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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Trail Blazers (36-34) at Mavericks (34-35)
Date: March 20, 2016 4:00 PM EDT

Though they're in a tight race for one of the final playoff spots, the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks are still trying to shake out of their March blues.


Portland's postseason hopes were nearly dashed when Damian Lillard took a hard fall on Friday, but the star guard insists he's fine as the Blazers attempt to brush aside their lengthy road struggles against the short-handed Mavericks on Sunday.

Portland appeared to be on its way to a playoff berth before dropping six of its first nine games this month. It snapped a two-game slide with Friday's 117-112 win at New Orleans, but received a scare when Lillard was clotheslined by Kendrick Perkins.

Lillard lay on the court for several moments while teammates got into it with New Orleans players. He finally regrouped and finished with 33 points, eight rebounds and six assists before saying "it's going to take a lot more than that to take me out.'

C.J. McCollum added 30 points and Gerald Henderson scored 19 as Portland ended a season-high six-game road skid. McCollum has totaled 56 points while hitting 8 of 13 from 3-point range in his last two after failing to score 20 in his previous four.

'It's easy; (Lillard) does all the work,' McCollum said. 'I just catch and shoot.'

The Blazers (36-34) will try to win back-to-back games for the first time this month in the opener of this home-and-home set with the Mavericks (34-35) that concludes Wednesday. It certainly won't be easy as they've lost 31 of their last 38 trips to Dallas, including the playoffs.

The Mavericks, however, have dropped seven of eight to fall below .500 for the first time since Nov. 11. Now Dallas, Portland, Houston and Utah are separated by only a couple games in the race for the Western Conference's final three playoff spots.

The Mavericks hope to snap a five-game losing streak at American Airlines Center that's their longest at home since a six-game skid in 1999-2000 at the old Reunion Arena. They've been particularly awful defensively, allowing an average of 111.4 points on 48.3 percent shooting.

Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and David Lee added 16 and 16 rebounds Friday, but Dallas let Golden State shoot 22 for 38 from 3-point range in a 130-112 home defeat.

'If we play like that for the remaining 13 games, we will beat 80 percent of the teams,' said former Blazer Wesley Matthews, who endured a scary fall of his own Friday as his right knee buckled. "Those guys shot the lights out of the ball, but we were never out of it.'

The Mavericks, though, suffered a big loss when Chandler Parsons went down with a strained hamstring that will likely keep him sidelined versus Portland. The veteran, listed as doubtful, has averaged 19 points and made 46.9 percent from 3-point range in his last 26 games.

Parsons did not play in the first meeting Dec. 1 when Deron Williams had a season-high 30 points, Nowitzki scored 28 and Zaza Pachulia pulled down 21 rebounds in a 115-112 overtime victory. Matthews chipped in with 18 points in his return to Portland.

The Mavericks held McCollum to 11 points on 4-of-21 shooting, limited the Blazers to 41 percent shooting and outscored them 32-19 in points off turnovers. Lillard still had 25 points and 10 assists.

Williams, who's listed as questionable with a right calf injury but says he'll play, has averaged 24.3 points and 8.0 assists in his last three meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Magic (29-39) at Raptors (47-21)
Date: March 20, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors can continue to press for the top spot in the Eastern Conference while simultaneously letting some more air out of the Orlando Magic's chances to crack the top eight.

The likelihood of each scenario seems to gain steam each day.

The Raptors close a home-heavy stretch looking for their seventh straight win at Air Canada Centre over the reeling Magic on Sunday.

Toronto (47-21) has stayed right behind East-leading Cleveland by winning 12 of its last 15, with 11 of the victories coming at home. The Raptors are 16-2 in their last 18 at Toronto, but follow this contest with eight of their final 13 on the road.

They recorded their third straight win to close a stretch of four games in five days with Friday's 105-91 home victory over Boston.

Luis Scola scored all 17 of his points in the opening 11 minutes and Kyle Lowry had 15 of his 32 in the fourth quarter to extend Toronto's Atlantic Division lead to 8 1/2 games over the Celtics.

After opening their busy week with Monday's 109-107 home loss to Chicago, the Raptors earned road wins of 107-89 over Milwaukee on Tuesday and 101-94 in overtime over Indiana on Thursday before beating Boston.

'It's a good win for us,' Lowry said. 'It was a good test for us, four tough games and four tough teams, but it was fun.'

Toronto has enjoyed a dominating run in this series, though this season's first two games were split in Orlando. The Magic beat the Raptors for the first time since March 2012 with a 92-87 win Nov. 6, but Toronto's 106-103 overtime victory Jan. 14 was its 12th in 13 meetings.

