Trail Blazers-Kings odds: Sacramento spotted a few points

Previewing Tuesday’s Portland Trail Blazers at Sacramento Kings sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks

The Portland Trail Blazers (4-6) visit the Sacramento Kings (3-6) Tuesday at the Golden 1 Center for a 10 p.m. ET start.

We analyze the Trail Blazers-Kings odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Trail Blazers at Kings: Key injuries

Trail Blazers:

  • PF Pau Gasol (foot) out

Kings

  • PG De’Aaron Fox (ankle) out
  • C Dewayne Dedmon (knee) probable

Trail Blazers at Kings: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Trail Blazers 113, Kings 110

Moneyline (ML)

The -139 line for the visiting TRAIN BLAZERS is encouraging given they are 4-6 and yet 3-3 on the road. Also, Sacramento has won just one of its four home games.

Can Sacramento keep up with Portland? That answer seems to be yes as expectations of a close game are quite likely. This game opened up dead even and only slightly tilted toward Portland being a favorite.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Trail Blazers to win outright returns a profit of $7.19.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The slightly better play for this game is taking the TRAIL BLAZERS with the -1.5 points at -121 odds. A Portland cover here (win by two or more points) returns a nicer profit of $8.26.

Portland is 4-2 on the road ATS (5-4-1 overall). Sacramento is 1-3 at home ATS and is 4.9 points off the projections due to a few bad performances. The Kings have improved their pace of play lately, however.

Over/Under (O/U)

The idea is to take the UNDER 221.5 (+105). There is a risk as the two teams combine to produce just 220 points per game. Sacramento yields a bit over 111 points a contest, while Portland gives up 114.6 points per game. Since those two numbers add up just about to 225.5, it makes us hesitant, so bet lightly on the under tonight.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’s NBA betting record: 24-16

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Nets-Jazz odds: Utah a significant home favorite

Previewing Tuesday’s Brooklyn Nets at Utah Jazz sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.

The Brooklyn Nets (4-5) visit the Utah Jazz (7-3) Tuesday at Vivint Smart Home Arena for a 9 p.m. ET start. We analyze the Nets-Jazz odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Nets at Jazz: Key injuries

Nets

  • SG Caris LeVert (thumb) out

Jazz

  • PG Dante Exum (hamstring) out

Nets at Jazz: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Jazz 115, Nets 105

Moneyline (ML)

The -250 line for the JAZZ at home is not outrageous. Utah is 5-0 at home in the early going where the Nets are just 1-3 on the road.

Utah allows just 98.1 points per game on the season. Brooklyn scores at nearly 120 points per night. That is quite a contrast in styles. Utah can adapt better than Brooklyn and play much better defense.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Jazz to win outright returns a profit of $4.00. It’s a touch chalky, but it’s better than risking this on a Brooklyn (+200) team that has trouble keeping teams from scoring.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The better play for this tilt is taking the JAZZ with the -6.5 points at -110 odds. A Utah cover here at those odds produces a tidy $9.09 profit – doubling the moneyline outcome.

Brooklyn is 1-3 against the spread on the road and is 7.2 points off projections which makes a Utah cover more likely. Utah is 3-2 ATS at home and exactly six points per game above the cover line.

Over/Under (O/U)

Let’s take the OVER 217.5 (-125). Yes, Utah can clamp down on defense but Brooklyn’s defense is bad enough to push totals up.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’ NBA betting record: 24-16

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Cavaliers-76ers odds: Philaelphia big home favorite

Previewing Tuesday’s Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks

The Cleveland Cavaliers (4-5) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (6-3) Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center for a 7 p.m. ET start.

We analyze the Cavaliers-76ers odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Cavaliers at 76ers: Key injuries

76ers

  • PF Al Horford (rest) out
  • PG Ben Simmons (shoulder) questionable
  • SG Shake Milton (knee) out

Cavaliers at 76ers: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

76ers 115, Cavaliers 105

Moneyline (ML)

The -715 line for the home 76ERS is a bit of a concern but they are 3-0 at home in the early going despite some wild movement on the betting lines. They have even come in above the projections.

Can Cleveland cover as the underdog seems to be the question? It is unlikely the Cavaliers win outright with a +500 line. This is not impossible, but it would take a poor shooting performance by Philadelphia.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the 76ERS to win outright returns a profit of $1.40. It’s very chalky, but it’s better than trying to win with Cleveland.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The CAVALIERS +11.5 (+105) is the play here. A Cleveland cover (lose by no more than 11 points) returns a profit of $10.50.

Cleveland is 3-2 on the road ATS and 7.9 points per game on the cover while Philadelphia is 2-1 ATS at home and 5.8 points per game above projections. Cleveland has the ability to keep this game close enough.

