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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bulls (33-32) at Wizards (31-35)
Date: March 16, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

After using a clip from a comedy classic to motivate his Chicago Bulls, it's uncertain what methods coach Fred Hoiberg will use to help them build on their latest victory.

Perhaps the chance to win back-to-back road games for the first time in well over a month will provide enough incentive Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards.

Amid a season filled with injuries and underachievement, Hoiberg is trying to keep Chicago's morale from completely fading. Leading up to Monday's visit to Toronto, Hoiberg showed his team John Belushi's inaccurately funny "Was it over when the Germans bombed Peal Harbor?" motivational scene from the movie "Animal House" to lighten the mood.

"If your spirit gets broken, you have no chance," Hoiberg told the Bulls' official website. "We got to find a way to deal with it and go out and give ourselves a chance."

It's uncertain if that scene pumped up the Bulls (33-32) enough to beat the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors 109-107. But minus Pau Gasol (knee), Derrick Rose (groin) and Mike Dunleavy (stomach virus), Chicago put forth a strong effort to snap a season-high eight-game road skid.

"It's just really good for our confidence, our motivation going forward," said forward Doug McDermott, who had 29 points on 9-of-11 shooting.

Leading Detroit by a percentage point for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls will again be without Gasol. It's uncertain if Rose will sit his third straight contest or if Dunleavy will be ready.

Jimmy Butler should be available after scoring 13 points in 33 minutes Monday in his return from a three-game absence due to knee soreness.

"My team needs me to get us into the playoffs," the All-Star Butler said. "Go out there and do whatever it takes to help us win."

Butler will try to help the Bulls win consecutive road games for the first time since Jan. 23 and 28 and improve a defense that's yielded an average of 109.8 points in the last 12 away from home.

Making their first trip to Washington this season, the Bulls gave up an average of 109.0 points while splitting the first two meetings.

Sitting 10th in the East and 2 1/2 games behind Chicago and Detroit, the Wizards (31-35) snapped a season-high five-game skid with Monday's 124-81 rout of the Pistons. Nene scored 20 off the bench and John Wall had 12 assists in Washington's most lopsided victory since beating Boston by 45 in 2002-03.

'As I told them, remember this, learn from it," coach Randy Wittman said. "They were locked in."

After shooting 43.0 percent and averaging 96.8 points during the losing streak, the Wizards set season highs for points and field-goal percentage (56.7). They also yielded their fewest points of 2015-16 after the previous five opponents averaged 110.8.

"It doesn't matter what the scheme ... defensively, if you don't play consistently it's not going to work," Wittman said.

With 33 points and 17 assists in the first two against the Bulls, Wall was held below his season averages of 20.0 and 9.9.

Butler, who missed a 109-104 win over the Wizards on Feb. 24, had 19 points in a 114-100 loss Jan. 11. He averaged 7.7 points and shot 32.0 percent in his first 13 matchups in the series.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Hawks (38-29) at Pistons (34-33)
Date: March 16, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

(AP) - The Detroit Pistons are entering the home stretch in more ways than one.

With a playoff spot now a realistic possibility, Detroit will play its next nine games at the Palace, the team's longest homestand in 35 years.

The Pistons, who open that stretch Wednesday night against the surging Atlanta Hawks, don't have another road game until April 2 against Chicago. By then, they hope to have taken a big step toward their first postseason berth since 2009.

Detroit (34-33) is one percentage point behind the Bulls in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons are 19-11 at home, winning their last three there.

'We wanted to have a bigger cushion in this race,' rookie Stanley Johnson said. 'We put a tough bargain on ourselves.'

Following this matchup with the Hawks (38-29), the Pistons play four straight teams with losing records - Sacramento, Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Orlando. The stretch ends with four tougher opponents - Charlotte, Atlanta again and Oklahoma City and Dallas.

Four of Detroit's last six games of the season will be on the road, so the time to make a move in the standings is now. The Bulls play nine of their final 17 on the road, where they're 12-20.

One person who isn't taking the upcoming stretch for granted is coach Stan Van Gundy, who was still miffed Tuesday about his team's 43-point loss at Washington on Monday night.

'I've never had a team have a performance like that,' he said of the game, in which the Pistons turned the ball over 21 times.

Detroit practiced Tuesday, and the homestand will allow an easier schedule between games since the team doesn't have to worry about travel. But Van Gundy said that's the only real advantage to being back home.

'Practice is easier, a little bit,' Van Gundy said. 'But other than that, nothing. Like we just said at the end - having nine straight home games means nothing if you're not going to bring great energy and effort.'

The Pistons have played six of their last seven on the road, and appeared to be in good shape after a win at Dallas last Wednesday. Then, they lost by 15 to the Hornets, had to rally past woeful Philadelphia and were routed by the Wizards.

'Our starts of games were pretty consistent the last three games. We weren't ready to play at the beginning of any of them,' Van Gundy said. 'We're coming with no focus, just throwing the ball around. What we've done at the beginning of the last three games has been very unprofessional.'

