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

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


BOS at WAS 07:00 PM

BOS +3.0 BEST BET

O 214.0 BEST BET


MIN at CLE 07:00 PM

MIN +12.5

U 205.5


ORL at MEM 08:00 PM

MEM -5.0 BEST BET

U 190.0


HOU at NO 08:00 PM

NO -4.5 BEST BET

O 216.5


MIA at CHI 08:00 PM

CHI -7.5 BEST BET

U 191.0


DET at UTA 09:00 PM

DET +2.0 BEST BET

U 193.0


ATL at DEN 09:00 PM

ATL -4.5

O 208.0


CHA at SAC 10:00 PM

CHA +7.0 BEST BET

O 213.5


SA at GS 10:30 PM

SA +5.0 BEST BET

U 210.0

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

-- Hornets 129, Kings 128 2OT-- DeMarcus Cousins scored 56 before fouling out.

-- Miami 80, Duke 69-- Simply put, Duke isn't very good right now.

-- Iowa State 85, Kansas 72-- Third straight road loss for the Jayhawks.

-- This is Peyton Manning's 4th Super Bowl, under four different head coaches.

-- Zach Ertz gets $42.5M ($20M guaranteed) for five years from the Eagles.

-- Warriors 120, Spurs 90-- Curry didn't even play in fourth quarter.

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Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.......

13) TV ratings for Sunday's football games were up 8% from LY, despite the NFC game being a lousy game to watch, so good for the league there.

12) Carolina LB Thomas Davis broke his arm Sunday, but expects to play in Super Bowl, reminiscent of Jack Youngblood playing in Super Bowl XIV with a broken leg he suffered in a playoff game.

11) Obscure fact of the day: This is the 11th Super Bowl in a row with at least one Texas Longhorn alum playing in it.

10) There are 33 undrafted free agents playing in the Super Bowl this year- it isn't ridiculous to suggest an NFL team's personnel guy is more important than the team's coaching staff. You have to have good players to coach.

9) In two games against Denver this season, the Patriots were 4-28 on third down. In the regular season, New England was 88-215 (40.9%) on third down.

8) Southern Mississippi needs a new football coach; Todd Monken is the new OC of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Signing Day for college football recruiting is eight days away, so this is an awkward time for that to happen.

7) Bulls' coach Fred Hoiberg is so popular in Ames, Iowa that he is known as The Mayor; he played and was later the coach at Iowa State. Hoiberg's daughter goes to rival Kansas, where she works part-time in the basketball office.

6) There are obviously 12 teams in the Pac-12; eight of their 12 basketball teams are either 5-2 or 4-3 in the standings right now. Cluttered race.

5) Washington Huskies are getting more points from their freshmen than any team in the country. Lorenzo Romar has done a tremendous rebuilding job this year- they basically blew up their team from LY and started over, and it has worked.

4) Siena's Lavon Long made all seven of his shots at Canisius Sunday; he was also 11-11 on the foul line, the first college player to put up numbers like that since 2001.

3) Reading a lot about the Lebron James/David Blatt stuff from last week, it dawns on me that Blatt might be better suited as a college coach. He seems to have a fairly big ego and in the NBA, until you've won an NBA title, coaches don't get a whole lot of respect from the players. College hoop is more of a coaches' game.

2) Sales at McDonald's were up 5.7% in the 4th quarter of 2015, the first quarter in which McDonald's offered 24-hour breakfasts. Smart idea that was long overdue.

1) Place called Glengary, WV had 42 inches of snow last weekend- thats 3.5 feet of snow!!!!! New York City had 26.5 inches, their 2nd-most ever.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, January 26

Hot teams
-- Clippers are 12-3 in last 15 games, 2-3 in last five (3-4AU).
-- Raptors won their last eight games (7-1 vs spread). Washington won five of last seven games (8-2 last 10AU).
-- Thunder won seven of its last eight games (0-6 last 6AF).
-- Milwaukee won its last three home games (3-3HF).
-- Portland won five of its last seven games (4-0 last 4HF). Kings won five of their last six games (6-2 last 8AU).

Cold teams
-- Indiana lost five of its last six games (9-6HF).
-- Suns lost six of their last seven games (1-9 last 10AU). Sixers lost six of last eight games, but covered five of last six (1-0HF).
-- Miami lost four of its last five games. Brooklyn lost ten of its last 12 games.
-- New York lost four of its last six games (4-6HU).
-- Orlando lost nine of its last ten games (0-4 last 4AU).
-- Mavericks lost three of last four on road (4-3AF). Lakers lost six games in a row (1-5 vs spread).

Series records
-- Clippers lost four of last six games with Indiana.
-- 76ers lost five of last six games with Phoenix.
-- Raptors won their last three games with Washington.
-- Nets lost seven of last eight games with Miami.
-- Thunder won six of last nine games with New York.
-- Magic lost three of last four visits to Milwaukee.
-- Kings lost seven of last nine games with Portland.
-- Lakers lost last nine games with Dallas (2-7 vs spread).

