The Bum's National Basketball League October-November Picks/Trends/News !!

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BA

Thursday, October 29

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. INDIANA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Memphis's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Memphis's last 15 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games when playing Memphis
Indiana is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Memphis

8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. NEW YORK
Atlanta is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games at home
New York is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. LA CLIPPERS
Dallas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Dallas's last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing at home against Dallas
LA Clippers are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games at home

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NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, October 29


Dallas @ LA Clippers

Game 505-506
October 29, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
116.154
LA Clippers
130.005
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 14
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 10 1/2
210 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(-10 1/2); Over

Memphis @ Indiana

Game 501-502
October 29, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Memphis
122.317
Indiana
117.402
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 5
183
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 2 1/2
187
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis
(-2 1/2); Under

Atlanta @ New York

Game 503-504
October 29, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
117.755
New York
116.701
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 1
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 4
197 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+4); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 29

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MEMPHIS (0 - 1) at INDIANA (0 - 1) - 10/29/2015, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 25-43 ATS (-22.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 41-21 ATS (+17.9 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 148-106 ATS (+31.4 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 115-85 ATS (+21.5 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1996.

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

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ATLANTA (0 - 1) at NEW YORK (1 - 0) - 10/29/2015, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 55-41 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 33-49 ATS (-20.9 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 23-41 ATS (-22.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

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

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DALLAS (1 - 0) at LA CLIPPERS (1 - 0) - 10/29/2015, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 16-31 ATS (-18.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 323-258 ATS (+39.2 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 441-364 ATS (+40.6 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 139-104 ATS (+24.6 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 4-3 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 5-2 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, October 29


Memphis at Indiana, 7:05 ET
Memphis: 11-2 UNDER after game where they made 20% of 3 pt shots or worse
Indiana: 41-21 ATS first half of the season

Atlanta at New York, 8:05 ET
Atlanta: 31-17 ATS after one or more consecutive overs
New York: 7-17 ATS at home where the total is between 190 and 199.5

Dallas at LA Clippers, 10:35 ET
Dallas: 44-26 ATS as an underdog of 10 or more points
Los Angeles: 76-111 ATS after road game where both teams score 100 or more

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, October 29


Home openers have been good to Pacers backers

The Indiana Pacers are riding a five-game winning streak in their past five home openers, the previous four of which have come with Frank Vogel as head coach.

The five-game streak has produced a very respectable 4-1 record against the spread with the only ATS loss coming as a 12-point home favorite in a 97-87 win over the Orlando Magic to kick off the 2013-14 season.

Vogel and the Pacers host the Memphis Grizzlies as 2.5-point home dogs in their home opener Thursday evening.

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Thursday's Top Action
October 29, 2015


ATLANTA HAWKS at NEW YORK KNICKS

Tip-off: Thursday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Hawks -4, Total 199

The Hawks will be seeking to build on last season’s success on Thursday as they make their first road trip of the season at the lowly Knicks.

Atlanta is coming off its best season in franchise history, and is hoping to soar even higher this year. The Hawks won 60 games (60-22 SU) and were 55-40-3 ATS (58%, 2nd-best in NBA) including the playoffs, en route to a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference. The season came to a halt in the conference finals, where Atlanta was swept in four games by Cleveland. The team benefited greatly from a home-court advantage (40-9 SU) as opposed to playing on the road (28-21 SU), though they were a slightly better bet in away games (27-19-3 ATS) than in Atlanta (28-21 ATS).

At the bottom of the Eastern Conference, New York had a historically bad season in 2014-2015, setting a team record for losses with a 17-65 mark and going 34-46-2 ATS (43%, T-3rd-worst in league). The Knicks proved to be a worse bet at Madison Square Garden (16-25 ATS, 39%, T-4th-lowest NBA) than on the road (18-20-2 ATS), and were awful in the second half of back-to-backs (3-18 SU, 9-12 ATS), which is the scenario they are in for Thursday after a trip to Milwaukee to open the season.

In three meetings between the teams last season, Atlanta was 2-1 (SU and ATS), though New York squeaked by the Hawks in the last matchup 112-108.

The Hawks roster is in good health, as F/G Thabo Sefolosha (ankle) is the only questionable player for Thursday. For New York, there are some notable injuries with SG Arron Afflalo (hamstring) doubtful, PF Lou Amundson (back) questionable and SF Carmelo Anthony (knee) and C Robin Lopez (undisclosed) both probable.

