Thursday's NBA and NCAAB Trends and Indexes - 12/25

[Udog]

Merry Christmas, everybody!! I hope you and yours have great day!!

[Udog]

Trends and Indexes

Thursday, December 25

Good Luck on day #359 of 2014!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.
Any opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the posting member or BettorsChat.

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Matchup Links

NBA Matchups

NBA Hot and Not

NBA Injuries

NBA Referees


NCAAB Matchups

NCAAB Hot and Not

NCAAB Injuries




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[Udog]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Six major league hitters who came to bat with the most men on base LY:

6) Evan Longoria 458-- Drove in 15.1% of them, 44.2% from 3rd base.

5) Adrian Gonzalez 461-- Drove in 19.3% of them, 21.6% from 2nd base.

4) Ian Desmond 462-- Drove in 14.5% of them, only 36.4% from 3rd base.

3) Ryan Howard 471-- Drover in 15.3% of them, only 34.3% from third.

2) Justin Upton 474-- Drove in 9% of runners from first, a high number.

1) Casey McGehee 481-- Drove in 15.0% of them; he batted behind Stanton.


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Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Merry Christmas, everyone........

13) First of all, word of thanks to the staff at Veterans' Hospital in Albany, where my dad was for the last nine days. He is home now; the hospital staff was just so nice and helpful-- they have a difficult job and they do their best to do it well.

12) Western Kentucky 49, Central Michigan 48-- Hilltoppers led 49-14 after third quarter, wound up stopping Chippewas on a 2-point play after time expired to get its first-ever bowl win. CMU scored on a 75-yard play on the last play of regulation, on a combination Hail Mary/Music City Miracle, one of the greatest bowl plays ever.

11) While I'm here, if you're Central Michigan, it is really foolish to go for two and the win when you're the only game on TV; how much is TV exposure worth? You go to OT and get as much national TV exposure as humanly possible, right? Wouldn't it be more beneficial over the long haul to have more recruits see you play?

10) Rice 30, Fresno State 6-- This game was awful; luckily, there was a Law and Order marathon on TV to amuse me, on one of the worst TV nights of the year. Guy who coaches Rice seems like a friendly human-- he did good job after Owls lost their last regular season game 76-31 to Louisiana Tech.

Someone remind me why Fresno fired Pat Hill; they've regressed since he left.

9) A former walk-on player at Rice became a real estate magnate and recently gave the school $20M to refurbish the end zone in Rice Stadium, where a Super Bowl was once played in the 70's. The amount of fund raising that goes on at colleges is really staggering; you see a field or a court named after someone, you can assume the school cashed a huge check from that person's family/friends.

8) Do that many people go to the movies on Christmas? Why?

7) Houston Rockets signed Josh Smith, are trying to get something, anything for one of its spare perimeter players to make room for him. This is just me, but if Stan Van Gundy disliked Smith's game so much he ate $26M to get rid of him, then I would not be real anxious to sign the guy.

6) So the Pirates' $5M bid was enough to win bidding rights with Korean shortstop Jung-Ho Kang? What is this world coming to? Kang hit .356 LY in a league said to be about the same as AA minor league level. He is 27 and is supposed to be a pretty good hitter, though he may not be a major league-level shortstop defensively.

5) Stores around here are opening at either 6am or 7am Friday; are there people who will get up at 5:30am just to get to Penney's to shop, the day after Christmas? Have to feel bad for people who work retail; the hours around the holidays suck.

4) Very bad news for the Cleveland Cavaliers, losing Anderson Varejao for season with a torn achilles; he gave the Cavs a lot of positive energy. .

3) Average baseball salary this past season was $3,886,212, up over 12% from LY. Looks like the average salary next year will get over $4M for the first time.

2) There are now bowl games in Boca Raton and the Bahamas; how soon before there is a bowl game in Cuba?

1) Merry Christmas, everyone; enjoy your family and friends. There is no guarantee how long any of us will be here, we need to make the most of each day.

