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

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Tuesday's Tip Sheet

January 20, 2015

Thunder at Heat – 7:35 PM EST

A rematch of the 2012 NBA Finals takes place tonight at American Airlines Arena, as Miami returns home from a 3-2 West Coast swing. The Heat finished off the trip with a 95-83 triumph at Sacramento on Friday night to cash as three-point underdogs. Dwyane Wade sat out his second straight game with a lingering hamstring injury, but the former NBA Finals MVP is listed as probable for tonight’s action.

Miami (18-22 SU, 18-20-2 ATS) has struggled at home this season by putting together a 7-12 record, while dropping eight of their past 11 at the AAA since late November. Erik Spoelstra’s team has also had many problems putting together back-to-back wins the last few months by owning a 1-9 SU and 1-8-1 ATS off a victory with the lone win in this span coming over the Lakers last week.

Oklahoma City (20-20 SU, 18-20-2 ATS) is starting to get back on track, at least from an ATS standpoint. The Thunder stumbled to a 2-10-1 ATS mark from mid-December until January 15, but OKC rebounded with back-to-back wins and covers against Golden State and Orlando this past weekend. In Sunday’s rout of the Magic, the Thunder put up 79 first half points in a 127-99 blowout as nine-point favorites, while Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined to shoot an efficient 14-of-22 from the floor.

The Thunder has an opportunity to bust the .500 mark for the first time this season with a victory as OKC lost in its past chance at 17-17 in a 117-91 loss at Golden State earlier this month. Scott Brooks’ squad snapped a four-game road skid with the rout at Orlando, while compiling a 3-6 ATS record this season as an away favorite.

Since OKC won the opening game of the 2012 NBA Finals, the Heat has won seven of the previous eight meetings against the Thunder. Obviously much of that success had to do with LeBron James leading Miami, but the only win by the Thunder came last season in South Florida as OKC erased an 18-point deficit in a 112-95 victory as four-point underdogs.

Spurs at Nuggets – 9:05 PM EST

Denver (18-23 SU, 16-22-3 ATS) hopes to put up a better performance after Monday’s clunker at Golden State, falling 122-79 to the Warriors as 13 ½-point underdogs. The Nuggets scored just 28 first half points, while guards Arron Afflalo and Randy Foye combined to shoot 2-of-18 from the floor for just five points. Following a five-game winning streak to sneak closer to the .500 plateau, Denver has lost three straight contests.

The Spurs (26-16 SU, 20-21-1 ATS) are doing what the Spurs normally do, which is sneak up on teams when it seems like San Antonio is down. Gregg Popovich’s club has won five of six games, but is still in fourth place of the ultra-competitive Southwest division behind Memphis, Houston, and Dallas. San Antonio’s most recent triumph came in blowout fashion as the Spurs destroyed the Jazz on Sunday night, 89-69 to easily cover as 12-point home favorites.

Since the start of last season, the Spurs have won four straight meetings with the Nuggets, including a 99-91 triumph at the Pepsi Center in mid-December as five-point road favorites. The key for San Antonio in that victory was a 25-12 second quarter domination to put the game out of reach, as the Spurs won that game without Tony Parker. Afflalo put up a game-high 31 points for the Nuggets, while his backcourt mate Ty Lawson was limited to six points on 2-of-10 shooting from the floor.

The Spurs have struggled of late on the highway by posting a 3-6 SU and 4-5 ATS record, but have managed to win and cover three of their past four road games when listed as a favorite. Denver begins a three-game homestand tonight that continues with Boston and Washington this week, as the Nuggets have won six of their previous nine contests at the Pepsi Center. In the role of a home underdog, Denver has dropped five of seven games, while compiling a 3-4 ATS mark.

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Atlantic Division Analysis

January 20, 2015


Take a look as the five teams in the Eastern Conference Atlantic 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 Atlantic division and a look at what situations may be favorable moving forward for each squad.

The Atlantic has pretty clearly been the weakest division in the NBA with only one winning team and a collective 52-114 record outside of the division. The group also features the two teams with the worst records and worst average point differentials in the Eastern Conference. Right now, two Atlantic teams would still make the playoffs and there is hope for some improvement with the bottom two teams in the division playing two of the tougher schedules in the league at this point in the season. Outside of the hot start to the season for Toronto however, there has not been a lot to like about the results in the Atlantic division as we approach the halfway point in the season.

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors have a 10-game lead in the division and own a perfect 7-0 record in division games, but after starting the season 13-2, Toronto is just 14-12 since. The Raptors currently stand as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, but that record has been built through a schedule that ranks 27th in the league and the Raptors are just a .500 team vs. the top half of the league. The Raptors are just 21-20 ATS on the season, a victim of overvaluation after the hot start to the season as the Raptors are 4-10 ATS since late December. The Raptors are only 10-13 ATS at home this season and just 5-6 ATS as an underdog. They have dropped seven of the last 10 games S/U for an alarming slide, but the edge in the division does appear to be insurmountable for the rest of the group.

The Raptors have not been an underdog of more than six points all season, but that could change in the next month with some more difficult games ahead, particularly on the road in late February. Toronto is 11-6 S/U vs. the Western Conference this season, but with the light schedule and the failure to keep up the early season momentum, this may be a team that continues to slide back towards the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Toronto is 16-7 S/U at home, but just 10-13 ATS and the ‘under’ is 13-10 in Toronto home games as well. On the road, the ‘over’ has been successful in Raptors games at 12-5-1 on the season, though after seven of the first eight Raptors road games went ‘over’ the trend has settled down.

