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

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 10

Hot teams
-- Toronto won seven of its last nine games (1-5 last 6HF). Hawks won five of their last six games (8-6AU).
-- Spurs won nine of their last ten games (12-7 last 19HF).
-- Denver won three of its last four games (3-6HF).
-- Cleveland won four of its last five games (5-3 last 8AF). Lakers won three of last four home games (7-4 last 11HU).

Cold teams
-- Chicago lost its last four road games (1-6 last 7AU).
-- Phoenix lost seven of its last ten games (2-11 last 13AU).

Series records
-- Raptors won five of last six games with Atlanta.
-- Bulls won three of last five games with San Antonio.
-- Suns won eight of their last ten games with Denver.
-- Lakers lost four of last five games with Cleveland.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Toronto games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last ten Phoenix games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Laker games stayed under the total.

Back/backs
-- Suns are 4-7 vs spread last 11 times they played night before.
-- Cleveland covered five of last seven if it played night before.




NBA

Thursday, March 10

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Trend Report
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7:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Atlanta is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games at home
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Chicago's last 19 games on the road
Chicago is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of San Antonio's last 9 games when playing at home against Chicago
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

9:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. DENVER
Phoenix is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Denver
Phoenix is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 16-7-1 ATS in its last 24 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Denver's last 10 games

10:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
Cleveland14-6-1 SU in its last 21 games
LA Lakers are 5-12 SU in their last 17 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 5 games at home

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NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, March 10

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ATLANTA (36 - 28) at TORONTO (42 - 20) - 3/10/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 88-70 ATS (+11.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 68-44 ATS (+19.6 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
ATLANTA is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 48-29 ATS (+16.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 52-39 ATS (+9.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 126-163 ATS (-53.3 Units) in March games since 1996.
TORONTO is 163-206 ATS (-63.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-3 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 6-3 straight up against ATLANTA 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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CHICAGO (32 - 30) at SAN ANTONIO (54 - 10) - 3/10/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 3-2 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 3-2 straight up against SAN ANTONIO 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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PHOENIX (17 - 47) at DENVER (26 - 38) - 3/10/2016, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 25-39 ATS (-17.9 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in road games this season.
PHOENIX is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
PHOENIX is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PHOENIX is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 5-18 ATS (-14.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PHOENIX is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
DENVER is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
DENVER is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 28-16 ATS (+10.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 83-58 ATS (+19.2 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
DENVER is 14-28 ATS (-16.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 8-2 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 8-2 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CLEVELAND (45 - 18) at LA LAKERS (14 - 51) - 3/10/2016, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

[StarDust Bum]

nba yesterday : 4 - 4

ytd: 33 -34

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, MARCH 10

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

ATL at TOR 07:30 PM

TOR -4.0

U 200.5


CHI at SA 08:00 PM

CHI +14.5


PHO at DEN 09:00 PM

PHO +9.0


CLE at LAL 10:30 PM

CLE -9.5

U 209.0

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nets (18-46) at 76ers (8-56)
Date: March 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Though the Brooklyn Nets have been on the road for what seems like an eternity, the Philadelphia 76ers have gone even longer since last experiencing a win.

The Nets conclude the longest trip of any team this season with Friday night's matchup against a 76ers team looking to avoid a 14th consecutive loss.

Brooklyn (18-46) has started to feel the effects of a nine-game, 18-day trek that began Feb. 23 against Portland. After allowing Minnesota to shoot 68.4 percent - the highest by any team in 18 years - in a 132-118 loss Saturday, it failed to hold to a 16-point halftime lead in Tuesday's 104-99 defeat to Toronto.

The Atlantic Division-leading Raptors closed the gap by outscoring the Nets 36-22 in the third quarter, then held Brooklyn to 38.9 percent shooting in the fourth while forcing 12 second-half turnovers.

"We had a good showing," center Brook Lopez said. "Unfortunately they went on that huge run and we weren't able to claw quite back into it.'

After being rested along with Thaddeus Young against Minnesota, Lopez kept the Nets in it with 35 points. He's averaging 24.3 on the trip.

The Nets did have a chance to briefly return home prior to making the 100-mile jaunt to Wells Fargo Center, where they were dealt a 103-98 loss in their last visit Feb. 6.

Philadelphia (8-56) hasn't won since, enduring its longest skid since its 0-18 start. It's allowed 116.7 points over the last 12 losses and is struggling offensively as well with Jahlil Okafor sidelined by a shin contusion and a sore knee.

Okafor has missed five straight games.

