Portland Trail Blazers host Lakers and Cavaliers
Things haven't worked out quite as planned for Portland with injuries taking their toll and leaving the team with just seven players in its last game, a home loss to Memphis. Still, the Trail Blazers are just a game behind Denver in the Northwest Division as they prepare for a tough pair of home contests this weekend. First up are the Lakers on Friday, with Kobe's squad departing just in time for a Sunday game vs. the Cavs.
This was supposed to be the season the young Portland Trail Blazers put it all together in the highly-competitive Western Conference. With a nucleus of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and (a healthy) Greg Oden leading a solid, athletic, and deep group of role players headlined by the newly acquired Andre Miller, the Blazers were primed to put a scare into the Lakers and Spurs.
So much for that idea.
Injuries have completely decimated the roster, leaving seven regulars to take the court on most nights. And by regulars, I mean players that are technically under contract in Portland. Jerryd Bayless and Jeff Pendergraph are the only guys currently coming off the bench.
Juwan Howard is starting for the Blazers right now. That’s how dire it is in the Pacific Northwest. The last time Howard saw this much floor time was when he starred in Crystal Waters’ Say...If You Feel Alright music video.
Boston at Atlanta (-2, 196)
Friday – 8 PM ET, ESPN
If the Blazers should have climbed the ladder in the West this season, the Hawks have done just that in the Eastern Conference, even if they’re in the same spot in the standings as last year.
Atlanta comes into Friday’s matchup with Boston at Philips Arena at 22-12 SU and a league-leading 23-11 ATS despite slipping for bettors lately. The Hawks are no flash in the pan, as evidenced by their +6.6 point differential that ranks in a tie for fourth in the NBA.
The Celtics lead the league with a +7.7 point differential, but that didn’t help them from falling to the Hawks when the teams met at TD Garden on November 13. Joe Johnson went for 24 points and seven rebounds in Atlanta’s 97-86 win in Boston, as the Hawks cashed as nine-point underdogs.
Atlanta won the battle on the boards by a surprising 47-29 margin, and held Boston to only 6.7% shooting (1-of-15) from behind the arc.
The Celts are likely to be without three-point gunner Eddie House (flu) on Friday night, as they continue to take the court without Kevin Garnett (knee) and Marquis Daniels (wrist). Boston did get a boost when Paul Pierce returned to the lineup in its 112-106 overtime win at Miami on Wednesday night; the Celtics covered as one-point chalk.
The win was Boston’s second in a row since a three-game SU and ATS losing streak last week that saw it fall to the Clippers, Warriors, and Suns.
With an 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against the Atlantic Division, the Hawks haven’t been at their best recently. Atlanta is only 3-6 SU and a pedestrian 4-5 against the number in its last nine contests.
Cleveland at Portland
Sunday – 9 PM ET, ESPN
The Blazers haven’t been hit with injury trouble like this since Bill Walton broke his foot in the late 1970s.
Oden (knee) and Joel Przybilla (knee) – the only two centers on the roster – are out for the season for Portland, which is also without starting point guard Steve Blake (pneumonia), swingmen Travis Outlaw (foot) and Nicolas Batum (shoulder), and sixth man Rudy Fernandez (back).
Good thing Roy and Aldridge are healthy, because they’ll need to be at their collective best for the Blazers to cover against the Cavaliers on Sunday night. Portland was only 1-4 against the number (2-3 SU) in its last five games rolling into its matchup with the Lakers on Friday night.
At least sharp totals bettors have benefited from the Blazers’ misfortune. Portland is 6-1 O/U in its last seven games (4-3 SU, 3-4 ATS), as the team has moved to a more up-tempo approach since their big men went down.
Now is a good time to get in on the trend before squares realize the Blazers are effectively starting Aldridge at center in a front line that includes Howard and Martell Webster.
The vicious combination of a short bench and a faster pace has Portland running out of gas in the latter part of games. The Blazers were outscored 13-1 in the final 3:45 of their 109-105 loss to the Grizzlies (+1½) at the Rose Garden on Tuesday night to drop to 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 home games.
