Markets Tight Across the Board
The NBA returned on Tuesday with a busy 12-game slate as we buckle in for the final week of a turbulent regular season.
Favorites were largely dominant in securing wins as expected, but the NBA betting lines made for a very even night once again. Favorites were 9-3 straight up, but went an even 6-6 against-the-spread (ATS). Totals were also tight with overs bettors owning a slight 7-5 edge.
The Phoenix Suns officially eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers from this playoffs as they secured a 121-110 home win over the LeBron-less Lakers.
The win secured a franchise-record 63 wins for Phoenix, which also completed a season series sweep over the team it eliminated from last year’s playoffs.
“Tonight is unbelievably special for so many people,” said Suns coach Monty Williams. “It’s hard to put into words but we’re all pretty grateful.”
Despite the emphatic win, the Lakers were able to cover the 12½- point spread thanks to a 30-23 final-quarter push.
The San Antonio Spurs are now locked into the play-in tournament, with their 116-97 win at Denver cementing their position in the 10 spot.
With Dejounte Murray absent, the Spurs closed as +9.0-point underdogs but produced a wire-to-wire cover on the road.
The New Orleans Pelicans officially locked themselves into the nine seed with their 123-109 win over the Sacramento Kings.
The Pelicans made light work of the flailing Kings as they comfortably covered the full game spread of -7.0 points.
Jazz Work OT
The Utah Jazz secured a much-needed home win over the Memphis Grizzlies, holding on to win 121-115 in OT.
The Grizzlies rallied from down nine in the fourth quarter to force OT on a buzzer-beater putback by Kyle Anderson. The road team was unable to pull off the win or the cover, though, ultimately falling shy of both on a 5½-point closing line as anticipated in the BetUS Live Show earlier in the day.
The Minnesota Timberwolves missed a big chance to put pressure on the Nuggets as they fell 132-114 at home to the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards were 12½-point underdogs and enjoyed a comfortable wire-to-wire cover on the back of a blazing hot offensive showing.
In the early tip-off, the Philadelphia 76ers secured a fairly comfortable 131-122 win over the tanking Indiana Pacers.
The Sixers led by as many as 27 points in the third quarter before allowing Indiana the opportunity to make a game of it, as the Pacers got within four points in the final frame.
Despite holding on for a much-needed win as they chase a top seed in the East, it was the Pacers who ultimately covered the 11-point spread.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are resigned to a play-in spot after a 120-115 road loss to the Orlando Magic as 8½-point favorites.
They’ll likely face the Brooklyn Nets in that first-round meeting after the Nets ran out 118-105 winners. The home side led by 17 points at the half, but another fourth-quarter push from the underdogs saw them fall inside the sportsbook closing number and cover the 17-point spread.
The Atlanta Hawks’ hopes of leapfrogging either of the teams above them took a blow as they fell 118-108 to the Toronto Raptors as 4½-point underdogs.
The Miami Heat kept their hold of the top seed in the East with a 144-115 win at home vs. the Charlotte Hornets. The Milwaukee Bucks continued to keep the pressure on Miami as they again throttled the Bulls, this time with a 127-106 win in Chicago.
The Oklahoma City Thunder were 98-94 winners in the tank-a-thon showdown with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Thunder ultimately covered the 3½-point spread in the end as both teams went scoreless for the final 3:09.
