NBA Odds: Portland Trail Blazers against Oklahoma City? Oh, yeah
By Phil Watson
The Portland Trail Blazers have terrorized the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs, but does it work in the NBA’s regular season? Yes, yes it kinda does.
With eight games on Sunday’s NBA schedule, there are a lot of games from which to choose, but there’s one matchup that almost always comes through.
When the Portland Trail Blazers play the Oklahoma City Thunder — particularly at home — the Thunder is more like a light drizzle as Portland has tended to blaze a trail right over OKC’s behind.
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The Thunder are a sneaky good cover of late, going 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 games, including 3-2 on the road. The Trail Blazers are only 4-6 ATS over their last 10, 2-2 at home.
But Portland has already gotten Oklahoma City once at Moda Center this season, a 136-119 beatdown on Nov. 27 when the Blazers were giving 2½ points, and for good measure, Portland covered a 1½ spread with a 102-99 victory at Oklahoma City on Oct. 30.
The Trail Blazers are giving four points in Sunday’s meeting with the Thunder, according to information provided courtesy of The Action Network.
But can all that less-than-stellar history be thrown out the window by Oklahoma City? Well, the Thunder are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against the Blazers and are 2-12 straight up in their last 14 games at Portland. So Blazers minus-4 seems like a safe proposition.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Portland Trail Blazers (minus 4)
TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, NBC Sports Northwest
Tickets: Moda Center, 9 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. local)
Records: Oklahoma City 9-12 (13-8 ATS, 5-4 road ATS), Portland 9-14 (10-13 ATS, 3-6 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
Oklahoma City: OUT–Deonte Burton (G League), Hamidou Diallo (right elbow hyperextension sprain), Terrance Ferguson (right hip soreness), Justin Patton (G League), Andre Roberson (left knee injury recovery).
Portland: OUT–Zach Collins (left shoulder dislocation), Rodney Hood (ruptured left Achilles’ tendon), Jusuf Nurkic (left leg fracture); QUESTIONABLE–Gary Trent Jr. (right hamstring strain).
As for the rest of Sunday’s slate:
Denver Nuggets (minus 4) at Brooklyn Nets
TV: Altitude Sports, YES Network
Tickets: Barclays Center, 3 p.m. Eastern
Records: Denver 14-6 (9-10-1 ATS, 4-4-1 road ATS), Brooklyn 12-10 (12-10 ATS, 6-4 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
Denver: OUT–Bol Bol (two-way, G League), PJ Dozier (two-way, G League), Jarred Vanderbilt (G League).
Brooklyn: OUT–Wilson Chandler (league suspension), Kevin Durant (right Achilles rehab), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement), Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery).
Notable: The Denver Nuggets don’t have a great track record when it comes to getting the cover against the Brooklyn Nets, just 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games against the Nets. Of course, one of those was their first meeting this season at Denver on Nov. 14, where the Nuggets won 101-93 to cover the 7½ points they were giving.
Both teams are 7-3 in their last 10 games, with Brooklyn also 7-3 ATS, while the Nuggets are 6-4 ATS over that stretch. After failing to cover in their first three home games, the Nets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven at Barclays Center.
Atlanta Hawks at Charlotte Hornets (minus 3½)
TV: Fox Sports Southeast-Atlanta, Fox Sports Southeast-Charlotte
Tickets: Spectrum Center, 5 p.m. Eastern
Records: Atlanta 5-17 (10-12 ATS, 4-7 road ATS), Charlotte 9-15 (11-12-1 ATS, 6-6 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
Atlanta: OUT–Charlie Brown (two-way, G League), John Collins (league suspension), Brandon Goodwin (two-way, G League); DOUBTFUL–De’Andre Hunter (right index finger dislocation); QUESTIONABLE–Allen Crabbe (right knee soreness).
Charlotte: OUT–Robert Franks (two-way, G League), Caleb Martin (G League), Cody Martin (G League), Jalen McDaniels (G League), Kobi Simmons (two-way, G League); PROBABLE–Marvin Williams (right knee soreness).