Atlanta’s offense was solid last season, with 101.8 PPG (11th in league) on 46.0% FG (5th in NBA) and a sharp-shooting 36.9% on threes (T-2nd in league). The team truly played as a disciplined unit under NBA Coach of the Year Mike Budenholzer, averaging 26.8 assists per game (2nd in NBA) and committing a league-low 18.1 personal fouls per game.

The Hawks’ defense was similarly proficient, tying for 5th in the NBA with 97.3 PPG allowed, 43.7% FG, and 15.1 turnovers generated per game. Atlanta will be attempting to replicate last season’s success without SF DeMarre Carroll (12.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.7 APG), who signed with the Toronto Raptors in the offseason, but hope to fill his shoes with the newly-acquired C Tiago Splitter and SG Tim Hardaway Jr.

The team will once again have great balance with underrated PG Jeff Teague (16.8 PPG, 6.7 APG) running the show, PF Paul Millsap (15.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG) and C Al Horford (14.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG) down low and SG Kyle Korver (11.1 PPG, 36% threes) providing the long-range shooting. Korver was the club's top scorer versus New York last season with 21.0 PPG on 48% threes, while Millsap averaged 15.0 PPG and 8.5 RPG and Teague chipped in 13.7 PPG, 6.7 APG and only 1.7 TOPG.

New York’s offensive statistics last season reflected their worst-in-the-conference record. The team scored a league-low 91.9 PPG on 42.8% FG (28th in NBA), but was perfectly average from beyond the arc, shooting 34.7% (tied for 15th in league).

The Knicks also had difficulty on the boards at 48.5 RPG (29th in NBA) and struggled in other defensive facets, as they allowed 101.2 PPG (19th in league) on 46.0% FG (tied for 26th in NBA), and were particularly susceptible to three-point shots, allowing a league-worst 38.0% from downtown. New York parted ways with Hardaway (for Atlanta’s 1st Round draft pick) and C Jason Smith, but hopes several key additions – including fourth overall pick PF Kristaps Porzingis, C Robin Lopez, SG Arron Afflalo, C Kyle O’Quinn, and PF Derrick Williams – will help the team turn their fortunes around this season.

The offense will still revolve around SF Carmelo Anthony, who averaged 24.2 PPG (5th in NBA among players with 40+games) and 6.6 RPG last season, including 22.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 4.5 APG in two games versus Atlanta.

DALLAS MAVERICKS at LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Tip-off: Thursday, 10:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Clippers -11, Total 210

The Mavericks hope to spoil the Clippers’ home opener Thursday in a Western Conference showdown.

Dallas was 50-32 last regular season, good enough for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The team was also 35-48-4 ATS (42%) including its playoffs appearance when it lost in five games to Houston. The Mavericks were 23-21 SU in road games last season, but just 19-24-1 ATS (44%). After traveling to Phoenix to open the 2015-16 campaign, Dallas will be playing Thursday on zero days' rest, a situation in which it performed a subpar 6-11 ATS mark (35%) last season.

Los Angeles earned the No. 3 seed in the West with a franchise-best 56 wins (56-26 SU) but were just 44-51-1 ATS (47%) including playoffs where the team took out the Spurs in a thrilling seven-game series before falling in seven games to Houston in the second round. While the Clippers were a force to be reckoned with at home last season (34-14 SU), they were a poor ATS wager at Staples Center (19-29 ATS, 40%).

L.A. will also play the night before in Sacramento, but this team thrived on back-to-backs last season, going 20-4 SU (10-10 ATS) with zero days rest.

In the past 10 meetings, Dallas is only 3-7 SU and 5-5 ATS versus Los Angeles, finishing 1-2 SU and ATS in their three matchups last season, though the Mavericks thrashed the Clippers 129-99 in their most recent game in March.

Dallas is currently riddled by injuries with C JaVale McGee (leg) out indefinitely and with PG Deron Williams (calf) and SF Chandler Parsons (knee) both questionable for this matchup. The good news is that SG Wesley Matthews is expected to return from a ruptured Achilles.

Los Angeles has two notable injuries with SG Lance Stephenson (groin) listed as questionable and SG Jamal Crawford (tricep) considered probable.

Dallas displayed a high-octane offense last season, averaging 105.5 PPG (3rd in league) on 46.2% FG (4th in NBA). The Mavericks had some difficulties pulling down rebounds at 50.1 RPG (23rd in league), but excelled at protecting the ball in surrendering only 12.6 turnovers per game (tied for 4th in NBA). Dallas’ defense was severely lacking though, as the team spotted opponents an average of 103.0 PPG (25th in league) on 45.1% FG (18th in NBA) and 36.4% three-point shooting (27th in league).

