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

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Top Action

March 17, 2015


MILWAUKEE BUCKS (34-32) at NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (36-30)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: New Orleans -7, Total: 191

Two clubs moving in opposite directions face-off this Tuesday night as the struggling Milwaukee Bucks visit the scorching hot New Orleans Pelicans.

The Bucks have certainly fallen onto hard times of late with a 4-9 SU and ATS record since the All-Star break. In that time their offense has been nearly non-existent as they have hit triple-digits just three times behind a meager 91.0 PPG. Memphis was the latest team to get an easy matchup against this Milwaukee team as the Bucks were getting seven points on the road and couldn’t handle their opponent in a 96-83 loss. They made just 41.7% of their shots in the defeat and let the Grizzlies nail 47.4% of their shots while also getting 10 steals.

It has been a completely different story for New Orleans since the All-Star break as they are 9-4 SU (8-5 ATS) and have been on fire offensively over the past three games with 112.0 PPG. In two of those contests they shot better than 51% as a team and have hit that mark a total of five times in their recent hot stretch. They couldn’t keep their momentum going when they hosted Denver on Sunday though, and lost 118-111 despite being favored by eight points. The Nuggets had just 11 turnovers in the double overtime game and won with an efficient 16-for-20 mark at the free-throw line.

The road hasn’t been great to Milwaukee this year as the team is 16-20 SU, but has been able to keep things close and is a solid 24-12 ATS as it goes up against a Pelicans team which is 22-12 SU (19-14-1 ATS) when in front of their fans.

The first game of this season series between these clubs was just last Monday and New Orleans went on the road and managed a solid 114-103 victory as 1.5-point favorites. Each team caught fire offensively but it was the Pelicans’ amazing 58.7% shooting, including 9-of-15 from behind the arc, which eventually drowned the Bucks.

It really hasn’t been much of a contest for this New Orleans group when facing Milwaukee as it is 7-1 SU (6-1-1 ATS) in the series since the start of the 2010-11 season and has not lost at home in the matchup since March 21st, 2003 (12 games). Trends show that Milwaukee is 10-1 ATS (91%) after two or more consecutive losses this year while the Pelicans are a solid 11-4 ATS (73%) when coming off an upset loss as a home favorite in this campaign.

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Part of the Bucks’ struggles have come from injuries as both SF Jared Dudley (Back) and SG O.J. Mayo (Hamstring) are expected to miss this game as PG Michael Carter-Williams (Ankle) and Jerryd Bayless (Ankle) are listed as questionable. Both PF Ryan Anderson (Knee) and PG Jrue Holiday (Ankle) will be absent for New Orleans as well.

The Bucks really don’t have an offense worth getting excited over as they are scoring 97.6 PPG (9th-worst in league) behind 45.9% shooting (7th in league). Where they earn most of their victories is on the defensive side of the ball as they are giving up just 96.8 PPG (5th in league) with opponents making 43.5% of their shots (5th in league).

SG Khris Middleton (12.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.6 SPG) has carried this team offensively in recent games and has scored 22.4 PPG (49% FG) in the past five contests while making 59% of his three-pointers in that time. One of those performances was against this Pelicans team where he scored 17 points and added little elsewhere.

SF Giannis Antetokounmpo (12.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 1.0 SPG) has also been solid recently with 17.8 PPG over his past four outings and saved his best for his last meeting with New Orleans when he dropped 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting and completed the stat line with five rebounds, four assists, three blocks and three steals.

PG Michael Carter-Williams (14.9 PPG, 7.1 APG, 5.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG) is dealing with some injuries but indications are that he plays on Tuesday and it will be important that he does since he has put up 25+ points in two of his past three games played. He did so against this Pelicans team, scoring 25 points and adding seven assists with two steals in a losing effort.

New Orleans generally has sat towards the middle of the pack in most statistical categories this year, and its scoring offense (99.9 PPG) has been no different as it hits on 45.8% of its shots (9th in league). The Pelicans have been getting better on defense, though, and on the year are allowing 99.3 PPG (13th in league) with opponents shooting 45.8% from the field (7th-worst in league).

PF Anthony Davis (24.7 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.9 BPG, 1.4 SPG) has been a one-man wrecking crew recently with double-doubles in five of his past six games as he averages 30.8 PPG (55% FG), 11.2 RPG and 5.0 BPG over that period. He absolutely destroyed the Bucks last Monday for 43 points on 17-of-23 shooting as he added 10 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and a steal.

SG Tyreke Evans (16.9 PPG, 6.5 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG) missed one game with an ankle injury and returned on Sunday to put up a near triple-double (25 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds) in the loss to Denver. He didn’t need to do much against Milwaukee in the win last week, going an efficient 6-for-10 from the field with 13 points and six assists.

SG Eric Gordon (13.4 PPG, 3.9 APG) has scored exactly 16 points in each of his past four performances and has shot an impressive 49% from three-point range in that time. His 16 points to go with two steals certainly helped the Pelicans to a win against the Bucks in their last meeting.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS (29-36) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (42-25)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Los Angeles -10, Total: 200.5

The Hornets and Clippers will both be looking to get back into the win column when the teams meet in Los Angeles Tuesday.

The Hornets were absolutely embarrassed in Utah on Monday, losing 94-66 as 4-point underdogs. Charlotte has now lost three of its past four games both SU and ATS, scoring less than 70 points in two of those contests. The Clippers lost 100-98 as 5-point home favorites against the Rockets on Sunday. Los Angeles has now lost two straight games both SU and ATS, allowing 114.5 PPG in those defeats.

These teams met in Charlotte earlier in the season and the Clippers won 113-92 as 3.5-point road favorites. Since 1996, the Clippers are 7-2 SU when hosting the Hornets but they are just 4-5 ATS in those games. They have won-and-covered in the past three games that they’ve played against the Hornets at Staples Center.

The Hornets are 23-12 ATS in road games after one or more consecutive losses over the past two seasons. They are also 31-18 ATS after having lost two of their past three games in that time. Fortunately for the Clippers, this same Charlotte team is just 30-53 ATS in non-conference games over the past three seasons. C Cody Zeller (Shoulder) is doubtful for this game and C Al Jefferson (Calf) is expected to play. F Jordan Hamilton (Ankle) is doubtful for the Clippers, who will be without G Jamal Crawford (Calf) indefinitely.

