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**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 09:24 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Week 3 NFL odds
— San Francisco (-7.5) @ NJ Giants
— Cincinnati @ Philadelphia (-10)
— Houston @ Pittsburgh (-5)
— NJ Jets @ Indianapolis (-7)
— Carolina @ LA Chargers (-6.5)
— Tampa Bay (-1) @ Denver

Americans who have died from COVID-19: 172,048
Please wear a mask when you go out.

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Armadillo: Friday's Den: Random stuff with weekend here…..

13) Padres 8, Rangers 7 (10)— San Diego became the first team ever (EVER!!!) to hit a grand slam in four consecutive games. Thats over 100 years of history; I was surprised when I heard that no one had done that before. By this time, you figure everything has been done at least once.

12) Blue Jays 3-9, Phillies 2-8— Not only did Philly lose a doubleheader, they lost the nightcap after taking a 7-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. Phillies’ bullpen is horrendous; their ERA before Thursday was 8.10. It is higher now.

11) Minnesota Timberwolves won the #1 pick in 2020 the NBA Draft; if I were them, I’d include Karl Anthony Towns in on how they make their pick, because he’s their best player, and will need to mesh well with whoever the new kid in town is.

10) Mets had games Thursday/Friday postponed after two of their people tested positive for coronavirus.

9) The start of next season’s NBA schedule sounds like it is going to be pushed back until at least Christmas; they’re going to want to have fans in the stands when next season starts, but that is unlikely until there is a virus. I’m guessing Christmas for Opening Day. Having a virus by then would be a good Christmas present for the world.

8) Arizona Diamondbacks are 13-7 vs righty pitchers, 0-6 vs lefties.

7) San Francisco Giants are 1-9 this season in games where the winning run scores from the 7th inning on.

6) Donald Trump actually suggested trading Puerto Rico for Greenland; this is a guy you’d love to have in your fantasy baseball league, except the imbecile would never pay the entry fee. There is a reason the NFL wouldn’t let him buy the Buffalo Bills.

NBA playoff games (all Game 2’s):
5) Miami 109, Indiana 100 (Heat leads 2-0)
— Heat made 18-35 shots behind the arc.
— Miami’s bench outscored Indiana’s 30-18.
— Duncan Robinson scored 24 for Miami; he played his first year of college basketball at D-III Williams, before transferring to Michigan.

4) Houston 111, Oklahoma City 98 (Rockets lead 2-0)
— Rockets outscored OKC 34-20 in 4th quarter.
— Houston was 19-56 behind the arc, 19-35 inside arc.
— Seven of eight Rockets who played scored double figures.

3) Milwaukee 111, Orlando 96 (series 1-1)
— NBA playoffs would be lot more interesting if series were shorter, and the lesser teams had an actual chance to pull the upset. An 8-seed winning four of seven isn’t realistic without injuries.
— This game was 64-43 at the half.
— Nikola Vucevic scored 32, has 67 points in first two series games.

2) Lakers 111, Portland 88
— Damian Lillard dislocated the index finger on his left hand.
— Gabriel (-21) was only Portland starter who was better than minus-28
— Anthony Davis was 13-21 from floor in Game 2, after being 8-24 in Game 1.

1) If the baseball playoffs started today (they do not):
AL East- New York, Tampa Bay
AL Central- Minnesota, Cleveland
AL West- Oakland, Houston
AL Wild Cards- Toronto, Chicago

NL East- Miami, Atlanta
NL Central- Chicago, St Louis
NL West- Los Angeles, San Diego
NL Wild Cards- Colorado, Arizona

**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 09:28 AM

NBA public betting, line movement for August 21
Patrick Everson

Kawhi Leonard and the second-seeded Clippers aim to bounce back from a Wednesday night Game 2 loss to the Mavericks. FanDuel has Los Angeles a 4.5-point favorite in Friday's Game 3.

NBA betting odds are up and getting some attention for Friday’s quartet of NBA playoff games. The marquee matchup from the NBA bubble is the last one, with the No. 2 seed Los Angeles Clippers meeting the No. 7 Dallas Mavericks for Game 3 of that series.

