Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Thursday, March 22, 2018 from various handicappers and websites
Thursday’s NBA
76ers won three of last four games with the Magic; they covered three of last four visits to Orlando. Seven of last eight series games went over total. Philly won its last four games; they are 2-7 in last nine games as road favorites. Three of their last four games went over total. Orlando lost seven of its last eight games; they’re 10-4 in last 14 games as home underdogs. Under is 7-2 in their last nine games.
Hornets won four of last five games with Memphis, covered five of last six; under is 3-1 in last four series games. Grizzlies are 2-2 vs spread in last four visits to Charlotte. Memphis lost 21 of its last 22 games; they’re 3-7 in last 10 games as road underdogs, 5-3 on road if they played night before. Charlotte split its last six games; they’re 5-2 in last seven games as home favorites. Six of their last eight games went over total.
Lakers lost four of last five games with New Orleans; they’re 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Bourbon Street. Over is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Lakers lost their last three games; they’re 6-8 in last 14 games as road underdogs. Six of LA’s last eight games went under the total. Pelicans won their last three games; four of their last five games stayed under. NO is 4-2 in last six games as home favorites.
Pistons won four of last five games with the Rockets; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five visit here. Last three series games stayed under. Detroit won its last two games after a 1-7 skid; they’re 2-11 in last 13 games as road underdogs. Under is 7-2 in their last nine games. Houston won 23 of its last 24 games; they covered three of last four home games. Six of their last eight home games stayed under the total.
Jazz won five of last six games with Dallas but covered only two of those games; Jazz is 1-3 vs spread in its last four visits here. Six of last eight series games went over. Utah won nine of its last ten games; they’re 4-1 in last five games as road favorites. Under is 7-2 in their last nine games. Mavericks lost four of their last five games; they’re 2-5 in last seven games as a home underdog. Last three Dallas games went over the total.
Hawks won/covered eight of last ten games with Sacramento; Atlanta is 2-2 vs spread in its last four visits here. Seven of last ten series games went over total. Hawks lost six of their last seven games; they’re 5-3 in last eight games as road underdogs. Four of their last five games went over the total. Kings lost four of their last six games; they’re 2-4 as home favorites. Under is 7-3 in their last ten games.
Game of the Night - Utah at Dallas, Fox Sports Southwest, 8:35 ET
The schedule makers did a nice job if they wanted to make sure to give the NCAA Tournament little competition as the Sweet 16 tips off on Thursday night. There won’t be a meeting between playoff contenders despite the fact we’ve still got over 60 percent of the league alive.
The team in the most interesting situation, the one you can probably learn most about on a night where we won’t be able to digest much due to the matchups, is Utah. Coming off a shocking loss to Atlanta (+900) as a 14-point favorite, the Jazz will get a chance to bounce back from a defeat for the first time since opening the month with a win over Minnesota after closing out February with a home loss to the Rockets.
Eight more wins followed, and when you consider that Utah hasn’t lost on the road since Jan. 22 – against the Hawks – it’s time to start wondering whether this latest upset loss against the last-place team in the Eastern Conference will be the beginning of the end or just another blip in between another major surge.
Since Jan. 20, the Jazz are 22-2 against teams not coached by Mike Budenholzer and 11-0 in opposing gyms not located in Atlanta. They’ve gone from a playoff afterthought in the loaded West to emerging as a legitimate threat to finish as a top-four seed in the conference.
Only four games behind Northwest Division-leading Portland, Utah enters Thursday night’s contest in Dallas as the No. 8 seed, 1.5 games up on the Nuggets and two on the Clippers. Their three-game road trip will continue at the Spurs on Friday and the Warriors on Sunday, so it’s imperative they bounce back from the letdown against Dennis Schroder and the Hawks immediately since they want no part of heading to San Antonio on a losing streak.
Even though the Mavs are expected to be down starting guards Dennis Smith Jr. (ankle) and Wesley Matthews (leg), there can be no inclination about saving energy for the Spurs showdown. That makes Utah attractive as eight-point road favorites, although Dallas has won two of its last three at AmericanAirlines Center and will be playing at home for the first time since March 11 after being away on a four-game road swing.
