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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (863) MINNESOTA@ (864) UTAH | 2016-01-29 21:00:00 - 2016-01-29 21:00:00
Play ON UTAH against the spread in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 49 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (+27 units)

NBA > (851) PHOENIX@ (852) NEW YORK | 2016-01-29 19:30:00 - 2016-01-29 19:30:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 3 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (-13.5 units)

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NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (851) PHOENIX@ (852) NEW YORK | 2016-01-29 19:30:00 - 2016-01-29 19:30:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 9 Wins and 20 Losses for the this season (-23.85 units)

NBA > (851) PHOENIX@ (852) NEW YORK | 2016-01-29 19:30:00 - 2016-01-29 19:30:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games in all games
The record is 14 Wins and 29 Losses for the this season (-28.55 units)

NBA > (863) MINNESOTA@ (864) UTAH | 2016-01-29 21:00:00 - 2016-01-29 21:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 22 Wins and 47 Losses for the last three seasons (-42.2 units)

NBA > (865) CHARLOTTE@ (866) PORTLAND | 2016-01-29 22:00:00 - 2016-01-29 22:00:00
Play AGAINST CHARLOTTE using money line in All games after scoring 85 points or less
The record is 3 Wins and 15 Losses for the last two seasons (-15.5 units)

NBA > (861) BROOKLYN@ (862) DALLAS | 2016-01-29 20:30:00 - 2016-01-29 20:30:00
Play ON DALLAS using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 70 Wins and 20 Losses for the last three seasons (+36.7 units)

NBA > (855) ORLANDO@ (856) BOSTON | 2016-01-29 19:30:00 - 2016-01-29 19:30:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in All games in January games
The record is 6 Wins and 37 Losses for the last three seasons (-29.45 units)

NBA > (863) MINNESOTA@ (864) UTAH | 2016-01-29 21:00:00 - 2016-01-29 21:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games in January games
The record is 2 Wins and 11 Losses for the this season (-10.95 units)

NBA > (861) BROOKLYN@ (862) DALLAS | 2016-01-29 20:30:00 - 2016-01-29 20:30:00
Play ON BROOKLYN using money line in All games in a road game where where the total is between 195 and 199.5 points
The record is 9 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (+15.4 units)

NBA > (857) MIAMI@ (858) MILWAUKEE | 2016-01-29 20:00:00 - 2016-01-29 20:00:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 8 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+9.1 units)

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NBA TOTALS

NBA > (863) MINNESOTA@ (864) UTAH | 2016-01-29 21:00:00 - 2016-01-29 21:00:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games after allowing 85 points or less
The record is 3 Overs and 22 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.7 units)

NBA > (865) CHARLOTTE@ (866) PORTLAND | 2016-01-29 22:00:00 - 2016-01-29 22:00:00
Play OVER CHARLOTTE on the totalin All games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 11 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+11 units)

NBA > (853) CLEVELAND@ (854) DETROIT | 2016-01-29 19:30:00 - 2016-01-29 19:30:00
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the totalin Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 0 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+10 units)

NBA > (857) MIAMI@ (858) MILWAUKEE | 2016-01-29 20:00:00 - 2016-01-29 20:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 5 Overs and 19 Unders for the this season (+13.5 units)

NBA > (855) ORLANDO@ (856) BOSTON | 2016-01-29 19:30:00 - 2016-01-29 19:30:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin Road games on Friday nights
The record is 1 Overs and 13 Unders for the last three seasons (+11.9 units)

NBA > (863) MINNESOTA@ (864) UTAH | 2016-01-29 21:00:00 - 2016-01-29 21:00:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 13 Overs and 33 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.7 units)

NBA > (857) MIAMI@ (858) MILWAUKEE | 2016-01-29 20:00:00 - 2016-01-29 20:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games in January games
The record is 6 Overs and 21 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.4 units)

NBA > (865) CHARLOTTE@ (866) PORTLAND | 2016-01-29 22:00:00 - 2016-01-29 22:00:00
Play OVER PORTLAND on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 14 Overs and 3 Unders for the this season (+10.7 units)

[StarDust Bum]

NBA YESTERDAY 2 - 0.........

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


ORL at BOS 07:30 PM

BOS -7.5 BEST BET


PHO at NY 07:30 PM

NY -7.5


CLE at DET 07:30 PM

DET +4.5


HOU at OKC 08:00 PM

OKC -8.5


MIA at MIL 08:00 PM

MIL +1.5 BEST BET


BK at DAL 08:30 PM

BK +8.5


MIN at UTA 09:00 PM

UTA -8.5


CHA at POR 10:00 PM

POR -5.5 BEST BET


LAL at LAC 10:30 PM

LAL +14.5

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Saturday
January 29, 2016

Cleveland (32-12 SU, 19-23-2 ATS) has a chance to silence the critics on Saturday night when they meet San Antonio (39-7 SU, 30-15-1 ATS) at home in a nationally televised battle on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET.