NBA line movement

The Mavericks evened up their Western Conference quarterfinal series with a 127-114 Game 2 victory over the Clippers on Wednesday night. FanDuel opened Los Angeles -5 for a 9 p.m. ET Game 3 start and quickly moved to -4.5, where the spread remained all day Thursday.

In a 6:30 p.m. ET tipoff, the Boston Celtics aim to take a 3-0 series lead on the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics opened -5, spent about half of Thursday at -5.5, then moved back to 5 early Thursday evening. And in the Denver Nuggets-Utah Jazz series, tied at 1, the Nuggets opened -1.5 at FanDuel and spent much of Thursday at -2 before dialing back to the opener. Tipoff is at 4 p.m. ET.

NBA public betting

Early indicators are that bettors expect the Clippers to bounce back just fine. Late Thursday night, L.A. was landing 80 percent of tickets and 79 percent of money bet on the spread. The Celtics are even more popular, with 79 percent of tickets and a whopping 97 percent of early dollars.

Nuggets-Jazz was drawing two-way play at FanDuel, with an even 50/50 split on tickets and Denver taking 59 percent of point-spread money.

Interestingly, in the day’s first game, the 10.5-point underdog Brooklyn Nets were getting a lot of early attention against the Toronto Raptors. The Nets were seeing 88 percent of bets and 95 percent of money, for a 1:30 p.m. ET game.

**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 09:33 AM

721TORONTO -722 BROOKLYN
TORONTO is 8-0 ATS (8 Units) in road games after a win by 6 points or less in the current season.

723DENVER -724 UTAH
UTAH is 97-76 ATS (13.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game in the last 3 seasons.

725BOSTON -726 PHILADELPHIA
PHILADELPHIA is 1-12 ATS (-12.2 Units) in road games versus good shooting teams - making >=46% of their shots - 2nd half of the season in the current season.

727LA CLIPPERS -728 DALLAS
DALLAS are 35-18 ATS (15.2 Units) in road games versus good ball handling teams - committing <=14 turnovers/game in the last 3 seasons.

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, August 21

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TORONTO (55 - 19) vs. BROOKLYN (35 - 39) - 8/21/2020, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 40-19 ATS (+19.1 Units) in road games after a division game since 1996.
BROOKLYN is 55-34 ATS (+17.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 33-22 ATS (+8.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
BROOKLYN is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
BROOKLYN is 69-50 ATS (+14.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 41-31 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all games this season.
TORONTO is 31-22 ATS (+6.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
TORONTO is 68-46 ATS (+17.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROOKLYN is 7-7 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 12-2 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (47 - 28) vs. UTAH (45 - 29) - 8/21/2020, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 97-76 ATS (+13.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 7-6 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 7-6 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (50 - 24) vs. PHILADELPHIA (43 - 32) - 8/21/2020, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 42-28 ATS (+11.2 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) after a division game this season.
BOSTON is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in the first round of the playoffs over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 23-10 ATS (+12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
BOSTON is 33-24 ATS (+6.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) in road games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 23-33 ATS (-13.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 14-5 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 13-6 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 19 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (50 - 24) vs. DALLAS (44 - 33) - 8/21/2020, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) when tied in a playoff series since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 243-298 ATS (-84.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 87-70 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 77-58 ATS (+13.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 78-52 ATS (+20.8 Units) in road games after scoring 115 points or more since 1996.
DALLAS is 72-51 ATS (+15.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 73-51 ATS (+16.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 71-57 ATS (+8.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 41-32 ATS (+5.8 Units) in all games this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 63-40 ATS (+19.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 41-28 ATS (+10.2 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 52-33 ATS (+15.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 7-5 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-4 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA

Friday, August 21

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Trend Report
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Toronto @ Brooklyn
Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

Denver @ Utah
Denver
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games on the road
Utah
Utah is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Denver
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Utah's last 8 games

Boston @ Philadelphia
Boston
Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 17-2 SU in its last 19 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 8 games at home

LA Clippers @ Dallas
LA Clippers
LA Clippers is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
LA Clippers is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 7 games

