Sunday’s Tip Sheet

ATS Rankings | Totals Report | Injuries

Game of the Night: Heat at Warriors (-14, 221 ½) – 8:35 PM EST

In the record-setting season of 2015-16, the Warriors needed 44 games to reach 40 victories. The next season, it took Golden State 47 games to reach the 40-win mark. Last season, the Warriors picked up their second consecutive championship, but it took them 50 contests to make it to 40 wins.

This season, Steve Kerr’s squad is one victory away from 40, but the Warriors (39-15 SU, 24-29-1 ATS) are off to their worst start since 2013-14. Granted, Golden State is currently the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs, but the standard has been set so high that 39-15 is underachieving for this club. The 39th victory of the season for the Warriors came on Friday against an undermanned Suns’ team as 16 ½-point road favorites, 117-107. Stephen Curry struggling from the floor by shooting 6-of-17 and finished with 20 points, but Klay Thompson paced the Warriors with 25 points, while hitting 4-of-5 three-point attempts.

The Heat (25-28 SU, 27-26 ATS) continue their six-game road trip after splitting the first two contests at Portland and Sacramento. Miami ended a three-game slide in Thursday’s 118-108 triumph at Portland to pull off the season sweep of the Blazers, while cashing as seven-point underdogs. The Heat was on their way to a 2-0 start on the trip against the Kings by jumping out to an 11-point advantage after one quarter and held an 11-point cushion with 6:30 remaining.

Disaster struck in the final 6:30 minutes on Friday night as Sacramento outscored Miami, 19-2 down the stretch to pick up a 102-96 victory to cash as three-point home favorites. Josh Richardson led the Heat with 21 points, while Hassan Whiteside poured in a double-double with 17 points and 19 rebounds, but Miami lost in its second straight appearance at Golden 1 Center.

Miami remains in northern California on Sunday night to begin a difficult back-to-back set that continues in Denver on Monday. The Heat have been listed as a double-digit underdog only once this season as Miami cashed as 12-point ‘dogs in a 125-115 setback at Toronto on November 25. Miami has cashed in eight of its past 12 opportunities as a road underdog, but the Heat own a 1-4 record in their last five in this situation.

The Warriors have compiled a solid 14-6 ATS record when laying at least 10 points, while winning all 20 games straight-up. The last time Golden State lost outright as a double-digit favorite came against Oklahoma City last February, 125-105 at Oracle Arena. The Warriors swept the Heat last season as both victories came in blowout fashion. Golden State crushed Miami at Oracle Arena, 97-80 as 14 ½-point favorites, followed by a 123-95 rout at American Airlines Arena as 10 ½-point chalk.

Afternoon Action

Whenever the Lakers and 76ers hook up, we’re always waiting for Magic Johnson, Julius Erving, and Moses Malone to step on the floor. However, that was over 35 years and two arenas ago as the two old rivals hook up Wells Fargo Center today.

Los Angeles (28-27 SU, 24-29-2 ATS) bounced back from an ugly 136-94 setback at Indiana to pull off one of its biggest victories of the season on Thursday at Boston. The Lakers erased an 18-point deficit, capped off by Rajon Rondo burning his old team with a jumper in the final seconds to send L.A. to a 129-128 stunner at TD Garden as nine-point underdogs. LeBron James posted a triple-double with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists, while the Lakers drilled 22 three-pointers in the victory.

The Lakers go from one old rival to another by squaring off with the 76ers (35-20, 26-29 ATS), who have put their chips in the middle of the table for a shot at the Eastern Conference title. Philadelphia held off Denver on Friday night, 117-110 to snap a short two-game losing streak as newcomer Tobias Harris scored 14 points. The Sixers overcame a 4-of-17 shooting performance from Joel Embiid as J.J. Redick lit up the Nuggets for 34 points on 11-of-15 from the field.

These teams are hooking up for the second time in less than two weeks as the 76ers crushed the Lakers at Staples Center, 121-105 on January 30. Philadelphia easily cashed as 7 ½-point favorites by grabbing a 39-20 advantage after one quarter, but the Sixers didn’t have to deal with James, who was out with a groin injury. Embiid led the 76ers with 28 points, while L.A.’s Brandon Ingram put together one of his best games of his career by scoring 36 points on 16-of-20 shooting.

The Lakers have performed well in the road underdog role of late by covering four straight when receiving points away from Staples Center. The 76ers are riding a five-game UNDER streak, while posting a 10-1 home record this season when hosting Western Conference opponents.

Meanwhile in Big D…

The Blazers (33-21 SU, 30-24 ATS) begin a road-heavy stretch as nine of their next 10 games come away from the Moda Center. Portland finished off a four-game homestand at 3-1 after knocking off San Antonio on Thursday, 127-118 as six-point favorites. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined to score 54 points, but Lillard misfired on all seven three-point attempts. The Blazers picked up their sixth consecutive OVER, while eclipsing the 120-point mark in each of their last four victories.

Portland travels to Dallas to face the re-tooled Mavericks (25-29 SU, 33-20-1 ATS), who have dropped consecutive home games only once this season. Dallas hopes to avoid another home skid after falling to Milwaukee on Friday, 122-107 as six-point underdogs to halt a five-game ATS hot streak. Tim Hardaway, Jr. scored 12 points for the second consecutive games since joining the Mavs from the Knicks, while Dallas knocked down 22 three-pointers in the loss.

Since starting the season 16-4 at American Airlines Center, the Mavericks have slid to a 3-4 record the last seven home contests. The home team has captured each of the first two matchups this season with the Mavericks cruising past the Blazers in Dallas, 111-102 on December 4. The Blazers grabbed revenge in overtime on December 23 as 7 ½-point favorites, 121-118 as these teams have split the last eight meetings dating back to December 2016.

You can reach Kevin Rogers via e-mail at rogers@vegasinsider.com

Kevin Rogers can be followed on Twitter at virogers.