) listed as an 11-point favorite with a total of 216.5. The Timberwolves were +700 on the money line (risk $100 to win $700).

-- Sportsbook.ag has the Rockets as enormous -3500 favorites to advance to the West semifinals. The T-wolves are +1500 underdogs to pull the upset over the conference’s No. 1 seed (risk $100 to win $1,500). The offshore shop also has adjusted line for the series opener. If you’re really bullish on Houston, you can take it -17.5 points for a +200 payout. On the flip side, the T-wolves have +220 odds as 5.5-point underdogs.

-- Mike D’Antoni’s squad went 34-7 SU and 17-23-1 ATS at home this year.

-- Houston limped to a 9-17 spread record in 26 games as double-digit ‘chalk’ during the regular season.

-- Although it had the top seed in the West wrapped up and wasn’t motivated to play at full tilt, we’ll nonetheless note how Houston finished the year without covering in four straight games and six of their last seven.

-- Houston is dealing with a couple of key injuries. Ryan Anderson, who averages 9.3 points and 5.0 RPG while shooting at 38.6 percent clip from long distance, is ‘doubtful’ with an ankle injury. Luc Mbah a Moute, one of the team’s premier defenders, is ‘out’ for Game 1 with a shoulder injury and isn’t expected to be available for the entire series. Mbah a Moute averages 7.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 SPG.

-- Houston star guard James Harden appears to be in a two-man race with LeBron James for The Association’s MVP honors. Harden averaged 30.4 points, 8.8 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.8 SPG in 72 regular-season contests. Chris Paul averaged 18.6 points, 7.9 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 58 games played. Eric Gordon (18.0 PPG) is the Rockets’ third-leading scorer, while Clint Capela (13.9 PPG) paces the club in FG percentage (65.2%), rebounding (10.8 RPG) and blocked shots (1.9 BPG).

-- Minnesota (47-35 SU, 37-42-3 ATS) had to win each of its last three regular-season games to lock up the franchise’s first playoff berth since Kevin Garnett led it to the 2004 Western Conference finals. The T-wolves beat out Denver for the eighth seed thanks to a 112-106 win over the Nuggets in overtime as 3.5-point home favorites in the regular-season finale. The extra session allowed for the 218 combined points to slip ‘over’ the 216.5-point total. Jimmy Butler led the way with 31 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 26 points and 14 boards. Andrew Wiggins had 18 points and Jeff Teague tallied 17 points and seven assists compared to only one turnover.

-- Butler averages 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.0 SPG. Towns led the NBA in double-doubles with 68. The seven-foot center who is in his third season out of Kentucky is averaging 21.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots per contest. Wiggins (17.7 PPG), Teague (14.2 PPG, 7.0 APG), Taj Gibson (12.2 PPG) and Jamal Crawford (10.3 PPG) are also averaging in double figures.

-- Minnesota is 17-24 SU and 17-23-1 ATS on the road.

-- Minnesota failed to cover the spread in its only double-digit underdog role of the season. In fact, the T-wolves went 0-6 ATS when listed as ‘dogs of seven points or more.

-- Houston won all four regular-season meetings over Minnesota both SU and ATS. Totals were a split (2-2), but the ‘under’ cashed in both games played at Houston. The Rockets won 116-98 and 120-102 in a pair of games played at home. They won by scores of 126-108 and 129-120 at Minnesota.

-- The ‘under’ has been a money maker in Houston games all season, cashing tickets at a 48-33-1 overall clip. The Rockets saw the ‘under’ go 22-19 in their home games. They finished the regular season with four consecutive ‘unders’ and seven in their last eight contests.

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 8:47 am
(@shazman)
Posts: 57388
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Topic starter
 

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 15

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MILWAUKEE (44 - 38) at BOSTON (55 - 27) - 4/15/2018, 1:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 74-91 ATS (-26.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 376-456 ATS (-125.6 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 201-247 ATS (-70.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 48-30 ATS (+15.0 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
BOSTON is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) off an upset win as an underdog this season.
BOSTON is 24-14 ATS (+8.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 135-98 ATS (+27.2 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games after allowing 115 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 7-4 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 7-4 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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INDIANA (48 - 34) at CLEVELAND (50 - 32) - 4/15/2018, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 47-35 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all games this season.
INDIANA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in April games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) on Sunday games this season.
INDIANA is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 74-51 ATS (+17.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
CLEVELAND is 32-49 ATS (-21.9 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 19-43 ATS (-28.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 20-34 ATS (-17.4 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 11-4 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 11-5 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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UTAH (48 - 34) at OKLAHOMA CITY (48 - 34) - 4/15/2018, 6:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
UTAH is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 33-47 ATS (-18.7 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 24-41 ATS (-21.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 15-24 ATS (-11.4 Units) in home games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 19-35 ATS (-19.5 Units) in home games in April games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 2-14 ATS (-13.4 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 16-25 ATS (-11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-4 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-2 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
9 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (47 - 35) at HOUSTON (65 - 17) - 4/15/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 372-436 ATS (-107.6 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
HOUSTON is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) against Northwest division opponents this season.
HOUSTON is 118-88 ATS (+21.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
HOUSTON is 37-50 ATS (-18.0 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in April games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 6-5 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 10-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 10:29 am
(@shazman)
Posts: 57388
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Topic starter
 

