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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Celtics (27-21) at Magic (20-25)
Date: January 31, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics got plenty of assistance from their reserves to extend their win streak to a season high and a remarkable string of scoring performances.

A chance to sweep the scuffling Orlando Magic in a home-and-home series Sunday night would only seem to aid their hopes of continuing both runs.

Boston (27-21) had seven players score in double figures in a 113-94 victory against Orlando on Friday, including four from its bench. Kelly Olynyk and Marcus Smart led the way with 16 points apiece as the Celtics' bench totaled 62, its second-highest output this season.

Their reserves also scored 60 in a 116-91 victory in Washington on Monday.

"I think we're coming together well. This last little bit we've played pretty well together, I think, the first and second unit," Olynyk said. "We've had that continuity and just getting used to each other and playing together, and really carving out roles."

In addition to collecting its fifth consecutive win, Boston scored at least 100 points for an 11th straight game. That's the franchise's longest streak since a 12-game run in 1995-96.

"They're playing at a level like we were five to six weeks ago," Orlando coach Scott Skiles said. "They get up, they get into you, they try to make it difficult, and you try to run something (and) they just blow right through it."

The Celtics get another matchup with the Magic (20-25), who have allowed an average of 112.0 points in their last four games. Boston shot 50.0 percent and went 10 for 24 from 3-point range in sending Orlando to its eighth consecutive loss and 12th in 13 games.

"We've got to figure something out. We've got to do it fast or it's just going to keep going south," guard Victor Oladipo said. "We've said it all. We've been saying it all the past couple of weeks, and we've just got to do it. There's nothing more we can say."

Orlando has struggled at the other end of the floor for much of that miserable stretch, scoring 93.1 points per game. The Magic have averaged 101.5 in their four consecutive home wins over Boston while giving up 93.8 per contest.

Oladipo has totaled 41 points and 15 rebounds in the last two visits from the Celtics. He had 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a 110-91 victory Nov. 29.

Tobias Harris is averaging 19.0 points in his last five home matchups versus Boston. Harris was held to 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting in Friday's loss and has missed 17 of his last 24 attempts. Oladipo had 11 points and has totaled 34 in his last three games after scoring 29 in his return from a sprained knee Jan. 22.

The Celtics' Isaiah Thomas has averaged 21.3 points and 8.3 assists in his last three games in Orlando. He had 14 points Friday, his fewest in 12 contest, and was averaging 24.5 in his previous 11.

Avery Bradley was held to six points on 3-of-9 shooting against the Magic after averaging 19.3 while shooting 52.3 percent in his previous six contests.

Orlando's longest skid last season was 10 games from Jan. 16-Feb. 4. The Celtics won their final six in 2014-15 for their longest win streak.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Suns (14-34) at Mavericks (27-22)
Date: January 31, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

If the Dallas Mavericks are to improve their position in the Western Conference, they know they'll need to take advantage of an upcoming glut of home games.

They draw another favorable matchup in Sunday night's meeting with a decimated Phoenix Suns team that's yet to win on the road in 2016.

Currently 1 1/2 games behind fifth-place Memphis and five back of the Los Angeles Clippers for fourth, Dallas (27-22) has a chance to gain some ground during an 18-game stretch in which it plays 14 times at American Airlines Center, where it's won nine of 12.

"It's an important stand for us," guard Deron Williams said. "We've only got a couple one-game trips in the next month or so. We've got to make the most of this opportunity."

The Mavericks got the stretch off to a good start with Friday's 91-79 win over lowly Brooklyn, continuing their recent trend of beating the weaker opponents on the schedule. In having split its last six games, Dallas owns victories over the Nets, Minnesota and the Los Angeles Lakers - teams that are a combined 35-110 - while losing to contenders Oklahoma City, Houston and Golden State.

Phoenix (14-34) qualifies as a soft spot - it's a league-worst 2-18 since Dec. 20 and 4-21 on the road. The Suns have lost 13 straight outside Arizona, 12 by double-digits.

While defending teams has been a season-long problem, injuries to Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight have led to issues on the offensive end as well. The Suns are averaging 92.6 points over their last seven games and 18.3 turnovers over the past six.

After committing 23 giveaways in Wednesday's 113-95 loss at Cleveland, Phoenix had 16 in Friday's 102-84 defeat to New York to fall to 0-3 on its four-game trip.