But Detroit has an immediate chance to make up lost ground - as well as to make or break its playoff pursuit.

'It does take a toll on your body, traveling that much,' forward Anthony Tolliver said. 'Every team goes through that, so it's never an excuse to lose a game or anything like that, but it's definitely nice to be able to settle in and eat home-cooked food and get into your rhythm and the things that you want to do - be able to come shoot when you want to shoot, all those types of things.'

Atlanta completed a sweep of a two-game homestand with Sunday's 104-75 rout of Indiana. The Hawks have played solid defense during a 7-2 stretch, holding opponents to 88.1 points per game and 37.8 percent shooting to climb within one game of Miami for first place in the Southeast Division.

'We're a much better team than we were a month ago,' center Al Horford said.

These teams have split the first two meetings this season, both in Atlanta. The Pistons won 106-94 on Oct. 27 as all five starters scored in double figures. The Hawks returned the favor Dec. 23, when Jeff Teague led the way with 23 points and nine assists in a 107-100 victory.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Timberwolves (21-46) at Grizzlies (39-28)
Date: March 16, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Riddled with injuries, the Memphis Grizzlies are doing all they can to keep their heads above water before the playoffs.

The Grizzlies look to avoid losing three straight for the first time since early November in Wednesday night's season series finale against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.

Playing nine men and starting the likes of Ryan Hollins and Briante Weber, Memphis (39-28) was routed 130-81 at Houston on Monday. The Grizzlies yielded their most points of 2015-16 while shooting 29.7 percent, their second-lowest effort of the season, and letting Houston hit 54.1 percent of their shots.

Though Memphis has a firm grasp on the fifth seed in the Western Conference, it's dropped four of six and hardly resembles a playoff team.

'Half our team is D-League,' veteran Matt Barnes said. 'But nobody is going to feel bad for us. ... We play hard, and that's the one thing I tell these guys, no matter what the outcome of the game is or whether or not the shots are falling, you can always control your effort.'

That effort might not be good enough without their top players on the floor.

Leading scorer Marc Gasol is out for the season, while point guard Mike Conley has missed the last five games and likely won't return until early next month. Forwards Zach Randolph and Chris Andersen could both sit out a sixth consecutive contest while Lance Stephenson might miss his second straight and Vince Carter a third in a row.

The Grizzlies have been held to fewer than 85 points in two straight games, shot 37.8 percent in four contests and yielded an average of 111.2 and 47.3 shooting in the last six.

"Each game is going to have to be a big game for us," said forward Tony Allen, who had five points on 2-of-10 shooting Monday.

Memphis, which dropped a season-high four straight Nov. 5-11, has won five of six at home. That stretch began with a 109-104 victory over Minnesota (21-46) on Feb. 19.

Second-year forward JaMychal Green pulled down 11 rebounds to help the Grizzlies improve to 2-1 on the season series.

Andrew Wiggins has shot 58.8 percent against the Grizzlies this season and averaged 21.3 points in the last four in the series.

Averaging 23.2 points and shooting 55.3 percent in the last five games, Wiggins scored 22 on Monday but the Timberwolves fell for the sixth time in eight games, 107-104 at Phoenix. Minnesota led by 10 at the half but shot 34.1 percent and was outrebounded 31-19 in the final two quarters, losing on Mirza Teletovic's 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left.

'We gave this one away,' said guard Zach LaVine, who scored 28 points. 'We should have come out and had a better outing in the third quarter and been more aggressive and more efficient and little more smart with our play."

Minnesota's Ricky Rubio had 13 points and matched a career high with 17 assists. He's averaged 10.3 assists in his last three games against Memphis.

LaVine scored 22 at Memphis last month and is 9 of 14 from 3-point range against the Grizzlies this season.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Knicks (28-40) at Warriors (60-6)
Date: March 16, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

One way of describing the different levels Golden State and New York exist on is simply stating one is 33 games ahead of the other.

Another would be to point out that over the last three meetings, the Warriors have made more 3-pointers than the Knicks have free throws.

No matter how it's sliced, New York doesn't seem to be the opponent that will deny Golden State a 50th straight home win, but it'll give it a shot Wednesday night as the Warriors conclude a six-game homestand seeking a sixth straight victory.

The stretch of home games hasn't been without some mild scares against questionable opponents. It started with a 119-113 win over Orlando on March 7, and Phoenix ran out of gas and lost 123-116 five days later.

The Warriors, though, followed that up with a 125-107 win over New Orleans on Monday. Golden State has shot 51.9 percent and 42.9 from 3-point range with 14.0 makes per game on the homestand as it extended its NBA-record home run.

The latest victory gave the Warriors a second straight 60-win season, a foregone conclusion for some time.

"Sixty and 6 sounds good," said Stephen Curry, whose 27 points were more than three below his season average. "It's a big accomplishment."

Klay Thompson played just 26 minutes and scored 18 points but has been locked in since a horrible shooting effort in a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers before the homestand. The guard has averaged 25.0 points and made 54.8 percent from 3-point range in the five games since.

