NBA Betting Odds – February 20: Rockets vs. Mavs, Bulls vs. Pistons, More
Carrie Stroup here with your NBA betting odds for February 20 including the Rockets vs. Mavs, Bulls vs. Pistons and more..
HOUSTON ROCKETS (36-17) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (36-20)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Dallas -2.0, Total: 211.0
The Mavericks look to beat the Rockets for the first time this season when the teams meet in Dallas Friday.
The Mavericks beat the Jazz 87-82 as 5-point home favorites before the All-Star break, but were blown out by Oklahoma City on Thursday in their first game back. Dallas has now won three of its past five games and six of its past nine SU. The team is 4-4-1 ATS in those games and now looks to beat a Rockets team that is coming off of a 110-95 defeat as three-point road underdogs versus the Clippers before the break. Houston had won-and-covered in three of its previous four games before the loss and entered the All-Star break after having won seven of its past 10 games SU.
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The Rockets have gotten the best of the Mavericks recently, winning three straight games in this head-to-head series SU and ATS. Prior to a loss at home this season though, the Mavericks had won seven straight games against the Rockets in Dallas. They are 8-2 SU and 6-3-1 ATS when hosting the Rockets in their past 10 meetings.
The Rockets have done very well ATS versus the Western Conference this season, covering in 19 of their 33 games. Houston is also 6-1 SU and ATS when playing on three or more day’s rest. Dallas has been awful against the West, going just 18-15 SU and 11-19-3 ATS versus their conference opponents. Amar’e Stoudemire (Acquired) is doubtful for the Mavericks. The Rockets are without C Dwight Howard (Knee). SG K.J. McDaniels (Acquired) and PG Pablo Prigioni (Acquired) are both questionable.
The Rockets head into this meeting with the Mavericks looking to stay perfect against Dallas this season. Houston made some nice moves at the trade deadline, picking up SG K.J. McDaniels (9.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.3 BPG) and PG Pablo Prigioni (4.7 PPG, 2.4 APG, 1.2 SPG) to boost their bench for the postseason. They likely won’t play in this game though, as they’ll need to travel to Dallas and pass physicals in order to be cleared.
SG James Harden (27.4 PPG, 6.8 APG, 5.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG) has played like an MVP this season, and is averaging 24.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 6.0 APG in two games against the Mavericks on the year. Harden has a major strength advantage compared to SG Monta Ellis (19.5 PPG, 4.5 APG, 1.9 SPG) and will need to use his body to draw fouls against him.
With C Dwight Howard (16.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 1.4 BPG) out, PF Donatas Motiejunas (11.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG) will need to have a big game against Dallas. He’s played well against the team this season, averaging 15.0 PPG and 8.5 RPG in 35.5 MPG in their two meetings. Motiejunas is a very craft scorer around the basket and he can knock down jumpers as well. He should be able to put enough pressure on the Dallas frontcourt to give his guards a chance to attack the rim.
SF Trevor Ariza (12.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG) is going to be crucial in this game. Ariza shot the ball terribly against the Clippers, finishing with 13 points (4-for-13 FG, 1-for-9 3PT) in 37 minutes. He is counted on to knock down outside shots for this team and can’t afford to miss his open looks like he did in Los Angeles.
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PG Patrick Beverley (10.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG) is going to need to play some excellent defense on PG Rajon Rondo in this game.
The Mavericks looked miserable against the Thunder on Thursday night and the team couldn’t get anything going offensively. PG Rajon Rondo (8.7 PPG, 8.6 APG, 6.2 RPG, 1.6 SPG) returned to the court after suffering fractures in his face a few weeks ago. He had just five points and six assists in 29 minutes of action and could not do anything to stop Russell Westbrook, who went off for 34 points and 10 assists in the game. Rondo will need to make things happen for his team in this one, as they can’t keep up with the Rockets’ offense if he is not doing a good job of running the offense.
SG Monta Ellis continues to slump for the Mavericks lately. He had just seven points (2-for-13 FG, 1-for-5 3PT) in what was a lousy shooting night, but he did have six steals and four assists. Ellis has played very well against the Rockets this season with 25.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.5 APG and 1.0 SPG in 37.0 MPG in their previous two meetings. He’ll need to play well against James Harden or the Mavericks could get blown out once again.
PF Dirk Nowitzki (18.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG) struggled against the Thunder last game, finishing with just 14 points (6-for-16 FG, 0-for-3 3PT) and four rebounds in 31 minutes. Nowitzki has also struggled against the Rockets this season, averaging just 12.5 PPG (28% FG, 17% 3PT) and 6.0 RPG in 31.0 MPG. He’ll need to find his touch soon, as this team could slide in the standings if he is not performing.
