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

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Cavaliers (48-19) at Magic (29-38)
Date: March 18, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers elected to rest LeBron James this week with the playoffs approaching.

The Orlando Magic certainly wish they would have waited two more days.

With James back in the lineup, the visiting Cavaliers seek their 14th consecutive win over the Magic on Friday night in a season series that hasn't been close.

Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland (48-19) beat Dallas 99-98 on Wednesday for its seventh win in nine games. James sat out with coach Tyronn Lue starting a plan to rejuvenate the superstar leading into the postseason.

The Cavs hold a slim lead over Toronto for the Eastern Conference's top seed and close the final four weeks with a less challenging schedule. They play eight of their next 13 on the road, where they are 20-13.

The stretch starts with a visit to Orlando (29-38), where the Cavaliers have taken six straight.

The contrast in the series has been especially pronounced in the season's first three matchups. After a 117-103 home victory Nov. 23, the Cavs routed the Magic 111-76 at Amway Center on Dec. 11 and 104-79 at home Jan. 2.

Cleveland held Orlando to 38.5 percent shooting in the final two wins, the December blowout providing its largest margin of victory this season.

James has won 14 in a row against the Magic, the first eight of which came with Miami. He's shot 59.6 percent against them this season.

With James sitting, Kyrie Irving led the way against the Mavericks. He scored 33 points and helped thwart a Dallas rally with a steal with 2.9 seconds left.

The Cavs improved to 4-12 without James the last two seasons.

'Honestly, it was a personal challenge,' said Irving, who shot 35 percent while averaging 16.0 points in his previous two games. 'We know what the record is. I know I took it personally, and I have to lead the team whether he's in or out.'

Kevin Love scored 23 points after averaging 12.9 in his previous seven games and added 18 rebounds, while Channing Frye went 3 of 5 from 3-point range and chipped in 14 off the bench.

Orlando's hopes of making the postseason are slim, as it's suffered five losses in seven games to fall further back in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Magic led 30-26 after one quarter at Charlotte on Wednesday but were outscored 35-13 in the second in a 107-99 loss, denying them their first winning streak since early February.

'You have to be able to put your foot down and somebody's got to make a big basket for you or a big defensive play and kind of get a run going of your own," coach Scott Skiles said. "This is something we've really struggled with.'

Orlando - winner of three of its last four home games - shot 47.8 percent in the opening quarter but 40.0 over the final three. The Magic have averaged 100.1 points and 44.3 percent shooting their last seven games while allowing 109.4 and 46.9.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Kings (26-41) at Pistons (34-34)
Date: March 18, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

If the Detroit Pistons are to take advantage of a favorable four-game stretch on a lengthy homestand, they'll need to improve their recent defensive play.

The Pistons can start by avoiding a third consecutive defeat Friday night against the Sacramento Kings.

Following its worst loss in 22 years, 124-81 at Washington on Monday, Detroit (34-34) could at least look forward to returning home for an extended stay. The Pistons didn't play poorly while opening this nine-game home stretch with Wednesday's 118-114 defeat to Atlanta, but a couple of key lapses in the second half led to their third loss in four games.

Up 11 near the end of the third quarter, the Pistons allowed a 16-2 Hawks run that began with a 3-pointer from center Al Horford. Atlanta used a 10-0 run late in the fourth to erase a one-point Detroit lead.

Detroit played somewhat better defensively, holding the Hawks to 43.8 percent shooting after the previous three opponents shot 51.4 percent. But it allowed Atlanta to go 4 of 7 from beyond the arc in the fourth, and has yielded an average of 117.8 points in four games.

"I can't find any answers," said coach Stan Van Gundy, whose team is fighting for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. "We're just not guarding anybody."

Detroit shot 46.4 percent and was much better offensively after equaling its lowest point total of the season Monday.

"We have to come back prepared for Friday and try to get a win there," said forward Andre Drummond, who had 18 rebounds and 18 points after failing to score 10 in two of the previous three contests.

The Pistons seemingly have a good opportunity to get back on track with lottery-bound opponents Sacramento (26-41), Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Orlando in town over a six-day stretch. They are 17-13 against sub-.500 teams.

"They're important," said guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is averaging 22.3 points in his last four games. "We've got to take the next four games and we've got to take them real serious. We can't play down to our opponent."

Detroit's five-game winning streak against Sacramento ended with a 101-92 road loss Nov. 11. However, the Kings have dropped five in a row at The Palace, and enter this meeting losers in 10 of 12.

After snapping a five-game skid with Tuesday's 106-98 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento took a step back with its 123-108 home loss to New Orleans one night later.

'We lacked that spirit that we had (Tuesday) night," said coach George Karl, whose club allowed the Pelicans to shoot 54.4 percent overall and 12 of 21 from 3-point range. "The game got loose on us.'

