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Monday’s Tip Sheet

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

Game of the Night: Kings at Timberwolves – 8:05 PM EST

As February comes to a close, Sacramento (31-28 SU, 36-23 ATS) is still in the playoff mix in the Western Conference. Following the Clippers’ loss at Denver on Sunday, the Kings moved to within a game of the final playoff spot in the West. The Kings close out a tough four-game road trip that started in Denver prior to the All-Star break, as Sacramento lost a pair of close games to the Nuggets and Warriors by two points each.

Sacramento broke through on Saturday night by edging Oklahoma City, 119-116 as six-point underdogs. In spite of the high-scoring result, the game remained UNDER the total of 240. The Thunder were coming off an overtime triumph over the Jazz the previous night, as the Kings jumped out to a 14-point lead before holding off a late OKC rally. Buddy Hield continued his breakout season for Sacramento by scoring 34 points, while the Kings improved to 7-1 ATS in February.

The Timberwolves (28-31 SU, 31-28 ATS) are riding a five-game ATS hot streak after covering as 13-point underdogs in Saturday’s 140-128 setback at Milwaukee. The loss ended a three-game winning streak, while Minnesota couldn’t hold onto a two-point lead heading into the final quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns missed his second straight game with concussion symptoms, as Derrick Rose paced Minnesota with 23 points off the bench in the Wolves’ 17th road loss of the season.

The home team has captured each of the first three matchups this season. Sacramento took the first two meetings at Golden 1 Center in the role of a home underdog, including a 141-130 shootout victory on December 12. However, the Wolves broke through against the Kings five days later at Target Center in a 132-105 blowout as eight-point favorites, as Minnesota built a 30-point halftime lead.

Turning Point?

It’s obviously a difficult and awkward situation in New Orleans regarding the Anthony Davis situation the rest of the season. The Pelicans (27-34 SU, 29-31-1 ATS) rebounded from blowing a double-digit halftime lead in Friday’s loss at Indiana to cruise past the Lakers the next night, 128-115 as 6 ½-point underdogs. Not only was it the second straight home underdog win for New Orleans, but they knocked off L.A. without Davis in the lineup as Jrue Holiday and Julius Randle combined for 51 points in the victory.

The Pelicans welcome in the 76ers (38-22 SU, 28-32 ATS), who were steamrolled by the Blazers on Saturday afternoon, 130-115. Joel Embiid remains sidelined for Philadelphia, as the 76ers lost for only the eighth time in 32 home contests. Now, the Sixers look to improve on a 14-14 road mark, as Philadelphia owns a 4-2 ATS record in its last six opportunities in the underdog role.

In the first matchup this season, the 76ers held off the Pelicans, 121-120 as 3 ½-point favorites in November. Davis was limited to 4-of-13 shooting for 12 points, while Embiid scored 31 points and 19 rebounds in the victory. New Orleans has failed to cover in its last three opportunities as a home favorite, while losing five of its past eight home contests against Eastern Conference opponents.

Thirtysomething?

The drama continues for the Lakers (29-30 SU, 25-32-2 ATS), who are coming off a 13-point setback at New Orleans on Saturday as 6 ½-point favorites. LeBron James posted 27 points and 12 assists, but the Lakers lost for the fifth time in the last six games away from Staples Center with the only victory in this stretch coming at Boston on a buzzer-beater. The Lakers are seeking their second consecutive season with at least 30 victories following a four-year stretch not eclipsing the 30-win mark. L.A. will reach the 30-win plateau eventually, but the Lakers remain three games behind the Clippers for the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Lakers head to Memphis to face a Grizzlies’ (23-38 SU, 26-35 ATS) coming off four consecutive defeats. The latest setback occurred on Saturday night at Cleveland, 112-107, as the Grizzlies have drilled the OVER in each of the past four contests. Memphis has cashed in four of the previous five opportunities as a home underdog, while the road team has won each of the first two meetings between the Lakers and Grizzlies this season.

Eastern Travels

The Warriors (42-17 SU, 24-34-1 ATS) play eight of the next 11 games away from the Bay Area with a pair of four-game road trips. The first three contests take place against Southeast division opponents, starting with Charlotte. Golden State suffered its sixth straight ATS defeat in Saturday’s 118-112 setback to Houston as 12-point favorites on Saturday. The Warriors lost to the Rockets for the third time this season, while falling behind by 15 points after one quarter as Houston played without James Harden.

Golden State rode an 11-game road winning streak from December 29 through February 8, but the Warriors were tripped up at Portland prior to the All-Star break to end that run. During this current 0-6 ATS run, Steve Kerr’s team was listed as a nine-point favorite or higher five times, as the Warriors have compiled a 4-2 SU mark since February 8.

The Hornets (28-31 SU, 29-30 ATS) face the Warriors for the first time this season as Charlotte has lost four straight home meetings with Golden State. Charlotte erased an 18-point deficit on Saturday against Brooklyn to take an eight-point lead with three minutes remaining in regulation. The Nets outscored the Hornets, 14-4 down the stretch to stun Charlotte, 117-115 and fall to 2-5 SU/ATS the last seven games.

Alamo No

It’s been a Rodeo Trip from hell for the Spurs (33-28 SU, 32-28-1 ATS), who fell to 1-6 on their eight-game swing. To make matters worse, San Antonio was the first visiting team to lose at Madison Square Garden since December 1 as the Knicks snapped an 18-game home skid in Sunday’s 130-118 triumph as nine-point underdogs. The Spurs struggled from three-point range by hitting only 6-of-24 three-point attempts, while allowing at least 120 points in a road loss for the eighth straight time.

The Spurs remain in New York City on Monday to face the Nets (31-30 SU, 34-27 ATS), who have lost three of their past four games at Barclays Center. Brooklyn rebounded from a 14-point home defeat to Portland by winning at Charlotte on Saturday behind D’Angelo Russell’s 40 points. Since a six-game hot streak in January, the Nets have lost four consecutive games off a win, while looking to avenge a 117-114 defeat at San Antonio on January 31 as eight-point underdogs.

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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