The Bum's National Basketball League December Picks/Trends/News !!

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, December 13


Philadelphia @ Toronto

Game 705-706
December 13, 2015 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
110.331
Toronto
120.432
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 10
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 12 1/2
193
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+12 1/2); Over

Utah @ Oklahoma City

Game 707-708
December 13, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
119.911
Oklahoma City
126.426
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 6 1/2
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 9
202
Dunkel Pick:
Utah
(+9); Over

Minnesota @ Phoenix

Game 701-702
December 13, 2015 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
114.275
Phoenix
120.647
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Phoenix
by 6 1/2
205
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Phoenix
by 4 1/2
211
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix
(-4 1/2); Under

Memphis @ Miami

Game 703-704
December 13, 2015 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Memphis
113.160
Miami
118.565
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 5 1/2
184
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 4
190
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-4); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Sunday
December 13, 2015


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The 76ers are 11-0 ATS (7.91 ppg) since Nov 24, 2014 as a dog off a loss in which they scored 10 or more points in the fourth than the first quarter.


OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Raptors are 0-9 OU (-10.61 ppg) since Jan 08, 2015 as a home 8+ point favorite with rest.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Grizzlies are 10-0 ATS (5.00 ppg) since Feb 21, 2010 on the road after Mike Conley took fewer than 10 shots in a home loss.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Heat are 0-11 OU (-9.41 ppg) since Oct 30, 2015 after Luol Deng took fewer than 10 shots.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Jazz are 7-0 ATS (9.57 ppg) since Mar 20, 2013 on the road after Gordon Hayward was the Jazz’s high scorer in a home loss.

[StarDust Bum]

Recapping Yesterday's Action:

CFB......................... 2 - 0

CBB.........................12 - 9 - 1

NBA..........................4 - 5

NHL..........................3 - 1




SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MIN at PHO 03:30 PM

PHO -5.0 SLAM DUNK

U 211.0 DOUBLE PLAY


MEM at MIA 06:00 PM

MEM +3.0 SLAM DUNK

O 189.5


PHI at TOR 06:00 PM

TOR -12.0 DOUBLE PLAY

O 192.5


UTA at OKC 07:00 PM

UTA +9.5

U 202.0 TRIPLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

Recapping Yesterday's Action:

CFB......................... 0 - 0

CBB..........................6 - 5 - 0

NBA..........................4 - 5

NHL..........................2 - 1

NFL...........................13 - 8

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Westgate Super Contest (1,727 entrants-- prize pool is $2.5M)
six most popular picks in Week 14 season record: 42-40-2

6) Steelers +2.5 (377)-- Bengals clinch division with a win here- W. .

5) Bills -1 (386)-- LeSean McCoy returns to Philly; interesting game- L.

4) Giants -1 (447)-- Big Blue has lost four games in last minute when they led.

3) Lions even (517)-- Detroit had extra prep time after LW's Thursday game- L.

2) Patriots -3 (532)-- People don't think NE will lose three in a row- W.

1) Seahawks -6.5 (962)-- Spread doubled after Clausen named starter- W.

**********

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Sunday......

14) Steelers 33, Bengals 20-- This is how fragile success is in the NFL; Andy Dalton broke his right (passing) thumb, is out for the year- he might get back for the playoffs, but how long are the Bengals going to last in playoffs without him? This probably will cost them a first round bye, at least.

Wonder what the jackasses who booed Dalton at the celebrity softball game in Cincy last summer are saying now?

13) Eagles 23, Bills 20-- When LeSean McCoy was in Philly, he lived in a condo that didn't allow Christmas decorations on the doors that led to the hallway; McCoy's mom put them up anyway, no one said anything, so other people put them up. McCoy had 74 yards on 20 rushes in his return to Philly, but Bills had 15 penalties for 101 yards, Eagles five for 55. Third loss in four games for Rex Ryan's fading team.

12) Panthers 38, Falcons 0-- While network TV nitwits insist on putting Dallas on national TV most every week, Carolina is 13-0 and steamrolling towards going 16-0. This was a major tank job by freefalling Falcons, who gave up almost 300 yards in the first quarter. Atlanta has a big decision regarding Matt Ryan this winter- do they plan to go ahead with him as their franchise QB and if so, why?

