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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Friday, March 20

NY Knicks at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
NY Knicks:
Philadelphia:

Portland at Orlando, 7:05 ET
Portland: n/a
Orlando: n/a

Denver at Miami, 7:35 ET
Denver: n/a
Miami: n/a

Milwaukee at Brooklyn, 7:35 ET
Milwaukee: 24-12 ATS in road games
Brooklyn: 7-17 ATS after having won 2 of their last 3 games

Indiana at Cleveland, 7:35 ET
Indiana: 6-21 ATS in March games
Cleveland: 15-7 ATS in home games after 1 or more consecutive wins

Atlanta at Oklahoma City, 8:05 ET
Atlanta: n/a
Oklahoma City: n/a

Toronto at Chicago, 8:05 ET
Toronto: n/a
Chicago: n/a

Memphis at Dallas, 8:35 ET
Memphis: n/a
Dallas: n/a

Boston at San Antonio, 8:35 ET
Boston: 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points
San Antonio: 20-29 ATS after playing a game as favorite

Charlotte at Sacramento, 10:05 ET
Charlotte: n/a
Sacramento: n/a

New Orleans at Golden State, 10:35 ET
New Orleans: n/a
Golden State: n/a

Washington at LA Clippers, 10:35 ET
Washington: n/a
LA Clippers: n/a

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, March 21

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BROOKLYN (28 - 39) at INDIANA (30 - 38) - 3/21/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 47-34 ATS (+9.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
INDIANA is 23-37 ATS (-17.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 7-21 ATS (-16.1 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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CHICAGO (42 - 28) at DETROIT (24 - 44) - 3/21/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 60-79 ATS (-26.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 17-32 ATS (-18.2 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 12-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CHICAGO is 42-28 ATS (+11.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 68-82 ATS (-22.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 29-46 ATS (-21.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 150-189 ATS (-57.9 Units) after scoring 85 points or less since 1996.
DETROIT is 17-32 ATS (-18.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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PORTLAND (44 - 23) at MEMPHIS (48 - 21) - 3/21/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 7-3 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 8-2 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (36 - 33) at HOUSTON (46 - 22) - 3/21/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 40-27 ATS (+10.3 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
HOUSTON is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
PHOENIX is 87-60 ATS (+21.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 47-25 ATS (+19.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 52-35 ATS (+13.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 52-35 ATS (+13.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 90-122 ATS (-44.2 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 6-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 7-3 straight up against PHOENIX 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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UTAH (31 - 37) at GOLDEN STATE (55 - 13) - 3/21/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 38-26 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 35-21 ATS (+11.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) in home games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-17 ATS (+7.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
UTAH is 38-29 ATS (+6.1 Units) in all games this season.
UTAH is 29-19 ATS (+8.1 Units) as an underdog this season.
UTAH is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) in road games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 5-5 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 7-3 straight up against UTAH 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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NBA

Saturday, March 21

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games when playing Indiana
Brooklyn is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Indiana is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games
Chicago is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Detroit
Detroit is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Chicago
Detroit is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games when playing at home against Chicago

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. HOUSTON
Phoenix is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games
Houston is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix

8:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing Memphis
Portland is 11-4-1 ATS in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Memphis is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games at home
Memphis is 4-11-1 ATS in its last 16 games when playing at home against Portland

10:30 PM
UTAH vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Utah's last 21 games when playing Golden State
Utah is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Golden State's last 14 games when playing at home against Utah
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Utah

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Saturday, March 21


DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento - Ques Sun

Cousins has missed the last two games due to a right calf strain and is questionable to play Sunday against the Wizards.


Anthony Davis, New Orleans - Ques Sun

Davis has missed the last two games due to a sore ankle and is questionable to play Sunday against the Clippers.




NBA roundup: Westbrook's triple-double lifts Thunder over Hawks

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Guard Russell Westbrook posted 36 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 123-115 comeback victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Westbrook now has nine triple doubles on the season as the Thunder (39-30) increased its lead over the New Orleans Pelicans to a game and a half for eighth place in the Western Conference.

The Hawks (53-16) have lost back to back games, but still lead the Eastern Conference by nine games over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Guard Dion Waiters scored 26 points for the Thunder. Forward Anthony Morrow came off the bench to hit 6 of 10 from 3-point range on his way to 21 points.

The Hawks had seven players score in double figures. Center Pero Antic led the way with 22 off the bench. Guard Dennis Schroder added 21 points on 7 of 14 shooting. Forward Paul Milsap scored 19 points but was held to only three rebounds.

With 8:30 left in the fourth quarter, Atlanta held a seven- point lead. But back-to-back 3-pointers from Morrow closed the Hawks' lead to 103-102.

Westbrook tied the game with 6:27 when he drained his own 3-pointer. Morrow followed up with long distance shot to push Oklahoma City ahead.

Cavaliers 95, Pacers 92

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James fought through a head cold to score 11 straight points in the fourth quarter and 13 of 15 for the Cavaliers, who fended off the pesky Indiana Pacers.

James was sick enough to miss the team's morning shoot-around, leaving him a game-time decision. He played through it to finish with 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Cleveland ran its home winning streak to 15 games while maintaining its hold on second place in the East.

Forward Kevin Love had 11 points and 13 rebounds and guard Kyrie Irving scored 13 points despite struggling through a 4 of 16 shooting night for the Cavaliers.

Guard George Hill scored 24 points for the Pacers, including 14 in the third quarter when they erased most of an 11-point deficit.

Heat 108, Nuggets 91

MIAMI -- Shooting guard Dwyane Wade scored 22 points, giving him at least 20 points in each of the last eight games. The Heat is 6-2 in those games.

The Heat (32-36) have won three games in a row for the first time since they started the season 3-0. Miami is now 7-1 at home since March 1. Before that, the Heat were 10-17 at home this season. Surprisingly, the Heat are 10-6 since forward Chris Bosh was hospitalized due to blood clots in his lungs.

Denver (26-44), which has lost three games in a row, was led by forward Kenneth Faried's 20 points.

