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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, March 11

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BROOKLYN (18 - 46) at PHILADELPHIA (8 - 56) - 3/11/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 44-31 ATS (+9.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 35-61 ATS (-32.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 25-35 ATS (-13.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 12-33 ATS (-24.3 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 14-23 ATS (-11.3 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 5-5 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 7-3 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DETROIT (33 - 31) at CHARLOTTE (35 - 28) - 3/11/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
CHARLOTTE is 57-34 ATS (+19.6 Units) in home games in March games since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 32-16 ATS (+14.4 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 6-2 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 6-2 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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HOUSTON (32 - 32) at BOSTON (39 - 26) - 3/11/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 84-64 ATS (+13.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
BOSTON is 34-21 ATS (+10.9 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 53-35 ATS (+14.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 300-241 ATS (+34.9 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 18-39 ATS (-24.9 Units) in home games against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
BOSTON is 94-126 ATS (-44.6 Units) in home games after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.

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

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NEW ORLEANS (24 - 39) at MEMPHIS (38 - 26) - 3/11/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 7-4 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 6-5 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MINNESOTA (20 - 45) at OKLAHOMA CITY (44 - 20) - 3/11/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 63-81 ATS (-26.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 334-395 ATS (-100.5 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
MINNESOTA is 190-237 ATS (-70.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 18-28 ATS (-12.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
MINNESOTA is 46-26 ATS (+17.4 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 24-37 ATS (-16.7 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 23-32 ATS (-12.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-5 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (37 - 27) at CHICAGO (32 - 31) - 3/11/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 5-4 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 5-4 straight up against CHICAGO 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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WASHINGTON (30 - 33) at UTAH (29 - 35) - 3/11/2016, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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ORLANDO (27 - 36) at SACRAMENTO (25 - 38) - 3/11/2016, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 3-2 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
SACRAMENTO is 3-2 straight up against ORLANDO 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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NEW YORK (27 - 39) at LA CLIPPERS (41 - 22) - 3/11/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 197-157 ATS (+24.3 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1996.
NEW YORK is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
NEW YORK is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 240-289 ATS (-77.9 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 210-258 ATS (-73.8 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 5-0 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 5-0 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (34 - 31) at GOLDEN STATE (57 - 6) - 3/11/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 91-68 ATS (+16.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 51-37 ATS (+10.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 84-62 ATS (+15.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 45-32 ATS (+9.8 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 52-34 ATS (+14.6 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 49-35 ATS (+10.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
PORTLAND is 37-28 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all games this season.
PORTLAND is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest this season.
PORTLAND is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 11

Hot teams
-- Charlotte won its last five games (4-1 last 5HF). Detroit won six of its last eight games (2-4 last 6AU).
-- Celtics won six of last seven games (9-4 last 13HF). Houston won three of its last four games (3-1 last 4AU).
-- Memphis won six of its last nine games (10-5-1 last 16HF).
-- Miami won five of its last six games (4-2 last 6AU).
-- Clippers won four of their last six games (4-6 last 10HF).
-- Golden State won nine of its last ten games (5-8 last 13HF).

Cold teams
-- 76ers lost their last ten games (3-6 last 9HU). Nets lost four of their last five games (1-0AF).
-- Pelicans lost five of their last six games (6-4 last 10AU).
-- Thunder is 4-6 in its last ten games (1-4 last 5HF). Minnesota lost five of its last six games (4-7 last 11AU).
-- Chicago lost five of its last seven games (1-3 last 4HF).
-- Washington lost its last three games (7-5 last 12AU). Jazz lost seven of their last eight games (1-4 last 5HF).
-- Orlando lost four of its last five games (4-2 last 6AU). Kings lost seven of their last eight games (4-2 last 6HF).
-- Knicks lost six of their last nine games (6-3 last 9AU).
-- Portland lost three of its last four games (6-4 last 10AU).

Series records
-- 76ers lost six of last eight games with Brooklyn.
-- Hornets won six of last eight games with Detroit.
-- Rockets won four of their last five games with Boston.
-- Grizzlies won six of last eight games with New Orleans.
-- Thunder won last 10 games with Minnesota (6-4 vs spread).
-- Heat won three of its last four games with Chicago.
-- Washington won its last four games with Utah.
-- Kings won five of their last seven games with Orlando.
-- Clippers won last seven games with New York (6-1 vs spread).
-- Blazers lost four of last five games with Golden State.

