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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, January 18

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NEW ORLEANS (19 - 20) at TORONTO (26 - 13) - 1/18/2015, 3:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-0 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 4-0 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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 (19 - 20) at ORLANDO (15 - 28) - 1/18/2015, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in road games this season.
ORLANDO is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) against Northwest division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 66-46 ATS (+15.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 36-58 ATS (-27.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 4-0 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-1 straight up against ORLANDO 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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UTAH (14 - 26) at SAN ANTONIO (25 - 16) - 1/18/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 879-769 ATS (+33.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 694-592 ATS (+42.8 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 447-375 ATS (+34.5 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 178-135 ATS (+29.5 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 250-203 ATS (+26.7 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 352-285 ATS (+38.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 5-3 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 6-2 straight up against UTAH 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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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, January 18

Hot Teams
-- San Antonio won four of its last five games (8-11-1 HF).

Cold Teams
-- Pelicans lost four of their last six games (5-0 last five AU). Toronto lost six of its last eight games (1-5 last six HF).
-- Thunder lost three of last five games, are 1-6-1 vs spread in last eight (2-3 AF). Orlando lost seven of last nine games (4-8 HU).
-- Jazz lost three of last four but covered nine of last 11 on road.

Series Records
-- Raptors won eight of last nine games with New Orleans.
-- Thunder won five of last six games with Orlando.
-- Spurs won 16 of last 19 games with Utah.

Totals
-- Four of last five Pelican road games stayed under.
-- Last five Orlando home games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Utah road games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
-- None

East vs West
SU: West 128-78 ATS: West 110-94-2
East teams HF vs West: 26-27
East teams HU vs West: 19-32
West teams HF vs East: 44-42-2
West teams HU vs East: 7-7




NBA


Sunday, January 18

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Trend Report
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3:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. TORONTO
New Orleans is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans

6:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Oklahoma City's last 21 games when playing Orlando
Oklahoma City is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games
Orlando is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Orlando's last 10 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

7:00 PM
UTAH vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 5 games on the road
Utah is 5-15-1 ATS in its last 21 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
San Antonio is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Utah
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing Utah


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NBA

Sunday, January 18

NBA game roundup: Grizzlies win slugfest vs. Blazers

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- It was very nearly a perfect night for Memphis Grizzlies backup point guard Beno Udrih.

Starting his second straight game in place of injured Mike Conley, Udrih scored 17 points, including the key bucket with 8.7 seconds left, to help Memphis beat the Portland Trail Blazers 102-98 on Saturday night in a battle of division-leading teams at FedExForum.

Udrih finished 7 of 7 from the field, and his 18-footer came after guard Damian Lillard had pulled the Trail Blazers within three at 99-96 by making a 3-pointer with 27.3 seconds left.

Forward Zach Randolph had 20 points and 15 rebounds and guard Courtney Lee and reserve forward Jeff Green added 17 points apiece for Memphis (29-11), which saw Portland rally from a 20-point hole in the third quarter behind Lillard (23 points, six assists), guard Wesley Matthews (25 points) and forward LaMarcus Aldridge (32 points, nine rebounds).

Clippers 117, Kings 108

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Forward Blake Griffin scored 30 points, and forward Matt Barnes finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds as Los Angeles held on to beat shorthanded Sacramento at Sleep Train Arena.

Barnes scored 22 in the first half, and guard Jamal Crawford scored eight straight points during a quarter-opening 8-1 run to start the final period, and the Clippers won in Sacramento for the fourth straight time.

Crawford finished with 13 points, and helped the Clippers stretch an 83-78 lead at the end of three quarters to 102-90 early in the fourth quarter. The Kings got as close as 103-97 down the stretch but still lost for the third straight time and finished a six-game homestand at 2-4.

Warriors 131, Rockets106

HOUSTON -- Klay Thompson produced a brilliant two-way performance and Golden State turned a pair of runs into an easy win over Houston at Toyota Center.

Thompson scored 27 points and posted a career-high five blocked shots while effectively shutting down the league's leading scorer, Rockets guard James Harden. While the Warriors opened a 22-point lead entering the fourth quarter, Harden scored only seven points on 2-for-12 shooting. Harden finished with 12 points, 15 off his average.

Warriors guard Steph Curry added 27 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds while forwards David Lee and Marreese Speights added 18 and 15 points off the bench. Golden State improved to 3-0 against Houston with the season series finale set for Wednesday in Oakland.

Timberwolves 113, Nuggets 105

DENVER -- Rookie forward Andrew Wiggins scored a season-high 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Minnesota beat Denver Saturday night.

Forward Thaddeus Young had 22 and forward Robbie Hummel had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves.

Minnesota has won two of its last three following a 15-game losing streak. Both of the wins have come on the road.

Pistons 107, 76ers 89

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Kyle Singler fired in a career-high six 3-pointers and Detroit continued its hot streak with a thumping of Philadelphia Saturday night at The Palace.

Singler, Detroit's starting small forward, finished with a game-high 20 points. His previous high of five 3-pointers was set against Memphis on Nov. 15.

Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope tossed in 17 points and reserve forward Anthony Tolliver contributed a season-high 16 points and six rebounds for the Pistons (16-25), who never trailed while winning for the 11th time in their last 13 games.

Hornets 80, Pacers 71

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Guard Gerald Henderson scored 20 points and injury-riddled Charlotte rallied for an overtime victory over.

The Hornets trailed most of the night, but forced overtime and then scored the first 10 points of the extra session to take control. They held the Pacers scoreless on their first eight possessions of the overtime, and wound up outscoring the Pacers 12-3 in the extra session.

It was a struggle offensively for both teams throughout the game. The Hornets shot just 30.7 percent from the field, while the Pacers committed 20 turnovers and shot just 35.7 from the field.

Hawks 107, Bulls 99

CHICAGO -- Atlanta matched its second-longest winning streak in franchise history Saturday night by beating Chicago at the United Center for their 12th straight victory.

Former Bulls guard Kyle Korver hit 7 of 9 from the 3-point line and scored 24 points to lead four Hawks in double figures.

Center Al Horford scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds, guard Jeff Teague scored 17 points and had 11 assists, and guard Paul Millsap finished with 16 points for Atlanta (33-8), which never trailed.

Wizards 99, Nets 90

NEW YORK -- Forward Nene scored 20 points and Washington made enough plays down the stretch to beat Brooklyn.

