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

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NBA

Wednesday, March 25

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Game of the Day: Cavaliers at Grizzlies
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Cleveland Cavaliers at Memphis Grizzlies (+2, 194)

The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking more and more like an NBA title contender with each passing week. The Cavaliers will try to prove their standing once again when they visit the fellow title-hopefuls the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. Cleveland, like Memphis, is comfortably in second place in its conference but is the hottest team in the East with a 27-6 mark in the last 33 games and just kicked off its road trip with a 108-90 thrashing of Milwaukee.

The Grizzlies reached the 50-win plateau with a 103-82 win at the New York Knicks on Monday and has won three straight and five of the last six to open up a 2 ½-game lead over Houston for second place in the West. Memphis will get a good look at their title chance this week with games against the Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. “It is more about how you are feeling and how you go into the playoffs,” Memphis center Marc Gasol told reporters after the team clinched a postseason spot with the win over the Knicks. It is something you can’t control much, but the way team plays matters.”

LINE HISTORY: Most shops opened the Grizz as 2-point underdogs, which is where the line was sitting at the time of writing.

INJURY REPORT: Cavaliers - N/A Grizzlies - G Courtney Lee (Ques-Hand)

POWER RANKINGS: Cavaliers (-9.7) + Grizzlies (-8.7) + Homecourt (-3) = Grizzlies -2

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (46-26): LeBron James came back to Cleveland to lead the team to a championship, and he is taking that job seriously. James got on his teammates when they trailed by 11 points in the third quarter at Milwaukee on Sunday, and they responded with a 26-5 run that turned the tables and led to the rout. “My only goal was for us is to win, and win at the highest level,” James told reporters. “And I respect that (my teammates) allow me to be the leader of this team. I know when to press the button if need be, and I gauge my guys on the right way to do that.”

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (50-21): Not quite to the same degree as James with the Cavaliers, but Memphis brought in veteran guard Vince Carter to help get the team over the top when it came to the playoffs and has dealt with some ups and downs from the former All-Star. Carter is shooting 34.4 percent on the season but buried 4-of-6 from 3-point range against the Knicks to help spark the reserves. “It is money time,” Carter told reporters. “The second part of the season for me is most important. When I was out I was trying to get as many shots as possible and get my rhythm.”

TRENDS:

*Grizzlies are 7-0-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
*Cavaliers are 12-3 ATS in the last 15 meetings.
*Over is 8-1 in Cavaliers last 9 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
*Under is 22-8-1 in Grizzlies last 31 overall.

CONSENSUS: According to Consensus, 61 percent of bettors are backing the Cavs.

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NBA

Wednesday, March 25


Jazz F Gordon Hayward, out Wednesday

Hayward did not play Monday due to a shoulder injury and will miss Wednesday's game against the Trail Blazers.


T-Wolves' PG Ricky Rubio, doubtful Wednesday

Rubio is expected to be sidelined Wednesday against the Lakers after missing the last three contests with a sore right ankle.


Blazers' PF LaMarcus Aldridge, doubtful Wednesday

Aldridge has a sprained left index finger and missed Tuesday's game. He is not expected to play Wednesday against the Jazz.


Hornets' PF Al Jefferson, probable Wednesday

Jefferson left Monday's game with soreness in his right knee but should be ready to play Wednesday against the Nets.


Raptors' PG Kyle Lowry, doubtful Wednseday

Lowry left Tuesday's game due to back spasms and is not expected to play Wednesday against the Bulls.


Home teams the side to bet Tuesday night

Home teams were the side to bet in NBA action Tuesday night, going 4-2 against the spread.

Home dogs were the most impressive of the bunch, going 3-1 ATS, while home favorites went 1-1 ATS.

Home teams have cashed just over 49 percent of the time this season.


Raptors go over another total

The Toronto Raptors continue to be the NBA's best over bet, going over another total in their 108-104 loss to the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night.

The over is 5-1 in the Raptors last six games and are now 40-31 over/under for the season.

The Raptors are a great over bet due to the fact they are a great scoring team (104.3 ppg) and a bad defending team (101.3 ppg).

Toronto is right back at it Wednesday night when they host the Chicago Bulls. The total is currently off the board.


Orlando has been a great bet versus Atlanta

The Orlando Magic have been an excellent bet versus the Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Hawks in recent head-to-head matchups. The Magic have posted six-consecutive ATS wins versus the Hawks, dating back to Nov. 26, 2013.

The Magic have gone 1-2 straight up and 3-0 ATS in the three matchups this season. Orlando defeated Atlanta 100-99 as a 3-point home dog back on Dec. 13 of this season.

As of Wednesday morning, the Magic were 8-point home dogs for Wednesday's showdown with the Hawks.


Underdog cashes again in Spurs-Mavericks matchup

With the Dallas Mavericks 101-94 win as 3.5-point dogs over the San Antonio Spurs Tuesday night, the underdog is now 11-1 against the spread in the last 12 meetings between the instate rivals.

Bettors won't have to wait long to see if this trend will continue as the two Western Conference contenders face off again this Friday, this time in San Antonio. So expect the Mavericks to be the underdogs once again.


Golden State heating up ATS once again

The Golden State Warriors easily covered the spread for the fifth consecutive game topping the Portland Trail Blazers 122-108 as 7-point faves Tuesday night.

The Warriors have bounced back for bettors covering six of their last seven after a 2-6 ATS skid. They are the second best bet in the NBA at 42-28-1 ATS.

Golden State goes for six covers in a row when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Top Action

March 25, 2015


CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (46-26) at MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (50-21)

Tip-off: Wednesday, 8:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Cleveland -2, Total: 194

As the playoffs inch closer, two postseason-bound teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies, do battle on Wednesday night.

Cleveland has continued to improve as the season moves along and has won seven of its past eight games SU (5-3 ATS) as it has scored 115+ points four times in that period. The offense was certainly clicking with 50% or more of its shots dropping in four of those contests as it defeated opponents by an average of 15.3 PPG. Most recently the Cavs traveled to Milwaukee as 8-point favorites and grabbed an easy 108-90 victory. The team made half (42-of-84) of its shots in the win and forced the Bucks to cough up the rock 23 times.