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**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 11:10 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Friday, August 21

Toronto @ Brooklyn

Game 721-722
August 21, 2020 @ 1:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
129.604
Brooklyn
113.105
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 16 1/2
226
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 10 1/2
220 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-10 1/2); Over

Denver @ Utah

Game 723-724
August 21, 2020 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
119.431
Utah
113.419
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Denver
by 6
239
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver
by 1 1/2
219
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(-1 1/2); Over

Boston @ Philadelphia

Game 725-726
August 21, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
126.782
Philadelphia
117.630
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 9
222
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 5
216
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-5); Over

LA Clippers @ Dallas

Game 727-728
August 21, 2020 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
120.753
Dallas
120.758
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
Even
229
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 5 1/2
232 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(+5 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 11:25 AM

Game 3 Odds: Raptors vs. Nets
Michael Crosson

The Eastern Conference first round matchup between No. 2 Toronto Raptors and No. 7 Brooklyn Nets will continue on Friday as the pair meet in an afternoon matinee from the NBA Bubble in Orlando.

The Raptors own a 2-0 lead and saying this is a must-win spot for the Nets is a serious understatement.

Betting Resources

Matchup: Eastern Conference Game 3
Venue: HP Field House
Location: Orlando, Florida
Date: Friday, Aug. 21, 2020
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBATV

Line Movements

The second-seeded Toronto Raptors own a 2-0 series lead over the sixth seeded Brooklyn Nets, and have now shifted to 10.5-point favorites heading game three after laying nine and half points on the opening line, despite failing to cover in their game two win on Wednesday afternoon.

Game 1 carried an offensive explosion of 244 combined points, which was followed by a combined total of 203 points in Game 2. Oddsmakers decided to meet them in the middle for this contest, sending out the 'over/under' at 223 but early action on the ‘under’ has brought that line down to 220.5 total points at most books.

What started as an “extremely unlikely” line of +5000 for Brooklyn to advance to the second round, has turned into a “pretty impossible” line of +6000 heading into Game 3, as most books have indicated they have lost all of the little hope they had in Brooklyn heading into this series.

Spread: Toronto -10.5
Money-Line: Toronto -550, Brooklyn +425
Total: 220.5
Series Price: Toronto -25000, Brooklyn +60000

After allowing 134 points in Game 1, the Nets defense held the Raptors in 104 in Game 2 but still managed to lose the game. (AP)

Game 2 Recap

The Nets jumped out to an early lead in Game 2 on Wednesday afternoon behind a 10-point, five-assist, two-rebound first quarter performance from Caris LeVert, carrying his team to a five point advantage by the end of the quarter and taking a lead into the halftime break.

The second-half was a much different story though, as the best defensive team in the league (Toronto Defensive Rating – 104.7) showed their true colors down the stretch, holding Brooklyn to just 46 points after the break.

Toronto’s backcourt dominated on both sides of the floor in the second half, Fred Van Fleet and Kyle Lowry outscoring LeVert and Harris 26-12 in the final two stanzas, ultimately leading to Toronto’s 104-99 victory and a 2-0 series lead.

Game 2 Betting Results

Outcome: Toronto 104 Brooklyn 99

Not a lot of sweat was dripping in Game 2 for bettors who backed both the underdog and the 'under' in this series. Toronto chasers were able to stop some of the bleeding with a fortunate second-half cover.

Game: Raptors Win, Nets Cover (+11.5), Under (226)
First Quarter: Nets Win (33-29) Nets Cover (+3.5), Over (57.5)
First Half: Nets Win (53-50), Nets Cover (+7), Under (115.5)
Second Half: Raptors Win (54-46), Raptors Cover (-7.5), Under (111)

Raptors Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats

Overall: 55-19 SU, 41-30-3 ATS, 36-35-2 O/U
Bubble: 9-1 SU, 7-3 ATS, 3-6-1 O/U

Unlike their wire-to-wire dominating performance in Game 1, Wednesday's matchup carried its hiccups for the Raptors as they struggled to get the offense going early and trailed for the majority of Wednesday’s contest.

