The Bum's NBA December Trends/News/ Stats/ All You Need To Know !

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NBA
Dunkel

Atlanta at Cleveland
The Hawks head to Cleveland tonight to face a Cavaliers team that is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 Wednesday games. Cleveland is the pick (-5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Cavaliers favored by 8 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-5 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17

Game 701-702: Atlanta at Cleveland (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 120.833; Cleveland 128.926
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 8; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 5 1/2; 201 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-5 1/2); Under

Game 703-704: Phoenix at Charlotte (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 115.266; Charlotte 114.163
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 207
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 705-706: Utah at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 112.024; Miami 115.175
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 3; 191
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 707-708: Dallas at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 122.663; Detroit 112.670
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 10; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 6 1/2; 203 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-6 1/2); Over

Game 709-710: Orlando at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 116.407; Boston 116.894
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 209
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 4; 200 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (+4); Over

Game 711-712: Brooklyn at Toronto (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 114.918; Toronto 128.767
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 14; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 9; 198
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-9); Under

Game 713-714: Memphis at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 120.696; San Antonio 127.976
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 7 1/2; 206
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 715-716: Milwaukee at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 114.266; Portland 126.259
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 12; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 9 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-9 1/2); Under

Game 717-718: Houston at Denver (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 122.522; Denver 121.837
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 1; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 3 1/2; 206 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+3 1/2); Over

Game 719-720: Indiana at LA Clippers (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 114.868; LA Clippers 128.288
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 13 1/2; 196
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 11; 202
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (-11); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet

December 17, 2014

Hawks at Cavaliers – 7:05 PM EST

Atlanta begins a rough three-game road trip that continues through Houston and Dallas this weekend. The first stop though is in Cleveland, as the Hawks looking to avenge a 127-94 rout at the hands of the Cavs last month, as Atlanta yielded 71 first half points. Mike Budenholtzer’s club is on fire with 10 wins in their past 11 games, with the only loss coming at the buzzer this past weekend at Orlando. Since getting trounced at Cleveland, the Hawks have won four of their previous five contests away from Philips Arena to sit one game behind Washington in the Southeast Division.

The Cavaliers jumped out to a 21-0 advantage over the Hornets on Monday night, but ultimately failed to cover as 10 ½-point favorites in a 97-88 win. Cleveland snapped a two-game skid following road losses at Oklahoma City and New Orleans, as David Blatt’s team has won six consecutive games at Quicken Loans Arena. In the past three home victories, the Cavs have failed to cover, while posting a 2-6 ATS record over in the last eight contests.

Grizzlies at Spurs – 8:35 PM EST

Memphis just can’t figure out San Antonio, dropping nine consecutive meetings with the defending champions, as the Grizzlies head to the Lone Star State with no rest following Tuesday’s victory over Golden State. The Grizzlies own an impressive 4-0 ATS record in the underdog role this season, which includes outright victories at Phoenix and Portland. In spite of low totals, Memphis has taken advantage by going ‘over’ in five of the past seven games, which includes two overtime contests.

The Spurs own a 6-1 record this season off a loss, coming off Monday’s 108-95 setback at Portland. However, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili all sat out for San Antonio, who has alternated wins and losses in each of its past six games. Gregg Popovich’s club has sailed ‘over’ the total in six of the last seven contests, while San Antonio will be listed as a single-digit home favorite for the first time since November 8 against New Orleans, a span of seven games.

Bucks at Blazers – 10:05 PM EST

Milwaukee has plenty of strides from a 15-win season last year by posting a 13-12 record through 25 games. However, the Bucks were dealt a serious blow in Monday’s buzzer-beating win at Phoenix as top pick Jabari Parker tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season. Jason Kidd’s team continues a four-game West Coast swing tonight, as the Bucks own a solid 9-5 ATS on the highway this season, but Milwaukee have allowed at least 100 points in six of the past eight games.