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets were a disappointing team last season, but they wound up as the #6 seed in the playoffs where they upset their division rival Toronto in the first round and then gave Miami a difficult series before exiting in five games. The Nets are potentially headed for an ownership change and after a coaching change this offseason, it has not been a smooth start with the Nets at 17-24 S/U. The Nets are 5-4 vs. the division and they are slightly better ATS with an 18-23 mark overall. The Nets showed some life in late December with wins in six of seven games at one point, but Brooklyn has dropped eight of the last nine games with just two ATS wins in the last 10 games. Brooklyn has been an overwhelming ‘under’ team with the ‘under’ going 26-15 on the season including 14-5 in Brooklyn road games.

Brooklyn has been a solid 11-8 ATS team on the road this season, but at home the Nets are just 7-15 ATS, including going just 1-7 ATS as a home underdog. The Nets are 5-2 ATS in the last five games on the road, sitting with a strong 9-5 ATS mark as a road underdog this season. The Nets are 8-3 ATS off a S/U loss and the ‘under’ is 16-7 in Nets games with the team off a S/U loss. The struggles for the Nets have come against the 29th ranked schedule in the league and the Nets have very few wins against quality competition. Brooklyn is only -2.2 in average point differential this season and the defensive scoring numbers are respectable, but with some other teams in the Eastern Conference appearing to make a surge, the Nets may not stay in the playoff field for long.

Boston Celtics: The second season for Brad Stevens in Boston has again been a challenge with the team clearly in rebuilding mode. The Celtics are 13-26 S/U on the season, but with an average point differential of -2.1, the Celtics have mostly been pretty competitive, especially at home where they are 9-13 S/U as Boston is just 4-13 S/U on the road this season. The Celtics have been nearly even against the spread going 19-20 ATS on the season while going 5-5 ATS in the past 10, but Boston is just 3-12 S/U since late December. Boston is 10-7 ATS on the road but just 9-13 ATS at home and the Celtics are one game below .500 as both an underdog and as a favorite. Boston has covered in four of the last five road games but the Celtics have failed against the number in four of the last five home games.

At home, the Celtics have been a strong ‘over’ team at 15-7 on the season while the ‘under’ has hit in eight of the last 10 Boston road games. Boston has played a tougher schedule than the two teams ahead of them in the division standings as this is a team that could be a threat to make a push for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, a spot that won’t likely require a winning record. Boston is 4-4 S/U in division games, but surprisingly just 5-13 S/U vs. the rest of the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia 76ers: The 76ers have by far the worst average point differential in the NBA at -12.7, but at 8-33 S/U, the 76ers are on pace to exceed the dire expectations from the start of the season. After an 0-17 start, Philadelphia is 8-16 since for somewhat more respectable results, actually going 4-5 S/U and 5-4 ATS in the last nine games. Even with huge underdog pricing in many games, the 76ers are only 8-14 ATS on the season in road games, while sitting at 10-8-1 ATS at home this season. Philadelphia has not been favored at any point this season and after starting the season on an 8-4-1 ATS run as a double-digit underdog, the 76ers are just 2-8 ATS in the last 10 instances when getting double-digits.

Philadelphia has just one S/U win in 23 games as a double-digit underdog this season. Even with terrible defensive numbers, the 76ers are a great ‘under’ team with the ‘under’ 26-15 on the season, including 15-7 in road games. The ‘under’ has also hit in five straight home games in January for the 76ers. Philadelphia has just three S/U wins at home this season, but they have all come in the first three weeks of 2015 and Philadelphia may remain a more promising team in upcoming home situations, riding a 7-4 ATS mark in the past 11 home dates.

New York Knicks: The Knicks have been the worst team in the NBA at 6-36, but they have played the fifth-toughest schedule in the league. After losing 16 games in a row, New York picked up a win to start the week, but it has been an ugly season from an ATS perspective as well with the Knicks at 14-27-1 ATS on the season. At home, New York is 5-16 ATS this season as they have been a nearly .500 proposition against the number on the road. New York has just one cover in five attempts as a favorite this season, though they are just 13-23-1 ATS as an underdog. New York is 5-4 ATS when getting double-digits as an underdog. New York has leaned to the ‘under’ at home this season at 12-8 with the ‘over’ having an edge on the road for New York at 13-6-1.

The Knicks are 1-7 ATS in the last eight home games and this week’s win was the first S/U home win for New York since November and after winning the first road game of the season in Cleveland, the Knicks have just one S/U win on the road since with a narrow win at Boston in December. The Knicks are -8.8 in average point differential on the season, far better than Philadelphia despite the worst record in the Atlantic standings. New York is 2-15 S/U vs. the Western Conference this season as they have played a very tough slate so some improvement may be ahead especially with the growing spreads for New York as an underdog almost every night.

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Armadillo: Wednesday'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.

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Armadillo: Wednesday'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.

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

Letdown spot

The UTEP Miners are in a tight race in the C-USA, one of three teams at 4-1 in conference play and just behind 5-0 Louisiana Tech and Western Kentucky in the standings. The Miners have a trying stretch of schedule that has them on the road for three straight contests, taking care of business in the first stop of this road run with a 73-55 win at Texas-San Antonio Saturday.

The big test of this span comes Thursday when UTEP takes on the Hilltoppers in Bowling Green, Kentucky – a game that could propel the Miners to the top of the conference. However, they only have a day off from that high-pressure matchup before visiting Marshall Saturday. The Thundering Herd, at 4-14 on the year, will be catching a ton of points at home and may catch UTEP in a bad letdown at the end of an extended road trip.

Lookahead spot

Hosting your respective league’s All-Star showcase is always a good time, but for those players on the host team it can be a busy break when the majority of the league is putting its feet up. The Columbus Blue Jackets welcome the hockey world to Nationwide Arena this weekend for the NHL All-Star Game but not before wrapping up a road trip north of the border.

The Blue Jackets are in Winnipeg Wednesday night, capping a three-game road run versus the Jets after wins in Montreal and Boston in the first two stops. Columbus has three skaters in the All-Star Game and the rest of team will likely be planning for family visits and events during the All-Star festivities – steering focus away from Winnipeg. The Jets are hungry and in the playoff hunt, winning their most recent meeting with the Jackets 4-2 in Columbus on Nov. 25.