There was never a glimpse of doubt in Coach Nick Nurse’s eyes though, as he was able to rally the troops in the second half to put out a remarkable display of defense, stifling the Nets to 19 points in the 4th quarter. Having to play that tight of defense is exhausting, especially over the course of the marathon the NBA playoffs tends to be for good teams.

Toronto needs to come out and punch Brooklyn in the mouth early in Game 3 and save some of its starters legs for the rounds to come.

Nets Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats

Overall: 35-39 SU, 38-36 ATS, 37-37 O/U
Bubble: 5-5 SU, 7-3 ATS, 6-4 O/U

The betting outlook for the Nets at this point looks gloom to say the least, as they trail 2-0 and their starting shooting guard decided to pick up and leave the bubble on Thursday to attend to a non-medical related issue.

Aside from the two third quarters in this series, Brooklyn has been extremely underwhelming offensively, averaging just 24.5 points per quarter in the other six stanzas of this series.

Money is not safe in the Nets hands as a team on Friday afternoon, but it does set the stage for LeVert and Allen to have big games on the stat sheet, because somebody has to score/rebound, right?

Key Injuries

Toronto

SF Oshae Brissett: Knee - Out
SF Patrick McCaw: Knee - Out

Brooklyn

SF Joe Harris: Personal - Out
SG Jamal Crawford: Hamstring - Out

Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong for the Nets as they are now really scraping the bottom of the barrel in their backcourt now down Irving, Dinwiddie, Crawford, and Harris. Look for Van Fleet and Lowry to have a field day as the Nets become even more short-handed than they were before at the guard position.

**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 11:28 AM

Game 3 Odds: Nuggets vs. Jazz
Michael Crosson

The NBA Playoffs first round action continues Friday afternoon with the No. 3 Denver Nuggets and No. 6 Utah Jazz tied at 1-1 in their opening series.

Betting Resources

Matchup: Western Conference Game 3
Venue: AdventHealth Arena
Location: Orlando, Florida
Date: Friday, Aug. 21, 2020
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET
TV: TNT

Line Movements

The Utah Jazz evened up their first round series with the Nuggets on Wednesday evening behind another spectacular performance from Donovan Mitchell. Despite a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 1 countered by a dominant Game 2 victory, the Jazz are still one and a half point underdogs heading into Friday’s affair.

The ‘over’ has connected in two consecutive games to start the series between these two teams, and bettors are backing a change in pace heading into Game 2 as the total opened at 220, but has stooped down to 218.5 at most books as of Thursday morning.

This is one of the few first round series that still has some real betting value as the series is tied 1-1 and Denver (-160) enters Game 3 still the favorite over the Jazz (+140).

Spread: Denver -1.5
Money-Line: Denver -125, Utah +105
Total: 218
Series Odds: Denver -160, Utah +140

Donovan Mitchell and Utah exploded for 124 points in Game 2 yet they're still listed as underdogs to Denver in the series. (AP)

Game 2 Recap

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets appear to be missing Will Barton and Gary Harris much more than they anticipated defensively, as all five of the Jazz starters tallied a field goal percentage over 50% on Wednesday, led by Mitchell who scored 30 points, knocking down six out of seven three-pointers.

Denver had absolutely no answer for Utah at any position on the floor and appeared to be completely disgruntled in every aspect in the 124-105 rout. Porter and Jokic had solid offensive performances, but it will never be enough if they allow 77 points over the two middle stanzas of a contest against a team that also has All-NBA defensive talent.

The Jazz shot 51% from the field and 45.5% from three-point land in Game 2 and the Nuggets are going to have to play much tighter D if they want to keep up with Utah in Game 3.

Game 2 Betting Results

Outcome: Utah 124 Denver 105

We've seen plenty of wire-to-wire wins and covers in the NBA Playoffs and Game 2 of this series added to those outcomes. Utah exploded in the second and third quarters for a combined 77 points to lock up the game and winning tickets.

