The Bum's NBA February's Trends-Stats-News & Notes !

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, February 25

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
MIAMI vs. ORLANDO
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Orlando's last 6 games when playing at home against Miami

7:30 PM
DALLAS vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 6 games on the road
Dallas is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Atlanta is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 7 games at home

7:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New York's last 7 games on the road
New York is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games when playing at home against New York
Boston is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against New York

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. MINNESOTA
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games on the road
Minnesota is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games

8:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. MILWAUKEE
Philadelphia is 5-9-2 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
Philadelphia is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 10 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia

8:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. CHICAGO
Charlotte is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Charlotte's last 10 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chicago's last 10 games when playing Charlotte
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. NEW ORLEANS
Brooklyn is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Brooklyn's last 25 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Orleans's last 7 games when playing Brooklyn
New Orleans is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

8:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. HOUSTON
LA Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games on the road
LA Clippers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing Houston
Houston is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
Houston is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers

9:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. UTAH
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the LA Lakers last 8 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the LA Lakers last 13 games on the road
Utah is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Utah is 4-0-1 ATS in its last 5 games

9:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. DENVER
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Phoenix is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Denver is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home

10:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. SACRAMENTO
Memphis is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Sacramento is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Sacramento's last 10 games

10:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Antonio's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland
Portland is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing San Antonio
Portland is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing San Antonio

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, February 25


Wizards' SG Bradley Beal, questionable Wednesday

Beal has missed the last five games due to a mild stress reaction in his lower right fibula. He is not expected to return Wednesday against the Timberwolves.


Favorites dominate Tuesday's schedule

With only four games, it was a light Tuesday evening in the NBA, but if you played all the favorites, you did well for the day. Favorites swept Tuesday's action, posting a record of 4-0 against the spread.

Season-to-date, faves are just under .500 with a record of 404-416-19, good enough for a clip of 49.27 percent.

Wednesday has a busier schedule with 12 games on the board.



NBA roundup: Thunder roll behind Westbrook triple-double

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Point guard Russell Wesbrook recorded his third triple-double of the season, collecting 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 105-92 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Thunder forward Serge Ibaka added 23 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. Reserve Guard Dion Waiters hit four 3-pointers and tallied 14 points.

Guard C.J. Miles led Indiana, which lost for just the second time in eight games, with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Guard George Hill added 13 points and eight assists. Forward David West scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds.

Warriors 114, Wizards 107

WASHINGTON -- Guard Stephen Curry scored 32 points in his return from a foot injury, and Golden State rebounded from a rare loss with a victory over Washington.

Guard Klay Thompson had 17 points and forward Marreese Speights 16 for the Warriors. Curry made 11 of 18 shots, including five 3-pointers with eight assists in the second stop on a six-game road trip. The All-Star missed his first game of the season Sunday due to right foot soreness, and the Warriors lost 104-98 at Indiana.

Forward Paul Pierce scored 25 points for the Wizards, but he was hurt in the final seconds and was helped off the court with an apparent right leg injury. Guard John Wall had 16 points and 11 assists, and center Marcin Gortat finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Cavaliers 102, Pistons 93

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Kevin Love scored 24 points, all on his career-high tying eight 3-pointers, and Cleveland erased a 14-point, second-half deficit to down Detroit.

The power forward made four of 3-pointers in the third quarter when the Cavaliers, who have won 17 of their last 19 games, took control. Small forward LeBron James racked up 19 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds and overcame nine turnovers for Cleveland, which moved within a half-game of Chicago for the Central Division lead.

Point guard Reggie Jackson's 22 points, nine assists and eight rebounds led Detroit. Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 21 points, center Andre Drummond supplied 17 points and 10 rebounds, and power forward Greg Monroe added 12 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons.

Mavericks 99, Raptors 92

DALLAS -- A pair of backups led Dallas' second-half charge, and the Mavericks earned a comeback victory over Toronto. Reserve guards Devin Harris and J.J. Barea combined for 27 points and eight assists, as Dallas finished off a perfect three-game homestand by rallying from a 13-point deficit.

The Atlantic Division-leading Raptors ended a stretch of four road games in five nights with only their second three-game losing streak of the season.

Mavericks shooting guard Monta Ellis topped all scorers with 20 points, and power forward Dirk Nowitzki scored 18 and grabbed nine rebounds. Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with 18 points, but he made only seven of 21 shots. Point guard Kyle Lowry (11 points on 4-of-15 shooting) also struggled as the game went on.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, February 25


Jeff Teague, Atlanta - Ques Wed

Teague is questionable to play Wednesday against the Mavericks due to an illness.


Kenneth Faried, Denver - Prob Wed

Faried is expected to play against the Suns on Wednesday despite a hand injury.


Top Over referee in Hornets-Bulls crew

The top Over referee in the NBA will be a part of the crew calling the game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Derrick Rose-less Chicago Bulls Wednesday evening.

Ben Taylor has officiated 35 games so far during the 2014-15 season and the Over has gone 25-10 in games which he is involved.

There is an average of 206.26 points scored in his games, the highest of any official in the NBA.

Oddsmakers opened the total for the clash between the Hornets and Bulls at 188, but that has been moved up a tick to 189. Taylor has called two games involving the Hornets this season and both resulted in cashed Over tickets.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

LA Lakers at Utah
The Lakers head to Utah tonight and come into the contest with a 1-8-1 ATS record in their last 10 road games. Utah is the pick (-9) according to Dunkel, which has the Jazz favored by 18. Dunkel Pick: Utah (-9). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25

Game 701-702: Miami at Orlando (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 114.551; Orlando 118.126
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 3 1/2; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 3; 198
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (+3); Under

Game 703-704: New York at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 107.461; Boston 121.507
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 14; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 12; 196
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-12); Over

Game 705-706: Dallas at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 120.770; Atlanta 123.545
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 3; 209
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 6 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (+6 1/2); Over

Game 707-708: Washington at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 115.646; Minnesota 121.063
Dunkel Line & Total: Minnesota by 5 1/2; 196
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota by 1 1/2; 202 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (-1 1/2); Under

Game 709-710: Brooklyn at New Orleans (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 117.275; New Orleans 120.512
Dunkel Line & Total: New Orleans by 3; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Brooklyn by 2 1/2; 192 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+2 1/2); Under

Game 711-712: Philadelphia at Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 114.858; Milwaukee 120.850
Dunkel Line & Total: Milwaukee by 6; 185
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 10 1/2; 189 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+10 1/2); Under

