NBA Odds, Predictions, and Picks for 2/14/19

It’s the final play date before the NBA heads to its annual mid-season break and festivities this coming weekend. There are only three game on schedule for Thursday as the rest of the league begin their vacation early.

Let’s take a look at the games on schedule for 2/14/19:

New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks

The New York Knicks hit the road and take on the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

Following their 104-107 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night, the New York Knicks set a new franchise record for the longest single-season losing streak at 17 games. It is also put them in a tie with the Mets , who lost 17 straight games during their expansion year in 1962, for the longest single season losing streak by a New York Area team in the last 100 years. The Knicks haven’t won a game since January 4th when they beat the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. They are now at 10-46 with only 26 games left to play.

Dennis Smith Jr. has rejuvenated his game in New York as he’s averaged 17.4 points and 6.0 assists per game as a Knick. Rookie Kevin Knox is scoring 12.6 points and grabbing 4.2 rebounds while Emmanuel Mudiay is contributing 14.7 points and 3.9 assists per game while DeAndre Jordan is hauling down 11.8 rebounds while also scoring 11.2 points per game for the revamped Knicks.

New York is ranked 26th in team scoring at 105.2 points per game. They are also ranked 25th in scoring defense at 114.2 opponent points per game allowed and are 22nd off the glass at 44.2 rebounds per game. The Knicks are dead-last in the league in the passing department, averaging just 19.8 assists per game.

New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks Odds

The Atlanta Hawks snapped out of a three game losing streak with a 117-113 home win against the LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night. The Hawks entered the game having lost five out of their last seven games but they managed to outduel the struggling Lakers and pick up their 19th win of the season. The Hawks will now look close out their five-game homestand with back to back wins.

John Collins leads the Hawks with 19.4 points and 9.7 rebounds per game while rookie Trae Young is scoring 16.9 points and issuing 7.6 assists per game. Taurean Prince is making up for lost time with 13.4 points per game while Kent Bazemore is contributing 13.0 points and a team-high 1.6 steals per game. DeWayne Dedmon is averaging 10.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game for the young Hawks.

Atlanta is 19th in the league in team scoring at 111.0 points per game. They are also ranked 19th in rebounding at 45.0 boards hauled per contest and are 9th overall in assists at 25.6 dimes per outing. The Hawks have the worst scoring defense in the NBA at 118.4 opponent points per game allowed.

Entering Wednesday’s games, the Knicks are 0-10 SU in their last 10 games played. New York is 2-7-1 ATS in its last 10 games played and 1-3 ATS in its last four games played on the road. The under is 8-2 in the Knicks’ last 19 games played and the total has gone under in half of their last four games played away from home. The Hawks are 4-6 SU in their last 10 games played. Atlanta is 1-3 SU in its last four games at home. The Hawks are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played and are 1-3 ATS in their last four home games. The over is 7-3 in the Hawks’ last 10 games played and Atlanta has seen the total go over in half of their last four games at home. Head to head, the Hawks are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games against the Knicks but New York is 6-4 ATS in those 10 games. The under is 3-1 in the last four head to head meetings between these two teams.

Prior to their Wednesday schedule against the Sixers, the Knicks have lost 17 straight, 25 out of their last 26 games and 30 out of its last 32. The longest losing streak in Knicks’ franchise history is 20 which happened between the 1985 and 1986 seasons. With their recent roster revamp and they way they have been playing, this version of the Knicks could be headed that direction.

The Hawks meanwhile have been making strides since the start of the season. They may only be just 19-38 overall but they have played hard and have played to win instead of just tanking for the NBA draft lottery. Tuesday’s game against the Lakers was an example as the young team bucked LeBron James’ triple-double outing. John Collins and Trae Young led the Hawks who also got big shots from the returning Taurean Prince.

The Hawks are a poor 9-16 at home this season but against the Knicks who have won just six road games all season long and who are experiencing the longest losing skid of the season, I’m picking the Hawks because of their recent form and better attitude. The Knicks have already given up on their season.

I’m picking the Atlanta Hawks to beat the New York Knicks on 2/14/19.

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The Knicks are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the Eastern Conference, 1-11 ATS in their last dozen games against teams with a losing SU record and 1-6 ATS in their last seven games overall. Atlanta is 1-5 ATS in its last six home games, 3-10 ATS in their last 13 against the Atlantic Division and 2-6 ATS in their last eight against the Eastern Conference. Both teams are struggling against the spread and struggling for wins but the Knicks are surely worse. I’m going with the lesser evil here.

I’m picking the Atlanta Hawks to cover the +6.5 spread.

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The under is 4-0 in New York’s last four games against the Southeast Division, 8-2 in their last 10 games against the Eastern Conference, 5-2 in their last seven road games and 9-2 in their last 11 overall. Meanwhile, the total has gone under in five out of the last six games of the Hawks against the Atlantic Division and the under is 36-15 in their last 51 games against teams with a winning percentage of below .400. The Knicks are struggling to score right now and it should continue here.

