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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, February 5


Wizards' PG John Wall, probable Thursday

Wall is expected to play Thursday against Charlotte despite an ankle injury.




NBA roundup: Warriors' Curry scores 51

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry poured in 26 of his season-high 51 points in the third quarter Wednesday night as the Golden State Warriors took their first lead of the game before pulling away late for a 128-114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

The nationally televised matchup of the league's two highest-scoring teams lived up to its must-see billing, with both clubs easily surpassing their season averages as NBA commissioner Adam Silver looked on from courtside.

The Warriors fell behind by 22 points in the first quarter, but the rest of the night belonged to Golden State. Shooting guard Klay Thompson sank four 3-pointers to account for a majority of his 18 points for the Warriors, who won for a third consecutive time after two-game losing streak. Golden State improved to 23-2 at home this season.

Small forward Chandler Parsons scored 24 points for the Mavericks, who got 21 points and 17 rebounds from center Tyson Chandler.

Pacers 114, Pistons 109

INDIANAPOLIS -- Point guard George Hill and small forward C.J. Miles celebrated their returns to the first unit by combining for 16 of the Pacers' final 18 points, and Indiana won a shootout against Detroit.

Hill finished with 20 points and six assists, making eight of 12 shots,. Miles scored 15, including consecutive 3-pointers late in the fourth quarter that gave Indiana the lead for good. Center Roy Hibbert had 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Pacers, who set season highs in points, field-goal percentage (.597) and 3-point percentage (.571).

Center Andre Drummond led the Pistons with 18 points and 16 rebounds.

Celtics 104, Nuggets 100

BOSTON -- The Celtics capped a day of Boston celebration with a victory over Denver. Hours after the city held its latest duck boat parade, this one for the NFL champion New England Patriots, the Celtics won for the second time in 24 hours, following a wire-to-wire win over the Knicks in New York with another strong effort.

With Patriots owner Robert Kraft and some of his players among a crowd that included all kinds of empty seats, the Celtics shot 9-for-13 from 3-point range in the first half and then survived after blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Forward Jared Sullinger snapped a 100-100 tie with two free throws with 22.8 seconds left. Forward Jae Crowder then stole the Denver inbounds pass after a timeout and guard Avery Bradley bagged two free throws with 18.3 to play. Bradley and guard Marcus Thornton each scored 17 for Boston. Nuggets guard Ty

Lawson scored 17 of his 23 points and had five of his eight assists in the second half.

Hawks 105, Wizards 96

ATLANTA -- The Hawks, who had their 19-game winning streak snapped Monday in New Orleans, got back on the winning track at the expense of slumping Washington. Guard Jeff Teague scored 26 points and handed out eight assists, and forward Al Horford had 21 points and 13 rebounds for Atlanta.

It was the 11th consecutive victory at Philips Arena for the Hawks, who will host the Golden State Warriors on Friday in a matchup of the teams with the two best records in the NBA.

John Wall had 24 points and Bradley Beal scored 23 for the Wizards, who fell for the 13th time in their past 14 visits to Atlanta. Washington lost its fourth straight game overall.

Thunder 102, Pelicans 91

NEW ORLEANS -- Guard Russell Westbrook exploded for a season-high-tying 45 points, including 25 in the first half, and keyed a 13-0 run late in the final 5:21 to lift the Oklahoma City past New Orleans.

The Pelicans led 91-89 with 5:39 left when forward Ryan Anderson canned a 3-pointer from the right baseline. However, in the final five minutes, Westbrook took over. He fed forward Serge Ibaka for a dunk to tie the score and then hit one of two free throws to put Oklahoma City up 92-91. Westbrook dribbled past Eric Gordon for a layup and added to the run with a 16-foot leaner, giving the Thunder a 100-91 lead.

The Pelicans were led by forward Anthony Davis with 23 points and eight rebounds. The Thunder were without All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who missed his second consecutive game with a toe injury.

Rockets 101, Bulls 90

HOUSTON -- Bolstered by its bench, Houston held Chicago scoreless during the opening four-plus minutes of the fourth quarter en route to the win.

Houston opened the fourth quarter with a 13-0 run. The Rockets' surge bumped the lead to 88-70 -- a deficit too large for Chicago to overcome, even after a late push into single digits.

Butler finished with a game-high 27 points, and three Bulls posted double figures in rebounds: forwards Pau Gasol (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Taj Gibson (12 points, 10 rebounds) and center Joakim Noah (19 rebounds). Guard Derrick Rose added 23 points. Houston guard James Harden matched Butler for scoring honors with 27 points.

Timberwolves 102, Heat 101

MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Martin scored 30 points, and Minnesota overcame a 10-point deficit with under 10 minutes to play to beat Miami.

The Heat had two chances to pull out the win in the final seconds, but guard Mario Chalmers missed on a drive to the net and guard Norris Cole came up short on a 25-foot shot at the final horn.

Minnesota overcame a monster night by Miami center Hassan Whiteside, who had 24 points and 20 rebounds, becoming the first Heat player to reach the 20-20 plateau since Shaquille O'Neal did it in 2004.

Grizzlies 100, Jazz 90

SALT LAKE CITY -- Center Marc Gasol scored 23 points, and Memphis won for the eight straight time, beating Utah. Gasol hit nine of 18 shots from the field, scored 15 points in the second half, grabbed six rebounds and had four assists.

Power forward Zach Randolph contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds, and three other Grizzlies scored in double figures. The Grizzlies, who have won 12 of 13, have outscored opponents by an average of 13 points during the winning streak.

Point guard Trey Burke totaled 21 points, four assists and three rebounds off the bench for Utah.

Spurs 110, Magic 103

SAN ANTONIO -- Forward Tim Duncan scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as San Antonio handed Orlando its 10th straight loss.

Forward Kawhi Leonard had 18 points, five assists and four steals for the Spurs. Guard Manu Ginobili made 10 assists.

Center Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Forward Tobias Harris had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Bucks 113, Lakers 105

MILWAUKEE -- Guard O.J. Mayo hit a 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left to force overtime, and point guard Brandon Knight scored 12 of his 24 points in the extra session as Milwaukee extended its winning streak to five games

Knight struggled much of the game before hitting all three of his shots in overtime, including a pair of 3-pointers, while going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.

His late surge complemented a career-high 25-point effort from forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who hit 10 of 14 from the field and grabbed six rebounds. Bucks guards Kris Middleton and Mayo each added 21 points. Los Angeles forward Carlos Boozer scored six of his team-leading 28 in overtime.

Nets 109, Raptors 93

TORONTO -- Guard Jarrett Jack scored 24 points, and guard Alan Anderson added 22 points as Brooklyn defeated Toronto.

Forward Joe Johnson added 11 points for the Nets, who won their second game in a row. The Raptors lost their second straight following a six-game winning streak.

Guard/forward Terrence Ross led Toronto with 23 points, and guard Kyle Lowry added 13 points with 10 assists and six rebounds. Guard/forward DeMar DeRozan scored 13 points for the Raptors before being ejected for a flagrant foul with 1:02 to play in the game.

[StarDust Bum]

Suns face telling test in Portland

February 5, 2015

You would think a six-game losing streak would end any hope of making the playoffs in the Western Conference.
That’s definitely what New Orleans is hoping. None of the West’s top seven have suffered through a six-game slide, but of the three realistic contenders for the No. 8 seed, the Pelicans are the only ones who haven’t had that drastic a losing streak.

Phoenix and Oklahoma City have each dropped six straight this season, so the fact both have crept above .500 is a testament to how well they’ve picked themselves up off the mat.

The Thunder had an excuse, suffering their drought in November when All-Stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were both injured and out of the lineup. The Suns spill came in December, starting when they were without Goran Dragic for two games and continuing when Eric Bledsoe didn’t handle his return to the lineup well, shooting 16-for-41 and generally looking out of sync. At the end of the dry spell, they were 12-14, far removed from the form that helped win 48 games last season.

Since that stretch, which featured a one-point loss at the Clippers and a pair of two-point home setbacks against Miami and Milwaukee, Phoenix has gone 16-8 entering Thursday night’s visit to Portland. It bounced right back with a six-game winning streak and won four straight twice in January. That’s how the Suns have reached February in control of their destiny for the No. 8 seed, currently up 1.5 games on the Pelicans and 2.5 on OKC.

Despite that rebound, there’s still a ton of work to do, not to mention reasons for concern piling up that they’ll once again fall short of reaching the postseason.

