Saturday’s Tip Sheet
ATS Rankings | Totals Report | InjuriesGame of the Night: Wolves at Blazers – 10:00 PM EST
Minnesota and Portland both sit above .500 but are trailing surging Oklahoma City in the Northwest division. The Wolves (13-12 SU, 14-11 ATS) travel west for a four-game trip looking to improve on a dreadful 2-8 record away from Target Center. The good news is Minnesota has won each of its past two away contests, while going on a 6-1 SU/ATS run the last seven games. The Wolves rallied from a 15-point deficit on Wednesday to stun the Hornets, 121-104, while outscoring Charlotte, 35-18 in the fourth quarter.
The Blazers (14-11 SU, 12-13 ATS) snapped an eight-game ATS slide by routing the Suns on Thursday, 108-86 to easily cash as 12 ½-point home favorites. Portland limited an opponent to less than 100 points for the first time since holding Boston to 94 points on November 11. The Blazers jumped out to a 34-9 lead after one quarter and never looked back on Thursday as Damian Lillard led Portland with 25 points and C.J. McCollum sat out due to an ankle injury.
The home team has dominated this series in two matchups this season. Portland ripped an undermanned Minnesota squad at the Moda Center on November 4 as 5 ½-point favorites, 111-81, while the Wolves picked up revenge 12 days later, 112-96 at Target Center. The home squad owns a perfect 9-0 record the last nine meetings since March 2017 as the Wolves seek their first victory in Portland since April 2016.
Sac Daddies
The Kings (13-11 SU, 15-9 ATS) are proving that the first month was not a fluke. Sacramento picked up its seventh road win of the season on Friday in a 129-110 blowout of Cleveland to improve to 8-4 ATS in its past 12 games away from Golden 1 Center. The Kings shot a scorching 57% from the floor last night, led by De’Aaron Fox’s 30-point, 12-assist effort on 12-of-16 shooting from the field. Sacramento improved to 6-2 against the Eastern Conference as the Kings face another Eastern foe on Saturday.
On the second stop of a three-game road swing against Central division opponents, the Kings head to Indiana to face the Pacers (15-10 SU, 12-13 ATS) for the second time in seven days. Sacramento edged Indiana at home last Saturday, 111-110 to end a four-game skid to the Pacers. Indiana returns home after routing Orlando on Friday, 112-90 as four-point road underdogs. The Pacers have thrived on the second of a back-to-back this season by compiling a 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS record in four tries.
Purple Pain
The Lakers (15-10 SU, 10-14-1 ATS) entered San Antonio on a four-game winning streak last night, but exited with a loss following a horrific fourth quarter meltdown. Los Angeles led San Antonio by 10 points after three quarters, but the Spurs outscored the Lakers in the fourth, 44-21 to pick up a 133-120 victory. LeBron James posted 35 points and 11 assists, but the Lakers couldn’t pull off the home-and-home sweep of the Spurs after beating San Antonio by eight on Wednesday.
Los Angeles heads to Memphis as both teams are playing with no rest for their first matchup of the season. The Grizzlies (15-9 SU, 15-9 ATS) rallied past the Pelicans on Friday, 107-103 as five-point underdogs for their second straight win following a 1-4 stretch. Memphis and Los Angeles split its four-game series last season as three of those contests sailed OVER the total.
Tex Mess
Just when the Rockets (11-13 SU, 9-15 ATS) had things figured out by starting November on an 8-2 run, the team with the NBA’s best record last season has slid to 2-6 the past eight games. The latest setback for Houston came at Utah in a playoff rematch on Thursday as the Rockets fell to the Jazz for the second time this season, 118-91 as 1 ½-point underdogs. The Rockets slipped to 1-5 in their past six games away from Toyota Center, while looking to avenge a blowout loss to Dallas.
The Mavericks (12-11 SU, 15-8 ATS) have been one of the best home teams in the league at 10-2, but one of their most resounding wins came at Houston last month, 128-108. Not only did the Mavericks easily cash as 5 ½-point underdogs, but pulled away in the fourth quarter thanks to veteran Devin Harris’ 20 points off the bench and a 20-point effort from standout rookie Luka Doncic. The Mavs have dropped four consecutive home meetings with the Rockets since 2016, but Dallas owns a terrific 5-1 SU/ATS mark as a home underdog this season.
New Yuck
The Nets (9-18 SU, 12-15 ATS) threw away a 23-point advantage in a last-second home loss to the Thunder on Wednesday. Brooklyn bounced back on Friday by edging Toronto in overtime, 106-105 as 8 ½-point underdogs for its second consecutive cover. Now, the Nets make the short trip to Madison Square Garden on Saturday looking to turn around an ugly 0-6 SU/ATS mark with no rest this season.
The Knicks (8-18 SU, 13-12-1 ATS) have dropped two straight since a thrilling home overtime victory over the Bucks last Saturday. New York’s defense was shredded at Boston in a 28-point setback on Thursday as the Celtics shot 53% from the floor and drilled 13 three-pointers. These two New York City rivals have split a pair of meetings this season with the home team winning each time. Since the start of last season, the Knicks have owned the Nets by capturing five of six meetings, while covering in all six instances.
You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com
Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.
Nba News
- NBA APR 17, 2024
NBA First Round Playoffs Series Odds, Betting Trends: Everything You Need To Know
- NBA APR 16, 2024
Heat vs 76ers Picks, Odds | NBA Play-In Tournament Prediction
- NBA APR 16, 2024
Hawks vs Bulls Picks, Odds | NBA Play-In Tournament Prediction
- NBA APR 17, 2024
Kings vs Pelicans Picks, Odds | NBA Play-In Tournament Prediction
- NBA APR 17, 2024
NBA Playoffs Daily Free Picks, Predictions, Odds
- NBA APR 17, 2024
Today’s NBA Player Prop Bets for April 17, 2024