Tuesday, March 31

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NBA

Atlanta (43-31, 41-32-1 ATS) at Philadelphia (37-35, 32-38-2 ATS)

The 76ers look to halt a two-game slide and continue their playoff push when they welcome the Hawks to the Wachovia Center.

Philadelphia followed up Friday’s 100-95 home loss to Charlotte as a 4½-point favorite with Sunday’s 101-97 setback at Detroit as a 2½-point underdog. The Sixers’ two-game dip comes on the heels of a 7-2 SU run, and they’ve now failed to cover in three straight games, five of the last seven and 15 of the last 22. Also, Philly is just 5-4 SU and 2-7 ATS at home during this 22-game stretch.

Atlanta is coming off Sunday’s 83-76 upset victory over the Lakers as a 3½-point home favorite, a triumph that came after consecutive home losses to the Spurs (102-92) and Celtics (99-93). The Hawks, who have played 11 of their last 12 games at home, get four of their next five on the road, where they’ve lost three in a row and six out of seven (3-4 ATS), the only win coming at lowly Washington.

These squads split their first two meetings this season, both in Atlanta, with the Hawks winning 95-88 as a 2½-point chalk and losing 109-94 as a 5½-point choice. Despite the 76ers’ cover in the latter contest, they’re still only 2-5-1 ATS in the last eight meetings with the Hawks, including 0-3 ATS (1-2 SU) at home. Also, the underdog is on a 6-2-1 ATS roll and the road team is on a 5-1-1 ATS romp in this rivalry.

Atlanta has failed to cover in six of its last seven games against Atlantic Division opponents, but otherwise the Hawks are on ATS runs of 9-2-1 overall, 9-3 against the Eastern Conference, 10-2 versus winning teams, 5-1 on Tuesday, 5-2 as an underdog and 12-5 as a pup of less than five points. Philadelphia is 7-3-1 ATS in its last 11 against the Southeast Division, but from there the pointspread runs turn negative, including 2-5 overall, 2-7 at home, 3-7 as a favorite, 4-10 as a home chalk of less than five points and 3-7 after a SU defeat.

For the Hawks, the “over” is on runs of 4-1 overall, 4-1 on the road, 4-1 as an underdog and 4-1 when playing on one day of rest. For the Sixers, the “over” streaks include 6-1 overall, 5-1 against the Eastern Conference, 5-2-1 versus the Southeast Division, 8-3-1 as a favorite, 9-3 on Tuesday, 4-1 when playing after one day of rest and 16-5-2 after a SU loss.

ATS ADVANTAGE: ATLANTA and OVER

Utah (46-27, 37-36 ATS) at Portland (46-27, 38-34 ATS)

Two of the top three teams in the crowded Northwest Division square off at the Rose Garden, as the Blazers will host the Jazz.

Utah knocked off the Knicks 112-104 at home on Monday night to move into a second place tie with Portland in the Northwest Division, 1½ games behind the Nuggets, whom the Jazz will play in Denver on Thursday. Utah has rebounded from a three-game SU losing streak to win five of its last six, and since the beginning of February, Jerry Sloan’s squad is on a 20-5 SU run. However, the Jazz failed to cash as an 11-point favorite against the Knicks and they’ve followed up a 9-1 ATS run by going 5-10 ATS in their last 15.

Portland has been idle since Saturday’s 86-66 pummeling of Memphis as a 12½-point home favorite. It was the Blazers’ best defensive effort and the Grizzlies’ lowest point total of the season. Portland is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games and it has covered in six of its last seven overall. Additionally, Nate McMillan’s squad is 15-2 SU and 11-6 ATS in its last 17 at the Rose Garden

The home team has dominated this rivalry lately, winning six straight meetings and nine of the last 10 both SU and ATS, with the winner covering the pointspread in all 10 contests. This season, the Jazz won the first two clashes at home – 103-96 as a 6½-point favorite and 97-88 as a three-point chalk – but Portland cruised to a 122-108 win as a nine-point chalk in the most recent meeting Jan. 31.

Also in this divisional tussle, the favorite has gotten the money in each of the last five head-to-head battles, and going back several years, the host is on a 20-8 ATS roll, with the Blazers riding a five-game SU and ATS winning streak against the Jazz inside the Rose Garden.

Utah is 1-4 SU and ATS in its last five roadies after going 4-0 SU and ATS in its previous four on the highway. Additionally, the Jazz are in pointspread ruts of 2-7 overall, 1-9 as an underdog, 0-8 as a road pup, 1-7 against winning teams and 2-7 when playing on back-to-back nights. Conversely, in addition to their 6-1 ATS run overall, the Blazers are on positive ATS streaks of 6-1 as a favorite, 4-0 on Tuesday, 4-1 against the Western Conference and 5-1 when going on two days’ rest.

The under is on runs of 5-2 for Utah overall, 7-1 for Utah against the Western Conference, 9-3 for Utah on Tuesday and 20-8 for Portland in divisional contests. On the flip side, the over is on streaks of 7-3-1 for the Blazers at home, 4-0 when the Blazers are favored by 5 to 10½ points and 15-5-1 when the Jazz are an underdog. Finally, the total has alternated in the last six meetings in this rivalry.

ATS ADVANTAGE: PORTLAND

Al DeMarco, General Manager of PickNation.com and the featured handicapping analyst on SportsNet New York’s Daily News Live, is a 25-year veteran of the handicapping industry. Read his Daily Blog for his gambling insight, tips and observations at PickNation.com