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

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Preview: Cavaliers (2-1) at 76ers (0-2)
Date: November 02, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

With a pair of stars on the mend, a weekend off followed by a lighter stretch in the schedule might be the perfect medicine for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After surviving a physical and emotional opening week, the Cavs return to action Monday night at Philadelphia looking to keep the 76ers winless.

The Cavaliers (2-1) will continue to feel out their injury concerns during a stretch of six games against non-playoff teams from a year ago, rolling on with home matchups against New York and the 76ers later this week.

Cleveland opened with three games in four days - physical contests against Chicago and Memphis and an emotional one versus Miami. While point guard Kyrie Irving remains sidelined following offseason knee surgery with no timeline for his return, LeBron James and Kevin Love are each playing through injury concerns.

James said Friday he intends to play 82 games after missing a career-high 13 last season, but he is three weeks removed from his second anti-inflammatory injection in 10 months to treat an ongoing issue with his back.

An uneasy sight for Cavs fans has been the 30-year-old laying on his stomach near Cleveland's bench in order to take the stress off his back.

He opened the season with 25 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Bulls on Tuesday but scored just 12 the next day in a blowout win over the Grizzlies. James hit 13 of 19 shots Friday for 29 points in a 102-92 victory over the Heat, whom he won two championships with before returning to Cleveland last season.

Not concerned with his own body, James has said he wants Love to get as involved as possible. Love had 24 points and 14 rebounds against Miami and shot 3 of 7 on 3-pointers.

"Kevin Love is our main focal point," James said. "We want to get Kev to know how great he is and how good he is for our team."

The physical games may have been bigger tests for Love's surgically repaired left shoulder, which he injured in last season's first-round playoff series against Boston.

"If it was going to go against two teams, it was going to be (the Bulls and Grizzlies)," said Love, who is averaging 19.7 points while knocking down 8 of 21 from 3-point range. "Definitely got hit, got pulled, got my arm locked a few times and I'm pretty sore, too, so it's definitely been tested and I'm sure it will continue to be."

Cleveland is chasing its sixth win in seven meetings with Philadelphia, though the 76ers have won six of the last seven at Wells Fargo Center.

The 76ers (0-2) heard a familiar sound Friday when their home crowd booed them off the court following a 99-71 loss to Utah.

Philadelphia's rebuilding era looks like it will last another season without Joel Embiid, leaving the rest of its inexperienced roster to take the lumps.

"Maybe it's going to take a little bit of time," Nik Stauskas said. "Maybe we need to work on a few more things. But we're relatively young and inexperienced at this point."

The 76ers have made shot just 36.1 percent while turning the ball over 43 times, including eight by rookie Jahlil Okafor in Wednesday's 112-95 loss at Boston.

Okafor had a solid game otherwise, making 10 of 16 shots for 26 points, but he followed with 10 points against the Jazz.

He was one of five players to score in double digits. The problem was none of them finished with more than 12 while the team shot 30.2 percent and committed 19 turnovers.

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Preview: Bucks (0-3) at Nets (0-3)
Date: November 02, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Jason Kidd's second season in Milwaukee hasn't begun as planned, though his former team is experiencing its share of early problems as well.

Off to their worst start in 39 years, the Bucks visit the Barclays Center on Monday for a matchup between 0-3 teams coming off playoff appearances.

After orchestrating an abrupt exit following one season as the Nets' coach to take over a Milwaukee franchise that won a league-low 15 games in 2013-14, Kidd earned NBA Coach of the Year consideration by guiding the rebuilding Bucks to a 41-41 record and a surprise No. 6 seed in last season's Eastern Conference.

The follow-up hasn't gotten underway nearly as smoothly, with the Bucks losing their first three games for the first time since an 0-5 beginning in 1976-77. Milwaukee had the longest streak in NBA history without starting 0-3 end with a 106-87 defeat at Toronto in Sunday's road opener.

Just as Kidd's emphasis on sound defense triggered last season's turnaround, a lack of efficiency in that area may be most to blame for the Bucks' current struggles. Milwaukee has allowed an average of 115.3 points and opponents are shooting 46.4 percent from 3-point range.

The Bucks finished fifth in field goal percentage defense (.437) while yielding 97.4 points per game last season.

Injuries have played a part in the slow start as well. Jabari Parker is still nearing a return from December's torn ACL, O.J. Mayo also has yet to play due to a strained hamstring and John Henson, the team's best interior defender, will miss a third straight game with a sore Achilles.

Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Wednesday's 122-97 season-opening loss to New York serving a one-game suspension but has totaled 47 points and 18 rebounds since returning.

Brooklyn slipped from 44 wins and a conference semifinals appearance under Kidd to 38 in Lionel Hollins' debut, and seems headed to a further drop-off in what's expected to be a transitional year intended to save cap space for a run at the anticipated 2016 free agent class.

The Nets' main issues during their first 0-3 start since they lost their first 18 games in 2009-10 have come on offense. They're averaging a mere 88.7 points while shooting a league-worst 21.1 percent (8 for 38) on 3-point attempts.

'I think everybody is pretty frustrated at this point,' said Joe Johnson, whose 7.7 points per game is nearly 10 under his career average. "But we have to keep working. Just keep going hard on both ends of the floor. It'll come together.'

