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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Hornets (19-22) at Thunder (31-12)
Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Kemba Walker has accomplished some rather remarkable feats of late, as has Russell Westbrook.

The premier point guards now go head-to-head as Walker's Hornets visit the formidable Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night looking to build on their star's record-setting performance.

Though Charlotte (19-22) brings a nine-game road losing streak into Chesapeake Energy Arena, where it hasn't won since the Thunder moved from Seattle, it'll at least be entering on a rare recent high after outlasting Utah 124-119 in a double-overtime thriller Monday.

Walker scored a franchise-record 52 points, and the fifth-year pro finished 6 of 11 from 3-point range and 14 of 15 from the foul line in surpassing Glen Rice's 48 points against Boston on March 6, 1997.

'I just tried to make the best plays possible," he said. "When I had my shot, I tried to be aggressive, take them and make them."

Walker has made more than his share of plays during a 12-game stretch in which he's had to carry an offense without two of its top five scorers in Al Jefferson and Jeremy Lamb. He's averaging 24.8 points and produced three games of 32 or more over that span.

Monday's victory was just the second in the last 11 games, and the Hornets are 4-14 since last winning on the road at Memphis on Dec. 11, falling to last place in the Southeast Division.

The Thunder (31-12) have gone in the other direction, winning 20 of 24 since consecutive road defeats to Atlanta and Miami from Nov. 30-Dec. 3 that left them just three games above .500.

Westbrook has been a major reason for the surge and aims for a third consecutive triple-double at home. He fell short of a third straight overall in Tuesday's 110-104 victory in Denver, but still logged 19 of his 27 points in the second half and contributed 12 assists in Oklahoma City's fifth consecutive win.

Kevin Durant added 30 points and 12 rebounds and Enes Kanter had 25 points in 25 minutes off the bench to help the Thunder overcome an off-shooting night. Oklahoma City went 6 of 28 on 3-pointers and shot 42.3 percent overall, its lowest mark since a 105-96 home loss to Chicago on Christmas Day.

The Thunder have averaged 111.2 points in winning 11 of 13 since.

'We got great shots tonight,' Durant said afterward. 'Cameron (Payne) missed four wide-open 3s, Dion (Waiters) missed two or three, I missed a couple, so we got great looks tonight. We can live with those.'

Charlotte has scored 107 or more in three of its last four after averaging 93.7 over six consecutive losses to begin January. That includes a 109-90 home setback to the Thunder on Jan. 2 in which Westbrook was held to 16 points on 4 of 15 shooting, but Durant had 29 and 11 rebounds to counter Walker's 32 points.

The win was the Thunder's 10th straight over the Hornets, and they haven't lost in seven meetings since relocating to Oklahoma City for the 2009-10 season. Charlotte last defeated the Thunder in March 2010 and recorded its most recent road win in the series in Seattle on March 28, 2008.

The Hornets have dropped their last five games in Oklahoma City by an average of 25.8 points, with each loss by at least 17 points.

Lamb has missed three games with a sprained right toe and is questionable to play in his Oklahoma City return. The shooting guard spent his first three seasons with the Thunder before being traded to Charlotte in June.

[StarDust Bum]

B]Preview: Timberwolves (13-30) at Mavericks (24-19)[/B]
Date: January 20, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Scoring hasn't been much of a problem at home lately for the Dallas Mavericks, but their defense has slipped partially due to some lengthy games.

Facing the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves for the second time in two weeks could solve that.

The Mavericks go for an eighth win in 10 home games as they try to extend their winning streak over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

Dallas (24-19) is averaging 108.4 points while winning seven of its last nine home games after splitting the first 10 while scoring 99.6 per game.

The Mavericks, however, are surrendering an average of 113.0 points while winning two of their last three games. Each of those games has gone into overtime, including a 117-116 double-OT win over Sacramento on Jan. 5.

Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams prevented Dallas from going that far Monday, combining for 17 of its 20 points in overtime of a 118-113 win over Boston.

"I just dug deep. That was a gutsy win," said Nowitzki, who tied a season high with 31 points - 21 after the third quarter - and had 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

Williams has been much more productive at home than on the road. He scored 20 points against the Celtics, giving him an average of 19.1 points over his last 10 home games compared to 8.4 in his past seven away.

Williams' struggled on the road at Minnesota on Jan. 10, totaling four points on 2-for-10 shooting. However, Nowitzki practically carried the Mavs to a 93-87 victory, scoring 29 points with seven rebounds while sinking 12 of 22 from the floor - 4 of 7 from 3-point range.

"(Dirk) just makes the game so easy," Williams told the team's official website.

Dallas has won four straight meetings with the Timberwolves (13-30), holding them to 85.3 points per game and 20.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc over the last three.

Minnesota is doing little to inspire confidence it's capable of ending its woes. The Timberwolves are averaging 93.9 points while losing 14 of their last 16 games, and they've dropped a season-high seven straight on the road after a 114-99 defeat at New Orleans on Tuesday.

It's Minnesota's longest road losing streak since a 10-game skid from Nov. 30, 2014-Jan. 9, 2015.