To hold on, the team that earned then-rookie head coach Jeff Hornacek runner-up status behind Gregg Popovich for 2013-14 Coach of the Year honors has to show improvement over the regular season’s final 32 games. They’re two behind last year’s pace, when they were 30-20 at the 50-game mark, but that group dropped three straight on three separate occasions after the All-Star break, ultimately finishing two games behind the Grizzlies and one back of the Mavericks for the No. 8 seed. The Suns lost three of their final four. Chasing the Grizzlies and Mavs, Phoenix fell 101-98 in Dallas in the season’s 80th game and stalled at home by six to Memphis in Game No. 81. That brought down the curtain on an otherwise successful season.

This year’s version, which has essentially everyone back outside of Channing Frye, must prove it’s a tougher group. They have to make the acquisitions of key backups Isaiah Thomas and Brandan Wright pay dividends.

That’s why this matchup with the Trail Blazers could be key, even though there are still over two-and-a-half months remaining. As they learned last season, every little bit counts. The Suns are coming off their seventh straight loss against Memphis, a grueling 102-101 decision that saw them blow a seven-point lead with 1:49 left. They fell a defensive rebound shy from putting the Grizzlies away. Considering they were blown out in Golden State on Saturday night, they’re in danger of going in the wrong direction.

Phoenix is 2-8 in games decided by a possession (1-to-3 points), an issue it must rectify in order to not do wind up on the outside looking in again. The Suns have to shore up a defense that ranks 28th in points allowed and in the bottom 10 in defensive rating. They do rank second in pace and fourth in points per game (106.6), but have regressed on the glass and need to improve there most to start faring better in close games against quality competition.

Portland ranks first in the league in defensive rebounding and third in defensive rating, so this would be an ideal place for the Suns to show some grit. Center Robin Lopez just returned to the lineup, complicating matters. Hornacek has been starting second-year center Alex Len while working Wright and Miles Plumlee into the rotation, but no one has really stood out. P.J. Tucker and the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus, also have to pick up their level.

Although the caliber of competition won’t be as intense just before and coming out of the All-Star break, keep the following in mind about the Suns when considering whether they’ll be a playoff team come April. They’ve still got to play the Hawks twice and haven’t visited Chicago or Cleveland. Of their last 14 scheduled games, 12 are likely to come against teams with winning records. Phoenix closes at home against the Clippers after a four-game road swing through Atlanta, Dallas, New Orleans and San Antonio. The Suns play the Trail Blazers twice in a four-day stretch in late March and have a home date with OKC sandwiched in-between. They open April at Golden State.

Every game from here on out will be magnified. We’ll see if the pain of being left behind last year can help make up the difference of whatever has been missing in all their close losses. Right now, the expected heightened sense of urgency hasn’t generated the desired results or inspired confidence. The Suns are in the eighth position out West, but holding off a late charge led by Durant and Westbrook or Anthony Davis is going to require more than they’ve shown thus far.

Wizards at Hornets – 7:05 PM EST

Washington hasn’t covered in eight straight, losing six of those outright following Wednesday’s 105-96 loss in Atlanta. The Wizards had their chances in the fourth quarter but were consistently out-performed in losing their fourth consecutive game. John Wall hasn’t been the issue, averaging 20.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 10.2 assists over his last five.

The Hornets are listed as a one-point favorite here, only the fifth time they’ve been chalk in 16 games in 2015. It’s the first time since early November that they’ve been favored against a team with a winning record. Top playmaker Kemba Walker and rim protector Bismack Biyombo remain out with knee injuries. They’ve covered three straight, including a 92-88 win on Monday night in D.C. Al Jefferson led the way with 18 points and 12 rebounds in the first meeting of the season between these Southeast Division foes.

Clippers at Cavaliers – 8:05 PM EST

The Clippers are embarked on their Grammy trip, having to vacate Staples for the annual event known as music’s biggest night. This will be the fifth leg of their season-long eight-game road trip, which has produced a 2-2 mark thus far thanks to Monday’s shocking upset loss in Brooklyn. The Nets outscored L.A. 15-4 in the last 95 seconds for a 102-100 win. Starting SG J.J. Redick is listed as doubtful with back spasms.

Cleveland has won 11 consecutive games, a streak that started at Staples against the Lakers on Jan. 15 and continued the next night thanks to a brilliant night from LeBron James in a 126-121 upset of the Clippers. That was the only game during this run where the Cavs have been an underdog.

Mavericks at Kings – 10:05 PM EST

Dallas blew an early 22-point lead and wound up losing by double-digits at Golden State on Wednesday night, beating itself with turnovers and a failure to get spots when it needed them. The Mavericks are 7-4 on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Kings have only won once in their last 10 games and looked disinterested in a 25-point home loss to Golden State. Normally strong at Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento hasn’t won there since beating LeBron-less Cleveland on Jan. 11, dropping its last five games there.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday's TNT Action

February 5, 2015


LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (33-16) at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (30-20)

Tip-off: Thursday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Cleveland -4.5, Total: 207.5

The Cavs look to win their 12th straight game when they host the Clippers Thursday.

Los Angeles lost 102-100 as 8.5-point road favorites in Brooklyn on Monday and the team has now lost two of its past three games SU. The Clippers are also just 1-4 ATS in their past five games. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, beat the Sixers 97-84 as 17-point favorites in Cleveland on Monday. Cleveland has now won 11 straight games SU and they’ve covered in nine of those contests. The Cavaliers are really clicking defensively, holding their opponents to under 100 points in nine straight contests. The Cavs’ past six games have gone Under the total as well.

These teams met on Jan. 16, when the Cavs beat the Clippers 126-121 as 8.5-point road underdogs. Cleveland is 3-2 SU and ATS versus Los Angeles over the past three seasons. The Cavaliers won-and-covered the last time they played the Clippers in Cleveland. They’ve also won 11 of the past 12 games played in Cleveland between these teams, covering in 10 of those contests. The past three have gone Under the total. Over the past two seasons, the Clippers are 12-2 ATS in road games when coming off of a road loss. Since 1996, however, the Cavaliers are 36-18 ATS in home games after a game where they made 12 or more threes.

SG J.J. Redick (Back) is out indefinitely for the Clippers and the Cavaliers continue to play without C Anderson Varejao (Achilles), who is out for the season.

The Clippers have lost two of their last three games and now have to face a red-hot Cavaliers squad. PG Chris Paul (17.7 PPG, 9.6 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.9 SPG) was really off the last time these teams met, scoring 15 points (4-for-15 FG, 1-for-7 3PT) only because of his ability to get to the line (6-for-7 FT). Paul did, however, dish out 14 assists and also grabbed eight rebounds in the game. He’s been on fire for Los Angeles lately, scoring 20+ points in each of the past four games. His matchup with PG Kyrie Irving (21.9 PPG, 5.2 APG) should be really exciting to watch and the winner of that battle could end up being the reason their team comes out victorious.

PF Blake Griffin (22.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.1 APG) was dominant the last time these teams met, finishing with 34 points, 10 rebounds and three assists before fouling out late in the game. Griffin’s athleticism makes him extremely tough to cover and PF Kevin Love (16.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG), who didn’t play in their last meeting, is not as good of an option to guard Griffin as his teammate PF Tristan Thompson (9.0 PPG, .84 RPG) was. Griffin could be in for a similar performance against Love, who is a very mediocre defender.

C DeAndre Jordan (10.4 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 2.4 BPG) had 22 points and 20 rebounds in a loss to the Nets on Monday. Jordan had 19 points, 12 rebounds and a block against the Cavaliers on Jan. 16, and his athleticism will also really give Cleveland issues. Jordan is very active around the basket and grabs nearly every available rebound. With SG J.J. Redick (14.4 PPG) out, SG Jamal Crawford (15.7 PPG) will be relied on to play big minutes. Crawford had 13 points and six assists in the last meeting between these teams and he should be able to score a lot more, as he’ll be relied on as more of a scorer than a playmaker with Redick’s scoring ability shelved for the time being.

The Cavaliers are one of the hottest teams in basketball and SF LeBron James (26.2 PPG, 7.4 APG, 5.5 RPG) has started to play the way people expected before the season. Over the past four games, James is averaging 26.3 PPG, 7.5 APG and 4.5 RPG in 36.3 MPG. The superstar had 32 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in 42 minutes the last time these teams played. Los Angeles is weak at the small forward position and James will need to be in attack mode from the opening tip.

PG Kyrie Irving had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists in Cleveland’s win over the Sixers on Monday. Irving had a 55-point game a little over a week ago, and he’s been playing some of the best basketball of his career lately. Guarding Chris Paul will be the hardest part of this game for Irving. He’ll do his best to prevent Paul from getting in the lane, but it’ll be tough to shut him down completely.

PF Kevin Love had just five points in the win over the Sixers on Monday, but he did grab 15 rebounds. He’s now averaging 16.0 RPG over his past two and will need to be an animal on the glass against an extremely athletic Clippers frontcourt. Love’s offense will not be a cause for concern in this game, but he will really need to show up on the defensive end. Cleveland has a number of guys that can make up for Love’s recent lack of scoring (11.8 PPG in past five games), but they’ll need the forward to play well defensively against Blake Griffin.