He and his backcourt mate are the main reasons Steve Kerr has now been a part of consecutive 60-win seasons as a player and coach.

"It's so rare in the NBA, in your first coaching job, to inherit a great team. They had already won 50-plus before I even got here,' Kerr said. "I'm pretty lucky to coach these guys."

The Warriors have taken the last three meetings with the Knicks by an average of 22.0 points, hitting 53.4 percent from 3-point range with an average of 15.7 makes. The Knicks have made 15.3 free throws.

Curry, though, has been limited to 20.0 points in those meetings and was 5 of 17 for 13 points in a 116-95 road win Jan. 31. The Warriors had no shortage of options with Thompson scoring 34 on 14-of-18 shooting, while Draymond Green had 20 on 9 of 9 with 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

The Knicks have shot 38.8 percent in the three straight defeats, and no team has beaten the Warriors with that low of a shooting percentage in 152 regular-season games since Denver on April 10, 2014.

New York (28-40) has split the first four of a six-game road trip, including Sunday's 90-87 win over the Lakers as Jose Calderon hit a 3-pointer in the final second. With Kristaps Porzingis out due to illness, Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 26 points and had quite the assessment of a matchup of teams with nearly as many combined wins as Toronto.

"I wanted this one," said Anthony, who's made at least half of his shots in five straight games while averaging 24.6 points and 53.4 percent shooting. "Going back and forth just made it that much better. I'm pretty sure we gave the fans what they paid to see out there tonight.

"The way this game played itself out, we didn't want it to come down to the wire, but it was one of those games that was for the ages."

Others might call it putting off clinching a fourth straight season without a winning record for one more game.

Anthony has been limited to 15.3 points and 28.6 percent in his last three road games against Golden State.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Thunder (45-22) at Celtics (39-27)
Date: March 16, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Oklahoma City Thunder appear to have regained their shooting touch, while the Boston Celtics are still trying to get theirs back.

Boston also won't have its best defender available as it attempts to avoid a third consecutive loss in its Wednesday night matchup with the visiting Thunder.

The Celtics played their first game without valuable forward Jae Crowder on Tuesday, though their suddenly sluggish offense was more of a factor in a 103-98 loss at Indiana. They shot 38.3 percent overall and finished 8 for 32 from 3-point range en route to their first two-game skid since Jan. 18-20.

Boston (39-28) posted nearly identical numbers in having its 14-game home win streak halted with Friday's 102-98 defeat to Houston, in which Crowder suffered a sprained right ankle that will sideline him at least two weeks. The Celtics averaged 110.7 points in winning seven of their previous nine.

Isaiah Thomas was held to 5-of-18 shooting by the Pacers and Avery Bradley is 1 of 10 on 3-pointers during the two-game slump. Marcus Smart is 4 of 23 from beyond the arc and shooting 30.6 percent overall over a five-game stretch.

"We missed a lot of open shots," Smart said. "It was just one of those games. Guys that normally knock down the shots we that were getting couldn't knock them down."

Crowder's ability to guard the opposition's best scorer also was missed with Paul George leading Indiana with 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting. His injury comes at an inopportune time with matchups against Kevin Durant and Toronto's DeMar DeRozan on tap this week.

The Celtics will see Durant for the first time in over two years, as he's missed the teams' past four meetings with various injuries. He had a strained hamstring when Boston snapped a five-game series skid with a 100-85 win in Oklahoma City on Nov. 15, highlighted by the former Oklahoma State star Smart's career high-tying 26 points.

Oklahoma City (45-22) enters a three-game trip with some needed momentum by virtue of Monday's 128-94 rout at Portland, which moved the Thunder 10 1/2 games up on the second-place Blazers as they close in on a fifth Southwest Division title in six years.

After shooting a combined 17.8 percent on 3s in consecutive losses to Minnesota and San Antonio, the Thunder made 9 of 17 attempts and shot 59.0 percent overall in Monday's bounce-back.

'We know we might face these guys in the playoffs, so we wanted to send a message,' Durant said.

The game also saw a return to form from Russell Westbrook, who notched his league-leading 12th triple-double with 17 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds without a turnover. The All-Star Game MVP had nine giveaways and went 5 of 16 from the field against San Antonio.

Enes Kanter added 26 points and is averaging 17.2 points on 69.4 percent shooting over his last five.

Oklahoma City, which had seven players reach double figures and ranks second in the NBA at 109.8 points per game, should be back at full strength with Dion Waiters expected to rejoin the team in Boston. The sixth man has missed four games following the shooting death of his brother in Philadelphia last week.

Boston, tied with Miami for third in the East, ranks third in the league in defensive efficiency at 99.1 points per 100 possessions.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Magic (28-37) at Hornets (37-29)
Date: March 16, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Charlotte Hornets are trying to close out a seven-game homestand with a sixth victory in order to move closer to first place in the Southeast Division.

After their seven-game winning streak ended with a sloppy performance, the Hornets will need to be a lot more disciplined Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic.

