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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: 76ers (1-24) at Bulls (13-8)
Date: December 14, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Although the Chicago Bulls have been dealing with inconsistency, the next game offers some wiggle room as they try to extend their home dominance over the NBA's worst team.

The Philadelphia 76ers have won only once at United Center since the start of 2009, and while their winless road start pales in comparison to some of the worst in league history, they'll try to avoid falling to 0-15 on Monday night.

The Bulls (13-8) had lost three in a row before bouncing back with home victories over the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans. With their offense plodding along and the starters shooting poorly, Chicago got a huge lift from its reserves in Saturday's 98-94 victory over the Pelicans. The Bulls were down six entering the fourth, but Aaron Brooks scored 15 of his 17 in the quarter to lead a bench that contributed 52 points.

"That second group's movement, pace - that's how we want to play," said coach Fred Hoiberg, who engineered a fast-paced offense at Iowa State before joining the Bulls.

Doug McDermott scored 12 points while Joakim Noah and Nikola Mirotic each added 10 to help pick up the slack for the team's struggling trio of stars.

Pau Gasol (18) and Jimmy Butler (15) put up points, but Derrick Rose had nine - although his 15-footer with 11.5 seconds left provided the final margin - and the three shot a combined 14 of 41. Seven of Butler's points and six of Gasol's came on free throws.

"They were having fun out there," Hoiberg said of his reserves. "It was just such a grind-out, slow-motion-type of a game, and we finally got a little energy injected out there. They were moving. It was fun to watch."

The bench players could see extended minutes against the 76ers (1-24), who have lost six in a row and 10 of 11 visits to Chicago. During their current six-game overall slide, the Sixers managed to lose by 51 last Monday against a San Antonio team that rested Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard.

In the first meeting at Philadelphia on Nov. 9, McDermott and Mirotic actually started and played well while logging over 28 minutes apiece. Mirotic shot 6 of 11 with a team-high 20 points and McDermott was 7 for 15 with a career-best 18 in a 111-88 victory.

The 76ers' season of woe continued with a 96-76 loss at Toronto on Sunday in which they shot 33.3 percent and fell apart after pulling within six midway through the fourth.

"We still played good defense, but we had trouble scoring near the end of the game," said rookie Jahlil Okafor, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds.

Philadelphia had at least 20 turnovers for the seventh time, and it proved rather costly as the Raptors scored 28 points off the 22 miscues. The Sixers lead the NBA with 542 points allowed off turnovers - 72 more than second-worst Houston. From the Rockets down to 10th-place Portland, the difference is 52.

Although they fell to 0-14 on the road in the opener of a three-game trip that concludes Wednesday in Atlanta, the 76ers have quite a long way to go before being mentioned with the likes of the 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks, who set the record at 0-29.

Still, another loss would make them only the 16th team to lose at least 15 straight road games to begin a season. The most recent was Washington, which opened 0-25 in 2010-11. The only other team to do it in the last 15 years? The Bulls (0-18) in '01-02.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wizards (10-12) at Grizzlies (13-12)
Date: December 14, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Memphis Grizzlies keep finding ways to lose, while the Washington Wizards may have found the short-term solution to an injury issue.

The Grizzlies look to rebound from a disheartening loss when the Wizards visit on Monday night without one of their top offensive weapons.

Washington (10-12) snapped a two-game skid with Saturday's 114-111 win at Dallas, the second of a four-game trip that's been played without second-leading scorer Bradley Beal.

Top scorer John Wall has done his best to keep the Wizards relevant, averaging 27.3 points and 10.9 assists while the team has won four of its last eight. Wall, though, has played the previous two without his back-court mate Beal, who won't return for at least two weeks because of a right leg injury.

Without Beal's 19.8 points per game, Otto Porter stepped up with a career-high 28 against the Mavericks a day after scoring 15 in a 107-105 loss at New Orleans.

The third-year small forward averages just 12.6 points but has scored in double figures in six straight while hauling in 8.3 rebounds per game in that time. He made 11 of 18 shots against Dallas, including 4 of 8 from 3-point range.

With Beal out, Porter says it's up to the entire offense to pick up the slack.

"Of course," Porter said after the Wizards improved to 4-1 when he scores at least 17 points. "I'm speaking for the whole team. Everybody has to step up."

Washington's fourth and fifth games this season shooting better than 50 percent have come without Beal. The Wizards have shot a combined 50.9 percent in their last two, and they hit 14 of 29 from 3-point range against the Mavericks with a season-high 33 assists.

In a season full of blowout losses, the Grizzlies (13-12) might have suffered their most crushing defeat Sunday when they wasted a 16-point lead in a 100-97 loss at Miami.

Memphis coughed up an eight-point advantage in the final three minutes and didn't trail in the second half until the last 30 seconds. The Heat ended the game on an 11-0 run to hand the Grizzlies their third loss in four games.

"We had a great chance to win," coach Dave Joerger said. "We had all kinds of open shots but we didn't make them. We needed to make one shot in the final two and a half minutes. We didn't. They needed to score in about six straight possessions, and they did."

The loss was only the second by single digits this season for the Grizzlies, whose other 10 defeats have come by an average of 23.1 points.

A change to the starting lineup seemed to boost the offense as Memphis had its highest field-goal percentage in 14 games at 51.9. Shortly before tipoff, Tony Allen was ruled out with a right knee injury and Zach Randolph was replaced in the lineup by Matt Barnes.

Barnes wound up being the Grizzlies' second-leading scorer with 13 points behind Jeff Green's 26, while Randolph added 12 in his first game as a reserve since March 23, 2013.