"I think this knee situation is obviously a concern to all of us," coach Brett Brown said following Wednesday's 118-104 loss to Houston. "I'm sure like all of us the path of what it actually means, who knows. Once we can figure that all out, me, the media, Jahlil most importantly, I think that he'll be in a far better place."

Okafor, averaging a team-high 17.5 points, scored 22 in each of Philadelphia's two meetings with Brooklyn this season and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in last month's victory.

The 76ers did have Nerlens Noel back for the Houston game after he missed the previous two with a knee injury. The young forward had 17 points and nine rebounds in his return and scored 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting Feb. 6.

Okafor's absence has led to increased production from Ish Smith. The point guard has averaged 22.7 points over his last three and scored 11 of his 21 against Houston in the fourth quarter, helping the Sixers cut a 16-point deficit to two with 4:37 left.

Philadelphia also has become more perimeter-oriented without its starting center, averaging 11.0 3-pointers made and 32.0 attempts over the five games.

Young, who spent his first seven seasons with Philadelphia from 2007-14, has totaled 40 points and 21 rebounds in the season series. He had 18 points and 11 boards in the Nets' 100-91 home win Dec. 10.

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Preview: Pistons (33-31) at Hornets (35-28)
Date: March 11, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

If the Charlotte Hornets post their first six-game win streak in six seasons, it's a good chance it will be because of a big performance by Kemba Walker.

In a matchup of potential playoff teams, Walker seeks to score at least 30 points for the fifth straight game Friday night when the Hornets host the Detroit Pistons.

Charlotte (35-28) can win six in a row for the first time since March 5-14, 2010. Walker is averaging 31.6 points during the win streak, including a mark of 33.0 in his run of 30-point efforts in which he's shooting 52.6 percent while making 17 of 34 3-pointers.

'He's a different shooter,' coach Steve Clifford said. 'He's put so much work in and right now he's in such a rhythm.'

Walker has been the catalyst for a Charlotte club that has won 13 of 16 to move into contention for a Southeast Division crown, trailing Miami by 1 1/2 games. The Hornets, who made the postseason two years ago, have never won a division title.

'We're healthy, we want to win, we are motivated and we want to get to the playoffs,' Walker said. 'I can't say much more.'

Walker had 35 points with seven assists and seven rebounds without a turnover in Wednesday's 122-113 home victory over New Orleans.

The Hornets are averaging 116.6 points on 47.5 percent shooting in this win streak. Charlotte's average speed on offense of 4.68 miles per hour, which includes all movements, is one of the league's best marks.

"Our offense right now is good, not only are we scoring, moving the ball but 21 assists and five turnovers (Wednesday), we're playing at a good pace," Clifford said.

Detroit (33-31) can move within 1 1/2 games of Charlotte in the tightly bunched Eastern Conference. The Pistons opened a four-game trip Wednesday with their sixth victory in eight games, 102-96 over Dallas.

Andre Drummond had 25 points and 17 rebounds for his league-best 54th double-double. Tobias Harris added 19 points for Detroit, which won its 33rd game - one more than all of last season.

'We've got a younger team,' Drummond said. 'Stan (coach Stan Van Gundy) has done a good job of bringing in guys that can really spread the floor. We have a lot of shooters on the team. It makes teams really think about who you're going to match up with.'

These clubs are similar in that neither ranks high in field-goal percentage, with Charlotte shooting 43.4 percent and Detroit at 43.7. They both shoot plenty of 3-pointers, with the Hornets averaging 29.4 to lead all East clubs and the Pistons averaging 26.3.

It's no secret that Clifford adopted his approach after he was an assistant to Van Gundy in Orlando between 2007-12.

"Everybody talks about Mike D'Antoni, who is terrific," Clifford said. "Stan was the guy, we played four-out before anybody played four-out, we shot a ton of 3s."

The Pistons are hoping top scorer Reggie Jackson works his way out of some woes in which he is averaging 10.0 points on 25.6 percent shooting in his last three road games. He had a season-low four on 2-of-9 shooting in a 104-84 loss at Charlotte on Dec. 7.

The Hornets, who are seeking their second seven-game home win streak of the season, have taken six of the last eight meetings with Detroit.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockets (32-32) at Celtics (39-26)
Date: March 11, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics' longest home win streak in 25 seasons has propelled them to a lofty position in the Eastern Conference.

The Houston Rockets have a firmer hold on the West's final playoff spot thanks to a rare road win streak.

They'll seek to extend it Friday night by ending the Celtics' 14-game run at TD Garden.

Boston was tied for ninth in the East and one game back of the final playoff position before its streak began Jan. 13. The Celtics (39-26) have since vaulted to third due greatly to their longest run at home since an 18-gamer in 1990-91.