"Are we going to sit around and cry about losing to the Atlanta Hawks?" Utah center Rudy Gobert told the Salt Lake Tribune. "Or are we going to move on? We have to stay focused. We have to stay confident and stay hungry. We have to keep trusting each other. But we gotta know right now that we can beat anyone or lose to anyone.''
The Mavs have lost three straight games, surrendering an average of 117 points in falling at Toronto, Brooklyn and New Orleans.
They lost both meetings in Salt Lake City, averaging 89.5 points in setbacks held in late October and on Feb. 24. The Jazz got off to a 33-18 lead in the most recent meeting, but Dallas managed to match Utah on the boards and did some damage thanks to J.J. Barea finishing with 17 points and 12 assists. Utah rallied after the early deficit, pulling within 93-90 before surrendering the final four points.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Rudy Gobert has averaged 15 points, 11 boards and three blocks in the two wins against the Mavs, while Rookie of the Year candidate Donovan Mitchell has added 16.5 points against them and won’t have to deal with the athletic Smith tonight. With Ben Simmons thriving in Philadelphia and the race for the top rookie currently too close to call, Mitchell has to continue his excellent run if he wants to win over voters over the final few weeks.
He shot a brutal 9-for-28 and went 1-for-10 from 3-point range in the loss to Atlanta, so he can certainly be labeled the primary culprit for the upset loss, but there were other reasons that shouldn’t linger on to this road trip. Joe Ingles missed a potential game-tying shot in the corner coming out of a timeout that he’s seemingly made all season. He went 1-for-8 from beyond the arc. The Jazz finished 6-for-34.
Aberration? Almost certainly.
Derrick Favors’ absence was glaring since Utah was outrebounded 52-51 and Ekpe Udoh had to play 13 scoreless minutes off the bench. He’s expected to return after sitting out the Hawks loss due to knee soreness, presumably so he’d be fresher for this key trip.
There are only five home games left in Dirk Nowitzki's 20th season at home, so you can count on the Mavs bringing the intensity. This will be a good measuring stick to see what direction Utah is headed. The under has gone 11-3 over the Jazz's last 14 contests.
Injury Report
The 76ers crushed Memphis within three quarters, so head coach Brett Brown was able to rest starters and should have everyone available for the second night of a back-to-back in Orlando. Wing Jonathon Simmons and rookie forward Jonathan Isaac are unlikely to suit up for the Magic, who did get Aaron Gordon back from concussion protocol on Tuesday night. Shooting guard Evan Fournier is sidelined with a knee injury.
The Grizzlies ruled out Marc Gasol for the second of their back-to-back situation, but should have Tyreke Evans in the mix after he sat in Philadelphia. Memphis' trip contenues in Charlotte, who were without Nicolas Batum (achilles) and Cody Zeller (knee) in Wednesday night's comeback win over the Nets. Dwight Howard put together a 32-point, 30-rebound night, the first 30-30 game in nearly eight years, setting a new Hornets franchise record for boards in the process.
New Orleans point guard Jrue Holiday (illness) returned to the fold for the Pels to help contribute to Wednesday night's win over Indiana. The Lakers were already in town while New Orleans had to play its rescheduled game, but they'll remain without second-year standout Brandon Ingram due to a hip injury.
Chris Paul (hamstring) is probably going to be a game-time decision after tweaking a previous injury late in Wednesday's win over Portland, stretching to grab a crucial loose ball offensive rebound that helped wrap up the win in Portland. Paul made a pair of free throws to clinch the victory and even did a postgame interview saying winning heals all and he'd be fine, but it remains to be seen whether he's a part of this one.
The Pistons got Reggie Jackson back for his first action in three months, immediately inserting him in the starting lineup in a 115-88 win in Phoenix. Stanley Jackson and Reggie Bullock should also be good to go after working through back issues.
Atlanta continues its Western swing and searching for consecutive wins for the first time since the start of February as it takes the court in Sacramento. Rookie forward Joshn Collins and backup point guard Malcolm Delaney remain questionable with ankle injuries.
The Kings won't have Garrett Temple available due to a knee injury, but have upgraded rookie shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic to probable after a hamstring issue. Zach Randolph, dealing with gastroenteritis, is listed as questionable.
By Tony Mejia
Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Utah Jazz had their nine-game winning streak halted and seek to start a new one when they open a three-game road trip against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Utah suffered a damaging defeat when it fell 99-94 to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday for just its third setback in the past 24 games.