11) Browns 24, 49ers 10-- Manziel was 21-31, 270 passing as Cleveland ended skid at seven games. Johnny Football has certainly improved this year, but are Browns using him to get ready for 2016, or to showcase him for a trade? Total yardage in this game was 481-221, Browns ran for 230, winning easily despite a -2 turnover ratio.

10) Redskins 24, Bears 21-- Condolences to Jay Cutler, whose brother-in-law was found dead in Utah this week, at age 30. Nine of last ten Chicago games were won by six or less points- Chicago lost three of its last four. Jay Gruden was head coach in Arena League for nine years, UFL for one; he is actually one of more experienced head coaches in NFL. Washington/Philly are tied atop NFC East at 6-7.

9) Rams 21, Lions 14-- At one point in this game, Rams had 3rd-and-3, Keenum took a quick drop, threw a 5-yard pass to Britt and the play gained seven yards and a first down- I jumped out of my chair and shook my fist-- they NEVER get first downs that easily, and I'm not being sarcastic. Actual progress. Aaron Donald is a beast at tackle and Hekker/Gurley also had big games, as St Louis ended a 5-game skid.

8) Chiefs 10, Chargers 3-- Gil Brandt pointed out that Chiefs are the second team in NFL history ('70 Bengals) to win seven consecutive games following a losing streak of five games- this was first of the seven they didn't cover. San Diego isn't a good team, but they've covered their last four road games. .

7) Saints 24, Buccaneers 17-- Damaging loss to Bucs' playoff hopes, as Saints win fourth visit in row to Bay Area, endng their 4-game skid. This turned out to be a good week for teams on long losing streaks (Saints-Browns-Rams). Saints converted on 12 of 17 third down plays, helping New Orleans to 9-yard edge in field position.

6) Jaguars 51, Colts 16-- Indy led this game 13-3 at 2:00 warning of first half, gave up a defensive TD before halftime, then two more TDs in first 3:11 of third quarter. Jags outscored Indy 42-3 in second half; at 5-8, they're not out of AFC South race just yet, with Texans losing badly Sunday night. As for Colts, who lost 45-10 last week, it is time to start speculating on who their next coach will be.

5) Jets 30, Titans 8-- My cousin texted me around 2:15: "....Titans stopped playing".

Jets are now +15 in turnovers in their eight wins, -13 in five losses. Jets ran for 183 yards, had 12-yard edge in field position. Only Tennessee TD was pass to Mariota. Jets-Steelers-Chiefs are tied for two AFC Wild Cards; Gang Green ends up with road games at Dallas/Buffalo and a home game with New England.

4) Raiders 15, Broncos 12-- NFL teams are now 1-25 when they don't score a TD on offense, the one win being the first Raider-Bronco game, so Denver didn't score a TD on offense in two games vs Oakland this year. Red zone failures in first half (three FGs on three red zone drives), dropped passes on big plays in second half doomed Denver here. The big question in Denver is going to be whether or not Osweiler keeps his job at QB, if and when Peyton Manning deems himself ready to play.

Jack Del Rio almost broke Twitter when he went for two with a 15-12 lead; turns out the Oakland long snapper hurt his shoulder, so they went for two instead of risking a fouled-up snap on a PAT with a backup snapper.

3) Seahawks 35, Ravens 6-- Former Viking coaxh Bud Grant liked to say "Its not who you play, its when you play them". Seattle played Chicago in only game Jimmy Clausen started for Bears; here they played Ravens in only game Clausen has started for them. The results? 26-0/35-6 wins. Clausen might be the worst QB in the NFL. Seattle looks like the #5 seed in the NFC, which will make them a hefty road favorite at the NFC East champ on Wild Card weekend.

2) Packers 28, Cowboys 7-- Dallas is now 1-8 with backup QBs starting; when NFL only has two 4:00 games and Cassel-led Cowboys are in one of them, its just terrible scheduling. Put the undefeated Panthers in the national spotlight more often, they've earned it. Biggest news here is that Mike McCarthy took play-calling duties back for Green Bay, who end season with Raiders-Cardinals-Vikings.

