NBA Sunday's Early Tips
By Kevin Rogers
Heat at Bulls (-8 ½, 187) – 1:00 PM EST – ABC
Miami travels to the United Center looking for back-to-back wins for just the second time since late November. The Heat (19-24 SU, 19-22-2 ATS) staved off the Pacers on Friday night, 89-87, as Miami failed to cash as 3 ½-point home favorites. Erik Spoelstra’s team built a 21-point advantage and led by 17 at the half, but the Pacers outscored the Heat in the second half, 50-35 to grab the road cover.
The Bulls (29-16 SU, 20-25 ATS) have bounced back nicely since getting blown out at Cleveland on Monday by picking up a pair of victories over the Texas elite. Chicago routed San Antonio on Thursday as a 5 ½-point home underdog, then followed up that win with a 102-98 triumph at Dallas as six-point road ‘dogs. Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler each scored 20 points in the victory over the Mavs, as the Bulls have limited two solid offenses to below 100 points after allowing over 100 points in its previous five contests.
The Heat are riding a 10-game ‘under’ streak, while holding eight opponents in this stretch to less than 100 points. Miami has struggled to build any kind of winning stretch the past two months, posting a 1-10 SU and 1-9-1 ATS off a victory, while going 2-5 SU/ATS off a home win this season with those two victories coming back in November at Philadelphia and Dallas.
In the first meeting this season back on December 14 at the American Airlines Arena, the Bulls dominated the Heat, 93-75 to easily cash as seven-point road favorites. Chris Bosh sat out that loss with an injury, as Miami shot just 35% from the floor. Joakim Noah also missed that game with a sprained ankle, as the Chicago center returned to the Bulls’ lineup on Friday after sitting out four contests with that lingering ankle injury.
Since blowing out the Lakers on Christmas night, Chicago has covered just two of its past nine times in the role of a home favorite. In this span, the Bulls have lost outright to the Jazz, Magic, and Nets as double-digit favorites, while both home victories over the Heat last season came in the role of an underdog.
Thunder at Cavaliers (-3 ½, 212 ½) – 3:30 PM EST – ABC
Something has woken up the sleeping giant in Cleveland. After a disastrous run with LeBron James sidelined in late December through mid-January, the Cavaliers (24-20 SU, 18-26 ATS) are getting back on track with five consecutive wins and covers. Cleveland improved to 5-1 SU/ATS since James returned to the lineup, capped off by a 129-90 rout of Charlotte on Friday to easily cash as 10-point favorites. The Cavs dropped 75 first half points, while J.R. Smith drilled seven shots from downtown for 21 points to give Cleveland another scoring threat past James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love.
Oklahoma City (22-21 SU, 20-21-2 ATS) wraps up a five-game road trip as the Thunder suffered its first defeat following a 3-0 start. OKC took care of Orlando, Miami, and Washington in the first three stops, but stumbled against the hottest team in the league on Friday, falling at Atlanta, 103-93 as 3 ½-point underdogs. The Thunder shot just 41% from the floor, as Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka combined to shoot 16-of-40 from the field.
The last time these teams met up in Oklahoma City back in December, James sat out as the Cavaliers built an early 11-point lead. Cleveland’s offense dried up in the second half as the Thunder came away with a 103-94 victory to cash as 7 ½-point favorites, staving off a late Cavaliers’ rally. OKC covered for the first time in the past four tries against Cleveland, as the Cavs have cashed in the previous two home meetings, but both came as an underdog.
With LeBron in the lineup, the Cavs have won 12 of their past 14 games at Quicken Loans Arena, while covering eight times in this span. Overall, Cleveland owns a 4-4 home record against Western Conference foes this season, while cashing in four of six opportunities in the favorite role. Oklahoma City has been a coin-flip proposition when receiving points this season at 10-9-1 ATS, as the Thunder are 1-3 ATS in its past four as a road ‘dog.
