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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, December 29

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DETROIT (17 - 14) at NEW YORK (14 - 18) - 12/29/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 40-57 ATS (-22.7 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 14-33 ATS (-22.3 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 3 seasons.

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

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MIAMI (18 - 12) at MEMPHIS (17 - 16) - 12/29/2015, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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MILWAUKEE (12 - 20) at OKLAHOMA CITY (21 - 10) - 12/29/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 43-65 ATS (-28.5 Units) against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 229-286 ATS (-85.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-1 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-1 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (20 - 13) at HOUSTON (16 - 16) - 12/29/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 295-235 ATS (+36.5 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 71-56 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.

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

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CLEVELAND (20 - 9) at DENVER (12 - 19) - 12/29/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 24-37 ATS (-16.7 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 14-30 ATS (-19.0 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DENVER is 18-32 ATS (-17.2 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (507) ATLANTA@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play ON HOUSTON against the spread in Home games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 16 Wins and 3 Losses for the last three seasons (+12.7 units)

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NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (509) CLEVELAND@ (510) DENVER | 2015-12-29 21:05:00 - 2015-12-29 21:05:00
Play AGAINST DENVER using money line in Home games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 9 Wins and 26 Losses for the last three seasons (-27.7 units)

NBA > (509) CLEVELAND@ (510) DENVER | 2015-12-29 21:05:00 - 2015-12-29 21:05:00
Play AGAINST DENVER using money line in Home games after playing 3 consecutive road games
The record is 3 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (-17.95 units)

NBA > (501) DETROIT@ (502) NEW YORK | 2015-12-29 19:35:00 - 2015-12-29 19:35:00
Play AGAINST NEW YORK using money line in Home games first half of the season
The record is 14 Wins and 33 Losses for the last three seasons (-30 units)

NBA > (505) MILWAUKEE@ (506) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play ON OKLAHOMA CITY using money line in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 18 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+15.3 units)

NBA > (503) MIAMI@ (504) MEMPHIS | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play ON MEMPHIS using money line in All games on Tuesday nights
The record is 18 Wins and 5 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.3 units)

NBA > (501) DETROIT@ (502) NEW YORK | 2015-12-29 19:35:00 - 2015-12-29 19:35:00
Play AGAINST NEW YORK using money line in Home games after 3 or more consecutive losses
The record is 7 Wins and 22 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.65 units)

NBA > (507) ATLANTA@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play AGAINST HOUSTON using money line in All games as a favorite
The record is 10 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (-21 units)

NBA > (507) ATLANTA@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play ON ATLANTA using money line in Road games in December games
The record is 10 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+11.3 units)

NBA > (503) MIAMI@ (504) MEMPHIS | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 152 Wins and 88 Losses for the since 1992 (+62.2 units)

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NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (509) CLEVELAND@ (510) DENVER | 2015-12-29 21:05:00 - 2015-12-29 21:05:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin Road games first half of the season
The record is 10 Wins and 34 Losses for the last three seasons (-27.4 units)

NBA > (509) CLEVELAND@ (510) DENVER | 2015-12-29 21:05:00 - 2015-12-29 21:05:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 16 Wins and 39 Losses for the last three seasons (-26.9 units)

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NBA TOTALS

NBA > (507) ATLANTA@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games against Southwest division opponents
The record is 4 Overs and 22 Unders for the last three seasons (+17.6 units)

NBA > (507) ATLANTA@ (508) HOUSTON | 2015-12-29 20:05:00 - 2015-12-29 20:05:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 34 Overs and 72 Unders for the last three seasons (+34.6 units)

NBA > (509) CLEVELAND@ (510) DENVER | 2015-12-29 21:05:00 - 2015-12-29 21:05:00
Play UNDER DENVER on the totalin All games as a home underdog of 3.5 to 5 points vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 16 Overs and 42 Unders for the since 1992 (+24.4 units)

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


DET at NY 07:30 PM

NY +1.5 DOUBLE PLAY

U 198.0



MIL at OKC 08:00 PM

OKC -13.5

O 205.0 DOUBLE PLAY



MIA at MEM 08:00 PM

MEM -4.5 TRIPLE PLAY

U 189.0



ATL at HOU 08:00 PM

HOU -3.0 BLOW OUT

U 208.0 DOUBLE PLAY


CLE at DEN 09:00 PM

CLE -6.0 TRIPLE PLAY

U 195.5

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Preview: Nets (9-22) at Magic (18-13)
Date: December 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Orlando Magic are hitting their stride on offense.

It's what Tobias Harris hoped would happen following a recent win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Harris and the Magic will aim for a second win this month against the Nets as they wrap up a four-game homestand Wednesday night.

Orlando (18-13) shot 53.9 percent from the field and led by as many as 26 points during a 105-82 win in Brooklyn on Dec. 14, outscoring the Nets 53-37 in the second half to snap a four-game losing streak in the series.

"We played great basketball today and we've got to keep it going," Harris said afterward. "We've got to play like this consistently."

The offense has.

Starting with the victory over Brooklyn, the Magic have averaged 104.5 points and shot 51.9 percent from the field while going 6-2. That roll continued Monday with an easy 104-89 win over New Orleans as Orlando shot 54.9 percent - its fourth straight game at 51 percent or better.

Nikola Vucevic scored a season-high 28 points to lead Orlando, which is an Eastern Conference-best 12-5 since Nov. 25.

"We got a 9-0 lead at the start of the game, strictly by moving the ball and seeing people," said Magic coach Scott Skiles, whose team has a 2.36 assist-to-turnover ratio the past four games - well above its season mark of 1.57. "At one point, we were 14 for 19 from the field when we had three or more passes on a possession. It's easy to see how good we can be when we're playing that way."

While the offense has thrived, Orlando's defense has wilted some.

The Magic allowed an average of 100.0 points over their past five games, up nearly nine over their previous three.

"We're not exactly sure what is happening," Skiles said. "The fact we've had an uptick in shot-making and scoring shouldn't be a reason to quit on the defensive end and have all kinds of breakdowns. We're trying to teach these guys that it's important to play well at both ends."

The Nets (9-22) rallied from 16 points down early in the third quarter for a 111-105 win at Miami on Monday, just their second victory in their last nine games.

Reserve guard Wayne Ellington tied a career high by making seven 3-pointers en route to a season-high 26 points, and Brook Lopez also scored 26 in Brooklyn's biggest comeback of the season and largest second-half rally in almost a year.

It was the first time in 18 games this season the Nets shot worse than their opponent and won.

Ellington's previous game with seven 3s also came against the Heat on Nov. 11, 2012, when he played for Memphis.

"I get a little hot against the Heat, I guess," said Ellington, who was 7 of 9 from long range.

The teams play each other again in Brooklyn on Jan. 8.

The status of Magic point guard Elfrid Payton is unknown after he missed practice on Tuesday with an ankle injury.

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Preview: Clippers (19-13) at Hornets (17-13)
Date: December 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers have been able to weather the loss of their biggest offensive weapon by getting outsized contributions from their bench.

The Clippers will look for more production from their reserves as they try to win a third straight game without Blake Griffin while extending a recent history of success against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.

Chris Paul had 23 points and the Clippers led all the way in a 108-91 victory at Washington on Monday, extending their winning streak to three games, one off their season best.

Los Angeles (19-13) led by double digits most of the game, allowing Paul and the rest of the starters to sit the entire fourth quarter. The Clippers still managed to outscore the Wizards in the final 12 minutes as the bench finished with 54 points, led by Jamal Crawford's 21.

The reserves have averaged 49 points in Griffin's absence, up from 26 in the previous four games. Crawford, Wesley Johnson and Paul Pierce have been the biggest contributors, combining to score 84 of the 98 points.

Griffin, who is averaging 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, is out at least two weeks with a partially torn left quadriceps tendon.

"Our bench was amazing tonight," Paul said. "I was probably the biggest cheerleader because I was saying I didn't want any more action."

Charlotte (17-13) is seeking a third consecutive win as it wraps up a four-game homestand.

Kemba Walker scored 18 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Hornets to a 108-98 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. Walker played 42 minutes, including the entire fourth quarter, and is among the NBA leaders in minutes per game.

"We were up four and he said, 'I'm good,'" coach Steve Clifford said. "We can't keep doing that with him and Nic (Batum), but at this part of the season where you want to get a cushion, especially with your January (schedule), you leave him in there and let him go."

The Clippers have won eight of the last nine meetings with Charlotte, including both last season. Griffin was a big factor in those victories, averaging 20.5 points and 13.5 rebounds, but Paul has had historic success against the club.

The veteran point guard is one of only three players since the 1985-86 season to average 15 or more points and 10 or more assists against Charlotte, posting 16.8 and 10.9 in 19 games.

Charlotte has shot just 41.2 percent from the field in the last nine meetings against the Clippers, including 26.8 percent from 3-point range. That's a bad omen for a team leading the Eastern Conference in 3-point attempts this season.

Indeed, the Hornets continued shooting 3s even after Clifford griped about his players' tendency to fire from long range. They were just 6 of 25 from behind the arc against the Lakers.

Batum (hand), Jeremy Lin (ankle) and Spencer Hawes (back) are questionable to play for the Hornets. The Clippers traded Hawes and Matt Barnes to Charlotte in June for Lance Stephenson.

Stephenson returns to face the Hornets after one disappointing season with the team. He averaged 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 61 games for Charlotte in 2014-15.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wizards (14-15) at Raptors (19-13)
Date: December 30, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The last time the Washington Wizards faced the Toronto Raptors on the road, John Wall and Bradley Beal dominated to give them a 2-0 series lead in the opening round of the playoffs.

An injury will keep Beal from playing Wednesday night while Wall looks to continue his strong stretch on the road and lead depleted Washington to another win at Toronto.

The Wizards (14-15) swept the Raptors (19-13) in the playoffs last season, averaging 110.3 points. They took both matchups in Toronto with Beal delivering 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting in a 117-106 win April 21.

Wall chipped in with 26 points and 17 assists, connecting on half of his 16 shots from the field.

Beal, who averaged 20.8 points in that series, will miss a 10th straight game with a stress reaction in his right leg.

Washington is also without reserve forwards Nene and Drew Gooden (both calf strains) and guard Gary Neal (quadriceps).

Wall had 23 points with 11 assists in Washington's 108-91 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, snapping a season-best four-game win streak. Otto Porter added 21 points and eight rebounds off the bench in his second game since missing three with a left thigh bruise.

"We're short-handed," said Porter, who has started all but the last two games. "And I'm just trying to help the guys out any way I can."

Wall is averaging 23.0 points and 11.1 assists over the last seven road games. He had 18 and five before backup guard Cory Joseph knocked down a 3 at the buzzer to give the Raptors an 84-82 win at Washington to open the season series Nov. 28.

Toronto has won eight of nine and four straight regular-season matchups. The Raptors head into this three-game homestand winning five of six there while holding opponents to 91.5 points per game - 5.1 lower than their season mark.

They weren't as sound defensively at Chicago on Monday, falling 104-97 for their fourth loss in seven games overall.

Kyle Lowry had one of his best games of the month, scoring 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting and adding nine assists and six rebounds. He had 27 points at Washington last month after averaging just 12.3 points on 31.6 percent shooting - 5 for 23 from 3-point range - in last season's playoff series. He totaled 13 points in the two home games.

DeMar DeRozan was much better with 20.3 points per game in the playoffs against the Wizards. He scored 20 in the nation's capital Nov. 28.

Jonas Valanciunas missed that matchup with a broken left hand, which sidelined him for 17 games. The center returned Monday with nine points, four rebounds and two blocks.

"He's getting his sea legs back, getting the rust off," coach Dwane Casey said. "He's going to be OK. Jonas is the least of our worries, getting him back in."

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Preview: Pacers (18-12) at Bulls (17-12)
Date: December 30, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Bulls have made a habit of playing up to elite competition and down to the lesser of late.

It seems the Indiana Pacers are rejoining the former, especially now that they're winning even when Paul George struggles.

The Bulls seek consecutive wins for the first time in two weeks when they host the rejuvenated Pacers on Wednesday night.

Chicago (17-12) has stumbled through a tough December, which features two three-game losing streaks and the well-documented critical comments from All-Star Jimmy Butler on new coach Fred Hoiberg.

The Bulls, though, do have five wins this season over division leaders - two over Oklahoma City and one apiece against Cleveland, San Antonio and Toronto - but they've lost to under-.500 teams Phoenix, New York and Brooklyn this month.

'It's all about effort and energy,' point guard Derrick Rose said. 'We have that when we play the best teams and sometimes we don't against the lesser teams.'

Rose has averaged 21.3 points as the Bulls have won two of three games - beating the Thunder and Raptors - following a three-game skid which included losses to the Knicks and Nets.

The common thread to Friday's 105-96 win in Oklahoma City and Monday's 104-97 victory over Toronto was good defense, holding those teams to a combined 40.8 percent shooting. Opponents are averaging 92.5 points on 39.9 percent shooting in Chicago's wins, compared to 110.6 points and 44.5 percent in losses.

The Bulls have seen mixed results against the Pacers (18-12), with each team winning once at home in November, but couldn't keep George in check either time. He totaled 59 points while making 8 of 15 from 3-point range, but the former All-Star enters this matchup stuck in his worst stretch of the season.

George is averaging 11.5 points in his last four games while shooting 25.4 percent. He scored nine points on 3-of-14 shooting in a 93-87 win over Atlanta on Monday.

"It's a long season," George said. "I'd rather go through this now than late in the year."

Indiana had been 2-7 when he failed to score at least 19 points before winning its last two games without him doing so.

Monta Ellis has picked up the slack by averaging 23.0 points on 54.2 percent shooting in the last three games, including a season-high 26 on Monday.

George breaking his slump will take another big effort against Butler, an All-Defensive second-team pick last season. George has averaged 20.5 points in six games against the Bulls since Butler became a full-time starter in the 2013-14 season.

"I know Jimmy's one of the best defenders in this league," George said. "But it's him being locked in defensively that might get me going offensively."

The Pacers have certainly had Pau Gasol's number this season, limiting him to a combined 14 points on 6-of-27 shooting. Gasol, though, has averaged 22.2 points in his last five games.

Both teams are banged up with the Bulls still missing Mike Dunleavy (back) and Joakim Noah (shoulder sprain) while Doug McDermott is day-to-day with a sprained knee. While Jordan Hill (tooth infection) has been ruled out for the Pacers, it's unclear if Myles Turner (thumb) or C.J. Miles (back) will play.

Indiana has lost five of the last six meetings in Chicago.

The Bulls are 0-5 at home when giving up more than 100 points and 12-0 when they don't.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Jazz (13-16) at Timberwolves (11-20)
Date: December 30, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The injury-plagued Utah Jazz had just enough to fend off the league's worst team in their first game without Alec Burks.

With Derrick Favors' status unknown, the Jazz will seek to end a four-game road skid when they face the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

Utah (13-16) was already missing a pair of starters, Dante Exum and Rudy Gobert, because of knee injuries when Burks - its top bench scorer - fractured his lower left leg Saturday in a 109-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The guard has elected to undergo surgery to try to get back sooner than the reported six-week timetable.

Favors also sat out for a second straight game because of back spasms Monday against Philadelphia. The forward is averaging a career-best 16.8 points and 8.6 rebounds, putting him second on the team to Gobert's 10.9.

The Jazz blew a 19-point lead in the third quarter against the two-win 76ers and needed Gordon Hayward's 3-pointer with 33.5 seconds left to take the lead for good.

"We're playing without Derrick. We're playing without Alec. We're playing without Rudy. We're playing without Dante. At some point, you've got to admire these guys' competitiveness," coach Quin Snyder said. "It wasn't a pretty game, but I'm glad we had a chance to win."

The Jazz will next face a team that's dropped four in a row for the fourth time this season.

After dropping its previous three by a combined 17.7 points, Minnesota (11-20) hung with a short-handed San Antonio team that was missing Tim Duncan on Monday. The Timberwolves led by 12 in the early going but finally succumbed to a 101-95 defeat, their 12th in 15 games.

"It's tough, but one day they're going to get it. Until they get it, we've got to continue to coach them and coach them hard, keep teaching, keep watching film and keep working on it," interim coach Sam Mitchell said. "That's what we've going to do. We've got to continue to get better."

Utah has won four of the last five meetings with the Timberwolves and the past three in Minnesota. The Jazz won by a combined 32 points in their two visits last season and claimed a 104-84 victory in the most recent March 30.

Former Timberwolves draft pick Trey Burke is averaging 24.2 points in the last five games against Minnesota. He was selected ninth overall in 2013 then shipped to Utah for Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng.

Burke is averaging 26.3 points on 51.9 percent shooting in his past three games in Minnesota but is averaging a career-low 11.2 points this season while coming off the bench. He started 111 of his 146 games in his first two seasons in the league.

The Timberwolves needed overtime for their most recent win in the series, a 106-104 victory March 23.

The Jazz would tie their longest win streak in Minnesota with a fourth consecutive victory. They've pulled off that feat twice, most recently Dec. 14, 1994-March 10, 1996.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Warriors (29-1) at Mavericks (18-13)
Date: December 30, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

There's no more fitting image for the NBA in 2015 than a member of the Golden State Warriors - usually Stephen Curry - nailing a 3-pointer to either fire up Oracle Arena or turn a road venue silent.

To close out the best year in franchise history 30 games over .500, they'll have to beat a pair of teams equally happy to fire away from long distance.

Two tough challenges await the Warriors before the calendar flips to 2016 as they open a two-game Texas trip Wednesday night against a Dallas Mavericks team that's been lighting it up behind the arc.

That's exactly what Golden State (29-1) did in its last home game of a year that saw it finish a 67-win regular season and earn the franchise's first championship in 40 years while producing its first MVP since Wilt Chamberlain. Curry hit five 3-pointers in the final 3:15 of the first half - a quarter of the Warriors' 20 3s - on his way to a triple-double in Monday's 122-103 victory over Sacramento.

But the Kings hit 13 3s in 31 attempts, nine during a first half in which they put up 61 points and drew the ire of both recovering coach Steve Kerr at intermission and their current bench boss after it was over.

"Even though we can beat teams in a pick-up style game where the ball is getting slung around and guys are just catching and shooting, we need to work on being champions," Luke Walton said. "That's executing on offense, that's protecting the ball and that's competing on the defensive end."

The Warriors could have their hands full defending the arc again against Dallas (18-13) and Houston, where they visit Thursday. Both teams have attempted more 3s per game in December than the Warriors' 30.1, and the Mavericks' 12.1 average makes since Dec. 6 lead the league while their 39.3 percentage trails only Washington and New Orleans.

Dallas hasn't been able to approach the Warriors' efficiency beyond the arc in recent meetings. Golden State has won the last seven, outscoring the Mavericks 279-153 from deep.

As they cap one of the best calendar years in NBA history, there are a few more milestones on the table for the Warriors in Texas. With a win Tuesday, they'll match the 2012 Spurs for the most wins in one year (72) since the 1996 Bulls won an NBA-record 74. And with victories in both Dallas and Houston, they'll be the first team to be 30 games over .500 on Jan. 1 since the 1971-72 Lakers were 36-3.

"It doesn't sound right," Curry said of the Warriors' many milestones. "We've been playing this game for many, many years and we're just trying not to focus on the numbers but just how we're playing."

The Mavericks had to focus on the one team that beat Golden State before getting a crack at the champs themselves, and they made it three straight wins by beating Milwaukee 103-93 on Monday while forcing 18 turnovers and committing just four.

"We weren't even thinking about Golden State," Wesley Matthews said after scoring a game-high 22. "You know, it was Chicago, and then it was Milwaukee. We can't overlook any team. We're not in a position to, and our margin for error is too small to do anything like that."

Both teams are banged up. Deron Williams has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury and is uncertain for Wednesday, though J.J. Barea has averaged 22 points and hit 13 3s in his absence.

Curry is dealing with a calf injury he calls "part of the regular-season grind," while Festus Ezeli came out of the Kings game with a foot injury but is expected to face the Mavs.

Leandro Barbosa (shoulder) and Harrison Barnes (ankle) won't play on this trip, though Barnes is nearing a return.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Suns (12-21) at Spurs (27-6)
Date: December 30, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

As much as this game appears to be a mismatch, the San Antonio Spurs were just made very aware they can't take any team lightly and the Phoenix Suns just showed they still have a chance to beat anyone.

Still, Phoenix winning in San Antonio on Wednesday night would be arguably the biggest stunner of the season.

Whereas the Spurs have won a franchise-record 27 consecutive home games and have lost once in their last 10 overall, the beleaguered Suns have dropped five straight and are missing their top scorer.

The Spurs (27-6) have won all four meetings in 2015, holding the usually high-scoring Suns to an average of 86 points. San Antonio is allowing a league-low 88.8 per game this season, and Phoenix (12-21) is surrendering an average of 105.2 and an NBA-worst 46.8 percent shooting.

However, the Spurs know all the numbers don't matter if they have the same mindset they did Monday, when they trailed by as many as 12 points and struggled to beat Minnesota 101-95.

"I thought we came out and didn't respect them the way they're supposed to be respected as a pro team," said forward David West, who looked ahead to the Suns game seeing the need for a better effort.

"... It's the same sorta deal, younger team with a bunch of athletes. We're just gonna have to be more sound and more solid than we were tonight."

While the Timberwolves had lost 20 of their previous 21 visits to San Antonio, the Suns have won only once in their last 11 there.

"Phoenix is a very dangerous team just like Minnesota," guard Danny Green said. "Any given night in this league you can lose if you're not on top of your game."

Monday's victory made San Antonio the third West team to open 18-0 at home, joining the 1985-86 Houston Rockets and the 1977-78 Portland Trail Blazers.

Little-used rookie Boban Marjanovic excited the crowd with 17 points, hitting all seven of his field-goal attempts.

'Yeah, it's amazing. The fans are amazing,' the 7-foot-3 center said. 'Tonight - every night - but tonight they really gave us support. It was like six players on the court."

San Antonio hasn't dropped a regular-season home game since a March 12 overtime loss to Cleveland, the same team Phoenix just gave a scare.

Brandon Knight's 3-pointer with 1:28 left put the Suns within one point, but the Eastern Conference leaders emerged with a 101-97 road victory.

'We came out and fought the game all the way down to the last minute,' Knight said. 'So I think we put ourselves in a position to win or at least try to win."

It was Phoenix's first game since learning Eric Bledsoe had a torn meniscus, and the team announced Tuesday that he would miss the remainder of the season following surgery. Devin Booker had 10 points starting in his place, and T.J. Warren scored 23 to lead five Suns in double figures.

"It's encouraging that we're without Eric, we're out there a lot of time with Alex (Len) and Devin and T.J., some of our young guys - that's a good effort," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "You can't fault that."

Bledsoe also missed the only matchup with the Spurs this season, a 98-84 road loss Nov. 23 when the Suns committed a season-high 28 turnovers.

Maybe the only reason the game wasn't a total blowout was Markieff Morris scoring a season-high 28 points. It's unclear if Morris will play Wednesday despite completing a two-game suspension for throwing a towel at Hornacek, with reports surfacing that he must apologize to the team if he wants to return.

He's long been rumored to be unhappy with the Suns and asked to be traded.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: 76ers (2-31) at Kings (12-19)
Date: December 30, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia 76ers have produced some encouraging results despite the absence of their expected franchise player.

The Sacramento Kings are simply hoping they'll have theirs available when they host the NBA's least successful team Wednesday night.

Sacramento played much of Monday's 122-103 loss at Golden State without DeMarcus Cousins after he was ejected early in the second half, an incident that potentially could draw additional discipline from the NBA given the volatile center's history. Cousins, tied with Blake Griffin for the league lead with 16 technical fouls over the past three seasons, has been suspended five times by the NBA and once by the Kings since 2012-13.

Ahead by two points when Cousins was tossed early in the third quarter, Sacramento (12-19) was outscored 26-9 by the defending NBA champions over the remainder of the period. The 2015 All-Star finished with a season-low seven points in 12 minutes.

"With Cuz out we never could find an offensive rhythm in the third quarter, which is where we lost the game," coach George Karl said.

The Kings are already thin at center with rookie Willie Cauley-Stein sidelined with a dislocated finger and Kosta Koufos having missed Monday's game with gastroenteritis.

Jahlil Okafor could miss a third straight game for Philadelphia (2-31) due to a knee injury, though the 76ers have actually fared relatively well without him. After snapping a 23-game road skid with Saturday's 111-104 victory over Phoenix, they led Utah in the final minute before falling 95-91 on Monday.

Nerlens Noel is 14 of 16 from the field since moving to center with Okafor out, while newcomer Ish Smith has tallied 36 points and 16 assists in two games since being acquired from New Orleans. Smith had 22 points and 11 assists against the Jazz, Noel recorded 18 points and a season-high five blocks and rookie Richaun Holmes added a career-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

"So many positives," coach Brett Brown said. "You look at what Nerlens did. You look at what Richaun Holmes did. You look at Ish third period. All over the place it was a great team effort. I think the carryover from the Phoenix game is evident that something is brewing here."

Though they've lost 40 of 42 on the road, the Sixers had won six straight in Sacramento prior to a 107-106 defeat on March 24. Cousins amassed 33 points and 17 rebounds that night and had 39 and 24 in a 114-107 loss at Philadelphia on March 13.

With Cousins' status in question and Rudy Gay struggling, the Kings may rely on Omri Casspi after his brilliant shooting effort against Golden State. The Israeli forward tied a franchise record with nine 3-pointers and ended with a career-high 36 points.

Casspi leads the NBA with a 48.7 percent success rate on 3s and is averaging 21.7 points over a three-game stretch. He's 14 of 21 from beyond the arc during that span.

Gay is shooting just 37.7 percent over his last four and finished 6 of 16 from the field on Monday, following a 2 of 12, seven-point effort in Sunday's 98-94 home loss to Portland.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (711) UTAH@ (712) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-30 20:05:00 - 2015-12-30 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA against the spread in All games in home games
The record is 2 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-12.3 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (709) INDIANA@ (710) CHICAGO | 2015-12-30 20:05:00 - 2015-12-30 20:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 65 Wins and 25 Losses for the last three seasons (+45.85 units)

NBA > (715) PHOENIX@ (716) SAN ANTONIO | 2015-12-30 20:35:00 - 2015-12-30 20:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games first half of the season
The record is 12 Wins and 21 Losses for the this season (-25.15 units)

NBA > (715) PHOENIX@ (716) SAN ANTONIO | 2015-12-30 20:35:00 - 2015-12-30 20:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games in all games
The record is 12 Wins and 21 Losses for the this season (-25.15 units)

NBA > (701) BROOKLYN@ (702) ORLANDO | 2015-12-30 19:05:00 - 2015-12-30 19:05:00
Play ON BROOKLYN using money line in All games in a road game where where the total is between 195 and 199.5 points
The record is 9 Wins and 4 Losses for the last two seasons (+16.4 units)

NBA > (711) UTAH@ (712) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-30 20:05:00 - 2015-12-30 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 7 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.2 units)

NBA > (713) GOLDEN STATE@ (714) DALLAS | 2015-12-30 20:35:00 - 2015-12-30 20:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games after a win by 10 points or more
The record is 45 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (+26.75 units)

NBA > (717) DENVER@ (718) PORTLAND | 2015-12-30 22:05:00 - 2015-12-30 22:05:00
Play AGAINST DENVER using money line in All games vs. division opponents
The record is 14 Wins and 25 Losses for the last three seasons (-23.3 units)

NBA > (717) DENVER@ (718) PORTLAND | 2015-12-30 22:05:00 - 2015-12-30 22:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in Home games first half of the season
The record is 21 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.8 units)

NBA > (713) GOLDEN STATE@ (714) DALLAS | 2015-12-30 20:35:00 - 2015-12-30 20:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 55 Wins and 13 Losses for the last two seasons (+27.7 units)

NBA > (705) LA LAKERS@ (706) BOSTON | 2015-12-30 19:35:00 - 2015-12-30 19:35:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON using money line in Home games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 43 Wins and 43 Losses for the since 1992 (-45.45 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

]NBA > (709) INDIANA@ (710) CHICAGO | 2015-12-30 20:05:00 - 2015-12-30 20:05:00
Play AGAINST CHICAGO ?>in the first halfin Home games in December games
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.6 units)

NBA > (705) LA LAKERS@ (706) BOSTON | 2015-12-30 19:35:00 - 2015-12-30 19:35:00
Play ON BOSTON ?>in the first halfin Home games first half of the season
The record is 35 Wins and 14 Losses for the last three seasons (+19.6 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (711) UTAH@ (712) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-30 20:05:00 - 2015-12-30 20:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 234 Overs and 573 Unders for the since 1992 (+315.6 units)

NBA > (703) LA CLIPPERS@ (704) CHARLOTTE | 2015-12-30 19:05:00 - 2015-12-30 19:05:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 1 Overs and 13 Unders for the this season (+11.9 units)

NBA > (705) LA LAKERS@ (706) BOSTON | 2015-12-30 19:35:00 - 2015-12-30 19:35:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 37 Overs and 77 Unders for the last two seasons (+36.3 units)

NBA > (701) BROOKLYN@ (702) ORLANDO | 2015-12-30 19:05:00 - 2015-12-30 19:05:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the this season (+10.8 units)

NBA > (707) WASHINGTON@ (708) TORONTO | 2015-12-30 19:35:00 - 2015-12-30 19:35:00
Play OVER WASHINGTON on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 11 Overs and 1 Unders for the this season (+9.9 units)

NBA > (715) PHOENIX@ (716) SAN ANTONIO | 2015-12-30 20:35:00 - 2015-12-30 20:35:00
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 50 Overs and 99 Unders for the last three seasons (+44 units)

NBA > (705) LA LAKERS@ (706) BOSTON | 2015-12-30 19:35:00 - 2015-12-30 19:35:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 14 Overs and 35 Unders for the last two seasons (+19.6 units)

NBA > (701) BROOKLYN@ (702) ORLANDO | 2015-12-30 19:05:00 - 2015-12-30 19:05:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 5 Overs and 19 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.5 units)

NBA > (711) UTAH@ (712) MINNESOTA | 2015-12-30 20:05:00 - 2015-12-30 20:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 11 Overs and 29 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lakers (5-27) at Celtics (18-13)

Date: December 30, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Kobe Bryant revealed a fact earlier this week that would likely make Los Angeles Lakers fans cringe.

His favorite color is green.

Bryant will get his fill Wednesday night when he visits the Lakers' eternal rival, the Boston Celtics, for the final time.

As expected of a Lakers player, Bryant said he has eschewed buying green clothing because of his franchise's enmity with the Celtics. He added that former Los Angeles star and general manager Jerry West won't even wear that color on his underwear.

"It's been my favorite color forever," Bryant said. "I've always loved it. It's a little weird, isn't it?"

The NBA's third all-time leading scorer is expecting a "love-hate fest" for his final game in Boston and plans to have his family in attendance.

"I'm looking forward to them getting the chance to see the city a little bit and then just experience the green," he said. "It's just a different green. I want them to be able to see that."

Bryant won the latest of his five championships in 2010 against the Celtics, winning the final two games of the seven-game series in Los Angeles and earning the second of his back-to-back Finals MVP awards.

Boston, though, also finished off one of his two NBA finals defeats with a 131-92 drubbing at the TD Garden on June 17, 2008. That is the Celtics' lone title in the past 29 seasons.

Bryant's final game in Boston will come against a team that hardly resembles those Celtics squads. Their Big Three has scattered with Kevin Garnett back in Minnesota, Paul Pierce on the West Coast with the Los Angeles Clippers and Ray Allen no longer in the league.

This Boston team has experienced some of its success of old lately with a season-high four consecutive wins. The Celtics (18-13) fended off visiting New York 100-91 on Sunday, with Isaiah Thomas scoring eight of his 21 points in the final three minutes and are off to their best start since 2010-11, their last 50-win campaign.

"Our focus can't be on (Kobe). It's got to be on us. It's got to be on us playing well. It's got to be on us getting better," coach Brad Stevens said. "I don't think there's any question that all of our players respect and appreciate all that he's accomplished as a player."

Well on pace for a third straight losing season, the Lakers (5-27) are even further removed from their halcyon days. Bryant visited the team that drafted him, Charlotte, in the middle of this three-game road trip and scored 20 points on 5-of-20 shooting in a 108-98 loss.

That visit included a pregame tribute from Hornets owner Michael Jordan.

"It's been remarkable. The fans have shown him a lot of love and rightfully so," Lakers coach Byron Scott said. "He's put in 20 hard years and he's given everything he's got every single night. I think everywhere we've gone the fans are showing their appreciation and it's a beautiful thing.

"(The atmosphere in Boston) is going to be interesting. The Celtics fans are very knowledgeable about the game, and I think they'll show their appreciation as well."

The Lakers have won seven of nine over the Celtics heading into the first matchup this season but have lost in two of their last three games in Boston.

Bryant has missed three of the past four meetings and made his lone appearance in that stretch at the Garden in a 113-96 loss Dec. 5, 2014.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nuggets (12-20) at Trail Blazers (13-20)
Date: December 30, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Though there's little question the Portland Trail Blazers are best off with a healthy Damian Lillard, they've been doing just fine without him lately.

With Lillard a possibility to return, the resurgent Trail Blazers aim for a third straight win and continued home success against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

After losing five straight - the last two with Lillard sidelined by plantar fasciitis - from Dec. 16-23, Portland (13-20) has passed the slumping Nuggets and Minnesota in the Northwest Division standings with a pair of impressive wins without the star point guard.

Others have raised their play to fill the void, with Allen Crabbe scoring a career-high 26 points in Saturday's 105-76 rout of Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland and C.J. McCollum recording a personal-best 35 in Sunday's 98-94 win at Sacramento.

"We've had different guys stepping up," Lillard told the Trail Blazers' official site. "Last game C.J. played a great game, so I hope we can continue that. The more we win, the more I can be careful with my foot."

Lillard practiced Tuesday and said the pain in his left foot is gone, though it's still uncertain whether he'll play Wednesday.

"I want to make sure that I'm 100 percent ready to go," he said. "I don't want to be out there feeling restricted or uncomfortable, so when I feel that I'm ready to go, then I'll play."

McCollum's strong performance this month has allowed Lillard to be careful in his recovery. The emerging guard is averaging 22.9 points and shot 42.6 percent on 3-pointers over his last 10 games.

Crabbe has averaged 16.8 points while starting four straight in Lillard's place.

Lillard had 30 points and seven assists at Denver on Nov. 9, but the Nuggets shot 51.9 percent to stop an eight-game series skid with a 108-104 win.

Denver (12-20) wasn't nearly as efficient in Tuesday's 93-87 defeat to Cleveland, its sixth loss in seven games. The Nuggets were 5 of 24 from 3-point range and committed 18 turnovers that led to 26 points.

"We missed a ton of open shots. I thought we had a lot of great looks that we just couldn't knock down, struggled to finish around the rim," coach Mike Malone said. "But at the end of the day, this loss I will attribute to our inability to value the basketball."

Will Barton did record 29 points and is averaging 23.0 over his last six to help counter the absence of leading scorer Danilo Gallinari, who'll miss a sixth straight game with a sprained left ankle.

Emmanuel Mudiay will miss an 11th consecutive game for Denver with a sprained right ankle. The rookie guard contributed 18 points and six assists in the Nov. 9 win.

'If we were healthy and fully loaded, I'm sure we would play a little bit better,' Malone said. 'But I'm not going to use that as an excuse for our loss (Tuesday).'

The short-handed Nuggets have dropped 10 of 11 in Portland and four straight since a 111-109 victory on Feb. 27, 2013.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

-- Why does DirecTV carry Al Jazeera but not the Pac-12 Network?

-- Suns G Eric Bledsoe (knee) is done for the year. Bad news for Phoenix.

-- Baylor 49, North Carolina 38-- Bears didn't have a QB, so they ran ball for 645 yards in an impressive display of brute force.

-- LSU 56, Texas Tech 27-- Leonard Fournette scored five touchdowns.

-- Golden State Warriors have won 33 home games in a row.

-- Eagles fired Chip Kelly, who will get another chance quickly, either with Titans in NFL or at a school desperate to win. Morale of his story in Philly: You can't act like Belichick if you don't have Brady at quarterback.

**********

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Our bottom 5, top 8 in the NFL.......

32) Titans-- Their fortunes took a turn last night when Eagles fired Chip Kelly. Hard to believe Tennessee won't bring him in next year to coach Marcus Mariota .

31) Browns-- Can knock Steelers out of playoff contention by beating them Sunday; problem is, they're 5-27 in last 32 games against Pittsburgh.

30) Jaguars-- Offense has progressed, defense has regressed; they're keeping coach Bradley next year, which is good, since they've improved overall this season.

29) Cowboys-- 1-10 when Romo didn't start; they cut Weeden, now he is leading the Texans to the playoffs. Will they trade for Johnny Manziel this winter?

28) 49ers-- I'm sure the taxpayers are thrilled that they blew up the team two years after they got their brand-new stadium. Is Gabbert the answer at QB?

8) Packers-- Their offensive line was awful last week; they host Vikings for the NFC North title and a home playoff game in Sunday night's regular season finale.

7) Steelers-- Need a win this week and need Bills to upset Jets to make playoffs. it is a very small difference between success/failure in the NFL, like having a good backup QB when your Hall of Fame starter gets hurt. Steelers are likely to miss playoffs due to getting swept by the 5-10 Ravens, who used a 4th-string QB last week.

6) Jets-- They're +18 in turnovers in their wins, -13 in losses; they had two fewer road games than usual, playing Giants in stadium they share, also playing a Miami "home" game in London. Fitzpatrick has had an excellent season, but only reason he starts is because a teammate (since cut) punched Geno Smith and broke his jaw this summer.

5) Seahawks-- Last week was first time in almost four years they played a game and never had the lead. They're going to play either Washington, Minnesota or Green Bay in playoffs next week; they'd be a hefty favorite over the Redskins.

4) Chiefs-- They were 1-5 and now they've won nine games in a row and could win their division if Denver slips up against the Chargers.

3) Patriots-- They've lost three of last five games after 10-0 start; they need win this week to sew up home field thru AFC playoffs. They're 9-2 in last 11 games vs Miami, so that looks like a pretty good bet.

2) Panthers-- I'm guessing they feel relieved after losing last week; now they can get down to business and prepare for the playoffs. I'm guessing they'd rather play either Packers/Vikings than Seahawks in first round of playoffs.

1) Cardinals-- Carson Palmer has never won a playoff game; this is the best chance Arizona will have of winning a Super Bowl for a few years. Can they do it?