Washington has won the last two in the series, including a 92-83 victory in Memphis on April 4 that ended a nine-game losing streak at FedEx Forum.

While the Wizards have won three of their last four road games, the Grizzlies have lost four of six at home.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Suns (11-14) at Mavericks (13-11)
Date: December 14, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

The "D" has been missing for Dallas lately at home.

Trying to salvage the finale of a three-game homestand, the Mavericks look to put together a 48-minute effort Monday night versus the Phoenix Suns.

Any momentum Dallas (13-11) gained from road victories at Washington and New York was blunted with home losses to Atlanta and the Wizards, who shot 51.8 percent overall and 14 for 29 from 3-point range in beating the Mavericks 114-111 on Saturday night.

Coach Rick Carlisle shouldered the blame for the defeat, noting he failed to make adjustments during a Washington's 39-point third quarter in which it made 6 of 8 from beyond the arc and 16 of 23 overall.

"We allowed them to get into an unbelievable shotmaking groove," Carlisle said. "It's a one-point game at halftime, which is manageable. The third quarter was what did us in. I blame myself. We need to get these guys better prepared to play, and we're just not where we need to be."

The century mark has usually been a bell weather for the Mavs, who are 9-2 when holding opponents under 100 points and 4-9 when failing to do so. Dallas has also allowed at least 98 points in all five of its home losses and is trying to avoid its first winless homestand of at least three games since going 0-3 from Feb. 17-21, 1998.

That inconsistent defense turned in a solid effort in a 111-95 win at Phoenix in the first meeting Oct. 28. The Mavs limited the Suns to 39.1 percent shooting and 6 for 24 from beyond the arc, while Raymond Felton's 18 points paced eight players in double figures.

Felton had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in Saturday's loss for his second career triple-double and may see extended minutes again since Deron Williams could miss his second straight game due to an illness.

Dirk Nowitzki, who has averaged 22.0 points in his career against the Suns, has gone 2 for 11 from 3-point range on the homestand and has 26 total points on 9-for-29 shooting. He's 76 points shy of tying Shaquille O'Neal (28,596) for sixth on the all-time list.

Wesley Matthews improved his 3-point shooting at home to 30.8 percent (20 for 65) after making 6 of 11 on Saturday.

Phoenix (11-14) is seeking its fourth win in five games after taking advantage of turnover-prone Minnesota in Sunday's 108-101 victory. The Suns scored an NBA season-high 43 points off 24 turnovers - the most by any team since Milwaukee had 47 against Philadelphia on April 13.

"We want to play great defense, get stops and get out in transition and run and have fun," said guard Eric Bledsoe, who had 23 points and nine assists.

Bledsoe's backcourt partner Brandon Knight shook off an 0-for-12 shooting effort in Friday's loss to Portland by hitting a career-high seven 3-pointers and scoring 25 points.

"It always feels good to see the ball go in the hoop," Knight said. "I'm not going to change the way I've been playing. It was one off night, a really off night. But I'm a very confident person and my teammates always stick behind me."

Knight and Bledsoe were held in check by the Mavericks in October, combining for 28 points on 10-of-25 shooting, and also struggled defensively with minus-23 and minus-25 marks, respectively. Phoenix forced just eight turnovers in that game, leading to four points, while Dallas scored 13 off 18 miscues by the Sun

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Jazz (10-12) at Spurs (20-5)
Date: December 14, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Gregg Popovich's demeanor was decidedly "ho-hum" after the latest stingy defensive effort from his San Antonio Spurs. Getting another to extend their home winning streak probably wouldn't surprise him - or anyone else, either.

The Spurs haven't lost a regular-season home game in nine months and seek their 22nd consecutive win at AT&T Center against the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

San Antonio (20-5) last suffered a home defeat March 12 when it was outlasted by Cleveland 128-125 in overtime. Visiting opponents are averaging 87.9 points since then, and only one has reached the century mark.

Opposing teams are shooting 41.6 percent in San Antonio this season, but the Spurs' most impressive defensive performance may have come in Saturday's 103-78 rout at Atlanta.

They led 47-25 at halftime, allowing the least points in a single half by an NBA team this season. The Hawks shot 37.5 percent and committed 17 turnovers, bumping San Antonio's total to 54 forced in the last three games.

To Popovich, though, it was just "one of those NBA games" - one which elicited yet another of his cut-and-dry quotes.

"We had a good night, they had a poor night," he said. "That's all it is."

Plenty of teams have had issues scoring against the Spurs. Only five have reached 100 points, including just one in the last 13 games. They've allowed an average of 84.4 points on 41.6 percent shooting in that span.

San Antonio allows just 88.2 per game overall this season - 5.5 fewer than second-place Miami - while holding opposing offenses to an NBA-low 30.7 percent shooting from 3-point range. The NBA's best defense now draws one of its lowest-scoring offenses.

Utah (10-12) is one of 12 teams averaging less than 100 points at 97.8. The Jazz have upped their average to 102.4 in their last nine, but six of those games were in Utah and two went to overtime. They now enter an arena where opponents are averaging 85.8 points this season, and their most recent visit resulted in an 89-69 blowout loss Jan. 18.

Utah has lost five of its last seven games and six of eight on the road, the latest Sunday's 104-98 overtime loss at Oklahoma City. The Jazz missed their first nine shots in the extra period and avoided a shutout on Gordon Hayward's basket with 8.6 seconds left.

"It hurts," coach Quin Snyder said. "We were clearly fatigued in overtime. We'd been able to attack most of the game and just ran out of steam."

