The Miami Heat have been dominant at home this season, as they have the NBA’s best home mark at 23-2 (no other team has fewer than four home losses) and have won 17 games in a row at AmericanAirlines Arena. But Friday night’s matchup against visiting Memphis could be a major trap game for Miami. Still, the Heat opened as 8-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA odds.
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Miami could suffer a bit of a letdown in this one after getting revenge on the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder in a very high-intensity game Wednesday night. Less than two weeks after being blown out in Oklahoma City, Miami responded with a 98-93 victory in a potential NBA Finals preview. LeBron James outplayed Kevin Durant and showed why he’s the MVP favorite as James finished with 34 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Dwyane Wade finished with 19 points, three rebounds and two assists after missing Tuesday’s win against the 76ers with a sore left knee.
Memphis might be the most dangerous threat in the West to the Thunder. In fact, the Grizzlies won in Oklahoma City on Monday night 94-88. However, the Grizz could be tired for this one. They also played Tuesday, beating Golden State, and Wednesday, losing 95-85 at Dallas. Memphis looked very fatigued late against the Mavs, hitting just 1-for-12 at one point in a decisive fourth-quarter run for Dallas. Memphis actually led by five with 10 minutes left. The loss dropped Memphis to 12-16 on the road.
This is the only meeting of the season between Miami and Memphis. Last year, the Grizz won a close game in Memphis but lost by 33 points in south Florida. If the Heat win this one, they tie the franchise record for consecutive home wins set from Dec. 3, 2010 through March 4, 2011. The Grizzlies are just 1-7 ATS in their past eight trips to Miami. But the underdog has covered in five of the past seven meetings overall.
Everyone assumed that the Oklahoma City Thunder would be the top seed in the Western Conference. But no one told the Spurs that. San Antonio, which is tied with OKC for the top spot in the West (but leads by one in the loss column), goes for its 11th straight win Sunday night against visiting Utah. The Spurs are 9-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA basketball odds.
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The Spurs (39-14) had no trouble with the Hornets on Friday, winning 128-103. San Antonio jumped out to a 72-45 halftime lead and was never threatened the second half. The easy win gave the Spurs their second streak of at least 10 victories -- they won 11 straight earlier this season -- and allowed coach Gregg Popovich to rest his stars for much of the second half. In fact, none of the Big 3 – Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili – played more than 21 minutes.
Utah (29-27) beat Golden State 104-98 on Friday. Devin Harris, after missing a game with an injury, scored a season-high 28 points, with five assists, two steals and no turnovers. Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 30 points, 11 rebounds and a season-high five blocks despite sitting out the final 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter with an abdominal strain. But he should be fine to play in this one.
This game is the first of a home-and-home series. The Spurs have won the first two meetings, by 15 at home and by 4 in Salt Lake City. Ironically, that last Utah win (on Feb. 20) extended San Antonio’s winning streak then to 11 games.
Utah is 2-14 since the AT&T Center opened in 2002-2003 season. The Jazz are just 9-19 on the road this season (11-17 ATS). San Antonio is 22-4 at home (19-7 ATS). The road team has covered five of the past six meetings in this series.
There will be live play-by-play betting at Bovada’s NBA odds for Sunday afternoon’s national television game (1 p.m. ET, ABC) game between the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks and it appears Chicago will finally get back reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose from injury. The visiting Bulls are 2.5-point favorites at the book.
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Rose has missed 12 games with a groin injury, which he injured the last time Chicago played the Knicks. The Bulls are 8-4 in those 12 games. After missing just six in his first three seasons, Rose has missed 22 overall this season. The Bulls are 15-7 in those games. Rose practiced again fully Saturday and said he was “more than likely” to play and that the pain in his groin is gone. Coach Tom Thibodeau wouldn't commit to that fully but said Rose is "very close" and that the Bulls are optimistic. Thibodeau labeled his star player a "game-time" decision and that Rose may be on a time limit in the beginning.
This is the first of a home-and-home with New York. The Bulls are 2-0 vs. the Knicks this season. On Feb. 2 in New York, Chicago won 105-102 behind 32 points and 13 assists from Rose. Amare Stoudemire led the Knicks with 34 points and 11 rebounds but he’s now out injured, as is point guard Jeremy Lin.