Nets 129, Bucks 127 (3 OT)

NEW YORK -- Center Brook Lopez scored 32 points, including five in the third overtime, and grabbed 18 rebounds and forward Thaddeus Young added 24 points, leading the Nets to triple overtime victory at the Barclays Center.

It marked the second time this season that the two teams played a triple-overtime game in Brooklyn. The Bucks won the first triple-OT game in Brooklyn last Nov. 19.

With the victory, the Nets (28-39) snapped a five-game losing streak at home, where they still possess a 12-19 mark. The Bucks had 38 offensive rebounds but still lost for the fifth straight time and the 10th time in the last 12 games.

For the Bucks, forward Khris Middleton had 29 points and center Zaza Pachulia had a season-high 22 points and grabbed 21 rebounds, 18 of which were on the offensive end.

Spurs 101, Celtics 89

SAN ANTONIO -- Forward Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points, including 13 straight by his team in the third quarter, to help the Spurs win.

San Antonio (43-25) has won nine of its last 11 games.

Thirteen players have led the Spurs in scoring this season. But Leonard has done it in six of the last 10 games and leads the Spurs in scoring.

Guard Evan Turner led Boston with 17 points, including 11 during a fourth-quarter Celtics rally, as they reduced a 25-point fourth-quarter deficit to seven.

Celtics guard Marcus Smart was ejected in the fourth quarter, receiving a Flagrant 2 foul after punching Spurs forward Matt Bonner in the groin.

Bulls 108, Raptors 92

CHICAGO -- Rookie forward Nikola Mirotic had 29 points and 11 rebounds as Chicago rolled to victory.

Forward Mike Dunleavy added 21 points for Chicago, which won its second consecutive game and improved to 3-0 against Toronto this season. Center Joakim Noah fell just shy of a triple-double with eight points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists for the Bulls (42-28).

Guard DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points for the Raptors, whose other four starters combined for 33 points.

Magic 111, Trail Blazers 104

ORLANDO, Fla. - Magic rookie point guard Elfrid Payton recorded his second straight triple-double with 22 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds to help Orlando break a six-game losing streak.

Shooting guard Victor Oladipo and center Nik Vucevic added 22 points and eight rebounds apiece as Orlando rallied from a six-point deficit in final period to beat Portland.

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored 31 points and had 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who lost their third straight game.

76ers 97, Knicks 81

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia rookie center Nerlens Noel had a career-high 23 points and added 14 rebounds, five steals and three blocked shots as the Sixers won a game between the teams with the worst records in the Eastern Conference.

Guard Ish Smith added 15 points and nine assists for the Sixers (17-52), owners of the NBA's third-worst record.

Guard Alexey Shved, a former Sixers player, scored a career-high 25 points to pace the Knicks, whose 14-55 record is the worst in the league.

The Sixers won for the fourth time in seven games, and New York lost for the fourth time in five games.

Grizzlies 112, Mavericks 101

DALLAS - Memphis' frontcourt combo of center Marc Gasol and forward Zach Randolph combined for 36 points as the Grizzlies easily dispatched the Mavericks.

Randolph scored a game-high 21 points to go along with four rebounds and five assists. Gasol added 15 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out late. The Grizzlies had seven players score in double figures.

Memphis took advantage of a Dallas meltdown in the third quarter to open up a 24-point lead. Dallas forward Amar'e Stoudemire was ejected in the third quarter with two technical fouls.

The Mavericks were paced by 16 each points from forward Dirk Nowitzki and reserve guard Devin Harris.

Warriors 112, Pelicans 96

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry shook off early shooting woes to contribute 10 of his 16 points to a 20-5 burst late in the third quarter that helped Golden State beat New Orleans.

The win was the Warriors' second in a row without All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson, who has been ruled out at least through this weekend with a sprained right ankle. The Warriors went up 3-0 in the season series with a 10th consecutive win against the Pelicans.

The loss was a costly one for the Pelicans (37-32), who fell two full games behind Oklahoma City (39-30) in their duel for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. New Orleans played without three regulars, including Most Valuable Player candidate Anthony Davis (sprained left ankle).

Guard Norris Cole led the Pelicans with 16 points, and forward Harrison Barnes was the Warriors top scorer with 22 points.

Kings 101, Hornets 91

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Forward Rudy Gay scored 33 points, and all 10 Sacramento Kings who played contributed to the scoring sheet.

Gay made 10 of his 13 shots, and scored 18 points in the first half to help Sacramento (23-45) snap a four-game slide in one of its easiest victories of the season. The Kings, whose only two victories in their past 10 games have come against Charlotte (29-38), never trailed despite playing their second straight game without center and leading scorer and rebounder DeMarcus Cousins (right calf strain).

Guard Gerald Henderson scored 20 points to pace the Hornets, who missed an opportunity to move ahead of the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Clippers 113, Wizards 99

LOS ANGELES -- Point guard Chris Paul scored 30 points, dished out 15 assists and pulled down six rebounds to lead the Clippers.

Shooting guard J.J. Redick added 26 points, while forward Blake Griffin finished with 22 points. Center DeAndre Jordan grabbed 23 rebounds to go along with 10 points.

The win allowed the Clippers (45-25) to pull within a half-game of the Portland Trail Blazers, who lost to the Orlando Magic, for the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference standings.

Point guard John Wall had 19 points, 10 assists and six rebounds to lead the Wizards (40-29), who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

Current odds to win the World Series this year.........

Washington Nationals 13-2-- Added Max Scherzer this winter.

Los Angeles Dodgers 17-2-- Middle infield will be rollins/Kendrick this season.

Seattle Mariners/Boston Red Sox 10-1-- Boston's pitching is a big ?????

Chicago Cubs/St Louis Cardinals 12-1-- Lot of expectations in Wrigleyville.

Los Angeles Angels 14-1-- No Hamilton, now Colby Rasmus is hurt, too.



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Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Random thoughts for a Sunday morning

13) Our thoughts and prayers go out to Notre Dame coach Mike Brey, who lost his mom to a heart attack Saturday morning, but coached his team last night anyway.

