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

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Odds for six interesting first round matches in Match Play golf today......

Jason Day (-$225) vs Graeme McDowell (+$180)

Rickie Fowler (-$190) vs Jason Dufner (+$155)

Sergio Garcia (-$155) vs Lee Westwood (+$125)

Adam Scott (-$210) vs Thomas Pieters (+$175)

Shane Lowry (-$130) vs Martin Kaymer (even)

Brooks Koepka (-$130) vs Billy Horschel (even)

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

13) I see where coaches Mike Montgomery, Hugh Durham were elected to College Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City; congrats to them, but why isn't UNLV's Jerry Tarkanian in that Hall of Fame? He is in Springfield's Basketball Hall of Fame (the real HOF), but for some reason, a Hall of Fame with Gene Keady, Norm Stewart, Lefty Driesell and Lou Carnesecca doesn't have room for Tark the Shark. No bueno.

12) Denzel Washington went to college at Fordham; he played freshman basketball, where his coach was PJ Carlesimo; both went on to bigger and better things.

11) Coaching carousel: Central Florida hires Johnny Dawkins, recently fired by the Stanford Cardinal. Southern Utah hired Todd Simon, former interim coach at UNLV.

10) Cat Barber bolts NC State for the NBA; this is why some teams cannot gain any traction in their leagues. Players skip out early and try to cash in, which obviously is their right, but teams that develop a nucleus of good players who don't have their eyes on NBA are ones that win more consistently-- say a team like Wisconsin or maybe Virginia. Kentucky/Duke are scooping up most of the big-time recruits.

9) Los Angeles Angels were supposed to play an exhibition game in Salt Lake City against their farm team Tuesday, but the game got snowed out. Snow. Yuk.

8) Remember Rik Smits, the Pacers' center? His son is red-shirting at Valparaiso this year and yes he is also 7-1. If he is as good as his dad, Bryce Drew is a lucky guy.

7) When the Chicago Cubs stretched yesterday, they were led by....a mime. I am not kidding, a freakin' mime was on the field, leading their stretching. Joe Maddon is big on breaking up the monotony of a long season. Mimes will do that sort of thing.

6) Spring training statistics are largely useless; Bob Welch won 27 games for the '90 A's, he won the Cy Young. His ERA in spring training that year was over 17.00.

5) Duke-Oregon game will be just third time in last 20 years that Duke is the lower-seeded team in an NCAA tourney game- they lost the other two, to Louisville in a regional final, to Kansas in a regional semi. Over last 30 years, Duke is 7-3 vs spread when getting points in the NCAAs- they're an underdog against Oregon.

4) Bandwagon fever: Royals drew 11,781 fans for an exhibition game last night, during which Royals' TV guy Rex Hudler was defending Chase Utley's slide from playoffs LY, when he broke Ruben Tejada's leg.

They showed Hal McRae breaking up a DP in the 1972 World Series, when he threw a cross-body block on Oakland's Dick Green. Hudler sounded like my dad, when he used to go into his "back in the good ol' days" routine. Classic stuff.

3) Why don't both leagues have the DH, or neither league? How is this possible, that one league does and one does not? And in Japan, it is the same damn thing-- one league has the DH, the other league doesn't. Makes no sense.

2) Roy Williams banks an extra $200K if North Carolina beats Indiana Friday; think he'll spring for extra toppings on players' pizzas if the Tar Heels win? He gets $200K more if the Tar Heels win on Sunday and $250K more if they win national title.

1) Today is an underrated TV day, with 32 first round matches in World Golf Match Play tournament. Plus some exhibition baseball. Better-than-usual daytime TV, which isn't sayng much. The quality of daytime TV most days is putrid.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 23

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Game of the Day: Clippers at Warriors
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Golden State suffered just its seventh loss of the season Saturday in San Antonio and had more trouble than it would have liked in a 109-104 win Monday at Minnesota.

Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors (-10, 225.5)

The Golden State Warriors are back home after a tough three-game road trip and still have the NBA’s single-season wins record in sight. The Warriors will try to draw a step closer and stay undefeated at home when they host the rival Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Golden State suffered just its seventh loss of the season in San Antonio on Saturday and had more trouble than it would have liked in a 109-104 win at Minnesota to close out the 2-1 trip on Monday. Presumptive MVP Stephen Curry has looked almost human in the last two games, going a combined 3-of-21 from 3-point range, but made up for the shooting slump with 11 assists on Monday as Draymond Green shouldered more of the scoring load. The Clippers are going through a slump at the wrong time with losses in four of their last five games but still sit comfortably in the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference. Los Angeles is playing the finale of a five-game road trip at Golden State after falling 109-105 at the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as ten-point faves at home against the Clippers. The total hit the board at a lofty 225.5.

INJURY REPORT:

Clippers - SF J. Green (Probable Wednesday, head)
PF B. Griffin (Late March, quadricep)

Warriors - C A. Bogut (Questionable Wednesday, toe)
SF A. Iguodala (Early April, ankle)

POWER RANKINGS: Clippers (-7.9) - Warriors (-15.1) + home court (-3) = Thunder -10.2

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (43-26, 32-34-3 ATS, 30-39 O/U): Los Angeles has dropped six of its last nine games and the first five of those losses came against playoff teams until the letdown at New Orleans. “I just think our spirit isn’t great right now,” Redick said. “We’ve just got to be more together and fight more. You can talk about Xs and Os all you want, but as a player, you can feel it when your spirit isn’t right.” The Clippers have allowed an average of 110 points in their last five games and are still awaiting the return of star forward Blake Griffin (quad/hand/suspension).

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (63-7, 39-29-2 ATS, 40-29-1 O/U): Curry went 6-of-17 from the floor at Minnesota but Green was an efficient 10-of-13 as Golden State played its second straight game without center Andrew Bogut (toe). “He missed a lot of shots he normally makes and over the course of an 82-game season, that’s going to happen,” Green told reporters of Curry. “And it hasn’t happened much for him, so it’s unbelievable for everybody, but it happens. It’s our job to pick him up.” The Warriors need to go 10-2 over the final 12 games to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 wins and could use Bogut, fellow center Festus Ezeli (knee) and forward Andre Iguodala (ankle) back.

TRENDS:

* Clippers are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Warriors are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 vs. NBA Pacific.
* Under is 6-1 in Clippers last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

CONSENSUS: The early consensus numbers are split right down the middle on the point spread and the public is pounding the over at a rigorous 80 percent pace.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, March 23

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ATLANTA (41 - 30) at WASHINGTON (35 - 35) - 3/23/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 92-73 ATS (+11.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 69-54 ATS (+9.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 30-19 ATS (+9.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
ATLANTA is 56-42 ATS (+9.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 361-430 ATS (-112.0 Units) in home games since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 166-208 ATS (-62.8 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 6-17 ATS (-12.7 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 8-7 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 9-7 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
12 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (48 - 21) at BOSTON (41 - 30) - 3/23/2016, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-5 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 8-3 straight up against BOSTON 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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ORLANDO (29 - 41) at DETROIT (37 - 34) - 3/23/2016, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) after a division game this season.
ORLANDO is 39-30 ATS (+6.0 Units) in all games this season.
ORLANDO is 44-31 ATS (+9.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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NEW YORK (28 - 43) at CHICAGO (36 - 33) - 3/23/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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MILWAUKEE (30 - 41) at CLEVELAND (50 - 20) - 3/23/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 340-407 ATS (-107.7 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 205 and 209.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 26-36 ATS (-13.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 11-20 ATS (-11.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