C Timofey Mozgov (8.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG) is a huge reason this team has turned things around defensively. Mozgov has played 14 games with Cleveland this season and the team only allowed 100+ points in his first five games as a Cavalier. Since being able to adjust to his new team after those games, the Cavaliers have not allowed 100+ in each of their last nine games. He’s also been solid offensively recently, averaging 9.8 PPG with 7.4 RPG and 2.2 BPG over the past five games. He’ll need to hold his own against DeAndre Jordan in this one, and if he does the Cavs have a great chance of winning this one.

PHOENIX SUNS (28-22) at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (33-16)

Tip-off: Thursday, 10:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Portland -4.5, Total: 213.0

The Suns look to snap their two-game losing streak when they head to Portland on Thursday to take on the Blazers.

The Suns hosted the Grizzlies on Monday and lost 102-101 as 2.5-point home favorites. Phoenix has now lost two straight and four of its last six SU. The team is just 2-5 ATS in its past seven games and has struggled offensively recently, scoring just 95.7 PPG over its past three games. The Suns are not a good defensive team (104.9 PPG allowed, 28th in NBA), so that type of offense just isn’t going to cut it for them.

The Blazers haven’t been much better though, beating the Jazz 103-102 as 8.5-point home favorites on Tuesday for their first win SU in their past four games. Portland is now 3-7 SU in its past 10 games and the team has covered in just two of those contests. The Blazers are also currently on a four-game ATS losing streak. These teams last met on Jan. 21, when the Suns beat the Blazers 118-113 as 7.5-point home favorites.

The Blazers did, however, play without PF LaMarcus Aldridge in that game. That victory made Phoenix 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS versus Portland over the past three seasons. The Suns have been successful playing in Portland as well, winning two of their past three games at Moda Center SU. They have also covered in four straight games in Portland.

Phoenix is 42-22 ATS when playing on the road over the past two seasons. The Suns also have the luxury of facing a Portland team that is 4-14 ATS in home games after failing to cover the spread in three or more consecutive games over the past three seasons.

SF Gerald Green (Calf) is questionable for Phoenix and the Blazers continue to be without C Joel Freeland (Shoulder), who is out indefinitely.

Phoenix is in a tight race for the eighth seed in the Western Conference and it will need to play with a sense of urgency against the Blazers on Thursday. This team has had a lot of trouble scoring the basketball recently, averaging just 95.7 PPG over its past three games and it will need to get a lot closer to the 106.6 PPG (4th in NBA) that it’s been racking up all season.

PG Eric Bledsoe (16.9 PPG, 6.0 APG, 5.2 RPG, 1.7 SPG) had 21 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks in a loss to the Grizzlies on Monday. Bledsoe was excellent against the Blazers earlier in the season, finishing with 33 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals in 34 minutes of action. His head-to-head matchup with PG Damian Lillard (21.7 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.6 RPG) will be crucial in determining who wins this game.

PG Isaiah Thomas (15.4 PPG, 3.6 APG) was also big in the Suns’ victory over the Blazers on Jan. 21, scoring 27 points (11-for-16 FG, 3-for-6 3PT) very efficiently off the bench. Thomas also dished out four assists and he’ll need to be a spark for the Suns in this one. He should have plenty of confidence after putting up 24 points in the loss to Memphis on Monday.

SG Goran Dragic (16.5 PPG, 4.0 APG, 3.6 RPG) has a tough matchup with SG Wes Matthews (16.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG) in this game. Dragic had 16 points the last time these teams played and will need to use his speed to blow by the much slower Blazers shooting guard. Defensively it will be tough for him to defend Matthews when the guard plays the high post, but it’s important that Dragic stays disciplined and keeps himself out of foul trouble.

PF Markieff Morris (15.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.3 SPG) struggled the last time these teams played, scoring just six points (2-for-7 FG) in 29 minutes. Morris also had only five rebounds and things are not going to be any easier with PF LaMarcus Aldridge (23.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.1 BPG) in the lineup for the Blazers. Aldridge was out the last time these teams played and his size and ability to score will really make things difficult on an undersized Suns team. It’s likely that they’ll need to give PF Brandan Wright (7.3 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG) some extended minutes as a defensive specialist in order to keep Aldridge in check.

The Blazers needed a victory over the Jazz to snap a three-game losing streak and they got it, but in pretty unimpressive fashion. SG Wes Matthews was big in that victory, finishing with 21 points and three steals in 35 minutes. He’s been hot lately, averaging 17.2 PPG and 1.4 SPG over the past five contest thanks to some lethal outside shooting (45% 3PT in those games). He should get plenty of open looks against a Phoenix team that loves to play up-tempo. Stopping Goran Dragic will also be a big task for him, so his offense alone won’t be enough to help his team win this game.

PG Damian Lillard is coming off of a 25-point, six-assist performance against the Jazz on Tuesday. Eric Bledsoe outperformed Lillard in the Blazers’ last game against the Suns and Lillard will need to get the better of this matchup in his home arena. At the very least, he can’t afford to let Bledsoe erupt for 33 points again in this one.

PF LaMarcus Aldridge did not play the last time these teams met. Aldridge has been on a tear lately, even with his thumb injury. He’s had a double-double in each of the past four games and is averaging 28.2 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 1.2 SPG over the past five contests. The Suns are going to struggle to cover Aldridge, as they do not have many power forwards with the size to bang with him in the post. It could force them to ditch their preferred small-ball lineups, which would be a huge advantage for Portland.

SF Nicolas Batum (9.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.1 SPG) had 27 points, 10 rebounds and five assists when these teams last met. He likely won’t need to do that much scoring again in this one, but he does give a major advantage to the Blazers at the small forward position. He should be able to have a solid game in this one.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Six of the top minor league prospects of the Arizona Diamondbacks.......

1) Archie Bradley, P-- Was 1-4, 5.18 in five AAA starts at age 22

3) Aaron Blair, P-- Highest player ever drafted out of Marshall U.

4) Yasmany Tomas 3B/OF-- Cuban defector got $68.5M to sign.

8) Pete O'Brien C/1B-- Acquired from Bronx in Martin Prado deal.

11) Robbie Ray, P-- Went 1-4, 8.16 in six starts with Detroit LY.

18) Andrew Chafin, P-- Went 0-1, 3.86 in three starts for Arizona LY.

**********

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

13) Eldrick Woods was +2 on 3rd green (12th hole of his day) when his caddy picked up his ball marker and they went home; he has a bad back and withdrew, which forced Golf Channel announcers to actually watch other golfers play. I asked this last week, but how long does this go on before it stops being a story?

12) Woods now has three missed cuts and three WDs in his last eight tournaments, as reports circulate that he still owes his ex-wife $50M from their divorce settlement.

11) There is a golfer on the ladies tour named Brooke Pancake; tremendous name. If she did a radio talk show with former Giants' CB Elvis Patterson, they could call it "Pancake and Toast".

10) Starter at the Farmers' tournament this weekend in LaJolla is the dad of pro golfer Pat Perez, who has only one pro win, the '09 Bob Hope Classic. Perez played golf at Arizona State, where the coach (since 2011) is Phil Mickelson's brother Tim.

9) For the second time in the last four offseasons, Victor Martinez has screwed up his knee during a workout; why doesn't the guy just lay on his couch until he goes to spring training? One thing a fantasy baseball owner doesn't want to see in February is one his players' name in the paper. Almost always bad news.

This time at least, the injury isn't as bad as three years ago- he should be good to go sometime in April. He missed all of 2012 after two operations on the same knee.

8) UAB 80, Louisiana Tech 60-- Will be quite a story if Blazers get into NCAAs, in same academic year when school dropped its football program, which has caused lot of ill will within the UAB community. No matter what, Jarrod Haase has done a great job of reviving the program Gene Bartow started in 1978.

7) Of the 351 Division I basketball coaches, only two have a PhD degree; LaSalle's John Giannini and Brett Reed of Lehigh.

6) Cavaliers 105, Clippers 94-- Cleveland was up 32 after three quarters, sat their starters for rest of game; they've now won 12 games in a row and no one talks about them anymore. Maybe Doc Rivers shouldn't have given his guys Tuesday night off in Manhattan-- letting pro athletes loose in NYC is an invitation for too much fun.

5) Kansas State suspended two players, including leading scorer Marcus Foster; Bruce Weber has been doing a nice job with these Wildcats, but the margin of error for so many D-I teams is very thin, losing a guy like Foster could be a back-breaker.

