Friday's Tip Sheet
Game of the Night: Wizards at Warriors
Golden State (3-2 SU, 1-4 ATS) returned home from a three-game road trip on Wednesday and needed a late rally to stun Toronto, 117-112. The Warriors outscored the Raptors, 12-0 in the final 90 seconds, but failed to cover as 12 ½-point favorites. The defending champions shot nearly 56% from the field, led by Stephen Curry’s 30 points and Kevin Durant’s 29 points. Golden State has covered only once this season, while laying at least 8 ½ points in all five games.
Washington (3-1 SU, 1-3 ATS) fell apart late in Wednesday’s 102-99 overtime loss to the Lakers, while blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter. The Wizards struggled from the floor by shooting 41% and an abysmal 6-of-26 from three-point range, as point guard John Wall converted only 7-of-22 shots from the field. Washington continues its four-game road trip which concludes in Sacramento on Sunday, as the Wizards are 0-3 ATS this season in the favorite role, but are 1-0 ATS in its only opportunity as an underdog by winning at Denver on Monday.
Last season, the home team won each time as the Wizards squandered an early 19-point lead but held off the Warriors in D.C. by a 112-108 count as seven-point ‘dogs. Durant suffered a hyper-extended knee in the opening minute when teammate Zaza Pachulia collided with the former scoring champion, but Golden State rallied back to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Golden State didn’t mess around the second time in Oakland by blowing out Washington, 139-115 as 9½-point favorites this past April as Curry torched the Wizards for 42 points.
Shooting for Five
The Spurs and Rockets have each won four games through the first two weeks of the season. San Antonio (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) finishes off its tour of the Sunshine State following a 117-100 triumph at Miami on Wednesday as 3½-point favorites. The Spurs continue to play without MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard, who is nursing a quad injury, but LaMarcus Aldridge has stormed out to a terrific start by averaging 26.0 ppg, while coming off a season-high 31 points against the Heat.
Orlando (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) didn’t have high expectations coming into the season, but the Magic are pushing the pace this season by averaging 119 ppg. The Magic pulled off a 114-93 rout of Cleveland as 11½-point road underdogs last Saturday night, while knocking down 17 three-pointers and limiting the Cavaliers to 38% shooting from the floor. Orlando will look to turn around its luck against San Antonio at home after dropping the last six contests at Amway Center, including a 107-79 setback last season.
Houston heads to Charlotte for the third game of its road swing after knocking off Philadelphia at the buzzer on Wednesday, 105-104. The Rockets (4-1, SU, 2-3 ATS) are riding a four-game UNDER streak after hitting the OVER in their season-opening victory at Golden State. The backcourt duo of James Harden and Eric Gordon combined for 56 points against the 76ers, but shot 7-of-24 from three-point range, even though one of those treys was the game-winner from Gordon.
The Hornets (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS) improved to 2-0 at home on Wednesday with a 110-93 blowout of the Nuggets as two-point underdogs. Charlotte’s offense has been dynamic at home this season by scoring 109 and 110 points in its two victories, as the backcourt of former UConn Huskies comprised of Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb combined for 35 points against Denver. Charlotte has finished UNDER the total in all four games this season, while four of the past five home matchups with Houston have cashed the UNDER.
Lightning Striking Again?
Oklahoma City and Minnesota met up last Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena and played to an exciting finish. Carmelo Anthony’s go-ahead three-pointer with five seconds left gave the Thunder a 113-112 lead, but Andrew Wiggins banked in a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Minnesota to a 115-113 triumph as four-point underdogs. Reigning MVP Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 31 points, but couldn’t finish off the rally after trailing by 13 points heading into the fourth quarter.
The Wolves (2-3 SU, 1-4 ATS) haven’t won since beating the Thunder as Minnesota is coming off consecutive losses to Indiana and Detroit. The common theme from those setbacks was offseason acquisition Jimmy Butler sat out with a respiratory infection and the defense was torched by allowing 130 points to the Pacers and 122 points to the Pistons. Butler is listed as questionable for Friday’s contest, as the Wolves have lost six of their past seven matchups with the Thunder at the Target Center.
The Thunder (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS) own a pair of home blowouts over the Knicks and Pacers, coming off Wednesday’s 114-96 victory over Indiana as 13-point favorites. Westbrook and Anthony each scored 28 points, while Paul George fouled out in his first game against his former squad, while putting up only 10 points. OKC’s defense has performed well for the exception of the Minnesota loss by allowing 96 points or less in its other three games.
On the Ball
Nobody said it was going to be easy, but the rebuilding Lakers are holding their own through four games. Los Angeles (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS) picked up its first home win in three tries on Wednesday by rallying past Washington in overtime, 102-99. The Lakers have yet to lose consecutive games this season, as rookie Lonzo Ball was limited to 2-of-11 shooting and six points, but he dished out 10 assists for his second double-digit assist effort. Los Angeles has not shot the ball well from beyond the arc at Staples Center in three games by hitting only 20-of-73 attempts (27%), including 1-of-13 from Ball.
The Raptors (2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS) have yet to win a game away from Air Canada Center following road losses at San Antonio and Golden State. Granted, those were the top two teams in the Western Conference last season and the two defeats came by a combined nine points, but Toronto looks to get on track in the midst of this six-game road trip. In Wednesday’s 117-112 setback at Golden State, DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 20 points, while second-year forward Pascal Siakam put up 20 points as Toronto cashed 12½-point ‘dogs. Toronto has owned Los Angeles recently by winning five straight matchups, including the last two visits to Staples Center.