'You've got no chance when you turn the ball over,' coach Jeff Hornacek said. 'I don't know, when I look at the turnovers they seem like basic plays we don't even complete. If you can't complete the basic plays, you're in for some long nights.'

Bledsoe underwent season-ending knee surgery Dec. 29 and Knight will miss a sixth straight with a groin strain, leaving the backcourt in the hands of youngsters Devin Booker and Archie Goodwin, who have provided mixed results.

Booker is averaging 20.0 points over his last six games after recording 21 against the Knicks. Goodwin averaged 23.3 over a three-game stretch capped by an 11-of-15, 26-point effort Tuesday in Philadelphia, but he's gone 6 of 25 from the field while totaling 18 points in the past two.

With Williams, shooting 27.9 percent over his last four, and Wesley Matthews - averaging 6.7 points in his last three - both slumping, Chandler Parsons has carried Dallas' offense of late. The forward is averaging 24.3 points over a six-game span and gone 26 of 44 from 3-point range in his last eight.

Parsons posted his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds against Brooklyn, while Zaza Pachulia had 16 points and 12 rebounds after missing the previous three games with a sore Achilles.

'He's a walking double-double,' Parsons said. 'It's definitely good to have him back and get our normal starting lineup again.'

Raymond Felton has totaled 35 points in Dallas' two wins over Phoenix this season, the last a 104-94 victory Dec. 14 that began the Suns' road skid. The Mavericks recorded a 111-95 win in Phoenix in the Oct. 28 opener.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Warriors (42-4) at Knicks (23-26)
Date: January 31, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Golden State Warriors are well aware that even the lowliest opponents are salivating at the chance to knock them off, and they got another reminder in the opener to a three-game trip.

After Harrison Barnes bailed them out, the Warriors will try for a better performance Sunday night against the New York Knicks.

Golden State (43-4) blew a 24-point lead in the second half Saturday against league-worst Philadelphia and looked like it might head to overtime until Barnes hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 0.2 seconds left in a 108-105 victory.

"We know every night we play is going to be the other team's best game most likely," guard Stephen Curry said. "We're disappointed in how we played but we got a win. There are going to be a lot of different situations to go through to keep winning."

The Warriors committed 23 turnovers - their most since Nov. 27 and tied for their second-most this season - but had 37 assists. They've had at least 30 assists in six consecutive games, the first team to pull off that feat since Golden State had a run of seven straight in April 1994.

"We kept our composure. We've got to learn a lesson to keep playing for 48 minutes. We only played 24 tonight," Curry said.

With Barnes' shot, the Warriors matched the 1966-67 76ers' league-best start after 47 games. That Philadelphia team won 46 of its first 50.

Golden State also remains ahead of pace on the Chicago Bulls' 72-win team in 1995-96. They were 43-5 after 48 games.

To stay ahead, the Warriors will try to improve to 11-1 in the second half of back-to-back contests. Their only loss was their first defeat this season Dec. 12 in Milwaukee, and only San Antonio's 8-0 mark is better.

The last time it visited New York, Golden State was facing a team that finished 10-31 at home. The Knicks (23-26) have already surpassed last season's win total by going 14-10 and snapped a four-game overall slide by beating Phoenix 102-84 at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

Carmelo Anthony had team highs of 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in his return from a two-game absence due to a sore knee.

Anthony sat out each of the two matchups with the Warriors last season. He was rested for a 106-92 defeat at the Garden on Feb. 7 and had suffered a season-ending knee injury before a 125-94 road loss March 14.

Golden State has won in four of its last five visits to New York, and Curry scored a career-best 54 points in the 2013 defeat. He had a more pedestrian 22 in the latest visit and 25 points and 11 assists in nearly 27 minutes in the most recent matchup.

Klay Thompson had a team-leading 27 points in 25-plus minutes in that home victory, and has a combined 77 points in his last two games. He had a season-high 45 in a 127-107 win over Dallas on Wednesday.

"They're a championship team, they really are," said Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis, who had seven points and seven rebounds in his return Friday after missing his first game of the season Thursday with an upper respiratory illness. "They're playing at an amazing level right now so it definitely won't be an easy game for us, but it's an opportunity."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Festus Ezeli might return Sunday following a two-game absence due to an injured left knee. Andre Iguodala was rested for the first time this season Saturday.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Timberwolves (14-34) at Trail Blazers (22-26)
Date: January 31, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Minnesota Timberwolves' headache is intensifying, and Portland likely isn't the place to bring the swelling down - especially the way the Trail Blazers are playing lately.