The Grizzlies were a little shaky following the All-Star break, but have seemed to get it together with wins in five of their past six outings. They have won their past four games at home coming into this one and have held opponents under 90 points in all but one of their most recent five victories. Memphis earned an easy draw on Monday as the team headed to New York while giving 14 points and was able to cover in a 103-82 game. The Grizzlies nailed 51.9% of their shots in the game, including 7-of-12 from long range, and forced the putrid Knicks into 17 turnovers.

The road has actually not been good to Cleveland this year with a record of 20-17 SU (17-20 ATS) when away as they face a Grizzlies crew which has gone 27-7 SU (17-16-1 ATS) in front of their hometown fans. This is the second meeting between these groups as they first met in late December when the Cavs hosted and gave five points before winning 105-91. They built up a large 11-point halftime lead, shooting 46-of-76 from the field (61% FG) and allowing Memphis to make a meager 1-of-16 three-pointers (6% 3PM).

Overall in the past three years, the Grizzlies have a slight 3-2 SU edge (2-3 ATS) and have won five games when at home in this series dating back to the 2009-10 campaign.

Some trends to watch include that Memphis is a poor 9-22 ATS (29%) in home games after playing a game as a road favorite over the past three seasons while Cleveland has gone 5-13 ATS (28%) after two straight games where it was called for 18 or less fouls this year.

The injury report will continue to have C Anderson Varejao (Achilles) out for the rest of the season for the Cavs as Memphis has SG Courtney Lee (Wrist) listed as questionable.

Cleveland’s offensive output has been consistently improving throughout the year and is averaging 103.5 PPG (6th in league) with the team shooting 45.9% from the field (7th in league). Defensively the Cavaliers have allowed opponents to put up 98.7 PPG (12th in league) behind 45.5% shooting (10th-worst in league).

SF LeBron James (25.9 PPG, 7.3 APG, 5.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG) has continued his all-around dominance and is coming off another big stat line (28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals) against the Bucks. He also had a double-double in the first meeting with Memphis, going for 25 points and 11 assists in the win.

PG Kyrie Irving (21.8 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.4 SPG) has scored fewer than 20 points in two of his past three contests, but is coming off a solid effort (20 points, 7 assists, 2 steals) on Sunday night. Just like his teammate James, Irving put up a double-double (17 points, 11 assists) in the game against the Grizzlies in December.

PF Kevin Love (16.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG) has shot a putrid 35.5% from the floor in his three games since returning from a two-game injury absence but still managed a double-double in two of those contests. He was not much of a factor against Memphis the last time they played as he had eight points to go with eight rebounds and a block.

Memphis is not exactly known for its offense and is scoring 99.1 PPG (14th-worst in league) as it makes 45.9% of shots (8th in league). Of course the team does excel on defense and has given up just 95.2 PPG (2nd in league) with the opposition hitting on 44.2% of their shots (11th in league).

C Marc Gasol (17.8 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.7 BPG) has shot a poor 43.9% over the past five games but has still produced with 16.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG and 1.2 BPG in that time. Despite his team losing, Gasol was huge against the Cavs in December with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and a block. PG Mike Conley (16.2 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.3 SPG) had a horrible showing against the Knicks with seven points on 3-of-10 shooting as he added four assists. He also performed poorly against Cleveland this year with 11 points and five assists.

PF Zach Randolph (16.6 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 1.0 SPG) has been great of late and dominated his old team on Monday with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists. He wasn’t on the court when these teams met this year but went for 18.5 PPG (52% FG) and 11.0 RPG against them in two opportunities last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Wednesday

March 25, 2015

While I don’t mind the huge 13-game cards in the Associations, I believe the league is better off scheduling nights with six or seven matchups, similar to last night. As a bettor and fan, it allows you to focus more on particular games and the staggered schedule is perfect for the viewer.

Tuesday’s card was great and it started off with underdogs going 3-1 both straight up and against the spread and I’m including Oklahoma City (-9 ½) as a favorite.

For those bettors who had Miami (-2) against Milwaukee last night, we apologize. The Bucks closed the game on an 18-3 run which ended with an improbable 3-pointer at the buzzer that produced an 89-88 win. It was an embarrassing loss for the Heat, their fifth straight on the road too and now they head to Boston on no rest tonight.

After the ‘dogs barked early, the favorites closed Tuesday with a 2-0 record (1-1 ATS) and that included another crazy effort by Golden State. The Warriors (-7) trailed Portland 62-57 at the break but outscored the Trail Blazers 65-46 in the final two quarters for the “never in doubt” 122-108 victory.

In my opinion, Wednesday’s card has six key matchups that have serious playoff implications and I leaned on VegasInsider.com NBA expert Tony Mejia. His analysis for each game listed below.

(Odds & Totals)

Brooklyn at Charlotte (-3, 197): The Nets have been relatively impossible to figure out of late. Just this month alone, they’ve gone from a five-game losing streak where they looked disinterested to winning four of five, playing road warriors in three of them. That led into Monday’s inexplicable 110-91 loss to Boston where Brooklyn shot 1-for-17 from 3-point range at home. Deron Williams does look like he’s healthier, so this should be a statement game in terms of how much to invest in the Nets going forward. The Hornets have played to unders in five of their last six losses, while winning five of six that have gone over the posted total. With Kemba Walker healthy again and Mo Williams settled in with the second unit, it wouldn’t be surprising to Charlotte push the pace. A win puts the Hornets two games ahead of the Nets, while losing at home would doom them to 30-40. It’s not irresponsible to call this a must-win for both.