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

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SACRAMENTO (27 - 43) at MINNESOTA (22 - 48) - 3/23/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 61-84 ATS (-31.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 30-43 ATS (-17.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 22-35 ATS (-16.5 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 37-55 ATS (-23.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 11-20 ATS (-11.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
SACRAMENTO is 19-29 ATS (-12.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
SACRAMENTO is 20-29 ATS (-11.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
SACRAMENTO is 13-28 ATS (-17.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 67-82 ATS (-23.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 12-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) in home games this season.
MINNESOTA is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in home games after allowing 105 points or more this season.
MINNESOTA is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
MINNESOTA is 40-55 ATS (-20.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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UTAH (34 - 36) at HOUSTON (35 - 36) - 3/23/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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MIAMI (41 - 29) at SAN ANTONIO (59 - 11) - 3/23/2016, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 41-29 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 41-27 ATS (+11.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) in home games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 418-356 ATS (+26.4 Units) second half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 80-46 ATS (+29.4 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 315-259 ATS (+30.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 267-219 ATS (+26.1 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 126-92 ATS (+24.8 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 8-2 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-2 straight up against MIAMI 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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PHILADELPHIA (9 - 62) at DENVER (29 - 42) - 3/23/2016, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-1 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2 straight up against DENVER 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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LA LAKERS (15 - 55) at PHOENIX (19 - 51) - 3/23/2016, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 30-46 ATS (-20.6 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 40-53 ATS (-18.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 28-42 ATS (-18.2 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 7-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 9-2 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (43 - 26) at GOLDEN STATE (63 - 7) - 3/23/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 43-71 ATS (-35.1 Units) as a road underdog of 9.5 to 12 points since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 241-293 ATS (-81.3 Units) after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 186-248 ATS (-86.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 38-29 ATS (+6.1 Units) in all games this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 55-40 ATS (+11.0 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 88-64 ATS (+17.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 48-33 ATS (+11.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 67-53 ATS (+8.7 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 50-36 ATS (+10.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 28-18 ATS (+8.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-37 ATS (+13.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 9-8 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 11-7 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
10 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (35 - 35) at PORTLAND (36 - 35) - 3/23/2016, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 20-36 ATS (-19.6 Units) second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 33-48 ATS (-19.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 14-31 ATS (-20.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 44-58 ATS (-19.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 19-34 ATS (-18.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 40-31 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all games this season.
PORTLAND is 21-12 ATS (+7.8 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
PORTLAND is 56-42 ATS (+9.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 340-276 ATS (+36.4 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 456-381 ATS (+36.9 Units) in road games since 1996.
PORTLAND is 70-102 ATS (-42.2 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, March 23

Hot teams
-- Washington won its last five games (8-5 HU). Hawks won five of their last six games (4-1 last 5AF).
-- Celtics won four of last six home games (1-3-1HU). Toronto won seven of its last eight games (2-4 last 6AF).
-- Detroit won its last three games (14-3-1 last 18HF).
-- Chicago won four of its last five games (3-1 last 4HF).
-- Cleveland won six of its last eight games (3-5 last 8HF).
-- Jazz won five of their last six games (4-11 last 15AU).
-- Spurs won six of their last seven games (3-4-1 last 8HF). Miami won three of its last four games (4-7 last 11AU).
-- Warriors won eight of their last nine games (4-1 last 5HF).

Cold teams
-- Magic lost eight of their last ten games (3-1 last 4AU).
-- Knicks lost four of their last five games (0-4 last 4AU).
-- Milwaukee lost three of its last four games (4-1 last 5AU).
-- Kings lost eight of their last ten games (3-1-1 last 5AU). Minnesota lost five of its last seven games (4-9HF).
-- Rockets lost four of their last six games (1-6 last 7HF).
-- Nuggets lost four of last five games (5-1 last 6HF). 76ers lost their last six games (3-5 last 8AU).
-- Lakers lost four of their last five games (4-1 last 5AU). Phoenix lost five of its last seven games (3-7 last 10HF).
-- Clippers lost four of their last five games (1-3 last 4AU).
-- Dallas lost seven of its last nine games (2-4 last 6AU). Portland is 3-7 in its last ten games (11-2 last 13HF).