On March 12 in Chicago, the game in which Rose was injured, the Bulls won 104-99 behind 32 points, seven assists and six rebounds from Rose. The Bulls won despite the absence of starters Luol Deng and Richard Hamilton, as well as key reserve C.J. Watson. Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points and Stoudemire added 20 for the Knicks, but the two combined for just seven points in the fourth quarter as the Bulls pulled away. Chicago outrebounded the Knicks 56-38.
Chicago has covered just once in the past five meetings with the Knicks. New York is 4-0 ATS in its past four games as a home underdog. The Bulls are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 as a road favorite.
The San Antonio Spurs not only are tied for the lead in the Western Conference, they are now making a push for the NBA’s top overall record. San Antonio goes for its 12th straight victory on Monday night in the second of a home-and-home series at Utah. The Spurs opened as 3.5-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA odds.
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San Antonio (40-14) took down Utah 114-104 on Sunday night. Tony Parker scored 28 points, Manu Ginobili had 23 off the bench and the Spurs reached their second 11-game winning streak of the season (the NBA’s longest winning streak of the year). The last time Ginobili scored as many points as he did Sunday was Dec. 31, against these same Jazz. The Spurs made 38 of 43 free throws Sunday. That matched San Antonio's highest output from the foul line in any game over the last 12 seasons.
However, it’s possible that Ginobili, Parker and/or Tim Duncan don’t play tonight as coach Gregg Popovich likes to rest his key players in the second of a back-to-back. For example, center DeJuan Blair sat out Sunday even though he was healthy; Blair had been the only Spur to start all 53 games so far this season. Ginobili seems the most likely to sit tonight.
Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 19 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday as Utah dropped 1½ games behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot with nine games to go. The Jazz lost two rotation players to injury as small forward C.J. Miles left with a strained left calf and backup point guard Earl Watson left with a knee injury. Neither is likely tonight. Power forward Paul Millsap was battling an illness and was just 1-of-8 for two points on Sunday.
San Antonio has won six in a row against Utah. The Spurs haven’t lost in Salt Lake City since Dec. 7, 2009. The Spurs are 17-10 on the road this season after starting 2-8 and are assured of a winning road mark for an NBA-record 15th straight season. San Antonio is 8-5 this season when playing the night before, while the Jazz are 9-9. The road team has covered in five of the past seven meetings in this series.
The Boston Celtics will be trying to beat the Miami Heat for the second straight time on Tuesday night as those teams hit the hardwood down in South Florida. Get your NBA odds for the bout at Bovada.
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Boston embarrassed Miami the last time the teams met on April 1, winning 91-72 at home behind a triple-double from guard Rajon Rondo – 16 points, 14 assists, 11 rebounds.
Paul Pierce led the way with a team-high 23 points for the Celtics in that win, while Brandon Bass picked up 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Kevin Garnett was held to just 10 points. Ray Allen sat out that contest for Boston with a sore ankle.
LeBron James was good for 23 points in that losing cause for Miami, while Dwyane Wade scored 15 points to go along with eight rebounds, and Chris Bosh had just four points.
Despite that win at the start of the month the Celtics are still only 4-6 SU in their past 10 games against the Heat, and 5-5 against the spread for NBA bettors at Bovada. The OVER has paid out for totals bettors in six of the last 10 meetings between the teams.
Wade sat out Miami's last game on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons with a sore ankle, but he is still expected to be on the floor against the Celtics on Tuesday night. Heat guard Mike Miller (sprained ankle) returned to action for the team against Detroit.
On the NBA futures at Bovada the Heat continue to lead the way at 9/5 odds to win the NBA championship this season, with the Celtics pegged at 25/1 odds to claim the title. Both Miami and Boston lead their respective divisions heading into Tuesday's contest.
After getting edged by the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Sunday the Chicago Bulls will be looking to turn the tables at home on Tuesday night as those teams meet for the second straight game. Fill your NBA betting needs at Bovada.
