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

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NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, December 10

Philadelphia at Brooklyn, 7:35 ET
Philadelphia: 58-35 ATS in road games off a home loss by 10 points or more
Brooklyn: 74-109 ATS at home after a combined score of 205 points or more

Atlanta at Oklahoma City, 8:05 ET
Atlanta: 18-8 ATS in road games after 2 or more consecutive wins
Oklahoma City: 7-0 UNDER after 2 or more consecutive wins

LA Clippers at Chicago, 8:05 ET
Los Angeles: 33-21 OVER in road games
Chicago: 1-8 ATS as a home favorite

NY Knicks at Sacramento, 10:35 ET
New York: 79-54 ATS in a road game where the total is 200 to 209.5
Sacramento: 23-38 ATS after 1 or more consecutive wins

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Hoop Trends - Wednesday
December 9, 2015


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Rockets are 10-0-1 ATS (11.27 ppg) since Dec 27, 2006 on the road with no rest after they had 20+ turnovers.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Suns are 0-11 OU (-22.18 ppg) since Jan 30, 2015 off a win in which they had less than 15% of their points from free throws.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Timberwolves are 0-13-1 ATS (-6.32 ppg) since Mar 16, 2015 at home after Andrew Wiggins had a negative plus/minus.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Wizards are 0-10-2 OU (-8.17 ppg) since May 07, 2014 off a road game in which they had 6+ double digit scorers.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Knicks are 7-0 OU (19.50 ppg) since Apr 07, 2013 on the road after Carmelo Anthony had at least 5 turnovers at home.

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Inside the Paint - Thursday
December 10, 2015


Thursday’s NBA slate offers up four games which includes the nationally televised double-header on TNT. Three of tonight’s matchups will be non-conference affairs and we could see the fatigue factor in play with four of the eight clubs facing back-to-back spots.

Favorites have gone 21-9 straight up since Sunday but what’s great about the Association is that the points-spread actually matters. Underdogs have been competitive, evidenced by their 16-14 record against the spread. The ‘over’ is 17-13 during this span.

Philadelphia at Brooklyn: Philadelphia has been a complete embarrassment (1-21 SU, 11-10-1 ATS) at times this season but it’s also been competitive. On the road, Brett Brown’s team has been cashing tickets at a 67 percent clip (8-4) and Brooklyn is only give seven points tonight, which should immediately set off the alarms. The Nets definitely have more pros than the 76ers and since starting 0-7, the club has weathered the storm with a respectable 6-9 mark. Last season, the 76ers went 1-3 both SU and ATS against the Nets but they did capture a 90-88 victory during this span as 10 ½-point road underdogs. The ‘under’ went 4-0 in all four games last season. Brooklyn has won five of its six games at home and they beat some quality clubs too but something tells me the arena won’t be buzzing tonight, especially against Philadelphia.

Atlanta at Oklahoma City: This is a quick revenge game for the Thunder, who lost a 106-100 decision at Atlanta on Nov. 30 as a three-point road favorite. Fast forward nearly eight days later and Oklahoma City is now an eight-point favorite at home. Atlanta has dropped its last two games at OKC but it the margins were by a combined 10 points and both games easily sailed ‘over the total. Atlanta will be playing on zero days rest after winning 98-95 at Dallas on Wednesday. The Hawks have gone both 3-2 SU and ATS in back-to-back spots but the two losses came away from home. Oklahoma City has won 75 percent of its games at home (9-3) but a 5-7 ATS mark has hurt bettors.

The Thunder gave you a quick glimpse of what they are capable of on Tuesday as it hammered a decent Memphis team by 37 points on the road. OKC used to thrive on playing Eastern Conference teams but its only 5-6 SU and 3-8 ATS this season in non-conference games. The ‘under’ has gone 9-2 in those games. Atlanta has gone 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS versus the West this season, which includes a 2-2 mark on the road.

This game has the highest total (212) on Thursday and both teams have the fire power to put up points but we haven’t seen consistent efforts as Atlanta (13-10) and Oklahoma City (13-8) have both leaned to the ‘under’ this season.

L.A. Clippers at Chicago: This matchup will be the opener of the TNT double-header and it’s a tough game to handicap, especially with both teams playing last night. The Clippers defeated the Bucks 109-95 as five-point road favorites, which was their third straight win. Meanwhile, the Bulls came up short at Boston, dropping a 105-100 decision and that was third consecutive loss. L.A. has gone 2-3 on zero days rest this season and Chicago has been fortunate to play only one back-to-back set this season, which resulted in a win and cover.

