Revenge angle was 1-3 ATS and 1-3 SU last night.
Again, these aren't plays necessarily. Rather, I am tracking these situations for the time being and the right time for a bet may surface, just like Monday with the Suns.
On to today...
NYK +6.5 (+230) @ BKN: Knicks playing on double revenge here having lost both of the 1st two meetings this season, 110-99 on 11/7 and 98-93 on 12/2. Carmelo, Amare and Calderon all played in both of those prior match-ups and are expected to play tonight, but the rest of the Knicks roster is vastly different from when these two teams last met over 2 months ago. Both teams have looked much better over the past week, but with the playoffs certainly out of reach for NY, the only other motivation they have is the cross-town rivalry. BKN is certainly motivated as they have pulled within a half game of the 8 spot in the east having beaten two strong teams in LAC and TOR this week. Normally, I would rule this out as the Knicks are nowhere close playoff contenders and have gutted most of their roster, but because of the cross town rivalry, this is one to keep an eye on following this angle.
IND +6.5 (+220) vs CLE: This is the 2nd of 4 meetings for these two squads with the Cavs winning and covering the first 109-97 on 11/29. I've outlined in a prior post why IND should still be considered IND a playoff contender, but the revenge scenario isn't very strong here given that these teams last met well over 2 months ago, this is only game 2 of 4 in this season series and that the Pacers were playing without Hibbert or George Hill in the first game. I would say that if IND gets blown out tonight, or even if they lose a close one at home, then this match-up will certainly be worth revisiting on 2/27 when they meet again in Indy.
LAC -1.5 @ TOR: Raps took the first game in LA 110-98 on 12/27 while on a 9-2 run for the month December at the time. Clips may not be looking back at that game too strongly, but the better motivational angle here might be redemption for the drubbing they took in CLE last night. They were down as much as 32 before all starters from both teams were pulled and the Clippers bench was able to go on a 22-3 run to end the game and bring the margin down to 11. That means the starters are well rested for tonight which further plays into the Clips favor. That also probably explains the line shift from LA opening as a dog to closing as the favorite in the rematch. This will be the last time these two contenders meet this season.
MIL +5.5 (+190) @ HOU: Another 2nd and final match-up of two teams that last met over 2 months ago, when the Rockets won and covered in Milwaukee 117-103 on 11/29. The Bucks seemed to have vastly improved since then and the Rockets will be without Dwight, just as was the case the first time these two met. The line seems a bit low given the apparent talent gap between these two teams, especially considering how well HOU has fared against East teams and at home. I'm not sure that the Bucks will spend a long time looking back on their home loss to Rockets from November, but their ability to match-up athletically and the low point spread are strong considerations outside of the revenge factor here.
NO @ OKC: If not for the fact that these two teams just played each other on Wednesday, I would normally leave this one off as these two teams have met 3 times already this season with the Pels going 2-1 SU and ATS. This would fit under its own category as sort of quick turn-around revenge scenario, but not one I want to track under this same system. From the quotes in the press, OKC seems motivated to even this season series up, however this young Pelicans squad is eager to show they belong. Possibly the most intriguing aspect of this match-up, besides the fact that you've got 3 of the top 10 players in the NBA on the court at the same time, is that the Thunder are now only down one game to New Orleans in the standings and just two games out of the 8 spot in the West. This is definitely one to monitor tonight among other great games in Atlanta and Toronto.
MIA +13 @ SA: Again, not a game that fits the revenge scenario for this season as these two teams have yet to meet, but it's hard to argue against some motivation for Miami after last year's finals defeat, whether they have LeBron or not. Again, not one that I want to count in the revenge angle record, but maybe another one to start tracking in its own sub-category of revenge games for teams that met in the finals the year prior.
Again, these aren't plays necessarily. Rather, I am tracking these situations for the time being and the right time for a bet may surface, just like Monday with the Suns.
On to today...
NYK +6.5 (+230) @ BKN: Knicks playing on double revenge here having lost both of the 1st two meetings this season, 110-99 on 11/7 and 98-93 on 12/2. Carmelo, Amare and Calderon all played in both of those prior match-ups and are expected to play tonight, but the rest of the Knicks roster is vastly different from when these two teams last met over 2 months ago. Both teams have looked much better over the past week, but with the playoffs certainly out of reach for NY, the only other motivation they have is the cross-town rivalry. BKN is certainly motivated as they have pulled within a half game of the 8 spot in the east having beaten two strong teams in LAC and TOR this week. Normally, I would rule this out as the Knicks are nowhere close playoff contenders and have gutted most of their roster, but because of the cross town rivalry, this is one to keep an eye on following this angle.
IND +6.5 (+220) vs CLE: This is the 2nd of 4 meetings for these two squads with the Cavs winning and covering the first 109-97 on 11/29. I've outlined in a prior post why IND should still be considered IND a playoff contender, but the revenge scenario isn't very strong here given that these teams last met well over 2 months ago, this is only game 2 of 4 in this season series and that the Pacers were playing without Hibbert or George Hill in the first game. I would say that if IND gets blown out tonight, or even if they lose a close one at home, then this match-up will certainly be worth revisiting on 2/27 when they meet again in Indy.
LAC -1.5 @ TOR: Raps took the first game in LA 110-98 on 12/27 while on a 9-2 run for the month December at the time. Clips may not be looking back at that game too strongly, but the better motivational angle here might be redemption for the drubbing they took in CLE last night. They were down as much as 32 before all starters from both teams were pulled and the Clippers bench was able to go on a 22-3 run to end the game and bring the margin down to 11. That means the starters are well rested for tonight which further plays into the Clips favor. That also probably explains the line shift from LA opening as a dog to closing as the favorite in the rematch. This will be the last time these two contenders meet this season.
MIL +5.5 (+190) @ HOU: Another 2nd and final match-up of two teams that last met over 2 months ago, when the Rockets won and covered in Milwaukee 117-103 on 11/29. The Bucks seemed to have vastly improved since then and the Rockets will be without Dwight, just as was the case the first time these two met. The line seems a bit low given the apparent talent gap between these two teams, especially considering how well HOU has fared against East teams and at home. I'm not sure that the Bucks will spend a long time looking back on their home loss to Rockets from November, but their ability to match-up athletically and the low point spread are strong considerations outside of the revenge factor here.
NO @ OKC: If not for the fact that these two teams just played each other on Wednesday, I would normally leave this one off as these two teams have met 3 times already this season with the Pels going 2-1 SU and ATS. This would fit under its own category as sort of quick turn-around revenge scenario, but not one I want to track under this same system. From the quotes in the press, OKC seems motivated to even this season series up, however this young Pelicans squad is eager to show they belong. Possibly the most intriguing aspect of this match-up, besides the fact that you've got 3 of the top 10 players in the NBA on the court at the same time, is that the Thunder are now only down one game to New Orleans in the standings and just two games out of the 8 spot in the West. This is definitely one to monitor tonight among other great games in Atlanta and Toronto.
MIA +13 @ SA: Again, not a game that fits the revenge scenario for this season as these two teams have yet to meet, but it's hard to argue against some motivation for Miami after last year's finals defeat, whether they have LeBron or not. Again, not one that I want to count in the revenge angle record, but maybe another one to start tracking in its own sub-category of revenge games for teams that met in the finals the year prior.