The Blazers seek their first four-game winning streak since March and look to continue their home dominance over the sinking Timberwolves on Sunday night.

Portland (22-26) is enjoying its best stretch of the season with seven wins in nine games, and things figure to continue trending upward with eight of the next 10 coming at the Moda Center. The Blazers have won five of six there, including a 3-1 start to a season-high seven-game homestand.

They have won seven consecutive home games against the last-place Timberwolves (14-34) and hold an 18-1 record in Portland versus their Northwest Division foe over the past decade.

After opening its homestand with a 104-98 loss to Southeast-leading Atlanta, Portland has logged three wins of at least 15 points over the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento and Charlotte. The Blazers have averaged 114.0 points in those games.

'Our team is growing closer,' Damian Lillard said after scoring a game-high 22 in Friday's 109-91 victory over the Hornets. 'We're trusting each other more.'

Lillard averaged 27.5 points as the Blazers won the first two meetings with the Timberwolves this season in Minnesota, giving them three straight victories in this series and a 28-5 record since the start of 2007-08. The two wins this season were tight ones, 106-101 on Nov. 2 and 109-103 on Dec. 5.

Minnesota rookie Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 12 rebounds in the last matchup and enters this one on a roll, averaging 23.0 points and 12.5 boards in the past six games while shooting 63.3 percent. However, the Timberwolves are 1-5 in that span and have lost three straight despite Towns having double-doubles in each game.

Minnesota has lost 14 of 16 overall and 10 in a row on the road, equaling its longest skid away from home since dropping 11 straight to close the 2010-11 season.

Towns, 20, finished with a season-high 32 points and 12 rebounds in Friday's 103-90 loss at Utah, becoming the youngest player since Kevin Durant in 2008 to have a 30-point, 10-rebound game.

Even after making 13 of 17 shots, Towns was hard on himself - particularly for his defensive work. The Jazz are one of the lower-scoring teams in the NBA but shot 52.6 percent. Opponents are averaging 110.7 points on 49.3 percent shooting in Minnesota's last six games.

"I played terrible, so they were scoring," the 6-foot-11 Towns said. "I couldn't do nothing. I was like a brick out there for my team (Friday night)... I played like crap. I didn't play well at all defensively. My teammates were the ones that got me points, I didn't get myself points."

Zach LaVine combined for just 22 points while making 7 of 21 shots in the first two matchups against the Trail Blazers, but the second-year point guard has averaged 25.0 points in the last three games while shooting 70.5 percent.

Andrew Wiggins had a season-low five points on 2-of-11 shooting Friday. He's shot a combined 11 of 32 from the field in this season series.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Hornets (22-25) at Lakers (9-40)
Date: January 31, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

In a matchup with a young team on the rise, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's return wasn't enough to get the banged-up Charlotte Hornets back in the win column.

A meeting with the Western Conference's worst team that is in the midst of a nine-game losing streak appears more favorable.

The Hornets try to send the Los Angeles Lakers into a tie for their longest losing streak in franchise history Sunday night at Staples Center.

Kidd-Gilchrist played for the first time since his shoulder surgery in October on Friday against Portland. He registered 13 points and seven rebounds in 33-plus minutes in a 109-91 loss as the Trail Blazers won their third straight and seventh in nine games.

"Being on the floor for the first time was really fun, but it's not about me, it's about the team and finding some wins," he said. "I'm happy to be back to say the least."

While they got Kidd-Gilchrist back, the Hornets might have some missing players for the finale of their four-game Western trip. Nicolas Batum is expected to sit out because of more trouble with a sprained right toe.

Batum has missed seven games because of that injury in 2016 and sat out three straight until a 102-73 drubbing to Utah on Wednesday. He had three points on 1-of-11 shooting and eight assists in nearly 40 minutes Friday against his former team.

Cody Zeller (shoulder) and Al Jefferson (knee) are also expected to sit out. Jeremy Lin (ankle) and Jeremy Lamb (toe), who has missed the last four games, are considered questionable.

"We're just trying to come in here and do what we can to win," forward Tyler Hansbrough said. "That's our only focus. I know we have a lot of guys out and our team is hurting in ways. We're just trying to step up and do what we can to win."

Even being short-handed, the Hornets (22-25) might have enough to get past the Lakers (9-40), who have been outscored by an average of 16.6 points during their nine-game slide.

