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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, February 3


Detroit @ Boston

Game 507-508
February 3, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
118.697
Boston
117.622
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 1
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 4
210
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+4); Over

Orlando @ Oklahoma City

Game 509-510
February 3, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
110.970
Oklahoma City
125.929
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 15
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 12 1/2
211 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma City
(-12 1/2); Over

Golden State @ Washington

Game 511-512
February 3, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
131.716
Washington
118.557
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 13
211
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 10
224 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-10); Under

Miami @ Dallas

Game 513-514
February 3, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
116.026
Dallas
118.496
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 2 1/2
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
N/A

New Orleans @ San Antonio

Game 515-516
February 3, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
118.678
San Antonio
129.277
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 10 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 13
207 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(+13); Under

Denver @ Utah

Game 517-518
February 3, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
115.470
Utah
125.339
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 10
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 6 1/2
195
Dunkel Pick:
Utah
(-6 1/2); Over

Chicago @ Sacramento

Game 519-520
February 3, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
121.594
Sacramento
117.551
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 4
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
N/A

Minnesota @ LA Clippers

Game 521-522
February 3, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
111.683
LA Clippers
120.183
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 8 1/2
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 11 1/2
207
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+11 1/2); Under

Cleveland @ Charlotte

Game 501-502
February 3, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
124.779
Charlotte
115.456
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 9 1/2
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
N/A

Atlanta @ Philadelphia

Game 503-504
February 3, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
120.441
Philadelphia
110.424
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 10
211
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 8
207
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(-8); Over

Indiana @ Brooklyn

Game 505-506
February 3, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
119.157
Brooklyn
115.889
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 3 1/2
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 7
201
Dunkel Pick:
Brooklyn
(+7); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
February 2, 2016

Cavaliers at Hornets – 7:05 PM EST

Since losing the first game with Tyronn Lue as head coach, Cleveland (35-12 SU, 21-23-3 ATS) has picked up five straight victories, while scoring at least 110 points each time. The Cavaliers held off the Pacers, 111-106 in overtime on Monday, led by Kyrie Irving’s 25 points. Cleveland has been nearly unstoppable on the highway, posting a 10-1 SU and 4-4-3 ATS the last 11 road games with the lone defeat coming at San Antonio on January 14 as six-point underdogs, 99-95.

Charlotte (23-25 SU, 23-24-1 ATS) returns home following a 2-2 SU/ATS trip out west, capped off by a 101-82 blowout of the Lakers as four-point favorites on Sunday. The Hornets have cashed the ‘under’ in three straight games, while finishing ‘under’ the total in their previous meeting with the Cavaliers in late November, 95-90 on a 203 total. Charlotte has won three of its past four at Time Warner Cable Arena, including recent underdog victories over New York and Atlanta.

Pistons at Celtics – 7:35 PM EST

Both these teams are currently in the top eight of the Eastern Conference, while Detroit is 1 ½ games out of the fourth spot. The Celtics (27-22 SU, 26-22-1 ATS) go for the season split with the Pistons after losing the last meeting at TD Garden last month, 99-94. Brad Stevens’ club plays with no rest on Wednesday as the Celtics have compiled an impressive 8-3 SU and 7-4 ATS record on the second end of a back-to-back. Boston has topped the 100-point mark in 12 straight games, while cashing the ‘over’ eight times in this span.

Detroit (26-23 SU, 26-22-1 ATS) wraps up its three-game road swing after holding off Brooklyn, 105-100 as seven-point favorites on Monday. Stan Van Gundy’s team is riding a four-game ‘over’ streak after scoring at least 105 points in each contest during this span. The Pistons have covered four of the last five games as a road underdog, while posting a 5-1 ATS mark as an away ‘dog in their last six opportunities with rest. In spite of both Boston and Detroit putting up plenty of points recently, the two teams have finished ‘under’ the total in their past two matchups.

Warriors at Wizards – 8:05 PM EST

It’s amazing to believe that Golden State (44-4 SU, 29-18-1 ATS) has won 91% of its games this season. The Warriors are in the midst of their third winning streak of at least seven games this season, coming off a 116-95 rout of the Knicks as 10 ½-point favorites on Sunday. Steve Kerr’s squad has taken care of business as double-digit road favorites, posting a 7-0 SU and 5-2 ATS record, while going ‘under’ the total in three of the past four in this situation.

Washington (21-25 SU, 23-23 ATS) is playing its fourth straight game against a Western Conference opponent, coming off a split of two road games at Houston and Oklahoma City. The Wizards dropped their fourth game in the last five tries at OKC on Monday in a 114-98 defeat as 10-point underdogs, as Washington has allowed at least 100 points in 10 of the last 11 contests. Washington and Golden State are facing off for the first time this season as the Warriors pulled off the sweep last season, while the defending champions have won five straight meetings at the Verizon Center.