NBA

Sunday, April 15

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Trend Report
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Milwaukee Bucks
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Milwaukee's last 17 games
Milwaukee is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games on the road
Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Milwaukee is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 10 games when playing Boston
Milwaukee is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Boston
Milwaukee is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 10 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston Celtics
Boston is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 games
Boston is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 7 games
Boston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games at home
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Boston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
Boston is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Boston's last 10 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

Indiana Pacers
Indiana is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games
Indiana is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Indiana's last 22 games
Indiana is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Indiana is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Indiana's last 23 games on the road
Indiana is 14-4-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing Cleveland
Indiana is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Cleveland
Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Indiana is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games
Cleveland is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games
Cleveland is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Cleveland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games at home
Cleveland is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
Cleveland is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Indiana
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
Cleveland is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana

Utah Jazz
Utah is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Utah is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Utah's last 11 games
Utah is 12-4-1 ATS in its last 17 games on the road
Utah is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Utah's last 7 games on the road
Utah is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Oklahoma City
Utah is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Utah's last 16 games when playing Oklahoma City
Utah is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Utah is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Utah's last 14 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games
Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games
Oklahoma City is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Oklahoma City is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oklahoma City's last 9 games at home
Oklahoma City is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Utah
Oklahoma City is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Oklahoma City's last 16 games when playing Utah
Oklahoma City is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Utah
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Oklahoma City's last 14 games when playing at home against Utah

Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Minnesota is 6-16 ATS in its last 22 games on the road
Minnesota is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games on the road
Minnesota is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Minnesota's last 17 games when playing Houston
Minnesota is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Houston
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston Rockets
Houston is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Houston is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Houston's last 8 games
Houston is 20-1 SU in its last 21 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games at home
Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Houston's last 17 games when playing Minnesota
Houston is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston's last 9 games when playing at home against Minnesota

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 10:30 am
(@shazman)
Posts: 57388
Member Moderator
Topic starter
 

Sunday's NBA Playoffs betting preview and odds

The four remaining first round series of the NBA Playoffs tip off on Sunday, which includes the beginning of Lebron's quest to advance to the Finals for an eighth consecutive year when he and the Cavs host the Pacers.

Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics (-4, 201.5)

The Boston Celtics endured a regular season filled with injuries and were barely above .500 over the final three months. The second-seeded Celtics hope to turn the page from some trying times when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday in Game 1 of a best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series.

ABOUT THE BUCKS (44-38, 34-43-5 ATS, 46-35-1 O/U): Milwaukee is in the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2003 and 2004 and is looking to snap a string of seven straight first-round exits, including a six-game setback against Toronto last spring. "We're a better team than last year, more mature," Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "We're older and hopefully we can be focused as a team because I think that's what sometimes lacks on our team. There's some stages of the game that we're not focused. I don't know why that comes to our team, but hopefully this year when we get to the playoffs we can be focused for 48 minutes and do what we got to do and that's getting the job done." The Bucks did not have Jabari Parker in the playoffs last year due to an ACL tear but the 23-year-old forward is all the way back from the injury and averaged 19.5 points in April.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (55-27, 50-30-2 ATS, 43-38-1 O/U): With no Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart, Boston will lean heavily on second-year guard Jaylen Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum for scoring, while Terry Rozier - who took over at point guard when Irving was lost for the season - will be trying to prove he can run the show in a more pressure-packed environment. "It sucks to see your brothers go down ... but, like I said, it's not over," Rozier told reporters. "It's not going to be an easy road for our opponents. They still have to go through us. We're ready." Reserve center Greg Monroe, who spent two-plus seasons with the Bucks before being traded to Phoenix in November, has become a key contributor and averaged 13.5 points on 63.3 percent shooting and 7.7 rebounds in April.