4) ESPN named Rece Davis the new host of college football GameDay, a great move seeing as Davis is their best college football voice. Chris Fowler will still be on the Saturday night games; he was better on the pregame show than he is calling games.

3) Saw part of the football schedule next fall for Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas; its first six opponents come from five different states, with two from California. This is a high school program; their first game in August is going to be on ESPN.

2) Jim Harbaugh got himself a QB in Houston transfer John O'Korn, who was lot better as a freshman than a sophomore, when he lost his starting job halfway thru this past season. O'Korn will sit this year, play for Michigan in 2016-17.

1) Kam Chancellor played the Super Bowl with a torn MCL; Earl Thomas has a torn labrum, Richard Sherman's elbow might need Tommy John surgery. Football is a tough sport to play and thats a vast understatement.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Milwaukee at Houston
The Bucks head to Houston tonight where they are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games versus the Rockets. Milwaukee is the pick (+6 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+6 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Game 801-802: New York at Brooklyn (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 112.590; Brooklyn 114.988
Dunkel Line & Total: Brooklyn by 2 1/2; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Brooklyn by 7; 194
Dunkel Pick: New York (+7); Under

Game 803-804: Cleveland at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 125.361; Indiana 117.212
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 8; 200
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 6; 196 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-6); Over

Game 805-806: LA Lakers at Orlando (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 110.363; Orlando 115.772
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 5 1/2; 207;
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 3 1/2; 202
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-3 1/2); Over

Game 807-808: LA Clippers at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 125.019; Toronto 119.616
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 5 1/2; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 2 1/2; 210
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (+2 1/2); Under

Game 809-810: Golden State at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 128.724; Atlanta 123.806
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 5; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 2; 214 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-2); Under

Game 811-812: Denver at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 114.317; Detroit 118.268
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 4; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 6 1/2; 205
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+6 1/2); Over

Game 813-814: Philadelphia at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 110.583; Boston 119.317
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 9; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 7; 194
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-7); Under

Game 815-816: Milwaukee at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 122.471; Houston 122.391
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 6 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+6 1/2); Over

Game 817-818: New Orleans at Oklahoma City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 117.034; Oklahoma City 124.617
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 7 1/2; 201
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 4; No Total
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-4); N/A

Game 819-820: Memphis at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 125.991; Minnesota 115.509
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 10 1/2; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 8; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-8); Over

Game 821-822: Utah at Phoenix (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 119.883; Phoenix 120.811
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 6; 203 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+6); Over

Game 823-824: Miami at San Antonio (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 116.399; San Antonio 123.496
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 7; 182
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 10; 187
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+10); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, February 6

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NEW YORK (10 - 39) at BROOKLYN (20 - 28) - 2/6/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 19-29 ATS (-12.9 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 16-25 ATS (-11.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
NEW YORK is 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 129-95 ATS (+24.5 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1996.

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

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CLEVELAND (31 - 20) at INDIANA (18 - 32) - 2/6/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 192-142 ATS (+35.8 Units) on Friday nights since 1996.
INDIANA is 12-30 ATS (-21.0 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 8-22 ATS (-16.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 5-4 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 7-2 straight up against CLEVELAND 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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LA LAKERS (13 - 36) at ORLANDO (15 - 37) - 2/6/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 93-66 ATS (+20.4 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
ORLANDO is 9-25 ATS (-18.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in home games this season.
ORLANDO is 28-44 ATS (-20.4 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 26-39 ATS (-16.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 26-40 ATS (-18.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 3-2 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 3-2 straight up against ORLANDO 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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LA CLIPPERS (33 - 17) at TORONTO (33 - 17) - 2/6/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 20-30 ATS (-13.0 Units) in all games this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 91-130 ATS (-52.0 Units) in February games since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 73-108 ATS (-45.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 218-271 ATS (-80.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 201-251 ATS (-75.1 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 162-225 ATS (-85.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 117-159 ATS (-57.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
TORONTO is 154-193 ATS (-58.3 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 3-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 3-2 straight up against TORONTO 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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GOLDEN STATE (39 - 8) at ATLANTA (41 - 9) - 2/6/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 34-15 ATS (+17.5 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in non-conference games this season.
ATLANTA is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
ATLANTA is 19-3 ATS (+15.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ATLANTA is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 31-14 ATS (+15.6 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 28-11 ATS (+15.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 43-27 ATS (+13.3 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 23-7 ATS (+15.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 19-36 ATS (-20.6 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 3-1 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-0 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DENVER (19 - 31) at DETROIT (19 - 31) - 2/6/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in February games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DETROIT is 37-21 ATS (+13.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 59-73 ATS (-21.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 25-41 ATS (-20.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
DETROIT is 35-48 ATS (-17.8 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-1 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-1 straight up against DETROIT 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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PHILADELPHIA (11 - 39) at BOSTON (18 - 30) - 2/6/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 26-39 ATS (-16.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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MILWAUKEE (27 - 22) at HOUSTON (34 - 15) - 2/6/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 315-374 ATS (-96.4 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 221-270 ATS (-76.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 47-80 ATS (-41.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1996.
HOUSTON is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games after a non-conference game this season.
HOUSTON is 284-223 ATS (+38.7 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 33-15 ATS (+16.5 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) as an underdog this season.
MILWAUKEE is 21-6 ATS (+14.4 Units) in road games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MILWAUKEE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 3-2 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 4-1 straight up against MILWAUKEE 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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NEW ORLEANS (26 - 23) at OKLAHOMA CITY (25 - 24) - 2/6/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-4 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-3 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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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MEMPHIS (37 - 12) at MINNESOTA (9 - 40) - 2/6/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 40-23 ATS (+14.7 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 312-369 ATS (-93.9 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 25-42 ATS (-21.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 171-222 ATS (-73.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 5-3 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 6-2 straight up against MINNESOTA 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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UTAH (17 - 32) at PHOENIX (28 - 23) - 2/6/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 78-52 ATS (+20.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 6-2 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 6-3 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (21 - 28) at SAN ANTONIO (31 - 18) - 2/6/2015, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 881-774 ATS (+29.6 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 696-597 ATS (+39.3 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 448-379 ATS (+31.1 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 385-327 ATS (+25.3 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 71-42 ATS (+24.8 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 293-236 ATS (+33.4 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 251-204 ATS (+26.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 354-287 ATS (+38.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
MIAMI is 51-34 ATS (+13.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 32-16 ATS (+14.4 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 10-6 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-8 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, February 6

Hot Teams
-- Knicks won five of their last eight games (2-4 last six AU). Brooklyn won last two games, covered last four (1-3 last four HF).
-- Cavaliers won last 12 games, covering 11 of them (5-1 last six AF).
-- Golden State is 16-3 in its last 19 games (2-4 last six AF). Hawks won 20 of their last 21 games (0-0 HU, 9-0 last nine U).
-- 76ers are 3-2 in last five games (5-0 vs spread, 4-9 last 13 AU). Celtics won last two games, covered eight of last ten (1-3 last four HF).
-- Milwaukee won its last five games (8-1 last nine AU). Rockets won five of their last six games (6-1 last seven HF).
-- Memphis won its last eight games, covering six of them (3-1 last four AF).
-- Pelicans won six of their last eight games (6-0 last six AU). Thunder won last two games, after losing four of previous five (1-6-1 last 8 HF).
-- Spurs won eight of last ten games, are 0-5-1 vs spread in last six.

Cold Teams
-- Pacers lost nine of last twelve games (2-6 HU).
-- Orlando lost its last ten games, changed coaches this week (2-4 HF). Lakers lost 11 of their last 12 games (1-4-1 last six AU).
-- Clippers lost three of last four games (2-5 AU). Toronto lost last two games, by 7-16 points (0-0 HU; 1-7 last eight H)
-- Detroit lost five of its last seven games (3-0 last three HF). Nuggets lost 11 of their last 12 games (4-9-1 last 14 AU).
-- Minnesota lost eight of its last ten games (1-4 last five HU).
-- Jazz lost four of their last five games (11-4 last 15 AU). Suns lost last three games, by 19-1-21 points (7-3 last ten HF).
-- Miami lost four of its last five games (6-1 last seven AU).

Series Records
-- Nets are 4-3 in their last seven games with New York.
-- Cavaliers lost their last four visits to Indiana.
-- Lakers won three of last four games with Orlando.
-- Clippers won five of last seven games with Toronto.
-- Warriors won their last five games with Atlanta.
-- Visitor won six of last seven Philly-Boston games.
-- Nuggets won eight of last nine games with Detroit.
-- Rockets won their last three games with Milwaukee.
-- Grizzlies won 14 of last 16 games with Minnesota.
-- Pelicans won three of last four games with Oklahoma City.
-- Jazz won six of last nine games with Phoenix.
-- Spurs won five of last six games with Miami; they beat Heat in five games in Finals last year.