"We knew if we played the way we can play, we would be in a great position," guard Evan Turner said. "I don't think we look at ourselves as the third seed or I don't think we look at ourselves as better than anybody. We have lost to teams that are technically not the best teams. We understand that we're not satisfied."

Boston outscored a depleted Memphis team 31-12 in the third quarter Wednesday en route to a 116-96 victory. Isaiah Thomas had 16 of his 22 points in that period and led seven Celtics in double figures.

"At the end of the day, if it's an ugly win or a good win, we want to come out on top," Turner said. "We want to try to play the right way and keep getting better for the big picture."

The Celtics have averaged 112.4 points during the home streak.

Houston (32-32) has averaged 115.5 during just its third road win streak of the season, beating Toronto and Philadelphia. Wednesday's 118-104 victory over the 76ers saw Jason Terry score seven points in the Rockets' game-ending 13-1 run and helped extend their lead on eighth place in the West to three games over Utah.

"We've just got to continue to do the things that we're doing that's making us successful," said James Harden, who had 29 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. "Defensively, we're really keying and shutting teams down. And offensively, we're sharing the basketball, moving around and guys are just playing well."

The Rockets, 15-18 away from home, have won three straight on the road just once, from Jan. 4-17. They've won their last two visits to Boston but had a four-game overall win streak in the series snapped with a 111-95 defeat Nov. 16 as Harden and Dwight Howard were held to a combined 21 points.

Harden has averaged 34.7 in Houston's last 12 games, and Howard has added 17.9 points with 12.8 rebounds in that span. Howard has scored 21 in each of the past two wins.

Boston likely won't have Kelly Olynyk available to help guard Houston's big man this time as he reportedly continues to have trouble with his right shoulder, an injury that's kept him out since Feb. 10. Starting center Jared Sullinger played Wednesday after missing back-to-back practices because of a skin infection.

Thomas has averaged 27.8 points in the last four games, hitting 11 of 23 from 3-point range, and scored a game-high 23 against Houston.

Harden's career average of 12.7 points in Boston is his lowest in any city, and he's shot 25.6 percent in his last two games there.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Timberwolves (20-45) at Thunder (44-20)
Date: March 11, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

A matchup between the high-powered Oklahoma City Thunder and defensively challenged Minnesota Timberwolves has the makings of being one-sided.

Not surprisingly, the Thunder have reeled off 10 straight victories in the series, but they needed clutch performances from their All-Stars to escape with a victory in the last meeting in Minnesota.

Before turning their attention to a prime-time matchup with a Western Conference power, the red-hot Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant look to help Oklahoma City continue its home dominance over the Timberwolves on Friday night.

The Thunder (44-20) easily took care of one West stalwart Wednesday, leading by as much as 19 in a 120-108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. It was the second straight victory following a 2-6 stretch for Oklahoma City, which moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the Clippers for third place in the conference.

Westbrook led the way with 25 points, a career-high 20 assists and 11 rebounds for the NBA's first triple-double with at least 25 points, 20 assists and 10 boards since Magic Johnson did it in 1988. It was the second straight triple-double for Westbrook, and the Thunder are 11-0 this season when he records one.

'More important just to see all my teammates happy and see all my teammates enjoy the game and enjoy this win," he said. "That's the most important part for me."

Westbrook's heroics overshadowed another outstanding night from Durant, who nearly had a triple-double of his own with 30 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. He has scored 30 or more in four straight and has racked up seven consecutive games of at least 25 points, 10 boards and five assists, the longest such streak in 30 seasons.

Oklahoma City, which visits San Antonio in a national TV game Saturday night, shot 52.7 percent and had a season-high 33 assists.

"We moved the ball, we moved our bodies and we had a really good groove on the offensive end," Durant said. "We have to keep it up."

That shouldn't be a problem against the Timberwolves (20-45), who are allowing an average of 112.6 points in their last 16 games.

Second in the league in scoring, Oklahoma City averaged 113.3 points in winning three January matchups with Minnesota.

The most recent wasn't easy, however, as the Thunder needed two big shots from Durant in the last two minutes and seven points from Westbrook in the final 3 1/2 to win 126-123 on Jan. 27.

The Thunder, though, cruised to a 113-93 home victory over Minnesota on Jan. 15, as neither Durant nor Westbrook played in the fourth. Oklahoma City's 12-game home winning streak against the Timberwolves is currently its longest over a single opponent.

The Timberwolves have also lost 12 straight in Toronto for their longest active road skids.

Losers in 17 of 19 away from Minnesota, the Timberwolves are coming off Tuesday's 116-91 defeat to the Spurs. Minnesota was pushed around in the paint, allowing San Antonio's starting frontcourt to make 24 of 34 shots.

'If you're ever going to get better, if you're ever going to win," interim coach Sam Mitchell said, "you have to remember the times where you got your butt kicked."

That's been happening a lot to the Timberwolves, who are allowing an average of 50.4 points in the paint over the last nine games. That poses problems against a Thunder team averaging 50.3 points in the paint over its last seven.

Zach LaVine had a season-high 35 points on 14-of-17 shooting in the last meeting while Andrew Wiggins scored 25 at Oklahoma City.

Wiggins is averaging 24.7 points over the last three games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pelicans (24-39) at Grizzlies (38-26)
Date: March 11, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

As the injuries mount, the mettle of the Memphis Grizzlies continues to be challenged.

With backup point guard Mario Chalmers the latest contributor to go down, it's uncertain who of the banged-up Grizzlies will be available Friday night as they try to sweep the season series from the visiting New Orleans Pelicans.

While starter Mike Conley missed his second straight game with a sore foot, Chalmers exited in the third quarter of Wednesday's 116-96 loss at Boston with a foot injury. Chalmers, who averaged 14.5 points over a six-game stretch prior to Wednesday, left the locker room in a wheelchair and is expected to undergo an MRI on Thursday.

"Obviously to see another fallen soldier go down due to injury, it deflates you, takes a lot out of you," Memphis veteran Tony Allen said.

Though the Grizzlies (38-26) have a firm grasp on the fifth spot in the Western Conference, it's unknown who will be healthy when the playoffs begin next month.

Conley and forward Chris Andersen (shoulder), who also missed the past two games, are expected to be re-evaluated before their status for this contest is determined. It's also unknown if starter Zach Randolph (knee) will miss a third consecutive game. The Grizzlies already lost star Marc Gasol (broken foot) for the season, continue to play without backup Brandan Wright (knee) and could be minus Chalmers for some time.

"When it rains it pours," said Memphis' Matt Barnes, who had 12 points against Boston after missing Monday's 106-103 win at Cleveland with a hamstring issue.

Without a true point guard for most of the second half Wednesday, the Grizzlies shot 35 percent and committed nine turnovers while being outscored 64-41. They've dropped two of three and the only time they've lost two in a row over the last 32 games was Feb. 6 and 8.

Second-year forward JaMychal Green posted his second straight double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds Wednesday. Green averaged 5.9 points with 3.9 rebounds in his first 57 games, but 16.7 points in the last three and has pulled down 23 boards in two.

At or close to full strength, Memphis averaged 108 points and shot 51.3 percent to take the first three meetings from New Orleans (24-39). Randolph had 22 points with 12 rebounds and Conley added 17 with 10 assists in a 110-95 win at New Orleans on Feb. 1.

Though the Grizzlies might not have as easy a time if neither play, the Pelicans continue to feel the frustration amid their 1-5 stretch.

Anthony Davis had 40 points with 13 rebounds and Jrue Holiday scored a career-high 38 Wednesday as the Hornets rallied from 17 down before falling 122-113 at Charlotte.

"The effort was there," said coach Alvin Gentry, whose team has allowed an average of 110.5 points in the last 11 games. "We've just got to do a better job defensively."

Davis has averaged 33.3 points in three games and 11.8 boards in the last four. He hasn't scored more than 23 against the Grizzlies this season.

Holiday averaged 26.7 points with 7.7 assists in the last three, and went 22 of 41 from the field in the last two. He scored 23 in the 101-99 loss at Memphis on Jan. 18, then was held to four points on 1-of-14 shooting in the February matchup.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Wizards (30-33) at Jazz (29-35)
Date: March 11, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The postseason may be over a month away, but it's more or less already playoff time for the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.

Both teams will have the opportunity to improve their prospects and earn a sorely needed win when they face off Friday night in Salt Lake City.

Utah (29-35) appeared poised to end a three-year postseason drought after a seven-game winning streak Jan. 27-Feb. 9 vaulted it to seventh in the Western Conference. The Jazz have dropped 10 of 13 since and now sit three games back of eighth-place Houston.

Offensive inefficiency has triggered Utah's downturn, as it's averaged 91.3 points and shot 41.3 percent - both league lows - over a 1-7 stretch. After a 34.9 percent performance led to a 91-84 home loss to Atlanta on Tuesday, the Jazz weren't able to keep up with high-powered Golden State in Wednesday's 115-94 road defeat.