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The Bulls may have had Derrick Rose back from injury in Sunday's contest against the Knicks, but it was New York's Carmelo Anthony who stole the show with 43 points in his team's 100-99 overtime victory. What's worse is that Rose, already, is struggling to maintain his health. Questions regarding an injured ankle popped up on Tuesday.
New York, which had been listed as a 3-point underdog on the NBA betting lines at Bovada in that previous contest, also got 15 points and nine rebounds from Iman Shumpert on the day. J.R. Smith was good for 14 points off the bench in that win for the Knicks, who are still without both Amar'e Stoudemire (back) and Jeremy Lin (knee).
Rose poured in 29 points and added four assists for the Bulls in Sunday's losing cause in his first game in almost a month; he'd been sitting out with a groin injury. Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer were each good for 13 points for Chicago in the contest.
Sunday's win snapped a three-game skid for the Knicks against the Bulls, and they're now 4-6 SU in the past 10 meetings between the teams. New York, though, has managed to pay off for NBA bettors at Bovada in six of their last 10 games against Chicago.
The OVER has paid off for totals bettors in six of the past eight games between the teams.
Chicago still holds down the lead in the Eastern Conference standings, but at Bovada they're third at 15/4 on the NBA futures to win the championship this season – behind the Heat (9/5) and the Thunder (3/1). The Knicks, clinging to a playoff spot in the conference, are at 25/1 to claim the title this season.
Having finally paid out on the NBA betting lines against the Clippers, the Thunder will try to do it again on Wednesday night when the Western Conference teams hit the hardwood in Oklahoma City.
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The Thunder put an end to a three-game ATS losing streak against the Clippers when the teams last met on March 21, winning 114-91 at home as a 9-point favorite on the NBA betting lines at Bovada.
Kevin Durant scored 32 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Thunder in that March victory, while Russell Westbrook added 19 points on the night. James Harden pitched in with 10 points and five assists off the bench for the Thunder in that contest.
Randy Foye had a team-high 23 points in that losing cause for the Clippers, with both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin turning in sub-par performances – Paul had 13 points to go along with 10 assists, while Griffin tossed in just seven points and had seven rebounds.
Overall the Thunder have picked up the win in six of their last 10 games against the Clippers, going 5-5 ATS in those 10 contests. Totals bettors have seen the OVER pay out in six of the last 10 meetings between the teams.
On the NBA futures at Bovada the Thunder sat at 3/1 odds to win the NBA title this season at last update, behind only the 9/5 Miami Heat. The Clippers were farther back at 20/1 odds to claim the championship this season.
The Clippers and Thunder will meet again in less than a week, as they'll play at the Staples Center next Monday night. The regular season will end for both teams on April 25.
The Dallas Mavericks will be looking for some payback for an earlier loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night when those two teams meet on the NBA betting lines out in California.
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Golden State blasted Dallas by a score of 111-87 in the first meeting of the season between the teams back on March 10, easily covering the 4-point spread on the NBA odds at Bovada. The combined score turned out to be an OVER result.
David Lee poured in 25 points to go along with nine rebounds for the Warriors in that March win, with Nate Robinson adding 21 points off the bench, and Monta Ellis (since traded to Milwaukee) picking up 20 points.
Dirk Nowitzki led the way for the Mavericks with 22 points in that losing cause, while Jason Terry had 15 points and five assists, and Shawn Marion was held to just four points.
The Mavericks are healthy heading into Thursday's matchup, although forward Lamar Odom has been booted off the team for the rest of the season. Warriors guard Stephen Curry (ankle) is still out indefinitely, with center Andrew Bogut (ankle) out for the year.
Despite that loss in March the Mavericks are 7-3 over their past 10 games against the Warriors, covering the posted spread in five of those 10 contests. The OVER/UNDER sits at 5-5 in the past 10 games between the Western Conference clubs.
On the NBA futures at Bovada the defending-champion Mavericks now sit 10th at 30/1 odds to win the league title again this season – that puts them behind each of the Heat, Thunder, Bulls, Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, Clippers, Knicks, and Grizzlies.
The Orlando Magic won't have their best player on the floor on Monday night as they look to run their NBA betting streak against the Philadelphia 76ers to six games.