Totals
-- Under is 5-1-1 in New York's last seven road games.
-- Under is 8-3-1 in last 12 Cleveland road games.
-- Seven of last nine Orlando home games went over.
-- Five of last six Clipper road games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Atlanta home games went over.
-- Seven of 76ers' last eight road games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Detroit home games went over.
-- Three of last four Milwaukee road games went over.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Memphis road games.
-- Seven of last eight New Orleans road games stayed under.
-- Last five Phoenix home games stayed under total.
-- Nine of last eleven Miami road games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
-- Cleveland is 5-3 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Clippers are 4-3 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Phoenix is 3-6 vs spread if it played the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 159-105 ATS: West 136-126-2
East teams HF vs West: 35-35
East teams HU vs West: 25-36
West teams HF vs East: 53-58-2
West teams HU vs East: 12-8

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, February 6

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. TORONTO
LA Clippers are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Toronto
LA Clippers are 6-13 ATS in their last 19 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Toronto's last 12 games when playing LA Clippers

7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
New York is 5-19 SU in its last 24 games
Brooklyn is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games at home
Brooklyn is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home

7:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. INDIANA
Cleveland is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games
Indiana is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Indiana is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland

7:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of the LA Lakers last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the LA Lakers last 12 games when playing Orlando
Orlando is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Orlando's last 7 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

7:30 PM
DENVER vs. DETROIT
Denver is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Denver is 2-15 SU in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games
Detroit is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games

7:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games
Golden State is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games
Atlanta is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing at home against Golden State

7:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games on the road
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games
Boston is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

8:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Memphis's last 16 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Memphis's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 3-17 SU in its last 20 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Minnesota's last 16 games when playing Memphis

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games on the road
New Orleans is 6-13 ATS in its last 19 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Oklahoma City is 15-4 SU in its last 19 games when playing New Orleans

8:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. HOUSTON
Milwaukee is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Houston
Milwaukee is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing Milwaukee

9:00 PM
UTAH vs. PHOENIX
Utah is 14-5-1 ATS in its last 20 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games at home
Phoenix is 4-11-1 ATS in its last 16 games when playing at home against Utah

9:30 PM
MIAMI vs. SAN ANTONIO
Miami is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Miami's last 19 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 14 of San Antonio's last 21 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of San Antonio's last 19 games when playing at home against Miami

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, February 6

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Game of the Day: Warriors at Hawks
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Golden State Warriors at Atlanta Hawks (+1.5, 214.5)

The Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors both have comfortable leads on the rest of their respective conferences. The two juggernauts will try to decide which team in the best in the NBA when the Warriors visit the Hawks on Friday. Golden State owns the best winning percentage in the league at .830 but is two behind Atlanta in total wins as it embarks on a stretch of 10 of the next 11 games on the road.

The Warriors appeared to be looking ahead to Friday in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, falling behind 24-4 early in the first quarter before turning things around on both ends. The Hawks had their own bounce-back performance on Wednesday with an easy victory over the Washington Wizards two nights after their franchise-record 19-game winning streak came to an end. Golden State and Atlanta both rely on rapid ball movement while ranking first and second, respectively, in the NBA in assists.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), SportSouth (Atlanta)

LINE HISTORY: The line opened as ATL +1.5 with a total of 214.5.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - N/A Hawks - G Shelvin Mack (Ques-Calf)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (39-8, 31-15-1 ATS, 24-23 O/U): Stephen Curry went for a season-high 51 points while burying 10 3-pointers in the 128-114 win over the Mavericks on Wednesday and has gone for 21 or more points in six straight games. The All-Star guard averages 24.9 points on the road this season and Golden State is 14-1 against the East, including 6-0 against the Southeast Division. “Everyone feels good right now. We’re in good shape and ready to roll,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “There shouldn’t be any excuses.”

ABOUT THE HAWKS (41-9, 35-15 ATS, 27-23 O/U): Atlanta’s 24-3 home record is bested only by Golden State’s 23-2 mark, and the Hawks picked up their 11th straight home victory in Wednesday’s 105-96 triumph over the Wizards. Atlanta doesn’t have anyone like Curry but is instead exceptional due to its balance, which was highlighted when the NBA named all five starters as co-Players of the Month for January. “It’s something that is reflective of how the group is playing and that our team, hopefully, can be a challenge for our opponent every night on both ends of the court and that we are doing things together collectively,” Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters. “That is what we are talking about every day whether anybody else recognizes it or not.”

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games vs. a team with a winning SU record.
* Hawks are 22-4 ATS in their last 26 games following an ATS win.
* Over is 4-0 in Warriors last four games playing on one days rest.
* Over is 5-1 in Hawks last six games overall.

CONSENSUS: 58.82 percent of users are backing GS -1.5.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, February 6


Under goes perfect 4-0 on the hardcourt Thursday

It was a big night in the NBA if you were an under bettor Thursday. All four contests in the association failed to top the closing total, with games averaging a mere 188.5 points per game.

Washington, Sacramento and Phoenix all failed to break the 90 point plateau, with the Kings tallying a feeble 78 points.

The under has had a significant lean in the NBA this season, with 53.62 percent of games (340-393 O/U) cashing out below the total. That number has been even greater over the past month, with 58.48 percent of games going under.


76ers surprisingly strong against the spread

The Philadelphia 76ers have now covered in five straight games. Thanks to improved play by Philly, who have outscored opponents by 3.4 points per game during that span, while facing an average spread of +10.5.

The 76ers who face the Boston Celtics Friday, have also covered in their past four against the Eastern Conference.


Calender year dictated by lack of offense for Heat

Since the start of 2015, the Miami Heat are 3-13 over/under, thanks to their inability to score. The team from South Beach have averaged 88.9 points and have scored fewer than 90 points (five) than they have hit triple-digits (three).

Miami has been hitting the under all season-long, heading into Friday's game with a 18-31 O/U record.


Wizards lose yet another game for backers

Are you still backing the Washington Wizards at the betting window?

Faithful Wizards' bettors have been left disappointed after the team dropped their ninth-straight game at the betting window after a 94-87 loss (as 2-point faves) at the Charlotte Hornets Thursdays.

The Wiz are just 2-7 SU during the nine-game ATS funk. The skid has plummeted them toward the bottom of the ATS standings as they sit 20-30-1, barely ahead of the Los Angeles Clippers (20-30 ATS) and slightly ahead of the last-placed New York Knicks (19-29-1).

The Wizards are back on the court Saturday as they host the Brooklyn Nets.


Lackluster offense keeping Nuggets from covering

The Denver Nuggets have lost their past four games, both straight up and against the spread. During those four games the Nuggets have averaged 88.25 points, including a 69 point performance against Memphis.

Denver has been one of the worst ATS teams this season, going 19-28-3.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Milwaukee at Houston
The Bucks head to Houston tonight where they are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games versus the Rockets. Milwaukee is the pick (+6 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the game Even. Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+6 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Game 801-802: New York at Brooklyn (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 112.590; Brooklyn 114.988
Dunkel Line & Total: Brooklyn by 2 1/2; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Brooklyn by 7; 194
Dunkel Pick: New York (+7); Under

Game 803-804: Cleveland at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 125.361; Indiana 117.212
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 8; 200
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 6; 196 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-6); Over

Game 805-806: LA Lakers at Orlando (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 110.363; Orlando 115.772
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 5 1/2; 207;
Vegas Line & Total: Orlando by 3 1/2; 202
Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-3 1/2); Over

Game 807-808: LA Clippers at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 125.019; Toronto 119.616
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 5 1/2; 204
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 2 1/2; 210
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (+2 1/2); Under

Game 809-810: Golden State at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 128.724; Atlanta 123.806
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 5; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 2; 214 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (-2); Under

Game 811-812: Denver at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 114.317; Detroit 118.268
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 4; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 6 1/2; 205
Dunkel Pick: Denver (+6 1/2); Over

Game 813-814: Philadelphia at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 110.583; Boston 119.317
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 9; 187
Vegas Line & Total: Boston by 7; 194
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-7); Under

Game 815-816: Milwaukee at Houston (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 122.471; Houston 122.391
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Houston by 6 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+6 1/2); Over

Game 817-818: New Orleans at Oklahoma City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 117.034; Oklahoma City 124.617
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 7 1/2; 201
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 4; No Total
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-4); N/A

Game 819-820: Memphis at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 125.991; Minnesota 115.509
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 10 1/2; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 8; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-8); Over

Game 821-822: Utah at Phoenix (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 119.883; Phoenix 120.811
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix by 6; 203 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+6); Over

Game 823-824: Miami at San Antonio (9:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Miami 116.399; San Antonio 123.496
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 7; 182
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 10; 187
Dunkel Pick: Miami (+10); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Friday, February 6