The line on this game is listed as a pick ‘em as of Thursday morning while the total is 201. Both clubs have seen the ‘over’ go 3-0 in their last three games and we’re starting to see Fred Hoiberg’s team adapt to his faster paced tempo rather than Tom Thibodeau’s approach. Chicago has still been a solid ‘under’ lean (13-6) especially at home (8-2) but once the shots start falling, I can see those results balancing out or going to the high side.

The Clippers have won and covered five of the last six in this series, which includes three straight wins at the United Center, two of them by double digits.

New York at Sacramento: Similar to the Nets-76ers line, this opening line (Kings -4 ½) makes you open your eyes a little bit and I’m not alone in my thinking. As of Thursday morning, the number is now Sacramento -6 at most betting shops and it might come down by tip off because a lot of bettors aren’t buying the Knicks, rather they’re investing in rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis. The kid is a really nice play and New York has vastly improved from its dreadful 17-65 effort last season but they’re still far away from being a playoff team, yet alone a contender.

New York hobbles into this game with a 2-7 record in its last nine game, which includes a 21-point loss at Utah (106-85) last night and playing on zero days rest has been troublesome for the club too. The Knicks have gone 1-3 SU and 2-2 ATS in back-to-back games this season. Make a note that the ‘over’ is 3-1 as New York has allowed 101.2 PPG.

The Kings aren’t an elite team either but they have won two straight at home and they have matchup advantages both inside and outside for this game. I expect George Karl and company to exploit the Knicks backcourt with Rajon Rondo and Darren Collison easily handling whatever New York throws at them.

It’s rare to see Sacramento laying points but it’s been in this role five times this season and has produced a 4-1 record. Sacramento’s offense had a field day against the Knicks last season, scoring 135 and 124 as they swept the regular season series. The ‘over’ easily cashed in both games and is 7-3 in the last 10 encounters between the pair.

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Irving close to returning for Cavaliers
December 10, 2015

CLEVELAND (AP) Cavaliers All-Star guard Kyrie Irving could make his season debut on the team's upcoming road trip.

Coach David Blatt said that Irving, who has been out since breaking his left kneecap in last season's NBA Finals, may play either Friday in Orlando or Saturday in Boston. Starting guard Iman Shumpert is also close to a return after missing Cleveland's first 21 games with a wrist injury sustained before training camp.

Irving and Shumpert both made it through their third full practices Thursday and will accompany the team on the trip. Blatt warned that it's not guaranteed either will play, and the team will stay cautious because ''both are coming back from pretty serious injuries.''

Blatt said the two can give provide ''a real boost'' because of their skill sets.

Irving played in a career-high 75 games during the regular season before getting hurt in Game 2 of the finals.

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Hornets' Jefferson draws 5-gm suspension
December 9, 2015

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Charlotte Hornets will be without Al Jefferson for an additional five games once he returns from a leg injury after the veteran center was suspended without pay for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.

Jefferson is currently out with a strained left calf and can't begin serving the five-game suspension until he's healthy, the league announced Wednesday.

Team officials said on Nov. 30 that Jefferson would miss ''two to three weeks'' with the injury, so it is unclear exactly when Jefferson will be eligible to return to action.

''I just feel so low right now for every little boy and every little girl who looks at me as somebody they look up to,'' Jefferson said an hour before the Hornets hosted Miami. ''For me to make mistakes like this, it's not cool. It's not cool for them and it's not cool for me. That kills me more than anything.''

The Hornets released a statement saying they're ''disappointed in Al's decisions that led to this suspension. As an organization, we do not condone this behavior.''

The banned substance Jefferson used has not been disclosed. When a reporter asked Jefferson if the substance was marijuana, he declined to answer.

''I failed a drug test,'' he said.

The team said it has addressed the situation with Jefferson and he's ''regretful and understands that we expect him to learn from this mistake.''

Jefferson released a statement through the team apologizing to the organization, owner Michael Jordan, his teammates and fans for what he called a ''poor decision.''

Jefferson, who said he lost 25 pounds this offseason, was averaging 13.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game this season for the Hornets, below his career averages of 16.9 points and nine rebounds per game. Jefferson said he first learned of the positive drug test ''about two weeks ago.''

He's in the final season of a three-year contract.