Bojan Bogdanovic did have an encouraging performance in Saturday's 101-91 loss at Memphis, going 3 for 3 on 3s in a 19-point effort. Johnson finished with 11 points after being held to two on 1-of-7 shooting in Friday's 102-75 defeat to San Antonio.

Brook Lopez averaged 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in Brooklyn's four 2014-15 meetings with Milwaukee, of which the Bucks won three including a 122-118 triple-overtime verdict in Kidd's return to the Barclays Center on Nov. 19. Lopez had 32 points and 18 rebounds in a 129-127 Nets' victory, also in triple-overtime, in Brooklyn on March 20.

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Preview: Spurs (2-1) at Knicks (2-1)
Date: November 02, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The New York Knicks' and San Antonio Spurs' seasons have often gone in contrasting directions since the turn of the millennium.

The Knicks, though, have gotten the better of the five-time NBA champions in most of the recent matchups.

A seemingly rejuvenated Carmelo Anthony will try to help them earn another victory over San Antonio on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

New York (2-1) has finished with just three winning records since the end of the 2000-01 season and reached the playoffs four times. San Antonio, meanwhile, has made the postseason in 18 consecutive years and boasts an NBA-record 16 consecutive seasons with at least 50 wins, including a 50-16 finish in a lockout-shortened 2011-12.

Despite those differing fortunes, the Knicks have won four of the past six matchups and three of four at MSG. New York prevailed 104-100 in overtime on its own floor in the most recent meeting March 17 despite Anthony's absence due to left knee surgery. Langston Galloway led the Knicks with what was a then-career high 22 points.

Anthony was back in superstar form in a 117-110 victory at Washington on Saturday, scoring 37 points on 11-of-18 shooting. The forward totaled 36 points in the first two games since his surgery while missing 29 of 43 shots, including 11 of 12 from 3-point range.

"It felt good. It's been a while since February," he said. "I keep saying it, but it's been a while for me to kind of have this experience."

Anthony will face San Antonio for the first time since registering 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting and 12 rebounds in a 105-101 road victory Jan, 2, 2014. He was dealing with soreness in his left knee before a 109-95 loss in San Antonio on Dec. 10.

The Spurs (2-1) will try to limit him this time after a pair of stingy performances in wins against Brooklyn and Boston. They yielded an average of 81.0 points on 37.7 percent shooting after allowing Oklahoma City to shoot 48.8 percent in a 112-106 road loss Wednesday.

San Antonio held Boston to 35.7 percent and a 6-of-29 showing from 3-point range in a 95-87 victory Sunday. The win was also an NBA-record 541st for the Spurs' trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, but it was their newest star that led them in scoring.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points and 14 rebounds after totaling 21 points in his first two games with San Antonio following a shining tenure in Portland. Kawhi Leonard contributed 19 points and is averaging 22.3 in the first three games.

"We're all still trying to figure it out," guard Danny Green said. "It's still going to take some time. We're still trying to figure it out. Even the old guys that have been here are trying to figure it out."

Aldridge had 24 points and 11 rebounds in his most recent game against the Knicks, a 103-99 victory in the Garden on Dec. 7. He has five consecutive double-doubles versus New York.

The Spurs didn't have Ginobili for either of last season's matchups. He was resting for the first and dealing with a sprained right ankle during the visit to New York. Duncan (rest), Parker (hamstring) and Leonard (hand) didn't play in the victory in December.

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Preview: Thunder (3-0) at Rockets (0-3)
Date: November 02, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

With their two stars back healthy, the Oklahoma City Thunder seem poised for a return to the Western Conference's upper echelon.

The Houston Rockets are hurting, and haven't resembled anything close to a contender.

Oklahoma City puts its unblemished record on the line, while the reeling Rockets seek an elusive first victory of 2015-16, when the teams square off Monday in Houston.

After extensive absences from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook led to a 3-12 start and sabotaged a 2014-15 campaign in which they narrowly missed a playoff berth, the Thunder (3-0) have already matched the win total from last season's first 15 games under new coach Billy Donovan. And Durant and Westbrook have been two reasons why Oklahoma City is off to its best start since opening 5-0 in 2011-12.

Durant has averaged 30.0 points while showing no effects from the foot problems that limited the 2014 MVP to 27 games last season. He had 25 on 8-of-11 shooting in just 28 minutes as Oklahoma City cruised to a 117-93 win over Denver on Sunday, the Thunder's first easy result after needing fourth-quarter rallies to dispose of San Antonio and Orlando.

Westbrook tallied 48 points in Friday's 139-136 double-overtime decision over the Magic and is averaging 32.0 points and 8.7 assists while shooting 50.0 percent.

Both rested along with Oklahoma City's other starters during the fourth quarter of Sunday's rout, in which the Thunder displayed their impressive depth and skill by shooting 52.3 percent and having seven players finish in double figures.

"When we play like that, when everybody plays together like that, it makes it easy," Durant said.

Durant missed two of Oklahoma City's three 2014-15 meetings with Houston (0-3) as the Rockets swept the series en route to a Southwest Division title and West finals appearance. That Houston team sported one of the league's more efficient offenses, an attribute that can't be applied to this one at the moment.

The Rockets have shot a lowly 37.1 percent while averaging 88.7 points in losses to Denver, Golden State and Miami, all by 20-point margins. They've committed at least 17 turnovers in each game while starting 0-3 for the first time since opening with five straight losses in 2010-11.

'We have not played well all preseason. We have not played well in the first three games,' coach Kevin McHale said. 'No one feels sorry for us. We just have got to go out and find our rhythm and keep on playing.'

James Harden's struggles have been the most alarming, with the 2015 MVP runner-up now 3 for 32 from 3-point range after missing all 10 attempts in Sunday's 109-89 loss to the Heat. Harden finished 2 of 15 overall after a 4-of-18 effort against Golden State on Friday.

Harden averaged 30.3 points and made 14 of 26 attempts from beyond the arc last season against the Thunder.

Defense has been an issue as well, particularly during a second half in which Miami outscored the Rockets 65-26 to overcome a deficit as large as 21 points.

'You can't have a stagnant offense and not get stops,' Harden said. 'That's a sign of disaster, which happened in the second half.'

Houston was playing without Dwight Howard as the three-time Defensive Player of the Year was rested on the first night of a back-to-back. He's slated to play Monday, though forward Terrence Jones (eyelid laceration) is uncertain after also missing Sunday's game.

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Preview: Trail Blazers (1-2) at Timberwolves (2-0)
Date: November 02, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

It hasn't taken long for Karl-Anthony Towns to provide a significant boost to the grief-laden Minnesota Timberwolves and show why he was worthy of the No. 1 overall pick.

In what will be an emotional home opener, Towns will try to lift the Timberwolves to their second 3-0 start in three seasons Monday night against the revamped Portland Trail Blazers.

Towns had 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, 14 rebounds and four blocks in leading Minnesota to a 95-78 win over Denver on Friday. He had 14 points while making 6 of 10 shots and 12 rebounds in his NBA debut, a 112-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.

"I'm really happy because it has been a tough week for us," interim coach Sam Mitchell said. "Our guys have worked extremely hard and should be proud."

After its 2-0 start, the team headed back for Flip Saunders' memorial service Saturday in Minnesota. The Timberwolves coach and team president passed away Oct. 25 after a battle with cancer, and the franchise will hold a tribute to him before Monday's game.

The players will also wear a patch honoring Saunders on their uniform beginning with the matchup against Portland (1-2).

"(The patch) will mean a lot. It means a lot because it's just the unity," Towns said. "He's the one who brought almost all of us in here. He's the one who has taken this organization to another level."

Minnesota will try to cap off the night with a victory over a Portland team that has just one starter on its roster from last season, Damian Lillard. LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio), Wesley Matthews (Dallas) and Robin Lopez (New York) exited via free agency while Nicolas Batum was traded to Charlotte in June.

One of the players the Blazers acquired in that deal, guard Gerald Henderson, is recovering from hip surgery and has yet to play. Minnesota starting center Nikola Pekovic (Achilles) has also been out.

C.J. McCollum stepped up to score a career-high 37 points in Portland's season-opening win against New Orleans on Wednesday but has a combined 31 in the past two games while missing 24 of 37 shots, including 10 of 13 from 3-point range.

Lillard tallied a combined 47 points in a home-and-home series with Phoenix but no other teammate had more than 16 points in either loss. He had 23 points and eight assists in a 101-90 home defeat Saturday.

"We haven't been playing together that long, especially in real game situations," Lillard said. "It's just going to take time and experience in situations for us to be able to execute and do the things necessary to win the game down the stretch."

The Timberwolves and Blazers split four meetings last season with each team winning twice at home.

Andrew Wiggins averaged 23.3 points in the final three games against Portland, and Kevin Martin has averaged 24.5 in his past four matchups. Martin played in two of the meetings last season.

Lillard is averaging 26.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in his last four games in Minnesota, but Portland has just one victory in those contests.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Grizzlies (2-1) at Warriors (3-0)
Date: November 02, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

Following an unforgettable championship run by his Golden State Warriors, reigning MVP Stephen Curry is remarkably exceeding expectations so far in 2015-16.

The high-scoring guard, however, could find the going a bit tougher against the defensive-minded Memphis Grizzlies.

In their first meeting since the Grizzlies gave them a scare in the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors seek a franchise-record 20th straight home win Monday night.

Curry was sixth in the league last season with 23.8 points per game, third in 3-point shooting at 44.3 percent and first in foul shooting at 91.4 percent, yet somehow the seventh-year pro has been even better through the first three games. He's averaging 39.3 points, has hit 17 of 35 (48.6 percent) 3-point attempts and 21 of 22 (95.5) free throws.

He finished with 53 points - including a career high for a quarter with 28 in the third - in Saturday's 134-120 win over New Orleans. Curry sank eight 3s and made all 11 of his attempts from the stripe while also contributing nine assists and four steals.

Curry is just the fourth player in NBA history to score at least 118 points in the first three games of a season, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Jerry West.

"You just get better as a player and try to take it to another level," he said. "So that's what I'm trying to do this year."

The Warriors (3-0) will try to break the team mark for consecutive home wins, which was set from Dec. 14-Jan. 25 last season. The Grizzlies (2-1), however, are one of only three visitors to win in the past 50 games at Oracle Arena, including the postseason.

That win came by a 97-90 score in Game 2 of the conference semifinals. Mike Conley and Courtney Lee helped slow Curry while the Grizzlies gained a surprising 2-1 series edge.

Curry averaged 21.3 points and shot 8 of 29 from 3-point range in those contests before scoring 27.7 per game and sinking 18 of 35 from downtown as the Warriors closed out the series with three straight victories.

Memphis (2-1) has finished in the top five in defensive scoring in each of the past four years, but is giving up 100.0 points per game on 48.1 percent shooting this season.Golden State has averaged 119.0 on 47.6 percent shooting, including 40.7 from long range.

Conley led the way with 22 points - including a 4-of-7 performance from outside the arc - and eight assists, while Zach Randolph had 15 points and 13 rebounds in Saturday's 101-91 home win over Brooklyn.

Memphis has shot 16 of 39 (41.0 percent) from 3-point range in back-to-back wins after going 2 for 16 in Wednesday's 106-76 loss to Cleveland. The Warriors, however, have limited their opponents to just 30.2 percent shooting from long distance.

"When we're making shots from the outside, I think we're a tough team to beat," Conley said. "The league knows that, and we've just got to find more consistency with it."

Marc Gasol banged his right hand, jammed two fingers and finished with just seven points on 2-of-10 shooting. The All-Star center averaged 19.2 points but shot just 37.6 percent to go along with 11.2 rebounds versus Golden State in last season's playoffs.

Klay Thompson hasn't played more than 28 minutes for the Warriors due to an ailing back.

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Preview: Suns (2-1) at Clippers (3-0)
Date: November 02, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers have posted a .673 winning percentage while reaching the playoffs in each of the past four years following Blake Griffin's breakout rookie season.

But they've never be able to run off four consecutive victories to begin a campaign.

As Griffin tries to continue his hot start, the Clippers look to extend their best beginning in eight years Monday night with their eighth consecutive victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns.

Griffin, who has helped the franchise turn things around since winning the Rookie of the Year award five years ago, says Los Angeles is playing with a sense of urgency this season.

It's certainly shown in his play, as he's averaging 32.0 points on 64.4 percent shooting. The star forward scored 37 with nine rebounds in Saturday's 114-109 home win over Sacramento.

'To get off to a good start and beat a good team like that is important for us,' Griffin said. 'If we would have won one more game last year, it would have put us in second place in the conference and we would have had homecourt advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs. You think about those things.'

Given his success against the Suns, Griffin could help the Clippers continue their best start since winning their first four games in 2007-08. He's averaging 27.8 points on 61.0 percent shooting over the last six of a seven-game winning streak that's their longest in the history of the series.

Griffin had 45 points - including a 3-pointer at the buzzer - in a 121-120 win in the most recent meeting at Staples Center on Dec. 8.

The Clippers have limited opponents to 40.8 percent shooting so far. They'll need to play well defensively against a Phoenix team that boasts one of the NBA's highest-scoring backcourts.

Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight are one of three guard tandems (Washington's John Wall and Bradley Beal, Portland's Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum) averaging 20.0 points apiece.

Bledsoe finished with 33 points, six assists, four steals and two blocks Saturday, while Knight contributed 27 points, five assists, five rebounds and hit four 3-pointers in a 101-90 win that gave the Suns (2-1) both meetings of a home-and-home set with Portland.

'When you have two guys who can penetrate and shoot and make the right play, it is going to work fine,' Knight said. 'It's about all of us, really, meshing and jelling and finding the right way to play together.'

Tyson Chandler, who signed a four-year, $52 million deal in July, had 15 points and 13 rebounds in the home win over the Trail Blazers before finishing with five and 11 at Portland. He'll be tasked with trying to contain DeAndre Jordan, second in the league with 15.0 boards per game.

Jordan had 15 points and 18 rebounds against the Kings, leaving him just 31 boards shy of Elton Brand's franchise record of 4,710. He's averaged 15.5 rebounds in his last eight versus the Suns.

Chris Paul has scored 22.3 per game and hit 19 of 39 from 3-point range while totaling 57 assists with just 16 turnovers in his last six meetings, but he's looking to bounce back after shooting 8 for 21 in his last two games overall and committing five turnovers Saturday.

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One week into the season, LeBron closing in on 2 milestones
November 2, 2015

LeBron James has often said that being mentioned among the game's all-time greats is humbling to think about now, and that accomplishments will mean more to him after he stops playing.

That said, he does savor milestones.

And he could reach two of them in his next game.

When Cleveland goes to Philadelphia on Monday, James will be 21 points from becoming the 20th member of the NBA's 25,000 regular-season-points club - and just one point from becoming the 11th player with 30,000 points when adding playoff numbers to the overall total.

Monday would be James' 915th regular-season game. Everyone ahead of him on the NBA scoring list has logged at least 1,000 games except Jerry West with 932; James should pass him for 19th in scoring in the next couple of weeks.

It's obvious that James is in that never-ending argument for ''best player ever,'' but his stats are already eye-popping and will only get better from here. Consider: The only other player with as many points, rebounds (6,524) and assists (6,315) in his NBA career is Oscar Robertson - and James could pass him in scoring this season as well.

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EVERYONE SHOOTING 3'S

The NBA's ''Bigs who shoot 3's'' club is growing.

New Orleans' Anthony Davis made a total of three 3-pointers in his first three seasons; he needed three games to make that many from beyond the arc this season.

Atlanta's Al Horford had one game in his pro career with two 3-pointers - and that was when he hit a meaningless one at a final buzzer - before this season, and then he did it on back-to-back days last week.

Charlotte's Frank Kaminsky, a 7-foot rookie, took a 3-pointer for his first pro shot (a miss), then connected two nights later on one for his first basket.

But maybe the biggest long-range surprise in the early going this year is Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins. He had four 3-pointers in his last 167 games combined entering the season, then made four in the Kings' season-opener.

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THE WEEK AHEAD

Some games to take note of this week:

- Thunder at Rockets, Monday: A pair of high-octane Western Conference clubs square off. The Rockets have won the last four meetings.

- Trail Blazers at Timberwolves, Monday: Minnesota's home opener, and a night that will have emotion unlike any other game in team history after the passing of Flip Saunders.

- Pacers at Pistons, Tuesday: Detroit started 3-19 last season. The Pistons are 3-0 this season.

- Heat at Pacers, Friday: Indiana debuts its hotly anticipated ''Hickory'' uniforms, a nod to the 30th anniversary of the iconic basketball movie ''Hoosiers.''

- Lakers at Knicks, Sunday: This could be Kobe Bryant's final appearance at Madison Square Garden. He hasn't played a regular-season game there since 2012, and averages nearly 31 points in 15 past matchups there against New York.

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STAT OF THE WEEK

2-0: That was Oklahoma City's only lead in regulation Friday night against Orlando. The Thunder led for only 14 seconds in regulation, but got a desperation game-tying 3-pointer from Russell Westbrook in the final second of the fourth quarter and went on to beat the Magic 139-136 in double overtime in Billy Donovan's first game against the team he technically coached for a couple days in 2007.

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Cleveland - 7:00 PM ET Philadelphia +13 500 *****
Philadelphia - Under 194 500

Milwaukee - 7:30 PM ET Brooklyn +1 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Brooklyn - Over 196.5 500

San Antonio - 7:30 PM ET New York +8 500 DOUBLE PLAY
New York - Over 201 500

Oklahoma City - 8:00 PM ET Oklahoma City -4 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Houston - Over 215 500

Portland - 8:00 PM ET Minnesota -4 500 SLAM DUNK
Minnesota - Under 204 500

Memphis - 10:30 PM ET Golden State -9.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Golden State - Under 202.5 500

Phoenix - 10:30 PM ET L.A. Clippers -9 500 *****
L.A. Clippers - Over 210 500




TO ALL WHO VIEW MY NBA THREAD I'LL BE ON VACATION THE NEXT 2 WEEKS AND WILL TRY TO POST MY RATING OF GAMES WHEN POSSIBLE.......
TO ALL TAKE CARE AND GOOD LUCK !!

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NBA Capsules
November 17, 2015

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Andre Drummond had 25 points and 18 rebounds and made some crucial free throws when he was fouled intentionally, helping the Detroit Pistons rally to a 104-99 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

LeBron James scored 23 of his 30 points in the first half, but the Pistons double-teamed him on a couple of big possessions down the stretch and Cleveland couldn't convert. The Cavs lost their second straight after winning eight in a row.

Drummond's free throw with 2:07 left gave the Pistons a 98-97 advantage, and Detroit was able to hold on. It was 102-99 with 13.8 seconds remaining after Reggie Jackson made two free throws for the Pistons. J.R. Smith then missed a contested 3-pointer from near the top of the key.

NUGGETS 115, PELICANS 98

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Danilo Gallinari scored a season-high 32 points for the Nuggets, New Orleans' Anthony Davis hurt his left shoulder in the first quarter and Denver defeated the downtrodden Pelicans.

Jameer Nelson scored all 16 of his points in the last 14:10 of the game, helping Denver secure its fourth victory in five games. Will Barton added 17 points and Gary Harris 16.

Ryan Anderson scored 24 and Eric Gordon 19 for the injury-riddled Pelicans, who were able to stay within single digits most of the game before fading in the final minutes.

NETS 90, HAWKS 88

NEW YORK (AP) - Brook Lopez had 26 points and Thaddeus Young hit two free throws with 1.4 seconds left to give Brooklyn a victory over Atlanta.

After a timeout, Young knocked away Thabo Sefolosha's inbounds pass to Al Horford as time expired.

Young finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jarrett Jack and Shane Larkin each had 14.

Horford scored 18 points for the Hawks. Paul Millsap had 17 and Kyle Korver added 13.

TIMBERWOLVES 103, HEAT 91

MIAMI (AP) - Andrew Wiggins scored 24 points, Zach LaVine added 17 and Minnesota overcame a triple-double by Miami's Hassan Whiteside to beat the Heat.

Shabazz Muhammad scored 16 and Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points and 14 rebounds for Minnesota, which snapped a four-game slide.

Whiteside had 22 points, 14 rebounds and 10 blocks - his second triple-double - for Miami, which was outscored 41-22 in the fourth.

Luol Deng scored 20 points, Goran Dragic had 16 and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh each scored 10 for Miami.

KNICKS 102, HORNETS 94

NEW YORK (AP) - Rookie Kristaps Porzingis scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and New York beat Charlotte.

Less than a week after he just missed beating the Hornets when his 3-pointer was ruled after the buzzer, Porzingis couldn't be denied by Charlotte defenders or the clock in the 20-year-old Latvian's biggest moment in the NBA.

The slender, 7-foot-3 forward who was thunderously booed when the Knicks drafted him with the No. 4 pick had fans chanting ''Por-zing-is! Por-zing-is!'' in the fourth quarter, shortly after his three-point play gave the Knicks a 93-81 lead.

Carmelo Anthony added 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Knicks. Arron Afflalo scored 16.

Kemba Walker scored a season-high 31 points for the Hornets.

WIZARDS 115, BUCKS 86

WASHINGTON (AP) - John Wall had 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds as Washington beat Milwaukee.

Otto Porter also scored 19 to help the Wizards win by double digits for the first time this season. Washington had six players in double figures.

Milwaukee was led by Khris Middleton, who scored 14 points in the team's worst loss of the season.

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Wednesday's Tip Sheet
November 18, 2015

Mavericks at Celtics (-4 ½, 204 ½) – 7:05 PM EST

Not many teams pull off a road sweep of the Thunder and Rockets on consecutive nights, but Boston (6-4 SU, 6-4 ATS) completed that feat as the Celtics go for their fourth straight win against the Mavericks. The Celtics used two big quarters in each highway triumph, outscoring Oklahoma City, 28-11 in the fourth period in Sunday’s 15-point rout, followed by a 32-13 outburst in the third quarter in Monday’s 111-95 blowout of Houston. Brad Stevens’ team is stepping up its defense by limiting six of their last eight opponents to less than 100 points, resulting in a 7-1 run to the ‘under.’

Dallas (7-4 SU, 6-5 ATS) wraps up a three-game road trip going for the sweep after beating Houston and Philadelphia. The Mavs failed to cover against the winless 76ers in Monday’s 92-86 victory as eight-point favorites, as Chandler Parsons busted out for a season-high 20 points after failing to score in double-figures in his first six games. Rick Carlisle’s club owns a 3-3 SU/ATS record in the underdog role this season, while winning nine of the last 10 meetings with the Celtics since 2010.

Pelicans at Thunder (-8 ½, 213 ½) – 8:05 PM EST

The nightmare start for New Orleans (1-10 SU, 2-9 ATS) continued in Tuesday’s 115-98 home defeat to Denver as six-point favorites, as star Anthony Davis exited the game with a shoulder injury in the first half. Davis is listed as questionable for tonight’s action as the Pelicans’ leading scorer has missed two games already for this banged-up team, who owns a 1-7 ATS record in the underdog role. New Orleans has allowed at least 100 points in 10 of 11 games this season, but the Pelicans won and covered three of four matchups with the Thunder last season.

Kevin Durant remains out for the Thunder (6-5 SU, 5-6 ATS) with a hamstring injury, as OKC is 1-2 SU/ATS with the former scoring champion sidelined. The Thunder fell short at Memphis on Monday in a 122-114 setback, giving up their most points in regulation this season. Russell Westbrook scored at least 40 points for the second time this season on Monday, while falling to 1-4 ATS on the highway. Oklahoma City has won and cashed in four of six home contests, as the Thunder is riding a 4-1 ‘under’ stretch in the last five at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Nuggets at Spurs (-13, 195 ½) – 8:35 PM EST

Mike Malone’s squad is playing with confidence as Denver (6-5 SU, 6-5 ATS) picked up its fourth victory in five tries in Tuesday’s 17-point rout at New Orleans. The Nuggets won for the third time away from the Pepsi Center, as all six road games for Denver have been decided by double-digits this season. Denver knocked down 15 three-pointers and shot 53% from the floor in the Big Easy, but are 0-2 SU/ATS with no rest this season, as both losses at Golden State and Phoenix came by over 15 points apiece.

The Spurs (8-2 SU, 7-3 ATS) go for their sixth consecutive win and a perfect 3-0 homestand following a pair of low-scoring victories over the Blazers and 76ers. San Antonio has been tenacious on the defensive end at home, not allowing more than 94 points in any of its four victories at the AT&T Center, resulting in a 3-1 mark to the ‘under.’ The Spurs completed the four-game sweep of the Nuggets last season, but Denver has cashed in three of the past four visits to San Antonio as an underdog since 2013.

Raptors at Jazz (-4 ½, 189) – 9:05 PM EST

Nobody has been able to knock off Golden State this season, but Toronto (7-5 SU, 8-4 ATS) gave it a great shot in a 115-110 setback last night at Oracle Arena. The Raptors lost their fifth game in their last seven tries, but managed a cover as 9 ½-point underdogs, improving to 3-1 ATS when receiving points this season. The defense has slipped of late for Dwane Casey’s club, yielding at least 100 points in four of the past five games since giving up triple-digits just once in the first seven contests. Toronto has dominated this series the last two seasons, capturing all four matchups, including a pair of double-digit victories at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

The Jazz (5-5 SU, 7-3 ATS) have endured a road-heavy schedule so far, playing eight games away from Salt Lake City. How unkind are the NBA schedule makers to Quin Snyder’s team? Utah hasn’t played consecutive games at home yet, as the Jazz go back on the road to Dallas on Friday night after playing the last four contests on the highway, going 1-3 SU and 3-1 ATS. The Jazz avoided a winless trip by edging the Hawks on Sunday, 97-96 as three-point underdogs, as Utah has been held below 100 points in nine of 10 games this season.