Guard Bradley Beal added 17 points while point guard John Wall contributed 11 as the Wizards shot 51.9 percent and reached the halfway mark of the season with a 28-13 record. Former Nets forward Kris Humphries added 13 off the bench and forward Marcin Gortat collected 10 and 16 rebounds.

Guard Jarrett Jack had his second straight 20-point night, leading Brooklyn with 16 of his 22 after halftime. Forward Joe Johnson and reserve center Brook Lopez added 15 apiece but were a combined 11-of-30 as the Nets reached the halfway point at 16-24 with losses in seven of their last eight games.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Oklahoma City at Orlando
The Thunder head to Orlando tonight following a 127-115 win over Golden State on Friday and come into the contest with a 6-1-1 ATS record in their last 8 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game. Oklahoma City is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Thunder favored by 12. Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-9). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18

Game 801-802: New Orleans at Toronto (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 115.403; Toronto 124.786
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 9 1/2; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 7; No Total
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-7); N/A

Game 803-804: Oklahoma City at Orlando (6:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 125.966; Orlando 113.727
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 12; 217
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 9; 210 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-9); Over

Game 805-806: Utah at San Antonio (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 118.951; San Antonio 126.597
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 7 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 11 1/2; 196
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+11 1/2); Under

NBA
Short Sheet

Sunday, January 18

New Orleans at Toronto, 3:35 ET
New Orleans: 13-3 ATS after failing to cover 2 of their last 3 ATS
Toronto: 1-4 ATS after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6 games

Oklahoma City at Orlando, 6:05 ET
Oklahoma City: 24-9 ATS after failing to cover 3 of their last 4 ATS
Orlando: 1-8 ATS in home games when playing 6 or more games in 10 days

Utah at San Antonio, 7:05 ET
Utah: 22-41 ATS after 1 or more consecutive unders
San Antonio: 21-9 ATS after 3 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

College basketball conferences #13-18, according to kenpom.com

18) Sun Belt-- Wide-open as always; Georgia State is banged up right now.

17) CAA-- Wm&Mary was down 20 at half, won last week; they're tied for 1st.

16) C-USA-- Former Sun Belters La Tech/Western Kentucky are both 5-0.

15) Horizon-- Green Bay/Valparaiso/Cleveland State all tied at the top.

14) Ivy-- Haven't really started yet; Harvard is the heavy favorite.

13) Big West-- Cal-Davis has Hersey Hawkins' son, is in first right now.

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Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend.......

13) Seahawks 28, Packers 22 OT-- Green Bay had the ball and a 19-7 lead with 5:04 left. From that point on, Seattle ran 17 plays for 206 yards, scoring three TDs as they pulled a rabbit out of a hat and won the NFC title with this unlikely win. Seahawks' first TD scored on a freakin' fake FG after they had converted a 3rd-and-19.

Its going to be a longer, colder than usual winter in Wisconsin.

12) Green Bay kicked 18 and 19-yard FGs in the first quarter, meaning they had two drives that stalled inside the 3-yard line; lot of people are criticizing McCarthy for kicking those FGs instead of going for TDs, but he had a 19-7 lead and the ball in the last 5:00-- things that went on in the first quarter aren't why they lost this game.

11) Seahawks are first team since the '82 Jets to win a postseason game in which they turned the ball over five times. Teams had lost 45 consecutive playoff games in which they turned the ball over five times.

10) Patriots 45, Colts 7-- These teams play again next season; please TV gurus, keep it off national TV, so I don't have to watch this carnage again. New England won its last six games against Indy, scoring 42.3 ppg in last four. This was an awful game.

9) As I type this late at night (did you know its summer in Australia and quite warm there today?), Super Bowl line has both teams favored by a point in various sports books, while other have game pick 'em.

This will be third time in last five years Super Bowl spread was less than three points, when there hadn't been any such games in the decade before that.

8) NFC won four of last five Super Bowls, if that matters to you.

7) Pete Carroll went 28-23 as coach of the Patriots from 1997-99, making playoffs two of three years, going 8-8 the third year, but he got fired, so New England could hire......Bill Belichick. I know its the Super Bowl and you don't need extra motivation, but how sweet would it be for Carroll to keep the Pats title-less since 2004?

6) This is only second time in last 20 years (Saints-Colts in '09) that both #1 seeds made it to the Super Bowl.

Hey, there's other stuff going on........
5) Last night I mentioned Martin Kaymer jogging to an easy win in Abu Dhabi; he had a 10-stroke lead with 13 holes to play. He lost.

After going 47 holes without a bogey, Kaymer went +6 in one 8-hole stretch. Oy.

4) Last week, Gary Kubiak issued a statement about how happy he was in Baltimore, helping John Harbaugh and the Ravens; then the Broncos lost and John Fox got fired. Now, Kubiak is the new coach of the Broncos. Go figure.

Baltimore at Denver would be a fun primetime game next season.

3) Washington Nationals signed Max Scherzer to a 7-year contract, meaning they will probably be trading Jordan Zimmerman/Ian Desmond soon.

2) DePaul 71, St John's 67-- Blue Demons are 4-2 in Big East, after going 10-98 the previous six conference seasons. Not sure if DePaul is that much better or of the Big East is that much worse, but good for Oliver Purnell.

1) Major League Baseball is bizarre; they named Mets' owner Fred Wilpon head of baseball's finance committee; this is same guy who was in bed with Bernie Madoff and has been running the Mets like they were the Toledo Mud Hens ever since. Oy.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, January 19

Hot Teams
-- Charlotte won five of last six games (5-7 HF).
-- Washington won six of last eight games (8-11 HF). 76ers split last eight games (5-3 vs spread, 2-6 last eight AU).
-- Atlanta won last 11 games, are 9-0-1 vs spread in last ten (8-3 last 11 HF). Pistons won 11 of last 13 games (8-1 last nine AU).
-- Clippers won six of last nine games (9-14 HF).
-- Warriors won nine of last ten games (5-0-1 last six HF).
-- Memphis won/covered its last four games (3-0 last three HF).
-- Rockets won five of last seven games (7-4 last 11 HF).
-- Cleveland won last two games after losing nine of previous 10 (1-5 last six HF).
-- Bucks won seven of last 11 games, but lost four of last five at home.
-- Suns won 12 of their last 16 games (4-1 last five AU).