Game: Jazz Win, Jazz Cover (+3.5), Over (217.5)
First Quarter: Jazz Win (27-25), Jazz Cover (+.5), Under (54)
First-Half: Jazz Win (61-48), Jazz Cover (+1.5), Over (108.5)
Second-Half: Jazz Win (63-57), Jazz Cover (+2), Over (106.5)

Nuggets Betting Outlook

Denver got exposed defensively in Game 2 as they allowed 124 points to the Jazz who are typically much more solid than that on that end of the floor.

Jamal Murray or somebody else in the Nuggets backcourt is going to have to step up and shadow Mitchell at all times on defense because they can not afford to let the Utah backcourt to shoot over 50% from the field and 45% from behind the arc for the rest of this series, or they are in trouble.

They key for the Nuggets heading into Game 3 MUST be containing Mitchell and keeping Utah’s team points total down to make Friday’s contest more competitive than their previous tilt.

Inside the Stats

Denver: 47-28 SU, 35-37-3 ATS, 40-34-1 O/U
Bubble: 4-6 SU, 5-5 ATS, 10-0 O/U

Jazz Betting Outlook

After losing in overtime on the shoulders of a 57-point performance from Utah’s superstar, 23-year old shooting guard, the Jazz were able to finally put it all together against Denver, dominating the Joker and company in Game 2 of this seven game set by a 19-point margin.

The Jazz had been on the cusp of knocking off the Nuggets for four straight games now, losing their first three regular season contests by a combined total of 11 points against Denver, then losing their first playoff matchup to them in overtime, making them 0-4 on they year against the Nuggets before Utah’s 124-105 win on Wednesday.

Utah got 56 combined points out of Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt in their Game 2 victory, and if they can tally a similar total to that on Friday, the Jazz should be in an ideal position to steal Game 3 as well.

Inside the Stats

Utah: 45-29 SU, 40-34-2 ATS, 40-34 O/U
Bubble: 4-6 SU, 5-5 ATS, 7-3 O/U

Key Injuries

Denver

SF Will Barton: Knee - Out
SG Gary Harris: Hip - Out
SF Vlatko Cancar: Foot - Out

Utah

PG Mike Conley: Not Injury Related - Out
PG Justin Wright-Foreman: Not Injury Related - Out
C Ed Davis: Knee - Out

Point-guard, Mike Conley hasn’t been sorely missed in his first two absences for the Jazz, as Clarkson has filled his role quite nicely, averaging 22 points off the bench in the first two games of Utah’s playoff run to accompany Mitchell’s highlight reel performances.

Barton and Harris are set to miss their third consecutive game of this series, as Denver’s defensive depth likely won’t improve heading into Friday.

**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 11:30 AM

Game 3 Odds: Celtics vs. 76ers
Tony Mejia

Betting Resources

Matchup: Eastern Conference Game 3
Venue: HP Field House
Location: Orlando, Florida
Date: Friday, Aug. 21, 2020
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
TV: TNT

Betting Odds - Celtics vs. 76ers

The Celtics opened as a 4.5-point favorite for Game 3 at PlayMGM but are five-point favorites pretty much everywhere as of Thursday evening. They were a six-point 'chalk' in Game 1 and closed favored by 4.5 in Wednesday's Game 2 and covered each time.

The total opened at 216 and has held steady at that figure as tip-off approaches. The new figure is closer to the Game 1 figure (217) than where it closed for Game 2's 128-101 Boston blowout (214).

Be sure to follow all the Game 3 line movements.

Spread: Boston -5
Money-Line: Boston -210, Philadelphia +175
Total: 216
Updated Series Price: Boston -4000, Philadelphia +1400

Game 2 Recap

The Celtics trailed by as many 14 points in the opening quarter before responding to cut into the deficit before ultimately ending up double-digits by halftime. Joel Embiid was able to have his way in the paint but the Sixers ran into trouble getting him the ball cleanly and then were overwhelmed by a barrage of 3-pointers.

Jayson Tatum finished with 33 points in leading five Boston players who scored in double-figures, setting a playoff scoring high for the second straight game. He shot for 8-for-12 from 3-point range as Boston finished 19-for-43 from beyond the arc, bolstered by the backups finishing 7-for-9. Boston led by as much as 28 points.