Charlotte (37-29) has 16 games left in its chase for its first division title. The Hornets, winners of 13 of their last 16, are third in the Southeast, one-half game back of Atlanta and 1 1/2 behind first-place Miami.

The Hornets had their longest winning streak of the season snapped with Monday's 107-96 loss to Dallas, failing to overcome 26.8 percent shooting in the first half. Although Charlotte shot 60 percent in the second half, it finished 22 of 34 from the foul line and committed 15 turnovers that led to 18 points.

"We did a lot of good things," coach Steve Clifford said after practice Tuesday. "We didn't shoot the ball well early. I was really happy watching the film after not scoring in the first half, in the second half our offense was terrific. We got going again. It shows if we stay with it, we're going to be able to score.

"Again, the missed free throws and the turnovers were the difference."

Kemba Walker is usually the difference for the Hornets, leading them with a career-high 21.5 points per game. He's been even more productive over the last eight games, averaging 28.1 points and 7.1 assists while hitting 51.8 percent from the floor and 45.8 from 3-point range.

Walker is scoring 31.0 per game in his last four meetings with the Magic. He poured in 40 points with nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals, leading Charlotte's rally from a 15-point, fourth-quarter deficit in a 120-116 overtime win at Orlando on Jan. 22.

Nicolas Batum, who missed that meeting with a sprained right toe, is averaging just 6.8 points over his last four against the Magic. The guard, though, is coming off a 20-point effort against the Mavericks.

Charlotte has won three of four against the Magic, but those all came in Orlando. The Hornets are 3-11 in their last 14 at home in this series.

The Magic are last in the Southeast and 10-24 since New Year's Day, including 4-14 on the road. They're opening a stretch with five of six away from Orlando, coming off Tuesday's 116-110 home victory over Denver.

Evan Fournier matched his career high with 30 points while connecting on 11 of 19 from the field and 5 of 9 from beyond the arc.

"I was just trying to be as efficient as possible," Fournier said. "That's what basketball is all about. You can have 40 points, but if you take 40 shots, that's not good for the team."

He's averaging 20.8 points on 52.9 percent shooting over the last five games, major increases from his 14.7 points and 45.6 percent season marks.

The Magic are also getting production out of Victor Oladipo, who has scored 20.8 per game over the last five after netting 23 against the Nuggets. The guard had 29 points against Charlotte in January, giving him an average of 20.5 points in the past four matchups.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Clippers (42-24) at Rockets (34-33)
Date: March 16, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

Barring an unforeseen late-season collapse, the Los Angeles Clippers should be back in the playoffs aiming to at least advance beyond the second round for the first time.

The Houston Rockets' postseason position is much more tenuous.

The Rockets look to build on their most lopsided victory of the season and beat the Clippers for a fifth straight home meeting Wednesday night.

Los Angeles (42-24) is fourth in the Western Conference, 10 1/2 games clear of the postseason cutoff with 17 to go in the regular season.

Houston (34-33) is in search of some breathing room in the playoff chase, sitting in a tie with Dallas for the last two spots with just a two-game edge on ninth-place Utah.

The Rockets pounded a depleted Memphis team 130-81 on Monday for their fourth win in five games. Houston shot 54.1 percent from the field and 16 for 33 from 3-point range, placing nine players in double-figure scoring.

"Every game for us is an opportunity to get better. Not to be 'coach-speak,' but that's our mindset right now where we are," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "The Clippers are obviously a very good team ... so it's an opportunity for us to go out and see where we stand, see where our work where it stands among one of the elite teams in the Western Conference.

"We gotta be prepared for them, but we gotta play to our strengths and do the things that we've done and do them well."

Houston has reached 100 points in eight straight games and is averaging 114.4 over the last five. While they rank fourth in the league in scoring (106.1), the Rockets' potent offense is offset by a defense that surrenders 106.6 per game, their highest mark since giving up 107.0 in 1988-89.

Defense is usually scarce when Houston meets the Clippers. The Rockets are averaging 117.3 points over the last six meetings, including last season's second-round playoff series which they won in seven games.

The Clippers have scored 108.7 points over that stretch, including a 140-132 overtime win Jan. 18.

"There a lot of similarity between our teams. Style of play, guards, bigs. I think we're very similar," Bickerstaff said. "Both of us can score the ball, so when you have the ability to score the ball you're never our of a game."

Los Angeles has hit a rough patch against strong competition, losing four of six with those defeats coming to Atlanta, Oklahoma City, Cleveland and San Antonio. The Clippers' reserves were outscored 51-20 and shot 27.3 percent (6 for 22) in Tuesday's 108-87 loss to the Spurs.

"It's disappointing because obviously everybody in the second unit feels like it's our fault. Whether that's true or not, that's the way we feel," guard Austin Rivers said.

Since scoring 46 points in a 109-105 win at Los Angeles on Nov. 7, James Harden has been limited to 38 total points in his last two meetings with the Clippers. Harden, the league's second-leading scorer (28.6), should be fresh for this matchup after only playing 25 minutes in Monday's blowout.

