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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, February 24


New York @ Indiana

Game 501-502
February 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
111.936
Indiana
117.373
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 5 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 8
203
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(-8); Under

Charlotte @ Cleveland

Game 503-504
February 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte
122.143
Cleveland
126.742
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 4 1/2
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 8 1/2
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Charlotte
(+8 1/2); Under

Philadelphia @ Detroit

Game 505-506
February 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
108.611
Detroit
121.481
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 13
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
by 11
208
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(-11); Over

Minnesota @ Toronto

Game 507-508
February 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
114.830
Toronto
127.074
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 12
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 9 1/2
212
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-9 1/2); Over

Golden State @ Miami

Game 509-510
February 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
128.116
Miami
117.524
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 10 1/2
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 8
214 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-8); Over

LA Lakers @ Memphis

Game 511-512
February 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
112.168
Memphis
122.936
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 11
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 8
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis
(-8); Over

Washington @ Chicago

Game 513-514
February 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
119.246
Chicago
118.240
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1
205
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 2
211
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(+2); Under

Oklahoma City @ Dallas

Game 515-516
February 24, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma City
119.644
Dallas
122.247
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 2 1/2
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 4 1/2
216
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(+4 1/2); Under

Denver @ LA Clippers

Game 517-518
February 24, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
114.843
LA Clippers
123.251
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 8 1/2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 11
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(+11); Under

San Antonio @ Sacramento

Game 519-520
February 24, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
122.963
Sacramento
119.837
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 3
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
N/A

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (515) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (516) DALLAS | 2016-02-24 20:35:00 - 2016-02-24 20:35:00
Play AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY against the spread in Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-9.9 units)

NBA > (513) WASHINGTON@ (514) CHICAGO | 2016-02-24 20:05:00 - 2016-02-24 20:05:00
Play AGAINST CHICAGO against the spread in All games against Southeast division opponents
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-9.9 units)

NBA > (515) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (516) DALLAS | 2016-02-24 20:35:00 - 2016-02-24 20:35:00
Play AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY against the spread in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 5 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-13.7 units)

NBA > (505) PHILADELPHIA@ (506) DETROIT | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play ON DETROIT against the spread in All games after a division game
The record is 20 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.4 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (513) WASHINGTON@ (514) CHICAGO | 2016-02-24 20:05:00 - 2016-02-24 20:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 43 Wins and 16 Losses for the last two seasons (+29.95 units)

NBA > (513) WASHINGTON@ (514) CHICAGO | 2016-02-24 20:05:00 - 2016-02-24 20:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO using money line in All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 19 Wins and 7 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.85 units)

NBA > (519) SAN ANTONIO@ (520) SACRAMENTO | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO using money line in All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 3 Wins and 11 Losses for the this season (-14.8 units)

NBA > (515) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (516) DALLAS | 2016-02-24 20:35:00 - 2016-02-24 20:35:00
Play AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY using money line in Road games when playing with 2 days rest
The record is 3 Wins and 10 Losses for the last three seasons (-17.4 units)

NBA > (517) DENVER@ (518) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play AGAINST LA CLIPPERS using money line in All games when the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 4 Wins and 10 Losses for the this season (-16.25 units)

NBA > (507) MINNESOTA@ (508) TORONTO | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 24 Wins and 50 Losses for the last three seasons (-40.45 units)

NBA > (505) PHILADELPHIA@ (506) DETROIT | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play AGAINST DETROIT using money line in Home games after a division game
The record is 8 Wins and 15 Losses for the last three seasons (-21.15 units)

NBA > (509) GOLDEN STATE@ (510) MIAMI | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play AGAINST MIAMI using money line in All games after 3 or more consecutive wins
The record is 1 Wins and 7 Losses for the last two seasons (-12.35 units)

NBA > (519) SAN ANTONIO@ (520) SACRAMENTO | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO using money line in All games against Southwest division opponents
The record is 5 Wins and 23 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.3 units)

NBA > (515) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (516) DALLAS | 2016-02-24 20:35:00 - 2016-02-24 20:35:00
Play AGAINST DALLAS using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 11 Wins and 25 Losses for the last two seasons (-20.95 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (519) SAN ANTONIO@ (520) SACRAMENTO | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO ?>in the first halfin All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 1 Wins and 14 Losses for the this season (-14.4 units)

NBA > (507) MINNESOTA@ (508) TORONTO | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play AGAINST TORONTO ?>in the first halfin Home games in February games
The record is 0 Wins and 12 Losses for the last three seasons (-13.2 units)

NBA > (503) CHARLOTTE@ (504) CLEVELAND | 2016-02-24 19:05:00 - 2016-02-24 19:05:00
Play ON CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 37 Wins and 16 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.4 units)

NBA > (503) CHARLOTTE@ (504) CLEVELAND | 2016-02-24 19:05:00 - 2016-02-24 19:05:00
Play ON CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 27 Wins and 10 Losses for the last two seasons (+16 units)

NBA > (501) NEW YORK@ (502) INDIANA | 2016-02-24 19:05:00 - 2016-02-24 19:05:00
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 22 Wins and 49 Losses for the last three seasons (-31.9 units)

NBA > (515) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (516) DALLAS | 2016-02-24 20:35:00 - 2016-02-24 20:35:00
Play AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY ?>in the first halfin Road games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the last three seasons (-14.6 units)

NBA > (509) GOLDEN STATE@ (510) MIAMI | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE ?>in the first halfin All games when the first half total >= 105.5
The record is 27 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (+13.8 units)

NBA > (515) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (516) DALLAS | 2016-02-24 20:35:00 - 2016-02-24 20:35:00
Play AGAINST OKLAHOMA CITY ?>in the first halfin Road games after a non-conference game
The record is 6 Wins and 20 Losses for the last two seasons (-16 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (517) DENVER@ (518) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 6 Overs and 21 Unders for the this season (+14.4 units)

NBA > (519) SAN ANTONIO@ (520) SACRAMENTO | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 24 Overs and 60 Unders for the last three seasons (+33.6 units)