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NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (507) NEW YORK@ (508) SACRAMENTO | 2015-12-10 22:35:00 - 2015-12-10 22:35:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO using money line in All games in December games
The record is 5 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.5 units)

NBA > (507) NEW YORK@ (508) SACRAMENTO | 2015-12-10 22:35:00 - 2015-12-10 22:35:00
Play AGAINST NEW YORK using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 34 Wins and 61 Losses for the last three seasons (-37.8 units)

NBA > (503) ATLANTA@ (504) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2015-12-10 20:05:00 - 2015-12-10 20:05:00
Play ON ATLANTA using money line in Road games in December games
The record is 8 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+9.85 units)

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NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (505) LA CLIPPERS@ (506) CHICAGO | 2015-12-10 20:05:00 - 2015-12-10 20:05:00
Play AGAINST CHICAGO ?>in the first halfin All games in a home game where where the first half total is 100.5 to 103
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (-9.9 units)

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NBA TOTALS

NBA > (507) NEW YORK@ (508) SACRAMENTO | 2015-12-10 22:35:00 - 2015-12-10 22:35:00
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the totalin All games after scoring 85 points or less
The record is 5 Overs and 23 Unders for the last two seasons (+17.5 units)

NBA > (503) ATLANTA@ (504) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2015-12-10 20:05:00 - 2015-12-10 20:05:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 32 Overs and 67 Unders for the last three seasons (+31.8 units)

NBA > (503) ATLANTA@ (504) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2015-12-10 20:05:00 - 2015-12-10 20:05:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 21 Overs and 44 Unders for the last two seasons (+20.9 units)

NBA > (501) PHILADELPHIA@ (502) BROOKLYN | 2015-12-10 19:35:00 - 2015-12-10 19:35:00
Play OVER PHILADELPHIA on the totalin All games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 16 Overs and 3 Unders for the last three seasons (+12.7 units)

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Preview: 76ers (1-21) at Nets (6-15)
Date: December 10, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Philadelphia 76ers made about as bad a first impression possible on Jerry Colangelo's initial day as a team advisor.

Coming off a 51-point loss at home, the stumbling 76ers visit the site of one of their two road wins of this calendar year in Thursday night's matchup with the Brooklyn Nets.

Hours after being introduced as the team's new chairman of basketball operations, Colangelo - a four-time NBA executive of the year with Phoenix and current chairman of USA Basketball - saw a first-hand account of the Sixers' extensive rebuilding job during Monday's embarrassing 119-68 loss to San Antonio. The 51-point margin of defeat was the fifth-largest in franchise history.

The Spurs shot 61.8 percent and led by 44 points after three quarters despite resting Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili.

"We played against a team that is the best defensive team in the NBA as we speak and we felt every bit of that," said coach Brett Brown, a former Spurs assistant. "I'm going to push this game aside and that's really all I have to say about this game."

Philadelphia (1-21) now heads back to the road, where it's lost 17 straight and 33 of 34 since a 90-88 win at Barclays Center on Jan. 9. The Sixers, 0-12 as the visitor this season, had dropped their first five games in Brooklyn.

Owners of the Eastern Conference's second-worst record, the Nets (6-15) aren't nearly on the level of the powerful Spurs. However, they've won three of five and improved to 5-1 in their last six at home after Tuesday's 110-105 decision over Houston.

The Nets had one of their best all-around performances in completing a season sweep of the Rockets. Brooklyn shot a season-high 55.6 percent, had three players score at least 20 points and forced 24 turnovers.

Brook Lopez finished with 24 points and Joe Johnson tied a season high with 22 while scoring 15 in the fourth quarter.

'That's what Joe does,' Lopez said. "We know we can go to him time and time again in the crunch time. He's going to deliver.'

Thaddeus Young added 20 points on 10-of-13 shooting and grabbed 12 rebounds for his third consecutive double-double. The former 76er is averaging 21.0 points and 12.3 rebounds over that stretch.

Young had 21 points and nine rebounds in a 94-87 win in Philadelphia on March 14 that gave Brooklyn a 3-1 advantage in the 2014-15 season series.

Lopez, averaging 21.5 points over his last eight, gets his first head-to-head matchup with Jahlil Okafor, who looked rusty in returning to the court Monday. The rookie center, suspended two games by the 76ers for his involvement in a nightclub fight in Boston following a Nov. 25 loss to the Celtics, made 3 of 14 shots for 10 points.