1) Patriots 27, Texans 6-- This game had all the suspense of a Harlem Globetrotters-Washington Generals tilt. NE is back as #1 seed in AFC, with Broncos/Bengals losing. Houston plays at Indy next week; in what could be a QB matchuip between Charlie Whitehurst-TJ Yates, with a division title on the line. Can the Rams get moved to this division? They're as good as any of those four teams.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, December 14


NBA roundup: Thunder top Jazz in OT

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant scored 31 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-98 overtime victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

Durant shot 10-for-17 from the field to go with six assists and five rebounds. Russell Westbrook scored 25 points and handed out 11 assists as the Thunder won their fifth straight game.

Rodney Hood led the Jazz (10-12) with 23 points, while Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and Alec Burks added 21 points.

Utah is now 0-3 against Oklahoma City this season.

Heat 100, Grizzlies 97

MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade hit the winning jumper with 21.9 seconds left, and Miami rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat Memphis.

The Heat scored the game's final 11 points, including Wade's go-ahead shot that bounced in after hitting the front rim and the backboard.

Miami snapped a season-worst, three-game losing streak behind 22 points from Chris Bosh, 16 points from Gerald Green, 15 points from Luol Deng and 14 points from Wade. Memphis got a season-high 26 points from Jeff Green. Matt Barnes added 13 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Suns 108, Timberwolves 101

PHOENIX -- Brandon Knight rebounded from his worst game of the season to hit seven 3-pointers and score a team-high 25 points and Phoenix held on to beat the Minnesota.

Knight missed all 12 shots and all eight 3-pointers for one point in 33 minutes in a 106-96 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.

Eric Bledsoe had 23 points and nine assists and Alex Len added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Suns. Zach LaVine had 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter for Minnesota.

Raptors 96, 76ers 76

TORONTO -- DeMar DeRozan scored 25 points and grabbed eight rebounds as Toronto defeated Philadelphia.

The Raptors earned their fourth win in a row, while the 76ers fell for the sixth consecutive game.

Luis Scola added a season-best 22 points for Toronto, and guard Kyle Lowry contributed 16. Jahlil Okafor led Philadelphia with 23 points and 14 rebounds.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Monday, December 14


Philadelphia @ Chicago

Game 507-508
December 14, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
105.571
Chicago
123.036
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 17 1/2
187
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 13
194
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-13); Under

Miami @ Atlanta

Game 509-510
December 14, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
114.635
Atlanta
117.844
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 3
184
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 5 1/2
191 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+5 1/2); Under

Washington @ Memphis

Game 511-512
December 14, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
115,644
Memphis
116.991
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 1 1/2
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 4
199 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+4); Under

Phoenix @ Dallas

Game 513-514
December 14, 2015 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
114.760
Dallas
120.641
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 6
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 4
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(-4); N/A

Utah @ San Antonio

Game 515-516
December 14, 2015 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
119.773
San Antonio
134.308
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 14 1/2
192
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 12 1/2
185 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(-12 1/2); Over

Houston @ Denver

Game 517-518
December 14, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
118.529
Denver
110.462
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 8
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 5
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-5); Over

New Orleans @ Portland

Game 519-520
December 14, 2015 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
113.339
Portland
121.471
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 8
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 3
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(-3); Under

Toronto @ Indiana

Game 501-502
December 14, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
121.892
Indiana
123.711
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 2
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 5
202
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+5); Over

LA Clippers @ Detroit

Game 503-504
December 14, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
120.705
Detroit
124.220
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 3 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 2
203
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+2); Over

Orlando @ Brooklyn

Game 505-506
December 14, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
119.693
Brooklyn
115.208
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Orlando
by 4 1/2
190
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Orlando
by 2 1/2
198
Dunkel Pick:
Orlando
(-2 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, December 14

Hot teams
-- Toronto won its last four games (6-1AU).
-- Clippers won four of last five games (3-3-1AF). Pistons won six of their last eight games (2-0HU).
-- Bulls won last two games by total of seven points (2-10HF).
-- Suns won three of their last four games (5-4AU).
-- Spurs won six of their last seven games (8-4HF).
-- Rockets won seven of their last nine games (2-2AF). Nuggets won three of last four games (3-6HU).