Indiana at Washington (-3 ½, 192): Paul George is close, but unlikely to play. Rodney Stuckey’s calf strain has him questionable again. Despite those key absences, scoring hasn’t been an issue. Six of Indiana’s last eight games have gone over since they’ve been struggling with defense. They’ve given up an average of nearly 106 points per game during this six-game losing streak they’re on and need to find some sort of spark. The same can be said about the woeful Wizards, who have been an abomination in the third quarter of late. Washington lost its last three stops on its West Coast road trip by a combined total of 68 points. Following Golden State’s second-half dominance, Warriors backup Marreese Speights piled on by saying his team knew that if they hit a few shots and got a few stop, in-fighting would poison the Wizards, who would then quit. That sounds like an accurate depiction of what transpired. They’ve won four straight home games and badly need this game to keep from being torn apart.

Miami at Boston (-5, 201 ½): The Heat crumbled in blowing a 16-point fourth-quarter lead, losing at the buzzer on Khris Middleton’s desperation 3-pointer following a late Dwyane Wade missed free throw and an inability to properly secure multiple defensive rebounds. How they recover from such a devastating loss will be of vital importance here, since they’ve gone from being a few seconds away from being one game back of the sixth spot in the East to having to fight off all the contenders for the last two spots. The Celtics are in among the pack of teams chasing and could get a boost from the return of Isaiah Thomas, who had averaged over 20 points since arriving from Phoenix but has missed eight straight games with a back injury. Boston is only one game behind Miami for the No. 7 and would even the season series 2-2 by winning here.

Houston at New Orleans (-2, 203): Dwight Howard is set to see his first action since Jan. 23, likely in the neighborhood of 15-20 minutes according to head coach Kevin McHale. The other big injury news regards point guard Patrick Beverley, who may be forced to miss the rest of the season with a wrist injury. Houston is expected to get official word on Wednesday and may have to lean on Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni, neither of whom is a dogged on-ball defender like Beverley. The Pelicans also have injury concerns since Tyreke Evans (ankle) and Omer Asik (calf) are game-time decisions after missing Sunday’s loss to the Clippers. Anthony Davis had 26 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in his return from an ankle injury and will look to help New Orleans close back within three games of surging OKC for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

Oklahoma City at San Antonio (-8, 214 ½): Russell Westbrook only had to play 29 minutes in OKC’s 129-119 victory over the Lakers last night, so expect he’ll be fresh enough to reprise his role as the depleted Thunder’s main engine. With veterans Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison sidelined, young big men Enes Kanter, Steven Adams and Mitch McGary got all the minutes up front and combined for 48 points and 36 rebounds. They’ll go from facing a young Lakers frontcourt to the the dealing with San Antonio’s veteran core in what’s likely to be the critical matchup in this contest. Although Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard and the rest of the Spurs group have the experience, the Thunder have the fresher legs, which comes into play considering this is the second of a back-to-back for both.

Sacramento at Phoenix (-8, 212): The Kings survived the 76ers 107-106 behind DeMarcus Cousins’ 33 points and 17 rebounds, outscoring the visitors 44-36 in the second half to erase a halftime deficit. Sacramento won despite shooting 36 percent and definitely went all out to avoid the embarrassing loss, playing Rudy Gay 40 minutes, Cousins went 35 and starting guards Ray McCallum and Ben McLemore each went over 30. Sacramento has lost five consecutive games on the second night of a back-to-back, going 1-4 ATS in those setbacks. Its current three-game winning streak is the team’s longest since November. The Suns are also surging, having won four in a row, but need to take advantage since the Kings are one of only two of the team’s final 11 opponents that have a losing record. Eight of Phoenix’s last nine games have gone under the posted total. The Suns are 1-2 against the Kings this season.

Fearless Predictions: I had a handful of users reach out for more winners…ummm…errrr…selections from me in the NBA. While I didn’t break the bank last week, I did finish in the black. For Wednesday, I’ll provide my thoughts with my top bets. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

1) Miami (+5) – The Heat were awful last night but they’ve been a good investment (4-1 ATS, 1-4 SU) on zero days rest recently. Three of the four losses were by two points or less. I expect another close game tonight and a low-scoring one too. And part of me just doesn’t trust Boston going from hunter to hunted (‘dog to favorite).

2) Under Miami-Boston (201 ½) - See Above

3) Phoenix (-8) – I might be hopping on this train too late but the Suns are playing with confidence (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) and they posted solid wins over three quality clubs (Pelicans, Rockets, Mavs). They are stepping down in class against the Kings and they have dropped two of three to them this season already. However, Sacramento has gone 4-10 SU and 5-8-1 ATS on zero days rest this season, which tells me when they lose, they get blown out. I expect the Suns to win and earn the cover.

4) Over L.A. Lakers-Minnesota (202) – The line jumped from 198 to 202 and it’s the right move. These meaningless matchups tend to have the ball rolled out and let the kids play. The loser in this game will score 100, which will likely get us ‘over’ this number.

5) Indiana (+140 ML) – I rarely play on a team that’s dropped six straight, which is the Pacers, but this is a good spot and the line tells me to do so. Washington returns from a four-game road trip and getting up for the first game is always a tough spot. The Wizards are a very streaky team and they’re in a downward spiral right now (0-3 SU, 0-3 ATS).

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Current odds to win the college basketball championship...........

Kentucky, even-- Wager against them at your own peril.

Arizona, 11-2-- Good to have a solid senior point guard.

Wisconsin/Duke, both 8-1-- Lots of Badger fans here in Las Vegas.

Gonzaga 10-1-- Trying to get to first Final Four.

Michigan State, 12-1-- Four straight Sweet 16's, four straight bowl wins.

Utah, 20-1-- There is another Coach K making noise this March.


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Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Random stuff as I head on home

13) Over last four years, underdogs are 23-9 vs spread in this round of NCAAs, so you figure if someone is going to get Kentucky, it could be here. Having a lot of prep time to devise a unique strategy could be a reason why.

12) Over that same period, #1-seeds are 3-10 against the spread in this round.

11) Nevada hires Eric Musselman over Tony Barbee as its basketball coach, maybe because Musselman worked at LSU this year for Trent Johnson, who is one of the best coaches Nevada has had. Wolf Pack is going to move up in Mountain West.