Still managing to co-exist with Karl, DeMarcus Cousins was held to 20 points on 8-of-21 shooting. Cousins scored 33 and was 4 of 5 from beyond the arc against the Pistons in November, but he's totaled 31 points on 10-of-32 shooting and committed 11 turnovers in the last two at Detroit.

It's uncertain if teammates Rajon Rondo (toe, thumb, shoulder) and Marco Belinelli (ankle) will miss a second straight contest. Guard Ben McLemore (finger) might miss his sixth consecutive game.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Celtics (39-29) at Raptors (45-21)
Date: March 18, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Facing the possibility of matching their longest losing streak of the season has the Boston Celtics feeling a sense of urgency.

The Celtics try to snap their three-game skid Friday night when they face the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto Raptors for the first of two meetings in under a week.

Boston (39-29) is in good position to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive season, sitting five games clear of the cutoff. Despite that, the Celtics are feeling pressure after falling 130-109 to Oklahoma City on Wednesday in their most lopsided home defeat of the season. Their losing streak follows a 7-2 stretch, during which they averaged 110.7 points.

"We gotta win," guard Isaiah Thomas told the team's official website after scoring 29 points. "The playoff picture - not saying we're not going to make the playoffs, but - it's close, so Toronto is another test for us. We gotta be mature about the situation and just try to get a win."

Boston has only won three of its last 11 meetings with the Raptors (46-21), dropping five of six at Toronto after a 115-109 loss on Jan. 20. The Celtics gave up 55.4 percent from the field in one of their worst defensive efforts of the season.

Thomas has continued to excel on the opposite end, averaging 27.3 points on 49.2 percent shooting in his last seven games.

With a 7 1/2-game lead over Boston, Toronto is nearing a third straight Atlantic title but is more concerned with closing the two-game deficit on Cleveland for the conference lead.

Toronto has won 11 of its last 14 games after beating Indiana 101-94 in overtime Thursday, with DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry scoring 28 points apiece.

"We understand that someone on our team is eventually going to get hot late in the game," DeRozan said. "I started to hit some shots and then Kyle got going."

DeRozan is averaging 29.5 points over the last eight games, and Lowry is scoring 28.7 over the last three while hitting 10 of 22 from 3-point range.

"We know that those guys are going to make tough shots," Celtics guard Avery Bradley said. "We just have to try to make every possession hard on them and try to take the supporting cast out. It's the same mindset as (Wednesday's) game, and hopefully they're not making every shot too."

DeRozan has scored 29.6 per game in his last five against Boston, including 34 on 13-of-25 shooting in January.

Lowry hasn't enjoyed the same success in this season's two matchups, scoring 14 points in each while shooting 7 of 22.

Bismack Biyombo set a franchise record with 25 rebounds Thursday, and added a career-high 16 points. The center, however, has only totaled seven points and 10 boards in two games against Boston this season.

He'll have to contend with Kelly Olynyk, who is playing his second game since missing 12 with a shoulder injury. The center was sluggish Wednesday, finishing with eight points while missing 6 of 7 shots.

"A little pain. A little discomfort," Olynyk said. "Trying to just keep the strength and keep the muscles activated. Hopefully you don't take too big of a bump but other than that it felt alright out there. I just need to get back into a rhythm."

He's averaging 19.0 points in the last three visits to Toronto.

These teams will conclude their season series Wednesday in Boston.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Timberwolves (22-46) at Rockets (34-34)
Date: March 18, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Houston Rockets' first two games this week serve as a microcosm of their inconsistent season, as they went from a season-best defensive effort to historically bad.

Maybe a return to a series they have dominated the last three seasons will get them back to the former.

The Rockets hope Friday night's visit from the Minnesota Timberwolves helps steady a rocky stretch as they go for their sixth consecutive win in this series and seventh straight at Toyota Center.

Houston's up-and-down season has led to a 34-34 record and a share of the Western Conference's seventh seed with Dallas, just ahead of Utah.

This week has seen the good but skipped over the bad to the ugly.

On the positive end, the Rockets posted their largest margin of victory with Monday's 130-81 win over Memphis, logging season bests for both opponent points and field-goal percentage (29.7). But on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Clippers made 56.6 percent of their attempts and 12 of 30 3s in beating Houston 122-106.

The opponent field-goal percentage increase of 26.9 is the league's highest in consecutive games since Philadelphia held Charlotte to 30.7 percent on Feb. 9, 2013, before the Clippers finished at 58.7 two days later.

The Rockets seemed to pull out of a funk with four wins in five games from March 2-11, but they have dropped two of three since. Opponents shot at least 54.5 percent in those two defeats while eclipsing 120 points. Houston has surrendered at least 110 in 10 of the last 22 games, and opponents are shooting 50.3 percent in 12 losses during that stretch.

'The intensity wasn't there,' interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the loss to Los Angeles. 'We didn't come out with any force defensively. You give up 35 points and 37 points in two quarters of play against a very good team, coming back is going to be tough if not impossible.'