Cold teams
-- Pacers lost four of their last five games (4-2HF).
-- Orlando lost three of its last four games (7-3AU). Nets lost three of last five games (1-2HF).
-- 76ers lost their last six games (0-5-1 vs spread).
-- Hawks lost three of their last five games (5-5HF). Miami is 1-3 in its last four games (0-3AU).
-- Memphis lost four of last six home games (3-7HF). Wizards lost three of their last five games (4-0 last four AU).
-- Mavericks lost their last three home games (4-3HF).
-- Jazz lost five of their last seven games (6-2AU).
-- Pelicans lost six of their last eight games (4-8AU). Portland lost three of last four games (2-4HF).

Series records
-- Raptors won their last five games with Indiana.
-- Clippers won last nine games with Detroit (6-3 vs spread).
-- Nets won their last four games with Orlando.
-- 1-24 Sixers are 7-7 vs spread as road underdogs.
-- Hawks won their last seven games with Miami.
-- Wizards won last two games with Memphis by 20-9 points.
-- Mavericks won last two games with Phoenix by 16-3 points.
-- Spurs won six of last eight games with Utah.
-- Rockets are 6-3 in last nine games vs Denver, but lost last two.
-- Pelicans lost their last six games with Portland.

Totals
-- Four of last five Indiana games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Detroit games went over the total.
-- Under is 6-3-1 in last ten Brooklyn-Orlando games.
-- Six of last eight Philly games stayed under the total.
-- Last six Atlanta games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Washington games went over.
-- Six of last eight Dallas-Phoenix games went over.
-- Four of last six San Antonio games went over.
-- Over is 3-1 in last four games for both Houston/Denver.
-- Last five Portland-New Orleans games stayed under total.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, December 14

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

7:00 PM
TORONTO vs. INDIANA
Toronto is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Toronto is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Indiana
Indiana is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games

7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. BROOKLYN
Orlando is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
Orlando is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Brooklyn's last 12 games when playing Orlando
Brooklyn is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Orlando

7:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. DETROIT
LA Clippers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
LA Clippers are 6-14 SU in their last 20 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games at home
Detroit is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

8:00 PM
MIAMI vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Atlanta's last 14 games when playing Miami
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. MEMPHIS
Washington is 6-11-1 ATS in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
Memphis is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. CHICAGO
Philadelphia is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Chicago is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

8:30 PM
UTAH vs. SAN ANTONIO
Utah is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games

8:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. DALLAS
Phoenix is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Dallas's last 11 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Dallas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix

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

10:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of New Orleans's last 13 games on the road
New Orleans is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, December 14

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TORONTO (16 - 9) at INDIANA (13 - 9) - 12/14/2015, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 126-95 ATS (+21.5 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.
INDIANA is 54-29 ATS (+22.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
TORONTO is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 8-0 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 6-2 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (14 - 10) at DETROIT (14 - 11) - 12/14/2015, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 31-52 ATS (-26.2 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 21-34 ATS (-16.4 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 32-45 ATS (-17.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 18-37 ATS (-22.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 3-2 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 5-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (12 - 11) at BROOKLYN (7 - 16) - 12/14/2015, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all games this season.
ORLANDO is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) first half of the season this season.

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

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PHILADELPHIA (1 - 24) at CHICAGO (13 - 8) - 12/14/2015, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 21-33 ATS (-15.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 5-3 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-1 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (13 - 9) at ATLANTA (14 - 11) - 12/14/2015, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 42-60 ATS (-24.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 127-95 ATS (+22.5 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
ATLANTA is 36-22 ATS (+11.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 7-1 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 7-2 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (10 - 12) at MEMPHIS (13 - 12) - 12/14/2015, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 16-32 ATS (-19.2 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 31-47 ATS (-20.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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PHOENIX (11 - 14) at DALLAS (13 - 11) - 12/14/2015, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 293-241 ATS (+27.9 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
PHOENIX is 105-80 ATS (+17.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 57-34 ATS (+19.6 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 53-34 ATS (+15.6 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in road games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 63-45 ATS (+13.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 37-21 ATS (+13.9 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 28-41 ATS (-17.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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UTAH (10 - 12) at SAN ANTONIO (20 - 5) - 12/14/2015, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 55-84 ATS (-37.4 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 185 and 189.5 points since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 921-799 ATS (+42.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 731-617 ATS (+52.3 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 469-388 ATS (+42.2 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 72-49 ATS (+18.1 Units) in home games against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 311-244 ATS (+42.6 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 189-143 ATS (+31.7 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 58-42 ATS (+11.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 41-25 ATS (+13.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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HOUSTON (12 - 12) at DENVER (9 - 14) - 12/14/2015, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 25-11 ATS (+12.9 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 3-14 ATS (-12.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

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

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NEW ORLEANS (6 - 17) at PORTLAND (10 - 15) - 12/14/2015, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 5-3 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 7-1 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs' NBA betting value never higher in the shadow of the Warriors

Even though the Spurs sit four games behind Golden State, most would be surprised that the two teams are very close in the two most important statistical measures.

Now that the Golden State Warriors have tasted defeat, perhaps the spotlight will finally shine on some other teams. One candidate, of course, is the San Antonio Spurs. And even though the Spurs sit four games behind Golden State in the standings, most would be surprised to learn that the two teams are very close in the two most important statistical measures.

This season, the Warriors have outscored their opponents by 13.1 points per game, while San Antonio is less than a point behind, at 12.2. And the Warriors' net rating (based on points per 100 possessions) of plus-14.8 is only 2.1 points ahead of San Antonio at plus-12.7. Circle January 25 on your calendar, as that's the date the league's two best teams will square off for the first time. This week, however, does offer some interesting situations, so let's take a look:

Spread watch

The Chicago Bulls enter the week as the NBA's worst team against the spread. The Bulls have only covered seven of their 22 games and are also the only team to have not covered the spread in two straight games this season.

This week, the Bulls will play home games against the 76ers, Grizzlies and Pistons, before finishing up their week at the Knicks Saturday. Given that the Bulls have yet to cover back-to-back games, should they cover against the Sixers or Grizzlies, then consider going against Chicago in their next game (against the Grizzlies or the Pistons, respectively).

Indeed, the game against the Pistons, in particular, looks like a potential pitfall for the Bulls. Chicago is a poor 3-9 ATS its last 12 meetings against Detroit, and it's also 0-7 ATS since 2013 versus Detroit, provided Chicago covered the spread in its previous game.

Total watch

The Atlanta Hawks have played their last six games Under the total. And they've failed to score more than 100 points in their last five games. Certainly, their most recent game - vs. San Antonio Saturday - was their worst.

Atlanta ended the first half with just 25 points, which was the lowest amount of points scored in any half by an NBA team this season. The Hawks shot just 23 percent from the field in that half, but not all of Atlanta's missed shots could be attributed to the Spurs' No. 1-rated defense. I was at the game, and the Hawks just looked completely out of rhythm.

This week, Atlanta will play home games against Miami and Philadelphia Monday and Wednesday, before traveling to Boston and Orlando for games Friday and Sunday. The Heat have played 17 of their last 21 Under the total, while the 76ers are on a 12-5 Under run.

Additionally, Atlanta and Miami have gone Under the total in their last three meetings, and 10 of their last 14, while Atlanta and Philadelphia have played five straight Unders. It would be no surprise if the Hawks stretched their Under streak to eight games.

Injury watch

On Saturday, it was announced that the Washington Wizards' guard Bradley Beal will miss two weeks - at a minimum - for a stress reaction in his lower right fibula. Beal has been an important piece for Washington, averaging a career-best 19.8 ppg. But, interestingly, Washington has gone 4-1 ATS this season without Beal on the court, compared to 7-10 ATS with him in the lineup.

One reason might relate to the fact that Beal has been a slightly inefficient scorer this season. His Player Efficiency Rating of 14.77 is below average, as is his RPM of -1.46 (#244 of 419). This week, Washington will travel to Memphis and San Antonio, prior to coming home to play Charlotte Saturday. Because the oddsmakers may assign more value to Beal than he's actually worth, there could be value in playing on Washington in the short-term. And especially Monday against Memphis.

Indeed, the Grizzlies are a bit overrated by my numbers. Yes, Memphis has a winning record, at 13-12. But it's been outscored by 5.2 points per game, and such a scoring margin would equate to an expected record of 7-18. Washington has also covered four of the last five meetings versus the Grizzlies.

Schedule watch

On Friday, the San Antonio Spurs will welcome Chris Paul & Co. to the AT&T Center. Though the Spurs are loath to attach much significance to a regular season game, it's safe to say that this one will hold extra meaning for the Silver and Black.

After all, the Clippers ended the Spurs' season last May with a dramatic Game 7 victory at Staples Center. The two teams were evenly matched last year, but it's San Antonio which has played much better this season. Only the Warriors have a better margin of victory than San Antonio and the Spurs' defensive rating of 83.7 is the best such number since the ABA/NBA merger 39 years ago.

The Spurs are a perfect 12-0 at home this season and 8-4 ATS in those games. Even better, dating back to last season, San Antonio is 26-1 SU and 20-7 ATS its last 27 regular season home games, including a perfect 7-0 ATS when favored by eight points or less.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Raptors (16-9) at Pacers (13-9)
Date: December 14, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Toronto may still be in for a far more difficult rematch than its season-opening win over Indiana, though it would have been much more obvious about two weeks ago.

The Pacers have been struggling with four losses in their last five games following a 12-2 stretch and look to start turning things around Monday night against the streaking Raptors in the opener of their three-game homestand.

Indiana's 106-99 loss at Toronto on Oct. 28 kicked off an 0-3 start to the season before Paul George heated up and sparked a tear that put the Pacers one-half game behind first-place Cleveland in the Central Division.

Things have since taken a downturn with Saturday's 118-96 loss at Detroit dropping Indiana (13-9) two back and into third in the Central.

George, who averaged 29.6 points during the surge, has been erratic during the five-game slump. He's still averaged a respectable 25.6 in that span, but that figure has been inflated by a pair of games in which he scored a career-high 48 and 33 points - both coming in losses to Utah and Golden State.

The star forward's inconsistency hasn't fully damaged Indiana's offense, which has still averaged 109.0 points in the last five games. That mark exceeds the Pacers' season average of 103.5, which is among the league's leaders.

They managed to shoot 50 percent against the Pistons, including 57.5 in the first half, despite going 3 of 16 from 3-point range. It's their defense that's been the main culprit, giving up an average of 115.4 points in the last five.

The Pistons, coming off a win at Philadelphia the night before, shot nearly 45 percent from 3-point range alone, going 13 of 29, and outrebounded the Pacers 46-33.

"Tonight was a disappointing effort on the defensive end," coach Frank Vogel said. "They played last night, too, so that's no excuse."

George Hill led the Pacers with 14 points, while George was two off his season low with 13 on 4-of-16 shooting and missed all four of his attempts from beyond the arc.

George and Indiana's offense will definitely be tested by the Atlantic-leading Raptors (15-9), who have won four straight with tight defense and also played well in the two losses preceding the streak.

Since falling 106-105 to Denver on Dec. 3 and pushing the league-leading Warriors down to the wire in a 112-109 defeat two days later, Toronto has beaten the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio, Milwaukee and the 76ers by allowing an average of 86.5 points.

Although the Pacers have started clicking since losing to the Raptors, they shot a season-worst 37.2 percent that night despite five players scoring in double figures and George flirting with a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.

They also allowed Jonas Valunciunas - who has since been lost to a broken hand - Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan to combine for 69 points and were outworked on the glass 50-40 in their fifth straight loss in the series.

DeRozan scored 25 and Luis Scola added 22 in Sunday's 96-76 win over league-worst Philadelphia, which shot 33.3 percent and scored a season low for a Toronto opponent.

DeRozan has been outstanding during the streak, shooting 31 of 60 from the field and 34 of 37 from the free throw line while averaging 24.0 points per game.

"He's just taking what the game is giving him. He's not forcing anything," coach Dwane Casey said. "When you do that, good things happen for you."

