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Friday’s Tip Sheet

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
ATS Rankings | Totals Report | Injuries

Game of the Night: Cavaliers at 76ers (-3 ½, 224) – 7:00 PM EST

The famed “Process” in Philadelphia has finally turned the corner as the 76ers (48-30 SU, 46-30-2 ATS) are returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The Sixers are riding a 12-game winning streak following Wednesday’s 115-108 victory at Detroit, while coming off their 10th consecutive cover.

Six players posted double-figures for Philadelphia, led by J.J. Redick’s 25 points and five three-pointers. Philadelphia sits in the fourth position in the Eastern Conference playoff race, which would pit them against Indiana in the opening round.

The Cavaliers (49-30 SU, 30-48-1 ATS) travel to the City of Brotherly Love with no rest following Thursday’s home victory over the Wizards. Cleveland is surging at the right time by winning 10 of its past 11 games, while covering eight times in this stretch. Since the overhaul of its roster in early February, the Cavs have posted a 9-4 road record the last 14 away from Quicken Loans Arena since a 1-11 run from late December through February 6.

Cleveland captured the first two matchups with Philadelphia this season, but the 76ers won the last battle at Quicken Loans Arena in March, 108-97. All three meetings have finished UNDER the total, while the Cavaliers have cashed the UNDER in five of the last six games.

Life Without Kyrie

The Celtics (53-25 SU, 48-28-2 ATS) had high expectations coming into the season after acquiring All-Star guard Kyrie Irving from the Cavaliers. Boston will likely finish as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, but Irving won’t see any action in the postseason after missing the last 11 games with a knee injury. Irving is scheduled for a knee procedure as the Celtics look to put an end to a two-game skid against the Bulls.

Boston owns a 1-5 ATS record in its last six opportunities as a home favorite, as Chicago (27-51 SU, 41-36-1 ATS) is riding a three-game winning streak. The Bulls have cashed four straight contests overall, including outright home underdog victories over Washington and Charlotte. Chicago crushed Boston in the first matchup this season at the United Center (without Irving), but the Celtics have bounced back with double-digit wins in the last two meetings.

Second Round Preview?

Plenty to still has to be figured out in the Eastern Conference playoff race as far as seeding goes, even though all eight spots have been spoken for. The Raptors (56-22 SU, 41-37 ATS) currently sit in the top spot in the East as Toronto picked up some breathing room after blowing out Boston on Wednesday, 96-78 as 7 ½-point favorites. Dwane Casey’s team snapped an 0-9 ATS slump with that victory, while also ending a brief two-game slide.

Toronto hosts Indiana as the Pacers (47-32 SU, 46-33 ATS) are the fifth seed in the East, which sets up a potential second round playoff matchup. The Pacers head north of the border following a 126-106 blowout of the Warriors last night as 2 ½-point underdogs. Indiana knocked down 15 three-pointers in the win, including six treys from Bojan Bogdanovic. The Pacers have cashed in six of the last seven games, but have dropped two of three meetings with the Raptors this season.

Minnesota Misery

Things can go in many different directions over the next six days in the Western Conference, as two games separate teams 4-9. In that mix is Minnesota (44-35 SU, 34-42-3 ATS), who sits as the eighth seed after losing at Denver on Thursday, 100-96. The Wolves managed a cover as 5 ½-point underdogs, but Minnesota is riding an incredible, but unusual streak. Tom Thibodeau’s club has won two straight, lost two straight, won two in a row, lost two in a row, won two more, then lost two more since March 11.

Judging that streak, the Wolves should bounce back tonight against the Lakers after losing two straight. Los Angeles (34-44 SU, 41-37 ATS) ended a three-game slide in Wednesday’s overtime triumph over San Antonio, as rookie Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 30 points. L.A. has struggled against Minnesota this season by dropped all three meetings, including a pair of losses 17 points or more.

Washed Out

The Wizards (42-37 SU, 36-42-1 ATS) are going in the wrong direction at the wrong time by losing three straight, including Thursday’s late meltdown at Cleveland. Washington threw away a 10-point lead with three minutes remaining as the Wizards fell, 119-115, but they covered as six-point underdogs. John Wall led Washington with 28 points and 14 assists, but the Wizards dropped to 0-5 in the last five games away from Capital One Arena.

Washington returns to D.C. to host Atlanta (22-57 SU, 37-39-3 ATS), who has lost seven of its previous eight games. Atlanta’s offense is nowhere to be found without top scorer Dennis Schroder, as the Hawks have scored less than 100 points in eight of the past nine contests. All three matchups between these division rivals have been blowouts with Washington posting a 2-1 record, including a 129-104 rout at Philips Arena in late January.

You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com

Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.

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