The stunning home loss to one of the worst teams in the NBA dropped the Jazz into eighth place in the congested Western Conference playoff picture with just 11 games to play. "When you're not making shots, you've got to figure out other ways to score," Utah coach Quin Snyder told reporters after his team shot just 37.1 percent from the field. "We didn't make shots, and we weren't very good at the rim either. It's tough to overcome both of those things." Dallas is coming off a 115-105 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday and dropped three straight games and 18 of its last 24. Mavericks rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. (ankle) will miss his second straight game.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), FS Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (40-31): Utah's offensive attack was never in sync against the Hawks and standout rookie guard Donovan Mitchell was one of the players experiencing an off-night as he was 9-of-28 shooting (1-of-10 from 3-point range) while scoring 24 points. "We weren't connected on offense," Mitchell told reporters afterward. "We missed too many easy shots and we turned the ball over too much. And when you do those things, it puts too much pressure on your defense." Point guard Ricky Rubio scored 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting after averaging 10 on 10-of-33 shooting over the previous three games.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (22-49): Dallas gave up 114 or more points in each of its last three games and couldn't contain Pelicans All-Star power forward Anthony Davis (37 points) in Tuesday's loss. But coach Rick Carlisle found several things to be pleasing, particularly the effort and the fact his squad committed just eight turnovers. "We had some breakdowns defensively, but they're a very good offensive team," Carlisle said after the loss. "The matchups were tough when they went small a couple of times and we had to adjust to that. The guys that played did some good things."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz are 2-0 against the Mavericks this season while holding Dallas to an average of 89.5 points.
2. Dallas PF Dwight Powell is averaging 14.5 points on 12-of-16 shooting over the past two games.
3. Utah PF Derrick Favors (left knee soreness) will likely miss his second straight game.
PREDICTION: Jazz 103, Mavericks 96
Atlanta Hawks vs. Sacramento Kings Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Atlanta Hawks are in the running for worst record in the NBA and the most ping pong balls in the draft lottery, but they are still capable of some brilliant performances. The Hawks will try to secure back-to-back road wins for the first time this season when they visit the Sacramento Kings in the second of a six-game trip on Thursday.
Atlanta point guard Dennis Schroder scored a career-high 41 points in a 99-94 win at the playoff-hopeful Utah Jazz on Tuesday, giving the Hawks their first victory over an opponent with a winning record this month. Schroder, who leads the team in scoring at an average of 19.5 points, went 16-of-28 from the floor and added seven assists in the win. The Kings aren't too far off the pace in the battle for the worst record and dropped their last two games, including a 106-90 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the opener of a six-game homestand on Monday. Sacramento finishes March out at home but will play four of its five games in April on the road.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS Southeast (Atlanta), NBCS California (Sacramento)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (21-50): Schroder did not score more than 18 points in any of his previous five games but caught fire in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, pouring in 17 points in the period. Schroder's hot hand helped the team overcome a poor shooting night from small forward Taurean Prince. The 23-year-old Baylor product averaged 30.8 points in four previous games before slumping to 11 points on 3-of-13 shooting, including 0-of-6 from 3-point range, in Tuesday's win.
ABOUT THE KINGS (23-49): Sacramento shooting guard Buddy Hield is not participating in any tank job by his team and scored 20 points on Monday against Detroit to reach the plateau for the fourth straight game -- the longest such streak of his career. Hield is shooting 55.9 percent from the floor over the last four games and is 16-of-24 from 3-point range over the last three contests. Rookie small forward Justin Jackson is raising his level of play as well and is shooting 61.1 percent from the floor over the last five after collecting 15 points on 7-of-9 from the floor in Monday's setback.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Kings SG Vince Carter (24,817) moved past Patrick Ewing and into 22nd place on the all-time scoring list on Monday.
2. Hawks C Dewayne Dedmon recorded his 10th double-double of the season with 15 points and 15 rebounds on Tuesday.
3. Atlanta blasted Sacramento 126-80 at home on Nov. 15 as Schroder led eight players in double figures with 21 points.
PREDICTION: Kings 106, Hawks 102
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Orlando Magic Preview and Predictions 03-22-2018
21st March 2018 by Gracenote
The Philadelphia 76ers have reached the 40-win mark for the first time since 2010-11, and they continue their pursuit of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference when they visit the Orlando Magic on Thursday. Philadelphia is on track to make its first postseason appearance since 2012 as it stands 8 1/2 games clear of ninth-place Detroit with just 12 contests remaining.