James Harden pulled out of a shooting funk by making 5 of 10 3s for 33 points to go with eight assists, and the recently signed Michael Beasley had 16 points and eight rebounds.

Harden finished with 27 points and 11 assists to help the Rockets to their fifth straight win in this series with a 107-104 victory on Jan. 13. The Rockets are 9-1 against the Timberwolves since March 15, 2013.

Minnesota (22-46) has won two of three to open a four-game trip. Zach LaVine scored 28 points in each of the last two games and matched a career high with six 3-pointers in Wednesday's 114-108 victory in Memphis.

The Timberwolves equaled a season high for points in any quarter with 42 in the opening frame before holding off a late Grizzlies rally.

'We're just glad we got the win,' LaVine said. 'The main thing is to just get a win. You win by 20, you win by one, it's a win.'

It was just Minnesota's fifth victory in its last 27 road games. Houston is 18-15 at home and has lost three of its last five there.

While the Rockets held LaVine to 1-of-6 shooting for two points in January, Andrew Wiggins made 9 of 16 shots for 28 points - his third straight game with at least that many against Houston.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Warriors (61-6) at Mavericks (34-34)
Date: March 18, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Golden State coach Steve Kerr insists all the record chasing is finally wearing on his players, though the Warriors certainly aren't showing any signs of fatigue on the court.

After extending their NBA-record run at home, the Warriors resume their pursuit of 73 wins Friday night when they take on the Dallas Mavericks at the scene of one of their six defeats.

Golden State hasn't shown many weaknesses while compiling a 61-6 record, which remains one game ahead of Chicago's mark through 67 during its record 72-win season in 1995-96.

"I thought that record was unbreakable, really," Kerr said. "The last 20 years, I never thought anyone would come close. There's still 16 games to go and things happen, but the fact that we're here talking about it is a testament to our guys' competitive desire."

The Warriors won the last five of a 6-0 homestand by an average of 19.6 points. With Wednesday's 121-85 victory over New York, they also became the first team in the history of the four American professional sports leagues to win 50 straight home games.

Despite all the success, Kerr says his team is beginning to wear down. He's taking precautions to slow that process, limiting practice time and picking spots to give guys rest.

"You can kind of see it their eyes and legs a little bit," Kerr added. "I think you just get a feel as a coach, and as a staff, you get a read on guys as you see how energetic they are or not. It's something that every team that makes a championship run goes through."

Banged-up reserves Andre Iguodala, Festus Ezeli and Kevon Looney won't make a three-game trip that includes Saturday's showdown with San Antonio, the league's second-best club.

Golden State, looking to avoid its third back-to-back road losses of the season, is likely to be careful not to look ahead to the Spurs because of a 114-91 loss at Dallas on Dec. 30.

The Warriors, however, did not have Curry in that contest due to a bruised leg and Thompson was held to just 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting. Curry had 14 points on 4-of-11 shooting Jan. 27, but Thompson stepped up with a season-high 45 points in a 127-107 home victory.

J.J. Barea led Dallas with 23 points and five 3-pointers in the first meeting. Chandler Parsons finished with 23 points and seven rebounds in January when Dallas played without Dirk Nowitzki and Zaza Pachulia.

The Mavericks (34-34) hope to survive a late-season funk after losing for the sixth time in seven games Wednesday, 99-98 at East-best Cleveland. They're tied with Houston for the West's final two playoff spots, with both holding a slim advantage over ninth-place Utah.

Nowitzki and David Lee finished with 20 points apiece and Barea contributed 17 against the Cavaliers, but the team's rally from a 20-point second-half deficit fell just short.

"We know if we play hard on both ends we can beat anybody, but if it's the third quarter and we're down 20 each time, it's going to be tough to come back against good teams," Nowitzki said.

The Mavericks are slumping defensively at home, allowing 109.8 points per game in their past 11. They'll try to avoid losing five straight there for the first time since a six-game skid in 1999-2000.

Dallas has dropped eight of the past nine meetings overall versus Golden State.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Trail Blazers (35-34) at Pelicans (25-42)
Date: March 18, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers' playoff hopes are looking a little more tenuous because of their recent road woes but they'll next face a team that's struggled almost no matter where it's been playing.

The Blazers will seek to end a six-game losing streak away from home by sending the New Orleans Pelicans to another defeat Friday night.

Portland's road skid reached a season high Thursday with a 118-110 defeat to San Antonio, its third consecutive visit to a Western Conference division leader. The Blazers opened their four-game trip with a 128-94 drubbing to Oklahoma City on Monday.

"You play in San Antonio and Oklahoma City, you know it's going to be tough," coach Terry Stotts said. "I don't think it's about keeping our spirits up. It's just about competing."

Those six straight road losses are responsible for Portland's 2-6 overall mark in its last eight games. The Blazers (35-34) have seen what was a 4 1/2-game lead on a playoff spot earlier this month cut to 1 1/2 by surging Utah, winners of four straight.

