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

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Six conference tournaments that will be played this week.......

-- Big 12-- Looks like seven of their ten teams will make NCAAs.

-- Atlantic 14-- Lot of bubble teams; there was a 3-way tie for first place.

-- Mountain West-- Its a one-bid league this year; San Diego State is favored.

-- Pac-12-- Four teams are in; they have three teams trying to get on bubble.

-- MAC-- These teams are roughly all the same. Akron is favored this year.

-- Sun Belt-- For some reason, their championship game is Selection Sunday.

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Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Mid-week musings........

13) Gonzaga 85, St Mary's 75-- HBO will be happy; their 5-part reality series on the Zags will have a happy ending next week. Looks like St Mary's is going to NIT despite its 27-5 record; their strength of schedule is #200 (out of conference, #318). They won two of three against Gonzaga, but this was the one that counted for everything.

12) Last four at-large teams go to Dayton next week for play-in games; according to Joe Lunardi, who is always at least very close, Syracuse-Monmouth would be one game in Dayton, UConn-St Bonaventure the other.

11) During the Florida State-Boston College game in ACC tournament, Doris Burke and Sean McDonough took turns bashing BC's administration for not committing enough money to fund a competitive team in the ACC. Apparently the thing now is to have a basketball-only facility that players can access 24/7 if they want to work on their games. Facilities like that cost a decent amount of money.

Seeing as Boston College went a combined 0-27 in football/basketball in the ACC this year, school honchos might want to reach into their deep pockets, spend some $$$.

10) ESPN's Seth Greenberg went to college at FDU in New Jersey; the 18-14 Knights upset Wagner to win the NEC title last night, Greenberg was calling FDU "Harvard in Hackensack" which apparently it very much is not.

Greenberg is very good on TV though, way better than he was as a coach.

9) Green Bay 78, Wright St 69-- Green Bay coach Linc Darner won the DII national title LY at Florida Southern; he has now won 13 consecutive games in March, the best month to have a winning streak.

During Green Bay's semi-final upset of Valparaiso Monday, one of the refs tossed the Green Bay radio guy from the gym, for objecting to some calls from his broadcast spot near the scorer's table. Conference officials intervened at the next TV timeout and let the guy back in.

8) Valpo and Oakland both got the double bye into the semifinals for being #1, #2 during the regular season, then they both lost their first tournament game, rendering the double bye useless. Tournaments played on neutral court hurt the top seeds, or more accurately, do not help them as much as playing them at home, obviously.

7) ESPN is using a new gadget at the ACC tourney, where the 3-point arc turns red on TV after a kid releases a 3-point shot. Not sure it was needed, but it is cool.

6) Sounds like the Pitt-Syracuse game today is an elimination game to stay on the NCAA bubble. Much like St Mary's-Gonzaga Tuesday, one team (Pitt) swept the season series, but now has to beat the Ornage a third time to stay in the hunt.

5) Marlins-Braves are playing a real game at Fort Bragg, NC July 3 will be shown on Sunday Night Baseball. The game will be played in a 12,500-seat stadium built by MLB and the MLBPA. Teams play Thurs-Sat that week in Atlanta, with a 4:10 game on Saturday, then play at 5:05 Sunday on the military base.

4) Detroit Tigers took the extra base on hits to the outfield only 34% of time LY, worst in the AL- they're looking to improve on that this year.

3) When I watch pitchers on my fantasy team pitch in spring training, I try not to be concerned as long as they appear healthy; When Bob Welch won the Cy Young for the A's in 1990, his ERA in spring training that year was over 17.00. Sometimes they just work on one pitch or don't use their best stuff. It just does not matter.

2) Baltimore Orioles are 0-8 in spring training; does it matter at all? And if yes, how much? If Buck Showalter wasn't their manager, I'd be more concerned for them.

1) Great scene in the movie Friday Night Lights, where Billy Bob Thornton's team gets beat unexpectedly- his character drives up to his house after the game, to find his wife sitting on the stoop with five "FOR SALE" signs stuck in the front lawn.

We live in a fickle society, people are generally frontrunners. You think anyone would give a rat's ass what Donald Trump thought if he wasn't a billionaire? But he might become President, because rich and famous is very important in our society.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 9

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Game of the Day: Clippers at Thunder
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The underdog is 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings between the Clippers and Thunder.

Los Angeles Clippers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-5.5, 215)

The Oklahoma City Thunder certainly haven't forgotten that they blew a 22-point lead to the Los Angeles Clippers last week in Los Angeles. The Thunder get another chance at the Clippers in a home game on Wednesday just seven days after seeing the large advantage turn into a 103-98 road loss to Los Angeles.

The Clippers closed the game with a 26-5 run while finishing off the improbable rally against the Thunder and arrive in Oklahoma City with four victories in the past five games. Los Angeles has won 14 of its 17 away games and dominated the second half on Monday while producing a 109-90 road win over the Dallas Mavericks. Oklahoma City has struggled of late with six losses in nine games and guard Dion Waiters is among the Thunder players who haven't forgotten what happened last week against the Clippers. "We always come out with a great sense of urgency," Waiters told reporters. "When we get a big lead, we have to learn how to step on their neck and get it over with."

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FSN Oklahoma

LINE HISTORY: The Thunder opened as 5-point home favorites and have been bet up to -5.5. The total has been bet down a half-point from 215.5 to 215.

INJURY REPORT:

Clippers - PF B. Griffin (Out Wednesday, quadricep/suspension), PF L. Mbah a Moute (Out Wednesday, eye).

Thunder - No injuries to report.

POWER RANKINGS: Clippers (-8.9) - Thunder (-10.3) + home court (-3) = Thunder -4.5

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (41-21, 31-28-3 ATS, 26-36 O/U): Center DeAndre Jordan had 23 points and 20 rebounds in the victory over Dallas to mark the fifth time in his career that he has had at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in the same contest. Jordan has collected 10 or more rebounds in 19 consecutive games and also had a big game against the Thunder last week when he had 20 points and 18 rebounds. Point guard Chris Paul scored 27 points against the Mavericks and is averaging 25.8 points and 11.2 assists over the last five games.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (43-20, 25-37-1 ATS, 28-35 O/U): Point guard Russell Westbrook had 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in Sunday's 104-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks to record his 10th triple-double of the season. Oklahoma City has won all 10 of those contests and has compiled a 25-4 mark in Westbrook's 29 career triple-doubles. Small forward Kevin Durant has his own roll of superb outings to admire with five 30-point outings while registering six consecutive double-doubles - he's averaging 31.7 points and 11.5 rebounds during the stretch.

TRENDS:

* Clippers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games versus Western Conference opponents.
* Underdogs is 8-1 ATS in the last nine meetings.
* Under is 6-1 in Clippers' last seven games versus Western Conference opponents.
* Under is 8-2 in Thunder's 10 home games versus a team with a winning road record.

CONSENSUS: Bettors are strongly behind the home team in this Western Conference showdown, with 70 percent of the wagers on the Thunder. As for the total, a whopping 83 percent of wagers are on the over.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, March 9

Hot teams
-- Miami won its last five games (9-4AF).
-- Charlotte won eight of its last ten games (5-3 last 8HF).
-- Memphis won six of its last eight games (4-0 last 4AU). Boston won five of its last six games (8-4 last 12HF).
-- Detroit won five of its last seven games (1-4 last 5AU).
-- Clippers won four of last five games (3-1 last 4AU).
-- Cleveland won three of its last four games (4-9-1 last 14AF).
-- Suns won three of their last five games (4-4HU with Watson).
-- Warriors won eight of their last nine games (1-4 last 5HF).

Cold teams
-- Milwaukee lost five of its last seven games (2-4 last 6HU).
-- Pelicans lost four of their last five games (5-3 last 8AU).
-- 76ers lost their last ten games (2-7 vs spread in last nine). Houston lost three of its last five games (5-8AF).
-- Dallas lost last three games, by 3-2-19 points (5-3 last 8HF).
-- Thunder lost six of their last nine games (8-2 last 10HF).
-- Sacramento lost six of its last seven games (3-7 last 10HU).
-- New York lost six of its last eight games (1-4AF).
-- Utah lost six of its last seven games (4-9 last 13AU).

Series records
-- Bucks won five of their last six games with Miami.
-- Pelicans won six of last eight games with Charlotte.
-- 76ers lost their last four games with Houston.
-- Grizzlies won six of last seven games with Boston.
-- Mavericks won six of last seven games with Detroit.
-- Clippers lost three of last four visits to Oklahoma.
-- Cavaliers lost their last three visits to Sacramento.
-- Knicks lost three of last four games with Phoenix.
-- Warriors won nine of last ten games with Utah.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Miami-Milwaukee games stayed under.
-- Six of last seven New Orleans-Charlotte games went over.
-- Four of last five Philly games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Boston games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Detroit games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Clipper-Thunder games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Sacramento games stayed under total.
-- Under is 7-1 in last 8 New York games if it played night before.
-- Four of last five Utah-Golden State games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- Knicks covered three of last four if they played night before.
-- Utah is 8-5 vs spread if it played night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 9

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Houston's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Houston
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

7:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 18 of Memphis's last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Memphis's last 18 games when playing Boston
Boston is 8-14-1 ATS in its last 23 games when playing Memphis
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Memphis

7:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. CHARLOTTE
New Orleans is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of New Orleans's last 22 games on the road
Charlotte is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Charlotte is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing New Orleans

8:00 PM
MIAMI vs. MILWAUKEE
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Miami's last 8 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Miami
Milwaukee is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing Miami

8:30 PM
DETROIT vs. DALLAS
Detroit is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games on the road
Dallas is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Dallas's last 12 games

9:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. PHOENIX
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
New York is 3-12-1 SU in its last 16 games ,
Phoenix is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games at home
Phoenix is 4-21 SU in its last 25 games

9:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of the LA Clippers last 8 games on the road
LA Clippers are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Oklahoma City is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

10:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. SACRAMENTO
Cleveland is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Cleveland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Sacramento is 5-13-1 ATS in its last 19 games
Sacramento is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home

10:30 PM
UTAH vs. GOLDEN STATE
Utah is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Utah is 1-5-1 SU in its last 7 games ,
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games when playing Utah
Golden State is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, March 9

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MIAMI (37 - 26) at MILWAUKEE (26 - 38) - 3/9/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in road games against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 150-111 ATS (+27.9 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game since 1996.
MIAMI is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MIAMI is 26-17 ATS (+7.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 46-71 ATS (-32.1 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 336-404 ATS (-108.4 Units) second half of the season since 1996.

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

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NEW ORLEANS (24 - 38) at CHARLOTTE (34 - 28) - 3/9/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in non-conference games this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 56-34 ATS (+18.6 Units) in home games in March games since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 48-34 ATS (+10.6 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 40-68 ATS (-34.8 Units) against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 147-188 ATS (-59.8 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.

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

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HOUSTON (31 - 32) at PHILADELPHIA (8 - 55) - 3/9/2016, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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MEMPHIS (38 - 25) at BOSTON (38 - 26) - 3/9/2016, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 3-2 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS 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

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DETROIT (32 - 31) at DALLAS (33 - 31) - 3/9/2016, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games after a non-conference game this season.
DETROIT is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
DALLAS is 17-33 ATS (-19.3 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 30-45 ATS (-19.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 11-28 ATS (-19.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 41-55 ATS (-19.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 16-31 ATS (-18.1 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 3-1 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 3-1 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (41 - 21) at OKLAHOMA CITY (43 - 20) - 3/9/2016, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 185-244 ATS (-83.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 23-37 ATS (-17.7 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 22-32 ATS (-13.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-7 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-7 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CLEVELAND (44 - 18) at SACRAMENTO (25 - 37) - 3/9/2016, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 3-2 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 3-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO 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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NEW YORK (26 - 39) at PHOENIX (17 - 46) - 3/9/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 205 and 209.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 25-38 ATS (-16.8 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
PHOENIX is 14-23 ATS (-11.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PHOENIX is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 5-17 ATS (-13.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

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

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UTAH (29 - 34) at GOLDEN STATE (56 - 6) - 3/9/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 90-68 ATS (+15.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 83-62 ATS (+14.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
UTAH is 53-25 ATS (+25.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 9-0 ATS (+9.0 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 6-4 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 9-1 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, March 9


Utah @ Golden State

Game 517-518
March 9, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
111.577
Golden State
127.000
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 15 1/2
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 12 1/2
207 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-12 1/2); Over

Miami @ Milwaukee

Game 502-502
March 9, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
119.552
Milwaukee
120.457
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 1
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 3
200 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+3); Over

New Orleans @ Charlotte

Game 503-504
March 9, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
114.541
Charlotte
120.004
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Charlotte
by 5 1/2
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Charlotte
by 9
210
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(+9); Over

Houston @ Philadelphia

Game 505-506
March 9, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
118.725
Philadelphia
106.239
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 12 1/2
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 10
219
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-10); Under

Memphis @ Boston

Game 507-508
March 9, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Memphis
111.074
Boston
125.157
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 14
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 9
207 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-9); Over

Detroit @ Dallas

Game 509-510
March 9, 2016 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
116.288
Dallas
121.157
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 5
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 2
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(-2); Over

LA Clippers @ Oklahoma City

Game 511-512
March 9, 2016 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
116.692
Oklahoma City
124.520
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 8
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 5 1/2
215
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma City
(-5 1/2); Over

Cleveland @ Sacramento

Game 513-514
March 9, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
122.380
Sacramento
118.786
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 3 1/2
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 7 1/2
216
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(+7 1/2); Under

New York @ Phoenix

Game 515-516
March 9, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
117.152
Phoenix
114.699
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
by 2 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Phoenix
by 3
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+3); Under

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MEM at BOS 07:00 PM

BOS -11.5

O 209.5


HOU at PHI 07:00 PM

PHI +9.5

O 221.0


NO at CHA 07:00 PM

CHA -8.5

U 209.0

[StarDust Bum]

MIA at MIL 08:00 PM

MIA -3.5


DET at DAL 08:30 PM

DET +2.0


NY at PHO 09:00 PM

PHO -2.0


LAC at OKC 09:30 PM

LAC +5.5


CLE at SAC 10:00 PM

SAC +7.0

O 218.0


UTA at GS 10:30 PM

UTA +13.0

U 208.5

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Hawks (36-28) at Raptors (42-20)
Date: March 10, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Jeff Teague and the Atlanta Hawks made some major strides on the Western Conference portion of their current road trip.

Heading back east may not be easy since Teague had a tough time stopping Kyle Lowry the last time he faced the Toronto Raptors.

These point guards match up for the second time this season Thursday night when the Hawks complete a five-game trek.

Atlanta (36-28) began this trip last Tuesday with a 109-105 overtime loss to Golden State, which played without MVP Stephen Curry. The Hawks took the next three games, including an impressive 107-97 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday followed by Tuesday's 91-84 win over Utah.

Those wins featured strong efforts by Teague, who totaled 46 points and made 17 of 33 shots - 6 of 10 from 3-point range. He had combined for 29 points in the previous three games.

"This is the Jeff I'm used to seeing and hopefully he keeps that going because when he plays at that level, we're a very tough team to beat,' center Al Horford said.

Lowry also has been hot from outside, hitting 11 of his last 20 3-point attempts, and is averaging 28.6 points in his past six games.

Teague was outscored 31-11 by Lowry in the first meeting Dec. 2, as the Raptors (42-20) won 96-86 on the road. Teague missed 11 of 16 shots, although he had 10 assists.

While Teague is one of the NBA's top guards in drives per game with 11.0, Toronto's DeMar DeRozan leads in that category with 11.8 while averaging a league-best 8.8 points off drives.

DeRozan scored 15 of his 25 points after halftime as the Raptors rallied for Tuesday's 104-99 home win over Brooklyn. The 16-point halftime deficit matched Toronto's largest of the season.

'We came out of the second half and that is who we have to be," coach Dwane Casey said. "But we have to start that at the beginning of the game.'

Lowry had 23 points and nine assists, and Bismack Biyombo grabbed 10 boards to help the Raptors to a 40-29 edge on the glass.

Toronto may exploit a similar advantage Thursday with a rebound margin of plus-2.3 since Atlanta is at minus-4.3 for the league's second-worst mark. The Raptors held a 50-43 edge in the first matchup.

Toronto has won 13 of 14 at home while averaging 107.4 points. Atlanta has allowed 86.5 per game in regulation while winning five of six overall.

The Raptors are shooting an East-leading 36.9 percent on 3-pointers, and Atlanta is at 34.7 percent after finishing second in the league at 38.0 a season ago. Kyle Korver led the NBA with 8.5 catch-and-shoot-points per game, and that figure is down to 5.8 - with Horford averaging more at 6.1.

"Last year, we caught some people off guard," Horford said. "For us, this year, it's been about trying to make adjustments offensively and trying to figure out how we can score the ball.'

Hawks forward Kent Bazemore had six points Tuesday after averaging 14.6 over his previous five games. Bazemore averages 0.82 points per elbow touch for one of the NBA's best marks among players who are regular starters.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bulls (32-30) at Spurs (54-10)
Date: March 10, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

While Gregg Popovich was away, the San Antonio Spurs had a minor hiccup.

Another one shouldn't be expected Thursday night when he returns, even facing the Eastern Conference team to have the most success against the Spurs in recent years and already beat them this season.

That club is the Chicago Bulls, but they won't have Jimmy Butler - possibly for a while - and haven't won on the road in more than a month whereas San Antonio hasn't lost a regular-season home game in about a year.

The Spurs' run of 39 consecutive home victories goes back to an overtime loss to Cleveland last March 12 and is one shy of the Orlando Magic (1995-96) for the third-longest streak in NBA history.

San Antonio's .832 win percentage at home since the start of 2009-10 is easily the NBA's best, but the Bulls have split six games there in that span. Their 7-5 record versus the Spurs (54-10) during that time is bettered only by Portland's 14-9 mark.

Chicago (32-30) beat San Antonio 92-89 on Nov. 30, though that was before injuries derailed its season. The Bulls' seven-game road losing streak is their longest since an eight-game skid early in 2009-10.

The current slide dates to a win in Sacramento on Feb. 3, the first of 13 games which Butler has missed due to knee trouble. He sat out Monday's 100-90 win over Milwaukee, two days after returning from an 11-game absence to score 24 against Houston.

Coach Fred Hoiberg originally believed Butler would return for this game after the swelling had gone down, but his leading scorer instead headed to Alabama to meet with Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion.

Chicago, which also lost Aaron Brooks (patellar tendinitis) and Bobby Portis (orbital contusion) in Monday's win, has had 142 player games missed due to injury.

'I mean at this point it's borderline comical,' veteran Mike Dunleavy said. 'We just can't stay healthy for whatever reason.'

While it's unclear if Brooks or Portis will play Thursday, Popovich will be back after missing two games to tend to a family medical condition.

The first one went poorly, with the Spurs having an eight-game winning streak snapped with Monday's 99-91 defeat in Indiana. They shot a season-worst 35.4 percent but responded the next night to hit 55.3 percent in a 116-91 win over Minnesota.

'I thought guys came back understanding we have to be better on both ends of the floor,' said LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 29 points and is averaging 25.4 over his last five games.

Assistant Ettore Messina was the head man in place of Popovich.

'The machine is a well-oiled machine,' Messina said. 'It goes on. You try to sit at the wheel and steer and try not to mess it up. Keep it straight.'

The Spurs weren't straight from 3-point range without Popovich, going 8 of 47. They were 2 of 14 against the Bulls in November, an area that has made a big difference in this series with San Antonio hitting 29.9 percent in the last seven losses and 50.0 percent in the last five wins.

The Bulls have won four straight over San Antonio when Derrick Rose has played. He's shooting 55.1 percent and averaging 21.4 points since the All-Star break.

It's unclear if he will face Tony Parker, who sat out Tuesday with a toe injury after totaling 10 points on 4-of-17 shooting in the previous three games.

Veteran guard Kevin Martin could make his Spurs debut after officially being signed Wednesday. Martin was bought out by Minnesota on March 1 after averaging 10.6 points in 39 games, 7.0 below his career scoring average.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Suns (17-47) at Nuggets (26-38)
Date: March 10, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

While Devin Booker is providing the Phoenix Suns with a reason to be optimistic, Kenneth Faried is living up to his tremendous potential for the Denver Nuggets.

Booker will try to continue his emergence for the visiting Suns on Thursday night as Faried looks to help the Nuggets chase a season high-tying third straight win.

In the wake of losing starting guards Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight to injury, the Suns have to like what they've seen since giving their rookie guard an extended look.

After breaking out by averaging 20.1 points over a 10-game stretch, Booker fell into a bit of a slump by scoring 10.8 per game on 29 percent shooting over his next eight, but he's bounced back with an average of 26.8 in his last four.

Booker was a bright spot Wednesday, pouring in 32 points in a 128-97 home loss to New York. Alex Len overcame a slow start to finish with 14 points and 10 rebounds, giving him 19.3 and 13.7 per game over six consecutive double-doubles.

After losing a franchise record-tying 17 straight road games, Phoenix won two in a row before returning home Wednesday. Now it'll try to take three of four from Denver with its first three-game road win streak since a five-game run Dec. 17-28, 2014.

"We need to come out more aggressive. We need to hit first - that's how we were able to have success on the road," Booker said. "Those first five minutes will be important."

Faried has given the Nuggets a tremendous spark lately. The fifth-year forward was averaging just 12.2 points and 8.7 rebounds on Feb. 23 before putting up 19 and 11 with six double-doubles over his last seven games.

After becoming the fourth player this season to have at least 25 points and 20 rebounds in a game with those exact totals in Sunday's 116-114 overtime win over Dallas, Faried finished with 24 and 10 in a 110-94 win over the Knicks on Tuesday.

"He's probably top-three best energy players in the league," rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay said. "As long as he plays with that energy, it's good for us."

Mudiay also has been good for the Nuggets (26-38), averaging 19.5 points in his last four games. Gary Harris has scored 16.9 per game over his past seven, while Nikola Jokic has averaged 15.5 points and 9.8 boards in his last four.

The Nuggets hope to up their mark to 4-2 on this seven-game homestand by winning three in a row for the first time since Dec. 11-15. However, they've dropped eight of 10 overall and four of the past five home matchups with Phoenix (17-47).

Knight had a career-high 38 points and 11 rebounds in a 114-107 win there Nov. 20 before finishing with 21 points and 10 assists in a 104-96 home loss Dec. 23 when Booker was out for the Suns and Mudiay sat for the Nuggets.

It's uncertain whether Knight will return on this visit after missing 21 games due to a groin injury. He's scoring a team-high 19.7 per game with Bledsoe out for the season and was cleared to play Wednesday but said he didn't feel ready.

Denver's Will Barton has averaged 18 points while hitting 10 of 20 from 3-point range and pulling down 8.3 rebounds in his last four meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cavaliers (45-18) at Lakers (14-51)
Date: March 10, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

While a number of young stars are giving the Los Angeles Lakers hope for a bright future, this mostly dismal season has more to do with honoring Kobe Bryant's legacy. He's getting one final chance to square off against LeBron James.

With Bryant questionable for the last matchup between the superstars, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell will try to lead the Lakers to a surprising three-game winning streak Thursday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Los Angeles (14-51) owns the worst record in the Western Conference but is showing signs after stunning Golden State 112-95 on Sunday and beating Orlando 107-98 two days later.

Bryant sat out against the Magic with a nagging shoulder injury, leaving Randle, Clarkson and Russell to combine for 74 points. They had 58 against the Warriors, while Randle added 14 boards.

"You could see them challenging each other on the court to get better and to defend people, run the offense better," coach Byron Scott told the team's official website. "The dialogue has been very positive. I think they're encouraging each other.

"They know they need to rely on each other. If we're going to be successful as a team, there's not one guy that can do it by himself."

Scott is certainly alluding to the Lakers' recent history with Bryant, who has 17 games left in his storied career, though it's unclear how many he'll play after sitting out four of the last six.

This matchup, however, pits him against James one last time and that could be motivation enough for Bryant to suit up for the celebrity-laden home crowd. Bryant had 17 points in a 120-111 loss at Cleveland on Feb. 10, but James upstaged him with 29 points and 11 assists.

"Those are two guys we grew up (as) kids watching," Clarkson said. "Them always being compared to Michael Jordan and stuff like that."

That comparison will continue to follow James as he tries to win a third NBA title, which would still leave him three short of Jordan.

James, however, has the Cavaliers (45-18) atop the Eastern Conference and he's sixth in the league with 24.9 points per game. He's still well aware of the historical implications of one last matchup with Bryant.

"I've recorded it multiple times of what he's meant for my career, what he's meant for the Lakers organization, and the NBA," James said of Bryant. "It will be an opportunity to go again against one of the greats."

The four-time NBA MVP came four assists shy of a triple-double Wednesday, scoring 25 points with 11 rebounds in a 120-111 win at Sacramento to open this four-game road trip.

James is getting ample help from Kyrie Irving, who had 30 points against the Kings and is averaging 24.7 over the last six games after scoring 16.8 in the previous five.

The guard had a season-high 35 points on 15-of-24 shooting against the Lakers last month.

James had 36 points and Irving added 22 in a 109-102 win in Cleveland's most recent road meeting with the Lakers on Jan. 15, 2015.

While the Cavaliers are aiming for their first NBA title, the Lakers are trying to match their longest win streak of the season, set Dec. 30-Jan. 3.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (705) PHOENIX@ (706) DENVER | 2016-03-10 21:05:00 - 2016-03-10 21:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 5 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-13.7 units)

NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-10 20:05:00 - 2016-03-10 20:05:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO against the spread in Home games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 17 Wins and 4 Losses for the last two seasons (+12.6 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (707) CLEVELAND@ (708) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-10 22:35:00 - 2016-03-10 22:35:00
Play ON LA LAKERS using money line in Home games after playing 3 consecutive home games
The record is 60 Wins and 16 Losses for the since 1992 (+40.9 units)

NBA > (705) PHOENIX@ (706) DENVER | 2016-03-10 21:05:00 - 2016-03-10 21:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 24 Wins and 30 Losses for the last two seasons (-34.45 units)

NBA > (705) PHOENIX@ (706) DENVER | 2016-03-10 21:05:00 - 2016-03-10 21:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games in all games
The record is 17 Wins and 38 Losses for the this season (-26.05 units)

NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-10 20:05:00 - 2016-03-10 20:05:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO using money line in All games in March games
The record is 25 Wins and 3 Losses for the last three seasons (+20.05 units)

NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-10 20:05:00 - 2016-03-10 20:05:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO using money line in Home games in March games
The record is 13 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+11.95 units)

NBA > (701) ATLANTA@ (702) TORONTO | 2016-03-10 19:35:00 - 2016-03-10 19:35:00
Play AGAINST ATLANTA using money line in Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 10 Wins and 24 Losses for the last three seasons (-23.35 units)

NBA > (701) ATLANTA@ (702) TORONTO | 2016-03-10 19:35:00 - 2016-03-10 19:35:00
Play ON TORONTO using money line in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 11 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+9.8 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (705) PHOENIX@ (706) DENVER | 2016-03-10 21:05:00 - 2016-03-10 21:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 4 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-14.7 units)

NBA > (705) PHOENIX@ (706) DENVER | 2016-03-10 21:05:00 - 2016-03-10 21:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 21 Wins and 41 Losses for the this season (-24.1 units)

NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-10 20:05:00 - 2016-03-10 20:05:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO ?>in the first halfin All games in March games
The record is 27 Wins and 9 Losses for the last three seasons (+17.1 units)

NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-10 20:05:00 - 2016-03-10 20:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO ?>in the first halfin Road games in non-conference games
The record is 10 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+8.9 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (701) ATLANTA@ (702) TORONTO | 2016-03-10 19:35:00 - 2016-03-10 19:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 9 Overs and 30 Unders for the this season (+20.1 units)

NBA > (701) ATLANTA@ (702) TORONTO | 2016-03-10 19:35:00 - 2016-03-10 19:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 5 Overs and 20 Unders for the this season (+14.5 units)

NBA > (703) CHICAGO@ (704) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-10 20:05:00 - 2016-03-10 20:05:00
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 61 Overs and 113 Unders for the last three seasons (+45.9 units)

NBA > (705) PHOENIX@ (706) DENVER | 2016-03-10 21:05:00 - 2016-03-10 21:05:00
Play OVER DENVER on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 30 Overs and 14 Unders for the this season (+14.6 units)

NBA > (705) PHOENIX@ (706) DENVER | 2016-03-10 21:05:00 - 2016-03-10 21:05:00
Play OVER DENVER on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 18 Overs and 6 Unders for the this season (+11.4 units)

NBA > (707) CLEVELAND@ (708) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-10 22:35:00 - 2016-03-10 22:35:00
Play UNDER LA LAKERS on the totalin Home games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 6 Overs and 18 Unders for the this season (+11.4 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
March 10, 2016

After watching underdogs go 14-5-1 against the spread since Sunday, bettors watched the favorites bounce back last night with a 6-3 straight up record and all of those winners covered the number too, which included wire-to-wire victories by the Cavaliers and Warriors. The underdogs that did win weren’t surprising and none of them were catching more than 3 ½-points. Total bettors saw the ‘over’ produce a 7-1-1 mark and all of those results were clear-cut.

Thursday’s slate only has four games on tap and due to injuries and matchups, it’s safe to say that only one of them is worth watching. You can certainly bet on them and hopefully I can assist in that fashion.

Let’s break down the card.

Atlanta (36-28 SU, 32-30-2 ATS) at Toronto (42-20 SU, 32-29-1 ATS)

This is easily the best game of the night and the Raptors have opened as four-point home favorites. These teams have only played once this season and Toronto captured a 96-86 win on Dec. 2 as a four-point road underdog. Including that win, the Raptors have won and covered five of the last six matchups between the pair.

Atlanta is a very streaky team and lately they’ve been up, going 5-1 SU and 6-0 ATS in its last six and that comes after the team dropped three in a row after the All-Star break. The club has been playing better defense during this span and they’ve held every opponent under 100 in the recent five victories, four of them under 90.

Toronto has gone 7-3 since the All-Star break but a 4-6 ATS mark suggests that the team is just waiting for the playoffs and that showed on Tuesday as they nearly lost to the Nets at home. They rallied for a 104-99 win but failed to cover (-12 ½) and that effort came two days after they collapsed to Houston (113-107) at home with a horrendous fourth quarter (36-22).

This will be the last game of a five-game road trip for the Hawks and these aren’t easy games to handicap. Atlanta has gone 6-6 SU and 7-5 ATS as a road ‘dog this season and when they lose, they get run more often than not. With that being said, if you’re leaning Hawks then I’d look at the money-line.

The Hawks haven’t seen many totals listed under 200 recently, only five in 2016 and the ‘under’ has gone 3-2 in those games.

Chicago (32-30 SU, 25-37 ATS) at San Antonio (54-10 SU, 38-25-1 ATS)

The first game of the TNT double-header takes place in San Antonio where the club will be looking to win its 40th straight home game and I’d be surprised if the short-handed Bulls could win in this spot.

The Spurs will be looking for revenge in this spot as the Bulls won 92-89 on Nov. 30 as 4 ½-point home underdogs in the first meeting this season. San Antonio has padded its home record this season with a 12-0 mark versus the East (7-5 ATS) and nine of those games were decided by nine-plus points.

The Bulls have gone 1-4 both SU and ATS in their last five road games against the Western Conference and the defense has been a mess during this span, allowing 110.8 PPG and the lone win came against Sacramento.

For what it’s worth, the Bulls have beat the Spurs in four straight games when point guard Derrick Rose has played. He’s expected to go but Jimmy Butler (knee) is out again and bench players Aaron Brooks and Bobby Portis are also expected to miss Thursday’s game.

Phoenix (17-47 SU, 25-39 ATS) at Denver (26-38 SU, 34-27-3 ATS)

This will be the fourth and final meeting between the two teams and the Nuggets will be looking to even up the season series. Phoenix won and covered the first two matchups albeit those victories came in mid-November when it was healthy. Denver avenged those losses with a 104-96 win over the Suns on Dec. 23 as a nine-point road underdog.

The Nuggets are listed as 7 ½-point home favorites and they’ve won and covered three of their last four home games. Denver has struggled to a 4-5 SU and 3-6 ATS mark as a home favorite this season while the ‘over’ has gone 8-1 in those games.

After winning two straight games, Phoenix was blasted 127-98 by New York last night as a two-point home favorite. The Suns have been awful on zero days rest this season, going 3-8 SU and 4-7 ATS while the ‘under’ has gone 7-4. To be fair to Phoenix, all 11 of those games have taken place on the road.

Back-to-back games are never easy in Denver and it’s certainly hard to make a case for a Suns team that is just 3-15 SU and 6-12 ATS on the road versus teams from the West.

Cleveland (45-18 SU, 28-33-2 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (14-51 SU, 31-33-1 ATS)

The late-night TNT clash will feature the Cavaliers against the Lakers and this game doesn’t present a lean for either club. Cleveland ran past Sacramento 120-111 last night as a seven-point road favorite and the club is now 15-7 since they dismissed head coach David Blatt for Tyronn Lue.

The Cavaliers have gone 9-4 SU and 6-6-1 ATS in back-to-back spots this season and that includes a 3-3 record on the road. In those games, Cleveland has struggled offensively (92.5 PPG) and that’s led to a 5-1 ‘under’ mark.

While Cleveland is heading to the playoffs, the Lakers are playing out the “Kobe Bryant Farewell Tour” on a nightly basis. Los Angeles will actually be looking to match its season-high winning streak on Thursday after beating the Warriors (112-95) and Magic (107-98) earlier this week.

Cleveland has won three straight and four of five against the Lakers but has only managed to cover two of those games. Los Angeles earned a backdoor cover against the Cavs on Feb. 10 when they lost 120-111 but cashed tickets as a heavy 16-point road underdog. The ‘over’ has cashed in five straight in this series.

Cleveland has gone 7-4 SU and 6-4-1 ATS on the road versus the West this season and the ‘under’ has gone 8-3 in those games.

As a home ‘dog, the Lakers have gone 7-19 SU and 13-14 ATS this season. The ‘under’ has gone 18-8 and all signs point to an ugly game in this spot.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

NFL has an amazing gift for staying in the headlines 12 months a year........

-- Texans signed QB Osweiler, traded for RB Thomas, redoing their offense.

-- Texans stayed at 35-1 to win the Super Bowl, even after the Osweiler signing; Las Vegas was unimpressed.

-- New Jersey Giants spent $105.5M revamping their defense yesterday. one day after they re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul for $10.5M.

-- Colts gave K Vinatieri $6M for two years; he is 43 years old.

-- ESPN replaced Mike Ditka with Matt Hasselbeck on its Sunday morning show; Ditka is 76, will still be on SportsCenter now and then.

-- Chiefs lose a 3rd round pick next month, a 7th round pick next year because they tampered with free agent WR Jeremy Maclin last off-season.

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.......

13) Pittsburgh 72, Syracuse 71-- Orangemen went 0-3 vs Pitt this year, are off the bubble; expect to hear lot of ESPN people push for them this weekend; over half the ESPN play-by-play guys went to college at Syracuse, but they lost five of their last six games. See ya.

12) Duke 92, NC State 89-- Grayson Allen got a flagrant foul for grabbing a player by the shirt from behind; at what point does Coach K sit this brat down? Duke gave up 1.30 ppp in this game and won; that almost never happens. Curious to see what hjappens today when they play a rested Notre Dame team thats beaten them four of their last five meetings.

11) Pac-12 tournament isn't on in my house, because the nitwits at the Pac-12 don't have a deal with DirecTV. In fact, while SEC Network and Big 14 Network are on in roughly 70 million homes each, the Pac-12 Network is on in 12 million. No bueno.

10) USC 95, UCLA 71-- Bruins finish a hideous 15-17, losing last five games and 10 of last 13, but since Steve Alford's buyout is $10.4M, he'll be back in Westwood next year. Two years from now, the buyout will be half that, but Alford's best player will be gone by then and he doesn't have any more sons to play for him.

9) Handicapping is difficult; the dilemma in these conference tournaments is this: which teams are just going to mail it in and not compete, like Stanford/Minnesota did Wednesday? You see Oklahoma State, FIU, Georgia Tech fight back from behind, but these other teams just showed up, but didn't bother to compete. Thats the goal, to try and figure out which teams have had enough and want the season to be over?

8) People were skeptical when Buzz Williams bolted from Marquette (a basketball school) to Virginia Tech (a football school) but Williams has Tech on the upswing and they hung 96 points on Florida State last night in an impressive win.

7) San Francisco canned coach Rex Walters after he went 127-127 in eight years, with zero NCAA tournaments; Dons were 63-65 in WCC play under Walters.

6) Southern Illinois had its best season in years, going 22-10, but they're turning down postseason tournaments-- apparently some of their better players are banged up and their students are on break, so it makes no sense, basketball-wise or financially, to coach Barry Hinson or the school's AD, to go on this season. Too bad.

5) NHL has struck gold with these outdoor games; next year, Pittsburgh, St Louis, Toronto and Winnipeg will all host outdoor games.

4) Illinois sold 2,000 football season tickets in first 48 hours after they hired former Bears coach Lovie Smith as their new football coach.

3) Arizona Diamondbacks will wear eight different uniforms this season. Eight.

2) Brad Boxberger saved 45 games for Tampa Bay LY; he made the All-Star team, yet the Rays cut his salary $2,200 this year. Seriously? They don't have $2,200 to kick in so they don't totally insult one of their players? If they don't have that kind of money, they should sell the team to someone who does.

1) If you like college basketball, today and tomorrow are two of the best days of the year; ton of games, all important ones. Enjoy!!!