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Monday's NBA Tip Sheet
May 4, 2008
By Brad Young VegasInsider.com
T he second-round series in the NBA postseason are well under way, with some key trends forming. Favored home teams have won the last five postseason contests, with the ‘under’ going 4-1. That trend continued with Sunday’s double-dip of action as Boston routed Atlanta in Game 7 and Los Angeles upended Utah in Game 1 of their series.
Now let’s break down both of Monday’s matchups on the hardwood.
**Magic (3) at Pistons (2)**
-Caesars Palace opened Detroit as a six-point home ‘chalk’ over Orlando, with the total set at 185. Game 2 of this series is scheduled to tipoff at 7:05 p.m. ET, with TNT providing coverage. The updated series price lists the Pistons as a $6.00 favorite over the Magic, a $4.00 underdog.
-Orlando (56-32 straight up, 53-32 against the spread) was routed by Detroit (64-25 SU, 51-37 ATS) in Saturday’s Game 1 as a 6 ½-point road underdog, 91-72. The combined 163 points never seriously threatened the 189-point closing total.
-It was just a one-point game at halftime until the Pistons outscored the Magic in the third quarter (22-16) and the fourth (26-14). Detroit won the rebounding battle (47-40) while also dishing out more assists (21-15).
-Orlando shot at a 41-percent clip (30-of-74), but connected on just 13 percent (2-of-15) from behind the arc. Forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis each posted 18 points and seven rebounds in the loss, while center Dwight Howard added 12 and eight.
-Detroit shot 43 percent (36-of-84) from the field in the Game 1 victory, and 38 percent (3-of-8) from 3-point land. Point guard Chauncey Billups led all scorers with 19 points while dishing out seven assists, while fellow backcourt mate Richard Hamilton added 17 and six rebounds.
-Orlando maintains a 28-16 SU and ATS road record, with the ‘under’ going 24-19. The Magic have been winning their road endeavors by an average score of 103-100.
-Detroit sports a 37-8 SU and 29-16 ATS record on its home court, with the ‘under’ going 25-18. The Pistons have been winning those contests by an average score of 99-88.
-Detroit is 13-3 SU and 8-7-1 ATS the previous 16 meetings with Orlando, while the ‘over’ is 7-3 the previous 10 encounters.
**Spurs (3) at Hornets (2)**
-Caesars Palace installed New Orleans as a 2 ½-point home favorite over San Antonio, with the total listed at 182. TNT will provide coverage of Monday’s Game 2 beginning at 9:35 p.m. ET. Updated series price lists the Hornets as a $1.70 ‘chalk’ to win this series over the Spurs, a $1.50 underdog.
-New Orleans (61-27 SU, 55-33 ATS) throttled San Antonio (60-28 SU, 40-46 ATS) in Saturday’s Game 1 as a three-point home favorite, 101-82. The combined 183 points slithered ‘under’ the 183 ½-point closing total.
-The Spurs actually led the Hornets at halftime (49-45), before getting outscored in the third (29-17) and fourth (27-16) quarters. San Antonio shot 41 percent (29-of-71) from the field, and 39 percent (12-of-31) from 3-point land. Point guard Tony Parker stepped up with 23 points and five assists, while Manu Ginobili added 19 and seven off the bench.
-New Orleans dominated the boards (50-34), while shooting a blistering 50 percent (43-of-86) from the field and 40 percent (4-of-10) from behind the arc. Power forward David West led all scorers with 30 points and nine rebounds, while center Tyson Chandler added 10 and 15.
-San Antonio is just 23-21 SU and 16-28 ATS on the road, with the ‘under’ going 26-17. The Spurs have been winning those games by an average score of 94-93.
-New Orleans lays claim to a 34-11 SU and 29-16 ATS home ledger, with the ‘over’ going 25-19. The Hornets have been winning those contests by an average score of 103-94.
-The last four games that New Orleans has beaten Dallas both SU and ATS has seen the ‘under’ cash each time.
Brad Young can be reached at byoung@vegasinsider.com.
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