TEDDY COVERS BASKETBALL PLAYS
Game: (549) Minnesota T\\\\\\\'wolves at (550) Chicago Bulls
Date/Time: Jan 22 2020 8:05 PM EST
Betting Line Provider: Heritage
Play Rating: 3%
Play: Chicago Bulls 1.0 (-108)
View Analysis
3% Take Chicago (#550)
Minnesota has no business as road chalk against ANYBODY right now; lacking both confidence and chemistry. The T-Wolves are mired in another long losing streak, despite the return of Karl Anthony Towns back into the lineup following an extended absence. They’ve won a grand total of TWO road games since the beginning of December: by one point in OT at Sacramento and a beatdown of the hapless Cavaliers; 2-11 SU on the highway in their last 13 tries. And yet the betting markets continue to ‘like’ the T-Wolves despite a money burning 8-16-1 ATS mark in their last 25 games.
The Bulls have won their last two home games and they’re coming off a spread covering, closer than expected loss at Milwaukee. That was a wire-to-wire cover despite a 29% shooting performance from three point range. Head Coach Jim Boylan, following the defeat: "We just keep fighting and scrapping. If we have a normal shooting night from the 3, it's a different outcome." Coming off a game in which leading scorers Zack LaVine and Lauri Markkanen combined to hit just 9-30 from the floor (2-15 from three point range), it’s a prime bounceback spot for a home dog that should be the favorite this evening. Take the Bulls.
Line Parameter: 3% at pk or if the Bulls are underdogs, 2% if Chicago goes off as the favorite.
Game: (545) San Antonio Spurs at (546) New Orleans Pelicans
Date/Time: Jan 22 2020 9:30 PM EST
Betting Line Provider: Heritage
Play Rating: 3%
Play: San Antonio Spurs 3.5 (-108)
View Analysis
3% Take San Antonio (#545)
Zion Williamson will make the New Orleans Pelicans better over the long term. But their first game with Zion in the lineup is not likely to be a thing of beauty. This is most assuredly NOT a bet-on quote from head coach Alvin Gentry – I bolded the key points:
"It's going to be a circus and everyone knows that. What we have to do is focus on the task at hand and that is playing a really good San Antonio team…..I think the big thing for us is we just need to get him out there so all of this goes away and then we can just start to figure out rotations and how we are going to play and things we are going to do."
The Pelicans aren’t used to playing big ‘media event’ games – the circus atmosphere isn’t going to help them one iota. And Gentry was 100% correct talking about STARTING to figure out rotations and minutes. In the short term, for at least a game or two, Zion’s return has the legitimate potential to cool off a hot team; 11-5 SU and 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 games following their 13 game skid.
The Spurs aren’t pushovers, and they’ve been excellent underdogs of late, beating the Suns (+4.5), Heat (+1), Raptors (+5), Celtics (+7) and Bucks (+8) in SU fashion over the last 2+ weeks; three of those wins coming on the highway. No surprise here if San Antonio wins this game in SU fashion as well. Take the Spurs.
Line Parameter: 3% at +3 or higher, 2% at +2.5 or lower