12) UCLA 92, UAB 75-- Blazers made 12-26 from arc and still lost by 17; let me say this now. Just because UCLA is in the Sweet 16 doesn't mean they belonged in the tournament, just like a team losing doesn't mean they didn't belong.

11) Kentucky 64, Cincinnati 51-- Bearcats played their asses off but didn't come close to winning, but they did cover the spread. If a team upsets Kentucky, they'll be a team that makes a lot of 3's and can match the Wildcats on the backboards.

10) Arizona 73, Ohio State 58-- Wildcats are now 9-1 in last ten second round games (8-1-1 vs spread). D'Angelo Russell went 3-19 from floor in what was likely his last college game. Not sure if Arizona shoots well enough to beat Kentucky.

9) Xavier 75, Georgia State 67-- Weird game with only 35 missed shots; Xavier made 68% of its shots, Panthers 57%. Obviously, Xavier and UCLA caught huge breaks when the #3 seeds in their regions got beat. Thats how unlikely champions emerge.

8) Utah 75, Georgetown 64-- If John Thompson III's dad hadn't been an iconic coach at the school, JTIII would need another job-- their program is very ordinary now. Not sure if it matters, but Utes didn't look good the last two weeks, but they won twice this weekend, they're still alive and headed to the Sweet 16.

7) North Carolina 87, Arkansas 78-- This is a good time to point out how much fun it is to be in Las Vegas this weekend. Am hoping to make a spring training trip a year from now and tack it onto March Madness, see my A's practice in Arizona. Could be too much fun for one month, but its worth a try.

6) Notre Dame 67, Butler 64 OT-- This was a tremendous game, lot of drama; not sure why these teams don't play each other every year. CBS hits the jackpot making this the last game of the day. Then we find out hours later that Mike Brey coached this game knowing his mother had died earlier in the day. Courageous thing to do.

5) NC State 71, Villanova 68-- Since 1987, #1 seeds are 116-0 in the first round, and 101-15 in the second round, with Villanova being the 15th loss. Of the other 14 teams that lost this early in the tournament, three made the Final Four the next season, with Arizona in 2000 the last team to do so.

4) Out of those 15 second round losses by a number one seed, Kansas has three of them, Stanford two.

3) Only two of those 14 teams fell off the cliff and missed the NCAAs the next year; Cincinnati in 2001, Pittsburgh in 2012.

2) DePaul and Mississippi State need new basketball coaches, which is bad news for a couple mid-majors who are about to lose their coach. NCAA tournament is a lot of fun, but if you're a coach whose team doesn't make it, your job is in jeopardy.

1) Quote of the Day, part 2: "I'm very much in favor of high school kids going pro. I had six young men commit to me out of high school that didn't go to college, that went to the pros. I'm very much for that because they didn't want college. They wanted to go to the NBA. And if they go to the [NBA Development League], that's fine with them." Rick Pitino

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 22

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MIAMI (32 - 36) at OKLAHOMA CITY (39 - 30) - 3/22/2015, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 76-55 ATS (+15.5 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) in home games on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 46-30 ATS (+13.0 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 51-37 ATS (+10.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 60-42 ATS (+13.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 29-13 ATS (+14.7 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 134-101 ATS (+22.9 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 3-2 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 3-2 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY 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 (43 - 25) at ATLANTA (53 - 16) - 3/22/2015, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 42-25 ATS (+14.5 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
ATLANTA is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
ATLANTA is 24-8 ATS (+15.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
ATLANTA is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 891-783 ATS (+29.7 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 395-336 ATS (+25.4 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 19-6 ATS (+12.4 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 72-42 ATS (+25.8 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 299-240 ATS (+35.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 60-39 ATS (+17.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-2 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 5-0 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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CLEVELAND (45 - 26) at MILWAUKEE (34 - 35) - 3/22/2015, 3:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
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 135-100 ATS (+25.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 46-67 ATS (-27.7 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 321-387 ATS (-104.7 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 15-31 ATS (-19.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 10-25 ATS (-17.5 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 6-4 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 5-5 straight up against CLEVELAND 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 - 32) at LA CLIPPERS (45 - 25) - 3/22/2015, 3:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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NEW YORK (14 - 55) at TORONTO (41 - 28) - 3/22/2015, 4:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 7-4 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 6-5 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (40 - 29) at SACRAMENTO (23 - 45) - 3/22/2015, 6:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 3-2 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 3-2 straight up against WASHINGTON 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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DETROIT (25 - 44) at BOSTON (30 - 38) - 3/22/2015, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 193-239 ATS (-69.9 Units) after a division game since 1996.
BOSTON is 39-28 ATS (+8.2 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
BOSTON is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
DETROIT is 114-83 ATS (+22.7 Units) in road games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
DETROIT is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

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DENVER (26 - 44) at ORLANDO (22 - 49) - 3/22/2015, 6:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 3-2 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-1 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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CHARLOTTE (29 - 38) at MINNESOTA (15 - 53) - 3/22/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 3-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 4-1 straight up against MINNESOTA 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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DALLAS (44 - 26) at PHOENIX (37 - 33) - 3/22/2015, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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PHILADELPHIA (17 - 52) at LA LAKERS (17 - 50) - 3/22/2015, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 156-196 ATS (-59.6 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 136-177 ATS (-58.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 53-78 ATS (-32.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 52-81 ATS (-37.1 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

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

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, March 22

Hot Teams
-- Miami/Thunder both won four of their last five games.
-- Spurs won nine of their last twelve games.
-- Cavaliers won six of their last seven games.
-- Clippers won five of their last seven games.
-- Wizards won five of their last six games.
-- Celtics won five of their last seven games.
-- Mavericks won three of their last four games. Suns won their last three games.
-- 76ers won four of their last seven games.

Cold Teams
-- Hawks are 4-4 in last eight games, losing last two, allowing 117.5 ppg.
-- Bucks lost their last five games, but covered three of the five.
-- Pelicans lost three of their last four games.
-- Knicks lost eight of their last ten games. Toronto lost six of last nine.
-- Sacramento lost eight of its last ten games.
-- Pistons lost 11 of their last 13 games.
-- Denver lost last three games, by 11-10-18 points. Orlando lost six of its last seven games.
-- Charlotte lost five of its last six games. Minnesota lost six of its last seven games.
-- Lakers lost eight of their last ten games.