Portland knocked off a short-handed San Antonio team on Monday night, 108-95 as 8 ½-point home favorites to pick up its 19th victory of the season. The Blazers have won 10 of their last 11 contests at the Moda Center since getting tripped up by the Warriors in early November, but Terry Stotts’ team has stumbled to a 3-6-1 ATS record in the past 10 games overall. Milwaukee has actually played well at Portland the last three visits, covering all three times, including as 12 ½-point underdogs last season in a 120-115 overtime setback.

Rockets at Nuggets – 10:35 PM EST

These two teams are meeting for the second time in less than a week, as Houston erased an early 14-point deficit to cruise past Denver, 108-96 as 6 ½-point favorites. Dwight Howard returned from an 11-game absence to score 26 points and pull down 13 rebounds, as the home team has now won each of the past six matchups in the series. In 23 games this season, the Rockets have held 17 opponents to below 100 points in regulation, while Kevin McHale’s club has put together a terrific 9-2 SU and 6-5 ATS record on the highway.

Denver’s 7-1 stretch to close out November seems like a distant memory, as the Nuggets have reverted back to their early-season ways with a current 1-6 run. The most recent setback came in Sunday’s 99-91 home defeat to the Spurs as five-point underdogs, while scoring 91 points or less in four of the past six games. The Nuggets have won four straight home meetings with the Rockets, including a 123-116 underdog win last April, but Howard sat out due to injury for Houston.

Pacers at Clippers – 10:35 PM EST

Indiana heads out to the West Coast for the second time this month, as the Pacers look to build off Monday’s 110-91 blowout of the Lakers as five-point favorites. The Pacers jumped out to a 26-4 lead and never looked back, as Indiana gets a crack at the other L.A. team tonight, going for revenge. The last time these teams saw each other last Wednesday night in Indianapolis, the Clippers barely cashed as 6 ½-point favorites in a 103-96 victory. Since David West returned to the Indiana lineup, the Pacers have stumbled to a 2-8 SU and 4-6 ATS record.

The Clippers bounced back from a high-scoring loss at Milwaukee to drub Detroit on Monday night, 113-91 for their fifth straight home victory. Since starting the season at 0-7 ATS, Doc Rivers’ club is 11-6 ATS the past 17 games, including a 5-2 ATS mark at Staples Center in this span. Los Angeles has taken care of its business against the Eastern Conference with a 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS record, including five victories by double-digits.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Some NFL trends to ponder, with Week 16 upon us........

-- Jacksonville covered six of its last 23 home games.

-- Bears are 2-10 in last 12 games as a divisional underdog.

-- Giants covered six of last 19 road games.

-- Redskins covered two of their last ten home games.

-- Houston covered five of last sixteen home games.

-- 49ers covered once in their last eight home games.

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Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Our Bottom 5, top 8 in the NFL

32) Redskins—Jay Gruden was an Arena League head coach for a long time but the media involvement aspect of being an NFL head coach seems to be hampering his program. Memo to coach Gruden: This isn’t the AFL; millions of people read what you say. Try not to bash your QB every single day.

31) Bears—Jay Cutler has the worst body language of any QB I’ve ever seen; he is this generation’s Jeff George. Problem #2 is, he makes $100M+ and everyone knows it’s a bum contract. Problem #1 is the offensive coordinator said so publicly. Now he is sitting behind Jimmy Clausen this week. Jimmy freakin' Clausen.

30) Raiders—Would they really move to San Antonio? In the early 90’s, there used to be a World League team called the San Antonio Riders; I think Nebraska coach Mike Riley coached that team. It would be bizarre if the Raiders moved to Texas.

29) Jaguars—Tom Coughlin will get in the Hall of Fame someday; his best work was getting the Jags into the playoffs in their second year of existence. Seems like a long time ago now, for both parties.

28) Titans—Doing a good job of playing the Washington Generals-type role and losing every game down the stretch so they get the #1 pick in the draft, which is the best way for them to get better, long-term.

8) Cardinals— Ten weeks ago, Ryan Lindley wasn’t in the NFL; now he’s starting QB for the NFC’s #1 seed. No pressure there.

7) Steelers—Win two more home games and they win the AFC North; problem is, they’ve lost to the sub-.500 Bucs/Saints at home.