Notable: These are two teams that are scuffling right now. The Atlanta Hawks are just 1-9 SU in their last 10 games, but 5-5 ATS. The Charlotte Hornets have won three of their last 10 SU, going 4-6 ATS during that stretch. The Hawks are 2-3 ATS on the road over their last 10 games, while the Hornets are 3-2 ATS at home in the same period.
Atlanta is just 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games against Charlotte. The teams last met on Feb. 9, with both teams making wholesale changes — and who in the NBA didn’t this season? — since then. If you’re looking for an edge, this might be it: The Hornets have won their last seven games SU against the Hawks.
Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat (minus 7½)
TV: NBC Sports Chicago+, Fox Sports Sun
Tickets: American Airlines Arena, 6 p.m. Eastern
Records: Chicago 8-15 (10-13 ATS, 5-6 road ATS), Miami 16-6 (14-7-1 ATS, 8-1 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
Chicago: OUT–Cristiano Felicio (right wrist fracture), Chandler Hutchison (right shoulder sprain), Adam Mokoka (two-way, G League), Otto Porter (bone bruise, left foot), Max Strus (two-way, G League).
Miami: OUT–Goran Dragic (right groin strain), Daryl Macon (two-way, G League), KZ Okpala (left Achilles strain), Dion Waiters (sick); QUESTIONABLE–Bam Adebayo (right groin contusion), Justise Winslow (lower back strain).
Notable: This will be the second meeting of the season between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat, the first to be played on South Beach. Miami got the win and cover (minus 4½) when the teams met at Chicago on Nov. 22. The Bulls are 4-6 SU and ATS over their last 10 games, with the Heat 7-3 SU and 5-5 ATS. Chicago is 2-2 ATS on the road, while Miami is 3-1 ATS at home.
The Heat are just 2-4 ATS over their last six games, even as they are 4-2 SU over the same stretch. When it comes to straight up, Chicago is really scuffling — 4-8 in their last 12, 6-14 in their last 20 road games and 1-4 in their last five meetings with Miami.
Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers (minus 3)
TV: TSN 3/TSN 4 (English language), RDS2 (French language), NBC Sports Philadelphia
Tickets: Wells Fargo Center, 6 p.m. Eastern
Records: Toronto 15-6 (12-8 ATS, 5-5 road ATS), Philadelphia 16-7 (11-12 ATS, 6-5 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
Toronto: OUT–Oshae Brissett (two-way, G League), Dewan Hernandez (G League), Stanley Johnson (stress reaction/left groin), Patrick McCaw (left knee surgery), Shamorie Ponds (two-way, G League), Matt Thomas (left middle finger fracture).
Philadelphia: Not submitted. On Saturday against the Cavaliers, the 76ers did not have Jonah Bolden (right Achilles soreness), Joel Embiid (left hip contusion), Josh Richardson (right hamstring tightness, Marial Shayok (two-way, G League) or Zhaire Smith (right lower leg laceration).
Notable: These teams are trending in opposite directions against the number of late. The Toronto Raptors are 6-3 ATS over their last nine games, but the Philadelphia 76ers are only 2-5 ATS over their last seven contests. In their last 10 games, the Raptors are 1-2 ATS on the road, while Philadelphia is 4-3 ATS at home over its last 10.
The teams played a down-to-the-wire seven-game playoff series last spring and in their first meeting this season in Toronto on Nov. 25, the Raptors got a 101-96 victory with the 76ers are 1½-point road favorites. So far this season, Philadelphia is 11-0 at Wells Fargo Center, but just 6-5 ATS in those games.
LA Clippers (minus 8½) at Washington Wizards
TV: Fox Sports Prime Ticket, NBC Sports Washington
Tickets: Capital One Arena, 6 p.m. Eastern
Records: LA 16-7 (11-11 ATS, 2-7 road ATS), Washington 7-14 (12-8-1 ATS, 5-4 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
LA: OUT–Amir Coffey (two-way, G League), Rodney McGruder (right hamstring strain), Johnathan Motley (two-way, G League), Landry Shamet (high left ankle sprain); QUESTIONABLE–JaMychal Green (tailbone contusion).