With the Jazz idle Friday, Portland will try to pad its advantage by handing New Orleans a ninth loss in 11 games.

"It's an important game and one that we want to win," guard C.J. McCollum said. "We have to go out there and execute."

The Pelicans (25-42) have only beaten one team over that stretch, Sacramento, and avoided an 0-5 road trip with Wednesday's 123-108 victory.

Ryan Anderson scored 21 of his team-best 29 points in the second quarter, and New Orleans had a season-high 74 in the first half. The Pelicans averaged 49.7 points in their three previous opening halves.

"Obviously, we struggled through this whole road trip. I thought we had some good moments, played some good basketball, couldn't quite get over the hump. I thought from start to finish we did a good job tonight," coach Alvin Gentry said.

New Orleans topped the Kings 115-112 on March 7 before hitting the road to avoid a season-high fourth consecutive home defeat. The Pelicans also beat Portland 115-89 on Dec. 23 in New Orleans to end a seven-game skid in the series.

Damian Lillard sat out for the Blazers because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot after scoring 30 in a home victory over the Pelicans on Dec. 14.

McCollum, who scored a team-best 26 points Thursday, had a career-high 37 in a 112-94 victory over New Orleans on Oct. 28.

New Orleans' Anthony Davis is averaging 27.0 points on 57.9 percent shooting in the season series, and Portland will be short-handed in its next attempt to slow him down.

Meyers Leonard is expected to miss at least two more games after dislocating his left shoulder in practice Wednesday. He suffered the same injury Nov. 11 and sat out seven contests.

Chris Kaman, averaging 3.2 points, had a season-high 12 on 5-of-6 shooting and five rebounds in 14-plus minutes in his absence.

The Trail Blazers, who won six straight away from Portland prior to the skid, had a seven-game road losing streak last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Suns (18-50) at Lakers (14-54)
Date: March 18, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Don't tell Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott that his team's fans want to lose Friday night against the Phoenix Suns.

It's uncertain whether or not Kobe Bryant will play and it's also not clear if his presence will help or hurt his team's chance at a victory.

What is clear is that there is plenty of incentive for the Western Conference's worst teams to lose when they meet Friday night at Staples Center.

Los Angeles (14-54) owns the league's second-worst record and its fans would like to finish with that mark since the franchise will enhance its chances of a top-three lottery pick that way. If the Lakers fail in the lottery and slip to the fourth pick, the choice will go to Philadelphia.

Surpassing Phoenix (18-50) in the standings would hurt the Lakers' lottery odds. These teams meet twice in the next six days after splitting their first two meetings.

"As far as I'm concerned, we're not in a weird position," Scott said. "We play Phoenix and we're trying to win the game."

The Lakers have lost three straight to fall to 2-4 on this eight-game homestand as they played without Bryant in Tuesday's 106-98 loss to Sacramento. The retiring veteran continues to battle shoulder problems and Scott termed Bryant's chances of playing Friday at "50-50."

If Bryant doesn't play, Scott said he will give Metta World Peace his second straight start.

Bryant is the NBA's worst shooter among qualifying players at 35.6 percent overall and 27.5 percent on 3-pointers. The Lakers have won four of their last 11 games he has missed.

Phoenix had a five-game win streak over Los Angeles end the last time these teams met, a 97-77 defeat Jan. 3 that Bryant sat out. He has not faced the Suns this season, has missed six of the last nine matchups and hasn't played in a victory over Phoenix since he made 1 of 8 shots for four points and eight turnovers in a 91-85 win Feb. 12, 2013.

The Lakers expect to have forward Brandon Bass back after he sat out Tuesday because of a corneal abrasion in his right eye. He may have to wear goggles.

"If they say I have to wear the goggles, I don't have no choice, right?" Bass said. "But if they say I don't have to, then I don't have to, then I ain't gonna wear 'em. But we'll see how it goes."

The Suns fell for the fourth time in five games, 103-69 at Utah on Thursday. They shot a season-low 34.1 percent and finished with their lowest point total.

'We played passive aggressive in the first half," coach Earl Watson said. 'In the second half, we played timid. We couldn't hit a shot. We couldn't stop their runs. That isn't acceptable, that can't happen.'

Brandon Knight scored a team-high 17 in his third start since missing 21 games with a strained groin. He has totaled 55 points and 24 assists this season versus Los Angeles with his first career triple-double in a 120-101 rout Nov. 16.

Rookie Devin Booker was held to seven points on 3-of-14 shooting Thursday after he entered averaging 23.6 in his first eight games in March.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Six of the more interesting first round games on Friday..........

-- Syracuse-Dayton-- Both teams struggled down the stretch.

-- Hawai'i-Cal-- Golden Bears are without PG Wallace (hand) again.

-- Temple-Iowa-- Owls have bad recent history in NCAA; Iowa struggled lately.