Schedule spot

The Oklahoma City Thunder have a hard enough home slate, with the nightly grind in the Western Conference what it is. Now, the Thunder hit the highway to take on some of the top teams in the East, picking up with the Miami Heat Tuesday night – the second stop on a five-game road trek that has OKC playing five games in eight days.

Oklahoma City opened the trip with a one-sided win in Orlando and follows the Miami game with a gauntlet of Eastern Conference contenders. The Thunder are in Washington Wednesday, at Atlanta Friday, and finish this stretch of sked with a stop in Cleveland to play LeBron and the surging Cavaliers Sunday. OKC did cover in Orlando Sunday but is just 6-14-1 ATS on the road this season.

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, January 21

Hot Teams
-- Cleveland won/covered last three games (2-5 last seven HF).
-- Charlotte won six of last seven games, covered 7 of last 8 (6-7 HF).
-- Detroit won 11 of last 14 games (2-9 HF).
-- Hawks won last 12 games (10-0-1 vs spread last 11-- 9-3 last 12 HF).
-- Memphis won four of last five games (3-1 last four HF).
-- Dallas won three of last four games (5-1 last six AF).
-- Pelicans are 9-2 vs spread in game following last 11 losses (8-6 HF).
-- Thunder won four of last five games (1-6 last seven AU). Washington won seven of last nine games (4-2 last six HF).
-- Suns won 13 of their last 17 games (5-1 last six HF).
-- Warriors won 10 of last 11 games (6-0-1 last seven HF). Rockets won six of last eight games (3-4 AU).

Cold Teams
-- Jazz lost four of their last five games (9-3 last 12 AU).
-- Miami lost seven of last 11 games (3-1 last four A).
-- Knicks lost 16 of their last 17 games (1-3 last four AU). Philly lost four of last five games (0-0 F).
-- Magic won eight of last ten games (16-6 AU).
-- Pacers lost their last five games (7-3-1 last 11 AU).
-- Raptors lost seven of their last ten games (4-5 AU).
-- Minnesota lost 17 of last 19 games (5-9 HU).
-- Lakers lost their last five games (10-8 AU).
-- Portland lost three of its last four games (1-3 last four AU).
-- Kings lost last four games, covered five of last seven (1-6 last 7 HF). Nets lost eight of last nine games (5-0 last five AU).

Series Records
-- Cavaliers won three of last four games with Utah.
-- Heat won 20 of last 21 games against Charlotte.
-- Knicks won eight of last ten games with Philly.
-- Pistons won four of last seven games with Orlando.
-- Pacers won three of last five games in Atlanta.
-- Raptors won their last three games with Memphis.
-- Dallas lost three of last five games with Minnesota.
-- Lakers lost four of last five games with New Orleans.
-- Thunder won three of last four games with Washington.
-- Suns won five of last seven games with Portland.
-- Nets won five of last six games with Sacramento.
-- Warriors won their last four games with Houston.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight Utah road games stayed under.
-- Last six Miami road games stayed under the total.
-- Last five Milwaukee home games stayed under.
-- Six of last eight Detroit home games went over.
-- Four of last five Atlanta games stayed under.
-- Over is 8-3-1 in last twelve Memphis home games.
-- 10 of last 14 Dallas road games went over total.
-- Under is 6-0-2 in last eight Laker road games.
-- 10 of last 11 Washington home games stayed under.
-- Five of last six Portland road games went over.
-- Four of last five Brooklyn road games went over.
-- Eight of last ten Houston road games went over.

Back-to-Backs
-- Miami is 2-3-1 on road if it played night before.
-- Thunder is 5-2-1 vs spread if they played night before.

East vs West
SU: West 133-80 ATS: West 114-97-2
East teams HF vs West: 27-28
East teams HU vs West: 20-34
West teams HF vs East: 45-43-2
West teams HU vs East: 7-7

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NBA

Wednesday, January 21

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
UTAH vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Utah's last 8 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Utah
Cleveland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. PHILADELPHIA
New York is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of New York's last 9 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Philadelphia's last 9 games when playing at home against New York

7:00 PM
MIAMI vs. CHARLOTTE
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Miami's last 9 games when playing Charlotte
Miami is 11-4-1 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Charlotte
Charlotte is 1-21 SU in its last 22 games when playing Miami
Charlotte is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Miami

7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. DETROIT
Orlando is 5-19 SU in its last 24 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Orlando is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando
Detroit is 19-5 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Orlando

7:30 PM
INDIANA vs. ATLANTA
Indiana is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing at home against Indiana

8:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. NEW ORLEANS
LA Lakers are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of the LA Lakers last 9 games
New Orleans is 3-8 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
New Orleans is 3-8 ATS in their last 11 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

8:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. WASHINGTON
Oklahoma City is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games
Oklahoma City is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
Washington is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Oklahoma City

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. MINNESOTA
Dallas is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Dallas
Minnesota is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Dallas

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MEMPHIS
Toronto is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
Toronto is 8-15-1 ATS in its last 24 games when playing Memphis
Memphis is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Toronto
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Portland's last 18 games when playing Phoenix
Portland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Phoenix's last 18 games when playing Portland
Phoenix is 12-4-1 ATS in its last 17 games

10:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. SACRAMENTO
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Brooklyn's last 15 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Brooklyn's last 9 games
Sacramento is 5-12-1 ATS in its last 18 games at home
Sacramento is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Brooklyn

10:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Houston's last 18 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
Golden State is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Houston

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NBA

Wednesday, January 21

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Game of the Day: Rockets at Warriors
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Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (-7.5, 217.5)

The Golden State Warriors tend to respond to losses with a renewed focus, something the Houston Rockets were made aware of over the weekend. The Rockets will try to deliver some payback for that 25-point home loss on Saturday when they visit the Warriors on Wednesday. Golden State fell at Oklahoma City on Friday before bouncing back against Houston and followed that up with a 43-point demolition of the Denver Nuggets on Monday.