Series Records
-- Miami won its last three visits to Oklahoma City.
-- Spurs won their last eight games with Atlanta.
-- Home side won six of last seven Cleveland-Milwaukee games.
-- Clippers won seven of last nine games with New Orleans.
-- Knicks lost three of last five visits to Toronto.
-- Home side won eight of last ten Wizard-King games.
-- Pistons won seven of last ten games with Boston.
-- Nuggets won six of their last seven games with Orlando.
-- Hornets won four of last five games with Minnesota.
-- Suns won four of their last six games with Dallas.
-- Lakers won six of last nine games with Philadelphia.

Totals
-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Oklahoma City home games.
-- Seven of last eight San Antonio games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Cleveland-Milwaukee games went over.
-- Four of last six Clipper games went over the total.
-- Seven of last ten Knick-Raptor games went over total.
-- Eight of last nine Sacramento games went over the total.
-- Last four Detroit-Boston games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Denver-Orlando games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Charlotte-Minnesota games stayed under.
-- Six of last eight Dallas-Phoenix games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Laker games stayed under the total.

Back-to-Backs
-- Detroit is 0-6 vs spread on road if it was at home night before.
-- Phoenix is 7-6 vs spread if it played the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 225-163 ATS: West 197-188-3
East teams HF vs West: 49-54
East teams HU vs West: 45-43
West teams HF vs East: 78-76-3
West teams HU vs East: 23-17

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NBA

Sunday, March 22

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Trend Report
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3:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. MILWAUKEE
Cleveland is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Milwaukee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Cleveland

3:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. ATLANTA
San Antonio is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games on the road
Atlanta is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio

3:00 PM
MIAMI vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Miami is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Miami's last 25 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home
Oklahoma City is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Miami

3:30 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. LA CLIPPERS
New Orleans is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 6 games at home
LA Clippers are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against New Orleans

4:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. TORONTO
New York is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
New York is 3-20 SU in its last 23 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Toronto's last 11 games

6:00 PM
DENVER vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 7 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Denver is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games
Orlando is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Orlando's last 7 games when playing at home against Denver

6:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. SACRAMENTO
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Washington is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games when playing Sacramento
Sacramento is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Sacramento is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home

6:00 PM
DETROIT vs. BOSTON
Detroit is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Detroit is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games
Boston is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Detroit
Boston is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Detroit

7:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. MINNESOTA
Charlotte is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Charlotte is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Minnesota is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
DALLAS vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games on the road
Dallas is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Phoenix is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing Dallas

9:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
LA Lakers are 9-4 SU in their last 13 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

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NBA

Sunday, March 22


Anthony Davis, New Orleans - Ques Sun

Davis has missed the last two games due to a sore ankle and is questionable to play Sunday against the Clippers.


DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento - Ques Sun

Cousins has missed the last two games due to a right calf strain and is questionable to play Sunday against the Wizards.



NBA roundup: Sharpshooting Grizzlies beat Blazers

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies swept the season series from the Portland Trail Blazers with a 97-86 victory Saturday night at FedExForum as forward Jeff Green scored 23 points and point guard Mike Conley scored 21 points with nine assists.

Not known for their 3-point shooting, the Grizzlies shot 61.1 percent from deep (11-for-18). Green was 5-for-7 and Conley went 3-for-5. The 11 threes tied the Grizzlies' season high.

Overall, however, Memphis was just 37-for-89 for 41.6 percent. Center Marc Gasol finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and five assists but was just 4-for-15 from the field. Power forward Zach Randolph scored 17 points but made just 8 of 20 shots.

Naturally, he made the only 3-pointer he attempted.

The Trail Blazers (44-24) dropped their fourth straight game, this defeat following losses at Washington, Miami and Orlando.

Pistons 107, Bulls 91

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Reggie Jackson had 22 points and 11 assists and Detroit rallied from a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to topple Chicago at The Palace.

The point guard scored 17 third-quarter points while sparking the turnaround as the Pistons won for just the second time in their last 13 games.

Forward Pau Gasol collected his NBA-high 46th double-double, with 27 points and 10 rebounds, to lead the Bulls (42-29). Point guard Aaron Brooks scored 19 points and center Joakim Noah contributed six points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Suns 117, Rockets 102

HOUSTON -- Eric Bledsoe scored a game-high 34 points and Phoenix avoided a season series sweep with a win over Houston at the Toyota Center.

Bledsoe added eight rebounds and three steals as the Suns kept pace in the race for the final berth in the Western Conference playoffs while also ending the Rockets' three-game home win streak.

Houston trailed by as many as 15 points before rallying early in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to 105-100 on a 3-pointer by forward Trevor Ariza with 5:33 remaining. But Phoenix responded with 12 consecutive points to snuff that rally and snap a five-game skid against the Rockets.

Nets 123, Pacers 111

INDIANAPOLIS – Brooklyn is still on the outside looking in, but the view is getting better.

Center Brook Lopez had his second big game in as many nights, scoring 26 points on 11 of 14 shooting, as the surging Nets beat the reeling Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Brooklyn won for the fourth time in five games to pull one game behind eighth-place Boston in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. Forward Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 21, making all eight of his shots, and guard Deron Williams 17 with six assists for the Nets, who shot 61 percent from the field.

Warriors 106, Jazz 91

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State carved up one of the NBA's hottest defenses, shooting 52.5 percent in the final three quarters.

Point guard Stephen Curry poured in 24 points and backup guard Leandro Barbosa connected on 8 of 10 shots from the field during a 19-point night as the Warriors (56-13) won a third consecutive game without injured All-Star Klay Thompson.

After missing 12 of their first 19 shots from the floor, the Warriors made 31 of their final 59 en route to their 12th consecutive home win overall and 18th in a row against Western Conference competition.

Forward Derrick Favors had a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double for Utah (31-38).