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Magic center Dwight Howard is expected to miss the next two weeks because of a herniated disc in his back – and there's also a possibility he could need surgery and be done for the season. That would strike a huge blow to Orlando's prospects for the season.
And that's also cause for concern on Monday night for Magic supporters, who have seen their team go 8-2 both SU and ATS in their 10 most recent meetings with the Sixers.
Orlando won 88-82 in Philadelphia as a six-point underdog the last time the two teams met back on April 7, with Howard leading the charge in that contest with 20 points and 22 rebounds. Glen Davis was good for 23 points and 12 boards for the Magic that day, while J.J. Redick added 19 points in the win.
Thaddeus Young scored a team-high 20 points off the bench for the Sixers in that losing cause, while their five starters combined for just 31 points on the night. That helped the combined score turn into an UNDER result for totals bettors at Bovada.
Overall, six of the past seven meetings between the Magic and Sixers were UNDER results.
On the latest NBA futures at Bovada the Magic had fallen to 50/1 odds to win the NBA championship this season as they limp into this week's schedule. The Sixers, who are still losing ground in the Atlantic Division, are back at 60/1 odds to claim the title this spring.
It appears that neither Houston nor reigning NBA champion Dallas is eager to grab hold of a playoff spot in the Western Conference as they get set to face off Wednesday night in Dallas in a game that could well determine the eighth and final spot in the conference. The Mavericks are 5-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA basketball odds for this one.
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Houston (32-29) is technically tied with Phoenix for the No. 8 spot but the Suns hold the tiebreaker over the Rockets. Dallas (34-28) is 1.5 games ahead of Phoenix and Houston.
The Rockets have dropped four straight (0-4 ATS) including being swept in a home-and-home by Denver. The Nuggets won 105-102 on Monday night as Houston’s Luis Scola missed from five feet to tie the game at 104 with just over five seconds left and then Chandler Parsons missed a 30-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie it at 105. Houston played without starting center Marcus Camby due to a sore back and he’s iffy for this game. Shooting guard Kevin Martin was in uniform for the first time since aggravating a shoulder injury March 11 that forced him to miss the Rockets’ last 18 games. He did not play Monday night, however. Coach Kevin McHale said before the game he would only consider playing Martin on Monday if the Rockets needed to make free throws in the final minute. He might be able to play in this one.
Houston has five games left including this one. The Rockets also are at New Orleans, home to Golden State, at Miami and home to New Orleans. So it’s conceivable Houston could win all those if the Heat have nothing to play for, which is quite possible.
Dallas is trying to avoid being the first reigning NBA champion to miss the next year’s postseason since Michael Jordan’s Bulls were broken up following their sixth title. The Mavs have dropped two straight, including a crucial 123-121 triple-overtime loss at Utah on Monday despite 40 points from Dirk Nowitzki. The Jazz are also in the playoff mix, just a half-game behind Houston at No. 10. A season ago, the Mavs were 17-11 in games decided by five points or fewer. Now they're 10-13 and 7-7 in games decided by three points or fewer.
Dallas has already clinched the season series against Houston, winning 101-99 in overtime at Houston on March 24 and then 90-81 at home three days later. The Mavs’ winning streak vs. Houston is now at six and Houston is 0-4 ATS in the past four meetings. So the Rockets obviously can’t finish tied with the Mavs and hope to get into the playoffs on a tiebreaker with Dallas. This starts a three-games-in-four-nights run for the veteran Mavericks.
With the Atlantic Division title all but wrapped up the Boston Celtics will take on one of their trailing teams on Tuesday night as they hit the hardwood at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Get your NBA odds for the matchup at Bovada.
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The Celtics have locked up a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 7-3 record in their last 10 games, and there's now little chance that either the Knicks or the Philadelphia 76ers will be able to catch them for top spot in the Atlantic Division.
However, there's still much on the line for the Knicks on Tuesday, as they try to hold off the Milwaukee Bucks for one of the bottom seeds in the Eastern Conference with just a couple of weeks left in the NBA's regular season.
