Friday, December 18

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NBA

Utah (15-10, 14-11 ATS) at Atlanta (18-6, 18-6 ATS)

The Hawks return to Philips Arena in search of their sixth straight win and spread-cover when they host the surging Jazz.

Utah improved to 12-5 SU and ATS in its last 17 games with Wednesday’s 108-92 rout of the hapless Nets, cashing as an 8½-point road chalk. The Jazz have won three of their last four, averaging 109.5 ppg, but despite Wednesday’s drubbing in New Jersey, Jerry Sloan’s squad is just 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS in its last five roadies. For the season, Utah is 4-6 SU and ATS as a visitor.

Atlanta dumped the Grizzlies 110-97 on Wednesday, easily covering as a 9½-point home chalk. The Hawks have scored 118, 111, 130 and 110 points in their last four games, and they’re outscoring their opponents by nearly 20 points per game during their five-game win streak (109.8-90.2). Additionally, Atlanta is 11-2 SU and 10-3 ATS on its home floor, averaging a whopping 112.5 ppg while surrendering 99.5 ppg.

The host has taken five straight meetings in this rivalry (4-1 ATS), with the Hawks rolling 100-93 as a 1½-point favorite in last season’s lone clash at Philips Arena. Atlanta has covered in three of the last four meetings, following an 0-9 ATS funk against the Jazz. The favorite is 12-2 ATS in the past 14 series clashes.

The Jazz are all over the pointspread map. They’re on positive streaks of 8-3 overall, 6-2 when playing on one day of rest, 7-1 against Eastern Conference opponents, 5-1 against winning teams, 5-0 after a double-digit win, 11-4 on Friday and 4-1 as an underdog. On the flip side, they’re in ATS ruts of 8-16 on the highway, 6-18 as a road underdog, 3-13 as a road ‘dog of 5 to 10½ points, 6-14 after a SU win and 1-4 against the Southeast Division.

Atlanta carries nothing but positive pointspread trends, including 5-0 overall, 10-3-1 at home, 20-7-1 as a home chalk, 10-4 when favored by 5 to 10½ points, 15-4-1 versus the Western Conference, 6-0-1 against the Northwest Division, 12-5 after a victory and 9-3 following a double-digit win.

Utah is riding “over” streaks of 14-5-1 on the road, 29-11-1 as an underdog, 23-7-1 as a road ‘dog, 4-1 on Friday, 14-6 after a victory and 7-3-1 when playing after one day of rest. Similarly, the Hawks are on “over ” runs of 5-0 at home (all as a favorite), 6-2 against the Western Conference and 12-4 after a SU win. Conversely, four of the last five meetings between these squads have stayed under the total.

ATS ADVANTAGE: ATLANTA and OVER

Denver (19-7, 14-12 ATS) at New Orleans (11-13, 11-13 ATS)

The Nuggets go after their fourth straight victory when they battle the Hornets in a rematch of last year’s opening-round playoff series.

Denver capped a perfect three-game homestand with Wednesday’s 111-101 thumping of the Rockets, barely cashing as a nine-point favorite to halt an 0-4 ATS drought. The Nuggets are 7-2 SU in their last nine games (5-4 ATS), but both losses came in their last two road games at Detroit (101-99 as a 7½-point favorite) and at Charlotte (107-95 as a three-point choice). George Karl’s squad is just 7-6 on the highway (6-7 ATS), averaging 102 ppg but giving up 100.5 ppg.

The Nuggets will be without starting point guard Chauncey Billups tonight.

New Orleans carries a rare 4-2 SU run into this contest, following Tuesday’s 95-87 win over Detroit as a six-point home favorite. The Hornets, who have cashed in consecutive games following an 0-4 ATS downturn, have scored between 90 and 99 points in eight consecutive outings, but they’ve held five of their last six foes to 96 points or less. Chris Paul and Co. have won seven of eight on their home floor (5-3 ATS).

The Nuggets annihilated New Orleans in the playoffs last year, taking the best-of-7 series in five games (5-0 ATS). Denver’s four wins in the series came by margins of 29, 15, 58, and 21 points, and it is 5-1 SU and 6-0 ATS in the last six clashes overall and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 trips to the Big Easy. Additionally, including the playoffs, the SU winner is 17-2 ATS in the last 19 battles in between these clubs.

Denver has failed to cover in seven of its last 10 on the highway and four of five on Friday, but it is on positive ATS stretches of 28-11 against Western Conference foes and 28-10 against Southwest Division opponents. New Orleans has cashed in six straight games against teams with a winning record, but is otherwise in pointspread ruts of 2-4 overall, 6-20 against the Northwest Division and 0-8 on Friday.

Aside from a 5-1 “over” stretch against Southwest Division foes, the Nuggets are riding “under” streaks of 5-2 after a SU win and 5-2 after one day of rest. New Orleans carries “under” trends of 5-1 overall, 20-7 at home, 21-5 on Friday, 4-0 against the Western Conference and 6-0 versus the Northwest Division. Finally, this series has seen the “under” go 5-2 in the last seven meetings overall and 4-0 in the last four tussles in New Orleans.

ATS ADVANTAGE: DENVER and UNDER

Houston (14-11, 15-10 ATS) at Dallas (19-7, 14-12 ATS)

The Mavericks look to make it six in a row overall and three in a row over the Rockets this season when these Southwest Division rivals square off at American Airlines Center.

Houston tonight concludes a brief two-game road trip, which started on a sour note with Wednesday’s 111-101 loss in Denver as a nine-point underdog. Although the Rockets have alternated wins and losses over the last four contests, they’re still on a 6-3 SU and ATS roll, and the winner has covered the spread in 20 of the team’s 25 games this season. Houston has scored 101 and 107 points in its last two contests after being held to 96 or fewer in four straight games.

Dallas rallied past Oklahoma City 100-86 as a two-point road favorite on Thursday, and during their five-game winning streak, the Mavs are outscoring opponents by an average of nearly seven points per game (100-93.4). Since a shocking nine-point home loss to Washington to begin the season, Rick Carlisle’s club is 9-2 SU at American Airlines Center, but on the downside the Mavs have failed to cover in six straight home contests.

The Mavericks have destroyed Houston twice already this year, rolling 121-103 as a 6½-point home favorite and 130-99 as a four-point road ‘dog, with both games played two weeks apart in November. The Mavs are 10-3 SU and ATS in the last 13 meetings (3-0 SU and ATS last three) and 6-2 SU and ATS in the last eight clashes in Dallas. Also, the ‘dog has barked in seven of the past nine in this rivalry.

Houston carries into this contest ATS runs of 4-2 overall, 7-3 on the highway, 5-1 as an underdog, 4-1 as a road pup, 5-1 when catching 5 to 10½ points, and 42-20 after an outright defeat, but it has failed to cover in four of five divisional showdowns. Dallas is in ATS slumps of 2-5 overall, 0-7 at home (all as a favorite) and 2-5 against the Western Conference, but the Mavericks have cashed in five of seven on Friday.

The Rockets are riding a plethora of “under” streaks, including 8-2 overall, 6-1 on the highway, 4-2 as an underdog, 5-1 against the Western Conference, 35-17 against divisional opponents and 6-2 after a SU loss, and the under is also 4-1 in Dallas’ last five Northwest Division games. However, four of the last five Rockets-Mavericks battles in Dallas have topped the posted price.

ATS ADVANTAGE: DALLAS 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 Chicago and a regular contributor on Fox Sports and MSNBC. Read his Daily Blog for his gambling insight, tips and observations at PickNation.com