Home teams (and favorites) “took it on the chin”” Monday night with both the Hawks and Mavs winning in Chicago and LA, respectively. However, home teams got a measure of revenge last night, as the Heat opened a 2-0 lead over the Celtics with a 102-91 win in Miami while the Thunder evened their series with the Grizzlies with an 111-102 win in Oklahoma City. James Jones, who set a Miami postseason record with 25 points... Read more

The first round of the 2011 NBA postseason came to a close Friday night when the Grizzlies beat the Spurs 99-91. Randolph (21.5-9.2 on 50.0 percent shooting) and Gasol (14.2-12.3 on 53.3 percent) dominated inside all series and in Game 6 it was no different. Gasol had 12 points and 13 rebounds while Randolph scored 31 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies advanced despite poor outside shooting. After... Read more

Home teams remained perfect this week (at least SU), as the Heat eliminated the 76ers in five games with a 97-91 win, the Spurs stayed ‘alive’ with a 110-103 overtime win against the Grizzlies and the Thunder eliminated the Nuggets (also in five games) with a 100-97 win on Wednesday night. However, favorites continued to struggle ATS as the Heat and Thunder failed to cover while the Spurs’ OT win gave some a win on San... Read more

Home teams went 32-13 SU for the entire first round last season, including a money-making 29-16 ATS. However, as the new week opened, they sat 21-9 SU and a woeful 10-19-1 ATS. Home favorites had been just awful, going 5-16 ATS while home dogs were holding their own going 5-3-1. Things have changed quickly, as after home teams went 3-0 SU and 2-0-1 ATS on Monday, they made it a clean 3-0 SU and ATS sweep last night. Home... Read more

Home teams won all three games last night, going 2-0-1 ATS. Home teams are 24-9 SU but just 12-19-2 ATS through 33 games of this year’s first round. That’s in stark contrast to last year, when home teams went 32-13 SU for the entire first round, including a money-making 29-16 ATS. Home favorites have been just awful so far this postseason, going 6-16-1 ATS but home dogs have more than held their own, going 6-3-1. Doing... Read more

Kevin Durant and scored 23 points and Russell Westbrook combined for 72 points in Game 1 vs the Nuggets but last night, the Thunder’s dynamic duo scored a more modest 44 points (Durant had 23 and Westbrook 21). However, unlike in Game 1 in which the Thunder struggled to put away the Nuggets, Oklahoma City opened a 26-point lead early in the second quarter last night and cruised to a 106-89 win. James Harden chipped in... Read more

Home teams (the higher seeds and favorites at this stage) continued to struggle on Tuesday night. Chauncey Billups sat out Game 2 between the Knicks and Celtics with a strained left knee and Stoudemire didn’t play in the second half due to back spasms, yet the Knicks had a great chance to beat the Celtics for the second consecutive game. However, once again the New Yorkers failed during crunch time. Carmelo Anthony matched... Read more

Home teams were able to win just five of eight games in the opening weekend of this year’s postseason plus went a ‘money-burning’ 1-7 ATS. That changed quickly in last night’s first game, Philadelphia at Miami. The 76ers shot only 26 percent in the first half, as their starters were outscored 41-9 by their Heat counterparts. The Heat would lead by as many as 28 points in the second half and cruise to a 94-73 win. Philadelphia... Read more

All 30 teams were in action on the final day of the regular season (last Wednesday) with all 16 playoff berths already having been clinched. The East was settled with all eight seeds already having been decided but in the West, the Lakers, Mavs, Thunder, Hornets and Grizzlies still had some “skin in the game,” regarding their final seeding positions. The Lakers blew a huge 4th quarter lead at Sacramento but prevailed... Read more

I wrote a two-part NBA report when the teams returned from the All Star break. I noted then, that the Chicago Bulls entered the All-Star break with a winning percentage over .700 (38-16, .704) for just the fifth time in franchise history. Three of the previous four times Chicago had done that, the Bulls went on to win the NBA title. However, MJ was part of those three NBA title teams, and those teams were playing quite... Read more