NBA > (517) DENVER@ (518) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play OVER DENVER on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 28 Overs and 11 Unders for the this season (+15.9 units)

NBA > (509) GOLDEN STATE@ (510) MIAMI | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 27 Overs and 56 Unders for the last two seasons (+26.3 units)

NBA > (509) GOLDEN STATE@ (510) MIAMI | 2016-02-24 19:35:00 - 2016-02-24 19:35:00
Play OVER GOLDEN STATE on the totalin All games when the first half total >= 105.5
The record is 28 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+14.8 units)

NBA > (517) DENVER@ (518) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-02-24 22:35:00 - 2016-02-24 22:35:00
Play OVER DENVER on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 25 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+14 units)

NBA > (511) LA LAKERS@ (512) MEMPHIS | 2016-02-24 20:05:00 - 2016-02-24 20:05:00
Play OVER MEMPHIS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 17 Overs and 5 Unders for the this season (+11.5 units)

NBA > (501) NEW YORK@ (502) INDIANA | 2016-02-24 19:05:00 - 2016-02-24 19:05:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 11 Overs and 26 Unders for the this season (+13.9 units)

NBA > (515) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (516) DALLAS | 2016-02-24 20:35:00 - 2016-02-24 20:35:00
Play UNDER DALLAS on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 11 Overs and 26 Unders for the this season (+13.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

3-pointer: Huge week for West trio
February 23, 2016

This is the time of year in the basketball landscape where the sense of urgency noticeably ramps up. In the college game, teams are fighting for conference titles and ultimately, NCAA Tournament inclusion.

An entire season’s goals are on the line.

Things aren’t as drastic on the NBA level, at least for most. The Spurs can afford to take a cautious approach with Kawhi Leonard. Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving can leave a big game because of a flu. Miami can make sure all is well with Chris Bosh. Same goes for the Clippers’ Blake Griffin, who still needs to be cleared in order to begin serving a four-game disciplinary suspension prior to his return. Chris Paul opted not to take a seat beside him as a thigh bruise suffered over the weekend was a non-issue, but L.A. has done enough to this point to ensure it keeps the big picture in mind.

Not all teams have the luxury of time on their side.

After watching Utah and Portland play a riveting game on Sunday night that star guard Damian Lillard ultimately delivered with his exceptional play down the stretch, the conclusion can be made that those were two playoff teams. The Trail Blazers beat the Jazz 115-111 in a game where the teams traded punches as the likes of Derrick Favors, CJ McCollum, Rodney Hood and Mo Harkless took turns shining. Anyone watching saw these recent draft picks are far more polished than they’ve ever been.

You can bet the higher-ups in Houston, Memphis and Sacramento were watching.

With the Warriors, Spurs, Thunder, Clippers and Mavericks looking formidable enough to count as Western Conference locks, the undeniable emergence of the Jazz and Blazers means it’s again going to be difficult to crack the top eight. Given that the Rockets and Grizzlies entered the season with aspirations and the Kings have been in playoffs-or-bust mode, it feels like there’s a college basketball-like urgency to keep them from falling behind.

Houston

The Rockets couldn’t move Dwight Howard at the trade deadline and were willing to part with point guards Patrick Beverley and Ty Lawson, so they deal with an uncertain future going forward. Donatas Motiejunas and Marcus Thornton returned to the team after the Pistons backed out of a deal that would’ve sent Houston a first-round pick, making matters even more uncomfortable. The season has undeniably been a massive disappointment since the Rockets are an underdog taking a 28-28 record into Salt Lake City, so it will be quite telling to see how they respond.

Everyone involved in trade rumors acted like big boys in the first game following the deadline, but beating a Suns team that hasn’t won twice since Dec. 19 isn’t much of an accomplishment. Going toe-to-toe with the Jazz on Tuesday and then traveling to Portland for a Thursday night date with the Blazers will test their resolve. They’ll close the week back home against the Spurs on Saturday. Count on them being underdogs in each of the contests.

Can James Harden and Howard put their differences aside to elevate the level of the rest of the group? Frankly, that’s been a riddle the Rockets haven’t been able to solve consistently, but last year’s tantalizing run to the Western Conference finals suggests it can be done. This week will go a long way in determining whether the want-to is even there. On the road, it will be Houston vs. everybody. If the Rockets aren’t united, they’ll stand no chance.

Memphis

The Grizzlies are in a better spot than their Southwest Division rival as they enter the week in the No. 5 spot, nine games above .500. This week is make-or-break not because it can bury them now, but rather, because it can come back to bite them later.

A home game against the Lakers on Wednesday, the final time Kobe Bryant will visit the Grindhouse, is one that Memphis will be expecting to win. They’ll turn around and face L.A. again on Friday at Staples Center, beginning a three-game road swing that will also take them to Phoenix and Denver to close February. Given the records and current state of all their opponents, the Grizzlies have to take advantage to buy themselves room for error with a tough March in store. Center Marc Gasol will now miss the entire season after undergoing foot surgery this past weekend, and without the recently traded Courtney Lee and Jeff Green to lean on off the bench, odds are good that Memphis is going to dip a few spots in the West hierarchy before he’s able to return.

A strong week would help matters immensely, but the Grizzlies’ 98-85 loss in Toronto on Sunday demonstrated how offensively challenged this group is. The Raps were held to 36.8 percent shooting (3-for-20 on 3s), relying on 39-year-old Vince Carter to be a major offensive catalyst. Newcomer P.J. Hairston started against the Raptors, while Lance Stephenson joins the party this week. Tony Allen will return to his usual allotment of minutes after dealing with a knee injury, but it remains to be seen whether the Griz pack enough punch to hang around in the crowded West. If it struggles with the competition this week, its slide could be significant, taking it right out of the playoff picture.

Sacramento

The Kings face dire circumstances as they prepare to play at Denver on Tuesday night. At 23-31, they hold a 1.5-game lead on New Orleans and are up a pair on the Nuggets, but that currently puts them in 10th place in the West, four games behind the pace in the race for the No. 8 seed.