-- Michigan-Notre Dame-- Why don't these teams play? They do in football.

-- VCU-Oregon State-- Beavers' first appearance in NCAAs since 1990.

-- South Dakota State-Maryland-- Jackrabbits get a shot at one of the big boys.

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Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Wrapping up a full day of basketball.......

Wichita State 65, Arizona 55-- Shocking no-show by Arizona, which trailed 31-19 at half. Is Sean Miller OK? He has lost 40 pounds, he sweated thru his shirt well before halftime, he just doesn't look right. Not just talking about today, either. Wichita paid Gregg Marshall $3M a year to turn down Alabama; today was why.

Providence 70, USC 69-- Friars scored on an out-of-bounds-under play with less than 0:03 left, after Trojans missed two front ends of 1-and-1's in last 0:30. Bentil/Dunn hit a combined 13-34 shots, Providence still won. Wow. Last minute of this game made James Naismith turn over in his grave, but the Friars advance to play North Carolina.

Yale 79, Baylor 75-- Georgia State last year, Yale this year; Baylor goes down again as a first round favorite. Scott Drew is this generation's version of Eddie Fogler, who lost as a 2-seed and 3-seed while at South Carolina. No bueno. Very good day for Yale coach James Jones-- last time Yale played in an NCAA game was 1962, when they played Wake Forest- one of the Deacons' guards that day was Billy Packer.

Ark-Little Rock 85, Purdue 83 2OT-- Epic gag job by Boilers, who led by 13 with 3:33 left. Second year in row a Sun Belt team pulls a big upset in first round. Maybe if ESPN showed some of their games, they wouldn't be underrated in March. Back when ESPN first started up, the Sun Belt was first league to have ESPN show its games.

Duke 93, NC-Wilmington 85-- Seahawks were 14-19 on foul line, Grayson Allen was 15-17 by himself. Chris Webber is good on TV; he speaks his mind and doesn't hold back. "They should call them at both ends." after the play-by-play guy described how refs were calling touch fouls on UNCW. Duke plays Yale on Saturday.

Butler 71, Texas Tech 61-- Big East has teams in Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, as geography students grow dumber by the second. Want to make America great again? Make Big East only have teams in the east. Tubby Smith has now taken five schools to NCAAs- if you can win in Lubbock in Big X, you're a damn good coach.

Iowa State 84, Iona 71-- MAAC is now 0-8 in first round (0-8 vs spread) since Siena beat Ohio State in an 8-9 game in '09; Iona lost by 25-16-13 points its last three times in this round. Total was in doubt until AJ English got a technical for cursing at Iowa State's coach during a timeout- they were only down 7 when that happened.

UConn 74, Colorado 67-- Buffaloes were up nine at halftime, but got squashed in the second half. Rough day for Conference of Champions, with Utah only one of four Pac-12 teams to win. Kevin Ollie is now 7-0 in NCAA tournament as head coach- Huskies play Kansas Saturday- UConn wins that game, he might go straight to Springfield.

Utah 80, Fresno State 69-- Fresno went ahead 48-47, then Utah hit another gear and put the Bulldogs away, ending a bad year for the Mountain West. Utes face Gonzaga Saturday; battle inside between Poeltl-Sabonis will be spotlighted. Fresno had a great year with veteran guards, now they have to rebuild.

Virginia 81, Hampton 45-- I've got nothing on this mismatch; really enjoyed having three games on channel 702 on DirecTV, a mix channel, with the game on CBS' local station on my laptop, so I could see all four games at once, in the comfort of my own home. Good deal. I did see Hampton in Las Vegas in December; they lost to an 11-23 team, so their coach did a solid job having them win their league to get this far.

Kansas 105, Austin Peay 79-- It wouldn't have mattered much, but Austin Peay is a way worse team that Florida Gulf Coast and should've been in the play-in game. You watch FGCU compete against North Carolina- it was 41-40 at the half. Kansas game was over as soon as they sang the National Anthem. Say a prayer for coach Loos' little granddaughter, who is battling cancer; she is six years old.

Miami 79, Buffalo 72-- Game was in Providence, where coach Larranaga played 40 or so years ago. Miami starts two juniors, three seniors-- you need seniors who played in the program for 3-4 years, it means more to those kids. Lot of the bigger-name teams have transient players who have one eye on the NBA- they don't do as well.

Indiana 99, Chattanooga 74-- Remember when you were a kid and if game wasn't a real competitive one, you played "free outs"? Moccasins played free outs here for 40 full minutes- they looked like the Raptors the night Kobe Bryant scored 81 on them. Not lot of resistance- they shot 59.5% inside the arc and still lost by 25.

Kentucky 85, Stony Brook 57-- Not sure who is happier with the Indiana-Kentucky matchup Saturday, CBS or the scalpers? I was in the gym the night Stony Brook had its 18-game winning streak snapped by Albany. then I watched them today and it is like, how did this team ever win 18 games in a row?