Despite the Timberwolves occupying the Northwest Division cellar, Andrew Wiggins has been a bright spot with 24.3 points per game over the last seven. That includes 21 points with seven rebounds against the Mavs earlier this month after the second-year pro averaged 12.3 and 4.3 over his first three career matchups.

Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns wasn't very effective in his first meeting with Dallas, scoring 10 points with four rebounds. The No. 1 overall pick enters this one after putting up 20 points and pulling down 13 boards against the Pelicans.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (505) BOSTON@ (506) TORONTO | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play ON BOSTON against the spread in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 42 Wins and 16 Losses for the last three seasons (+24.4 units)

NBA > (509) UTAH@ (510) NEW YORK | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play ON UTAH against the spread in Road games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 18 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.6 units)

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NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (507) CLEVELAND@ (508) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play AGAINST BROOKLYN using money line in Home games in January games
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-15.15 units)

NBA > (513) GOLDEN STATE@ (514) CHICAGO | 2016-01-20 20:00:00 - 2016-01-20 20:00:00
Play ON CHICAGO using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 69 Wins and 26 Losses for the last three seasons (+49.1 units)

NBA > (517) MINNESOTA@ (518) DALLAS | 2016-01-20 20:30:00 - 2016-01-20 20:30:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 42 Wins and 80 Losses for the last three seasons (-59 units)

NBA > (519) SACRAMENTO@ (520) LA LAKERS | 2016-01-20 22:30:00 - 2016-01-20 22:30:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO using money line in All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 10 Wins and 27 Losses for the last three seasons (-24.75 units)

NBA > (509) UTAH@ (510) NEW YORK | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play ON UTAH using money line in Road games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 13 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (+20.9 units)

NBA > (521) ATLANTA@ (522) PORTLAND | 2016-01-20 22:30:00 - 2016-01-20 22:30:00
Play AGAINST ATLANTA using money line in Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 6 Wins and 20 Losses for the last three seasons (-19.1 units)

NBA > (505) BOSTON@ (506) TORONTO | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play ON BOSTON using money line in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 20 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.9 units)

NBA > (513) GOLDEN STATE@ (514) CHICAGO | 2016-01-20 20:00:00 - 2016-01-20 20:00:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 19 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+15.25 units)

NBA > (521) ATLANTA@ (522) PORTLAND | 2016-01-20 22:30:00 - 2016-01-20 22:30:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 21 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (+16.85 units)

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NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (507) CLEVELAND@ (508) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play AGAINST CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin All games against Atlantic division opponents
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (-10 units)

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NBA TOTALS

NBA > (509) UTAH@ (510) NEW YORK | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 4 Overs and 24 Unders for the last two seasons (+19.6 units)

NBA > (515) CHARLOTTE@ (516) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-01-20 20:00:00 - 2016-01-20 20:00:00
Play OVER CHARLOTTE on the totalin All games in non-conference games
The record is 16 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+13.8 units)

NBA > (507) CLEVELAND@ (508) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 1 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+10.9 units)

NBA > (501) PHILADELPHIA@ (502) ORLANDO | 2016-01-20 19:00:00 - 2016-01-20 19:00:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 3 Overs and 16 Unders for the this season (+12.7 units)

NBA > (513) GOLDEN STATE@ (514) CHICAGO | 2016-01-20 20:00:00 - 2016-01-20 20:00:00
Play OVER GOLDEN STATE on the totalin All games in a road game where the first half total >= 105.5
The record is 14 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+11.8 units)

NBA > (505) BOSTON@ (506) TORONTO | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 8 Overs and 27 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.2 units)

NBA > (503) MIAMI@ (504) WASHINGTON | 2016-01-20 19:00:00 - 2016-01-20 19:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 7 Overs and 25 Unders for the last two seasons (+17.3 units)

NBA > (509) UTAH@ (510) NEW YORK | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 11 Overs and 31 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.9 units)

NBA > (507) CLEVELAND@ (508) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-20 19:30:00 - 2016-01-20 19:30:00
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the totalin Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 0 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+9 units)

NBA > (515) CHARLOTTE@ (516) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-01-20 20:00:00 - 2016-01-20 20:00:00
Play OVER CHARLOTTE on the totalin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 29 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+15.8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

-- Peyton Manning banks an extra $2M Sunday if the Broncos win and he plays 70% of the offensive snaps; same thing goes for the Super Bowl.

-- If you care about such things, Australia is 16 hours ahead of us here in the east.

-- Cal Bears' primary ballhandler Tyrone Wallace is out 4-6 weeks with a broken hand. That gets him back in time for the Pac-12 tournament.

-- Over the last 12 years, Gonzaga is 22-3 in the WCC tournament, winning it nine times. It is tough to be that dominant for that long a period.

-- Providence 71, Butler 68-- Friars sweep Butler, kind of surprising.

-- Chicago Blackhawks beat Nashville Tuesday, have won 12 games in a row.

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Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Random thoughts on a winter day.....

13) Tuesday was the worst kind of winter day here in upstate NY; temps in 20s, but with a vicious, cutting wind that would cut thru any number of layers of clothes, and make you question your intelligence for choosing to live here. The good part is the wind will be gone today and a normal 25 degree day will feel like springtime.

12) Maryland 62, Northwestern 56 OT-- Wildcats are 15-5, 2-4 in last six games; on Selection Sunday, if Northwestern doesn't make the tournament (again), they can look at this game as a big reason why. Winning at Maryland would've been huge- they have a #264 strength of schedule (#346 non-conference) and badly need quality wins. Right now, their best wins are at home over Wisconsin/Nebraska- no bueno.

11) How on God's green earth does getting an endorsement from Sarah Palin help someone become President of the United States? I'd rather get an endorsement from Julianne Moore, who played Ms Palin in a movie called Game Change. Ms Palin is a walking, talking Saturday Night Live skit; Tina Fey had to be delighted yesterday.

10) Oklahoma State 86, Kansas 67-- Cowboys had lost four in row coming into this game, third straight loss for Jayhawks in Stillwater. It is January 20 and I have zero freakin' idea who the best team in the country is. An interesting season.

9) South Carolina 77, Ole Miss 74 OT-- Gamecocks scored the last 11 points of regulation, handing Ole Miss a bitter loss. Gamecocks are an underappreciated 17-1, with only loss at Alabama- they don't play A&M or Kentucky until next month.

8) When Duke lost to Syracuse Monday, they were 13-25 inside arc, 10-37 outside the arc, only 6-9 on foul line, very un-Duke-like numbers. If you do not attack the basket, you're not going to get calls from refs. Duke doesn't play great great defense because they have no depth; now they're not getting the ball inside on offense.

7) RIP coach Johnny Bach, one of Phil Jackson's assistants with the Jordan-era Bulls. Coach Bach grew up in NYC at the same time as my dad, who would tell stories about his high school playing Bach's high school. Coach Bach and Tex Winter teamed to give Phil Jackson a pair of experienced voices to lean on, when he needed it. RIP, sir.

6) Eagles introduced Doug Pederson as their new coach, where he was grilled over the Chiefs' play-calling late in their loss at New England Saturday. Didn't take long for the honeymoon to end there.

5) UNLV 80, Utah State 68-- Ten days, UNLV changed basketball coaches; they are 3-0 since then, winning all three games fairly easily, begging the question:

a) UNLV changed basketball coaches ten days ago..........they were 0-3 in league.
b) Since then, UNLV is 3-0, winning by 12-36-12 points.
c) Did a) cause b)? If the Rebels keep winning, the powers-that-be in the desert are going to have a very interesting decision to make- promote the (much cheaper to hire) interim coach to permanent coach, or go national and hire a big name? .

4) There have been 22 OT games in the NFL this season; five of the 22 ended with a TD being scored by the team having the ball first.

3) San Diego State 73, Fresno State 67 OT-- For team with such great experience, Fresno plays too willy-nilly for me. Bulldogs are #12 in experience in country, but in last 0:10 down 3, Marvelle Harris (4-20 from floor) jacks up a hideous 3-pointer with 0:06 left and its an airball, which is rebounded by the shortest player on the court under the hoop, who races out to the corner and knocks down a ridiculous fadeaway 3 to tie the game at the buzzer. Fresno was right for the wrong reason.

If you bet Fresno +7.5, you needed a 3-pointer in last 0:20 of OT to cover. Aztecs are on a winning streak now, but they're still offensively-challenged.

2) Pacers 97, Suns 94-- Phoenix is 13-30; they should bring Mike D'Antoni back.

A story to close out today.........
1) Long time ago, I coached Little League in a wealthy suburb; one year, a doctor was one of my assistant coaches. Smart guy, but he hated the way I coached and we did not interact that much (hard to believe, huh?). Anyway, the doctor loved to play golf-- that year, Arnold Palmer came to the area in a charity event, and the doctor did volunteer work that day and met Mr Palmer.

So the next day at our Little League practice, I asked the doctor how the golf outing was. He was not prone to praise or overstatement, but he looked at me and said, "It was the greatest day of my life." That is the effect Arnold Palmer has on people.

[StarDust Bum]

Three spot bets the wiseguys are looking to wager this week

The Clippers have a big showdown against the Cavaliers Thursday, but could fall victim to a letdown spot the next night in New York.

Letdown spot

The Los Angeles Clippers watched the Golden State Warriors take apart the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night and smell blood in the water with the schedule taking them to Cleveland Thursday night. After an intense overtime win at Houston Monday, the Clippers have two full days to recover and game plan for LeBron & Co.

That big matchup leaves Los Angeles open to a letdown spot the very next night. Following Thursday’s showdown with the Cavaliers, L.A. heads to the Big Apple to play the New York Knicks Friday. The Knicks also needed overtime to win Monday, edging Philadelphia and host Utah Wednesday before a day off Thursday. With L.A. coming off a huge matchup on short rest, there could be added value on the home side at MSG Friday.

Lookahead spot

The Villanova Wildcats have a Big East Saturday showdown against Providence this week, a battle between two ranked teams that will go a long way in deciding how the conference trickles down. But before the Wildcats host the Friars, they have to make the trip next door to New Jersey Wednesday.

Villanova visits Seton Hall in a possible lookahead spot for Jay Wright’s kids. The Pirates, while not ranked, are no pushovers. Seton Hall is 8-1 at home with a 5-3 ATS record in those lined games. The Pirates have had the Wildcats’ number in recent home dates with Villanova, going 4-1 ATS in their last five against their Big East rivals inside the Prudential Center.

Schedule spot

Sometimes a road trip can be a good thing, especially when it pertains to a team struggling at home. Getting out of town can take some of the pressure off the club, which is something the Minnesota Wild are hoping for with their current four-game road swing, which opened with a 3-0 shutout loss in Nashville Saturday - extending their losing skid to four games.

Since then, the Wild have had some time to refocus and travel to the left side of the country for three games against West Coast teams. Minnesota picks up in Anaheim Wednesday, then faces Los Angeles Thursday, before closing this trek in San Jose Saturday. The Wild opened the season with a similar stretch, playing at Arizona, L.A. and Anaheim in a period of four days, going 1-1-1 in that span.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, January 20

Wednesday's hot teams
-- Toronto won its last five games (3-8 last 11HF). Celtics won three of their last four games (1-4 last five AU).
-- Cleveland won eight of last ten games but lost to Golden State by 34 in last game (4-12-1AF).
-- Knicks won six of their last nine games (7-2 last nine HF).
-- Houston won six of its last eight games (6-3 last nine HF).
-- Warriors split last four games, are 8-2 in last 10 (3-4 last 7AF).
-- Thunder won their last five games (4-0 last four HF).
-- Kings won three of last four road games (0-1AF).
-- Hawks won four of their last six games (2-6 last 8AF). Portland won four of its last five games (1-3 last four HU).

Cold teams
-- Orlando lost seven of last eight games (5-2 last sevenHF). 76ers lost five of last six games, but covered the last four.
-- Miami lost five of its last six games (4-6AU). Wizards lost their last five home games (4-7HF).
-- Nets lost eight of last nine games (2-9 last 11HU).
-- Utah lost three of its last four games (1-5 last 6AU).
-- Pistons lost three of last four games (3-6 last nine AU).
-- Chicago lost four of its last six games (1-0HU).
-- Hornets lost eight of their last ten games (7-6AU).
-- Minnesota lost nine of its last ten games (2-6 last 8AU). Dallas lost four of last seven games (8-5HF).
-- Lakers lost seven of last eight games (4-3HU).

Series records
-- 76ers lost five of last six games against Orlando.
-- Wizards won four of last five games with Miami.
-- Raptors won five of last seven games with Boston.
-- Nets lost five of last six games with Cleveland.
-- Knicks lost their last three games with Utah.
-- Rockets won eight of last ten games with Detroit.
-- Warriors-Bulls split their last ten games.
-- Thunder won last 10 games (9-1 vs spread) with Charlotte.
-- Dallas won its last four games with Minnesota.
-- Lakers lost their last five games with Sacramento.
-- Hawks won their last three games with Portland.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Philly games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Miami-Washington games went over.
-- Five of last six Boston games went over the total.
-- Three of last four Brooklyn games went over total.
-- Five of last six New York games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Houston games went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Chicago games went over total.
-- Four of last five Thunder games stayed under total.
-- Six of last eight Dallas games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Sacramento-Laker games went over.
-- Under is 3-1 in last four games for both Hawks, Blazers.

Back/backs
-- Miami is 3-3 vs spread if it played the night before.
-- Oklahoma City is 3-4 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Minnesota is 3-3 vs spread if it played the night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, January 20

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. ORLANDO
Philadelphia is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Philadelphia is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
Orlando is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia

7:00 PM
MIAMI vs. WASHINGTON
Miami is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Miami is 17-7-1 ATS in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Washington
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

7:30 PM
UTAH vs. NEW YORK
Utah is 1-9 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 6 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing Utah
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 6 games

7:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Cleveland's last 15 games
Cleveland is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
Brooklyn is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Brooklyn's last 15 games when playing Cleveland

7:30 PM
BOSTON vs. TORONTO
Boston is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games at home
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Charlotte is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Charlotte is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Charlotte
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Charlotte

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. HOUSTON
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing Detroit

8:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Golden State's last 7 games when playing Chicago
Golden State is 2-11 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 9 games at home

8:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. DALLAS
Minnesota is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Dallas is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Minnesota

10:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. LA LAKERS
Sacramento is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Sacramento is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of the LA Lakers last 10 games at home
LA Lakers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing at home against Sacramento

10:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Portland
Portland is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Atlanta
Portland is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Atlanta

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, January 20

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Game of the Day: Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls
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The home team is a profitable 19-7-1 ATS in last 27 meetings between the Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls.

Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls (-6, 215)

Golden State was disappointed with its performance in a loss at Detroit to begin the trip on Saturday, during which it shot a season-low 36 percent from the field. The Warriors picked things up on the offensive end and made a statement with a 132-98 thrashing of the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA Finals rematch on Monday. The Bulls are adjusting to life without Joakim Noah, and Pau Gasol tried to pick up the slack in the middle all by himself with 31 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in a 111-101 win at Detroit on Monday. Chicago shot 52.4 percent from the floor against that same Pistons defense that proved to be so much trouble for Golden State on Saturday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), CSN Chicago

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 5-point road favorites with the total at 215 points. Early action has bet them up to -6. with the total at 215.5.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: Warriors (-17) - Bulls (-4.4) - Home Court (-3.0) = Warriors -9.6

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Golden State comes in off their dominating 34-point win in Cleveland on Monday night. The Warriors will be hard-pressed to match that performance, and more importantly, the intensity they brought into that game. This is a natural letdown spot for Golden State. Chicago gave the Warriors all they wanted back in November, so the Bulls can certainly play with Golden State, especially on their home court."

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "With Golden State steamrolling the Cavs Monday night, and the Bulls losing four of their last six games, it's likely that no opening line will be too big for the public on Golden State tomorrow night."

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - James Michael McAdoo F (Questionable: Toe), Bulls - Kirk Hinrich G (Questionable: Quadricep), Joakim Noah F (Out: Shoulder)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (38-4, 25-16 ATS): Golden State carried a 70-44 lead into the half at Cleveland and kept pulling away in the third quarter as Stephen Curry led the way with 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting. That’s who we know we can be,” Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton told reporters. “As a coaching staff, we are always trying to get our players to play at that level, and they were absolutely phenomenal. … We can’t really ask to play much better than that.” The Warriors will have to keep up that level of play as they close out the three-game trip against Chicago and head home to host Indiana, San Antonio and Dallas.

ABOUT THE BULLS (24-16, 16-24 ATS): Noah had been demoted to a reserve role and fought through various injuries before having his season likely come to an end over the weekend, but the players are still missing him as a leader. “We need him for sure, but we’re professionals,” guard Derrick Rose told reporters. “We know that once someone goes out, someone else has to step in and do their job. And we believe in everybody on this team, and we’re going to see how far this can go.” Rose is one of those players that needs to step up, and his 20 points on Monday marked the second time this month that he reached that plateau.

TRENDS:

- Home team 19-7-1 ATS in last 27 meetings.
- Under 8-3 in last 11 meetings in Chicago.
- Over 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
- Warriors 1-4-1 ATS in last six meetings in Chicago.

CONSENSUS: 82 percent of users are on Golden State. 51 percent is on the Over.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, January 20


Minnesota @ Dallas

Game 517-518
January 20, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
111.350
Dallas
117.832
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 6 1/2
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 9
198 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+9); Under

Sacramento @ LA Lakers

Game 519-520
January 20, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
116.475
LA Lakers
113.323
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Sacramento
by 3
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Sacramento
by 7
215
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
(+7); Under

Atlanta @ Portland

Game 521-522
January 20, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
121.717
Portland
117.544
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 4
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 1 1/2
208
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(-1 1/2); Over

Philadelphia @ Orlando

Game 501-502
January 20, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
111.505
Orlando
116.091
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Orlando
by 4 1/2
188
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Orlando
by 7
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+7); N/A

Miami @ Washington

Game 503-504
January 20, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
114.367
Washington
115.759
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
192
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 4 1/2
197
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+4 1/2); Under

Boston @ Toronto

Game 505-506
January 20, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
118.372
Toronto
124.195
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 6
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 3
201
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-3); Over

Cleveland @ Brooklyn

Game 507-508
January 20, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
121.564
Brooklyn
107.033
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 14 1/2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 12 1/2
197
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(-12 1/2); Over

Utah @ New York

Game 509-510
January 20, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
117.176
New York
118.012
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
by 1
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
New York
N/A

Detroit @ Houston

Game 511-512
January 20, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
124.092
Houston
122.565
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 1 1/2
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 3 1/2
206
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+3 1/2); Over

Golden State @ Chicago

Game 513-514
January 20, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
126.657
Chicago
117.255
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 9 1/2
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 6 1/2
214 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-6 1/2); Under

Charlotte @ Oklahoma City

Game 515-516
January 20, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte
115.565
Oklahoma City
127.922
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 12 1/2
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 9 1/2
207 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma City
(-9 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
January 20, 2016

Heat at Wizards – 7:05 PM EST

The road team has dominated each of the first two meetings between these two Southeast division rivals. Miami (23-19 SU, 20-21-1 ATS) begins a five-game road trip after losing at home to Milwaukee last night following a six-game West Coast swing. The Heat are still playing without point guards Goran Dragic and Beno Udrih, as Miami snapped a four-game losing streak at the Verizon Center earlier this month with a 97-75 victory. Miami and Washington have cashed the ‘over’ in six of the last seven matchups with the lone ‘under’ coming in the past meeting.

The Wizards (19-21 SU, 21-19 ATS) continue a five-game homestand as Randy Wittman’s club has dropped the first two contests to the Celtics and Blazers. Washington erased a 17-point deficit against Portland on Monday, but the Blazers pulled away in the second half of a 108-98 victory as point guard John Wall was limited to nine points of 4-of-17 shooting. The Wizards dropped to 2-6 ATS in the last eight home games, but owns a 3-1 SU/ATS record against division foes at the Verizon Center.

Celtics at Raptors – 7:35 PM EST

Things are heating up north of the border for the Atlantic-leading Raptors (26-15 SU, 23-18 ATS), who have won five straight games. Toronto pulled away from Brooklyn in Monday’s 112-100 home victory to cash as 11 ½-point favorites to pick up their fourth cover during this current hot streak. Dwane Casey’s team has eclipsed the 106-point mark in each of the past three wins, while going ‘over’ the total in four of the last five games at the Air Canada Center. The Raptors cruised past the Celtics in their first meeting this season, beating Boston at TD Garden, 113-103 as two-point underdogs.

Boston (22-20 SU, 22-19-1 ATS) saw its three-game winning streak come to an end in Monday’s 118-113 overtime setback at Dallas. The Celtics continue to put up points by topping the 103-point mark in five straight contests, while cashing the ‘over’ four times in this span. Brad Stevens’ club owns a solid 6-3 ATS record in the role of a road underdog, as the Celtics are listed as an away ‘dog for the first time since a January 7 loss at Chicago.

Pistons at Rockets – 8:05 PM EST

The Pistons (22-19 SU, 22-18-1 ATS) play seven of their next nine games away from the Palace of Auburn Hills, while starting a four-game road swing at the Toyota Center. Following Saturday’s impressive effort in an 18-point victory over Golden State, Stan Van Gundy’s team fell apart in the second half of Monday’s 111-101 home setback to Chicago to drop their third game in four tries. The defense has been lit up in the last three losses, allowing at least 103 points each time, while Chicago shot 52% from the floor on Monday. The Pistons have struggled on the road of late by dropping four of their last five away from the Palace, while posting a 3-6 SU/ATS record on the highway against Western Conference foes.

Following a five-game winning streak, the Rockets (22-21 SU, 17-26 ATS) have lost two of their past three contests. Houston split a pair of games at Staples Center on Sunday and Monday, beating the Lakers followed by a 140-132 overtime setback to the Clippers as 5 ½-point underdogs. Dwight Howard put together one of the best games of his career for the Rockets by scoring 36 points and pulling down 26 rebounds, but Houston missed 19 free throws, while allowing the Clippers to knock down 22 three-pointers. The Rockets are playing with revenge after losing at Detroit in late November, 116-105, as the Pistons built a 23-point halftime lead and never looked back.

Warriors at Bulls – 8:05 PM EST

Golden State (38-4 SU, 25-16-1 ATS) didn’t mess around in its first trip back to Cleveland since capturing the NBA title last summer as the Warriors routed the Cavaliers on Monday, 132-98. The Warriors rebounded from their fourth loss of the season by dropping 70 first half points on Cleveland, while Stephen Curry drained seven three-pointers and scored 35 points. Golden State concludes a three-game road trip through the Midwest going for the season sweep of Chicago after beating the Bulls at Oracle Arena on November 20 by a 106-94 count as Derrick Rose sat for the Bulls due to injury.

Nine of the next 12 games for Chicago (24-16 SU, 16-24 ATS) come on the road, as the Bulls hope to take care of business at the United Center tonight. The Bulls have won 16 of 23 home contests, but have lost each of their last two games in the Windy City to the Wizards and Mavericks, while snapping a five-game ATS skid in Monday’s victory at Detroit. After starting the season on a strong ‘under’ run, Fred Hoiberg’s squad have cashed the ‘over’ in 10 of the past 13 games, including a 6-3 ‘over’ record in the last nine home contests.

Hawks at Blazers – 10:35 PM EST

The Hawks (25-17 SU, 21-20-1 ATS) venture west of the Central Time Zone for the first time this season as the Southeast division leaders start a four-game road trip in Portland. Atlanta is riding a modest two-game winning streak after beating Brooklyn and Orlando at home with ease, but Mike Budenholtzer’s team has dropped three of their last four games away from Philips Arena. The Hawks have won the last three meetings with the Blazers, including a 106-97 victory over a short-handed Portland squad in late December as the Blazers’ starting backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum sat out.

Portland (19-25 SU, 23-21 ATS) returns home after a 2-1 East Coast swing, capped off by a 108-98 triumph at Washington on Monday afternoon to cash as four-point underdogs. The Blazers have quietly won four of their last five games, with the only loss coming in this stretch at Philadelphia by 25 points. Terry Stotts’ club begins a seven-game homestand looking to creep back to .500 with five opponents coming to the Moda Center owning losing records in this stretch. The Blazers own a 5-5 ATS record as a home underdog this season, but they have knocked off the Cavaliers, Clippers, Thunder, and Pacers in this role.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, January 20

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PHILADELPHIA (5 - 38) at ORLANDO (20 - 20) - 1/20/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
ORLANDO is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) against Atlantic division opponents this season.
ORLANDO is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in January games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

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MIAMI (23 - 19) at WASHINGTON (19 - 21) - 1/20/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 142-108 ATS (+23.2 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 352-425 ATS (-115.5 Units) in home games since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in home games in January games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 163-207 ATS (-64.7 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 83-119 ATS (-47.9 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 5-5 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 6-4 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (22 - 20) at TORONTO (26 - 15) - 1/20/2016, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 71-55 ATS (+10.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 39-25 ATS (+11.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 40-24 ATS (+13.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 44-31 ATS (+9.9 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 40-26 ATS (+11.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

CLEVELAND (28 - 11) at BROOKLYN (11 - 31) - 1/20/2016, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 16-31 ATS (-18.1 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BROOKLYN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

UTAH (18 - 23) at NEW YORK (21 - 22) - 1/20/2016, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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DETROIT (22 - 19) at HOUSTON (22 - 21) - 1/20/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 67-44 ATS (+18.6 Units) in home games against Central division opponents since 1996.
HOUSTON is 296-237 ATS (+35.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
DETROIT is 18-5 ATS (+12.5 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 17-26 ATS (-11.6 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.