The Warriors won their 16th straight home game in the 122-79 triumph over Denver, setting a franchise record since the team moved out to the west coast and matching the best mark last accomplished by the 1959 Philadelphia Warriors. Houston followed up its 131-106 loss to Golden State with a much better effort on the defensive end during a 110-98 triumph over Indiana on Monday. Rockets star guard James Harden, who was badgered into 12 points on 4-of-15 shooting against the Warriors, posted a season-high 45 points against the Pacers on 12-of-18.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, ROOT Southwest (Houston), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 7.5-point home faves, which is where it currently sits at the time of writing.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (29-13): Houston hung around for the first half on Saturday before getting outscored 38-21 in the third quarter and letting the game slip away. The Rockets made the third quarter their own on Monday, getting 18 points from Harden in the period and outscoring the Pacers 34-23 to spread out a 10-point halftime lead. “I thought we started out with great effort,” Houston coach Kevin McHale told reporters. “…Overall I thought our start was really good. We held them to a 45-point half. I thought there was a lot of good stuff tonight, and stuff to build on."

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (33-6): Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry scored 27 points apiece in Houston and were the leaders again with 22 and 20, respectively, against Denver, though neither saw the floor much in the second half. Golden State has spent the season setting records and became the only NBA team with multiple 40-point wins on the season while also getting 13 players double-digit minutes for the first time in franchise history on Monday. “Our defense was as good as it has been all year, and that was regardless of whether it was the starters or the second unit,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters.

TRENDS:

* The Rockets are 6-2 ATS in their last eight
* The Over is 5-0 in the Rockets' last five
* The Warriors are 20-5-1 ATS in their last 26 home games
* The Under is 6-2 in their last eight meetings

CONSENSUS: Fifty-eight percent of Consensus is backing Golden State.

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NBA

Wednesday, January 21


NBA roundup: Blazers' Aldridge out with hand injury

Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge will miss Wednesday night's game against the Phoenix Suns after sustaining a left hand injury during the second quarter Monday night against the Sacramento Kings.

Aldrdige will not travel to Phoenix with the team for its game against the Suns while the hand undergoes further examination from a specialist. The team announced that initial X-rays were negative. Aldridge did not return to Monday's game after he was injured. He had 10 points and one rebound in 14 minutes before exiting.

The 29-year-old veteran entered the night leading the team with per-game averages of 23.5 points (sixth in the NBA) and 10.4 rebounds (tied for ninth in the league).

---Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James did not participate in Tuesday's practice because of flu-like symptoms and remained at home to recover.

His status for Wednesday night's game against the Utah Jazz will be determined at the Cavs' morning shootaround on Wednesday.

James returned last week from an eight-game absence to rest a sore back and knee. The Cavaliers struggled to a 1-7 record without him on the floor but are 3-1 since he rejoined the lineup. The 30-year-old star scored 26 points in 36 minutes on Monday night in the Cavs' 108-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

---Volume scorer Archie Goodwin was recalled from the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League by the Phoenix Suns.

Goodwin averaged 23.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in three games at the NBADL Showcase Cup. He scored 22 points with nine rebounds and three steals in Monday's 105-99 victory over the Grand Rapids Drive to win the cup. The 6-5 guard scored 24 points in each of the Jam's first two games of the tournament against the Texas Legends and Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Goodwin was averaging 19.5 points on 43.9 percent shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 31.6 minutes overall in six games over two assignments with Bakersfield this season.

---The Cleveland Cavaliers assigned guard Joe Harris to the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League on Tuesday.

Harris is averaging 2.9 points in 33 games, including one start, for the Cavs this season. He scored a career-high 16 points against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 5.

The 23-year-old Harris was selected by the Cavaliers in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft out of Virginia.

---Coach Tom Thibodeau poured praise on point guard Derrick Rose before Monday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the anticipated nemesis of the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference. Then the Cavaliers manhandled the Bulls 108-94 and Rose peppered the team with flammable remarks.

"Everybody has to be on the same page," Rose said. "Until then, we're going to continue to get our butt kicked. It's the whole team. We're not communicating when we're on the floor. Everybody's quiet. We've got to give a better effort. It seems like we're not even competing."

Chicago and Cleveland were expected to be the top two teams in the East this season. Instead, the Bulls (27-16) own the fourth-best record in the conference and the Cavs (22-20) are sixth in the East.

---The Denver Nuggets sent rookie guard Erick Green to Fort Wayne of the NBA Development League on Tuesday.

Green, a second-round pick by the Utah Jazz in the 2013 NBA Draft before he was traded to Denver, has played in 14 games for the Nuggets this season and averages 3.3 points.

Green was with Montepaschi Siena in the Italian League last season after leading the NCAA in scoring at 25 points per game as a senior at Virginia Tech.



Pelicans' C Anthony Davis, probable Wednesday

Davis has missed the last three games with a sprained left toe but is expected to return Wednesday against the Lakers.