Bulls at Suns (-2 ½, 199 ½) – 10:35 PM EST

Cleveland and Chicago (7-3 SU, 3-7 ATS) are the top two teams in the Central division, but those two contenders haven’t been great ATS squads this season. The Cavaliers have failed to cover eight straight games after last night’s loss at Detroit, while the Bulls are 2-6 ATS in the past eight contests. Chicago embarks on its annual Circus road trip, getting kicked out of the United Center for the next four games. The Bulls will start this trip without point guard Derrick Rose, who suffered an ankle injury in Monday’s 96-95 home victory over the Pacers, but failed to cover as 6 ½-point favorites.

Phoenix (6-4 SU, 7-3 ATS) tries to complete a perfect 4-0 homestand before a three-game road swing, coming off a 120-101 blowout of the Lakers on Monday as 11-point favorites. Since losing the season opener to the Mavericks, the Suns are an impressive 5-1 SU/ATS in their last six home contests, with all five victories coming by double-figures. Phoenix has had problems with Chicago at home through the years, losing three of the past four matchups, while the Bulls have covered in each of their last four visits to the Valley.

[StarDust Bum]

McHale fired by Rockets after 4-7 start
November 18, 2015

HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Rockets have fired Kevin McHale with the team off to a lackluster 4-7 start just a year after advancing to the Western Conference finals, The Associated Press has learned.

Assistant J. B. Bickerstaff will take over as interim head coach, a person familiar with the decision said Wednesday on the condition of anonymity because the move had not yet been announced. The firing was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.

McHale was in his fifth season with Houston and is coming off a 56-26 season where the Rockets reached the West finals for the first time since 1997. The 57-year-old Hall of Fame player went 193-130 with the Rockets.

The Rockets opened the season with three straight losses, won four in a row and are now in a four-game skid.

McHale was hired on June 1, 2011, to take over for Rick Adelman, who had spent four years with the team.

He helped the Rockets improve in his first season before Houston went 45-37 in 2013 and returned to the postseason for the first time since 2009. The Rockets lost in the first round of the playoffs that season, improved again in 2014 and returned to the postseason only to be eliminated in the first round again.

The Rockets finally got over the hump last season, getting the second seed in the West by posting their best record since 1997 and reaching the conference finals for the first time since that Charles Barkley-led team went 57-25.

Houston returned almost everyone from last year's team that was eliminated by eventual champion Golden State and added dynamic point guard Ty Lawson. But the team has not really gelled, causing McHale to complain about the effort of the team and its sloppy play. He was particularly vocal about those issues after a blowout loss to Boston that came after Houston had a 15-point lead early.

''At times, I wouldn't say full effort all the time, no,'' he said. ''Things aren't going our way and we hang our head. We haven't put together really good basketball all year long.''

McHale spent his entire playing career in Boston after he was the third overall pick in the 1980 draft. The power forward helped the Celtics win it all in 1981, `84 and `86. The two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year was named one of the NBA's 50 greatest players in 1996 and was inducted into the Hall in 1999.

After his playing career, he spent several years as an executive with the Timberwolves before coaching the team for parts of the 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons after coaches were fired. But his first real shot at coaching came when he took over the Rockets.

During Houston's playoff run last season the Rockets raved about how McHale was a player's coach. Star James Harden said he was comfortable with him from the moment they met.

''I felt like I was talking to an actual player,'' Harden said in May. ''Obviously he's won championships so he knows what he's talking about. So my ears are just locked in and focused in on what he's saying.''

This season, McHale's gruff, old-school approach seemed to be falling short and the Rockets were forced to make the abrupt change.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA (PROFESSIONAL)

DUNKEL'S HIGHLIGHTED GAME

Minnesota at Orlando - Wednesday November 18, 2015
The Timberwolves head to Orlando tonight where they are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games versus the Magic. Orlando is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Magic favored by 5 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Orlando (-3).

Denver
@
San Antonio
Game 515-516
November 18, 2015 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Denver
116.727
San Antonio
126.682
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: San Antonio
by 10
191
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: San Antonio
by 13 1/2
196
Dunkel Pick: Denver
(+13 1/2); Under


Toronto
@
Utah
Game 517-518
November 18, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Toronto
120.747
Utah
121.523
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Utah
by 1
195
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Utah
by 4 1/2
189
Dunkel Pick: Toronto
(+4 1/2); Over


Chicago
@
Phoenix
Game 519-520
November 18, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Chicago
124.908
Phoenix
123.040
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Chicago
by 2
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Phoenix
by 2 1/2
201
Dunkel Pick: Chicago
(+2 1/2); Over


Indiana
@
Philadelphia
Game 501-502
November 18, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Indiana
122.033
Philadelphia
112.496
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Indiana
by 9 1/2
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Indiana
by 7
192
Dunkel Pick: Indiana
(-7); Over


Minnesota
@
Orlando
Game 503-504
November 18, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Minnesota
114.483
Orlando
119.915
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Orlando
by 5 1/2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Orlando
by 3
201 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Orlando
(-3); Over


Brooklyn
@
Charlotte
Game 505-506
November 18, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Brooklyn
115.067
Charlotte
119.576
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Charlotte
by 4 1/2
192
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Charlotte
by 7
196
Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn
(+7); Under


Dallas
@
Boston
Game 507-508
November 18, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Dallas
120.384
Boston
121.773
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Boston
by 1 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Boston
by 4 1/2
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Dallas
(+4 1/2); Under


New Orleans
@
Oklahoma City
Game 509-510
November 18, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: New Orleans
111.383
Oklahoma City
125.231
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Oklahoma City
by 14
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Oklahoma City
by 11
211
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City
(-11); Over


Portland
@
Houston
Game 511-512
November 18, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Portland
113.875
Houston
122.750
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Houston
by 9
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Houston
by 7
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Houston
(-7); Over


Sacramento
@
Atlanta
Game 513-514
November 18, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Sacramento
117.683
Atlanta
118.507
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Atlanta
by 1
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Atlanta
by 3 1/2
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento
(+3 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Pro Basketball Trend Report

INDIANA (6 - 5) at PHILADELPHIA (0 - 11) - 11/18/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in November games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in road games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 27-46 ATS (-23.6 Units) as a home underdog of 6.5 to 9 points since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 101-133 ATS (-45.3 Units) in home games first half of the season since]1996.