Totals
-- Four of last five Indiana home games went over.
-- Six of last nine Phoenix road games went over.
-- Seven of last eight Washington road games went over.
-- Six of last seven Miami games stayed under.
-- 10 of last 12 New York home games went over.
-- Five of last six Milwaukee home games went over.
-- Four of last five Sacramento games stayed under.
-- Seven of last eight Dallas road games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Washington is 3-2 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Miami is 2-4 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Sacramento is 7-4 vs spread if it played night before, but they had a tough OT game with Hornets at home last night.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, January 26

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. PHILADELPHIA
Phoenix is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Phoenix is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Philadelphia is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Phoenix

7:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 6 games on the road
LA Clippers are 12-3 SU in their last 15 games
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Indiana's last 12 games when playing at home against LA Clippers

7:30 PM
MIAMI vs. BROOKLYN
Miami is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Miami's last 11 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games at home
Brooklyn is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games at home

7:30 PM
WASHINGTON vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Washington's last 10 games on the road
Washington is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games at home
Toronto is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington

7:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. NEW YORK
Oklahoma City is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New York's last 10 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York's last 9 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

8:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. MILWAUKEE
Orlando is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Orlando is 1-4-1 SU in its last 6 games ,on the road
Milwaukee is 7-16 SU in its last 23 games when playing Orlando
Milwaukee is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Orlando

10:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. PORTLAND
Sacramento is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Sacramento's last 12 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento

10:30 PM
DALLAS vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
Dallas is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
LA Lakers are 5-13 ATS in their last 18 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing Dallas

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, January 26

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LA CLIPPERS (28 - 16) at INDIANA (23 - 21) - 1/26/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 235-288 ATS (-81.8 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 208-258 ATS (-75.8 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 177-242 ATS (-89.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 138-177 ATS (-56.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
INDIANA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
INDIANA is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
INDIANA is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 4-1 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 3-2 straight up against LA CLIPPERS 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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PHOENIX (14 - 31) at PHILADELPHIA (6 - 39) - 1/26/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in road games this season.
PHOENIX is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
PHOENIX is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PHOENIX is 65-42 ATS (+18.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
PHOENIX is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 37-22 ATS (+12.8 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-48 ATS (-28.8 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 44-62 ATS (-24.2 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 97-141 ATS (-58.1 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

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

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WASHINGTON (20 - 22) at TORONTO (29 - 15) - 1/26/2016, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a road underdog of 6.5 to 9 points over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 8-6 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 9-5 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (24 - 21) at BROOKLYN (12 - 33) - 1/26/2016, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 8-7 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 9-6 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (33 - 13) at NEW YORK (22 - 24) - 1/26/2016, 7:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-2 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-2 straight up against NEW YORK 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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ORLANDO (20 - 23) at MILWAUKEE (19 - 27) - 1/26/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 41-58 ATS (-22.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 74-103 ATS (-39.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

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

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SACRAMENTO (20 - 24) at PORTLAND (20 - 26) - 1/26/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 53-68 ATS (-21.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 17-33 ATS (-19.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 27-40 ATS (-17.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 4-4 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 6-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (25 - 21) at LA LAKERS (9 - 37) - 1/26/2016, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 453-376 ATS (+39.4 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 84-55 ATS (+23.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 30-43 ATS (-17.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 54-84 ATS (-38.4 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 69-97 ATS (-37.7 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 7-2 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 9-0 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, January 26


LA Clippers @ Indiana

Game 701-702
January 26, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
121.130
Indiana
117.532
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 3 1/2
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 1
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(-1); Under

Phoenix @ Philadelphia

Game 703-704
January 26, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
108.540
Philadelphia
115.546
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 7
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
by 2 1/2
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(-2 1/2); Over

Washington @ Toronto

Game 705-706
January 26, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
116.500
Toronto
120.493
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 4
211
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 8 1/2
205
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+8 1/2); Over

Miami @ Brooklyn

Game 707-708
January 26, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
113.591
Brooklyn
115.403
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Brooklyn
by 2
188
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Brooklyn
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Brooklyn
N/A

Orlando @ New York

Game 709-710
January 26, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
130.750
New York
118.361
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Orlando
by 12 1/2
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Orlando
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Orlando
N/A

Orlando @ Milwaukee

Game 711-712
January 26, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
111.237
Milwaukee
121.437
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 10
192
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 5
196 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-5); Under

Sacramento @ Portland

Game 713-714
January 26, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
120.130
Portland
122.202
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 2
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 5
214
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(+5); Over

Dallas @ LA Lakers

Game 715-716
January 26, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
116.961
LA Lakers
112.405
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 4 1/2
197
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 8
201 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
(+8); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Top Action
January 26, 2016


WASHINGTON WIZARDS (20-22) at TORONTO RAPTORS (29-15)

Tip-off: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Toronto -8, Total 205

The Raptors will be going for their ninth straight victory when they host the Wizards on Tuesday.