Heat F Luol Deng, out Wednesday

Deng is suffering from an illness and will not play Wednesday against the Hornets.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, January 21

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UTAH (14 - 27) at CLEVELAND (22 - 20) - 1/21/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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MIAMI (18 - 23) at CHARLOTTE (17 - 25) - 1/21/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 10-4 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 13-1 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW YORK (6 - 36) at PHILADELPHIA (8 - 33) - 1/21/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 14-27 ATS (-15.7 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) as an underdog this season.
NEW YORK is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NEW YORK is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 54-68 ATS (-20.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 27-41 ATS (-18.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 29-43 ATS (-18.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-3 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 7-2 straight up against PHILADELPHIA 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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ORLANDO (15 - 29) at DETROIT (16 - 26) - 1/21/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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INDIANA (15 - 28) at ATLANTA (34 - 8) - 1/21/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 12-10 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 12-11 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
13 of 23 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (27 - 14) at MEMPHIS (29 - 12) - 1/21/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 81-56 ATS (+19.4 Units) against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 213-171 ATS (+24.9 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 72-47 ATS (+20.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 38-23 ATS (+12.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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DALLAS (29 - 13) at MINNESOTA (7 - 33) - 1/21/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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LA LAKERS (12 - 30) at NEW ORLEANS (20 - 21) - 1/21/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 5-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 5-4 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (21 - 20) at WASHINGTON (29 - 13) - 1/21/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 333-401 ATS (-108.1 Units) in home games since 1996.

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PORTLAND (31 - 11) at PHOENIX (25 - 18) - 1/21/2015, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 7-0 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 5-2 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

------------------------------------------------------------------

BROOKLYN (17 - 24) at SACRAMENTO (16 - 25) - 1/21/2015, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROOKLYN is 4-1 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 4-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO 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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HOUSTON (29 - 13) at GOLDEN STATE (33 - 6) - 1/21/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 23-8 ATS (+14.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 19-4 ATS (+14.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 37-22 ATS (+12.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 5-5 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 5-5 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

New York at Philadelphia
The Knicks head to Philadelphia tonight where they are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games versus the Sixers. New York is the pick (+1 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Knicks favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: New York (+1 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21

Game 701-702: Utah at Cleveland (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 115.316; Cleveland 126.104
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 11; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 9; 198 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-9); Over

Game 703-704: Miami at Charlotte (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 117.384; Charlotte 125.537
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 8; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Charlotte by 5 1/2; 186
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (-5 1/2); Over

Game 705-706: New York at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 110.771; Philadelphia 109.079
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 1 1/2; 184
Vegas Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1 1/2; 190 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New York (+1 1/2); Under

Game 707-708: Orlando at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 114.167; Detroit 121.892
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 7 1/2 or 21.5;
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 9; 204
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (+9); Under

Game 709-710: Indiana at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 118.992; Atlanta 127.834
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 9; 185
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 11 1/2;
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+11 1/2); Under

Game 711-712: Toronto at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 118.244; Memphis 120.307
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 6; 198 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+6); Under

Game 713-714: Dallas at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 125.824; Minnesota 110.958
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 15; 219
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 10 1/2; 214 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-10 1/2); Over

Game 715-716: LA Lakers at New Orleans (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 112.068; New Orleans 122.072
Dunkel Line & Total: New Orleans by 10; 210
Vegas Line & Total: New Orleans by 8; 206 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (-8); Over

Game 717-718: Oklahoma City at Washington (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 125.474; Washington 120.441
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 1 1/2; 205
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+1 1/2); Over

Game 719-720: Portland at Phoenix (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 119.630; Phoenix 122.823
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 3; 215
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 6 1/2; 211
Dunkel Pick: Portland (+6 1/2); Over

Game 721-722: Brooklyn at Sacramento (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 111.806; Sacramento 123.494
Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 11 1/2; 193
Vegas Line & Total: Sacramento by 5 1/2; 197
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (-5 1/2); Under

Game 723-724: Houston at Golden State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 120.565; Golden State 135.512
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 15; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 7 1/2; 217 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-7 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet

January 21, 2015

Raptors at Grizzlies – 8:05 PM EST

Toronto has hit the skids recently by dropping seven of nine games prior to holding off Milwaukee on Monday, 92-89. The Raptors shot just 40% from the floor, while leading scorer DeMar DeRozan failed to put up a single point on 0-for-9 shooting. However, the Raps snapped a three-game road losing streak, while cashing the ‘under’ for the fourth consecutive game overall. The last time Toronto faced Memphis at the Air Canada Center, the Grizzlies were missing several players due to the flu and couldn’t hold on to a fourth quarter lead in a 96-92 Raptors’ victory as six-point favorites.

The Grizzlies look to bounce back following a 103-95 defeat to the Mavericks on Monday as 3 ½-point favorites, snapping a four-game winning streak. Memphis converted just 3-of-22 attempts from three-point range, which included an 0-for-5 from newly acquired Jeff Green. In spite of the loss, the Grizzlies have covered seven of their past nine games in the favorite role, while Memphis gets a reprieve after tonight with Philadelphia and Orlando visiting FedEx Forum in the next few days.

Thunder at Wizards – 8:05 PM EST

Oklahoma City finally busted above the .500 mark for the first time this season after holding Miami last night, 94-86 to barely cover as 7 ½-point road favorites. The Thunder won their third in a row, while covering in each victory following a 2-10-1 ATS run in the previous 13 contests. It’s hard to judge this OKC team in the overall with the injuries to Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant this season, but the Thunder won consecutive road games for just the second time after the Florida sweep of the Magic and Heat.

The Wizards make their first trip to the West Coast this season following tonight’s game, beginning Saturday at Portland. Washington dominated Philadelphia on Monday afternoon from start to finish, 111-76 to cash as 14-point home favorites, the fifth victory in the past six tries at the Verizon Center. Randy Wittman’s team owns a 6-2 SU and 4-4 ATS home record against Western Conference foes, which includes victories over the Spurs and Clippers, while the two losses came to the Mavericks and Suns.

Blazers at Suns – 9:05 PM EST

Portland will be without leading scorer LaMarcus Aldridge tonight after the power forward suffered a left thumb injury in Monday’s 98-94 comeback victory over Sacramento. The Blazers erased a 13-point deficit to stun the Kings, but Portland failed to cover the number for the fourth straight game while scoring 98 points or less for the fourth consecutive time. Portland has actually managed to be alright when Aldridge has been sidelined this season, winning and covering three of four times, but the lone loss came on the road at Houston.

