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Monday's Tip Sheet
Kevin Rogers
Game of the Night: Celtics at Nuggets – 9:05 PM EST
The Warriors own the best record in the Western Conference at 9-1, but the Nuggets (8-1 SU, 6-3 ATS) are right behind and handed Golden State its only loss of the season. Denver remains unbeaten at Pepsi Center at 5-0 after rallying past Utah on Saturday, 103-88 as 4 ½-point favorites. The Nuggets outscored the Jazz in the fourth quarter, 35-15 after trailing by five points, while limiting an opponent to less than 100 points at home for the third time this season.
The Celtics (6-3 SU, 4-5 ATS) began their five-game road trip squandering a double-digit lead and falling in the final seconds to the Pacers, 102-101 on Saturday. Boston’s four-game winning streak came to a halt in spite of the Celtics knocking down a 19 three-pointers, one game after drilling 24 treys in a home win over Milwaukee. The Celtics had won three consecutive road contests prior to Saturday’s defeat, but Boston has yet to lose back-to-back games this season.
Boston swept Denver last season, which includes a one-point triumph at Pepsi Center as two-point underdogs. Kyrie Irving led the Celtics in the road victory with 27 points, while Denver’s Nikola Jokic posted 24 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Boston is listed as an underdog for the second time this season as the Celtics fell to the Raptors on October 19 as three-point ‘dogs, 113-101. Denver has been the top UNDER team in the league this season with a 7-1-1 mark, including a 4-1 home UNDER ledger.
Upward Flight?
The Rockets (3-5 SU, 2-6 ATS) have been a huge disappointment out of the gate after finishing one victory shy of the NBA Finals last season. Houston began 1-5, but the Rockets have rebounded with consecutive victories at Brooklyn and Chicago. Granted those are likely lottery teams again this season, but the Rockets need some kind of momentum to avoid falling way behind in the Southwest division. James Harden returned after a three-game absence with a hamstring injury to score 25 points in Saturday’s victory over the Bulls, which included Houston limiting Chicago to seven third quarter points.
Houston travels to Indiana (7-3 SU, 6-4 ATS) as the Pacers seek their fourth consecutive win. Victor Olapido connected on the go-ahead three-pointer in Saturday’s 102-101 home underdog triumph over Boston as Indiana’s last three wins have come by a combined nine points. Last season, the Pacers lost both matchups with the Rockets by double-digits, while the past five meetings between these teams have finished UNDER the total.
Thundering Back
Oklahoma City stumbled out of the chute by going 0-4, while New Orleans caught fire early by compiling a 4-0 record. Things change fast, even just a few days into November. The Thunder (4-4 SU, 4-4 ATS) are rolling by winning four consecutive games, while the Pelicans (4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS) are on a five-game slide.
OKC downed the Suns and Clippers at home, while rallying from an 18-point deficit to shock the Hornets on Thursday. The latest victory for the Thunder came in Friday’s 134-111 drilling of the struggling Wizards as OKC delivered the knockout punch by outscoring Washington, 44-20 in the second quarter. The Thunder improved to 4-2 with Russell Westbrook in the lineup as the 2017 MVP isn’t quite averaging a triple-double yet (25.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 8.8 apg), but OKC has scored at least 111 points in each of its past four wins.
New Orleans wraps up a five-game road trip that has seen the Pelicans lose at Denver, Golden State, Portland, and San Antonio. All-Star Anthony Davis has been dealing with a lingering elbow injury as he missed the losses at Denver and Portland, while scoring 17 points in Saturday’s 14-point setback at San Antonio. The 95 points scored on Saturday was the lowest total for New Orleans through nine games, as the Pelicans look to capitalize off a 2-1 record against the Thunder last season.
Almost Perfect 10
The Warriors (9-1 SU, 6-4 ATS) have lost only once through 10 games, while coming off three straight wins by double-digits. The latest victory for the two-time defending champions came against Minnesota on Friday, 116-99 as 10 ½-point favorites, helped out by a 33-12 fourth quarter scoring advantage by Golden State. Only three Warriors scored in double-figures, but it was the star trio of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson, who combined for 83 points and 11 three-pointers.
Golden State hosts Memphis tonight as the Grizzlies (5-3 SU, 5-3 ATS) lost in the final seconds at Phoenix on Sunday, 102-100 as four-point favorites. The Grizzlies have lost in four of the past five visits to Oracle Arena, including a pair of 13-point defeats last season. Since falling at Indiana on opening night, the Grizzlies have won and covered in each of their past two underdog opportunities, both coming at Utah.
Another Almost Perfect 10
Golden State is not all alone at 9-1. Back in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors (9-1 SU, 5-5 ATS) keep rolling after blasting the Lakers on Sunday, 121-107 at Staples Center. Even without leading scorer Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, the Raptors jumped out to a 42-17 lead after one quarter and never looked back as Serge Ibaka shot a scorching 15-of-17 from the floor for 34 points. Leonard missed the game with a foot injury as his status is up in the air for tonight’s contest at Utah.
The Jazz (4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS) have been silenced at home this season by going 0-3 at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah fell apart in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss at Denver, as top scorer Donovan Mitchell will sit tonight with an ankle injury. Utah is listed as a home underdog for the second time this season as the Jazz barely cashed as a 2 ½-point favorite in a one-point defeat to Golden State on October 19. The Jazz have struggled with the Raptors over the years by losing the last two home matchups, while posting an ugly 1-9 ATS mark the past 10 meetings since November 2013.