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

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GOLDEN STATE (38 - 4) at CHICAGO (24 - 16) - 1/20/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 58-38 ATS (+16.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 81-58 ATS (+17.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 42-27 ATS (+12.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 74-52 ATS (+16.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in road games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-29 ATS (+15.1 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 43-30 ATS (+10.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 116-156 ATS (-55.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
CHICAGO is 55-86 ATS (-39.6 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 straight up against CHICAGO 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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CHARLOTTE (19 - 22) at OKLAHOMA CITY (31 - 12) - 1/20/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 18-37 ATS (-22.7 Units) in road games against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 144-184 ATS (-58.4 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 4-1 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-0 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (13 - 30) at DALLAS (24 - 19) - 1/20/2016, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 51-71 ATS (-27.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
MINNESOTA is 19-32 ATS (-16.2 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 44-63 ATS (-25.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 181-233 ATS (-75.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
DALLAS is 299-245 ATS (+29.5 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 4-4 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 5-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (17 - 23) at LA LAKERS (9 - 34) - 1/20/2016, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 50-67 ATS (-23.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 16-32 ATS (-19.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 24-39 ATS (-18.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 142-182 ATS (-58.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 120-155 ATS (-50.5 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 6-3 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 6-4 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (25 - 17) at PORTLAND (19 - 25) - 1/20/2016, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 53-33 ATS (+16.7 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less since 1996.
PORTLAND is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 76-60 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Wednesday, January 20


Philadelphia at Orlando, 7:05 ET
Philadelphia: 8-1 ATS off a road cover where the team lost SU as an underdog
Orlando: 2-11 ATS in home games after a loss by 10 points or more

Miami at Washington, 7:05 ET
Miami: 11-1 UNDER after having lost 2 of their last 3
Washington: 18-36 ATS after a game with 5 or less offensive rebounds

Boston at Toronto, 7:35 ET
Boston: 16-4 ATS after a game where they made 12 or more 3 point shots
Toronto: 7-19 ATS when playing 6 or less games in 14 days

Cleveland at Brooklyn, 7:35 ET
Cleveland: 16-31 ATS in road games after a non-conference game
Brooklyn: 14-4 ATS after 2 straight losses by 10 points or more

Utah at New York, 7:35 ET
Utah: 9-14 ATS against Atlantic division opponents
New York: 7-1 ATS revenging a road loss vs opponent of 10 points or more

Detroit at Houston, 8:05 ET
Detroit: 15-5 ATS off a upset loss as a favorite
Houston: 4-17 ATS when the total is 200 to 209.5

Golden State at Chicago, 8:05 ET
Golden State: 15-5 ATS after playing a road game
Chicago: 8-25 ATS off a road win

Charlotte at Oklahoma City, 8:05 ET
Charlotte: 18-37 ATS in road games against Northwest division opponents
Oklahoma City: 13-4 ATS at home after playing 5 games as favorite

Minnesota at Dallas, 8:35 ET
Minnesota: 3-12 ATS after having lost 3 of their last 4
Dallas: 8-0 UNDER off an upset win as an underdog

Sacramento at LA Lakers, 10:35 ET
Sacramento: 13-26 ATS as a favorite
Los Angeles: 8-0 ATS after a game with 5 or less offensive rebounds

Atlanta at Portland, 10:35 ET
Atlanta: 42-21 ATS when the total is 200 to 209.5
Portland: 1-11 ATS after 3 consecutive non-conference games

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


PHI at ORL 07:00 PM

PHI +7.0


MIA at WAS 07:00 PM

U 195.0 BEST BET


BOS at TOR 07:30 PM

BOS +3.0 BEST BET

U 201.0 BEST BET


CLE at BK 07:30 PM

BK +13.0


UTA at NY 07:30 PM

NY -2.5 BEST BET

U 187.5 BEST BET


DET at HOU 08:00 PM

DET +3.5


GS at CHI 08:00 PM

GS -6.5 BEST BET

U 216.0 BEST BET


CHA at OKC 08:00 PM

OKC -9.5


MIN at DAL 08:30 PM

MIN +6.5

U 199.0 BEST BET


SAC at LAL 10:30 PM

LAL +7.0

O 215.0 BEST BET


ATL at POR 10:30 PM

ATL -1.5

O 210.5 BEST BET

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Quick look at the six best college basketball conferences..........

6) SEC-- Who had Texas A&M/South Carolina as top two teams?

5) Big 14-- Indiana/Iowa are unbeaten in league; Michigan State lost three in row.

4) Big East-- Villanova has won 22 conference games in row.

3) Pac-12-- Who had Washington/USC as top two teams?

2) ACC-- Louisville cruised last two games since losing at Clemson.

1) Big X-- Baylor is the surprise leader with 5-1 mark.