The Suns continue a season-high eight-game homestand, while coming off victories in the first three contests over the Cavaliers, Wolves, and Lakers. However, things will toughen up for Jeff Hornacek’s team, who hosts the Rockets, Clippers, Wizards, and Bulls to wrap up the homestand following tonight’s game. Phoenix has eclipsed the 100-point mark in 14 of the past 15 games, while the ‘over’ is 8-6-1 in this span. Interestingly enough, the Suns and Blazers are hooking up for the first time this season tonight, as Phoenix won three of four meetings last season.

Nets at Kings – 10:05 PM EST

Brooklyn heads out west looking to stay hot in the role of a road underdog. The Nets have covered five consecutive times when receiving points away from the Barclays Center, which includes outright wins at Chicago and Washington. Brooklyn couldn’t complete a home-and-home sweep of the Wizards last Saturday in a 99-90 defeat, falling to 1-8 in the past nine games. In the eight losses during this cold stretch, Lionel Hollins’ club has scored 99 points or less, resulting in a 7-2 run to the ‘under.’

The Kings are riding a four-game skid after getting outscored 31-19 in the fourth quarter of a 98-94 defeat at Portland on Monday, but Sacramento managed to cash as 9 ½-point underdogs. Tyrone Corbin’s squad has covered just twice in the past nine opportunities as a home favorite, while dropping four of six games on its most recent stand at Sleep Train Arena. The Kings are playing with revenge tonight following a 107-99 setback at Barclays Center in late December as one-point underdogs.

Rockets at Warriors – 10:35 PM EST

Houston hasn’t had much luck with Golden State this season, losing all three meetings with the team that owns the best record in the league. The Rockets fell to the Warriors at the Toyota Center last Saturday, 131-106 as two-point underdogs, as Golden State shot lights out by hitting 55% of its attempts from the floor. Kevin McHale’s squad embarks on a three-game road trip tonight coming off a 110-98 home victory over the Pacers on Monday, while cashing the ‘over’ for the fifth consecutive contest. Since mid-December, the Rockets have hit the ‘over’ in eight of 10 games played on the highway.

Golden State is fresh off the biggest lopsided victory in the league this season after dismantling Denver on Monday, 122-79 as 13 ½-point favorites to improve to 18-1 at Oracle Arena. The Warriors have eclipsed the 100-point mark in 11 straight games, while hitting triple-digits in 12 consecutive contests at home. There aren’t many negatives to find with Steve Kerr’s team, who own an 8-1-1 ATS record the past 10 games, while posting a 6-1 SU/ATS mark as a single-digit home favorite.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

College basketball programs with highest home attendance this season......

6) Creighton, 17,402-- They wish coach McDermott had more sons.

5) Wisconsin, 17,279-- Thats not including Bucky Badger.

4) North Carolina, 19,778-- How about recruiting another shooter?

3) Louisville, 21,094-- Long time ago, there was an ABA team in Kentucky.

2) Syracuse, 21,355-- Helps to play home games in a football stadium.

1) Kentucky, 23,206-- When time comes, following Calipari will be VERY tough.

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind........

13) I don't want to talk a lot about Inflate-Gate, since I've been whining about the Rams losing to the Patriots in a Super Bowl for the last 13 years, but I will say this: Sean Payton got suspended for a year and cheating during games is worse than paying guys incentives (bounties) for doing their jobs well. I'm just saying.....

12) Why does the guy in the OxyClean commercials have to yell?

11) Jerry Jones donated $10.65M to the Arkansas Razorbacks' athletic department; he graduated from Arkansas fifty years ago. Wonder what it feels like to have $10M to donate to anything? JerryWorld is going to host the next Wrestlemania, by the way, as Jerry recoups some of that $10M.

10) I could never be Speaker of the House; how does that guy stay awake during the State of the Union address? Only possible way I could stay awake would be to check scores on my phone while the weasel politicians applauded endlessly, but that would look bad on TV, wouldn't it?

9) Pepperdine has an assistant basketball coach named John Impleman, who is the great-grandson of John Wooden. How do you slip that onto your resume?

8) Georgia football coach Mark Richt got a 25% raise to $4,000,000; his defensive coordinator will make $1.3M next year, Brian Schottenheimer will make $950,000 to be offensive coordinator. That ties Richt with Steve Spurrier for the 5th-highest salary in the 14-team SEC. College football is very big business.

7) Florida Gators were last SEC team that didn't have an indoor practice facility for football; now they will. What do teams in the south need an indoor facility for?

I was in the Tennessee weight room once in 2003; if I yelled at the top of my lungs, the person at the other end of the room probably wouldn't have heard me, thats how big it was. Lot of barbells.

6) There is a par 3 at the Qatar Open this week; if you get a hole-in-one, they give you a gift voucher.....for $155,000!!!! Pretty sweet gift voucher.

5) In parts of the Middle East, the weekend isn't Saturday-Sunday, its Friday-Saturday, so crowds for the last round of the Abu Dhabi tournament last week were a little smaller than second and third rounds. In Qatar this weekend, its a Wednesday-Saturday event, so they won't have that problem.

4) Forbes Magazine reports that 11 NBA teams are now worth $1B+, with the LA Lakers being worth the most.

3) TV ratings for Atlanta Hawks games are up 61% this season, proof that if you build it, they willl come, as long as you win the games you play in it. Think the TV networks are looking forward to an Atlanta-Golden State NBA Finals? It would be great basketball, but not a ratings grabber for the casual fan.

2) Pretty good reality show on ESPN, not sure how long its going to be on, but it is about Snoop Dawg and his son, who is a D-I prospect as a wide receiver. Think it is running on Wednesday/Sunday each week; the first episode was interesting, if you're into football. I know very little about Mr Snoop's (Calvin Broadus is his real name) music career, but he is definitely into football.