[Udog]

NCAAB
Dunkel

George Washington vs. Wichita State
The final of the Diamond Head Classic pits Wichita State against a George Washington team that is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 December games. George Washington is the pick (+6) according to Dunkel, which has the Shockers favored by only 3. Dunkel Pick: George Washington (+6). Here are all of today's NCAA Basketball picks.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25

Game 511-512: DePaul vs. Loyola Marymount (1:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: DePaul 50.603; Loyola Marymount 51.230
Dunkel Line: Loyola Marymount by 1
Vegas Line: DePaul by 2
Dunkel Pick: Loyola Marymount (+2)

Game 513-514: Ohio vs. Nebraska (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio 51.665; Nebraska 59.976
Dunkel Line: Nebraska by 8 1/2
Vegas Line: Nebraska by 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Nebraska (-5 1/2)

Game 515-516: Colorado vs. Hawaii (6:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Colorado 62.050; Hawaii 56.269
Dunkel Line: Colorado by 6
Vegas Line: Colorado by 3 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Colorado (-3 1/2)

Game 517-518: George Washington vs. Wichita State (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: George Washington 65.299; Wichita State 68.410
Dunkel Line: Wichita State by 3
Vegas Line: Wichita State by 6
Dunkel Pick: George Washington (+6)




NCAAB
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 25

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DEPAUL (6 - 6) vs. LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT (3 - 8) - 12/25/2014, 1:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DEPAUL is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 3 seasons.
DEPAUL is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 3 seasons.
DEPAUL is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 206-253 ATS (-72.3 Units) in all games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 206-253 ATS (-72.3 Units) in all lined games since 1997.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 81-114 ATS (-44.4 Units) after a non-conference game since 1997.
LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT is 49-71 ATS (-29.1 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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OHIO U (4 - 5) vs. NEBRASKA (7 - 4) - 12/25/2014, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OHIO U is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
NEBRASKA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in all games this season.
NEBRASKA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in all lined games this season.
NEBRASKA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
NEBRASKA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
NEBRASKA is 1-7 ATS (-6.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
NEBRASKA is 64-92 ATS (-37.2 Units) after allowing 60 points or less since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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COLORADO (7 - 4) at HAWAII (9 - 4) - 12/25/2014, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after scoring 60 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
HAWAII is 14-31 ATS (-20.1 Units) in home games after allowing 80 points or more since 1997.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON (8 - 3) vs. WICHITA ST (10 - 1) - 12/25/2014, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GEORGE WASHINGTON is 64-89 ATS (-33.9 Units) in non-conference games since 1997.
WICHITA ST is 30-11 ATS (+17.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 30-11 ATS (+17.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 28-11 ATS (+15.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in all neutral court games over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing on a neutral court over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) after scoring 80 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) in all tournament games over the last 3 seasons.
WICHITA ST is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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NCAAB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 25

These eight teams had yesterday off, after playing Monday-Tuesday.

DePaul lost last five games after 6-1 start; they've played #296 schedule; Blue Demons allowed 90.3 ppg in last three games, losing to Ohio U by 21 Tuesday (Bobcats shot 70% inside arc!!!). LMU's Dunlap coached in NBA but doesn't have good enough players yet here; Lions lost in OT to Nebraska Tuesday-- they've lost last six games and are turning ball over 23.5% of the time.

Nebraska lost three of last five games, with both wins in OT; Huskers are turning ball over 22% of time, shooting 31.1% from arc- their last couple losses were to teams ranked outside top 150. Ohio U is 4-5 against #306 schedule; Bobcats lost by 12-28 points in their two top 100 games, but 81-69 loss at Evansville was in OT. Ohio is 0-5 vs teams in top 100; best team they've beaten is #201 DePaul.

Hawai'i played hearts out but lost to Wichita in OT Tuesday; Warriors won five of last seven games, are 2-2 in top 100 games, beating Pitt by 4, Nebraska by 8. Colorado scored 60 or less points in its four losses, 65+ in its seven wins; Buffaloes were outscored 13-5 over last 6:09 in loss to GW Tuesday, losing by 3; they were 1-12 from arc in that game. Hawai'i lost to Wichita despite making 10-23 from the arc.