Over/Under (O/U)

This is a bit rare, but the Over/Under of 216.5 (-106, -115) is one to pass on here. There are just better choices in some of the other NBA games tonight. Philadelphia-Cleveland is a game that could go either way and one call could make a difference. AVOID! 

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’s NBA betting record: 24-16

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Knicks-Bulls odds: New York spotted 6-plus in Chicago

Previewing Tuesday’s New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls sports betting odds and lines, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.

The New York Knicks (2-8) meet the Chicago Bulls (3-7) Tuesday at the United Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET between the 15th- and 13th-place teams in the Eastern Conference. We analyze the Knicks-Bulls odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.


Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.


Knicks at Bulls: Key injuries

Knicks

  • Mitchell Robinson (concussion) out
  • PG Elfrid Payton (hamstring) out
  • PG Dennis Smith Jr. (personal) questionable
  • PG Kadeem Allen (knee) questionable
  • SG Reggie Bullock (neck) out

Bulls

  • SF Otto Porter (foot) out

Knicks at Bulls: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:55 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Knicks 103, Bulls 98

Moneyline (ML)

The Bulls are just 1-3 at home while the Knicks are 1-5 on the road. New York’s minus-10.1 average point differential is the worst in the NBA as it’s outscored 109.3-99.2 on average. The Bulls are minus-4.6 (110.0-105.4). Both teams come into Tuesday having lost their last game. The Knicks took a 108-87 loss at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday. The Bulls lost 117-94 at home to the Houston Rockets.

In a coin flip game between two bad teams such as this, it’s never a bad idea to chase the value. Back the KNICKS at +190 and make a profit of $19 on a $10 bet should New York come away with the outright road win.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

There’s still value on the KNICKS on the spread of +6.5 with -121 odds. The same $10 wager fetches an $8.26 return if they stay within six points in a loss or win outright. The Bulls’ three wins all came by margins of at least six points, but they’re just 4-6 overall against the spread and 2-2 at home. The Knicks are 5-5 ATS and 4-2 on the road.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 211.5 (+105). The Bulls and Knicks rank 28th and 29th, respectively, in true shooting percentage at rates of 52.2 and 51.0%. The Knicks also play to the league’s fifth-slowest pace at 99.85 possession per game.

New York is 2-8 against the Over/Under and falls an average of 7.1 points shy of the projection. Chicago is 4-6 against the projected totals while falling five points below the projection.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 30-23

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Not being a New York Knicks fan is the absolute best, isn’t it?

It has to stink so much to be a Knicks fan.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning WinSubscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

I have the same morning routine every morning – I brush my teeth, I tell myself that today is the day I start eating better, and then I thank the powers that be that I’m not a New York Knicks fan.

Because nobody deserves to be one of those.

The Knicks are easily one of the most embarrassing franchises in all of sports. And I’m not just talking about the lack of results they have on the floor… but also how they’re ran, starting and ending with owner James Dolan.

Did you see what happened the other night at Madison Square Garden? Security confronted a fan for chanting “Fire Dolan!” because apparently you’re not allowed to yell out good ideas while at a Knicks game. The fan told TMZ that he chose to leave the stadium and spend his money elsewhere.

When it comes to terrible owners in sports, Dolan is right there shaking hands with Daniel Snyder while looking around and saying “where is everybody else?” The man seems more interested in performing in his folk band – which is just dull poison on your ears – than building a winner in New York.

Just this past summer the Knicks thought they’d get big free agents to join the team because of the building in which they play their home games. Like guys were gonna do whatever it took to play at the “Mecca of Basketball,” which once you’re inside MSG these days it feels like every other vanilla stadium thanks to some renovations that took all the life out of the place.

Last year Dolan banned a fan for life from MSG because he yelled that Dolan should sell the team.

A year before that he kicked out Knicks legend Charles Oakley.

And this year the Knicks are already holding wild press conferences in which they’re basically apologizing for stinking so much at basketball, as they’ve started the year 2-8 and are in last place in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks have been awful at drafting players, signing free agents, and making the playoffs – they’ve only won one playoff series since 2000-01 season.

Now they’re continuing to pay rent at an address listed as “Rock Bottom,” a place they’ve called home for many years.

They’ll likely stay there, too, until Dolan finally does the right thing and sells the team.

Until then, a lot of us can all smile each morning and bask in the glory that comes with knowing you don’t cheer for such a pathetic franchise.

Feels great, doesn’t it?

Monday’s big winner: Jeopardy contestant Dhruv Gaur and Alex Trebek.

Something pretty special happened on Monday night’s episode of Jeopardy! during Final Jeopardy, as contestant Dhruv Gaur opted to write as his answer, “We love you, Alex.” It caught Trebek, who’s battling cancer, by surprise as he choked up and thanked Gaur. It was a great moment, and one you should watch.