I’m picking the total to go under 225.5 points.

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Charlotte Hornets at Orlando Magic

The Charlotte Hornets travel to the Magic Kingdom to take on the Orlando Magic on Thursday night at the Amway Center in Orlando.

The Hornets are looking to salvage a split of their current four-game road trip as they head to Orlando. Charlotte sandwiched a win over the Atlanta Hawks between a pair of lackluster losses to the Dallas Mavericks and Atlanta Hawks. But despite going 1-3 SU in their last four games, the 27-29 Hornets are still on top of the weak Southeast Division.

Kemba Walker leads the Hornets with 25.2 points and 5.7 assists per game. Jeremy Lamb is contributing 15.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game while Marvin Williams is putting up 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Cody Zeller leads Charlotte with 6.6 rebounds per game while also scoring 9.5 points per outing.

The Hornets rank 18th in the league in scoring at 111.2 points per game. Charlotte is the 22nd ranked passing team at 23.3 assists per game and they are 20th in the league in rebounding at 44.4 boards per contest. The Hornets have the 15th best scoring defense in the NBA at 111.0 points per game allowed.

Charlotte Hornets vs Orlando Magic Odds

The Magic are on a roll heading to the All-Star break as Orlando has won four in a row including blowout road wins over the Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks and New Orleans Pelicans in their last three games. Orlando is 26-32 on the season and just two full games behind the Hornets in the Southeast Division team standings.

Nikola Vucevic leads the Hawks with 20.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Aaron Gordon is also having a good season with 15.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per outing while Evan Fournier is scoring 15.0 points and grabbing 3.1 rebounds per game. D.J. Augustin leads Orlando with 4.9 assists per game while also scoring 11.4 points. Veteran Terrence Ross is contributing 14.5 points per game for the Magic.

Orlando is ranked 25th in scoring at 105.4 points per game and they are also ranked 13th in assists with 24.8 dimes per contest. The Magic are 21st in rebounding at 44.3 boards per game grabbed. They also rank 7th in scoring defense at 107.2 opponent points per game allowed.

The Hornets are 5-5 SU in their last 10 games played and 2-4 SU in their last six road games. Charlotte is 4-5-1 ATS in its last 10 games played and are 3-3 ATS in six road games during that stretch. The over is 3-2 in the Hornets’ last five games played and the under is 6-3 in their last nine road games. The Magic are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played and are 3-2 SU in their last five games played at home. Orlando is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games played and the Magic are 3-2 ATS in their last five home games. The under is 6-4 in the Magic’s last 10 games and 3-2 in their last five home games. Head to head, the Hornets are 10-0 SU and 9-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings. The over is 2-1 in the last three games between these two teams.

The Hornets head to their third meeting with the Orlando Magic this season having won the last 13 head to head meetings between these two teams including the last six encounters in Orlando. The Hornets own two lopsided wins over the Magic this season. Charlotte won by 32 last October and then by 25 points last New Year’s eve.

Charlotte leads the Magic by two games in the Southeast Division teams standings but the Magic have certainly been playing much better as of late. Orlando has won four in a row and six out of their last seven games. Bench scoring and defense were what shone for the Magic in their last four games and those are going to be the keys to beating Kemba Walker who will be starting in Sunday’s All-Star game in Charlotte.

The Hornets are 8-20 away from home while the Magic are an even 15-5 at the Amway Center this season. Charlotte will be playing its fourth road game in nine days and may be tired and waiting to get back home to host the All-Star weekend. The Magic are on a roll and I don’t think that the Hornets are the team that derails them.

I’m picking the Orlando Magic to beat the Charlotte Hornets on 2/14/19.

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Charlotte is 6-2 ATS in its last eight games against teams with a losing record, 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on two days rest and 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games played. Orlando is 4-1 ATS in their last five games against teams with losing records, 7-3-1 ATS in their last 10 home games and 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall. I like Orlando to keep on rolling at home.

I’m picking the Orlando Magic to cover the reasonable -3 spread at home.

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The over is 10-4 in the last 14 games after an ATS win by Orlando and the over is also 25-12 in the Hornets’ last 37 games played on a Thursday. The Magic are averaging 116.75 points per game in their current four game winning streak and the over is 8-3 in the last 11 meetings between these teams in Orlando. I’m picking the score to go over the 215.5 total.

I’m picking the score to go over the 215.5 total.

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Oklahoma City Thunder at New New Orleans Pelicans

The Oklahoma City Thunder take their act to the Big Easy to take on the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

The Thunder are the hottest team in the NBA right now with just one loss in their last 12 games. Oklahoma City enters this Thursday matchup carrying a four-game winning streak and armed with the third best record in the Western Conference at 37-19, just four games off the pace of the top-seeded Golden State Warriors.

