Celtics-Hawks Spread, Lakers-Spurs Spread – April 20, 2012
Carrie Stroup here with your spread for the Celtics-Hawks game and the Lakers-Spurs spread. Both games are April 20, 2012 and can be bet on live (in-progress wagering) while you watch on ESPN. Get all the latest NBA betting odds here at Sportsbook.com.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Atlanta -10 & 179
Opening Line & Total: Hawks -8 & 180
Two teams playing great basketball in the season’s final month square off Friday night in Atlanta when the Hawks host the short-handed Celtics, who will be playing without their four best players in this game -- PG Rajon Rondo (back), SG Ray Allen (ankle), SF Paul Pierce (thigh) and PF Kevin Garnett (rest).
Rondo (12.1 PPG, 11.6 APG) and SG Ray Allen (14.2 PPG, 45.3% 3-pt FG) did not make the trip to Atlanta, and Pierce (19.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.6 APG) and Garnett (16.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG) are expected to rest on Friday. Atlanta has been having a huge month, going 6-2 (SU and ATS) in eight April games. Although the Celtics have won both meetings this year, Rondo played a vital role in the victories (16.5 APG) while Allen scored 19 points in Atlanta on March 19. The Hawks are 7-3 ATS in the past 10 home meetings with Boston, which is a dreadful 4-12 ATS in road games following an ATS loss this season.
Boston’s defense has been extremely tough in the past nine games (7-2 SU, 5-4 ATS), limiting opponents to 89.8 PPG on 41.5% FG and 32.2% 3-pt FG. Six of these opponents have scored 86 points or less in this span. The Celtics offense has also been running smoothly with 98.1 PPG on 50% FG and 40% threes in the past eight contests. They have not been a great road team this season (15-17 SU and ATS), but the C’s are 8-4 (SU and ATS) in their past dozen games away from home.
Pierce will be missed the most on the court after his recent scoring binge of pumping in 36.0 PPG on 61% FG in his past two games. But more impressive was his career-high 14 assists in Wednesday’s win over Orlando. PF Brandon Bass (12.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG) will be counted on even more in Boston’s small lineup on Friday. Bass scored 21 points on 7-of-11 FG against the Dwight Howard-less Magic, but grabbed only two rebounds in 37 minutes. Bass has done a nice job crashing the glass with 14.5 PPG and 10.0 RPG in two wins over Atlanta this season. SG Avery Bradley (7.1 PPG) stayed piping hot on Wednesday with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He now has 19.0 PPG on 60% FG (11-of-16 threes) in his past five games. PG Keyon Dooling (3.5 PPG) will have to find his stroke in this game, as he is just 3-of-12 for seven total points in his past three games spanning 53 minutes.
Atlanta has scored 105.4 PPG on 49% FG in its eight April games, and has allowed its opponent to reach 100 points just once this month, limiting these eight teams to a mere 90.9 PPG on 44% FG (32% threes). For the season, the Hawks are 20-9 at home (15-14 ATS), winning seven of their past nine (5-4 ATS) at Philips Arena.
The Hawks did not have to exert much energy their last time out in a 116-84 thrashing of Detroit, as no starter played more than 22 minutes. Eleven of the 12 players in that game scored at least six points, led by F Ivan Johnson (6.4 PPG), who had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. That gives Johnson 13.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG in seven games this month. PF Josh Smith (18.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG) has also had a strong April, going for 18.8 PPG and 8.6 RPG. Smith has been the standout against the Celtics as well with 15.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 6.5 APG in the two meetings. SG Joe Johnson (18.5 PPG, 3.9 APG) has shot poorly in his past five games (36.7% FG, 21.4% threes), but has done a nice job handling the basketball with 10 assists and just one turnover in his past three games. He has 19.5 PPG in two matchups with Boston this season, but has shot just 41.2% FG to get his points.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS (40-23) at SAN ANTONIO SPURS (45-16)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: San Antonio -6.5 & 204
Opening Line & Total: Spurs -6 & 202.5
Kobe Bryant expects to step on the court for the first time in eight games when his Lakers visit the Western Conference-leading Spurs on Friday night.
San Antonio has won five straight games, which included a 112-91 victory over the Lakers in L.A. on Tuesday. But the last time the Spurs lost was April 11, a 98-84 home defeat to these same Lakers, who didn’t have Bryant in that game either. Los Angeles is now 6-2 ATS (5-3 SU) in its past eight trips to AT&T Center, holding the Spurs below 85 points in each of the past three victories in San Antonio. And as bad as the Lakers have been on the road this season, they are an excellent 9-2 SU (6-4-1 ATS) in their past 11 away from home.
Los Angeles held strong without the NBA’s leading scorer, winning five of the seven games (4-3 ATS) in which Bryant was on the sidelines with his injured shin. The Lakers scored 100.1 PPG on 47.3% FG and 36.6% three-pointers in those seven contests, but have also given up 100.6 PPG on 47% FG and 45% threes.
Bryant (28.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.6 APG) is so important to this particular matchup, because he has 24.3 PPG in his career versus the Spurs, which includes 25.8 PPG in 21 meetings since 2005-06. C Andrew Bynum (18.9 PPG, 12.1 RPG) wasn’t much of a factor in last season’s series (7.0 PPG), but he has 18.5 PPG and 18.5 RPG in two matchups with San Antonio this year. This includes a 30-rebound night the last time he played at AT&T Center. Bynum has been unstoppable in April with 21.7 PPG and 11.7 RPG. PF Pau Gasol (17.4 PPG, 10.4 RPG) recorded a triple-double in Wednesday’s 99-87 win at Golden State, notching 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He has 21.1 PPG and 10.1 RPG in his past seven contests. SF Metta World Peace (7.6 PPG) continued his scoring surge against the Warriors with 18 points (8-of-14 FG) and nine assists. He has 11+ points in seven of his past eight games, averaging 17.1 PPG on 52% FG and 13-of-35 threes (37%).
San Antonio has been outstanding in its home arena this year, going 25-5 SU and 21-8-1 ATS (72.4%). The Spurs are outscoring these visitors 104.3 to 93.7 and outshooting them 48.1% FG (39.0% threes) to 43.8% FG (33.8% threes). San Antonio is 16-2 SU (14-3-1 ATS) in its past 18 games, scoring 107.3 PPG on 49% FG and 37% threes, while sporting a 1.76 assist-to-turnover ratio over this span.
PF Tim Duncan (15.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG) did not play the last game, a 127-102 thumping in Sacramento, but he will be on the court Friday. After scoring just 4.0 PPG (5-for-26 FG) in three games versus L.A. last year, Duncan has 16.5 PPG on 16-of-28 FG (57%) in two meetings this season. PG Tony Parker (18.5 PPG, 7.7 APG) had an excellent night against the Kings with 15 points, eight assists and zero turnovers in just 25 minutes of action. He has always performed at a high level against the Lakers too (17.8 PPG on 49% FG, 5.6 APG), especially in the past six seasons where he’s averaged 20.3 PPG on 52.3% FG and 5.9 APG against Los Angeles. SG Manu Ginobili (12.7 PPG, 4.5 APG) has played sparingly over the past three games (19.3 MPG), but he has still been able to score 13.3 PPG on 56% FG (4-of-9 threes) with 13 assists and just two turnovers. His shot has not fallen in the past two seasons versus L.A. though, as he has just 10.6 PPG on 33% FG, including 5-of-24 threes (21%).
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