Sacramento took care of business against Denver at home in its lone outing coming out of the All-Star break, scoring 70 first-half points in a 116-110 victory. DeMarcus Cousins led the way with 37 points and 20 rebounds, Rajon Rondo just missed a triple-double with 24 points, 10 boards and 9 assists, while Rudy Gay also added 24, shooting 4-for-5 from beyond the arc.

It was a great start for a team that made no moves at the trade deadline other than firing George Karl’s most trusted assistant out from under him, further illustrating the divide between the front office and coaching staff. If the Kings are going to make a run, it’s going to take a major effort from the team’s Big Three, one that will have to be replicated on a nightly basis over the next two weeks if they’re going to have any chance at even remaining in the playoff race.

Following Tuesday’s visit to Denver, Sacramento will host the Spurs on Wednesday, the Clippers on Friday and open next week against the Thunder. The Kings will then hit the road for a four-game swing at Memphis, Dallas, San Antonio and New Orleans from March 2-7, returning home to find the Cavaliers waiting for them. Poor Karl. As if it isn’t enough that his owner, GM and star center conspire against him, the NBA schedule-makers are taking a crack too. Unless the Kings rise to the occasion and come out of this grueling nine-game stretch with a better-than-.500 record, they’ll be relegated to non-factor status over the season’s final month.

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


NY at IND 07:00 PM

IND -7.0 BEST BET


CHA at CLE 07:00 PM

CHA +8.5


GS at MIA 07:30 PM

GS -8.5 BEST BET


PHI at DET 07:30 PM

PHI +11.5


MIN at TOR 07:30 PM

MIN +9.5


LAL at MEM 08:00 PM

MEM -8.5 BEST BET


WAS at CHI 08:00 PM

WAS +1.5 BEST BET


OKC at DAL 08:30 PM

DAL +5.0


DEN at LAC 10:30 PM

LAC -10.5


SA at SAC 10:30 PM

SAC +7.5

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Warriors (50-5) at Magic (25-30)
Date: February 25, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Orlando Magic's best stretch in two months comes with the caveat that their opponents are hitting 3-pointers at an alarming rate.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson certainly seem prepared to exploit that problem when the Golden State Warriors visit Thursday night.

The Warriors (51-5) are averaging a league-high 115.1 points per game and reached the 100-point mark for the 15th straight time in Wednesday's 118-112 win at Miami. They've won 14 in that span and improved to 4-1 on a seven-game road trip that ends Saturday against Oklahoma City.

Curry finished with 42 points after his go-ahead 3-pointer with 38 seconds left and clinching free throws with 18.5 seconds remaining. Thompson scored 33 for the defending NBA champions, who are one game ahead of the pace of the record 72-win Chicago Bulls of 1995-96.

Curry leads the NBA in scoring and is averaging 33.8 points in eight games this month. He reached 40 for the ninth time this season Wednesday, and he'll be looking to break Kyle Korver's record of 127 straight games with at least one 3-pointer after draining six against the Heat.

Thompson is averaging 27.8 points during the trip and has hit at least four from deep in each of the last three.

"Steph and Klay can be such equalizers," coach Steve Kerr said. "Steph has license to shoot any time he wants. I'd be an idiot if I didn't let him shoot any time he wants. I tell him all the time to shoot as much as he wants, but let's get the ball moving and force the other team to defend. He got Klay going (in the fourth quarter Wednesday)."

The Magic (25-30) have won four of six and sit in 11th in the Eastern Conference, 3 1/2 games back of Charlotte for the final playoff spot. Their only defeats in that stretch are by a combined five points to San Antonio and Indiana.

But despite their success lately, they're having trouble defending the 3. Orlando is allowing opponents to shoot 43.6 percent from long range during that stretch after Philadelphia went 10 of 21 in Tuesday's 124-115 victory.

Curry (45.5 percent) and Thompson (42.0) both rank among the league's best 3-point shooters and have combined for more 3s (442) than nine teams - including Orlando.

"Every time I watch them I feel like I'm watching the best team I've ever seen play. If they're not (the best ever), they're right there," Magic coach Scott Skiles told the team's official website. "They're the best passing team in the league, hence them shooting the ball so well. Everything is sharp with them.'

Nikola Vucevic provided the offense necessary Tuesday, scoring a season-high 35 points. Victor Oladipo finished with 22 and Evan Fournier added 21 for Orlando, which gave up 31 points apiece in the first three quarters.

The Magic likely won't want to get into a shootout in this matchup, although the Warriors are allowing an average of 107.3 points on the road compared to 98.9 at home.

"We've got to do a better job of keeping our man in front of us and do a better job collectively, and we're capable of doing that,' Oladipo said. "(Golden State) is in a place right now where they are all playing free and playing at a high level because it's fun. They just love playing with each other and I think that's why they play so well. It's going to be a great competition and I'm looking forward to it.'

The Magic have dropped the last four meetings, but they nearly won at Golden State in the last meeting Dec. 2, 2014. Oladipo scored 27 points before Curry's 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds left gave the Warriors a 98-97 victory.

Golden State 13-1 in the second game of a back-to-back set.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bucks (24-33) at Celtics (33-25)
Date: February 25, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics are enjoying their longest home win streak in three seasons.

The Milwaukee Bucks' Michael Carter-Williams has yet to lose in his home state.

One of those facts will change when the Celtics start a five-game homestand Thursday night against Carter-Williams and the surging Bucks.

Boston (33-25) has won eight straight at home for its longest streak there since an 11-game run in 2012-13. The Celtics now get to enjoy their longest stretch of 2015-16 on their own court.

"I'm looking forward to it, we always want to take care of home and it's going to be good being home," guard Avery Bradley said. "We just need to get wins and I'm confident that we can do that."

Carter-Williams may be confident too since his teams are 3-0 in Boston when he plays, with the Massachusetts native averaging 14.0 points and 6.7 assists.

Milwaukee (24-33) has won four of five since O.J. Mayo and Miles Plumlee moved into the starting lineup for Carter-Williams and Greg Monroe.