Series records
-- Hawks won four of last five games with Washington.
-- Raptors won seven of last nine games with Boston.
-- Pistons won last four games with Orlando.
-- Knicks lost four of last five games with Chicago.
-- Cavaliers won three of last four games with Milwaukee.
-- Kings won four of last six games with Minnesota.
-- Rockets won six of last eight games with Utah.
-- Heat lost their last six games with San Antonio.
-- 76ers won three of last four games with Denver.
-- Lakers lost six of their last seven games with Phoenix.
-- Clippers lost their last five games with Golden State.
-- Mavericks won four of last five games with Portland.

Totals
-- Seven of last ten Atlanta-Washington games went over.
-- Last four Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last eight Orlando games stayed under total.
-- Nine of last ten New York games stayed under.
-- Eight of last ten Cleveland-Milwaukee games went over.
-- Five of last seven Sacramento games stayed under total.
-- Last five Utah games stayed under the total.
-- Last seven Miami games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Denver games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Laker games stayed under the total.
-- Last three Clipper games went over the total.
-- Eight of last nine Portland games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- Houston is 2-7 vs spread last nine times they played night before.
-- Miami covered five of last six if they played night before.
-- Lakers are 8-6 vs spread if they played night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 23

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games at home

7:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games
Milwaukee is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
Cleveland is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Cleveland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. DETROIT
Orlando is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Orlando's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing at home against Orlando
Detroit is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games

7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. BOSTON
Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Toronto's last 19 games on the road
Boston is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games

8:00 PM
UTAH vs. HOUSTON
Utah is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 6 games on the road
Houston is 16-8 SU in its last 24 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing Utah

8:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. CHICAGO
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games at home
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. MINNESOTA
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Sacramento's last 8 games on the road
Sacramento is 7-14-1 ATS in its last 22 games
Minnesota is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Minnesota is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games

8:30 PM
MIAMI vs. SAN ANTONIO
Miami is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing at home against Miami
San Antonio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Miami

9:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. DENVER
Philadelphia is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Denver
Philadelphia is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Denver is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Denver's last 18 games at home

10:00 PM
DALLAS vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Dallas's last 18 games
Dallas is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
Portland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
Portland is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Dallas

10:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. PHOENIX
LA Lakers are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
LA Lakers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Phoenix is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games

10:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. GOLDEN STATE
LA Clippers are 15-7 SU in their last 22 games on the road
LA Clippers are 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
Golden State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
March 23, 2016

Tuesday Review:

Favorites: 3-1 straight-up, 1-3 against the spread

Biggest underdog to win outright: Lakers (+3 ½) 107-100 over the Grizzlies
Totals: 2-2 to the ‘under’

Highest total on board: 226 ½, Thunder beat Rockets, 111-107

Lowest total on board: 202 ½, Lakers beat Grizzlies, 107-100

Clippers at Warriors (-9 ½, 225 ½) – 10:35 PM EST

Golden State (63-7 SU, 39-29-2 ATS) continues to march towards history as the Warriors sit 10 wins away from breaking the Bulls’ 1995-96 record of 72 victories in a season. Steve Kerr’s club goes for the four-game sweep of the rival Clippers as Golden State has beaten Los Angeles three times this season, all by seven points or fewer. The Clippers grabbed a late cover as four-point underdogs in the last matchup at Staples Center on February 20, outscoring the Warriors by seven points in the second half of a 115-112 setback.

The Warriors return home following a 2-1 road swing, which included an 87-79 defeat at San Antonio on Saturday night. Stephen Curry put together his worst shooting performance of the season by converting only 1-of-12 shots from three-point range, while the Warriors misfired on 27-of-36 attempts from long distance. Golden State finished up its trip by holding off a feisty Minnesota squad on Monday, 109-104 to pick up its eighth victory in its past nine games, while finishing ‘under’ the total for the third time in four contests.