Harden finished with 15 points, eight assists and seven boards.

"It felt good," Harden said of getting a break. "I felt like I didn't even go out there and play."

Clippers forward Paul Pierce missed his third straight game Tuesday with a sore right big toe. Coach Doc Rivers is unsure if he'll be available to face Houston.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pelicans (24-42) at Kings (26-40)
Date: March 16, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins have something else in common along with being Kentucky products and two of the NBA's best post players.

With their teams continuing to drop in the standings, the two All-Stars face off for the final time this season when the Sacramento Kings host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

Frustrating seasons have turned even more sour for both teams of late. Injury-plagued New Orleans (24-42) has lost eight of nine and the first four of a five-game trip, while Sacramento (26-40) owns just two wins over its last 11 and is 6-17 since Jan. 25, the NBA's fourth-worst record over that stretch.

Cousins and Davis have continued to post big numbers through the turmoil, ranking fourth and seventh, respectively, in the league scoring race. Cousins is averaging 30.6 points per game over his last five - missing Saturday's loss to Orlando due to a team-issued suspension - and Davis 29.3 points and 11.7 rebounds in his past six.

Cousins has averaged 32.7 points and 12.7 rebounds in three season meetings with the Pelicans, though that production hasn't translated into any Sacramento wins. He had 40 in a 115-112 loss in New Orleans on March 7 and 32 in a 109-97 defeat at Sleep Train Arena on Jan. 13.

The Kings did halt a five-game skid with Tuesday's 106-98 road victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, ending a 22-game run in which they allowed at least 101 points. They'll now try to stop a six-game home losing streak and prevent the Pelicans from a sixth consecutive win in the series.

'Consistency has been one of our biggest problems,' Cousins said. 'It's frustrating. We're still trying to figure it out. But the one thing about this locker room is that we stick together. We believe in one another and we just keep pushing forward, trying to finish the season strong.'

They're catching New Orleans in the midst of a defensive decline, as it's allowed 117.8 points per game and a 50.6 field goal percentage on the trip. Golden State shot 58.0 percent overall and went 12 of 25 from 3-point range in pulling away for a 125-107 win on Monday.

The Pelicans trailed the defending NBA champions by just nine at halftime before going 5 of 27 while outscored 35-19 in the third quarter.

"I thought we had done a good job on them up until that, but it doesn't matter how good you are defensively, you can't go 5-for-27 against that team in any span of the game," said New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry, who received his championship ring prior to tip-off as the Warriors' associate head coach last season.

Poor outside shooting has hurt the Pelicans as well, as they've connected on only 27.2 percent on 3s over their last five. Ryan Anderson is 3 of 21 on the trip and Jrue Holiday 1 of 11 in two games after totaling 72 points over his previous two.

New Orleans has shot 39.3 from beyond the arc while averaging 112.7 points in the season series, and the Kings are allowing a league-high 10.3 3-pointers per game this season.

Sacramento did hold the lowly Lakers to a 5-of-26 effort, however, while scoring 30 points off 22 turnovers

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Top Action
March 16, 2016

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (45-22) at BOSTON CELTICS (39-28)

Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Oklahoma City -4, Total 220

The Celtics will be looking to avoid a three-game losing streak when they host the Thunder on Wednesday.

The Thunder hosted the Blazers on Monday and came away with a 128-94 victory as eight-point favorites. Oklahoma City had lost two straight games prior to facing Portland, but the team has covered in three of its past four. The Thunder are going to need to emphasize taking better shots moving forward, as they shot less than 43% in each of their two losses and that will not cut it moving forward.

The Celtics, meanwhile, have now lost two straight games after a 103-98 loss as 2.5-point underdogs in Indiana on Tuesday. Boston has also failed to cover in four of its past five and this team needs to find its rhythm offensively. The Celtics have shot 37.4% and 38.3% from the floor in the past two games respectively. It’s very tough to win games that way, so they’d be wise to try to get more shots around the rim on Wednesday.

These two teams met one another in November and the Celtics ended up winning that game 100-85 as 5.5-point road underdogs. Oklahoma City is, however, 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS when facing Boston over the past three seasons. That includes a 2-0 record both SU and ATS when playing on the road as well. One trend that sticks out in this one is the fact that the Celtics are 23-9 ATS when playing on back-to-back days over the past two seasons.

Oklahoma City is expected to be at full strength in this game, but Boston will be without SF Jae Crowder (Ankle) and C Kelly Olynyk (Shoulder) is listed as questionable.

The Thunder are coming off of an impressive win over the Blazers and PG Russell Westbrook (24.0 PPG, 10.4 APG, 7.6 RPG, 2.1 SPG) played one of his best games of the season in that one. In 28 minutes of action, Westbrook had 17 points, 16 assists, 10 rebounds and two steals.

He also happened to have zero turnovers. The Oklahoma City superstar has really developed into an excellent team player this season and the Thunder will need him to continue to balance his play. He will, however, need to be aggressive as a scorer on Wednesday. He is much bigger than Isaiah Thomas and should be able to score a ton of points at the rim in this one.