Cold Teams
-- Minnesota lost 16 of last 18 games, covered last three (6-1 last 7 AU).
-- Celtics lost 11 of their last 14 games (3-1 last four AU).
-- Nuggets lost eight of last ten road games (3-6-1 last ten AU).
-- Dallas lost three of last five games (0-3 last three A).
-- Pelicans lost six of last eight road games, are 15-7 vs spread in last 22 games overall. Knicks lost last 16 games (1-8 vs spread in last nine).
-- Pacers lost last four gams, are 0-6 vs spread in last six.
-- Bulls lost five of their last seven games (2-4 last six AU).
-- Raptors lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Lakers lost six of their last seven games (5-2 last seven AU).
-- Kings lost 14 of last 19 games (7-5 AU). Portland lost last three games by 6-4-14 points (1-4 last five HF).

Series Records
-- Hornets won three of last four games with Minnesota.
-- Wizards won last three games with Philly by 14-8-19 points.
-- Hawks won five of last seven games with Detroit.
-- Clippers won three of last four games with Boston.
-- Nuggets won six of last nine games with Golden State.
-- Grizzlies are 9-4 in last thirteen games with Dallas.
-- Knicks won nine of last 12 games with New Orleans.
-- Pacers won four of last five games with Houston.
-- Bulls won 10 of last 13 games vs Cleveland (3-3 last six).
-- Raptors won their last five games with Milwaukee.
-- Lakers lost seven of last eight games with Phoenix.
-- Kings are 6-5 in last 11 games with Portland, winning last two here.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Minnesota road games stayed under.
-- Nine of last ten Washington road games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Atlanta games stayed under total.
-- Eight of last eleven Clipper home games stayed under.
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Golden State games.
-- Six of last eight Dallas road games went over total.
-- Five of last six Pelican road games stayed under.
-- Five of last six Houston games went over the total.
-- Last six Cleveland home games stayed under total.
-- Five of last seven Toronto road games went over.
-- Under is 6-0-1 in last seven Laker road games.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Portland home games.

Back-to-Backs
-- New Orleans is 9-0 vs spread if they played the day before.
-- Toronto is 5-2 vs spread if it played the day before.

East vs West
SU: West 130-78 ATS: West 112-94-2
East teams HF vs West: 26-28
East teams HU vs West: 19-33
West teams HF vs East: 44-42-2
West teams HU vs East: 7-7

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, January 19

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Trend Report
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2:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHARLOTTE
Minnesota is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games at home
Charlotte is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home

2:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Philadelphia's last 21 games when playing on the road against Washington
Philadelphia is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Washington is 3-12 ATS in its last 15 games when playing Philadelphia

2:30 PM
DETROIT vs. ATLANTA
Detroit is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Detroit is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games at home
Atlanta is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Detroit

3:30 PM
BOSTON vs. LA CLIPPERS
Boston is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Boston
LA Clippers are 6-11-1 ATS in their last 18 games when playing at home against Boston

4:00 PM
DENVER vs. GOLDEN STATE
Denver is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Denver is 6-10-2 ATS in its last 18 games
Golden State is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Denver
Golden State is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games

5:00 PM
DALLAS vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 7 games
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

5:30 PM
INDIANA vs. HOUSTON
Indiana is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Indiana's last 19 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Indiana

5:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. NEW YORK
New Orleans is 3-10 ATS in its last 13 games when playing New York
New Orleans is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing New York
New York is 1-9-1 ATS in its last 11 games
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. CLEVELAND
Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
Chicago is 13-3 SU in its last 16 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 7 games at home
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MILWAUKEE
Toronto is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Toronto is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games at home

10:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Sacramento's last 11 games when playing on the road against Portland
Sacramento is 4-13-1 ATS in its last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing Sacramento

10:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of the LA Lakers last 8 games
LA Lakers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games
Phoenix is 11-4-1 ATS in its last 16 games
Phoenix is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, January 19


NBA game roundup: Evans, Pelicans tip Raptors

TORONTO -- Guard Tyreke Evans made the winning hook shot with 1.6 seconds left, and he finished with 26 points as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Toronto Raptors 95-93 Sunday.

Reserve center Alexis Ajinca added 22 points for the Pelicans, who led by 16 points early in the second half and trailed by 12 in the fourth quarter. Guard Eric Gordon added 14 points for the Pelicans, and center Omer Asik scored 11 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points to lead the Raptors, who lost for the seventh time in nine games and finished a six-game homestand 2-4. DeRozan's jumper tied the game at 91 with 1:31 to play. Gordon gave New Orleans a two-point lead with 56 seconds left. DeRozan tied it 14 seconds later by sinking two free throws.

Guard Lou Williams added 17 points for Toronto, and guard Greivis Vasquez had 16. Forward Amir Johnson contributed 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while forward Patrick Patterson scored 10 points.

Spurs 89, Jazz 69

SAN ANTONIO -- Center Tiago Splitter became the 12th player to lead San Antonio in scoring this season, producing 14 points during the Spurs' victory over Utah.

The Spurs won an eighth consecutive home game against Utah, last losing to the Jazz in San Antonio in January 2010.

Guard Danny Green scored 13 for the Spurs, all in the fourth quarter, when he made three 3-point baskets. Forward Kawhi Leonard, the team leader with 15.4 points a game before Sunday, had 12 points and nine rebounds. Reserve center Rudy Gobert led Utah with 13 points, a career-best 18 rebounds and four blocks.

Thunder 127, Magic 99

ORLANDO -- Forward Kevin Durant had 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in just 27 minutes, leading Oklahoma City to a victory over Orlando.

The Thunder built a 38-point lead in the first half, then coasted through the second, giving them an easier-than expected start to a five-game, Eastern Conference road trip.

Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook had 17 points and six assists in 24 minutes. Forward Serge Ibaka had 16 points, including four 3-pointers, and eight rebounds in 28 minutes. Guard Victor Oladipo led the Magic with 23 points.

[StarDust Bum]

MLK Day Matinee Betting Cheat Sheet

Minnesota Timberwolves at Charlotte Hornets (OFF, OFF)

An injury-stricken Charlotte squad may have to forge on without leading scorer Kemba Walker when it hosts Minnesota in a Monday matinee. Walker missed Saturday's 80-71 overtime win against Indiana - the Hornets' sixth win in seven games - due to a cyst in his left knee and it is unclear how long the soreness will linger for one of the league's hottest players. The veteran had averaged 29.8 points over his last six games, but now joins center Al Jefferson on the Hornets' ever-crowded injury list.

