The Thursday NBA card is normally a light one, but there are three games for bettors to wager on as opposed to the usual two. The Hawks and Wizards will make up a postponed game from February 6 due to inclement weather in the D.C. area. We'll lead things off with the pair of TNT contests, starting in central Florida between the red-hot Magic and stumbling Bulls.
Bulls (31-32 SU, 30-31-2 ATS) at Magic (45-20 SU, 34-30-1 ATS)
Chicago and Orlando hook up for the final time in the regular season with the season series tied at a game apiece. These two clubs are going in different directions as the Magic are riding a six-game winning streak while the Bulls have dropped five in a row.
Stan Van Gundy's squad is coming off a 113-87 blasting of the Clippers on Tuesday, the fourth cover in the last five opportunities as a double-digit favorite. The Magic is 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS the last eight at home, while holding each of their last four opponents to 94 points or less.
Chicago's defense is nowhere to be found, allowing 100 points or more in eight straight games including the 132-spot to Utah on Tuesday. The 'over' has been a profitable play for the Bulls recently, hitting in five of the last seven games. Since a 6-1 SU/ATS run to start the second half of the season, Vinny Del Negro's team is 0-5 SU/ATS, with each loss coming by nine points or more.
The two teams split a pair of meetings at the United Center as the Bulls knocked off the Magic, 101-93 on January 2 as 3 ½-point home 'dogs. Orlando shot just 36% from the floor, but managed to knock down 14 three-pointers in the loss. The Magic got revenge in an easy 107-87 thrashing of the Bulls in the final game prior to the All-Star Break. Derrick Rose went down with a bruised hip that kept the reigning Rookie of the Year out the rest of the contest. The game was pretty much decided after Orlando put 41 points on the scoreboard in the first quarter, cashing comfortably as 4 ½-point road 'chalk.'
Blazers (38-28 SU, 35-30-1 ATS) at Warriors (17-46 SU, 35-27-1 ATS)
Portland enters its personal house of horrors when the Blazers invade Oracle Arena for the late tip against Golden State. Nate McMillan's club is 0-9 SU and 1-8 ATS the last nine visits to the Bay Area dating back to April 2005. The Warriors return home from a winless five-game road trip, but Golden State managed a 3-2 ATS mark, including Monday's 135-131 shootout loss at New Orleans as six-point 'dogs.
The Blazers failed to cover in an 88-81 victory over the Kings on Tuesday as 8 ½-point home favorites, the fourth win in five games for Portland. The road 'chalk' role has been a profitable wager for the Blazers, cashing 10 of 13 times in this role. Portland has covered five straight when laying points away from the Rose Garden, while compiling a 10-3 ATS mark the last 13 on the road overall.
The Warriors are still short-handed with leading scorer Monta Ellis missing the last five games with back spasms and center Andris Biedrins likely out for the rest of the season with an abdominal tear. Playing without Ellis hasn't affected Warriors' backers in a negative way, as Golden State is 9-2 ATS this season when Ellis sits out. Ellis and his 25 ppg hopes to return to the court on Thursday. Golden State has struggled at Oracle recently, going 4-7 SU/ATS, while dropping six of eight games as home 'dogs.
The home team has split each meeting this season with the Warriors running out the Blazers, 108-94 at Oracle on November 20. Golden State allowed 37 first-quarter points, but held Portland to 57 points in the final three quarters combined to cash as eight-point home 'dogs. Portland exacted revenge at the Rose Garden on January 2 with a 105-89 blowout of Golden State, cruising to a cover as 3 ½-point favorites. In a similar scenario to the first matchup, the Warriors this time were scorching the nets with a 41-point first quarter. Portland's defense tightened up by limiting Golden State to 48 points in the last three periods.
Hawks (40-23 SU, 36-27 ATS) at Wizards (21-40 SU, 25-34-2 ATS)
The card expands by one game with the Wizards beginning a stretch of three games in three days when they host the Hawks at the Verizon Center. Atlanta will try to bounce back after a one-point loss in the final seconds at New York on Monday. Since losing Josh Howard for the season with a torn ACL on February 22, the Wizards are 1-6 SU and 2-5 ATS.
The Hawks are 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS off consecutive losses this season, but do own a 2-1 SU/ATS mark on the road in this situation. Atlanta is just 4-7 SU/ATS since January 27 on the road, while averaging 96 ppg in the last two road defeats at Miami and New York.
The Wizards have turned into a solid 'under' play over the last eight games, cashing seven times, while not breaking the 90-point mark in any of the previous five contests. Washington held Houston to 38% shooting from the floor on Tuesday, but the Wizards tallied just 60 points through the first three quarters in a 96-88 loss to the Rockets as four-point home 'dogs.
Mike Woodson's team has claimed each of the last seven meetings, including the first two this season at Philips Arena. The Hawks downed the Wizards in late October, 100-89 as six-point 'chalk,' while the game easily finished 'under' the total of 202 ½. Atlanta won in similar fashion on January 13 by knocking off Washington, 94-82. The favorite/under combination cashed again when the Hawks covered as 11-point favorites and finished 'under' the total of 203 ½.
You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com