The Clippers (43-26 SU, 32-34-3 ATS) have gone backwards of late, losing five of their past seven games, while trying to close out this five-game road swing with a victory. Los Angeles owns a 1-3 SU/ATS record through the first four contests, including back-to-back defeats at Memphis and New Orleans as heavy favorites. Is there value in Los Angeles as a road underdog? Doc Rivers’ squad has put together a 2-5 SU/ATS mark in the last seven opportunities as an away ‘dog since January, but covered in its only visit to Oakland this season in a 112-108 loss as 7 ½-point underdogs in early November.

Hawks (-1, 209) at Wizards – 7:05 PM EST

The three top teams in the Southeast division all have won 41 games so far as Atlanta (41-30 SU, 37-33-1 ATS) looks to start a new winning streak after getting tripped up by Washington on Monday. The Wizards topped the Hawks at Philips Arena, 117-102 as 6 ½-point underdogs to end Atlanta’s five-game hot streak, as the Washington backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal combined to score 52 points. Washington snapped a four-game losing skid to Atlanta dating back to last season’s playoffs, as the Wizards extended its winning streak to five.

During this strong stretch for Washington (35-35 SU, 36-34 ATS), Randy Wittman’s club has managed to reach the .500 mark and get within 1 ½ games of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington allowed over 100 points for the first time in five contests on Monday, as the Wizards have cashed the ‘under’ in four of five games during this winning streak. The Wizards have taken back home-court advantage at the Verizon Center after a sluggish start by winning eight of nine home games since the All-Star break.

The Hawks have performed well on the highway recently by posting a 5-2 SU and 6-1 ATS mark in the past seven games away from Philips Arena, including victories over the Pistons, Bulls, and Clippers. Atlanta is visiting D.C. for the first time since eliminating Washington in Game 6 of the second round of last season’s playoffs, 94-91 as 2 ½-point underdogs.

Raptors at Celtics – 7:35 PM EST

Toronto (48-21 SU, 38-31 ATS) can basically put away Boston and creep closer to an Atlantic division crown with a victory at TD Garden. The Raptors have won each of the first three meetings with the Celtics this season, including a 105-91 home triumph last Friday night as 1 ½-point favorites. Dwane Casey’s team has eclipsed the 105-point mark in all three wins over the Celtics, while winning seven of the past nine matchups against their division rivals dating back to 2014.

The Raptors embark on a three-game road trip that continues to Houston and New Orleans, as Toronto has won four straight games. During this hot streak, the ‘under’ has cashed four times, while the Raptors are coming off a 105-100 victory on Sunday against the Magic, but didn’t cover as 9 ½-point favorites. Toronto has played 12 of 17 games since the All-Star break at home, as the Raps own a 3-2 SU/ATS record in its past five contests away from the Air Canada Center.

The Celtics (41-30 SU, 38-32-1 ATS) have taken care of business at home with a 24-12 record, but have struggled against the upper-tier teams in the league at TD Garden. Boston has lost to Oklahoma City, Atlanta, Golden State, San Antonio, and Cleveland at home this season, while also dropping a 113-103 decision to Toronto in the second game of the season in late October. Since losing to the Pistons at home in early January, the Celtics have won 15 of their last 17 contests at TD Garden.

Heat at Spurs (-11 ½, 195) – 8:35 PM EST

Miami finished off San Antonio to capture its second straight title in 2013, but the Spurs have won eight of the last nine matchups between these teams. The Heat (41-29 SU, 37-32-1 ATS) plays with no rest after knocking off a decimated New Orleans squad on Tuesday, 113-99 to cash as 10-point road favorites. Miami continues to score plenty of points as the ‘over’ hit for the seventh straight time last night, while the Heat improved to 9-3 SU and 7-5 ATS since acquiring shooting guard Joe Johnson at the end of February.

