Follow Us on Facebook Follow Us on Twitter VI Mobile College Basketball March Mayhem Picks College Basketball March Mayhem Picks VegasInsider.com VegasInsider.com
Handicapper Bios Sports Picks Free Odds Contests Sportsbook
Sports Betting Home NFL NBANHLMLBNCAA FBNCAA BKGolfAutoHorsesBoxingVI More Sports
 
NBA Scores Matchups Teams Standings Schedules Injuries News
 
 · Latest News
 · Player Updates
 · Transactions
Buy Picks Vegas Odds
 
 · Vegas Odds
 · Offshore Odds
 · Future Odds
 
Preview: Bobcats (21-61) at Trail Blazers (33-49)
BT Movements  ·  Line Movements
Date: March 04, 2013 10:00 PM EDT
  

While the Portland Trail Blazers were one of the league's worst rebounding teams during February, they opened this month with a season-best effort on the boards.

Portland shouldn't have much trouble building off that performance on Monday night when they host the NBA-worst Charlotte Bobcats, who have been historically bad on the glass lately.

After a season-worst four-game home skid in January, the Trail Blazers (27-31) have won six of eight at the Rose Garden following a 109-94 victory over Minnesota on Saturday. It was just their second win in 10 games overall, and they are still 4 1/2 games behind Houston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Advertisement

"We know what we need to do. We need to win games, especially on our home floor," said guard Damian Lillard, who had a game-high 24 points against the Timberwolves.

Portland ranked near the bottom of the NBA with 39.4 rebounds per game last month, but pulled down a season-high 55 against a Timberwolves team missing its entire starting frontcourt of Kevin Love, Andrei Kirilenko and Nikola Pekovic due to injuries.

J.J. Hickson, the team's leading rebounder (10.5 rpg), finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds, while Nicolas Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge and Meyers Leonard combined for 23 boards.

Hickson enters this contest on a tear, averaging 18.8 points on 68.5 percent shooting and 13.6 rebounds while recording five straight double-doubles. He'll try to keep it going against a Charlotte team that ranks near the bottom of the league in rebound differential (minus-4.7).

The Bobcats (13-46) were outrebounded 62-24 in a 30-point loss at Utah on Friday and 60-31 in a 119-83 defeat at Sacramento on Sunday. Their minus-67 rebounding differential is the NBA's worst over a two-game span dating back to at least the 1985-86 season.

"You have to stay with it. You have to have a little bit of pride individually as a team," forward Josh McRoberts said of the team's overall struggles.

Byron Mullens (7.8 per game) and Bismack Biyombo (7.1) lead the team in rebounding, but have 12 combined over the last two contests. Mullens had 12 points and 12 rebounds, and the Bobcats were outrebounded 48-41 in a 118-112 overtime loss to Portland on Dec. 3.

Ben Gordon led the way with 29 points on 8-of-12 shooting from 3-point range and Kemba Walker added 22 in that game, but both guards are mired in slumps. Gordon has averaged 5.8 points on 27.3 percent shooting in his last 10 games, while Walker has averaged 11.3 on 31.4 percent shooting in his last three.

The Bobcats, who have lost 41 of 47 overall, have averaged 78.3 points on 37.2 percent shooting on their road trip that wraps up at Portland.

Aldridge and Batum combined for 42 points and 26 rebounds for the Trail Blazers in the first meeting, but Hickson had only two points.

Portland has averaged 102.5 points - 5.3 above its season average - in its last eight at home. The Trail Blazers should be able to continue that trend against the Bobcats, who have given up 107.7 points per game during their six-game losing streak.

The Trail Blazers have won four in a row at home over Charlotte and six of seven overall between the teams.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2013
The Associated Press
All Rights Reserved

 CURRENT LAS VEGAS LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 CHA  +900   +13   197 
 POR  -1400   -13   
LAS VEGAS LINE MOVEMENTS

 CURRENT SPORTSBOOK LINE
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 CHA     +13.5   197 
 POR     -13.5   
OFFSHORE LINE MOVEMENTS

 BETTING TRENDS
 Team  ML   SPR   O/U 
 CHA  n/a   31%   34% 
 POR  n/a   69%   66% 
BT MOVEMENTS

 NBA PREVIEWS
 Monday, Mar 4
 
  •  Knicks at Cavaliers
7:05 PM EDT
  •  Magic at Hornets
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Jazz at Bucks
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Heat at Timberwolves
8:05 PM EDT
  •  Hawks at Nuggets
9:05 PM EDT
  •  Bobcats at Trail Blazers
10:05 PM EDT
  •  Raptors at Warriors
10:35 PM EDT
 
 
 
  
GOLD Membership
Over 150 Member Plays free each month. Signup Today!
 
 

NFL
NFL Sports Picks
NFL Vegas Odds
NFL Online Odds
NFL Matchups
NFL Scores

More Sports
Golf
Auto Racing
Horse Racing
Boxing
WNBA

MLB
MLB Sports Picks
MLB Vegas Odds
MLB Online Odds
MLB Matchups
MLB Scores

Features
Free Odds
Contests
Newsletters
VI Radio
Las Vegas Travel
Follow us on Twitter
Add us on Google+
Join us on Facebook

NBA
NBA Sports Picks
NBA Vegas Odds
NBA Online Odds
NBA Matchups
NBA Scores

Sports Betting Tools
Live Odds
Mobile Odds
Parlay Calculator
Gaming Terms
TV Listings
Handicapping Records
Sports Betting
About Sports Betting
Sportsbook Reviews

NHL
NHL Sports Picks
NHL Vegas Odds
NHL Online Odds
NHL Matchups
NHL Scores

VegasInsider Info
About Us
Help Center
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Refund Policy
Contact Us
User Feedback

College Football
NCAA FB Sports Picks
NCAA FB Vegas Odds
NCAA FB Online Odds
NCAA FB Matchups
NCAA FB Scores

Sportsbooks
CarbonSports · Review
SportBet · Review
Sportsbook · Review
TopBet.eu · Review

College Basketball
NCAA BK Sports Picks
NCAA BK Vegas Odds
NCAA BK Online Odds
NCAA BK Matchups
NCAA BK Scores

Rotation Schedules
Baseball: June 03 - Aug 07

Copyright © 1997-2013, VegasInsider.com Inc., The Global Leader In Sports Gaming Information. All rights reserved.
For questions or comments, please contact us at 1-800-211-4759.