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NBA

Sunday, March 22


Pistons' PF Greg Monroe, out Sunday

Monroe has missed the last three games with a knee injury and will not return Sunday against the Celtics


Kings' C DeMarcus Cousins, probable Sunday

Cousins has missed the last two games due to a right calf strain but will likely return Sunday against the Wizards.


Over comes in for bettors Saturday night

The over was the total bet to back in the NBA Saturday night, going 4-1 over/under in five games.

The over has been a hot bet over the past seven days, going 33-22 O/U, cashing 60 percent of the time. Much better than the season average of 47.1 percent.

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NBA

Monday, March 23

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. INDIANA
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Indiana
Houston is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 11 games when playing at home against Houston
Indiana is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Houston

7:30 PM
MEMPHIS vs. NEW YORK
Memphis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing New York
Memphis is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
New York is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
New York is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games

7:30 PM
BOSTON vs. BROOKLYN
Boston is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
Brooklyn is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. CHICAGO
Charlotte is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Charlotte's last 12 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games at home
Chicago is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing Charlotte

9:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. UTAH
Minnesota is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Utah
Minnesota is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
Utah is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Utah is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

10:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. GOLDEN STATE
Washington is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 5 games

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Monday's NBA Essentials


March 23, 2015


Rockets at Pacers – 7:05 PM EST
Get used to having to monitor the potential availability of Dwight Howard. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year and would-be anchor of the Rockets resistance is expected to return at some point this week. He was upgraded to doubtful, but is highly unlikely to return without a full practice. Josh Smith has been nursing a sore ankle, point guard Patrick Beverley has a sore shoulder he’s been playing through, Jason Terry is dealing with a lingering hamstring injury and Trevor Ariza has been sick. Considering key forward Terrance Jones has also been sidelined by a collapsed lung, it’s a wonder Houston has won three of four and not surprising it comes off an ugly home loss at the hands of Phoenix on Saturday night. MVP candidate James Harden has served as the driving force in spite of all the injuries, but even he’s shown signs of wearing down. In the Rockets last three losses, he’s averaged 18.3 points on 15-for-51 shooting. During their last three wins, he’s averaged 33.7 points, highlighted by the 50 he dropped against Denver. Harden scored 45 points on 12-for-18 shooting in Houston’s 110-98 home win against the Pacers on Jan. 19, connecting on seven 3-pointers and dishing out seven assists. The Rockets have seen the under come in five of the last eight games.


Paul George is also likely to make his long-awaited return to action at some point this week, but the Pacers have been very quiet about precisely when that may happen. The Pacers can certainly use him to provide a lift, beginning the week on a five-game losing streak that has dropped them out of the top-eight in the Eastern Conference. Rodney Stuckey, Indiana’s second-leading scorer, left Saturday night’s 123-111 loss to Brooklyn with a sore left calf, casting doubt on his availability for this one. In a game that was critical to the team’s run at a playoff spot, it was disconcerting to see Indiana surrender the most points scored and highest field goal percentage (61.3) surrendered this season. George Hill has quietly been terrific during this current losing streak, shooting 41-for-72 (59 pct) and averaging 19 points and 4.8 assists. The Pacers go back on the road for four of the next five after this one, making it a very important game. Due to their uncharacteristic defensive struggles, five of their last seven games have gone over the posted total. Indiana is 1-5 ATS in their last six.


Celtics at Nets – 7:35 PM EST


Rookie Marcus Smart will return from a one-game suspension for a cheap shot on San Antonio’s Matt Bonner and should be fresh to help lift a Celtics team that blew a fourth-quarter lead and had to work OT in a costly 105-97 setback at home against Detroit on Sunday night. Evan Turner and Avery Bradley played the majority of the minutes at guard, combining for 33 points on 13-for-31 shooting, so getting back Smart to provide a spark should be key as Boston looks to snap a three-game losing streak. Jae Crowder added 17 points in a team-high 44 minutes on the wing, while sixth man Kelly Olynyk shot just 1-for-9 despite a team-high nine boards, serving as the biggest culprit for the team’s 36 percent shooting. Isaiah Thomas , who keyed the Celtics unlikely rise into the race for a playoff spot, hasn’t played since March 9 due to a back injury. He had averaged over 20 points per game off the bench since arriving from Phoenix. Despite going over last night due to OT, Boston has seen five of its last eight games played go below the posted total, another indication of how much they’ve missed Thomas. There have been reports he’s targeting Wednesday as a return date, but monitor this situation in case he’s able to make an early return.


The Nets have topped the 120-point mark in three of their last four games to quiet talk that the team had little interest in making a late run at the No. 8 seed. In fact, coming off a huge win at Indiana, Brooklyn now continues a stretch that sees them face each of the teams involved in the race for No. 8, continuing at Charlotte on Wednesday. Center Brook Lopez scored 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting and Bojan Bogdanovic added 21 on a perfect 8-for-8 from the field. Keep an eye on Bogdanovic, who 30-for-47 from the field over his last four games, averaging 17.8 points off the bench. Deron Williams hasn’t played more than 28 minutes in a single game over his last five, so the Nets are looking to keep him fresh despite not resting him on the second night of a back-to-back. He had 17 points and six assists against Indiana and looks to be getting back into the type of groove he was in just after the All-Star break. Brooklyn has won four of five and are in search of only its second three-game winning streak of 2015. They haven’t won more than three in a row this season. Six of their last seven games have gone over the posted total, a rarity under the defensive-minded Lionel Hollins. The Nets are looking for a split of the season-series against Boston.


Hornets at Bulls – 8:05 PM EST


Charlotte rallied from an awful first quarter that saw it fall behind by double-digits, exploding to score 91 points over the next three quarters in a 109-98 win in Minnesota. The Hornets picked up their first game of a five-game road swing that concludes tonight and helped them go a half-game up in the race for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds against the Timberwolves, while Al Jefferson ended up with 18 points and 11 boards, while Marvin Williams added a team-high 24 points off the bench, so the frontcourt was really the driving force against the depleted Timberwolves. Kemba Walker is rounding back into form after missing over six weeks of action and has now scored in double-figures in three consecutive games for the first time since mid-January after coming up with 16 points, eight assists and six streals in Minnesota. The Hornets have lost four of their last five on the second night of a back-to-back.