In this same spot last week, the Cavaliers dropped a 96-83 decision to the Bulls as 10 ½-point home favorites, which came a day after the club fired head coach David Blatt.

Since that setback, the Cavs have rebounded with three straight wins (2-1 ATS) under head coach Tyronn Lue albeit against the Timberwolves, Suns and Pistons. The offense has looked much sharper during the winning streak, posting 114, 115 and 114 points.

Last night’s win at Detroit (114-106) could have some bettors citing fatigue on Saturday versus the Spurs. Make a note that Cleveland has gone 5-3 SU and 3-4-1 ATS in back-to-back situations this season while the ‘under’ has posted a 6-2 mark.

Playing against the Spurs is a major step up in class and the Cavs hung with them a few weeks ago in San Antonio. Cleveland wound up losing 99-95 at the AT&T Center but it did cover as a six-point underdog.

Including this win, San Antonio has gone 17-3 SU and 13-7 ATS versus the Eastern Conference this season. The three setbacks all came on the road and coincidentally the margin was three in all of the games as well (Wizards, Bulls, Raptors). The ‘under’ has gone 11-8-1.

Despite owning a 12-5 SU and 8-8-1 ATS mark versus the West, It’s well known that the Cavs are 0-3 versus the Warriors and Spurs this season and the recent 132-98 drubbing at home on Jan. 18 to Golden State is what everybody remembers.

Will San Antonio hand out similar treatment to the Cavs after a close call in the first go ‘round?

Even though center Tim Duncan (knee) has been ruled ‘out’ for Saturday’s game, the Spurs are listed as short road favorites (-2) over the Cavaliers. San Antonio has gone 8-1 without the future Hall of Famer in the lineup this season.

This will be the first team Cleveland is an underdog at home this season and fifth time overall. The Cavs have gone 1-3 SU and 3-1 ATS when put into this role this season and the ‘under’ has cashed in all four games.

The total on this game opened at 206 ½ and has dropped to 204 ½ as of Saturday morning.

Along with the Spurs-Cavs matchup on Saturday, we do have six other games slated and below is my quick handicap.

Golden State at Philadelphia (NBATV, 5:00 p.m. ET): The Warriors and 76ers will partake in this week’s “Global Game” and while I’d normally think the time change could screw up a team, this is Golden State. The 76ers actually gave the Warriors a game at home last season and only lost 89-84 as 16-point ‘dogs. The spread is a tad higher (GSW -17 ½) this time around and this will the highest total (218) that Philadelphia has seen all season.

Detroit at Toronto: This is a really good matchup and it will be the first meeting between the pair this season. Last year, they split the four-game series with each club stealing one victory on the road. The Raptors enter this game with a 10-game winning streak (8-2 ATS) and they’re catching Detroit on no rest. Stan Van Gundy’s team is 3-6 SU and 3-5-1 ATS in B2B games and that includes a dreadful 0-6 and 0-5-1 ATS mark as visitors. Total bettors should note that the ‘over’ has gone 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in this series, and that includes four easy shootouts last season. Saturday’s number is 203 ½ and Toronto is a 7 ½-point favorite.

Brooklyn at New Orleans: Possible trap game for the Pelicans, who have won and covered six of their last eight. Thursday’s 114-105 home win over Sacramento was impressive since New Orleans was short-handed (Tyreke Evans, Anthony Davis) but when the Pelicans hit their shots, they can play with anybody. The offense is on a roll, averaging 110.9 PPG during this run and that’s helped the ‘over’ go 7-1. Why is the game a trap? The Nets aren’t the same without Jarret Jack at point guard but they still have a few pros and you just never know. Brooklyn is playing on no rest and it’s struggled to a 2-6 mark (5-3 ATS) in this role. Keep an eye on the latest injury report since Evans and Davis are both listed as ‘questionable’ for Saturday.

Denver at Indiana: These teams played a wild game two weeks ago in Denver and the Nuggets captured a 129-126 win over the Pacers as 2 ½-point home underdogs. Denver has played well against Indiana recently, winning eight of the last 10 encounters and three of the last four on the road. The Nuggets have been in great form at the betting counter recently, going 8-2 versus the number despite a 5-5 record. Head coach Mike Malone has the team playing fast and they’ve developed some nice young players. Indiana snapped out of its funk Thursday with a double-digit win over Atlanta and it will be trying to win back-to-back games for the first time in three weeks on Saturday. Indiana is listed as an eight-point favorite and that seems high, probably for the right reason. The total is 208 ½.

Sacramento at Memphis: I talked about the Grizzlies in Thursday’s edition of ITP and how their power ratings were down this season but they silenced the oddsmakers again with another victory. Memphis has quietly won eight of its last 10 games and it’s covered six of them, but a few of those tickets were very fortunate to cash. The Kings are acting like the Kings again and they enter this game on a three-game losing skid both SU and ATS. Since losing a tough 129-128 double overtime loss on Monday to the Hornets at home, Sacramento has looked awful in its next two games. This is the last game of their road trip and the Kings confidence might not be high for this tip knowing that they’re just 1-9 in their previous 10 meetings against the Grizzlies. Once again, the line on Memphis (-2 ½) seems super short and the total (203 ½) can be considered low for Sacramento’s pace. Rudy Gay is expected to play for the Kings.

Washington at Houston: The Rockets (-3) are short favorites and that tells you that the Wizards will have a shot to win this game but can you really trust either team? Washington is 1-5 both SU and ATS in its last six and I’m surprised they haven’t changed coaches yet, something Houston has done. That hasn’t made a difference for the Rockets either and they enter this game off back-to-back losses, which includes Friday’s 116-108 loss at Oklahoma City. The Rockets are 5-6 SU and 4-7 ATS on zero days rest and that includes a 2-2 mark at home. In those four games, the ‘over’ cashed in all four and I’d probably lean to the high side in this game with two weak defensive units on the court. Houston defeated Washington 109-103 on Dec. 9 as a 4 ½-point road favorite on Dec. 9 and the combined 212 points barely snuck ‘under’ the closing total of 214.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Saturday
January 30, 2016


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The 76ers are 0-11 ATS (-7.18 ppg) since Dec 09, 2013 at home with rest off a 10+ point loss that was tied 5+ times.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Raptors are 11-0 OU (20.23 ppg) since Mar 12, 2003 after they had more than 10 blocks.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Kings are 13-0-2 OU (13.60 ppg) since Jan 01, 2015 after Omri Casspi scored fewer than 10 points in a road loss.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Kings are 0-10 ATS (-8.00 ppg) since Jan 16, 2015 after Demarcus Cousins played more than 40 minutes.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Grizzlies are 0-9 OU (-14.22 ppg) since Jan 26, 2015 at home after Marc Gasol played fewer than 30 minutes.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Saturday's six-pack

How different college hoop conferences rank in statistical categories..........

-- Best 3-point shooting leagues: 1) Atlantic Sun 38.6% 2) Big Sky 3) Summit

-- Foul shooting: 1) Summit 74.3% 2) Big East 3) WCC 4) Atlantic 14

-- Tempo: 1) Southland (72.3) 2) Horizon 3) Atlantic Sun 4) SEC

-- Home W-L: 1) SEC 40-14 2) Southern 3) Big X 4) Pac-12

-- Close games: 1) SWAC 2) Big West 3) Southern 4) Big South

-- Turnover %: 1) NEC (20.6%) 2) MEAC 3) Ivy 4) MVC 5) Southland

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Armadillo: Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here........

13) Chargers will play the 2016 season in San Diego; it remains to be seen where their permanent home will be, but this keeps the Raiders in limbo and gives the Rams LA to themselves, at least for next season- they'll share the Coliseum with USC. San Diego is the 8th-largest city in America; they're going to have an NFL team, whether it is the Chargers or someone else which plays into the Spanos family's decision to keep that door open. Not sure if the NFL would approve the Raiders going to Las Vegas.

12) Over last 15 years, penalties called in NFL playoff games are 18% less than in the regular season, confirming our suspicions that referee supervisors micromanage their employees so badly it makes the game less fun to watch-- too many penalties.

11) Player on the NHL's Calgary Flames cross-checked a linesman during a game and is suspended- he's lucky if they don't suspend him for a year for such a blatant try to injure.an official. Doesn't this genius realize the games are televised and they show replays of things that happen? He should be suspended just for being stupid.

10) Paul Allen owns the Seahawks and Trailblazers; he is worth around $18B, and is said to be a good guy. Recently his yacht tore up 14,000 square feet of protected coral reef in the Cayman Islands-- he will be fined $600K, which is like fining me $25.

9) Player on Manhattan got a technical foul for flopping, after the refs looked at an instant replay of the incident, where the Manhattan player acted like he got whacked in the head by the Iona guy who had the ball. First time I've seen a defender given a technical foul for faking it since back when I was in high school in the mid-70's.

8) Golden State is a 17.5-point road favorite at Philly today, most an NBA visitor has been favored by since Miami was a 17-point favorite in New Orleans on April 2, 2008. Warriors are 14-7-1 as a road favorite this year.

7) College football signing day is Wednesday, so you'll see coaches getting contract extensions, to reassure recruits the coach will be there throughout their playing days. Brian Kelly (ND) and Kyle Whittingham (Utah) got extensions late this week.