10) Joakim Noah had 14 assists against Toronto last week, the first NBA center since 1990 with 14+ assists in a game.

9) Halftime score Wednesday in New York: Clippers 63, Knicks 33. Oy.

8) Iowa Hawkeyes are letting QB Jake Rudock transfer and play without sitting a year, quite an indictment, seeing as Rudock has been the Hawkeyes' starter the last two seasons and he is rumored to be heading to Big 14 rival Michigan.

7) Dalton State won the NAIA basketball championship, in only the second season since they revived their program after a 35-year hiatus. Thats hard to do.

6) Old Dominion 72, Murray State 69-- Wild game, with two 3-pointers made in last 0:03.5; Racers lost two games since Thanksgiving, both on banked-in 3-pointers.

5) Nothing against Belmont, but watching Murray State play twice this week, I'm feeling cheated they didn't play in NCAAs; think they could've made the Sweet 16, but thats the tightrope mid-majors walk in their conference tournaments.

4) A's sent reliever Ryan Cook to AAA, which is surpising; he's helped the ballclub a lot the last few years, but he's had a rough spring. I'm guessing there is going to be a pretty active shuttle between Oakland and their new AAA team in Nashville.

3) There is an Arena Football team here in Las Vegas this year, the third time the AFL has tried to find a home in the desert. Singer Vince Neil is the team's owner, joining Gene Simmons as an Arenaball owner.

2) Nothing is as uplifting as walking thru a casino just before midnight, and seeing a family of six trudging along, with the mom pushing the youngest in a stroller, while the other three urchins (none older than 10) follow the dad like little ducklings.

Start 'em early, people!!!!

1) I'm headimg home today after a terrific vacation at South Point, which is a very good place to stay. I highly recommend it........

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, March 26

Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks

Game 801-802
March 26, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana Pacers
118.613
Milwaukee Bucks
117.225
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana Pacers
by 1 1/2
181
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee Bucks
by 1 1/2
186 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana Pacers
(+1 1/2); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 26

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INDIANA (31 - 40) at MILWAUKEE (35 - 36) - 3/26/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 24-39 ATS (-18.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 8-23 ATS (-17.3 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 40-29 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 26-17 ATS (+7.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MILWAUKEE is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 47-68 ATS (-27.8 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 322-388 ATS (-104.8 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 73-101 ATS (-38.1 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
MILWAUKEE is 6-5 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 8-3 straight up against MILWAUKEE 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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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 26

Hot Teams
-- None

Cold Teams
-- Milwaukee lost six of its last seven games. Pacers lost six of their last seven games (2-5 vs spread).

Series Records
-- Pacers won eight of last nine games with Milwaukee.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Indiana games went over the total.

Back-to-Backs
-- Indiana is 4-0 vs spread on road if it played on road the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 235-166 ATS: West 206-192-3
East teams HF vs West: 49-56
East teams HU vs West: 45-46
West teams HF vs East: 81-78-3
West teams HU vs East: 24-19




NBA

Thursday, March 26

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
INDIANA vs. MILWAUKEE
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Indiana's last 9 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Indiana is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Milwaukee is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games at home
Milwaukee is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Indiana

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, March 26


Road teams have huge night on the court Wednesday

Backing road teams was definitely the way to go in NBA action Wednesday night, with teams in the visitors locker room going an impressive 12-1 against the spread.

Even more impressive was that it was road dogs doing most of the leg work, posting a 8-1 record ATS. Road favorites went 4-0 ATS. Away teams have cashed 51.5 percent of the time this season.

The San Antonio Spurs were the lone home team to come through for bettors last night.


Raptors go over again in loss to Bulls

The Toronto Raptors feel 116-103 to the Chicago Bulls Wednesday night, but continue to be the NBA's best over play in the process.

The Raptors have gone over the total in four consecutive games and in six of the last seven.

The latest over run has Toronto at 41-31 over/under on the season and sit atop the standings as the NBA's best over bet.

Next up for the Raptors host the Los Angeles Lakers at the Air Canada Centre Friday.




NBA roundup: Howard returns in Rockets' win

NEW ORLEANS -- Guard James Harden scored 25 points and dished out 10 assists and forward Trevor Ariza added 22 points to lift the Houston Rockets to a 95-93 victory over the slumping New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night at the Smoothie King Center.

The Rockets trailed by as many as 17 points in the second quarter, but they erased the deficit with a 35-12 run over an 11:20 span of the second and third quarters.

Center Dwight Howard returned to the Rockets' starting lineup after missing the last two months with a sore right knee. Howard played 16 minutes and scored four points and had seven rebounds. Forward Donatas Motiejunas added 21 points for the Rockets, who have won five of their last six games.

The Pelicans dropped their fourth consecutive game, tying their longest losing streak of the season.

Hawks 95, Magic 83

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Forward Paul Millsap had 25 points and 11 rebounds, leading Atlanta to a victory over Orlando.

The Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak, the worst stretch in their strong season. They already have clinched their first division title since 1995. Guard Jeff Teague had 16 points, including nine points in the final five minutes when the Hawks took control after trailing much of the game.

Hawks guard Kyle Korver added 13 points, and forward DeMarre Carroll had 11 points and seven rebounds. Center Al Horford chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds. Guard Elfird Payton led Orlando with 19 points.

Clippers 111, Knicks 80

NEW YORK -- Guard Austin Rivers scored 21 points to lead six Los Angeles players in double figures, and the Clippers routed the Knicks.

Guard J.J. Redick scored 17 points, and Los Angeles got 14 points from forward Blake Griffin and 14 points, 10 points and blocked five shots from center DeAndre Jordan. Point guard Chris Paul contributed 11 points and 16 assists, one shy of his season best and five short of his career high.

The Knicks, who dressed only 10 players due to various injuries, were led by rookie forward Cleanthony Early's career-high 18 points. Forward Lance Thomas added 14 points.