Game 713-714: LA Clippers at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 120.973; Houston 126.387
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 5 1/2; 221
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 3 1/2; 215
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-3 1/2); Over

Game 715-716: Charlotte at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 113.150; Chicago 126.618
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 13 1/2; 195
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 7; 189
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-7); Over

Game 717-718: Phoenix at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 114.638; Denver 116.183
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 1 1/2; 220
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 5; 214
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+5); Over

Game 719-720: LA Lakers at Utah (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 108.182; Utah 126.006
Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 18; 197
Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 9; 191
Dunkel Pick: Utah (-9); Over

Game 721-722: Memphis at Sacramento (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 123.453; Sacramento 114.456
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 9; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 7; 199 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-7); Under

Game 723-724: San Antonio at Portland (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 124.218; Portland 123.362
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 1; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 3; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (+3); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Trade Deadline Review

February 25, 2015


Now that we've had a few days to ****** the gyrations at the recent NBA trade deadline, we are better prepared to rate the winners" and "losers" from last week's myriad deals (and, in a few cases, non-deals), while also including what transpired in the previous two months trade-wise in leading up to the deadline.

WINNERS

Cleveland Cavaliers...The Cavs were quiet last week but had done their maneuvering previously, and in the process set themselves up for what appears to be a title run. Prior to dealing for Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert, Cleveland had appeared lost. But Mozgov added the rim protector the Cavs needed with defense-poor Kevin Love on the floor, plus adding inside muscle that was lost when Anderson Varejao went down with injury. Moreover, veterans Smith and Shumpert, thrilled to get out of new York, have adapted seamlessly to their new roles in Cleveland, and LeBron James' support cast seems to have much better chemistry, especially with Dion Waiters' departure to Ok City and the resultant grinding with Kyrie Irving that dated to last season. The subsequent edition of ex-Thunder C Kendrick Perkins has added more frontline muscle that will come in handy when the playoffs begin. LeBron or not, Cleveland did not appear to be a serious title threat before the trade flurry after New Year's; now it does.

Indiana Pacers...Huh? Weren't the Pacers rather quiet at the deadline? Yes, they were, and therein might lie a bonus for Indiana fans, as a reluctance to deal FA-to-be PF David West and C Roy Hibbert, both rumored to perhaps be on the move, suggests that Larry Bird has not yet given up on this season and believes Indiana, which has played better recently, could make the playoffs and cause some real problems in the postseason. Getting G George Hill back to active duty has keyed the recent uptick, though Bird's real roll of the dice is hoping that All-Star Paul George returns in April and is looking a bit like his old self by the time the playoffs roll around. At which point Indiana becomes a very intriguing darkhorse and the team no one wants to face in the East.

Miami Heat...We're analyzing the longer-term impact of adding G Goran Dragic from the Suns, who fills a glaring hole at the point for the Heat and keeps them relevant moving forward in the East. Though Chris Bosh's absence for the rest of the season effectively wrecks the rest of this campaign, the core of a healthy Bosh, Luol Deng, surprise package Hassan Whiteside, Dragic, and (if healthy) Dwyane Wade would figure to have Miami back in the mix in the East...though probably not until next year. The potential downside for the Heat involves the draft picks surrendered in the Dragic deal, which could come back to haunt the team. For the moment, however, Pat Riley at least believes he has answered one question in the backcourt moving into next season.

Oklahoma City Thunder...The one contender that seemed to upgrade the most right at the deadline a week ago, the Thunder has added extra dimensions to its bench and perhaps made a significant upgrade in the post if young Enes Kanter, added from Utah, emerges as an improvement over the departed Kendrick Perkins, whose defense and rebounding could not always compensate for his complete lack of offensive skills. Now fans at The Peake won't have to wonder why Perkins is on the court during crunch time. The Thunder also added some depth with F Kyle Singler and G D.J. Augustin from Detroit while moving out disgruntled G Reggie Jackson to the Pistons. Ok City has already leap-frogged Phoenix into the final Western playoff spot and did so minus Kevin Durant in two recent wins over the Hornets and Nuggets. With a deeper bench and Kanter a potential upgrade over Perkins, Ok City is prepared to cause problems in the playoffs (as long, of course, as Durant is healthy).

Portland Trail Blazers...The deal to add Arron Afflalo from Denver should be plus for the Blazers, who were looking to add depth on the wings, especially with Nicolas Batum struggling. Afflalo was scoring almost 15 ppg with the Nuggets (which is below his career average) and could be rejuvenated by a move to a contender. The Blazers, however, have looked a bit sluggish out of the All-Star break, with LaMarcus Aldridge's thumb still an issue, so Affalo might be called upon to provide more spark than originally expected.

LOSERS

Denver Nuggets...The Nuggets were able to get a first-round pick for Arron Afflalo and were finally able to get rid of JaVale McGee, but this is a poorly-constructed team with too many similar parts, and the franchise appears broken and in need of a rebuild.

Having said that, the Nuggets, who had already dumped Tomofey Mozgov and Nate Robinson, only sold off a couple of pieces at the deadline, leaving players such as Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried and Ty Lawson on their roster with uncertain futures ahead.

Philadelphia 76ers...Sorry, we're not buying into the latest moves made by GM Sam Hinkie, who acts like a CIA employee when refusing to speak on the record with any reporter about his aggressive personnel philosophy. But enough NBA insiders know that Hinkie is consumed by "hoop analytics" more than any GM in the league, which has always explained his wild wheeling-and-dealing over the past two seasons.

We sort of see what Hinkie has in mind, but continue to believe he is way off-course in attempts to build a legit NBA team in Philly. Michael Carter-Williams wasn't Hinkie's ideal point guard because he's not enough of a 3-point threat for Hinkie's taste, and commits a few too many TOs for a team built on "efficiency analytics." By Hinkie's logic, the first-round pick he added from the Suns in the multi-team deal with the Bucks is good business (though that pick is top-five protected this season and top-three protected next year by its original owner, the Lakers). Moreover, without Carter-Williams and with backup point guard Tony Wroten out for the season, the Sixers should now be even worse, making their own firstr-round pick higher. Hinkie did add Isaiah Canaan, a cheap backup point guard, from the Rockets, in another deal involving highlight-reel F K.J. McDaniels, but Canaan appears to be another of Hinkie's place-holders.