Los Angeles has experienced only one skid that's gone longer, when it dropped its final 10 games in 1993-94. The Lakers couldn't take advantage of a Los Angeles Clippers team that was missing star Blake Griffin in a 105-93 loss Friday.

"We put a lot of work in and losing isn't fun," guard Jordan Clarkson said.

While Kobe Bryant sat out with an ailing right shoulder and Achilles, Julius Randle had a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds. Bryant is considered questionable and second-leading scorer Lou Williams (illness) is listed as probable.

Bryant scored a team-best 20 points despite missing 15 of 20 shots in a 108-98 loss in Charlotte on Dec. 28. The 18-time All-Star, who is averaging 8.1 points in his last eight games, hasn't been held below 20 in his last nine matchups with the Hornets, the franchise that drafted him 13th overall in 1996.

Kemba Walker had 38 points for Charlotte, which is 2-12 on the road since Dec. 16, with both victories coming in overtime.

Charlotte has suffered back-to-back defeats since opening its trip Monday with a double-overtime win against Sacramento.

Walker has a combined 29 points in the past two games after averaging 32.6 in his previous five. He had a career-best 52 in a double-overtime victory over Utah on Jan. 18.

The Hornets have won back-to-back games against the Lakers after losing six of seven but have dropped five of six road contests in the series.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (837) PHOENIX@ (838) DALLAS | 2016-01-31 19:00:00 - 2016-01-31 19:00:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the this season (-14.6 units)

NBA > (837) PHOENIX@ (838) DALLAS | 2016-01-31 19:00:00 - 2016-01-31 19:00:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 2 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (-11.2 units)

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NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (837) PHOENIX@ (838) DALLAS | 2016-01-31 19:00:00 - 2016-01-31 19:00:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games in all games
The record is 14 Wins and 30 Losses for the this season (-29.55 units)

NBA > (835) ATLANTA@ (836) MIAMI | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI using money line in Home games off an upset win as an underdog
The record is 3 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (-16 units)

NBA > (839) GOLDEN STATE@ (840) NEW YORK | 2016-01-31 19:30:00 - 2016-01-31 19:30:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 22 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+18.25 units)

NBA > (841) MINNESOTA@ (842) PORTLAND | 2016-01-31 21:00:00 - 2016-01-31 21:00:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 42 Wins and 83 Losses for the last three seasons (-62 units)

NBA > (835) ATLANTA@ (836) MIAMI | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in All games on Sunday games
The record is 25 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (+21.15 units)

NBA > (833) BOSTON@ (834) ORLANDO | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in Home games in January games
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-12.25 units)

NBA > (833) BOSTON@ (834) ORLANDO | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 7 Wins and 17 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.85 units)

NBA > (843) CHARLOTTE@ (844) LA LAKERS | 2016-01-31 21:30:00 - 2016-01-31 21:30:00
Play AGAINST LA LAKERS using money line in Home games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 5 Wins and 22 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.8 units)

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NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (835) ATLANTA@ (836) MIAMI | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI ?>in the first halfin Home games after 3 or more consecutive wins
The record is 2 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.5 units)

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NBA TOTALS

NBA > (831) CHICAGO@ (832) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-01-31 15:30:00 - 2016-01-31 15:30:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 4 Overs and 17 Unders for the this season (+12.6 units)

NBA > (833) BOSTON@ (834) ORLANDO | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 19 Overs and 46 Unders for the last two seasons (+25.1 units)

NBA > (843) CHARLOTTE@ (844) LA LAKERS | 2016-01-31 21:30:00 - 2016-01-31 21:30:00
Play OVER CHARLOTTE on the totalin All games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 11 Overs and 1 Unders for the this season (+9.9 units)

NBA > (835) ATLANTA@ (836) MIAMI | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 23 Overs and 51 Unders for the last two seasons (+25.7 units)

NBA > (839) GOLDEN STATE@ (840) NEW YORK | 2016-01-31 19:30:00 - 2016-01-31 19:30:00
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the totalin Home games after a non-conference game
The record is 2 Overs and 14 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.8 units)

NBA > (837) PHOENIX@ (838) DALLAS | 2016-01-31 19:00:00 - 2016-01-31 19:00:00
Play UNDER PHOENIX on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 20 Overs and 45 Unders for the last two seasons (+23 units)

NBA > (839) GOLDEN STATE@ (840) NEW YORK | 2016-01-31 19:30:00 - 2016-01-31 19:30:00
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 > (831) CHICAGO@ (832) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-01-31 15:30:00 - 2016-01-31 15:30:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 7 Overs and 20 Unders for the this season (+12.3 units)

NBA > (835) ATLANTA@ (836) MIAMI | 2016-01-31 18:00:00 - 2016-01-31 18:00:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 53 Overs and 91 Unders for the last two seasons (+32.7 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Sunday
January 31, 2016


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Mavericks are 0-11 ATS (-6.82 ppg) since Nov 07, 2012 off a win in a home game in which they had less than 10% of their points from free throws.


OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hornets are 13-0-2 OU (8.60 ppg) since Apr 25, 2012 on the road with rest after they had fewer than 15 fouls last game.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Heat are 0-12-1 ATS (-11.69 ppg) since Jun 10, 2014 after Chris Bosh was not the Heat’s high scorer in a road win.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Warriors are 11-0-1 OU (14.54 ppg) since Mar 02, 2015 as a road favorite off a win in a road game in which they had at least 30% of their points from threes.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Warriors are 11-1 OU (12.92 ppg) since Dec 02, 2015 after playing on the road when Klay Thompson had a positive plus minus.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

Six of the best minor league prospects for the Oakland A's........

1) Franklin Barreto SS-- Acquired in Donaldson trade; may move to 2B someday.

2) Sean Manaea, P-- Went 6-0, 1.90 in hitter-friendly Texas League LY.

4) Renato Nunez 1B/3B-- Has 75 HRs in 440 minor league games.

6) Matt Olson 1B/OF-- Much better defensively at 1B than in RF.

11) Jacob Nottingham, C-- .284 BA in 785 minor league ABs.

17) Joey Wendle, 2B-- Acquired from Indians in Brandon Moss trade.

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Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday......

13) Kansas 90, Kentucky 84 OT-- If the games at the Final Four are this good, CBS will be very happy with the TV ratings it gets. Tyler Ulis played the whole game for Kentucky; Wayne Selden played 44:00 for Kansas. Great effort by both teams. .

12) Oklahoma 77, LSU 75-- Ben Simmons is a kid, a freshman in college in a new country who is going to be a great player; for the love of God, could you get the kid one shot in the last 4:46 of a close game? He is your best player.

That said, I can't take TV people criticizing the kid for not being more forceful; he is a freshman- its up to the point guard and the coach to get him shots. LSU is 13-8; this win would've put them on the bubble. Not a lot of marquee games left for them.

11) Big X went 7-3 in their 10-game challenge with the SEC, 4-6 vs spread. Favorites from the Big X went 3-3 vs spread; SEC favorites went 3-1.

10) Providence 73, Georgetown 69-- Friars play better on the road than at home.

9) Houston 97, East Carolina 93 2OT-- Players in this game were cramping up on the court, during the second OT. Eight kids played 40:00+- not many teams have lot of depth, as we watch games cross-country all day long.

8) Milwaukee Brewers traded SS Jose Segura to Arizona in 5-player deal, opening a spot for Orlando arcia, their #1 minor league prospect. .

7) Apparently there is nothing in NFL rules that says Raiders cannot move to Las Vegas; Jerry Jones doesn't want them in San Antonio and they seem reluctant to move to Santa Clara to share Levi's Stadium with the 49ers, so Vegas is an option.

6) With a week until the Super Bowl, a huge majority of $$$ being bet on the Super Bowl has been bet on Carolina so far. Underdog bettors are likely wating to see how high the spread goes; would expect lot of Denver fans to head to Vegas next weekend to bet on their team. Carolina's bandwagon is suddenly getting pretty crowded.

5) Long Beach State 78, Hawai'i 64; UCSB 76, Cal-Irvine 60; Top two teams in Big West both lose for first time in league play.

4) Wizards 123, Rockets 122-- Dwight Howard got ejected for the second game in a row, this time with 8:08 to play. His team could've used him.

3) Virginia 63, Louisville 47-- Cardinals had 14 points at the half. Fourteen. Virginia had been 0-3 on the road in ACC games.

2) Channel 687 on DirecTV is one of the better college basketball channels on the dish; ROOT Sports shows lot of games from the west, smaller leagues. Games from Mountain West, WCC, Summit, even some lesser ACC games.