The Hornets were dismantled by the Jazz on Monday night and they will need to turn things around quickly. One player who must step his game up for the team is C Al Jefferson (17.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG). Jefferson is going to come into this one with a banged up calf, but he will need to find a way to push through it. His matchup with DeAndre Jordan will come a long way in determining the outcome of this game and the Hornets need Jefferson to knock down some shots inside.

G Mo Williams (14.0 PPG, 6.6 APG) played very poorly against Utah, finishing with just seven points and three assists in 24 minutes. Williams had scored 18+ points in five straight games before that stinker in Utah. He is an excellent outside shooter (35% 3PT) and will need to get back on track against the Clippers.

PG Kemba Walker (18.0 PPG, 5.2 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.3 SPG) is still getting his legs back after returning from a knee injury on Mar. 11 against Sacramento. Walker had 15 points, six rebounds, five boards and three steals the last time he faced the Clippers and he could see some extended minutes in this game, as the Hornets will need a player with his speed to stick Chris Paul.

SG Gerald Henderson (11.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.8 APG) had just four points in 22 minutes against the Jazz Monday. Henderson had averaged 18.5 PPG, 7.0 APG and 6.5 RPG in the previous two games and will need to get back to playing well offensively for the Hornets. He is a very good midrange shooter and rarely takes bad shots.

SF Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (10.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG) must bring his non-stop motor to this game, as he can really change the outcome with his ability to defend and rebound at his position.

The Clippers are coming off of a tough home loss against the Rockets on Sunday and now have a chance to turn it around with a very winnable home game against the Hornets. PG Chris Paul (18.4 PPG, 10.0 APG, 4.7 RPG, 1.9 SPG) lit up the Hornets the last time he played them, scoring 22 points and dishing out 15 assists in 38 minutes of action. He should be able to play extremely well on Tuesday as well, as Mo Williams is a lot slower than he is and Kemba Walker is not playing at full health. The Clippers’ superstar will need to attack the rim and continue to knock down shots from the outside (38% 3PT) when the defense sags off.

SG J.J. Redick (15.3 PPG) has been extremely hot for the Clippers recently, averaging 20.2 PPG, 3.4 APG, 3.0 RPG and 1.2 SPG over the past five games. Redick is a lights-out shooter from behind the arc (42% 3PT) and will need to capitalize on any opportunities the defense gives him on Tuesday. A lot of the Hornets’ focus will be on the Clippers’ frontcourt, so he should have some good looks.

PF Blake Griffin (22.3 PPG, 5.2 APG, 7.6 RPG) returned from his elbow injury against the Rockets. He had not played since Feb. 6, but still finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block in 41 minutes of action. Griffin had 22 points, 16 boards and nine assists the last time he faced the Hornets and should really dominate on Tuesday. Charlotte is weak at the power forward position and Griffin’s blend of size and athleticism will be very difficult for the Hornets to match.

C DeAndre Jordan (11.3 PPG, 14.7 RPG, 2.2 BPG) had no problem keeping up his recent stretch of excellent play even with Griffin back in the lineup. Jordan had five points, 20 rebounds and four blocks in 35 minutes against the Rockets. He continues to be a dominant player on the glass and his defense will need to be strong against Al Jefferson.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Tuesday

March 17, 2015


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hornets are 0-12 ATS (-7.88 ppg) since Jan 25, 2012 with no rest after a double digit loss in which they scored 10 or fewer fast break points.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Clippers are 0-13-1 OU (-11.46 ppg) since May 11, 2014 at home with at most one day of rest off a game as a favorite which was tied 5 or more times.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Grizzlies are 0-14 OU (-12.29 ppg) since Jan 19, 2015 after Courtney Lee had a positive plus/minus.

NBA BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Hornets are 1-12 ATS when Gerald Henderson’’s scoring dropped by at least 15 points over their past two games.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Pelicans are 7-0 ATS (10.29 ppg) since Dec 02, 2014 at home after Anthony Davis had a double double in a loss.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Odds on various teams to win the NCAA tournament.........

13-2-- Arizona-- That would make them second favorite, behind Kentucky.

8-1-- Duke-- Two of their four NCAA titles were won in Indianapolis.

13-1-- Gonzaga-- Have never been to the Final Four.

20-1-- Would be great Final Four sleeper, but they're in Kentucky's region.

45-1-- Baylor-- My choice if you were to wager on a longshot.

90-1-- Arkansas-- Another team that would be worth a look at a price.


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Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Random stuff from the desert......

13) Ole Miss 92, BYU 90-- Its not the rules of college basketball that need to be fixed; its that more coaches need to have the onions to let their players play. This was one of the best games to watch in NCAA tournament history. BYU was 15-29 from the arc and lost. Ole Miss scored 62 points in the second half.

12) Hampton 74, Manhattan 64-- Pirates took 34 foul shots, only seven 3's and made lot of mid-range jump shots. They controlled this game the whole way and looked like a much better team than their record indicated they were.

11) Murray State 81, UTEP 66-- Step #1 on the Murray State vengeance tour were the Miners, but I think Murray goes to Tulsa next, which will be a tougher game.

10) Alabama 79, Illinois 58-- Credit to the Bama kids for leading 46-22 at halftime after their coach was fired 48 hours earlier. Not much to say for Illinois' effort here.

9) If you're coming to Las Vegas, I highly recommend South Point hotel, which is a few miles from the main strip, but it has a lot of great stuff-- movies, bowling alley, Steak 'n Shake, bingo tournaments (or so I'm told). Sportsbook is open 24 hours a day and they have a great ice cream place near the side door.

8) Klay Thompson is out 7-10 days (ankle) which dampens tonight's game against the Hawks in a battle of NBA titans. Thompson has a brother who is an outfielder with the White Sox; not sure if he'll be in AAA or the majors this season.

7) People bet on exhibition baseball games!!! Why?