Jefferson, who has missed nine games due to a groin strain, may be back for Wednesday's home game against Miami while reserve guard Jannero Pargo (back) is due to miss his 13th consecutive game. The Timberwolves know all about injuries as three-fifths of their starting lineup has missed most of the season and replacement starter Shabazz Muhammad (oblique) was out for the fourth straight time at Denver on Saturday, when Minnesota improved to 2-1 on its current road trip with a 113-105 win. Monday marks the Timberwolves' seventh chance at recording their first winning streak this season.

TRENDS:

* The Hornets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven overall
* The Timberwolves are 1-7 ATS in their last eight vs. the Eastern Conference
* The Timberwolves are 5-2 ATS in their last seven following an ATS win


Philadelphia 76ers at Washington Wizards (-14, 192.5)

The Washington Wizards stand second in the Eastern Conference at the midway point of their regular season and look to continue their surge toward the top when they host the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday afternoon. The Wizards have won six of their last eight games after a victory at Brooklyn on Saturday to remain five games behind East-leading Atlanta. Philadelphia, which dropped its first 17 contests this season, has split its last eight games after a 107-89 loss at Detroit on Saturday.

It will be the first clash this season for two of the league’s top young point guards as Michael Carter-Williams faces off against Washington’s John Wall. Carter-Williams, in his second season, has scored 21.5 per game over his last four outings while the 24-year-old Wall averages a double-double (17.1 points, 10 assists). The Wizards, who beat the 76ers in their last three meetings in 2013-14, boast 17 home victories – most in the conference.

TRENDS:

*The Under is 6-1 in the Wizards' last seven home games
*The Under is 7-1 in the 76ers' last eight overall
*The 76ers are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following a SU loss


Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks (-7.5, 204)

The two hottest teams in the Eastern Conference go head-to-head Monday afternoon when the Atlanta Hawks host the Detroit Pistons. The Hawks have won 12 straight and 26 of 28 to move atop the East standings and continue their best start in franchise history. The Pistons, meanwhile, have won 11 of their last 13 following a 5-23 start and are within a game of the Brooklyn Nets for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Atlanta’s winning streak has been especially impressive considering it includes victories at the Portland and the Los Angeles Clippers, two of the more difficult teams to beat at home, as well as wins against Eastern Division pursuers Chicago, Toronto, Washington and Cleveland. The Hawks also beat Detroit during the current run, ending its seven-game winning streak. Stopping point guard Jeff Teague will be a priority for the Pistons after he lit them up for 28 points in a 99-89 win Nov. 21 in Atlanta.

TRENDS:

* The Pistons are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 overall
* The Under is 5-2 in the Pistons' last seven road games
* The favorite is 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings


Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Clippers (-12, 212.5)

The Los Angeles Clippers look to snap a rare home losing streak when they host reeling Boston in a Monday matinee. After a 126-121 loss to Cleveland on Friday, the Clippers had dropped two in a row at the Staples Center for the first time since the beginning of the 2012-13 season. Los Angeles, which bounced back with a 117-108 victory at Sacramento on Saturday, has also lost three straight at home against Eastern Conference foes as part of a 4-3 stretch overall.

Matt Barnes scored 22 points in the first half en route to 26 while Blake Griffin had 18 of his 30 in the second half for the Clippers against the Kings. While Los Angeles finished strong in that one, the Celtics faded late in a 119-104 loss to Chicago at home on Friday, their 11th loss in 14 games. Boston, which is 4-12 away from home on the season and has lost 23 in a row against Western Conference opponents, is beginning a season-high six-game road swing against the West.

TRENDS:

* The Underdog is 9-2 in their last 11 meetings
* The Celtics are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 contests
* The Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last five games following an ATS loss


Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors (-14, 218)

The Golden State Warriors have been making history all season and will have a chance to do it again when they host the Denver Nuggets on Monday. The Warriors need one more victory to break the franchise record of 15 straight home wins set by the 1989-90 squad. Denver had been working on a winning streak of its own with five straight before running into trouble over the weekend in back-to-back losses.

The Warriors stumbled briefly in a 127-115 loss at Oklahoma State on Friday that ended an eight-game winning streak by bounced right back by slamming the Houston Rockets 131-106 to close out the two-game excursion on Saturday. “We just wanted to get back to our identity,” Golden State guard Klay Thompson told reporters. “It felt good to get back to what we do best.” The Nuggets are coming off a 113-105 home loss to the Western Conference-worst Minnesota Timberwolves.

TRENDS:

* The Nuggets are 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games overall
* The Underdog is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meetings
* The road side is 4-0 ATS in their last four matchups

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, January 19

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MINNESOTA (7 - 32) at CHARLOTTE (16 - 25) - 1/19/2015, 2:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 2-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 3-1 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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PHILADELPHIA (8 - 32) at WASHINGTON (28 - 13) - 1/19/2015, 2:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 27-40 ATS (-17.0 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 22-36 ATS (-17.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 332-401 ATS (-109.1 Units) in home games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 5-2 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 4-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA 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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DETROIT (16 - 25) at ATLANTA (33 - 8) - 1/19/2015, 2:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 54-69 ATS (-21.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 33-46 ATS (-17.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 29-11 ATS (+16.9 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
ATLANTA is 10-0 ATS (+10.0 Units) in January games this season.
ATLANTA is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
ATLANTA is 17-4 ATS (+12.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
ATLANTA is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
DETROIT is 114-79 ATS (+27.1 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
DETROIT is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 5-4 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 6-3 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (13 - 25) at LA CLIPPERS (27 - 14) - 1/19/2015, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 82-56 ATS (+20.4 Units) in home games in January games since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 217-270 ATS (-80.0 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 2-2 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 3-1 straight up against BOSTON 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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DENVER (18 - 22) at GOLDEN STATE (32 - 6) - 1/19/2015, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 40-25 ATS (+12.5 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-4 ATS (+13.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-34 ATS (+13.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 9-5 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 7-7 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
8 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (28 - 13) at MEMPHIS (29 - 11) - 1/19/2015, 5:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 6-2 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 5-4 straight up against DALLAS 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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NEW ORLEANS (20 - 20) at NEW YORK (5 - 36) - 1/19/2015, 5:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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INDIANA (15 - 27) at HOUSTON (28 - 13) - 1/19/2015, 5:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 3-1 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 3-1 straight up against HOUSTON 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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CHICAGO (27 - 15) at CLEVELAND (21 - 20) - 1/19/2015, 7:35 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 CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 6-3 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (26 - 14) at MILWAUKEE (21 - 19) - 1/19/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 27-12 ATS (+13.8 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MILWAUKEE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
TORONTO is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 47-79 ATS (-39.9 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-3 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-3 straight up against MILWAUKEE 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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LA LAKERS (12 - 29) at PHOENIX (24 - 18) - 1/19/2015, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 7-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 8-3 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (16 - 24) at PORTLAND (30 - 11) - 1/19/2015, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 5-4 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 5-4 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Chicago at Cleveland
The Bulls head to Cleveland tonight to face the Cavaliers and come into the contest with a 2-7 ATS record in their last 9 games versus Eastern Conference opponents. Cleveland is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Cavaliers favored by 6. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