Gonzaga 68, Seton Hall 52-- Pirates start five sophomores, young team- they made a great run to win Big East tournament Saturday night, but had very little here, against a Gonzaga squad that is hitting its stride at the right time. If Sabonis came out for the NBA Draft, I'd take him over Ben Simmons or the Ingram kid on Duke.

North Carolina 83, Florida Gulf Coast 67-- Game was 41-40 at the half, so credit to the Eagles for competing- they're just not good enough, obviously. Tar Heels will get a much better test on Saturday, when they play Providence. Tar Heels are much deeper than Providence, but if they have to hit outside shots to win, can they do it?

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, March 18

Hot teams
-- Thunder won four of last six games (4-1 last 5AF).
-- Cavaliers won seven of their last nine games (3-1 last 4AF)
-- Toronto won five of its last six games (3-6 last 9HF).
-- Rockets won four of their last six games (2-5 last 7HF).
-- Warriors won their last six games (2-4 last 6AF).

Cold teams
-- 76ers lost nine of their last ten games (2-5 last 7HU).
-- Orlando lost five of its last seven games (9-5HU).
-- Sacramento lost six of its last seven games (6-4 last 10AU). Pistons lost three of their last four (13-3 last 16HF).
-- Celtics lost four of their last five games (2-7 last 9AU).
-- Portland lost six of its last eight games (1-3 last 4AU). Pelicans lost eight of their last ten games (2-7 last 9HF).
-- Minnesota lost six of its last nine games (4-4 last 8AU).
-- Mavericks lost six of their last seven games (5-4HU).
-- Suns lost four of their last five games (3-2 last 5AU). Lakers lost five of their last seven games (3-2HF).

Series records
-- 76ers lost last 10 games (3-7 vs spread) with Oklahoma City.
-- Cavaliers won last ten games (10-0 vs spread) with Orlando.
-- Pistons won five of last six games with Sacramento.
-- Raptors won six of their last eight games with Boston.
-- Trailblazers won seven of last eight games with New Orleans.
-- Rockets won their last five games with Minnesota.
-- Warriors won eight of last nine games with Dallas.
-- :Lakers lost five of their last six games with Phoenix.

Totals
-- Seven of last ten Philly games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Orlando games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last nine Sacramento games stayed under total.
-- Over is 7-2 last nine times toronto played night before.
-- Six of last seven Blazer-Pelican games stayed under total.
-- Last seven Houston-Minnesota games went over total.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Golden State games.
-- Over is 4-1-1 in last six Phoenix-Laker games.

Back/backs
-- 76ers are 3-7 vs spread last 10 times they played night before.
-- Raptors are 7-5 vs spread if they played night before.
-- Portland is 6-9 vs spread if it played the night before.
-- Suns are 4-9 vs spread if they played the night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Friday, March 18

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Oklahoma City's last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Philadelphia's last 13 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 10 games

7:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. ORLANDO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Orlando
Orlando is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games

7:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. DETROIT
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Sacramento's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 7 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing at home against Sacramento

7:30 PM
BOSTON vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing Toronto
Boston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Toronto is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Boston
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Boston

8:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. NEW ORLEANS
Portland is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Portland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 14 of New Orleans's last 16 games at home
New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Portland

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. HOUSTON
Minnesota is 4-18 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota

8:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. DALLAS
Golden State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Dallas's last 16 games

10:30 PM
PHOENIX vs. LA LAKERS
Phoenix is 4-14 SU in their last 18 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 6 games when playing Phoenix

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, March 18

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OKLAHOMA CITY (46 - 22) at PHILADELPHIA (9 - 59) - 3/18/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 27-38 ATS (-14.8 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 14-23 ATS (-11.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 19-30 ATS (-14.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a home underdog of 12.5 or more points over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 36-62 ATS (-32.2 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 27-37 ATS (-13.7 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 13-33 ATS (-23.3 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 102-147 ATS (-59.7 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-2 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA 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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CLEVELAND (48 - 19) at ORLANDO (29 - 38) - 3/18/2016, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 10-0 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 10-0 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (26 - 41) at DETROIT (34 - 34) - 3/18/2016, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 4-1 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO 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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BOSTON (39 - 29) at TORONTO (46 - 21) - 3/18/2016, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 5-5 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 7-3 straight up against BOSTON 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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PORTLAND (35 - 34) at NEW ORLEANS (25 - 42) - 3/18/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 39-30 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all games this season.
PORTLAND is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
PORTLAND is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PORTLAND is 55-41 ATS (+9.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 28-39 ATS (-14.9 Units) in all games this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) on Friday nights this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.

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

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MINNESOTA (22 - 46) at HOUSTON (34 - 34) - 3/18/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 65-82 ATS (-25.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 336-396 ATS (-99.6 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 33-50 ATS (-22.0 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 33-49 ATS (-20.9 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 20-29 ATS (-11.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
HOUSTON is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.
HOUSTON is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more this season.