Totals
-- Five of last six Philly games went over the total.
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Charlotte-Detroit games.
-- Last seven Houston-Boston games stayed under total.
-- Five of last seven New Orleans games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Minnesota games went over the total.
-- Six of last seven Miami-Chicago games stayed under.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Utah games.
-- Seven of last ten Orlando-Sacramento games went over.
-- Six of last seven Clipper-Knick games stayed under.
-- Six of last seven Blazer-Warrior games went over total.

Back/backs
-- Chicago is 2-8 vs spread last ten times they played night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, March 11

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
DETROIT vs. CHARLOTTE
Detroit is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Detroit is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Charlotte
Charlotte is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit

7:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. PHILADELPHIA
Brooklyn is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Brooklyn

7:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. BOSTON
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games
Boston is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games when playing at home against Houston

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Minnesota's last 14 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Oklahoma City's last 12 games at home
Oklahoma City is 20-5 SU in its last 25 games at home

8:00 PM
MIAMI vs. CHICAGO
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Miami is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 6 games when playing Memphis
New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Memphis
Memphis is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Memphis's last 15 games at home

9:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. UTAH
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing on the road against Utah
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games at home
Utah is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games at home

10:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. SACRAMENTO
Orlando is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Orlando's last 11 games on the road
Sacramento is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Sacramento's last 18 games

10:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Portland's last 13 games
Portland is 3-16 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State is 4-8-1 ATS in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 7 games when playing Portland

10:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of New York's last 19 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
New York is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing New York
LA Clippers are 13-2 SU in their last 15 games when playing at home against New York

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Friday, March 11


Houston @ Boston

Game 505-506
March 11, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
119.138
Boston
126.939
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 8
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 5 1/2
222 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston

New Orleans @ Memphis

Game 507-508
March 11, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
114.387
Memphis
120.392
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 6
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis
N/A

Minnesota @ Oklahoma City

Game 509-510
March 11, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
112.563
Oklahoma City
122.556
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 10
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 12 1/2
225 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+12 1/2); Under

Miami @ Chicago

Game 511-512
March 11, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
118.656
Chicago
120.185
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 1 1/2
190
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
N/A

Washington @ Utah

Game 513-514
March 11, 2016 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
116.156
Utah
120.109
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 4
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Washington

Orlando @ Sacramento

Game 515-516
March 11, 2016 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
110.980
Sacramento
118.560
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Sacramento
by 7 1/2
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Sacramento
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
N/A

New York @ LA Clippers

Game 517-518
March 11, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
117.440
LA Clippers
124.755
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 7 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 10
203 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+10); Under

Portland @ Golden State

Game 519-520
March 11, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
117.931
Golden State
128.558
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 10 1/2
220
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 13
227
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(+13); Under

Brooklyn @ Philadelphia

Game 501-502
March 11, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brooklyn
111.825
Philadelphia
112.523
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 1
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Brooklyn
by 3 1/2
211 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+3 1/2); Over

Detroit @ Charlotte

Game 503-504
March 11, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Detroit
121.201
Charlotte
123.158
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Charlotte
by 2
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Charlotte
by 4 1/2
200 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(+4 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Friday, March 11

Brooklyn at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Brooklyn: 30-17 ATS off a road loss
Philadelphia: 9-18 ATS as a home underdog

Detroit at Charlotte, 7:05 ET
Detroit: 0-8 ATS after playing 2 consecutive games as an underdog
Charlotte: 32-16 ATS against Central division opponents

Houston at Boston, 7:35 ET
Houston: 25-12 ATS after playing 2 consecutive road games
Boston: 94-126 ATS in home games after scoring 105 points or more

New Orleans at Memphis, 8:05 ET
New Orleans: 2-9 ATS on Friday nights
Memphis: 11-3 ATS after having lost 2 of their last 3 games

Minnesota at Oklahoma City, 8:05 ET
Minnesota: 16-7 ATS in road games revenging a loss vs opponent
Oklahoma City: 7-16 ATS after a win by 10 points or more