Oklahoma City has been rolling behind the red hot play of their two All-Stars Paul George and Russell Westbrook. George is averaging 37 points per game in his last 10 games while Westbrook has recorded a record 10 straight triple-double games. Both stars posted triple-doubles in the Thunder’s most recent win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Steven Adams is having a fine season in OKC with 14.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game while Dennis Schroeder is scoring 15.7 points and issuing 4.1 assists per game.

The Thunder are the 5th highest scoring team in the NBA at 115.3 points per game. They are also 2nd in rebounding at 47.9 boards per contest. Oklahoma City is ranked 21st in passing at 23.3 assists per game and the Thunder have the 12th best scoring defense in the league at 109.8 opponent points per game allowed.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans Odds

While the Oklahoma City Thunder are rolling, the New Orleans Pelicans are plummeting. The Pels have lost eight out of their last 11 games played including two out of the three games they’ve played since Anthony Davis returned from injury and since he requested for a trade. New Orleans held on to Davis, for now and will be forced to play him the rest of the season in an awkward situation or face penalty from the league.

Davis has been the heart and soul of this team, leading them in almost every statistical category. But with Davis on his way out, the onus of leadership belongs to Jrue Holiday. Holiday is averaging 20.9 points and a team-high 8.0 assists per game. Julius Randle is also having a great season with 19.9 points and 9.1 rebounds per game this season. Mid-season pick-up Stanley Johnson is averaging 10.7 points in his first three games with the Pelicans.

The Pelicans rank 4th in team scoring at 115.3 points per game allowed. They are 4th in the passing department at 26.6 assists per game and 6th off the glass with 46.9 rebounds per contest. However, New Orleans has the fourth-worst scoring defense in the league at 114.7 opponent points per game allowed.

The Thunder are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games played and are 3-1 SU in their last four road games. Oklahoma City is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games played and are 3-1 ATS in their last four games played on the road. The total has gone over in six out of the last 10 games played by the Thunder. The over is 3-1 in Oklahoma City’s last four games on the road.  The Pelicans are 3-7 SU in their last 10 games played. New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last five home games. The Pelicans are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games played and are 4-1 ATS in their last five games played at home . The under is 5-2 in the Pelicans’ last seven games played. New Orleans has seen the total go under in three out of their last five games played. Head to head, the Thunders are 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games against the Pelicans. The over is 6-4 in the last 10 meetings between these two teams.

The Thunder are playing their best basketball of the season. Paul George is red hot from the floor and is averaging close to 40 points per game in their last 10 games. Russell Westbrook continues his assault on the league’s triple-double records while Steven Adams continues to play consistent basketball for OKC. Jerami Grant and Dennis Schroeder didn’t play in their last game but that hardly mattered as George and Westbrook put up video game numbers. Both Grant and Schroeder are listed as day to day for Thursday’s game against the Pelicans.

New Orleans is in an awkward situation right now. Anthony Davis missed 11 games with a finger injury and then requested to be traded while he was on sick bay. The Pelicans didn’t trade him at the deadline and now are forced to play him the rest of the way or else face a penalty from the league. The Pelicans have gone 1-2 SU since Davis’ return and are obviously in discord right now with their star on the way out. Davis scored only 3 points in their last game and 14 in the game before that. Those are obviously not AD numbers. There must be something wrong there.

The Thunder are 17-12 on the road this season and the Pelicans are 16-11 at home. But the issue here isn’t their records or their recent form, it’s the trouble that’s brewing in New Orleans because of the Anthony Davis situation. I’m not sure how the Pelicans handle it while trying to make the playoffs. But I’d rather not risk my bet on that uncertainty.

I’m picking the Oklahoma City Thunder to beat the New Orleans Pelicans on 2/14/19.

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Oklahoma City is 7-0 ATS in their last seven games when their opponent allows 100 or more points in their previous game, 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with a losing straight up record and 4-0 ATS in their last four games overall. The Pelicans are 4-0 ATS in their last four games against teams with winning records and 4-0 ATS in their last four home games against teams with a winning road record. The Pelicans have been fine against the spread recently but the Thunder are rolling right now. OKC is also 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings in New Orleans.

I’m picking the Oklahoma City Thunder to cover the -3.5 spread.

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Given OKC’s offensive prowess, the over comes on top of mind. But when you look at how the Pelicans have struggled to score in their last two games, 237 may be too high. The under is 20-8 in OKC’s last 28 road games against teams with a winning home record while the Pelicans have seen the total go under in 10 out of their last 13 home games against teams with a winning road record. The total has gone under in 10 out of the last 14 games played by New Orleans and the under is 5-2 in their last seven games played.

I’m picking the total to go under 237 points in this game.

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