Unfortunately for Hinkie, the Sixers have zero healthy players capable of starting on a good team. (Nerlens Noel could eventually get there, but at the moment he is not close to NBA-caliber on the offensive end). To us, Hinkie's long-term vision still looks a bit of a pipe dream, as he could be out of a job before being able to use all of the draft picks he has stockpiled. Philly has perhaps added two 2015 first-round picks (the Lakers' and the Oklahoma City Thunder's top-18 protected selection, via the Denver Nuggets) or it might have added two 2017 first-round picks, as both have protections on them. Hinkie needs at least one of those picks to pay off, along with the Miami Heat's top-10 protected pick, in order to keep his plan on a realistic timeline before he gets the boot. After all, this team is still terrible.

Washington Wizards...The Wiz appear to be slumping and desperately need more scoring off of the bench, plus more backcourt reinforcing with Bradley Beal slow to recover from current leg injury, if wanting to be considered a serious threat in the East playoffs. Adding Ramon Sessions from the Kings in exchange for Andre Miller brings Washington no closer to its objective.

TO BE DETERMINED

Boston Celtics...The Celtics traded one of the many first-round picks they have over the next several seasons to acquire PG Isaiah Thomas from the Suns, but the danger in this move is if Thomas' addition stalls the development of last year's first-round pick, Marcus Smart. Thomas has also driven himself out of two towns (Sacto and Phoenix) in less than a year, so the jury is definitely out on this move.

Brooklyn Nets...The Nets should get more out of the deal they made, sending Garnett to Minnesota in exchange for Thaddeus Young, which made the Nets younger, better and cheaper all at once.

But Brooklyn needed to make another move, and could not package C Brook Lopez as expected, and is now left with no other alternative but to wait for the summer. If hanging on to Lopez and getting Young is enough to sneak into the Eastern Conference playoffs, this could be a slight win for the Nets, but with expensive and aging pieces like Lopez, Deron Williams, and Joe Johnson still on the roster, it seems like the Nets should have done a bit more.

Dallas Mavericks...Adding veteran pieces helped the Mavs in their run to the 2011 title. We're not as sure about the recent signing of F Amar'e Stoudemire, who had been a disappointment to the Knicks and might not have much left in his tank. But he does give Rick Carlisle another frontline option, and probably won't be asked to contribute more than 15-20 minutes per night. In short, Stoudemire could prove a nice luxury for the Mavs.

Detroit Pistons...Perhaps adding combo G Reggie Jackson from Ok City will prove a short-term boost, as Detroit has looked good out of the blocks since the All-Star break as it resumes its chase of an East playoff spot. Jackson was added at the expense of serviceable D.J. Augustin, and the move might mean trouble down the road for Brandon Jennings, who was playing well before his season-ending Achilles tendon injury. Jackson, the former Thunder sixth man, is a restricted free agent who wants to run his own team next season, and the Pistons risk losing him for nothing. Detroit also gave up three of its best shooters in Kyle Singler, Jonas Jerebko, and Luigi Datome, bringing back Tayhsaun Prince from the championship days. From the looks of things, Stan Van Gundy believes he will get a better immediate return on these deals, and will later worry about 2015-16 and beyond.

LA Clippers...This goes into the "non-deal" category, as the Clips were hoping to use their roster spots to sign some combination of Amar'e Stoudemire, Kevin Garnett and/or Tayshaun Prince. But Stoudemire signed with Dallas as a free agent, Garnett moved intead to the T-wolves, and Prince back to Detroit. Thus, LA is still minus a veteran power forward to ease the loss of injured All-Star Blake Griffin, also after a failed attempt to sign recent FA Kendrick Perkins (who instead opted to ink with Cleveland).

Milwaukee Bucks...First-year HC Jason Kidd had authored one of the best storylines of the first half of the season with the rejuvenated Bucks. At the deadline, however, Milwaukee could not resist the chance to add last season's Rookie of the Year G Michael Carter-Williams from the Sixers. But the Bucks had been doing just fine with PG Brandon Knight having assumed team leadership, and shipping him to Phoenix in the multi-team deal was a risky move. Especially for this season, as Carter-Williams is dealing with a toe injury that has kept him out of recent action, and with Milwaukee looking a bit lost without either Knight or Carter-Williams in Sunday's limp home loss to the Hawks. Carter-Williams has plenty of upside, and the Bucks also added Tyler Ennis and Miles Plumlee at the deadline, but we were looking forward to seeing if the Knight-led Milwaukee could continue to prove a pest in the playoffs.

New Orleans Pelicans...This one move could be a very minor plus, as the Pelicans still believe they can make a run at a playoff spot in the West and badly needed some backcourt depth with PG Jrue Holiday slow to recover from his ankle injury. Thus, picking up Norris Cole from the Heat in exchange for a bit of salary cap space looks like it could be worthwhile for New Orleans.

Phoenix Suns...The Suns tried to make the best of the Goran Dragic situation by acquiring Milwaukee starting point guard Brandon Knight and three first-round picks in two separate trades. Knight averaged 17.8 points, 5.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds for the Bucks and was the motor for the Milwaukee engine, and he could replace Dragic in the backcourt with Eric Bledsoe. But we fail to see where the Suns helped themselves in deals that also included shipping out another PG, Isaiah Thomas, to the Celtics. Phoenix also surrendered a potentially valuable pick, the 2015 first-rounder the Lakers owed them for the Steve Nash sign-and-trade. The pick is top-five protected. In the end, this wheeling and dealing might be simply a wash in Phoenix.

Toronto Raptors...In the wide-open East, the Raptors could be in a position to steal the conference title. Apparently available for the taking were Arron Afflalo and Kenneth Faried from the Denver fire sale, and GM Masai Ujiri was armed with an extra future first-round draft pick to use as bait, but instead decided to do nothing. This seems to be a very risky non-move by the Raptors.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet

February 25, 2015

Mavericks at Hawks – 7:35 PM EST

Dallas wrapped up a three-game homestand a perfect 3-0 after rallying past Toronto last night, 99-92 to cash as 4 ½-point favorites. The Mavericks shot 48% from the floor, while cashing the ‘under’ for the fifth consecutive game. Since sweeping a three-game road trip in early January, Rick Carlisle’s team has split its last 12 games away from the American Airlines Center, but has put together a 1-5 SU/ATS record in its previous six contests in the role of a road underdog.

