Friday, February 29

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Indiana (22-36, 26-32 ATS) at Toronto (32-24, 32-23-1 ATS)

The Raptors will try to complete a season sweep of the Pacers when the two teams meet inside the Air Canada Centre.

Toronto is 3-0 SU and ATS against Indiana this season and has won four straight overall (4-0 ATS) and five of six (5-1 ATS) against the Pacers. In the most recent meeting on Monday, the Raptors scored a 102-98 win in Indiana as a three-point favorite to improve to 21-8 ATS in the last 29 series battles.

Including Monday’s victory over the Pacers, Toronto is on a 7-3 SU and ATS roll, having rattled off three straight wins and covers in its last three. On Wednesday, the Raptors topped the Timberwolves 107-85 as an 11½-point home chalk, their fourth consecutive SU and ATS triumph in front of the home fans.

While the Raptors are rolling, Indiana is struggling, having lost six of seven overall (1-6 ATS), including the last three in a row (0-3 ATS). The Pacers followed up Monday’s loss to Toronto with Wednesday’s 113-107 home setback to the Bulls as a one-point favorite.

The straight-up winner has covered the spread in each of the Raptors’ last 30 contests and is 52-3-1 ATS in Toronto games this season. Also, the winner is 10-0 ATS in Indiana’s last 10 overall, 7-0 ATS in its last seven on the road and 9-1 ATS in the last 10 series meetings between these squads.

The Raptors are 18-11 SU and ATS in Canada this season, including 14-3 ATS in their last 17 as a home favorite. They’re also 8-3 ATS in their last 11 against Central Division opponents.

Indiana is mired in pointspread slumps of 1-5 on the road, 0-5 as an underdog, 5-13 against the Atlantic Division, 17-38-1 against the Eastern Conference and 9-16 this year when playing on one day of rest.

The under is 5-1 in the last six head-to-head meetings, 6-2-1 in the Pacers’ last nine overall and 5-0-1 the last six times they’ve been underdogs. Meanwhile, for Toronto, the over is 7-1 in its last eight against the Eastern Conference and 9-3 in its last 12 as a favorite.

ATS ADVANTAGE: TORONTO

Utah (37-21, 30-28 ATS) at New Orleans (38-18, 33-22-1 ATS)

The Jazz look for a rare road win tonight when they visit New Orleans Arena to take on the Hornets in key Western Conference matchup.

Utah has won seven of its last 10 overall (5-5 ATS) and beat the Pistons 103-95 Wednesday as two-point home favorites. However, the Jazz have the worst road record among the NBA’s top 14 teams at 12-18 SU and ATS. Jerry Sloan’s squad has dropped three of its last four SU and ATS on the highway, including Tuesday’s surprising 111-100 loss in Minnesota as a seven-point favorite.

New Orleans ended a three-game SU and ATS skid with Wednesday’s 120-103 home victory over the Suns as a 3½-point favorite. The Hornets shot 53.3 percent from the floor and put up the 120 points after only averaging 87 per game during the three-game losing streak. Going back to Dec. 19, Byron Scott’s squad has won 23 of its last 31 games (21-10 ATS). Also, the SU winner is 31-2 ATS in the Hornets’ last 33 outings.

Utah has taken the first two matchups with the Hornets this season, both in Salt Lake City, winning 99-71 back in November as a 6½-point favorite and 110-88 on Feb. 4 as a 3½-point chalk. The Jazz have won eight of the last 10 head-to-head meetings (6-3-1 ATS).

The Jazz have cashed in five straight games against the Southwest Division and they’re 10-3 ATS in their last 10 contests against the Western Conference. Meanwhile, New Orleans is on ATS tears of 5-1 against the Northwest Division and 9-4 at home.

The over is 37-17 in Utah’s last 53 games as a ‘dog, 10-3 in New Orleans’ last 13 home games and 12-4 the last 16 times the Hornets have been favored. However, the under hit in each of the first two series meetings this year and is 4-1 in the last five.

ATS ADVANTAGE: NONE

L.A. Lakers (41-17, 40-19-1 ATS) at Portland (30-28, 29-29 ATS)

The Lakers will try to extend their 10-game winning streak tonight and try to beat the Blazers for the second time this week when they head up the coast for a game inside the Rose Garden.

Los Angeles extended its winning streak to 10 with a 106-88 rout of the Heat in Hollywood Thursday night, easily covering as 14½-point favorites. The Lakers are 9-1 ATS during the streak, but the only non-cover came in Tuesday’s 96-83 home win over Portland when they failed to get the cash as a 15½-point chalk.

After losing to the Lakers on Tuesday, Portland stuck around the Staples Center for Wednesday’s game against the Clippers, prevailing 82-80 as a two-point road underdog. Although they’ve followed up a 1-14 ATS slump with back-to-back covers, the Blazers are still just 2-8 SU in their last 10.

These two teams have split the last 10 series matchups, but the Blazers have gotten the cash six straight times and seven of the last eight. The former Pacific Division rivals haven’t met in Portland since November 2006, when the Blazers delivered a 101-90 victory as a 4½-point chalk, improving to 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home contests against L.A. Finally, the underdog has dominated the series lately, going 19-7 ATS in the last 26.

The Lakers have rattled off seven straight wins and pointspread covers on the road, and they are 21-9-1 ATS when hitting the highway this season. Also, despite Tuesday’s non-cover against Portland, Phil Jackson’s troops are still on ATS runs of 21-8-1 overall, 6-2 against Northwest Division teams and 6-0-1 on Fridays.

Portland is 3-3 SU at home in February but 0-6 ATS. In fact, going back to mid-January, the Blazers have failed to cash in nine straight games at the Rose Garden. They’re also 2-9 ATS in their last 11 games played on one day of rest.

The under is 11-1 in Portland’s last 12 Friday tip-offs, 8-2 in its last 10 overall and 18-11 at the Rose Garden this season. Also, the Lakers have stayed low in four straight contests, and the under is 2-0 in the last two head-to-head meetings in Portland.

ATS ADVANTAGE: PORTLAND 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