Miami at Chicago, 8:05 ET
Miami: 13-5 ATS after failing to cover 2 of their last 3 against the spread
Chicago: 1-12 ATS against Southeast division opponents

Washington at Utah, 9:05 ET
Washington: 2-5 ATS against Northwest division opponents
Utah: 16-14 ATS in home games

Orlando at Sacramento, 10:05 ET
Orlando: 16-9 ATS in non-conference games
Sacramento: 5-17 ATS after 2 games with 10 or less offensive rebounds

New York at LA Clippers, 10:35 ET
New York: 26-16 ATS revenging a loss vs opponent
Los Angeles: 25-45 ATS after allowing 120 points or more

Portland at Golden State, 10:35 ET
Portland: 4-14 ATS after 3 consecutive non-conference games
Golden State: 21-9 ATS after a blowout win by 20 points or more

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, March 11

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Game of the Day: Trail Blazers at Warriors
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Two of the league's hottest players face off Friday when Damian Lillard and the Blazers visit Steph Curry and the Warriors.

Portland Trail Blazers at Golden State Warriors (-13, 225)

The Golden State Warriors will try to avenge one of their six losses when the Portland Trail Blazers visit on Friday. The Warriors looked off in the first game after the All-Star break and were crushed 137-105 at Portland but have won nine of 10 since to stay ahead of the pace set by the record-setting 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.

Golden State was answering some questions about itself after an embarrassing 112-95 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers over the weekend and a series of close wins, but again looked like a dominant team in a 115-94 thrashing of the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Stephen Curry’s heroics had bailed the Warriors out several times since the All-Star break but he needed only 12 points on Wednesday as the rest of the team shot 61.1 percent from the field. The Trail Blazers were in the middle of a run of 14 wins in 16 games when they knocked off Golden State, but they dropped three in a row against teams fighting for playoff spots in the East before returning home and bouncing back on Tuesday. Damian Lillard, who put up 51 points in that win over the Warriors on Feb. 19, went for 41 points and 11 assists in the 116-109 overtime triumph over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 13-point home favorites. While the total opened at 224 and has been bet up to 225.

INJURY REPORT:

Trail Blazers - No injuries to report.

Warriors - C F. Ezeli (Out Friday, knee).

POWER RANKINGS: Trail Blazers (-3.5) - Warriors (-14.7) + home court (-3) = Warriors -14

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "A 3-9-1 ATS slide that includes an embarrassing outright loss to the Lakers puts the Warriors' rating behind that of the Spurs by the largest margin we have seen all season in my power rankings. When it comes to the Blazers, barring some kind of collapse, I'm going to stump for Terry Stotts to be Coach of the Year every week in this space. The Blazers have already eclipsed the win total the oddsmakers had projected for them at the start of the season."

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (34-31, 37-28 ATS, 36-29 O/U): Lillard is putting himself in some historic company with his performances of late and joined Oscar Robertson and LeBron James as the only players to record at least 1,500 points and 400 assists in each of their first four seasons when he pushed past those numbers on Tuesday. “Not a lot of guys get that opportunity to shoot the ball as many times as I did from the jump, had the ball in their hand as many times,” Lillard told reporters. “I give a lot of credit to Coach (Terry) Stotts for that, for having that trust in me and allowing me to be able to accomplish something like this.” Lillard’s strong play has lifted Portland into sixth place in the West, one game ahead of the Dallas Mavericks.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (57-6, 35-26-2 ATS, 36-26-1 O/U): Golden State’s point differential in its first 10 games following the All-Star break was only plus-1.4, leading to some concern heading into Wednesday. The Warriors eased those concerns with the strong effort against the Jazz and now need to go 16-3 over their final 19 games to break Chicago’s record and hold off the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 1 seed in the West. “Coach (Steve Kerr) preached that the last 20 games are about getting ready for the playoffs, so guys got focused, guys went out there and played good basketball, and we ended up with a win,” Marreese Speights, who scored 16 points in 15 minutes off the bench against the Jazz, told reporters.

TRENDS:

* Trail Blazers are 8-0 ATS in their last eight games playing on two days rest.
* Warriors are 2-5-1 ATS in their last eight versus Western Conference opponents.
* Over is 5-0 in Trail Blazers last five versus Western Conference opponents.
* Over is 4-0 in the last four meetings.