The Spurs (59-11 SU, 41-29 ATS) suffered an uncharacteristic meltdown in Monday’s 91-88 setback at Charlotte by blowing an early 23-point lead. San Antonio is seeking its fifth season of at least 60 wins under Gregg Popovich, as the Spurs have yet to suffer a loss at the AT&T Center this season by going 35-0. The Spurs have struggled of late to cover numbers by putting together a 3-7 ATS mark in the past 10 games overall, including a 1-4 ATS ledger as a home favorite of at least eight points in this span.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA ATS

NBA > (755) ORLANDO@ (756) DETROIT | 2016-03-23 19:35:00 - 2016-03-23 19:35:00
Play ON DETROIT against the spread in All games after a division game
The record is 22 Wins and 6 Losses for the last two seasons (+15.4 units)

NBA > (761) SACRAMENTO@ (762) MINNESOTA | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA against the spread in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 8 Wins and 25 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.5 units)

NBA > (769) LA LAKERS@ (770) PHOENIX | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 7 Wins and 20 Losses for the this season (-15 units)

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

NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (771) LA CLIPPERS@ (772) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-03-23 22:35:00 - 2016-03-23 22:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in Home games vs. division opponents
The record is 16 Wins and 1 Losses for the last three seasons (+15 units)

NBA > (761) SACRAMENTO@ (762) MINNESOTA | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 11 Wins and 34 Losses for the last two seasons (-30.05 units)

NBA > (767) PHILADELPHIA@ (768) DENVER | 2016-03-23 21:05:00 - 2016-03-23 21:05:00
Play AGAINST DENVER using money line in Home games after a loss by 10 points or more
The record is 5 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (-20.55 units)

NBA > (771) LA CLIPPERS@ (772) GOLDEN STATE | 2016-03-23 22:35:00 - 2016-03-23 22:35:00
Play ON GOLDEN STATE using money line in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 33 Wins and 4 Losses for the this season (+24.95 units)

NBA > (765) MIAMI@ (766) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-23 20:35:00 - 2016-03-23 20:35:00
Play ON SAN ANTONIO using money line in Home games in March games
The record is 14 Wins and 1 Losses for the last two seasons (+12.95 units)

NBA > (769) LA LAKERS@ (770) PHOENIX | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games as a favorite
The record is 9 Wins and 13 Losses for the this season (-22.25 units)

NBA > (773) DALLAS@ (774) PORTLAND | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND using money line in Home games off a upset loss as a favorite
The record is 18 Wins and 3 Losses for the last three seasons (+15.7 units)

NBA > (755) ORLANDO@ (756) DETROIT | 2016-03-23 19:35:00 - 2016-03-23 19:35:00
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using money line in All games in March games
The record is 6 Wins and 19 Losses for the last two seasons (-19.7 units)

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

NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (773) DALLAS@ (774) PORTLAND | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND ?>in the first halfin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 17 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+13.7 units)

NBA > (769) LA LAKERS@ (770) PHOENIX | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 24 Wins and 45 Losses for the this season (-25.5 units)

NBA > (773) DALLAS@ (774) PORTLAND | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play ON PORTLAND ?>in the first halfin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 23 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (+13.1 units)

NBA > (769) LA LAKERS@ (770) PHOENIX | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play AGAINST LA LAKERS ?>in the first halfin All games revenging a loss vs opponent
The record is 19 Wins and 37 Losses for the this season (-21.7 units)

NBA > (751) ATLANTA@ (752) WASHINGTON | 2016-03-23 19:05:00 - 2016-03-23 19:05:00
Play ON WASHINGTON ?>in the first halfin Home games second half of the season
The record is 22 Wins and 7 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.3 units)

NBA > (759) MILWAUKEE@ (760) CLEVELAND | 2016-03-23 19:05:00 - 2016-03-23 19:05:00
Play ON CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 44 Wins and 21 Losses for the last two seasons (+20.9 units)