Chicago was outscored 54-19 over the final quarter-and-a-half in a disappointing 107-91 loss to the Pistons on Saturday night. Outside of Pau Gasol, who had 17 second-half points on 5-for-8 shooting, saw his teammates go 7-for-30 around him in completely falling apart. Taj Gibson did return from an ankle injury, but his availability cut into the minutes of rookie Nikola Mirotic, who had been the driving force of the team’s offense in the absence of Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler. Mirotic scored a month-low eight points on 1-for-8 shooting, never getting in a rhythm. Butler is expected to return from his elbow injury here, so we'll see how frontcourt minutes are managed. He’s averaging 20.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in March. Chicago has fallen into the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are 9-3 at home since February began and have played games that have gone over the posted total in 10 of the last 11, including eight straight.


Wizards at Warriors – 10:35 PM EST


John Wall and the Wizards wrap up a four-game Western swing looking to avoid a 1-3 trip and fly back with some momentum to begin a five-game homestand on Wednesday. Things started well when Wall was masterful in an upset of the sizzling Jazz to give the team their fifth consecutive win, but the Clippers and most disappointingly, the Kings have administered double-digit beatings since. It will be interesting to see how the team responds after a demoralizing 109-86 defeat in Sacramento on Sunday that coaches and players blamed on a lack of defensive focus. The Wizards couldn’t get stops out of the gate and then again in a third quarter that saw them outscored 33-20 in a listless performance that has those calling for beleaguered head coach Randy Wittman’s job pulling their hair out. Washington has lost 11 of its last 13 road games, with the under 9-3-1 in that stretch. Paul Pierce, Nene and Marcin Gortat all played 22 minutes or fewer, so fatigue might be less of an issue on this second night of a back-to-back, though all were on the floor for with Wall for the better part of the carnage. Bradley Beal has been the only silver lining, since he appears to be back at 100 percent and is shooting the ball the way he’s accustomed to. The Wizards are playing the second of a back-to-back for the first time since May 7 and have lost four of the last five in this situation. Beal didn’t play for precautionary reasons, so this will be his first back-to-back since Feb. 5, when he aggravated a toe injury that contributed to what became an eight-game layoff.


The Warriors have run their home record to 33-2 as they take the floor at Oracle Arena for the final time this month. A four-game road swing awaits as they look to put the finishing touches on the top seed in the Western Conference, so they won’t be back in town until April 2. Klay Thompson remains out with an ankle injury he’s not going to be rushing back from, so a new-look Warriors squad has maintained the momentum. Thompson is likely to be re-evaluated later this week, so look for Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes to continue factoring prominently. MVP frontrunner Stephen Curry is averaging 20 points and 9.2 assists through GSW’s current five-game winning streak. Since he sat out the Warriors’ last loss to Denver, the team has won the last 10 times he’s played and is 11-1 with him on board in March. Golden State is closing in on becoming the first team since the ’95-’96 Chicago Bulls (72-10) to lead the NBA in offensive and defensive efficiency. GSW is 4-1 ATS during this five-game run and have played to six consecutive overs. The Warriors are 13-11 ATS as a double-digit favorite.

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Monday's Top Action

March 23, 2015


HOUSTON ROCKETS (46-23) at INDIANA PACERS (30-39)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Indiana -1.0, Total: 202

The Indiana Pacers attempt to snap a nasty five-game losing streak when they host the Houston Rockets on Monday night.

The Rockets continue to play some solid basketball and have won five of their past eight games both SU and ATS; earning four of the victories by double-digits. The offense has been the usual driving force when the club wins as it puts up an impressive 108.4 PPG in the five most recent wins. Houston couldn’t keep up with the Suns on Saturday, though, losing by a score of 117-102 as a 7.5-point favorite at home. Phoenix made 46-of-92 shots (50%) in the manhandling of Houston as the Rockets turned the ball over 18 times.

Indiana has not had the season it would have liked and is playing very poor coming into this one with losses in each of the past five games (1-4 ATS) as it scores a meager 95.2 PPG. The defense was also horrible during that stretch, allowing opponents to net more than 110 points twice as it gave up 106.2 PPG. The Pacers finally did something on offense on Saturday, putting up 111 points, but let the Nets drop 123 points on them while giving 8.5 points at home. They made a solid 45-of-90 shots (50% FG) in the loss but let Brooklyn get an amazing 46-of-75 (61% FG) attempts to drop.

Houston hasn’t been horrible on the road with a 19-13 SU record (16-16 ATS) in away games as it faces an Indiana group that is 18-17 SU (17-17-1 ATS) at home.

The home teams have dominated the recent matchups with these two groups, winning each of the past three contests by an average of 23.7 PPG as the Rockets have come away victorious in the past two and earlier this season they were able to grab a 110-98 win against the Pacers; making 51.4% of their shots in the process.

Some trends to keep an eye on include that Houston is 10-1 ATS (91%) when coming off an upset loss this year while Indiana is 5-1 ATS after a game where it allowed a shooting percentage of 55% or higher in the past three seasons.

On the injury front, the Rockets will continue to be very shallow with their big men as both C Dwight Howard (Knee) and PF Terrence Jones (Ribs) are out while SF Kostas Papanikolaou (Ankle) is questionable. The Pacers still obviously have SF Paul George (Leg) out while SG Rodney Stuckey (Calf) is questionable.

The Houston offense has been great for a few years now and it is scoring 103.3 PPG (8th in league) behind 43.9% shooting (9th-worst in league). On the defensive side of things the Rockets are allowing opponents to put up 100.2 PPG on 44.1% shooting (10th in league).

SG James Harden (26.9 PPG, 7.0 APG, 5.8 RPG, 1.9 SPG) has made a meager 35% of his shots in the past five games and is coming off a rough showing (16 points, 5 assists, 2 steals) in the loss to Phoenix. He didn’t disappoint when he last met with Indiana though, scoring 45 points to go with seven assists and four steals.