The Raptors have won two straight and four of six at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Magic (12-11) at Nets (7-16)
Date: December 14, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Orlando Magic attributed some woes to a long road trip and now head to a place where they have never won.

The Magic have dropped all six previous trips to Brooklyn as they get set for Monday night's matchup with a Nets team that has struggled to make 3-pointers all season.

Orlando (12-11) matched the second-worst loss in team history with a 111-76 home defeat to Cleveland on Friday. The Magic shot 38.9 percent in their lowest-scoring effort of the season.

"It happens but it (stinks)," guard Victor Oladipo said. "We just gotta regroup, move on, can't do nothing about it now."

The Magic returned home after a 3-2 trip in which they lost two of the final three games. They have allowed opponents to shoot 46.2 percent in the past four, with the best performance an 85-74 win over Denver last Tuesday in which the Nuggets shot 33.3.

"We were a bit out of it mentally," coach Scott Skiles said. "As you know from being on the road, this is our fourth game in a row now that we haven't been real sharp. We were able to win one of the games but more because Denver played worse than we did, not because we played particularly well."

Orlando is one of two teams yet to win in Brooklyn, along with Sacramento. That list was at three before the Nets (7-16) fell 105-100 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

Brooklyn trailed by 14 entering the fourth quarter before a 37-point period was fueled by a lineup that included Andrea Bargnani, who scored all 11 of his points over the final 7:21.

"We're struggling offensively to get some flow sometimes and trying to get the right combinations in the game that can score and also defend a little bit and also rebound a little bit," coach Lionel Hollins said.

The Nets made five of 19 3-pointers and are one of the worst in the league at 30.4 percent from beyond the arc. The Magic defend the 3-pointer well, limiting opponents to 33.2 percent.

Of greater concern to Orlando are some shooting issues for its best players. Evan Fournier has made 32.1 percent in his last four games, a stretch in which Tobias Harris is at 36.4 percent and Oladipo 41.1. The Magic are at a loss for how to remedy it.

"The options are always the same, change the lineup again," Skiles said.

The Nets are hoping Brook Lopez bounces back after two games in which the club's top scorer has totaled 21 points. He's a big reason why they average 46.8 points in the paint, among the league's best marks.

Lopez is averaging 8.2 rebounds for his best mark in the last six seasons. He'll be facing a tough matchup in Nikola Vucevic, who has double-doubles in his past three road games.

"I'm just trying to put myself in a better position," Lopez said. "Coach is on me a lot about putting myself around the basket, being there wherever I can to have an opportunity to get those boards."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Clippers (14-10) at Pistons (14-11)
Date: December 14, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Doc Rivers harps on his best players to continue shooting in big moments no matter the struggles they might be enduring at the time, something that has helped the Los Angeles Clippers' offense stay consistent.

What's improved drastically over the last 2 1/2 weeks is their defensive efficiency, and suddenly they've begun to click.

The Detroit Pistons believe they're just tapping into their potential, and they'll look to snap a nine-game losing streak in the series as the Clippers conclude their five-game trip Monday night.

Blake Griffin had some early misses in the fourth-quarter Saturday as Brooklyn trimmed an 18-point deficit down to two, but he hit a pair of big jumpers in the final minute as Los Angeles (14-10) held on for a 105-100 victory.

The Clippers improved to 3-1 on their trip as Griffin and J.J. Redick finished with 21 points apiece. Chris Paul had 15 and 14 assists.

"We're going to our sets down the stretch," Paul said. "Me and Blake worked our two-man game to perfection and that's something we've got to keep working on. It's trust, too. Two guys on you, you give it up and trust that another guy is going to make the right play."

Los Angeles is playing better on the other end of the floor, too. It allowed 103.7 points per game during a 7-8 start, but is giving up an average of 96.0 during its current 7-2 run.

Opponents are shooting 41.7 percent in that stretch and have scored fewer than 100 points five times. The Clippers have been nearly identical offensively, scoring 102.7 points per game through their first 15 and 102.0 over the last nine.

"Our defense has really improved, and if we keep on this track, we're going to be where we think we should be," Rivers said. "Our offense is good and our offense hasn't scratched anywhere where we should go. I know we're in the top three or four but to me, we're a way better offensive team than we've played. But if we keep playing defense, it will make us a better offensive team."