MONDAY, JANUARY 19

Game 701-702: Minnesota at Charlotte (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 113.885; Charlotte 123.610
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 9 1/2; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Charlotte by 5; 196 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (-5); Over

Game 703-704: Philadelphia at Washington (2:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 107.579; Washington 123.941
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 16 1/2; 197
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 13 1/2; 192
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-13 1/2); Over

Game 705-706: Detroit at Atlanta (2:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 124.175; Atlanta 130.352
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 6; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 8; 203
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+8); Under

Game 707-708: Boston at LA Clippers (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 114.807; LA Clippers 123.712
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 9; 205
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 12 1/2; 213
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+12 1/2); Under

Game 709-710: Denver at Golden State (4:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 1158.582; Golden State 128.126
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 9 1/2; 223
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 13 1/2; 218
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+13 1/2); Over

Game 711-712: Dallas at Memphis (5:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 120.453; Memphis 120.678
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 3; 204 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+3); Over

Game 713-714: New Orleans at New York (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 117.853; New York 107.989
Dunkel Line & Total: New Orleans by 10; 186
Vegas Line & Total: New Orleans by 6 1/2; 190 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (-6 1/2); Under

Game 715-716: Indiana at Houston (5:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 113.670; Houston 124.886
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 11; 189
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 9 1/2; 197
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-9 1/2); Under

Game 717-718: Chicago at Cleveland (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 116.329; Cleveland 122.462
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 6; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 3 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-3 1/2); Over

Game 719-720: Toronto at Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 125.418; Milwaukee 117.375
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 8; 206
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 1 1/2; 198 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-1 1/2); Over

Game 721-722: LA Lakers at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 112.873; Phoenix 120.918
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 8; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 10 1/2; 214
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+10 1/2); Under

Game 723-724: Sacramento at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 114.166; Portland 122.958
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 9; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 11 1/2; 204
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+11 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Monday

January 19, 2015

Golden State owns the longest winning streak in the NBA this season at 16 games, which ended in mid-December. Even more impressive about that run is the Warriors produced an 11-5 record against the spread for bettors.

Fast forward a month and Atlanta is putting forth an eye opening streak of its own. The Hawks have not only won 12 games straight up, but they’ve also covered all 12 games as well.

What’s really amazing about the run is that the Hawks played nine of those games on the road. Some pundits will question the competition but that’s not the case at all. Delving into the 12 opponents further, eight of them are projected to be in this year’s postseason.

It’s safe to say that Atlanta is a legit contender and the oddsmakers at Sportsbook.ag have taken notice, moving the Hawks down to an 11/5 (Bet $100 to win $220) top betting choice to win the Eastern Conference.

On Monday, head coach Mike Budenholzer and the Hawks host another hot team in Detroit, who has turned the corner since it release veteran Josh Smith. Coincidentally, Smith once played for Atlanta and they’re doing pretty well since he left Georgia as well.

Since dumping Smith, Detroit has gone 11-2 SU and 10-3 ATS. Similar to the Hawks, the Pistons have been beasts on the road during this stretch, going 7-0 both SU and ATS.

These teams just met in Detroit on Jan. 9 and Atlanta earned a 106-103 road victory as a 2 ½-point favorite. The Hawks jumped out to a 29-point lead (64-45) and managed to hold off the Pistons. In late November, Atlanta earned a 99-89 win over Detroit as a six-point home favorite. The pair will meet for the fourth and final time on Mar. 31 from Detroit.

Oddsmakers opened Atlanta as an eight-point favorite over Detroit for Monday’s affair with a total of 204. The Hawks have gone 16-3 SU and 12-7 ATS at Philips Arena this season.

ESPN will provide national coverage of this game at 2:35 p.m. ET.

Along with the Detroit-Atlanta matchup, bettors have seven other early games to bet on Monday’s holiday.

Be sure to check the latest odds and injuries and be sure to follow us on Twitter for late scratches, updates and much more in the NBA.

Here’s my quick handicap on each game.

Minnesota at Charlotte: No overnight number posted on this game due to key injuries, in particular the Hornets’ Kemba Walker. This will be the first meeting between the pair this season. Charlotte has won three of the past four (2-2 ATS) against Minnesota. Even though the Hornets have struggled against the West (4-14 SU, 7-11 ATS) this season, hard to ignore their current form (6-1 SU, 6-1 ATS) coming into this game.

Philadelphia at Washington: The Wizards are laying a heavy price (-14) for this matchup. The club is 3-0 SU and 1-2 ATS as a double-digit favorite this season. It should be noted that the 76ers went 1-1 SU and 2-0 ATS in their two trips to D.C. last season. Including a loss at Detroit on Saturday, Philadelphia is a respectable 4-4 SU and 5-3 ATS in its last eight. Washington has won and covered three of its last four games.

Boston at L.A. Clippers: Another heavy line (-12.5) here and almost seems like a pass. Los Angeles swept the season series (2-0 SU, 1-1 ATS) against Boston last season. The Celtics started the season with eight straight losses against the West but have since gone 4-1 both SU and ATS in its last five.

Denver at Golden State: The Warriors are laying two touchdowns (-14) to the Nuggets and bettors should be aware that the visitor went 4-0 both SU and ATS in the four encounters last season. Golden State is a league-best 17-1 at home (13-4-1 ATS) this season.