6) When you're watching lot of games in the sportsbook, you obviously can't hear most of them, so you notice how much contact these officials are allowing to take place. You see a collision and play goes on when you assume play would stop because of the collision, but officials let lot of stuff go. If you let defenders foul, it is obvious that scores will be lower.

5) Wyoming-Northern Iowa total is 109. I cannot remember a lower total for a college basketball game, at least not since the shot clock came in 30 years ago.

4) There is an advantage to being in these play-in games, as far as recruiting goes. How else would North Florida get two hours on national TV in primetime? Some of these teams agree to play on ESPN at 6am or 8am in November during the tip-off marathon- they will do anything to get on television. Good chance to market their program.

3) Of 68 teams in the NCAA tournament, VCU/Georgetown travelled the longest for this week's games; Dayton obviously traveled the least distance, sonce they're playing at home tonight and then not too far away (Louisville) if they win.

2) Stephen Curry had 13 turnovers in his first college game at Davidson!!!!

1) I'm a big proponent that high schools should teach a basic life skills course to every kid as a mandatory class to take. How to write checks, how to cook, how to manage your time, marriage laws, basic nutrition-- important everyday stuff.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, March 18

Hot Teams
-- Nets won last two games after losing previous five (3-1 last four AU). Cleveland won six of last eight games (5-2 last seven HF).
-- Detroit won last two games after losing previous nine.
-- Portland won eight of its last ten games.
-- Spurs won seven of last nine games but lost to New York last nite. (2-6 last eight AF).
-- Mavericks won three of last four games (6-3 last nine HF).
-- Oklahoma City won nine of its last ten home games (8-3 last 11 HF). Celtics won five in row, 10 of last 13 games (14-3 last 17 AU).
-- Hawks won ten of their last twelve games (9-1 last ten AU). Golden State won seven of its last eight (2-4 last six HF).
-- Washington won five of last six games. Utah won its last six games.

Cold Teams
-- 76ers lost three of their last four games.
-- Minnesota lost its last five games (0-6 last six AU). Raptors lost six of their last seven games (1-4 last five HF).
-- Miami is 1-9 vs spread in game following last ten wins.
-- Milwaukee lost eight of their last ten games (4-2-1 last seven HU).
-- Indiana lost last two games after winning previous seven. Chicago lost five of its last six games.
-- Orlando lost its last five games (1-4 vs spread).
-- Clippers lost four of their last seven games (1-8 last nine AF). Kings lost seven of their last eight games (2-5 last seven HU).

Series Records
-- Nets lost last three games with Brooklyn by 29-22-4 points.
-- 76ers won three of last four games with Detroit.
-- Raptors won their last six games with Minnesota.
-- Heat won four of last six games with Portland.
-- Spurs won their last five games with Milwaukee.
-- Home side won eight of last ten Indiana-Chicago games.
-- Mavericks won their last six games with Orlando.
-- Thunder won seven of last eight games with Boston.
-- Clippers won seven of last eight games with Sacramento.
-- Warriors won five of last six games with Atlanta.
-- Home side won last four Washington-Utah games.

Totals
-- Last four Cleveland home games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Detroit road games stayed under.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Minnesota road games.
-- Six of last eight Portland road games went over.
-- Last six San Antonio games went over the total.
-- Last three Chicago home games went over total.
-- Seven of last nine Orlando road games stayed under.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Thunder home games.
-- Four of last five Sacramento home games went over.
-- Six of last eight Atlanta road games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Utah home games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
-- Pistons are 0-5 vs spread on road if they played at home nite before.
-- Milwaukee is 2-3-1 at home if they played at home night before. Spurs are 5-6 vs spread on road if they played night before.
-- Orlando is 8-2 on road if it played on road.
-- Clippers are 2-4 vs spread on road if they were at home night before.

East vs West
SU: West 217-157 ATS: West 191-180-3
East teams HF vs West: 47-53
East teams HU vs West: 43-42
West teams HF vs East: 75-73-3
West teams HU vs East: 21-17

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 18

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. CLEVELAND
Brooklyn is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Brooklyn's last 12 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Cleveland's last 10 games at home
Cleveland is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

7:00 PM
DETROIT vs. PHILADELPHIA
Detroit is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Detroit's last 9 games
Philadelphia is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games
Philadelphia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Detroit

7:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. TORONTO
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. MIAMI
Portland is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Miami's last 10 games when playing Portland

8:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. DALLAS
Orlando is 3-12 SU in its last 15 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Orlando is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Dallas's last 9 games when playing at home against Orlando

8:00 PM
BOSTON vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Boston is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Boston
Oklahoma City is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games

8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. MILWAUKEE
San Antonio is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of San Antonio's last 18 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing San Antonio
Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio

8:00 PM
INDIANA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games on the road
Indiana is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing at home against Indiana

10:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. SACRAMENTO
LA Clippers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Sacramento's last 9 games when playing LA Clippers

10:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. UTAH
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Washington is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Utah's last 10 games

10:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Atlanta's last 14 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 8 games when playing Golden State
Golden State is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 7 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 18


Kings' F Rudy Gay, questionable Wednesday

Gay has missed the last three games with a strained left patellar tendon and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Clippers.



NBA roundup: Knicks stun Spurs in OT

NEW YORK -- Guard Alexey Shved stole the ball and then knocked down two free throws with 3.2 seconds left in overtime to help lift the New York Knicks to a 104-100 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

A floater by guard Tony Parker (21 points) put the Spurs in front 98-96, but forward Andrea Bargnani (16 points, 10 rebounds) responded with a put-back, and the Knicks went 4-for-6 from the foul line in the final 16.1 seconds to improve to 2-3 in overtime this season.

Guard Langston Galloway scored a career-high 22 points, Shved had 21 points and seven assists, forward Lou Amundson had 12 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, and center Jason Smith added 11 points for the Knicks, who lost seven of their previous eight games.

San Antonio forward Tim Duncan finished with 17 points and eight rebounds, but he also committed a pivotal turnover in the final seconds of overtime. Forward Kawhi Leonard had 13 points, center Tiago Splitter added 12 points and 13 rebounds, and swingman Marco Belinelli contributed 12 points for the Spurs, who were on a 7-1 roll coming into the game.

