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Monday’s Tip Sheet

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
5 minute read
ATS Rankings | Totals Report | Injuries

Game of the Night: Blazers at Clippers – 10:35 PM EST

The 15-6 start for Los Angeles (17-12 SU, 16-13 ATS) seems like a distant memory as the Clippers own a 2-6 record in December. One of those victories came in overtime at Phoenix, while edging New Orleans on the road two weeks ago. The two home setbacks this month have been ugly, losing by 23 points to Miami and 24 points to Toronto. In spite of those two blowouts, the Clippers own a solid 9-3 record at Staples Center.

The Clippers snapped an 0-5 ATS skid with a narrow cover at Oklahoma City on Saturday in a 110-104 loss as 6 ½-point underdogs. Granted, L.A. needed to outscore OKC by 11 points in the fourth quarter to cash tickets, but the Clippers have allowed at least 110 points in eight of the past nine games. The Clips were able to get 50 points from Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari, but L.A. is still missing bench spark Lou Williams, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The Blazers (16-13 SU, 14-15 ATS) snapped a two-game skid by slowing down the red-hot Raptors on Saturday, 128-122 as 1 ½-point home underdogs. Eight Portland players finished in double-figures, led by Damian Lillard’s 24 points, while the Blazers dropped 70 points on Toronto in the second half. In the win, Portland ended a five-game UNDER streak as the OVER of 216 easily hit.

These two Western Conference squads have split a pair of matchups this season, both at the Moda Center. Portland pulled away from L.A. on November 8 to cash as five-point favorites, 116-105, while staying UNDER the total of 225 ½. The Clippers picked up revenge in the second matchup on November25 as four-point underdogs in a 104-100 triumph, as L.A. overcame a 13-point halftime deficit by outscoring Portland, 38-16 in the third quarter to blow the game open.

Double Rocket Revenge

In last season’s second round of the playoffs, Houston make quick work of Utah by winning, 4-1 to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Things have turned in Utah’s favor this season, as the Jazz (14-16 SU, 14-16 ATS) cruised past the Rockets (14-14 SU, 12-16 ATS) in a pair of routs in the first two matchups. In the most recent meeting in Salt Lake City earlier this month, the Jazz grounded the Rockets, 118-91 thanks to a 38-11 third quarter burst, in spite of only six points from Donovan Mitchell.

However, Utah has struggled since that rout of Houston by dropping three of the past four games. The most recent defeat came in Mexico City to Orlando on Saturday in a 96-89 setback as 6 ½-point favorites. Utah shot only 31% from the floor, while the Jazz finished UNDER the total for the fourth time in five games.

Houston is going in the opposite direction through this roller-coaster ride in the first two months of the season. The Rockets are on the uptick of late by winning three straight games, capped off by Saturday’s 105-97 triumph at Memphis, led by James Harden’s second consecutive triple-double with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. Mike D’Antoni’s squad owns a 7-1 record the last eight games at Toyota Center since starting 0-4 at home, which included an 11-point setback to Utah on October 24.

Spiked Out

The Spurs (15-15 SU, 14-15-1 ATS) were in control over the Bulls on Saturday by jumping out to a 19-point halftime lead. San Antonio was primed for its fifth consecutive win on its current homestand, but disaster struck in the second half as the Bulls outscored the Spurs, 55-31 to pick up the 98-93 upset as 9 ½-point underdogs. Now, San Antonio needs to regroup against Philadelphia, as the 76ers (20-11 SU, 14-17 ATS) wrap up a quick two-game road trip.

Philadelphia will be playing with no rest after pounding Cleveland in a revenge spot on Sunday, 128-105. Jimmy Butler returned to the 76ers’ lineup after missing the last two games with a groin injury as the forward put up 19 points, while Ben Simmons registered a triple-double by scoring 22 points, pulling down 11 rebounds, and dishing out 14 assists. The Sixers have struggled on the second of a back-to-back set this season by going 1-4 SU/ATS, while hitting the OVER four times in this situation.

Grizz Frizz

Following a strong start to the season, the Grizzlies (16-13 SU, 16-13 ATS) have lost four of five games to slip out of first place in the Southwest. The last two defeats for Memphis came at FedEx Forum to Houston and Miami after beginning the campaign with a 12-1 home record. The Grizzlies will have their hands full as they begin a four-game western road swing, which starts at Golden State on Monday, followed by stops in Portland, Sacramento, and Los Angeles to face the Lakers.

The Warriors (20-10 SU, 13-17 ATS) overcame a late 10-point deficit on Friday to stun the Kings, 130-125, led by Stephen Curry’s 35 points and 33 points from Kevin Durant. Golden State went from dropping six in a row away from Oracle Arena to winning four consecutive road games to vault back into the top spot of the Pacific. The Warriors pulled away from the Grizzlies in the first matchup this season in Oakland, 117-101 to cash as 14-point favorites.

Detroit Duel

The Pistons (14-13 SU, 14-13 ATS) put a halt to a six-game losing streak in an impressive 113-104 victory over the Celtics on Saturday as short home underdogs. Detroit avenged a pair of losses to Boston as Blake Griffin scored 27 points, while Andre Drummond pulled down 20 rebounds to give the Pistons its first home win since December 1 against Golden State.

Detroit welcomes in Milwaukee as the Bucks (19-9 SU, 15-12-1 ATS) finish off a three-game road trip within the division. The Bucks were tripped up at Indiana to begin the swing, but rebounded by beating Cleveland on Friday, 114-102 as 9 ½-point favorites. Giannis Antetokounmpo torched the Cavaliers for 44 points on 14-of-19 shooting, while knocking down 16 free throws. Milwaukee pounded Detroit in its first meeting at Fiserv Forum earlier this month, 115-92 as 7 ½-point favorites, while hitting the UNDER in the first of a current six-game UNDER streak.

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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