Dallas at Memphis: Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley (ankle) could miss this game, which is why there is no overnight. Memphis has won and covered four straight while Dallas holds a solid 7-3 mark (5-4-1 ATS) in its last 10 games. In early December, Memphis earned a 114-105 victory against Dallas as a 2 ½-point home favorite. Prior to this win, Dallas had gone 5-1 SU and 6-0 ATS in its last six encounters against the Grizzlies.

Indiana at Houston: Another healthy line and understandably. The Pacers have lost four straight and five of their last six games. The Rockets are just 1-2 in their last three and the defense was torched in the two losses (120, 131). Indiana has played 20 games versus the West this season and has gone 6-14 SU and 10-9-1 ATS. Houston 11-4 SU and 8-7 ATS versus the East, which includes a 5-2 record at home. We’ll have different players on the floor for the Pacers but it should be noted that Indiana has won and covered four of their last five encounters against the Rockets.

New Orleans at New York: Great win on Sunday for the Pelicans, who upset the Raptors 95-93 as 11-point road underdogs without Anthony Davis or Jrue Holiday. New Orleans is just 5-9 SU and 7-7 ATS versus the Eastern Conference this season. The Pelicans ran past the Knicks 104-93 on Dec. 9 as 6 ½-point home favorites. New York is 1-15 SU and 6-9-1 ATS against the West. The Knicks have dropped 16 straight (2-13-1 ATS) games and have looked embarrassing at times. Bettors should note a strong trend for New Orleans on zero days rest this season. Despite going 5-4 SU, the Pelicans are 9-0 ATS in back-to-back spots.

[StarDust Bum]

Central Division Analysis

January 19, 2015

Take a look as the five teams in the Eastern Conference Central Division as we approach the halfway point in the season. Here is a breakdown of the results and spread results for each team in the Central division and a look at what situations may be favorable moving forward for each squad.

The Central has featured some surprising results to this point in the season and while first place and last place are 12 games apart, the point differentials for these five teams are all within five points. Cleveland and Chicago were the heavy favorites in a division Indiana has won the past two seasons, while few expected Detroit or Milwaukee to be playoff contenders. While none of the teams in this division has one of the best three records in the Eastern Conference, the division should produce three playoff teams and Cleveland and Chicago are still priced as two of the favorites to win the NBA championship.

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls lead the Central by a wide margin at 27-15, but this has not been an overly impressive squad, going just 18-24 ATS on the season and sitting just +2.8 in average point differential for the season. Chicago has played the 26th-rated schedule in the league and the Bulls have been a surprisingly poor performer at home going just 12-10 S/U and 7-15 ATS. Chicago has been known for defense in recent seasons under Tom Thibodeau, but the Bulls have leaned ‘over’ on the season 23-17-2 including a 16-5-1 mark for the ‘over’ at the United Center. As the point differential suggests, Chicago has been tough to trust as a heavy favorite going 3-9 ATS when favored by 10 or more points and 5-12 ATS when favored by six or more points.

If the Bulls win convincingly, they have been a team to fade the next time out, going 2-6 ATS in games following up a double-digit win this season. Chicago is an 11-9 ATS performer on the road this season including a 7-4 mark as a road favorite. The Bulls have been on a recent ATS slide going just 3-10 ATS since beating the Lakers convincingly on Christmas day, but they have covered in seven of the last 10 road games.

Milwaukee Bucks: Many laughed at Jason Kidd’s efforts to force a better deal with the Nets after last season backfiring, leading to Kidd ultimately landing in a seemingly much less favorable position in Milwaukee. Kidd has quickly proven his head coaching meddle with the Bucks at 21-19 this season after the team went 15-67 last season for the worst record in the NBA. Milwaukee has been one of the great surprises in the league and a team that continues to turn in profits with a 27-12-1 ATS record on the season. Milwaukee is +1.2 in point differential on the season through the league’s 22nd-ranked schedule. While staying above .500 might be a challenge down the stretch, making the playoffs in the Eastern Conference certainly looks like a strong possibility.

Milwaukee has been a great underdog this season at 17-9-1 ATS, but they have been even better as a favorite at 10-3 ATS on the season. The Bucks have been excellent in road games with a 17-6 ATS mark that includes covers in nine of the last 10 road games and Milwaukee has been outstanding coming off a loss with a 16-3 ATS record, including a 6-0 ATS mark coming off back-to-back S/U defeats. The Bucks have been one of the great ‘under’ teams in the league with the ‘under’ at 25-15 with the team heading back from London including the ‘under’ hitting in each of the last seven road games for Milwaukee and the ‘under’ hitting in 11 straight games overall for the Bucks since Christmas.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavaliers are still one of the favorites to win the NBA Finals despite a lackluster 21-20 campaign at this point in the season. Despite the struggles, Cleveland is still comfortably in the Eastern Conference playoff field and this would be a team no one would want to face in the postseason. That said the David Blatt, LeBron James, and Kevin Love partnership has not had a great start and Cleveland has been one of the best teams to play against this season at 15-26 ATS for the year. The Cavaliers have also been a disappointing scoring team and the ‘under’ has gone 25-14-2. While Cleveland has struggled as a favorite at 12-17 ATS on the season, they have been worse when dogged and facing top competition, going 3-9 ATS as an underdog this season. A recent sweep in two games at the Staples Center may provide a spark for the Cavaliers in the second half, but those back-to-back wins and covers ended a brutal 4-16 ATS run that featured Cleveland losing nine of 10 games S/U until last week’s wins.

Cleveland has gone 2-9 ATS in the last 11 road games going back to the start of December, actually losing four home games in a road S/U though they were an underdog in three of those games. The win over the Clippers last week snapped a six-game losing streak for Cleveland as an underdog of four or more points. In fairness, Cleveland has played the toughest schedule in the division to this point, a slate that ranks 11th in the league and the Cavaliers are 3-2 S/U vs. division foes and 15-9 S/U vs. the Eastern Conference this season, proving they could still be a threat in the postseason. Cleveland is just 6-11 S/U and ATS vs. the Western Conference this season even after sweeping two games in Los Angeles last week.