To get the win on Tuesday, though, the Knicks will have to buck their recent form against the Celtics – they've won just once in the past 10 meetings between the teams, with Boston going 6-4 against the spread on the NBA betting lines at Bovada in those contests.
When they last met on March 4 the Celtics won a 115-111 high-scoring affair, covering the 1-point spread at home in the process. Rajon Rondo had a triple-double for Boston that night, picking up 18 points, 20 assists, and 17 rebounds.
Paul Pierce also had a strong game that night against the Knicks, pouring in 34 points, while Carmelo Anthony had a team-high 25 points in that losing cause for New York – who still had Amare Stoudemire and Jeremy Lin in their lineup.
On the latest NBA futures at Bovada the Celtics sit at 16/1 to win the championship, which has them behind each of the Heat, Thunder, Bulls, Spurs, and Lakers. The Knicks are currently at 30/1 to claim the title this season.
Paying out for supporters in just two of their past 10 games against the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers will look for a cover on Wednesday night when those Western Conference teams hit the hardwood. Get your NBA betting lines for the matchup at Bovada.
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The Lakers have had no problem beating Golden State recently – they've won three games in a row against the Warriors and picked up the victory in nine of their past 10 meetings.
However, the Lakers are 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 games against the Warriors, going 0-5 ATS in their past five meetings dating back to last January. The last time the Lakers covered a spread against the Warriors was in a 117-89 win at home in November 2010 – when they were favored by 10.5 points.
Los Angeles fell just short of covering the spread against Golden State when they last met on April 1, winning 120-112 at home as a 10-point favorite. That was an easy OVER result for totals bettors, with the OVER/UNDER now 4-1 in their past five matchups.
Kobe Bryant led the way with 40 points for the Lakers in that win earlier this month, while Pau Gasol picked up 26 points and 11 boards, and Ramon Sessions added 23 points.
David Lee scored a team-high 27 points for the Warriors in that losing cause, but he won't be in the lineup on Wednesday night because he's been ruled out for the season with groin and hip injuries. Stephen Curry (ankle), Andrew Bogut (ankle), and Richard Jefferson (knee) are also out for the Warriors, who are sinking to the bottom of the West standings.
For the Lakers, Bryant has been out with a shin injury, and the team is just hoping that he'll be back to full strength for the beginning of the playoffs in two weeks.
On the latest NBA futures at Bovada the Lakers were pegged at 14/1 odds to win the title this season, putting them behind the Heat, Bulls, Thunder, and Spurs. Golden State has long since been bounced from that list.
A pair of teams jockeying for position in the Western Conference standings will meet on the hardwood on Thursday night as the Phoenix Suns play host to the Los Angeles Clippers. Think you know how it will go down? Put your money to work on Bovada's NBA betting line.
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The Clippers have already clinched a playoff berth in the West, but the Pacific Division title is still up for grabs as they battle with the rival Lakers for first place in their division.
The Suns, meanwhile, are still on the bubble to advance to the postseason in the West, with the Nuggets, Mavericks, Rockets, and Jazz fighting with Phoenix for the final three playoff berths in the conference.
That means there's more on the line for the Suns on Thursday, and they'll be looking for some revenge after the Clippers bounced them 103-86 as a 7-point home favorite on the NBA betting lines at Bovada in their last meeting on March 28.
Blake Griffin led the way for the Clippers with 27 points and 14 rebounds in that March victory, with Chris Paul adding 15 points to go along with 15 assists, and Caron Butler chipping in with 14 points in the contest.
Marcin Gortat had a team-high 23 points in that losing cause for the Suns, who played that game without Grant Hill due to a sore knee. Steve Nash was held to just one point that night but added 15 assists.
Overall, though, the Clippers are just 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS in their past 10 games against the Suns dating back to late 2009. The UNDER has paid off for totals bettors in each of the last five meetings between the teams.
On the latest NBA futures at Bovada the Clippers were listed at 22/1 to win the league championship this spring, with the Suns back as a 100/1 longshot to claim the title.
The Boston Celtics will be looking for their third straight win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday when those teams meet in a possible first-round playoff preview at Philips Arena. Get your NBA odds for the match at Bovada.