6) Cowboys—They should let Murray sit this week, to rest his hand and to lessen his workload, seeing as he is on pace for 401 carries this season. Tony Romo has been a warrior this year, for sure.

5) Colts—Offense gave up three TDs in last two games; am little concerned about them going forward. Interesting game with Dallas this week.

4) Broncos—I get the feeling this could be it for Peyton Manning; not really sure why, but could see him bowing out and eventually becoming part of an ownership group of an NFL team.

3) Seahawks—Playing really good defense, but unless they beat Arizona this week, they’ll have to go on road the first week of the playoffs, which is always dicey.

2) Packers—They’re #1 on this list when playing at home, much lower when on road, not in top 10 on artificial turf. Seattle’s field has artificial turf; they don’t want to go there in January.

1) Patriots—Did you see the Alex Sandler movie where Rex Ryan plays a guy who is a huge Patriot fan, with a Belichick bobblehead on his desk and a Brady poster on the wall? If you didn’t know who Ryan was, you’d never know he wasn’t an actor. He could be very, very good on TV, if he chooses that route.

[StarDust Bum]

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities

Lookahead spot

The Toronto Raptors aren’t home for the holidays this season, kicking off a six-game road trip that extends into the New Year in Chicago Monday. The Raptors play the Bulls, then have some time off for Christmas before picking back up in L.A. on December 27. But before Toronto escapes the cold Canadian winter for stops in Los Angeles, Denver, Portland, Golden State and Phoenix, it hosts the New York Knicks at the Air Canada Centre this Sunday.

It’s a tough spot for the Dinos, who not only look ahead to Monday’s date in the Windy City, but will undoubtedly have plenty of players trying to organize their holiday plays before this home game. Toronto plays in Detroit Friday then has a day off before Sunday’s contest against the Knicks – not a lot of time to fit in family and basketball.

Letdown spot

You’ve done it. You’ve made the grade and been rewarded with a nice year-end bonus and a bowl game. The UTEP Miners are enjoying this warm fuzzy feeling for the first time since 2010, snapping a five-year bowl drought with a spot in the New Mexico Bowl against Utah State on Dec. 20 – the opening weekend of college football’s bowl season.

The Miners are 10-point underdogs – one of three double-digit bowl dogs – and for good reason. Texas El Paso, which scrapes in bowl season on a 7-5 SU record (9-3 ATS), is 1-5 SU away from home and went 3-3 ATS on the road, compared to a perfect 6-0 ATS mark at home. The Miners punched their ticket to the postseason with a thrilling 3-point victory over Middle Tennessee in the season finale and may be just happy to finally be bowling come Saturday.

Schedule spot

The St. Mary’s Gaels are putting some miles on their frequent flyer card this month. The Gaels just returned from Omaha, Nebraska with an OT win over Creighton and host Northern Arizona in Moraga Tuesday before jumping on other plane, crossing the country for a showdown with the St. John’s Red Storm in New York City Friday.

St. Mary’s is scheduled to play the Johnnies at Carnesecca Arena for a 7 p.m. ET start – 4 p.m. back home in California. The Gaels have played outside of the Golden State just once this season – at Creighton – and only went as far East as Minnesota last season, losing to the Golden Gophers in the NIT. It's been a very long time since St. Mary's made a trip this far away from home. The Red Storm are one of the hottest teams in college hoops and will have a heavy home-court edge Friday.

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NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 18

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NEW YORK (5 - 22) at CHICAGO (15 - 9) - 12/18/2014, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 6-3 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (12 - 12) at HOUSTON (19 - 5) - 12/18/2014, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 5-2 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 6-2 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MILWAUKEE (13 - 13) at SACRAMENTO (11 - 14) - 12/18/2014, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 2-2 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 2-2 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (12 - 13) at GOLDEN STATE (21 - 3) - 12/18/2014, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) first half of the season this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 309-254 ATS (+29.6 Units) in all games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 108-78 ATS (+22.2 Units) first half of the season since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) against Pacific division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 126-86 ATS (+31.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-2 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-3 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 18

Hot Teams
-- Bulls won six of their last nine home games (3-5 HF).
-- Rockets won ten of their last twelve games (5-4 HF).
-- Bucks covered nine of their last twelve games (8-4 AU).
-- Oklahoma City won last seven games, covered last five (2-8-1 AF). Warriors won 16 of their last 17 games (5-3 HF).

