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NBA Odds and Predictions: Tuesday, April 14 Opening Line Report and Handicapping

by - 4/13/2015

DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers

It's the penultimate day of the 2014-15 NBA regular season on Tuesday, and all three games on the schedule have some sort of playoff relevance. Washington at Indiana and the L.A. Clippers at Phoenix both are on TNT and will be offered for live betting at Bovada and other sportsbooks. The Suns are the only one of the six clubs in action with nothing to play for other than it's the team's season finale -- it is for the Clippers as well, although their season isn't over. Every other team closes its regular season Wednesday.

Raptors at Celtics (-4, 207.5)

Important game for both clubs as Toronto is 48-32 and tied entering Monday with Chicago for the No. 3 seed. The Raptors are guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth in the East as a division winner but would win a tiebreaker for the No. 3 with Chicago despite losing the season series. In that case, the division winner gets precedence. Toronto won a third straight game Saturday, 107-104 in Miami. It was Toronto's first road win over the Heat since Nov. 19, 2008, ending a 10-game slide. It was also the Raptors' 48th victory of the season and 22nd on the road, both tying franchise records. Boston holds the No. 7 seed, and it looks like will make the playoffs, which is a testament to how good a coach Brad Stevens is. The C's swept a home-and-home with the Cavaliers over the weekend in a potential first-round preview. Don't get too excited, Boston fans, as Cleveland had nothing to play for in those. The Cavs sat LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love on Sunday. The Celtics had 20 steals, high in an NBA game this season and one less than their franchise record. Toronto goes for the first 4-0 road trip in franchise history and tries to win three straight in Boston for the first time.

Key trends: Toronto is 3-8 against the spread in its past 11 after a win. Boston is 14-3 ATS in its past 17 vs. teams with a winning record. Toronto has covered just two of its past 11 in Boston. The "over/under" has gone under in six of Boston's past seven at home vs. teams with a winning road record.

Early lean: Celtics and over.

Wizards at Pacers (-7, 192.5)

Indiana is tied with Brooklyn for the No. 8 spot at 37-43, but the Nets win the tiebreaker, so clearly the Pacers can't afford a loss here in the regular-season home finale. They have won five straight, dispatching the visiting Thunder 116-104 on Sunday. C.J. Miles tied his season high with 30 points in the win. Paul George played 14 minutes in his fourth game back from injury and had eight points and six rebounds. Washington beat Atlanta 108-99 on Sunday its regular-season home finale. That was victory No. 46, the most for the team since 1978-79. The Hawks rested everyone of note. Washington is almost surely going to finish fifth in the East, so it really has little to play for here. You might see some guys resting. Washington ended a 12-game losing streak in Indianapolis with a 97-90 early-season win there.

Key trends: The road team has covered the past nine meetings. The under is 7-2 in the past nine in Indiana.

Early lean: Pacers and under.

Clippers at Suns (TBA)

Los Angeles hosted Denver on Monday. I suppose one advantage for the Clippers in playing the second of a back-to-back here is that they get an extra day of rest compared to their opponent for the playoffs. The Clippers held down the No. 3 seed in the West entering Monday but still could move anywhere from No. 2 to No. 6 depending on what they do as well as San Antonio, Memphis and Houston. Phoenix has officially checked out on the season, dropping four straight games, all on the road. They lost 107-91 in San Antonio on Sunday and again played without starters Brandon Knight and Alex Len as well as reserves Reggie Bullock and Marcus Thornton. Probably none of them play here. For sure Knight and Len won't. Phoenix is 10-16 since trading guards Isaiah Thomas and Goran Dragic on Feb. 19. The Clippers lead the season series 3-0 and have never swept the Suns. L.A.'s six-game winning streak in this series is the longest in franchise history against Phoenix.

Key trends: The Clippers have covered seven straight on the road. L.A. is 4-1 ATS in its past five in Phoenix. The under is 7-1 in the past eight there.

Early lean: Clippers should win this easily.

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