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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: Spurs at Timberwolves – 8:05 PM EST

Both these playoff teams from a season ago have seen plenty of ups and downs through the first five weeks. Minnesota (10-11 SU, 11-10 ATS) has come back to life due to addition by subtraction following the trade of Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia. The Wolves began the season at 4-9 with the disgruntled Butler on the roster, but since the trade, Minnesota has won six of eight games, including back-to-back road wins at Brooklyn and Cleveland following an 0-8 start on the highway.

The Spurs (10-10 SU, 10-10 ATS) are adjusting to life without Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili as San Antonio sits in second place of the Southwest division entering Wednesday’s play. San Antonio edged Chicago on Monday, 108-107, but failed to cash as six-point road favorites. DeMar DeRozan has put together a solid debut season in San Antonio by averaging 24.6 ppg, as he led the Spurs with 21 points in Monday’s win. However, the Spurs have dropped four straight games following a victory dating back to November 4.

San Antonio held off Minnesota in the season opener at AT&T Center, 112-108 as 2 ½-point home favorites. DeRozan poured in 28 points in his first game in a Spurs’ uniform, while LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 points and 19 rebounds. Wolves’ guard Jeff Teague paced Minnesota with 27 points, but big man Karl-Anthony Towns was limited to eight points in 22 minutes. The Wolves have cashed the UNDER in seven straight games, while owning a solid 8-3 SU and 7-4 ATS record at Target Center.

Holy Over

Both the Wizards and Pelicans are each on solid OVER streaks as the two teams expect to light up the scoreboard again tonight in New Orleans. Washington (8-12 SU, 8-12 ATS) has sailed OVER the total in five straight games, while New Orleans (10-11 SU, 9-12 ATS) have hit the OVER in six of the past seven contests. These two squads are going in opposite directions following dramatically different starts to the season as they meet for the second time this week.

New Orleans jumped out to a 4-0 start, but own a 6-11 record the last 17 games, while Washington has won six of nine since a 2-9 beginning to the season. The Wizards knocked off the Pelicans last Saturday, 124-114 as 3 ½-point home favorites, as the teams barely finished OVER the total of 237 ½. Anthony Davis didn’t suit up for the Pelicans that night, as New Orleans is riding a four-game losing streak since dropping 140 points on San Antonio on November 19.

The Wizards are seeing their highest total of the season (240 ½), while hitting the OVER in five of six games with a total of 230 or more. Washington is coming off a stretch of seven of eight games at home, as the Wizards have lost seven of their past eight road contests, while failing to cover in all seven defeats.

Texas Tussle

Not many people would have predicted that the Mavericks and Rockets would own the same amount of wins (9) towards the end of November. Dallas (9-9 SU, 12-6 ATS) has dominated at home by winning eight of 10 games at American Airlines Center, but have lost seven of eight road contests. The Mavericks have won six of seven overall, including a 113-104 home victory over Boston on Saturday as 2 ½-point underdogs.

Dallas hooks up with Houston (9-10 SU, 7-12 ATS) for the first time this season after the Rockets swept the Mavs last season. The Rockets won five straight games earlier this month, but limp home after losing three consecutive road contests at Detroit, Cleveland, and Washington. Two of those defeats came in overtime, including Monday’s 135-131 setback to the Wizards in spite of James Harden’s 54 point output. Since starting 0-4 at home, the Rockets have won four straight at Toyota Center, which includes three covers.

New York State of Mind

The Knicks (7-15 SU, 12-9-1 ATS) are one of the hottest ATS teams in the league right now by covering in five straight games. New York barely cashed as 7 ½-point underdogs in last night’s 115-108 defeat at Detroit, while the Knicks saw their three-game winning streak end. The Knicks finish off a three-game road trip in Philadelphia as New York tries to avenge a four-game sweep by the 76ers last season.

The Sixers (14-8 SU, 8-14 ATS) are going backwards from an ATS perspective by failing to cash in four consecutive games. Jimmy Butler got Philadelphia off the hook in Sunday’s 127-125 triumph at Brooklyn by nailing the game-winning three-pointer to finish off a 14-point rally in the second half. The 76ers own a 1-4 ATS mark in their last five games at Wells Fargo Center, which includes a loss as a 13-point favorite to Cleveland for its first home defeat of the season last Friday.

Buzzed Off

The Hawks (5-16 SU, 9-12 ATS) ended a 10-game losing streak on Sunday by squeezing past the Hornets, 124-123 as 6 ½-point home underdogs. Atlanta followed up that upset by edging Miami last night, 115-113 as 7 ½-point ‘dogs to pick up their second road victory of the season in 11 tries. Now, the Hawks draw the Hornets for the second time this week and the third time this season.

Charlotte (10-10 SU, 13-7 ATS) rebounded from the Atlanta loss by holding off Milwaukee on Monday, 110-107 as 4 ½-point underdog to avenge an opening night defeat to the Bucks. The Hornets have excelled at home by winning seven of 10 games at Spectrum Center, but are 1-1 ATS as a double-digit home favorite with one of those non-covers coming in a 113-102 win over the Hawks earlier this month as 11 ½-point chalk.

Clip Show

The Clippers (13-6 SU, 12-7 ATS) are rolling of late by winning seven of their last eight games as they welcome in the struggling Suns tonight. Los Angeles saw its seven-game OVER streak end in Sunday’s 104-100 victory at Portland as four-point underdogs, while holding an opponent to 100 points or below for only the third time this season. Interestingly enough, the Clippers own an 0-5 ATS record this season when coming off consecutive covers, which is the case heading into tonight.

The Suns (4-16 SU, 8-12 ATS) fell short in a 109-104 home setback to the Pacers last night to drop to 1-5 the last six games. Phoenix has covered four straight games as a double-digit underdog, including upsetting Milwaukee last Friday as 13 ½-point ‘dogs, 116-114. The Suns lost all four meetings with the Clippers last season, while last beating Los Angeles at the end of the 2015-16 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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