George Washington won five of its last six games; they're 1-3 vs teams in top 100, scoring 49 ppg in losses by 17-4-13 points. Wichita State won last six games, winning by point in OT in true road game Tuesday; they force turnovers 23.8% of time, playing #326 pace vs #58 schedule. State's only loss was at Utah in OT. Wichita hammered Saint Louis of A-14 by 29 on Dec 6; they were down hoop in last 1:00 Tuesday, but survived.




NCAAB

Thursday, December 25

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Trend Report
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1:30 PM
DEPAUL vs. LOYOLA MARYMOUNT
No trends available
Loyola Marymount is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

4:00 PM
OHIO vs. NEBRASKA
No trends available
Nebraska is 15-7 SU in its last 22 games

6:30 PM
COLORADO vs. HAWAII
No trends available
Hawaii is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

9:00 PM
GEORGE WASHINGTON vs. WICHITA STATE
No trends available
Wichita State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Wichita State's last 5 games


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[Udog]

NBA
Dunkel

Golden State at LA Clippers
The Warriors (13-3 SU on the road) head to Los Angeles tonight to face a Clippers team that is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 home games versus a team with a winning SU road record. Golden State is the pick (+2 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Warriors favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Golden State (+2 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25

Game 501-502: Washington at New York (12:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 118.164; New York 115.811
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 2 1/2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 6; 192
Dunkel Pick: New York (+6); Over

Game 503-504: Oklahoma City at San Antonio (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 120.444; San Antonio 128.013
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 7 1/2; 214
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 5; No Total
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-5); N/A

Game 505-506: Cleveland at Miami (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 120.641; Miami 112.012
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 8 1/2; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 5 1/2; 196 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-5 1/2); Over

Game 507-508: LA Lakers at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 115.679; Chicago 123.985
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 8 1/2; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 11; 207 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+11); Under

Game 509-510: Golden State at LA Clippers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 123.479; LA Clippers 122.100
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 1 1/2; 222
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 2 1/2; 217 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (+2 1/2); Over




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 25

Hot Teams
-- Cavaliers won four of last five games (2-6 AF).
-- Chicago won seven of its last eight games (4-1 last five HF). Lakers are 4-3 in last seven games (7-3 last ten AU).
-- Warriors split last four games after winning 16 in row (3-0 AU).

Cold Teams
-- Wizards lost last two games, after winning 10 of previous 11 (0-3 last three AF). New York lost 15 of last 16 games, covered seven of their last 11 games (3-6 HU).
-- San Antonio is 3-5 in its last eight games (5-8 HF). Thunder lost three of last four games (0-5-1 last six AU).
-- Miami lost three of last four games (1-3 HU).
-- Clippers lost three of last four games, covered one of last eight (4-9 as HF, 0-3 last three).

Series Records
-- Knicks lost their last four games with Washington.
-- Spurs beat Oklahoma City in 6 games in playoffs LY, winning in OT in Game 6; Thunder lost last three visits here by 17-35-28 points.
-- Miami was 13-1 in 14 games vs (Lebron-less) Cavaliers.
-- Lakers lost last three visits to Chicago by 4-11-2 points.
-- Warriors lost six of last seven games at the Clippers, who beat Golden State in seven games in playoffs LY, losing Game 7 here.

Totals
-- Nine of last eleven Washington games stayed under.
-- Nine of last ten San Antonio games went over. Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Oklahoma City games.
-- Eight of last eleven Miami games stayed under the total.
-- Ten of last fourteen Laker games stayed under total.
-- Last five Golden State games went over the total.