Quick hits: The Rock responds… NFL QB hip warmups are a thing… Steph Curry on MJ… And more!

– The Rock responded to Nate Diaz calling him out after UFC 244.

– Jimmy Garoppolo showed off his hip-thrusting warmup routine before MNF. This is apparently becoming a thing.

– Steph Curry seems to think Michael Jordan is a hater of his.

– Ed Orgeron had an on-brand Saturday night after beating Alabama.

Check out our latest tanking rankings to see which NFL teams are making the best/worst moves to get the No. 1 pick next year.

(Follow me on Twitter at @anezbitt. It might change your life. Just don’t tell me about your fantasy team.)

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Collin Sexton scores career high 31 points on Sunday against Knicks

Collin Sexton showed up and showed out at Madison Square Garden in New York City as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the New York Knicks, 108-87

On Sunday night, the former Alabama star guard Collin Sexton showed up and showed out at Madison Square Garden in New York City as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the New York Knicks, 108-87.

Sexton, who scored a career high 31 points, also had three assists and two rebounds. It’s Sexton’s 32nd straight game scoring in double digits. Through nine games, Sexton is averaging 18.8 points per game and is hitting 44.3% of his shots, both stats which have gone up from last season.

Sexton has also improved a lot on defense from last season. He’s been able shut down big plays, and has caused several key turnovers for the Cavaliers, something the coaches and fellow players have praised Sexton on.

Collin Sexton, who was drafted in the first round of the 2018 draft, might just be the man Cleveland has been needing as he continues to impress in his second season in the NBA.

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How to Watch Raptors vs. Clippers, NBA Live Stream, Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time

Watch Raptors vs. Clippers Live Online.

Week 4 of the NBA season continues on Monday with a slate that’s highlighted by an emotional reunion of the defending champions with the man that delivered them the Larry O’Brien trophy in what should be a fantastic matchup at the Staples Center.

Raptors vs. Clippers 

  • When: Monday, November 11
  • Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
  • TV: Fox Sports West
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Kawhi Leonard. This is the man everyone wants to watch in the NBA this season, and his load management has led to some groans by those who just love to see the best player in the league do the things that led to him winning a championship last June and the Finals MVP. Leonard did it for the Toronto Raptors, who come to Staples Center to play the Clippers in what will most likely be the first meeting between player and team — if Kawhi doesn’t sit this one out. 

The Raptors will be playing in the second night of a back-to-back at Staples after an exciting 113-104 win against the Lakers on Sunday night. Pascal Siakam has made the jump to superstar, OG Anunoby has done well in Leonard’s old spot in the lineup, and the champions are playing like it so far. It will be an awesome atmosphere in Los Angeles and expect Leonard to be excited to see his former teammates for the first time since signing with the Clippers. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

Mavericks vs. Celtics Live Stream, NBA Week 4 Schedule, TV Channel, Start Time, How to Watch

Watch Mavericks vs. Celtics Live Online.

Two talented teams meet in Boston Monday when Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks visit TD Garden to take on the surging Celtics. While it’s certainly way too early to proclaim anything wild, at the rate these two teams have opened the season, we could possibly be seeing an NBA Finals preview. 

Mavericks vs. Celtics

  • When: Monday, November 11
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • TV: NBC Sports Boston
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

The Mavs have enjoyed a bright start to the season, opening with a very nice 6-3 record. The story of their opening stretch has to be the play of second-year phenom Luka Doncic. The Slovenian guard is percentage points away from averaging a triple-double through nine games this season. With 28.1 PPG, 10.4 RPG and 9.2 APG to his name, the youngster is becoming one of the must-see names in the entire league. If he continues on this pace, there’s a strong chance he’ll be mentioned heavily when the talk of NBA MVP heats up later in the season. Doncic put up 24 points and 14 rebounds in a 138-122 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

While Dallas has impressed early on, the Celtics are only one of two teams with just one loss so far this season. A 7-1 start has to be extremely satisfying for Boston fans after losing their most high-profile player, Kyrie Irving, via free agency in the offseason. A 135-115 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday will do nothing to quell their enthusiasm. Jalen Brown’s 30 points along with Kemba Walker’s 26-point effort led the way for the C’s. However, it wasn’t all good news. Gordon Hayward’s unfortunate injury streak continued in the game, fracturing his hand in the win. It’s not yet known how long he’ll be out for, but he’ll be sorely missed. Hayward averaged 20.3 points, 7.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists through seven games. 

We recommend interesting sports viewing and streaming opportunities. If you sign up to a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.

David Fizdale isn’t the one who should take the fall for the Knicks’ woes

What are the Knicks thinking here?

