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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, March 30

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. CHARLOTTE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games on the road
Boston is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Charlotte's last 8 games at home
Charlotte is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games at home

7:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of the LA Lakers last 13 games
LA Lakers are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 games
Philadelphia is 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Philadelphia is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

7:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. TORONTO
Houston is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Houston is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. ATLANTA
Milwaukee is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Atlanta
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Atlanta is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Atlanta's last 15 games when playing Milwaukee

8:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Sacramento's last 21 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Memphis's last 7 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Memphis's last 16 games at home

8:00 PM
UTAH vs. MINNESOTA
Utah is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games
Minnesota is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Utah
Minnesota is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Utah

10:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. PORTLAND
Phoenix is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Phoenix is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Portland is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, March 30


Raptors' PG Kyle Lowry, doubtful Monday

Lowry is dealing with back spasms and has missed the last two games. He is unlikely to return Monday against the Rockets.


Hawks' PG Jeff Teague, doubtful Monday

Teague has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and is unlikely to return Monday against the Bucks.


T-Wolves' PG Ricky Rubio, questionable Monday

Rubio has missed the last six contests with a sore right ankle and but could return Monday against the Jazz.


Cavaliers' PF Kevin Love, probable Thursday

Love suffered a lower-back injury Sunday but is expected to play Thursday against the Heat.


Favorites cash on the court Sunday

NBA favorites cashed for bettors Sunday night, going 6-2-1 against the spread.

Favorites were a decent bet all week going 30-22-1 ATS in the last seven days, hitting at a rate of 57.7 percent.


Wizards hit another ATS slump, are NBA's worst bet

The Washington Wizards lost 99-91 as 2-point dogs to the Houston Rockets Sunday and it was the sixth consecutive game they failed to cover the spread.

It is the third time this season the Wizards have been on a cold betting streak of at least six games or more. The two previous times, they went nine straight games without covering a spread.

The latest cold streak has the Wizards at 28-45-1 ATS on the season, the worst record in the NBA.

Washington is off until Wednesday when they host the Philadelphia 76ers.



NBA roundup: Cavs slip past Sixers

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Cavaliers survived a scare from the Philadelphia 76ers for an 87-86 victory Sunday, although Cleveland lost two key players to injury.

Cleveland forward Kevin Love, who has battled back problems throughout the season, took an elbow to his lower back in the fourth quarter and had to leave the game soon after. Cavs guard Iman Shumpert jammed his ankle going up for a dunk in the second quarter and left the game immediately. Neither player returned, but neither injury is considered serious.

The Cavs began the day with everyone available, yet they only survived when Philadelphia's Nerlens Noel missed a contested shot in the lane in the game's final seconds.

Neither team scored a basket for the final 3:57. The Sixers missed their final five shots and their last four free throws, while the Cavs missed their last six shots. Philadelphia guard Ish Smith missed a pair of open 3-pointers, and forward Robert Covington (team-high 19 points) missed two free throws, all in the final 90 seconds,

Rockets 99, Wizards 91

WASHINGTON -- Guard James Harden scored 24 points, and Houston fended off a second-half rally for a win over Washington.

Forward Corey Brewer scored 15 points and forward Josh Smith had 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who won their fourth straight. Center Dwight Howard had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Guard John Wall finished with 25 points for the Wizards, coming up short of his third straight game with 30 or more points. The All-Star also had 12 assists and made 11 of 12 free throws. Washington lost for the fifth time in six games.

Pelicans 110, Timberwolves 88

NEW ORLEANS -- Forward Anthony Davis scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and center Omer Asik added 15 points to lead New Orleans past injury-riddled Minnesota.

Davis struggled with his outside shot, going 10-for-21 from the floor, but he made eight of 10 free throws. Guard Eric Gordon added 12 points, and forward Quincy Pondexter, guard Norris Cole and center Alexis Ajinca had 10 each for New Orleans.

Minnesota got a team-high 20 points from forward Andrew Wiggins, but the Timberwolves killed their chances with 21 turnovers.

Nets 107, Lakers 99

NEW YORK -- Center Brook Lopez collected 30 points and 11 rebounds, and Brooklyn held on for a victory over Los Angeles.

Forward Joe Johnson added 18 points and rookie guard Markel Brown contributed a career-high 17 points for Brooklyn, which equaled a season high with three consecutive wins. Lopez posted his sixth straight game with at least 20 points and reached 30 points for the fourth time in six games, helping Brooklyn win for the seventh time in nine games.

Center Jordan Hill returned to the Los Angeles lineup after sitting out three games and collected 22 points and 16 rebounds. The Lakers lost for the 12th time in 15 games.

Pacers 104, Mavericks 99

INDIANAPOLIS -- C.J. Miles scored 28 points, including a clutch 3-pointer with one minute remaining and two free throws with 1.7 seconds to go, leading Indiana past Dallas. It was the first time in 34 games this season that the Mavericks lost when leading after three quarters. Indiana snapped a four-game home losing streak.

Two free throws from center Roy Hibbert broke a tie and gave the Pacers a 99-97 lead with 1:30 remaining. Miles followed with the 3-pointer 30 seconds later for a 102-97 lead. Dallas forward Chandler Parson made a layup with 55 second to go to slice the deficit to 102-99, but the Mavericks, who managed only 38 second-half points, did not score again.

Hibbert and guard George Hill each added 14 for Indiana. Parsons led Dallas with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Forward Dirk Nowitzki had 19 points and five rebounds, and guard Rajon Rondo added 17 points and 10 assists.

Spurs 103, Grizzlies 89

SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points as San Antonio defeated Memphis. The Spurs forward scored the team's first 15 points of the fourth quarter and helped doom the Grizzlies to their third consecutive loss, matching their longest slump of the season.

Leonard shot 11-for-17 from the field and finished one point shy of tying his career high.

San Antonio forward Tiago Splitter added 15 points and guard Tony Parker scored 17. Forward Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting while forward Jeff Green chipped in with 19.

Thunder 109, Suns 97

PHOENIX -- Kyle Singler, D.J. Augustin and Anthony Morrow all hit 3-pointers during a 13-0 Oklahoma City run early the fourth quarter, and the Thunder rallied from a 20-point, first-half deficit to beat Phoenix.

Guard Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 33 points, but he scored just four in the fourth quarter and was on the bench resting when his teammates took control of the game. He made only 10 of 29 shots from the floor.

Augustin finished with 19 points, and guard Dion Waiters scored nine of his 18 in the third quarter. Thunder center Steven Adams added 13 points and 16 rebounds. Forward Markieff Morris had 24 points to lead the Suns, but he scored only four in the second half.

Heat 109, Pistons 102

MIAMI -- Undersized and undermanned Miami stretched its home winning streak to a season-best five. Shooting guard Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 40 points to lead the Heat, who had just nine healthy players available in the second half.