Back-to-Backs
-- None

East vs West
SU: West 91-52 ATS: West 75-68
East teams HF vs West: 19-23
East teams HU vs West: 16-22
West teams HF vs East: 23-30
West teams HU vs East: 7-3




NBA


Thursday, December 25

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Trend Report
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12:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. NEW YORK
Washington is 5-12 SU in its last 17 games when playing New York
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of New York's last 9 games at home
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Washington

2:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. SAN ANTONIO
Oklahoma City is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games at home

5:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Cleveland's last 12 games when playing on the road against Miami
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 9 games at home

8:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of the LA Lakers last 8 games when playing Chicago
LA Lakers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chicago's last 10 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Chicago is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Lakers

10:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. LA CLIPPERS
Golden State is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Golden State is 18-2 SU in its last 20 games
LA Clippers are 5-13 ATS in their last 18 games at home
LA Clippers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games


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NBA

Thursday, December 25


Top ranked defense has Thunder strong under play

The Oklahoma City Thunder has more unders than any other team in the NBA this season with a 9-20 over/under record on the season. The Thunders' defense has only allowed an average of 95.9 points against, which is tops in the league this season.

OKC's offense has been without top offensive stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook for parts of the season, which has their offense averaging a mere 97.1 ppg.


Chris Bosh, Miami - Doub Thurs

Bosh has been sidelined with a calf strain and not expected to return Thursday against the Cavaliers.


Amar’e Stoudemire hoping to play on Christmas

Amar’e Stoudemire was given a recovery day Tuesday following his two recovery games. Knicks fans probably would like a recovery season. But there is a method to the inactivity for Stoudemire. The Knicks are hopeful his mini-vacation will translate into the same kind of production the 32-year-old forward has given them thus far.

[Udog]

NBA Christmas Day Betting Cheat Sheet

Washington Wizards at New York Knicks (+5, 192)

The Washington Wizards’ meeting with the New York Knicks on Thursday was intended to be a matchup of Eastern Conference contenders when the NBA selected the game to begin its annual Christmas Day showcase. Unfortunately, only one of the teams kept up its end of the bargain. The Wizards are off to one of the best starts in franchise history, but the host Knicks are on a five-game skid and have the most losses in the league.

Washington, two games behind Toronto for the best record in the East, is on just its second losing streak of the season after falling 99-91 at home to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night. Starting shooting guard Bradley Beal had 15 points but did not score after after being hit in the head during the third quarter and going through concussion protocol, although he did return. The Knicks, meanwhile, have been off since losing 118-108 to the Raptors on Sunday — their 15th defeat in their past 16 games.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (19-8 SU, 11-16 ATS, 13-13-1 O/U): Among the players who struggled in the loss to Chicago was 11-year NBA veteran Rasual Butler, who went 1-for-7 from the field for his worst shooting performance of the season. The journeyman has been a pleasant surprise off the bench for Washington, averaging 10.8 points after never exceeding five points a game in the previous four seasons. His struggles against the Bulls were particularly surprising considering he was coming off a 17-point outing Sunday against Phoenix — one of six times he has scored at least 14 points this month.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (5-25 SU, 12-18 ATS, 15-14-1 O/U): Carmelo Anthony keeps producing even as the losses mount. Anthony leads the team with 23.7 points per game and has scored in double figures in all but one game he has appeared in this season. The seven-time All-Star acknowledged being 20 games under .500 is difficult to image, telling reporters “it doesn’t seem real” after the loss to Toronto.

TRENDS:

*Wizards are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
*Knicks are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 home games.
*Under is 8-1 in Knicks last 9 home games.
*Wizards are 3-10 ATS in the last 13 meetings in New York.



Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs (-5)

The San Antonio Spurs are trying to stay afloat in the loaded Western Conference without one of their best defensive players, but they might catch a break and miss one of the league's top offensive stars on Christmas Day. The Spurs host an Oklahoma City team that is likely to be without reigning MVP Kevin Durant on Thursday. The Thunder have lost three of four as they scramble to keep up in the West during an injury-plagued season.