The New York Knicks spent the last year trading Kristaps Porzingis to create cap space, whiffing on all the big-name free agents they hoped to attract with that room and then putting together a hodgepodge collage of one- and two-year contracts to surround the few valuable pieces they have.

They’re 2-8, and after a surprise press conference with president Steve Mills and general manager Scott Perry after Sunday’s awful loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, there’s writing on the wall.

But it’s not about their front office. Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews, Mills is starting “to lay the internal groundwork for the eventual dismissal of coach David Fizdale.”

I would say that’s a shock, considering Fizdale is in his second year with the franchise. But a backwards move like this is nothing shocking when it comes to the Knicks.

It’s not Fizdale’s fault that the previous regime couldn’t see eye to eye with Porzingis, who has resumed looking every bit like the star he was in his limited Big Apple time. It’s not his fault that the marquis names took their talents elsewhere, including over the Brooklyn Bridge. And it’s certainly not his fault that he was saddled with a roster that any coach would struggle with, one that includes a plethora of power forwards, disappointments and iffy fits.

Yet he might be the one to take the fall? Really?

Who out there believed this was the roster that would compete in the East? No one should have. It’s supposed to be a year of development for RJ Barrett — who actually looks like he’s living up to the billing of being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft — Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson and Frank Ntilikina. The Knicks were going to be bad no matter what, although they could have taken that route by taking on bad contracts in exchange for first-round picks. It would have produced the same result with long-term dividends.

But here we are. And the kicker is part of that ESPN report:

“Rival coaches and executives see a mismatched Knicks roster slow of foot, without legitimate NBA guard play, but Mills is selling (owner James) Dolan on a poorly coached team that is underachieving at 2-8 to start the season, league sources said.”

As it seems to always be with the Knicks, it goes up the ladder. If it’s Dolan who’s demanding the franchise compete NOW and Mills has to save his job by throwing Fizdale under the bus, that’s what’s ultimately crushing any chance at putting together a winner in New York. This will keep happening — the Knicks will create cap space, no one notable will be sold on joining all this dysfunction, coaches will be axed, front offices will be remade, lather, rinse, repeat. There’s no process to trust.

This is not on Fizdale. It barely has anything to do with him — he’s just a pawn for an owner who has repeatedly failed to figure any of this out.

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A look at the Thunder’s quality 3-point shooting to begin the season

The Thunder are ranked seventh in the league for 3-point percentage to begin this season.

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It may have taken starting a rebuild for the Oklahoma City Thunder to be a good 3-point shooting team.

And yet with the Thunder at 4-6 to start the season, they’re one of the best shooting teams in the NBA.

The Thunder made a season-high 17 3-pointers in their 121-119 loss Sunday night against the Milwaukee Bucks. Mike Muscala and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander each had a team-high four 3-pointers, and Chris Paul and Dennis Schroder each had three.

Through 10 games this season, the Thunder rank seventh in the league for 3-point percentage, shooting at a 37.5% clip. As a team, the Thunder make 11.5 3-pointers a game, and five players account for a good portion of those makes.

Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander, Terrance Ferguson, Danilo Gallinari and Darius Bazley combine for 8.7 of the Thunder’s 3-pointers per game. Each player has shot at least 38% from 3-point range.

Despite being two games under .500, the Thunder’s quality shooting has helped them remain competitive.

They’ve only shot below 36% from the 3-point line in two games. Both of those were losses, and in both games, they lost by 12 or fewer points. In games where they have shot 36% or better from deep, they’re 4-4. In each of the four losses, the Thunder have lost by single digits.

Having new players such as Paul, Gallinari and Gilgeous-Alexander has helped the Thunder improve their shooting.

Paul and Gallinari have both shot at least 37% from 3-point range in their careers. A rookie last season, Gilgeous-Alexander shot 36.7% with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ferguson has also improved his shooting steadily over his career. He’s shooting 38.1% from three on 2.1 attempts. Bazley, a rookie, has shot 40.0% on 2.5 attempts. He ranks seventh among rookies for 3-point percentage, according to NBA.com.

In the past three seasons, the Thunder have been in the bottom half of the league for 3-point percentage. The last time they were in the top half was in the 2013-14 season, when they ranked 14th.

Their top two shooters last season were Jerami Grant and Paul George, but both players were traded this offseason to the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers, respectively. Ferguson was the team’s third-best 3-point shooter last season, hitting at a 36.6% clip.

The Thunder are rebuilding, but they have a budding young player in Gilgeous-Alexander. Paul and Gallinari are proven talents, so their leadership helps. Though the Thunder might not make the playoffs, their shooting ability gives them a chance to compete against most teams.

OKC will play the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday night.

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