Hot Teams
-- Washington won its last seven home games.
-- Bulls won four of their last five games overall (5-0 last five U).
-- Heat won 29 of last 30 games (3-1 last four HF).
-- New York won last eight games, was underdog in four of them.
-- Dallas won four in row, 10 of last 13 games (13-3 last 16 U).
-- Lakers won seven of last eight at home (4-6 last ten HF).

Cold Teams
-- None.

Totals
-- Over is 7-1-1 in Chicago's last nine games.
-- Five of last seven Knick games went over the total.
-- Last six Maverick games went over the total.

Back-to-backs
-- None.

Armadillosports.com

Hoop Trends - Tuesday
By Vince Akins
VegasInsider.com

ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

The Knicks are 11-0 ATS (5.7 ppg) since April 06, 2011 after a game in which they shot at least ten three-pointers and made at least half of them and made less than 28 free throws.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

The Heat are 0-9 OU (-7.7 ppg) since March 17, 2005 at home after a road win in which they scored more than 30% of their points from the three-point line.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

The Knicks are 9-0 ATS (11.5 ppg) since April 03, 2011 after a win in which Carmelo Anthony had a double double with rebounds.

CHOICE TREND:

The Bulls are 11-0 ATS (10.7 ppg) since December 19, 1996 on the road as less than a 12-point dogwith at most one day of rest off a win as a home favorite in which they trailed at the end of the third quarter.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

The Bulls are 0-10 OU (-13.4 ppg) since April 15, 2007 on the road versus the Wizards.

The Wizards are 0-7 OU (-9.2 ppg) since November 12, 2010 at home after a win in which John Wall had at least 10 assists.

7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. WASHINGTON
Chicago is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Chicago
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Chicago

8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. MIAMI
New York is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New York's last 10 games on the road
Miami is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing Dallas
LA Lakers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games

Doubleheader: Knicks at Heat, Mavericks at Lakers
Covers.com

New York Knicks at Miami Heat (-7.5, 196)

The New York Knicks have the longest active winning streak in the NBA, but they'll need a ninth consecutive victory when they travel to Miami for a showdown with the Heat on Tuesday if they want to lay claim to the title of the league's hottest team. The Knicks will try to claim the season series from the Heat and move one step closer to locking up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. New York is one percentage point behind the second-place Indiana Pacers and is 11 1/2 games behind Miami.

The Heat have won 29 of 30 — and 17 straight at home — after winning 88-86 at San Antonio on Sunday despite playing without stars LeBron James (hamstring) and Dwyane Wade (ankle) and starting point guard Mario Chalmers (ankle). All three are listed as questionable for Tuesday. The Knicks might be without All-Star center Tyson Chandler, who is listed as questionable after missing the past 10 games with a bulging disc.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (46-26, 38-32-2 ATS): New York is poised to finish strong, as the Knicks went 12-6 in March to put themselves in position for a 50-win season, a division title and potentially the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. "We all knew it was going to be a tough month and we're playing like we're trying to get something accomplished," coach Mike Woodson told reporters. "And that's winning our division and trying to secure that second spot." That motivation has resulted in dominant play during the winning streak, as the Knicks have averaged 104 points over the past eight games while allowing 91.5 points per contest.

ABOUT THE HEAT (58-15, 39-34-0 ATS): At times, Chris Bosh has been the forgotten man among Miami's "Big Three," but he made his presence known with a game-winning 3-pointer against the Spurs and the Heat's supporting cast showed Miami is not a pushover, even without James and Wade. "We are the defending champs no matter who we put out there," Bosh told reporters. "We are still the Miami Heat. We believe in ourselves. Each one of these guys is a professional." Miami does have some incentive to get its stars back in the lineup soon with the best record in the NBA still in play — though barely. The Heat are 3 1/2 games clear of San Antonio with nine to play.

TRENDS:

* Under is 11-3-1 in the last 15 meetings.
* Favorite is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Knicks are 3-7 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
* Knicks are 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings in Miami.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Miami is trying to match a franchise record with its 18th consecutive home win. The Heat won 18 straight at home from Jan. 23-April 5, 2005.

2. New York star Carmelo Anthony has averaged 31 points in two games against the Heat this season. He sat out the Knicks' 112-92 win at Miami on Dec. 6.

3. James needs 18 points to reach 21,000 in his career. James has scored in double figures in 491 consecutive games, including all 213 he has played for the Heat.


Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers (-3, 206.5)

The Dallas Mavericks are peaking at the right time, but they’re quickly running out of time to make the playoffs. The Mavericks begin a crucial four-game road trip Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, who are a half-game behind eighth-place Utah in the Western Conference and stand 1 1/2 games ahead of Dallas. The hard-charging Mavericks have won 11 of their last 16 games to pull into contention for the final playoff spot.

The Lakers could be without point guard Steve Nash, who left Saturday’s 103-98 win over Sacramento after two minutes due to a strained hamstring. Nash didn’t practice Monday, and he’s listed as doubtful to face his former team. Los Angeles has won eight of the last nine meetings with Dallas, which has mounted an impressive surge after falling 10 games under .500 in mid-January.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (36-37, 42-31-0 ATS): While veteran point guard Mike James has been a key part of the Mavericks’ resurgence, forward Dirk Nowitzki has carried the team in recent weeks. The 11-time All-Star is averaging 22 points and eight rebounds over his last 11 games, and he scored a season-high 35 points in a 100-98 win over Chicago on Saturday. Nowitzki, who has missed 29 games due to injuries, is coming off his best week of the season. “Honestly, it’s just me starting to feel better again,” Nowitzki told reporters.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (38-36, 30-43-1 ATS): Kobe Bryant is battling a bone spur in his left foot, but he had 14 assists and passed Wilt Chamberlain for fourth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list on Saturday. Bryant scored 38 points in a 103-99 win over the Mavericks on Feb. 24. Center Dwight Howard, averaging 19 points and 15.2 boards over his last five games, appears to be working better with Bryant in recent weeks. The Lakers are 11-6 when Howard takes 10 shots or more from both the floor and the free throw line.

TRENDS:

* Mavericks are 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings in Los Angeles.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Los Angeles.
* Underdog is 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings.
* Road team is 18-7-1 ATS in the last 26 meetings.
* Mavericks are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. The Lakers have won 41 of the last 47 matchups against the Mavericks in Los Angeles.

2. The Mavericks are 21-8 when holding their opponent to under 100 points.

3. Shaquille O’Neal's No. 34 jersey will be retired by the Lakers during a halftime ceremony.

NBA Betting News and Notes
By Covers.com

Each week, we look back on the NBA betting scene and give you the best –and worst – basketball bets, as well as some spots to keep an eye on with the upcoming schedule.

For the week of March 24-30

Hottest ATS


Utah Jazz (4-1 SU, 5-0 ATS)

Utah has ripped off eight consecutive covers (4-4 SU) for bettors heading into Monday’s home game with Portland. The Jazz are in a dogfight with the Lakers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with only eight games to play.

Coldest ATS


Portland Trail Blazers (0-4 SU, 0-4 ATS)

Portland’s postseason aspirations took a huge hit with four consecutive losses this past week. The Blazers were blown out by the Thunder, Nets, Jazz and Warriors and now face a must-win situation in Utah on Monday night.

Best over play


Chicago Bulls (2-1 SU, 3-0 over/under)

Chicago has been a good under play (32-38-1 O/U) all season long, but the Bulls have topped the total in three straight. The Bulls are averaging 101 points over the run – eight points higher than their season average (93 ppg). Chicago hosts the lowly Pistons Sunday before hitting the road for games in Washington and Brooklyn.

Best under play


Denver Nuggets (1-2 SU, 0-3 over/under)

Bettors have been cashing in on Denver’s ability to soar over totals all season long, but have taken a huge hit to the wallet over its past five games. The Nuggets faced an average total of 206.5 over a five-game under run, including a huge 221.5 total against the Kings on Mar. 23. Denver has a few days off before it visits Utah on Wednesday.

Scouting the schedule:

The Philadelphia 76ers will play seven of their last nine games away from the Wells Fargo Center. The Sixers have a 10-21-3 O/U record away from home.

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter a brutal portion of their schedule next week. The Thunder will play five consecutive quality opponents, who have a combined 227-138 SU record this season. Oklahoma City kicks off the stretch of toughies Thursday when it hosts San Antonio.

NBA Over Under Total Update
By Victor King
Playbook.com

Here's your list of the BEST Home and Away OVER and UNDER teams thus far (with total overall points in parenthesis). Also included is the best and worst home / road teams from an ATS perspective.