NY Knicks at Brooklyn, 7:05 ET
NY Knicks: 129-95 ATS in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent
Brooklyn: 6-18 ATS in home games off 2 or more consecutive upset wins as an underdog

Cleveland at Indiana, 7:05 ET
Cleveland: 23-12 ATS after covering 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread
Indiana: 1-8 ATS in home games revenging a road loss vs opponent

LA Lakers at Orlando, 7:05 ET
LA Lakers: 22-11 ATS after 3 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers
Orlando: 9-25 ATS as a favorite

LA Clippers at Toronto, 7:35 ET
LA Clippers: 12-3 ATS in road games off a road loss
Toronto: 8-18 ATS as a home favorite of 6 points or less

Golden State at Atlanta, 7:35 ET
Golden State: 28-11 ATS (+15.9 Units) as a favorite
Atlanta: 12-25 ATS in home games off a home win

Denver at Detroit, 7:35 ET
Denver: 2-11 ATS in February games
Detroit: 37-21 ATS after scoring 105 points or more

Philadelphia at Boston, 7:35 ET
Philadelphia: 22-8 OVER when playing with 2 days rest
Boston: 24-37 ATS after one or more consecutive overs

Milwaukee at Houston, 8:05 ET
Milwaukee: 22-9 ATS revenging a loss vs opponent
Houston: 4-12 ATS after having won 6 or 7 of their last 8 games

New Orleans at Oklahoma City, 8:05 ET
New Orleans: N/A
Oklahoma City: N/A

Memphis at Minnesota, 8:05 ET
Memphis: 40-23 ATS after a win by 10 points or more
Minnesota: 4-14 ATS after having lost 2 of their last 3 games

Utah at Phoenix, 9:05 ET
Utah: 13-1 ATS in road games after 2 or more consecutive overs
Phoenix: 9-1 UNDER after failing to cover 3 of their last 4 against the spread

Miami at San Antonio, 9:35 ET
Miami: 6-15 ATS after a game where they covered the spread
San Antonio: 20-6 ATS after a game where they made 12 or more 3 point shots

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Top Action

February 6, 2015


LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (33-17) at TORONTO RAPTORS (33-17)

Tip-off: Friday, 7:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Toronto -2.0, Total: 211.5

Both the Clippers and Raptors will be trying to avoid three-game losing streaks when the two teams square off in Toronto Friday.

The Clippers went into Cleveland on Thursday and lost 105-94 as four-point road underdogs. They’ve now lost two straight games and three out of their past four SU. Over the past six contests, Los Angeles is just 1-5 ATS. Offensively, the Clippers are really struggling. They’re averaging just 99.2 PPG over their past five games, which is a major drop from the 106.5 PPG (3rd in NBA) they’ve scored this season.

The Raptors, meanwhile, lost 109-93 as 7.5-point home favorites against the Nets on Wednesday. They’ve now lost their past two games SU and ATS, but they had won six straight SU prior to those losses.

These teams met earlier in the season, when the Raptors beat the Clippers 110-98 as 4.5-point road underdogs. Los Angeles, however, is 5-2 SU in its past five meetings with Toronto. Prior to a 126-118 Clippers victory at Air Canada Centre on Jan. 25, 2015, the Raptors had won-and-covered in four straight home games against the Clippers.

Toronto is also 6-4 SU and 7-3 ATS when hosting Los Angeles since 2004. Over the past two seasons, the Clippers are 12-3 ATS in road games off of a road loss. They are, however, just 64-100 ATS after allowing 60 points or more in the first half of their previous game since 1996.

J.J. Redick (Back) is out indefinitely for Los Angeles and James Johnson (Hamstring) is questionable for Toronto.

The Cavaliers blew out the Clippers on Thursday despite the final score indicating otherwise. Los Angeles only lost by 11 but they also outscored Cleveland 31-11 in the final quarter, when the Cavs had already given up and started thinking about their matchup with the Pacers on Friday. The Clippers committed 29 personal fouls in the game, putting the Cavaliers on the line 44 times. They’ll need to be a lot more disciplined against the Raptors.

PG Chris Paul (17.6 PPG, 9.5 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.9 SPG) struggled in the game, scoring just 10 points (4-for-14 FG) with nine assists in 27 minutes. He has a tough matchup on Friday with PG Kyle Lowry (18.8 PPG, 7.4 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG), who always brings a ton of energy on both ends of the floor.

One player who could really dominate this game for Los Angeles is PF Blake Griffin (22.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.1 APG). Griffin had 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists against Cleveland on Thursday and now faces a Raptors squad that often rolls with a number of undersized power forwards. The Clippers will need to get him to post up often in this game, as he won’t help them much settling for jumpers.

C DeAndre Jordan (10.3 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 2.4 BPG) had eight points, 14 rebounds and a block against the Cavaliers on Thursday. He’s now had 12+ rebounds in each of his past nine games and will need to be a force on the glass against the Raptors. Toronto has a number of guys who can attack the rim well, so Jordan will also have to be more than ready to defend the rim in this one.

The Raptors are coming off of a bad loss to the Nets on Wednesday and they’ve now scored just 84.0 PPG over their past two contests. Toronto is averaging 105.8 PPG (5th in NBA) on the season and the team will need to start scoring again because it is not good defensively (101.1 PPG, 23rd in NBA).

One positive for the Raptors is that SF Terrence Ross (10.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG) appears to be gaining some confidence. Ross has gotten inconsistent minutes this season, but he’s averaging 16.5 PPG in 30.5 MPG over the past two contests. Toronto needs him to score and he should be able to do so against the Clippers, who are weak at small forward.

PG Kyle Lowry will have his work cut out for him in this one. Lowry is going up against Chris Paul in this one and he will need to hold his own against one of the league’s elite point guards. He’s really struggled with his shot recently, averaging just 7.5 PPG (6-for-19 FG) over the past two contests. His inability to score recently is a huge reason that this offense is struggling and Toronto needs him to find his stroke again.

SG DeMar DeRozan (18.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.2 SPG) has really struggled with his outside shot this season (21% 3PT). He was never much of a shooter, but his defenders have not had to respect him from behind the arc and that’s allowing them to better guard his drives to the rim. He’ll need to start knocking down some shots or he’ll continue to struggle like he has in the past five games, where he’s averaged just 16.4 PPG (39% FG, 13% 3PT).

C Jonas Valanciunas (12.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.2 BPG) better be ready to do some dirty work on Friday. He’ll be going up against DeAndre Jordan in this one, and if he doesn’t play hard then the Clippers will get way too many second chance points for the Raptors to compete.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (39-8) at ATLANTA HAWKS (41-9)

Tip-off: Friday, 7:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Golden State -1.5, Total: 214.5

Two of the league’s elite teams clash Friday when the Warriors face the Hawks in Atlanta.

The Warriors hosted the Mavericks on Wednesday and won 128-114 as eight-point home favorites. Golden State has now won-and-covered in its past three games. The Warriors have also held their opponents to 99.0 PPG over the course of their win streak, even despite the high scoring affair they were engaged in with the Mavs.

The Hawks, meanwhile, won-and-covered in a 105-96 victory over the Wizards in Atlanta on Wednesday. Atlanta had a 19-game win streak snapped by the Pelicans on Monday and has been the hottest team in the league in recent months. The Warriors have dominated this head-to-head series recently, winning five straight contests SU and covering in four of those games. They’ve also won in their past three trips to Atlanta, covering in two of those contests.

Both of these teams have been covering machines this season, as the Warriors are 27-9 ATS off of one or more consecutive wins and the Hawks are 17-2 ATS after having won six or seven of their past eight games.

C Festus Ezeli (Ankle) is out indefinitely for the Warriors.

PG Shelvin Mack (Calf) is probable for Atlanta, but SG Thabo Sefolosha (Calf) is expected to miss at least six more weeks of action.

The Warriors have won three straight games and PG Stephen Curry (23.6 PPG, 8.1 APG, 4.7 RPG, 2.1 SPG) has been on fire recently. Curry played 37 minutes and poured in 51 points (16-for-26 FG, 10-for-16 3PT, 9-for-11 FT) in a win over the Mavericks on Wednesday. He’s now averaging 30.4 PPG, 7.0 APG, 4.8 RPG and 2.4 SPG over the past five games. He’ll be going up against PG Jeff Teague (17.0 PPG, 7.5 APG, 1.7 SPG) in this game, and he’ll need to be ready to play solid defense on Friday.