C Tyson Chandler (10.7 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG) had 10 points and 13 rebounds in 33 minutes against Oklahoma City. It was his first game back since injuring his ankle and he’ll look to provide a big inside presence against a Rockets team that is depleted at center. SF Chandler Parsons (15.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.0 SPG) is averaging 14.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 1.0 SPG in two games against his former team this season. He’ll need to play solid defense on Trevor Ariza and also use his size to get some opportunities at the charity stripe on offense.
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CHICAGO BULLS (34-20) at DETROIT PISTONS (21-33)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Chicago -6.5, Total: 193.5
The Bulls go for a fifth straight victory when they head to Detroit and take on the Pistons Friday.
Chicago has been hot lately, beating Cleveland 113-98 as a 1.5-point home underdog before the break. The Bulls have won four straight games and covered in three of those contests. One reason this team has been able to get back on track is that it returned to its roots and started to play defense again. Over the past four games, the Bulls are allowing just 88.3 PPG and they’ll need to keep up the intensity on that end.
Detroit has lost two of their past three games SU and ATS heading into the break. Their most recent game was a 104-87 loss as 6-point home favorites against the Spurs. When these teams met on Nov. 10, 2014, the Bulls beat the Pistons 102-91 as 10-point home favorites. Chicago has dominated this head-to-head series recently, going 8-2 SU but 4-6 ATS in the past 10 games between these two. The Bulls have been equally as dominant in Detroit, winning-and-covering in two straight and going 9-1 SU and 6-4 ATS in their past 10 trips to The Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Bulls have played well on the road this season, going 19-9 SU and 15-13 ATS. They are also 2-1 SU and ATS when playing on three or more day’s rest. The Pistons haven’t responded well to extended breaks, going 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS when playing on three or more day’s rest this season. SG Jimmy Butler (Shoulder) and PG Kirk Hinrich (Toe) are both probable for the Bulls. SFs Caron Butler (Back) and Cartier Martin (Ankle) are probable for the Pistons, who are without PG Brandon Jennings (Achilles) for the season.
The Bulls have really started to click recently and a lot of that has to do with PG Derrick Rose (18.9 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.1 RPG). Rose has been on fire, pouring in 30 points with seven assists in a win over the Cavs before the break. He’s averaging 21.2 PPG, 6.2 APG and 1.0 SPG in 35.0 MPG over the past five games and has seemingly gotten his quickness back. Rose had 24 points and seven assists in the first meeting with Detroit this year and should be able to do well this time around also.
The health of SG Jimmy Butler (20.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.8 SPG) will be big in this one. Butler didn’t play against the Cavs and only got nine minutes of action in the All-Star Game on Sunday. The Bulls need him to be healthy, as he is their best two-way player and can really put a lot of pressure on opposing teams.
PF Pau Gasol (18.4 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 2.1 BPG) played very well in the first game against the Pistons this season. He had 17 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and four blocks in that game and will need to do more of the same in this one. The Pistons have an extremely talented frontcourt and he can’t afford to only play well on the offensive end.
C Joakim Noah (7.7 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 BPG) had one of his best games of the year against Cleveland before the break. Noah played 31 minutes and had 10 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and a block. He had 13 points, 14 rebounds and six assists against Detroit early in the season, but he didn’t have any blocks. He’ll need to protect the rim in this one or the Bulls’ winning streak could end here.
The Pistons have lost two of their past three games and will be looking to get back on track with a win over the Bulls on Friday.
SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (11.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG) will need to be ready to play in this one. He’ll be matched up against Jimmy Butler for a majority of this game and the Pistons can’t afford to get nothing out of him. He had 20 points against the Spurs and is one of the best shooters Detroit has (35% 3PT). If he’s not knocking down his open looks, it’ll be hard for the Pistons to score enough to beat this Chicago squad.
PF Greg Monroe (15.4 PPG, 10.4 RPG) had 16 points and 10 boards in 36 minutes the last time he met the Bulls. Monroe struggled against San Antonio last game, finishing with just six points and six rebounds in 30 minutes of action. He’ll need to turn things around, as the Pistons can’t win this game unless he holds his own against Pau Gasol. He should be able to have a good game on the offensive end, as Gasol is one of the few players in the league that Monroe is quicker than.
C Andre Drummond (12.6 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 1.8 BPG) had just two points before fouling out against Chicago the last time these teams met. He did grab 12 boards and block a shot, but he must stay disciplined this time around. The Pistons need his effort on the glass and they can’t afford to have him in foul trouble once again.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (33-22) at WASHINGTON WIZARDS (33-21)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Cleveland -3.5, Total: 198.5
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The Wizards struggled heading into the All-Star break but will be looking for a fresh start with a home win over the Cavaliers on Friday.
The Cavaliers lost 113-98 as 1.5-point underdogs in Chicago before the break, but they had won-and-covered in two straight prior to that loss and were one of the hottest teams in the league in January. Four consecutive games they played before the break went Over the total.