The Thunder surged back into the Western Conference playoff picture after getting stars Durant and Russell Westbrook back from injuries, but Durant has missed the past three games with a sprained right ankle. The Spurs also have been forced to get by without key players at times, including defensive whiz Kawhi Leonard, but they got point guard Tony Parker back from a five-game absence with a hamstring injury and he scored 26 points in a 125-118 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. "It was hard to watch, a tough time," Parker told reporters of his time on the bench, during which the Spurs endured a four-game losing streak. "So I was just trying to bring energy and be aggressive."

ABOUT THE THUNDER (13-16 SU, 14-14-1 ATS, 9-12 O/U): While Oklahoma City has suffered at the offensive end with Durant (22.4 points, five rebounds) and Westbrook missing so much time, the Thunder have been one of the best defensive teams in the league. They allow an NBA-low 95.9 points per game and holding opponents to 42.6 percent shooting, second-best in the league. Westbrook (28.2 points, 7.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds) went off for 40 points in a 115-111 home loss to Portland on Tuesday, and the Thunder did a solid job defensively until Damian Lillard torched them in the fourth quarter and overtime.

ABOUT THE SPURS (18-11 SU, 14-15 ATS, 15-14 O/U): San Antonio turned in one of its most impressive offensive showings of the season against the Clippers, shooting a blistering 63.6 percent and dishing out a season-high 37 assists. Their defense left much to be desired, though, which is likely to be a common theme with their best on-the-ball defender, Leonard, sidelined by a hand injury. Two days off should help Parker (16.5 points, 5.3 assists) and fellow veteran Tim Duncan (16 points, 11 rebounds) recharge, but Manu Ginobili (12.9 points, 4.9 assists) is questionable with a bruised left shoulder.

TRENDS:

*Thunder are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
*Over is 8-0 in Spurs last 8 home games.
*Favorite is 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
*Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.



Cleveland Cavaliers at Miami Heat (+5.5)

The Miami Heat expected to take a step back when LeBron James left, they just didn’t expect it to be this big a step. The Heat will be trying to recover from a home loss to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers when they welcome back James and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday for the first time since the superstar left in free agency over the summer. The Cavaliers have won three straight and got one reunion out of the way with a win over Minnesota on Tuesday.

James guided Miami to four NBA Finals appearances and two championships in four years with the franchise before electing to go home to Northeast Ohio in the summer. The reaction from Heat fans to the move was mixed, and Miami quickly set about making up for the loss by handing Chris Bosh a max contract and bringing in Luol Deng and Josh McRoberts in free agency. Bosh is out indefinitely with a calf injury and McRoberts (knee) could miss the rest of the season, leaving another heavy load on Dwyane Wade.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (17-10 SU, 11-16 ATS, 11-15-1 O/U): Cleveland, like Miami when James first arrived, is still working out the kinks in the new lineup but has been strong on the defensive end in the last three games and moved the ball well in the 125-104 win over the Timberwolves. Kevin Love had 20 points and 10 rebounds in his first meeting with his former franchise and James is looking forward toward his own reunion. “It’s going to be great to be back in that building around those unbelievable fans and the memories will definitely come back,” James told reporters. “When it gets here I’m going to be excited about it. I’m going to relive a lot of moments in my head and go from there.”

ABOUT THE HEAT (13-16 SU, 13-15-1 ATS, 12-17 O/U): Miami held a 23-point lead in the second half against the team with the worst record in the league on Tuesday but watched it all evaporate in a 91-87 setback. “We had a lot of losses this year, so just throw this one on top of the rest,” Wade told reporters. “I think everyone will get rejuvenated and understand that we have a nice Christmas game coming in here. Fans will be excited and we need to find a way to win.” The Heat have already lost 10 games at home – one more than all of last season with James around.

TRENDS:

*Cavaliers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games.
*Heat are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 home games.
*Under is 9-2-1 in Cavaliers last 12 games playing on 1 days rest.
*Under is 5-1 in Heat last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.



Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls (-10.5, 207)

Kobe Bryant took a night off to rest his weary body and his Los Angeles Lakers teammates responded. If Derrick Rose's last two games are any indication, the Chicago Bulls star is finally returning to MVP form after taking several periods of extended time off season. The superstars will lead their respective teams on the court Christmas Day when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the surging Chicago Bulls.

With Bryant not even at STAPLES Center on Tuesday against Golden State, the Lakers had seven double-figure scorers, built their largest lead of the season (24 points) and made nine consecutive shots during two separate stretches in the 115-105 win that snapped a three-game win streak. “It takes a lot more pressure off of him, and it takes a lot more wear and tear off him, as well,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said about Bryant. “It gives our guys confidence. We’ll try to play the same way. Hopefully, we can.” Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau has been saying for weeks that Rose needs to just play through his assortment of ailments, and the 26-year-old has done just that, scoring 15 fourth-quarter points in a win against Toronto on Monday and scoring six of his 25 on Tuesday during a critical rally in a 99-91 win over Washington, another Eastern Conference heavyweight.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (9-19 SU, 13-13-2 ATS, 16-12 O/U): Bryant, who is set to play in his NBA-record 16th Christmas Day game, is averaging 24.6 points on 37.7 shooting (third lowest in the league) in 35.2 minutes per game. Perhaps the five-time champion should take heed with Tuesday's outcome, because the club is scoring four points less and surrendering 17 points more when the star is on the court this season. “Some guys just played like ‘Django Unchained' -- they were free tonight,” Lakers swingman Nick Young told reporters before telling what he would say to Bryant. “Tell him to take the backseat for a little bit. He can be ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ and I can be Miss Daisy and drive.”

ABOUT THE BULLS (19-9 SU 14-14 ATS, 15-12-1 O/U): Chicago has won four straight and seven of eight and beginning a stretch in which seven of the next eight games are at home. Rose, who has missed 10 games this season over four different stretches, is averaging 22.7 points on 50.9 percent shooting in his last six games compared to 13.2 points on 36.4 percent shooting in his previous six contests. "He has his swag back," Bulls swingman Mike Dunleavy said. "He's doing it in the fourth quarter against really good teams. It's good to see that look on his face and the look in his eyes."

TRENDS:

*Lakers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Bulls are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing S.U. record.
*Over is 4-0 in Lakers last 4 overall.
*Over is 14-3 in Bulls last 17 home games.



Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (-2.5, 217.5)

The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers will be trying to put tough losses behind them when they meet Thursday night in Los Angeles. The Warriors suffered just their fourth loss in 27 games when they went down Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that came in with eight wins in 27 games. The Clippers, meanwhile, lost on the same night at the Atlanta Hawks after leading by as much as 13 points early in the third quarter.

Blake Griffin matched his career high with 11 assists in the loss to the Atlanta and he has some history with the Warriors, namely getting ejected in last season’s Christmas Day game after a minor tussle with Golden State center Andrew Bogut. Griffin didn’t play well when the teams met last month, finishing with 14 points, one rebound and one assist in the 121-104 loss, so he should be motivated to play well. Draymond Green had 24 points and eight rebounds in that game, but has been quiet lately, combining for eight points and 11 rebounds in the last two games.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (23-4 SU, 18-9 ATS, 12-15 O/U): Stephen Curry hurts a lot of teams from 3-point range but he has been especially on-target against the Clippers in his career. Curry has made half of his 124 attempts from beyond the arc in 20 career games against Los Angeles, one of three teams he has shot at least 50 percent from long range against in his career. The 62 made 3-pointers are the most he has made against any NBA team.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (19-10 SU, 11-18 ATS, 15-11-3 O/U): Chris Paul doesn’t need any extra motivation to get fired up against the Warriors. He wasn’t happy with how Golden State celebrated a victory against Los Angeles in the opening weeks last season and then went out a played a key role in the Clippers’ seven-game victory against the Warriors in the opening round of the playoffs last spring. J.J. Redick comes in averaging 17.8 points in 13 games this month, which would represent his highest scoring month since joining the Clippers last season.