Wade scored 19 of his points in the fourth quarter. Miami's Udonis Haslem, playing center, had a season-high 18 points to go with a season-high 13 rebounds, and rookie forward James Ennis came off the bench to score a career-high 16 points. Center Drummond led Detroit with 32 points and 14 rebounds, and guard Reggie Jackson added 31 points.

Miami, playing without four injured 6-foot-10 or taller big men, Chris Bosh, Josh McRoberts, Hassan Whiteside and Chris Andersen, lost forwards Luol Deng (knee) and Michael Beasley (elbow) to injuries.

Clippers 119, Celtics 106

BOSTON -- Los Angeles saw its 35-point lead slip to 14 in the fourth quarter Sunday, but the Clippers held on to beat Boston.

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who finished with 15 points and 14 rebounds, missed 12 of 15 free throws. Los Angeles guard J.J. Redick hit five of six attempts from behind the 3-point arc and scored 24 of his 27 points in the first three quarters. Guard Chris Paul had 21 points and 10 assists, and forward Blake Griffin added 21 points and nine rebounds.

Guard Isaiah Thomas came off the bench to lead six Celtics (four of them reserves) in double figures with 19 points. Thomas added seven assists. Boston center Tyler Zeller delivered 16 points.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, March 30

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BOSTON (32 - 41) at CHARLOTTE (31 - 41) - 3/30/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 23-35 ATS (-15.5 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 54-32 ATS (+18.8 Units) in home games in March games since 1996.
BOSTON is 40-32 ATS (+4.8 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 27-17 ATS (+8.3 Units) as an underdog this season.
BOSTON is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing on back-to-back days this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 5-5 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 5-5 straight up against BOSTON 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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LA LAKERS (19 - 53) at PHILADELPHIA (18 - 56) - 3/30/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
LA LAKERS are 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 3-2 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
LA LAKERS is 3-2 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

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HOUSTON (50 - 23) at TORONTO (43 - 30) - 3/30/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 43-29 ATS (+11.1 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
HOUSTON is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in non-conference games this season.
HOUSTON is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
TORONTO is 159-199 ATS (-59.9 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.
TORONTO is 124-160 ATS (-52.0 Units) in March games since 1996.
TORONTO is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
TORONTO is 12-22 ATS (-12.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
TORONTO is 157-198 ATS (-60.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 3-2 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 3-2 straight up against TORONTO 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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MILWAUKEE (36 - 37) at ATLANTA (55 - 18) - 3/30/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 322-389 ATS (-105.9 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
ATLANTA is 44-27 ATS (+14.3 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
ATLANTA is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) against Central division opponents this season.
MILWAUKEE is 40-30 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) in road games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 6-3 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 9-1 straight up against MILWAUKEE 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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UTAH (32 - 41) at MINNESOTA (16 - 57) - 3/30/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 52-82 ATS (-38.2 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 185 and 189.5 points since 1996.
UTAH is 18-3 ATS (+14.7 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent this season.
UTAH is 33-13 ATS (+18.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MINNESOTA is 31-40 ATS (-13.0 Units) in all games this season.
MINNESOTA is 323-381 ATS (-96.1 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 31-45 ATS (-18.5 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 6-5 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 7-4 straight up against MINNESOTA 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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SACRAMENTO (26 - 46) at MEMPHIS (50 - 24) - 3/30/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 27-42 ATS (-19.2 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
MEMPHIS is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MEMPHIS is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 15-25 ATS (-12.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 5-5 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 9-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (38 - 36) at PORTLAND (47 - 25) - 3/30/2015, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 89-63 ATS (+19.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 41-26 ATS (+12.4 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 48-25 ATS (+20.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 38-25 ATS (+10.5 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 54-38 ATS (+12.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Monday, March 30


Boston Celtics vs Charlotte Hornets

Game 731-732
March 30, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston Celtics
120.072
Charlotte Hornets
118.656
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston Celtics
by 1 1/2
187
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Charlotte Hornets
by 4
192 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston Celtics
(+4); Under

Los Angeles Lakers vs Philadelphia 76ers

Game 733-734
March 30, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Los Angeles Laker
113.793
Philadelphia 76er
112.883
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles Lakers
by 1
191
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia 76er
by 4
195
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles Laker
(+4); Under

Houston Rockets vs Toronto Raptors

Game 735-736
March 30, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston Rockets
121.256
Toronto Raptors
125.191
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto Raptors
by 4
211
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto Raptors
by 1 1/2
207 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto Raptors
(-1 1/2); Over

Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks

Game 737-738
March 30, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee Bucks
111.762
Atlanta Hawks
126.395
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta Hawks
by 14 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta Hawks
by 7 1/2
193 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta Hawks
(-7 1/2); Over

Utah Jazz vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Game 739-740
March 30, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah Jazz
119.209
Minnesota Timberw
113.293
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah Jazz
by 6
181
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah Jazz
by 3 1/2
185
Dunkel Pick:
Utah Jazz
(-3 1/2); Under

Sacramento Kings vs Memphis Grizzlies

Game 741-742
March 30, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento Kings
113.689
Memphis Grizzlies
126.886
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis Grizzlies
by 13
192
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis Grizzlies
by 8
196 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis Grizzlies
(-8); Under

Phoenix Suns vs Portland Trail Blazers

Game 743-744
March 30, 2015 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix Suns
119.702
Portland Trail Bl
126.209
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland Trail Blazers
by 6 1/2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland Trail Bl
by 8
201
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix Suns
(+8); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Monday, March 30

Boston at Charlotte, 7:05 ET
Boston: 40-32 ATS in all games
Charlotte: 6-15 ATS in a home game where the total is between 190 and 199.5 points

LA Lakers at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
LA Lakers: 21-12 ATS after one or more consecutive overs
Philadelphia: 52-77 ATS in home games after 2 straight games with 19 or less assists

Houston at Toronto, 7:35 ET
Houston: 18-8 ATS after a non-conference game
Toronto: 7-15 ATS in home games after 1 or more consecutive wins

Milwaukee at Atlanta, 7:35 ET
Milwaukee: 322-389 ATS second half of the season
Atlanta: 44-27 ATS in all games

Utah at Minnesota, 8:05 ET
Utah: 19-8 ATS in road games after having lost 2 of their last 3 games
Minnesota: 6-14 ATS in home games after having lost 8 or more of their last 10 games

Sacramento at Memphis, 8:05 ET
Sacramento: 6-16 ATS when playing with 2 days rest
Memphis: 41-24 ATS after playing a game as a road underdog

Phoenix at Portland, 10:05 ET
Phoenix: 24-12 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points
Portland: 13-27 ATS in home games after 5 straight games forcing opponent to commit 14 or less turnovers

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Monday

March 30, 2015


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hawks are 12-0 ATS (9.12 ppg) since Dec 28, 2011 with at most one day of rest after a game on the road in which they shot at least ten three-pointers and made at least half of them.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hawks are 0-12 OU (-9.00 ppg) since Nov 21, 2008 at home after a game in which they scored less than 25 points in the paint.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hornets are 0-9-2 OU (-11.45 ppg) since Nov 06, 2013 at home after Kemba Walker was the Hornets’ high scorer in a win.