6) Laker GM Mitch Kupchak's son is a freshman at UCSB, where he's started the last ten games for the Gauchos. Quite a compliment for a program if the GM of an NBA team sends his kid to play for you. UCSB is struggling this year, but has been a perennial upper-division team in the Big West.

5) Barry Trotz was the coach of the Nashville Predators for 15 years, a really long time for a guy to coach the same pro team. This weekend he is back in Nashville as a coach in the NHL All-Star Game. He wouldn't be human if he didn't feel at least a little more satisfaction because the game is in Tennessee.

4) How much time and effort goes into choosing which color tie a candidate wears during one of these Presidential debates? There have to be consultants for that, right?

3) One of the anchors on CNN or MSNBC this week signed off for the hour by saying, "Don't forget to friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter". Somehow, and this will make me sound old, I'm sure, but I can't picture Walter Cronkite or Tom Brokaw ever saying that. I could be wrong.......

2) Susan Sarandon introduced Bernie Sanders at a rally in Iowa this week; if you told me to guess how far apart in age those two are, I would've missed badly. Sanders is 74; Ms Sarandon is the most attractive 69-year old woman on the planet.

1) One of my pet peeves is when people say "I can't write". Everyone can write; if you can talk, you can write. People get intimidated by the keyboard and the computer screen. if you get writer's block, take a tape recorder and talk into it. Tell stories, make lists, just talk. then transcribe the tape and, voila-- you've written!!!!

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Saturday, January 30


Golden State @ Philadelphia

Game 501-502
January 30, 2016 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
132.902
Philadelphia
113.493
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 19 1/2
225
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 16 1/2
217 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-16 1/2); Over

Detroit @ Toronto

Game 503-504
January 30, 2016 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
118.609
Toronto
129.277
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 10 1/2
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 6 1/2
204
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-6 1/2); Under

Denver @ Indiana

Game 505-506
January 30, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
118.609
Indiana
122.947
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 6 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 8 1/2
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(+8 1/2); Under

Brooklyn @ New Orleans

Game 507-508
January 30, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brooklyn
112.313
New Orleans
115.498
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans
by 3
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Orleans
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
N/A

Washington @ Houston

Game 509-510
January 30, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
122.150
Houston
120.732
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1 1/2
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 4
218 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+4); Under

Sacramento @ Memphis

Game 511-512
January 30, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
117.405
Memphis
116.583
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Sacramento
by 1
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 3 1/2
203 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(+3 1/2); Over

San Antonio @ Cleveland

Game 513-514
January 30, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
131.500
Cleveland
125.681
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 6
211
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 2
205
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(-2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, January 30

Hot teams
-- Warriors won/covered last five games (14-7-1AF). 76ers split last six games, are 5-3 vs spread in last eight.
-- Toronto won its last ten games (6-1 last 7HF).
-- Nuggets split last four games, covered five of last six (9-4 last 13HF).
-- Pelicans won three of last four games (4-1 last five HF).
-- Memphis won six of its last seven games (7-2-1 last 10HF).
-- Spurs won 14 of last 15 games (8-3 last 11AF). Cleveland won 13 of last 16 games (0-0HU).

Cold teams
-- Detroit is 4-6 in its last ten games (3-1 last 4AU).
-- Indiana lost six of its last eight games (10-7HF).
-- Brooklyn lost 11 of its last 13 games (0-3 last 3AU).
-- Washington won five of its last six games (8-3 last 11AU). Rockets are 3-4 in last seven games (8-4 last 12HF).
-- Sacramento lost its last three games (7-3 last 10AU).

Series records
-- 76ers lost last four games with Golden State (1-3 vs spread).
-- Raptors won five of last seven games with Detroit.
-- Nuggets won eight of last nine games with Indiana.
-- Nets lost their last three games with New Orleans.
-- Rockets won four of last five games with Washington.
-- Grizzlies won nine of last ten games with Sacramento.
-- Spurs won nine of last ten games with Cleveland; they lost here in OT last year.

Totals
-- Nine of last eleven Golden State games went over.
-- Five of last seven Detroit games went over total.
-- Eight of last nine Denver games went over total.
-- Last six New Orleans games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Washington games stayed under.
-- Eight of last nine Memphis games went over total.
-- Last four San Antonio games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- Detroit is 2-6 in last eight games if they played night before.
-- Brooklyn is 4-3 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Houston is 3-7 vs spread in last 10 games if it played night before.
-- Cleveland is 3-4-1 vs spread if it played night before

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Saturday, January 30

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Trend Report
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5:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. PHILADELPHIA
Golden State is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 8 games when playing Golden State
Philadelphia is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Golden State

6:30 PM
DETROIT vs. TORONTO
Detroit is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
Detroit is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing at home against Detroit

7:00 PM
DENVER vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Denver's last 9 games
Denver is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Indiana's last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Indiana's last 11 games when playing Denver

7:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. NEW ORLEANS
Brooklyn is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Brooklyn is 4-21 SU in its last 25 games on the road
New Orleans is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

8:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. MEMPHIS
Sacramento is 7-14-1 ATS in its last 22 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Sacramento's last 9 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Memphis's last 7 games at home
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. HOUSTON
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Washington's last 11 games on the road
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Houston is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston's last 8 games

8:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. CLEVELAND
San Antonio is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Antonio's last 12 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games when playing San Antonio
Cleveland is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing San Antonio

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, January 30

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GOLDEN STATE (42 - 4) at PHILADELPHIA (7 - 40) - 1/30/2016, 5:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) as a home underdog of 12.5 or more points since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 27-17 ATS (+8.3 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 77-53 ATS (+18.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in road games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 50-30 ATS (+17.0 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 48-34 ATS (+10.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 31-56 ATS (-30.6 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 10-31 ATS (-24.1 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 38-55 ATS (-22.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 98-141 ATS (-57.1 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

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

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DETROIT (25 - 22) at TORONTO (31 - 15) - 1/30/2016, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 19-5 ATS (+13.5 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 160-202 ATS (-62.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

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

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DENVER (18 - 29) at INDIANA (24 - 22) - 1/30/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more this season.
DENVER is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
INDIANA is 114-148 ATS (-48.8 Units) on Saturday games since 1996.
INDIANA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 3-1 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-1 straight up against INDIANA 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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BROOKLYN (12 - 35) at NEW ORLEANS (17 - 28) - 1/30/2016, 7:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 3-1 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 3-1 straight up against BROOKLYN 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 - 24) at HOUSTON (25 - 24) - 1/30/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 34-20 ATS (+12.0 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 297-238 ATS (+35.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 3-2 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 4-1 straight up against WASHINGTON 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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SACRAMENTO (20 - 26) at MEMPHIS (27 - 20) - 1/30/2016, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 53-70 ATS (-24.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 33-46 ATS (-17.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in January games over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 147-112 ATS (+23.8 Units) after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 5-3 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 7-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (39 - 7) at CLEVELAND (33 - 12) - 1/30/2016, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 31-15 ATS (+14.5 Units) in all games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 31-13 ATS (+16.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 149-113 ATS (+24.7 Units) on Saturday games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 52-33 ATS (+15.7 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 277-221 ATS (+33.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 328-273 ATS (+27.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 3-2 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 4-1 straight up against CLEVELAND 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 ATS

NBA > (513) SAN ANTONIO@ (514) CLEVELAND | 2016-01-30 20:30:00 - 2016-01-30 20:30:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO against the spread in All games as a favorite
The record is 31 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (+16.7 units)

NBA > (503) DETROIT@ (504) TORONTO | 2016-01-30 18:30:00 - 2016-01-30 18:30:00
Play ON DETROIT against the spread in All games after a division game
The record is 19 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.5 units)

NBA > (501) GOLDEN STATE@ (502) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-01-30 17:00:00 - 2016-01-30 17:00:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA against the spread in All games in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 10 Wins and 31 Losses for the since 1992 (-24.1 units)

NBA > (513) SAN ANTONIO@ (514) CLEVELAND | 2016-01-30 20:30:00 - 2016-01-30 20:30:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO against the spread in all games
The record is 31 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (+14.5 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (511) SACRAMENTO@ (512) MEMPHIS | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play ON MEMPHIS using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 19 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+15.7 units)

NBA > (509) WASHINGTON@ (510) HOUSTON | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play ON HOUSTON using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 27 Wins and 4 Losses for the last three seasons (+22.3 units)

NBA > (505) DENVER@ (506) INDIANA | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 19:00:00
Play ON DENVER using money line in Road games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 7 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+12.65 units)

NBA > (511) SACRAMENTO@ (512) MEMPHIS | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO using money line in All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 2 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-13.8 units)

NBA > (505) DENVER@ (506) INDIANA | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 19:00:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA using money line in All games on Saturday games
The record is 6 Wins and 16 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.75 units)

NBA > (507) BROOKLYN@ (508) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 19:00:00
Play AGAINST NEW ORLEANS using money line in All games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 8 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.1 units)

NBA > (509) WASHINGTON@ (510) HOUSTON | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play AGAINST HOUSTON using money line in All games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 11 Wins and 16 Losses for the this season (-18.65 units)

NBA > (503) DETROIT@ (504) TORONTO | 2016-01-30 18:30:00 - 2016-01-30 18:30:00
Play AGAINST DETROIT using money line in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 57 Wins and 173 Losses for the since 1992 (-94.4 units)

NBA > (513) SAN ANTONIO@ (514) CLEVELAND | 2016-01-30 20:30:00 - 2016-01-30 20:30:00
Play ON CLEVELAND using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 23 Wins and 9 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.8 units)

NBA > (507) BROOKLYN@ (508) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 19:00:00
Play ON NEW ORLEANS using money line in All games after 3 or more consecutive overs
The record is 19 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (+16.5 units)

NBA > (509) WASHINGTON@ (510) HOUSTON | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play ON HOUSTON using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 31 Wins and 13 Losses for the last two seasons (+16.9 units)

NBA > (501) GOLDEN STATE@ (502) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-01-30 17:00:00 - 2016-01-30 17:00:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games after a win by 10 points or more
The record is 50 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (+27.1 units)

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NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (511) SACRAMENTO@ (512) MEMPHIS | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO ?>in the first halfin All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the this season (-11.1 units)

NBA > (505) DENVER@ (506) INDIANA | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 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 19 Wins and 45 Losses for the last three seasons (-30.5 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (505) DENVER@ (506) INDIANA | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 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 23 Unders for the this season (+15.3 units)

NBA > (507) BROOKLYN@ (508) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 19:00:00
Play OVER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 30 Overs and 10 Unders for the last three seasons (+19 units)

NBA > (505) DENVER@ (506) INDIANA | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 19:00:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 14 Overs and 31 Unders for the this season (+15.6 units)

NBA > (501) GOLDEN STATE@ (502) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-01-30 17:00:00 - 2016-01-30 17:00:00
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 3 Unders for the this season (+10.7 units)

NBA > (501) GOLDEN STATE@ (502) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-01-30 17:00:00 - 2016-01-30 17:00:00
Play OVER GOLDEN STATE on the totalin All games when the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 23 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+13.1 units)

NBA > (509) WASHINGTON@ (510) HOUSTON | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play UNDER HOUSTON on the totalin Home games after 3 or more consecutive overs
The record is 28 Overs and 64 Unders for the since 1992 (+33.2 units)

NBA > (511) SACRAMENTO@ (512) MEMPHIS | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play UNDER MEMPHIS on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 10 Overs and 27 Unders for the last two seasons (+16 units)

NBA > (507) BROOKLYN@ (508) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-01-30 19:00:00 - 2016-01-30 19:00:00
Play UNDER BROOKLYN on the totalin Road games on Saturday games
The record is 3 Overs and 15 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.7 units)

NBA > (511) SACRAMENTO@ (512) MEMPHIS | 2016-01-30 20:00:00 - 2016-01-30 20:00:00
Play UNDER MEMPHIS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

POSTED EARLIER

NBA LAST NIGHT 2 - 1

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


GS at PHI 05:00 PM

GS -16.5

U 218.0 BEST BET


DET at TOR 06:30 PM

TOR -7.0 BEST BET

O 202.5

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


BK at NO 07:00 PM

NO -8.5 BEST BET


DEN at IND 07:00 PM

DEN +9.0 BEST BET


WAS at HOU 08:00 PM

HOU -4.5 BEST BET


SAC at MEM 08:00 PM

MEM -3.5 BEST BET


SA at CLE 08:30 PM

CLE +1.5 BEST BET

[StarDust Bum]

Sunday's Tip Sheet
January 30, 2016

Celtics at Magic – 6:05 PM EST

These two teams wrap up a home-and-home set in Orlando after the Celtics crushed the Magic at TD Garden on Friday, 113-94 to cash as eight-point favorites. The home team has won nine consecutive matchups since 2013, including Orlando’s 110-91 rout of Boston in late November, the fourth straight home win by the Magic in the series.

Brad Stevens’ team has won five straight games, including two road blowouts of over 20 points at Philadelphia and Washington. The Celtics’ (27-21 SU, 26-21-1 ATS) offense is rolling of late, eclipsing the 100-point mark in 11 straight games, resulting in seven ‘overs.’ Since losing at Orlando in November, Boston owns a solid 6-3 SU/ATS record as a road favorite, but the Celtics are 1-4 SU/ATS the last five away games when playing with rest.

It’s been a rough month for Orlando (20-25 SU, 23-21-1 ATS), losing 12 of 13 games including eight straight defeats. During this current cold skid, the Magic has dropped three games in overtime, while posting a dreadful 1-7 ATS record the past eight contests. Orlando last won at Amway Arena on December 30 against Brooklyn, while going 1-3 SU/ATS as a home underdog in the last four opportunities since December.

Hawks at Heat – 6:05 PM EST

Miami (26-21 SU, 23-23-1 ATS) has racked up the frequent flyer miles this month, playing 11 of the last 12 games away from South Florida. Following Sunday’s contest against Atlanta, the Heat hit the highway again for three more games starting Tuesday at Houston. Miami has rebounded from a four-game losing streak to win their last three contests, capped off by Friday’s 107-103 victory at Milwaukee as one-point favorites.

Erik Spoelstra’s squad has lost each of their last two home games against the Knicks and Bucks, averaging a mere 84.5 points per game. The road team has won each of the first two matchups between the Heat and Hawks this season, as Miami knocked off Atlanta at Philips Arena in their most recent meeting in mid-December as six-point underdogs. Atlanta has captured each of the past three matchups at American Airlines Arena, including a 98-92 triumph in November.

The Hawks (27-21 SU, 23-24-1 ATS) are seeing their lead atop the Southeast division slip by the day after losing four of their last five games. The most recent defeat came at Indiana on Thursday, their fourth loss in five tries this season with no rest on the road. Rest won’t be a problem for the Hawks, but Atlanta has posted a 2-5 SU/ATS the last seven games away from Philips Arena, while scoring 95 points or less in four of those losses.

Suns at Mavericks – 7:05 PM EST

Things fell apart fast for Phoenix (14-34 SU, 18-30 ATS) when its starting backcourt of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight were sidelined due to injuries. The Suns have lost 21 of 25 games away from the Valley this season, including 13 straight since upsetting Chicago in early December. Each of the last eight road losses for Jeff Hornacek’s club have come by double-digits, including Friday’s 102-84 rout at the hands of New York.

Phoenix has lost each of its two matchups with Dallas this season, as the Mavericks ran out the Suns on opening night, 111-95 as six-point underdogs. The Mavs took care of business the second time around at the American Airlines Center for Dallas, holding off Phoenix, 104-94 as four-point favorites, while taking a 19-point advantage into the fourth quarter. Prior to that ATS loss in December, the Suns had covered in its previous four visits to Dallas since 2013.

Dallas (27-22 SU, 28-20-1 ATS) has struggled on the front-end of back-to-back sets, as Rick Carlisle’s team heads to Atlanta on Monday. The Mavericks are 5-7 SU/ATS in this situation, as Dallas is fresh off a 91-79 victory over Brooklyn on Friday as eight-point favorites. This pointspread area is brand-new for the Mavs, who haven’t been listed as a favorite of nine points or more this season, while the Suns own a 2-6 ATS record as double-digit ‘dogs.

Warriors at Knicks – 7:35 PM EST

The runaway train known as Golden State (43-4 SU, 28-18-1 ATS) pulls into Grand Central Station on Sunday as the Warriors play with no rest. Steve Kerr’s team heads to Madison Square Garden following Saturday’s three-point victory at Philadelphia, going for their 22nd road win in 26 tries this season. This Golden State offense continues to scorch the scoreboard on the road, topping the 109-point mark in seven of the past nine away contests, while going 6-3 to the ‘over.’

The Knicks (23-26 SU, 29-20 ATS) were running out of healthy bodies on Thursday at Toronto, as Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jose Calderon all sat out due to various injuries. New York managed a cover as 12-point underdogs, 103-93 to suffer its fourth straight loss. Derek Fisher’s team snapped that skid in Friday’s 102-84 home blowout of the Suns as Anthony and Porzingis combined to score only 26 points on 8-of-22 shooting.

New York continues to play well at Madison Square Garden, winning seven of its last nine home games with the two losses coming to a pair of Western powers, the Thunder and Clippers. The Knicks lost both meetings with the Warriors last season, including a 106-92 home defeat to Golden State in February as Anthony didn’t suit up due to a knee injury.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bulls (26-19) at Clippers (31-16)
Date: January 31, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

While the Los Angeles Clippers keep insisting that Blake Griffin's absence will benefit them in the long run, the Chicago Bulls think a tweak to their lineup might help them now.

The Clippers look to keep rolling without Griffin on Sunday as the Bulls continue their longest road trip of the season seeking their first winning streak since early January.

Griffin has been out since late December, first with a quadriceps injury and now with a broken right shooting hand after punching a team staff member last weekend - an injury that may keep him out until mid-March. Los Angeles (31-16) has fared just fine, though, winning 14 of 17 games since he was injured Christmas Day.

Chris Paul finished with 27 points in Friday's 105-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, but it was a 56-25 bench advantage that lifted the Clippers.

Los Angeles' 43.1 bench points per game in Griffin's absence rank toward the top of the league, up from the 31.3 that previously ranked 23rd. Reserves Austin Rivers, Lance Stephenson and Jamal Crawford combined for 48 points Friday.

'There are a lot of guys that are playing more than they were with Blake, so when he comes back we're going to have that much deeper of a team,' Rivers said.

Los Angeles, though, did struggle to an average of 90 points in its previous three games. It's the defense that has impressed, holding opponents below 95 points in nine of the last 18 games. That previously happened only eight times in 29 games.

The Clippers, who have won 11 of 14 at home, have forced an average of 19.3 turnovers during their three-game winning streak while allowing 88.3 points per game.

The Bulls (26-19) haven't won two straight in more than three weeks, losing seven of 11, but seem to think they've found a short-term answer as they await the return of some key contributors.

E'Twaun Moore started in place of Tony Snell at small forward Thursday and helped speed up Chicago's pace in a 114-91 rout of the Lakers to open a seven-game trip. The Bulls averaged 93.8 points in their previous three games.

Moore made his first start since he was with Orlando in 2013, and though he scored just eight points, his quickness on defense led to fast-break opportunities. He had two steals and several pass deflections, and the Bulls finished with 21 fast-break points - their most since having 27 on Nov. 9.

"E'Twaun is huge at spacing the floor," guard Jimmy Butler told the team's official website. "He's guarding and plays incredibly hard. ... I like him in the spot he is in."

Butler, named an All-Star earlier in the day, made 11 of 17 shots for 26 points and matched a career high with 10 assists.

Chicago finished three off a season best with 29 assists on 47 made baskets. Pau Gasol had 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, and Derrick Rose logged 16 points with assists on a behind-the-back pass to Moore and an alley-oop lob to Jimmy Butler on the break.

Rose feels Moore "should be out there" not just because of how he's playing but how the team plays.

"It's all about running," Rose said. "There's no way we should have three guards on the floor and not be running."

Moore played a season-high 36 minutes and may continue to see an expanded role with Nikola Mirotic (appendicitis) and Mike Dunleavy (back) sidelined. Mirotic will be out until after the All-Star break, and Dunleavy might see his first action later on this trip.

Moore didn't even play when the Bulls beat the Clippers 83-80 in Chicago on Dec. 10. While Gasol had a game-high 24 points, Paul and J.J. Redick combined to shoot 7 of 27. Butler has helped hold Redick to 9 of 35 in the last three meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Hawks (27-21) at Heat (26-21)
Date: January 31, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

An offense revived by a healthy backcourt has the Miami Heat back on track and close to the top of the Southeast Division.

They'll head home with a chance to overtake the slumping Atlanta Hawks for first place as the teams meet Sunday night.

In the midst of a grueling stretch in which it's playing 14 of 16 on the road, Miami (26-21) lost seven of eight from Jan. 9-22 as it dealt with several injuries to relinquish the division lead to the Hawks. The Heat have since regrouped to win the final three of a five-game trip, all by four points or less, and move within one-half game of Atlanta (27-21).

"Probably the biggest area we've shown some improvement is (our) grit and some toughness to be able to win some tough games on the road," coach Erik Spoelstra said after Friday's 107-103 victory at Milwaukee. "It's never easy, and it's certainly not easy in the Eastern Conference. These are tough places to play ... you have to earn these games."

Miami enters just its second game at AmericanAirlines Arena since Jan. 6 in better shape physically as well. Goran Dragic and Josh McRoberts returned from extended absences on Friday, and Dwyane Wade has averaged 25.3 points in four games after missing one with a shoulder injury.

Wade scored 24 points and had the game's final six against the Bucks, breaking a 101-all tie with a jumper with 44.5 seconds remaining. Dragic added 12 with eight assists after missing eight games with a strained calf.

"Look, we're a no excuses team, but we look a lot different with (Dragic and McRoberts)," Spoelstra said.

Miami's still isn't quite at full strength, as center Hassan Whiteside could miss a fifth consecutive game with a hip strain and reserve guard Tyler Johnson is out with a shoulder injury.

The Heat are certainly making strides offensively, however, having shot 52.2 percent while topping 100 points in their last two wins. They averaged 80.3 over a season-high four-game skid that preceded Monday's 89-84 victory at Chicago.

Atlanta has struggled to score during a 1-4 stretch, failing to top 95 points in each of those defeats. It's shot 40.9 percent and averaged 18 turnovers in the losses.

Those problems were most evident during the late stages of Thursday's game at Indiana, where the Hawks were outscored 23-2 over the final 5:34 of a 111-92 setback.

"We didn't do anything right that last few minutes of the game," guard Kyle Korver said. "We missed some defensive assignments. They hit some shots. We had turnovers on the other end. Missed some shots. The thing just snowballed on us. We have to be better at the end of the game."

Atlanta, 2-18 when held under 97 points, was further hindered with leading scorer Paul Millsap sidelined the entire second half by a sprained left ankle. The All-Star forward is probable for Sunday's game.

Though Wade has carried the Heat of late, Chris Bosh's performance may have a greater impact on Sunday's outcome. The veteran forward had 24 points and went 4 of 6 from 3-point range as Miami halted a seven-game series losing streak with a 100-88 victory at Atlanta on Dec. 14, a game Wade finished 3 of 16 for seven points.

Bosh was held to nine of 4-of-14 shooting in the Hawks' 98-92 win in Miami on Nov. 3, with Atlanta's Jeff Teague recording a season-high 26 points and nine assists. Teague had just seven on a 2-of-12 effort in last month's loss.