Utah was held to 40.5 percent shooting and never recovered from a 9-0 run to end the first half that gave the Warriors a 52-41 lead.

"I felt like we played a pretty gritty first half. We didn't play great, but we did enough to be right there," coach Quin Snyder said. "And then that run. You come in the locker room down double figures to that team at the end of the half. We weren't able to really rebound from that."

The Jazz were also undone by 18 turnovers that led to 28 points, another problem area of late. They've averaged 18.0 giveaways over their last four games.

Gordon Hayward finished 5 of 15 from the field Wednesday and is shooting 39.8 percent over a six-game span. Rodney Hood, who sat out with lower back soreness, is averaging 10.7 points on a 32.8 percent rate in his last six.

Washington (30-33) has lost ground in the East by dropping three straight following a four-game winning streak that sparked hope of a playoff return. Sitting 10th in the conference, the Wizards come in off a pair of close defeats to Indiana and Portland.

After being dealt a 100-99 loss Saturday on two Paul George free throws with 3.0 seconds left, the Wizards fell 116-109 in overtime in Tuesday's opener of a three-game trip after Portland's C.J. McCollum tied it with 5.9 seconds remaining in regulation.

Washington had its chances against the Blazers, missing 12 of 23 free throws and yielding 18 second-chance points while being outrebounded 40-33.

"In an overtime game, you can't have 12 missed free throws and give up 18 second-chance points," coach Randy Wittman said. "We talk about the same things over and over again. We defend, give them two or three opportunities and it comes down to a tight game."

The Wizards may feel better about their chances in this one, as they've held Utah to 91 points or less in winning four straight meetings. They outscored the Jazz 56-38 in the paint in a 103-89 home victory Feb. 18, receiving 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting from Marcin Gortat and 16 on a 7-of-11 effort from Nene.

Washington may also have Bradley Beal back after he sat out Tuesday with a sprained pelvis. The team's second-leading scorer is expected to rejoin the Wizards for the remainder of the trip.

[StarDust Bum]

B]Preview: Magic (27-36) at Kings (25-38)[/B]
Date: March 11, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

DeMarcus Cousins unleashed his frustration in the direction of his coach yet again, adding another chapter to his feud with George Karl.

The All-Star center, however, isn't the only one unhappy during the Sacramento Kings' slide after Willie Cauley-Stein voiced concerns over his role.

Both clubs will be missing their top big men Friday night when the Kings and visiting Orlando Magic each look to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat.

The in-house fighting began shortly after Karl was brought in late last season and only seemed to escalate after reports surfaced that Karl had tried to trade the hot-tempered Cousins shortly after being hired.

The Kings were forced to have a meeting in November that was attended by upper management in the wake of a report that Karl wanted to suspend Cousins after his profanity-laced tirade following a loss to San Antonio.

Things flared up again Wednesday when Cousins had to be calmed by assistant coach Corliss Williamson and guard Rajon Rondo after yelling and heatedly gesturing in Karl's direction during a timeout in a 120-111 home loss to Cleveland. The Kings (25-38) announced Thursday that their leading scorer and rebounder was suspended one game for 'conduct detrimental to the team.'

The fifth overall pick in 2010 finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds against the Cavaliers, giving him averages of 29.9 and 13.1 over his last 10.

Now Sacramento will try to avoid an eighth loss in 10 games without Cousins and eighth in nine overall. The Kings have won five of seven against the Magic (27-36) after Cousins had 29 points and 12 rebounds in a 97-91 road victory Nov. 21 in his return from a one-game suspension for hitting Atlanta's Al Horford with a forearm to the head.

'Cous is a frustrated guy who wants to win,' Karl said after the first meeting. "Sometimes it gets to him maybe in a negative way, but he cares, he wants to win and he lashes out sometimes in maybe a disruptive way.'

Cauley-Stein and Kosta Koufos are likely to fill in, while Rudy Gay should carry the scoring load. Cauley-Stein wasn't happy Wednesday after playing 12 minutes partly because of the "matchup," according to Karl, who is expected to coach despite undergoing a cancer-related procedure Thursday.

"I can guard five positions," the rookie said. "There should be no matchup problems ever. So that's just an excuse I think. However, I'm not the coach."

The Magic are having their own issues as they try to avoid their first four-game losing streak since an eight-game skid Jan. 9-29. Nikola Vucevic is expected to miss his third straight game with a strained groin.

Orlando dropped to 2-3 without its leading scorer and rebounder and 0-2 on a four-game trip with Tuesday's 107-98 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Victor Oladipo had 26 points and Evan Fournier added 23, but Orlando was outrebounded 45-35 and outscored 56-44 in the paint.