SERIES PRICE (PER Pinnacle):

BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVES: The Celtics opened Game 1 as 3.5-point home favorites and have been bet up slightly to the current number of -4. The total has seen considerably more movement dropping 3.5-points from 205 to 201.5. Despite the downward movement, the Over is getting 52 percent of wagers according to our Covers Consensu. Bettors are giving the edge to the home-side Celtics here, with them seeing 55 percent of wagers. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Bucks - No injuries to report.

Celtics - PG T. Rozier (Probable, finger), PG M. Smart (Out, thumb), PG K. Irving (Out, knee), PF D. Theis (Out, knee), SF G. Hayward (Out, ankle).

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games.
* Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last six home games.
* Over is 9-1 in Bucks last 10 vs. Eastern Conference opponents.
* Over is 4-0 in Celtics last four overall.
* Over is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings in Boston.

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 10:33 am
(@shazman)
Posts: 57388
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Topic starter
 

Sunday's NBA Playoffs betting preview and odds

Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers (-6.5, 212.5)

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hitting the playoffs and trying to earn their fourth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals but will be doing it from an unfamiliar position - fourth place. The Cavaliers will have homecourt advantage in the first round as they try to carry the momentum from a strong finish in the regular season into Game 1 against the visiting No. 5 seed Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

ABOUT THE PACERS (48-34, 47-35 ATS, 32-49-1 O/U): Indiana was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Cavaliers last spring but is a different team this time around thanks to the presence of Oladipo, who was acquired last summer in the deal that sent Paul George to Oklahoma City. Oladipo led the team in scoring at an average of 23.1 points and is part of a roster that enjoys being around one another. "Great group of guys, man," point guard Darren Collison - another new addition this season - told the team's website. "Everybody is great people. It's one thing to have great players, but I've been on a lot of teams. When you play with great people, it makes everybody's job easier. Everybody's listening. Nobody has egos. You come in the locker room and everybody's smiling. It's positivity. We trust each other."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (50-32, 32-49-1 ATS, 39-41-2 O/U): Cleveland's advantage over every other team in the East is the presence of superstar forward LeBron James, who played in all 82 regular-season games for the first time in his career. James, 33, averaged career highs in rebounds (8.6) and assists (9.1) while adding 27.5 points on 54.2 percent shooting. "Has it been my best year? It's the best I've felt all season and I've got the numbers to back it up and I've got the wins to back it up as well," James told reporters. "Me, personally, I've just tried to be available to my teammates every single night and do everything that I could to win ball games. Either by scoring, by rebounding, by defending, by assisting, taking charges, whatever the case may be. Statistically it all speaks for itself."

SERIES PRICE (PER Pinnacle):

BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVES: The Cavaliers hit the board as 6.5-point favorites and while the number touched seven at a few places, the line mostly remains unmoved. This is yet another game where the total is seeing more action. After hitting the board at 216.5, the total has dropped 4-points to the current number of 212.5. Just like in the Bucks-Celtics game, this total is seeing reverse line movement, with 58 percent of wagers on the Over according to our Covers Consensus. The side is almost split down the middle with Indiana seeing 51 percent of wagers.

INJURY REPORT:

Pacers - SG V. Oladipo (Probable, foot).

Cavaliers - C T. Thompson (Probable, personal), SG R. Hood (Probable, achilles), SG K. Korver (Questionable, foot).

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Pacers are 6-1 ATS in their last sevne games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Cavaliers are 0-4 ATS in their last four games playing on three or more days rest.
* Under is 7-1 in Pacers last eight games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 5-1 in Cavaliers last six home games.
* Pacers are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Cleveland.

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 10:34 am
(@shazman)
Posts: 57388
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Topic starter
 

Sunday's NBA Playoffs betting preview and odds

Utah Jazz at Oklahoma City Thunder (-3.5, 206)

The Utah Jazz were one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the final two-plus months of the regular season and they'll try to carry that momentum into the playoffs, which begins with a visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 1 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series on Sunday. The Jazz were 19-28 after a loss at Atlanta on Jan. 22 but stormed back with a 29-6 mark down the stretch to seize the fifth seed in the West.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (48-34, 43-39 ATS, 39-42-1 O/U): Utah's turnaround roughly coincided with Gobert's return from a knee injury and he was dominant at times during the stretch run, averaging 16.6 points on 68.2 percent shooting to go along with 12.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in March. "As a competitor, it's always hard to watch from the sideline," he told the Tribune. "But watching them every night really gave me the motivation. When I came back, I really felt like we could do something special." Mitchell averaged 20.5 points in his first season and did not show any signs of hitting a rookie wall by scoring above his average in 12 of the final 14 games of the regular season.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (48-34, 34-47-1 ATS, 36-46 O/U): Following a first-round exit last season during Russell Westbrook's MVP campaign, Oklahoma City brought in forwards Paul George and Carmelo Anthony for support, and while it took time to develop, a strong finish has the team feeling pretty good entering the postseason. "This is part of kind of why we wanted to all come together, because we saw an opportunity," Anthony told reporters. "This is actually a part of the big picture. This is the journey; to be able to accomplish what we came together to accomplish." While Westbrook rallied late to produce his historic triple-double average, George heated up offensively down the stretch while averaging 27.6 points and shooting 40.7 percent from 3-point range in April.