"Since we made the change in the lineup, it just makes our bench that much stronger," coach Jason Kidd said. "And for them to sacrifice, everybody wants to start and those two have the right to say they should be starting but we have no bench right now."

That change started with a 112-111 home win over Boston on Feb. 9, in which Monroe had 29 points and 12 rebounds. Carter-Williams got the majority of the minutes over Mayo at point guard and had 16 points, six boards and five assists as the Bucks prevailed despite blowing a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Neither Carter-Williams nor Mayo may handle the bulk of the ballhandling duties Thursday since Kidd said after Monday's 108-101 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers that Giannis Antetokounmpo will shoulder a good part of that load after he recorded his first career triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

"We're letting him start the offense," Kidd said. 'We're trying to get the ball to him as quick as possible and having everybody else run."

Antetokounmpo is averaging 20.3 points while posting four straight double-doubles, and Jabari Parker is averaging 22.0 in the last three.

"The way we're starting with O.J. and Khris (Middleton), we wanna get our shooters out and let Jabari and Giannis make plays in the open court, that's what their strengths are right now, we want to take advantage of that," Kidd said.

These teams have split two meetings this season, and the Bucks have done a good job of limiting Celtics leading scorer Isaiah Thomas to an average of 17.5 points on 34.5 percent shooting. Thomas averages 21.6 points and shoots 42.2 percent.

With Thomas pushing the pace, Boston averages 101.4 possessions per 48 minutes to lead the Eastern Conference. The Celtics' defense was deficient in a 1-2 trip after the All-Star break, allowing opponents to shoot 50.9 percent.

Bradley and Thomas combined for 40 points in Monday's 124-122 loss to Minnesota that has them looking forward to turning things around at home.

"Take it one game at a time but definitely we need to take advantage of this stretch," Thomas said.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nets (15-42) at Suns (14-43)
Date: February 25, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

If draft positioning is the present goal, the Phoenix Suns are playing the game well.

Losers of 12 straight, the NBA's worst team over the past two months hosts the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night in a game that could impact their chances in this year's lottery.

Injuries and personnel changes have led to Phoenix (14-43) losing 27 of 29 to record the league's third-lowest win total, one less than Brooklyn (15-42) and just three ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, whom the Suns will face twice in March. The Suns are on pace for their worst finish since going 16-66 in their 1968-69 NBA debut.

Phoenix also stands one loss away from its longest skid since an 0-13 start in 1996-97 after trailing throughout Monday's 124-84 drubbing by the Los Angeles Clippers.

"The process we are going through right now is we are finding out the mental toughness of our team," interim coach Earl Watson said Tuesday on his weekly radio show. "More than anything, we do not make excuses. We come out and we compete and whatever the result is we are accountable for that result."

Watson, 0-8 since replacing Jeff Hornacek on Feb. 1, may have his best opportunity yet for a breakthrough. The Nets are 4-20 on the road and have lost seven straight as the visitors after opening a season-high nine-game trek with Tuesday's 112-104 defeat at Portland.

Brooklyn has no incentive to tank, however, as its 2016 first-rounder is owned by Boston as part of the ill-fated 2013 trade which brought in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. And the Nets have been competitive of late, going 3-4 after losing 15 of 17.

They did give the red-hot Trail Blazers a challenge, battling back from a 14-point first-quarter deficit and a 19-point margin in the third to briefly move ahead in the fourth. The game was tied at 101 with two minutes left before Portland closed on an 11-3 run for its sixth straight win.

'We had a lot more energy (in the second half) and we knuckled down on defense and got some stops,' center Brook Lopez said. 'We came out a bit relaxed. I don't know what it was. There really is no excuse to start that way.'

Lopez led the near-comeback with a season-high 36 points and is averaging 24.8 over the last 11 games. He had 23 in a 94-91 home victory over Phoenix on Dec. 1, helping the Nets amass a 50-34 advantage in the paint.

Brooklyn hasn't won when scoring under 100 since that result, having dropped 21 straight when failing to reach that mark.

Getting there may not be too difficult against Phoenix, which has yielded 101 or more in 24 of 29. The Suns have been particularly dreadful defensively in three games since the All-Star break, allowing opponents to average 119.3 points and make 46.9 percent of their 3-point attempts.

The Nets, though, are 8 of 34 from beyond the arc over their past two games.

Phoenix is expected to have center Tyson Chandler back from a two-game absence caused by a bruised shoulder. Alex Len totaled 37 points and 21 rebounds starting in his place but is questionable after spraining an ankle in Wednesday's practice.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockets (28-29) at Trail Blazers (30-27)
Date: February 25, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Despite big efforts from James Harden and Dwight Howard, the Houston Rockets have already tried - and failed - twice to halt the Portland Trail Blazers' hot streak.

The second double-digit loss to the Blazers this month caused interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff to refer to his team as "broken," and the Rockets are still seeking a fix in the final meeting.

Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum will try to accomplish something no teammates have in the past six years Thursday night when Portland looks to extend its longest winning streak in 15 months to seven.

After McCollum had 31 points and Lillard added 30 in Sunday's 115-111 home win over Utah, the dynamic duo scored 34 apiece in Tuesday's 112-104 victory over visiting Brooklyn.

Now the guards have a chance to achieve a feat not even Golden State's Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson nor Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant has done in recent years. They can become the first teammates with at least 30 points in three straight games since Golden State's Corey Maggette and Monta Ellis in January 2010.

"It's comforting for me to know that I can pitch ahead to CJ and be on the weak side and if he gets trapped, they can swing it to me, but I've got a lot of confidence in him having the ball," Lillard told the team's official website Tuesday following the team's 15th win in 18 games.

Perhaps motivated by his exclusion from the All-Star Game, Lillard has become the first Blazer to score at least 30 points in five straight since Geoff Petrie in the franchise's inaugural 1970-71 season. Lillard's tear has included a career-best 51-point effort last Friday in which he made 9 of 12 from 3-point range in a stunning 137-105 home win over league-best Golden State.