SG Klay Thompson (22.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.2 SPG) had 18 points and five assists against the Mavericks. He’s score 20+ in just one of the past four games and the Warriors will need him to get back to his usual self against the Hawks. This game could end up being an extremely high-scoring contest and the Warriors will not be able to outscore the Hawks without Thompson playing his best offensive basketball. Defensively, he could be the one chosen to chase SG Kyle Korver (12.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG) around in this one. If that’s the case, Thompson can not give Korver an inch of space or he’ll certainly make him and the Warriors pay. C Andrew Bogut (6.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.8 BPG) must come prepared to play excellent defense in this game.

Bogut will be guarding C Al Horford (15.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.4 BPG) in this one, and the Hawks’ big man has been one of the best offensive players at his position this season. Bogut has to protect the rim and prevent the Hawks from getting second chances when they’re on offense. SF Draymond Green (11.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.4 BPG) has been one of the league’s best defenders this season. He will, however, need to break out of his recent shooting slump. He’s averaging just 7.2 PPG (29% FG, 22% 3PT) over the past five games and the Warriors need him to consistently get back into double digits in scoring moving forward.

The Hawks responded well to their 19-game losing streak being snapped Monday, beating the Wizards 105-96 in Atlanta on Wednesday. C Al Horford struggled in their lost Monday, finishing with just eight points and nine rebounds in 30 minutes. He came back with 21 points and 13 rebounds in a win over the Wizards and he’ll need to be on his game against the Warriors. The Hawks rely on Horford to score in the post, but he is also one of their best passers. If he has an off night, this offense does not operate as well as it is capable of.

PF Paul Millsap (17.1 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.8 SPG) has played well recently, averaging 18.0 PPG and 8.8 RPG over the past five games. Millsap can bang down low, which should really give the smaller Draymond Green issues. He is also able to step out and knock down outside shots (36% 3PT), which is going to help stretch out the Warriors’ defense.

PG Jeff Teague has a very difficult job in this game. Not only will he need to run the Hawks’ offense, but he’ll also need to slow down Steph Curry. Curry has been unconscious as a scorer lately, and the Hawks won’t have much of a chance to win if he isn’t held in line. If this game turns into the high-scoring affair that many expect it to be, SG Kyle Korver will need to be on his game. Korver is shooting the ball at a historically accurate rate this season (52% FG, 53% 3PT, 92% FT) and the Hawks will do whatever they can to get him some open looks in this one.

MIAMI HEAT (21-28) at SAN ANTONIO SPURS (31-18)

Tip-off: Friday, 9:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: San Antonio -10, Total: 186.5

The San Antonio Spurs finish off a six-game home stand when they host the struggling Miami Heat for the first time since the NBA Finals.

The Heat have had a ton of issues this year with the combination of LeBron James going to Cleveland and injuries to key players. The team comes into this contest with losses in four of its past five games. The Heat managed to score just 89.8 PPG during that time and was defeated on three occasions as the favorite. Miami took another tough loss on Wednesday night against one of the worst teams in the league, the Minnesota Timberwolves, in a 102-101 game on the road. The Heat was giving two points as the away team and turned the ball over 18 times as the team let Minnesota hit 37-of-72 shots (51% FG).

The Spurs have been playing some rather weak competition of late, but they are winning the games they are supposed to, going 11-4 SU since the start of January. If bettors decided to fade San Antonio over that stretch it would have been smart with the team being 6-9 ATS and failing to cover in each of its last six. The Spurs have been double-digit favorites in four of their past five contests and were giving 13.5 points to Orlando in the 110-103 win on Wednesday night. The offense shot a blistering 52.4% from the floor in the high-scoring game and were on from behind the arc as well, making 14-of-32 threes (44% 3PM).

Miami has performed better when on the road this year as evidenced by its 13-13 SU record (15-10-1 ATS) as they go up against a Spurs unit which is 19-7 SU (9-15-2 ATS) at home. This will be the first meeting between these two clubs since last year’s NBA Finals where San Antonio won in five games against a Heat team that still had the best player in the world (LeBron James).

In the series, the Spurs scored 105.6 PPG as they made 50% or more of their shots in four of the five contests. Overall in the past three years the teams have split 16 meetings against each other SU (8-8) with San Antonio having a 10-6 ATS edge and winning five of eight games when at home. Trends show that the Spurs are a putrid 0-8 ATS when playing on their second game in five days this year as they have also gone 20-6 ATS (77%) after a game where they made 12 or more three point shots in the past two seasons.

In injury news, SG Dwyane Wade (Hamstring) continues to miss time and SF Shawne Williams (Hip) is questionable for this game as San Antonio has no significant injuries to its club.

The Heat offense has been nearly non-existent this season as the team has scored the second-fewest points in the league (92.6 PPG) behind 45.6% shooting from the field. Its defensive unit has benefited from the slow pace and is allowing just 96.3 PPG (2nd in league) with the opposition making 45.6% of their shots (10th-worst in league).

PF Chris Bosh (21.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG) has made less than 36% of his attempts in three of his last four games and is coming off a rough game (14 points, 5 rebounds) on 5-of-14 shooting against Minnesota. He had some very nice performances in his two times facing the Spurs last year, scoring 24.0 PPG (73% FG) with 6.0 RPG.

C Hassan Whiteside (9.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 2.5 BPG) has been one of the better stories of this season and had yet another monster game (24 points, 20 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks) despite losing on Wednesday. He has never had the opportunity to go against San Antonio in his career. SF Luol Deng (14.3 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG) should have a few more opportunities with Wade out and put up 18 points in his last game. He didn’t do much in his one game against the Spurs last year with nine points and three assists,

San Antonio has continued with its great efficiency on offense and is scoring 101.0 PPG (13th in league) behind 45.7% shooting (9th in league) as they dish out 24.3 APG (6th in league). The defense has also done a good job in the tough Western Conference and is giving up a mere 97.4 PPG (7th in league) on 44.3% shooting.

PF Tim Duncan (14.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.9 BPG) is coming off one of his best performances of the year when he dropped 26 points to go along with 10 rebounds, a steal and a block against Orlando. “Big Fundamental” had some of his best scoring games against Miami over two contests in last year’s regular season, averaging 23.0 PPG (69% FG), 7.0 RPG, 1.0 BPG and 1.0 SPG.

SF Kawhi Leonard (15.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 SPG) put up a full stat line (18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, 4 steals, 1 block) against the Magic and was the Finals MVP last year against the Heat when he scored 17.8 PPG.

PG Tony Parker (14.2 PPG, 4.7 APG) hasn’t been the prolific scorer that he once was, scoring in the single-digits in three of his last seven contests and didn’t do too well (14.0 PPG, 5.5 APG) in two matchups with Miami last year during the regular season.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Tip Sheet

February 6, 2015

Warriors at Hawks – 7:35 PM EST

It’s too early to call this an NBA Finals preview, but these two teams have dominated their opponents halfway through the season and are each the top clubs in their respective conference. Atlanta began the season at 1-3 and were thought to be a middle-of-the-road playoff team, but something clicked around Thanksgiving weekend as the Hawks put together one of the best runs in recent NBA history.

Following a home loss to the Raptors on November 26, the Hawks compiled a nine-game winning streak. Orlando upset Atlanta at the buzzer to end that hot stretch, but Mike Budenholtzer’s team ran off five more wins in a row. The Bucks came out of nowhere to humiliate the Hawks by 30 points at Philips Arena on December 26, then the real magic began. Atlanta put up one of the longest winning streaks in league history by winning 19 in a row, with nine of those victories coming on the highway.

Even though the Hawks couldn’t reach 20 consecutive wins in Monday’s 15-point setback at New Orleans, the damage was done to get to the top of the Eastern Conference by going an incredible 33-2 over a 35-game stretch. Atlanta started a new streak by beating division rival Washington for the third time this season in Wednesday’s 105-96 triumph as 5 ½-point favorites. The Hawks shot 47% from the floor, as All-Stars Jeff Teague and Al Horford combined for 47 points, while Atlanta improved to 29-8 ATS (78%) since that late November setback to Toronto.

In Steve Kerr’s first season as head coach of the Warriors, Golden State has taken the top-heavy Western Conference by storm with an impressive 39-8 start. Plenty of attention has been put on Atlanta’s recent 19-game winning streak, but Golden State compiled a 16-game hot streak from mid-November through mid-December, while covering 11 times. Following a blowout loss to the Clippers on Christmas night, the Warriors went on a 13-1 SU and 10-3-1 ATS run to create separation atop the West.

The Warriors are currently on a three-game winning streak, capped off by a 128-114 comeback victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday. Golden State trailed by 22 points in the first half, but the Warriors blew up for 70 points in the second half, as Stephen Curry lit up the Mavs for 51 points on 10-of-16 shooting from three-point range. The Warriors have struggled on the road of late, losing three of their past eight away from Oracle Arena, while two of those wins are at Utah and Sacramento.