Cold Teams
-- Knicks lost 12 of last 13 games (4-3 last seven AU).
-- Pelicans lost five of last six road games (4-6 AU).
-- Sacramento lost nine of its last eleven games (3-4 HF).

Series Records
-- Knicks lost ten of last thirteen games with Chicago.
-- Rockets won seven of last nine games with New Orleans.
-- Kings won four of last six games with Milwaukee.
-- Thunder won eight of last eleven games with Golden State.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Chicago home games went over.
-- 11 of 12 Houston home games stayed under. Last five Pelican games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Milwaukee road games went over.
-- Nine of last eleven Oklahoma City games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
-- Rockets are 5-1 if they played the night before.
-- Milwaukee is 4-4 if it played the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 86-43 ATS: West 72-57
East teams HF vs West: 15-21
East teams HU vs West: 16-21
West teams HF vs East: 23-24
West teams HU vs East: 7-2




NBA

Thursday, December 18

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. CHICAGO
New York is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Chicago
New York is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games at home
Chicago is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games at home

8:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. HOUSTON
New Orleans is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
New Orleans is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Houston's last 25 games
Houston is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New Orleans

10:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. SACRAMENTO
Milwaukee is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Sacramento
Milwaukee is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Sacramento is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home

10:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Oklahoma City's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, December 18

New York at Chicago, 8:05 ET
New York: N/A
Chicago: N/A

New Orleans at Houston, 8:35 ET
New Orleans: N/A
Houston: N/A

Milwaukee at Sacramento, 10:05 ET
Milwaukee: N/A
Sacramento: N/A

Oklahoma City at Golden State, 10:35 ET
Oklahoma City: 13-4 ATS after 1 or more consecutive unders
Golden State: 14-27 ATS after having won 4 of their last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, December 18


Road teams cash tickets with ease Wednesday night

Road teams did a great job for cashing tickets for bettors on Wednesday night, going 8-2 against the spread.

Road favorites went 3-0 ATS, while road underdogs went 5-2 ATS. Road favorites have been the best bet in this season cashing over 56 percent of the time.


Kings' C DeMarcus Cousins, probable Thursday

Cousins has been out with viral meningitis but will likely return Thursday against the Bucks.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Thursday

December 18, 2014


As of this past Monday, oddsmakers at Sportsbook.ag had Oklahoma City listed as a 5/1 betting choice (Bet $100 to win $500) to win the Western Conference Finals this season, behind San Antonio (5/2) and Golden State (3/1).

The odds seem fair because everybody knows you shouldn’t dismiss the Spurs ever and the Warriors have been playing great basketball. However, I expect OKC to take over the top choice by January, if not sooner.

The Thunder are finally healthy and the two-headed monster of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant look unstoppable. OKC has won seven straight games and are 7-1 since Durant returned to the lineup. The Thunder have gone 5-3 against the spread during this run, which includes five straight covers.

On Tuesday, the Thunder ran past the short-handed Kings 104-92 as eight-point road favorites and OKC head coach Scott Brooks didn’t show any mercy after the victory. "This is an I-don't-feel-sorry-for-you league," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "When we had guys hurt, I didn't get a lot of text messages, 'Hey, hang in there,' from the other 29 coaches in the league."

I don’t want to read into Brooks’ comments, but they are refreshing and perhaps he realizes that the window is closing in OKC, which creates a good sense of urgency.

Tuesday’s win pushed Oklahoma City to 12-13 SU and 15-10 ATS.

The Thunder have gone 5-8 both SU and ATS on the road but that includes a 1-7 record without the league’s Most Valuable Player (Durant).

On Thursday, OKC will face a much stiffer road test when it meets Golden State (21-3 SU, 16-8 ATS) from Oracle Arena. Under first-year head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors have turned heads this season and own the best record in the NBA.