Rockets 107, Magic 94

HOUSTON -- Reserves Corey Brewer and Josh Smith provided energy and production when the Rockets desperately needed it, leading Houston to a win over Orlando.

Brewer and Smith combined to score 15 of the Rockets' 18 points during one critical stretch bridging the third and fourth quarters, erasing the largest deficit of the game. Brewer had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Smith added 17 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Houston forward Donatas Montiejunas scored a team-best 23 points.

Magic guard Victor Oladipo poured in a game-high 29 points and claimed his individual matchup with Rockets All-Star guard James Harden, who paired 17 points with eight rebounds but missed 10 of 14 shot attempts.

Pelicans 85, Bucks 84

NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans forward Anthony Davis scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Milwaukee forward Ersan Ilyasvoa missed an open 3-pointer at the buzzer as the Pelicans escaped with a victory.

Ilyasova had a clean look on the 3-point attempt that would have won the game. The Bucks trailed 85-84, but they rebounded a missed shot with 9.7 seconds left and then called timeout in a scramble situation with 2.5 seconds remaining.

Guard Khris Middleton inbounded the ball, and Ilyasova wound up 23 feet from the basket, wide open. However, his shot clanged off the rim, and the Pelicans moved into the eight playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Pistons 105, Grizzlies 95

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Reggie Jackson scored 23 points and handed out a career-high 20 assists, and Detroit ended a pair of 10-game losing streaks with a victory over Memphis.

The Detroit point guard easily bested his previous career best of 14 assists as the team ended a 10-game skid overall and a 10-game losing streak to the Grizzlies.

Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope poured in 24 points, and center Andre Drummond contributed 16 points and 16 rebounds for Detroit. Small forward Jeff Green's 21 points led the Grizzlies, who blew a 17-point lead. Memphis center Marc Gasol supplied 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Clippers 99, Hornets 92

LOS ANGELES -- Guard J.J. Redick scored 23 points, and point guard Chris Paul added 21 points and eight assists, helping Los Angeles withstand a second-half rally by Charlotte.

Forward Blake Griffin, in his second game since returning from elbow surgery, scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Clippers, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Center DeAndre Jordan finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Los Angeles guard Nate Robinson also scored 12.

Center Al Jefferson scored 21 points to lead the Hornets, who lost their fourth game in the past five. Point guard Mo Williams had 18 points and eight assists, shooting guard Gerald Henderson added 16 points, and guard Kemba Walker scored 15.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, March 18

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BROOKLYN (27 - 38) at CLEVELAND (43 - 26) - 3/18/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROOKLYN is 5-4 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 5-4 straight up against CLEVELAND 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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DETROIT (24 - 43) at PHILADELPHIA (15 - 52) - 3/18/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 6-4 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 6-4 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (14 - 52) at TORONTO (40 - 27) - 3/18/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-0 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 4-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (44 - 21) at MIAMI (30 - 36) - 3/18/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 0-12 ATS (-13.2 Units) off an upset win as an underdog this season.
MIAMI is 33-47 ATS (-18.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 3-2 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 3-2 straight up against PORTLAND 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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SAN ANTONIO (41 - 25) at MILWAUKEE (34 - 33) - 3/18/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 4-1 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 5-0 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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INDIANA (30 - 36) at CHICAGO (40 - 28) - 3/18/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 22-36 ATS (-17.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 6-20 ATS (-16.0 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 41-28 ATS (+10.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 80-55 ATS (+19.5 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
CHICAGO is 58-79 ATS (-28.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 49-75 ATS (-33.5 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 7-4 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 7-4 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (21 - 48) at DALLAS (43 - 25) - 3/18/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 31-44 ATS (-17.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DALLAS is 52-78 ATS (-33.8 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 5-0 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 5-0 straight up against ORLANDO 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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BOSTON (30 - 36) at OKLAHOMA CITY (37 - 30) - 3/18/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 75-54 ATS (+15.6 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 45-29 ATS (+13.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 50-36 ATS (+10.4 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 38-27 ATS (+8.3 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
BOSTON is 98-70 ATS (+21.0 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points since 1996.
BOSTON is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
BOSTON is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 4-1 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 4-1 straight up against BOSTON 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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LA CLIPPERS (43 - 25) at SACRAMENTO (22 - 44) - 3/18/2015, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 6-5 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 9-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO 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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ATLANTA (53 - 14) at GOLDEN STATE (53 - 13) - 3/18/2015, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-1 straight up against ATLANTA 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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WASHINGTON (39 - 28) at UTAH (30 - 36) - 3/18/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 28-37 ATS (-12.7 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in road games in March games over the last 3 seasons.
UTAH is 37-28 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all games this season.
UTAH is 31-12 ATS (+17.8 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
WASHINGTON is 75-51 ATS (+18.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 43-25 ATS (+15.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 180 and 184.5 points since 1996.

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

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Various odds and ends that may or may not be of interest.........

-- Arkansas is 20-0 when they force 15+ turnovers.

-- Coastal Carolina coach Cliff Ellis has also led Clemson-Auburn-South Alabama to the NCAA tournament.

-- NC State is 16-9 in March under Mark Gottfried.

-- Kentucky was outrebounded five times this year; two of those five games were against Georgia.

-- This is only the 20th season Belmont has been Division I in basketball.

-- Cal-Irvine's 7-foot-6 Mamadou Ndiaye is the tallest player in Division I.



**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Welcome to the best weekend of the year

13) Robert Morris 81, North Florida 77--Colonials were +14 in turnovers (19-5) in game they once trailed by 14. Another fun game to watch. Robert Morris now plays Duke, so hopefully they enjoyed this win.

12) Dayton 56, Boise State 55-- Just felt bad for Boise State; they have to play the first true road game in this tournament in 28 years, then they lose by a point, in tense struggle where Broncos led 29-20 at the half. Tough loss to swallow.

11) Its funny how the play-in doubleheaders have kind of a JV/Varsity feel to them, with the lesser teams playing first, then the bigger name teams playing. Just like high school ball, sometimes the first game is the more entertaining game of the twinbill.