SERIES PRICE (PER Pinnacle):

BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVES: The Thunder opened this matchup as 3.5-point home faves and were briefly bet to -3 before returning to the opening number. The total opened at 205 and is up slightly to 206. Despite little movement, bettors are giving the edge to the Thunder here, with 57 percent of wagers backing them, according to our Covers Consensus. The total has been bet evenly with the Over seeing 52 percent of wagers.

INJURY REPORT:

Jazz - SF T. Sefolosha (Out, knee).

Thunder - SG C. Brewer (Probable, knee), SG A. Abrines (Questionable, concussion), A. Roberson (Out, knee).

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Jazz are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Thunder are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five home games.
* Over is 6-1 in Jazz last seven road games.
* Under is 8-2 in Thunder last 10 overall.
* Under is 21-7 in the last 28 meetings.

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 10:34 am
(@shazman)
Posts: 57388
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Topic starter
 

Sunday's NBA Playoffs betting preview and odds

Minnesota Timberwolves at Houston Rockets (-11.5, 216.5)

The Minnesota Timberwolves needed to scratch their way to an overtime victory on the final day of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot - the franchise's first since Kevin Garnett led the team to the 2004 Western Conference finals. The Timberwolves' reward for that strong finish is a date with the NBA-best Houston Rockets, who host Game 1 of the first-round series on Sunday.

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (47-35, 37-42-3 ATS, 45-36-1 O/U): Minnesota hovered around the third or fourth spot in the West for much of the season before falling off when Butler went down with a knee injury. Butler's return sparked the team down the stretch, and the No. 8 seed and a date with the Rockets is not about to intimidate the Timberwolves. "We’re a talented group, we got a lot of talent on this team,” point guard Jeff Teague, whose Atlanta squad took top-seeded Indiana to seven games in the 2014 postseason, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "In the playoffs, you need someone who can make shots and take over games at times. I think we have a lot of people on this team who can take over games and have moments. It’s all about having fun now. There’s no pressure on us. We got in, eighth seed. I’ve been there and it’s a lot of fun. When you're the eighth seed, I promise you it’s a lot of fun."

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (65-17, 41-40-1 ATS, 33-48-1 O/U): Houston, which set a franchise record with 65 wins, is led by superstar guard James Harden, who is the odds-on favorite to win his first MVP award this season after leading the league in scoring at an average of 30.4 points and adding 8.8 assists. The difference for the team this time around in the playoffs is that Harden has another future Hall of Famer in the backcourt with the addition of point guard Chris Paul, who is in awe of his teammate. "You just never get this opportunity too often in your career to play with somebody like James," Paul told reporters. "You get a chance to appreciate greatness. What he's doing on a nightly basis and stuff like that, it's crazy, and I'm grateful that I get the opportunity to play alongside him."

SERIES PRICE (PER Pinnacle):

BETTING ACTION AND LINE MOVES: The Rockets opened this matchup as 9.5-point home favorites, but bettors did't think that was enough, moving the line all the way to -11.5. The total meanwhile, has dropped two points to sit at the current number of 216.5. Even with the line moving in the Rockets favor, 53 percent of wagers are on teh T-wolves according to our Covers Consensus, while the total has also seen reverse line movement as a big 68 percent of wagers are on the Over.

INJURY REPORT:

Timberwolves - C J. Patton (Questionable, illness).

Rockets - SG E. gordon (Probable, ankle), PF R. Anderson (Questionable, ankle), C C. Capela (Questionable, hand), PF L. Mbah a Moute (Out, shoulder).

MATCHUP CHART:

TRENDS:

* Timberwolves are 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Rockets are 0-6 ATS in their last six vs. Western Conference opponents.
* Over is 11-3 in Timberwolves last 14 vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Under is 8-2 in Rockets last 10 home games.
* Over is 14-3 in the last 17 meetings.

 
Posted : April 15, 2018 10:35 am
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