Winners of eight of its last nine games SU (6-3 ATS) heading into its battle at Denver on Friday night, Cleveland defeated Portland 104-99 at Quicken Loans Arena on December 11, although the Blazers covered as 10-point pups
Things haven't worked out quite as planned for Portland with injuries taking their toll and leaving the team with just seven players in its last game, a home loss to Memphis. Still, the Trail Blazers are just a game behind Denver in the Northwest Division as they prepare for a tough pair of home contests this weekend. First up are the Lakers on Friday, with Kobe's squad departing just in time for a Sunday game vs. the Cavs.
This was supposed to be the season the young Portland Trail Blazers put it all together in the highly-competitive Western Conference. With a nucleus of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and (a healthy) Greg Oden leading a solid, athletic, and deep group of role players headlined by the newly acquired Andre Miller, the Blazers were primed to put a scare into the Lakers and Spurs.
So much for that idea.
Injuries have completely decimated the roster, leaving seven regulars to take the court on most nights. And by regulars, I mean players that are technically under contract in Portland. Jerryd Bayless and Jeff Pendergraph are the only guys currently coming off the bench.
Juwan Howard is starting for the Blazers right now. That’s how dire it is in the Pacific Northwest. The last time Howard saw this much floor time was when he starred in Crystal Waters’ Say...If You Feel Alright music video.
Boston at Atlanta (-2, 196)
Friday – 8 PM ET, ESPN
If the Blazers should have climbed the ladder in the West this season, the Hawks have done just that in the Eastern Conference, even if they’re in the same spot in the standings as last year.
Atlanta comes into Friday’s matchup with Boston at Philips Arena at 22-12 SU and a league-leading 23-11 ATS despite slipping for bettors lately. The Hawks are no flash in the pan, as evidenced by their +6.6 point differential that ranks in a tie for fourth in the NBA.
The Celtics lead the league with a +7.7 point differential, but that didn’t help them from falling to the Hawks when the teams met at TD Garden on November 13. Joe Johnson went for 24 points and seven rebounds in Atlanta’s 97-86 win in Boston, as the Hawks cashed as nine-point underdogs.
Atlanta won the battle on the boards by a surprising 47-29 margin, and held Boston to only 6.7% shooting (1-of-15) from behind the arc.
The Celts are likely to be without three-point gunner Eddie House (flu) on Friday night, as they continue to take the court without Kevin Garnett (knee) and Marquis Daniels (wrist). Boston did get a boost when Paul Pierce returned to the lineup in its 112-106 overtime win at Miami on Wednesday night; the Celtics covered as one-point chalk.
The win was Boston’s second in a row since a three-game SU and ATS losing streak last week that saw it fall to the Clippers, Warriors, and Suns.
With an 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games against the Atlantic Division, the Hawks haven’t been at their best recently. Atlanta is only 3-6 SU and a pedestrian 4-5 against the number in its last nine contests.
Cleveland at Portland
Sunday – 9 PM ET, ESPN
The Blazers haven’t been hit with injury trouble like this since Bill Walton broke his foot in the late 1970s.
Oden (knee) and Joel Przybilla (knee) – the only two centers on the roster – are out for the season for Portland, which is also without starting point guard Steve Blake (pneumonia), swingmen Travis Outlaw (foot) and Nicolas Batum (shoulder), and sixth man Rudy Fernandez (back).
Good thing Roy and Aldridge are healthy, because they’ll need to be at their collective best for the Blazers to cover against the Cavaliers on Sunday night. Portland was only 1-4 against the number (2-3 SU) in its last five games rolling into its matchup with the Lakers on Friday night.
At least sharp totals bettors have benefited from the Blazers’ misfortune. Portland is 6-1 O/U in its last seven games (4-3 SU, 3-4 ATS), as the team has moved to a more up-tempo approach since their big men went down.
Now is a good time to get in on the trend before squares realize the Blazers are effectively starting Aldridge at center in a front line that includes Howard and Martell Webster.
The vicious combination of a short bench and a faster pace has Portland running out of gas in the latter part of games. The Blazers were outscored 13-1 in the final 3:45 of their 109-105 loss to the Grizzlies (+1½) at the Rose Garden on Tuesday night to drop to 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 home games.
Winners of eight of its last nine games SU (6-3 ATS) heading into its battle at Denver on Friday night, Cleveland defeated Portland 104-99 at Quicken Loans Arena on December 11, although the Blazers covered as 10-point pups
