NBA Tuesday trend plays: Why the Celtics, Heat are in for a track meet
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Tuesday's the largest slate of the week on the hardwood, featuring seven games. Before locking in your bets for tonight, here are the best angles.
New Orleans Pelicans at Cleveland Cavaliers (+8, 232)
The Pelicans' stock is up despite sitting 18-29 overall, as they're 13-3-1 against the spread over their last 17. They've also been one of the best road teams of late, covering nine of the last 11 away from home. Meanwhile, Cleveland picked up a huge road win on Monday at Detroit as a seven-point underdog. With the Cavaliers returning home, it's not a spot they've been great in recently: They're just 1-6 ATS over the last seven in their own building.
Trend play: Pelicans -8
New York Knicks at Charlotte Hornets (-1.5, 208.5)
The Knicks have been an under team of late, cashing five of the last six while the offense has barely averaged north of 100 points per game. Fortunately, the defense has compensated for the offensive woes - four of the last five opponents have hit the team total under. Tuesday night could be another low-scoring affair when the Knicks take on the Hornets.
New York is 5-1 to the under the last six with one rest day, 7-3 the last 10 road games against teams with winning home records, and 17-8-1 the last 26 following a double-digit win. As for Charlotte, it's 5-1 to the under the last six following a straight-up loss, 10-3 the last 13 when it's by double digits, and 5-1 the last six overall.
Trend play: Under 208.5
Denver Nuggets at Memphis Grizzlies (-1.5, 223)
The Nuggets as road underdogs is an angle where I can get behind the under. They've cashed each of their last four in this spot despite playing three top-six offenses (Houston, Dallas, and New Orleans). Denver is also 5-2 to the under the last seven versus teams with losing records and 7-3 to the under the last 10 overall.
Despite climbing the ranks offensively to No. 8 in the NBA in points per game, Memphis is a club also trending under. The Grizzlies have cashed each of the last four as home favorites, each of the last five at home in general, and six of the last seven overall.
Trend play: Under 223
Boston Celtics at Miami Heat (-1, 218)
If Tuesday follows suit with how Boston performs following a loss, you can expect the scoreboard operator to be busy. The Celtics, who fell to New Orleans by 15 in their previous outing, are on a 4-0 run to the over following an outright loss, averaging a mind-boggling 130.3 points per game over that span. To support the over even more, Boston is on a 7-3 run in their last 10 following a double-digit loss and 11-5 over the last 16 against teams with winning records. Meanwhile, the Heat are on a blistering 20-9 run to the over the last 29 games played on zero days rest.
Trend play: Over 218
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.