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With just one week left in the NBA's regular season the Celtics have clinched the Atlantic Division title and are in fourth place in the conference standings. The Hawks, meanwhile, are just ahead of the Magic in fifth place in the East and could end up as Boston's first-round opponent when the dust settles on the schedule next week.
And that could be good news for the Celtics, who have won two straight games over the Hawks and have picked up the victory in four of the last five meetings between the clubs.
Boston and Atlanta last met on April 11, with the Celtics winning 88-86 at home but failing to cover the 2.5-point spread on the NBA betting line at Bovada. That combined score was the third straight UNDER result between the two teams.
Rajon Rondo scored 10 points to go along with 10 rebounds and 20 assists for the Celtics in that win last week, with Kevin Garnett scoring 22 points, and Brandon Bass adding 21 points. Paul Pierce picked up 14 points on the night.
Jeff Teague had a team-high 21 points in that losing cause for Atlanta, with Josh Smith good for 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Atlanta won't have to contend with several Celtics on Friday, with Rondo (back), Ray Allen (ankle), and Mickael Pietrus (knee) all skipping Boston's last game on Wednesday and expected to sit out on Friday as well.
On the latest NBA futures at Bovada the Celtics were listed behind the Heat, Bulls, Thunder, Spurs, and Lakers at 16/1 odds to win the championship this season, with the Hawks even farther behind at 75/1 odds to claim the title.
The Orlando Magic probably aren’t a playoff team without Dwight Howard, who is out for the season after back surgery. But Howard was around long enough this season to get the Magic into the postseason before getting hurt. However, without the NBA’s best center, not many people are giving the sixth-seeded Magic much of a chance against No. 3 Indiana in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. And the Pacers are 8-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA odds for Saturday’s series opener in Indianapolis.
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Howard’s replacement, Glen Davis, also is ailing. He left Wednesday’s game with a sprained right ankle and didn’t return. Davis sat out Thursday’s season finale and is considered questionable for Game 1; X-rays were negative. Davis says he will play, however. The Magic had been hoping to open the playoffs on Sunday so Davis could get extra rest.
Orlando will at least have starting small forward Hedo Turkoglu, one of the team’s key 3-point shooters. He played Thursday for the first time since taking a Carmelo Anthony elbow to the face on April 5. Turkoglu will wear a mask for protection. He is averaging 10.9 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game but shooting just 35.3 percent from 3-point range, the lowest since his rookie year.
The Magic won three of four against Indiana this season, including both on the road, but Howard played in all those games. He averaged 23.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in those four games. The Orlando defense especially has struggled without Howard as teams are shooting better than 50 percent against the Magic since then.
The lack of Howard’s dominating presence inside means the Pacers can stay at home on Orlando's perimeter shooters. Plus the Pacers will have a huge size advantage inside now with 7-foot center Roy Hibbert, 6-10 power forward David West and 6-9 small forward Danny Granger, who leads the team in scoring at 18.7 ppg.
The Pacers are 15-0 this season in home games against teams with losing records, but they are 8-10 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse against teams that are at-or-above the.500 mark.
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Last year, being the top seed in the Western Conference wasn’t a good thing for the San Antonio Spurs as they were upset in the first round by the Memphis Grizzlies. Will things be different this year? San Antonio is a substantial favorite to get past the No. 8 Utah Jazz in their Western Conference quarterfinal. The Spurs are 10.5-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA odds to win Sunday’s Game 1 in San Antonio.
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San Antonio’s Big 3 of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker should be plenty rested as coach Gregg Popovich rested them in the team’s final two regular-season games at Phoenix and Golden State. In fact, they didn’t even travel with the team. The Spurs finished tied with Miami for the NBA’s best home record at 28-4.
Utah, meanwhile, only clinched the final playoff berth in the West on Tuesday night thanks to a 100-88 home victory over Phoenix. The Jazz have the worst home record of any playoff team at 11-22. Utah’s big frontcourt that includes 7-0 Derrick Favors, 6-10 Al Jefferson and 6-9 Paul Millsap could pose matchup problems for the Spurs. Utah ranked third in the NBA in rebounding this season. San Antonio was 10th.