Detroit Pistons: The Pistons started the season 5-23 S/U and 8-20 ATS before dumping Josh Smith right before Christmas. Since Christmas, Detroit is 11-2 S/U and 10-3 ATS for an incredible turnaround that has the Pistons just a game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The value on Detroit may be shifting back against the Pistons at some point as this is still a team that is just 6-15 ATS at home and 4-10 ATS as a favorite this season as the recent run of success came mainly on the road and often as an underdog. The Pistons have played an average schedule that ranks 17th in the league and they generally have not fared well against the best competition even with a few recent wins of note, beating San Antonio, Dallas, and Toronto so far in January.

Detroit has been a streaky team going 10-5 ATS off a win this season, but just 8-17 ATS off a loss. The ‘under’ has had a slight edge in Detroit games at 22-18-1 including 13-8 in road games while the ‘over’ is 11-9-1 Detroit home games. Time will tell if the Pistons can continue the strong recent results but the ATS numbers are likely to turn with the recent shift in valuation for Detroit, now frequently playing as a favorite.

Indiana Pacers: As expected, the Indiana Pacers have fallen off the map after being the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season, going 56-26. Injuries have played a major role, but it is a bit surprising that the Pacers are sitting at the bottom of the division at this point at just 15-27. Indiana has been more successful against the spread with a 21-18-3 ATS mark though they have dropped six in a row heading into this week. The Pacers have been a profitable road team despite a 7-16 S/U mark going 14-7-2 ATS away from home including 13-4-2 ATS as a road underdog. Indiana is also 10-3-1 ATS on the road coming off a loss. The Pacers are 15-9-2 ATS overall as an underdog but just 6-9-1 ATS as a favorite. After being one of the best home teams in the NBA last season with a 35-6 S/U record in Indianapolis, the Pacers are just 8-11 S/U and 7-11-1 ATS at home this season.

Despite the struggles, the Pacers are less than three games out of the playoff picture and with a -1.7 average point differential Indiana has likely deserved a better record with many close defeats through a schedule that has ranked 16th in the league so far this season. Indiana has leaned slightly to the ‘over’ this season with the ‘over’ going 24-18 at this point in the season, including 16-7 on the road, though after the ‘over’ started the season 14-3 in road games for the Pacers and it is just 2-4 since. The Pacers are the only team in the Central with a losing division record going 2-5 S/U in division games and no team has done worse against the Western Conference with a 6-14 S/U mark, though they have played more games out of the conference than any other team in the division at this point.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

College basketball conferences #19-24, according to kenpom.com

24) Big South- Coastal Carolina/High Point are tied for first.

23) Southern-- Mercer-Wofford-Chattanooga all have one loss.

22) Patriot-- Colgate is in first; they're 8-12 overall. Not a good league.

21) Summit-- North Dakota State/Oral Roberts are tied at the top.

20) OVC-- Murray State-Eastern Illinois is Thursday; battle of unbeatens.

19) MAAC-- Wide-open league; Iona-Rider-Monmouth tied for first.

**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.......

13) Radio talk shows are funny; the Packers blew a lead Sunday, so now every move they made during the game becomes the one that cost them the game. They should've done this, they should've done that. Every "Joe from Queens" knows better than the guy who makes $5M a year to coach the team. Amazing.

12) Tom Selleck turns 70 years old next week. I read this Sunday night and it jarred me; I instantly felt older. He did an episode of Magnum PI called "Forty", all about hitting middle age. Hard to believe that was thirty years ago.

11) Milwaukee traded pitcher Yovani Gallardo to Texas, fueling speculation they are going to sign free agent James Shields.

10) Kansas 85, Oklahoma 78-- Jayhawks led by 19 at half, Oklahoma went ahead late in game, but couldn't finish the job. Really good game. Oklahoma is one of those teams that could lose in the first round of the NCAAs but they could win a title, too.

9) 49ers are paying new coach Jim Tomsula $3.5M a year, less than four coaches in the Big 14, where Jim Harbaugh ($5M a year) now works. Niners are a top 5 team in revenue, but Tomsula is the 3rd-lowest paid head coach- this makes sense how?

8) Some of these nitwit owners might've read Moneyball; Billy Beane isn't a big believer in managers being paid huge money, he sees them more as middle managers. In the NFL though thats just not true at all. 49ers will learn that the hard way.

7) Clippers are 28-14; Knicks are 6-36. Mike Woodson is an assistant coach in LA now, after being run out of NY last year. Think he is happier now?

6) Max Scherzer's $210M contract will be paid out over 14 years, even though it is only a seven-year contract. Washington is a prohibitive favorite in the NL East.

5) Forgot to mention this, but over the weekend, South Dakota lost by 14 at South Dakota State as an 8-point underdog, but only before they took a 20-0 lead!!! How many times does a team fall behind 20-0, then rally to win by double figures?

4) I screwed up a stat yesterday about #1 seeds making the Super Bowl. Here is the right stuff: this is the third time in the last six years that both #1 seeds made it to the Super Bowl. Before the Saints-Colts Super Bowl, it had been 16 years since both #1's got to the Super Bowl.

3) Bleachers in Wrigley Field will be closed in April; ones in right field might not be open until Memorial Day, as they refurbish the ballpark. Going to be strange to see games in April with no fans in the outfield.

2) Lou Amundson started for the Knicks Monday; he is on his 10th NBA team in nine seasons. Amundson and Drew Gooden are the two active players who have both been on ten different teams. The record is 12 teams; Amundson has a shot.

1) Four different players have played for 12 NBA teams: Tony Massenberg, Chuckie Brown, Joe Smith and Jim Jackson. Smith and Jackson were high draft picks.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, January 20

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OKLAHOMA CITY (20 - 20) at MIAMI (18 - 22) - 1/20/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 3-1 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 3-1 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY 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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SAN ANTONIO (26 - 16) at DENVER (18 - 23) - 1/20/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 880-769 ATS (+34.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 695-592 ATS (+43.8 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 134-95 ATS (+29.5 Units) on Tuesday nights since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 353-285 ATS (+39.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
DENVER is 148-198 ATS (-69.8 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.
DENVER is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-4 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 6-2 straight up against DENVER 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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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, January 20

Hot Teams
-- Thunder won three of last four games (1-4 last five A). Heat also won three of its last four games (2-3 last five H).
-- Spurs won seven of last nine games (3-0 last three AF).

Cold Teams
-- Nuggets lost last three games by 8-8-43 points (3-4 HU).