Head coach Brad Stevens credited his bench for the comeback. Celtics reserves outscored Philadelphia's 41-20 as Enes Kanter and Grant Williams combined for 19 points and 15 rebounds in providing a different look up front. Kanter frustrated Embiid and completely ouplayed Al Horford, who disappointed in finishing with just four points and two boards in 23 minutes off the bench.

With Gordon Hayward missing the first game in what's expected to be a month-long stint on the injured list due to a badly sprained ankle, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker got more looks and combined for 42 points despite shooting 3-for-13 from 3-point range. Marcus Smart started in Hayward's place and finished just 1-for-7 on 3-pointers. In other words, it could've been worse. Embiid led Philadelphia with 34 points and 10 rebounds. Josh Richardson added 18 points.

Game 2 Betting Results

Outcome: Boston 128, Philadelphia 101

Game: Celtics Win (128-101), Celtics Cover (-4.5), Over (214)
First Quarter: 76ers Win (33-27) 76ers Cover (+1.5), Over (54.5)
First Half: Celtics Win (65-57), Celtics Cover (-2.5), Over (107.5)
Second Half: Celtics Win (63-44), Celtics Cover (-.5), Under (108.5)

Celtics Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats

Overall: 50-24 SU, 43-27-4 ATS, 35-38-1 O/U
Bubble: 7-3 SU, 5-4-1 ATS, 5-4-1 O/U

It definitely helps the Celtics' cause that they're not being subjected to a venue change since they would ordinarily be traveling to Philadelphia for this Game 3 if the NBA playoffs weren't being held through a pandemic.

Boston has won five straight contests as a favorite in the bubble, last losing when it rested starters against Washington on Aug. 13. Boston's defense has helped hold opponents to 101 or fewer points in four of the last six contests. Tatum is averaging a team-best 32.5 points and nine boards through the first two games.

The 128-point Game 2 outburst matched the C's second-highest output in Orlando and snapped a run of three straight games to the low side. The 'under' had been 4-1 in matchups between the Celtics and 76ers this season prior to Game 2.

76ers Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats

Overall: 43-32 SU, 31-40-4 ATS, 40-34-1 O/U
Bubble: 4-6 SU, 3-7 ATS, 6-4 O/U

Joel Embiid and the 76ers are 2-2 as the "home team" in the Orlando bubble. (AP).

Philadelphia hadn't lost at Wells Fargo in 2020 and went 29-2 in its building this season. Not being able to rebound from an 0-2 deficit in front of their sometime adoring fan base definitely hinders the Sixers' ability to bounce back without one of its All-Stars.

The 76ers are just 2-3 following losses in the bubble, dropping three of the last four. They had been on a 5-1 run straight up following setbacks prior to the coronavirus-related hiatus. Embiid is averaging 30 points and 13 boards through the first two games of the series.

The 'over' is on a 12-4 run in games involving Philadelphia, which has topped the century mark in 16 consecutive contests. The 76ers have managed just 101 points over the first two games of the series, their lowest scoring totals since Feb. 26. Philadelphia has surrendered 124 or fewer points in six of its 10 games in the bubble. It surrendered that many points only five times over their first 63 contests.

Key Injuries

Boston

Gordon Hayward: Ankle - Out
Javonte Green: Knee - Questionable

Hayward sustained an ankle injury with three minutes remaining in Game 1 and is done for the foreseeable future. Since he was expected to leave the bubble to be present at the birth of a child some time in December, there's been talk that he'll try and tie his rehab in with paternity leave if possible.

Green came up on the injury report for this one due to a right knee sprain. Brown, who was listed as probable for Game 2 due to a right thigh contusion, has come off the report completely. Rookie Romeo Langford also is healthy enough to play and played nearly 23 minutes in Game 2 despite tearing ligaments in his wrist and participating in just a few seconds in the series opener.

Philadelphia

Ben Simmons: Knee - Out

The 76ers lost Simmons in their third seeding game, a 107-98 victory over Washington. They're 2-5 SU and ATS without him, defeating the Magic and Rockets. Everyone else on the roster is reportedly healthy.