Golden State had its franchise best 16-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday when it lost at Memphis 105-98 as three-point road underdogs. This game was all but over in the 2nd quarter as the Grizzlies opened with a 20-0 run behind a barrage of 3-pointers from Vince Carter.

During their winning streak, the Warriors helped bettors with an 11-5 record versus the number.

These teams met on Nov. 23 in Oklahoma City and Golden State earned a 91-86 win as an eight-point road favorite. Westbrook and Durant sat out for the Thunder in the loss.

Tight games have become a common theme in this series. Last season, Oklahoma City took two of three during the regular season and Golden State’s lone win (116-115) came on a buzzer beater from Andre Iguodala at home. The two wins by OKC at home came by a combined seven points.

Oddsmakers opened Golden State as a 3 ½-point favorite for Thursday’s matchup.

At home this season, the Warriors have gone 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS. The one loss came on Nov. 11 to San Antonio (113-100) and coincidentally that setback came after Golden State lost on the road at Phoenix (95-107). Déjà vu a month later?

The total for this game opened at 209 and bettors should be aware that both Golden State (15-9) and Oklahoma City (19-6) have been great ‘under’ leans this season.

Tip-off for this game is slated for 10:35 p.m. ET with TNT providing national coverage.

There are three other games slated for Thursday and none of them had overnight numbers posted due to key injuries, which could have you shying away.

Here’s my quick handicap.

New York (5-22 SU, 10-17 ATS) at Chicago (15-9 SU, 11-13 ATS)

I wouldn’t invest any money on New York right now but it has been somewhat respectable versus the number (6-7 ATS) on the road. What’s impressive about Chicago is that it’s played better on the road (11-4 SU, 8-7 ATS) than at home (4-5 SU, 3-6 ATS). The ‘over’ could be a good look considering the home-away tendencies for both teams. Chicago has seen the ‘over’ go 7-2 at the United Center while New York is 9-4 to the ‘over’ on the road. The Bulls hammered the Knicks 104-80 on opening night as 4 ½-point road favorites and most bettors saw the total (184) push. This game will lead the TNT double-header with an 8:05 p.m. ET start. The Bulls opened as 11-point home favorites with a total of 192.

New Orleans (12-12 SU, 13-11 ATS) at Houston (19-5 SU, 14-10 ATS)

Kevin McHale has done a great job with this Rockets team and he should be mentioned in Coach of the Year talks. The Rockets are coming off a 115-111 overtime win at the Nuggets last night as three-point road favorites. Houston has been a solid bet at home (9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS) this season while New Orleans has struggled on the road (4-9 SU, 6-7 ATS). Delving into those road numbers further, you notice that the Pelicans did beat the Spurs in early November but the other three wins came against inferior opponents (Kings, Jazz, Lakers), which tells you that they struggle when stepping up in class. For those of you expecting fatigue for Houston, be careful. The Rockets are 5-1 both SU and ATS when playing on zero days rest this season. Houston won three of the four encounters between the pair last season but New Orleans posted a 3-0-1 ATS mark. The Rockets have been installed as five-point home favorites.

Milwaukee (13-13 SU, 18-8 ATS) at Sacramento (11-14 SU, 13-11 ATS)

Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins (illness) is expected to return tonight after missing 10 games. The Kings went 2-8 SU and 3-7 ATS during his absence and they also fired head coach Mike Malone. Prior to Cousins going down, the Kings were a respectable 9-6 SU and 10-5 ATS. Last season, Sacramento routed Milwaukee twice (116-102, 124-107) but this is a different Bucks squad. Losing rookie Jabari Parker (knee) for the season doesn’t help Milwaukee, who has been the top ATS team in the Association this season. Sacramento opened as a five-point home favorite with a total of 203.

TNT Trend

As mentioned in last week’s Inside the Paint installment, the ‘under’ was on an 11-1 run in nationally televised games aired on TNT.

Last Thursday, we saw a rare ‘over’ ticket but those following the Rockets-Kings outcome are well aware that overtime helped them immensely.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, December 19

Hot Teams
-- Celtics won/covered six of their last eight games (4-3 HF).
-- Toronto won last four games, covered four of last five (9-6 HF).
-- Wizards won nine of last ten games (4-2 AF).
-- Chicago won four of its last five games (2-3 AU). Memphis won its last six games (5-2 last seven HF).
-- Portland won eight of last ten games (2-1 AU).
-- Clippers won 11 of their last 13 games (4-8-1 HF).
-- Oklahoma City won seven of last eight games, but Durant sprained an ankle last night, is doubtful here. Lakers won three of their last four games (5-7 H).

Cold Teams
-- Orlando lost four of last five games, covered five of last seven (1-0 HF). Utah lost 14 of last 16 games, covered four of last five (7-6 AU).
-- Hornets lost last four games (3-6 F, 0-1 AF). 76ers also lost their last four games (5-1 last six HU).
-- Minnesota lost nine of last ten games (1-7 last eight AU).
-- Pistons lost 15 of their last 17 games (5-3 last eight AU).
-- Nets lost five of their last seven games (5-6 AU). Cleveland lost three of its last four games (3-6 last nine HF).
-- Miami lost its last four home games (0-3 HU).
-- Spurs lost three of last four games (4-7 HF).
-- Nuggets lost seven of last eight games (2-3 HU).

Series Records
-- Jazz won seven of last eight games with Orlando.
-- 76ers lost three of last four games with Charlotte.
-- Celtics won nine of last eleven games with Minnesota.
-- Raptors won four of last six games with Detroit.
-- Cavaliers won last two games with Brooklyn, after losing previous six games with the Nets.
-- Home side won last six Miami-Washington games.
-- Grizzlies won four of last five games with Chicago.
-- Spurs won six of last eight games with Portland.
-- Clippers lost four of last six games with Denver.
-- Lakers lost eight of last ten games with Oklahoma City.

Totals
-- 10 of last 14 Orlando games stayed under total.
-- Five of last six Charlotte road games stayed under.
-- Five of last seven Minnesota road games went over.
-- Over is 7-2-1 in Toronto road games LY.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in Cleveland's last six home games; six of Nets' last eight games stayed under. .
-- Five of last six Miami home games went over.
-- Seven of last ten Chicago road games stayed under. Seven of last eight Memphis games went over.
-- Last four San Antonio home games went over.
-- Four of last five Denver home games stayed under.
-- Six of last seven Laker games stayed under the total.

Back-to-Backs
-- Bulls are 2-4 vs spread if they played night before.
-- Oklahoma City is 3-1-1 if it played the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 86-44 ATS: West 72-58
East teams HF vs West: 15-21
East teams HU vs West: 16-21
West teams HF vs East: 23-25
West teams HU vs East: 7-2

[StarDust Bum]

NBA


Friday, December 19

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Charlotte is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 6 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing Charlotte
Philadelphia is 2-22 SU in its last 24 games

7:00 PM
UTAH vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 6 games on the road
Utah is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Orlando's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Orlando's last 9 games at home

7:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 11 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing Minnesota
Boston is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing Minnesota

7:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. MIAMI
Washington is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games on the road
Miami is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing Washington

7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Toronto is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games at home
Detroit is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto

7:30 PM
BROOKLYN vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Brooklyn's last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Brooklyn
Cleveland is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games

8:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. SAN ANTONIO
Portland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Portland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
San Antonio is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Portland
San Antonio is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. MEMPHIS
Chicago is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Memphis's last 19 games at home
Memphis is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games at home

9:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. DENVER
LA Clippers are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games on the road
LA Clippers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing Denver
Denver is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Denver's last 9 games

10:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. LA LAKERS
Oklahoma City is 2-4-1 ATS in their last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
LA Lakers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games
LA Lakers are 3-14 SU in their last 17 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, December 19

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UTAH (7 - 19) at ORLANDO (10 - 18) - 12/19/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 23-37 ATS (-17.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 8-21 ATS (-15.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 31-53 ATS (-27.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 33-49 ATS (-20.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 3-2 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 4-1 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHARLOTTE (6 - 19) at PHILADELPHIA (2 - 22) - 12/19/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 17-36 ATS (-22.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 36-59 ATS (-28.9 Units) in home games in December games since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-36 ATS (-15.6 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 25-38 ATS (-16.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-4 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 4-4 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (5 - 19) at BOSTON (9 - 14) - 12/19/2014, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 2-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 2-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (20 - 6) at DETROIT (5 - 21) - 12/19/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 64-48 ATS (+11.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games against Central division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in all games this season.
DETROIT is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in home games this season.
DETROIT is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) first half of the season this season.
DETROIT is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
DETROIT is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-1 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-2 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BROOKLYN (10 - 14) at CLEVELAND (14 - 10) - 12/19/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in December games over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 4-4 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 5-3 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (18 - 6) at MIAMI (12 - 14) - 12/19/2014, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 5-5 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 6-4 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (16 - 9) at MEMPHIS (21 - 4) - 12/19/2014, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 3-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 3-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (20 - 6) at SAN ANTONIO (17 - 9) - 12/19/2014, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 7-6 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 7-6 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
8 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (18 - 7) at DENVER (10 - 15) - 12/19/2014, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-3 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-3 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (12 - 14) at LA LAKERS (8 - 17) - 12/19/2014, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 309-255 ATS (+28.5 Units) in all games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 108-79 ATS (+21.1 Units) first half of the season since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 64-42 ATS (+17.8 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 131-172 ATS (-58.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 4-4 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-2 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Portland at San Antonio
The Spurs (8-3 SU at home) play host tonight to a Portland team that is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 road games versus a team with a winning home record. San Antonio is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by 7. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-4). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19

Game 801-802: Utah at Orlando (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 113.409; Orlando 120.072
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 6 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 3; 192
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-3); Over

Game 803-804: Charlotte at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 114.174; Philadelphia 106.675
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 7 1/2; 188
Vegas Line & Total: Charlotte by 4 1/2; 194
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (-4 1/2); Under

Game 805-806: Minnesota at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 112.097; Boston 115.229
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 3; 217
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 6; 211 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+6); Over

Game 807-808: Toronto at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 127.583; Detroit 115.669
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 12; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 7 1/2; 199 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-7 1/2); Under

Game 809-810: Brooklyn at Cleveland (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 114.103; Cleveland 122.984
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 9; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 12; 197 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn (+12); Over

Game 811-812: Washington at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 120.353; Miami 118.169
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 2; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 5; 191
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+5); Under

Game 813-814: Chicago at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 120.360; Memphis 129.324
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 9; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 6 1/2; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-6 1/2); Over

Game 815-816: Portland at San Antonio (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 121.360; San Antonio 128.348
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 7; 191
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 4; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-4); Under

Game 817-818: LA Clippers at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 124.847; Denver 117.505
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 7 1/2; 220
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 4; 214 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (-4); Over

Game 819-820: Oklahoma City at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 121.695; LA Lakers 117.066
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 4 1/2; 206
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 7 1/2; 210
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+7 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Friday, December 19

Utah at Orlando, 7:05 ET
Utah: 12-0 ATS in road games after 2 or more consecutive overs
Orlando: 8-21 ATS as a favorite

Charlotte at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Charlotte: 5-17 ATS in road games after having lost 4 of their last 5 games
Philadelphia: 42-27 OVER in home games after 1 or more consecutive losses

Minnesota at Boston, 7:35 ET
Minnesota: N/A
Boston: N/A

Toronto at Detroit, 7:35 ET
Toronto: 15-5 ATS in road games against Central division opponents
Detroit: 3-11 ATS in home games

Brooklyn at Cleveland, 7:35 ET
Brooklyn: 16-6 ATS after a blowout loss by 15 points or more
Cleveland: 1-8 ATS after one or more consecutive

Washington at Miami, 7:35 ET
Washington: N/A
Miami: N/A

Chicago at Memphis, 8:05 ET
Chicago: N/A
Memphis: N/A

Portland at San Antonio, 8:05 ET
Portlando: N/A
San Antonio: N/A

LA Clippers at Denver, 9:05 ET
Los Angeles: N/A
Denver: N/A

Oklahoma City at LA Lakers, 10:35 ET
Oklahoma City: 80-53 ATS after playing 2 consecutive road games
Los Angeles: 10-22 ATS after covering 2 of their last 3 against the spread

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, December 19


Derrick Rose, Chicago - Ques Fri

Rose missed Thursday's game due to an illness. He remains questionable for Friday's game against the Grizzlies.