Heat at Mavericks – 8:35 PM EST

Things are heating up at the right time for Miami (27-21 SU, 24-23-1 ATS), who closed out January with four consecutive victories. The Heat remains in the Lone Star State after facing the Rockets on Tuesday, as Erik Spoelstra’s team goes for the season sweep of the Mavericks. Miami routed Dallas on New Year’s Day, 106-82, the eighth win in the last nine meetings since losing to the Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. The Heat has struggled against Western Conference opponents on the road this season by posting a 3-5 SU/ATS record with the only three wins coming at Minnesota, Phoenix, and Denver.

The Mavericks (28-23 SU, 29-21-1 ATS) have excelled at home recently, winning 10 of the past 13 games at the American Airlines Center with the last two losses coming to Oklahoma City and Cleveland. Dallas has scored 97 points or less in four of the past five games, while the past two home victories came against two of the league’s bottom feeders – Brooklyn and Phoenix. Rick Carlisle’s club has compiled an impressive 5-1 SU/ATS record at home off a road loss, coming off Monday’s 112-97 defeat at Atlanta.

Bulls at Kings – 10:05 PM EST

Chicago (26-21 SU, 18-29 ATS) continues a seven-game road trip as the Bulls look to snap a two-game skid. The Bulls began the West Coast swing with a blowout of the Lakers, but Fred Hoiberg’s squad scored 93 points in regulation in losses to the Clippers and Jazz. Chicago squandered a late lead at Utah on Monday as they fell in overtime, 105-96 as 5 ½-point underdogs, while scoring a measly three points in the extra session. The Bulls have struggled against the number, failing to cover in 10 of the past 13 games, including a 3-6 ATS mark on the road.

The Kings (21-27 SU, 23-25 ATS) have won three straight home matchups with the Bulls since 2013 with all three victories coming by double-digits. Sacramento rallied past Milwaukee on Monday night, 111-104 without DeMarcus Cousins to snap a four-game losing streak. Cousins is listed as questionable for Wednesday with a sprained ankle, as Sacramento is playing its final home game before the All-Star break, heading east for four games starting Friday in Brooklyn.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Wednesday, February 3

Cleveland at Charlotte, 7:05 ET
Cleveland: 43-24 ATS after leading their last 3 games by 5+ points at the half
Charlotte: 7-15 ATS after a non-conference game

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Atlanta: 43-24 ATS when the total is 200 to 209.5
Philadelphia: 10-23 ATS at home after allowing 100 points or more 3 straight games

Indiana at Brooklyn, 7:35 ET
Indiana: 47-28 ATS in road games off a loss against a division rival
Brooklyn: 25-45 ATS at home after a home game where both teams score 100 or +

Detroit at Boston, 7:35 ET
Detroit: 14-29 ATS in a road game where the total is 200 to 209.5
Boston: 14-6 ATS after having won 2 of their last 3

Orlando at Oklahoma City, 8:05 ET
Orlando: 12-4 ATS in non-conference games
Oklahoma City: 7-15 ATS after having won 8 or more of their last 10 games

Golden State at Washington, 8:05 ET
Golden St: 20-9 ATS after a blowout win by 20 points or more
Washington: 6-14 ATS after playing a road game

Miami at Dallas, 8:35 ET
Miami: 3-15 ATS after covering 3 of their last 4 against the spread
Dallas: 10-2 ATS in home games after one or more consecutive overs

New Orleans at San Antonio, 8:35 ET
New Orleans: 46-73 ATS in road games after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7
San Antonio: 18-7 ATS off a home win

Denver at Utah, 9:05 ET
Denver: 4-8 ATS off an upset win by 15 points or more as a home underdog
Utah: 19-9 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5

Chicago at Sacramento, 10:05 ET
Chicago: 80-53 ATS after 2 straight games where they had 5 or less steals
Sacramento: 8-19 ATS at home after a game where they covered the spread

Minnesota at LA Clippers, 10:35 ET
Minnesota: 2-12 ATS after covering 4 or 5 of their last 6 against the spread
Los Angeles: 39-23 ATS after 2 straight games with 10 or less offensive rebounds

[StarDust Bum]

YESTERDAY'S NBA BEST BETS 1 - 1

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


ATL at PHI 07:00 PM

PHI +8.0


CLE at CHA 07:00 PM

CLE -8.5


IND at BK 07:30 PM

IND -6.5


DET at BOS 07:30 PM

BOS -4.5 BEST BET


GS at WAS 08:00 PM

GS -10.5 BEST BET


ORL at OKC 08:00 PM

OKC -12.0


MIA at DAL 08:30 PM

DAL -3.5 BEST BET


NO at SA 08:30 PM

NO +12.5


DEN at UTA 09:00 PM

UTA -8.0


CHI at SAC 10:00 PM

CHI +2.0 BEST BET


MIN at LAC 10:30 PM

LAC -11.0

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Raptors (33-16) at Trail Blazers (24-26)
Date: February 04, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors made some history over the weekend, completing the franchise's first perfect seven-game homestand.

The Portland Trail Blazers have a chance to finish their seven-game homestand with six wins when they face the Raptors on Thursday night in a matchup between two of the league's hottest teams.

A victory over Detroit on Saturday capped the homestand for the Toronto (33-16), extending its franchise-best winning streak to 11 games. A subsequent six-game trip began with Monday's 112-93 loss to Denver, but the Raptors bounced back the next night with a 104-97 victory over Phoenix.

"It's good to get back to winning," said Kyle Lowry, who had 26 points and hit five 3-pointers. "It feels good to win."

The good vibes are also blossoming for the Blazers (24-26), who have won nine of 11.

In what was generally considered a rebuilding season after needing to replace four-fifths of its starters at the season's onset, Portland has nearly clawed back to .500 and is in the mix for one of the Western Conference's final playoff spots.

'It was just a matter of time before we started to click,' CJ McCollum said after Tuesday's 107-95 victory over Milwaukee. 'Forty games, 50 games in, that's when you start to see a better brand of basketball all around.'

McCollum had 30 points and Damian Lillard had 12 assists as the Blazers won their season-high fifth straight since losing to Atlanta in the opener to their homestand Jan. 20. They haven't won six in a row since a nine-game run in November 2014 and are trying to win six times on a homestand of at least seven games for only the third time.

History is on their side against the Raptors, as the Blazers have won the last seven matchups in Portland and 12 of 13 meetings overall.

'Guys are settling into roles. That helps,' McCollum said. 'We're starting to see that better product. There's still sloppy moments - that happens in basketball - but overall we're doing a better job of taking care of the ball and finishing games down the stretch.'

A commitment to defense has also keyed the turnaround.

In the last four games, the Blazers are limiting opponents to an average 94.0 points - 8.1 below their season mark. Their 47.5 opponent effective field-goal percentage during their win streak is one of the best marks in the league.

'We've been playing solid defense," coach Terry Stotts said.

Portland's defense will be tested by a Toronto team that has been on a tear besides the loss to the Nuggets, averaging 107.8 points in its last 10 wins.

While All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Lowry have been producing slightly above their normal clip, Terrence Ross (8.8 points per game) has scored at least 15 in half of the last six games. The reserve guard is shooting 46.7 percent from beyond the arc in the last nine games and the Raptors are 16-3 when he makes at least two 3-pointers.

"We're just trying to find ways to win games," Lowry said. "Whether it's offense, defense, we're just trying to find ways to win games and close them out."

Portland may be without forward Noah Vonleh after he sprained his left ankle Tuesday. Despite starting, Vonleh only averages 3.6 points and 4.1 rebounds whereas Meyers Leonard averages 9.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while fellow backup Ed Davis is at 6.8 and 7.1.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockets (26-25) at Suns (14-36)
Date: February 04, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The only two Western Conference teams to make coaching changes during the season meet Thursday night when the Houston Rockets visit the Phoenix Suns. While that designation signifies both have been disappointments - and potential sellers at the trade deadline - each enters with some positive vibes.

James Harden will surely feel some back in the area where he starred collegiately. He'll try to prevent fellow former Pac-12 standout Earl Watson from feeling even better than he did following a losing debut as Suns coach.

A day after being promoted to replace the fired Jeff Hornacek, Watson was pleased with his team's effort in Tuesday's 104-97 home loss to Atlantic Division leader Toronto. Phoenix (14-36) got 30 points and 13 rebounds from former malcontent Markieff Morris, promising rookie Devin Booker scored 27 and Archie Goodwin had a career-high 12 assists.

'The energy was positive. I think we have another step to go,' said Watson, a former UCLA star whose NBA playing career ended in 2014. His team has lost five straight and 20 of 22.

'It's not really physical with our team, it's more mental."

The other West coach to be let go this season was Houston's Kevin McHale. J.B. Bickerstaff has gone 22-18 since taking over the Rockets (26-25), who reached last year's conference finals but are currently seventh in the West.

It's hard to blame Harden. He's second in the league with 27.9 points per game and up to eighth with 7.1 assists after totaling at least 10 in half of the last eight games.

'It means the defense has pressure on them,' Harden said of getting others involved offensively. 'Guys are making shots, guys are getting into a rhythm, getting comfortable and it's easier for me.'

Harden tied a career high with 14 assists in Tuesday's 115-102 win over Miami.

"People see the scoring, scoring, scoring, but they don't see that he makes plays for his teammates," Bickerstaff said. "They don't see the passes he makes time and time again.'

The former All-American at Arizona State has flourished when returning to the desert. His 26.6 career scoring average in Phoenix is his highest in any city, including 73 points along with 19 assists and 18 rebounds in the last two visits.

Houston has won three straight in Phoenix but had a five-game series winning streak snapped in the last meeting, a 117-102 defeat March 21.

Dwight Howard didn't play that game and might not have many left in a Rockets uniform. The 30-year-old can become a free agent after the season, and a report surfaced Wednesday that Boston is interested in acquiring him before the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

Howard's 14.4 scoring average is his lowest since his 2004-05 rookie season, and his 12 technical fouls lead the NBA. He had two ejections over the weekend, and the last one got him a one-game suspension for contact with an official.

As he served that ban Tuesday, the Rockets improved to 4-0 this month when he sits out. They've lost the last five games the three-time Defensive Player of the Year has played as opponents averaged 126.4 points.

Morris is among the most-mentioned names involving the deadline after previously saying he wanted to be traded. His best game of the season came Tuesday as he returned to the starting lineup after often seeing limited minutes or none at all under Hornacek.

'I had a feeling if I gave him positive encouragement and let him know that no matter what, we love him no matter what happened beyond basketball,' Watson said, 'and give him an opportunity to play and let him know he is going to play, he is going to get big minutes.'

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Knicks (23-28) at Pistons (26-24)
Date: February 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The New York Knicks swarmed Andre Drummond to key a December win over the Detroit Pistons, but haven't shown signs of being able to replicate that effort recently.

The slumping Knicks will try to tighten things up as they try to avoid their fifth straight road loss Thursday night against a Detroit team that will likely be without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who owns the second-longest active games played streak.

Drummond leads the league with 15.0 rebounds per game and is a big reason why the Pistons (26-24) pace all teams with an average of 15.8 second-chance points and rank among the leaders with 44.7 paint points and a plus-4.0 rebounding margin.

New York's game plan was obvious the first time it faced Drummond this season after he had averaged 17.2 rebounds over the previous six meetings. The club threw multiple bodies at the All-Star, holding him to just nine boards while outscoring Detroit 46-36 in the paint en route to a 108-96 victory Dec. 29 at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks are struggling heading into this meeting, losing eight of their last 11 games. They've also allowed 107.7 points per game in their past 12 after they were outscored 58-28 in the paint despite owning a 50-45 edge on the boards in Tuesday's 97-89 home loss to Boston.

"Defensively, we've slipped as a team," said guard Arron Afflalo, who had 18 points and four of the team's 17 turnovers. "It's not even worth taking about - we just have to improve. We have to improve defensively because offensively we have the talent. The frustrating part is that we're not getting the stops when we need them in the fourth quarter."

Making matters worse, New York is also scuffling offensively with 96.1 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting over a 1-6 stretch. The Knicks have averaged 94.2 while dropping 14 of 18 on the road.

Leading scorers Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis totaled just 26 points on 8-of-27 shooting Tuesday. Robin Lopez, who had six blocks in the first meeting with Detroit, was a bright spot with 17 points and a season high-tying 13 rebounds against the Celtics.

The Knicks (23-28) had a 54.4 field-goal percentage in December and could get more open looks against a Detroit team that has given up 106.8 points during a 1-3 stretch.

The Pistons shot 37.6 percent and couldn't dig out of a 24-point hole in Wednesday's 102-95 loss at Boston. Reggie Jackson had 17 points and Drummond added 16 with 13 boards.

"It doesn't matter who's scoring," guard Brandon Jennings told the team's official website. "We just need to get the win. That's the most important thing - and play hard every night."

Caldwell-Pope's run of 208 consecutive games played is in jeopardy after he suffered a groin injury. Stanley Johnson, who had 11 points and nine rebounds, will likely move into the lineup after coach Stan Van Gundy said Caldwell-Pope will 'almost certainly be out."

New York could get point guard Jose Calderon back from a four-game absence due to a groin injury.

Anthony had 24 points, six rebounds and six assists in the last meeting, but he hasn't played at Detroit since scoring 13 on 5-of-21 shooting in a 98-95 loss on Nov. 5, 2014.

The Knicks had lost five of the past seven meetings before winning in December.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Lakers (10-41) at Pelicans (18-30)
Date: February 04, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

For more than half of the season, it was looking like there would be very few bad days for opponents to have the Kobe Bryant farewell tour come to town.

The 37-year-old might be finally throwing that into question with the Los Angeles Lakers embarking on a four-game road trip beginning Thursday night in New Orleans.

With the Lakers (10-41) facing the longest losing streak in a storied franchise history, Bryant scored a season-high 38 points, including 14 of the team's final 18 to help Los Angeles hold on for Tuesday's 119-115 home win over Minnesota. Bryant was 10 of 21 from the floor and hit 7 of 11 from 3-point range and is averaging 30.5 points while hitting 11 of 19 from beyond the arc in two games back after missing two of three with shoulder soreness.

"I appreciate the fact that he's out there competing like he has for 20 years," said coach Byron Scott, whose team had lost 10 straight. "His body can't do it like he used to, but his mind is still as sharp as a tack. He still has that will, and I marvel at that."

The Lakers have dropped five straight on the road, though they ended a five-game skid versus the Pelicans with a 95-91 home win on Jan. 12. That was their last victory before Tuesday, and while the offensive performances leading up to the win over Minnesota weren't inspiring, difficulties at the other end might be more to blame.

Dating to the 116-98 loss in Golden State that started the losing streak, the Lakers have allowed opponents an average of 109.5 points on 48.5 percent shooting while their offensive numbers haven't been much of a departure from their season.

Bryant's even had some efficient support from parts of the backcourt lately. Jordan Clarkson scored 16 against the Timberwolves and has shot 56.5 percent in the last two games, while D'Angelo Russell had 18 and is at 52.9 percent in his past two.

The defensive issues could be problematic against a New Orleans team that had been clicking offensively prior to consecutive losses. Over the preceding 7-2 span, the Pelicans (18-30) had averaged 110.2 points while shooting 47.1 percent and 44.1 from long range with an average of 11.1 makes per game.

After Wednesday's 110-97 loss in San Antonio, they've dipped to 96.0 and 43.3 percent while hitting 28.9 from outside in the two defeats. Their 19 turnovers were quite a departure from the 10.9 they'd averaged over the previous 10 games.

"I thought we did a lot of things right, but there were some things we needed to cut back on. One of them was turnovers," Jrue Holiday said. "We had 19, which you can't have. That's not really us - for the last month or so, we've cut that down to seven or eight (in many games)."

The Lakers' win in last month's meeting came with three-time All-Star Anthony Davis sidelined, and the power forward averaged 25.0 points on 66.3 percent with 9.6 rebounds on New Orleans' preceding five-game winning streak over Los Angeles.

This time around, the Pelicans could be without Tyreke Evans, who has missed the past four games with a knee injury in addition to the absence of Eric Gordon (broken finger). Bryce Dejean-Jones has started the last four along with Norris Cole, but much of Evans' offense has been deferred to Holiday. The guard has averaged 21.4 points in the last five games despite a 1-for-14 effort in Monday's loss to Memphis.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
February 4, 2016

More often than not the point-spread matters in the Association and that’s been the case again this week but the favorites have been coming out on top lately and total bettors riding the ‘over’ have done very well during this span too. Perhaps that’s why we have some hot handicappers on VegasInsider.com?

All kidding aside, favorites have started off this week 19-6 straight up and 15-10 against the spread while the ‘over’ has produced a 14-8-3 mark since Monday. Even though it was very close, the big boys (Warriors, Spurs) both notched wins, covers and ‘over’ tickets last night which helped favorites go 8-3 SU and 6-5 ATS overall.

The two underdogs that did cash were impressive as the Hornets (+300) and Timberwolves (+625) captured outright upsets against Cavaliers and Clippers respectively.

Thursday’s card slows down a bit with four games and below is my quick handicap.

New York (23-28 SU, 29-22 ATS) at Detroit (26-23 SU, 26-21-2 ATS)

Injuries have played a major toll for the Knicks recently and they’ve struggled to a 3-8 record both SU and ATS in their last 11 games. They've dropped five straight on the road and have gone 1-4 ATS in those setbacks. The backcourt is a mess and the only wins they’ve captured in this span came against teams (76ers, Jazz, Suns) with worse guards.

Tonight, they meet Detroit (-5 ½) and it has two quality point guards. Stan Van Gundy’s team isn’t in great form either, losers in three of their last four but all of the setbacks came by single digits.

The Pistons did fall 102-95 to the Celtics on Wednesday and they are 3-7 SU and 4-5-1 ATS on zero days rest this season. However, all seven losses were on the road and the three wins came at The Palace.

Detroit dropped a 108-96 decision to New York on Dec. 29 as a 1 ½-point road favorite. The ‘over’ (198 ½) cashed in that game and is 4-1 in the last five encounters between the pair.

L.A. Lakers (10-41 SU, 22-28-1 ATS) at New Orleans (18-29 SU, 20-27 ATS)

The highest line of the night takes place in “The Big Easy” as the Pelicans (-10 ½) host the Lakers in the second game of the TNT double-header. New Orleans put up an early fight at San Antonio last night but wound up losing 110-97 while getting outscored by nine points in the final quarter.

The Pelicans had dropped its first seven games on zero days rest this season but has since won three in a row when facing back-to-back situations. Overall, the Pelicans are 6-4 ATS and the ‘under’ is 7-3 in games played on no rest this season.

The Lakers enter this game off a 119-115 win over Minnesota on Tuesday as a 4 ½-point home underdog. The victory snapped an 11-game losing streak for the club. Los Angeles has only earned back-to-backs games twice this season which came during a three-game winning streak at the start of January and against the 76ers and Suns.

New Orleans isn’t in that class and it will be looking to avenge a 95-91 loss to Los Angeles when the pair met on Jan. 12 from the Staples Center. The Pelicans didn’t have Anthony Davis for that game and still led for the majority of that game. Davis is expected to go tonight but Tyreke Evans (knee) is ‘questionable’ and Eric Gordon (finger) remains out.

Total bettors are staring at number between 208 and 209 for this game and it might rise by tipoff. The Pelicans are 9-0-1 to the ‘over’ in their last 10 games and both teams are allowing over 105 points per game. New Orleans has been on point offensively lately, averaging 110.2 PPG in their last 11 games and the 3-point percentage (44.1) has been lights out.

Toronto (33-16 SU, 26-22-1 ATS) at Portland (24-26 SU, 27-23 ATS)

This is the best game tonight and should’ve been part of the national TNT broadcast. You can make an argument that these teams have two of the best backcourts in the NBA with Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan squaring off against Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. Oddsmakers sent out Portland as a one-point favorite and that number has dropped to pick ‘em at a few spots. Based on the home-away numbers for Portland (15-10 SU, 14-11 ATS) and Toronto (15-10 SU, 13-11-1 ATS), you can definitely see why the line is so tight.

Toronto enters this game on a 12-1 run its last 13 games but it has burned bettors with a 0-4 ATS mark over its last four. Meanwhile, Portland has won five straight and nine of its last 11 games and this winning stretch started with a great come from behind victory over Oklahoma City on Jan. 10 when they couldn’t miss down the stretch.

The Trail Blazers, known for chucking 3-pointers, have been in great form defensively lately. They’ve held four straight opponents under 100 and that’s resulted in four consecutive ‘under’ tickets. Toronto is no stranger to defense, ranked fifth in scoring (97 PPG) and seventh in defensive efficiency.

The total of 204 is low for Portland at home, which could tell you that this game could be more of a defensive struggle rather than a shootout.

Portland has owned Toronto recently, winning nine of the last 10 meetings and covering eight of those victories. However, the last two encounters in Portland were tight with the Blazers earning five and three-point victories.

Houston (26-25 SU, 22-29 ATS) at Phoenix (14-36 SU, 19-31 ATS)

The Rockets opened as 8 ½-point favorites and the early money dropped the line to 7 ½ at a few books and I’m not sure why. Houston hasn’t been a great road bet (10-13 SU, 10-13 ATS) at all this season but this Phoenix team is a complete mess.

The Suns have dropped five straight and 20 of their last 22 games. They did put forth a nice effort at home Tuesday versus Toronto for interim coach Earl Watson but still lost 104-97 and the reason it was close is because they shot well (47%).

I talked about Phoenix’s backcourt woes this past Tuesday and now they face one superstar (James Harden) and a pair of quality backups (Patrick Beverly, Ty Lawson) tonight. Plus, Harden loves playing in Arizona where he went to school down the block at ASU. His career 26.6 average in Phoenix is his highest in any NBA city.

If Phoenix doesn’t come close to its offensive production that it put up Tuesday, this is more than likely a wire-to-wire blowout. While this matchup doesn’t bode well for the Suns, I would lean to them on Saturday versus the Jazz because Utah’s backcourt is far from great.

Due to the injuries for the Suns, past meetings are a wash here but note that Houston has gone 5-1 both SU and ATS in its last six meetings against Phoenix and the ‘over’ has also produced a 5-1 mark.

[StarDust Bum]

Lakers, Pelicans meet in NOLA
February 4, 2016


LOS ANGELES LAKERS (10-41) at NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (18-30)

Tip-off: Thursday, 9:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: New Orleans -10.5, Total 209.5

The Lakers will be going for their second straight victory when they face the Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Thursday.

Los Angeles snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 119-115 win at home against Minnesota on Tuesday. The Lakers turned the ball over just nine times in that game and forced the Timberwolves to cough it up 15 times. They will need to continue to take care of the ball moving forward and it also helps that they hit 50% of their shots against the Timberwolves. It was the first time they shot 50% or better since a loss in Sacramento on Jan. 7.

New Orleans, meanwhile, has now dropped two straight after losing 110-97 as a 12.5-point road underdog in San Antonio on Wednesday. The team has also failed to cover in three straight games and four of the past five.

The Pelicans are just not defending well, as they have allowed each of their past two opponents to shoot over 50% from the field and they have not held an opponent to under 40% shooting since facing this same Lakers team in Los Angeles on Jan. 12. The Lakers won that game 95-91, though.

Despite that victory for Los Angeles, the Pelicans are 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS in this head-to-head series over the past three seasons.

That includes a 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS record when playing at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans are, however, just 4-12 ATS revenging a road loss versus an opponent this season. Fortunately the team is facing a Lakers team that is 6-15 ATS after a game where it covered on the year.

PF Larry Nance Jr. (Knee) is out indefinitely for the Lakers on Thursday and SF Tyreke Evans (Knee) is questionable for the Pelicans, who are already without SG Eric Gordon (Finger) for the next few weeks.

The Lakers were able to get back into the win column on Tuesday night and that was strictly because SG Kobe Bryant (16.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.0 SPG) had a throwback night at the Staples Center. Bryant went off against the Timberwolves, finishing with 38 points, five assists, five boards and two steals in 33 minutes of action. He was 10-for-21 from the field and 7-for-11 from the outside in the game and if he can come anywhere close to touching those numbers then the Lakers could beat this Pelicans team in New Orleans.

PG D’Angelo Russell (12.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG) also played well against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, finishing with 18 points, three assists, three boards and a steal in 28 minutes of action. Russell is starting to get more minutes for the Lakers and he will need to continue to make good decisions with the ball in order to stay on the court. This Pelicans team struggles defensively and it’s important that Russell takes advantage of that by driving to the hoop and finding his teammates for open shots.

PF Julius Randle (11.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG) could also help this team win games by continuing to dominate around the basket. Over the past five games, Randle is averaging 15.6 PPG and 11.2 RPG. He has really found his game for Los Angeles and is starting to realize how impossible he is to stop when he puts his head down and drives the ball to the rim. His strength could give Anthony Davis a lot of problems on the glass in this one.

The Pelicans have been really disappointing this season, but one guy that has continued to play at an elite level is PF Anthony Davis (23.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 2.4 BPG, 1.3 SPG). Davis has been a monster this season for New Orleans and most recently put up 28 points with 10 boards, four assists, four blocks and four steals in a loss to San Antonio on Wednesday. Davis is a mismatch for his opponents whenever he steps on the floor and he will need to impact the game in multiple ways on Thursday.

His offensive numbers will mean nothing if he cannot protect the rim against a red-hot Julius Randle in this one. Another guy that will need to play well in this game is PG Jrue Holiday (14.4 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.1 SPG). Holiday has been on fire recently, averaging 21.4 PPG and 6.6 APG over the past five contests. He is healthier than he has been in the past two seasons and is really starting to come into his own for New Orleans.

He will, however, need to start shooting the ball better for the Pelicans. He is hitting just 25% of his threes over the past five games and he is a much better shooter than that, as evidenced by his 35.7% shooting from the outside on the year.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Six of the best minor league prospects for the Baltimore Orioles........

1) Dylan Bundy, P-- 23-year old has been haunted by injuries.

2) Hunter Harvey, P-- Missed LY with an injury, but didn't have surgery.

4) Jomar Reyes, 3B-- Won't be 19 for a couple more weeks.

5) Michael Givens, P-- Had 30 strikeouts in 30 IP in majors LY.

8) Trey Mancini, 1B-- .315 hitter in 1,332 ABs in minor leagues.

25) Mike Yastrzemski, OF-- Grandson of Hall of Famer played at Vandy.

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Looking at obscure Super Bowl prop bets

Apparently Bovada.lv has lines on all these props; if you're a compulsive gambler, Super Bowl week can be tough. One sportsbook in Las Vegas puts out a 40-page pdf file with all the wagering possibilities for Sunday.

13) Will the Panthers player who scores their first TD give the ball to a boy or a girl?
Boy: -200...........Girl: +150

12) How many times will "John Fox" be said during the broadcast?
Over 1 (-$140)..........Under 1 (even)

11) How many times will Archie Manning be shown during the broadcast?
Over 1.5 (even).............Under 1.5 (-$140)

10) How many times will John Elway be shown during the broadcast?
Over 2.5 (even).......Under 2.5 (-$140)

9) What color will Beyonce's footwear be at halftime?
Black 3/2....Gold/brown 5/2......White 11/4.....Silver/grey 19/4......other 7/1

8) How many viewers will watch Super Bowl 50?
Over/under is 117,000,000 viewers

7) What will the Nielsen rating be for Super Bowl 50?
Over/under is 48.5 (Last year's rating was 49.7)

6) Will there be a penalty for excessive celebration?
Yes +$250..........No -$400

5) Will either backup QB take a snap during the game?
Yes +$200.......No -$300

4) Which will be higher:
Donald Trump's % in New Hampshire primary: -$200
Points scored by winning team in Super Bowl: +$150

3) Which will be higher:
DeMarcus Cousins points + rebounds on February 7 (-$105)
Cam Newton's rushng yards (-$105)

2) Which will be higher:
Goals scored in Montreal-Carolina game February 7 (-$105)
Total receptions by Carolina TE Greg Olsen (-$105)

1) Will the person who calls the coin toss be right?

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, February 4

Hot teams
-- Portland won its last five games (7-1 last 8HF). Toronto won 12 of its last 13 games (1-3 last 4AU).

Cold teams
-- Detroit lost three of last four games (11-2 last 13HF). Knicks lost six of their last seven games (4-1 last 5AU).
-- Lakers lost 11 of last 12 games (7-14 last 21AU). Pelicans lost last two games, by 13-15 points (3-6 last 9HF).
-- Suns lost 20 of last 22 games (6-3HU). Houston lost three of its last four games (4-5AF).

Series records
-- Pistons won four of last six games with New York.
-- Lakers lost five of last six games with New Orleans.
-- Raptors lost their last four games with Portland.
-- Rockets won five of last six games with Phoenix.

Totals
-- Five of last six Detroit games went over, if they played nite before.
-- Under is 7-2 in Pelican games if they played night before.
-- Seven of last eight Portland games stayed under total.
-- Five of last six Houston-Phoenix games went over total.

Back/backs
-- Detroit lost seven of last nine if it played night before.
-- New Orleans covered four in row if it played night before.