Top HOME 'Over' teams (thru 3-30-2013):

Dallas Mavericks: 23-12-2 O/U (204.4)
Sacramento Kings: 23-12-1 O/U (208.9)
Philadelphia 76ers: 24-15 O/U (190.2)
Portland Trailblazers: 21-14 O/U (198.4)
Orlando Magic: 22-15-1 O/U (196.7)
Milwaukee Bucks: 22-15 O/U (201.5)
LA Clippers: 20-15-1 O/U (196.4)
Miami Heat: 19-15-1 O/U (203.4)
Atlanta Hawks: 20-16 O/U (197.8)

Top HOME 'Under' teams:

Chicago Bulls: 12-24 O/U (182.1)
Phoenix Suns: 13-24 O/U (190.8)
Memphis Grizzlies: 14-23 O/U (181.1)
San Antonio Spurs: 14-22 O/U (199.8)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 15-21 O/U (190.6)
Toronto Raptors: 15-21 O/U (192.2)
Utah Jazz: 15-21 O/U (195.4)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 16-20 O/U (197.4)
Detroit Pistons: 16-20-1 O/U (191.6_

Top ROAD 'Over' teams:

Phoenix Suns: 22-13-1 O/U (200.5)
Denver Nuggets: 23-14 O/U (207.8)
Toronto Raptors: 22-14 O/U (200.6)
Golden State Warriors: 23-15 O/U (202.7)
New Orleans Hornets: 21-14 O/U (196.1)
Chicago Bulls: 20-15 O/U (188.9)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 20-15 O/U (199.1)
Utah Jazz: 21-16-1 O/U (198.7)

Top ROAD 'Under' teams:

Washington Wizards: 8-28 O/U (183.3)
Philadelphia 76ers: 12-21-1 O/U (188.4)
Charlotte Bobcats: 14-23 O/U (194.3)
Milwaukee Bucks: 15-20 O/U (196.7)
Oklahoma City Thunder: 15-20-2 O/U (201.8)
Indiana Pacers: 16-21 O/U (182.7)
Miami Heat: 17-20 O/U (194.8)
Boston Celtics: 17-19 O/U (192.4)

BEST Home 'ATS' teams (thru 3-30-2013):

Oklahoma City Thunder: 26-11 ATS (+14.2 ppg AVG margin)
Denver Nuggets: 25-11 ATS (+10.6 ppg)
Utah Jazz: 23-13 ATS (+5.8 ppg)
Washington Wizards: 23-13 ATS (+2.4 ppg)
Houston Rockets: 23-14 ATS (+7.3 ppg)
Boston Celtics: 21-14-1 ATS (+5.0)
Memphis Grizzlies: 21-14-2 ATS (+6.1)
Indiana Pacers: 22-15 ATS (+9.4 ppg)
LA Clippers: 21-15 ATS (+10.4 ppg)

WORST Home 'ATS' teams:

Orlando Magic: 12-25-1 ATS (-6.5 ppg)
Milwaukee Bucks: 12-24-1 ATS (-0.9 ppg)
Chicago Bulls: 12-24 ATS (+2.1 ppg)
Charlotte Bobcats: 12-23-1 ATS (-5.5 ppg)
Phoenix Suns: 14-24 ATS (-3.4 ppg)
Detroit Pistons: 15-22 ATS (-1.4 ppg)
Brooklyn Nets: 14-20-2 ATS (+1.9 ppg)
Atlanta Hawks: 14-20-2 ATS (+2.0 ppg)
Sacramento Kings: 15-19-2 ATS (+0.1 ppg)

BEST Road 'ATS' teams:

Dallas Mavericks: 22-13-1 ATS (-4.4 ppg)
Chicago Bulls: 21-13-1 ATS (-1.1 ppg)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 20-14-1 ATS (-6.1 ppg)
Memphis Grizzlies: 21-15 ATS (+1.5 ppg)
Orlando Magic: 21-15-1 ATS (-6.8 ppg)
New Orleans Hornets: 19-15-1 ATS (-5.1 ppg)
Atlanta Hawks: 21-17 ATS (-0.7 PPG)
Washington Wizards: 19-16-1 ATS (-7.5 ppg)
Milwaukee Bucks: 19-16 ATS (-2.3 ppg)

WORST Road 'ATS' teams:

Charlotte Bobcats: 13-24 ATS (-13.7 ppg)
LA Lakers: 14-25 ATS (-2.9 ppg)
Boston Celtics: 13-21-2 ATS (-4.8 ppg)
Portland Trailblazers: 15-22 ATS (-6.3 ppg)
Phoenix Suns: 14-20-2 ATS (-9.7 ppg)
Houston Rockets: 15-20-1 ATS (-0.4 ppg)
Utah Jazz: 16-21-1 ATS (-5.9 ppg)
Philadelphia 76ers: 15-19 ATS (-6.0 ppg)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 16-19-1 ATS (-5.9 ppg)