Atlanta has struggled against Golden State the last two seasons, dropping four straight meetings, including a 101-100 loss at the buzzer to the Warriors last January at Philips Arena. As of now, the Warriors are the favorite to win the NBA Finals at 7/2 according to Sportsbook.ag, while the Hawks sit at 13/2 odds to capture the title.

What else to watch for tonight:

The Clippers travel to Toronto following an embarrassing performance at Cleveland last night in a 105-94 setback. The final score doesn’t indicate the struggles of Los Angeles, who trailed by as many as 32 points in the second half, while suffering its second straight road loss. The Raptors are coming off consecutive home losses to the Bucks and Nets, as Toronto owns a dreadful 2-9 ATS record in its past 11 games at the Air Canada Center. Toronto goes for the sweep of Los Angeles after beating the Clippers at Staples Center, 110-98 as 4 ½-point ‘dogs on December 27.

Milwaukee continues to be the biggest surprise in the Eastern Conference at 27-22, while riding a five-game winning streak. The Bucks head to Houston, as Jason Kidd’s team has covered five straight games in the underdog role. The Rockets have won five of their past six games, including an impressive 101-90 home triumph over the Bulls on Wednesday. Houston has taken care of business against Eastern Conference teams at home, posting a 7-2 record, while blasting Milwaukee, 117-103 as 3 ½-point underdogs in late November.

The Thunder beat the Pelicans for the first time in three meetings this season with a 102-91 victory as four-point ‘dogs on Wednesday. Russell Westbrook lit up New Orleans for 45 points as Kevin Durant sat out with a lingering toe injury. Durant’s status is up in the air tonight as the two teams finish off their home-and-home set in Oklahoma City. New Orleans has been the best underdog play in the league the last two months with 12 consecutive covers when getting points.

The Spurs and Heat meet up for the first time since San Antonio wiped away Miami in five games of the NBA Finals last summer. Obviously the Heat are a different team this time around with LeBron James gone and Dwyane Wade sidelined, as Miami has dropped four of its past five games. San Antonio wraps up a six-game homestand, as the Spurs have failed to cover in the first five contests, including ATS losses to Charlotte, Milwaukee, and Orlando as double-digit favorites.

[StarDust Bum]

Southeast Division Analysis

February 5, 2015

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

The Southeast was expected to fall off the map a bit this season with the expected decline of the Miami Heat but the Atlanta Hawks have emerged as one of the leaders in the NBA this season coming off an incredible win streak this winter. Washington has also looked like a serious Eastern Conference contender at times this season and despite losing records both Charlotte and Miami would make the playoffs right now as this has been a stronger and deeper division than most expected.

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have been the story of the season so far with a 41-9 record through 50 games. Atlanta has an eight game lead over Toronto for the top spot in the Eastern Conference and the +6.9 average point differential for the Hawks leads the conference by over two points per game. Not surprisingly the Hawks have been a great ATS performer, going 34-15-1 ATS and they led an incredible cover streak in January that just recently was halted. This was a team that was 1-3 to start the season and 5-5 through 10 games, meaning that the Hawks have won 36 of the last 41 games for a truly dominant run. Atlanta has played the weakest schedule in the NBA by most measures however so there could be some correction ahead for the Hawks who will also likely be overvalued at times.

While Atlanta only has three S/U losses at home all season, going 17-10 ATS, the profits for Hawks backers have been on the road where Atlanta is 17-5-1 ATS on the season. The Hawks are 9-4 ATS as an underdog and 25-11-1 ATS as a favorite this season including going 8-2-1 ATS this season as a road favorite. A big part of the success for the Hawks vs. the number is that Atlanta is rarely a heavy favorite and in fact the Hawks have not done well as a big favorite this season despite overwhelming success in most areas. This season the Hawks are just 5-9 ATS as a favorite of seven or more points. Atlanta has leaned slightly to the ‘over’ on the season with the ‘over’ 27-22-1 but there has not been a substantial edge on totals for the Hawks home or away.

Washington Wizards: The Wizards looked like a lock for one of the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference a few weeks ago but a recent slide now has Washington clinging to the third spot with just a game separating the #3, #4, and #5 seeds in the Eastern Conference. Those other teams are Cleveland and Chicago, certainly teams that will be feared in the post-season so there should be a big incentive for the Wizards to avoid being drawn into the 4/5 first round matchup. The Wizards have looked like an overachiever much of the season with only a +1.7 average point differential on the year, lower than several teams with worse records this season

Those close margins have kept Washington as a losing spread performer at 21-28-1 ATS through 50 games including an ugly ATS run since the calendar turned to 2015 with a 7-13 ATS run. Washington is just 14-19 ATS as a favorite this season and just 6-11 ATS when laying five or more points this season. Washington has been a .500 team as a road favorite but the Wizards have struggled in the road underdog role at just 4-8 ATS this season. Washington games have leaned to the ‘over’ with the Wizards on the road and leaned to the ‘under’ in home games at this point in the season, sitting with totals knotted at 25-25 overall for the season through 50 games.

Charlotte Hornets: In the first year with the Charlotte team back as the Hornets, Charlotte did not look like a playoff team for much of the season. If the season ended now the Hornets would face an increasingly vulnerable looking Toronto team in the first round however. It has been a great turnaround for the franchise that has had little success since its creation as this squad was 6-19 S/U in mid-December, looking bound to be one of the top teams in the lottery yet again. Charlotte is 15-8 S/U since December 19 for a great run back into playoff contention but surprisingly Charlotte is only 14-9 ATS in that span. The turnaround was not really a huge surprise as Charlotte has been favored in nine of those 23 games and the Hornets are rarely picking up wins against top competition.

A clear trend has emerged with this team as they are 14-8-1 ATS on the road and just 9-16 ATS at home. The Hornets have only been a road favorite three times all season as they have been a profitable road underdog to support going 12-6-1 ATS on the season with Charlotte covering in nine of the last 12 instances as a road underdog. Given the competitive play the Bobcats have often been a tempting team as a home underdog but they are just 3-7 ATS this season in that role. Totals have leaned very slightly to the ‘over’ for the Bobcats this season though that trend has reversed course of late with seven of the last eight Charlotte games staying ‘under’ as of early February.

Miami Heat: Of the teams in the bottom half of the NBA Miami has shown the potential to knock off a contender once in a while even though this has been a disappointing team sitting at 21-28 S/U through 49 games. Miami is still right in the thick of the playoff race even in a clear transition season after four straight trips to the NBA Finals. A -3.7 average point differential is actually worse than four teams that the Heat sit ahead of in the Eastern Conference standings with Miami currently holding the final playoff position. Miami has played a rather difficult schedule however and the Heat is playing good defense on most nights.

Miami is just 8-15 S/U and ATS at home this season for one of the worst home court edges in the league. Miami is 22-25-2 ATS overall this season which actually is not too bad considering that most expected the Heat to still be a serious Eastern Conference contender this season. Miami has struggled playing as a favorite at just 6-10-1 ATS on the season but the Heat have been a tough road team at 14-10-2 ATS. The strongest position in Miami games has been taking the ‘under’ as the ‘under’ is 31-18 in Heat games this season. Since the calendar turned to 2015, 13 of 16 Miami games have stayed ‘under’. Almost all of the success for backing the ‘under’ in Miami games has been with the Heat away from home where the ‘under’ is 19-7 this season even with the two most recent road games for the Heat going ‘over’.

Orlando Magic: Jacque Vaughn was recently fired as the head coach of the Orlando Magic with Orlando just 15-37 on the season. While it has been a disappointing season for the Magic it is not really clear what was expected given that several prominent players left the team in the offseason and this is a very young and unproven squad. Orlando was certainly expected to be one of the worst teams in the league this season and a surprisingly competitive start to the season may have doomed Vaughn as expectations elevated with the team opening the season 5-8 S/U. Almost all of those wins came against some of the fellow bottom-tier teams in the league and Vaughn was fired with the team on a 2-16 S/U run since late December. Orlando has a slight winning ATS record this season at 27-25 ATS and in mid-December the Magic were a sneaky good spread performer at 16-10 ATS through December 13.

It has been a downward trend since and it will be interesting to see how the team reacts to the changes. The clear rule of thumb has been the back the Magic on the road where they are 20-10 ATS while going just 7-15 ATS at home on the season. Orlando is 8-2 ATS as a double-digit underdog this season as they have competed well even when clearly overmatched and while it has not happened often the Magic are just 2-5 ATS as a favorite this season. Orlando is 20-8 ATS as a road underdog this season including 16-5 ATS when dogged by at least six points. Backing the ‘over’ in Magic home games has been profitable with the ‘over’ at 14-8 in Orlando this season with a recent seven-game ‘over’ home streak snapped last week.