The 76ers recorded their 40th victory when they knocked off Memphis 119-105 on Wednesday and need two more to clinch a .500 season for the first time since 2004-05, but coach Brett Brown really fancies a postseason run. "The notion of the playoffs for me doesn't make me do somersaults," Brown told reporters. "I want more. I really want more." Orlando is 1-2 on its seven-game homestand, and Tuesday's 93-86 loss to Toronto was its 14th in 17 contests. The Magic have scored 88 or fewer points in five of their last eight games, including a season-low 72 against San Antonio on March 13.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia Plus, FS Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE 76ERS (40-30): All-Star Joel Embiid has been able to avoid injury setbacks and will play against Orlando in the second half of a back-to-back set. Embiid had been getting the second night off for most of the season after enduring foot and knee injuries during his brief NBA career, but he declared he no longer wants to be rested in those situations. "I'm playing in every game," Embiid told reporters. "We didn't come this far to rest me. I was always complaining about wanting to play every game and play in back-to-backs, and I'm sure the fans were too, and we're winning."
ABOUT THE MAGIC (21-50): Leading scorer Aaron Gordon (concussion) returned from a five-game absence on Tuesday to record 16 points and six rebounds. Gordon, who averages 18.2 points, played some minutes alongside rookie forward Jonathan Isaac for the one of the few times this season, and the first-round draft pick again displayed some promise with 10 points, five rebounds, a season-best five steals and two blocked shots against the Raptors. "Jon, his intangibles are amazing," Gordon told reporters. "His ability to get steals and deflect the ball help a ton. Having an elite defender out there is big time. He's just going to keep getting better and better."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The 76ers averaged 123 points while winning this season's first two meetings with the Magic.
2. Philadelphia F Robert Covington is 14-for-23 from 3-point range over his last four games.
3. Orlando SF Jonathon Simmons (wrist) is listed as doubtful after sitting out Tuesday's contest.
PREDICTION: 76ers 108, Magic 105
NBA
Thursday, March 22
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Trend Report
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PHILADELPHIA @ ORLANDO
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 8 games when playing Orlando
Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Orlando's last 8 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
MEMPHIS @ CHARLOTTE
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Memphis's last 8 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Charlotte's last 8 games when playing at home against Memphis
Charlotte is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Memphis
DETROIT @ HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Detroit's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
LA LAKERS @ NEW ORLEANS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Lakers's last 10 games on the road
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games
UTAH @ DALLAS
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Utah is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
Dallas is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Utah
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Utah
ATLANTA @ SACRAMENTO
Atlanta is 17-2 SU in its last 19 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Atlanta's last 8 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Sacramento's last 8 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games at home
NBA
Long Sheet
Thursday, March 22
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PHILADELPHIA (40 - 30) at ORLANDO (21 - 50) - 3/22/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 39-31 ATS (+4.9 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 37-18 ATS (+17.2 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 41-27 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 66-84 ATS (-26.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 28-45 ATS (-21.5 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-4 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 6-4 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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MEMPHIS (19 - 52) at CHARLOTTE (31 - 41) - 3/22/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 29-39 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all games this season.
MEMPHIS is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
MEMPHIS is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
CHARLOTTE is 66-44 ATS (+17.6 Units) in home games in March games since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 29-39 ATS (-13.9 Units) in all games this season.
CHARLOTTE is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 49-80 ATS (-39.0 Units) against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 175-220 ATS (-67.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 4-1 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 4-1 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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LA LAKERS (31 - 39) at NEW ORLEANS (42 - 30) - 3/22/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 40-32 ATS (+4.8 Units) in all games this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 5-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 5-4 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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DETROIT (32 - 39) at HOUSTON (57 - 14) - 3/22/2018, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-1 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-1 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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UTAH (40 - 31) at DALLAS (22 - 49) - 3/22/2018, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 407-333 ATS (+40.7 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 27-16 ATS (+9.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 6-3 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 6-3 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
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ATLANTA (21 - 50) at SACRAMENTO (23 - 49) - 3/22/2018, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) in non-conference games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 53-78 ATS (-32.8 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-2 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 3-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons