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

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Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers (+11.5, 205)

The Los Angeles Clippers own the title as professional basketball's best team in Southern California and they look to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers for the eighth consecutive time when the clubs meet on Christmas Day at the Staples Center. The Clippers have won the past seven meetings by an average of 24.6 points, including victories by 48, 36, 28, 25 and 23 points.

Lakers small forward Kobe Bryant will be playing on Christmas Day for the 16th and final time. Bryant holds the NBA record for points (383) on Christmas and is enjoying his best stretch of the season with a 23.8 average over his past five games. Bryant fell one point short of his fifth straight 20-point outing on Wednesday as he scored 19 in a 120-85 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Clippers have suddenly dropped into a funk with three straight losses after winning nine of their previous 11 games.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Clippers), TWC SportsNet (Lakers)

LINE HISTORY: The Lakers opened as 12-point home dogs and have been bet down to to +11.5. The total hasn't moved from its opening number 207.

INJURY REPORT:

Clippers - SF P. Pierce (probable Friday, back), PF B. Griffin (probable Friday, knee), SG A. Rivers (out Friday, ankle).

Lakers - PF J. Randle (questionable Friday, ankle), SF N. Young (questionable Friday, illness).

POWER RANKINGS: Clippers (-5.8) - Lakers (+8) + home court (-3) = Lakers +10.8

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (16-13, 10-16-3 ATS, 14-15 O/U): The Clippers have been off since Monday's 100-99 loss to the Thunder and are hoping a few days of practice will help cure their woes. "It's all about synergy," point guard Chris Paul told reporters. "It's all about the team. If all of us know something and everybody else doesn't, it doesn't matter, because this is the ultimate team sport." Paul has been getting everybody involved and also providing consistent scoring with six double-doubles in the past eight games.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (5-24, 10-19 ATS, 13-16 O/U): Bryant had been shooting the ball better over the past 10 days but was just 7-of-22 from the field in Wednesday's contest. He is averaging 19.4 points in 12 December games while scoring in double digits 11 times and appears to have accepted that his final season will be a long one for the team. "Listen, you have to be realistic about what we're facing and where we are right now as a team and as an organization," Bryant said after Wednesday's loss. "I mean, you can train a cat to bark all you want, but the damn cat's not going to bark. So there's no sense in yelling at it."

TRENDS:

* Clippers are 0-8 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win.
* Favorite is 9-3 ATS in the last 12 meetings.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
* Over is 6-1 in Clippers last 7 vs. NBA Pacific.

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The gift of Christmas Day NBA betting trends


CHRISTMAS PAST

Here’s a breakdown of the 10 teams playing on Christmas Day this season and how they’ve performed in games played on Dec. 25 since 1990:

• Chicago Bulls: 9-2 SU and 7-4 ATS and 3-7-1 O/U
Trending: 1-5-1 UNDER last seven games

• Cleveland Cavaliers: 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS and 1-4 O/U
0-4 UNDER last four games

• Golden State Warriors: 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS and 2-2 O/U
Trending: the favorite in Warriors games is 4-0 SU

• Houston Rockets: 3-3 SU and 5-1 ATS and 2-2-2 ATS O/U
Trending: 5-0 ATS last five games

• L.A. Clippers: 3-4 SU and 4-3 ATS and 3-4 O/U
0-6-1 UNDER last seven games

• L.A. Lakers: 7-11 SU and 10-7-1 ATS and 5-11-2 O/U
Trending: 5-0 ATS last five as a dog

• Miami Heat: 9-2 SU and 6-5 ATS and 2-9 O/U
Trending: 6-0 SU and 5-1 ATS last six games

• New Orleans Pelicans: 0-1 SU and 0-1 ATS and 0-1 O/U
Trending: not enough games to assess

• Oklahoma City Thunder: 4-3 SU and 4-3 ATS and 3-4 O/U
Trending: 2-0 SUATS home Xmas games

• San Antonio Spurs: 3-4 SU and 3-3-1 ATS and 2-5 O/U
Trending: the dog is 3-0 SU and ATS last three Spurs/Xmas games


WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY?

Most recent noteworthy team trends wrapped inside each Christmas Day game…

• Bulls: 3-1 SU and ATS as non-conference dogs, but 1-4 SU and 0-5 ATS on Fridays this season.

• Cavs: LeBron James is 7-2 SU on Christmas Day, including 5-0 SU and 4-0-1 ATS vs. non-conference opponents; and 5-1 SU on Fridays this season.

• Clippers: 11-1 SU and 9-3 ATS vs. the Lakers, and 5-1 SU and 4-1-1 ATS off 3 losses-exact.

• Heat: 6-0 SU and 4-1-1 ATS home off a loss this season; and 16-6 ATS home off a SU home favorite loss.

• Lakers: 1-14 SU and 2-13 ATS vs. conference foes this season; and 2-7 SU and ATS in Fridays. (*note: add Wednesday result vs. the Thunder)

• Pelicans: 14-4-1 ATS vs. Miami; but 3-10 SU and 2-11 ATS away on Fridays.

• Rockets: 4-0 SU and ATS last 4 home games off an away; and 8-2 ATS vs. Spurs.

• Spurs: 14-2 SU and 11-4-1 ATS on Fridays; and 16-2 SU and 14-4 ATS vs. sub .545 opponents this season. (*note: add Wednesday result vs. the Timberwolves)

• Thunder: 1-7 ATS after facing the Lakers; and 2-4 ATS vs. foe off SU favorite loss this season.

• Warriors: 12-0 SU and 10-2 ATS home on Fridays; but 8-14-1 ATS off a win vs. non-conference opponents.


DEFENDING CHAMPION DOLDRUMS

Christmas Day has not been a gifting experience for NBA’s defending champions.

That’s confirmed by their lousy 1-6 SU and 0-7 ATS mark since 2000 when facing an opponent playing with one-day rest exact.

The Cavs hope to add to that number when they visit the reigning champion Warriors at Oracle Arena Friday.


UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE

Non-conference games certainly bring the best defensive effort out in teams on Christmas Day.

Only 4 of the nineteen games played on Dec. 25 involving Eastern and Western Conference foes have managed to top the total, bringing the tally to 2-14-1 UNDER in these games since 1991.


THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Since 2000 teams on Christmas Day playing off back-to-back SU and ATS losses (Chicago Bulls), the last as a favorite, are 8-0 SU and ATS.

Now, who said Santa Claus isn’t real?

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Preview: Pelicans (9-19) at Heat (16-11)

Date: December 25, 2015 12:00 PM EDT

Anthony Davis grew up watching the NBA's biggest stars shine on Christmas Day. His first chance to be part of the experience comes against a Miami Heat team that's dominated this holiday showcase in recent years.

Looking to match their season high with a third straight victory, Davis and the visiting New Orleans Pelicans try to snap the Heat's six-game Christmas winning streak Friday.

"I was one of the youngest in my family. All my cousins, uncles, everybody played basketball," the 22-year-old Davis said. "Even if I wanted to watch cartoons on Christmas Day that TV stayed on (NBA basketball). It was the love for the game. I loved watching those games.

"The past couple of years watching, knowing we can be there ... Now, we're finally here."

Thanks to the presence of the two-time All-Star, New Orleans (9-19) makes its first Christmas appearance since Chris Paul and the then-Hornets lost by 20 at Orlando in 2008. The Pelicans, 8-8 since losing 11 of the first 12 and looking to equal a three-game run from Nov. 20-25, hope for a better showing this time.

"I don't know what to expect," Davis said. "We know all the hype that's around a Christmas game. You can't get too amped up ... We've got to do whatever we can to win."

The Pelicans have averaged 122.5 points and shot 52.1 percent in the last two games. Though second-to-last in scoring defense (107.5), they yielded season lows for points and shooting (34.7 percent) in Wednesday's 115-89 rout of a Portland team missing Damian Lillard.

"We're going to keep playing the way we've been playing and give ourselves a chance to win," said Davis, who has totaled 55 points on 21-of-34 shooting in the last two while Tyreke Evans had 45 and 19 assists.

The Pelicans followed a five-game series skid with three straight wins over Miami (16-11), though either Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh has been out for those past three. They took both last season with hardly any help from Davis, who was limited to eight minutes by a shoulder injury in their 105-91 road victory Feb. 21 and sat out the 104-102 win in the rematch six days later. Teammate Eric Gordon combined for 44 points.

New Orleans enters this one averaging 90 points and shooting 42.8 percent while going 0-4 against Eastern Conference road opponents.

Though the Heat have dropped two of three on this four-game home stretch, they haven't lost on Christmas since falling in Cleveland in 2007 and are 4-0 all-time at home on the holiday.

Miami allows the second-fewest points per game (94.9) and the fourth-lowest field-goal percentage (42.8), but it allowed Detroit to shoot 52.6 percent in the first half and overcome an early 18-point hole in Tuesday's 93-92 defeat. Bosh scored 20, Wade added 19, and both missed shots in the final three seconds.

"We'll regroup, learn from it and keep on plugging away," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of a club that ranks 25th in 3-point shooting and went 4 of 18 from beyond the arc Tuesday.

Though Wade (18.5 points per game) is averaging his fewest points since scoring 16.2 as a rookie in 2003-04, he's averaged 25.8 while going 9-1 on Christmas. He scored 31 in last season's 101-91 victory over Cleveland in LeBron James' return to South Beach.

It's uncertain if Miami point guard Goran Dragic will miss a second straight contest with thumb and wrist problems.

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Preview: Bulls (15-11) at Thunder (20-9)

Date: December 25, 2015 2:30 PM EDT

The Chicago Bulls know their last three games were bad losses, leaving them in the position of needing to fend off one of the NBA's best teams to avoid a season-worst losing streak.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are on the verge of a four-game winning streak, but that's become the norm over the past month-plus along with winning at home.

With the teams set to meet in Oklahoma City, the one thing they have in common is they'd both like a third straight win on Christmas Day.

The Thunder (20-9) are beginning a four-game homestand following a Staples Center sweep of the Los Angeles franchises that followed a home win over the Lakers. In Wednesday's 120-85 road win over the Lakers, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook shared the scoring load a bit more than normal. The pair combined for 44 points on 17-of-28 shooting compared to season averages of 51.9 points and 36.3 field-goal attempts.

It worked out well with Serge Ibaka, Enes Kanter and Andre Roberson all scoring at least 15 points.

"It's fun basketball when everybody's touching it and everybody feels involved," Durant told the team's official website. "We were making plays for each other. It's fun to see the ball hopping around and everybody getting good shots."

Since losing consecutive games in Atlanta and Miami to end November and begin December, the Thunder have won nine of 10 with a 15.1 scoring margin while limiting opponents to 92.1 points per game and 40.8 percent shooting. They've also won eight straight at home - their best run since winning nine straight from Jan. 5-Feb. 9, 2014.

"We just took care of where we want to be towards the end of the year," said Westbrook, who's averaged 33.0 points in his last three against Chicago. "We did a good job of taking two big steps with two road wins for us.

"We just have to get ready for Christmas."

Chicago (15-11) has won two of those last three meetings since the start of last season, including a 104-98 victory Nov. 5. Derrick Rose had 29 points, though the point guard has been slumping since scoring a season-high 34 on Dec. 18 against Detroit.

That four-overtime game began a three-game losing streak for the Bulls, and in the two games since, he's averaged 7.0 points and shot 28.6 percent.

The Bulls followed a four-game win streak with losses to the Pistons and New York before Monday's 105-102 home loss to Brooklyn. Those teams are a combined 39-50.

"It's very disappointing," said coach Fred Hoiberg, whose team departs with a three-game road skid and is opening a demanding stretch that follows with a stop in Dallas before hosting Toronto and Indiana. "This is a tough loss. You have to win your home games. We've dropped a couple in a row now. It's a bad, bad loss."

On the skid, opponents have shot 46.7 percent, which is up from 41.1 before that.

"We didn't guard, we didn't rebound, we never got back in this game," Jimmy Butler told the team's official website. "The only way we are going to win basketball games is if we come together as a team and stay together. Through the good times and bad. We've got that group of guys. We're talented enough. We just have to buy into it."

One of the guys who typically plays that way, center Joakim Noah, will miss at least two weeks because of a sprained left shoulder suffered Monday.

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Preview: Cavaliers (19-7) at Warriors (27-1)
Date: December 25, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) When LeBron James walks into Oracle Arena for the first time since Game 5 of last season's NBA Finals, he knows it will trigger unpleasant thoughts about how his Cleveland Cavaliers lost the title to the Golden State Warriors.

James also knows that winning the rematch on Christmas Day will do little to ease the sting of the finals loss.

'The memories will come back as soon as we walk into the building, but also understand it's one of 82 and I'm not going to put everything into this game,' James said.

This meeting is one of the more anticipated Christmas Day games in recent years. The seventh Christmas rematch of the previous season's NBA Finals features a full-strength Cleveland squad against a Warriors team that has captured the attention of the basketball world.

Golden State won a record 24 straight games to start the season and brings a 27-1 mark into this game that is the best for a team at Christmas. The Warriors also have won 31 in a row at home in the regular season but none of those games has been as big as this one.

So what does it mean?

'We either finish that game 28-1 or 27-2,' Golden State forward Draymond Green said. 'That's about it.'

Not everyone is downplaying the rematch. Cavs guard Iman Shumpert said he was still 'salty' about losing the finals to the Warriors. Golden State center Andrew Bogut also acknowledged that this would be a big game.

'We know it's huge for them to come here,' Bogut said. 'We're undefeated at home, and with our record, they want to make a statement to us and we want to do the same. I anticipate it being one of the classics that we can all watch in 10 to 15 years.'

This game will be very different from the series in June for reasons besides the lower stakes.

The Cavaliers, who were without power forward Kevin Love for the entire finals and point guard Kyrie Irving for the last five games, are completely healthy for the first time this season.

Despite those key absences last spring, James almost single-handedly helped the Cavaliers win Games 2 and 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. Then came a lineup switch by coach Steve Kerr that sent center Andrew Bogut to the bench in place of small forward Andre Iguodala - the Warriors won the final three games by an average of 14 points.

'They're a different team, we're a different team,' Green said. 'We've grown. I'm sure they've grown. We're not going back to the Finals like, `Look at this, this is what they did.' They've got 26 games that we can look at from this year.'

The Warriors will be the team that is short-handed this time. Starting forward Harrison Barnes is unlikely to play because of a sprained ankle and Kerr remains sidelined from complications from offseason back surgery.

Even with those absences there will be plenty of star power led by James and MVP Stephen Curry.

'Our guys love these type of games,' Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said. 'It's not an epic game. It's a regular-season game. It should be entertaining. Obviously, a finals rematch with two of the best teams in the NBA going at it at prime time on Christmas Day. That's enough to make it a very exciting game. But win or lose, it's just another game on the column.'

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Preview: Spurs (25-5) at Rockets (15-15)
Date: December 25, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Heading into Christmas Day last year, the picture was quite different in the Southwest Division for the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.

With their roles essentially reversed in the standings this year, the Spurs visit Toyota Center to face the Rockets in the penultimate matchup of the NBA's five-game holiday slate - a contest with a lot more luster than the disparate records indicate.

The Rockets were 20-7 and a half-game out of first place behind Memphis entering Christmas 2014, and although the Spurs were a respectable 18-11, they were fourth in the highly competitive Southwest behind 20-win Dallas.

All four of those teams finished with at least 50 victories - even last-place New Orleans had 45 - and Houston claimed the division crown by a single game.

This season has been a disappointment so far for the Rockets, who went to the Western Conference finals for the first time in 18 years under Kevin McHale before he was fired Nov. 18 in the wake of a puzzling 4-7 start.

The promotion of assistant J.B. Bickerstaff to interim head coach seems to have prompted the necessary surge that has gotten the Rockets back to .500 at 15-15.

Since losing by double digits five times under McHale, only three losses in 19 games under Bickerstaff have been by more than nine. In that span, Houston has pulled off a nearly 10-point swing in average scoring differential from minus-7.7 to plus-2.2.

The Spurs, meanwhile, have quietly gone about their business during a 25-5 start that's put a 10-game gap between them and fourth-place Houston. San Antonio has primarily done it with defense, leading the NBA with 88.8 points allowed per game, but the offense has been nearly as strong and sits in the top 10 with an average of 102.4.

While the club's league-best point differential (13.6) is a hair better than defending NBA champion Golden State (13.5), the next closest is Oklahoma City (8.8).

San Antonio has been even better of late - wildly so, in fact - and rolls into this in-state rivalry matchup riding a seven-game win streak during which its outscored the competition by an average of 21.4 after Wednesday's 108-83 win at Minnesota.

"Guys are competing at a high level. We're paying attention to detail and playing defense," said LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 12 points and eight rebounds. "If we keep doing that, things should go well for us."

Kawhi Leonard has been the straw that stirs the drink for the Spurs, playing lock-down defense on the league's top players while averaging a team-best 21.0 points. He had 19, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks against the Timberwolves.

Leonard has made things tough on Rockets leading scorer James Harden, who went a combined 11 for 34 the last two times they faced each other. When Leonard was inactive against Houston on Dec. 28, Harden shot 10 of 18 with 28 points in a 110-106 loss.

That victory was the first of San Antonio's current three-game win streak in the series after it lost the previous six meetings. The Spurs' 104-103 win April 14 was only their second in Houston in four years.

The Rockets snapped a three-game win streak with Wednesday's 104-101 loss in Orlando - only their fifth in the last 15 games. Harden had 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting for Houston, which rallied from an 87-74 hole after three quarters but fell short.

"We can't have mental lapses where we do everything the right way for a couple possessions and go back to just taking it easy on teams," said Dwight Howard, who shot 71.7 percent (33 of 46) in last season's series against San Antonio.

"We have to do a better job of playing the same way for 48 minutes."

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Preview: Clippers (16-13) at Lakers (5-24)
Date: December 25, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

Kobe Bryant is about to mark another memory off on his long list of goodbyes as he suits up for his Christmas swan song.

Saying hello to the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time this season should be enough to put the scuffling Clippers in the holiday spirit.

A suddenly resurgent Bryant will play for the 16th and final time on Christmas Day as the Clippers look to snap out of a funk with an eighth straight victory over their Staples Center co-tenants.

For an 11-game stretch from Nov. 22-Dec. 11 that included the announcement that this season would be his last, it looked as if Bryant and the Lakers (5-24) would have been better off had that retirement taken place immediately. He shot 29.4 percent and averaged 15.5 points as Los Angeles went 1-10.

He's shown a few signs of his old self over the last five, averaging 23.8 points and shooting 46.2 percent while the Lakers have won twice. But within that recent stretch, including a game Bryant sat out to rest, has been the same old reality check: four losses by a combined 124 points.

"Listen, you have to be realistic about what we're facing and where we are right now as a team and as an organization," Bryant said after Wednesday's 120-85 loss to Oklahoma City. "I mean, you can train a cat to bark all you want, but the damn cat's not going to bark. So there's no sense in yelling at it."

Now Bryant turns his attention to one final Christmas showcase, a stage that typically hasn't gone well for him. He's averaged 27.4 points in his 14 starts on Dec. 25, but the Lakers are 5-9. Bryant also played five minutes off the bench on Christmas as a rookie in 1996.

"I feel really honored, having played several games on Christmas and being in so many households at a very special time," Bryant said. "It's been a wonderful experience, and I'm looking forward to playing this last one."

He hasn't been healthy for the past two, missing losses to Chicago and Miami. The most recent he played was a more vintage 34-point effort in a 2012 win over New York.

The Clippers (16-13) have played on Christmas for the past four years, winning three times. Two of those victories came against Golden State, including a 100-86 final last season that wound up being a season-low point total for the NBA champions.

Playing up to the level of their competition is something the Clippers have yet to do this season. They enter this one having lost three straight to Western Conference contenders, the latest Monday's 100-99 heartbreaker against Oklahoma City.

The Clippers either led or were tied for almost all of a 42-minute stretch before Russell Westbrook's go-ahead 3 with 48 seconds left.

"The great teams are able to bring it every night, no matter who they are playing against," Chris Paul said. "That's why the Spurs, Warriors, those types of teams have the records they do. We have had different lineups every night and different guys in and out, but that is part of fielding a great team."

Josh Smith was benched against the Thunder while Austin Rivers (ankle) and Paul Pierce didn't play. On the Lakers' side, Julius Randle was set to see a foot specialist after missing Wednesday's loss with an ankle injury, but he's probable.

This rivalry hasn't been much of one for a while. The Clippers have won seven straight in the series by an average of 24.6 as Blake Griffin has put up 26.7 points per game and shot 61.3 percent.

"You talk about two teams that are desperate right now, for different reasons," Lakers coach Byron Scott said. "Their expectations are to try to win a championship this year. I'm pretty sure they're not going to be very happy (Friday).

"They would love nothing more than to beat us by 40."

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NBA Christmas debut awaits many
December 24, 2015

MIAMI (AP) Jrue Holiday grew up watching Christmas Day games, with his hometown Los Angeles Lakers almost being an annual fixture in the NBA's holiday lineup.

He's never gotten to play on the holiday.

That is, until now.

He's not alone. Several players will make their debut under the Christmas lights, including New Orleans star Anthony Davis - the reason why the Pelicans are on the Christmas schedule. Then there are some of the top rookies like Miami's Justise Winslow and the Lakers' D'Angelo Russell. And the wait may be over for veterans like the Clippers' Josh Smith, Miami's Gerald Green, the Lakers' duo of Roy Hibbert and Lou Williams, all set to play on Christmas for the first time.

''We got Christmas Day because of Anthony,'' Holiday said. ''I think everybody knows why. I'm not offended or anything by being passed over or whatever. But it's pretty cool to play on Christmas. Thank you, Anthony.''

As many as 46 players could make their Christmas debuts Friday, when the league's holiday slate has New Orleans at Miami, Chicago at Oklahoma City, Cleveland at Golden State in an NBA Finals rematch, San Antonio at Houston and then the Clippers and Lakers meeting in Los Angeles.

For some like Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, playing on Christmas is as much of a holiday tradition as presents. Bryant will be in his 16th Christmas game - his Lakers haven't had Dec. 25 off since 1998. Wade will play in his 11th Christmas matchup for the Heat, who are looking for their seventh consecutive win on the big day.

''I'm so damn happy about it,'' Bryant said, ''and so damn thankful for it.''

For others, like Cleveland's Richard Jefferson, this has been a long time coming: His only other Christmas spent on the court was 2002. But it's a relatively safe bet that the widest-eyed players Friday will be those first experiencing the day in which the NBA dominates the sports landscape.

''It's an honor,'' Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan said.

Donovan remembers plenty of details from his only other involvement with the Christmas NBA slate. He was with the New York Knicks in 1987, playing seven minutes and shooting 1-for-3 in a loss to Detroit. He left Madison Square Garden after the game, caught the train from Penn Station - under the arena - to Long Island to his aunt's home for the family Christmas gathering.

When his Thunder play host to the Bulls on Friday, Donovan will actually be the coach with the edge in Christmas experience: Fred Hoiberg, in his first season coaching Chicago, spent parts of 10 seasons in the league as a player but never got in a Dec. 25 game.

''I think playing on Christmas Day is always an exciting time,'' Donovan said.

Many of the league's biggest names are in this year's lineup: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul and LaMarcus Aldridge.

''It's a fun day,'' said Aldridge, who hasn't played on Christmas since 2010 and is in his first season with San Antonio. ''Everybody's at home waiting for the games. It's an honor to be on Christmas Day. I think everybody's looking forward to it, for sure.''

Few are probably looking forward to it more than Davis. The start to the season has been dreadful for New Orleans, but that won't matter to him on Friday. He remembers being outvoted when he wanted to watch cartoons on Christmas as a kid, with family members keeping the television on the NBA games instead.

Now he'll be the one trumping the cartoons.

''We know all the hype around the Christmas Day games,'' Davis said. ''It's kind of a big deal. ... Just love watching the games. The past couple of years you watch and I know we could be there. Now we're finally here and we've got to do whatever we've got to do to win.''

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LeBron, Cavs await Warriors rematch
December 24, 2015

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) When LeBron James walks into Oracle Arena for the first time since Game 5 of last season's NBA Finals, he knows it will trigger unpleasant thoughts about how his Cleveland Cavaliers lost the title to the Golden State Warriors.

James also knows that winning the rematch on Christmas Day will do little to ease the sting of the finals loss.

''The memories will come back as soon as we walk into the building, but also understand it's one of 82 and I'm not going to put everything into this game,'' James said.

This meeting is one of the more anticipated Christmas Day games in recent years. The seventh Christmas rematch of the previous season's NBA Finals features a full-strength Cleveland squad against a Warriors team that has captured the attention of the basketball world.

Golden State won a record 24 straight games to start the season and brings a 27-1 mark into this game that is the best for a team at Christmas. The Warriors also have won 31 in a row at home in the regular season but none of those games has been as big as this one.

So what does it mean?

''We either finish that game 28-1 or 27-2,'' Golden State forward Draymond Green said. ''That's about it.''

Not everyone is downplaying the rematch. Cavs guard Iman Shumpert said he was still ''salty'' about losing the finals to the Warriors. Golden State center Andrew Bogut also acknowledged that this would be a big game.

''We know it's huge for them to come here,'' Bogut said. ''We're undefeated at home, and with our record, they want to make a statement to us and we want to do the same. I anticipate it being one of the classics that we can all watch in 10 to 15 years.''

This game will be very different from the series in June for reasons besides the lower stakes.

The Cavaliers, who were without power forward Kevin Love for the entire finals and point guard Kyrie Irving for the last five games, are completely healthy for the first time this season.

Despite those key absences last spring, James almost single-handedly helped the Cavaliers win Games 2 and 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. Then came a lineup switch by coach Steve Kerr that sent center Andrew Bogut to the bench in place of small forward Andre Iguodala - the Warriors won the final three games by an average of 14 points.

''They're a different team, we're a different team,'' Green said. ''We've grown. I'm sure they've grown. We're not going back to the Finals like, `Look at this, this is what they did.' They've got 26 games that we can look at from this year.''

The Warriors will be the team that is short-handed this time. Starting forward Harrison Barnes is unlikely to play because of a sprained ankle and Kerr remains sidelined from complications from offseason back surgery.

Even with those absences there will be plenty of star power led by James and MVP Stephen Curry.

''Our guys love these type of games,'' Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said. ''It's not an epic game. It's a regular-season game. It should be entertaining. Obviously, a finals rematch with two of the best teams in the NBA going at it at prime time on Christmas Day. That's enough to make it a very exciting game. But win or lose, it's just another game on the column.''

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Finals Rematch in Oakland
December 24, 2015


CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (19-7) at GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (27-1)

Tip-off: Friday, 5:00 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Golden State -7

The Warriors host the Cavaliers in a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals on Christmas Day.

The Cavaliers have been waiting all season for their shot at the Warriors and they will finally get to play the defending champions on Friday. Golden State defeated Cleveland in six games in the 2015 NBA Finals, but the Cavaliers were completely depleted by injuries in that series. That will not be the case on Friday, as the team is as healthy as it has been in nearly a year. Even with the injuries, Cleveland once held a 2-1 lead in that series. However, the Warriors did cover in four of the six contests. They are also 6-4 SU and 5-5 ATS in their past 10 meetings with the Cavaliers.

Cleveland has not had much success playing in Oracle Arena either, going 2-5 SU in its past seven games there and 2-7 ATS in its past nine. The most interesting thing to watch in this one is going to be the showdown between LeBron James and Stephen Curry. The players will not be guarding each other, but they just might be the two biggest superstars in the NBA.

PG Kyrie Irving (Knee) is expected to play in this one and that is huge for the Cavaliers, as they did not have Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love on the court at the same time for a single minute in last year’s NBA Finals.

The Cavaliers are as healthy as they’ve been all year and PG Kyrie Irving (8.5 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG) is back in action. Irving has looked rusty since returning and only had five points and four assists against the Knicks on Wednesday. He’ll need to be a bit more effective if the Cavaliers are going to defeat the Warriors.

Fortunately for Cleveland, both SF LeBron James (26.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.5 SPG) and PF Kevin Love (17.5 PPG, 10.6 RPG) enter the game in good form. James is averaging 25.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 6.2 APG and 2.2 SPG over the past five contests. He is shooting 50.5% from the field in those games and will need to remain efficient with the Warriors stifling defense all over him. Love, meanwhile, is coming off of a 23-point and 13-rebound performance against the Knicks. Cleveland desperately needs him to be feeling confident as a shooter and he certainly looked the part on Wednesday.

While PG Steph Curry (31.2 PPG, 6.3 APG, 5.4 RPG, 2.2 SPG) was not the Finals MVP a year ago, he was the league MVP and is the frontrunner to win the award once again in 2016. Curry has been out of this world on the year, shooting 51.6% from the field, 44.8% from the outside and 90.2% from the line. He’ll be going up against Kyrie Irving on Friday and the Cavaliers point guard is not yet 100% after fracturing his kneecap early in the Finals a year ago.

PF Draymond Green (14.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 7.1 APG, 1.5 BPG, 1.3 SPG) will likely be the x-factor for the Warriors in this game. Green is Golden State’s most improved player, leading the team in assists and doing everything he can on the defensive end. His presence is the reason this team has been so successful, as he can hit threes, pass the ball and also guard the opposing team’s biggest players. The Cavaliers just may not have a match for him.

SF Andre Iguodala (7.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.5 SPG) will also be somebody to watch in this one. Iguodala was the Finals MVP a year ago and has played solid defense on LeBron James in the past. If he can limit the Cavaliers superstar then the Warriors have a good shot of improving on their league-best record.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Christmas
December 24, 2015

The NBA takes center stage on Christmas Day with its annual holiday slate and this year’s card will be highlighted with a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals between Golden State (27-1 straight up, 18-9-1 against the spread) and Cleveland (19-7 SU, 11-15 ATS).

Oddsmakers opened Golden State as a seven-point favorite for the holiday clash and it’s just the fourth time this season that Cleveland has been installed as an underdog. In this role, the Cavaliers have gone 1-2 SU and 2-1 ATS.

In case you forgot, the Warriors knocked off the Cavaliers in six games of the finals and bettors should make a note that the point-spread didn’t play a factor in any of the games. You just need to pick the winner and those buying that angle again can take a shot with Cleveland on the money-line, which is hovering around 5/2 odds (Bet $100 to win $250).

Some pundits believe the Cavalier would’ve been more competitive in last year’s championship if it wasn’t for injuries and our NBA expert Tony Mejia is buying that narrative headed into the Christmas showdown.

He said, “Kyrie Irving’s 1-for-7 shooting night against the Knicks on Wednesday was certainly not encouraging. Although there were some flashes of brilliance in his debut on Sunday, there was none of that against New York, inspiring little confidence that he’ll be anywhere near the presence he was in Game 1 of the Finals before he fractured his kneecap.”

“In fact, look for Iman Shumpert to be the guard that has the most impact on this contest, not Irving or Matthew Dellavedova. He’s best equipped to make life difficult on Stephen Curry and comes in off a +14 effort in the 91-84 win, the highest number for any of the Cavaliers.”

Containing Curry and the Warriors has been next to impossible this season, especially in the Bay Area. Golden State has gone 13-0 SU and 8-5 ATS at Oracle Arena this season and face a Cleveland team that has staggered to a 6-6 SU and 5-7 ATS mark as a visitor.

The bigger tests for the Cavaliers could come against their other weapons that no longer go unnoticed.

Mejia explained, “While all eyes will be on the Splash Brothers, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala could steal this show as x-factors like they did in last year’s Finals. Green, who saved his best for the 2015 Finals clincher in Game 6 after struggling for much of the series, has been brilliant through this 27-1 start and absolutely tremendous of late. Over the last 12 games, he’s averaged 16.4 points, 10 rebounds and 7.5 assists while juggling roles as agitator and motivator. Curry often says he’s the heart of the team.”

Along with Irving being healthy, the Cavaliers will have forward Kevin Love, who also missed last year’s finals with a shoulder injury.

“With Kevin Love healthy and producing well for the Cavs, Green will have a chore he won’t have as strong a reference point for since he’s only been on the floor with LeBron and Love once. In that game, he couldn’t manage to make enough of a dent to prevent a 110-99 loss. Although Curry and Thompson combining to shoot 10-for-30 is easiest to blame, James and Love combined for 58 points and 19 rebounds,” noted Mejia.

“Green will have to get a better grasp on how to prevent that combo from finding a comfort zone. While he won’t guard them both at the same time, he’ll see them extensively.”

The Cavaliers have only played five games versus the West this season and they’ve gone 4-1. Golden State is 10-1 SU and 5-5-1 ATS versus the East, the lone loss coming at Milwaukee on Dec. 12.

ABC will provide national coverage of this game at 5:05 p.m. ET.

Along with this matchup, there are two other non-conference games that precede the headliner and they’re both nationally televised as well.

New Orleans (9-19 SU, 11-17 ATS) at Miami (16-11 SU, 12-14 ATS) – ESPN, 12:00 p.m. ET

The Heat opened as 5 ½-point home favorites for this early tip and it’s not an easy matchup to handicap.

Miami has gone 12-6 SU and 8-9-1 ATS at home but its dropped two of its last three at American Airlines Arena. Meanwhile, New Orleans got off to a horrible start but it’s won and covered three of four games and Tony Mejia believes that health is the reason for the recent success.

“Although Tyreke Evans just returned Dec. 1 from offseason knee surgery, Wednesday’s 115-89 win over Portland means the Pelicans have won more games (5) the 11 times he’s been active than they managed to during a dreadful 4-13 start, said Mejia. “Over the past two games, both wins, he’s averaged 22.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists. He’s a tough matchup for Dwyane Wade because of his physical frame too. The Heat legend can’t push him and the stocky Eric Gordon around like he does others.”

While Wade is definitely on the back nine in his career, he’s thrived on Christmas with the Heat. Miami are 9-2 as a franchise when playing on the holiday and Wade is 9-1 in 10 games. They’ve won six straight on X-Mas, which includes last year’s 101-91 victory against LeBron and the Cavaliers.

New Orleans have won and covered three straight against Miami, which includes a season sweep last year. Both games were played six days apart and the Pelicans scored 104 and 105 in the two victories, helping the ‘over’ cash in each contest.

Miami has gone 8-1 SU and 5-3-1 ATS versus the West this season and the lone loss came in a mid-November collapse to Minnesota at home. While the Heat have thrived in non-conference games, New Orleans has struggled mightily versus the East. The Pelicans are 2-7 both SU and ATS and that includes a 0-4 road mark. As visitors in non-conference games, New Orleans is only averaging 90 PPG, which has led to four easy ‘under’ tickets.

Total bettors are looking at a number of 200 in this game and that seems high considering the Heat have been a great ‘under’ bet at 18-9 (67%) this season. Make a note that Miami is 8-1 this season when they score 100 or more points.

There are a handful of players listed as ‘questionable’ for this game, including a pair of Miami guards in Goran Dragic (thumb) and Tyler Johnson (shoulder).

Chicago (15-11 SU, 9-17 ATS) at Oklahoma City (20-9 SU, 13-16 ATS) – ABC, 2:35 p.m. ET

Outside of the Clippers-Lakers matchup, this game looks like the biggest mismatch on Friday. Oklahoma City opened as an 8 ½-point favorite and the line has been pushed up to -9 at most shops and deservingly so.

The Thunder have been on fire, winners in nine of their last 10 and they’re a respectable 6-4 ATS during this span. On the other side of the court, the Bulls have dropped three straight games and the team has failed to grasp the new offense installed by rookie head coach Fred Hoiberg.

Plus, Derrick Rose can’t buy a shot (37%) this season and second-year player Nikola Mirotic is having a serious sophomore slump. The Bulls did defeat the Thunder 104-98 on Nov. 5 as one-point home favorites and Rose actually dropped in 29 points in the victory.

Still, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Oklahoma City has won five straight (4-1 ATS) against Chicago at Chesapeake Energy Arena and four of the five wins were by double digits, the other came by nine points.

Chicago has gone 8-3 SU and 6-5 ATS against the West but they only played two of those games on the road and went 1-1. Total bettors should make a note the Bulls have seen the ‘under’ go 10-1 in these games. The Thunder have been mediocre versus the East this season, going 6-7 SU and 4-9 ATS but they have won their last three non-conference battles at home and all of the wins were by double digits.

The Bulls won’t have Joakim Noah (shoulder) available for Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Christmas Night Tip Sheet
December 24, 2015

Spurs (-6 ½, 200 ½) at Rockets – 8:00 PM EST

The biggest story through the first two months of the NBA season has been the Golden State Warriors, who have lost just once in 28 games. However, the Spurs (25-5 SU, 21-9 ATS) are right behind the Warriors in the Western Conference not only in the record department, but also winning in dominating fashion. San Antonio owns a +13.6 point differential, which is one-tenth of a point better than Golden State, while winning 11 of its past 12 games (nine victories by double-digits).

During this current seven-game winning streak, Gregg Popovich’s club has covered in all seven contests, although only two of those victories came away from the AT&T Center. The most recent triumph came on Wednesday at Minnesota as 11-point favorites in a 108-83 blowout of the Timberwolves, in spite of receiving only two points from Tim Duncan in 24 minutes. San Antonio’s defense has stepped up this season, allowing less than 100 points in 16 of the past 18 games, even though that has resulted in only 10 ‘unders.’

The Rockets (15-15 SU, 12-18 ATS) fell back to the .500 mark after losing at Orlando on Wednesday, 104-101 to snap a three-game winning streak. Houston shot 49% from the floor, led by James Harden’s 31 points, but Orlando knocked down 52% of its shots to hand the Rockets their third loss in their last four road contests. The totals keep dropping for the Rockets of late, going from 221 ½ at Sacramento on December 15 all the way down to 207 at Orlando in a five-game span, with all five contests going ‘under’ the total.

VegasInsider.com handicapper Antony Dinero feels one of the big factors in this contest is how the Spurs are going to handle Hack-a-Howard with Rockets’ center Dwight Howard, “Since Howard’s career free-throw percentage against the Spurs (.543) is tied for the third-lowest among all 32 NBA teams he’s faced, it appears to get to him. Popovich sent him to the line 25 times in a Jan. ’14 game and 13 times once last season, albeit both in losses. At .514 percent, he’s currently sporting the third-worst clip of his career. This is a guy that shot It 67 percent as a 19-year-old rookie. It gets to him. Howard has shot it .458 thus far in December and has shot 7-for-21 (33 pct) in the last three games.

These two Texas rivals are meeting for the first time this season as the Spurs won three of four matchups last season. The Rockets have covered six of the last eight meetings dating back to the start of the 2013-14 season, while Houston has won four of the past five matchups with San Antonio at the Toyota Center.

Clippers (-11 ½, 207) at Lakers – 10:35 PM EST

The battle of Los Angeles closes out the Christmas card as the Clippers (16-13 SU, 10-16-3 ATS) look to end a three-game losing streak. Doc Rivers’ squad lost in the final seconds to the Thunder on Monday night, 100-99, as the Clippers have allowed at least 100 points in five of the past six contests. The Clips begin a five-game road trip (although technically they’ll be playing in their home building on Friday), as they have lost their last two away games at San Antonio and Houston.

The Lakers (5-24 SU, 10-19 ATS) should be happy not to see the Thunder anytime soon, as Los Angeles lost to Oklahoma City for the second time in a week by at least 35 points. In the first matchup last Saturday at OKC, the Lakers lost by 40 points to the Thunder with Kobe Bryant sitting out. Bryant played on Wednesday night in the rematch at Staples Center, but the Lakers fell behind early and were trounced in a 120-85 setback as 14-point underdogs. Los Angeles was held to 36% shooting from the floor, while Bryant shot just 7-of-22 from the floor for a team-high 19 points. Byron Scott’s team fell to 0-5 SU and 1-4 ATS off a victory this season, failing to capitalize off Tuesday’s comeback win at Denver.

The Clippers have won seven straight meetings with the Lakers, including pulling off a four-game sweep last season. The Lakers managed to record a 2-2 ATS mark against the Clippers, as the Purple and Gold was listed as a double-digit underdog in all four games. Since 2004, the Lakers own a 3-8 SU and 6-5 ATS record on Christmas Day, although Bryant sat out last season’s Christmas blowout loss at Chicago.

Dinero notes that Bryant will be playing for the third time in four nights, which will be tough for the future Hall of Famer, “The Lakers can’t beat anyone if he’s ineffective because the rest of his team is either raw and young or old and marginal, so Bryant playing for a third time in four nights doesn’t inspire much confidence. To be fair, he did play well in a fourth-game-in-five-nights situation when L.A. won in Washington on Dec. 2, but that was an anomaly. In his third-in-four-nights situations, which he avoided all of November, the Lakers are 0-4, including losses to the 76ers and Timberwolves.”

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (507) SAN ANTONIO@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-25 20:05:00 - 2015-12-25 20:05:00
Play ON HOUSTON against the spread in Home games after a non-conference game
The record is 26 Wins and 8 Losses for the last three seasons (+17.2 units)

NBA > (507) SAN ANTONIO@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-25 20:05:00 - 2015-12-25 20:05:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO against the spread in All games as a favorite
The record is 21 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (+12.2 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (503) CHICAGO@ (504) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2015-12-25 14:35:00 - 2015-12-25 14:35:00
Play AGAINST CHICAGO using money line in All games in a road game where where the total is between 205 and 209.5 points
The record is 11 Wins and 28 Losses for the since 1992 (-30.5 units)

NBA > (507) SAN ANTONIO@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-25 20:05:00 - 2015-12-25 20:05:00
Play ON HOUSTON using money line in Home games after a non-conference game
The record is 18 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.5 units)

NBA > (501) NEW ORLEANS@ (502) MIAMI | 2015-12-25 12:05:00 - 2015-12-25 12:05:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in All games in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points
The record is 61 Wins and 11 Losses for the since 1992 (+38.7 units)

NBA > (505) CLEVELAND@ (506) GOLDEN STATE | 2015-12-25 17:05:00 - 2015-12-25 17:05:00
Play ON CLEVELAND using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 39 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (+20.7 units)

NBA > (505) CLEVELAND@ (506) GOLDEN STATE | 2015-12-25 17:05:00 - 2015-12-25 17:05:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games after a win by 10 points or more
The record is 44 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (+25.75 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (505) CLEVELAND@ (506) GOLDEN STATE | 2015-12-25 17:05:00 - 2015-12-25 17:05:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin Road games first half of the season
The record is 8 Wins and 33 Losses for the last three seasons (-28.3 units)

NBA > (505) CLEVELAND@ (506) GOLDEN STATE | 2015-12-25 17:05:00 - 2015-12-25 17:05:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin All games first half of the season
The record is 18 Wins and 39 Losses for the last two seasons (-24.9 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (507) SAN ANTONIO@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-25 20:05:00 - 2015-12-25 20:05:00
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 8 Overs and 32 Unders for the last two seasons (+23.2 units)

NBA > (501) NEW ORLEANS@ (502) MIAMI | 2015-12-25 12:05:00 - 2015-12-25 12:05:00
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 26 Overs and 70 Unders for the last three seasons (+41.4 units)

NBA > (507) SAN ANTONIO@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-25 20:05:00 - 2015-12-25 20:05:00
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 22 Overs and 56 Unders for the last two seasons (+31.8 units)

NBA > (509) LA CLIPPERS@ (510) LA LAKERS | 2015-12-25 22:35:00 - 2015-12-25 22:35:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 1 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+10.9 units)

NBA > (509) LA CLIPPERS@ (510) LA LAKERS | 2015-12-25 22:35:00 - 2015-12-25 22:35:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 5 Overs and 18 Unders for the this season (+12.5 units)

NBA > (501) NEW ORLEANS@ (502) MIAMI | 2015-12-25 12:05:00 - 2015-12-25 12:05:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 19 Overs and 44 Unders for the last two seasons (+23.1 units)

NBA > (503) CHICAGO@ (504) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2015-12-25 14:35:00 - 2015-12-25 14:35:00
Play UNDER CHICAGO on the totalin All games in non-conference games
The record is 1 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+8.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


NO at MIA 12:00 PM

NO +4.5 DOUBLE PLAY

U 199.0 DOUBLE PLAY


CHI at OKC 02:30 PM

OKC -9.0 DOUBLE PLAY

U 204.5


CLE at GS 05:00 PM

GS -7.0 BLOW OUT

U 209.5 DOUBLE PLAY

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

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


UNM at WSU 01:00 PM

UNM -3.5 DOUBLE PLAY

U 147.5


UNI at BYU 03:30 PM

UNI +4.0 TRIPLE PLAY

O 146.0 TRIPLE PLAY

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wizards (13-14) at Nets (8-21)
Date: December 26, 2015 4:00 PM EDT

The Washington Wizards have been as reliant as ever on John Wall for scoring, but that might be starting to change. The point guard's shot hasn't been falling lately, yet the Wizards are on fire from 3-point range and on the verge of a season-best win streak.

The run can reach four Saturday against the visiting Brooklyn Nets, who have won once in seven games but have been encouraged by their latest efforts.

Wall's 19.4 points, 16.3 shots and 4.3 3-point attempts per game are at least tied for career highs, but he's been limited to 15.8 points on 32.5 percent shooting in his last five. He's still posted four straight double-doubles while averaging 14.0 assists.

"John again doesn't have to carry the load for us scoring (but) he still ended with 14 assists," coach Randy Wittman said after Wednesday's 100-91 home win over Memphis. "John has a sense for needing to take over or to dish the ball."

The team completed a 3-0 homestand while averaging 107.3 points and shooting 48.8 percent. The most impressive number has been the 49.3 percent the Wizards (13-14) have hit from long range in that time, despite being without plenty of perimeter contributors and playing the last game with nine players.

Bradley Beal and Otto Porter have been out, and Garrett Temple has started six of the last seven games. In the previous three, he's averaged 21.3 points and shot 53.5 percent while hitting 10 of 22 from beyond the arc.

"Whether they're missing shots or making shots, I still believe in these guys," Wall said. "Giving them the ball in certain situations, and they're kind of just getting into a rhythm and making shots."

Beal is dealing with a leg injury and is scheduled to be re-evaluated Saturday, while Porter has missed three straight with a thigh injury.

The teams are meeting for the first time since a four-game split a season ago.

Brooklyn (8-21) has lost five straight at home after Wednesday's 119-118 overtime loss to Dallas. It followed a 105-102 win at Chicago on Monday, so the Nets feel as though they're headed in the right direction after a discouraging five-game skid.

They shot 50.5 percent and went 10 of 19 from 3-point range against the Mavericks and limited themselves to 11 turnovers in 53 minutes. The problem was Dallas shot 54.9 percent, and Brooklyn's last seven opponents have posted a combined 49.1 mark.

"There are some good things that we can definitely pull from the game," Thaddeus Young told the team's official website. "We just have to win basketball games. We have to bring the intensity that we had in the last two games to the next game and carry it over. If we keep playing like we've been playing, we're going to win more games."

Young might also be a key to that. The forward had a season-high 29 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 14 for 20. In his first full season in Brooklyn, Young is averaging 16.0 points and a career-best 9.2 rebounds.

"Just a tremendous effort," coach Lionel Hollins said of Young. "He was just battling. That's what I like and expect from the whole group and that's what we got. His numbers stand out over other people, but I thought we got the efforts we needed and the extra efforts."

The Nets have also gotten some solid offense recently from Bojan Bogdanovic, who has started the last 10 games in the backcourt with Jarrett Jack. The 6-foot-8 guard scored 17 points against the Mavericks and is averaging 14.0 on 57.1 percent shooting in the last three games, including going 10 of 16 from 3-point range.