Friday's Tip Sheet
November 10, 2017
Game of the Night: Bucks at Spurs ? 8:35 PM EST
The expectations have been raised on Milwaukee (4-6 SU, 3-5-2 ATS) heading into this season, but a fast 4-2 start has faded following four consecutive losses. The latest defeat in this skid came at Cleveland on Tuesday, 124-119, the fifth straight game that Jason Kidd?s team has allowed at least 105 points. Early MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a 40-point effort on 16-of-21 shooting from the floor, but Milwaukee has dropped three in a row on the road since winning its first two games away from BMO Harris Bradley Center.
San Antonio (7-4 SU, 6-5 ATS) is getting along just fine without star forward Kawhi Leonard as the Spurs are riding a three-game winning streak since losing four straight in late October. The most recent victory came over the Clippers on Tuesday, 120-107 as four-point favorites, led by LaMarcus Aldridge?s 25 points and 53% shooting from the floor by San Antonio. Gregg Popovich?s squad improved to 6-0 SU/ATS when scoring at least 100 points, while moving to 5-0 SU/ATS as a home favorite.
The Spurs won nine straight meetings with the Bucks prior to Milwaukee?s 109-107 upset of San Antonio at the AT&T Center as 10-point underdogs this past January. Also, it was the first victory for Milwaukee at San Antonio since 2008, which was a two-point win as well.
Motoring Along
The Pistons (8-3 SU, 8-2-1 ATS) are taking full advantage of their new home at Little Caesars Arena as Detroit has won five of six home contests. Stan Van Gundy?s club plays the fourth of a five-game homestand against the Hawks, as Detroit has already knocked off Milwaukee, Sacramento, and Indiana in the first three contests. The similar theme in all three of those victories has been the Pistons busting the 105-point mark each time and their opponent being held to under 100 points in all three games.
The Hawks (2-9 SU, 4-6-1 ATS) haven?t had much success early on, but both of their wins have come away from Philips Arena. Atlanta upset Cleveland on Sunday as 11 ?-point underdogs, 117-115, but fell short in a 110-107 home setback to the red-hot Celtics on Monday, even though they covered as eight-point ?dogs. Atlanta is riding a five-game OVER streak, while losing two of three to Detroit last season.
Wrong Way
The Clippers (5-5 SU, 5-5 ATS) jumped out to a 4-0 start, but Los Angeles has gone backwards recently by dropping five of the last six games. Following a 1-4 homestand, the Clips squandered a three-point halftime lead in Tuesday?s 120-107 setback at San Antonio, as the Spurs outscored L.A. 40-21 in the third quarter. The Clippers head to Oklahoma City to face a Thunder team that they split four meetings with last season as the home team went 2-2.
The Thunder (4-7 SU, 4-7 ATS) return home following a three-game road trip as OKC owns a 1-1 SU/ATS record this season with no rest coming off Thursday?s loss at Denver. Billy Donovan?s team fell to 0-6 against Western Conference squads, although five of those defeats are on the road. OKC is one of the top UNDER teams in the league by cashing in nine of the first 11 games, including three of four at home.
Magic Carpet Ride
Orlando (7-4 SU, 6-5 ATS) is the surprising leader of the Southeast division through the first three weeks of the season. The Magic ended a brief two-game losing streak in Wednesday?s 112-99 home victory over the short-handed Knicks as Orlando improved to 5-0 this season when allowing less than 100 points. Orlando embarks on a four-game western swing that begins at Phoenix on Friday, while heading to Denver on Saturday with no rest. Frank Vogel?s team has finished UNDER the total in five straight games, while both meetings with the Suns last season cashed the UNDER. Phoenix owns an 0-4 SU/ATS record in its last four games following a stretch of five consecutive covers to close out October.
Going Green
It?s hard to imagine the Celtics (10-2 SU, 10-2 ATS) would pull off a 10-game winning streak following the devastating early-season leg injury to Gordon Hayward. But, somehow Boston keeps racking up victories behind Kyrie Irving, who is averaging 22 points per game and up and coming stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who are combining to score over 28 ppg. The C?s have won and covered four straight games at TD Garden since losing the home opener to the Bucks, while limiting nine of the last 10 opponents to below 100 points.
Boston hosts a struggling Charlotte squad as the Hornets (5-6 SU, 5-6 ATS) fell to 1-5 on the road after blowing a 15-point lead in Tuesday?s five-point defeat at New York. Charlotte?s normally reliable defense has let them down on this road trip by allowing 108 at San Antonio, 112 at Minnesota, and 118 at New York. Things won?t get easier against a Boston club that pulled off a four-game sweep of Charlotte last season, as the Hornets were limited to 98 points or fewer in three of those losses.
Sounding Off
The Jazz (5-6 SU, 6-5 ATS) were cruising along at home by winning their first five games in Salt Lake City. However, Utah has dropped two straight at Vivint Smart Home Arena, including Tuesday?s 104-97 defeat to Philadelphia as 6 ?-point favorites to extend its current losing streak to three. The Jazz had held six of their first seven opponents to less than 100 points, but their defense is currently leaking oil by yielding at least 100 points in four straight games.
Utah welcomes in Miami (5-6 SU, 3-6-2 ATS), who has suddenly found the secret to covering games is going out west. The Heat began the season at 0-5-2 ATS, but since traveling west last week, Miami is 3-1 ATS, including victories over the Clippers and Suns. Last season, the Jazz and Heat split a pair of games with the road team winning each time, as Miami edged Utah in Salt Lake, 111-110.
Head-to-Head Matchups
-- Both the Pacers and Bulls are struggling at the moment as Indiana is riding a four-game skid, while Chicago has lost four of five. The Central division rivals meet at the United Center as the home team posted a 4-0 record last season in this series, while the Pacers have dropped five straight meetings in the Windy City.
-- The Nets have reached the fourth stop on their five-game western swing, traveling to Portland. Brooklyn owns a 1-5 record since upsetting Cleveland on October 25, but has covered two straight. The Blazers are in the midst of a six-game homestand following Tuesday?s loss to Memphis, while capturing seven of the past eight meetings with Brooklyn since 2013.