Bulls 116, Raptors 103

TORONTO -- For a fourth time this season and fifth time in a row, Chicago defeated Toronto. Guard Jimmy Butler led way with 23 points, and the Bulls used a late 7-0 run led by a 3-pointer from guard Aaron Brooks to pull away for the victory.

Bulls forward Paul Gasol had 18 points, Brooks finished with 16, and reserve forwards Terry Snell and forward Nikola Mirotic added 17 and 15 points, respectively.

Toronto got a season-high 22 points from guard Greivis Vasquez, who matched a career best by hitting six 3-pointers (in 11 attempts). Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan added 20 points, guard Lou Williams had 18 points off the bench, and forward Terrence Ross scored 16.

Pacers 103, Wizards 101

WASHINGTON -- Guard George Hill scored on a layup with 2.7 seconds left and Indiana ended a six-game losing streak with a win over Washington.

With Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi on hand, the Pacers (31-40) kicked their offense into winning mode with a 23-11 closing run. Hill scored 12 points in the quarter, including the final basket after Wizards guard John Wall's 3-pointer with 11.9 seconds left tied the score at 101.

Wall scored 34 points -- 27 after halftime -- for the Wizards (41-31), who have lost four straight. The All-Star scored 12 of Washington's 14 points during one stretch for a 90-80 lead with 6:46 left with Messi and members of the Argentine national team watching.

Heat 93, Celtics 86

BOSTON -- Seriously undermanned Miami, which blew a game in the closing minutes at Milwaukee on Tuesday night, fought off a fourth-quarter charge by Boston and survived.

Despite the absence of guard Dwyane Wade, center Hassan Whiteside and forward Chris Andersen, and with forwards Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts gone for the year, the Heat remained in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Miami (33-38) leads Boston (31-40) and the Indiana Pacers (31-40) by two games as the teams fight for the conference's last two playoff spots. The Celtics are ahead on a tiebreaker. The Brooklyn Nets and Charlotte Hornets are each a half-game behind the Celtics and Pacers.

Cavaliers 111, Grizzlies 89

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Cleveland cruised to an easy win over Memphis at FedExForum behind a game-high 24 points from point guard Kyrie Irving and a double-double by forward Kevin Love with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

The Cavaliers blew the game open in the third quarter, going on a 22-4 run to take a 86-57 lead with 1:52 left in the quarter after a 3-pointer from guard Matthew Dellavedova (nine points, four assists).

Forward LeBron James had 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Cavaliers. Center Timofey Mozgov contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, four assists and a block.

Nets 91, Hornets 88

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Center Brook Lopez continued his torrid play with 34 points and 10 rebounds, and Brooklyn beat Charlotte in a huge game for both teams' playoff aspirations.

Lopez, who had averaged 29.7 points over his previous three games, was 16 of 26 from the field. His floater in the lane with 23.1 seconds left gave the Nets the lead for good at 87-85, and then he turned defensive hero at the end. With the Hornets inbounding with 3.2 seconds left trailing by three, Lopez deflected an inbounds pass to cause a turnover and the Nets were able to run out the clock.

The Nets (30-40) are now tied with the Hornets (30-40), one-half game out of the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The win gave the Nets the tiebreaker advantage over the Hornets by virtue of two wins in three games between the teams this season.

Lakers 101, Timberwolves 99 (OT)

MINNEAPOLIS -- Two free throws by guard Jordan Clarkson with 0.3 seconds remaining in overtime lifted Los Angeles to a win over Minnesota at Target Center.

Clarkson led the Lakers with 20 points and finished 8-for-8 from the foul line. He also made a driving layup with 34.5 seconds left in overtime to give Los Angeles the lead for good.

Lakers guard Jeremy Lin added 19 points, and forward Ed Davis contributed 14 points and nine rebounds. Forward Ryan Kelly and center Tarik Black each had 11 points. Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins scored a game-high 27 points on 8-of-16 shooting from the floor. Forward Chase Budinger had 22 off the bench, and guard Zach LaVine finished with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Trail Blazers 92, Jazz 89

SALT LAKE CITY -- Guard Damian Lillard scored 23 points and forward LaMarcus Aldridge added 19 to lift Portland to a comeback victory over Utah.

Forward Dorrell Wright chipped in 15 points off the bench to help Portland win for the sixth time in its past seven contests against Utah.

Forward Derrick Favors scored 26 points and collected 13 rebounds while guard Trey Burke chipped in 22 points to lead the Jazz. Center Rudy Gobert added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Utah which lost its third straight game.

The Trail Blazers outdueled the Jazz in fast-break points, finishing with a 21-6 edge.

76ers 99, Nuggets 85

DENVER -- Rookie forward Robert Covington tied a career high with 25 points, center Nerlens Noel had 14 points and 15 rebounds and Philadelphia beat Denver.

Covington also tied a career high with six 3-pointers to help the 76ers sweep the season series from Denver. Guard Isaiah Canaan added 15 points off the bench for Philadelphia. Guard Ty Lawson scored 19 points and forward Wilson Chandler had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets.

Spurs 130, Thunder 91

SAN ANTONIO -- Guard Tony Parker scored 21 points, and forward Boris Diaw added 19, helping San Antonio roll past Oklahoma City. The Spurs converted 58 percent of their shots, including 13 of 21 3-pointers.

Parker hit 10 of 14 shots. He had six rebounds and six assists, doing all that work in an efficient 28 minutes. Diaw made nine of 15 from the field. Forwards Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard contributed 16 and 14 points, respectively.

Guard Russell Westbrook and center Enes Kanter led Oklahoma City with 16 points apiece.

Kings 108, Suns 99

PHOENIX -- Center DeMarcus Cousins scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Sacramento dealt Phoenix's playoff hopes a severe blow.

Sacramento forward Rudy Gay and guard Ray McCallum scored 14 points each, and guard Ben McLemore had six of his 12 points on a pair of big 3-pointers down the stretch. The Kings earned a fourth consecutive win for the first time since early November.