Washington: OUT–Thomas Bryant (stress reaction, right foot), Garrison Mathews (two-way, G League), Jordan McRae (right ring finger surgery), C.J. Miles (left wrist surgery), Isaiah Thomas (left calf strain), John Wall (left Achilles rehab).
Notable: The LA Clippers will come in with any thoughts of overconfidence out of their heads after they were routed in Milwaukee Friday night, 119-91. A week ago, the Clippers hosted the Washington Wizards and hung 150 points on them in a 25-point victory. The last time the Wizards hosted one of the NBA’s high-profile teams, they upset the 76ers on Thursday.
LA is 5-1 ATS in their last six games against Washington, but are also only 1-7 ATS in their last eight road games. Washington, meanwhile, is 5-5 ATS (4-6 SU) over its last 10 games, including 3-2 ATS at home.
Sacramento Kings at Dallas Mavericks (minus 7½)
TV: NBC Sports California, Fox Sports Southwest-Dallas
Tickets: American Airlines Center, 7 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. local)
Records: Sacramento 8-13 (13-8 ATS), 8-4 road ATS), Dallas 16-6 (14-8 ATS, 6-6 home ATS)
Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
Sacramento: OUT–De’Aaron Fox (left ankle sprain), DaQuan Jeffries (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–Marvin Bagley III (right thumb fracture), Cory Joseph (low back soreness); PROBABLE–Bogdan Bogdanovic (right knee contusion).
Dallas: Not submitted. Against the Pelicans on Saturday, Dallas was without Antonius Cleveland (two-way, G League) and Josh Reaves (two-way, G League).
Notable: The Sacramento Kings have been royalty this year when it comes to getting covers, as Sacramento is 13-3 ATS in its last 16 games, including 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games (4-2 road ATS during that span). The Dallas Mavericks are coming off one of their biggest victories of the season, a 130-84 humiliation of the Pelicans.
The Mavericks are rolling — 5-0 SU and ATS over their last five games, winners of nine of their last 10 games (9-1 ATS, 5-1 ATS at home). This will be the first meeting of the season between the Kings and Dallas, with Sacramento 7-3 SU and ATS in the last 10 games between the teams. The Kings have lost five of their last six, the Mavericks are winners of five straight and 10 of 11.
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers (minus 9½)
TV: Fox Sports North, Spectrum SportsNet
Tickets: Staples Center, 9:30 p.m. Eastern (6 :30 p.m. local)
Records: Minnesota 10-11 (9-11-1 ATS, 7-4 road ATS), Los Angeles 20-3 (14-8 ATS, 7-4 home ATS)
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Availability report (as of 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday)
Minnesota: OUT–Jake Layman (left toe sprain), Kelan Martin (two-way, G League), Jordan McLaughlin (two-way, G League), Jaylen Nowell (G League); QUESTIONABLE–Jeff Teague (left ankle soreness), Andrew Wiggins (left thumb sprain); PROBABLE–Shabazz Napier (right hamstring strain), Karl-Anthony Towns (right knee tendinopathy).
Los Angeles: OUT–Kostas Antetokounmpo (two-way, G League), Avery Bradley (hairline fracture, right leg), DeMarcus Cousins (right knee rehabilitation), Talen Horton-Tucker (G League), Zach Norvell (two-way, G League); QUESTIONABLE–Rajon Rondo (left hamstring strain); PROBABLE–Anthony Davis (right shoulder soreness), Kyle Kuzma (left ankle, mild sprain).
Notable: It’s a slump thing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are just 3-7 ATS and SU over their last 10 games. Conversely, the Los Angeles Lakers have won nine of their last 10, going 5-5 ATS in that time.
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The Timberwolves may have covered their last five games against Los Angeles, but this Lakers team is different from those in the franchise’s most recent past. These teams are meeting for the first time this season, with the Lakers 9-2 at home this season (7-4 ATS) and the Timberwolves 7-4 away from the Twin Cities (7-4 ATS).