PF Dirk Nowitzki was the high-scorer in the season series with the Clippers, averaging 19.0 PPG on a blistering 56% FG in the three meetings.

The Mavericks saw some high-profile departures in the offseason, including PG Rajon Rondo, C Tyson Chandler, SG/PG Monta Ellis, and SF Al-Farouq Aminu, but will welcome the additions of SG Wes Matthews, PG Deron Williams, C/PF Zaza Pachulia, C JaVale McGee, and 1st round draft pick SG/SF Justin Anderson.

Los Angeles was an offensive juggernaut last season, scoring 106.9 PPG (2nd in NBA) on 47.2% FG (2nd in league), while draining 36.9% of its three-point shots (tied for 2nd in NBA). The team struggled with personal fouls, committing an average of 21.8 per game (26th in league), but coughed up only 11.9 turnovers per game (2nd in NBA). For all of their success on offense, the Clippers’ defensive play was average. The team allowed opponents to score 101.1 PPG (18th in NBA) on 44.3% FG (11th in league) and 35.0% of three-point shots (tied for 15th in NBA).

Los Angeles had five players average at least 16.0 PPG in the series with Dallas last season and all five return to the team this season -- PF Blake Griffin (22.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG in 1 game), SG Jamal Crawford (20.5 PPG in 2 games), PG Chris Paul (17.7 PPG, 11.0 APG in 3 games), C DeAndre Jordan (17.0 PPG, 20.0 RPG in 3 games) and SG J.J. Redick (16.0 PPG, 53% threes in 3 games).

The Clippers parted ways with SF Matt Barnes and C/PF Spencer Hawes, but were quite active in the offseason, acquiring SF Paul Pierce, SG Lance Stephenson, PF Josh Smith, F/G Wes Johnson, PG Pablo Prigioni, and C Cole Aldrich.

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Memphis - 7:00 PM ET Indiana +3 500 *****
Indiana - Under 190.5 500 *****

Atlanta - 8:00 PM ET New York +4.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
New York - Over 199 500 DOUBLE PLAY

Dallas - 10:30 PM ET Dallas +10.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
L.A. Clippers - Over 211.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

nba record for oct/nov:

thursday's night results:

*****............................0 - 2

double play.....................1 - 2

triple play...................... 0 - 1

slam dunk.......................0 - 0

overall record:

*****................................4 - 3

double play.........................5 - 4

triple play.......................... 2 - 2

slam dunk..........................0 - 4

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Thunder (1-0) at Magic (0-1)
Date: October 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Although he's revered by many basketball fans in Florida, it won't be surprising if Billy Donovan hears a chorus of boos and taunts upon his return to the Sunshine State.

It's been just over eight years since Donovan parted ways with Orlando after serving as coach for less than a week, and the acrimonious split is sure to be a focal point for some Magic fans when he and the Oklahoma City Thunder visit Amway Center on Friday night.

After winning his NBA debut 112-106 over San Antonio on Wednesday, Donovan may get a mixed reception in Orlando despite a stellar 19-year tenure at the University of Florida that featured four Final Four appearances and back-to-back NCAA championships from 2006-07 with a team that featured current NBA stars Al Horford and Joakim Noah.

Donovan was coming off the second of those titles when he signed a five-year, $27.5 million deal with the Magic in June 2007. However, the coach immediately had a change of heart, and after some back-and-forth legal wrangling that reportedly featured a five-year non-compete clause, he was released from the deal and returned to Gainesville.

"I feel terrible about it," he said at the time. "(The Magic) have great ownership, and they're great people. I feel sorry and have apologized. It was my decision, it was my mistake. I have to take responsibility for that, which I'm trying to do."

The now 50-year-old coach remained at Florida for eight more seasons, finishing his time there with a 467-186 record before the Thunder finally - and fully - lured him back to the NBA this past offseason with a five-year contract worth close to $30 million.

His first game in the league was a success with Oklahoma City rallying from a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's victory. Russell Westbrook had 33 points and 10 assists, while Kevin Durant - who missed most of last season with a broken right foot - scored 22 in his first game since February.

"I was very pleased that our guys just kept their composure," Donovan said. "They kept battling, they kept fighting, and I think everyone knew it was going to be a game that was going to come down that way."