'On good nights, we're full of focus on what's going on on the floor. It's very frustrating," said Fournier, who has averaged 19.7 points in his last three games against the Kings dating to his time with Denver.

The Magic hope to tighten things up defensively after allowing 113.0 points per game and a 49.7 field-goal percentage in their last two. The Kings, though, have averaged 111.5 on 48.5 percent shooting over their past two.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Trail Blazers (34-31) at Warriors (57-6)
Date: March 11, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Seemingly the only potential speed bump on the Golden State Warriors' way to 50 consecutive regular-season wins at home is a home-grown star and his team.

Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers put Golden State's streak to the test Friday night after dominating the league's most dominant team a few weeks ago.

Of the Warriors' six losses, the most lopsided came in Portland as Lillard had the game of his life. The Oakland native had a career-high 51 points, seven assists and six steals in a 137-105 victory Feb. 19, snapping Golden State's 11-game win streak.

"Obviously they're gonna change some things up that we did really good, but if we have another 50-point performance from Damian, then I'm pretty sure we'll be in another good spot to win the game," Blazers guard Allen Crabbe said.

This is Lillard's first trip to Oracle Arena since last April, looking to prevent the Warriors (57-6) from pushing their NBA-record home winning streak to 47 games. Portland (34-31) is the only opponent remaining on Golden State's six-game homestand which isn't more than 10 games under .500 - the final three are Phoenix, New Orleans and New York.

"I think I'm more excited this time going back than I have been since my rookie year," Lillard said. "It's gonna be fun. Just because of the kind of season that we're having. It's a big game for us. They haven't lost at home, so it's an opportunity for us to go there and be the first team to do it."

He's won in Oakland once in five games as a pro. He had 37 points in his Oracle Arena debut in 2013 but has since averaged 18.0 while shooting 34.8 percent.

Lillard had no such trouble in February against the Warriors, going 9 of 12 from 3-point range. Stephen Curry had seven 3s en route to his 31 points, but Golden State finished 12 for 34 from beyond the arc and Portland was 17 for 30.

The Blazers lost the previous four meetings - one in January by 20 - before becoming the only Warriors opponent this season to top 125 points and 52 percent from the field.

"I'm sure that they probably have a little bit of a sour taste in their mouth about how it happened," Lillard said.

He had another 50-point night last week in Toronto, then scored 41 on Tuesday as Portland ended a three-game losing streak with a 116-109 overtime win over Washington. Prior to that skid, only Golden State had more wins since Jan. 10.

The Blazers have the ammunition to keep up with the Warriors' league-best long-range shooting, ranking among the NBA's top five in 3s made (669) and percentage (36.3). C.J. McCollum has hit 51.8 percent in the last 11 games.

"Obviously they lost three in a row recently, but they've been rolling," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "Obviously two very good scorers, looking forward to the challenge."

Lillard's 182 3-pointers rank third behind Golden State's Klay Thompson (196) and Curry's league-record 304.

Curry has been inconsistent this month, going 16 of 47 from 3-point range, but remains a threat from anywhere. The reigning MVP had 12 points Wednesday but hit a 55-footer at the halftime buzzer in a 115-94 victory over Utah, improving to 13 of 27 from 30 feet and beyond.

"That's not a surprise anymore," Green said.

Sixth man Andre Iguodala returned after missing three of four games with a tight hamstring, chipping in four points, four rebounds and three assists.

"We're a different team with Andre," coach Steve Kerr said. "... He does everything for us."

Iguodala had one of his worst games in the Portland loss, shooting 1 for 6 with four turnovers. Golden State's point differential with him on the floor was a season-worst minus-20.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Knicks (27-39) at Clippers (41-22)
Date: March 11, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers struggled to contain one of the league's highest-scoring teams last time out but have been incredibly stingy in recent matchups with their next opponent.

The New York Knicks are hoping to change those woes against the Clippers following a season-high scoring performance on their lengthy road trip, though they'll face much stiffer competition Friday night.

The Clippers (41-22) have displayed fine defensive form for much of the past six weeks but lost 120-108 on Wednesday at Oklahoma City, the league's second-best offensive club.

Los Angeles had allowed an average of 97.3 points in its previous 18 contests - including a 103-98 win over the visiting Thunder on March 2 - and held 12 opponents to 95 or fewer.

"I thought our defense overall from the tip was bad. It was one of those rare games where we never established ourselves defensively," coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought we were horrible. It was one of those games."

After facing a team that's averaging 110.1 points, the Clippers will see an opponent that's scoring 99.3 per game. The Knicks (27-39) have also averaged 84.1 points in a seven-game skid against Los Angeles, including a 116-88 drubbing at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 22.

The Clippers' defensive effort is the NBA's best against one opponent in the past four seasons, edging San Antonio's 84.5 points per game allowed in eight matchups with Philadelphia.

The Knicks will seek to end that trend and earn back-to-back victories for the first time since Jan. 18-20 after a 128-97 win against Phoenix on Wednesday.

New York made a season-high 16 3-pointers on 24 attempts and shot 56.1 percent overall. Sasha Vujacic went 6 of 7 from beyond the arc and scored 23 points - two shy of matching his career best - while starting in place of an injured Arron Afflalo (abdominal).

"I just got into a game rhythm early. We played the right way. We were swinging the ball. We played as a team on both ends of the court. That helped everybody to have a good game,' Vujacic said.

The Knicks got the benefit of facing one of the league's worst defensive teams in the second of six straight road games. The Suns, who are second-to-last in the Western Conference, are allowing 107.7 points per game while the fourth-place Clippers are giving up an average of 100.5.

Los Angeles has yielded 79.3 points per game and 37.5 percent shooting in three consecutive home wins against New York.

"We want to go (into Los Angeles) and build off this win," forward Carmelo Anthony said. "We want to go and try to play a different game than we played at (Madison Square Garden)."

Anthony was held to 16 points on 4-of-12 shooting in the matchup in January after averaging 28.5 points in his previous four games in the series.

DeAndre Jordan had 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting in the latest meeting and is averaging 19.5 while knocking down 26 of 34 shots in four games this month.

The Clippers also now have Jeff Green, who has averaged 20.2 points in his last five games against New York.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (513) WASHINGTON@ (514) UTAH | 2016-03-11 21:05:00 - 2016-03-11 21:05:00
Play ON UTAH against the spread in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 53 Wins and 26 Losses for the last two seasons (+24.4 units)

NBA > (505) HOUSTON@ (506) BOSTON | 2016-03-11 19:35:00 - 2016-03-11 19:35:00
Play ON BOSTON against the spread in All games when the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 25 Wins and 8 Losses for the last three seasons (+16.2 units)

NBA > (511) MIAMI@ (512) CHICAGO | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play AGAINST CHICAGO against the spread in All games against Southeast division opponents
The record is 8 Wins and 23 Losses for the last two seasons (-17.3 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (507) NEW ORLEANS@ (508) MEMPHIS | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play AGAINST NEW ORLEANS using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 8 Wins and 25 Losses for the this season (-23.2 units)

NBA > (515) ORLANDO@ (516) SACRAMENTO | 2016-03-11 22:05:00 - 2016-03-11 22:05:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 8 Wins and 17 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.75 units)

NBA > (511) MIAMI@ (512) CHICAGO | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play AGAINST CHICAGO using money line in All games against Southeast division opponents
The record is 12 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (-28.3 units)

NBA > (511) MIAMI@ (512) CHICAGO | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play ON CHICAGO using money line in All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 46 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (+30.95 units)

NBA > (519) PORTLAND@ (520) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-03-11 22:35:00 - 2016-03-11 22:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 25 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+20.8 units)

NBA > (519) PORTLAND@ (520) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-03-11 22:35:00 - 2016-03-11 22:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 31 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+23.95 units)

NBA > (515) ORLANDO@ (516) SACRAMENTO | 2016-03-11 22:05:00 - 2016-03-11 22:05:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in All games in March games
The record is 4 Wins and 14 Losses for the last two seasons (-16.7 units)

NBA > (505) HOUSTON@ (506) BOSTON | 2016-03-11 19:35:00 - 2016-03-11 19:35:00
Play AGAINST BOSTON using money line in Home games against Southwest division opponents
The record is 21 Wins and 35 Losses for the since 1992 (-39.1 units)

NBA > (509) MINNESOTA@ (510) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 47 Wins and 92 Losses for the last three seasons (-63.9 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (505) HOUSTON@ (506) BOSTON | 2016-03-11 19:35:00 - 2016-03-11 19:35:00
Play ON BOSTON ?>in the first halfin Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 15 Wins and 3 Losses for the this season (+11.7 units)

NBA > (509) MINNESOTA@ (510) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA ?>in the first halfin All games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 16 Wins and 36 Losses for the last two seasons (-23.6 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (513) WASHINGTON@ (514) UTAH | 2016-03-11 21:05:00 - 2016-03-11 21:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 14 Overs and 49 Unders for the last two seasons (+33.6 units)

NBA > (517) NEW YORK@ (518) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-03-11 22:35:00 - 2016-03-11 22:35:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin All games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 7 Overs and 24 Unders for the this season (+16.3 units)

NBA > (507) NEW ORLEANS@ (508) MEMPHIS | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin All games versus the 1rst half line in road games
The record is 32 Overs and 79 Unders for the last three seasons (+43.8 units)

NBA > (511) MIAMI@ (512) CHICAGO | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 10 Overs and 31 Unders for the last two seasons (+20 units)

NBA > (515) ORLANDO@ (516) SACRAMENTO | 2016-03-11 22:05:00 - 2016-03-11 22:05:00
Play OVER SACRAMENTO on the totalin All games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 20 Overs and 5 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.5 units)

NBA > (507) NEW ORLEANS@ (508) MEMPHIS | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play OVER MEMPHIS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 19 Overs and 6 Unders for the this season (+12.4 units)

NBA > (517) NEW YORK@ (518) LA CLIPPERS | 2016-03-11 22:35:00 - 2016-03-11 22:35:00
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the totalin Home games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 3 Overs and 14 Unders for the this season (+10.7 units)

NBA > (511) MIAMI@ (512) CHICAGO | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 30 Overs and 59 Unders for the last two seasons (+26 units)

NBA > (509) MINNESOTA@ (510) OKLAHOMA CITY | 2016-03-11 20:05:00 - 2016-03-11 20:05:00
Play OVER OKLAHOMA CITY on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 60 Overs and 31 Unders for the last two seasons (+25.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Six of the top minor league prospects of the Philadelphia Phillies.....

1) JP Crawford, SS-- 21-year old figures to play in AAA this year.

2) Nick Williams, OF-- Acquired from Texas in Cole Hamels deal.

3) Nick Thompson, P-- Was 5-1, 1.80 in seven Eastern League starts.

4) Andrew Knapp, C-- Hit .360 in half a season in Eastern League

6) Cornelius Randolph, OF-- Won't be 19 years old until June.

19) Aaron Brown, OF-- Alum of Pepperdine, where a few years ago, the batboys were Pamela Anderson's sons.

**********

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random stuff with weekend here........

13) What a day, always one of the best of the year. College basketball conference tournaments, just under 14 hours of them, from Brooklyn to Birmingham, Orlando to Las Vegas- there are three tournaments in Vegas, within three miles of each other. I'm tired and need some sleep, so on with today's list.........

12) Thirteen conference tournaments are over; Chattanooga is still the only #1-seed to win. It makes the NIT a strong tournament (I'm not sure how many people care about that) but it will also weaken the NCAA tournament field. Top seeds who lose in their conference tournament get an automatic invite from the NIT.

11) Western Kentucky 88, UAB 77-- Another #1 seed goes down

10) Coaching carousel started spinning faster; four coaches got the boot Thursday, as Rutgers, Central Florida, Tex-San Antonio and Saint Louis fired their coaches. It is looking like Rutgers will target Danny Hurley to replace Eddie Jordan at Rutgers.

9) Bill Murray was at Madison Square Garden last night, rooting on the Xavier Musketeers-- his son Luke is an assistant coach for Chris Mack's team.

8) Ivy League finally caved in, will have a four-team conference tournament starting next year, a Saturday/Sunday deal. Welcome to the 21st century.

7) Holy Cross was 0-9 in Patriot League road games; then conference tournament started and the Crusaders won four games, all on the road. Next stop for them will be Dayton for the play-in games next week.

6) Illinois 68, Iowa 66-- Hawkeyes are falling apart in March for second time in three years; they're officially a suspect for next week's NCAA tournament.

5) Notre Dame 84, Duke 79 OT-- Irish were down 16 in second half, rallied to beat a tired, thin Duke team that can't defend anymore. Notre Dame is 5-1 against Duke since the teams become conference rivals.

4) Providence 74, Butler 60-- Friars went 3-0 against Butler this season, surprising for teams with basically similar talent levels.

3) Tennessee 67, Vanderbilt 65-- Brutal loss for the Commodores, who are now probably on the outside looking in. You lose your first conference tournament game to a bad team playing without its leading scorer, there are no excuses.

2) Rumors have Colin Kaepernick getting traded to Denver for a 3rd-round draft pick. If the Broncos had to play a game today, their QB would be Trevor Siemian, who wouldn't even be a good QB in the Arena League. John Elway has some work to do.

1) Not as much hoop action during the day today, but what a card of games tonight, lot of semi-final games, high-level competition. Good time to order more pizza.