The Wizards hosted the Celtics on Monday and ended up losing 116-91 as 2.5-point favorites. Washington has now lost three of its past four games both SU and ATS, and this meeting with Toronto is not what the team needs.

The Raptors have won eight straight games after defeating the Clippers 112-94 as 2.5-point home favorites on Sunday.

Toronto has also owned this head-to-head series this season, winning all three of the meetings between these teams SU. The Wizards have, however, covered in two of those games.

One thing that trends in the Wizards’ favor is the fact that the team is 11-2 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to nine points over the past two seasons. Toronto, however, is 12-2 ATS after a combined score of 205 points or more on the season. The Raptors are also 20-9 ATS after playing a game as a favorite this season.

SG Bradley Beal (Concussion) is expected to miss this one for Washington and PF Kris Humphries (Knee) is questionable for the team. The Raptors will be without SF DeMarre Carroll (Knee), who remains out indefinitely.

The Wizards are struggling recently and they will need PG John Wall (19.6 PPG, 9.7 APG, 4.2 RPG, 2.1 SPG) to come through in a big way in order to win in Toronto on Tuesday. Wall had just eight points against the Celtics on Monday, but he has dished out 10 or more assists in four straight contests. Wall will need to keep setting up his teammates for good shots, but he must also be a bit more aggressive as a scorer in this game.

Wall’s averaging 19.3 PPG against the Raptors this season, but he is shooting just 32.4% from the field in those contests. It’ll likely take an efficient performance with 20 or more points for Washington to win this one. C Marcin Gortat (13.5 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.3 BPG) is the other guy that will really need to step it up against the Raptors on Tuesday. Gortat has recorded a double-double in four straight games and is playing very well coming into this one. He is averaging 13.3 PPG and 10.0 RPG against Toronto on the season and his matchup with Jonas Valanciunas will come a long way in determining the outcome of this game.

The Raptors are currently riding the league’s longest winning streak and the team will be going for a season sweep of the Wizards on Tuesday. The focal point of the Raptors’ attack is going to be SG DeMar DeRozan (23.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.0 SPG) in this one. DeRozan has absolutely torched the Wizards this season, averaging 29.7 PPG in three meetings with the team.

He should be even better on Tuesday with Beal expected to miss this game. PG Kyle Lowry (20.7 PPG, 6.4 APG, 5.0 RPG, 2.2 SPG) has a tough matchup with John Wall in this game and he’ll need to play well for Toronto to come away with a victory here. Lowry is averaging 19.7 PPG in three meetings with the Wizards, but he is shooting just 38.8% from the field in those games and averaging just 4.3 APG. He will need to make better decisions on Tuesday or the Wizards could steal this one in Toronto.

C Jonas Valanciunas (12.4 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG) could be the x-factor for the Raptors in this game. Valanciunas is averaging 13.4 PPG and 10.8 RPG over the past five contests and had 20 points and eight boards in Sunday’s win over the Clippers. The big man has been extremely hard to stop around the basket and will need to make life on Marcin Gortat tough defensively.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's Tip Sheet
January 26, 2016

Clippers at Pacers – 7:05 PM EST

Los Angeles (28-16 SU, 20-21-3 ATS) continues its five-game road trip after losing two of its first three contests. The Clippers were tripped up in Toronto on Sunday, 112-94 as 2 ½-point underdogs, the second defeat on this road swing of 13 points or more. Since Christmas, the Clippers have won 12 of their last 15 games, including an impressive 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS record on the highway. Point guard Chris Paul didn’t play in the first meeting against the Pacers in early December at Staples Center, as the Pacers beat the Clippers, 103-91.

Indiana (23-21 SU, 23-21 ATS) returns home from a 1-3 SU/ATS West Coast road trip, capped off by an 11-point setback at Sacramento on Saturday. The Pacers have dropped six of their last eight contests, with the only two wins in this stretch coming against a 14-31 Suns’ squad. This is an important four-game homestand for Frank Vogel’s team, who faces three playoff teams, including Eastern Conference foes Atlanta and Cleveland. Indiana’s defense needs to step up after allowing at least 100 points in five of the past six games, while the ‘over’ is 5-2 in the last seven contests.

Wizards at Raptors – 7:30 PM EST

Talk about going for revenge. After Washington swept Toronto in the opening round of last season’s playoffs, the Raptors (29-15 SU, 26-18 ATS) look for the four-game regular season sweep with a victory at the Air Canada Center. Toronto won the first two matchups by a combined five points before cruising past Washington at the Verizon Center earlier this month, 97-88, as all three meetings finished ‘under’ the total. Since losing by 22 points at Cleveland on January 4, the Raptors have run off eight straight wins, including four consecutive victories and covers at the Air Canada Center.

The Wizards (20-22 SU, 22-20 ATS) just can’t find a way to maintain consistency this season, as Randy Wittman’s team finished off a four-game homestand with a 1-3 SU/ATS mark. For some reason, the Wizards have struggled with the top three teams in the Atlantic Division, losing all eight matchups with the Raptors, Celtics, and Knicks this season. However, Washington has played well away from the Verizon Center of late by winning four of its last five road contests, including outright underdog victories at Chicago and Indiana.

Magic at Bucks – 8:05 PM EST

Two below .500 teams hook up at BMO Harris Center each look to end losing streaks and attempt to get back in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Orlando (20-23 SU, 23-19-1 ATS) has dropped six straight games and owns only one victory in January, coming at Brooklyn nearly three weeks ago. The Magic are playing with no rest after getting squeezed in overtime for the second straight game, falling at Memphis on Monday, 108-102 in overtime. Orlando has lost five of seven games with no rest this season, but has posted a 4-2 ATS road record on the second of a back-to-back.

The Bucks (19-27 SU, 23-22-1 ATS) will have head coach Jason Kidd back on the bench after missing the last month due to hip surgery. Milwaukee captured the first two games of their recent four-game road swing, but lost the final two contests at Houston and New Orleans. The Bucks have responded well at home by winning three straight against Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta at BMO Harris Center since getting blown out by San Antonio earlier this month. The Magic have covered four of the last five matchups against the Bucks, as Milwaukee looks to avenge a 114-90 defeat at Orlando in late November.

Kings at Blazers – 10:00 PM EST

Sacramento (20-24 SU, 22-22 ATS) saw its five-game winning streak end in double overtime on Monday to Charlotte, 129-128, as the Kings blew an early 17-point lead. DeMarcus Cousins scored a franchise-record 56 points before fouling out in the second overtime, as the All-Star center put up 48 points against the Pacers on Saturday, his previous career-high. The Kings have won four of their last five games away from Sleep Train Arena, while posting a 5-0 ATS record in this span. George Karl’s club has struggled on the road with no rest, winning once in nine tries, while not having the services of forward Rudy Gay, who will sit out with an eye injury.

The Blazers (20-26 SU, 24-22 ATS) continue a seven-game homestand after splitting the first two games against the Hawks and Lakers. Portland has won three of its past four contests at the Moda Center, while finishing ‘over’ the total in five of the last eight home games. The Blazers beat the Kings in their first meeting at Sleep Train Arena, 98-94 last month to cash as nine-point underdogs, but point guard Damian Lillard missed that game due to injury. Portland has failed to cash in its last two home victories over Sacramento, but the Kings were listed as 9 ½-point underdogs and higher.

Mavericks at Lakers – 10:35 PM EST

Dallas (25-21 SU, 27-18-1 ATS) is coming off back-to-back losses to Oklahoma City and Houston, while traveling to Golden State tomorrow night. The Mavericks hope to get a reprieve with a trip to Staples Center, looking to beat the Lakers for the third time this season. Rick Carlisle’s club has allowed 109 points or more in four of the past five games, resulting in a 3-1-1 mark to the ‘over.’ In the first two victories over the Lakers this season, the Mavericks have given up 93 points or less, while attempting to beat Los Angeles for the 10th straight time since 2013.

There are two teams in the NBA that failed to win at least 10 games, the 76ers and Lakers. Los Angeles (9-37 SU, 19-27 ATS) began January with consecutive victories against Philadelphia and Phoenix, but has lost 10 of its last 11 games. The last seven defeats for Byron Scott’s squad have come by double-digits, while failing to break the 95-point mark in each of its past five games at Staples Center. The Lakers have posted a respectable 6-4 ATS record in the last 10 home games, which includes covers as double-digit ‘dogs against the Thunder, Clippers, and Spurs.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (701) LA CLIPPERS@ (702) INDIANA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play ON INDIANA against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 15 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+10.6 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (703) PHOENIX@ (704) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 9 Wins and 19 Losses for the this season (-22.85 units)

NBA > (703) PHOENIX@ (704) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games in all games
The record is 14 Wins and 28 Losses for the this season (-27.55 units)

NBA > (711) ORLANDO@ (712) MILWAUKEE | 2016-01-26 20:00:00 - 2016-01-26 20:00:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in All games in January games
The record is 1 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (-12.75 units)

NBA > (715) DALLAS@ (716) LA LAKERS | 2016-01-26 22:30:00 - 2016-01-26 22:30:00
Play ON DALLAS using money line in Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 35 Wins and 11 Losses for the last three seasons (+24.4 units)

NBA > (707) MIAMI@ (708) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI using money line in All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 5 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (-18 units)

NBA > (707) MIAMI@ (708) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in Road games against Atlantic division opponents
The record is 10 Wins and 2 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.1 units)

NBA > (705) WASHINGTON@ (706) TORONTO | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play ON WASHINGTON using money line in All games as a road underdog of +210 to +325
The record is 5 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+12.55 units)

NBA > (701) LA CLIPPERS@ (702) INDIANA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA using money line in All games in non-conference games
The record is 17 Wins and 32 Losses for the last two seasons (-25.7 units)

NBA > (701) LA CLIPPERS@ (702) INDIANA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA using money line in All games in January games
The record is 10 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.45 units)

NBA > (709) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (710) NEW YORK | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY using money line in Road games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 1 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (-11.75 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (701) LA CLIPPERS@ (702) INDIANA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA ?>in the first halfin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 17 Wins and 45 Losses for the last three seasons (-32.5 units)

NBA > (701) LA CLIPPERS@ (702) INDIANA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA ?>in the first halfin All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 12 Wins and 34 Losses for the last three seasons (-25.4 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (707) MIAMI@ (708) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 4 Overs and 19 Unders for the this season (+14.6 units)

NBA > (709) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (710) NEW YORK | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the totalin All games after scoring 85 points or less
The record is 6 Overs and 25 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.4 units)

NBA > (707) MIAMI@ (708) BROOKLYN | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games in January games
The record is 5 Overs and 21 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.5 units)

NBA > (711) ORLANDO@ (712) MILWAUKEE | 2016-01-26 20:00:00 - 2016-01-26 20:00:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 4 Overs and 17 Unders for the this season (+12.6 units)

NBA > (701) LA CLIPPERS@ (702) INDIANA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 1 Overs and 11 Unders for the this season (+9.9 units)

NBA > (701) LA CLIPPERS@ (702) INDIANA | 2016-01-26 19:00:00 - 2016-01-26 19:00:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 7 Overs and 21 Unders for the this season (+13.3 units)

NBA > (711) ORLANDO@ (712) MILWAUKEE | 2016-01-26 20:00:00 - 2016-01-26 20:00:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 15 Overs and 39 Unders for the last three seasons (+22.5 units)

NBA > (715) DALLAS@ (716) LA LAKERS | 2016-01-26 22:30:00 - 2016-01-26 22:30:00
Play UNDER LA LAKERS on the totalin All games in a home game where where the first half total is 100.5 to 103
The record is 5 Overs and 20 Unders for the last three seasons (+14.5 units)

NBA > (709) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (710) NEW YORK | 2016-01-26 19:30:00 - 2016-01-26 19:30:00
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the totalin Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 2 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+9.8 units)

NBA > (713) SACRAMENTO@ (714) PORTLAND | 2016-01-26 22:00:00 - 2016-01-26 22:00:00
Play OVER SACRAMENTO on the totalin Road games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 20 Overs and 6 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.4 units)

[StarDust Bum]

B]TUESDAY, JANUARY 26[/B]

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


LAC at IND 07:00 PM

LAC +1.0 BEST BET


PHO at PHI 07:00 PM

PHO +3.0 BEST BET


MIA at BK 07:30 PM

MIA -3.5


OKC at NY 07:30 PM

OKC -7.5


WAS at TOR 07:30 PM

TOR -8.5


ORL at MIL 08:00 PM

ORL +5.5 BEST BET


SAC at POR 10:00 PM

SAC +5.5 BEST BET


DAL at LAL 10:30 PM

DAL -7.5

[StarDust Bum]

Three-pointer: Kidd back with Bucks
January 26, 2016

Milwaukee will get its leader back on Tuesday, which means the next few weeks prior to the All-Star break are going to be vital for perhaps the Eastern Conference’s biggest underachievers.

The Bucks, considered to be a team on the rise after finishing last season at .500 and taking a couple of games off the Bulls in the playoffs, opened the season 0-3 and were 11-18 when Jason Kidd took his leave on Dec. 21 to undergo hip surgery, getting a metal prosthesis inserted to ease his stiffness and pain.

"I think people from the outside thought it was just going to be automatic and we'd pick up from last year," Kidd told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "Expectations were a lot higher. But also, we had new pieces, with Jabari (Parker) being one of them, and Moose (Greg Monroe). Our defense did take a step back. Sometimes, you have to get games under your belt and see the good and bad and hopefully make the adjustments. As you can see, the guys are starting to play as a team."

Assistant Joe Prunty fared slightly better than Kidd upon taking over on an interim basis, but Saturday night’s 116-89 loss in New Orleans dropped the Bucks to 8-9 (10-7 ATS) under his guidance. Once again, the Bucks failed to defend the 3-point line and went into lulls offensively. Kidd has expressed his displeasure with the team’s defense and will look to place more of an emphasis on that end of the floor upon his return against Orlando. The under prevailed in six of Milwaukee’s 11 wins when Kidd was at the helm, so look for his return to be a major catalyst in the team picking up its attention to detail at that end of the floor.

Milwaukee gave up 100 or more points in 13 of the 17 games where Prunty filled in. The situation has been so poor that 116 scored by the Pelicans over the weekend ranked as only the fourth-highest total given up during his stint. Houston and New Orleans combined for 32 3-pointers in handing the Bucks their last two loss.

Michael Carter-Williams was expected to lead the charge in taking a step forward in his own development, but he’s been wildly inconsistent. Having Kidd back can only aid his development. He’s averaged 11.3 points in January, but comes off his best shooting game of the season, going 9-for-12 in New Orleans. If the Bucks can get him going, they will have a decent shot at righting the ship and coming through on their short-term goal.

"We would like to finish on a high note before the (All-Star) break and then come back after the break ready to make a push," Kidd said.

Following Tuesday’s home date with Orlando, Milwaukee faces a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday, visiting Memphis and returning home to face injury-riddled Miami. The Bucks open February on the West Coast for games at Sacramento, Portland and Utah, a stretch that will be followed up by a few days off and home dates with the Celtics and Wizards.

Clips taking cautious approach with Griffin

L.A. power forward Blake Grifffin was expected to be back in action this past weekend, or at the very least, ready to go as the Clips closed out a five-game Eastern road swing. Neither happened.

Griffin was sent home to L.A. despite the organization stressing that the change in plans was not setback-related. He won’t play in stops at Indiana and Atlanta and was considered doubtful for a meeting with the Lakers on Jan. 29. After a fight with a member of the team's equipment staff, he's now expected to be out another 4-6 weeks.

Griffin hasn’t played since posting a Christmas night double-double in helping rout the Lakers, suffering a partially torn tendon in his left quad. The Clippers won the first nine games without him, but enter the week with losses in three of their last five as his absence has begun to catch up to them. Sunday’s 112-94 loss in Toronto was the team’s worst of the season, so it’s going to be interesting to see how Doc Rivers prepares his team to bounce back as they wrap up the road trip with a Tuesday-Wednesday back-to-back against the Pacers and Hawks. Both teams have winning records, which is of importance since the Clippers haven’t seen many teams with more wins than losses throughout Griffin’s absence. L.A. is just 2-2 against teams over .500 without their star power forward.

Given the stiff competition for reserve spots in the West, Griffin’s run of five consecutive All-Star nods will certainly end on Thursday despite averages of 23.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists over 30 games.

Warriors/Spurs blowout fallout

When it was all over, Gregg Popovich had jokes.

"We almost got them," said the Spurs coach following a 120-90 blowout loss at Golden State. "My opening comment here will be, I'm just glad my general manager wasn't in the locker room, because it might have gotten me fired."

San Antonio fields the team least likely to let a loss like the one suffered on Monday night fester. The 30-point deficit was the largest the Spurs have lost by since 2012, when they fell in Portland by 40. The Warriors shot over 50 percent, won every quarter and out-rebounded San Antonio.

Since the Spurs had won 13 consecutive games prior to the demolition in Oakland, they’ve already been installed as a double-digit favorite against Houston on Wednesday. They’re 17-6-1 at home against the spread and are 24-0 overall, so you can expect they’ll be at their best against the Rockets. San Antonio hasn’t lost consecutive games all season and has covered the spread after every setback, winning by double-digits each time.

The Warriors, now 21-0 at home, have won four straight and are a whopping 15.5-point favorite against Dallas. The Mavericks handed Golden State its worst loss of the season by a 114-91 count on Dec. 30. The teams will play twice more in March, which will give us an opportunity to see whether the lopsided setback was a fluke or the beginning of an interesting trend. The over is 7-3 in the Warriors last 10 games. It’s also 4-0 of late for the Mavs.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Suns (14-31) at Cavaliers (31-12)
Date: January 27, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

New Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue continues to reiterate that he wants his team to push the pace and they'll next face an opponent willing to do that, albeit a lowly one.

The Cavaliers should be primed to get their running game untracked Wednesday night against a short-handed Phoenix Suns team that has lost 11 in a row on the road.

Lue earned his first win in his second game in charge in Monday's 114-107 home victory over Minnesota. LeBron James had 25 points and nine assists and Tristan Thompson added 19 points and 12 boards.

The coach was presented the game ball in the locker room following the win. At Tuesday's practice, he once again stated that he wants Cleveland (31-12) to get into better shape in order to play at a faster tempo.

"It's tough but I told them at the expense of playing more guys or at the expense of losing a couple games, we're looking forward to playing in the playoffs and we've got to get in shape for the playoffs," Lue said. "And I believe that if you're in shape, it makes you tougher mentally and physically and you can do things harder and you things better and you don't give into fatigue."

The Cavaliers average 95.0 possessions per 48 minutes for the league's third-slowest tempo.

Phoenix (14-32) averages 100.7 to rank fourth, although the injury-plagued Suns are unlikely to pose much of a threat Wednesday.

They are already without the injured Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight missed his third straight game Tuesday with a strained groin.

The result was an embarrassing 113-103 loss at Philadelphia as Phoenix was swept by the NBA's worst team. Archie Goodwin scored a season-high 26 points for the Suns, who trailed by as many as 19 points in the second half before their rally fell short.

'You don't want to get down big and try to have to make comebacks,' coach Jeff Hornacek said.