Durant shot just 6 of 19 from the floor but hit two free throws with 11.5 seconds left to put the Thunder in control. Enes Kanter had 15 points and 16 rebounds off the bench.

"I know it's one of many games, but to get (Donovan) his first 'W,' especially at home on a big stage against a big-time team felt good," Durant said. "He was calm all night, and that kind of rubbed off on us."

The stage for this upcoming contest may seem big because of Donovan, but Oklahoma City has won seven of the last eight meetings with the Magic. The lone loss did come in Orlando, but Westbrook was inactive for that 103-102 defeat on Feb. 7, 2014.

The Thunder cruised to a 127-99 win in their most recent trip to Orlando on Jan. 18 with Durant's 21 points leading seven players in double figures. They shot a season-best 57.8 percent from the field despite going 9 for 25 from 3-point range.

The Magic's season opener Wednesday against Washington came down to the wire, but John Wall hit a floater with 12.7 seconds to play that gave the Wizards an 88-87 victory.

Orlando had gone ahead by eight early in the fourth quarter before Washington rallied with a 12-0 spurt. The Magic had a chance to win in the closing seconds, but Nik Vucevic's jumper bounced off the rim as time expired.

Victor Oladipo scored 17 points and Tobias Harris added 15.

"It's frustrating to be that close in the game and then to not come away with the win," Harris told the team's official website. "It's real disheartening, but with these things, we've got to learn from them."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Jazz (0-1) at 76ers (0-1)
Date: October 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

While Joel Embiid has yet to make his debut and Nerlens Noel is still developing, the Philadelphia 76ers may have found their sought-after dominant big man.

Jahlil Okafor will try to build on his promising debut in the home opener Friday night when Philadelphia looks to avoid a sixth straight loss to the defensive-minded Utah Jazz.

The 76ers were set on building a strong frontcourt when they traded for Noel shortly after New Orleans made him the sixth overall pick in 2013. After missing all of 2013-14 following knee surgery, he led all rookies with 18 double-doubles in 75 games last season.

Philadelphia also took a chance on Embiid with the third pick in 2014. The 7-footer, however, is expected to miss his second straight season after another foot surgery.

The determined club continued to add big men by selecting Okafor third overall in this year's draft. The 76ers didn't have to wait for the arrival of Okafor, who finished with a team-high 26 points in Wednesday's 112-95 season-opening loss at Boston.

The 6-11 center hit all six of his free throws, leaving him 14 of 15 from the stripe dating to his last two preseason contests, and added seven rebounds and two blocks.

"I leave encouraged... (Okafor) has capabilities beyond what I thought... He didn't disappoint," coach Brett Brown told the team's official website.

Okafor also has developed some solid chemistry with Noel, who finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Guard Isaiah Canaan had 18 points and seven assists for the 76ers, who opened the season with just nine healthy players.

Philadelphia needs to take care of the ball and play better defensively if it wants to beat Utah for the first time since November 2012. The Celtics scored 34 points off 22 turnovers, outscored the 76ers 26-7 on the break and went 26 of 27 at the foul line.

Although the Jazz aren't prolific offensively, Philadelphia will have to keep a close watch on Derrick Favors after he had 26 points in Wednesday's 92-87 loss at Detroit.

Alec Burks, playing for the first time since December following knee surgery, contributed 18 points off the bench. Gordon Hayward, who led the team with 19.3 points per game last season, will try to get on track after finishing with 13.

"It was just that kind of game - a one- or two-possession game," coach Quin Snyder, a former 76ers assistant, told the team's official website. "There's gonna be a lot of them like that. We know that."

Utah has high expectations in Snyder's second season after winning 21 of its final 32 games in 2014-15. The club, though, will try to avoid its fifth 0-2 start in six seasons.

The Jazz made their push last season while leading the NBA with 94.9 points allowed per game. They limited Detroit to 40.5 percent shooting but sent it to the line 34 times.

Utah held Philadelphia to 77.0 points per game on 34.6 percent shooting in taking both meetings last season. Favors totaled 32 points and 25 rebounds in the season series.

Trevor Booker served a one-game suspension Wednesday for taking a swing at Roy Hibbert of the Los Angeles Lakers in the preseason. Nik Stauskas, acquired from Sacramento in the offseason, could make his 76ers debut after back spasms took him out of the opener.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Heat (1-0) at Cavaliers (1-1)
Date: October 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The last time LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were all on the same court in a meaningful game was also the last time all three were wearing a Miami Heat uniform.

Given what they've gone through since, the former Big 3 should be thrilled to see each other healthy Friday night.

James figures to be fired up for the Cleveland Cavaliers' home opener against his old friends at Quicken Loans Arena, where Bosh played his final competitive game last season before blood clots put his life in jeopardy.

James returned to Cleveland while Wade and Bosh stuck around in Miami after the Heat's loss to San Antonio in the 2014 NBA Finals, and though the trio all played in a preseason game in Brazil last October, they've yet to face each other as opponents when it counts. James played every meeting last season - home teams won all four, each by double digits - but the one Wade missed was the only one Bosh played.

That changes Friday, and don't expect any of the three to take the circumstances for granted. James was at least briefly a question mark for Cleveland's opener due to a sore back, Wade's knees have long been an issue and Bosh missed the final two months of last season with blood clots in his lungs.

Everyone's healthy for now, though, and expectations are high for both the defending conference champions and a Heat team with perhaps the most talented starting five in the East. Yet as good as that group seems on paper, there's concern over the chemistry of the unit, even after Wednesday's 104-94 season-opening home win against Charlotte.

"If people are worried, that means they have expectations, and that's a very good thing," Bosh said after scoring a game-high 21 points in his first regular-season action since Feb. 12 at Cleveland. "We've had our challenges, but we've always believed in each other. We're making sure we talk to each other and we talk through it."

The Cavs will be without two key players for a while longer, and while the absence of Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert was felt in Tuesday's season-opening 97-95 loss in Chicago, it hardly registered a night later in Memphis. Cleveland got 50 points from its bench and hit 13 3-pointers in a 106-76 rout of the Grizzlies, cruising despite James only scoring 12 points in 31 minutes.

To the four-time MVP, though, holding Memphis to 35.4 percent shooting after the undermanned Cavs forged their way to the finals with hard-nosed defense was the most encouraging sign.

"It's who we need to be, it's who we are. It's what we stress every day," James said. "In order for us to be who we want to be long term, we've got to defend at a high level and we need to share the ball."

They've done that thus far, piling up 55 assists compared to their opponents' 28. Twelve of Kevin Love's 13 field goals have been assisted, and James is responsible for seven of those as he tries to get his power forward heavily involved.

"Kevin is going to be our main focus, he's going to have a hell of a season and he's going to get back to that All-Star status," James said. "He's the focal point of us offensively. I know I can go out and get mine when I need it, but I need Kevin to be as aggressive as he was (Thursday)."

Cleveland has outscored its first two opponents by 39 from the 3-point line and is a plus-17 on the boards, but it may need to guard the perimeter a little closer against the Heat. Miami hit 12 of 20 3s in its opener after finishing 24th in 3-point percentage (33.5) last season, with Gerald Green knocking down 5 of 8 off the bench.

The Heat assisted on 23 of their 36 field goals, efficient ball movement they're intent on continuing.

"It's easy to do it in your home opener, everyone is feeling good. We made a couple shots," Bosh said. "But when it's not going as well as we want it to, when things hit the fan a little bit, that's when we have to trust and continue to move the ball."

The Cavs have won 20 of their last 21 at home, including the postseason, with both James and Love in the lineup.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Raptors (1-0) at Celtics (1-0)
Date: October 30, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics probably pose the biggest threat to unseat the two-time defending Atlantic Division champion Toronto Raptors in 2015-16.

They get an early opportunity to make a statement when they host the Raptors on Friday night in the second game for each team.

Boston showed off the deep roster general manager Danny Ainge has built in Wednesday's opener. Isaiah Thomas had 27 points and seven assists to lead a Celtics bench that outscored Philadelphia's reserves 67-15 in a 112-95 home victory.

"Everybody wants to start. Everybody wants to be a star. Everybody wants to be the All-Star. Everybody wants to win a championship," Ainge said.

Amir Johnson, signed to a two-year, $24 million contract in July after spending his previous six seasons with the Raptors, added 15 points and seven rebounds. Jared Sullinger, who started 49 games last season, scored 12 and also grabbed seven boards.

"Well our bench has to be a great source of energy, scoring for us and everything else for us," coach Brad Stevens said.

Thomas shot 10 of 19, Johnson was 6 of 11 and Sullinger 6 of 8, which altogether helped make up for the starting five's 13-for-33 effort.

"That's my job. I've got a job to do. I have confidence in myself and my teammates do, too," said Thomas, who was acquired from Phoenix at last season's trade deadline.

The win improved Boston to 25-12 since Feb. 3, tying for the second-most victories in the NBA in that stretch. Defending champion Golden State leads the way with 31.

Two of those 25 wins have come against Toronto, but they were by a combined three points in April. The Raptors got things going Wednesday with a 106-99 win over visiting Indiana, relying mostly on their starters.

DeMar DeRozan had 25 points, Kyle Lowry scored 23, Jonas Valanciunas had 21 points and 15 rebounds and DeMarre Carroll scored 14 with eight boards, four assists and two steals in his Raptors debut.

"That's exactly why he's here," DeRozan said of Carroll, who came over from Atlanta on a four-year deal worth $60 million. "He brings that toughness and that defensive mindset with the things he's able to do offensively."

Toronto scored 37 points in the first half before holding a 69-54 advantage the rest of the way.

"I will admit that we were nervous to start the game," Lowry said. "Not knowing who we are and how we were going to play together. We settled down and started taking the shots that were there."

Toronto won the first two meetings last season before dropping those two April matchups. DeRozan averaged 30.5 points in two of those games, while Lowry scored 23.3 in three.

Kelly Olynyk played in all four meetings for Boston and averaged 15.0 points. He'll be making his season debut after sitting out Wednesday while serving a one-game suspension for his role in Cleveland forward Kevin Love's left shoulder injury in the first round of last season's playoffs.

Boston has won 21 of the last 25 meetings at home.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bulls (2-0) at Pistons (2-0)
Date: October 30, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

So far, so good for first-year Chicago Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg. The same can be said for Stan Van Gundy in his second season with the Detroit Pistons.

The veteran-laden Bulls have picked up where they left off with a new voice in the huddle heading into Friday night's visit to the young Pistons, who will try to start 3-0 for the first time in seven years.

The Bulls hope to spoil Detroit's fast start by winning their first three games for the first time since 1996-97, when they started 12-0 en route to a 69-win season and their fifth NBA championship with Michael Jordan.

That gap without a quick start might be surprising given Chicago averaged 51 wins in five seasons under Tom Thibodeau, including a lockout-shortened 2011-12 in which the Bulls went 50-16.

But with the defensive-minded Thibodeau out, Hoiberg has the Bulls playing with a faster, more balanced offense.

After a 97-95 win in the NBA opener against Cleveland on Tuesday, Chicago downed New Jersey 115-100 on Wednesday. The game against the Nets was closer to the offense Hoiberg envisions as the Bulls made 53.8 percent of their shots, including 14 of 28 3-pointers - up from 22.3 attempts per game last season.

Both of Chicago's games have featured more than 102 possessions after Bulls games averaged 95.4 - 21st in the league - last season. But it's a small sample size, and the only thing holding back previous Bulls teams was LeBron James in the playoffs - not what they did in the regular season.

'It's only two games, we always have room to improve,' Derrick Rose said. 'Do I love the way that we played these two games? Of course. We had some ups and downs, but we've still got to get better.'

Though the Bulls have several veterans at the forefront, they also have young talent that may get more of a look under Hoiberg.

Nikola Mirotic (18.5 points per game), Tony Snell (10.5), E'Twaun Moore (10.0) and Doug McDermott (8.0) have all seen an uptick in minutes while Hoiberg has shaved a few away from his oft-injured veterans. Joakim Noah is coming off the bench for what seems like it will be his first extended stint as a reserve since 2008-09.

"It's a marathon," Hoiberg told the team's official website. "You have to prepare your guys the best you can and try to keep them healthy."

Meanwhile, the Pistons are led by a young core that will try to deliver a 3-0 start for the first time since 2008-09, the last season they made the playoffs.

Van Gundy was hired as coach and president of basketball operations in May 2014, but two extended losing streaks during his first season kept Detroit out of the playoffs once again.

The Pistons have impressed early, though, winning 106-94 in Atlanta on Tuesday and 92-87 over Utah on Wednesday to start a three-game stretch at home.

Last season the Pistons found ways to lose late, which tormented them during a 5-23 start. They held off a fourth-quarter Jazz rally, though, to reach two games over .500 for the first time since they were 33-31 in March 2009.

'Stan puts a lot of faith in us,' said Andre Drummond, who scored 18 points in each of Detroit's first two games while pulling down 29 total rebounds. 'At the end of the day it comes down to us to close the game up.'

The Bulls lost twice at The Palace last season, equaling the total number of losses they had in this series over the previous five seasons.

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Preview: Hornets (0-1) at Hawks (1-1)
Date: October 30, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Although they were beaten on the boards again, the Atlanta Hawks performed better overall in their latest game than in a season-opening defeat.

They'll try to keep their momentum going in their quick return home Friday night by adding to their recent success there against the Charlotte Hornets.

Atlanta held Detroit to 38.5 percent shooting in its 2015-16 debut Tuesday but the Pistons posted a 59-40 rebounding advantage and a 23-7 edge on the offensive glass in a 106-94 victory over last season's Eastern Conference finalists.

New York beat the Hawks 48-39 and 16-7 in offensive rebounds Thursday, but Atlanta (1-1) shot 50.6 percent in a 112-101 victory. Jeff Teague led the way with 23 points, and Al Horford scored 21.

The Hawks put six players in double figures and made 10 3-pointers after coach Mike Budenholzer challenged them following the opener.

"I think we had a healthy film session. There he kind of told us what he expected from us, what he wanted us to do a little bit better," said Horford, whose team finished an East-best 60-22 in 2014-15. "I think everybody answered the call."

The Hawks will next seek to avoid their first 0-2 start at home since dropping their first three in 2005-06. Atlanta won its first four games there in 2014-15 on its way to finishing 35-6, one win shy of matching its best showing on its own floor.

Their last regular-season victory at Philips Arena was a 104-80 rout of Charlotte on April 10, their 14th win in the last 16 visits from the Hornets (0-1). The Hawks also won 105-75 on Nov. 29.

The teams split their four overall matchups with Charlotte scoring an average of 118.5 points in its two wins while shooting 50.8 percent. The Hornets averaged 77.5 and shot 34.5 percent in their two losses.

Atlanta was more consistent in shooting no worse than 43.0 percent in the four games and 47.9 overall. They also connected on 43.9 percent from 3-point range.

Charlotte shot 39.3 percent and missed 18 of 24 attempts from beyond the arc in its season opener Wednesday, a 104-94 loss in Miami. Kemba Walker scored a team-best 19 points despite missing 11 of 16 shots and Jeremy Lin had 17 in his Hornets debut.

"I just don't think we played at all the way we played during the preseason, at either end of the floor," coach Steve Clifford said. "We never really found our comfort level."

Charlotte hasn't opened with back-to-back losses since losing its first three games in 2010-11. The Hornets dropped their first four road games in 2014-15 and 10 of their first 11 en route to finishing 33-49.

Walker has averaged 11.2 points - 5.1 below his career mark - in his last five games against Atlanta while shooting 30.8 percent and going 4 of 22 from 3-point range.

Teague totaled 12 points and missed 10 of 15 shots in his final two games versus Charlotte last season. He had 22 points and matched a career high with 15 assists in a 122-119 double overtime loss to the Hornets on Nov. 7.

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Preview: Wizards (1-0) at Bucks (0-1)
Date: October 30, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

It took some time for the Milwaukee Bucks to adjust to personnel changes midway through last season. Another transitional period appears in the works for the start of this one.

Coming off a lopsided home loss in their opener, the Bucks seek a better result in Friday's matchup with the Washington Wizards.

Milwaukee was ineffective on both ends during Wednesday's 122-97 defeat to a New York Knicks team that finished last in the Eastern Conference a season ago. The Bucks shot 34.9 percent and their 18 turnovers - six by point guard Michael Carter-Williams - led to 25 points for the Knicks.

The Bucks allowed over 120 points only once during an encouraging 2014-15 campaign that saw the club trade leading scorer Brandon Knight in mid-February in a three-team deal that netted Carter-Williams from Philadelphia. Milwaukee lost 13 of 17 following the swap, then recovered to win seven of its next 11 to earn the East's No. 6 playoff seed.

Two key veterans, center Zaza Pachulia and swingman Jared Dudley, departed from last season's squad and Milwaukee played without young forwards Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker as well as O.J. Mayo on Wednesday.

"For us to grow up we're going to have to go through this probably the first 20 games or so," coach Jason Kidd said. "We can't just say we lost because of Giannis and O.J. We felt we had enough firepower and talent to win (Wednesday)."

Antetokounmpo will be back in Friday's lineup after serving a one-game suspension for a flagrant foul on Chicago's Mike Dunleavy during Game 6 of the East quarterfinals. Mayo remains out with a hamstring injury and Parker isn't quite ready to return from a torn ACL that cut short his rookie season in December.

The Bucks envision Parker and fellow 20-year-old Antetokounmpo forming a dynamic frontcourt with free-agent addition Greg Monroe, who totaled 22 points and 14 rebounds in his Milwaukee debut.

Dudley was traded to Washington to help clear cap space for Monroe's signing, though it's uncertain if he'll face his former team after sitting out Wednesday's 88-87 win at Orlando to rest his surgically repaired back.

The Wizards unveiled a more up-tempo attack that seemed to suit backcourt starts John Wall and Bradley Beal well but produced mixed results overall. Beal had 24 points and Wall capped a 22-point night with a go-ahead floater with 12.7 seconds remaining. However, Washington shot just 39.3 percent and finished 7 of 28 from 3-point range.

"It's a process. It's different,' coach Randy Wittman said. 'We didn't play that way the last couple years, so ... this is Game 1. We've just got to keep working at it.'

Wall added a career-high five blocks on Wednesday and averaged 20.0 points, 9.5 assists and 5.0 steals in two Washington wins over Milwaukee last season. He was held to 3 for 14 shooting, however, in a 91-85 loss at the Bradley Center on March 7 that ended the Wizards' four-game series win streak.

Washington had also won four straight in Milwaukee prior to that defeat.

Milwaukee's Khris Middleton set a career high with 30 points in the teams' last meeting but struggled in the opener, scoring 11 points on 4 of 15 shooting.

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Preview: Nets (0-1) at Spurs (0-1)
Date: October 30, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

While the San Antonio Spurs already have their share of stars, coach Gregg Popovich declared the arrival of another following his team's opening night defeat.

Coming off one of the best performance of his career, Kawhi Leonard will try to help the Spurs bounce back Friday night when they seek a 13th straight home win over the Brooklyn Nets.

San Antonio still has Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and added All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge in the offseason, but Leonard stole the show with a career-high 32 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks in Wednesday's 112-106 loss at Oklahoma City.

Leonard first grabbed the national spotlight in the 2014 NBA Finals when he earned MVP honors while leading the Spurs to a five-game series win over Miami. He then averaged a career-best 16.5 points and also won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2014-15.

Still, Popovich believes we haven't seen the best of the forward because injuries have limited him to 66 games or fewer in each of his first four seasons.

"He's a confident player now and has worked on his game diligently and really it's the first year he's been whole from the very beginning," Popovich said. "He wasn't hurt during the summertime. He wasn't hurt in preseason. Every year so far, that's been his situation. He's arrived.'

Despite Leonard's career night, San Antonio couldn't hold on to a seven-point advantage while allowing the Thunder to score 33 in the fourth quarter. The team's other four starters, Parker, Danny Green, Duncan and Aldridge, combined for 33 points on 14-of-40 shooting.

'A couple of defensive mistakes, a couple of offensive plays where we were impatient," Popovich said. "We just needed to work together a little bit longer.'

San Antonio hopes to gain some cohesiveness as it tries to win a seventh straight home opener at the AT&T Center, which underwent a $110 million renovation in the offseason.

The Spurs also have won nine consecutive home games overall and 40 of 45 there against the Nets going back to the 2003 NBA Finals. They've won by an average of 14.5 points during their 12-game home winning streak in the series.

Parker had 22 points and Leonard and Green scored 21 apiece in a 99-87 win in the most recent meeting in San Antonio last November. Green has averaged 19.3 points while hitting 14 of 22 from 3-point range in his last three against Brooklyn.

The Nets are looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since dropping their first 18 in 2009-10 en route to their worst record in 40 NBA seasons at 12-70.

Brook Lopez started strong with 26 points, while Andrea Bargnani contributed 17 in Wednesday's 115-100 home loss to Chicago. Starting point guard Jarrett Jack could return Friday after missing the opener due to a hamstring injury.

Brooklyn, 22nd in defensive field-goal percentage (45.6) last season, will have to be better at that end after allowing the Bulls to shoot 53.8 percent and 14 of 28 from 3-point range.

'I understand that we did do some good things," coach Lionel Hollins said. "As I told the team, we have to extend those good things to a longer period of time. Cut down on our mistakes in giving them easy things and make them have to earn everything.'

Mirza Teletovic, who had five points on 2-of-10 shooting Wednesday, totaled 48 points while sinking 9 of 15 from beyond the arc in last season's series with San Antonio.