**Udog** · 08-21-2020, 11:33 AM

Game 3 Odds: Clippers vs. Mavericks
Kevin Rogers

The final contest on the third day of NBA playoff action delivers Game 2 of the the West's 2-7 matchup at AdventHealth Arena.

The No. 2-seeded Los Angeles Clippers and the No. 7 seed Dallas Mavericks are tied 1-1 in their best-of-seven first-round series.

Betting Resources

Matchup: Western Conference Game 3
Venue: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
Location: Orlando, Florida
Date: Friday, Aug. 21, 2020
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
TV: TNT

Be sure to follow all the line movements.

Spread: L.A. Clippers -4.5
Money-Line: L.A. Clippers -210, Dallas +180
Total: 232.5
Series Price: L.A. Clippers -400, Dallas +330

Luka Doncic led Dallas with 28 points in Game 2 as the Mavs are tied with the Clippers at 1-1. (AP)

Game 2 Recap

The Mavericks fell into an early hole in the series opener, but Dallas rallied back to take a three-point halftime lead. However, the Mavs struggled to score in the third quarter as Dallas lost to Los Angeles, 118-110.

Game 2 was a different story as the Mavs led again at halftime, but pulled away in the third quarter by outscoring the Clippers, 37-29. Dallas grabbed a 13-point victory as five-point underdogs to even up the series with Los Angeles. Luka Doncic posted a 42-point effort in Game 1, while scoring a team-high 28 points in Game 2. Kristaps Porzingis bounced back from being ejected in Game 1 to score 23 points in Game 2 for Dallas, as the Mavs shot 50% from the floor and knocked down 13 three-pointers.

Six Clippers scored in double-figures in Game 2, as Kawhi Leonard led the way with 35 points on 10-of-21 shooting. Paul George struggled from the floor by hitting 4-of-17 shots, including 2-of-10 from three-point range, while putting up 14 points. Los Angeles converted 30 free throws, but hit only 44% of its attempts from the floor, compared to 47% in the series opener.

Game 2 Betting Results

Outcome: Dallas 127, L.A. Clippers 114

Game: Mavericks Win, Mavericks Cover (+5), Over (231.5)
First Quarter: Mavericks Win (29-25), Mavericks Cover (+1.5), Under (59)
First Half: Mavericks Win (61-56), Mavericks Cover (+2.5), Under (118.5)
Second Half: Mavericks Win (66-58), Mavericks Cover (+6), Over (114.5)

Clippers Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats

Overall: 51-23 SU, 42-32 ATS, 35-38-1 O/U
Bubble: 6-4 SU, 7-3 ATS, 6-4 O/U

The Clippers had their three-game ATS hot streak snapped in Game 2, as Los Angeles has yet to suffer consecutive ATS losses in the bubble. L.A. had won five straight matchups with Dallas dating back to last season prior to Wednesday's loss, while the Clippers covered in all five of those contests.

Los Angeles is riding a five-game winning streak off a loss since late February, while all five of those victories came by double-digits.

Mavs Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats

Overall: 44-33 SU, 38-36-3 ATS, 46-31 O/U
Bubble: 4-6 SU, 3-7 ATS, 6-4 O/U

The Mavs have been one of the worst teams in the bubble from an ATS standpoint, but all three victories came outright in the underdog role. Dallas will be listed as a 'dog likely the rest of the series unless the Clippers have any significant injuries.

Rick Carlisle's team is 4-6 ATS since the All-Star break as an underdog, but the wins have come against the Clippers, Jazz, Bucks, and Nuggets.

Key Injuries

L.A. Clippers

Patrick Beverley: Calf (Doubtful)

Beverley scored eight points in Game 1, but missed Game 2 with a left calf strain. The Clippers' guard is listed as doubtful for Game 3, as Beverley sat out five games during the seeding round.

Dallas

Dwight Powell: Achilles (Out)
Jalen Brunson: Shoulder (Out)
Courtney Lee: Calf (Out)

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