Trailblazers vs. Hawks Line, Mavs vs. Clippers Line: January 18
Carrie Stroup here with an NBA doubleheader to help satisfy your betting appetite. We have the Trailblazers vs. Hawks line at -2 Atlanta and Mavs vs. Clippers line at -2.5 Dallas.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Atlanta -2 & 184.5
Opening Line & Total: Hawks -
The Hawks try to finish a perfect four-game homestand Wednesday night when they take on a Blazers team that is only halfway done with its six-game road trip.
Atlanta is also trying to extend its win streak in this series, as it has beaten Portland five straight times. Although the Hawks are weakened without C Al Horford, who is out 3-to-4 months with a torn pectoral muscle, they have played great in his absence winning three straight games by an average of 13.7 PPG. The Blazers will likely be without their center too, as Marcus Camby (team-high 8.2 RPG and 1.3 BPG) expects to miss his third straight game with an ankle injury. Portland is scoring just 90.0 PPG on the road (104.7 PPG at home) and is just 10-16 ATS (39%) as a road underdog since the start of last season. Without Camby’s interior presence on the defensive end, the Hawks should be able to get to the rim and win this game comfortably.
The Blazers snapped a three-game losing skid (SU and ATS) by knocking off New Orleans on Monday, 84-77. They held the Hornets to a mere 41% shooting, including 0-for-9 from three-point range. The Blazers only played eight guys in that win. LaMarcus Aldridge (22.7 PPG, 7.9 RPG) had a game-high 22 points (16 in the second half) and also grabbed nine boards. Aldridge has scored 22+ points in four straight games, averaging 24.0 PPG over this stretch. PG Raymond Felton (10.4 PPG, 7.2 APG) had an interesting stat line against New Orleans. He had 12 assists, three steals and four rebounds, but scored just two points on 1-of-8 shooting and turned the ball over eight times. SF Nicolas Batum (12.4 PPG) had a huge night off the bench, dropping 19 points and six boards. This followed a 29-point, eight-rebound performance at Houston on Saturday. Super sixth man Jamal Crawford (12.0 PPG) has been slumping with 7.0 PPG on 23% FG in past three games, but he will be extra motivated on Wednesday going up against his former team.
Atlanta continues to win games with great outside shooting, ranking sixth in the league at 38.6% three-point FG accuracy. The Hawks have also flexed their muscles on the glass, ranking sixth in the league in rebounding margin (+2.1 RPG). With Horford being out, both Joe Johnson (18.5 PPG) and Josh Smith (17.1 PPG, 9.2 RPG) have stepped up in a big way. Johnson has 75 points in three games without Horford and Smith has averaged 22.0 PPG and 12.0 RPG in the three-game stretch. Johnson has also loved facing Portland in his career, scoring 21.1 PPG, the second-highest total versus any opponent. PG Jeff Teague (12.4 PPG, 5.9 APG) has also picked up his game recently with 16.3 PPG and 7.6 APG in the past three contests.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (8-6) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (7-4)
Sportsbook.com Line: Dallas -2.5 & 183.5
Opening Line & Total: Mavs -2.5 & 182.5
The Clippers return home for their third game in three days Wednesday, and will not likely have the services of PG Chris Paul when they host red-hot Dallas.
Paul (left hamstring) has missed the past two games, which includes Tuesday’s 108-79 blowout loss at Utah. The Mavericks are riding a six-game ATS win streak (5-1 SU) thanks to some terrific defense over this span (76.8 PPG, 38% FG, 27% 3-pt FG). That doesn’t bode well for a Clippers team coming off a season low 36.5% FG in Utah. Dallas has dominated this series lately, going 16-1 SU (11-5-1 ATS) with 10 straight SU wins over Los Angeles. Without Paul’s penetration and passing skills, the Mavs will likely keep this streak going.
The Mavericks have been tremendous defensively, but their offense was completely stymied in Monday’s 73-70 loss to the Lakers. They shot a season-worst 35.0% FG including an atrocious 4-of-26 (15%) from three-point range. Dirk Nowitzki (17.9 PPG, 47% FG) actually had a decent shooting night (8-of-17 FG), but the rest of his teammates combined to shoot 20-of-63 (32%). In the past three seasons, Nowitzki has lit up the Clippers for 24.3 PPG on 51% FG. Jason Kidd will need to play infinitely better than he did against the Lakers when he shot 1-of-9 from the floor and finished with more turnovers (three) than assists (two) in his 34 minutes of action. Without the worry of trying to guard Paul, Kidd should have a nice bounce-back performance. Forward Lamar Odom is slowly starting to get comfortable with the Dallas offense. After averaging 5.3 PPG on 19.5% FG in his first six games, he has increased those numbers to 8.3 PPG on 39.1% FG in the past eight contests.
The Clippers are happy to return home where they are scoring 100.1 PPG on 47.2% FG this year (92.8 PPG on 41.5% FG on road). Blake Griffin (21.9 PPG, 11.4 RPG) is coming off a horrible game on Tuesday night in Utah, where he scored just 10 points in 27 minutes of action. The starting backcourt of Randy Foye and Chauney Billups combined to shoot 7-of-26 (27%), as Foye ended the night with a minus-26 rating. SF Caron Butler (16.0 PPG) had a team-high 14 points and has scored 20+ points in four of his past six games (17.8 PPG). He’ll want to put on a show against his former teammates on Wednesday.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