NBA BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Suns are 2-10 ATS off a home loss in which they led by double digits at the end of the first quarter.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Suns are 0-7 OU (-15.64 ppg) since Feb 28, 2015 after Eric Bledsoe had at least 5 turnovers.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Top Action

March 30, 2015


HOUSTON ROCKETS (50-23) at TORONTO RAPTORS (43-30)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Toronto -1.5, Total: 208

The Houston Rockets will attempt to extend their winning streak to five games when they head north and take on the Toronto Raptors this Monday night.

The Rockets have continued to be one of the elite teams out west as they have won seven of their past eight contests (6-2 ATS), winning by an average of 7.9 PPG over that period. Three of those victories came on the road as they put up 100+ points in all but two of the outings. They had a tough draw on Sunday when they traveled to Washington as 2-point favorites and came away with a 99-91 win. Six different players hit double-digits in points as they overcame a 19 turnover game with the defense holding the Wizards to 29-of-75 shooting (39% FG).

The Raptors certainly haven’t been the same since the All-Star break, going 7-13 both SU and ATS, but have been a little better of late with victories in five of their past nine games. The offense has made better than 46% of their shots in each of the past four contests as they put up 101.8 PPG. An easy opponent came into town on Friday when they hosted the Lakers as 8.5-point favorites and were victorious by a score of 94-83. They held L.A. to a putrid 34.5% shooting and the only reason it was as close as it was is because Toronto allowed the Lakers to grab 16 offensive rebounds. Houston has managed a solid 23-13 SU (20-15-1 ATS) when playing as the road team and will be facing a Raptors group which is 25-13 SU (16-22 ATS) at Air Canada Centre.

This is the second time that these teams have matched up on the year and it was all the Rockets in the first game as they dominated in a 98-76 win as 2-point home favorites. Neither team shot better than 42% from the floor as they each had 23 turnovers, but Toronto was worse with a mere 24-of-77 shots going in (33% FG). Trends show that Toronto has gone 8-18 ATS (31%) after a win by 10 points or more this year as Houston has managed a poor 13-24 ATS record (35%) in road games after having won five or six of its past seven games in the past two years. The Rockets will be quite thin with all their injuries as C Dwight Howard (Rest), PF Donatas Motiejunas (Back), PG Patrick Beverley (Wrist), PF Terrence Jones (Ribs) and SF Kostas Papanikolaou (Ankle) are all expected to be out while PG Kyle Lowry (Back) is listed as doubtful for the Raptors.

Houston has been a great offensive team for the past few years and is once again as it is putting up 103.4 PPG (6th in league) on 44.1% shooting (10th-worst in league). On the defensive side of things, the Rockets are letting opponents get 100.1 PPG (16th in league) with 44.1% of shots going in (10th in league). SG James Harden (27.2 PPG, 7.0 APG, 5.8 RPG, 1.9 SPG) has made just 40.4% of his shots in the past five contests but is still averaging 28.4 PPG as he made 10 free throws per game. He had a sub-par performance, by his standards, the last time he met Toronto with 20 points on 5-of-12 shooting as he added seven assists, five rebounds and two steals.

SF Trevor Ariza (12.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG) has been doing better from the field recently with 47% of his shots dropping in the month of March but he had just nine points and five rebounds against the Raptors in February. SG Corey Brewer (11.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG) has been vital in this team’s success and has hit double-digit points in four of the past five games despite shooting a mere 39% from the field. He had one of his best performances of the year in the win over Toronto with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

The Raptors are the best offensive group in the Eastern Conference as they are netting 104.2 PPG (3rd in league) and making 45.4% of their shots (13th in league). They haven’t been able to do much on defense, though, with their opposition scoring 101.2 PPG (9th-worst in league) behind 46.1% shooting (4th-worst in league). SG DeMar DeRozan (19.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.2 SPG) has been playing a ton of minutes in March (38.2 MPG) but is coming off a 1-for-10 shooting performance with six points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the win over the Lakers. He was also poor in the loss against Houston earlier in the season with 10 points (4-for-14 FG), three steals and a block.

SG Louis Williams (15.1 PPG, 1.1 SPG) has been one of the most explosive offensive bench players this year and has scored 18.3 PPG over the past three outings. He did not play in the one game facing the Rockets this year and had six points with eight assists in a single contest off the bench last season. C Jonas Valanciunas (12.1 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.2 BPG) had one of his better recent offensive showings against L.A. with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting as he added seven rebounds and a block. He had 11 points, seven rebounds and three steals when his team was dismantled in the last matchup with Houston.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS (36-37) at ATLANTA HAWKS (55-18)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Atlanta -8.5, Total: 194

The Bucks continue to fight for playoff positioning when they head to Atlanta Monday and face a Hawks team that has already clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Bucks hosted the Warriors on Saturday and lost 108-95 as 5-point home underdogs. Milwaukee had won two straight games coming into that one and will now look to turn things around quickly against Atlanta. The team is allowing 107.5 PPG over the past two contests and must find a way to play better defense moving forward.

The Hawks, meanwhile, lost their most recent game 115-110 as 6.5-point underdogs in Charlotte. They had won-and-covered in two straight games before that loss and the difference was that they held their opponents to just 84.5 PPG in the victories. The Hawks will need to be better defensively against Milwaukee and they’ll also need to get back to playing their efficient brand of offense.

These teams have met three times this season and Atlanta is 2-1 SU and 1-1-1 ATS in those games. The home team has not won a single game SU in this series. Over the past three seasons, however, the Hawks are 9-1 SU and 6-3 ATS against the Bucks. They are 3-1 SU but just 1-3 ATS when playing as the host in that time.

Milwaukee is 15-6 ATS in road games after one or more consecutive Unders this season and 19-10 ATS as a road underdog as well. Atlanta, however, is 24-11 ATS after two straight games with 10 or less offensive rebounds this season. SF Jared Dudley (Back) is doubtful for the Bucks, who are already without SF Jabari Parker (Knee) and SF Damien Inglis (Foot) for the season. PG Jeff Teague (Ankle) is doubtful for the Hawks, who are without PF Mike Scott (Toe) indefinitely.