10) Warriors 114, Hawks 95-- Golden State was 14-30 from arc even without injured Klay Thompson, in battle between league's two best teams this season.

9) South Dakota State 86, Colorado State 76-- Apparently Rams weren't too fired up about being in the NIT. Jackrabbits were 12-28 from the arc.

8) Weird stuff in Syracuse, where the AD gets fired and Jim Boeheim becomes a lame duck for the next three seasons, before he goes into forced retirement. I'm assuming that Mike Hopkins will hang around to clean up the mess that results from all this-- he had been named coach-in-waiting a few years ago.

7) Holy Cross hired former Northwestern coach Bill Carmody, who never got the Wildcats to the NCAAs-- he'll have a better chance with the Crusaders. Wonder if he will still run the Princeton offense?

6) Rough night for the WCC, going 0-3 last night, with two home losses; Vandy beat St Mary's, Sacramento State beat Portland and Pepperdine got whacked in Seattle.

5) Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the day LMU crushed Michigan 149-115 in the second round of the NCAAs, one of the most awesome displays of basketball I've ever seen. 25 years later, Steve Fisher is going great guns at San Diego State; he was the Michigan coach that day 25 years ago.

4) BYU had to play in a Tuesday play-in game because they do not play on Sundays and the Wednesday play-in teams get put into a Friday-Sunday bracket, should they win. BYU presents a lot of logistical problems for the Selection Committee.

3) Indianapolis Colts put this rule change in front of the NFL this week;

If a team goes for two points after a TD and makes it, they can try a 50-yard kick that gives them a 9th point if it is good.

Not sure if Jim Irsay thought up that one while in rehab, but it sure is different.

2) Still think Lafayette should've been in a play-in game before Manhattan, but if you get put there, you have to win. VCU made the Final Four from a play-in game.

1) My Final Four picks: Kentucky-Baylor-Villanova-Gonzaga.

[StarDust Bum]

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

Letdown spot

The Wyoming Cowboys aren’t supposed to be dancing this March but an upset run in the Mountain West Conference tournament burst plenty of bubbles and has Wyoming sitting as an always dangerous No. 12 seed, taking on No. 5 Northern Iowa in the Round of 64. While the 12-over-5 upset produced three stunners last March, bettors may be safe with the higher seed in this matchup.

The Cowboys run the risk of a massive letdown in their tournament opener. We’ve seen teams come off surprise runs in their conference tournament and get crushed in the NCAA, thanks to a sense of accomplishment and just being “happy” to be here. Oddsmakers opened Wyoming as a 7-point underdog and that line has been trimmed to +6, with the market reacting to previous No. 12 shockers.

Lookahead spot

The New Orleans Pelicans are currently eighth in the Western Conference, just barely edging the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final postseason spot. New Orleans has a huge week with road games at Golden State and Los Angeles, but before then must travel to Phoenix to face the Suns Thursday night.

The Pelicans are three and a half games up on the Suns in the West standings and could get caught looking ahead to the Warriors and Clippers. New Orleans has lost four of its last five games versus Phoenix, most recently beating the Suns 110-106 at home in December. The home team has covered in each of the past four meetings between these Western rivals.

Schedule spot

The Rhode Island Rams knocked off the Iona Gaels in the opening round of the NIT Tuesday night, winning 88-75 as 7-point home favorites. But they don’t have much time to celebrate that victory, and will be busy packing for a cross-country trip to play Stanford in the second round Friday.

Rhode Island travels to Palo Alto with a 7-4 SU and 5-6 ATS record on the road. Not only will the Rams have to deal with a long flight from coast to coast but also battle the clock in California, which is three-hour time difference. There was a chance that this game could have been played at the Ryan Center, since Stanford is hosting women’s tournament games. However, organizers have found a time slot – since TBA - which will come at night.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 19

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MINNESOTA (14 - 53) at NEW YORK (14 - 53) - 3/19/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 3-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 3-2 straight up against MINNESOTA 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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DENVER (26 - 42) at HOUSTON (45 - 22) - 3/19/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 0-10 ATS (-11.0 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
DENVER is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
DENVER is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) after scoring 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 39-27 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 28-17 ATS (+9.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
HOUSTON is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in home games after a non-conference game this season.
HOUSTON is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
DENVER is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 6-4 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 5-5 straight up against DENVER 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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NEW ORLEANS (37 - 30) at PHOENIX (35 - 33) - 3/19/2015, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 5-3 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 5-3 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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 (30 - 37) at LA LAKERS (17 - 49) - 3/19/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 38-60 ATS (-28.0 Units) in road games after playing 3 consecutive home games since 1996.
UTAH is 17-3 ATS (+13.7 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent this season.
UTAH is 31-13 ATS (+16.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
LA LAKERS are 136-176 ATS (-57.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 53-77 ATS (-31.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

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

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 19

Hot Teams
-- Denver won four of last five games, covered eight of last nine (6-1 last seven AU). Rockets won four of last six games (6-2 last eight HF).
-- Pelicans won four of their last five games (10-2 last 12 AU).
-- Utah won six of its last seven games (1-1 AF).

Cold Teams
-- Knicks lost six of last eight games. Minnesota lost its last six games.
-- Suns lost three of last five games (5-2 last seven HF).
-- Lakers lost eight of last nine games, but covered nine of last 12.

Series Records
-- Knicks won five of last seven games with Minnesota.
-- Rockets won five of last six games with Denver.
-- Pelicans lost four of last five games with Phoenix.
-- Lakers lost six of last ten games with Utah (2-3 in each gym).

Totals
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last five Minnesota road games.
-- Six of last eight Denver-Houston games went over.
-- Last five Phoenix games stayed under the total. Three of last four Pelican games went over.
-- Under is 10-1 in last eleven Utah games.