Phoenix is enduring its longest road slide since dropping 12 in a row in 2012-13. The Suns have dropped seven straight on the road to teams led by James and are 2-6 in the second of back-to-back games.

It's possible James will become the 17th player in NBA history to reach 26,000 career points since he needs 36, although an expected blowout would cut his minutes down and lessen those chances.

The Cavaliers won 101-97 at Phoenix on Dec. 28. Kyrie Irving scored 22 points, including a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left that put Cleveland up by four.

T.J. Warren led the Suns with 23 points in that game and Knight added 18.

Former Cavs coach David Blatt gave Tristan Thompson his first start in over a month that night, leading to nine in a row for the center. He then went back to the bench for a five-game stretch before Lue started him Monday, leading to Thompson's strong effort.

Cleveland is 11-2 when Thompson starts.

"I think starting Tristan does give a lot of energy, you can put him on 4s or 5s to match up," Lue said. "That's something that we're going to look at going forward."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nuggets (17-28) at Celtics (25-21)
Date: January 27, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Isaiah Thomas has ignited a turnaround for the Boston Celtics, and they may be able to maintain their home dominance over their next opponent if he remains hot.

The surging Celtics look to improve on an already sparkling mark in Boston against the Denver Nuggets when the two meet at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

Boston (25-21) has won two straight and four of the last six in this series, three of those coming as host to extend a impressive home stretch against Denver (17-28).

The Celtics have won the last five meetings in Boston and 21 of 24 dating to 1990. The Nuggets are 3-16 at TD Garden since it opened its doors for the 1995-96 season.

However, the final two games of Boston's current three-game win streak came on the road at Philadelphia and Washington. After dismantling the 76ers 112-92 on Sunday, Thomas led the Celtics to a 116-91 rout of the Wizards the next night.

The 5-foot-9 lefty shooter won a marquee point guard matchup against the Wizards' John Wall, logging his sixth straight 20-point game by finishing with 23 to go with nine assists in three quarters. Wall had 10 assists, but he turned the ball over four times and scored just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Thomas has averaged 25.4 points and 6.4 assists in his last 10 games, helping Boston win six of the final eight.

"You always are excited when you're a guy like Isaiah who's got a chip on his shoulder to challenge himself against the best," said coach Brad Stevens, whose team has won three straight home games. "But I think Isaiah's pretty consistent regardless of who we're playing in how he approaches every night."

The Nuggets don't have the same All-Star caliber point guard, especially with Jameer Nelson missing the last five games with a sprained left wrist, and Thomas scored 33 points the last time he faced them while with Sacramento in February 2014.

The Celtics went cold offensively at 40.5 percent shooting while averaging 98.3 points in seven games Dec. 27-Jan. 10, but they've hit 45.7 percent in nine games since while averaging 112.6 points - short of only Golden State's 117.1 from Jan. 12-25.

While Boston will try to match a season-best winning streak set exactly one month ago, Denver is trying to avoid sinking into another lull.

The Nuggets have enjoyed positive stretches this season, logging wins in four of six, four of five and five of six games, but it's the long droughts that have hurt them: losses in four of five and nine of 10 along with an eight-game losing skid.

They dropped three of their final four on an eight-game homestand to negate a positive start. Denver had opened its longest home stretch of the season with wins in three of four, including a 112-110 victory over NBA-leading Golden State on Jan. 13.

Monday's flat 119-105 loss to Atlanta closed the 4-4 homestand on a down note before the Nuggets play eight of the next 10 on the road - where they've lost five of six.

"It's definitely frustrating only going .500 (on the homestand)," said Will Barton, who scored a team-high 21 points against the Hawks. "We did some good things but we've got to figure out how to bring it every night."

Denver has followed a solid five-game defensive stretch in which it allowed an average of 93.0 points on 41.8 percent shooting by surrendering 111.6 on 49.4 percent over its last five.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: 76ers (6-39) at Pistons (24-21)
Date: January 27, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

If Reggie Jackson can maintain his level of play from Monday's victory, the Detroit Pistons may finally reach the postseason for the first time this decade.

Jackson tries to follow up a game that had his coach singing his praises as the Pistons host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night.

He's averaging team highs of 19.2 points and 6.6 assists, and had 29 points in a 95-92 victory over Utah, but what earned Stan Van Gundy's praise was Jackson's defensive effort as he harassed Trey Burke into an 0-for-8 shooting performance. Though the Jazz scored 33 points in the fourth quarter, Detroit (24-21) limited the Jazz to 40 percent shooting and never trailed to gain a split of its four-game trip.

'He had a hell of a game and forget the offense,' Van Gundy said. 'That is the most consistent effort from start to finish defensively that I've seen Reggie make since we've had him.

'I've never seen him work to that level like he did tonight. ... I thought our team as a whole made that effort defensively.'

The team's effort was one of its best of the season, just the fifth time it limited an opponent to 40.0 percent and far better than its season mark of 45.4 percent. The latter figure is a strong bell weather of the Pistons' success - they're 17-6 when holding opponents at or below that percentage.

It was also Jackson's best game offensively since scoring 31 at Chicago on Dec. 18. He made 12 of 19 shots versus the Jazz after going a combined 15 for 41 in the first three games of the road swing, and the Pistons were outscored by 28 when he was on the floor in their losses at New Orleans and Denver prior to Monday's victory.

Jackson and Detroit now have the opportunity use Philadelphia (7-39) as a momentum-builder for its home game Friday versus Central-leading Cleveland. The Pistons have already beaten the 76ers once this season, cruising to 107-95 road win Dec. 11 as Jackson had nine points and three assists in a 27-7 run over the first 8:36 that Philadelphia could not overcome.

A consistent driver, Jackson is fourth in the NBA in drives with 11.2 per game and is second in scoring in those situations, averaging 7.7 points. That bodes well against a 76ers team that is soft defensively in the interior, giving up 44.0 points per game to rank 22nd in the league.

That could be an issue since rookie center Jahlil Okafor has been ruled out for a second straight game due to illness. Philadelphia, though, overcame his absence to finish a season sweep of Phoenix with a 113-103 victory Tuesday behind Ish Smith, who had 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as eight Sixers scored in double figures.

'We're just going out there trying to collect wins,' said Smith, who has five 20-point games in 14 contests since being re-acquired on Dec. 24 via trade from New Orleans.

He averaged 12.0 points in 25 games with the 76ers last season after being dealt from Oklahoma City.

Smith has a 3.03 assist-to-turnover ratio with Philadelphia, which has given up 18.2 points per game off turnovers since he arrived - a marked improvement from its NBA-worst average of 21.6.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Clippers (28-16) at Hawks (27-19)
Date: January 27, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

From infighting to last-second finishes, there's been no shortage of drama with the Los Angeles Clippers of late.

As they prepare for a longer-than-expected absence from Blake Griffin, the Clippers seek a Hollywood ending to their road trip Wednesday night against the Atlanta Hawks.

Griffin returned to Los Angeles midway through this five-game trek, presumably to rehab the partially torn left quadriceps tendon that's sidelined the star forward since Dec. 26. It was later revealed he fractured his right hand from punching team equipment manager Matias Testi Saturday night during the team's visit to Toronto, an injury the Clippers confirmed Tuesday.

In a joint statement in which owner Steve Ballmer and coach Doc Rivers publicly admonished Griffin for his actions, the Clippers said he will miss an additional 4 to 6 weeks.

'This conduct has no place in our organization and this incident does not represent who we are as a team,' the statement read. "We are conducting a full investigation with assistance from the NBA. At the conclusion of the investigation, appropriate action will be taken."

Griffin's absence hasn't hurt Los Angeles (29-16) much on the court. The Clippers won their first nine games and improved to 12-3 without him following Tuesday's 91-89 victory at Indiana, where they overcame an eight-point third-quarter deficit and survived Paul George's missed 3-pointer in the final seconds.

'With all the stuff in the last 48 hours, we always say it's the game that brings a team back,' Rivers said. 'You could feel that (Tuesday). That was a good win for our team.'

Los Angeles has been able to offset Griffin's 23.2 points per game mostly by the continued hot shooting of Chris Paul and J.J. Redick. The backcourt duo combined to go 8 of 18 from 3-point range against the Pacers, with Paul leading the comeback by recording 19 of his 26 points in the second half.

Paul is 26 of 46 from beyond the arc in averaging 22.6 points over his last nine games, while Redick is 23 of 44 and has averaged 20.3 in his past six.

Since Dec. 26, the Clippers rank among the league leaders in 3-pointers made (11.7 per game) and 3-point percentage (40.2).

Griffin's production may be harder to replace in this matchup, as he's averaged 24.6 points on 57.0 percent shooting in his last five against the Hawks. He totaled 47 points and 21 rebounds in last season's two meetings, both Atlanta wins.

The Clippers have lost seven straight in Atlanta, including a 107-104 defeat last season, since a 121-97 win in February 2009.

Atlanta (27-19) returns home in a more harmonious mood after ending a tough four-game western trip on a positive note. After a pair of three-point losses to Sacramento and Phoenix - the latter on a buzzer-beating 3 - the Hawks dominated Denver most of the way in Monday's 119-105 victory.

The Hawks shot 50 percent after struggling offensively in their two previous defeats, managing just 88 points against Sacramento and 95 versus Phoenix.

'It was a much more focused effort,' center Al Horford said. 'You want to try to end this road trip on a good note, so it was important for us to come out ready from the beginning.'

Having Paul Millsap back helped as well. The versatile forward, who missed the Phoenix game attending his grandfather's funeral, had 22 points and nine rebounds.

The Hawks are 25-3 when scoring 98 or more this season, while the Clippers are 19-2 when allowing 99 or less.