The Bucks are still playing to determine where they’ll be seeded in the Eastern Conference playoffs and they need PG Michael Carter-Williams (14.5 PPG, 6.8 APG, 5.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG) to play much better. He had just eight points and three assists in 22 minutes against Golden State last game, picking up three personal fouls and also turning the ball over three times in the process. He has not been able to avoid foul trouble recently and his lack of ball security is alarming. Carter-Williams needs to slow down and start playing much more efficiently moving forward.

PF Ersan Ilyasova (11.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG) had a bad game against the Warriors, scoring just eight points (1-for-10 FG, 0-for-5 3PT) in 23 minutes of action. He had been on a tear for the team, scoring 15+ points in five of the six games before losing to Golden State. He should be able to play a little better in this one, as it’s unlikely that a good outside shooter (37% 3PT) will be that inaccurate two games in a row.

SG Khris Middleton (13.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.5 SPG) is averaging 14.0 PPG in three games against the Hawks this season. Middleton will really need to step it up in this one if Ilyasova were to somehow not find his touch. With Dudley out, Middleton is one of the only reliable shooters on the team (42% 3PT).

SF Giannis Antetokounmpo (12.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 BPG. 1.0 SPG) has really struggled against the Hawks this season, averaging just 10.3 PPG on 36.7% shooting from the field in three meetings. He’ll need to find a way to be more effective in this one.

C Zaza Pachulia (8.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.0 SPG) comes into this meeting with his former team on a tear. He’s now scored in double figures in 10 straight games and will need to do the same against Al Horford Monday.

The Hawks have been one of the best teams in basketball all season long, but they have not looked that way in recent weeks. The team needs to get back on track heading into the playoffs or it will be very prone to an early round upset.

PG Dennis Schroder (9.9 PPG, 4.2 APG) has been playing outstanding over the past five games for the Hawks. He’s averaging 15.8 PPG, 6.8 APG and 3.2 RPG in 26.8 MPG in those contests. Schroder’s play is crucial for this Hawks team because PG Jeff Teague (16.3 PPG, 7.0 APG) is out with an injured ankle.

C Al Horford (15.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.3 BPG) was given the game off against the Hornets on Saturday and will now be fresh for this meeting with his old teammate, Zaza Pachulia. Horford is averaging 16.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG and 2.0 BPG against the Bucks this season and will need to play the same brand of two-way basketball on Monday.

PF Paul Millsap (17.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG) is coming off of a day off as well and had been scorching hot before resting. He was averaging 21.8 PPG in the four games before not playing against the Hornets. The Bucks don’t defend power forwards that well and Millsap should be able to take advantage of that.

SG Kyle Korver (12.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.5 APG) also got the game off against Charlotte Saturday. Korver has struggled against Milwaukee this season, averaging just 7.0 PPG on 25% shooting in three meetings with the team. He’ll need to knock down his outside shots in this one or the Hawks might not have the spacing they need to win.

PHOENIX SUNS (38-36) at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (47-25)

Tip-off: Monday, 10:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Portland -8.5, Total: 199.5

The Blazers look to win their fourth straight game when they host the struggling Suns Monday.

The Suns hosted the Thunder on Sunday and lost 109-97 as 2.5-point favorites. Phoenix has lost three straight games both SU and ATS and has failed to score 100 or more points in four straight contests. This is a team that wins games because of its offense and it will need to start putting up points or it will miss the playoffs once again.

The Blazers, on the other hand, have now won three straight games after beating the Nuggets 120-114 as 9-point home favorites. These teams have met three times this season and the Blazers are 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in those contests. They blew out the Suns 108-87 in the only home game they’ve played against the team this season and are 3-2 SU and 4-1 ATS when hosting Phoenix over the past three seasons.

The Suns are an impressive 48-25 ATS in road games over the past two seasons, and are also 29-16 ATS in road games after playing a game as a favorite in that time. The Blazers are 14-1 ATS after three straight wins by six points or less since 1996. SG Brandon Knight (Ankle) and SG Marcus Thornton (Toe) are questionable for Phoenix and SG Wesley Matthews (Achilles) is out for the season for Portland.

The Suns have struggled recently and they’ll need to string together a big winning streak or they will miss the playoffs this season. PG Eric Bledsoe (17.2 PPG, 6.0 APG, 5.4 RPG, 1.7 SPG) has done everything he can to will his team to victories, averaging 20.2 PPG, 5.6 APG, 4.6 RPG and 1.4 SPG over the past five contests. Bledsoe will need to have a good game against the Blazers on Monday. He struggled with just 13 points and seven rebounds on 5-for-20 shooting from the floor against Portland last Friday and can’t afford to do it again in this one.

PF Markieff Morris (15.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.3 SPG) and SF Marcus Morris (10.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG) combined to rack up 34 points and 21 rebounds in that game against Portland. The two of them were able to find their shots offensively, but neither had an answer for LaMarcus Aldridge on the defensive end. One of them will need to step it up and defend at a high level on Monday.

SG Brandon Knight (17.0 PPG, 5.2 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.4 SPG) returned from his eight game absence to face Oklahoma City on Sunday. He was awful in the game though, finishing with just three points (1-for-10 FG, 0-for-6 3PT) and four assists in 22 minutes. He is questionable in this game, but he’ll really need to find his stroke if he plays. He is not a great defender, so his presence can hurt the team when he is not knocking down shots.

The Blazers have gotten themselves on track recently, winning three straight games after a five game losing streak. PF LaMarcus Aldridge (23.6 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.0 BPG) was a monster against the Nuggets on Saturday, pouring in 32 points and also grabbing 11 boards in 35 minutes of action. The last time he faced the Suns, he could not miss in crunch time and was ultimately the reason Portland came away with a road victory. He’ll need to continue to use his size to his advantage against a small Suns frontcourt.

PG Damian Lillard (21.1 PPG, 6.3 APG, 4.8 RPG, 1.3 SPG) struggled against the Suns last game, finishing with just 11 points (4-for-15 FG) and four assists in what was a very off game for the All-Star. Lillard is just 8-for-26 over the past two games and needs to find his stroke soon because the playoffs are quickly approaching.

SF Nicolas Batum (9.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.1 SPG) had just five points in 32 minutes the last time he faced Phoenix. He did have nine rebounds and five assists in that game though, and followed it up with 15 points and seven assists in a win over Denver the following night. Batum is averaging 17.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG and 5.7 APG in three games against the Suns this season and will need to be more effective as a scorer than he was in the most recent meeting.

C Robin Lopez (9.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.5 BPG) was big in the victory over Phoenix Friday, finishing with 12 points, 10 boards and a block in 29 minutes. He’ll need to continue to to protect the rim moving forward.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- VCU coach Shaka Smart might be the Texas coach by the time you read this; he was talking to Longhorn brass Monday night.

-- Duke is first ACC team in the Final Four since 2010.