Forward Markieff Morris scored 24 points to lead the Suns, who remain three games behind the Thunder in the race for the final playoff spot in the West.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, March 26

Indiana at Milwaukee, 8:05 ET
Indiana: 8-23 ATS in March games
Milwaukee: 18-8 ATS after playing 2 consecutive games as an underdog

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pacers (31-40) at Bucks (35-36)

Date: March 26, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

After Khris Middleton's buzzer-beater stopped the Milwaukee Bucks' lengthy losing streak, George Hill's driving layup helped the Indiana Pacers slow their late-season fade.

Still clinging to sixth place in the Eastern Conference, the host Bucks seek their first back-to-back wins in five weeks Thursday night against a Pacers team looking to grab the final playoff spot in the conference.

Milwaukee (35-36) was eight games above .500 and had a 7 1/2-game lead on the sixth seed Feb. 20 before dropping 13 of 16 heading into its home game against Miami on Tuesday.

Trailing by 14 in the fourth quarter, the Bucks were in danger of having their advantage sliced to one-half game until Middleton made a 3-pointer at the horn for an 89-88 victory that snapped a six-game slide. Ersan Ilyasova led the way with 19 points and 11 boards for Milwaukee, now two games ahead of the seventh-place Heat.

"I think we are more or less in the process of learning, right?" said coach Jason Kidd, who took over a team that won just 15 games last season. "We're going to be a young team that plays everyone to one possession."

Milwaukee has certainly had those types of contests against the Pacers. Following an 87-81 road win Nov. 4, the Bucks suffered a 94-91 home loss Jan. 2 before falling 109-103 in overtime at Indiana on March 12.

The Pacers (31-40) stood in seventh place in the East after topping Milwaukee earlier this month. However, they dropped their next six to slide down to 10th before ending the untimely skid with Wednesday's 103-101 win at Washington.

Hill keyed the victory with 29 points - including the go-ahead layup with 2.7 seconds left - to go with nine assists and seven rebounds. He's averaging 22.0 points on 55.9 percent shooting over his past seven games.

Despite their struggles, the Pacers can move into sole possession of the last playoff slot with another win over the Bucks.

"We're in survival mode right now and every game matters," said coach Frank Vogel, who looks to guide Indiana to its 14th win in the last 17 meetings. "This is a group that's been deep in the playoffs and I like our chances."

The Pacers, who rank among the league leaders in points allowed per game (97.1), will try to tighten things up after allowing an average of 108.2 in the past six games. They've limited the Bucks to 91.3 in regulation in the three earlier meetings.

Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo has totaled 18 points on 6-of-22 shooting in the last two matchups, but he's averaged 17.8 and shot 52.0 percent in his past six overall.

Michael Carter-Williams, acquired in a trade at last month's deadline, is averaging 19.8 points in his five career meetings.

Last season's rookie of the year had 28 points, eight rebounds and four steals in his first matchup since joining the Bucks. He's looking to bounce back after finishing with four points before fouling out in 26 minutes Tuesday.

O.J. Mayo made his return against the Heat following a four-game absence due to a hamstring injury, while fellow reserve Jared Dudley is questionable after missing the past six because of a knee injury.

Paul George, Indiana's leading scorer the past two seasons, isn't yet ready to return from a broken leg. Rodney Stuckey, who scored 25 in the last game versus Milwaukee, could miss a third straight game with a sore left calf.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Friday, March 27

Detroit Pistons vs Orlando Magic

Game 851-852
March 27, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit Pistons
119.009
Orlando Magic
114.957
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit Pistons
by 4
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit Pistons
by 1 1/2
196 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit Pistons
(-1 1/2); Over

Los Angeles Clippers vs Philadelphia 76ers

Game 853-854
March 27, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles Clipp
127.088
Philadelphia 76er
113.583
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles Clippers
by 13 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles Clipp
by 11 1/2
203
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles Clipp
(-11 1/2); Over

Charlotte Hornets vs Washington Wizards

Game 855-856
March 27, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte Hornets
115.601
Washington Wizard
117.193
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington Wizards
by 1 1/2
182
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington Wizard
by 3 1/2
187
Dunkel Pick:
Charlotte Hornets
(+3 1/2); Under

Los Angeles Lakers vs Toronto Raptors

Game 857-858
March 27, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles Laker
114.395
Toronto Raptors
115.942
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto Raptors
by 1 1/2
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto Raptors
by 9 1/2
207
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles Laker
(+9 1/2); Under

Cleveland Cavaliers vs Brooklyn Nets

Game 859-860
March 27, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland Cavalie
127.868
Brooklyn Nets
117.443
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland Cavaliers
by 10 1/2
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland Cavalie
by 8 1/2
206 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland Cavalie
(-8 1/2); Over

Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks

Game 861-862
March 27, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami Heat
114.643
Atlanta Hawks
128.920
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta Hawks
by 14 1/2
197
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta Hawks
by 10
193
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta Hawks
(-10); Over

Boston Celtics vs New York Knicks

Game 863-864
March 27, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston Celtics
118.049
New York Knicks
113.980
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston Celtics
by 4
190
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston Celtics
by 9 1/2
194 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York Knicks
(+9 1/2); Under

Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans

Game 865-866
March 27, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento Kings
115.395
New Orleans Pelic
119.851
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans Pelicans
by 4 1/2
201
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Orleans Pelic
by 7
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento Kings
(+7); Under

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Houston Rockets

Game 867-868
March 27, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota Timberw
113.328
Houston Rockets
123.991
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston Rockets
by 10 1/2
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston Rockets
by 12 1/2
205
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota Timberw
(+12 1/2); Under

Golden State Warriors vs Memphis Grizzlies

Game 869-870
March 27, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State Warr
125.355
Memphis Grizzlies
126.401
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis Grizzlies
by 1
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State Warr
by 3 1/2
198 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis Grizzlies
(+3 1/2); Under

Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs

Game 871-872
March 27, 2015 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas Mavericks
116.622
San Antonio Spurs
129.623
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio Spurs
by 12 1/2
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio Spurs
by 8 1/2
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio Spurs
(-8 1/2); Over

Utah Jazz vs Denver Nuggets

Game 873-874
March 27, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah Jazz
116.622
Denver Nuggets
125.933
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Denver Nuggets
by 9 1/2
200
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver Nuggets
by 1 1/2
195
Dunkel Pick:
Denver Nuggets
(-1 1/2); Over

Portland Trail Blazers vs Phoenix Suns

Game 875-876
March 27, 2015 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland Trail Bl
122.530
Phoenix Suns
124.347
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Phoenix Suns
by 2
208 1/2
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland Trail Bl
by 1
205
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix Suns
(+1); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, March 27

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

DETROIT (27 - 44) at ORLANDO (22 - 51) - 3/27/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
DETROIT is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 47-67 ATS (-26.7 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 31-49 ATS (-22.9 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 29-44 ATS (-19.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 32-45 ATS (-17.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

LA CLIPPERS (47 - 25) at PHILADELPHIA (18 - 54) - 3/27/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 31-40 ATS (-13.0 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) in home games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 62-38 ATS (+20.2 Units) in road games after allowing 85 points or less since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 21-46 ATS (-29.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 91-133 ATS (-55.3 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 5-0 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 5-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

CHARLOTTE (30 - 40) at WASHINGTON (40 - 32) - 3/27/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 8-3 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 8-3 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

LA LAKERS (19 - 51) at TORONTO (42 - 30) - 3/27/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

CLEVELAND (47 - 26) at BROOKLYN (30 - 40) - 3/27/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 49-35 ATS (+10.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 34-25 ATS (+6.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
BROOKLYN is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) in home games this season.
BROOKLYN is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

MIAMI (33 - 38) at ATLANTA (54 - 17) - 3/27/2015, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 5-5 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 6-5 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

BOSTON (31 - 40) at NEW YORK (14 - 58) - 3/27/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 40-30 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games this season.
BOSTON is 23-14 ATS (+7.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
NEW YORK is 27-43 ATS (-20.3 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 24-38 ATS (-17.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
NEW YORK is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in home games this season.
NEW YORK is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
NEW YORK is 19-29 ATS (-12.9 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
NEW YORK is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 20-34 ATS (-17.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 11-25 ATS (-16.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
NEW YORK is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
NEW YORK is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
NEW YORK is 16-25 ATS (-11.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 9-8 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 10-7 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
11 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SACRAMENTO (26 - 45) at NEW ORLEANS (37 - 34) - 3/27/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 27-41 ATS (-18.1 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
SACRAMENTO is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
SACRAMENTO is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 39-31 ATS (+4.9 Units) in all games this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 183-228 ATS (-67.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

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

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

MINNESOTA (16 - 55) at HOUSTON (48 - 23) - 3/27/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 6-4 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 8-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

GOLDEN STATE (58 - 13) at MEMPHIS (50 - 22) - 3/27/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 23-14 ATS (+7.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 41-26 ATS (+12.4 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 38-21 ATS (+14.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) against Southwest division opponents this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MEMPHIS is 15-24 ATS (-11.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 6-2 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 6-2 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

DALLAS (45 - 27) at SAN ANTONIO (45 - 26) - 3/27/2015, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
DALLAS is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
DALLAS is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
DALLAS is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 893-784 ATS (+30.6 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 706-604 ATS (+41.6 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 455-381 ATS (+35.9 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 397-337 ATS (+26.3 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 182-138 ATS (+30.2 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 257-209 ATS (+27.1 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 159-115 ATS (+32.5 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 116-84 ATS (+23.6 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 319-251 ATS (+42.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 46-33 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 224-177 ATS (+29.3 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 10-8 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 13-5 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

UTAH (31 - 40) at DENVER (27 - 45) - 3/27/2015, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

PORTLAND (45 - 25) at PHOENIX (38 - 34) - 3/27/2015, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 7-2 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 6-3 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, March 27

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

7:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
LA Clippers are 5-12 SU in their last 17 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games
Philadelphia is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers

7:00 PM
DETROIT vs. ORLANDO
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Detroit is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Orlando's last 12 games when playing Detroit

7:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games on the road
Charlotte is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
Cleveland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Brooklyn is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Brooklyn is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
MIAMI vs. ATLANTA
Miami is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Miami is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Atlanta is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Miami
Atlanta is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Miami

7:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. TORONTO
LA Lakers are 12-4 SU in their last 16 games when playing on the road against Toronto
LA Lakers are 3-10 SU in their last 13 games
Toronto is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
BOSTON vs. NEW YORK
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing New York
New York is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
New York is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games when playing at home against Boston

8:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. MEMPHIS
Golden State is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Memphis
Golden State is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Memphis's last 23 games
Memphis is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Golden State

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games when playing on the road against Houston
Minnesota is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games at home
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

8:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. NEW ORLEANS
Sacramento is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans
Sacramento is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of New Orleans's last 12 games when playing Sacramento
New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home

8:30 PM
DALLAS vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Dallas is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
San Antonio is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas

9:00 PM
UTAH vs. DENVER
Utah is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Utah's last 19 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Denver's last 10 games at home
Denver is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games at home

10:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Portland's last 7 games on the road
Portland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Phoenix is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Portland
Phoenix is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, March 27

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Game of the Day: Warriors at Grizzlies
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Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies (+3.5, 198.5)

The Golden State Warriors are breaking franchise records and running away with the Western Conference. The Warriors will try to set the franchise record for road wins in a season when they visit the second-place Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Golden State is under no real threat from the Grizzlies, who sit 8 1/2 games back in the West, and clinched the Pacific Division title on Tuesday by starting the four-game road trip off with a 122-108 win at Portland.