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

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GOLDEN STATE (61 - 6) at DALLAS (34 - 34) - 3/18/2016, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 339-275 ATS (+36.5 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 304-250 ATS (+29.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 37-27 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 29-20 ATS (+7.0 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 87-63 ATS (+17.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-35 ATS (+15.5 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 66-52 ATS (+8.8 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 55-41 ATS (+9.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 27-16 ATS (+9.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 53-35 ATS (+14.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 19-35 ATS (-19.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 32-47 ATS (-19.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 13-30 ATS (-20.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 43-57 ATS (-19.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 18-33 ATS (-18.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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PHOENIX (18 - 50) at LA LAKERS (14 - 54) - 3/18/2016, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

[StarDust Bum]

3-pointer: Time to Spur
March 15, 2016

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Top Action
March 18, 2016

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (61-6) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (34-34)
Tip-off: Friday, 8:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Warriors -9, Total 224

The Warriors will be going for their seventh straight victory when they face the struggling Mavericks on Friday.

The Warriors hosted the Knicks on Wednesday and came away with a 121-85 victory as 15-point favorites. Golden State has now won six straight games and the team has been absurd offensively in that span. The Warriors have shot 50% or better from the floor in five of those six games and 43% or better from the outside in five of those six as well.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, are losers of six of their past seven games. One thing this team will need to do better is rebound the basketball. Dallas has lost the rebounding battle in four straight games and the team can’t afford to give Golden State many second chances on Friday.

These teams have already met twice this season and the teams have split victories both SU and ATS in those games. The Warriors are, however, 8-2 both SU and ATS against the Mavericks in their past 10 meetings. Some trends favoring the Warriors in this game include the fact that they are 20-13-2 ATS on the road this season and 25-13-2 ATS against Western Conference opponents as well.

SF Andre Iguodala (Ankle) is going to miss this game for Golden State, but that is really the only significant injury for either team in this one.

The Warriors have been playing very well lately and they’ll be looking to stay hot with a win over the Mavericks on Friday. Golden State lost to this Dallas team earlier in the season, but that was because PG Stephen Curry (30.5 PPG, 6.4 APG, 5.3 RPG, 2.0 SPG) was hurt and did not play. He’ll be out there in this one, though, and he has been scorching hot recently. Over the past five games, Curry is averaging 28.4 PPG on 53.7% shooting from the floor and 47.5% shooting from the outside.

The Mavericks do not have an answer for him at the point guard position, so this game could get ugly if Curry can get himself in rhythm early. SG Klay Thompson (21.9 PPG) should also be able to get it going in this one. In two meetings with the Mavericks this season, Thompson is averaging 27.5 PPG on 51.4% shooting from the floor. He is a lot taller than most of the Mavericks’ guards, so he can shoot over his defenders when he is not launching from the outside.

PF Draymond Green (13.6 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG) is going to need to dig in defensively in this one. He’ll be guarding Dirk Nowitzki and that is the guy the Warriors really need to slow down on Friday.

The Mavericks have really been lousy lately, but they could swing momentum their way with a win over the Warriors in this game. PF Dirk Nowitzki (18.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG) will need to have a huge game for Dallas on Friday. He has been playing extremely well in recent weeks, averaging 24.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 1.0 BPG over the past five contests. Nowitzki will, however, need to start knocking down his shots from the outside. He’s shooting just 29.2% from three over the past five games and he is capable of doing a lot more damage from there.

SF Chandler Parsons (13.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.8 APG) will also need to play at a high level on Friday. He had just six points in the loss to the Cavaliers on Wednesday and that was without LeBron James playing for Cleveland. He should have been a lot better in that game and his tendency to disappear has been very concerning for the Mavericks this season. He needs to be more consistent moving forward.

SG Wes Matthews (12.0 PPG, 1.0 SPG) could be the x-factor for the Mavericks in this game. Matthews is a very good perimeter defender, but he has struggled covering Klay Thompson this season. If he can find a way to contain Thompson then it would be huge for Dallas. It’d also help if Matthews can knock down some shots in this one, as he is shooting just 19.0% from the outside over the past five games and is a much better shooter than those numbers suggest.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 6 Wins and 20 Losses for the this season (-16 units)

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 1 Wins and 11 Losses for the this season (-11.1 units)

NBA > (807) BOSTON@ (808) TORONTO | 2016-03-18 19:35:00 - 2016-03-18 19:35:00
Play ON BOSTON against the spread in Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 44 Wins and 17 Losses for the last three seasons (+25.3 units)

NBA > (813) GOLDEN STATE@ (814) DALLAS | 2016-03-18 20:35:00 - 2016-03-18 20:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE against the spread in All games after a non-conference game
The record is 18 Wins and 6 Losses for the this season (+11.4 units)

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

CBB MONEYLINE

NBA > (807) BOSTON@ (808) TORONTO | 2016-03-18 19:35:00 - 2016-03-18 19:35:00
Play ON TORONTO using money line in Home games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 13 Wins and 2 Losses for the this season (+11.8 units)

NBA > (813) GOLDEN STATE@ (814) DALLAS | 2016-03-18 20:35:00 - 2016-03-18 20:35:00
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 > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 25 Wins and 33 Losses for the last two seasons (-36.65 units)

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games in all games
The record is 18 Wins and 41 Losses for the this season (-28.25 units)

NBA > (811) MINNESOTA@ (812) HOUSTON | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 25 Wins and 53 Losses for the last three seasons (-42.4 units)

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play ON LA LAKERS using money line in Home games after playing 3 consecutive home games
The record is 60 Wins and 19 Losses for the since 1992 (+37.9 units)

NBA > (813) GOLDEN STATE@ (814) DALLAS | 2016-03-18 20:35:00 - 2016-03-18 20:35:00
Play AGAINST DALLAS using money line in All games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season
The record is 12 Wins and 30 Losses for the last two seasons (-24.6 units)

NBA > (809) PORTLAND@ (810) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play ON NEW ORLEANS using money line in Home games on Friday nights
The record is 21 Wins and 6 Losses for the last three seasons (+17.25 units)

NBA > (805) SACRAMENTO@ (806) DETROIT | 2016-03-18 19:35:00 - 2016-03-18 19:35:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO using money line in All games on Friday nights
The record is 10 Wins and 32 Losses for the last three seasons (-25.45 units)

NBA > (805) SACRAMENTO@ (806) DETROIT | 2016-03-18 19:35:00 - 2016-03-18 19:35:00
Play AGAINST SACRAMENTO using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 5 Wins and 15 Losses for the this season (-14.4 units)

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

CBB FIRST HALF

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 22 Wins and 45 Losses for the this season (-27.5 units)

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 5 Wins and 18 Losses for the this season (-14.8 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (809) PORTLAND@ (810) NEW ORLEANS | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play OVER NEW ORLEANS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 19 Overs and 4 Unders for the this season (+14.6 units)

NBA > (811) MINNESOTA@ (812) HOUSTON | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play OVER MINNESOTA on the totalin Road games against Southwest division opponents
The record is 22 Overs and 4 Unders for the last three seasons (+17.6 units)

NBA > (807) BOSTON@ (808) TORONTO | 2016-03-18 19:35:00 - 2016-03-18 19:35:00
Play UNDER BOSTON on the totalin Road games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 9 Overs and 29 Unders for the last two seasons (+19.1 units)

NBA > (805) SACRAMENTO@ (806) DETROIT | 2016-03-18 19:35:00 - 2016-03-18 19:35:00
Play OVER SACRAMENTO on the totalin Road games after allowing 105 points or more
The record is 27 Overs and 9 Unders for the last two seasons (+17.1 units)

NBA > (803) CLEVELAND@ (804) ORLANDO | 2016-03-18 19:05:00 - 2016-03-18 19:05:00
Play UNDER ORLANDO on the totalin All games on Friday nights
The record is 9 Overs and 26 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.1 units)

NBA > (803) CLEVELAND@ (804) ORLANDO | 2016-03-18 19:05:00 - 2016-03-18 19:05:00
Play UNDER CLEVELAND on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 7 Overs and 20 Unders for the this season (+12.3 units)

NBA > (801) OKLAHOMA CITY@ (802) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-03-18 19:05:00 - 2016-03-18 19:05:00
Play OVER OKLAHOMA CITY on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 61 Overs and 33 Unders for the last two seasons (+24.7 units)

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play UNDER LA LAKERS on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 6 Overs and 18 Unders for the this season (+11.4 units)

NBA > (815) PHOENIX@ (816) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-18 22:35:00 - 2016-03-18 22:35:00
Play UNDER PHOENIX on the totalin All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 13 Overs and 28 Unders for the this season (+13.7 units)

NBA > (811) MINNESOTA@ (812) HOUSTON | 2016-03-18 20:05:00 - 2016-03-18 20:05:00
Play UNDER HOUSTON on the totalin Home games after 3 or more consecutive overs
The record is 30 Overs and 65 Unders for the since 1992 (+32 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results: 3 - 5
YTD: 58 - 54


FRIDAY, MARCH 18

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


CLE at ORL 07:00 PM

ORL +10.0

O 211.5


OKC at PHI 07:00 PM

PHI +15.5


SAC at DET 07:30 PM

DET -6.5


BOS at TOR 07:30 PM

TOR -1.0

O 209.5


MIN at HOU 08:00 PM

MIN +8.5


POR at NO 08:00 PM

NO +2.5

O 219.5


GS at DAL 08:30 PM

GS -9.0

O 226.5


PHO at LAL 10:30 PM

LAL -3.5