CONSENSUS: Early on, 62 percent of wagers are backing the underdog Trail Blazers. As for the total, bettors love the over, with 78 percent of wagers on it.

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results 4 - 2
YTD: 37 - 36

[StarDust Bum]

FRIDAY, MARCH 11

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


BK at PHI 07:00 PM

BK -2.5


DET at CHA 07:00 PM

CHA -4.0


HOU at BOS 07:30 PM

BOS -5.5


MIN at OKC 08:00 PM

OKC -12.0


MIA at CHI 08:00 PM

MIA -3.5


NO at MEM 08:00 PM

NO -3.0


WAS at UTA 09:00 PM

UTA -4.5


ORL at SAC 10:00 PM

SAC -1.5


POR at GS 10:30 PM

POR +12.5


NY at LAC 10:30 PM

NY +10.0

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pacers (34-30) at Mavericks (33-32)
Date: March 12, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

A four-day break this late in the season is fairly unusual. At least two Indiana Pacers were happy about it, though their teammates might not have been.

Newcomer Ty Lawson could be healed enough to play, and C.J. Miles might finally return as the Pacers look to reclaim the positive vibes from an impressive victory by dealing the Dallas Mavericks another crushing blow Saturday night.

Monta Ellis wants to be a major part of doing that, playing his first game in Dallas since the Mavericks chose not to re-sign him after last season even though he was their top scorer. Ellis appeared motivated when the Mavs played in Indiana on Dec. 16, scoring 13 of his 19 points in a game-changing third quarter of the Pacers' 107-81 win.

"It was nothing personal, but Dallas was talking in the second half, a little. It probably got me going,' Ellis said at the time.

The loss was the Mavericks' worst in the history of this series and most lopsided of the season to a team other than San Antonio.

It was the Spurs against whom Indiana received a big confidence boost Monday, halting their eight-game winning streak with a 99-91 victory behind Ellis' 26 points. The Pacers (34-30) haven't played since knocking off the league's second-best team.

"For me it's a blessing, for the rest of the guys it's a curse when they've been playing and you got four days off all of a sudden," said Miles, who should be ready to go after missing nine games with a calf injury.

"It was a blessing to be able to have the practice days and to be able to have the time in between to get ready."

Lawson feels similarly.

The veteran point guard made his Pacers debut against San Antonio but sprained his left foot. Lawson is hoping to play, though, after the lengthy break provided extra time to recover and get acclimated to Frank Vogel's offense, similar to the one he ran with Denver for six seasons.

"It's exactly the same," Lawson said. "They're saying the plays, they have different names for the plays, but it's basically the same action."

He'll come off the bench along with Miles, who is intrigued by the prospect of playing alongside a speedy point man like Lawson.

"That second unit, we really wanna try to run anyway. I mean, that's 'beep beep' over there," said Miles, a Dallas native who has averaged 24.0 points in his last two games against the Mavs.

Whereas Lawson and Miles provide Indiana extra perimeter production, the Mavericks likely need more. The struggles of Wesley Matthews, Deron Williams and Raymond Felton have played a role in Dallas (33-32) being at risk of falling to .500 for the first time since mid-November.

"I think there's some anger that's got to manifest the right way on Saturday," coach Rick Carlisle told the team's official website.

The Mavericks are trying to avoid their longest losing streak since December 2012, having dropped four in a row.

That skid has seen Matthews average 7.0 points on 9-of-37 shooting after scoring 17.8 per game as Dallas won four of five. Felton has shot 8 for 28 during the four-game skid, and he's 1 for 21 on 3-point tries since the All-Star break.

Williams has averaged 8.5 points on 5-of-20 shooting in the last two games, beginning a stretch of nine straight against teams with winning records.

"The biggest thing for us right now is just for us to stay positive, stick with one another, keep believing in one another and stay confident," forward Chandler Parsons said. "You know, we're too good of a team and we've worked too hard to be having struggles like this."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pistons (33-31) at 76ers (8-56)
Date: March 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Thanks to a little help from their closest pursuer, the Detroit Pistons for now remain in position to claim a postseason spot.

A winning road trip could go a long way toward keeping them there before their late-season schedule provides a luscious gift.

The Pistons, who lead Chicago by a half-game for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, get an easy matchup against the NBA-worst Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night before a key contest against another team chasing them in the standings.

Detroit (33-32) lost for the third time in five games and fell to 1-1 on its four-game trip with a 118-103 loss at Charlotte on Friday. The club briefly dropped into a tie with the Bulls, but they later lost 118-96 to Miami and returned to ninth place.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 24 points and Reggie Jackson had 20 and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, but big man Andre Drummond attempted only one shot and had five points against a stout Hornets interior defense that entered the game second in the league with an average of 39.3 points allowed in the paint.

"He didn't play with any energy at all," coach Stan Van Gundy said of his 6-11 center. "He didn't roll on his pick and rolls, he didn't run the floor and he didn't go to the offensive glass other than to push people. He basically didn't do anything."

Drummond also had only nine rebounds, marking the fourth time in 65 games that he's failed to reach double digits in both points and boards. The All-Star is averaging 16.6 points and a league-best 15.0 rebounds and leads the NBA with 54 double-doubles.

He'll likely bounce back against the 76ers (9-56), one of the NBA's worst with 45.7 interior points allowed per game. Drummond has dominated in three wins against them this season with an average of 18.3 points on 52.5 percent shooting and 17.3 rebounds.

Jackson has also played well versus Philadelphia this season with 21.7 points per game, and another strong performance could help Detroit to its first four-game sweep of the Sixers since the 1995-96 season. The Pistons swept three meetings in 2005-06.

A victory in Philly would be a big boost before the Pistons close their trip Monday against 10th-place Washington, which is two and a half games behind them in the chase. Things become very favorable from there with a nine-game homestand March 16-April 1.

Philadelphia has yet to win back-to-back games this season and will get another shot after ending a 13-game losing streak with a 95-89 victory over Brooklyn on Friday.

Carl Landry scored 16 and Nerlens Noel had 13 and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, who announced earlier that rookie center Jahlil Okafor will miss the rest of the season because of surgery to repair a small cartilage tear in his right knee.

Okafor, the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, averaged a team-high 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 53 games. He'll resume basketball activities in six weeks.

The Sixers then suffered another blow against the Nets when Robert Covington had to be removed on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital with an apparent neck injury after he was kicked in the face by teammate Jerami Grant in a collision under the basket.

"It was a significant collision," coach Brett Brown said. "When you see a player, a teammate, a friend being taken off the court on a stretcher, it's different than someone walking off the court with a sprained ankle."

Philadelphia's only two victories since Jan. 27 have both come against Brooklyn.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Heat (37-27) at Raptors (43-20)
Date: March 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

While their offense has keyed a dominant stretch at home, the Toronto Raptors have been nearly unbeatable when they've been able to put together a complete defensive effort.

That isn't likely to be an easy task against the suddenly high-scoring Miami Heat.

The Heat hope Dwyane Wade will be able to go in the second of back-to-back games Saturday night when they try to deal the Raptors their second loss in the past 16 home games.

The Raptors are averaging 107.1 points - far above their 102.7 mark overall - and shooting 47.9 percent from the field during a 14-1 stretch at home. However, it was the team's effort at the other end that pleased coach Dwane Casey most in Thursday's 104-96 victory over Atlanta.

Toronto limited the Hawks to 42.7 percent shooting and 7 for 23 (30.4 percent) from 3-point range while also outrebounding them 48-33 and outscoring them 50-34 in the paint. The Raptors are riding a franchise-record 29-game winning streak when holding teams under 100 points.

"I saw toughness," Casey explained. "I saw a longer period of physicality."

Casey's club seemed to be both on Jan. 22 when it limited Miami to 40.7 percent shooting - including 4 of 17 from 3-point range - in a 101-81 win in the first home meeting. The Heat (38-27), however, played without Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and Luol Deng.

Former Toronto star Chris Bosh will miss his 13th straight game as Miami tries to avoid dropping three of four in the season series. The All-Star released a statement Thursday saying he would love to rejoin the playoff push at some point after his latest blood clot scare.