-- Atlanta Falcons lose a 5th-round draft pick for piping in fake crowd noise for their games; weird part is the fake noise was from a soccer game.

-- WR Miles Austin signed a 1-year deal with the Eagles.

-- Houston Rockets lose PG Patrick Beverley (wrist) for the season.

-- Kyle Korver scored 11 points in 1:05 last night; shooters are marketable; that is something that will never change.



**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but..........

13) If you're Texas or Alabama and you need a basketball coach, don't you at least have to give Mike Brey a call and see if he'd like to make $3M a year?

12) Fordham hired a good coach from Eastern Kentucky, but got abused anyway because the guy......is from Eastern Kentucky. Jeff Neubauer was a top assistant for John Beilein, so he's a damn good coach, but the question will be whether he can recruit at the A-14 level. Players win games.

Some people on Twitter were actually questioning whether Fordham was a better job than Eastern Kentucky; EKU made the NCAAs last season.

11) Chris Mullin said yes to St John's, so the big question becomes who will he hire as assistant coach/recruiters? Mullin has never coached, so he'll need an experienced tactician and a couple sharp recruiters.

10) Georgia State's RJ Hunter will skip his senior year, enter the NBA Draft, leaving his dad/coach behind after a memorable season.

9) Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin was medically cleared to resume coaching duties, after sitting out most of this season with a non-life-threatening heart ailment, so thats good news for Cronin and the Bearcats.

8) Not sure why the Indianapolis Colts are letting coach Chuck Pagano enter the 2015 season as a lame duck coach, but it looks like they are.

7) Arena Football games are being shown on CBS Sports Network; great shots during replay reviews, with referee miked and you can see what he's looking at as he reviews the call.

6) NFL suspended Cleveland GM Ray Farmer for four games for texting the Browns' bench during games. This is a classic case of having too damn many rules, much like the deflated balls thing. Let teams do what they want and you'll have less drama. Who cares if the GM drives the coach nuts during games?

5) MLB Network is tremendous in March; 3-4 games on TV every day, either live or taped. Lets you get a feel for all the teams.

4) I'm not a big fan of teams batting the pitcher 8th; don't understand why it is done, other than Tony Larussa used to do it so people assume it is smart. How would you like to explain to a 9th-place hitter why he bats behind the pitcher?

3) Knicks fired their D-League coach with four games left in season, which seems unfair, seeing as the Knicks' D-League team plays in Madison Square Garden, disguised as the Knicks.

2) Eldrick Woods is now ranked #104 in the world and sinking; it is the first time since 1996 he is outside the top 100.

1) You learn about baseball teams when you watch other team's broadcast; the home side rarely gives the down side of their club- they're usually pretty eager to talk honestly about the other team.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, March 31

Hot Teams
-- Hawks won three of last four games (3-5 last eight AF). Detroit won four of its last five games (5-1 last six HU).
-- Nets won seven of their last nine games (1-9 last ten HF).
-- Spurs won six of their last seven games (4-1-1 last six AF).
-- Warriors won their last eight games (7-1 vs spread). Clippers won last seven games, covering five of last six.

Cold Teams
-- Indiana lost seven of its last nine games.
-- Miami lost three of its last five games (5-3 last eight HU).

Series Records
-- Hawks won six of last eight games with Detroit.
-- Nets lost five of their last six games with Indiana.
-- Spurs won six of last seven games with Miami.
-- Home side won last seven Warrior-Clipper games.

Totals
-- Last five Detroit games went over the total.
-- Last four Indiana-Brooklyn games went over.
-- Four of last five San Antonio-Miami games stayed unde.
-- Seven of last nine Golden State games went over.

Back-to-Backs
-- Hawks are 2-5-1 vs spread if they played night before.

East vs West
SU: West 240-170 ATS: West 211-196-3
East teams HF vs West: 53-57
East teams HU vs West: 45-50
West teams HF vs East: 81-78-3
West teams HU vs East: 24-19




NBA

Tuesday, March 31

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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7:30 PM
INDIANA vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing Brooklyn
Indiana is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Brooklyn
Brooklyn is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games when playing at home against Indiana
Brooklyn is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Indiana

7:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 7 games when playing Detroit
Atlanta is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing Atlanta
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

8:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of San Antonio's last 24 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Miami is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing San Antonio

10:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Golden State's last 19 games when playing LA Clippers
Golden State is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 13 of the LA Clippers last 19 games when playing Golden State

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, March 31

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Warriors at Clippers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (+1, 214)

The Golden State Warriors have accomplished nearly everything they want in the regular season and can spend the last two weeks resting up for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Clippers, who host the Warriors on Tuesday, are still fighting for positioning in the Western Conference and are looking like a legitimate championship contender of late. The Clippers (seven straight) and Golden State (nine in a row) enter with the two longest active winning streaks in the NBA.

Los Angeles finished up a three-game road trip with a dominating performance in Boston on Sunday and is aiming for the No. 2 spot in the West. The Warriors set a franchise record with their 60th win on Saturday at Milwaukee and locked up the top spot in the West while putting a big gap between themselves and the Atlanta Hawks for the top record in the NBA. “It’s been a special year, obviously,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. “The guys have been fantastic all season long, just being committed to each other and the work. It’s been so much fun, and it’s great to rack up these milestones as we go.”

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: Most shops opened the Clips as 1-point underdogs, which is where it's currently sitting.

INJURY REPORT: GS - Green (Ques). LA - Griffin (Prob), Crawford (Early April).

POWER RANKINGS: Warriors (-15.7) + Clippers (-10.6) + Homecourt (-3) = Clippers +2.1

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (60-13): Golden State started resting players by sitting Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala on Saturday, and Kerr will likely find extra rest for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and especially Andrew Bogut over the last two weeks. Curry has been on fire of late and is averaging 30 points while going 24-of-38 from 3-point range over his last four games, burying at least five 3-pointers in each of those contests. “This is a big accomplishment,” Curry told reporters after Saturday’s win. “It’s a testament to how focused we’ve been over the course of the season. As of late, we’ve had a big lead in the standings, but we’ve understood that there are bigger goals in mind.”

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (49-25): Los Angeles’ recent surge has coincided with Blake Griffin’s return from elbow surgery, which solidified the starting lineup and turned the offense back into a powerhouse. “We’re passing up good shots for great shots,” point guard Chris Paul told reporters. “Obviously with Blake back, it makes us that much more dangerous. He’s one of the best passers on the team and then when he gets to scoring, you just have to pick your poison.” The threat of Griffin’s scoring in the frontcourt is opening things up for the guards, and Paul and J.J. Redick combined for 48 points in Boston on Sunday.

TRENDS:

*Warriors are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
*Clippers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
*Over is 5-1 in Clippers last 6 overall.
*Home team is 7-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, March 31


Rockets' Beverley out for season

Houston Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley will have surgery on his left wrist and miss the rest of the season.

The 26-year-old guard will undergo surgery Tuesday, ESPN.com reported.

Beverley suffered torn ligaments in the wrist March 23 in a victory over the Indiana Pacers. He saw a doctor in Houston last Wednesday and sought a second opinion before deciding on surgery Monday.

In his third year with the Rockets, Beverley is averaging 10.1 points and 3.4 assists per game this season.

Jason Terry, 37, will step in as the starter and Pablo Prigioni will back up Terry.



NBA roundup: DeRozan scores 42 in Raptors' win

TORONTO - Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan had a career-high 42 points, leading the Raptors to a 99-96 win over the Houston Rockets at Air Canada Centre Monday night.

DeRozan went 14 for 27 from the field and 12 of 17 from the foul line to go along with 11 rebounds.

Toronto (44-30) has now won eight straight games at home against Houston (50-24) dating back to 2007.

Raptors center Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points and nine rebounds, while guard Lou Williams had 13 points off the bench.

Guard James Harden had a team-high 31 points, five rebounds and five assists for Houston, which had its five-game win streak snapped.

Rockets forward Corey Brewer added 13 points and five rebounds off the bench, while rookie center Clint Capela added eight points, including a couple highlight-reel dunks.

Harden, who had 13 points through two quarters, went off in the third quarter, scoring 15 points while going 5 for 9 from the field and 3 for 3 from the free-throw line, giving the Rockets a 76-74 lead heading into the fourth.

Hawks 101, Bucks 88

ATLANTA -- Forward DeMarre Carroll paced a typical balanced attack for Atlanta, which handed the Bucks their 11th straight road loss.

Carroll finished with 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists, helping the Hawks improve to 32-5 at home. Carroll's 3-pointer with 2:30 to play in the fourth quarter pushed the Hawks' lead to 92-77 and finally put away the pesky Bucks.

Milwaukee forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had 18 points to lead the Bucks, whose last road win came on Jan. 29 at Orlando.

Atlanta point guard Jeff Teague returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with a left ankle sprain. Teague played 29 minutes, scoring eight points and handing out nine assists.

Celtics 116, Hornets 104

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Celtics' win moved them back into a tie for eighth in the Eastern Conference standings along with the Brooklyn Nets.

Guard Avery Bradley led the way with 30 points, and the Celtics clicked offensively from the start. They opened the game by hitting eight of their first nine shots and went on to shoot 50.6 percent from the field with only seven turnovers -- three through three quarters, when they built a 22-point lead.

Guard Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 28 points and 12 assists.

Jazz 104, Timberwolves 84

MINNEAPOLIS -- Utah started the second half on a 14-0 run to build a 24-point lead and coast home with the victory.

Minnesota has now lost 15 of its last 18 games, and the Jazz have won two straight after snapping a four-game losing streak.

Utah forward Gordon Hayward led all scorers with 22 points, and he was one of four Jazz players in double figures. Second-year guard Trey Burke chipped in 19 points off the bench.

Timberwolves rookie guard Zach LaVine led Minnesota with 21 points. Timberwolves rookie forward Andrew Wiggins finished with 17 points, including a one-handed dunk over 7-foot-1 Jazz center Rudy Gobert.

Grizzlies 97, Kings 83

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Point guard Mike Conley scored 18 points to help Memphis snap a three-game losing streak.

The Grizzlies had lost three straight games by double-digit margins -- at home to Cleveland and Golden State and at San Antonio in a span of five days.

Memphis (51-24) got well against the Kings (26-47), as Sacramento played without All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, who was rested.

Kings forward Rudy Gay scored a game-high 24 points but his night ended with 2:23 left in the third quarter when he collided with former teammate Marc Gasol (eight points, 11 rebounds and six assists) going for a loose ball. He was tested for a concussion.

Lakers 113, 76ers 111 (OT)

PHILADELPHIA -- Jordan Clarkson dropped in a layup with seven-10ths of a second left in overtime as the Lakers won a game featuring two of the NBA's worst teams.

Clarkson, a guard who led all scorers with 26 points, took a pass from guard Wayne Ellington and dropped in his game-winner.

Philadelphia forward Nerlens Noel, who finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds, had tied it on a hook shot with 12 seconds to play.

Trail Blazers 109, Suns 86

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Guard Damian Lillard scored 19 points as the Trail Blazers broke open a close game in the third quarter to record their fourth straight win.

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge added 17 points and seven rebounds for the Trail Blazers (48-25). Forward Nicolas Batum and guard Arron Afflalo each had 16 points for Portland, which clinched a playoff berth in the NBA's Western Conference.

Guard Gerald Green came off the bench to score 13 points for the Suns (38-37), who lost for the fourth straight time.

Portland led by six points at halftime, then outscored Phoenix 37-16 in the third quarter to blow things open.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, March 31

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

ATLANTA (56 - 18) at DETROIT (28 - 45) - 3/31/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) in all games this season.
ATLANTA is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
ATLANTA is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games this season.
ATLANTA is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) against Central division opponents this season.
ATLANTA is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 31-46 ATS (-19.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 6-4 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 7-3 straight up against DETROIT 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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INDIANA (32 - 41) at BROOKLYN (32 - 40) - 3/31/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 25-39 ATS (-17.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 9-23 ATS (-16.3 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
BROOKLYN is 12-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) in home games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROOKLYN is 5-4 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 5-4 straight up against BROOKLYN 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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SAN ANTONIO (47 - 26) at MIAMI (34 - 39) - 3/31/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 11-6 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 9-8 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
9 of 17 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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GOLDEN STATE (60 - 13) at LA CLIPPERS (49 - 25) - 3/31/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 43-26 ATS (+14.4 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 21-7 ATS (+13.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 60-44 ATS (+11.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-30 ATS (+14.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-11 ATS (+13.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-15 ATS (+15.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 223-276 ATS (-80.6 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 169-232 ATS (-86.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 126-167 ATS (-57.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 10-7 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 10-8 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
12 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, March 31


Atlanta Hawks vs Detroit Pistons

Game 761-762
March 31, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta Hawks
118.981
Detroit Pistons
124.395
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit Pistons
by 5 1/2
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta Hawks
by 3
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit Pistons
(+3); N/A

Indiana Pacers vs Brooklyn Nets

Game 763-764
March 31, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana Pacers
116.481
Brooklyn Nets
117.155
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Brooklyn Nets
by 1
195
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Brooklyn Nets
by 3
199
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana Pacers
(+3); Under

San Antonio Spurs vs Miami Heat

Game 765-766
March 31, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio Spurs
127.101
Miami Heat
117.964
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio Spurs
by 9
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio Spurs
by 6 1/2
197 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio Spurs
(-6 1/2); Over

Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Clippers

Game 767-768
March 31, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State Warr
122.481
Los Angeles Clipp
131.902
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Los Angeles Clippers
by 9 1/2
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Los Angeles Clipp
by 2
214
Dunkel Pick:
Los Angeles Clipp
(-2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Top Action

March 31, 2015


SAN ANTONIO SPURS (47-26) at MIAMI HEAT (34-39)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: San Antonio -6.5, Total: 196

In a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals, a scorching hot San Antonio Spurs team travels to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat.