The Wizards lost 95-93 in Toronto before the break, but they covered in that game and also won-and-covered in their previous two contests. Washington won two of its final eight games before All-Star weekend and will be looking to make a statement with a win over Cleveland on Friday.
These teams have already met twice this season, and both of them won-and-covered when playing at home. The most recent game was a 113-87 victory for the Cavs as 7.5-point favorites, but the Wizards had won-and-covered in the previous two games. Prior to losing SU and ATS in Washington last season, the Cavaliers had won-and-covered in four straight against the Wizards in D.C.
The Cavs have struggled on the road this season, going 12-13 SU and 9-16 ATS. They’ve also struggled when coming off of extended breaks, going 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS when playing on three or more days rest. Meanwhile, the Wizards have thrived against the Central Division, going 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS when playing those teams. Cleveland is going to be without C Anderson Varejao (Achilles), who is out for the season. Washington is without SG Bradley Beal (Leg), who is dealing with a stress reaction and is out indefinitely.
The Cavaliers lost their last game before the break, but they were excellent in January and will be looking to climb the standings in the Eastern Conference starting on Friday. SF LeBron James (25.9 PPG, 7.3 APG, 5.6 RPG, 1.5 SPG) had 31 points, five rebounds and four assists in a loss to the Bulls before the break, but he did turn the ball over eight times. He’ll need to do his best to limit his mistakes on Friday. He’s played well against the Wizards this season, averaging 25.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 6.0 APG and 2.0 SPG in two games against Washington. He will need to use his speed to blow by the much slower SF Paul Pierce (12.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.0 APG) in this game.
PG Kyrie Irving (21.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.5 SPG) is averaging 20.0 PPG and 2.0 SPG in two games against the Wizards this season. Irving is always a threat to go off offensively, but Cleveland will need him to play some solid defense on PG John Wall (17.4 PPG, 10.1 APG, 4.5 RPG, 1.9 SPG) in this game or it won’t have much of a chance of winning this one on the road.
PF Kevin Love (17.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.3 APG) didn’t play against Chicago as he was dealing with discomfort in his eye, but he should be more than ready to play after having a week off. Love is averaging just 14.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG against the Wizards this season, but he did shoot the ball very well in those games (56% FG in those two contests). The Cavs will need to get him some more touches going forward.
C Timofey Mozgov (9.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.3 BPG) has been a monster for the Cavaliers recently. The big man is averaging 13.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG and 1.6 BPG in 29.6 MPG over the past five contests. He will need to be at his best in this one, as his matchup with C Marcin Gortat (11.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.3 BPG) should be extremely physical and will be very important to each team.
F J.R. Smith (11.7 PPG, 3.0 APG, 2.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG) could be an x-factor for the Cavs. He was playing excellent defense heading into the break, averaging 2.4 SPG in his past five contests. Offensively he is always a threat to go off, and he’ll need to bury his open looks.
The Wizards had some serious trouble heading into the All-Star break, but they have a good chance of turning things around with a win over Cleveland on Friday. PG John Wall is going to need to be at his best in this game and he’s been solid against the Cavaliers this season. In two games against Cleveland, Wall is averaging 17.0 PPG (54% FG), 7.0 APG, 5.0 RPG and 2.0 SPG in 34.5 MPG. He’s going to need to be more aggressive as a scorer this time around though, as the Wizards are missing SG Bradley Beal (15.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.2 SPG).
SF Paul Pierce is also going to really need to step his game up in this one. Pierce had one of his best games of the season against the Raptors before the break, finishing with 17 points (7-for-12 FG, 2-for-4 3PT) in 30 minutes of action. He’s averaging 12.0 PPG (67% FG) and 4.0 RPG in two games against the Cavaliers this season and he must come ready to play on both ends, as he’ll be up against LeBron James for a majority of his minutes.
C Marcin Gortat had been wildly inconsistent for this team offensively. He’s now had a week to gather himself and will be going up against a very good defender in Timofey Mozgov. Gortat has had trouble with the Cavs this season, averaging just 8.0 PPG (44% FG) and 4.0 RPG in two games against the team. If Gortat can’t improve on those numbers then it will be very difficult for the Wizards to win Friday.
PF Nene Hilario (11.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG) averaged 14.0 PPG, 3.0 APG and 2.0 SPG in the two games before the break. He is a guy who can really get hot for this team and he should be able to dominate a much weaker Kevin Love inside. The Wizards would be wise to feed him the ball early and get him into some type of rhythm.