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy hasn't had much to complain about lately. Detroit has won six of eight, and it would have been seven had it not been for Matt Barnes' halfcourt heave that gave Memphis a win Wednesday.

Reggie Jackson had 21 points and Ersan Ilyasova added 20 against Indiana in Saturday's 118-96 victory, the second straight for the Pistons (14-11), who were playing their seventh game in nine days.

'I think that was the first game we've had this year where everyone played well,' Van Gundy said. 'We've played some good games, but (Saturday) was really about the whole team. That's not something I've been able to say before this season.'

The Pistons didn't have many of those games through a six-year playoff drought, a stretch during which they haven't finished better than last season's 32-50 mark. Jackson believes they're on the right track now, though.

"I think we're still trying to figure it out, still have a long way to go, but we're piecing it together day by day," Jackson said. "Just figuring each other out and getting more continuity with each other and finding ways to help get each other easy shots."

Detroit has lost all nine meetings since last beating the Clippers on Nov. 12, 2010.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Heat (13-9) at Hawks (14-11)
Date: December 14, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

While the Atlanta Hawks haven't come close to their lofty expectations, the Miami Heat aren't far removed from their championship years yet are stuck in a similar rut.

The Hawks seek their eighth consecutive victory against the visiting Heat on Monday night with Miami trying to build off a surprising comeback win a day earlier.

After losing nine in a row in the series, the Hawks turned it around and have won the previous four matchups in Atlanta. They extended the run with a 98-92 victory at Miami on Nov. 3 - their fourth on a seven-game win streak following a season-opening loss.

Things have since dropped off considerably. Atlanta (14-11) has struggled to a 7-10 record since the streak while failing to find balance on offense, a trait that helped the club to an Eastern Conference-best 60 wins last season.

Consecutive wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas seemed to signal a possible turnaround, but the Hawks followed with back-to-back losses. Saturday's miserable effort resulted in a 103-78 defeat against San Antonio in the opener of a three-game homestand.

Atlanta scored 25 points in the first half, marking the fewest this season for any team in any half. The previous low was Houston's 26 second-half points Nov. 1 at Miami.

It was also the Hawks' worst first-half total since scoring 20 at Chicago on Jan. 14, 2013. They shot 37.5 percent in the game and made just 5 of 24 attempts from 3-point range while committing 17 turnovers.

"It was tough," said Paul Millsap, who was the only Atlanta player to score in double figures with 22 points. "I felt like we overthought everything on offense. ... We got caught into their game and nothing good happened with that."

Jeff Teague scored a season-high 26 points in the first matchup against the Heat, but he finished with a season-low four while missing all five shots against the Spurs. Al Horford scored just nine points for the second consecutive game.

Atlanta is 8-5 at Philips Arena but has lost two of its last three there.

Miami (13-9) is 2-5 away from home while averaging just 88.1 points. It seemed as if the Heat would lose their fourth consecutive game Sunday, but they rallied from a 16-point deficit for a 100-97 win over Memphis.

The Grizzlies led by eight in the final three minutes, but Dwyane Wade's jumper with 21.9 seconds left gave Miami its only lead of the second half as part of an 11-0 run.

Wade was just 5 of 14 before converting on a driving layup and then hitting a 19-foot jumper that bounced high off the rim in the final minute. He finished with 14 points.

"Dwyane's uncanny," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He can play absolutely horrible stretches of basketball and have the quickest memory, and all of a sudden get to the last 2 minutes and he has incredible confidence. ... Sometimes when you don't know where to go, that's always a great option, having a Hall of Famer."

Hassan Whiteside dominated the Hawks the first time around with 23 points on 11-of-12 shooting and 14 rebounds, but he has failed to score in double digits in his last three games while still shooting a solid 11 of 14. In two career games against Atlanta, Whiteside is 17 of 20 from the floor while grabbing 38 rebounds.

Tyler Johnson (shoulder strain) and Josh McRoberts (bone bruise in knee) sat out against Memphis but will be evaluated prior to Monday's game.