The Spurs are doing what they do best, turning it on when it is most needed, and they come into this contest as victors in 13 of their past 16 games SU (12-4 ATS). In that time they have defeated opponents by an average of 18.0 PPG and shot better than 50% or better from the field eight times. They’ve won each of the last three times out and most recently took down the Grizzlies at home by a score of 103-89 as 8-point favorites. San Antonio poured in 42-of-83 shots (50.6% FG) and committed a mere eight turnovers in yet another impressive victory.

Meanwhile, the Heat sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff race as they’ve gone a solid 5-3 SU and ATS since Mar. 16. They won three games during that stretch when they were considered the underdog and have won their past five contests when playing in front of their faithful fans in Miami. Detroit was their latest victims when it came into town on Sunday as a 2.5-point underdog and lost a 109-102 game. The Heat outrebounded their opponent 46-37 in the win as they made 47.6% of their shots and were tremendous from the charity stripe (24-of-29).

While the Spurs have been impressive this season, they are only 18-18 SU (14-21-1 ATS) when playing as the road team as Miami is 18-18 SU as well (16-19-1 ATS) when holding home court advantage. The first game of this season series went to San Antonio at home as 12.5-point favorites when they just barely covered the spread in a 98-85 win. The Spurs hit 40-of-83 shots (48% FG) in the victory as each team turned over the rock 16 times.

These teams have obviously seen each other many more times than most East and West Coast crews with the meeting in the Finals where San Antonio won in five games and they are 9-8 SU (11-6 ATS) against the Heat in the past three seasons. Some trends to watch in this one include that the Spurs are a perfect 9-0 ATS after a game committing eight or less turnovers this season as Miami is 15-9 ATS (63%) when playing six or more games in 10 days on the year.

The injury report has nobody missing for San Antonio and the Heat are dealing with a plethora of injuries as SF Luol Deng (Knee), PG Shabazz Napier (Knee), C Chris Andersen (Calf) and PF Michael Beasley (Elbow) are listed as questionable while C Hassan Whiteside (Hand), PF Chris Bosh (Blood Clot) and PF Josh McRoberts (Knee) are out.

The Spurs have continued to be one of the most patient and effective offenses in the league as they are scoring 102.7 PPG (9th in league) as they make 46.3% of their shots (4th in league). They have also been quite impressive on the defensive side of things, allowing opponents to score 97.4 PPG (6th in league) on 44.4% shooting (12th in league).

SF Kawhi Leonard (16.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.2 SPG) has been on a tear in the month of March and is coming off a big-time performance (25 points, 10 rebounds) on 11-of-17 shooting in the win over Memphis on Sunday. He was also solid when he last met with the Heat, scoring 24 points with four rebounds, four assists and three steals.

PF Tony Parker (14.9 PPG, 4.9 APG) comes into this one behind a nice three-game stretch (16.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.3 RPG) and did well against Miami this season with 21 points and four assists.

PF Tim Duncan (13.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.9 BPG) has slowed down as the season moves along and has just 10.4 PPG with 7.4 RPG over the past five contests. He was an efficient 5-for-8 with 10 points and 12 rebounds in the win over the Heat back in February.

Miami plays at a very slow pace and have put up just 94.7 PPG (3rd-worst in league) on the year behind 45.7% shooting (10th in league). The team’s slow pace also keeps the opposition at bay with scoring as opponents net 96.8 PPG (3rd in league) on average behind 45.5% of their shots dropping (10th-worst in league).

SG Dwyane Wade (21.8 PPG, 5.1 APG, 1.3 SPG) is coming off one of his best showings of the year as he dropped 40 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists against the Pistons. He was able to see this Spurs team five times in the Finals last year, going for 15.2 PPG (44% FG), 3.8 RPG and 1.6 SPG.

SG Goran Dragic (16.2 PPG, 4.4 APG, 1.1 SPG) has really struggled in his last two times out, making a meager 7-of-21 shots (33% FG) with 8.0 PPG and 4.0 APG. He saw this opponent twice when he was a member of the Suns and scored 13.5 PPG with 2.5 APG.

PF Udonis Haslem (4.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG) has gotten plenty of run (33.0 MPG) over the past three games as the team deals with a ton of injuries and has gone for 12.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 1.3 SPG over that time. He was on the court for just four minutes when he last saw San Antonio, getting just two points on 1-of-3 shooting.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (60-13) at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (49-25)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line and Total: Los Angeles -2.0, Total: 214.0

Two of the hottest teams in the league clash when the Warriors head to Los Angeles and face the Clippers Tuesday.

The Warriors faced the Bucks in Milwaukee on Saturday and won 108-95 as 5-point road favorites. Golden State has now won nine straight games and 14 of its past 15 SU. The team has covered in 10 of those victories and it has played excellent on both ends of the floor, scoring over 100 points in 14 of those 15 games and allow over 100 points in just three of them. The Clippers are hot themselves though, defeating the Celtics 119-106 as 6-point favorites in Boston for their seventh straight victory SU.

Los Angeles had covered in five of those games and has been on a tear offensively, averaging 114.2 PPG over the past six contests. These teams have met three times this season and the Warriors are 2-1 SU and 1-1-1 ATS in those contests. The home team has won SU in all of the meetings and the Clippers are 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS when hosting the Warriors over the past three seasons.

Overall, however, Golden State is 10-8 SU and 10-7 ATS when facing Los Angeles in that time. The Warriors are 9-1 ATS when playing with two days rest this season and are up against a Clippers team that is a lousy 4-12 ATS in home games after a combined score of 215 points or more this season.

PF Draymond Green (Shin) is questionable for Golden State in this game and PF Blake Griffin (Elbow) is questionable for Los Angeles, which is already without SG Jamal Crawford (Calf) indefinitely.

The Warriors have been elite on both sides of the ball this season, putting up 109.8 PPG (1st in NBA) and allowing just 98.9 PPG (14th in NBA).

PG Stephen Curry (23.7 PPG, 7.9 APG,4.3 RPG, 2.1 SPG) has been scorching hot lately, averaging 28.8 PPG and 7.0 APG on 55% shooting from the field and 61% shooting from three over the past five games. Curry will have his work cut out for him going against Chris Paul Tuesday and he’ll need to be at his best for his team to win.

