Australian Open Semifinals

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Developing Stories 📰

With four players left in the Australian Open the real question is who is going to stop Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is on top form in Melbourne after winning three consecutive seeded players to reach the semifinals. Tsitsipas is the most skilled opponent to Djokovic left in the men's singles, which saw a few early upsets suffered by top 10 seeds. Djokovic and Tsitsipas have met once before in a Grand Slam final. Djokovic came back from two sets down to win the 2021 French Open. Tommy Paul and Karen Khachanov, respectively, will attempt to pull off upsets, but it feels like Djokovic and Tsitsipas are playing at the top of their game.

Stefanos Tsitsipas comes into the semifinal round with a far better track record in than Karen Khachanov. The third-seeded is a four-time semifinalist in Melbourne in just six appearances in the tournament's main draw. Meanwhile, Khachanov has never been past the third round until this year. Tsitsipas owns a 5-0 head-to-head record. The two players have never met at a major but four of their meetings have come on hard courts. Khachanov has taken Tsitsipas to three sets in two matches, winning the first set in each before a comeback from the Greek. Tsitsipas is making his second straight semifinal appearance at a major. Tsitsipas still holds the edge in experience in major semifinals and the Greek must be happy that he does not have to face Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Daniil Medvedev at this stage. The No. 3 seed should come through with the victory to likely set up his second-career Grand Slam final against Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic and Tommy Paul will face each other at this next semi-final stage. Tommy Paul is the first American in the semi-final since Andy Roddick in 2009. The bottom half of the men's singles draw was an easier route as multiple top seeds fell, and that allowed Paul to move on with his terrific form. Paul only had to play two seeded players, No. 30 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round and No. 24 Roberto Bautista Agut in the fourth round. The rest of the wins were over unseeded players, including his semifinal victory over new tour member American Ben Shelton. Paul needs to play the best match of his career and still it may not be enough to beat Djokovic. Djokovic crushed three seeded players in consecutive straight set wins to reinforce his favorite status in Melbourne. The nine-time Australian Open champion looked like he was on a completely different level than No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev in Wednesday's quarterfinal, which he won 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. A straight-set win is expected from the Serbian legend.

Headlines 🚨

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Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 Pacers at Magic

• Indiana is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Orlando

• Indiana is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Orlando

• Orlando is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

• The total has gone OVER in 10 of Orlando's last 13 games when playing Indiana

🏀 Hawks at Thunder

• The total has gone OVER in 9 of Atlanta's last 11 games when playing Oklahoma City

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta

• Oklahoma City is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games

🏀 Timberwolves at Pelicans

• Minnesota is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New Orleans

• The total has gone OVER in 7 of New Orleans's last 8 games when playing at home against Minnesota

• New Orleans is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games at home

🏀 Nuggets at Bucks

• Denver is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games

• Denver is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee

• The total has gone OVER in 12 of Milwaukee's last 14 games at home

• Milwaukee is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games at home

🏀 Wizards at Rockets

• Washington is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road

• Washington is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road

• Houston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

• Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

🏀 Grizzlies at Warriors

• Memphis is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Memphis's last 11 games on the road

• Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis

• Golden State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis

🏀 Raptors at Kings

• Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road

• Sacramento is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Sacramento's last 7 games when playing Toronto

🏀 Jazz at Trailblazers

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah's last 5 games on the road

• Utah is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Portland

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing Utah

• Portland is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games at home

🏀 Spurs at Lakers

• The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Antonio's last 10 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Antonio's last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers

• The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Lakers's last 8 games when playing at home against San Antonio

• LA Lakers is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing San Antonio

🎓🏀 Xavier at Connecticut

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Xavier's last 7 games on the road

• Xavier is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road

• Connecticut is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games at home

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Connecticut's last 7 games at home

🎓🏀 Houston at UCF

• Houston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

• Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

• Central Florida is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

• The total has gone OVER in 9 of Central Florida's last 13 games when playing Houston

🎓🏀 UGA at TENN

• Georgia is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Tennessee

• Georgia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

• Tennessee is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games at home

• Tennessee is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Georgia

🎓🏀 Butler at Providence

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Butler's last 6 games when playing on the road against Providence

🎓🏀 MSST at BAMA

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Mississippi State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Alabama

🎓🏀 TA&M at AUB

• Texas A&M is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Auburn

• Texas A&M is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Auburn

• Auburn is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home

• The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Auburn's last 10 games when playing Texas A&M

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

🏀 NBA

47% of bets and 61% of money is on ORL -6

50% of bets and 72% of money is on OVER 234 IND at ORL

29% of bets and 43% of money is on OVER 225.5 BKN at PHI

38% of bets and 56% of money is on HOU +3

48% of bets and 69% of money is on OVER 238 TOR at SAC

🎓🏀 NCAAB

48% of bets and 68% of money is on UNDER 135.5 UGA at TENN

32% of bets and 58% of money is on UNDER 138.5 BUT at PROV

60% of bets and 81% of money is on OVER 142.5 MSST at BAMA

22% of bets and 66% of money is on TA&M +4.5

35% of bets and 56% of money is on UNDER 137.5 AUB at TA&M

🏒 NHL

22% of bets and 56% of money is on OTT -1.5

30% of bets and 44% of money is on TOR -1.5

48% of bets and 65% of money is on UNDER 6 CAR at DAL

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Injury Report 🏥 via ESPN

ATL (SF) De’Andre Hunter | Questionable - Illness

DEN (SF) Michael Porter Jr | Day-To-Day

GSW (F) Andre Iguodala | Out - Hip

GSW (C) James Wiseman | Probable - Ankle

HOU (PF) Jabari Smith Jr | Questionable - Ankle

LAL (PF) Anthony Davis | Probable - Foot

LAL (G) Lonnie Walker IV | Questionable - Knee

MEM (C) Steven Adams | Out - PCL Sprain (3-4 weeks)

MIL (F) Bobby Portis | Out - MCL Sprain

MIN (C) Rudy Gobert | Day-To-Day

MIN (PF) Taurean Prince | Out - Ankle

NOP (SF) Brandon Ingram | Probable - Toe

PHI (C) Joel Embiid | Questionable - Foot

TOR (SF) O.G. Anunoby | Questionable - Ankle

Picks 🔒

Orlando Magic -6 |The Pacers have struggled to keep games close with G Tyrese Haliburton sidelined due to an injury. The Pacers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 road games and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Magic are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.

Thunder +2 | The Hawks could be shorthanded here as Onyeka Okongwu and De’Andre Hunter are both questionable, while the Thunder are still missing Jeremiah Robinson-Earl who is dealing with an ankle injury. The Thunder are 25-11 ATS in the last 36 meetings overall, they are in better form and they have the advantage of extra rest, so I’ll lean towards OKC in this matchup.