Trevor Ariza (12.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.9 SPG) has had a horrible year shooting, making a mere 39% over the year, but has picked it up of late while hitting 48% of his attempts in the past five outings with 14.4 PPG. He was a non-factor when his team beat the Pacers earlier in the year as he had nine points with three steals.

SG Corey Brewer (11.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG) has three double-digit scoring performances in the past five games and has grabbed 7.4 RPG in that time. He had 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting while adding little else against Indiana back in January.

The Pacers do little to instill fear in their opponents on the offensive end, netting 96.6 PPG (7th-worst in league) on 43.8% shooting (8th-worst in league). They don’t allow too much on defense, though, giving up a mere 96.8 PPG (3rd-worst in league) with 43.5% of opponents attempts going in (4th in league).

PG George Hill (15.1 PPG, 4.6 APG) has been hot recently with 21.0 PPG over his past five performances as he’s made 56.9% of his shots. He wasn’t on the court in the first meeting with Houston and averaged just 8.0 PPG (54% FG) with 4.0 APG against them in two games last year.

PF David West (11.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG) has been horrible in the past five contests with 7.8 PPG and 5.0 RPG as he also did little (8 points, 6 rebounds) in the loss to the Rockets. C Roy Hibbert (10.8 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG) has had a rough season but has done well (16.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG) in his past four games. He played just 19 minutes against Houston this year with 12 points and four boards.

BOSTON CELTICS (30-39) at BROOKLYN NETS (29-39)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Brooklyn -4, Total: 203.0

The Celtics and Nets continue to fight for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs when the two teams face-off in Brooklyn Monday.

The Celtics faced the Pistons on Sunday and lost 105-97 as 6-point home favorites. Boston has now lost three straight games SU and the team has been miserable defensively, allowing 109.3 PPG in those contests. The Celtics will need to slow their opponents down or they will have little to no chance of being a part of the postseason.

The Nets, however, have gotten hot lately. They won 123-111 as 8.5-point road underdogs in Indiana on Saturday and have now won four of their past five games SU. They are 3-1-1 ATS in those games and their past four have gone Over the total.

These division foes have met three times this season and Boston is 2-1 both SU and ATS in those games. They last met in Brooklyn on Jan. 7 and the Celtics won 89-81 as 5-point underdogs in that game. Prior to that game, the Nets had won-and-covered in two straight games against the Celtics at Barclays Center.

Boston is 11-1 ATS in road games after failing to cover in two of their past three games this season. Brooklyn, meanwhile, is 36-23 ATS revenging a same season loss versus an opponent over the past two seasons. PG Marcus Smart (Suspension Served) is probable for the Celtics, who are already without PG Isaiah Thomas (Back) and PF Jared Sullinger (Foot) either indefinitely or for the season. Brooklyn is not currently dealing with any serious injuries.

The Celtics have lost three straight games and will really be desperate for a victory in Brooklyn Monday. SG Evan Turner (9.2 PPG, 5.0 APG, 4.9 RPG, 1.0 SPG) has been thrown into a much bigger role over the past two games, playing 36.0 MPG and being the team’s primary scoring option. Turner has responded with 20.0 PPG, 6.0 APG, 3.5 RPG and 1.5 SPG in those contests. He must find a way to be as productive against a Brooklyn team he has struggled against this season. Turner is averaging just 6.3 PPG in three games against the Nets and will need to be more effective as a scorer Monday.

One player who has stepped up in increased minutes is PF Jonas Jerebko (5.7 PG, 3.5 RPG). Over the past two games, Jerebko is averaging 8.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG and 1.0 SPG. He should be able to be a major part of this rotation as long as he continues to be active on the glass.

PG Marcus Smart (7.9 PPG, 3.4 APG, 3.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG) was averaging 13.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.0 APG and 1.5 SPG in 29.3 MPG in the four games before serving a one-game suspension for Boston. Smart is a very tough defender and also knows how to get his shots off. He’ll need to hold his own against Deron Williams on Monday.

SG Avery Bradley (14.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.1 SPG) could also spend some time guarding Williams in this game. Bradley is one of the better on-ball defenders in the league and could make things very tough on whichever Nets guard he covers in this one. He’s also playing very well offensively recently, averaging 15.0 PPG on 44% shooting (37% 3PT) over the past five games.

SF Jae Crowder (7.1 PPG, 3.4 RPG) got hot against the Pistons last game, finishing with 19 points, seven boards, three assists, a steal and a block in 45 minutes of action. Crowder has needed to play a lot of minutes as an undersized power forward with Boston, but he’s responded well and will be an x-factor against Brooklyn.

The Nets have played extremely well as of late and C Brook Lopez (15.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.7 BPG) has been dominant inside for this team. Over the past two games, Lopez is averaging 29.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 4.5 BPG in 36.5 MPG. The Celtics do not have big men that are great at defending the rim, so he should be able to tear it up on Monday as well.

PF Thaddeus Young (14.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG) has also played very well lately, putting up 15.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 1.4 SPG in 32.8 MPG over the past five contests. Young is very quick for a power forward and should have a strength advantage over whoever mans the spot for the Celtics on Monday. He’ll need to aggressively take the ball to the rim and also rebound well in this game.

SG Joe Johnson (15.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.4 APG) has been solid over the past two games, averaging 17.0 PPG. Johnson can take games off here and there and the Nets will really need him to come out firing against Boston.

PG Jarrett Jack (12.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.2 RPG, 1.0 SPG) has done a very good job of running this offense recently, averaging 12.8 PPG, 6.2 APG and 3.8 RPG over the past five games. He’ll need to continue to score timely buckets and get his teammates the ball in the right spots moving forward.

PG Deron Williams (13.0 PPG, 6.1 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG) has turned into the wild card for Brooklyn. He played well against Indiana, finishing with 17 points and six assists in 24 minutes of action. He is, however, also capable of putting up single-digits in scoring on any given night. He’s shooting just 37% from the field in March and he must find

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NBA

Monday, March 23


T-Wolves' PG Ricky Rubio, questionable Monday

Rubio did not play in the last two games due to a sore right ankle and is questionable Monday against the Jazz.