Series Records
-- Thunder lost seven of last eight games with Miami.
-- Spurs won their last four games with Denver.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Miami home games stayed under.
-- Seven of Spurs' last eight road games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
-- Denver is 0-4 vs spread at home if it played night before.

East vs West
SU: West 132-80 ATS: West 113-97-2
East teams HF vs West: 27-28
East teams HU vs West: 20-33
West teams HF vs East: 45-43-2
West teams HU vs East: 7-7




NBA

Tuesday, January 20

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. MIAMI
Oklahoma City is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Miami
Oklahoma City is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Miami is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Miami is 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 games at home

9:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. DENVER
San Antonio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Antonio's last 10 games
Denver is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against San Antonio
Denver is 2-10 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against San Antonio


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NBA

Tuesday, January 20

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Game of the Day: Thunder at Heat
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Oklahoma City Thunder at Miami Heat (OFF, OFF)

The Oklahoma City Thunder can move above .500 for the first time all season when they travel to Miami to face the Heat on Tuesday. The Thunder started 3-12 while stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were battling injuries, but they've won two straight and seven of 11 to complete their climb out of the early hole. The Heat haven't seen .500 since the first week of December, but they've won three of four to maintain the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Thunder still have work to do to get back in the playoff picture — they're three games behind eighth-place Phoenix — but started a tough five-game road trip with an impressive 127-99 win at Orlando on Sunday. "We were clicking on all cylinders this time," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks told reporters. "We haven't played well in our last three road games, but we came out with a road-trip mentality." Miami has won seven of the past eight meetings, including the 2012 NBA Finals, and the teams split two contests last season.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV, FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), Sun Sports (Miami)

ABOUT THE THUNDER (19-20): Oklahoma City has hit its stride offensively, scoring 127 points in each of the past two games and averaging 106.6 while winning 17 of its last 25. Durant (25.4 points, 6.9 rebounds) has scored 21 or more points in seven of eight games since returning from his most recent injury, averaging 28.6 points and nine rebounds over that stretch. Newcomer Dion Waiters has provided a spark off the bench since coming over from Cleveland, scoring 15 or more points in his last four games.

ABOUT THE HEAT (18-22): Miami wrapped up a five-game West Coast road trip with a 95-83 win at Sacramento on Friday, finishing 3-2 on the trek despite playing the last two games without leading scorer Dwyane Wade (22.1 points, 5.6 assists). Chris Bosh (21.6 points, 7.7 rebounds) and Luol Deng (14.2 points, 4.9 rebounds) put up big numbers against the Kings, but while Wade (hamstring) could return Tuesday, Deng (illness) is questionable. The Heat clamped down on defense on the trip, allowing 90 points or fewer in all three of their wins.

TRENDS:

* The Under is 7-0 in the Heat's last seven games
* The Thunder are 1-7 ATS in their last eight meetings
* The Thunder are 2-6-1 ATS in their last nine outings
* The Heat are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games


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NBA

Tuesday, January 20


Under a red hot bet in the Association Monday night

Betting on the under in the NBA was a smart move on Monday night as it went an impressive 10-1 over/under, cashing over 90 percent of the time.

This was highlighted by the Milwaukee Bucks, who have gone under in 11 straight games.

The under has been the slightly better bet compared to the over this season, hitting 52.9 percent of the time.


Hawks continue to roll, win, cash 13th straight

The Atlanta Hawks' streak is getting so ridiculous that you almost automatically have to back them until they lose.

The Hawks won and cashed their 13th consecutive game, beating the Detroit Pistons 92-83 Monday afternoon, covering the 7.5-point spread.

Atlanta, who is now the 5/1 to favorite to win the NBA title, has won 27 of their last 29 straight up and are 25-4 ATS during that run.

Next up for the Hawks is the Indiana Pacers in Atlanta on Wednesday, who have lost six of seven straight up and haven't covered in seven straight.


Knicks end skid at 16, cover the spread

The New York Knicks' losing streak has been halted at 16 thanks to a 99-92 win over the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night, where they easily covered as 7.5-point home dogs.

The Knicks covered the spread just four times during the 16 game losing streak, a skid that has seen them become the worst bet against the spread in the NBA at 14-27-1 ATS.

New York goes will try for back-to-back wins since winning their second an third games of the season when they visit Philadelphia Wednesday.


Bucks under streak hitting new lows

The Milwaukee Bucks lost 92-89 to the Toronto Raptors Monday night and went under the total for the 12th consecutive game.

The run has made the Bucks the second best under play in the Association at 15-26 over/under this season.

It should be noted that Milwaukee is 2-14 O/U since losing rookie phenom Jabari Parker to an ACL tear back on Dec. 16.

The Bucks will try to make it 13 in a row Thursday when they host the Utah Jazz.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Tuesday, January 20

Oklahoma City at Miami, 7:35 ET
Oklahoma City: n/a
Miami: n/a

San Antonio at Denver, 9:05 ET
San Antonio: 51-30 OVER in road games after a combined score of 165 points or less
Denver: 24-12 OVER revenging a same season loss vs opponent

NBA
Dunkel

Oklahoma City at Miami
The Thunder (8-13 SU on the road) head to Miami tonight to face a Heat team that is 1-6-1 ATS in its last 8 home games versus a team with a losing road record. Oklahoma City is the pick (-6) according to Dunkel, which has the Thunder favored by 9. Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-6). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20

Game 501-502: Oklahoma City at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 127.526; Miami 118.632
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 9; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 6; 198 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-6); Over

Game 503-504: San Antonio at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 124.233; Denver 113.196
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 11; 210
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 8; 205
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-8); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Tuesday

January 20, 2015


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Heat are 0-10 ATS (-9.85 ppg) since Apr 03, 2001 at home with two or more days of rest after a win on the road in which the percentage of their baskets that were assisted was at least ten percentage points higher than their season-to-date average.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Nuggets are 9-0 OU (20.50 ppg) since Mar 03, 2014 at home when facing a team they lost to in their previous same-season match-up as a dog.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Spurs are 0-10-1 OU (-10.45 ppg) since Feb 22, 2013 on the road after Tim Duncan took fewer than 10 shots in a win.

NBA BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Nuggets are 0-10 ATS (-9.10 ppg) after playing the Warriors.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Thunder are 0-7 OU (-9.07 ppg) since Dec 27, 2013 after Russell Westbrook played fewer than 30 minutes on the road.