Back-to-Backs
-- Minnesota is 3-2 vs spread if playing second night in row on road.
-- Utah is 4-5 on road if it played the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 221-160 ATS: West 193-185-3
East teams HF vs West: 48-53
East teams HU vs West: 44-43
West teams HF vs East: 76-76-3
West teams HU vs East: 21-17




NBA

Thursday, March 19

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

7:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. NEW YORK
Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 7 games when playing Minnesota
New York is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Minnesota

8:00 PM
DENVER vs. HOUSTON
Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Denver is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston
Houston is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Denver
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Denver

10:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. PHOENIX
New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games at home

10:30 PM
UTAH vs. LA LAKERS
Utah is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Utah's last 23 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing Utah
LA Lakers are 20-4 SU in their last 24 games when playing at home against Utah

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, March 19


NBA roundup: Warriors hammer Hawks

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Leandro Barbosa and Draymond Green hit 3-pointers in a 14-3 flurry to close the third quarter as the Golden State Warriors ran away from the Atlanta Hawks en route to a 114-95 victory in a rematch of conference leaders Wednesday night.

In the first ever matchup in NBA history of two teams with winning percentages of .790 or higher this late in a season, the Warriors took advantage of an Atlanta team that was playing for the fifth time on a six-game trip.

Small forward Harrison Barnes poured in a game-high 25 points, reserve swingman Andre Iguodala added 21 and Green had 18 to complement seven rebounds as the Warriors, playing without shooting guard Klay Thompson (sprained right ankle), won their 10th straight at home and improved to 3-0 on their current six-game homestand.

Forwards DeMarre Carroll and Paul Millsap had 16 points apiece for the Hawks, who played without shooting guard Kyle Korver (broken nose) and key reserve big man Mike Scott (broken toe).

Cavaliers 117, Nets 92

CLEVELAND -- Forward Kevin Love returned from a two-game absence to score 10 points and grab 11 rebounds, and Cleveland recovered from a sluggish start to easily handle Brooklyn.

Forward LeBron James had 16 points and seven assists, and guard Kyrie Irving had 12 points and 10 assists for the Cavaliers, who made 15 3-pointers and had seven players in double figures in scoring. Cleveland won its 14th consecutive home game for its longest streak since 2008-09, when it won 16 straight at home.

Guard J.R. Smith scored 17 points, including 14 in the second quarter, while center Timofey Mozgov had 17 points for the Cavaliers. Guard Deron Williams had 20 points and six assists for the Nets.

Clippers 116, Kings 105

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Point guard Chris Paul scored 20 of his game-high 30 points in the second half, and fellow guard J.J. Redick scored 17 of his 27 in the first half as Los Angeles beat Sacramento.

Paul made eight of 11 shots after halftime and finished with 11 assists. Redick converted a four-point play to cap an 18-6 fourth-quarter run that allowed the Clippers to pull away after the Kings tied the contest 84-84 with 9:12 remaining.

Los Angeles forward DeAndre Jordan added 15 rebounds, his 17th consecutive game with at least 14, and the Clippers beat the Kings for the 17th time in their past 20 meetings. Forward Blake Griffin and forward Hedo Turkoglu, a former King, each scored 19 points for the Clippers. Forward Rudy Gay's 23 points paced Sacramento.

Wizards 88, Jazz 84

SALT LAKE CITY -- Guard John Wall scored 24 points and collected nine rebounds, and forward Paul Pierce added 18 points to lead Washington over Utah.

The Wizards overcame 22 turnovers to win their fifth consecutive game. Utah finished with a 22-8 advantage in points off turnovers, but it was not enough to overcome a tough defensive effort from Washington.

Forward Gordon Hayward scored 26 points to lead Utah. Forward Derrick Favors added 16 points and nine rebounds while guard Trey Burke chipped in 14 off the bench for the Jazz, whose six-game winning streak ended.

Heat 108, Trail Blazers 104

MIAMI -- Shooting guard Dwyane Wade scored 32 points and Miami rallied from an 11-point, second-half deficit to defeat Portland.

With the Heat trailing by two points in the final minute, Wade hit two jumpers. The second, with 13.6 seconds left, put Miami up 106-104. Wade then added two free throws to score his team's final eight points and 15 in the fourth quarter.

Miami got 24 points from small forward Luol Deng, 20 points and 11 assists from point guard Goran Dragic and 12 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks from center Hassan Whiteside. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge led the Blazers with 34 points.

76ers 94, Pistons 83

PHILADELPHIA -- Guard Ish Smith had 15 points and eight assists as Philadelphia beat slumping Detroit.

Guard Jason Richardson added 14 points for the Sixers, who won for just the third time in 10 games but posted their third victory in four meetings with Detroit this season.

Philadelphia center Nerlens Noel contributed 11 points, four rebounds and three blocks but left the game with 4:27 left in the third quarter with a bruised right foot and did not return. Guard Kentavious Cadlwell-scored 20 points to pace Detroit. Pistons guard Reggie Jackson had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double.

Raptors 105, Timberwolves 100

TORONTO -- For the first time in nearly a month, the Toronto Raptors won back-to-back games. Guard DeMar DeRozan led the way with 21 points as the Raptors defeated Minnesota. DeRozan added seven rebounds and four assists.

The Raptors won their seventh consecutive meeting with the Timberwolves, the 19th out of 20 and the 11th straight at home. Minnesota has not won in Toronto since Jan. 21, 2004.

Raptors forward Terrence Ross added 15 points, while center Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and 15 rebounds. Guard Kevin Martin had a game-high 37 points for Minnesota, which dropped its 10th game in the past 11.

Bulls 103, Pacers 86

CHICAGO -- Rookie reserve forward Nikola Mirotic scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Chicago cruised past Indiana.

Forward Mike Dunleavy added 21 points for Chicago, which never trailed after the first quarter. Forward Pau Gasol contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulls.

Forward Solomon Hill scored 13 points to lead Indiana. Center Roy Hibbert added 12 points for the Pacers, who dropped their third consecutive game after winning the previous seven.

Spurs 114, Bucks 103

MILWAUKEE -- Shooting guard Danny Green scored 20 points, forward Tim Duncan had 19 and San Antonio avoided losing three straight games to Eastern Conference opponents for the first time since 2010 by beating Milwaukee.

Less than 24 hours after a loss to the woeful New York Knicks -- one that led San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich to publicly criticize his team -- the Spurs reverted to championship form, shooting 50 percent from the field, sinking eight 3-pointers and receiving double-digit scoring from five players.