Carmelo Anthony, New York - Ques Sat

Anthony missed Thurday's game against the Bulls due to soreness in his knee. He is questionable for Saturday's game against the Suns.


Nets lack of offense make them strong under play

In their past 17 games, the Brooklyn Nets have an over/under record of 3-14. The Nets have averaged a mere 92.3 points per game during that span and only hit triple digits twice.

Brooklyn travels to Cleveland Friday.


Bulls weak spread play without a days rest

The Chicago Bulls have played seven games this season without a days rest, in those games the team is 3-4 straight up and 2-5 against the spread.

Chicago has been outscored by an average of 2.7 points in those games, but have an average spread of -1.5.

The Bulls travel to Memphis Friday.


Over heating up on the hardwood recently

NBA games have an over/under record of 10-3-1 since Wednesday nights action. In those 14 games, teams have combined for an average of 210 points per game.

So far this season, NBA games have an overall 185-163 O/U record, meaning that the over has been cashing out 53 percent of the time.

There are 10 games on the slate in NBA action on Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, December 19

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Game of the Day: Trail Blazers at Spurs
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Portland Trail Blazers at San Antonio Spurs (OTB)

The San Antonio Spurs will try to bounce back after an exhausting loss when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. The Spurs dropped a 117-116 triple-overtime decision to Memphis on Wednesday and now play their third game in a stretch of 11 straight against teams with non-losing records. Portland, winners of three straight, is in the midst of a tough stretch of its own, going 5-2 so far during a stretch of playing nine of 11 games on the road.

With Tony Parker (hamstring) and Kawhi Leonard (hand) unlikely to play against Portland due to injuries, the Spurs will be a tired bunch, as four players played more than 40 minutes against Memphis, including 48 by Tim Duncan. “I don’t think I’ve ever played three overtimes,” Danny Green told the San Antonio Express-News. "It’s going to take a while for us to recover from this, but we’ve bounced back from tougher situations.” San Antonio will also need to find an answer for Damian Lillard, who is averaging 25.9 points in eight career games versus San Antonio and torched the Spurs on Monday for 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 108-95 victory.

LINE HISTORY: As of 8 AM EST, the line is currently off the board with injuries surrounding both teams

INJURY REPORT: Trail Blazers - F Nicolas Batum (Ques-Undisclosed) Spurs - F Kawhi Leonard (Ques-Hand), G Manu Ginobili (Ques-Back)

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (20-6 SU, 14-11-1 ATS, 10-16 O/U): Beginning with this game, Portland starts a four-game road trip in five days that concludes Tuesday at Oklahoma City. Thomas Robinson, who replaced injured center Robin Lopez (9.6 points, 7.2 rebounds), who is out six weeks with a fractured hand, had 15 points and 16 rebounds in his first career start as the Trail Blazers topped Milwaukee, 104-97 on Wednesday. LaMarcus Aldridge has three consecutive double-doubles and 14 for the season - fifth most in the NBA - and the 6-11 forward has added a 3-pointer to his arsenal, connecting on 14-of–27.

ABOUT THE SPURS (17-9 SU, 12-14 ATS, 13-13 O/U): Green drained a season-high seven 3-pointers in 13 attempts in 52 minutes against Memphis and was limping noticeably late in the game. Duncan had 23 points and 10 rebounds but missed 10-of-15 free throws and played more than 40 minutes for the second time in a week after playing 40 minutes once all of last season. It doesn't get any easier after this one, as San Antonio goes to Dallas before returning home to play the Clippers and Oklahoma City.

TRENDS:

*Trail Blazers are 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
*Home team is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
*Over is 7-1 in Spurs last 8 overall.
*Under is 5-0 in Trail Blazers last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.