Orlando's Victor Oladipo has averaged 22.5 points and 50 percent shooting in the series, going 6 of 9 from 3-point range. DeMar DeRozan and Lowry, meanwhile, shot a combined 9 of 39 on Jan. 14.

The Magic (29-39) were still considered one of the league's top defensive teams at that point but have dropped off since. They've surrendered 109.6 points per game in their last 27, with four teams reaching at least 120.

Three of Orlando's last four opponents have shot 50 percent or better.

The Magic couldn't help the Raptors on Friday, falling 109-103 to the Cavaliers for their sixth loss in eight games.

Oladipo scored a career-high 45 points and went 6 of 7 from beyond the arc, though he had only six points in the final 12 minutes.

'I'm still upset about the fourth quarter," he said. "I've got to demand the ball much more. That's something I need to learn and get better at."

While Oladipo made 16 of 22 shots, the rest of the team hit 35 percent.

Orlando would need to pass four teams for the final playoff spot with 14 games left on the schedule. The Southeast's last-place team opens a difficult four-game trip that also goes through Boston, Detroit and Miami. The Magic have lost 15 of their last 19 on the road.

Elfrid Payton's status is cloudy for Orlando after missing the last five games with an elbow injury. Toronto's Jonas Valanciunas has missed three in a row with a bruised left hand and is uncertain.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Celtics (39-30) at 76ers (9-60)
Date: March 20, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

One quarter returned a glimpse of the Boston Celtics team that recently made a push for a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference.

If they can't sustain that for more than 12 minutes, their current rough patch might continue.

The Celtics will try to avoid their longest losing streak of the season against a team notorious for extended slumps when they visit the league-worst Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night.

Boston (39-30) is not far removed from a 17-5 stretch that put it in the East's No. 3 position and within 4 1/2 games of Atlantic Division-leading Toronto.

But Friday's 105-91 loss to the Raptors just over a week later was the Celtics' fourth straight, dropping them to sixth in the conference and 8 1/2 back in the division.

Boston's slide is one game shy of its longest since early last season, and the way it has unfolded is particularly surprising.

The Celtics were third in the league in scoring from Jan. 15-March. 9, their 111.7 average ranking behind only Golden State (116.5) and Oklahoma City (112.5). During their skid, they are averaging 99 points on 40.6 percent shooting, including 29.4 from deep.

One of the only positives was Friday's third quarter, which coach Brad Stevens said was the best his team has played in two weeks.

The Celtics cut into what was once a 19-point first-half deficit with a 33-24 advantage in the third, trimming Toronto's lead to 79-74. Still, a 30-14 flop in the first quarter and a 26-17 clunker in the fourth were far too much to avoid a fourth straight road loss.

'We have to change something up,' Isaiah Thomas said. 'We got ourselves back into the game, so we showed signs of playing like we know how, but a good team like the Raptors you can't just play one good quarter.'

Philadelphia (9-60) might be the streak-snapping opponent. The 76ers have dropped four in a row and 17 of 18, and their only two wins since Jan. 27 have come against Brooklyn, the second-worst team in the East.

The Celtics have won seven straight games in this series as they go for their second consecutive sweep. Thomas has shot 50.9 percent while averaging 25.7 points against the 76ers in the three this season.

One more win would help Philadelphia avoid matching its own NBA-low victory total in an 82-game season, set when the 1972-73 team finished 9-73.

The 76ers have struggled mightily on the boards since rookie center Jahlil Okafor was lost for the season with a cartilage tear in his right knee. They have held a rebounding advantage in one of 10 games without him, getting edged on the glass by an average of 13.1 per game.

Philadelphia was outrebounded 63-36 in Friday's 111-97 loss to Oklahoma City, the best rebounding team in the NBA.

'We're small and we're not thick,' coach Brett Brown said after his team fell to 6-29 at Wells Fargo Center. 'We're light right now. ... I wish it was better than that.'

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Kings (26-42) at Knicks (28-41)
Date: March 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Dysfunction has been the story for the New York Knicks and the Sacramento Kings, who have been dismal since the All-Star break.

Only two teams have worse records than these clubs in that span but one of them will win when they meet Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.

Sacramento (26-42) is 4-11 since the break and New York (28-42) is 5-10. Only the Los Angeles Lakers at 3-11 and Philadelphia at 1-15 have been worse. The Kings will finish with their 10th straight losing season and the Knicks their third in a row.

These teams are similarly built around superstars that many basketball observers believe are flawed in New York's Carmelo Anthony and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins. Anthony, who said earlier this week he was unsure about his future with the Knicks, was evaluated for migraines after he scored 20 in Saturday's 99-89 loss at Washington.

Cousins has repeatedly clashed with coach George Karl, who is rumored to be fired. The Knicks have already fired Derek Fisher and replaced him with interim coach Kurt Rambis.

Hope for the future is based on 7-foot rookies selected two picks apart in the draft in the Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis and the Kings' Willie Cauley-Stein. Both are showing signs of the drain of the long season.

Porzingis is shooting 39.3 percent overall and 28.0 percent on 3-pointers in his 14 games playing under Rambis. He shot 42.3 percent and 34.9 percent in 53 games under Fisher.

Cauley-Stein sat out Friday's 115-108 loss at Detroit with an illness. He has been disappointing lately, failing to score at least 10 points in nine of his previous 11 games.

Cousins had 31 points and 10 rebounds Friday in Sacramento's 11th loss in 13 games. The Kings trailed 39-25 after one quarter before rallying to get back into the contest only to get outscored 18-12 over the final 6:36.

'Slow start, slow end,' said forward Rudy Gay, who scored 19. 'We've just got to put together a whole game of good basketball.'

Rajon Rondo, averaging an NBA-high 11.9 assists, returned with 10 points and 13 assists after missing a game with a variety of injuries.

The Kings have a major edge with an average of 49.7 points in the paint to rank second in the NBA while the Knicks rank last at 36.5.

Sacramento enjoyed a 62-26 advantage in that category in a 99-97 home win Dec. 10. Cousins had 27 points and 11 boards and Anthony had 23 and 14, although he missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

New York blew an 18-point lead in its 20th loss in 26 games Saturday. Porzingis scored 20 for the Knicks, who shot 39.5 percent.

Point guard Jose Calderon was seen limping during the game. His status was in doubt due to a calf injury that he plans to test out Sunday.

"That it is the plan, that is the plan, going out tomorrow, get treatment in the morning, get treatment before the game," he said. "Hopefully it won't get a big swelling or something, so hopefully everything is good."

The Knicks are 7-8 in the second half of back-to-back sets.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Clippers (43-25) at Pelicans (25-43)
Date: March 20, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers couldn't get past a short-handed team to start this weekend but will get to face another to close it out.

The New Orleans Pelicans might not have star Anthony Davis for the rest of the season, and the Clippers will try to take advantage of his absence Sunday night while earning a fifth consecutive win in the series.

Los Angeles (43-25) fell 113-102 on Saturday night to a Memphis team that was missing several key players and dropped to 1-2 on its five-game trip.

"I'm just disappointed that we got outcompeted tonight, and it was clear," coach Doc Rivers told the team's official website. "It actually started in practice (Friday). It was a waste-of-time practice, it was a waste-of-time game for us today, it was a waste-of-time shootaround.

"We didn't do anything today. That's on me too, though. I've got to get them ready. They weren't ready to play."

The Clippers remain four games in front of the fifth-place Grizzlies for homecourt advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, but they could use some wins to bolster that position.

If recent matchups with New Orleans (25-43) are any indication, they might get one Sunday. Los Angeles has won all three meetings against the Pelicans this season and 11 of 13.

The Clippers have faced Davis in two of those games, holding him to a combined 31 points and well below his average of 24.3. The Pelicans' three-time All-Star is currently dealing with knee and shoulder ailments, and coach Alvin Gentry indicated the option of shutting him down the rest of the way isn't off the table.

"I wouldn't say no to that. I think we have to be smart collectively," he said. "I think that's something we have to consider."

Los Angeles has won four of six in New Orleans, including a 95-89 victory in its only other trip this season Dec. 31.

J.J. Redick had 26 points in that game but was held to 11 on 2-of-10 shooting in a 114-111 overtime win in Los Angeles on Jan. 10. Chris Paul led the way with 25 points but could only manage nine on 3-of-18 shooting in the visit to New Orleans.

The Clippers point guard had 25 points in Saturday's defeat, 10 more than in a 122-106 victory against Houston on Wednesday.

Paul will try to lead Los Angeles to its first sweep of the Pelicans franchise in its 14 seasons of existence.

New Orleans will attempt to fend that off while earning just its third win in 12 games and second in six at home. The Pelicans fell 117-112 to visiting Portland on Friday with Davis missing the second half due to a left knee injury.

He scored 19 points in 14-plus minutes. Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday each finished with 30.

Anderson has a combined 59 points in his past two games but is averaging a more pedestrian 16.5 in his last two matchups with the Clippers.

Los Angeles center DeAndre Jordan has connected on 25 of 26 shots in the last four games and his past 19 in a row. His 70.9 shooting percentage is just shy of matching last season's 71.0, and the NBA's second-best in one season behind Wilt Chamberlain's 72.7 in 1972-73.