Robert Covington had 13 points against San Antonio and is averaging 17.1 during a nine-game stretch. The third-year small forward is shooting 45.8 percent (22 for 48) from 3-point range over his last six.

Philadelphia shot 40.2 percent from 3 during a five-game sequence that preceded Monday's 4-for-24 effort.

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Preview: Clippers (13-9) at Bulls (11-8)
Date: December 10, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Following an uncharacteristic rough stretch last month, the Los Angeles Clippers continue to shine late in games during their recent turnaround.

That doesn't bode well for a Chicago Bulls team that is on the verge of its longest losing streak in two years because of its fourth quarter blues.

Blake Griffin looks to extend his dominance in this series Thursday night when the Clippers go after their seven straight victory at the United Center.

Los Angeles (13-9) was looking for answers during a 2-7 stretch in which it shot 40.8 percent in the fourth quarter, hitting just 28.6 percent from 3-point range.

The Clippers have worked out those late-game woes, shooting 51.2 percent and 41.7 from long range over the final 12 minutes while winning seven of the past nine.

After scoring a season-high 39 while hitting all 15 free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter of Monday's 110-106 win at Minnesota, Los Angeles shot 55.6 percent and outscored Milwaukee 34-27 in Wednesday's 109-95 victory.

J.J. Redick had a season-high 31 points and hit 6 of 9 from 3-point range in the team's third straight win. Chris Paul added 18 points and a season-high 18 assists and Griffin had 21 points and 14 rebounds.

"We're not going to say we've perfected anything," Paul said. "We know it's been a struggle for us early in the season, but we're finding a little rhythm."

Jamal Crawford had averaged 12.3 points and made 6 of 11 from beyond the arc in the fourth quarter of his previous three games before scoring five on 2-of-4 shooting while playing all 12 minutes Wednesday.

Los Angeles might be able to continue its late success as it looks to win its first three on a five-game road swing. Chicago (11-8) has faded in its last three games, getting outscored 102-70 in the final 12 minutes.

The Bulls shot 36.4 percent in the fourth quarter of Saturday's 102-96 home loss to Charlotte before getting outscored 42-24 in Monday's 103-101 loss to visiting Phoenix. On Wednesday, they let the Celtics put up 30 in the final 12 minutes of a 105-100 loss.

Derrick Rose has missed 18 of 22 shots in the fourth quarter over his last five games for Chicago, which hasn't dropped four in a row since December 2013.

'This is our first time really going through it,' Rose said. 'The nucleus of this team, we've been together for a long time. We're just trying to figure things out.'

Jimmy Butler was a bright spot Wednesday with a career-high 36 points, while Pau Gasol added 16 points and 15 rebounds. Butler has struggled in his last two home games versus Los Angeles, totaling 19 points on 6-of-24 shooting.

Gasol scored four points on 2-of-13 shooting in a 96-86 loss March 1 in the most recent meeting at the United Center. Rose hasn't faced the Clippers since December 2011, missing the past six meetings due to various injuries.

Chicago hasn't had much success at home, losing 12 of the past 14 meetings.

Paul led the way with 28 points and 12 assists in the March victory, while DeAndre Jordan pulled down 26 rebounds. Griffin did not play in that contest, but his 25.4 scoring average against Chicago is his highest versus any opponent.

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Preview: Hawks (14-9) at Thunder (13-8)
Date: December 10, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

While the Oklahoma City Thunder saw a glimpse of the offense that could make them a contender in the Western Conference, the Atlanta Hawks' defense is helping them eye a return to that discussion in the East.

The Thunder seek their seventh win in nine games Thursday night as the visiting Hawks look to extend a rare winning streak to three.

Oklahoma City (13-8) orchestrated a 125-88 blowout win at Memphis on Tuesday with quick, efficient offense. Kevin Durant finished 11 of 14 from the field for 32 points, Russell Westbrook had 13 points on seven shots to go with 16 assists and four others scored in double figures.

The Thunder had 31 assists after failing to crack 20 in their previous four games.

'When we play together like that, we make the game easier,' Durant said. 'We were just playing smooth basketball. It was beautiful to watch. It was a fun game to play.'

The Thunder, who shot 41.5 percent over their previous three games, finished at a season-high 56 percent shooting. They made 13 of 26 shots from downtown after making just 29.6 percent of their 3s in the previous four games.

Oklahoma City improved to 4-0 when Westbrook scores under 20 points after going 6-8 in that situation last season.

'I can't say enough about what Russell did,' coach Billy Donovan said. 'In my opinion, he's one of the rare guys in this league that can dominate a game without scoring.'

He dominated Nov. 30 in Atlanta by doing exactly the opposite, pouring in half of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and finishing with 11 rebounds and seven assists. But Jeff Teague scored six of his 25 in a critical late stretch to help the Hawks win 106-100.

Atlanta (14-9) opened the season 7-1 while looking much like the team that rose to the top of the East a year ago. The Hawks, though, dragged through a 5-8 lull without two wins in a row.

The Hawks finally found another winning streak, though, after a 100-87 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday and, after four days off, Wednesday's 98-95 win at Dallas.

Atlanta has held opponents under 40 percent shooting in its last three victories. The Mavericks shot 36 percent from the field, a season low for a Hawks opponent.

'Our contests and our effort to get to their shooters was good,' coach Mike Budenholzer said. 'I didn't think anybody got into a rhythm. So, a couple times when they were open, maybe they didn't feel good and maybe didn't have as much confidence.'

Paul Millsap had 20 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Al Horford chipped in 14 points and eight boards. Tiago Splitter, who missed the previous seven games with a sore hip, had four points and three rebounds in 12 minutes.

Millsap has averaged 22.6 points in five meetings with Oklahoma City since joining the Hawks.

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Preview: Knicks (10-13) at Kings (8-15)
Date: December 10, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

With the Knicks on the brink of a five-game road losing streak, coach Derek Fisher is exploring changes to New York's lineup.

George Karl may be forced into one for the Sacramento Kings.

After opening this three-game trip with their most lopsided loss of the season, the Knicks seek a bounce-back effort against the Kings on Thursday night.

New York (10-13) has dropped seven of its last nine games, including four straight on the road while averaging 86.3 points and shooting 37.7 percent.

The Knicks were 7-34 as the visitor last season, and they're coming off perhaps their worst performance anywhere in 2015-16. They shot 39.7 percent and trailed by as many as 33 in Wednesday's 106-85 loss at Utah, only leading on Kristaps Porzingis' jumper to go up 2-0.

Fisher was concerned with the Knicks' starters - Porzingis, Carmelo Anthony, Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo and Jose Calderon - totaling a season-low 31 points.

"I didn't see anything from those guys that started the game," Fisher said. "This is three nights in a row for that group and we will have to consider if that can stay the same at the moment."

While it's unclear where Fisher could switch things up, Anthony isn't likely to be a candidate to hit the bench despite averaging 15.7 over his last three games and shooting 32.6 percent after Wednesday's 3-for-11 effort.

Porzingis wasn't any better with a season-low four points in 13 minutes after scoring 28 in a 104-97 loss to Dallas on Monday.

Anthony has 36 points in each of his last three meetings with Sacramento (8-15).

While Fisher tries to jump-start New York, Karl is dealing with a banged up DeMarcus Cousins.

"I think he has a back and an ankle that are sore," Karl said. "It's just the process of being a big guy in this league and the way he plays and the way he bangs. I think we have to be careful how we rest him."

Cousins fouled out Tuesday after scoring 12 points with 12 rebounds and six assists in a 114-106 win over the Jazz. He was averaging 18.5 points on 29.9 percent shooting - 3 of 19 from long range - over the previous four games after missing three with a sore back.

Cousins has scored 31.0 points per game with 12.0 boards over the last three meetings with the Knicks. He had 22 and 10 in a 124-86 romp in New York on March 3.

Rudy Gay chipped in with a game-high 25 points in that matchup after scoring 29 in a 135-129 overtime win against the Knicks on Dec. 27. The forward has totaled 43 points over the last two games, connecting on 10 of 13 from the field Tuesday.

Omri Casspi is looking to remain in the lineup for a fourth straight game in place of the injured Willie Cauley-Stein after scoring 19 points in a season-high 41 minutes Tuesday.

"Everyone in this league wants to start and play 40 minutes," Casspi said. "I'm happy to start; I love it. But when Willie comes back I'll be happy to come off the bench again."

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Recapping last nights action:

NBA............... 4 - 1

CBB................4 - 2 - 0

NHL................1 - 4

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PHI at BK 07:30 PM

BK -7.0 SLAM DUNK

O 197.5 SLAM DUNK


LAC at CHI 08:00 PM

CHI +1.5 SLAM DUNK

U 202.5


ATL at OKC 08:00 PM

ATL +7.5

U 210.5 SLAM DUNK


NY at SAC 10:30 PM

NY +6.0 SLAM DUNK

U 209.0

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Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

-- JJ Watt broke his left hand in practice this week, is expected to play Sunday.

-- NBA commish Adam Silver gave the 76ers' owner a list of names of people who could help him rescue his hideous team; 76-year old Jerry Colangelo was at the top of the list-- thats how Colangelo is now working (and part-owner?) of the Sixers.

-- Cal football coach Sonny Dykes parlayed rumors of his wanting to leave Cal into a contract extension with the school as well as raises for his assistants.

-- Iowa State 83, Iowa 82-- Hawkeyes had their hearts ripped out, after leading by 20 in second half. Veteran teams cannot lose games like this- it'll leave a scar.

-- Cardinals 23, Vikings 20-- Arizona clinched playoff berth, appears headed to #2 seed in NFC playoffs.

-- Our thoughts/prayers to Jay Cutler's family; his wife's brother passed away this week in Utah, at age 30. He had been missing for a couple of weeks.

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Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Baseball thoughts on a mid-December day

Baseball's Winter Meetings were this week so with that in mind, some baseball stuff to ponder, with spring training a little over two months away.......

13) Houston Astros used the most (151) different lineups LY and made the playoffs; KC Royals used the fewest (83) and won World Series. No other big league team used less than 108 (Pirates) lineups.

12) Every NL team issued at least 28 intentional walks LY-- pitchers bat in the NL, so you often walk the #8 hitter to get to the pitcher. Nine of 15 AL teams issued less than 28 intentional walks- Bronx (16), Astros (17) issued the fewest.

Angels (45), Mariners (41) issued most intentional walks of the AL teams.

11) Every NL team attempted at least 48 sacrifice bunts; 11 of 15 AL teams tried fewer than 48 LY, with Oakland (17), Baltimore (26) trying the fewest.

Pirates (81), Braves (80) tried bunting the most; of the AL teams, Rangers (66) tried the most sacrifices. Texas manager Banister used to be Clint Hurdle's right-hand man.

10) Most major league managers are former catchers; Seattle (30) pitched out the most LY, followed by the Reds (28- managed by a former pitcher). Mets, Nationals had only one pitch-out each last year.

9) Every NL team pinch-hit at least 225 (Washington) times; San Diego (311) used the most pinch-hitters. Tampa Bay (219) pinch-hit 58 more times than any other team in the American League (Oakland, 161).

Platooning is an unfortunate epidemic in baseball these days.

8) I read an article that gave Billy Butler a 9% chance of getting to 3,000 career hits; he currently has 1,408 hits and has been putrid the last two years. If Butler has a 9% shot at 3,000 hits, then I have a 9% chance of dating Pamela Anderson, whose sons were once batboys for the Pepperdine baseball team, so you never know........

7) There were 44% more runs scored in Colorado home games than road tilts LY.

6) There were 15% fewer runs scored in Giant home games than road tilts LY.

5) Over last three years, Fenway Park has been friendliest to righty hitters; Camden Yards has been friendliest for lefty hitters (Chris Davis, take note).

4) Batters who came up with most men on base LY, and % of those runners he knocked in:
Carlos Santana 480 (13.8%)...Todd Frazier 468 (11.5%)....Eric Hosmer 457 (16.4%)

3) Of batters with 250+ PA, those who knocked in highest percantage of runners from third base:
1) Ryan Zimmerman (27-45, 60%), 2) Mookie Betts (33-58, 56.9%), 3) Juan Lagares (14-26, 53.8%).

2) Of batters with 250+ PA, those who knocked in lowest percantage of runners from third base:
295) Chris Coghlan (6-42, 14.3%), 294) Justin Maxwell (4-23, 17.4%), 293) Joc Pederson (9-50, 18%).

1) Best record in one-run games LY:
Pirates 36-17, Angels 35-17, Cubs 34-21, Braves 28-18.

Worst record in one-run games LY:
Blue Jays 15-28, A's 19-35, Phillies 16-27, Reds 18-29

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Friday's NBA Tip Sheet
December 11, 2015


Heat at Pacers (-5, 195.5) – 7:05 ET, ESPN

After falling out of first place in the Southeast for the first time since before Thanksgiving, the Heat got more bad news on the second leg of this short two-game road swing when center Hassan Whiteside didn’t practice Thursday due to an ankle sprain, putting his availability for this one in question. He leads Miami in rebounding (10.4) and the entire NBA in blocks (4.4), so not having him available against a team that has guards who attack the rim would certainly be detrimental. It would also adversely affect which way to go on the total, since the ‘under’ is 16-4 in Heat games primarily because of Whiteside’s rim protection. The Heat have lost consecutive games for the first time all season and are seeing old rival Indiana for the second time, having lost 90-87 on Nov. 6 as a 1-point favorite.

The Pacers have dropped three straight despite Paul George continuing a tear that has seen him average 33.6 points over his last seven. Indiana has seen its last three games go ‘over’ the posted total and are well-rested, having last played Tuesday in a 131-123 loss to Golden State. Monta Ellis is really struggling, shooting 7-for-23 and averaging 5.7 points per game during Indy’s current losing streak.

Cavs (-3, 197) at Magic – 7:05 ET

There’s a chance we could see starting guards Kyrie Irving (fractured kneecap) and Iman Shumpert (wrist) for the first time all season here, though those decisions won’t be made until closer to tipoff. Head coach David Blatt told reporters it would depend on how they’re feeling, but the minutes are certainly there since J.R. Smith didn’t travel to Central Florida due to illness. LeBron James helped snap a three-game losing streak in Cleveland’s last game, a 105-100 comeback win over Portland where he scored 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Magic will be looking for revenge after losing to the Cavs 117-103 on Nov. 23 despite James scoring just 15 points and missing 4-of-5 free throws. They’re back in Orlando for the first time since Nov. 29, coming off a successful Western road trip where they went 3-2, suffering narrow losses against the Clippers and Suns. Victor Oladipo has been coming off the bench to provide a spark, but wing Evan Fournier, still leading the team in scoring (15.5) is mired in a shooting slump and has scored just 10.0 points per game in December.

Warriors at Celtics – 7:35 ET

Klay Thompson will be a game-time decision with an ankle injury suffered in Tuesday’s win but told reporters he’d play if he has a good shootaround and his ankle doesn’t stiffen up. After a slow start to the season, Thompson is starting to hit his stride and has averaged 26.8 points this month after posting a season-high 39 points, hitting 10 3-pointers, including eight in the first half. Reigning MVP Stephen Curry has done the heavy lifting all season, averaging a league-best 33.4 points. Over the last seven games, he’s shot 45-for-75 (60 pct) on 3-pointers. The Warriors won’t see another team that currently has a record over .500 between now and their Christmas Day clash against Cleveland, so it may be up to the Celtics to stop their remarkable 23-0 starts before it grows even larger. Boston has won four of five games to move within one-half game of Toronto for the Atlantic Division lead, losing only a tight game to the Spurs within that span. They’re 5-0 ATS in those games. Boston has a 7-4 home record, covering in six of those contests. Golden State is 13-0 outside Oakland and on the sixth leg of a seven-game road trip that ends in Milwaukee on Saturday. The Warrriors are 10-3 ATS on the road and have beaten Boston four straight times, last losing March 1, 2013.

Hornets at Grizzlies (-3.5, 193.5) – 8:05 ET

After an impressive 99-81 win over Miami on Wednesday, Charlotte enters the night in sole possession of first place in the Southeast Division, riding a three-game winning streak. Since Al Jefferson left an 87-82 win over the Bucks five minutes in due to a strained left calf, the Hornets have gone 4-1 (3-2 ATS). Over their last 10 games, their only losses have come to last year’s Finals participants, Cleveland and Golden State. Cody Zeller has replaced Jefferson in the starting lineup, while Nicolas Batum is averaging 16.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists during the 10-game run, coming off a triple-double over the Heat. He’ll likely see a lot of Matt Barnes, who delivered Memphis from what would’ve been its second straight loss with a halfcourt shot against Detroit on Wednesday night. Marc Gasol played through an ankle injury suffered in Tuesday’s 125-88 loss to OKC and managed 19 points and 12 rebounds, just his fifth double-double of the season. The Griz have beaten Charlotte in six of the last seven meetings.

Thunder (-2.5, 204) at Jazz – 9:05 ET

OKC is hitting its stride, owning a three-game winning streak and victories in seven of nine. The Hawks became the Thunder’s latest victim on Thursday night, losing 107-94. It was a complete performance for first-year coach Billy Donovan’s team, out-rebounding Atlanta 52-34 and shooting 9-for-17 from 3-point range. With a victory, OKC would go up four games in the Northwest and everyone else in the division would be under .500. The Thunder won in Salt Lake City 111-89 on Nov. 23 to snap a three-game losing streak at Energy Solutions Arena. The ‘under’ has prevailed in seven of OKC’s last eight. Utah has gone 2-2 since losing Rudy Gobert for at least a month after he sprained his MCL on Dec. 2. The Jazz surrendered an average of 112 points in their first three games without him before Wednesday’s 106-85 win over the Knicks, snapping a run of four straight ‘overs.’ OKC didn’t score over 100 points against Utah in any of last year’s four meetings, but shot nearly 55 percent from the field and hit 11 3-pointers in the win just over two weeks ago. These teams will turn around and play in Oklahoma City on Sunday.

Lakers at Spurs (-14.5, 194) – 9:35 ET, ESPN

Kobe Bryant will make his first of two scheduled visits to San Antonio as a crowd that once booed him mercilessly gets to pay homage to a former rival before he retires. For the first time since beginning his farewell tour on Dec. 1, Bryant allowed the Lakers kids to perform down the stretch, sitting out the fourth quarter and OT of 123-122 loss in Minnesota. It will be interesting to see how he handles this contest considering he’s felt ill on this trip and there’s another game in Houston tomorrow, the last of L.A.’s season-long eight-game roadie. They’re 1-5 on it so far, but have covered three times. Altogether, the Lakers have lost 11 of 12 and are a Western Conference-worst 3-19 SU (8-14 ATS). Point guard Jordan Clarkson, a San Antonio native, is questionable for this one with an ankle injury. The Spurs come off a loss to Toronto on Wednesday, but have still won 15 of 18 games. They’re a perfect 11-0 at home (7-4 ATS) and 8-0 (5-3 ATS) as a double-digit favorite..

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, December 11

Hot teams
-- Orlando won five of its last seven games (5-0HU).
-- 23-0 Warriors are 10-3 as road favorites; Thompson tweaked an ankle in last game, check status here. Boston won six of its last eight games (1-1HU).
-- Raptors won seven of their last nine games (0-4 last four HF).
-- Hornets won their last three games (4-3AU). Memphis won six of its last nine games (3-6HF).
-- Thunder won seven of their last nine games (2-4AF).
-- San Antonio won eight of its last ten games (7-4 vs spread).
-- Suns won last two games, after losing seven of previous eight (4-5HF).

Cold teams
-- 1-22 Sixers are 2-7 as a home underdog. Detroit lost its last four home games (1-4AF).
-- Indiana lost last three games, allowing 125.3 ppg (3-2HF). Miami lost four of its last seven games (0-2AU).
-- Cavaliers lost three of last four games (1-6AF).
-- Bucks lost six of their last nine games (1-6 last seven AU).
-- New Orleans lost five of its last six games (2-3HF). Wizards lost seven of their last ten games (3-4AU).
-- Jazz lost three of its last five games (2-0HU).
-- Minnesota lost four of its last five games (0-0AF). Denver lost eight of its last ten games (2-6HU).
-- Lakers lost nine of last ten games, are 4-3 vs spread/last seven.
-- Trailblazers lost four of their last six games (6-4AU).

Series records
-- 76ers won four of last five games with Detroit.
-- Home side won eight of last nine Miami-Indiana games.
-- Cavaliers won last 10 games with Orlando (9-0-1 vs spread).
-- Warriors won their last four games with Boston.
-- Raptors won seven of last eight games with Milwaukee.
-- Pelicans lost their last seven games with Washington.
-- Grizzlies won six of last seven games with Charlotte.
-- Thunder won three of last four games with Utah.
-- Timberwolves won last three of last four visits to Denver.
-- Lakers lost eight of last ten games with Spurs (3-6-1 vs spread).
-- Suns won five of last eight games with Portland.

Totals
-- Eight of last ten Philly games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last nine Miami games stayed under total.
-- Three of last four Orlando games went over the total.
-- Last seven Golden State games went over the total.
-- Over is 3-1 in last four games for both Raptors/Bucks.
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Washington games.
-- Five of last seven Charlotte games stayed under.
-- Seven of last eight Oklahoma City games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Minnesota games went over total.
-- Six of last eight Laker-San Antonio games stayed under.
-- Eight of last ten Portland-Phoenix games stayed under.