TRENDS:

*Warriors are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Clippers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
*Over is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 overall.
*Over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.

[Udog]

NBA Christmas Day betting trends: Under hot in non-conference games

Twas an NBA Christmas when all through the sport, hoops fans are stirring with five games to sort.

With presents stacked under the tree, here's my gift to you, for all NBA bettors to see.

With the Spurs and the Thunder taking off in flight, a Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

CHRISTMAS PAST

Here’s a breakdown of the 10 teams playing on Christmas Day this season and how they’ve performed in games played on Dec. 25 since 1990:

• Chicago Bulls: 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS and 3-7 O/U
Trending: 1-5 UNDER last six games

• Cleveland Cavaliers: 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS and 1-3 O/U
0-3 UNDER last three games

• Golden State Warriors: 1-1 SU and 1-1 ATS and 1-1 O/U
Trending: not enough games to assess

• L.A. Clippers: 2-5 SU and 3-3 ATS and 3-3 O/U
3-0 ATS last three games

• L.A. Lakers: 7-10 SU and 10-6-1 ATS and 5-11-1 O/U
Trending: 5-0 ATS last five as a dog

• Miami Heat: 8-2 SU and 5-5 ATS and 2-8 O/U
Trending: 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS last five games

• New York Knicks: 3-6 SU and 2-7 ATS and 5-4 O/U
Trending: 0-5 ATS last five as a dog

• Oklahoma City Thunder: 3-3 SU and 3-3 ATS and 2-4 O/U
Trending: visitor 1-5 ATS Thunder/Xmas games

• San Antonio Spurs: 3-3 SU and 3-2-1 ATS and 1-5 O/U
Trending: 0-3 UNDER last three games

• Washington Wizards: 0-1 SU and 1-0 ATS and 0-1 U/U
Trending: not enough games to assess

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?

Noteworthy team trends wrapped inside each Christmas Day game…

• Bulls: 4-0 SU and ATS last four home Thursdays / 4-10 ATS last fourteen versus non-conference opponents

• Cavs: 2-6 SU and 1-7 ATS last eight away Thursdays / 2-9 ATS versus .434 or less opponents this season

• Clippers: 1-5 ATS last six Thursdays / 15-4 SU away December / 1-4 ATS versus division opponents this season

• Heat: 3-9 ATS last 10 Thursdays / 2-7 ATS home off a SU win this season

• Knicks: 14-3 SU and 12-5 ATS home Wednesdays / 0-7 ATS home versus opponent off SU loss this season

• Lakers: 1-9 ATS last 10 games in this series / 5-0-1 ATS versus .500 or greater opponent off a SU loss this season

• Thunder: 18-6-1 ATS Thursday dogs / 6-0 ATS versus opponents off back-to-back SU wins this season

• Spurs: 4-0 SU and ATS last four home Thursdays / 1-6-1 ATS home versus opponent off SU win this season

• Warriors: 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS last 10 Thursdays / 4-1 SU and ATS away versus winning opponents this season

• Wizards: 7-2 ATS last nine Thursdays / 4-0 SU and ATS last four games versus New York

DEFENDING CHAMPION DOLDRUMS

Christmas Day has not been a gifting experience for NBA’s defending champions.

That’s confirmed by their lousy 1-5 SU and 0-6 ATS mark since 2000 when facing an opponent playing with one day rest - exact.

The Thunder will look to add to that number when they visit the reigning champion Spurs at AT&T Center Thursday.

UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Non-conference games certainly bring the best defensive effort out in teams on Christmas Day.

Fourteen of the 18 games played on Dec. 25 since 1991 involving Eastern and Western Conference foes have played under the total.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Christmas Day underdogs with a win percentage of .740 or more (read: Warriors) are 1-7 SU and ATS.

[flashypants]

merry xmas to u & family

[Udog]

merry xmas to u & family

Thanks, flashy!!! I hope you're having a great Christmas!