The Bucks got 19 points and nine rebounds from forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, 17 from forward Ersan Ilyasova and 15 from shooting guard Khris Middleton.

Thunder 122, Celtics 118

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Guard Russell Westbrook scored 36 points to lead Oklahoma City to a victory over Boston. The Thunder moved a half-game ahead of the idle New Orleans Pelicans for eighth place in the Western Conference. Oklahoma City also extended its streak of scoring at least 100 points to 21 games.

The Celtics are tied for eighth place in the Eastern Conference with the Indiana Pacers. Both teams are one game behind the seventh-place Miami Heat and a half-game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets.

Thunder center Enes Kanter scored 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds. However, he was forced to leave the game early after coming down wrong on his ankle. Guard Marcus Smart paced the Celtics with 25 points.

Mavericks 107, Magic 102

DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki drained five of six 3-point attempts -- going 3-for-3 in the third quarter -- and scored 25 points in Dallas' wire-to-wire win over Orlando. The Magic gave the Mavericks a late scare after Dallas dominated through a breezy first three quarters.

Nowitzki's five consecutive points to start the third quarter opened the lead to 70-48, but the Magic clawed within one point with a minute remaining.

Magic rookie point guard Elfrid Payton, who had a triple-double with 15 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, missed a potential go-ahead jumper. Orlando guard Victor Oladipo (team-high 19 points) missed an attempt to tie in the last seconds.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, March 20

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NEW YORK (14 - 54) at PHILADELPHIA (16 - 52) - 3/20/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 27-39 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 24-34 ATS (-13.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 74-107 ATS (-43.7 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-4 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 8-2 straight up against PHILADELPHIA 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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PORTLAND (44 - 22) at ORLANDO (21 - 49) - 3/20/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 4-1 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 3-2 straight up against ORLANDO 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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DENVER (26 - 43) at MIAMI (31 - 36) - 3/20/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-1 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 3-2 straight up against DENVER 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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MILWAUKEE (34 - 34) at BROOKLYN (27 - 39) - 3/20/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 321-387 ATS (-104.7 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
BROOKLYN is 47-34 ATS (+9.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 39-28 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) as an underdog this season.
MILWAUKEE is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) in road games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 116-84 ATS (+23.6 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 135-100 ATS (+25.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
BROOKLYN is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) in home games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-4 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 5-4 straight up against MILWAUKEE 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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INDIANA (30 - 37) at CLEVELAND (44 - 26) - 3/20/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 22-37 ATS (-18.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 6-21 ATS (-17.1 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 196-142 ATS (+39.8 Units) on Friday nights since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 7-4 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 9-2 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (53 - 15) at OKLAHOMA CITY (38 - 30) - 3/20/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-2 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-2 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

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

TORONTO (41 - 27) at CHICAGO (41 - 28) - 3/20/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

MEMPHIS (47 - 21) at DALLAS (44 - 25) - 3/20/2015, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 7-3 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 6-5 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (30 - 37) at SAN ANTONIO (42 - 25) - 3/20/2015, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 22-34 ATS (-15.4 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 890-783 ATS (+28.7 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 704-603 ATS (+40.7 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 453-381 ATS (+33.9 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 298-240 ATS (+34.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 59-39 ATS (+16.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 181-138 ATS (+29.2 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 256-208 ATS (+27.2 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 359-291 ATS (+38.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 114-84 ATS (+21.6 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
BOSTON is 39-27 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
BOSTON is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points this season.
BOSTON is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games this season.
BOSTON is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
BOSTON is 226-183 ATS (+24.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
BOSTON is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 4-1 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 5-0 straight up against BOSTON 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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CHARLOTTE (29 - 37) at SACRAMENTO (22 - 45) - 3/20/2015, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 3-2 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 3-2 straight up against CHARLOTTE 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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NEW ORLEANS (37 - 31) at GOLDEN STATE (54 - 13) - 3/20/2015, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 7-1 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 9-0 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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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WASHINGTON (40 - 28) at LA CLIPPERS (44 - 25) - 3/20/2015, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 20

Hot Teams
-- 76ers split last six games; thats a hot streak for them (1-0 HF).
-- Denver won four of last six games, covered eight of last ten.
-- Miami won three of its last four games (6-4 last ten HF).
-- Cavaliers won five of their last six games (12-3 last 15 HF).
-- Hawks won three of their last four games (2-4 last six AF). Thunder won three of last four games (2-4 last six HF).
-- Toronto won three of its last four games (1-5 last six HF).
-- Mavericks won three of last four games (2-4 last six HF).
-- Celtics won five of last six games (6-0 vs spread). Spurs won eight of last ten games (5-1 last six HF).
-- Pelicans won four of their last six games (10-3 last 13 AU). Warriors won eight of last nine games (3-4 last seven HF).
-- Clippers won four of last six games (1-3 last four HF). Washington won its last five games, covered last six.

Cold Teams
-- Knicks lost seven of last nine games (3-6-1 last 10 AU).
-- Portland lost three of last four road games (2-4 last six AF). Orlando lost its last six games (5-3 last eight HU).
-- Bucks lost last four games (11-4-1 last 16 AU). Nets lost six of their last eight games (0-7 last seven HF).
-- Pacers lost last three games, by 4-19-17 points (1-5 last six AU).
-- Bulls lost five of their last seven games (4-6 last ten HF).
-- Memphis is 3-4 in its last seven games (4-0 last four AU).
-- Sacramento lost four in row, eight of last nine games. Hornets lost four of their last five games.

Series Records
-- Knicks won last four games with Philadelphia.
-- Home side won last five Portland-Orlando games.
-- Nuggets won last two games with Miami by 20-4 points.
-- Bucks are 2-0 vs Nets this season, winning by 4-6 points.
-- Pacers won eight of last ten games with Cleveland.
-- Thunder won three of last four games with Atlanta.
-- Bulls won last three games with Toronto; road team won seven of last nine series games.
-- Grizzlies won three of last four games with Dallas.
-- Spurs won their last six games with Boston.
-- Kings won four of last six games with Charlotte.
-- Warriors won their last nine games with New Orleans.
-- Clippers won eight of last ten games with Washington.