Head-to-Head Series History[/B]
PHILADELPHIA is 4-3 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 6-1 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


MINNESOTA (5 - 6) at ORLANDO (5 - 6) - 11/18/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 42-66 ATS (-30.6 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 33-51 ATS (-23.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 4-0 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 3-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


BROOKLYN (2 - 9) at CHARLOTTE (5 - 6) - 11/18/2015, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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


DALLAS (7 - 4) at BOSTON (6 - 4) - 11/18/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 17-33 ATS (-19.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 23-37 ATS (-17.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 55-40 ATS (+11.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 325-261 ATS (+37.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 443-367 ATS (+39.3 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 141-107 ATS (+23.3 Units) in road games first half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 290-239 ATS (+27.1 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
DALLAS is 150-116 ATS (+22.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games since 1996.
BOSTON is 17-38 ATS (-24.8 Units) in home games against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
BOSTON is 114-148 ATS (-48.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
BOSTON is 51-78 ATS (-34.8 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.
BOSTON is 88-121 ATS (-45.1 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.

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


NEW ORLEANS (1 - 10) at OKLAHOMA CITY (6 - 5) - 11/18/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.


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


PORTLAND (4 - 8) at HOUSTON (4 - 7) - 11/18/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 7-6 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 7-6 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
10 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


SACRAMENTO (4 - 7) at ATLANTA (8 - 5) - 11/18/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 36-52 ATS (-21.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 40-63 ATS (-29.3 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
SACRAMENTO is 23-38 ATS (-18.8 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.


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


DENVER (6 - 5) at SAN ANTONIO (8 - 2) - 11/18/2015, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 155-205 ATS (-70.5 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 912-793 ATS (+39.7 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 722-611 ATS (+49.9 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 464-385 ATS (+40.5 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 72-48 ATS (+19.2 Units) in home games against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 187-140 ATS (+33.0 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 5-2 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 7-0 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


TORONTO (7 - 5) at UTAH (5 - 5) - 11/18/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 52-38 ATS (+10.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in road games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 10-1 ATS (+8.9 Units) in road games against Northwest division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

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


CHICAGO (7 - 3) at PHOENIX (6 - 4) - 11/18/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 100-70 ATS (+23.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 48-24 ATS (+21.6 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 39-22 ATS (+14.8 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 60-39 ATS (+17.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 62-43 ATS (+14.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA knowledge

Hot teams
-- Pacers won three of last four games (0-0AF).
-- Orlando won four of its last six games (0-1HF).
-- Hornets won five of their last eight games (1-1HF).
-- Boston won five of last six games (2-2HF). Mavericks won their last four games (2-2AU).
-- Sacramento won its last three games (1-1AU).
-- San Antonio won its last five games (3-1HF). Nuggets won four of their last five games (4-2AU).
-- Bulls won four of their last five games (1-0AU). Phoenix won its last three games (4-2HF).

Cold teams
-- 0-11 76ers are 0-6 at home, 2-4 vs spread.
-- Minnesota lost last four games, by 8-4-13-9 (6-0AU).
-- Nets lost nine of last eleven games, but covered last four.
-- Oklahoma City is 3-5 in its last eight games (4-2HF). Pelicans lost last four games, by 8-19-8-17 points (1-5AU).
-- Trailblazers lost last six games, covering once. Houston lost its last four games, all as favorites (0-5HF).
-- Hawks lost four of last five games (0-5 vs spread).
-- Toronto lost five of its last seven games (3-1AU). Utah lost three of its last four games (1-1HF).

Series records
-- Pacers won six of last seven games with Philly, covering three of last four.
-- Magic won four of last five games with Minnesota.
-- Nets won seven of last ten games with Charlotte.
-- Mavericks won nine of last ten against Boston (7-3 vs spread).
-- Pelicans won four of last five games with Oklahoma City.
-- Trailblazers won three of last four games with Houston.
-- Kings lost last ten games with Atlanta (1-9 vs spread).
-- Spurs won last seven games with Denver (5-2 vs spread).
-- Raptors won their last four games with Utah.
-- Bulls won seven of last nine games with Phoenix.

Totals
-- Seven of last nine Indiana games stayed under.
-- Four of last six Minnesota games went over total.
-- Four of last five Charlotte-Brooklyn games went over.
-- Seven of last eight Boston games stayed under total.
-- Three of last four New Orleans games stayed under.
-- Seven of last nine Portland games went over total.
-- Nine of last ten Sacramento-Atlanta games went over.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine San Antonio games.
-- Six of last seven Toronto-Utah games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Chicago games stayed under total.