SF Kevin Durant (28.0 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.3 BPG) should also be able to get it going against Boston on Wednesday. With Crowder out, the Celtics will be missing their best wing defender and this is not the game for that to be the case. Durant is one of the best scorers in basketball and he’ll use his combination of size and skill to dominate Boston in this one.

The Celtics have been struggling as of late, but they can get right back on track with a big win over the Thunder on Wednesday. One guy that will need to perform at a high level for Boston is PG Isaiah Thomas (21.9 PPG, 6.6 APG, 2.9 RPG, 1.2 SPG). Thomas has been on a tear for the Celtics lately, averaging 26.4 PPG, 5.4 APG and 1.4 SPG in 34.4 MPG over the past five contests.

He’ll need to keep it up moving forward, but it will be tough against Russell Westbrook on Wednesday. Thomas may have a bit more difficulty scoring against somebody with Westbrook’s combination of strength and athleticism, but he can’t afford to slack on defense. He must hold his own on that end or the Celtics will get blown out in this game.

Boston could also turn to SG Marcus Smart (9.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.7 SPG) as a Westbrook stopper in this one. If Thomas struggles then the Celtics would be crazy not to switch Smart onto the Thunder guard. Smart is bigger than Thomas and he plays with a huge chip on his shoulder. He may be able to contain him in this one, if given the chance.

C Jared Sullinger (10.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG) may need to step it up offensively for the Celtics on Wednesday. He’s been playing well offensively, averaging 15.4 PPG and 10.4 RPG over the past five contests. It’s very possible to beat Oklahoma City inside, so Boston will go to Sullinger often in this game.

[StarDust Bum]

3-pointer: Time to Spur
March 15, 2016

Golden State is still the favorite to win the NBA title, currently -140 chalk at Sportsbook.ag, but this week, all eyeballs should be on San Antonio.

Running No. 2 in the NBA record-wise and returning +300 on an investment, the Spurs are about to put their ability to claim another championship on display. With a 41-game home winning streak to protect, the Spurs will welcome the Clippers, Trail Blazers, and Warriors to the AT&T Center. Coming off Saturday night’s 93-85 win over Oklahoma City, San Antonio takes a three-game winning streak into a challenging week, owning a 17-2 mark since Feb. 1 that’s actually superior to the Warriors.

Most important, Gregg Popovich has a healthy team on his hands. Everyone was available to him for Saturday’s win over the Thunder, including the recently acquired Kevin Martin, a veteran shooter who should really be a weapon going forward. Manu Ginobili returned from his testicular injury, Tim Duncan’s back and knees are feeling fine and Tony Parker, playing a career-low 27.4 minutes put together a 20-point, 12-assist night against the Bulls last Thursday, only his second double-double of the season.

San Antonio could tie Chicago for the second-longest home winning streak in NBA history – the one just recently broken by Golden State – if they’re able to sweep through this week’s opponents. The Warriors have extended the streak to 48 games entering action this week.

Despite the fact they’ve been sharing the load collectively and Pop has rested guys liberally, imposing minutes limits, the Spurs have quietly been a well-oiled machine. While the Warriors have been out there dominating teams to where starters regularly rest fourth quarters, Stephen Curry did push to make it back from an ankle injury that would’ve landed him at least a week off if he wore the black-and-silver of San Antonio.

Back in 2013, the Heat reflected that they definitely felt the strain of having played through a 27-game winning streak, the third-longest in NBA history, nearly derailed their championship hopes. Although Miami won 66 regular-season games, the grind nearly caught up to them as bodies ran out of of juice in grueling series against Indiana and San Antonio, both won in seven games. Remember, there were stretches in those series where it looked like the Heat were cooked, including the area surrounding the American Airlines Arena floor being taped off in anticipation of the Spurs championship ceremony. Ray Allen altered history that night, but the lesson that the collective mileage that’s piled up over the course of the season inevitably catches up to you in June is a sound one. It’s inevitable.

The Spurs, fielding a more veteran roster than most, believe that conservation is the key, and adding LaMarcus Aldridge to help anchor the team alongside Kawhi Leonard has been a winning formula that has flown completely under the radar to the exploits of the Warriors. The narrative might be different if San Antonio hadn’t gotten its doors blown off at Golden State in the only meeting between the teams this season. The Warriors treated the Duncan-less Spurs like any other victim, obliterating them 120-90 on Jan. 25 in a game where Curry did things to Leonard, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, that we really hadn’t seen anyone do.

Anomaly? We’ll find out Saturday night. Before then, the Spurs must answer the challenge of facing the always difficult Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan combination. Blake Griffin remains out, but the team that ended San Antonio’s reign as champions in last year’s first round remains a tough challenge for the Spurs. The Blazers, led by the dynamic backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, are a different-looking, more confident team than the one they dispatched twice in November.

There remain a pair of games against Golden State and Oklahoma City, but it’s during this stretch that a determination must be made regarding whether it’s worth it to climb aboard the Spurs bandwagon once again, something I’ve done for the last five years. They’ve won it all only once in that span, but have been relatively brilliant. The additions of Aldridge and Martin, as well as the continued emergence of Leonard – now playing at an MVP level – will be hard to ignore if they get through this week unscathed.

News flash: Despite taxing their players far less to this point, at 56-10, the Spurs are just 3.5 games behind the Warriors and could really make things interesting over the final month if they’re able to handle business at home. It doesn’t appear Popovich is going to play games and sit guys out, so it appears the Spurs will actually show their hand for a change. Don’t be surprised if it’s suited up and fierce.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, March 16


Orlando @ Charlotte

Game 610-602
March 16, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
112.317
Charlotte
125.501
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Charlotte
by 13
204
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Charlotte
by 9
210 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Charlotte
(-9); Under

Dallas @ Cleveland

Game 603-604
March 16, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
116.107
Cleveland
128.130
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 12
203
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 9 1/2
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(-9 1/2); Under

Chicago @ Washington

Game 605-606
March 16, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
115.412
Washington
116.565
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
N/A

Oklahoma City @ Boston

Game 607-608
March 16, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma City
122.645
Boston
124.444
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 2
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 4
219
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+4); Under

Atlanta @ Detroit

Game 609-610
March 16, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
120.859
Detroit
125.943
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 5
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
by 1
198
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(-1); Under

Minnesota @ Memphis

Game 611-612
March 16, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
109.738
Memphis
117.776
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 8
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis
N/A

LA Clippers @ Houston

Game 613-614
March 16, 2016 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
121.969
Houston
120.651
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 1 1/2
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 3
214
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(+3); Under

New Orleans @ Sacramento

Game 615-616
March 16, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
114.425
Sacramento
112.964
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans
by 1 1/2
227
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Sacramento
by 2 1/2
222 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(+2 1/2); Over

New York @ Golden State

Game 617-618
March 16, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
112.065
Golden State
129.071
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 17
226
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 15
220 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-15); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, March 16

Hot teams
-- Charlotte won seven of its last eight games (5-2-1 last 8HF).
-- Cleveland won three of its last four games (5-7 HF with Lue).
-- Hawks won five of their last six games (8-7AU). Detroit won its last three home games (13-3 last 16HF).
-- Houston won four of its last five games (1-4 last 5HF).
-- Golden State won its last five games (4-2 last 6HF).

Cold teams
-- Orlando lost four of its last six games (5-3 last 8AU).
-- Mavericks lost five of their last six games (11-10AU).
-- Washington lost five of its last six games (4-7 last 11HF). Bulls lost six of their last nine games (2-7 last 9AU).
-- Thunder lost four of last six road games. (3-1 last 4AF). Boston lost three of its last four games (9-5 last 14HF).
-- Minnesota lost six of its last eight games (5-3 last 8AU). Grizzlies lost four of their last six games (3-1 last 4HF).
-- Clippers lost four of their last six games (0-3 last 3AU).
-- New Orleans lost eight of its last nine games (0-3-1 last 4AU). Sacramento lost eight of its last ten (5-7 last 12HF).
-- Knicks lost five of their last eight games (7-3 last 10AU).

Series records
-- Hornets won three of last four games with Orlando.
-- Mavericks won five of last seven games with Cleveland.
-- Wizards won five of last eight games with Chicago.
-- Thunder won five of last six games with Boston.
-- Hawks won four of last six games with Detroit.
-- Grizzlies won three of last four games with Minnesota.
-- Clippers lost five of last six games with Houston.
-- Kings lost their last five games with New Orleans.
-- Knicks lost five of last six games with Golden State.

Totals
-- Seven of last nine Orlando-Charlotte games went over.
-- Three of last four Dallas games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Washington-Chicago games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Thunder games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Atlanta-Detroit games went over.
-- Five of last six Minnesota-Memphis games went over.
-- Eight of last ten Clipper-Rocket games went over total.
-- Five of last six Pelican games went over the total.
-- Eight of last nine New York games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Orlando is 3-5 vs spread in last eight games if it played night before.
-- Celtics covered five of last seven if they played the night before.
-- Clippers covered four of their last six if they played night before.
-- Sacramento is 8-7 vs spread if it played the night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 16

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

7:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. CHARLOTTE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Orlando is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Charlotte is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Orlando
Charlotte is 4-11 ATS in its last 15 games when playing at home against Orlando

7:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. WASHINGTON
Chicago is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Washington
Washington is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Washington's last 18 games when playing at home against Chicago

7:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games on the road
Boston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Boston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City

7:00 PM
DALLAS vs. CLEVELAND
Dallas is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games when playing Dallas

7:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Atlanta is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Detroit's last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Detroit's last 24 games at home

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Minnesota's last 23 games
Minnesota is 4-17 SU in its last 21 games when playing Memphis
Memphis is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games when playing Minnesota

9:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. HOUSTON
LA Clippers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
LA Clippers are 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston's last 10 games when playing LA Clippers

10:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. SACRAMENTO
The total has gone OVER in 12 of New Orleans's last 17 games when playing Sacramento
New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Sacramento is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Sacramento's last 17 games when playing New Orleans

10:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. GOLDEN STATE
New York is 6-18 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of New York's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, March 16

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

ORLANDO (29 - 37) at CHARLOTTE (37 - 29) - 3/16/2016, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 5-5 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 5-5 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

DALLAS (34 - 33) at CLEVELAND (47 - 19) - 3/16/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 18-35 ATS (-20.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 31-47 ATS (-20.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 12-30 ATS (-21.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 42-57 ATS (-20.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 17-33 ATS (-19.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 338-275 ATS (+35.5 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 455-381 ATS (+35.9 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 303-250 ATS (+28.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
CLEVELAND is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) after scoring 85 points or less over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 4-1 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 3-2 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

CHICAGO (33 - 32) at WASHINGTON (31 - 35) - 3/16/2016, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

OKLAHOMA CITY (45 - 22) at BOSTON (39 - 28) - 3/16/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 26-38 ATS (-15.8 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 24-33 ATS (-12.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-14 ATS (-12.4 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 21-33 ATS (-15.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 84-66 ATS (+11.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 24-9 ATS (+14.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 53-37 ATS (+12.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 149-113 ATS (+24.7 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-2 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 4-1 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

ATLANTA (38 - 29) at DETROIT (34 - 33) - 3/16/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 89-72 ATS (+9.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 33-20 ATS (+11.0 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 49-31 ATS (+14.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

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

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

MINNESOTA (21 - 46) at MEMPHIS (39 - 28) - 3/16/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

LA CLIPPERS (42 - 24) at HOUSTON (34 - 33) - 3/16/2016, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 80-116 ATS (-47.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 240-291 ATS (-80.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 210-260 ATS (-76.0 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 185-247 ATS (-86.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
HOUSTON is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 30-16 ATS (+12.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 53-40 ATS (+9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 34-18 ATS (+14.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 96-129 ATS (-45.9 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 11-7 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 10-8 straight up against HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW ORLEANS (24 - 42) at SACRAMENTO (26 - 40) - 3/16/2016, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 27-39 ATS (-15.9 Units) in all games this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 110-145 ATS (-49.5 Units) in road games second half of the season since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 99-134 ATS (-48.4 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 49-73 ATS (-31.3 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
SACRAMENTO is 28-37 ATS (-12.7 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 28-42 ATS (-18.2 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 12-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) in home games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 36-54 ATS (-23.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more this season.
SACRAMENTO is 10-19 ATS (-10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SACRAMENTO is 17-28 ATS (-13.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
SACRAMENTO is 19-28 ATS (-11.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
SACRAMENTO is 12-27 ATS (-17.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 6-4 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 7-4 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW YORK (28 - 40) at GOLDEN STATE (60 - 6) - 3/16/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-27 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 53-38 ATS (+11.2 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 86-63 ATS (+16.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 47-33 ATS (+10.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 66-40 ATS (+22.0 Units) in home games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 53-35 ATS (+14.5 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-41 ATS (+8.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 52-35 ATS (+13.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in road games after a non-conference game this season.
NEW YORK is 198-157 ATS (+25.3 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1996.
NEW YORK is 27-16 ATS (+9.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
NEW YORK is 28-19 ATS (+7.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 3-2 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Wednesday, March 16

Orlando at Charlotte, 7:05 ET
Orlando: 4-7 ATS vs. division opponents
Charlotte: 6-3 ATS after playing 4 consecutive games as favorite

Dallas at Cleveland, 7:05 ET
Dallas: 47-27 ATS in road games after 3 consecutive non-conference games
Cleveland: 7-18 ATS after scoring 85 points or less

Chicago at Washington, 7:05 ET
Chicago: 1-5 ATS off an upset win as a road underdog
Washington: 10-3 ATS after having lost 5 or 6 of their last 7 games

Oklahoma City at Boston, 7:05 ET
Oklahoma City: 7-17 ATS after a win by 10 points or more
Boston: 24-9 ATS when the total is greater than or equal to 210

Atlanta at Detroit, 7:35 ET
Atlanta: 29-16 ATS off a home win by 10 points or more
Detroit: 11-2 OVER in home games off a road loss by 10 points or more

Minnesota at Memphis, 8:05 ET
Minnesota: 0-6 ATS after a close loss by 3 points or less
Memphis: 10-3 ATS after allowing 110 points or more

LA Clippers at Houston, 9:35 ET
Los Angeles: 29-48 ATS after 3 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers
Houston: 31-17 ATS revenging a loss where opponent scored 110 or more points

New Orleans at Sacramento, 10:05 ET
New Orleans: 19-8 ATS after 4 or more consecutive losses
Sacramento: 3-11 ATS in home games after a game where they covered the spread

New York at Golden State, 10:35 ET
New York: 11-3 ATS in road games after a non-conference game
Golden State: 7-20 ATS after a combined score of 215 pts or more 2 straight games