Totals
-- Under is 15-6 in Philly's last 21 home games.
-- Last four Orlando home games went over total.
-- Seven of last nine Portland road games went over.
-- Four of last five Brooklyn home games went over.
-- Four of last five Cleveland home games stayed under.
-- Over is 4-0-1 in last five Thunder home games.
-- Four of last five Toronto road games went over.
-- Last four Dallas home games went over total.
-- San Antonio's last five home games went over.
-- Five of last six Sacramento home games went over.
-- Under is 9-4 in last thirteen New Orleans road tilts.
-- Eight of last nine Washington road games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
-- Knicks are 5-8-1 on road vs spread if they played night before.
-- Denver is 4-11 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Pelicans are 13-3 vs spread if they played night before.

East vs West
SU: West 221-161 ATS: West 193-186-3
East teams HF vs West: 48-54
East teams HU vs West: 44-43
West teams HF vs East: 76-76-3
West teams HU vs East: 21-17

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, March 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New York's last 9 games
New York is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 10 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Philadelphia's last 21 games at home

7:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. ORLANDO
Portland is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games on the road
Portland is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games at home
Orlando is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
INDIANA vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 12 games
Indiana is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Cleveland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Cleveland is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Indiana

7:30 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Brooklyn
Milwaukee is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games
Brooklyn is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games

7:30 PM
DENVER vs. MIAMI
Denver is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing Miami
Denver is 6-12 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Denver
Miami is 5-13 SU in its last 18 games when playing Denver

8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Atlanta's last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games
Oklahoma City is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing Atlanta

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games
Toronto is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games
Chicago is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing Toronto

8:30 PM
BOSTON vs. SAN ANTONIO
Boston is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games
San Antonio is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
San Antonio is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Boston

8:30 PM
MEMPHIS vs. DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis
Dallas is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Memphis

10:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. SACRAMENTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 6 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Charlotte is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Sacramento
Sacramento is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games
Sacramento is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games

10:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games on the road
Washington is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 5 games at home
LA Clippers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games

10:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. GOLDEN STATE
New Orleans is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
New Orleans is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 7 games when playing at home against New Orleans

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, March 20


NBA roundup: Harden nets 50 to lead Rockets

HOUSTON -- James Harden poured in a career-high 50 points and added 10 rebounds as the Houston Rockets claimed a 118-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night at Toyota Center.

Harden shot 12-for-27 from the floor but matched his career high with 25 free-throw attempts, making 22. He drilled a 3-pointer with 37.5 seconds left to record his first 50-point game as Houston (46-22) closed to within one game of the first-place Memphis Grizzlies in the Southwest Division.

Rockets forward Trevor Ariza added 17 points and six rebounds, while reserve forward Josh Smith scored 12 points. Houston guard Patrick Beverley paired 10 points with seven assists. Houston hit 12 of 30 3-point attempts, with Harden going 4-for-12 from long distance.

Forward Wilson Chandler and guard Randy Foye paced six Nuggets in double figures with 23 points apiece. Center Kenneth Faried (19 points, 12 rebounds) and guard Ty Lawson (12 points, 10 assists) recorded double-doubles for the Nuggets (26-43), who dropped a second consecutive game following a four-game winning streak.

Timberwolves 95, Knicks 92 (OT)

Rookie guard Zach LaVine made four free throws in the final 10 seconds of overtime, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 95-92 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

LaVine finished with 20 points for Minnesota, which snapped a six-game losing streak. Still, the Timberwolves (15-53) have lost eight of 10.

Wolves guard Kevin Martin led all scorers with 22 points. Minnesota forward Andrew Wiggins and center Gorgui Dieng finished with 20 and 19 points, respectively.

The Timberwolves swept the season series. Minnesota routed the Knicks 115-99 on Nov. 19 at Target Center.

New York fell to a league worst 15-53 with the loss. The Knicks will visit the 76ers on Friday night. Philadelphia's 16-52 mark is third worst in the NBA. Minnesota is off until Sunday, when it plays host to the Charlotte Hornets.

Guard Langston Galloway led New York with 21 points, and guard Alexey Shved finished with 20. Center Andrea Bargnani had 14, but he missed all six shots he took in the fourth quarter and overtime, including a last-gasp attempt at the end of overtime. Guard Shane Larkin added 10 points.

With Minnesota trailing 92-91 and 10.7 seconds left in overtime, LaVine was fouled by Galloway. The rookie made the two free throws to put the Wolves ahead 93-92. After Shved missed a layup, LaVine was fouled by Galloway, and he again made two free throws to seal the win.

Suns 74, Pelicans 72

PHOENIX -- New Orleans guard Tyreke Evans missed a floater with three seconds to play, helping Phoenix win on Thursday despite shooting 35 percent and going 2-of-22 from 3-point range.

Considering the status of Kevin Durant's foot injury remains a question in Oklahoma City, the two teams behind the Western Conference's eighth-place Thunder had plenty to fight for at U.S. Airways Center. With the win, the Suns (36-33) pulled within 1.5 games of the Pelicans (37-31) and 2.5 games of the Thunder (38-30), who were idle Thursday.

It helped Phoenix that the Pelicans were without All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who earlier Thursday turned his left ankle during New Orleans' shootaround.

Leading the scoring for the Suns, who were without center Alex Len and guard Brandon Knight to ankle injuries, was Markieff Morris, who had nine points and shot 2-for-10 through three quarters. He finished with 17 points as the Suns held off the charge in the fourth. Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe likewise struggled, finishing with five points on 2-for-15 shooting.

Jazz 80, Lakers 73

LOS ANGELES -- Forward Gordon Hayward scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half, and backup point guard Trey Burke had 17 points, leading Utah to a victory over Los Angeles at Staples Center.

Hayward made five of 10 shots from the floor and 11 of 13 free throws. Forward Derrick Favors added 14 points and seven rebounds as the Jazz (31-37) won for the 10th time in the last 12 games. Favors scored in double digits in 24 straight contests.

Center Tarik Black scored 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Lakers (17-50), who dropped their fourth in a row. Forwards Wesley Johnson and Carlos Boozer had 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Los Angeles lost 50 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in franchise history.