SG Klay Thompson (21.7 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.1 SPG) has found his game after injuring his ankle, averaging 24.5 PPG over the past two games. Thompson is 9-for-17 from the outside in those contests and will need to exploit his mismatch against a much smaller J.J. Redick Tuesday. He is a very capable scorer in the post and will have a number of opportunities to shoot over the Clippers guard.

PF Draymond Green ( 11.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.3 BPG) is questionable for this game and he’d be a big loss for Golden State, as he’s averaging 19.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.3 BPG and 1.3 SPG in three games against the Clips this season.

If he is unable to go then PFs David Lee (8.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG) and Marreese Speights (10.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG) will need to step it up. The two combined for 24 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Milwaukee and must do more of the same if they are forced to play extended minutes opposite of Blake Griffin.

If there’s one team that can keep up with the Warriors’ scoring then it’s the Clippers. Los Angeles is averaging 106.6 PPG (2nd in NBA) this season and they have PG Chris Paul (18.8 PPG, 10.1 APG, 4.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG), who will not back down from the challenge of going at Steph Curry. In three games against the team this season, Paul is averaging 17.0 PPG, 9.0 APG, 4.7 RPG and 3.0 SPG. He’s been on a tear as of late though, averaging 22.0 PPG and 11.8 APG over the past five contests. Paul will need to be on his game in this one because he’ll need to outplay Curry in order to pick up a huge home victory.

PF Blake Griffin (21.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.1 APG) was experiencing some soreness in his recently injured elbow on Sunday. He is questionable for this game and would be a big loss for this team. Griffin is a guy that teams have to alter their gameplans for and the Clippers are a much worse team without him.

C DeAndre Jordan (11.4 PPG, 14.8 RPG, 2.2 BPG) will need to be ready to play at a high level if Griffin does not play. Jordan has been a monster recently, averaging 13.6 PPG, 16.6 RPG and 2.6 BPG on an absurd 74.4% shooting over the past five games. He has double-doubled in five straight contests and will need to be extremely active Tuesday.

Another player who will be crucial in this game is SG J.J. Redick (16.1 PPG). Redick had 27 points, five boards and four assists in 33 minutes against the Celtics on Sunday. He’s shooting a remarkable 56.7% from three over the past five games and will really have the Warriors on edge if he is knocking down his outside shots.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Tip Sheet

March 31, 2015

Hawks at Pistons – 7:35 PM EST

Atlanta is playing out the string until the playoffs begin as the Hawks have locked up the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Mike Budenholtzer’s club is coming off a 101-88 home victory over the Bucks last night as nine-point favorites, as the Hawks will look to rest their starters on the second end of a back-to-back. Four of five Atlanta starters scored in double-figures, while point guard Jeff Teague returned from a two-game absence with an ankle injury and put up eight points on 2-of-8 shooting. Even though the Hawks will play with a short deck, Atlanta owns a 13-5 SU and 11-6-1 ATS record with no rest this season.

The Pistons had their four-game winning streak snapped in Sunday’s 109-102 setback at Miami as two-point underdogs. Detroit topped the 102-point mark for the fifth straight game, as Stan Van Gundy’s squad cashed the ‘over’ each time during this stretch. Both Andre Drummond (32) and Reggie Jackson (31) each racked up their season high in points at Miami, while guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope struggled for the second straight contest with nine points on 4-of-15 shooting. The Pistons have covered seven of their last 10 games, while winning each of their past three contests at the Palace of Auburn Hills, all as an underdog.

Pacers at Nets – 7:35 PM EST

This is actually the game with the most impact on the postseason of the four Tuesday night contests, as Indiana and Brooklyn are fighting it out with Boston for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Following Boston’s blowout of Charlotte on Monday, the Celtics pulled percentage points ahead of the Nets, while the Pacers are a half-game behind both Boston and Brooklyn with eight games remaining.

The Pacers and Nets have split a pair of meetings this season with the road team winning each time, while these clubs are hooking up for the final time, meaning Tuesday’s matchup is huge for tiebreaker implications. Brooklyn knocked off Indiana at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 21 as 8 ½-point underdogs, 123-111, as the Nets shot a scorching 61% from the floor. When these teams met in late December at Barclays Center, the Pacers routed the Nets, 110-85, as Indiana knocked down over 50% of its shots from the floor in both matchups.

Indiana won 12 of 15 games from the start of February through mid-March, but Frank Vogel’s club has dropped seven of nine contests to fall to 10th place in the East. However, the Pacers grabbed a 104-99 victory over the Mavericks on Sunday to cash as two-point favorites to snap a four-game home skid. The Nets have turned things around since a five-game slump earlier this month, winning seven of their last nine games, while trying to finish off a perfect 3-0 homestand. Since late December, Brooklyn has dropped seven of its past 10 games against Eastern Conference opponents at home, which includes the 25-point setback to Indiana.

Spurs at Heat – 8:05 PM EST

The rematch of the past two NBA Finals takes place at the American Airlines Arena in South Florida, but these rivals won’t be facing off for the championship trophy for a third straight season. San Antonio may be back in the Finals again, as Gregg Popovich’s team has won six of seven games to creep within three games of the Grizzlies for the top spot in the Southwest Division. Miami likely won’t be heading back as the Heat will probably get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs following four straight Eastern Conference titles.

San Antonio took care of Miami in its previous meeting at the AT&T Center in early February, 98-85 to barely cover as 12 ½-point favorites. Both Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside were sidelined due to injury in that defeat, as the Heat have lost six of the past seven meetings with the Spurs. Whiteside is expected back in the lineup for Miami tonight after missing the last three games with a hand injury. Miami struggled at home for the first few months of the season, but Erik Spoelstra’s club has heated up of late at the AAA by winning eight of the past nine games on their home court.

Warriors at Clippers – 10:35 PM EST

Golden State became the first team to reach 60 wins this season following Saturday’s 13-point victory at Milwaukee. The Warriors wrap up a four-game road trip back in California, traveling to Staples Center for the final regular season meeting with the rival Clippers, as the home team has captured the first three matchups this season. Golden State has struggled in Los Angeles, dropping four straight visits, including a 100-86 setback on Christmas night as two-point underdogs.

The best the Clippers can settle for in the Pacific Division is second place, but Doc Rivers’ team is catching fire at the right time by winning seven straight games. Los Angeles finished up a perfect 3-0 road trip by routing the Knicks, 76ers, and Celtics by double-digits each, while scoring at least 107 points in the past six wins. This isn’t the easiest scheduling spot, as the Clippers head back on the highway tomorrow for two games, starting in Portland on Wednesday then to Denver on Saturday before facing the Lakers in a “road” contest at Staples Center on Sunday. The Clips have struggled to cover numbers of late at home, posting a 2-5 ATS record the last seven games at Staples.