The Hawks still own the best record in the Eastern Conference at 44-12, but Atlanta has compiled a 4-4 record since a 19-game winning streak. Mike Budenholtzer’s club bounced back from an ugly home loss to Toronto last Friday, as the Hawks took care of the Bucks, 97-86 on Sunday as five-point favorites. Atlanta held off Dallas in the first meeting back in December, 105-102 as four-point road underdogs, as the Hawks led by as many as 24 points. Atlanta has taken care of its business at Philips Arena since a 30-point loss to Milwaukee after Christmas, putting together a 12-1 SU and 9-4 ATS record in the last 13 home games.

Wizards at Wolves – 8:05 PM EST

The early-season magic for the Wizards is fading away by the day as Washington dropped its fourth straight game on Tuesday, 114-107 to Golden State. The Wizards busted the 100-point mark for the first time in five tries last night, but are 0-3 SU/ATS since the All-Star break, while losing nine of the past 11 contests. The struggles on the road are even more startling from an ATS perspective, failing to cover in seven of the last eight games away from the Verizon Center, as shooting guard Bradley Beal remains sidelined with a toe injury.

Kevin Garnett makes his second career debut with the Timberwolves, this coming less than one week after getting traded by the Nets to the team he spent the first 12 seasons of his career. Garnett heads to a team that has won just 12 times this season, but has covered in eight of their last 13 games. Minnesota is starting to resemble a healthy roster with Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, and Nikola Pekovic all back in the lineup for the duration of the month, as the Wolves have knocked off the Suns, Grizzlies, and Heat at the Target Center in February. However, Minnesota has compiled a 3-5 ATS record as a favorite this season, although one of the covers came against Phoenix in the first game following the All-Star break.

Clippers at Rockets – 8:05 PM EST

Los Angeles had its four-game winning streak snapped in Monday’s 90-87 home defeat to Memphis, but the Clippers are finding their way with All-Star forward Blake Griffin. Since the former top pick was ruled out with an elbow injury on their Grammys road trip, the Clippers have defeated all three Texas teams, including a 110-95 triumph over the Rockets as three-point favorites on February 11. Los Angeles has won six straight meetings with Houston and nine of the past 10 matchups since March 2012, which includes three consecutive double-digit victories at the Toyota Center.

The Rockets continue a five-game homestand following wins over the Raptors and Wolves, as Houston has won and covered six of its past seven contests at the Toyota Center. Kevin McHale’s squad has allowed over 100 points in six of the last seven games overall, but the ‘over’ has cashed only four times due to several high totals (210 or higher in past five games). Ten of Houston’s losses this season have come to the elite teams in the West (Warriors, Clippers, Grizzlies, Spurs, Mavericks, and Blazers), while putting together an 8-10 record against the teams currently sitting in the top eight of the Western Conference.

Spurs at Blazers – 10:35 PM EST

Both these teams are headed to the playoffs, but each squad has combined to go 0-5 since the All-Star break. The Spurs continue their Rodeo Trip as they are coming off losses to the Clippers, Warriors, and Jazz, while being held to 81 points in Monday’s 90-81 setback at Utah as 5 ½-point favorites. Gregg Popovich’s team has struggled to cover numbers recently, posting a pitiful 2-9 ATS record in the last 11 games, while losing five straight games in the role of a road underdog.

The Blazers haven’t been much better of late, putting up a pair of rough offensive performances in losses to the Jazz and Grizzlies. LaMarcus Aldridge rested his injured thumb on Sunday night as Portland built a 13-point lead heading into the fourth quarter against Memphis, but the Grizzlies outscored the Blazers, 34-15 in the final 12 minutes for a 98-92 triumph. Portland shot 40% from the floor and misfired on 20 three-point attempts, as the Blazers cashed the ‘under’ for the third straight game. The Blazers have captured two of the first three matchups with the Spurs this season, but San Antonio drilled Portland in the past meeting in January, 110-96.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- Duke 91, Virginia Tech 86 OT-- Refs pulled Dukies thru in this one, even though game was in Blacksburg.

-- Davidson 60, Rhode Island 59-- A-14 tourney is going to be tremendous.

-- Richmond 67, VCU 63, 2OT-- Rams led late in OT after being down 16 in second half, but gave up tying layup and lost in second OT.

-- Northwestern 72, Indiana 65-- Bad loss for Tom Crean.

-- Baylor 79, Iowa State 70-- Scott Drew doesn't enough credit for what he does.

-- Missouri State 80, Bradley 77, 3OT-- Two lousy teams played a great game.



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Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Looking thru some college hoop stuff......

13) Big West-- Cal-Davis has a two-game lead over Irvine. Long Beach lost its last four games, is in middle of the pack. Riverside is a much-improved team.

12) Mountain West-- Down year in this league; San Diego State is far and away the best team, but they struggle to score. Not sure Boise or Colorado State will get into the NCAAs if they don't win the conference tournament.

11) MAC-- Central Michigan is 11-4, three other teams are 10-5. This conference tournament is always chaotic in Cleveland; this year will be no different.

10) MVC-- Wichita and Northern Iowa, Northern Iowa and Wichita. Anyone else winning conference tourney would be huge upset. Teams play Saturday in Wichita.

9) AAC-- SMU and Tulsa are tied at top, but Cincinnati's defense is a good as aoyone. UConn is damn good #6 seed, but league drops way off after that.

8) Atlantic 14-- Four teams are 11-4; two others are 9-6. VCU, Davidson look good for NCAAs; everyone else needs to win conference tourney.

Needs to be pointed out here how many conferences have wide-open races; other than Kentucky, Wisconsin and maybe Gonzaga, every team in the country has glaring flaws-- aren't many deep teams.

7) WCC-- Gonzaga is to this league what UNLV was to the Big West 25 years ago, in Tark the Shark's heydey. Bulldogs have a 4-game lead, but has this league prepared the Zags for the rigors of March Madness?

6) Pac-12-- Arizona is best team, but if Stanley Johnson has a rough night, who picks up the slack? Could be a two-bid league, with Wildcats and Utah.

5) SEC-- Three teams behind Kentucky all lost their last game, two of them at home. Florida has had a dismal season. Luckily spring football practice starts soon.

4) Big 14-- Purdue has been a pleasant surprise, so has Maryland, but Purdue also lost to Gardner-Webb and North Florida. Four teams are locks; Indiana/Illinois are bubblicious-- Purdue and Iowa are close to being in.

3) ACC-- Five teams are locks, but North Carolina is playing lousy and Duke damn near got beat at Virginia Tech last night. Virginia needs to get healthy, Louisville has no point guard and Notre Dame is soft on defense.