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud.......

13) Actor Jamie Foxx pulled a guy out of a burning car yesterday and saved his life; took lot of guts to do that. Good for him.

12) Nebraska 72, Michigan State 71-- Spartans have not only lost three games in row, they've lost their last three games against Nebraska. big win for Tim Miles' team. When was last time Duke/Michigan State were on losing skids at the same time?

11) Pistons 123, Rockets 114-- Detroit was 35-59 on foul line; Houston was the first team since 2007 to be called for 40+ fouls (41) in one game.

10) Knicks 118, Utah 111 (OT)-- New York is now 22-22 and only half a game out of the 8th spot in the East. Much improved team this year.....

9).......lot of credit goes to rookie Kristaps Porzingis, whose jersey is the #4 seller in the NBA this season. Great draft pick by Phil Jackson.

8) Baylor 79, Kansas State 72 2OT-- Three of top six teams in country play in the Big X, but none of them are in first place in league play- Baylor is.

7) Former SMU Mustang Keith Frazier transferred from SMU to North Texas; it was his eligibility that got SMU in hot water with the NCAA. Frazier should be a difference maker in Conference USA, when he becomes eligible.

6) Villanova 72, Seton Hall 71-- Wildcats have won 22 in row in Big East; Pirates start five sophomores, should be very good for the next 2+ years.

5) ESPN3.com is a terrific addition this season- can watch almost any game in the country now on my laptop, even if it isn't on TV.

4) So many college hoop teams lack depth, playing seven guys, maybe eight. South Florida has four scholarshop kids sitting on the bench out of uniform- they're transfers for next year or injured players. Teams like West Virginia who actually have guys on the bench who can play have a big advantage. Even Duke plays six guys now.

3) Tennessee Titans named Dick LeBeau defensive coordinator, with the last DC Ray Horton moving on to the same job in Cleveland. Coach LeBeau will turn 79 two days before the Titans' season opener in September. He is a very young 78 right now.

2) San Diego Padres signed closer Fernando Rodney to a $2M deal yesterday.

Also in baseball, the Marlins finally moved their CF fence in 11 feet for next year. I care about this because Stanton/Ozuna are both on my fantasy team- you have the #1 power hitter in baseball, then you build a park with a fence 417 feet from the plate and a 20-foot fence. How can people with so much $$$ be so stupid? .

1) Pamela Anderson spoke to the French Parliament yesterday; no idea what it was about, but I bet attendance was lot higher than normal. I'm just sayin'.......

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pistons (23-19) at Pelicans (14-27)
Date: January 21, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of one of their best stretches but will have to figure out how to keep winning without one of their starting guards.

Eric Gordon is expected to miss at least a month, and the Pelicans will try to ease into his lengthy absence by continuing their recent mastery over the Detroit Pistons.

New Orleans (14-27) earned its third win in four games and shot 50.6 percent in a 114-99 victory against Minnesota on Tuesday. The Pelicans shined from 3-point range again, going 10 for 23, and are connecting at 43.1 percent in the last four.

Anthony Davis scored 35 points in his fourth game since returning from a bruised back, but New Orleans lost Gordon to a fractured right ring finger. The shooting guard, averaging 14.9 points, is expected to miss up to six weeks after undergoing surgery, ending his streak of 90 consecutive games played.

Injuries have been a way of life for the Pelicans this season, and only Alonzo Gee has a chance to appear in all 42 games Thursday.

"It's an opportunity for somebody else to step up," guard Jrue Holiday told the team's official website. "Obviously it stinks, because it seems like every year somebody is getting hurt (on the Pelicans' roster), with a pretty big injury. We're going to have to fight through adversity again."

Holiday, averaging 13.7 points and 5.0 assists, is expected to start in Gordon's place. He has totaled 42 points in his last two games while shooting 59.3 percent and has a combined 38 assists in his past four.

Holiday will try to help the Pelicans to a seventh consecutive win over Detroit (23-19) and seventh in a row at home. New Orleans hasn't lost to the Pistons on its own floor since Dec. 5, 2007.

Detroit is coming off its highest-scoring regulation game of the season, Wednesday's 123-114 victory in Houston. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Marcus Morris had 22 points apiece while helping the Pistons overcome Andre Drummond's woes from the free-throw line.

Drummond set an NBA record by missing 23 shots from the stripe on a franchise-record 36 attempts. He was fouled 21 times as the Rockets tried to take advantage of his 35.5 free-throw percentage, the league's worst among qualifying players, but Drummond made six of 12 tries in the fourth quarter.

"I'm not going to miss them all," he said. "I've worked on it enough where I'm going to build a rhythm and over time I ended up getting one."

Drummond went a combined 1 for 2 from the line in last season's two games against the Pelicans, including an 88-85 loss in New Orleans on March 4.

Davis totaled 66 points, 23 rebounds and 12 blocked shots in those matchups. He had 39 - four shy of tying his career high - in the home victory.

Brandon Jennings is averaging 23.8 points in his last five games against the Pelicans but is still working his way back from a ruptured left Achilles, averaging 6.3 points in 11 contests since missing the season's first two months.

Detroit hasn't defeated the Pelicans since Feb. 4, 2012.