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MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (37-31) at NEW YORK KNICKS (34-32)
2021-03-17
Tip-off: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
Line: New York -4.5, Total: 215.5
The Grizzlies visit the Big Apple on Thursday seeking payback for the Knicks. They fell to New York on a last-second shot by Carmelo Anthony on March 9 in Memphis.
Memphis has one of the best records ATS this season at 42-25, including wins in nine of its past 13 games ATS. On the road, the Grizzlies are an impressive 22-13 ATS this season. In the loss to the Knicks earlier this season, they trailed by 14 points entering the fourth quarter before storming back and tying the game, only to lose on a buzzer-beater.
Since then, Memphis has split two games with Miami and the Clippers and currently sits 1½ games ahead of the Jazz for the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Zach Randolph had 30 points and 12 rebounds in the win over the Clippers on Monday, and is averaging 26.0 PPG and 13.6 RPG in his past five games against the Knicks.
The Knicks are also one of the best teams in the NBA ATS, posting a 39-25 record, but they have lost three straight both ATS and overall. New York’s defense has been deplorable in back-to-back losses against the Pacers and an 18-point defeat at Dallas, allowing an average of 117.3 PPG on 53.2% FG. At Indiana on Tuesday, the Knicks lost on a last-second shot by Danny Granger after rallying from as many as 15 points down to tie the game.
After averaging 32.5 PPG on 60% FG (7-of-10 three-pointers) in wins against the Jazz and at Memphis, Anthony is averaging 24.0 PPG on 42.5% FG during this three-game losing streak. Amar’e Stoudemire has picked up his scoring pace since Anthony joined the Knicks, averaging 29.8 PPG in his past nine games. Since returning to the lineup after missing six games with an injury, Chauncey Billups is averaging 11.5 PPG while shooting just 36.0 percent from the field and 0-for-11 from behind the arc.
The last time the Knicks took their home court and lost by 13 to Indiana, they were booed off by a fan base that expects results now, after watching half of their team’s roster go to Denver in getting two high-profile players in Anthony and Billups. The talk-show circuits in New York want Mike D’Antoni’s head for the Knicks lack of defense, but they did hold the Hawks, Hornets and Heat, all teams that will be in the postseason, to under 90 points with this new roster.
Before New Yorkers burn the Garden down in protest, the Knicks should put together a much better defensive effort Thursday night and defeat the Grizzlies.
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2021-01-05
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Houston Rockets center Yao Ming out for the season
2020-12-28
After making his much-awaited return this season from an injury, Houston Rockets center Yao Ming absorbed another setback and will be out for the rest of the season because of a stress fracture in his left ankle that also caused him to miss the entire season last year, much to the disappointment of NBA betting.
Yao, who averaged 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per game this season, has been sidelined since November 10, but the Rockets team training staff didn’t immediately discovered that Yao sustained a stress fracture that was related to his previous injury.
Rockets head coach Rick Adelman was saddened with the news, saying that they were excited to have Yao back in their fold. Adelman also added that they were planning to give Yao more minutes after limiting him to less than 24 minutes early in the season, which was a plan to prevent Yao from absorbing another stress fracture injury.
“It's just really sad, and you have to really feel for him because he's worked so hard to come back and then to have this happen,” Adelman said. “He was talking about getting out to play pretty soon, and now to get the news, you really feel for him and feel for our team.”
The Rockets team physician Walter Lowe said that they are still weighing their options, but having a surgery that would need 10 months of recovery period is on top of their list. Lowe also pointed out that the surgery Yao had last year was not a fluke because Yao has been prone to stress fracture for his entire career.
“When you look at the course of Yao's career, stress fractures have been part of his foot,” Lowe said. “So to say he's not at a risk to continue to have stress fractures would be crazy. So he is at a continued risk. The new position of his foot should make those stresses lower.”
The new stress fracture injury that Yao sustained could put his career in jeopardy, but Rockets general manager Daryl Morey remains optimistic that Yao would eventually recover again from the injury and help them in the future.
“We need to continue to talk to the doctors and see where that goes,” Morey said. “Yao Ming's an All-Star center and when you look throughout the league there's not very many of them. So if it looks like there's a good prognosis here and we're still learning how good that prognosis will be, for sure we're going to look at Yao Ming past this season.”
The Chinese superstar center is in the final year of the contract he signed in 2005, and GM Morey is not disclosing the possibility of dealing Yao to another team, although he prefers to make a move later in the season or next summer. Despite losing their starting center, Morey is still confident that they can still make the Playoffs, although it would be a tough goal to reach after winning in only 12 of their first 27 games this season.
“We still feel like we're a team that can make the playoffs this season,” Morey said. “We feel like we're fighting with about four or five other teams for maybe the seven, eight seed this season. I know our guys in the locker room aren't writing the season off. I know I'm not. I know coach Rick Adelman isn't. We still think this can be a great season.”
Yao Ming will be a big loss for the Rockets this season and without him, reaching the Playoffs this season will be a difficult task for them, unless their big men like Jordan Hill and Luis Scola will have a drastic improvement this season.
With Yao out the Rockets have dropped to +7500 to win the Western Conference championship this season according to Sportsbook.com. As an NBA bettor are you wagering on the Rockets this season? Get over to Sportsbook.com the home of NBA betting and get into the action today.
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah out for two months
2020-12-28
The improving Chicago Bulls squad absorbed a major blow to their campaign after starting center and team’s rebounding leader Joakim Noah underwent thumb surgery that will sideline him for eight to ten weeks this season.
Noah, who is averaging 14 points and 11.7 rebounds per game this season, injured his thumb in their game against the Sacramento Kings on 27 November, but he was able to play through it, which could have aggravated the injury. The 25-year-old center also tore ligaments in his right ring finger and right index finger, but the Bulls training staff said that no surgery is needed to repair the tore ligaments.
Without Noah, Bulls general manager Gar Forman said that the team will have to make a huge adjustment and signing a big man as a short-term solution is possible, although he prefers to stick with the talents that they have in their fold.
“Obviously it affects us,” said Forman on losing Noah. “Not only from a statistical standpoint with his points and rebounds, but the energy that he brings. He'll still be around the team. But in the short term it's a blow.”
The Bulls, who are starting to play well since Carlos Boozer returned from a hand injury, will have to rely on their reserve big men to fill in Noah’s role, although Forman knows that the energy Noah brings inside the court would be sorely missed by the team.
However, Forman is confident that their reserve big men like Taj Gibson, Turkish rookie center Omer Asik, and veteran big man Kurt Thomas would give them a boost and continue to perform well this season.
“We'll go with what we have. We do think we have some depth,” Forman said. “Taj has stepped in, obviously in the past and done a very good job. I think it's an opportunity for guys. It's an opportunity for Omer to play some. Kurt Thomas, even a year ago when he was with Milwaukee found himself in this type of situation.”
Gibson, who started for the Bulls early in the season when Boozer was still recovering from a hand surgery, would take Noah’s spot in the starting lineup, but his entry could mean that Boozer should start at the center spot, which would definitely give them a size disadvantage.
“His presence,” said Boozer when asked what they would miss with Noah out of the lineup. “His presence defensively. I think he clogs up the middle so good for us. He blocks shots. He rebounds. Does a great job of putting pressure on the defense.”
Bulls superstar point guard Derrick Rose also expressed his frustration saying that Noah is the “heart and soul” of the team because of the intangibles he brings day in and day out. He also admitted that none of their remaining big men could fill in the role of Noah.
“Energy,” said Rose when asked about the difference of having and not having Noah inside the court. “Of course, you know, rebounding, just almost everything. He puts a lot into the game. Little things like passing, him talking, things like that.”
Despite losing Noah, Rose is still confident that they would continue to play well as long as they would stay focused. He also added that Gibson and Asik should have great confidence in themselves and the former rookie of the year believes that both of them would be up to the challenge.
“The guys that are coming in like Taj and Omer and all them that's coming in, they got to be ready to ball,” Rose said. “We got to get their confidence up high. They've at least got to put forth the effort that he put up every game. That's going to be a lot on them, but I think they can bear it.”
The Bulls will definitely be a different team with Noah out of the lineup, but with the talent that they have and by having two superstars in their fold, Rose and Boozer, the Bulls remain a formidable team and would still be a threat to teams like the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.
With Noah out the Chicago Bulls are xxx to win the Eastern Conference championship according to the Basketball Odds at sportsbook.com. Are you betting on the Bulls? Head over to sportsbook.com and get into the NBA betting action today.
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