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NBA

Monday, March 23

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Game of the Day: Rockets at Pacers
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Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers (-1, OFF)

Indiana looks to end an ill-timed five-game losing streak at home against Houston on Monday, and there is a chance injured star Paul George will be in the mix for the first time this season. The Pacers' slide - their fourth of at least five games - has put a dent in their playoff hopes, as they entered Sunday's action a half-game out of the final spot in the Eastern Conference. The latest setback involved their worst defensive showing of the season in a 123-111 loss to Brooklyn on Saturday.

The Nets shot 61.3 percent - the highest mark ever for an opponent on Indiana's home court - against a team that has prided itself on defensive play. Houston is trying to hold off four teams for the third spot in the West and entered Sunday trailing second-place Memphis by 1 1/2 games after a 117-102 loss at home against Phoenix on Saturday. James Harden followed up his 50-point effort with 16 on 5-of-19 shooting as the Rockets had a three-game winning streak come to an end.

LINE HISTORY: Most shops opened the Pacers -1, which is where it was sitting at the time of writing.

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (46-23): The somewhat surprising result against Phoenix came in the first game after power forward Terrence Jones was sidelined due to a collapsed lung, which will keep him out of action for at least two more contests. That could put him back in the lineup right around the time star center Dwight Howard - who is considered doubtful for Monday - returns, potentially giving Houston a shot in the arm for the stretch run. The Rockets were outrebounded 49-36 against the Suns, who entered Sunday ranked 14th in the Western Conference in rebounding margin.

ABOUT THE PACERS (30-39): While Houston awaits Howard's return, Indiana is expected to update the status of George on Monday. According to an ESPN report that circulated late last week, there was a chance that George was going to come back against Brooklyn after spending the entire season recovering from a broken leg suffered last summer, but head coach Frank Vogel shot that down. It is expected that George will return during the week, which could be a boost for a struggling squad about to enter a stretch of road-heavy portion of the schedule.

TRENDS:

* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Rockets are 1-7 ATS in their last eight meetings in Indiana.
* Over is 6-0 in the Rockets last six Monday games.
* Over is 4-1 in the Pacers last five home games.

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NBA

Monday, March 23


Jazz' SF Gordon questionable Monday

Hayward is questionable for Monday's game against the Timberwolves due to a shoulder injury.



Important NBA betting notes you missed in the middle of March Madness

Regardless of whether or not the policymakers in this world ever step up and accomplish what millions of us have been demanding for years, the bottom line is that the first four days of March Madness have yet to be written into law as a national holiday.

An adult spring break, so to speak, so that we can all cease and desist with the song and dance of showing up to work on the inaugural Thursday and Friday of college basketball’s national tournament pretending to produce even so much as an ounce worth of acceptable TPS reports.

We’re certainly not judging, but those of you who spent last Thursday and Friday shuffling back and forth between bamboozling your boss while keeping an eye on the UAB-Iowa State upset may have missed a few noteworthy headlines from the National Basketball Association.

Don’t sweat, we’ve got the necessary intel right here:

Thunderstruck

Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti held a press conference last Friday to announce that six-time All Star forward Kevin Durant has been removed from all basketball activities and will be out of action indefinitely due to complications arising from foot surgery.

The news came as a significant blow to an eighth-seeded Thunder team that will also be without the services of center Serge Ibaka for 4-6 weeks following knee surgery.

The Durant news moved Oklahoma City’s title odds from 10/1 to 50/1 offshore despite the fact that the team still holds a three-game lead over New Orleans for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Russell Westbrook may be in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, but OKC’s chances of running the table look bleak at best at the moment.

No Klay, no worries

The league-leading Golden State Warriors were supposed to hit a temporary rough patch last Tuesday when word surfaced that All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson would miss 7-10 days with a sprained ankle.

But in typical 2014-2015 Warriors fashion, Steph Curry and company didn’t miss a beat in the face of adversity, ripping off three straight double-digit victories over Atlanta, New Orleans and Utah by an average of 16.6 points per game.

The Dubs are now 56-13 straight-up and 40-28-1 ATS on the season, but take note that head coach Steve Kerr may be set to rest his starters in the near future with a 7.5-game lead in the West and the playoffs quickly approaching.

Going cold

The loss of shooting guard Wesley Matthews to a torn Achilles tendon has finally caught up to the Blazers, who have lost and failed to cover the number in four straight contests, dropping Portland behind Houston for the third spot in the Western Conference.

Surrendering just 97.9 points per game on the season (10th in NBA), the Blazers’ current four-game losing streak has seen the club permit an average of 105.2 points per contest, with three of those four matchups going over the total.

Portland returns home from a five-game road trip Tuesday night for a marquee showdown with the aforementioned Warriors.

Tank alert

With less than 14 games remaining, the Knicks (14-56), Timberwolves (15-54), Sixers (17-52) and Lakers (17-50) are in a tight race for the right to claim the most ping pong balls in this summer’s NBA draft, which means bettors should be on high alert for the very real possibility of strategic tanking.

The Kobe-less Lakers are well on their way having dropped four straight contests while Philly has gone off script by winning back-to-back showdowns.

Fun fact about the Sixers: Despite all the jokes about this franchise prior to the start of the season, Philadelphia has officially gone over their season win total of 15.

Time will tell

Are the East-leading Atlanta Hawks the best team in their conference or simply the organization with the best record?

Only time will tell if Al Horford, Jeff Teague and company can get past LeBron James and the Cavaliers, but take note that the Hawks have dropped three straight contests against some of the league’s elite franchises (at Golden State, at Oklahoma City, vs. San Antonio).

However, what’s especially troubling for Atlanta backers isn’t necessarily the blowout fashion in which the team has been losing as of late (deficit of 15.3 pts/gm), but the fact that the squad was routed by San Antonio Sunday night (114-95) despite the return of All-Star shooting guard Kyle Korver (broken nose).

The upside? Atlanta’s next six games come against six franchises that boast a sub-.500 record.