1) We're six weeks from Selection Sunday; Monday is February 1- the second half of conference play is beginning. An excellent time of the year.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, January 31

Hot teams
-- Clippers won four of last five games (7-5 last 12HF).
-- Celtics won their last five games (5-1 last 6AF).
-- Miami won its last three games, all on road (10-11HF).
-- Dallas won three of last four home games (6-2 last 8HF).
-- Warriors won their last six games (4-5 last 9AF).
-- Portland won seven of its last nine games (6-0 last 6HF).

Cold teams
-- Bulls are 4-6 in their last ten games (6-8AU).
-- Orlando lost its last eight games (1-7 vs spread).
-- Hawks lost four of their last five games (1-3 last 4AU).
-- Suns lost nine of last ten games (1-12 last 13AU).
-- Knicks lost four of last five games (3-1 last 4HU).
-- Minnesota lost five of its last six games (3-8 last 11AU).
-- Charlotte lost last two games, by 29-18 points (1-5AF).
-- Lakers lost their last nine games (8-10HU).

Series records
-- Clippers won five of last seven games with Chicago.
-- Home side won last nine Boston-Orlando games.
-- Hawks won seven of last eight games with Miami.
-- Mavericks won their last three games with Phoenix.
-- Warriors won four of last five games with New York.
-- Portland won its last three games with Minnesota.
-- Lakers lost three of last four games with Charlotte.

Totals
-- Seven of last ten Chicago games went over the total.
-- Last four Orlando games went over the total.
-- Last four Atlanta-Miami games stayed under.
-- Over is 6-3 in last nine Dallas-Phoenix games.
-- Four of last five New York games stayed under.
-- Over is 5-0-1 in last six Minnesota games.
-- Four of last six Charlotte games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Golden State is 9-2 vs spread if it played night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Sunday, January 31

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Trend Report
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3:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. LA CLIPPERS
Chicago is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games when playing LA Clippers
Chicago is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 7 games when playing Chicago

6:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. MIAMI
Atlanta is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 7 games
Miami is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Atlanta

6:00 PM
BOSTON vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Orlando is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games

7:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. DALLAS
Phoenix is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games at home

7:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. NEW YORK
Golden State20-4-1 SU in its last 25 games on the road
Golden State5-0-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 9 of New York's last 13 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing at home against Golden State

9:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 10 games on the road
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Portland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

9:30 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 6 games
Charlotte is 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the LA Lakers last 9 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the LA Lakers last 14 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, January 31


Chicago @ LA Clippers

Game 831-832
January 31, 2016 @ 3:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
117.424
LA Clippers
124.812
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 7 1/2
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 5
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(-5); Under

Boston @ Orlando

Game 833-834
January 31, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
123.911
Orlando
114.463
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 9 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 3 1/2
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-3 1/2); Over

Atlanta @ Miami

Game 835-836
January 31, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
116.750
Miami
118.630
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 2
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
N/A

Phoenix @ Dallas

Game 837-838
January 31, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
105.817
Dallas
114.654
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 9
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 12
201 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix
(+12); Under

Golden State @ New York

Game 839-840
January 31, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
131.071
New York
117.550
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 13 1/2
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 9 1/2
216 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-9 1/2); Over

Minnesota @ Portland

Game 841-842
January 31, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
112.434
Portland
125.851
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 13 1/2
200
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 7
209 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(-7); Under

Charlotte @ LA Lakers

Game 843-844
January 31, 2016 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte
111.438
LA Lakers
113.992
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Lakers
by 2 1/2
197
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Lakers
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
N/A

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, January 31

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CHICAGO (26 - 19) at LA CLIPPERS (31 - 16) - 1/31/2016, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) in all games this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 87-61 ATS (+19.9 Units) in home games in January games since 1996.
CHICAGO is 81-48 ATS (+28.2 Units) in road games in January games since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 78-114 ATS (-47.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 179-242 ATS (-87.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 3-2 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 3-2 straight up against CHICAGO 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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BOSTON (27 - 21) at ORLANDO (20 - 25) - 1/31/2016, 6:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 75-57 ATS (+12.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 42-25 ATS (+14.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 46-30 ATS (+13.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in January games this season.
ORLANDO is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