Portland (30-27), which has averaged 118.4 points on 48.5 percent shooting in its last five games, hopes to keep climbing after moving up to sixth place in the Western Conference. It's also going after its longest winning streak since a nine-game march in November 2014.

'We can't let our guard down,' coach Terry Stotts said. 'I'm glad we're making a move.'

The Rockets have had a couple of shots to end the run, but Lillard and McCollum totaled 37 points in Portland's 96-79 road win Feb. 6 and Lillard led the way with 31 in a 116-103 home victory Feb. 10. Harden and Howard have done all they can, teaming for 50 points and 22 rebounds in the home loss before finishing with 62 and 22 in the most recent meeting.

The rest of the Rockets (28-29) totaled 70 points on 29.2 percent shooting in those games. Bickerstaff had enough after the last one, calling it a "broken team" and "fragmented."

Houston responded with a 116-100 win at lowly Phoenix last Friday, but Harden's 42 points weren't enough in Tuesday's 117-114 overtime loss at Utah that dropped the club out of a playoff spot. Harden also scored 45 in a 108-103 overtime home win over Portland on Nov. 18.

The Rockets could have a difficult time slowing the red-hot Blazers this time after allowing 112.8 points per game and a 46 field-goal percentage during a 3-7 stretch.

"Our focus is on us right now," Bickerstaff said. "We are not worried about the other teams."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Thunder (41-16) at Pelicans (22-34)
Date: February 25, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Oklahoma City Thunder rely heavily on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The same can be said of Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Durant and Westbrook look to continue spurring the Thunder's success on the road Thursday night when they face Davis and the Pelicans.

Oklahoma City (41-16) has an 11-game lead in the Northwest Division, and the bulk of that credit goes to Durant and Westbrook.

Durant is third in the league with 27.7 points per game, while Westbrook is tied with Davis for seventh at 24.0 and also second in assists with a career-high 10.2.

Durant and Westbrook made an impact again Wednesday, scoring 24 points apiece as Oklahoma City avoided a third straight loss with a 116-103 victory at Dallas.

It was the Thunder's 13th win in the past 17 road game since Dec. 8, tying Cleveland for the best away winning percentage in that span.

Westbrook handed out 13 assists for his 10th double-double in 11 games, while Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams combined for 28 points on 13-for-21 shooting.

"My job is to be able to find those guys when they're making shots, when they're contributing to our team," Westbrook said.

Westbrook, however, has done much of the damage himself in helping Oklahoma City take three of the last four with the Pelicans (22-34). He's averaging 39.8 points and 8.8 assists while sinking 56.1 percent of his shots in those games.

He poured in 45 points in a 102-91 win in the most recent visit to New Orleans while Durant was out with a toe injury Feb. 4, 2015.

The Thunder coasted to a 121-95 win over the Pelicans on Feb. 11, getting 23 points each from Durant and Westbrook while Ibaka added 18.

They'll face a formidable home team in the Pelicans, winners of eight of 11 in New Orleans while averaging 108.7 points on 47.2 percent shooting, including 41.6 from beyond the arc.

They were nowhere near that productive Tuesday, making 34.9 percent from the field and 6 of 23 from 3-point range in a 109-89 loss at Washington.

Davis' performance was indicative to those struggles as he only managed nine points on 3-for-9 shooting while adding 20 rebounds. That came two days after the star forward had a career-high 59 points with 20 boards in a 111-106 win at Detroit.

"He's not going to force shots up there so he can have 20 shots," coach Alvin Gentry said. "If they're doing a good job, he's still going to play in the flow of the game. As coaches, what we've got to try to do is that we've got to try to figure out - even with two guys on him - how we can get more shots for him.

"The thing about this league is that everybody does a great job scouting."

Davis is averaging 31.3 points on 60 percent shooting in his last four meetings against the Thunder.

Jrue Holiday scored a team-high 20 Tuesday, part of his 22.5 average over the last six games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Spurs (48-9) at Jazz (28-28)
Date: February 25, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The defensive-minded Utah Jazz have clamped down during a dominant run at home that has propelled them into the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot.

They'll get a chance to see how far they've come Thursday night when they put their seven-game home winning streak on the line against the offensively potent San Antonio Spurs.

Utah (28-28), which was the NBA's top defensive team last season, is allowing an average of 88.1 points in regulation during its current winning streak at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

The club has limited opponents to 40.8 percent shooting in this stretch following Tuesday's 117-114 overtime victory that moved them ahead of Houston into the eighth seed. James Harden had 42 points, but the Jazz held the rest of the Rockets to 35 percent shooting.

'We don't talk about it as a team, but I'm sure everybody individually knows what we're fighting for and who we're fighting against," forward Trevor Booker said.

Utah hasn't won eight in a row in Salt Lake City since a 10-game run from Feb. 24-April 6, 2010. However, it's not going to come easy in the second of this three-game homestand.

San Antonio (48-9) has won the first two meetings by a combined 62 points while shooting 58.4 percent from the field and 18 of 42 (42.9 percent) from beyond the arc.

Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 22 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker had 18 apiece in a 118-81 home win Dec. 14 before Tim Duncan scored 18 and Leonard had 15 with Aldridge and Parker sidelined in a 123-98 victory at the AT&T Center on Jan. 6.

Utah, though, did not have Rudy Gobert in either of those contests. The 7-foot-1 center averages a team-high 2.5 blocks, which would rank second in the league if he qualified.

"I think when you look back on it, there are a lot of things you may want but maybe aren't as realistic against (that) group," coach Quin Snyder said about defending San Antonio.

Parker had 23 points and Leonard added 18 in the Spurs' 108-92 win at Sacramento on Wednesday. They've won three in a row and five of six on an eight-game road stretch.

'I feel like we have more weapons (than in the past), but if we don't win a championship it won't mean anything,' Parker said.

San Antonio has averaged 115 points while hitting 24 of 47 (51.1 percent) from 3-point range in its last three games. Parker has stepped up, scoring 23.3 per game over this stretch.

Utah's Gordon Hayward became only the fourth player since 1982-83 to score 27 points on seven or fewer shots Tuesday. He probably won't be happy, however, if Leonard is able to play on back-to-back nights after returning from a three-game absence due to a calf injury.