Jordan has shot 72.2 percent (13 of 18) while scoring 31 points in the three games against New Orleans.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Jazz (33-36) at Bucks (30-39)
Date: March 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Utah Jazz got their best player back, although their playoff hopes took a hit as a four-game win streak ended.

The Milwaukee Bucks may face them with some unfamiliar players getting some major playing time.

The Jazz seek to even their mark on this five-game trip Sunday night when they meet a dangerous and loose Bucks team that has won four of five.

Utah (33-36) welcomed back Gordon Hayward in Saturday's 92-85 defeat at Chicago in the opener of this trip after he missed the previous two games with plantar fasciitis of the right foot. Hayward, averaging 20.0 points, was held to nine on 4-of-13 shooting.

The Jazz, who shot 40.7 percent, fell one game behind Dallas for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot. They trail Houston by 1 1/2 games and Portland by 2 1/2.

'I felt fine out there,' Hayward said. 'We didn't have a good shooting night and struggled a little bit early defensively.'

Utah likely can't afford to lose to a Bucks club it has defeated in 17 of the last 21 meetings. Milwaukee (30-39) may be poised to post a rare win in this series because of this 4-1 stretch as well as a 12-6 run at home.

Coach Jason Kidd opted for an unusual lineup in the fourth quarter comprised entirely of reserves in Thursday's 96-86 victory over Memphis. None of the starters saw any action in the fourth as the Bucks outscored the Grizzlies 28-13 behind Tyler Ennis' 13 points in the period - a career high.

Milwaukee's bench averages 27.3 points - one of the NBA's worst marks.

'They were like grasshoppers out there,' Kidd said. 'They had a lot of energy and spunk. I guess the coach has been holding them back a little bit. They earned the minutes to finish that game.'

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 15 points and 11 assists and Khris Middleton had 14 points and 10 boards among the starters, and Kidd said he may give his reserves even more minutes if his first five continues to falter.

Ennis could be the beneficiary, totaling 35 points on 55.6 percent shooting in his last four games.

"Not having to rely on guys like Khris and Giannis and those guys that play 45 minutes a game, if we have guys coming off the bench every night, different guys, it will help," Ennis said.

Rashad Vaughn was one of the reserves who played the entire fourth quarter Thursday, but he has since been assigned to the Development League.

There's a chance that guard Greivis Vasquez could see his first action since Nov. 27 after being out following right ankle surgery. Vasquez has been practicing this week.

Milwaukee takes 81.0 percent of its shots from inside the 3-point line for the league's highest mark and averages an NBA-best 50.3 points in the paint.

Derrick Favors led the Jazz with 24 points Saturday as they held a 50-36 scoring edge in the paint.

Utah averages 93.5 possessions per 48 minutes for the league's slowest pace. The Jazz are 9-6 in the second half of back-to-back games.

The Jazz beat the Bucks 84-81 on Feb. 5 behind Rodney Hood's 23 points.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

Seven #15-seeds who won in first round- how did they do in their second game?

1991-- Richmond beat Syracuse-- Lost 77-64 (+2.5) in next game.

1993-- Santa Clara beat Arizona-- Lost 68-57 (+11) in next game.

1997-- Coppin State beat South Carolina-- Lost 82-81 (+11.5) to Texas.

2001-- Hampton beat Iowa State-- Lost 76-57 (+12.5) to Georgetown

2012-- Norfolk State beat Missouri-- Lost 84-50 (+14) to Florida.

2012-- Lehigh beat Duke-- Lost 70-58 (+4.5) to Xavier.

2013-- Florida Gulf Coast beat Georgetown-- Beat San Diego State 81-71 (+7.5).

2016-- Middle Tennessee State beat Michigan State-- ??????

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

13) Actually left the house today, went out for lunch and watched the Wichita State game. Checking out of the human race for a few days to watch basketball is something I highly recommend. Starting Monday, time to get ready for baseball, and Sweet 16 games next weekend. And maybe pack for a vacation...... :-)

12) Miami 65, Wichita State 57-- Hurricanes were up 27-6 very quickly, then blew the lead-- Shockers went up 43-42, but Miami pulled back ahead and advances to the Sweet 16. Van Vleet/Baker gave Wichita fans tons of thrills, what great careers they've had, but now they move on to pro ball and Wichita State has to rebuild.

11) Duke 71, Yale 64-- Duke led 46-19 at one point, were up 23 at half, then all of a sudden, Yale started playing well, then really well- they got the lead all the way down to three before time ran out on them. Historic season for the Bulldogs, who made it to the NCAAs for first time since 1962. Hope they enjoyed it.

10) Indiana 73, Kentucky 67-- Wildcats had at least made the Sweet 16 the last five they were in the tournament, but Indiana shot 61% inside arc, Kentucky shot 4-16 on the arc and now we wait to see which Wildcats bolt for the NBA Draft. Up next for the Hoosiers is North Carolina, another good game for TV ratings.

9) Virginia 77, Butler 69-- Cavaliers are 15-3 in last 18 games, move on to play Iowa State in a great game of contrasting styles. I think I overrated Butler; kept waiting for them to play better and they really never did. Wonder if the people at Wisconsin were going to go after Tony Bennett, had the Badgers not gotten hot in February?

8) Kansas 73, UConn 61-- Jayhawks led 42-19 at one point; Huskies got it down to single digits, but Kansas was just too good. Maryland-Hawai'i winner awaits in the next round; Terps are 4-6 in last ten games and were shaky at end of their win Friday against South Dakota State. Will Kevin Ollie jump to an NBA coaching job?

7) Iowa State 78, Ark-Little Rock 61-- Big underdogs who pull shocking first round upsets tend to do poorly in their next game, just the way it has usually been. After a couple of games vs free-wheeling teams this week, Iowa State plays Virginia next, and the Cavaliers are quite the opposite. That will be an interesting game.

6) Gonzaga 82, Utah 59-- Tank job by Utes, who lost to Oregon by 31 last week in Pac-12 tournament- those are their only two losses in their last ten games, but that is how this Utah team will be remembered. As for Gonzaga, three weeks ago, they lost at home to St Mary's on Senior Night and looked like they would miss the NCAAs for first time since 1998- now they're in Sweet 16 and playing their best basketball.

5) North Carolina 85, Providence 66-- .Game was 41-41, but Friars just didn't have enough players; you'd think they'd go to a zone once Dunn/Bentil got into foul trouble, since those two were the backbone of the team. Carolina is 11-1 in its last dozen Sweet 16 games, losing to Wisconsin LY. Tar Heels play Indiana next.

4) Favorites went 5-2 Saturday; I had Gonzaga-Utah as pick 'em. I'm thinking it is hard to play these noon games on Saturday/Sunday- pregame meals at 8am?

3) Rutgers hired Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell as its new coach, $1.6M a year; he is also a former UConn player/coach. Danny Hurley/Mike Lonergan were Rutgers' first two choices. I might have looked at Manhattan coach Steve Masiello, but seems like these college administrators are so gutless- they just pick guys who had big years this season, rather than a lot of good years previously.

2) Middle Tennessee coach Kermit Davis got a $31,250 bonus for winning a game in the NCAA tournament; wonder how they came up with that amount?

1) 11-seed in South Region has now beaten the 6-seed in first round seven years in row, so go find a blank bracket, put "2017" on top and circle the 11-seed in the South. then put it where you can find it next March and you'll already have one winner.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, March 20

Hot teams
-- Toronto won six of its last seven games (3-1 last 4HF).
-- Utah won its last four games (4-10 last 14AU). Milwaukee won four of its last five games (6-2 last 8HF).

Cold teams
-- Portland lost six of its last nine games. Mavericks lost seven of their last eight games.
-- Orlando lost six of its last eight games (2-3 last 5AU).
-- Boston lost five of its last six games (6-3 last 9AF). 76ers lost nine of their last ten games (3-1 last 4HU).
-- Clippers lost four of their last six games (9-2 last 11AF). New Orleans lost five of its last six (5-3 last 8HU).
-- Kings lost seven of their last eight games (2-6 last 8AU). New York lost seven of its last ten games (10-6HF).

Series records
-- Mavericks won three of last four games with Dallas.
-- Raptors won nine of last ten games with Orlando.
-- Celtics won their last seven games with Philadelphia.
-- Clippers won their last four games with New Orleans.
-- Jazz won eight of their last ten games with Milwaukee.
-- Knicks lost four of their last five games with Sacramento.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight Portland games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last eight Pelican games went over the total.
-- Over is 10-2 in last 12 Utah games if it played night before.
-- Under is 9-2 in New York's last eleven games.

Back/backs
-- Clippers won last six games if they played the night before.
-- Utah is 3-5 in last eight road games if it played night before.
-- Knicks won four of last five if they played the night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Sunday, March 20

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Trend Report
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4:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. DALLAS
Portland is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Dallas's last 17 games

4:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Orlando is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games at home
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

6:00 PM
BOSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Boston is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Boston is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Philadelphia is 1-17 SU in its last 18 games

6:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. NEW ORLEANS
LA Clippers are 15-6 SU in their last 21 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 7 games on the road
New Orleans is 2-11 SU in their last 13 games when playing LA Clippers
New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
UTAH vs. MILWAUKEE
Utah is 5-10 ATS in its last 15 games
Utah is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
Milwaukee is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Utah

7:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Sacramento's last 13 games on the road
Sacramento is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of New York's last 11 games
New York is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Sunday, March 20

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PORTLAND (36 - 34) at DALLAS (34 - 35) - 3/20/2016, 4:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 339-276 ATS (+35.4 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
PORTLAND is 40-30 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
PORTLAND is 23-14 ATS (+7.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PORTLAND is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
PORTLAND is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PORTLAND is 29-20 ATS (+7.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
DALLAS is 19-36 ATS (-20.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 32-48 ATS (-20.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 13-31 ATS (-21.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 18-31 ATS (-16.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 43-58 ATS (-20.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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ORLANDO (29 - 39) at TORONTO (47 - 21) - 3/20/2016, 4:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-4 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 8-1 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BOSTON (39 - 30) at PHILADELPHIA (9 - 60) - 3/20/2016, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 84-68 ATS (+9.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 45-32 ATS (+9.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 53-38 ATS (+11.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 37-62 ATS (-31.2 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 28-37 ATS (-12.7 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 0-9 ATS (-9.9 Units) as a home underdog of 9.5 to 12 points this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 14-33 ATS (-22.3 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 52-71 ATS (-26.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 103-147 ATS (-58.7 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 7-4 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 8-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (43 - 25) at NEW ORLEANS (25 - 43) - 3/20/2016, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 241-292 ATS (-80.2 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 211-260 ATS (-75.0 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 28-40 ATS (-16.0 Units) in all games this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 6-4 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-2 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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UTAH (33 - 36) at MILWAUKEE (30 - 39) - 3/20/2016, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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SACRAMENTO (26 - 42) at NEW YORK (28 - 42) - 3/20/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 28-38 ATS (-13.8 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 22-31 ATS (-12.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
SACRAMENTO is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) second half of the season this season.
SACRAMENTO is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 19-35 ATS (-19.5 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 33-46 ATS (-17.6 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 24-37 ATS (-16.7 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SACRAMENTO is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
NEW YORK is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
NEW YORK is 49-67 ATS (-24.7 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, March 20


Sacramento @ New York

Game 711-712
March 20, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
117.848
New York
111.323
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Sacramento
by 6
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Sacramento
by 2 1/2
213
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(-2 1/2); Under

Portland @ Dallas

Game 701-702
March 20, 2016 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
117.640
Dallas
122.403
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 5
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 1
213
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(-1); Over

Orlando @ Toronto

Game 703-704
March 20, 2016 @ 4:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
112.977
Toronto
127.358
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 14 1/2
204
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 10
210
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-10); Under

Boston @ Philadelphia

Game 705-706
March 20, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
117.579
Philadelphia
112.000
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 5 1/2
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 11
215
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+11); Under

LA Clippers @ New Orleans

Game 707-708
March 20, 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
118.842
New Orleans
117.465
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 1 1/2
219
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 8
212 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(+8); Over

Utah @ Milwaukee

Game 709-710
March 20, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
116.849
Milwaukee
121.414
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 4 1/2
187
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 1 1/2
193 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-1 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (705) BOSTON@ (706) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-03-20 18:05:00 - 2016-03-20 18:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA against the spread in All games as a home underdog of 9.5 to 12 points
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-9.9 units)

NBA > (701) PORTLAND@ (702) DALLAS | 2016-03-20 16:05:00 - 2016-03-20 16:05:00
Play AGAINST DALLAS against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 13 Wins and 31 Losses for the last two seasons (-21.1 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (701) PORTLAND@ (702) DALLAS | 2016-03-20 16:05:00 - 2016-03-20 16:05:00
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 12 Wins and 31 Losses for the last two seasons (-25.6 units)

NBA > (707) LA CLIPPERS@ (708) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-03-20 18:05:00 - 2016-03-20 18:05:00
Play AGAINST LA CLIPPERS using money line in All games when the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 8 Wins and 12 Losses for the this season (-19.3 units)

NBA > (711) SACRAMENTO@ (712) NEW YORK | 2016-03-20 19:35:00 - 2016-03-20 19:35:00
Play AGAINST NEW YORK using money line in All games in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 30 Wins and 42 Losses for the since 1992 (-45.2 units)

NBA > (703) ORLANDO@ (704) TORONTO | 2016-03-20 16:35:00 - 2016-03-20 16:35:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in Road games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 6 Wins and 34 Losses for the last three seasons (-28.05 units)

NBA > (703) ORLANDO@ (704) TORONTO | 2016-03-20 16:35:00 - 2016-03-20 16:35:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in All games in March games
The record is 6 Wins and 17 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.7 units)

NBA > (701) PORTLAND@ (702) DALLAS | 2016-03-20 16:05:00 - 2016-03-20 16:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 15 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+12.3 units)

NBA > (705) BOSTON@ (706) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-03-20 18:05:00 - 2016-03-20 18:05:00
Play ON BOSTON using money line in All games when the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 17 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+11.55 units)

NBA > (709) UTAH@ (710) MILWAUKEE | 2016-03-20 19:05:00 - 2016-03-20 19:05:00
Play ON MILWAUKEE using money line in Home games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 14 Wins and 7 Losses for the this season (+12.35 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (701) PORTLAND@ (702) DALLAS | 2016-03-20 16:05:00 - 2016-03-20 16:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND ?>in the first halfin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 23 Wins and 8 Losses for the this season (+14.2 units)

NBA > (701) PORTLAND@ (702) DALLAS | 2016-03-20 16:05:00 - 2016-03-20 16:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND ?>in the first halfin All games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+8.9 units)

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

CBB TOTALS

NBA > (709) UTAH@ (710) MILWAUKEE | 2016-03-20 19:05:00 - 2016-03-20 19:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 15 Overs and 57 Unders for the last three seasons (+40.5 units)

NBA > (709) UTAH@ (710) MILWAUKEE | 2016-03-20 19:05:00 - 2016-03-20 19:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games in March games
The record is 3 Overs and 22 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.7 units)

NBA > (707) LA CLIPPERS@ (708) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-03-20 18:05:00 - 2016-03-20 18:05:00
Play OVER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 20 Overs and 4 Unders for the this season (+15.6 units)

NBA > (707) LA CLIPPERS@ (708) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-03-20 18:05:00 - 2016-03-20 18:05:00
Play OVER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 12 Overs and 1 Unders for the this season (+10.9 units)

NBA > (711) SACRAMENTO@ (712) NEW YORK | 2016-03-20 19:35:00 - 2016-03-20 19:35:00
Play OVER SACRAMENTO on the totalin Road games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 28 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+18.1 units)

NBA > (709) UTAH@ (710) MILWAUKEE | 2016-03-20 19:05:00 - 2016-03-20 19:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 17 Overs and 40 Unders for the last two seasons (+21.3 units)

NBA > (705) BOSTON@ (706) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-03-20 18:05:00 - 2016-03-20 18:05:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 24 Overs and 51 Unders for the last two seasons (+24.6 units)

NBA > (701) PORTLAND@ (702) DALLAS | 2016-03-20 16:05:00 - 2016-03-20 16:05:00
Play OVER PORTLAND on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 22 Overs and 8 Unders for the this season (+13.2 units)

NBA > (701) PORTLAND@ (702) DALLAS | 2016-03-20 16:05:00 - 2016-03-20 16:05:00
Play OVER PORTLAND on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 23 Overs and 9 Unders for the this season (+13.1 units)

NBA > (711) SACRAMENTO@ (712) NEW YORK | 2016-03-20 19:35:00 - 2016-03-20 19:35:00
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the totalin All games after playing 3 consecutive road games
The record is 2 Overs and 13 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.8 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results: 6 - 1
March Record: 69 - 55


SUNDAY, MARCH 20

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

POR at DAL 04:00 PM

DAL -1.0

O 215.5


ORL at TOR 04:30 PM

ORL +9.5

O 208.5


LAC at NO 06:00 PM

LAC -8.0

O 211.5


BOS at PHI 06:00 PM

PHI +11.0

U 215.5


UTA at MIL 07:00 PM

UTA +1.5

U 191.0


SAC at NY 07:30 PM

SAC -3.0

U 211.0

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nuggets (29-41) at Cavaliers (49-20)
Date: March 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Cavaliers are on the cusp of the ninth 50-win season in franchise history and have an outside shot at 60, but as the playoffs approach there's no reason for the rest of the Eastern Conference to raise a white flag.

These days in Cleveland, there seem to be a few red ones.

The Cavs look to bounce back from a lopsided loss Monday night against the visiting Denver Nuggets as they open a softer stretch looking to maintain their dwindling lead for the East's top seed.

Whether it's boredom, fatigue, some inconsistent lineup patterns or just the occasional bout of bad basketball, Cleveland (49-20) hasn't often resembled a title contender in recent weeks.

There was a loss to the under-.500 Wizards in late February in which the Cavaliers trailed by as much as 30, a bizarre 106-103 home defeat to a Memphis team missing the top half of its roster and, most recently, Saturday's 122-101 rout at Miami that saw the Heat basically lead wire-to-wire.

"It is what it is," LeBron James said after finishing with 26 points - one fewer than the rest of Cleveland's starting five. "You would like to be playing extremely well in late February going into March, but if not then you just work your habits, continue to work what you've been doing over the season and then get ready for the postseason."

The Raptors have almost caught the top-seeded Cavs, who have allowed 106.8 points per 100 possessions over their last 15 games. In their first 54, that number was 100.9.

"There's a number of reasons why (Saturday's loss) went down the way it went did," Kevin Love said. "But more than anything we just want to get back home."

That's where Cleveland will play four of its next six in what looks like a pretty forgiving stretch. A .500 Houston club is the best team the Cavaliers will see in the midst of visits from the Nets and Bucks and trips to Brooklyn and New York.

First up is Denver (29-41), which dropped the first three of its five-game trip before beating Charlotte 101-93 on Saturday. D.J. Augustin led seven Nuggets in double figures with 24 points in 23 minutes off the bench.

Augustin has averaged 14.8 points, shot 48.7 percent and posted a nearly 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the last 12 of 16 games in a Denver uniform. The Nuggets have a 114.4 offensive rating with him on the court in that stretch as opposed to 104.4 with him on the bench.

'Big plays, not afraid of the moment, makes open shots - makes the right play most times,' coach Michael Malone said. 'He's been a great pickup. He's had a big impact in a lot of the wins we've had since we've gotten him.'

Augustin could have another big night if he finds himself sharing the court with Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith. Cleveland's allowing 113.3 points per 100 possessions with its starting backcourt on the floor since the All-Star break.

Tyronn Lue seems to be tinkering with the Cavs' frontcourt before the playoffs begin. Love started at center Saturday in a smaller lineup that also included Iman Shumpert while Timofey Mozgov and Tristan Thompson came off the bench.

"I like the small-ball lineup," Lue said. "I like it probably more when we have a chance to go to it in the flow of the game rather than starting like that because offensively we can't run what we want to run when we start small. We have to keep working on it, keep adjusting to it."

The Nuggets could have another big body back Monday in Kenneth Faried, who has missed two games with lower back soreness.

Irving and Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay missed Cleveland's 93-87 win at Pepsi Center on Dec. 29. James led the way with 34 and Will Barton had 29 off the bench for the Nuggets.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: 76ers (9-60) at Pacers (36-33)
Date: March 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Indiana Pacers star Paul George and coach Frank Vogel have differing opinions on what it means to face some awful teams this week.

No matter what they may think, it's practically unthinkable to believe that the Pacers could lose to their next opponent.

They'll be out to avoid a season-high third straight home loss Monday night when they face a horrendous Philadelphia 76ers team that committed an astounding number of turnovers the last time these clubs met.

Indiana (36-33) will be favored in its next three contests, with a home game Thursday against a New Orleans team playing without superstar Anthony Davis and a trip Saturday to Brooklyn.

"I think this is great going through a playoff stretch facing opponents that we should win (against)," George said. "I think that should be a good confidence booster for us."

The Pacers can't afford to slip up since they are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a one-half game lead on Chicago and Detroit.

"We can't get caught up in a quote-unquote positive schedule," Vogel insisted. "Detroit's got a really favorable schedule, Chicago's got a favorable schedule."

Nothing is more favorable than facing Philadelphia, which needs one win to avoid matching the 1972-73 76ers for the worst record over an 82-game schedule. The club is without injured star rookie Jahlil Okafor while third-leading scorer Robert Covington has missed the last five games due to a concussion.

Philadelphia (9-61) has dropped nine straight on the road, 18 of 19 overall and is 3-41 against East foes. The 76ers have lost seven of the last eight to the Pacers and four straight in Indiana.

The Pacers cruised to a 112-85 rout Nov. 18 when Okafor and Covington were both healthy. The 76ers had 31 turnovers to match the worst total by an NBA team in the last 11 seasons.

Philadelphia averages a league-worst 17.1 turnovers, although it has fared better over the last three games with a total of 30. That hasn't prevented more losing as its overall slide reached five games following Sunday's 120-105 setback to Boston in which the club missed 17 straight shots in one first-quarter stretch.

"I think we missed 16 or 17 shots in a row," coach Brett Brown said. "Think about that, that's hard to do."

Carl Landry scored a season-high 26 points for Philadelphia, which is 1-14 in the second half of back-to-back games.

Teams playing the Sixers often rest any players who need it. Vogel did not say whether he would do so, although he said the club wants to be careful with George's toe and Rodney Stuckey's foot.

Point guard Ty Lawson may be back after missing five games with an injured left foot.

"I would anticipate trying to get him out there," Vogel said.

George posted the second-best scoring effort of his career with 45 in Saturday's 115-111 loss to Oklahoma City in which Indiana blew a double-digit lead. The Pacers also came up short in Thursday's 101-94 overtime defeat to Toronto.

"We've let the past two games on our floor get away," George said. "We've got to get better, that's the obvious and we're working towards that."