The Jazz switched up their lineup, starting Alec Burks at point guard in place of Raul Neto - who had started each of the previous 20 games but did not play. Burks finished with 21 points, five rebounds and three assists with one turnover.

Rodney Hood made 4 of 9 from 3-point range for 23 points, Hayward finished with 22 and Derrick Favors chipped in 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Favors has averaged 18.2 points and 10.6 boards in his last five against the Spurs, while Hayward has made just 8 of 30 shots for 28 points in his previous two. San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker have combined for just 29 points in the last two meetings.

The Jazz have won two of the last three in the series, but the Spurs have won 13 of 17 - including eight in a row in San Antonio. Utah won two straight there during the 2009-10 season, but the Spurs have won the other 28 since May 2, 1999.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockets (12-12) at Nuggets (9-14)
Date: December 14, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

It's taken a while, but the Houston Rockets are finally back at .500.

Whether they feel like they've regained last season's form that resulted in a berth in the Western Conference finals is another matter.

The Rockets look to make it eight wins in 10 games Monday night when they visit the last-place Denver Nuggets, who have also been playing better lately.

James Harden scored 30 points to lead Houston (12-12) to a 126-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.

'We've come a long way,' interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. 'We've got to give guys credit for accepting responsibility of where we were and accepting responsibility and putting responsibility on themselves that they had to do something to change it.'

The Rockets shot 52.2 percent from the field and 15 for 33 from 3-point range. They limited the Lakers to 40 percent shooting and 10 for 32 from beyond the arc.

Houston has scored more than 100 points in nine straight games, averaging 111.7 in that span to push their season average to 104.2.

Rockets reserves scored 55 points Saturday, led by Marcus Thornton with 18. The bench has averaged 39.1 points in the past nine after scoring 24.0 per game prior to that stretch.

"We are a better-than-.500 basketball team," Bickerstaff said. "Obviously the record speaks for itself, but we have to get ourselves there.

We're close," he added. "We're right on the cusp of it, I believe."

Thornton also scored 32 in a loss at Brooklyn on Tuesday.

Harden, who's scored 30 or more in three of his past four games, has averaged 33.8 points in his last five against Denver.

Houston hasn't been above the break-even mark since a four-game winning streak Nov. 2-7 left it at 4-3.

The Rockets have dropped two in a row against the Nuggets (9-14), falling 107-98 on the road in the most recent matchup Nov. 13. Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points and Will Barton 26 for Denver, which limited Houston to 9 for 29 from 3-point range.

Gallinari hit a 3-pointer to put Denver ahead late in overtime and the Nuggets overcame an 18-point deficit in the second half to beat Minnesota 111-108 on Friday. The forward scored a game-high 23, including nine in OT, as Denver ended a five-game home losing streak and won for the third time in four contests.

The Nuggets have reached the 100-point mark three times in that stretch after doing so twice during an eight-game skid that preceded it.

'I thought we needed a game like that to be able to win in clutch time like this,' said Gallinari, who's scored 21 or more in three of the past four and has his average at a career-best 17.7. 'We didn't play very good in the first half and we were able to be much better in the second half. That was great for everybody.'

Gallinari has totaled 50 points in his last two games against Houston.

'Gallinari, who was struggling in the second half, made some real big plays down the stretch, which we needed,' coach Michael Malone said. 'It was a great way to end that five-game losing streak at home.'

The Rockets are opening a three-game trip that completes a stretch of eight of 11 on the road. They face Sacramento on Tuesday.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pelicans (6-17) at Trail Blazers (10-15)
Date: December 14, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard came into the league together after being drafted three years ago, and Lillard's Portland Trail Blazers have usually gotten the better of Davis' New Orleans Pelicans.

The Trail Blazers have taken six straight in this series and will try to drop the Pelicans to 1-12 on the road Monday night.

The best players from the 2012 draft appear to be Davis, taken first overall by New Orleans, and Lillard, selected sixth by Portland. The Trail Blazers (10-15) have won eight of 11 meetings since those players joined the NBA, with Lillard averaging 21.3 points and Davis 21.4.

New Orleans (6-17) has lost in its last nine visits to Portland, where Davis is 0-6. The Pelicans have dropped four straight on the road.

Davis shot 8 of 24 and scored 22 points with 13 boards in Saturday's 98-94 loss at Chicago, which dared him to shoot from mid-range on occasion.

The big man is at 25 percent on shots from between 10-15 feet compared to 48.8 between 15-20.

"He's capable of making those shots," coach Alvin Gentry said. "They're good shots for him. They didn't go in tonight. If they go in, everyone's talking about what a great shooter he is. You live and die sometimes what guys are good at. He's good at that. Those are the shots we want him taking."

Davis could get untracked Monday if Portland continues to play shaky defense. The Blazers allowed New York to shoot 52.0 percent in Saturday's 112-110 home defeat, their second opponent in three games to make at least 50.0 percent after two opponents had done so all season.

"We didn't get a lot of stops," guard C.J. McCollum said. "I think our lack of offense led to some easy baskets in transition."

Lillard scored 29 points and McCollum added 22 for Portland, which led by 10 entering the fourth quarter. The Blazers have lost three of four, with the defeats coming by a total of nine points.

"We're losing games, close games," McCollum said. "A lot of times we're either leading or we're down and then we come back and then we lose so I think it's just defensively we can control that."

The Pelicans were lamenting blowing a 14-point lead Saturday and a six-point edge entering the fourth.

A defensive effort in which they limited the Bulls to 42.3 percent shooting was a positive sign. New Orleans is allowing an NBA-worst average of 108.4 points along with 46.3 percent shooting.

'My overall take on it is that if we compete at that level, we'll be fine if we shore up the breakdowns that we had,' Gentry said.

Tyreke Evans scored 22 points and had 49 in two games over the weekend. He has played in six games since missing the start of the season due to arthroscopic knee surgery.

Portland took advantage of his absence in a 112-94 rout Oct. 28 in which McCollum scored a season-high 37 points and Lillard added 21 and 11 assists. Davis had 25 points and 10 boards.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (519) NEW ORLEANS@ (520) PORTLAND | 2015-12-14 22:00:00 - 2015-12-14 22:00:00
Play AGAINST NEW ORLEANS using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 2 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (-14.75 units)

NBA > (503) LA CLIPPERS@ (504) DETROIT | 2015-12-14 19:30:00 - 2015-12-14 19:30:00
Play AGAINST DETROIT using money line in All games in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points
The record is 4 Wins and 12 Losses for the last three seasons (-18.75 units)

NBA > (519) NEW ORLEANS@ (520) PORTLAND | 2015-12-14 22:00:00 - 2015-12-14 22:00:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in Home games off a upset loss as a favorite
The record is 16 Wins and 3 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.7 units)

NBA > (517) HOUSTON@ (518) DENVER | 2015-12-14 21:00:00 - 2015-12-14 21:00:00
Play AGAINST DENVER using money line in All games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 9 Wins and 16 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.05 units)

NBA > (509) MIAMI@ (510) ATLANTA | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play ON ATLANTA using money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 20 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.55 units)

NBA > (509) MIAMI@ (510) ATLANTA | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 150 Wins and 88 Losses for the since 1992 (+59.2 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (515) UTAH@ (516) SAN ANTONIO | 2015-12-14 20:30:00 - 2015-12-14 20:30:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO ?>in the first halfin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 30 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (+17.9 units)

NBA > (509) MIAMI@ (510) ATLANTA | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI ?>in the first halfin Road games vs. division opponents
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.6 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (515) UTAH@ (516) SAN ANTONIO | 2015-12-14 20:30:00 - 2015-12-14 20:30:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 233 Overs and 572 Unders for the since 1992 (+315.7 units)

NBA > (509) MIAMI@ (510) ATLANTA | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 4 Overs and 21 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.6 units)

NBA > (519) NEW ORLEANS@ (520) PORTLAND | 2015-12-14 22:00:00 - 2015-12-14 22:00:00
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Road games first half of the season
The record is 5 Overs and 23 Unders for the last two seasons (+17.5 units)

NBA > (509) MIAMI@ (510) ATLANTA | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 8 Overs and 29 Unders for the last two seasons (+20.2 units)

NBA > (501) TORONTO@ (502) INDIANA | 2015-12-14 19:00:00 - 2015-12-14 19:00:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin Home games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 2 Overs and 16 Unders for the last three seasons (+13.8 units)

NBA > (509) MIAMI@ (510) ATLANTA | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the total in all games
The record is 4 Overs and 17 Unders for the this season (+12.6 units)

NBA > (519) NEW ORLEANS@ (520) PORTLAND | 2015-12-14 22:00:00 - 2015-12-14 22:00:00
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+9 units)

NBA > (505) ORLANDO@ (506) BROOKLYN | 2015-12-14 19:30:00 - 2015-12-14 19:30:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 3 Overs and 16 Unders for the last two seasons (+12.7 units)

NBA > (501) TORONTO@ (502) INDIANA | 2015-12-14 19:00:00 - 2015-12-14 19:00:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin All games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 11 Overs and 32 Unders for the last three seasons (+19.9 units)

NBA > (507) PHILADELPHIA@ (508) CHICAGO | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play UNDER PHILADELPHIA on the totalin All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 11 Overs and 29 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.9 units)

NBA > (509) MIAMI@ (510) ATLANTA | 2015-12-14 20:00:00 - 2015-12-14 20:00:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 30 Overs and 58 Unders for the last two seasons (+25 units)

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, DECEMBER 14

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TOR at IND 07:00 PM

TOR +4.5 DOUBLE PLAY


LAC at DET 07:30 PM

LAC -2.0 SLAM DUNK


ORL at BK 07:30 PM

ORL -3.5 TRIPLE PLAY


WAS at MEM 08:00 PM

WAS +3.5


MIA at ATL 08:00 PM

ATL -6.0


PHI at CHI 08:00 PM

CHI -13.5


UTA at SA 08:30 PM

UTA +12.5


PHO at DAL 08:30 PM

PHO +4.0 DOUBLE PLAY


HOU at DEN 09:00 PM

DEN +4.0 TRIPLE PLAY


NO at POR 10:00 PM

POR -3.0 DOUBLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- Alabama's strength coach makes $420K a year; only one head coach in the MAC makes more $$$ than that. Amazing.

-- Baseball won't re-instate Pete Rose, which is no big surprise; they can be in bed with Draft Kings, but they act high and mighty about gambling. Go figure.

-- CBS' referee analyst Mike Carey played college football at Santa Clara, where he was a teammate of former NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini.

-- On NFL Network Sunday night, Deion Sanders went out of his way twice to rip Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons' OC. "QBs start to play worse when he is around."

-- SF Giants scooped up Johnny Cueto for six years, $132M; Cueto bags $12M more by turning down Arizona's $120M offer.

-- Giants 31, Dolphins 24-- As a result, the Giant-Viking game will be the Sunday night game in Week 16, replacing Pittsburgh-Baltimore game. Bad news for Viking fans, who will now be 7.5 hours colder with a December 27 night game. Oy.

**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Top 8, bottom 5 teams in NFL......

32) Ravens-- They move out of bottom five if Schaub comes back, but Clausen is just awful- he's started two games this year, with no touchdowns in 26-0/35-6 losses. 7 of nine Baltimore losses this season are by six or less points.

31) Falcons-- Lost seven of last eight games since a 5-0 start; they scored 36.8 ppg in first four games- they scored two TDs on last 29 drives and gave up almost 300 yards in first quarter at Carolina Sunday.

30) Titans-- They're 1-8 vs spread when they score less than 33 points; if you want to play a rookie QB, thats fine, he's going to be good, but how do you fire the coach if you know damn well you're going to struggle with a rookie QB playing?

29) Browns-- Their offseason will be fascinating; will they change coaches again- that would make six coaches in nine years in 2016? Will they keep Manziel? If they trade him, what do they get for him and then who plays QB? Interesting decisions loom.

28) Lions-- Good grief, I wish the Rams had Matthew Stafford; how can you be so bad with a QB like that? Detroit is 0-9 vs spread this year when they allow more than 16 points. Lions are on TV next Monday; think is my fourth time in row they've been on in primetime when I'm in Las Vegas, which I will be next week.

8) Vikings-- They move into a new domed stadium next year; Week 16 game with the Giants will be their last game in the Gophers' stadium. Need to win and right the ship this week by beating hard-to-figure Bears, who play lot of close games.

7) Bengals-- Giving them benefit of doubt in this spot, with Dalton hurt. McCarron makes first NFL start this week against 49ers, who play pretty good defense at home. If Bengals win one of remaining two AFC games, they clinch division, but can they get that valuable first round bye?

6) Chiefs-- On a freakin' roll with seven wins in row (6-0-1 vs spread); they're using WRs lot more this year, and had goal line stand at end of rainy win over Chargers last week. First team since '70 Bengals to win seven in row after losing five straight.

5) Packers-- Great fun to watch Rodgers play QB; never ceases to amaze me how he didn't get a college scholarship out of high school- he played a year of junior college ball in Boise. That said, Green Bay ran ball better in McCarthy's first game back as the playcaller for Green Bay.

4) Seahawks-- How great are the cameras they put in pylons? Give you great shots of close plays around the end zone. Whoever invented those deserves a raise. As for the Seahawks, they figure to be a very tough out in January, even if they're on the road.

3) Patriots-- Why does NFL make referees run to the stands and look at the replays himself? Why not have people in New York who look at these things and then decide what the right call is? Wouldn't this be a better, faster system? Was thinking other day whether or not Tom Brady will go on TV when he's done playing? Would be he good at it? You never know which ex-players will emerge as TV stars.

2) Cardinals-- Now-or-never for Arizona; they're going to win NFC West, have to win maybe one road game to get to Super Bowl. Carson Palmer's 36th birthday is in a couple weeks- this is their best shot to win a championship.

1) Panthers-- If Arizona has to win NFC title game on road, it'll be in Charlotte with the Panthers hosting. Carolina beat the Redbirds in the playoffs LY, but #3 QB Ryan Lindley was playing for Arizona and it was a lousy game. Palmer vs Newton for the NFC championship would be a tremendous game.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, December 15


Cleveland @ Boston

Game 701-702
December 15, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
120.618
Boston
128.068
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 7 1/2
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 2
201
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+2); Over

Denver @ Minnesota

Game 703-704
December 15, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
114.938
Minnesota
118.462
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 3 1/2
211
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 5 1/2
204
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(+5 1/2); Over

Houston @ Sacramento

Game 705-706
December 15, 2015 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
116.053
Sacramento
120.579
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Sacramento
by 4 1/2
213
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Sacramento
by 2
220
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(-2); Under

Milwaukee @ LA Lakers

Game 707-708
December 15, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
117.202
LA Lakers
111.210
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 7
192
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 2 1/2
197 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-2 1/2); Under




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, December 15

Hot teams
-- Cleveland won last two games, by 5-35 points (2-6AF). Boston won five of its last seven games (1-1-1HU).
-- Nuggets won four of last five games (6-4AU).
-- Rockets won five of their last seven games (2-3AU). Kings won three of last four home games (3-3HF).

Cold teams
-- Minnesota lost six of its last seven games (0-4HF).
-- Bucks lost their last five road games (0-0AF).
-- Lakers lost their last six games (2-3HU).

Series records
-- Cavaliers won last four games against Boston.
-- Nuggets won four of last six games with Minnesota.
-- Rockets won their last seven games with Sacramento.
-- Lakers lost six of last eight games with Milwaukee.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Cleveland-Boston games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Denver games went over the total.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Houston-Sacramento games.
-- Four of last five Laker games went over the total.




NBA

Tuesday, December 15

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

7:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing on the road against Boston
Cleveland is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
DENVER vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games
Denver is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Minnesota's last 8 games when playing at home against Denver
Minnesota is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Denver

10:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. SACRAMENTO
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento
Houston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games when playing Houston
Sacramento is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Houston

10:30 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. LA LAKERS
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
Milwaukee is 2-3-1 ATS in their last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 1-8 SU in their last 9 games at home
LA Lakers are 5-11-2 ATS in their last 18 games when playing Milwaukee

[StarDust Bum]

B]NBA

Tuesday, December 15[/B]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Cavaliers at Celtics
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Isaiah Thomas had chances to win Friday night’s game at the end of regulation and overtime but came up short both times.

Cleveland Cavaliers at Boston Celtics (+2, 200.5)

The Boston Celtics took the reigning NBA champions to double overtime before falling just short on Friday and are hoping to get over the hump when they host the other NBA finalists. The Celtics, who bounced back from that loss to the Golden State Warriors by knocking off Charlotte on Saturday, will welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

The Cavaliers began their playoff run last spring by sweeping Boston in the first round and kicked off a two-game road trip with one of the more impressive victories of the season by crushing Orlando 111-76 on Friday. “I just thought we played a full game, from the very beginning, all the way throughout,” Cleveland coach David Blatt told reporters after watching his team shoot 56.9 percent from the field. Boston is emerging as more of a threat to the Cavaliers than they were last season and impressed with their effort at Charlotte one night after the tough loss to the Warriors. “(Friday) was an emotional loss, whether we want to act like it or not,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters. “So to come back and play that way (Saturday) and get a win on the road against a really good team is a heck of a night.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Ohio (Cleveland), CSN New England (Boston)

LINE HISTORY: The Celtics opened as 2-point home dogs and the total opened 201.5.

INJURY REPORT:

Cavs - SG J.R. Smith (Probable, illness), SG Matthew Dellavedova (Probable, back), SF LeBron James (Probable, ankle), PG Kyrie Irving (Out, knee).

Celtics - SG R.J. Hunter (Questionable, hip), PG Marcus Smart (Early January, knee).

POWER RANKINGS: Cavs (-7.3) + Celtics (-8.5) + home court (-3.0) = Celtics -4.2

WHAT CAPPERS SAY: "The Cavs are a team that continues to get too much respect at the betting window (due to LeBron). Still short-handed, they are a woeful 6-14 ATS when favored. An argument could be made that the Celtics are the East's best. They have the best per game point differential and nine wins by 15 or more points (trails only Golden State)."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (15-7 SU, 8-14 ATS, 12-10 O/U): Cleveland got closer to full strength with the return of guard Iman Shumpert (wrist) on Friday but are still taking things slowly with Kyrie Irving (knee). The star point guard is practicing with the team and feels strong but is not expected to make his season debut on Tuesday. “We’d like him to work a few more days in practice,” Blatt told reporters of Irving, who averaged 23.3 points, five rebounds and 4.3 assists against Boston I the playoffs.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (14-10 SU, 14-9-1 ATS, 11-13 O/U): Isaiah Thomas had chances to win Friday night’s game at the end of regulation and overtime but came up short both times. The diminutive guard bounced back with 21 points and 13 assists in the 99-93 triumph over the Hornets to post his second straight double-double. “That’s one of my favorite things about Isaiah,” Stevens told reporters. “He really cares about winning and losing. He’s not down necessarily because of anything else, other than he wanted to make a shot to help us beat Golden State. The guy really cares.”

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.
* Favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Cavaliers are 0-6 ATS in their last six vs. NBA Atlantic.
* Under is 6-1 in Celtics last seven vs. NBA Central.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, December 15


NBA roundup: Clippers edge Pistons in OT

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Blake Griffin poured in 34 points, and he found Jamal Crawford for a go-ahead 3-pointer with 12.4 seconds left in overtime as the Los Angeles Clippers outlasted the Detroit Pistons 105-103 Monday at The Palace.

J.J. Redick supplied 24 points and Chris Paul chipped in 13 points and 12 assists for Los Angeles, which a 4-1 game road trip. Crawford had 14 points off the bench.

Reggie Jackson led the Pistons with 34 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Andre Drummond added his league-high 22nd double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds.

Pacers 106, Raptors 90

INDIANAPOLIS -- After falling into a 21-point, first-quarter hole, Indiana countered with a 39-4 run on its way to a roller-coaster-like victory over Toronto.

The Pacers' huge run that spanned the end of the first quarter and start of the second quarter gave Indiana a 44-30 lead. The home team never trailed again, beating the Raptors for the first time in the past six meetings between the Eastern Conference rivals.

Jordan Hill led the Pacers with 20 points and 13 rebounds, each a season high. Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan each had 20 for Toronto.

Grizzlies 112, Wizards 95

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Marc Gasol and Mike Conley posted double-doubles as Memphis defeated Washington.

Gasol finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, plus six assists, and Conley scored 18 points with 11 assists. Gary Neal paced the Wizards with 24 points.

Just 24th in the NBA in field-goal percentage and 29th in 3-point percentage before Monday, Memphis shot a season-best 56.4 percent from the floor and hit 10 of 15 from long range.

Heat 100, Hawks 88

ATLANTA -- Miami ended a seven-game losing streak to Atlanta with a dominating performance on the backboards and a big effort from the bench.

Chris Bosh had 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds during the Heat's first win in Atlanta since Feb. 20, 2013. Kent Bazemore led the Hawks with 28 points.

Gerald Green came off the bench to score 20 points for Miami. Led by Green, Miami's reserves outscored Atlanta's bench, 31-17. The Heat outrebounded the struggling Hawks, 54-37.

Bulls 115, 76ers 96

CHICAGO -- Overcoming a five-point halftime deficit, Chicago rolled to a victory over Philadelphia.

The 76ers led 56-51 at halftime before the Bulls took control by outscoring Philadelphia 34-12 in the third quarter. Tony Snell outscored the 76ers 13-12 in the period and recorded 15 of his 16 points in the second half. He also had 11 rebounds.

Chicago's Jimmy Butler scored 19 of his game-high 23 points in the first half. He shot 8-for-9 from the field prior to the break.

Magic 105, Nets 82

NEW YORK -- Nikola Vucevic scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in a critical third quarter, and Elfrid Payton added 17, leading Orlando past Brooklyn.

The Magic broke open a close game with a 31-24 third quarter, keyed by the perimeter prowess of Vucevic, who made six of eight shots in the period.

Orlando received 15 points from Tobias Harris, who was questionable to play right up until game time due to a lower leg contusion, and from Andrew Nicholson added 15 points. Jarrett Jack topped the Nets with 15 points.

Spurs 118, Jazz 81

SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard scored 22 points, and San Antonio smashed Utah.

LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker added 18 points apiece for the Spurs. No San Antonio starter played more than 24 minutes as the Spurs won their third game in a row in blowout fashion.

Derrick Favors led the Jazz with 16 points.

Nuggets 114, Rockets 108

DENVER -- Will Barton scored 23 points and added nine rebounds, Gary Harris scored a career-high 21 points, and Denver held on to beat Houston.

Joffrey Lauvergne got his second double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for Denver, which swept the three-game season series from Houston.

James Harden led the Rockets with 24 points, and Donatas Motiejunas scored 19 off the bench.

Mavericks 104, Suns 94

DALLAS -- Deron Williams scored 18 in his return, and Dallas snapped a three-game home losing streak by holding off Phoenix.

Dirk Nowitzki snapped out of mini-shooting slump with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, and he added seven rebounds for the Mavericks. Devin Harris scored 12 and tied his career high with six steals.

Phoenix, which had won three of its previous four games, got 23 points and seven assists from Eric Bledsoe.

Trail Blazers 105, Pelicans 101

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Damian Lillard scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half as Portland hung on to bead New Orleans.

Gerald Henderson came off the bench for 19 points, C.J. McCollum chipped in 16 points and Mason Plumlee collected 15 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for Portland, which had lost three of its previous four games.

Anthony Davis poured in 28 points with nine rebounds for New Orleans, which has lost eight of its last 10 contests.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (703) DENVER@ (704) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-15 20:00:00 - 2015-12-15 20:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA against the spread in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 4 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.9 units)

NBA > (705) HOUSTON@ (706) SACRAMENTO | 2015-12-15 22:00:00 - 2015-12-15 22:00:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO against the spread in All games in December games
The record is 3 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-13.5 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (703) DENVER@ (704) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-15 20:00:00 - 2015-12-15 20:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 6 Wins and 23 Losses for the last two seasons (-21.45 units)

NBA > (703) DENVER@ (704) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-15 20:00:00 - 2015-12-15 20:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in Home games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 4 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.4 units)

NBA > (707) MILWAUKEE@ (708) LA LAKERS | 2015-12-15 22:30:00 - 2015-12-15 22:30:00
Play AGAINST LA LAKERS using money line in Home games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 3 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.3 units)

NBA > (701) CLEVELAND@ (702) BOSTON | 2015-12-15 19:30:00 - 2015-12-15 19:30:00
Play ON CLEVELAND using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 37 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (+18.7 units)

NBA > (705) HOUSTON@ (706) SACRAMENTO | 2015-12-15 22:00:00 - 2015-12-15 22:00:00
Play AGAINST HOUSTON using money line in All games first half of the season
The record is 12 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-19.05 units)

NBA > (705) HOUSTON@ (706) SACRAMENTO | 2015-12-15 22:00:00 - 2015-12-15 22:00:00
Play AGAINST HOUSTON using money line in All games in all games
The record is 12 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-19.05 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (701) CLEVELAND@ (702) BOSTON | 2015-12-15 19:30:00 - 2015-12-15 19:30:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin Road games first half of the season
The record is 8 Wins and 32 Losses for the last three seasons (-27.2 units)

NBA > (703) DENVER@ (704) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-15 20:00:00 - 2015-12-15 20:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA ?>in the first halfin Home games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 4 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (-18 units)

NBA > (703) DENVER@ (704) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-15 20:00:00 - 2015-12-15 20:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA ?>in the first halfin All games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 15 Wins and 37 Losses for the last two seasons (-25.7 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (701) CLEVELAND@ (702) BOSTON | 2015-12-15 19:30:00 - 2015-12-15 19:30:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 3 Overs and 18 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.7 units)

NBA > (703) DENVER@ (704) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-15 20:00:00 - 2015-12-15 20:00:00
Play UNDER MINNESOTA on the totalin All games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 16 Overs and 41 Unders for the last two seasons (+23.4 units)

NBA > (701) CLEVELAND@ (702) BOSTON | 2015-12-15 19:30:00 - 2015-12-15 19:30:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 35 Overs and 72 Unders for the last two seasons (+33.5 units)

NBA > (707) MILWAUKEE@ (708) LA LAKERS | 2015-12-15 22:30:00 - 2015-12-15 22:30:00
Play UNDER LA LAKERS on the totalin Home games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 11 Overs and 33 Unders for the last three seasons (+20.9 units)

NBA > (703) DENVER@ (704) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-15 20:00:00 - 2015-12-15 20:00:00
Play UNDER MINNESOTA on the totalin Home games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 5 Overs and 19 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.5 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cavaliers (15-7) at Celtics (14-10)
Date: December 15, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics showed plenty of mettle in bouncing back from a near miss against the defending NBA champions.

They'll now have a shot at upending the reigning Eastern Conference champs in Tuesday night's showdown with a Cleveland Cavaliers team that's finally getting closer to full strength.