NBA > (769) LA LAKERS@ (770) PHOENIX | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 19 Wins and 40 Losses for the last two seasons (-25 units)

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

NBA TOTALS

NBA > (751) ATLANTA@ (752) WASHINGTON | 2016-03-23 19:05:00 - 2016-03-23 19:05:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game
The record is 12 Overs and 34 Unders for the this season (+20.8 units)

NBA > (751) ATLANTA@ (752) WASHINGTON | 2016-03-23 19:05:00 - 2016-03-23 19:05:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 22 Overs and 48 Unders for the this season (+23.8 units)

NBA > (765) MIAMI@ (766) SAN ANTONIO | 2016-03-23 20:35:00 - 2016-03-23 20:35:00
Play UNDER MIAMI on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 15 Overs and 40 Unders for the last two seasons (+23.5 units)

NBA > (757) NEW YORK@ (758) CHICAGO | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play OVER CHICAGO on the totalin All games against Atlantic division opponents
The record is 13 Overs and 2 Unders for the this season (+10.8 units)

NBA > (763) UTAH@ (764) HOUSTON | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games after allowing 85 points or less
The record is 7 Overs and 24 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.3 units)

NBA > (773) DALLAS@ (774) PORTLAND | 2016-03-23 22:05:00 - 2016-03-23 22:05:00
Play OVER PORTLAND on the totalin All games as a favorite vs. the 1rst half line
The record is 23 Overs and 8 Unders for the this season (+14.2 units)

NBA > (761) SACRAMENTO@ (762) MINNESOTA | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play OVER MINNESOTA on the totalin Home games second half of the season
The record is 9 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+9 units)

NBA > (761) SACRAMENTO@ (762) MINNESOTA | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play OVER MINNESOTA on the totalin Home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 9 Overs and 0 Unders for the this season (+9 units)

NBA > (763) UTAH@ (764) HOUSTON | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin All games after a non-conference game
The record is 17 Overs and 41 Unders for the last two seasons (+22.3 units)

NBA > (761) SACRAMENTO@ (762) MINNESOTA | 2016-03-23 20:05:00 - 2016-03-23 20:05:00
Play OVER SACRAMENTO on the totalin Road games after playing 3 consecutive road games
The record is 12 Overs and 1 Unders for the last two seasons (+10.9 units)

[StarDust Bum]

Yesterday's Results 2 - 3
YTD: 75 - 65

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


ATL at WAS 07:00 PM

ATL +1.0

U 207.5


MIL at CLE 07:00 PM

MIL +11.0

U 207.0


ORL at DET 07:30 PM

DET -6.0

U 205.5


TOR at BOS 07:30 PM

BOS -1.0

U 207.0

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


ATL at WAS 07:00 PM

ATL +1.0

U 207.5


MIL at CLE 07:00 PM

MIL +11.0

U 207.0


ORL at DET 07:30 PM

DET -6.0

U 205.5


TOR at BOS 07:30 PM

BOS -1.0

U 207.0


UTA at HOU 08:00 PM

UTA +1.5

U 200.0


SAC at MIN 08:00 PM

SAC +4.0

O 222.5


NY at CHI 08:00 PM

CHI -8.5

U 202.0


MIA at SA 08:30 PM

MIA +10.5

U 197.5


PHI at DEN 09:00 PM

DEN -8.0

O 212.0


DAL at POR 10:00 PM

POR -6.5

O 212.0


LAL at PHO 10:00 PM

LAL +5.5

O 213.5


LAC at GS 10:30 PM

LAC +10.0

O 223.0

[StarDust Bum]

Pacers host Pelicans
March 24, 2016

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (26-44) at INDIANA PACERS (37-33)

Tip-off: Thursday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Sportsbook.ag Line: Indiana -13.0, 207.5

The Pacers will be looking to earn their second straight victory when they host a depleted Pelicans team on Thursday.