NBA

Thursday, February 4

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. DETROIT
New York is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New York's last 8 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit is 5-15 ATS in its last 20 games when playing New York
Detroit is 17-7-1 ATS in its last 25 games at home

9:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. PHOENIX
Houston is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Houston

9:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. NEW ORLEANS
LA Lakers are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
New Orleans is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
New Orleans is 8-17 SU in their last 25 games when playing LA Lakers

10:00 PM
TORONTO vs. PORTLAND
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland
Toronto is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 8 games
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

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

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, February 4

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NEW YORK (23 - 28) at DETROIT (26 - 24) - 2/4/2016, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in home games this season.
DETROIT is 19-39 ATS (-23.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
DETROIT is 62-92 ATS (-39.2 Units) in home games when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.

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

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

LA LAKERS (10 - 41) at NEW ORLEANS (18 - 30) - 2/4/2016, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 5-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 6-2 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

TORONTO (33 - 16) at PORTLAND (24 - 26) - 2/4/2016, 10:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

HOUSTON (26 - 25) at PHOENIX (14 - 36) - 2/4/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 35-21 ATS (+11.9 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 3-17 ATS (-15.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
PHOENIX 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
HOUSTON is 5-2 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 5-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

------------------
NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, February 4


LA Lakers @ New Orleans

Game 703-704
February 4, 2016 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
107.467
New Orleans
122.338
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans
by 15
204
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Orleans
by 10 1/2
209
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(-10 1/2); Under

Toronto @ Portland

Game 705-706
February 4, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
125.455
Portland
120.823
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 4 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 1
203
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+1); Over

Houston @ Phoenix

Game 707-708
February 4, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
115.733
Phoenix
110.503
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 5
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 8 1/2
213
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix
(+8 1/2); Over

New York @ Detroit

Game 701-702
February 4, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
114.734
Detroit
122.290
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 7 1/2
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
by 4
203 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(-4); Under




NBA
Short Sheet

Thursday, February 4

New York at Detroit, 7:35 ET
New York: 15-7 ATS after having lost 4 or 5 of their last 6
Detroit: 34-54 ATS revenging a SU loss vs opp as a road favorite

Los Angeles at New Orleans, 8:05 ET
Los Angeles: 6-15 ATS after a game where they covered the spread
New Orleans: 28-16 ATS off a road loss

Toronto at Portland, 10:05 ET
Toronto: 7-19 ATS after a game with 15 or less assists
Portland: 22-11 ATS in home games after playing a home game

Houston at Phoenix, 10:35 ET
Houston: 19-4 ATS after 6 or more consecutive overs
Phoenix: 8-17 ATS after one or more consecutive overs

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (707) HOUSTON@ (708) PHOENIX | 2016-02-04 21:05:00 - 2016-02-04 21:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 3 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-15.7 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (707) HOUSTON@ (708) PHOENIX | 2016-02-04 21:05:00 - 2016-02-04 21:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 2 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (-14.8 units)

NBA > (701) NEW YORK@ (702) DETROIT | 2016-02-04 19:00:00 - 2016-02-04 19:00:00
Play AGAINST DETROIT using money line in All games in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points
The record is 5 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.3 units)

NBA > (703) LA LAKERS@ (704) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-02-04 21:35:00 - 2016-02-04 21:35:00
Play AGAINST NEW ORLEANS using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 7 Wins and 21 Losses for the this season (-17.2 units)

NBA > (705) TORONTO@ (706) PORTLAND | 2016-02-04 22:00:00 - 2016-02-04 22:00:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in All games after playing 3 consecutive home games
The record is 18 Wins and 5 Losses for the last three seasons (+13.35 units)

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (703) LA LAKERS@ (704) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-02-04 21:35:00 - 2016-02-04 21:35:00
Play OVER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 15 Overs and 3 Unders for the this season (+11.7 units)

NBA > (707) HOUSTON@ (708) PHOENIX | 2016-02-04 21:05:00 - 2016-02-04 21:05:00
Play UNDER PHOENIX on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 20 Overs and 47 Unders for the last two seasons (+25 units)

NBA > (703) LA LAKERS@ (704) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-02-04 21:35:00 - 2016-02-04 21:35:00
Play OVER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 31 Overs and 10 Unders for the last three seasons (+20 units)

NBA > (707) HOUSTON@ (708) PHOENIX | 2016-02-04 21:05:00 - 2016-02-04 21:05:00
Play OVER HOUSTON on the totalin All games as a favorite
The record is 23 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+13.1 units)

NBA > (703) LA LAKERS@ (704) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-02-04 21:35:00 - 2016-02-04 21:35:00
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin All games when playing on back-to-back days
The record is 13 Overs and 34 Unders for the last three seasons (+19.7 units)

NBA > (705) TORONTO@ (706) PORTLAND | 2016-02-04 22:00:00 - 2016-02-04 22:00:00
Play UNDER TORONTO on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 6 Overs and 18 Unders for the this season (+11.4 units)

[StarDust Bum]

LAST NIGHTS NBA BEST BETS GO 3 - 1

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


NY at DET 07:00 PM

DET -3.5


HOU at PHO 09:00 PM

HOU -8.0 BEST BET


LAL at NO 09:30 PM

LAL +10.5


TOR at POR 10:00 PM

TOR +1.0 BEST BET