But perimeter shooting should benefit San Antonio. Utah shoots just 32.3 percent from 3-point range, third-worst in the league. The Spurs are the NBA’s top 3-point team at 39.5 percent.
The Spurs won three out of four against the Jazz this season. Utah’s only win in the series was 91-84 on April 9 in Salt Lake City, when Duncan, Ginobili and Parker did not make the trip. Popovich chose to rest his Big 3 that night after beating the Jazz 114-104 the night before in San Antonio. Expect a high-scoring series as San Antonio was second in the NBA in scoring this year, with Utah fourth.
The Boston Celtics now face the very real danger of falling down 2-0 to the Atlanta Hawks in their Eastern Conference quarterfinals series as the Celtics won’t have All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. The Hawks opened as 4-point favorites on Bovada’s NBA basketball odds.
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As expected the NBA suspended Rondo because he chest-bumped referee Marc Davis with 41 seconds remaining in Sunday's 83-74 Game 1 loss at Philips Arena, earning his second technical and automatic ejection. Rondo, the NBA’s assists leader this season, was actually lucky it was only one game – he was also suspended for two games in February after zipping a ball at an official. Rondo said this latest incident was accidental, but the NBA reviewed the play today before handing down final judgment. Rondo had 20 points and 11 assists in Game 1.
"We have a hard and fast rule," said NBA commissioner David Stern. "Unless somebody trips you and sends you into him, nobody touches a referee. That’s the proposition.”
Boston could be missing its entire starting backcourt as the team could also be without guard Ray Allen, who is doubtful with an ankle injury. Allen (ankle) sat out Game 1 due to lingering pain with a right ankle that will require surgery after the season to remove bone spurs. Coach Doc Rivers had dubbed Allen at "50/50" before Sunday's game. Allen did some shooting at Monday’s practice in Atlanta but Rivers suggested that Game 2 was unlikely. Allen sat out the final nine games of the regular season (and 15 of the final 19 overall) due to the ankle issue.
Avery Bradley and Keyon Dooling likely will be Boston’s starting guards for Game 2. For the Hawks, center Zaza Pachulia likely will be a game-time decision again. He missed Game 1 with a sore foot. Jason Collins would start again if Pachulia is out; Collins had six points and five boards in Game 1.
After losing in the last seconds of play in the opener of their first-round playoff series with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night the Dallas Mavericks will try to bounce back on Monday night as those teams hit the hardwood again for Game 2. Get your NBA betting lines for the playoffs at Bovada.
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Kevin Durant hit a clutch jumper with 1.5 seconds left on the clock on Saturday as the Thunder came back for a 99-98 home win over the defending champions in Oklahoma City.
Durant scored 25 points in that win for the Thunder, who were down by as many as seven points near the end of the fourth quarter, while Russell Westbrook tossed in a team-high 28 points to go along with five assists.
Serge Ibaka was good for 22 points on the night for Oklahoma City, and James Harden added 19 points and six rebounds off the bench.
Dirk Nowitzki led the way on offense in the losing cause for Dallas with a team-high 25 points, with Jason Terry adding 20 points off the bench, and Shawn Marion chipping in with 17 points.
Despite the win on Saturday the Thunder still failed to pay off on the NBA betting lines as an 8-point home favorite, while the combined score was an OVER result for totals bettors.
Dallas knocked out Oklahoma City in five games in the Western Conference Finals last season, but they're still just 5-5 SU in the past 10 meetings between the teams. The Mavericks went 7-3 ATS over those 10 contests.
Tipoff for Monday's Mavericks/Thunder matchup is set for 9:30pm ET, with the series then shifting to Dallas for Games 3 and 4 on Thursday and Saturday.
Thanks to a temper tantrum that saw him put his fist through a glass case containing a fire extinguisher after a Game 2 loss at the Miami Heat on Monday, New York Knicks star forward Amare Stoudemire will miss at least Thursday’s Game 3 of the East quarterfinals series at Madison Square Garden. Miami opened as a 4.5-point favorite on Bovada’s NBA odds and there will be live play-by-play betting available.