1) I just remembered that I'm spending the first weekend of the NCAA tournament in Las Vegas, in a hotel where there is a Steak 'n Shake and 24-hour bowling. Yes!!!!

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, January 22

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UTAH (14 - 28) at MILWAUKEE (21 - 20) - 1/22/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 49-80 ATS (-39.0 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 185 and 189.5 points since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 16-4 ATS (+11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
UTAH is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
MILWAUKEE is 41-58 ATS (-22.8 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 39-61 ATS (-28.1 Units) against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 219-268 ATS (-75.8 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 3-1 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 2-2 straight up against UTAH 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 (27 - 16) at CHICAGO (27 - 16) - 1/22/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 881-769 ATS (+35.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 696-592 ATS (+44.8 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 251-203 ATS (+27.7 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 312-258 ATS (+28.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
CHICAGO is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in home games this season.
CHICAGO is 28-47 ATS (-23.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 3-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 3-1 straight up against CHICAGO 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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BOSTON (13 - 26) at PORTLAND (31 - 12) - 1/22/2015, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 3-2 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 4-1 straight up against BOSTON 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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BROOKLYN (18 - 24) at LA CLIPPERS (28 - 14) - 1/22/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 82-57 ATS (+19.3 Units) in home games in January games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROOKLYN is 4-0 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 2-2 straight up against BROOKLYN 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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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, January 22

Hot Teams
-- Spurs won six of last seven games, covered last four (3-0 last 3 AF).
-- Clippers won eight of last eleven games (5-9 last 14 HF).

Cold Teams
-- Bulls lost six of last eight games (0-2 HU).
-- Jazz lost five of their last six games (0-3 last three AU). Milwaukee lost four of last five home games (6-2-1 HF).
-- Celtics lost eight of last ten games (4-1 last five AU). Portland lost four of its last five games (1-5 last six HF).
-- Brooklyn lost eight of its last ten games (6-0 last six AU).

Series Records
-- Spurs won three of last four games with Chicago.
-- Jazz won five of last seven games with Milwaukee.
-- Celtics lost their last four games with Portland.
-- Brooklyn lost last three games at the Clippers by 10-6-7 points.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight San Antonio road games stayed under.
-- Eight of last nine Utah road games stayed under total.
-- Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Portland home games.
-- Nine of last twelve Clipper home games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
-- Utah is 3-6 vs spread if it played the night before.
-- Trailblazers are 6-3 if they played night before.
-- Brooklyn is 3-5 if it played the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 135-82 ATS: West 116-99-2
East teams HF vs West: 28-29
East teams HU vs West: 20-34
West teams HF vs East: 47-45-2
West teams HU vs East: 7-7




NBA


Wednesday, January 21

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8:00 PM
UTAH vs. MILWAUKEE
Utah is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Utah's last 18 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Utah

8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. CHICAGO
San Antonio is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Chicago
San Antonio is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Chicago's last 13 games when playing San Antonio
Chicago is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against San Antonio

10:00 PM
BOSTON vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Boston's last 10 games on the road
Boston is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games at home
Portland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home

10:30 PM
BROOKLYN vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Brooklyn's last 17 games on the road
Brooklyn is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
LA Clippers are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games when playing Brooklyn
LA Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, January 22


NBA roundup: Thunder edge Wizards in OT

WASHINGTON -- Forward Kevin Durant scored 34 points in his highly anticipated return to his hometown, and guard Russell Westbrook sank a layup with 0.8 seconds left in overtime that gave the Oklahoma City Thunder a 105-103 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Westbrook, who finished with 32 points, also scored the game-tying layup with 26.9 seconds remaining in regulation and had 25 points after halftime.

Durant and Westbrook scored all 13 points for Oklahoma City in the extra session. The Thunder earned a fourth straight win and their fifth of six games. Center Steven Adams grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds.

Forward Nene scored nine of 24 points in the extra session for the Wizards. His free throw gave Washington a 101-100 lead with 58 seconds remaining in overtime.

Warriors 126, Rockets 113

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State emphatically completed its first season-series sweep of Houston in 41 years, crushing one of the Western Conference's top teams in a game not nearly as close as the final score would indicate.

Shooting guard Klay Thompson scored 27 points, and the Warriors limited the Rockets to 42.5 percent shooting en route to their fourth straight win over Houston this season and their franchise-record 17th consecutive home victory.

The Warriors thumped the Rockets by 11, 12, 25 and 13 -- an average of 15.3 points per game -- in recording their first 4-0 sweep of Houston since the 1973-74 season.

Suns 118, Trail Blazers 113

PHOENIX -- Guard Eric Bledsoe scored a career-high 33 points, and Phoenix blew a 25-point second-quarter lead and then had to rally to hold off Portland.

Guard Isaiah Thomas added 27 points for the Suns, who have won seven straight at US Airways Center and 14 of the last 18 overall. The Suns are 4-0 on a franchise-record eight-game homestand, but they turned a laugher into high drama.

Forward Nicolas Batum scored 27 points for Portland, and guard Damian Lillard and Wes Matthews had 22 each as the Blazers, who were down 58-33 in the second quarter. They not only rallied but led by five points at 110-105 after Batum's sixth 3-pointer of the night with 2:20 left.

Knicks 98, 76ers 91

PHILADELPHIA -- Losers of a franchise-record 16 straight games before beating New Orleans on Monday, New York toppled Philadelphia on Wednesday behind 27 points and 11 rebounds from forward Carmelo Anthony.

Guard Jose Calderon added 15 points and seven assists for the Knicks, who at 7-36, still have the NBA's worst record.