2) Big East-- Not sure what to make of this league. Villanova has a 3-game lead, but this is a league where everyone else has at least eight losses. Butler is a pleasant surprise. DePaul has improved, but they're still in sixth place.

1) Big X-- League is just too hard; Home teams are 50-26, 4th-best home win %age in country. Texas is in 8th place but is #21 nationally in KenPom rankings.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, February 26

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GOLDEN STATE (44 - 10) at CLEVELAND (36 - 22) - 2/26/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-1 straight up against CLEVELAND 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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OKLAHOMA CITY (32 - 25) at PHOENIX (30 - 28) - 2/26/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 81-55 ATS (+20.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 36-22 ATS (+11.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 39-26 ATS (+10.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 50-31 ATS (+15.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 45-31 ATS (+10.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-2 straight up against PHOENIX 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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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, February 26

Hot Teams
-- Warriors won eight of their last ten games (4-1 AU). Cleveland won 17 of its last 19 games (9-2 last 11 HF).
-- Thunder won/covered their last seven games (5-1 last six AF).

Cold Teams
-- Suns lost five of their last six games (3-2 HU).

Series Records
-- Warriors won seven of last eight games with Cleveland.
-- Thunder won 13 of its last 15 games with Phoenix.

Totals
-- Four of last five Golden State road games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Phoenix games went over the total.

Back-to-Backs
-- Phoenix is 2-4 vs spread if it won the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 181-123 ATS: West 155-146-3
East teams HF vs West: 41-40
East teams HU vs West: 34-39
West teams HF vs East: 61-60-3
West teams HU vs East: 15-13




NBA

Thursday, February 26

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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8:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. CLEVELAND
Golden State is 7-14 SU in its last 21 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games

10:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing Phoenix
Oklahoma City is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games at home
Phoenix is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games when playing Oklahoma City

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, February 26


Home teams are money for bettors Wednesday night

NBA home teams sent their backers home happy going an impressive 9-3 against the spread Wednesday night.

Home favorites went 6-2 ATS and home dogs went 3-1 ATS.

Home teams actually have cashed less than road teams this season, coming in at a rate of 48.3 percent.


Thunder burning up the court and the window

The Oklahoma City Thunder have won seven consecutive games and have impressively covered in each of those games. The Thunder have outscored opponents by an average of 14.9 points in those seven contests, but have faced an average spread of -6.

Oklahoma City will travel to Phoenix Thursday with the Suns playing their second game of a back-to-back. The Thunder are currently 5-point favorites.


Cavaliers on remarkable ATS run vs. West foes

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a red-hot bet when they face Western Conference opponents, covering the spread in nine consecutive games against foes from what is considered the superior conference.

The Cavaliers, also 9-0 straight up in that stretch, haven't failed to cover a spread against a Western Conference opponent since losing 107-100 in Phoenix, back on Jan. 13.

The Cavaliers look to extend the streak when they host the Golden State Warriors Thursday night. At home Cleveland is 9-4 ATS versus the West.



NBA roundup: Hawks win NBA-best 26th home game

ATLANTA -- Forward Paul Millsap had 15 points and eight rebounds to spark the Atlanta Hawks to a 104-87 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

Millsap scored seven of his points during a 13-0 stretch in the second quarter that allowed the Hawks (45-12) to go from four points behind to nine points ahead. Millsap tied the game with a 3-pointer and capped the streak with a steal and dunk and another driving basket that put Atlanta ahead 66-57.

The win was the NBA-leading 26th home victory for the Hawks, who have won two straight and swept the season series with the Mavericks. Atlanta has swept five series against teams from the Western Conference. Dallas had its two-game winning streak snapped.

Atlanta had six players in double figures: guard Dennis Schroder (17), guard Kyle Korver (16), forward DeMarre Carroll (13), center Al Horford (11) and guard Jeff Teague (11).

Dallas (39-21) was led by guard Monta Ellis with 17 points, 15 in the first half. J.J. Barea, who started at point guard in place of the suspended Rajon Rondo, had 13 points and seven assists. Forward Richard Jefferson and guard Devin Harris each scored 10.

Pelicans 102, Nets 96

NEW ORLEANS -- Forward Quincy Pondexter scored a career-high 25 points, including a 3-pointer from the left wing with 49.9 seconds left, and guard Tyreke Evans scored 15 points and dished out 11 assists to lift short-handed New Orleans to a victory over Brooklyn at the Smoothie King King Center.

Pondexter's final 3-pointer -- his fourth in eight attempts -- gave New Orleans a 101-91 lead, and the Pelicans (30-27) coasted to their third consecutive victory.

The Nets (23-32) were led by forward Joe Johnson with 21 points and forward Thaddeus Young with 19.

Timberwolves 97, Wizards 77

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Garnett had five points and eight rebounds as Minnesota defeated Washington at the Target Center.

For Garnett, acquired from the Brooklyn Nets at last Thursday's NBA trade deadline, it was his first game in a Timberwolves uniform since April 9, 2007 -- a span of 2,879 days.

Minnesota (13-43) has struggled all season, but it wasn't evident from the packed house of 19,856 -- the largest crowd all season. Lines stretched out of the arena two hours before the game as fans waited to catch a glimpse of the franchise's career leader in every major statistical category.

Hornets 98, Bulls 86

CHICAGO -- The first game after learning of Derrick Rose's latest knee injury did not go well for Chicago, which looked lackluster in a loss to Charlotte at the United Center.

The Hornets (23-32) pulled away in the fourth quarter after a tight back-and-forth game through the first 36 minutes. Two free throws by forward Taj Gibson pulled Chicago (36-22) within 78-74 with 8:13 left in the game, but the Hornets used a 17-4 run in the next six minutes to ice the game.

Forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and center Al Jefferson combined to score 16 of the points in the run, adding eight each. Kidd-Gilchrist finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds to lead five Hornets players in double-figures scoring.

Guard Mo Williams scored 17 points, guard/forward Gerald Henderson scored 11 and guard Brian Roberts chipped in 12 for Charlotte, which snapped a five-game losing streak.

Bucks 104, 76ers 88

MILWAUKEE -- Michael Carter-Williams got Milwaukee career off to a successful beginning and barely had to break a sweat in doing so. Playing against his struggling former teammates, the point guard needed only 17 minutes to post seven points and eight assists as the Bucks dismantled Philadelphia.