Wade will try to recover quickly after finishing with nine points on 3-of-15 shooting in Friday's 118-96 win at Chicago. The All-Star guard suffered a bruised thigh in a 114-108 loss at Milwaukee in the opener of this trip that snapped a five-game winning streak.

DeMar DeRozan has gotten the best of his matchup with Wade in the past two meetings. He finished with 30 points in a 108-94 win at Miami on Dec. 18 and had 33 at home in January. Wade totaled 43 points but also committed a combined 12 turnovers in those contests.

The Raptors (43-20), who can get within two games of Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland, have won four of five meetings following a 16-game series losing streak.

DeRozan is playing well heading into this one, averaging 28.6 points in his last five games. Fellow All-Star Kyle Lowry has scored 27 per game and hit 17 of 41 from 3-point range in his past six but has averaged 15.8 while shooting 5 for 27 from 3 in his last four versus Miami.

The Heat should provide a tough challenge for Toronto defensively after averaging 113 points on 51.2 percent shooting - including 47.8 from long distance - in their last six games.

Dragic led the way with 26 points and nine assists against the Bulls, while Josh Richardson added a career-high 22 points and Deng scored 19. Whiteside contributed 13 points and 16 rebounds, giving him an average of 18 and 15.1 over his past 11 games.

"'Once we got the lead we started to get comfortable,' Deng said after Miami broke open the game with a 34-15 fourth quarter, 'and then they were reacting to us.'

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Rockets (32-32) at Hornets (35-28)
Date: March 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

As much as the Charlotte Hornets love seeing Kemba Walker register one big scoring effort after another, it has to be a little comforting to know they can win without one.

That doesn't mean it's going to happen regularly, so the Hornets would appreciate a bounce-back performance from Walker on Saturday night as they try to win seven straight for the first time in 14 years with a rare victory over the visiting Houston Rockets.

Baron Davis was running the point the last time Charlotte (36-28) won seven games in a row, and that was the season before the franchise moved to New Orleans.

The Hornets' current floor general has them in position to get there again after four straight 30-point games entering Friday, but what was most impressive about the latest contest is that Walker's streak ending didn't prevent the team's from continuing.

Walker was held to 16 points on 3-of-11 shooting, but six other Hornets scored in double figures in a 118-103 rout of Detroit. Marvin Williams led the way with 22 - his fifth 20-point game in his last 20 after having none in his previous 149.

"We had stretches tonight that were the best we've played all year in terms of putting offense and defense together," coach Steve Clifford said. "Obviously this was a good win, a good effort and we did a lot of things better. Hopefully we take this and play well again tomorrow night."

Charlotte moved eight games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2000-01 season. Now it takes a crack at ending a 10-game skid against the Rockets (33-32), whom it last beat when Walker was a junior at Connecticut.

"It's gonna be a tough one," Walker said of facing Houston, which held him to 14 points on 3-of-10 shooting in a 102-95 loss Dec. 21. "Those guys can score, of course they've got one of the better players in the league in James Harden, so we have to be ready to come in and defend him."

The Hornets winning on an off night from Walker has been a rarity. Charlotte has won 17 of its last 23 he's played, going 15-0 when he scores at least 22 and 2-6 otherwise.

Clifford's team is just 1 1/2 games behind Southeast Division-leading Miami, while the Rockets are within a half game of Portland for sixth in the Western Conference, which would allow it to avoid Golden State or San Antonio in the first round.

Houston will go for a fourth straight win as it tries to lay waste to another impressive streak. The Rockets began this week by ending Toronto's franchise-record 12-game run at home Sunday, and after an easy victory over Philadelphia they snapped Boston's run at TD Garden at 14 with Friday's 102-98 win.

Houston will now try to end its five-game trip with a fourth straight victory.

"We have the willingness to share, we have the willingness to (play) defense (since the All-Star break)," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "There has been a camaraderie and togetherness."

"We'll be even better in the weeks to come but we are taking steps in the right direction now."

Harden had 32 points, which actually slightly reduced his NBA-leading average since Jan. 29 to 33.2, but the encouraging sign to come out of Friday's game was the performance of a player who was a top-3 pick a year before Harden.

Michael Beasley, who just finished a second season in China, got in for a third game since signing with Houston a week ago. He managed to take 19 shots in 15 minutes, hitting nine to finish with 18 points.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Grizzlies (38-26) at Hawks (36-29)
Date: March 12, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The last time the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies faced each other, their records were floating around .500 during mediocre starts to the season.

Each has separated a bit from the even-water mark since, though not without plenty of turmoil along the way.

Both continue to jostle for better playoff position Saturday night when the Hawks go for a season sweep of the visiting Grizzlies, who may be forced to play again without their ailing stars.

Atlanta (36-29) won the first meeting 116-101 in Memphis on Nov. 27, though that came in the middle of a 6-10 stretch that tempered expectations for the Eastern Conference's only 60-win team a season ago. The Hawks have been streaky all season, with a stiff defensive stretch helping to account for five wins in six games in their recent upswing.

It was Toronto's defensive pressure that ended the Hawks' latest run at three on Thursday night, though. Atlanta shot 42.7 percent and hit only 7 of 23 3s in a 104-96 loss to close a five-game road trip 3-2.

The Hawks held their previous six opponents to 88.5 points per game on 37 percent shooting. They forced a combined 39 turnovers in the final two games of that stretch, but after turning the Raptors over 11 times in the first half, only got four the rest of the way.

'We weren't flying around all over the place like we were earlier, so probably that had something to do with it," Al Horford said. "As far as tightening up on offense, we need to be a little more focused, do things with more purpose in order for us to take the next step as a team.'

Atlanta has taken a step or two back in the Southeast Division over the last month with Miami and Charlotte surging to the top two spots, but still holds the East's No. 6 seed - 1 1/2 games ahead of Indiana.

Memphis (39-26) has a stranglehold on the West's fifth spot, but moving up appears unlikely - especially following a bevy of injuries highlighted by Marc Gasol's broken foot.

The Grizzlies are 18-7 since Jan. 14 but played without their top three scorers in Friday's 121-114 overtime win over New Orleans.

Along with Gasol, who has been out since Feb. 10, Zach Randolph sat out his second straight contest with a sore knee and point guard Mike Conley did the same with a sore left foot. Somehow, Memphis still eclipsed 120 points for the fourth time this season for its fifth win in seven games.

The cast that led it there was unlikely to say the least.

Lance Stephenson poured in a career-high 33 points, Matt Barnes had a triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and JaMychal Green posted a career-high 21 points along with 10 rebounds.

Even rookie point guard Briante Weber chipped in 10 points and seven assists after signing a 10-day contract earlier Friday.

"I was really impressed with the way they hung in there together," coach Dave Joerger said. "They helped each other try to cement things for the long term and build those relationships, and I was really, really impressed with that."

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pelicans (24-39) at Bucks (27-38)
Date: March 12, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Anthony Davis causes problems for the Milwaukee Bucks, but Jabari Parker seems poised to do the same to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Parker will try to give the Bucks an answer for Davis as they try to beat the Pelicans for just the third time in a decade Saturday night.

Milwaukee (27-38) has lost 17 of 19 against New Orleans, including six straight while giving up an average of 105.2 points on 48.7 percent shooting, including 45.7 from 3-point range.

The Bucks allowed the Pelicans (24-40) to connect on 17 of 31 from beyond the arc in a 116-99 road loss Jan. 23, part of an overall 8-13 stretch that's practically ended their postseason chances and put them at the bottom of the Central Division.

Davis has done a lot of damage over the last four matchups, averaging 28.5 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 blocks. The All-Star power forward had 43 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 114-103 win in the most recent visit to Milwaukee on March 9, 2015.

The Bucks are hoping Parker can slow him down after he only managed 10 points at New Orleans two months ago. The rookie forward enters this one averaging 23.8 points over the last five home games, including a season-high 36 in a 128-121 win over Houston on Feb. 29.

Parker is also getting help up front from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has put up 22.2 points and 8.2 assists per game over the past five games. He had 29 points against the Pelicans at home last year, but he only scored 10 earlier this season.

Parker and Antetokounmpo combined for 47 points and Khris Middleton added 22 with eight assists and seven boards in Wednesday's 114-108 win over Miami.

"We just wanted to stay with it, execute down the stretch," Middleton said of Milwaukee's 34-23 fourth-quarter scoring edge. "We haven't been doing that lately. We finally got back to doing it, and it worked out for us."

Middleton is averaging 24.1 points over the last seven, and he scored 22 with seven boards and five assists at New Orleans in January.

The Pelicans are surrendering 109.6 points per game while dropping six of seven games. They're also among the worst road teams in the NBA at 7-25, losing four straight after falling 121-114 in overtime at Memphis on Friday.

They opened this five-game trip with a 122-113 defeat at Charlotte on Wednesday.

Davis has done his part on this trip, scoring 40 points with 13 rebounds against the Hornets and getting 25 and 13 versus the Grizzlies. He's averaging 31.3 points and 11.8 boards over the last four games overall.

The Pelicans are also wasting outstanding efforts from Jrue Holiday, who's totaled 72 points and 16 assists on the trip. Holiday had 13 points and nine assists against Milwaukee two months ago.

The Bucks will be without guard O.J. Mayo for the rest of the season after he broke his right ankle falling down stairs at his home Thursday. Mayo averaged 7.8 points and 2.9 assists in 26.6 minutes during 41 games. He'll likely be replaced by Jerryd Bayless, who averages 10.7 points and 3.4 assists while starting just eight of 42 games.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Thunder (44-20) at Spurs (55-10)
Date: March 12, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

It's a wonder why anyone bothers reminding the San Antonio Spurs of what outsiders deem as accomplishments. A long home winning streak? The franchise's best record through 65 games? A future Hall of Famer grabbing a noteworthy rebound?

Ho-hum - to everything.

The Spurs have won five championships since 1999, and anything less than a sixth counts as a disappointing season. So if they're able to extend their regular-season home winning streak to 41 with a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, fine.

If not, they're still legitimate contenders to be the last team standing in June.

"It's a record season, yes, but it doesn't mean anything if we don't go all the way," four-time champion Tony Parker said after scoring 20 points in Thursday's 109-101 home win over Chicago.

The Spurs (55-10) brought in LaMarcus Aldridge to help them get through a Western Conference featuring defending champion Golden State. And for all the attention the Warriors have garnered in their pursuit of the single-season wins record, San Antonio quietly isn't far behind them in the standings.

Aldridge's average of 17.6 points is nearly six fewer than last season with Portland, but he's shooting 50.6 percent. He's been more aggressive over his last five, scoring 25.4 points per game and hitting 58.6 percent from the floor after scoring 26 against the Bulls.

With Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili in the twilight of their careers, Kawhi Leonard has taken over as the top threat. He's averaging 25.6 points over his last eight after netting 29 on Thursday.

Duncan brushed off becoming the sixth player in NBA history with 15,000 rebounds and instead praised Leonard, who helped San Antonio win for 10th time in its last 11.

"He's had an incredible year thus far and he's starting to feel that he needs a little more respect than he's getting," Duncan said. "That he can make the plays that he's making if he's allowed the opportunity."

Leonard made plenty in the first meeting with the Thunder (44-21) on Oct. 28, finishing with 32 points in a 112-106 road victory.

He's shooting 60.9 percent while making 6 of 9 from 3-point range in his last three against Oklahoma City, which got 33 points and 10 assists from Russell Westbrook and 22 points from Kevin Durant in the first matchup.

The Thunder will try to become the first opponent to win at the AT&T Center this season, but they've dropped three of their last five on the road and are coming off Friday's 99-96 home loss to last-place Minnesota.

Steven Adams' layup tied it with 10.8 seconds remaining before Ricky Rubio drained a 3 with 0.2 seconds left, preventing Oklahoma City from winning its third straight.

"We didn't expect this loss," Enes Kanter said after scoring 17 off the bench. "The most important thing is to get past it and start worrying about (the Spurs)."

Durant finished with 28 points and Westbrook had 26, but they combined for 11 of the Thunder's 24 turnovers, their second-most giveaways this season.

"I wish I could take all of (the turnovers) back, man. I just have to watch film and see how I can be better," said Durant, who has 32 giveaways over his last five games. "I have to control those turnovers because it's bleeding into the rest of the team, and as a leader I take full responsibility."

The Spurs won the last matchup in San Antonio 130-91 on March 25, 2015, although the Thunder played without Durant.