Hayward has averaged 13.9 points on 34.1 percent shooting in his last nine against the Spurs.

The Jazz have put up 113 per game, well above their previous 97.6 average, and shot 51.8 percent from the field in their last three. Derrick Favors has averaged 21.3 points on 58.1 percent shooting while hitting all 14 of his free-throw attempts in those contests.

Utah has scored just 89.5 per game on 43.7 percent shooting in the series versus San Antonio, which allows a NBA-low average of 92.7 points.

The Spurs dropped both visits to Salt Lake City last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
February 25, 2016

Thursday’s pro basketball slate has six games on tap and this card has a little something for everybody.

The three best teams in the Western Conference (Warriors, Spurs, Thunder) will all be in action tonight and coincidentally they’re all laying points on the road and playing on no rest.

Along with those contenders, we have a matchup between two of the worst teams in the league and a game that features the hottest team in the league, Portland.

Bettors watched the favorites go 8-2 straight up and 5-5 against the spread in the NBA last night and despite looking at some high numbers, the ‘over’ managed to go 7-3. Total bettors have seen the ‘over’ go 11-4 the last two days and those results have seen the high side produce a 33-20 (63%) mark since the All-Star break.

The days of seeing totals listed below 200 in the NBA are rare and we’ve only seen five in the last seven days. Due to the tempo and great shooting in the league these days, I doubt we’ll see any low numbers in the near future plus the Las Vegas books have seen an increase in the NBA this season, especially lately.

Let’s break down the card!

Golden State (51-5 SU, 30-23-3 ATS) at Orlando (25-30 SU, 31-23-1 ATS)

The Warriors knocked off the Heat 118-112 on Wednesday but failed to cover as nine-point road favorites. Including that non-cover, Golden State is now 1-5 ATS in its last six. Oddsmakers opened Golden State as an 8 ½-point road favorite against Orlando on Thursday and the early attention has already went to the host.

Are the Magic better than the Heat? Considering Miami’s depleted roster, you could argue for the Magic plus Scott Skiles is well respected in Vegas power ratings.

The Magic had a horrible spell in January and lost some games in ways you couldn’t imagine but it appears they’ve found their groove and it started just before the All-Star break. Orlando has gone 4-2 SU and 5-1 ATS in its last six and the losses came by a combined five points to quality clubs in the Spurs (98-96) and Pacers (105-102).

Betting against Golden State is always dangerous and you could look at the fatigue factor. However, the Warriors have gone 13-1 SU and 9-5 ATS in back-to-back spots this season with the lone loss coming at Milwaukee back in mid-December.

Thursday’s matchup will be the first meeting between the pair this season. Golden State has won the previous four encounters (3-1 ATS) against the Magic, which includes two double-digit wins in Orlando.

Milwaukee (24-33 SU, 29-28 ATS) at Boston (33-25 SU, 31-25-1 ATS)

Boston opened as an 8 ½-point favorite over Milwaukee and this line looks like a trap or perhaps the oddsmakers are telling us something. When it comes to overall records, the Celtics are much better but I’m not buying their form and I actually would lean to the ‘dog here.

The Celtics closed the first-half of the season with a 9-2 mark and the two losses came by a combined six points. Brad Stevens’ squad has gone 1-2 since the All-Star break and the momentum and defense is missing. Allowing 111 and 124 points in the losses to the Jazz and Timberwolves is unacceptable against two teams that aren’t known as offensive juggernauts. That effort has helped Boston bring a 6-0 ‘over’ run into this game, which has an inflated total of 218 ½.

One of those losses before the break came to Milwaukee, who nipped the Celtics 112-11 on Feb. 9 as a four-point home underdog. The Bucks led by as many as 19 points in the fourth quarter and nearly blew the game. Including that victory, Milwaukee is 4-1 in its last five games.

Milwaukee has definitely underachieved this season, especially after making the playoffs last year. The East is still wide open and knowing that the Bucks play 16 of their final 25 at home, don’t be surprised to see Jason Kidd get this team rolling again.

Oklahoma City (41-16 SU, 23-33-1 ATS) at New Orleans (22-34 SU, 23-33 ATS)

After dropping home games to the Pacers and Cavaliers, the Thunder notched an impressive 116-103 win at Dallas last night, which snapped a two-game losing skid for the club. Oklahoma City has won five of its last six games on zero days rest and covered four of those games while the ‘under’ has gone 4-2.

New Orleans isn’t a playoff team and that showed in Tuesday’s 20-point loss (109-89) at Washington. Outside of Anthony Davis, the Pelicans have no depth and you need them to shoot a very high percentage just to stay in games. In the loss at Washington, the team shot 34 percent and didn’t have a prayer.

The Pelicans have gone 15-12 SU and 11-16 ATS at home, which has been helped with wins in eight of their last 11 at the Smoothie King Center. However, none of those eight wins came against quality opponents and OKC is in another class than New Orleans when it comes to overall talent. As a home ‘dog, the Pelicans have gone 4-4 both SU and ATS this season.

Oklahoma City will be looking to complete a three-game regular season sweep of New Orleans on Thursday after capturing a pair of home wins. The Thunder went 1-1 ATS in those affairs and scored 110 and 121 points.

Brooklyn (15-42 SU, 28-28 ATS) at Phoenix (14-43 SU, 22-35 ATS)

This pair met back in December, and the Nets dropped the Suns 94-91 as four-point home underdogs. Since then, Brooklyn has gone 10-29 while Phoenix is 6-33 overall and the Suns enter this game on a 12-game losing streak while going 2-24 in their last 26 games.

Brooklyn is listed as a short road favorite (-1.5), something it hasn’t been this season. Even more eye opening, the Nets have only given points twice this season and they’re 1-1 in the ‘chalk’ role.

I might be inclined to go ‘over’ (208 ½) in this spot because neither the Suns (107.4 PPG) or the Nets (103.6 PPG) are great defensively and meaningless games usually lean to the high side. Plus both teams have guys that like to chuck and if those shots fall, the scoreboard could see a crooked number.

Houston (28-29 SU, 25-32 ATS) at Portland (30-27 SU, 32-25 ATS)

Portland has been on fire lately, winning six straight and 15 of its last 18 games. The club goes for their seventh straight win Thursday when they meet the Rockets as five-point home favorites in a nationally televised battle on TNT. The Trail Blazers have gone 13-5 ATS during this hot run but they burned bettors on Tuesday as they failed to cover (-11.5) in a 112-14 home win over Brooklyn.

Portland has gone 11-2 at home over this stretch and this will be the final home game before the team plays six straight and 11 of its next 13 as visitors. Do the Blazers finish up strong or can a dysfunctional Rockets squad actually trip them up?

Houston does have the horses in the backcourt to match Portland, plus it has a deeper frontcourt as well. However, the defense of the Rockets is horrible and ‘over’ bettors have seen them produce a 21-4 record to the high side in the last 25.

The Trail Blazers have won two straight against the Rockets, which includes a 116-103 victory as 4 ½-point home favorites on Feb. 10. Portland also blasted Houston 96-79 on the road on Feb. 6 in wire-to-wire fashion.

San Antonio (48-9 SU, 34-22-1 ATS) at Utah (28-28 SU, 28-27-1 ATS)

A handful of books opened San Antonio as a three-point road favorite over Utah and that number tells you that the Jazz will put forth a competitive effort in this game.

Salt Lake City remains a tough out for visitors and Utah has gone 19-10 SU and 16-12-1 ATS at home this season. When catching points at home, the Jazz have gone 3-4 SU and 5-2 ATS but in those four losses, all were by five points or less.

San Antonio blasted Sacramento 108-92 last night as an eight-point road favorite, which helped them cover for the first time in four games. Similar to the Warriors, the Spurs have been a great bet on zero days rest as well this season. San Antonio has gone 10-0 SU and 6-4 ATS but it has dropped four straight against the spread.

The Spurs have defeated the Jazz twice already this season, both victories coming at home and they were ugly. San Antonio won by 37 (118-81) and 25 (123-98) points as the ‘over’ cashed easily in both games.

The book is out on Utah as a clear-cut ‘under’ team due to its slow pace and defensive efficiency but its offensive numbers (107 PPG) since the All-Star break have helped the ‘over’ cash in three of four. At home, the Jazz have seen the ‘under’ go 17-12 and the Spurs have leaned ‘under’ (16-13) as visitors.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

-- George Mason 76, VCU 69-- Not a good time for this to happen to the Rams.

-- Houston 88, UCF 61-- Kelvin Sampson is quietly having a nice season.

-- Xavier 90, Villanova 83-- Had the feel of a Saturday night at Big East tourney.

-- Wisconsin 67, Iowa 59-- How does Greg Gard not get the Badgers' job?

-- Colorado 75, Arizona 72-- Sean Miller always looks angry these days.

-- Cal-Irvine 90, Long Beach State 67- Teams could meet again in Big West semis.

**********

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

13) Oregon State 82, Washington 81-- One of the best endings all season; Stephen Thompson Jr knocked down a 3 at the buzzer as pandemonium erupted in Corvallis. This was a fun game to watch, except for when thunderstorms (??) in beautiful upstate New York knocked DirecTV off the air for a while in the first half.

Seriously, whats the deal with thunderstorms in February?

12) HBO is doing a 5-part reality show on Gonzaga's basketball team; they picked the wrong year, since the Zags might miss the tournament for the first time in 19 years but the end of this week's episode was very good TV.

Gonzaga loses its home finale to rival St Mary's, meaning the Gaels won the regular season title and put Gonzaga in jeopardy of missing the NCAAs. Not good; after the game in the locker room, the players are informed they have to go back on the court to greet the students, apparently a traditional event. They're not that happy about it.

When they get back up to the court, there are a couple thousand students still there, cheering for their fellow students- they start chanting "Its not over!!! Its not over!!!" as in, the WCC tournament can still get them into the NCAAs. I may not be doing it justice here, but it was a fairly touching moment. Something we would never have seen if not for the reality show-- its worth your time, if you like college hoop.

11) Villanova lost last night, meaning that Michigan State maintains the longest time this year at #1 (23 days) before they lost a game. Villanova had gotten up to 16.

10) Top 5 teams in the AP poll are 22-24 on the road this year; this would be the first time ever top 5 teams finished under .500 in true road games.

9) East Tennessee State is 8-1 in Southern Conference games this season that were decided by 6 or less points or in overtime. Thats good coaching, veteran guards.

8) A 33-year old guy in England named Sam Smith got drunk with friends and legally changed his name to Bacon Double Cheeseburger. I'm guessing he isn't married

7) Championship Week starts next week, one of the best times of the year; when the OVC title game comes on, remember that the last four OVC title games were decided by a total of 11 points. Evenly matched teams in that league

6) Nike founder Phil Knight donated $400M to Stanford for a scholarship program; who the hell has $400M to just give away?

5) If I ever coach basketball again, I'll be a stickler for my team passing the ball inside the arc at least once a possession, or at least reversing the ball so it gets to both sides of the floor. I see college teams dribble down, make one pass and jack a 3 and it makes me sick. Good offenses make the team's defense work on every possession.

Guaranteed if you charted points per possession, teams that shoot those quick 3's don't do as well. I'm not talking about shots taken in transition when you have a 2-on-1 or 3-on-2, I'm talking half-court sets. Not too many Steph Currys in this world.

4) Good H&R Block commercial with Pelicans' star Anthony Davis walking down the street with his H&R Block accountant to do his taxes. Encouraging to see a guy who plays for a smaller market team getting a commercial or two.

3) Ohio State lost its best player, Jae'Sean Tate (shoulder) for the season.

2) Houston Astros are expected to have an Opening Day paytoll of $96.7M this year, after making the playoffs LY. Three years ago, Houston's payroll was $18.8M. Wait until Altuve and Correa are there a few more years; Astros will really have to pay the piper then. Houston is America's 4th-biggest city- they'll be able to afford it.

1) Miami Marlins have banned facial hair this season, as if they have nothing else to worry about. What is the point of this? How does this help the players play better or the coaches coach better? Some things I just do not understand.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, February 25

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Game of the Day: Rockets at Trail Blazers
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The Trail Blazers are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings with the Rockets.

Houston Rockets at Portland Trail Blazers (-4.5, 222)

The Portland Trail Blazers are no longer thinking about just making the playoffs, but about earning a higher seed. The Trail Blazers are winners of six straight and 15 of their last 18 and will try to disappoint another team chasing them in the standings when they host the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Portland came out of the All-Star break in a three-team race for the last two spots in the Western Conference with Houston and Utah but has continued its surge to put those team in the rear-view mirror. The dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum have each gone over 30 points in the last two games after Lillard responded to his All-Star snub by dropping 51 points on the Golden State Warriors on Friday. The Rockets had a chance to claim eighth place in the West on Tuesday but could not find a way around Utah in a 117-114 overtime loss. Houston has dropped seven of its last 10 games, including a pair of losses to the Trail Blazers by an average of 15 points.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, ROOT (Houston), CSN Northwest (Portland)

LINE HISTORY: The Blazers opened as 4.5-point home favorites against the visiting Rockets. The total opened at a high 222.

INJURY REPORT:

Rockets - SF M. Thornton (questionable Thursday, acquisition), PF D. Motiejunas (out indefinitely, back).

Trail Blazers - No injuries to report.

POWER RANKINGS: Rockets (-0.9) - Trail Blazers (-3.9) + home court (-3) = Trail Blazers (-6)

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "It's not often we get the same matchup thrice in a three-week stretch, so this somewhat turns into a handicapper's conundrum. I can say one thing, the sharp NBA players have been riding high on the Blazers since before the break. Currently, we have around 70 percent of the action on the home squad, and it looks like the spread will climb to -5 at some point soon. Portland overs have been a hot bet of late but we've seen more money on the under in this one thus far."

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The hottest team in the league right now, the Blazers have won six straight. But a long road trip looms and they are just 11-16 away from home. Meanwhile, what a disaster its been in Houston. Phoenix accounts for two of the Rockets three wins since January 25th."

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (28-29, 25-32 ATS, 34-23 O/U): James Harden is doing his part with an average of 34.6 points in the last five games and went for 42 at Utah on Tuesday. Jason Terry buried a 3-pointer to force overtime but could not get another to fall as the extra period came to a close. “This might have been the toughest loss of the season,” Terry told ESPN. “We fought back. Give credit to Utah, they were very resilient, hit big shots. But this one is going to sit with us. We're going to be (an angry) team when we go into Portland on Wednesday.”

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (30-27, 32-25 ATS, 31-26 O/U): Lillard joined Geoff Petrie (1970) as the only players in franchise history to score 30 or more points in five straight games with 34 on Tuesday in a 112-104 over the Brooklyn Nets. Lillard downplayed the big scoring numbers and insisted the small things are the reason for the win streak. “I say it all the time - we don’t have the luxury of coming in and expecting somebody to lay down to us or expecting to win games, period,” Lillard told reporters. “We’ve got to come out, we’ve got to play four quarters, we’ve got to do those small things that make us the team that we’ve become.”

TRENDS:

* Trail Blazers are 5-0 ATS in their last five versus Western Conference opponents.
* Rockets are 0-5 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
* Over is 5-0 in Trail Blazers last five games overall.
* Over is 10-1 in Rockets last 11 road games.

CONSENSUS: Bettors are backing the Trail Blazers in this Western Conference matchup with 61 percent of wagers on Portland. As for the total, 58 percent of wagers are on the over.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, February 25

Hot teams
-- Orlando won four of last six games (9-4HU). Warriors are 10-1 in last 11 games, but covered only one of last six.
-- Bucks won four of their last five games (2-5 last 7AU). Celtics won six of their last nine games (6-1 last 7HF).
-- Oklahoma City won eight of last 11 games (2-8 last 10AF). New Orleans won four of last six games (3-4HU).
-- Portland won its last six games (9-3 last 12HF).
-- Spurs won nine of last ten games, covered one of last five. Jazz won its last five home games (5-2HU).

Cold teams
-- Nets lost three of their last four games (0-0AF). Phoenix lost its last 12 games (4-3HU with Watson as coach).
-- Rockets lost four of their last five games (6-10AU).

Series records
-- Warriors won last four games with Orlando.
-- Celtics lost seven of last ten games with MIlwaukee.
-- Thunder won three of last four games with New Orleans.
-- Nets won six of last eight games with Phoenix.
-- Trailblazers won four of last five games with Houston.
-- Spurs won eight of last ten games with Utah.

Totals
-- Four of last five Orlando games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Milwaukee games stayed under. Last six Boston games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Thunder games stayed under.
-- Eight of last ten Brooklyn games went over total.
-- Six of last seven Portland games went over total.
-- Five of last seven San Antonio-Utah games went over.

Back/backs
-- Golden State is 10-4 vs spread if it played the night before.
-- Oklahoma City is 2-5 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- San Antonio is 11-0 SU if it played night before, 7-4 vs spread; 0-4 in last four, after 7-0 in first seven.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, February 25

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. ORLANDO
Golden State is 6-13-1 ATS in its last 20 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Orlando's last 6 games when playing Golden State
Orlando is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

7:30 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. BOSTON
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Boston is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games
Boston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

8:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. NEW ORLEANS
Oklahoma City10-3-1 SU in its last 14 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
New Orleans is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New Orleans's last 9 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

9:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. PHOENIX
Brooklyn is 4-17 SU in its last 21 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Brooklyn is 4-13-1 ATS in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
Phoenix is 13-4-1 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

10:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. UTAH
San Antonio is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Antonio's last 8 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games when playing San Antonio
Utah is 4-19 SU in its last 23 games when playing San Antonio

10:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. PORTLAND
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston's last 9 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Portland's last 19 games when playing Houston
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston