Tuesday's Tip Sheet
November 7, 2017
Game of the Night: Grizzlies at Blazers ? 10:05 PM EST
Memphis (6-4 SU, 5-5 ATS) continues its five-game road trip on Tuesday following a split at Staples Center against the Los Angeles teams over the weekend. The Grizzlies had seven players in double-figures in Saturday?s 113-104 triumph over the Clippers as five-point underdogs, while holding L.A. to 4-of-26 shooting from three-point range. However, David Fizdale?s club fell short on Sunday night against the Lakers, 107-102 as 2 ?-point favorites, as Memphis trailed by 18 points heading into the fourth quarter.
Portland (6-4 SU, 4-5-1 ATS) is in the midst of a stretch of 11 of 12 games played at the Moda Center. The Blazers are fresh off a pair of home victories over the Lakers and Thunder, as Terry Stotts? team is searching for their first three-game winning streak of the season. Portland ended an 0-5 ATS run in Sunday?s 103-99 victory over Oklahoma City as three-point underdogs, led by a 36-point, 13-assist effort from guard Damian Lillard. The cover was only the second in six opportunities at home, but Portland?s record as a home favorite sits at 3-2 SU and 1-4 ATS.
The Blazers captured two of three matchups from the Grizzlies last season, as Portland topped Memphis in the lone meeting at the Moda Center, 112-109 in January as one-point favorites. Since Memphis eliminated Portland in the playoffs in 2015, the Blazers have won four of the last seven matchups, including a 2-1 home record by Portland in this stretch.
Central Struggles
Both the Cavaliers and Bucks were playoff teams last season and Cleveland is vying for a fourth consecutive Eastern Conference championship. But it?s been a rough start for these Central division squads through the first three weeks of the season. The Cavs (4-6 SU, 2-8 ATS) have already lost to the Hawks, Magic, Knicks, and Pacers at home, while falling to Atlanta on Sunday as 11 ?-point favorites, 117-115. In fact, Cleveland has yet to cover at Quicken Loans Arena this season by compiling a dreadful 0-6 ATS home mark.
Milwaukee (4-5 SU, 3-5-1 ATS) has slipped of late also by dropping three in a row, while losing the first two on its four-game road trip to Charlotte and Detroit. Giannis Antetokounmpo has failed to score over 30 points in each of the past three games for the Bucks, after topping the 30-point mark in five of his first six games. The Bucks were rolled by the Cavaliers in their last matchup on October 20 at home, 116-97, while Cleveland owns a dominating 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS record against Milwaukee since November 2015.
Clipped Off
The Clippers (5-4 SU, 5-4 ATS) started the season on fire with four consecutive wins. However, L.A. stumbled to a 1-4 SU/ATS mark on its recent five-game homestand, including back-to-back setbacks to Memphis and Miami. The Clippers hit the highway for eight of their next nine games, including a three-game swing this week through San Antonio, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans. L.A. owns a perfect 2-0 SU/ATS record away from Staples Center, while taking three of four meetings from San Antonio last season, including a pair of victories at AT&T Center.
The Spurs (6-4 SU, 5-5 ATS) have managed to keep their heads above water without MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard in the lineup. Leonard is out indefinitely with a quad injury as San Antonio seeks its third consecutive victory following wins over Charlotte and Phoenix. San Antonio remains a tremendous home team at 4-1 with the lone loss coming to defending champion Golden State, while the Spurs are 5-0 this season when scoring at least 100 points and 1-4 when held to 99 or fewer points.
Garden Party
Watch out for the Knicks! That is not a joke after New York (5-4 SU, 5-4 ATS) rallied from a 19-point deficit on Sunday to shock Indiana, 108-101 behind 40 points from Kristaps Porzingis. The Knicks have won five of six games since an 0-3 start, as New York looks to finish off its five-game homestand with four victories. Charlotte invades Madison Square Garden tonight as the Hornets are coming off a pair of losses to the Spurs and Wolves following a three-game winning streak. The home team captured all three meetings last season, as New York beat Charlotte twice in Manhattan by a combined five points.
Thorne in the Throne
Sacramento (1-8 SU, 2-6-1 ATS) split its first two games of the season, but hasn?t won since as the Kings return to Golden 1 Center to host Oklahoma City as double-digit underdogs. The Kings are riding a seven-game losing streak, while coming off an 0-3 road swing at Indiana, Boston, and Detroit. Sacramento has yet to win a home game (0-3 SU, 1-2 ATS), but has beaten OKC in its last two home matchups since 2016.
The Thunder (4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS) are seeking consistency following the offseason acquisitions of Carmelo Anthony and Paul George, but OKC heads to California?s capital off back-to-back losses to Boston and Portland. Billy Donovan?s team was limited to below 100 points in each of those defeats, while Anthony was ejected from Sunday?s setback to the Blazers after committing a flagrant foul. OKC is in the midst of a four-game UNDER streak, while winning and covering in its first two opportunities this season as a double-digit favorite.
Middle of the Pack
Both the Pelicans and Pacers have started 5-5 SU and 6-4 ATS on the season as the two clubs hook up in Indianapolis. New Orleans has failed to bust the 100-point mark in the last four games, but the Pelicans are seeking their third consecutive win on their road trip following victories at Dallas and Chicago. The Pelicans have been a solid play away from the Big Easy by going 4-1 SU/ATS on the road since losing the season opener at Memphis.
Indiana has won three of four games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, but limp back home following road defeats at Philadelphia and New York. The Pacers allowed 131 and 114 points in its first two home contests, but improved drastically of late by giving up 94 and 83 points in its last two games in the Hoosier State. Dating back to 2012, the Pacers have owned the Pelicans by winning nine of the last 10 matchups, including the last five in Indianapolis.
Head-to-Head Matchups
-- The Mavericks travel to Washington trying to snap a six-game losing streak, while seeking its first win away from Dallas this season. Last season, the Mavs swept the Wizards, as Dallas has captured nine of the past 10 meetings with Washington since 2012.
-- The Bulls defeated the Raptors in 11 consecutive meetings from February 2014 through February 2017 until Toronto finally ended its hex in a two-point win last March. Toronto whipped Chicago last month, 117-101 as the two teams hook up tonight at the Air Canada Center. Since losing at Toronto, the Bulls have covered three straight road contests.
-- The Nuggets seek the season sweep of the Nets after a 13-point victory at Barclays Center on October 29. Five straight meetings have sailed OVER the total, including the last two matchups at Pepsi Center. Since beating Sacramento last month, the Nuggets have stumbled to a 2-5 ATS record in their last seven as a favorite.
-- Utah welcomes in Philadelphia seeking its 10th consecutive victory over the 76ers since 2013. Six of the past seven matchups have stayed UNDER the total, including the previous three in Salt Lake City. The Sixers are riding a four-game winning streak, while covering each of their past six games overall.