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

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ATLANTA (27 - 21) at MIAMI (26 - 21) - 1/31/2016, 6:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 7-2 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 7-3 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (14 - 34) at DALLAS (27 - 22) - 1/31/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in road games this season.
PHOENIX is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) in road games in January games this season.
PHOENIX is 3-16 ATS (-14.6 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
PHOENIX is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in home games this season.
DALLAS is 300-245 ATS (+30.5 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
PHOENIX is 81-55 ATS (+20.5 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 13-24 ATS (-13.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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GOLDEN STATE (43 - 4) at NEW YORK (23 - 26) - 1/31/2016, 7:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 29-20 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 77-54 ATS (+17.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 20-7 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 48-35 ATS (+9.5 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 44-28 ATS (+13.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

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

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MINNESOTA (14 - 34) at PORTLAND (22 - 26) - 1/31/2016, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 54-73 ATS (-26.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MINNESOTA is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
MINNESOTA is 41-25 ATS (+13.5 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.

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

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CHARLOTTE (22 - 25) at LA LAKERS (9 - 40) - 1/31/2016, 9:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 4-1 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 3-2 straight up against LA LAKERS 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

Sunday, January 31

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Bulls at Clippers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chris Paul and the Clippers will try to win thir fourth straight game when they welcome the Bulls to town Sunday.

Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers (-5.5, 204.5)

The Los Angeles Clippers’ internal issues are not spilling over to the product on the court, and the latest winning streak is at three in a row. The Clippers will try to make it four straight and 15 of 18 without Blake Griffin when they host the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.

Griffin is expected be out at least a month longer after breaking a bone in his hand during an altercation with a member of the team’s staff, but Los Angeles is filling the gap any way it can. Lance Stephenson got a rare chance to step up and delivered with 16 points in a 105-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The Bulls took advantage of the Lakers the previous night with a 114-91 triumph in the opener of a seven-game road trip. “I think we played extremely well, played together, rebounded the ball well,” Chicago guard Jimmy Butler told reporters. “We just gave the ball to the open guy and were making shots. Guys were spacing the floor well. The right play was to make the pass and they made the shot.”

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: The Clippers, who havea played well without Blake Griffin, opened as 5-point home favorites and were bet to -5.5. It has been the total tha has seen a bunch of action moving up 2-points from 202.5 to 204.5.

INJURY REPORT:

Bulls - SG K. Hinrich (probable Sunday, quadricep), PF N. Mirotic (Mid February, appendix), SG M. Dunleavy (Early February, back), C J. Noah (out for season, shoulder).

Clippers - PF B. Griffin (Late March, hand).

POWER RANKINGS: Bulls (-3.6) - Clippers (-7.3) + home court (-3) = Clippers -6.7

ABOUT THE BULLS (26-19, 18-27 ATS, 23-21-1 O/U): Butler was named as Chicago’s lone All-Star Game representative before Thursday’s game against the Lakers and showed why with 26 points, 10 assists and four steals. “We are putting the ball in his hands a lot, not just in isolation situations, but also we're putting him in a lot of ball screens,” Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. “And he's just making the right play and the right read, he's continuing to get better in that role." Butler was limited to 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting at home against the Clippers on Dec. 10, but the Bulls pulled out an 83-80 triumph.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (31-16, 22-22-3 ATS, 21-26 O/U): Stephenson has been an afterthought on the bench for most of the season but got a chance on Friday with Griffin out and Paul Pierce taking the day off to get some rest. The former Indiana Pacers star went 6-of-7 from the field in 22 minutes off the bench – his longest stint and highest point total since posting 19 points in 28 minutes against the Pacers on Dec. 2. Stephenson’s big game was part of a 56-point effort from the reserves.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 0-4 ATS in their last four games following a straight up win.
* Clippers are 6-0 ATS in their last six games following a ATS loss.
* Over is 8-1 in Bulls last nine road games.
* Under is 5-0 in Clippers last five games overall.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-seven percent of the public are backing the Bulls in this matchup, with 64 percent of wagers on the over.

[StarDust Bum]

SUNDAY, JANUARY 31

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CHI at LAC 03:30 PM

LAC -6.0 BEST BET


BOS at ORL 06:00 PM

BOS -4.5 BEST BET

U 204.5


ATL at MIA 06:00 PM

ATL +1.0 BEST BET



MORE LATER GOOD LUCK !

[StarDust Bum]

THE REST OF THE NBA SCHEDULE:

PHO at DAL 07:00 PM

DAL -10.5 BEST BET


GS at NY 07:30 PM

GS -10.0 BEST BET


MIN at POR 09:00 PM

MIN +6.5


CHA at LAL 09:30 PM

CHA -3.5 BEST BET