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Stoudemire punched the case while heading to the Knicks locker room in Miami after a 104-94 loss put New York in a 2-0 hole in the first-round series. He saw a hand specialist on Tuesday and there was no ligament or tendon damage in his left hand but the cut required several stitches. It’s likely that Stoudemire could miss more games if not the remainder of the series (he is being called doubtful for the rest of it), which is looking like it may go only four games the way Miami has dominated thus far.
Stoudemire was solid with 18 points and seven rebounds in Game 2, but he had only nine shots – after just seven in Game 1 -- and most of those came with the game out of reach. By contrast, Carmelo Anthony put up 26 shots. With Stoudemire sidelined, the Knicks likely will move small forward Anthony to power forward, the position where he enjoyed his greatest success this season while Stoudemire was out with a back problem. It’s pretty clear that Anthony and Stoudemire just don’t click together and the Knicks might try to move Stoudemire this offseason.
It has been a rough season for Stoudemire. His brother died in a Florida car accident in February. And Stoudemire averaged 17.5 points, his lowest output in a full season since his rookie year. He shot 48.3 percent, the lowest since his second season.
New York was 18-6 under interim head coach Mike Woodson during the regular season but has been outclassed vs. Miami. A loss on Thursday would be the Knicks’ 13th straight playoff setback, which would set an NBA record. Of course New York already lost starting guard Iman Shumpert to a torn ACL in Game 1 of this series. Starting point guard Jeremy Lin remains out following knee surgery and current starter Baron Davis is playing with a bad back.
Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum will be looking to come through with big games once again on Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Denver Nuggets in the second game of their first-round NBA playoff series. Get your NBA odds for the postseason at Bovada.
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Bryant led the team with 31 points and Bynum added a triple-double in Game 1 of the set on Sunday afternoon as the Lakers cruised to a 103-88 home win and paid off on the NBA betting lines at Bovada.
Bynum scored 10 points to go along with 13 rebounds and 10 blocks against the Nuggets on Sunday, with Pau Gasol turning in a solid performance as well with 13 points, eight boards, and eight assists. Ramon Sessions chipped in with 14 points.
Danilo Gallinari led Denver in scoring with 19 points in Sunday's loss, with Andre Miller picking up 12 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists off the bench.
The Nuggets only scored 40 points in the first half of Sunday's game, helping the combined score turn into an UNDER result for totals bettors at Bovada. That makes nine UNDER results in the last 10 meetings between Denver and the Lakers dating back to early 2010.
The Lakers are 3-0 both SU and ATS over their past three games against the Nuggets.
On the updated NBA futures at Bovada heading into the week the Lakers were listed at 8/1 to win the title this spring – putting them behind the Heat (3/2), Thunder (7/2), and Spurs (4/1). The Nuggets were back at 100/1 odds.
On the Western Conference odds the Lakers are at 9/2, with the Nuggets back at 60/1.
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Miami could suffer a bit of a letdown in this one after getting revenge on the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder in a very high-intensity game Wednesday night. Less than two weeks after being blown out in Oklahoma City, Miami responded with a 98-93 victory in a potential NBA Finals preview. LeBron James outplayed Kevin Durant and showed why he’s the MVP favorite as James finished with 34 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Dwyane Wade finished with 19 points, three rebounds and two assists after missing Tuesday’s win against the 76ers with a sore left knee.
Memphis might be the most dangerous threat in the West to the Thunder. In fact, the Grizzlies won in Oklahoma City on Monday night 94-88. However, the Grizz could be tired for this one. They also played Tuesday, beating Golden State, and Wednesday, losing 95-85 at Dallas. Memphis looked very fatigued late against the Mavs, hitting just 1-for-12 at one point in a decisive fourth-quarter run for Dallas. Memphis actually led by five with 10 minutes left. The loss dropped Memphis to 12-16 on the road.
This is the only meeting of the season between Miami and Memphis. Last year, the Grizz won a close game in Memphis but lost by 33 points in south Florida. If the Heat win this one, they tie the franchise record for consecutive home wins set from Dec. 3, 2010 through March 4, 2011. The Grizzlies are just 1-7 ATS in their past eight trips to Miami. But the underdog has covered in five of the past seven meetings overall.