Guard Michael Carter-Williams had 27 points, seven assists and six rebounds to lead Philadelphia, which dropped three in a row and owns the league's second-worst mark, 8-34. Forward Robert Covington added 17 points for the Sixers.

Cavaliers 106, Jazz 92

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James had 26 points and nine assists while battling the flu, forward Kevin Love had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Cleveland beat for its fourth consecutive victory.

Center Timofey Mozgov had 16 points and 11 rebounds, guard Kyrie Irving scored 18 points and guard J.R. Smith had 15 points and seven rebounds for the Cavs.

Center Enes Kanter had 24 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for the Jazz.

Hornets 78, Heat 76

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Guard Kemba Walker returned from a two-game absence and scored 15 points, including three free throws in the final 23 seconds, and Charlotte remained hot with a victory over Miami.

The Hornets, who also got 12 points and 12 rebounds from center Bismack Biyombo, 12 points from center Al Jefferson, and 11 points from guard Gerald Henderson, have now won three straight and eight of their last nine.

The Heat lost their second game in two nights. Center Chris Bosh and guard Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 17 points each, and guard Mario Chalmers finished with 13.

Pistons 128, Magic 118

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Brandon Jennings had 24 points and a career-high 21 assists and Detroit scored a season high in points while downing Orlando at The Palace.

Center Andre Drummond bulled his way for 26 points and 16 rebounds, and power forward Greg Monroe delivered 24 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit. Small forward Kyle Singler added 14 points for the Pistons, whose previous high was 119 points against Indiana on Dec. 26.

Center Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 26 points and 13 rebounds. Shooting guard Victor Oladipo supplied 23 points and small forward Tobias Harris, who returned after missing five games with a sprained left ankle, added 19 points and five rebounds. Guard Evan Fournier chipped in 14 points, but the Magic lost their third straight.

Hawks 110, Pacers 91

ATLANTA -- Guard Jeff Teague had a double-double with 17 points and 11 assists, forward DeMarre Carroll also scored 17 to lead Atlanta past Indiana.

The Hawks placed six players in double figures.

The Pacers lost their sixth consecutive game. Forward C.J. Miles led Indiana with 18 points, and guard C.J. Watson added 13 points. Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey had all 12 of his points by intermission.

Mavericks 98, Timberwolves 75

MINNEAPOLIS -- Chandler Parsons led all scorers with 22 points to lead Dallas over Minnesota at Target Center.

Parsons scored 15 of his 19 points first-half points in the second quarter, scoring 10 consecutive points during one stretch and 13 of 15. Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki finished with 16 points and nine rebounds.

Timberwolves center Nikola Pekovic, playing for the first time since Nov. 15 after battling wrist and ankle injuries, came off the bench and scored 14 points and had four rebounds in 23 minutes.

Pelicans 96, Lakers 80

NEW ORLEANS -- Playing for the first time since missing three games with a sore left toe, forward Anthony Davis scored 20 of his game-high 29 points in the second half to lift New Orleans to a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Smoothie King Center.

Guard Tyreke Evans scored 19 points and guard Eric Gordon added 17 points and 10 assists for the Pelicans.

The Lakers, who lost their fifth consecutive road game, were paced by center Jordan Hill's 15 points and guard Kobe Bryant's 14.

Grizzlies 92, Raptors 86

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Center Marc Gasol scored 26 points, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out five assists, and power forward Zach Randolph added 19 points and 13 rebounds as Memphis dominated the fourth quarter and defeated Toronto.

The Raptors lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Guard Lou Williams led Toronto with 21 points off the bench, and guard Kyle Lowry scored 20 points and eight rebounds. Center Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and forward Patrick Patterson chipped in 11 points with nine rebounds.

Memphis earned its fifth win in six games.

Nets 103, Kings 100

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Forward Brook Lopez scored 22 points, and guard Joe Johnson hit a clutch 3-pointer and two free throws in the final 70 seconds, helping Brooklyn hold off Sacramento.

Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the arc with 1:10 left after the Kings reduced a 17-point deficit to 96-94 with a 25-10 run during an 8:53 stretch in the final quarter. On Brooklyn's next possession, Johnson snared a rebound of a missed shot, leading to a foul and two free throws.

Johnson knocked another free throw with 17.2 seconds left to give Brooklyn a winning start to the second half of the season. The Nets won for just the second time in 10 games overall, but they beat Sacramento for the third consecutive time.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

San Antonio at Chicago
The Spurs head to Chicago tonight to face a Bulls team that is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 home games. San Antonio is the pick (-5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by 10 1/2. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-5 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22

Game 501-502: Utah at Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 109.040; Milwaukee 119.585
Dunkel Line & Total: Milwaukee by 10 1/2; 183
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 8; 187
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-8); Under

Game 503-504: San Antonio at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 128.540; Chicago 118.040
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 10 1/2; 194
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 5 1/2; 198
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-5 1/2); Under

Game 505-506: Boston at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 115.738; Portland 121.149
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 5 1/2; 209
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 8; 204
Dunkel Pick: Boston (+8); Over

Game 507-508: Brooklyn at LA Clippers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 115.004; LA Clippers 125.181
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 10; 206
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 12; 201 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn (+12); Over




NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, January 22

Utah at Milwaukee, 8:05 ET
Utah: 17-4 ATS after failing to cover 4 of their last 5 against the spread
Milwaukee: 5-17 ATS in home games when playing 6 or less games in 14 days

San Antonio at Chicago, 8:05 ET
San Antonio: 30-18 ATS in non-conference games
Chicago: 7-15 ATS in home games

Boston at Portland, 10:05 ET
Boston: 308-255 ATS as a road underdog
Portland: 8-20 ATS after allowing 55 points or more in the first half in 2 straight games

Brooklyn at LA Clippers, 10:35 ET
Brooklyn: 22-9 ATS in road games when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days
LA Clippers: 4-13 ATS after 4 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers