New York Knicks at Portland Trail Blazers
Thursday, 3/14/13, 10:30 PM EST, TV: TNT
Opening Point Spread: Portland -4.5
Current Betting Line: Portland -6
Opening Total: 196
Current Total: 193
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
New York has dropped back-to-back games, including a 117-94 setback to the Denver Nuggets as 8.5-point road underdogs Wednesday night, while going OVER the posted total of 206. The Knicks will be playing without the services of leading scorer Carmelo Anthony, who left last night’s game with a knee injury that’s been bothering him recently. “I’m going to go get it drained,” commented Anthony. The team is 5-5 without him during the 2012-13 NBA season. New York is 17-7 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points the last two-plus seasons, which can’t be ignored when making your NBA picks against the spread Thursday.
The Knicks are 16-14 overall on the road this season, including a 4-7 mark versus Western Conference opponents. New York has compiled a winning 7-5 record when playing the back end of a back-to-back situation. In the first meeting this year, the team suffered a 105-100 setback as 9.5-point home favorites on Jan. 1, which was surprising due to Anthony finishing with 45 points and seven rebounds in 41 minutes of action.
Portland will try to snap a two-game losing streak, which includes a 102-97 defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies as 1.5-point home underdogs Tuesday night ,while going OVER the posted total of 186. The Trail Blazers are now 3.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the upcoming Western Conference playoffs. “Definitely that door is closing,” stated Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge. He ranks 11th in the NBA in averaging 20.7 points per game, which is important to consider when looking over the pro basketball odds page.
The Trail Blazers have won nine of their last 11 games versus the Knicks at the Rose Garden, while the winning team has scored at least 100 points in five straight meetings, and in eight of the last nine games between these teams. Portland hasn’t swept a season series against New York since the 2008-09 campaign.
Sports bettors will likely back the Knicks due to their 14-5-1 ATS mark on zero days rest, while the Trail Blazers are 2-5-1 ATS in the last eight meetings.
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