The Grizzlies are coming off a 111-89 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday that marked their worst home loss of the season. Memphis tends to control the interior with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph but was beaten up on the glass and could not get anything going on the perimeter in the loss. While the Warriors have all but wrapped up the No. 1 spot, the Grizzlies have played their way into a battle for the No. 2 spot and lead the Houston Rockets by 1 1/2 games.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), SportSouth (Memphis)

LINE HISTORY: Vegas opened the Grizzlies +3 before quickly moving them to +3.5. Books opened the total anywhere from 198 to 199.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - Shaun Livingston (Ques-Hand) Grizzlies - N/A

POWER RANKINGS: Warriors (-15.7) + Grizzlies (-8.9) + Homecourt (-3) = Grizzlies +3.8

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (58-13 SU, 42-28-1 ATS, 34-37 O/U): Golden State took some time to acknowledge its first Pacific Division title since 1976 while pointing toward bigger goals. “Obviously, we all know the main goal, but it takes baby steps,” forward Draymond Green told reporters. “You reach certain milestones to get to the main goal, and this is one of them. … The goal is still the goal, so the focus must remain the same.” The Warriors have won seven straight and turned close games into routs by dominating the third quarter in the last two contests.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (50-22 SU, 34-36-2 ATS, 32-38-2 O/U): Memphis began a string of three straight games against title contenders with the loss to the Cavaliers and is hoping to put the bad performance behind it quickly. “It makes you have a sickness in your stomach because you know that you are better than that,” Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph told reporters. “It’s the NBA, so it’s a good thing because you always have a game the next day. You have to prepare – it’s tough.” Randolph, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds in a 105-98 home win over the Warriors on Dec. 16, was held to five points on 2-of-8 shooting by Cleveland.

TRENDS:

*Warriors are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
*Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
*Over is 5-0 in Warriors last 5 vs. Western Conference.
*Under is 5-0 in Grizzlies last 5 vs. NBA Pacific

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

-- RIP Hot Rod Hundley, the former West Virginia sharpshooter who was a beloved announcer for the Utah Jazz for many years.

-- Good to see Tim McCarver will be doing 40 games on TV for the Cardinals; he was really good when he worked every day for the Mets, not so much on network TV. That happens to lot of analysts; need to work a lot to be good.

-- Gonzaga 74, UCLA 62-- Zags get to first Final Four if they beat Duke Sunday.

-- Louisville 75, NC State 65-- Rick Pitino is a really, really good coach.

-- Duke 63, Utah 57-- Third foul on Utes' star Wright was a joke; was 2-point game when it happened. Duke then scored the next seven points.

-- Michigan State 62, Oklahoma 58-- Spartans were down double digits in first half.



**********

Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Some baseballl prop bets for 2015.....

What follows are from a sheet of prop bets I picked up in Las Vegas this week......the object is to pick whether the player will go over/under the listed number
13) Most home runs, any player: 43.5, under -$120

12) Most hits, any player: 208

11) Most RBI, any player: 125.5

10) Most wins, any pitcher: 21

9) Total wins for Clayton Kershaw, 18

8) Total home runs by Bryce Harper, 24.5

7) Most complete games by any pitcher, 6

6) Total hits by Mike Trout, 173.5

5) Total wins, Gerrit Cole, 11.5

4) Total home runs, Edwin Encarnacion, 34.5

3) Total home runs, Andrew McCutchen, 23.5

2) Total wins, Felix Hernandez, 14.5

1) Total home runs, Yasiel Puig, 20.5

We'll post some more of these as the season approaches......

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, March 28

Hot Teams
-- Hawks won six of last seven at home; they clinched home field thru the Eastern Conference playoffs last night (3-5 last eight AF).
-- Bulls won four of their last five games (4-1 last five HF).
-- Golden State won its last seven games (6-1 vs spread).
-- Thunder won four of its last five games (6-3 last nine AF).
-- Portland won last two games, allowing 89-81 points, after losing five in row before that (5-2 last seven HF).

Cold Teams
-- Charlotte is 2-8 in last ten games, losing in double OT last night (4-2 last six HU).
-- Knicks lost their last six games (1-5 vs spread).
-- Milwaukee lost six of last seven games (1-3 last four HU).
-- Utah lost five of its last six games (4-1 last five HU).
-- Nuggets lost four of their last six games (6-3 last nine AU).

Series Records
-- Hawks won eight of last ten games with Charlotte.
-- Knicks lost eight of last ten games with Chicago.
-- Warriors won their last three games with Milwaukee.
-- Thunder won seven of last nine games with Utah.
-- Nuggets lost their last seven games with Portland.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Charlotte home games went over.
-- Six of last eight New York road games stayed under.
-- Under is 9-4 in Golden State's last 13 road games.
-- Last nine Oklahoma City road games went over.
-- Five of last six Portland home games went over.

Back-to-Backs
-- Hawks are 2-4-1 vs spread on road if they were at home night before. Charlotte is 3-5 at home if they played night before.
-- Knicks are 5-9-1 on road if they played night before.
-- Golden State is 7-5 on road if it played night before.
-- Jazz is 3-2 vs spread at home if they played night before.
-- Denver is 1-5 vs spread if it won night before; Portland is 8-7 when it had played the night before.

East vs West
SU: West 236-167 ATS: West 207-193-3
East teams HF vs West: 50-56
East teams HU vs West: 45-47
West teams HF vs East: 81-78-3
West teams HU vs East: 24-19




NBA

Saturday, March 28

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. CHARLOTTE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games
Atlanta is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Charlotte's last 14 games when playing Atlanta
Charlotte is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home

8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. CHICAGO
New York is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
New York is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New York
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chicago's last 10 games

8:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. MILWAUKEE
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 9 games when playing Milwaukee
Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 9 games when playing at home against Golden State
Milwaukee is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Golden State

9:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. UTAH
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Oklahoma City's last 7 games
Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Utah's last 20 games

10:00 PM
DENVER vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver's last 6 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 6 games on the road
Portland is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Denver
Portland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games