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Wednesday’s Tip Sheet

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

Game of the Night: Celtics at 76ers (-3, 225) – 7:05 PM EST

Boston eliminated Philadelphia in five games in last season’s second round of the playoffs before getting bounced by Cleveland in the conference finals. The Celtics (43-28 SU, 34-36-1 ATS) have continued that dominance this season by winning each of the first three meetings with their division rivals, including a 112-109 victory at Wells Fargo Center as 6 ½-point underdogs prior to the All-Star break.

The 76ers (46-25 SU, 34-37 ATS) finished off the four-game season sweep of the Hornets on Tuesday in a 118-114 triumph. Philadelphia stuck to its script of close games with Charlotte as the 76ers won the four matchups by a combined 10 points, while capturing its fifth consecutive victory overall. Four Philadelphia starters scored at least 22 points last night, led by 28 points from Ben Simmons on 11-of-12 shooting from the floor.

Philadelphia managed the victory without Joel Embiid, who sat out for the ninth time since the All-Star break. Embiid hopes to play tonight after dominating the Bucks for 40 points in Sunday’s win at Milwaukee, as the 76ers try to improve on a 2-5 ATS record in their last seven games in the role of a home favorite.

The Celtics lost for the second time in the last seven trips to the court in Monday’s 114-105 home setback to the Nuggets. Boston slipped to 0-4 ATS the past four games, but the Celtics have cashed in three of the previous four opportunities in the underdog role.

Bucks (-9 ½, 227) at Cavaliers – 7:05 PM EST

Milwaukee (53-18 SU, 42-26-3 ATS) travels to Cleveland with no rest tonight following Tuesday’s 115-101 home triumph over the slumping Lakers. The Bucks played without star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who rested a sprained ankle and really isn’t needed here against a lottery team. Milwaukee has topped Cleveland twice by double-digits this season, while dominating Miami and New Orleans in its last two opportunities as a road favorite.

The Cavaliers (18-53 SU, 33-36-2 ATS) are creeping closer towards the elusive 20-win mark as Cleveland surprised Detroit on Monday, 126-119 as 6 ½-point home underdogs. The victory snapped a three-game skid as the Cavaliers shot 58% from the floor, paced by rookie Collin Sexton’s 27 points. The Cavaliers have profited nicely since the All-Star break by posting a 8-4-1 ATS record, including three straight covers as a home underdog.

Wizards (-3 ½, 221) at Bulls – 8:05 PM EST

The road team has grabbed each of the first two matchups between these two Eastern Conference squads who are both outside the playoff race. Washington (30-41 SU, 34-37 ATS) has won only eight games away from D.C. this season, but one of the victories came at the United Center on February 9 in a 134-125 triumph as two-point favorites, highlighted by a 42-point second quarter.

The Wizards finished off their five-game homestand at 3-2, while hitting the road off a 116-95 setback to the Jazz on Monday. The Bulls (20-52 SU, 32-39-1 ATS) are back in the Windy City after capturing a win in the final contest of a three-game away swing at Phoenix on Monday, 116-101. Chicago has lost 11 of its past 13 home games to Eastern Conference foes, while dropping six of the previous eight meetings with Washington.

Heat at Spurs (-6 ½, 210 ½) – 8:35 PM EST

The hottest team in the league resides in San Antonio as the Spurs (42-29 SU, 40-30-1 ATS) have caught fire at the right time. San Antonio has run off nine consecutive victories since a dreadful Rodeo Road Trip, capped off by Monday’s 111-105 home triumph over Golden State as three-point underdogs. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge combined to score 49 points for the Spurs, who has won 11 straight games at AT&T Center since January 27.

The Heat (34-36 SU, 38-32 ATS) are somehow leading the Southeast division in spite of a losing record, but are climbing towards the .500 mark following victories on a back-to-back set against the Hornets and Thunder. Miami fell into a 13-0 hole to start Monday’s game at Oklahoma City, but the Heat rallied back quickly by taking a 27-25 lead at the end of the first quarter before beating the Thunder, 116-107. The Heat actually owns a winning record on the road (17-16), while covering eight of their past 10 games away from American Airlines Arena.

Raptors at Thunder (-4 ½, 226) – 9:35 PM EST

Oklahoma City (42-29 SU, 36-35 ATS) has dropped three straight games to fall into third place of the Northwest division. Russell Westbrook sat out Monday’s nine-point home defeat to Miami due to a league-mandated one-game suspension for reaching a certain amount of technical fouls. The Thunder slipped to 3-12 ATS the last 15 games, including a 1-6 ATS mark at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The Raptors (50-21 SU, 31-40 ATS) have been up and down of late by splitting their last eight games, coming off Monday’s 128-92 blowout of the hapless Knicks. Toronto has slipped up in its past two road contests at Detroit and Cleveland, while guard Kyle Lowry is out for tonight’s contest with an ankle injury.

The Thunder and Raptors start a home-and-home set with the second game coming Friday at Toronto. OKC swept Toronto last season, including a 17-point victory at Chesapeake Energy Arena last December as Westbrook and Paul George combined for 63 points. The Raptors own an 8-6 ATS record in the road underdog role, while Toronto has seen the OVER hit in four of the past five games overall.

Mavericks at Blazers (-10, 227 ½) – 10:05 PM EST

These two Western Conference foes meet for the final time in the regular season as the home team has won each of the first three matchups. After Dallas (28-42 SU, 38-30-2 ATS) topped Portland (43-27 SU, 40-30 ATS) by nine points in early December, the Blazers and Mavericks played two close contests decided by a total of four points. Dallas rallied past Portland at American Airlines Center in February, 102-101 by outscoring the Blazers, 24-9 in the fourth quarter.

The Mavericks have dropped 13 of their past 15 games since that late rally against the Blazers, capped off by a 129-125 overtime setback to the Pelicans on Monday. Dallas will look to snap a seven-game road losing streak tonight, while Portland has four of its past five contests after topping Indiana on Monday, 106-98.

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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