SG Rasual Butler (8.8 PPG) will need to provide some scoring for this team with Beal out and he should be able to, as he’s been lethal from behind the arc this season (43% 3PT). He’s averaging 11.5 PPG against the Cavs this season and will be crucial for Washington in this one.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (27-26) at ORLANDO MAGIC (17-39)
Sportsbook.ag Line: New Orleans -5.5, Total: 194
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The Pelicans look to get back into the win column when they face the Magic in Orlando Friday.
The Pelicans went into the All-Star break losing three straight games SU and ATS. Their most recent game was a 106-93 loss as 1-point favorites against the Pacers in New Orleans. The team has failed to score 100 points in each of the past three games and they’ve allowed 104.3 PPG in those contests. They’ll need to tighten things up and it should be a lot easier with PF Anthony Davis (24.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.7 BPG, 1.5 SPG) returning to the lineup.
Orlando won 89-83 as a 6-point home favorite against the Knicks heading into the break. Orlando has won two of its past four games SU and is also 4-1-1 ATS in its past six. The Magic and Pelicans met on opening night this season, when New Orleans won 101-84 as a 9-point favorite. The Pelicans have won-and-covered in two straight and seven of the past nine games in this series. However, Orlando won-and-covered the last time it hosted New Orleans.
The Pelicans have played surprisingly poorly against the Eastern Conference this season, going just 8-12 SU and 10-10 ATS. They are 15-7 SU and ATS when coming off of an ATS loss. Orlando has had success ATS when playing the Western Conference this season, covering in 12 of their 21 games versus opponents out west. The Magic are also a pretty impressive 29-26-1 ATS overall on the season.
PF Anthony Davis (Shoulder) is expected to play for the Pelicans, but PF Ryan Anderson (Elbow) is questionable and PG Jrue Holiday (Ankle) is out indefinitely for the team. PG Luke Ridnour (Personal) and PF Tobias Harris (Knee) are both questionable for Orlando.
The Pelicans lost three straight games heading into the break, but they should have PF Anthony Davis back in this one. Davis has played like an MVP this season, giving the team a consistent source of offense and some of the best rim protection in the entire league. When these teams met on opening night, the forward was dominant on both ends of the floor. Davis played 36 minutes in that game and finished with 26 points, 17 rebounds, nine blocks and three steals. The health of his shoulder could hold him back a little, but his presence on the floor is missed and he should make the team better regardless.
C Omer Asik (7.0 PPG, 9.9 RPG) played excellent defense the last time these teams played, finishing with 14 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks. Asik will be guarding C Nikola Vucevic (19.6 PPG, 11.3 RPG), who is one of the premier offensive bigs in basketball. If he is not on his game defensively, Vucevic will really kill the Pelicans inside.
SG Eric Gordon (12.6 PPG, 3.8 APG) has been extremely inconsistent for this team, scoring just six points against the Pacers after pouring in 31 against the Jazz just two nights before. Gordon will need to start contributing on a nightly basis for this team, as they need his production with PG Jrue Holiday (15.2 PPG, 7.1 APG, 3.5 RPG, 1.6 SPG) out for at least the next month.
SF Tyreke Evans (16.8 PPG, 6.1 APG, 5.4 RPG, 1.2 SPG) has taken over as the distributor with Holiday out. Evans has done well in that role recently, averaging 14.8 PPG, 8.4 APG, 5.8 RPG and 1.4 SPG in 34.0 MPG over the past five games. He has struggled with his shot in those games (40% FG) and will need to find a way to score more efficiently while also running this offense.
The Magic have underperformed this season, but they strung together two wins in their past four games before heading into the break. C Nikola Vucevic continues to be one of the best offensive players in the league and is averaging 21.2 PPG and 11.8 RPG over the past five contests. He had 28 points (12-for-20 FG) and 18 rebounds in a win against the Knicks before the break and will need to play well in this game. He had 15 points, 23 rebounds and four blocks when these teams met on opening night and must provide the same rim protection that he did in that game. He struggles as a shot blocker (0.7 BPG) and a guy with his size should be able to make more of an impact on the defensive end, like he did in the first meeting between these teams.
PG Elfrid Payton (7.9 PPG, 5.7 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG) has really found his game for this team recently. Over the past five contests, Payton is averaging 10.2 PPG, 5.4 APG, 5.4 RPG and 2.6 SPG. He should be able to get to the rim at will against the Pelicans, as they’re going big at the point guard position and sacrificing speed in the process.
SG Victor Oladipo (16.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.6 SPG) had 19 points (11-for-11 FT), five rebounds, four assists, a block and a steal in a win over the Knicks before the break. Oladipo wasn’t on the floor when these teams met earlier in the season and his presence will really change this game. He is a very talented scorer and can also take his opponents out of games with his play on the defensive end.
PF Tobias Harris (17.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.0 SPG) had 25 points and eight rebounds in the opening night game between these teams. It would be big if he is able to give it a go in this game, and it’s looking good after he returned to practice on Wednesday.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