Kevin Rogers
Game of the Night: Celtics at Nuggets – 9:05 PM EST
The Warriors own the best record in the Western Conference at 9-1, but the Nuggets (8-1 SU, 6-3 ATS) are right behind and handed Golden State its only loss of the season. Denver remains unbeaten at Pepsi Center at 5-0 after rallying past Utah on Saturday, 103-88 as 4 ½-point favorites. The Nuggets outscored the Jazz in the fourth quarter, 35-15 after trailing by five points, while limiting an opponent to less than 100 points at home for the third time this season.
The Celtics (6-3 SU, 4-5 ATS) began their five-game road trip squandering a double-digit lead and falling in the final seconds to the Pacers, 102-101 on Saturday. Boston’s four-game winning streak came to a halt in spite of the Celtics knocking down a 19 three-pointers, one game after drilling 24 treys in a home win over Milwaukee. The Celtics had won three consecutive road contests prior to Saturday’s defeat, but Boston has yet to lose back-to-back games this season.
Boston swept Denver last season, which includes a one-point triumph at Pepsi Center as two-point underdogs. Kyrie Irving led the Celtics in the road victory with 27 points, while Denver’s Nikola Jokic posted 24 points and 11 rebounds in the loss. Boston is listed as an underdog for the second time this season as the Celtics fell to the Raptors on October 19 as three-point ‘dogs, 113-101. Denver has been the top UNDER team in the league this season with a 7-1-1 mark, including a 4-1 home UNDER ledger.
Upward Flight?
The Rockets (3-5 SU, 2-6 ATS) have been a huge disappointment out of the gate after finishing one victory shy of the NBA Finals last season. Houston began 1-5, but the Rockets have rebounded with consecutive victories at Brooklyn and Chicago. Granted those are likely lottery teams again this season, but the Rockets need some kind of momentum to avoid falling way behind in the Southwest division. James Harden returned after a three-game absence with a hamstring injury to score 25 points in Saturday’s victory over the Bulls, which included Houston limiting Chicago to seven third quarter points.
Houston travels to Indiana (7-3 SU, 6-4 ATS) as the Pacers seek their fourth consecutive win. Victor Olapido connected on the go-ahead three-pointer in Saturday’s 102-101 home underdog triumph over Boston as Indiana’s last three wins have come by a combined nine points. Last season, the Pacers lost both matchups with the Rockets by double-digits, while the past five meetings between these teams have finished UNDER the total.
Thundering Back
Oklahoma City stumbled out of the chute by going 0-4, while New Orleans caught fire early by compiling a 4-0 record. Things change fast, even just a few days into November. The Thunder (4-4 SU, 4-4 ATS) are rolling by winning four consecutive games, while the Pelicans (4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS) are on a five-game slide.
OKC downed the Suns and Clippers at home, while rallying from an 18-point deficit to shock the Hornets on Thursday. The latest victory for the Thunder came in Friday’s 134-111 drilling of the struggling Wizards as OKC delivered the knockout punch by outscoring Washington, 44-20 in the second quarter. The Thunder improved to 4-2 with Russell Westbrook in the lineup as the 2017 MVP isn’t quite averaging a triple-double yet (25.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 8.8 apg), but OKC has scored at least 111 points in each of its past four wins.
New Orleans wraps up a five-game road trip that has seen the Pelicans lose at Denver, Golden State, Portland, and San Antonio. All-Star Anthony Davis has been dealing with a lingering elbow injury as he missed the losses at Denver and Portland, while scoring 17 points in Saturday’s 14-point setback at San Antonio. The 95 points scored on Saturday was the lowest total for New Orleans through nine games, as the Pelicans look to capitalize off a 2-1 record against the Thunder last season.
Almost Perfect 10
The Warriors (9-1 SU, 6-4 ATS) have lost only once through 10 games, while coming off three straight wins by double-digits. The latest victory for the two-time defending champions came against Minnesota on Friday, 116-99 as 10 ½-point favorites, helped out by a 33-12 fourth quarter scoring advantage by Golden State. Only three Warriors scored in double-figures, but it was the star trio of Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson, who combined for 83 points and 11 three-pointers.
Golden State hosts Memphis tonight as the Grizzlies (5-3 SU, 5-3 ATS) lost in the final seconds at Phoenix on Sunday, 102-100 as four-point favorites. The Grizzlies have lost in four of the past five visits to Oracle Arena, including a pair of 13-point defeats last season. Since falling at Indiana on opening night, the Grizzlies have won and covered in each of their past two underdog opportunities, both coming at Utah.
Another Almost Perfect 10
Golden State is not all alone at 9-1. Back in the Eastern Conference, the Raptors (9-1 SU, 5-5 ATS) keep rolling after blasting the Lakers on Sunday, 121-107 at Staples Center. Even without leading scorer Kawhi Leonard in the lineup, the Raptors jumped out to a 42-17 lead after one quarter and never looked back as Serge Ibaka shot a scorching 15-of-17 from the floor for 34 points. Leonard missed the game with a foot injury as his status is up in the air for tonight’s contest at Utah.
The Jazz (4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS) have been silenced at home this season by going 0-3 at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah fell apart in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss at Denver, as top scorer Donovan Mitchell will sit tonight with an ankle injury. Utah is listed as a home underdog for the second time this season as the Jazz barely cashed as a 2 ½-point favorite in a one-point defeat to Golden State on October 19. The Jazz have struggled with the Raptors over the years by losing the last two home matchups, while posting an ugly 1-9 ATS mark the past 10 meetings since November 2013.
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