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Saturday’s Tip Sheet

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
Game of the Night: Spurs at Warriors (-11, 215) – 8:30 PM EST

Golden State (42-13 SU, 24-30-1 ATS) avoided its first three-game losing streak of the season by rallying past Dallas on Thursday, 121-103 to cash as 14-point favorites. The defending champions trailed by 10 points after one quarter but stormed back to even the game at halftime, while outscoring the Mavs in the second half by 18. The Warriors knocked down 14 three-pointers, as Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry each drilled four treys apiece to bounce back from Tuesday’s 20-point home setback to Oklahoma City.

San Antonio (35-21 SU, 29-25-2 ATS) also faced a two-game skid heading into its previous contest, as the Spurs didn’t mess around in a 129-81 blasting of the Suns on Thursday. The Spurs easily cashed as 10-point road favorites, while taking firm control in the first half by outscoring the Suns, 69-31 in the opening 24 minutes. Perhaps the most impressive statistic for Gregg Popovich’s team was limiting Phoenix to 3-of-32 shooting from three-point range, while pulling off the four-game season sweep of the Suns.

The Warriors have captured six consecutive meetings with the Spurs since last season, including the four-game sweep in the Western Conference Finals. In the first matchup this season at the AT&T Center, the Warriors erased an early 19-point first quarter deficit to blow out the Spurs, 112-92. To put that in proper context, Golden State outscored San Antonio, 100-61 in the final 38:16 to easily cover as 8 ½-point favorites, while Curry, Durant, and Klay Thompson combined to drill 10 three-pointers.

The Spurs have been a solid defensive team on the highway by limiting 12 of the past 14 opponents to 100 points or less, but own a dreadful 2-8 SU record in the role of a road underdog. The Warriors haven’t helped backers of late by posting a 5-9 ATS mark the last 14 contests, while last covering consecutive games at Oracle Arena in late December in wins over Cleveland and Utah.

Red, White, and Blue Times Two

The Clippers and 76ers are each on the second end of a back-to-back set as the two squads hook up in Philadelphia. Los Angeles (28-25 SU, 29-23-1 ATS) started its seven-game winning streak with a bang by knocking off old friend Blake Griffin and Detroit on Friday, 108-95. The Clippers improved to 5-1 the last six games overall, while moving to 6-1 in the past seven contests away from Staples Center. Los Angeles and Philadelphia share identical 1-6 records with no rest this season, as the Clippers own a 1-5 road mark on the second of a back-to-back.

The 76ers (27-25 SU, 29-22-1 ATS) demolished the Pelicans from the start on Friday as Philadelphia led 26-6 in the first quarter. Brett Brown’s team moved its home winning streak to eight with the 100-82 blowout of New Orleans, while improving to 8-2 SU/ATS in its last 10 opportunities in the favorite role. The Sixers edged the Clippers at Staples Center in mid-November, 109-105 as two-point underdogs, while Philadelphia has covered in each of the past four meetings.

Hot and Cold

The Lakers (23-31 SU, 29-25 ATS) have caught fire of late by putting together a 12-4 SU/ATS the last 16 games, including a current four-game winning streak. Los Angeles pulled away from a short-handed Oklahoma City squad in Thursday’s 106-81 blowout as one-point home favorites, while winning its eighth consecutive game at Staples Center. The Lakers knocked off the Mavericks in their first matchup this season in mid-January, 107-101 in overtime, ending a 14-game skid to Dallas dating back to the start of the 2013-14 season.

The Mavericks (17-38 SU, 27-27-1 ATS) are going the wrong way of late by dropping seven of their past eight and 13 of their last 17 since the calendar shifted to January. Dallas has lost three straight home games, while scoring 97 points or fewer in each of those defeats, as the Mavs have struck the UNDER in seven consecutive contests at the American Airlines Center.



Something Has to Give

Both the Pelicans and Nets look to turn around their losing ways as they hook up at Barclays Center. New Orleans (28-26 SU, 26-27-1 ATS) was never in Friday’s contest at Philadelphia, as the Pelicans trailed by 32 heading into the fourth quarter of a 100-82 setback. The Pelicans suffered three straight losses for the second time this season, while falling to 1-5 SU/ATS the past six contests. New Orleans has captured seven of the last eight meetings with Brooklyn since March 2014, while ripping the Nets, 128-113 as nine-point home favorites in late December.

Brooklyn (19-37 SU, 33-23 ATS) has lost four in a row and eight of its previous nine games, in spite of covering in its past two defeats to Houston and Detroit. The Nets have struggled against Western Conference opponents at Barclays Center by compiling a 2-8 record with the only wins coming against Utah in mid-November and Minnesota in early January.

Three’s Not Allowed

Amazingly, Washington (31-24 SU, 25-30 ATS) has not lost three straight games this season, posting a perfect 8-0 record off consecutive defeats. The Wizards are in this situation again at the United Center on Saturday following losses to Philadelphia and Boston. Washington rallied to lead Boston late on Thursday, but the Celtics ultimately beat the Wizards in overtime, as Scott Brooks’ team fell to 1-3 this season in games decided past regulation.

The Wizards have had their way the Bulls lately by winning four straight meetings since December 2016, but Chicago has covered in the past three matchups, including as eight-point ‘dogs in a 114-110 loss at Capital One Arena on New Year’s Eve. The Bulls (19-35 SU, 30-23-1 ATS) play with no rest following Friday’s win against Minnesota, as Chicago has stumbled to a 2-7 record on the second of a back-to-back set this season.

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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