Center John Henson scored 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting to lead five Milwaukee players in double figures. The Bucks (32-25) took a big lead early and were never threatened as they snapped a two-game skid.

Milwaukee led by 29 at the half as Philadelphia (12-45) was sloppy from the start in committing 19 turnovers by halftime and 28 for the game. The Bucks were far from sharp, giving the ball away 24 times.

Heat 93, Magic 90 (OT)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Forward Luol Deng scored 21 points to lead Miami to an overtime victory over Orlando at the Amway Center.

The Heat (25-31) erased an eight-point deficit in the final 42 seconds of regulation, then smothered the Magic in overtime when guard Dwyane Wade scored four points.

Heat center Hassan Whiteside finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Wade had 18 points, and point guard Goran Dragic added eight points and five assists.

Magic center Nikola Vucevic had 26 points and eight rebounds, and guard Victor Oladipo contributed 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Forward Tobias Harris had 12 points and eight rebounds.

Celtics 115, Knicks 94

BOSTON -- Isaiah Thomas and Jonas Jerebko, making their home debuts with their new team, both came off the bench and helped Boston to a victory over hapless New York.

The Celtics, who still have a shot at an Eastern Conference playoff berth despite a 22-33 record, used a 34-6 run during the second half of the third quarter and the first 4:15 of the fourth to walk away with the game while sending the Knicks to their seventh straight loss.

Thomas, a guard acquired from the Phoenix Suns, followed two 21-point performances on the road by scoring 19 points and adding seven assists and six rebounds. Jerebko, picked up from the Detroit Pistons, used his first serious Celtics playing time to score a season-high 20 points and grab five rebounds.

Celtics guard Evan Turner posted the first triple-double of his NBA career with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Forward Jae Crowder, also coming off the bench, had 18 points, six rebounds and four assists. Rookie guard Marcus Smart, also off the bench, had 16 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter.

Rockets 110, Clippers 105

HOUSTON -- Corey Brewer and Josh Smith provided Houston with a needed punch off the bench, leading the way to a victory over Los Angeles at Toyota Center.

Brewer paired 20 points with six rebounds while Smith added nine points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks as Houston (39-18) snapped a six-game series losing streak to the Clippers (37-21).

With All-Star guard James Harden on the bench, the Rockets opened the fourth with a 13-1 run. Brewer and Smith co-authored the run to a double-digit lead, with Smith thwarting shots at the rim while Brewer scored in transition and from behind the arc. His second 3 of the period pushed Houston to a 97-86 lead and followed two fast-break baskets.

Crawford paced the Clippers with 24 points while guard Chris Paul (22 points, 14 assists) and center DeAndre Jordan (22 points, 19 rebounds) posted double-doubles.

Suns 110, Nuggets 96

DENVER -- Guard Brandon Knight had 19 points, guard Eric Bledsoe scored 18 as Phoenix beat Denver.

Forward Gerald Green had 15 points off the bench for the Suns, who ended a five-game losing streak. Phoenix won on the road for the first time in seven weeks.

Phoenix (30-28) kept its fading playoff hopes alive with its first win since before the All-Star break. The Suns trail Oklahoma City by two-and-a-half games for the eighth spot in the Western Conference and can get closer when they host the Thunder Thursday night.

Forward Will Barton scored a season-high 22 points and forward Danilo Gallinari had 20 points for the Nuggets. Denver has lost eight straight at home and 18 of 20 overall.

Lakers 100, Jazz 97

SALT LAKE CITY -- Shooting guard Jordan Clarkson scored a game-high 22 points and short-handed Los Angeles rallied to beat Utah at EnergySolutions Arena.

The Lakers used a 31-19 fourth quarter to surprise the home team, which was riding high after consecutive impressive wins over Portland and San Antonio. Los Angeles (15-41) won its second straight game after ending a seven-game losing streak.

Center Jordan Hill, guard Wayne Ellington and center Robert Sacre each sank two free throws in the final 19 seconds to help the Lakers hold on.

Small forward Gordon Hayward scored a team-high 20 points for Utah, which dropped to 21-35 after winning four of its previous five games.

Kings 102, Grizzlies 90

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Forward Rudy Gay scored 28 points, center DeMarcus Cousins scored eight of his 16 during Sacramento's 10-0 run to start the fourth quarter, and the Kings ended their misery against Memphis with a victory at Sleep Train Arena.

Gay made 12 of 20 shots, and his back-to-back jumpers -- one of them a 3-pointer -- were part of a 19-6 run in the final period that allowed Sacramento to end a nine-game skid against the Western Conference's second-best team. The Kings (20-35) also snapped a five-game home slide against Memphis (41-15) and won back-to-back home contests for first time since November.

Sacramento is 2-0 at home under new coach George Karl.

Cousins was quiet until opening the final quarter with a 20-foot jumper, the first of seven straight points he scored to begin the period. The Kings scored the first 10 points of the quarter, turning a 77-76 deficit into a nine-point lead they wouldn't relinquish. The Kings' All-Star also contributed nine rebounds and six assists.

Trail Blazers 111, Spurs 95

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Guard Wesley Matthews scored 21 of his season-high 31 points in the second half as Portland broke things open in the fourth quarter of a victory over San Antonio at the Moda Center.

Blazers guard Damian Lillard had 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists, and forward Nicolas Batum collected 15 points, nine assists and four rebounds. Portland (37-19) snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the seventh time in 18 games.

Forward Tim Duncan scored 20 points on 9-for-12 shooting to go with eight rebounds for the Spurs (34-23). Guard Danny Green added 17 points, and forward Kawhi Leonard had 14 points and eight rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who lost for the fourth consecutive game.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Golden State at Cleveland
The Warriors head to Cleveland tonight to face a Cavaliers team that is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 home games. Cleveland is the pick (-3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Cavaliers favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-3 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26

Game 501-502: Golden State at Cleveland (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 124.232; Cleveland 129.694
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 5 1/2; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 3 1/2; 215
Dunkel Pick: Clevealnd (-3 1/2); Under

Game 503-504: Oklahoma City at Phoenix (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 127.035; Phoenix 119.512
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 7 1/2; 221
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 5; 217
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-5); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, February 26

Golden State at Cleveland, 8:05 ET
Golden State: 65-91 ATS in road games after a game where they made 12 or more 3 point shots
Cleveland: 19-8 ATS in home games revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more over

Oklahoma City at Phoenix, 10:35 ET
Oklahoma City: 12-3 ATS after playing 3 consecutive games as favorite
Phoenix: 81-52 OVER in home games after playing a game as a road favorite

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Warriors (44-10) at Cavaliers (36-22)

Date: February 26, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

While Stephen Curry and the league-leading Golden State Warriors easily handled the LeBron James-less Cleveland Cavaliers last month, Thursday night's showdown should provide a much better indication of how these heavyweights stack up.

The Cavaliers and Warriors are both close to full strength headed into this possible NBA Finals preview in Cleveland.

"Everybody's going to be healthy," Cavs All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving said. "It's going to be a great test, two great teams going at it. A lot of great matchups within the game, this is what you look forward to as a competitor."

Cleveland (36-22) has dropped seven of eight to Golden State (44-10), including a 112-94 road loss in this season's first meeting Jan. 9. Irving scored 23 points but shot 9 of 23 matched up with Curry, who finished with 23 points and 10 assists as the Warriors shot 50.0 percent.

James didn't play that night due to knee and back injuries that kept him out for eight games from Dec. 30-Jan. 11. The Cavs dropped all but one of those contests, but they've since won 16 of 19 to tie Chicago for the Central Division lead.

Cleveland returns home after opening the second half with three consecutive road wins, a stretch during which it outscored opponents by an average of 21.7 points. The Cavs stayed hot with Tuesday's 102-93 victory over Detroit after storming back from 14 down in the third quarter.

Cleveland held the Pistons to 31 points in the second half for its lowest mark allowed this season.

"Defense is our mark, and we understand that," James said. "When we defend at a high level, we put ourselves in a position to win every night and be successful long-term."

James finished with 19 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, moving past Scottie Pippen for first place on the all-time list for forwards with 6,142 assists. The Cavs are 27-5 when James has more than five assists compared to 7-9 when he doesn't.

"That means a tremendous amount to me," James said. "I have always taken so much pride in my passing game. To me, the greatest rush has always been helping my teammates succeed, not succeeding myself."

The Warriors opened a season-high six-game road trip with Sunday's 104-98 loss to Indiana before bouncing back to beat Washington 114-107 two nights later. Curry, who sat out against the Pacers with an ankle injury, returned to score 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting.

"It's still not pain free, but it felt fine," he said. "Once you start playing the adrenalin kicks in and you don't feel anything. It was good to just break a sweat in the first quarter, and feel active and not limited at all."

The Warriors are 24-2 at home, but they've allowed 104.7 points per game in splitting their last 14 on the road.

"It's pretty special to be where we are, we have a lot of work left to do, obviously," Curry said. "We want to capitalize on our potential this year."

Curry has scored at least 20 in 12 consecutive games, and he's averaging 28.1 in the last 10. He's averaging 26.3 and 9.7 assists over a three-game stretch against Cleveland.

The Cavs have won 10 straight at home by an average of 15.2 points, their longest such run since stringing together 11 consecutive victories Feb. 23-April 6, 2010.

Cleveland, though, has lost four in a row there to Golden State.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Thunder (32-25) at Suns (30-28)

Date: February 26, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

Kevin Durant's health is again in a state of uncertainty for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

His absence hasn't mattered much lately, however, given Russell Westbrook's spectacular play.

Westbrook tries to lead Oklahoma City to a season-high eighth straight victory when it visits the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.

The Thunder (32-25) have won nine of 10, surging up the Western Conference standings. They're two games behind seventh-place San Antonio and 5 1/2 back of Northwest Division-leading Portland. Their 9-1 run includes double-digit wins over the Clippers, Memphis, and Dallas, all teams they trail in the standings.

Oklahoma City is averaging 111.7 points over its last 10 games, and though Durant has missed half of them, each was a victory. It's unclear when he will return as he deals with foot soreness and won't be re-evaluated until next week.

Westbrook had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 105-92 win over Indiana on Tuesday. His 11 triple-doubles since entering the league in 2008-09 rank third while his three this season are tied with Michael Carter-Williams and Rajon Rondo for the NBA lead.

The All-Star Game MVP is averaging 29.5 points on 38.9 percent 3-point shooting with 10.1 assists and 8.2 rebounds over his last 10 games - up from 24.8 on 25.9, 7.4 and 5.9 previously.

Westbrook, whose 7.5 fast-break points per game lead the NBA, has averaged 9.4 in the last 10, helping Oklahoma City average 22.5 as a team, a 7.9 increase from its previous average.

"He just continues to stack games up on top of one another," coach Scott Brooks said. "He's played well. He's doing a great job of leading us, leading the new guys and leading the group. Making it all come together."

Deadline acquisition Enes Kanter has 35 points over his last two games while Serge Ibaka is averaging 20.0 points on 63.6 percent shooting in his last four.

The Suns (30-28) have been trending in the opposite direction with eight losses in 10 games. They're 2 1/2 games behind Oklahoma City for the West's final playoff spot with New Orleans (30-27) separating the two.

'Everybody knows it's a big game for us,' guard Eric Bledsoe said.

Phoenix snapped a five-game skid in Wednesday's 110-96 win at Denver, though it was against a Nuggets squad that had dropped 16 of 18. The Suns had allowed 111-plus points in four straight before limiting undermanned Denver to 38.3 percent shooting.

Brandon Knight's 19 points led six players in double figures.

"It's all new and all coming so quickly," said Knight, who has averaged 17.3 points in three games since being acquired from Milwaukee. "It will take time. But it's really just about making basketball plays."

The Suns surrendered 12 3-pointers on 34 attempts, while Oklahoma City is shooting 37.8 percent from deep during its seven-game run. Phoenix is letting opponents shoot 39.4 percent from beyond the arc while going 4-9 on the second night of back-to-backs.

The Suns have been one of the league's worst rebounding teams with a average minus-2.1 margin but are plus-33 over their last two games and recorded a league season-high 65 boards Wednesday. Alex Len has 10-plus rebounds in four straight after averaging 6.0 previously.

Oklahoma City has won 13 of 15 in the series, including two home meetings this season. Westbrook has averaged 32.3 points on 54.0 percent shooting in his last four trips to Phoenix, but was 5 of 13 for 20 points in a 137-134 overtime home win on Dec. 31 as Durant scored 44. Bledsoe led Phoenix with 29.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Six of the best minor league prospects of the Houston Astros.........

1) Carlos Correa, SS-- Hit .325 in half season of A ball after breaking his leg.

2) Mark Appel, P-- High draft pick is 6-8, 5.93 as a pro. No bueno.

3) Mike Foltynewicz, P-- Threw 19 innings in big leagues LY; not bad.

20) Max Stassi, C-- Got 20 ABs with the big club last summer.

24) Ronald Torreyes, 2B-- Hit .298 in AAA LY, will have to change positions.

28) Asher Wolchiechowski, P-- Has already thrown 210 innings in AAA.



**********

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here......

13) Some quick thoughts on Bill Walton, basketball announcer.......
-- He is one of the greatest college basketball players ever, winning two national titles and losing in the national semi-finals the third year he played.
-- He had a bad stuttering problem as a young man, so his getting paid to talk now is an act of courage, something to be admired.
-- He is positive, upbeat and different; Lord knows ESPN needs someone as an analyst who isn't bland- they've gone that way with most of their recent hires.
-- He does not talk about the game all the time-- I guarantee you that you will learn something you did not know during a Walton broadcast; I cannot guarantee that it will have anything to do with basketball.
-- He prepares and works at it; Who else would tell you it was Vanna White's birthday or that the guy who wrote One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest lives in Oregon?
-- He tends to be more reserved when he works UCLA home games, and he feeds off the game he is working-- he is way better on close, fast-paced games.
-- If you don't like him, hit the mute button, but we need more positive energy in this world, and Walton is a 6-foot-11 fountain of positive energy.

12) Idaho 92, Montana 87 OT-- Griz gagged away a road game, fell out of a tie for first in Big Sky, which means they're unlikely to host the Big Sky tournament- they could knock Eastern Washington out of first place Saturday. .

11) Green Bay's Kiefer Sykes went over the 2,000-point mark last night; his team has won 46 games (14 losses) the last two years. Not sure he has enough help for them to win the Horizon tourney next month, but he is one hell of a player.

10) Minnesota 96, Michigan State 90 OT-- Gophers won for the first time in last 15 tries in East Lansing, as Spartans gagged away a late lead with horrendous defense. Not sure why a team like Michigan State plays so much better on the road, but they do.

9) Vanderbilt 73, Tennessee 65-- Commodores shot 84% in second half, then one of its players taunted an opponent after the game, prompting Vandy coach Stallings to flip out on his player in a public/profane way, so in the end, everyone lost in this one.

8) If you bet the road team in all of Tennessee's SEC games, you'd be 14-1 against the spread, which just doesn't happen very much.

7) Utah 83, Arizona State 41-- Game was 41-9 at the half. 41 to freakin' 9. It is safe to assume the Utes weren't looking ahead to the Arizona game.

6) Albany Great Danes will be the top seed in the America East tourney; my alma mater won this tourney the last two years, as the #4/#5 seed. Now the pressure is on them to win as the top seed. Easier said than done.

5) My cousin Kevin went to St Francis NY, one of five original D-I teams that has never been in the NCAA tournament, but they've got a 4-game lead in the NEC and are a favorite to win the tournament. Terriers started out 0-5 in November, but they're rolling now at 21-9, winning their last nine games.

4) Look out for UCSB in the Big West tournament; they got star big man Williams back from a shoulder injury, have a sharp coach (also named Williams) and are gaining positive momentum as they head towards the tournament in Anaheim.

3) Murray State is 25-4, 15-0 in the OVC but it looks like they still have to win the OVC tournament to make the NCAAs; lot of pressure on the top seeds in these middle of the road or lower leagues- their season is a failure if they don't win the tournament.

2) Its funny that Terry Collins can't get fired by the Mets, despite no winning seasons in four tries; he got fired at his other two jobs (Angels/Astros) despite having winning seasons in five of those six years. Life is funny sometimes.

1) Mets hitting coach Kevin Long once played CF on a summer league team with Curt Schilling, who says Long was the fastest guy on the team. It is unclear why Bronx cut the well-regarded Long loose after last year, but he didn't have to move, seeing as the two taxpayer-funded baseball stadiums in NYC are eight miles apart.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Minnesota at Chicago
The Timberwolves (13-43 SU) head to Chicago tonight to face a Bulls team that is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games versus a team with a losing SU record. Minnesota is the pick (+6 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Bulls favored by only 4. Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+6 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Game 801-802: Washington at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 113.711; Philadelphia 114.669
Dunkel Line & Total: Philadelphia by 1; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 8 1/2; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+8 1/2); Over

Game 803-804: Cleveland at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 125.180; Indiana 126.129
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 1; 203
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 4 1/2; 199 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (+4 1/2); Over

Game 805-806: New York at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 106.096; Detroit 124.272
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 18; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 13; 196
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (-13); Under

Game 807-808: Orlando at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 111.533; Atlanta 127.093
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 15 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 11; 197
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-11); Under

Game 809-810: Golden State at Toronto (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 126.122; Toronto 122.945
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 3; 221
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 1; 215
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (+1); Over

Game 811-812: Charlotte at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 116.728; Boston 115.664
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 1; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 2 1/2; 198
Dunkel Pick: Charlotte (+2 1/2); Under

Game 813-814: LA Clippers at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 122.516; Memphis 129.453
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 7; 194
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 5; 199
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-5); Under

Game 815-816: Brooklyn at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Brooklyn 113.954; Houston 126.160
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 12; 211
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 8 1/2; No Total
Dunkel Pick: Houston (-8 1/2); N/A

Game 817-818: Miami at New Orleans (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 117.854; New Orleans 114.414
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 3 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 1 1/2; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-1 1/2); Under

Game 819-820: Minnesota at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 118.233; Chicago 122.040
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 4; 190
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 6 1/2; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Minnesota (+6 1/2); Under

Game 821-822: Utah at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 119.521; Denver 111.190
Dunkel Line & Total: Utah by 8 1/2; 215
Vegas Line & Total: Utah by 4 1/2; No Total
Dunkel Pick: Utah (-4 1/2); N/A

Game 823-824: San Antonio at Sacramento (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 117.395; Sacramento 118.203
Dunkel Line & Total: Sacramento by 1; 205
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 4 1/2; 100 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+4 1/2); Over

Game 825-826: Milwaukee at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 117.941; LA Lakers 116.580
Dunkel Line & Total: Milwaukee by 1 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 5 1/2; 196
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+5 1/2); Under

Game 827-828: Oklahoma City at Portland (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 120.221; Portland 126.335
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 6; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 4 1/2; 207
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-4 1/2); Over