Thursday, January 31

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L.A. Lakers (28-15, 24-17-1 ATS) at Detroit (32-13, 27-17-1 ATS)

The Lakers begin their grueling nine-game, 14-day road trip in Motown when they battle the surging Pistons.

Los Angeles outscored the Knicks 35-22 in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night, rallying for a 120-109 win to halt a three-game losing skid. The Lakers even cashed as a nine-point favorite, but they’re still just 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine.

Detroit has followed up a three-game slide with three straight wins, including Tuesday’s 110-104 win at Indiana. However, the Pistons came up just short as a 7½-point road chalk against the Pacers, and they’re 4-8 ATS in their last 12 games, which comes on the heels of an 18-1-1 ATS roll.

The Lakers routed Detroit 103-91 as a 3½-point home chalk back on Nov. 16. Despite that result, the Pistons have won eight of the last 10 SU against Los Angeles, and they’re 11-3-1 ATS in the last 15 series clashes, including 7-1 ATS in the last eight battles in Motown.

L.A. has followed up a five-game road winning streak (3-2 ATS) by dropping back-to-back games on the highway at San Antonio (103-91 as an eight-point underdog) and Dallas (112-105 as a seven-point pup). For the season, the Lakers are 11-8 away from Hollywood (10-8-1 ATS).

The Pistons have split their last four home games both SU and ATS, but for the season, they’re 15-4 SU and 13-6 ATS at the Palace of Auburn Hills, including 9-2 SU and ATS in the last 11. The straight-up winner is 15-0 ATS in Detroit’s last 15 at home.

Los Angeles is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 Thursday contests, while Detroit has cashed in 10 of its last 14 on Thursday.

The Pistons are on ATS rolls of 14-3 when playing on one day of rest, 11-3-1 against teams with a winning record an 6-2-1 against the Western Conference.

L.A. is 9-5-1 ATS as an underdog this season.

The under is on runs of 37-15-1 for the Lakers against the NBA Central, 4-1 for the Lakers in Thursday games, 39-13-1 for Detroit on Thursday, 6-0-1 for the Pistons against the Western Conference and 3-0 in this rivalry.

ATS ADVANTAGE: DETROIT and UNDER

Dallas (31-13, 19-22-3 ATS) at Boston (35-8, 26-16-1 ATS)

A potential NBA Finals preview is on tap at Banknorth Garden in Beantown, where the Celtics host the red-hot Mavericks in the first meeting of the season between the two squads.

Dallas has ripped off four consecutive wins and is 12-2 SU in its last 14, including Monday’s 103-84 rout of the Grizzlies. The Mavs covered as a 5½-point favorite at Memphis, ending a 1-4-2 ATS slump.

Boston went to Miami on Tuesday without ailing superstars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, but had little trouble disposing of the Heat 117-87 as a 4½-point road chalk to snap an 0-3 ATS slide. The Celtics, who started the season 29-3, have cooled a bit lately, going 6-5 SU in their last 11 and 6-8 ATS in their last 14.

Dallas swept the season series last year, winning 106-101 as a 13½-point home favorite and 109-95 as an 8½-point road choice. The Mavericks have won the last seven in a row against Boston, and they’re 9-4-1 ATS in the last 13 clashes.

The Celtics have split their last six home games, and they’re 2-6 ATS in their last eight on their own floor. But for the season, they’re 19-4 SU as a host (13-10 ATS).

The Mavericks are just 11-10 on the highway this season (9-12 ATS), though they’re 5-2 SU (4-3 ATS) in their last seven as a visitor (2-0 SU and ATS in the last two).

Boston is 6-2 ATS as a favorite of less than six points and 11-5 ATS when laying less than eight. Meanwhile, Dallas has been an underdog just three times this season, going 2-1 ATS.

For Dallas, the under is on runs of 16-7 overall and 9-3 on the road. However, the Celtics have topped the total in four of their last six overall and seven of their last 10 at home. Also, the over is 5-0 in the last five series meetings (3-0 in Boston).

ATS ADVANTAGE: DALLAS and OVER

San Antonio (28-16, 19-24-1 ATS) at Phoenix (32-13, 22-23-1 ATS)

The struggling Spurs limp into Phoenix with a rare losing skid and without starting point guard Tony Parker, and awaiting the defending champs will be the streaking Suns, who are shooting for their fourth straight victory.

Playing without Parker, San Antonio went to Seattle on Tuesday and got dumped 88-85 by a Sonics squad that had lost 15 consecutive games. The Spurs have lost three in a row, including consecutive road defeats at Utah and Seattle. They’re also 3-12 ATS in their last 15 contests, including four consecutive non-covers.

Going back to mid-December, San Antonio is playing sub-.500 basketball at 11-13 SU. Moreover, Gregg Popovich’s squad is a money-burning 5-16 ATS in its last 21, including 1-8 ATS on the highway.

Phoenix hammered the Hawks 125-92 as a 9½-point home favorite on Tuesday for its third straight win and cover. The Suns are 7-1 SU and ATS in their last eight (3-0 SU and ATS at home), and the winner has cashed in each of the team’s last nine outings.

San Antonio ended the Suns’ season last spring with a mildly controversial six-game playoff series triumph. Phoenix got some measure of revenge in the lone meeting this season, going to Texas on Dec. 17 and prevailing 100-95 as a two-point road underdog. The straight-up winner is 8-0-1 ATS in the last nine series battles.

Phoenix is 16-4 at the U.S. Airways Center, but only 9-11 ATS, though it has cashed in its last three as a host.

In addition to their overall and road ATS woes, the Spurs are mired in pointspread funks of 0-4 on Thursdays, 1-4 against the Western Conference, 1-4 against the Pacific Division and 2-6 as an underdog this year. One positive note: San Antonio is 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 visits to the U.S. Airways Center (playoffs included).

The Suns are 6-0 ATS in their last six when playing on one day of rest.

The Spurs have stayed under the total in nine straight games, and the under is 19-5 in their last 24 overall, including 10-1 “under” on the highway. Furthermore, the under is on streaks of 38-18-2 for San Antonio on Thursday, 5-2 for San Antonio against the Pacific Division, 4-0 for Suns on Thursday and 4-1 for the Suns against the Southwest Division.

Finally, the under is 5-2 in the last seven head-to-head clashes in Phoenix.

ATS ADVANTAGE: PHOENIX and UNDER

Al DeMarco, General Manager of PickNation.com, is a 25-year veteran of the handicapping industry who is also the featured handicapping analyst on Comcast Sports TV in New York and Chicago and a regular contributor on Fox Sports, MSNBC and The Sporting News. Read his Daily Blog for his gambling insight, tips and observations at PickNation.com