After giving then-unbeaten Golden State all it could handle in a gut-wrenching 124-119 double-overtime loss Friday at TD Garden, the Celtics displayed little fatigue and lots of resolve in dealing Southeast Division-leading Charlotte a 98-93 defeat on the road the next night.

Trailing by five in the third quarter, Boston (14-10) reversed momentum with a 25-8 run to move to 4-1 in the second end of back-to-backs.

"It says a lot about us as a team and our character," guard Evan Turner told the Celtics' official website. "Some people will mail it in when they're tired, and we try to step up and do what we need to do."

The Celtics will have two days of rest before hosting Cleveland (15-7), which just got one key player back from injury and appears on the verge of having one of its most important ones returning.

Sparked by Iman Shumpert's debut, the Cavaliers recorded their most lopsided win of the season in Friday's 111-76 rout at Orlando. The defensive stopper, sidelined since late September by a wrist injury, scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 25 minutes in a game Cleveland led by as many as 40.

'It felt great," Shumpert said. "It was all worth it, the extra work, the extra running, all the trash talk from my teammates to get me ready. I feel good. I could have played some more.'

LeBron James had 25 points in three quarters during one of the Cavaliers' most impressive all-around efforts. Cleveland shot a season-best 56.9 percent and scored 31 points off 20 turnovers in its second straight victory following a season-high three-game skid.

Shumpert may soon be joined on the court by Kyrie Irving with the All-Star point guard in the final stages of his rehab from a fractured left kneecap suffered during June's NBA Finals. Irving is expected to play sometime during an upcoming three-game homestand that precedes the Cavaliers' Christmas night rematch with Golden State, which had its 28-game regular-season win streak halted by Milwaukee one night after edging the Celtics.

J.R. Smith is probable for Cleveland after missing Friday's game with an illness.

Shumpert's perimeter defense should come in handy, much like it did during the Cavaliers' sweep of Boston in last season's quarterfinals. The Celtics shot 25.6 percent from 3-point range for the series, but they've averaged 10.3 makes over a 5-2 stretch.

Avery Bradley is shooting 46.7 percent on 3s during that time and Isaiah Thomas is 10 for 22 over his last four. Both guards were instrumental to Boston's latest win, as Bradley scored 11 of his 23 points during the pivotal third quarter and Thomas had a season-high 13 assists along with 21 points.

"He's a handful,' Hornets coach Steve Clifford said of Thomas. "He's going to be in the paint. Then you are forced to help and then they are going to get quality shots."

The teams split four meetings during last year's regular season. Excluding the playoffs, the Cavaliers are 4-11 at TD Garden since April 2007.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockets (12-13) at Kings (9-15)
Date: December 15, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

The Sacramento Kings haven't been able to figure out the Houston Rockets yet, and their next attempt will come without one of their top playmakers.

The Rockets will go for their eighth consecutive win in this series on Tuesday night when they visit the Kings, who will play without the suspended Rajon Rondo.

Houston (12-13) is 16-4 against Sacramento since April 12, 2010, including wins in this season's first two meetings. The Rockets have won eight of 10 at Sacramento, including a 116-110 victory on Nov. 6. They added a 120-113 home win on Dec. 5.

With a victory, Houston would rebound from just its third loss in the last 10 games. The Rockets opened a three-game road trip with Monday's 114-108 loss at Denver, a hiccup during a hot stretch that has mitigated a slow start to the season.

James Harden scored 24 points for the Rockets, including five of Houston's season-high 18 3-pointers. The Rockets rallied to cut a 15-point deficit with less than five minutes left to 110-108 in the final minute, but Jason Terry missed a late 3-pointer and the Nuggets sealed the game at the free throw line.

Ultimately, issues on the defensive end did the Rockets in as they were outscored in the paint 62-36 and outrebounded 52-26.

'Our defensive level needs to be at a point where it doesn't matter who our opponent is, we should be able to get stops,' interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. 'We didn't get the job done often enough.'

Houston has allowed opponents to score 107.1 points per game, just better than Sacramento's 108.2 as two of the league's worst defenses. The Kings have averaged 104.9 points, compared to 104.4 for the Rockets.

Harden's scoring average has returned to normalcy since a season-low 10 points on Dec. 8. He has averaged 32.0 points in his last three games while making 13 of 22 from long range.

Harden has made 51.4 percent of his shots and 9 of 16 from beyond the arc against the Kings this season while averaging 37.0 points and 11.0 assists. He has averaged 37.5 points in his last eight games against them and 43.3 in his last three trips to Sacramento.

Sacramento (9-15) might have a tough time keeping up offensively without their point guard.

It seemed like the Kings were finally clicking when they recorded consecutive wins last week for the first time in nearly a month. Rondo posted 33 points, 25 assists and 16 rebounds between the two victories, but he is also the reason for the latest setback.

He was suspended by the NBA for one game without pay for a derogatory and offensive term he used toward official Bill Kennedy during a game against Boston in Mexico City on Dec. 3. Kennedy told Yahoo Sports he is gay and that the term Rondo used was a gay slur.

Rondo, who will miss his first action this season, wrote on Twitter that his remarks toward Kennedy 'were out of frustration and emotion, period!'

'They absolutely do not reflect my feelings toward the LGBT community,' he added. 'I did not mean to offend or disrespect anyone.'

Sacramento has won six of its last eight games at Sleep Train Arena after opening the season 1-5 there, while Houston has lost five of eight on the road.

DeMarcus Cousins sat out this season's first meeting and was held to 14 points on 4-of-16 shooting in the last.