The Pelicans faced the Heat on Tuesday and ended up losing 113-99 as 9.5-point home underdogs. New Orleans has now lost 10 of its past 13 games and the team has only covered in five of those contests. One thing worth noting is that the team has gone OVER the total in five straight games and nine of the past 10 as well.

The Pacers, meanwhile, are coming off of a 91-75 victory as 15-point home favorites against the Sixers on Monday. Indiana really needed that victory, as the team had lost two straight and three of its past four heading into that meeting with Philadelphia. The Pacers and Pelicans have met just once this season and Indiana won that game 91-86 as a 1.5-point road favorite. The Pacers have won-and-covered in eight straight meetings between these teams and five of the past six contests have gone UNDER the total.

One thing the Pelicans should feel good about is the fact that they are 37-23 ATS after failing to cover in two of their past three games over the past two seasons. The Pacers, however, are 13-3 ATS when playing only their second game in five days on the season.

SG Eric Gordon (Finger), SF Tyreke Evans (Knee) and PF Anthony Davis (Knee) are all out for the season for the Pelicans, who will likely be without PF Ryan Anderson (Groin) in this one as well. The Pacers are not currently dealing with any injuries in this game, so they will have a huge advantage when these teams meet.

The Pelicans have not been winning a lot of games lately, but one guy that is really playing well for the team is PG Jrue Holiday (16.7 PPG, 6.0 APG, 1.3 SPG). Over the past five contests, Holiday is averaging 21.2 PPG, 5.8 APG and 1.8 SPG. He’ll really need to be aggressive against the Pacers in this game, as the Pelicans are low on talent at the moment and Indiana is very weak at the point guard position.

Another guy that will need to play well for New Orleans in this game is PG Toney Douglas (7.0 PPG, 1.1 SPG). Douglas has had to play out of position because of the Pelicans’ injuries, but he has really responded to an increase in minutes at shooting guard lately. Over the past five games, Douglas is averaging 14.8 PPG, 5.4 APG, 5.0 RPG and 1.6 SPG. He has connected on 42.3% of his threes over that span and the Pelicans need him to continue to shoot the ball well moving forward.

SF Alonzo Gee (4.0 PPG) could be the x-factor for the Pelicans in this game. Gee is not much of an offensive player, but he will be tasked with guarding Paul George in this one. If he can contain George at all in this game then it just might put the Pelicans in a position to win.

The Pacers are coming off of a solid victory over the Sixers, but one guy that must be more consistent is superstar SF Paul George (23.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.9 SPG) George had 45 points in a loss to the Thunder on Saturday, but he followed that performance up with just 15 points on 4-for-16 shooting from the field against Philadelphia. Indiana needs George to show up on a nightly basis in order to do any damage in the postseason. He’ll also need to find a way to figure out the Pelicans, as he had just 13 points the last time he met this team.

SG Monta Ellis (14.3 PPG, 4.8 APG, 1.9 SPG) also has another level that he can take his game to for Indiana. Ellis is averaging just 11.6 PPG on 38.9% shooting from the field over the past five contests and the Pacers need him to be a bit more efficient moving forward. Taking bad shots is not a good look for Indiana, so he’ll need to be wiser with the basketball against New Orleans on Thursday. C Myles Turner (10.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 BPG) could be the x-factor in this one. Turner is averaging 10.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 1.4 BPG over the past five contests and the Pacers are very tough to beat when he gets his jumper going.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Thursday
March 24, 2016

ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Pacers are 11-0 ATS (9.64 ppg) since Feb 04, 2015 as a favorite with more than one day of rest.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Jazz are 11-0 OU (9.23 ppg) since Dec 20, 1996 with no rest off a road game after a win in which they trailed after each of the first three quarters.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Pelicans are 12-0-1 OU (13.42 ppg) since Nov 06, 2015 after Jrue Holiday shot worse than 33% from the field.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Jazz are 0-10-1 ATS (-8.23 ppg) since Nov 13, 2010 on the road with no rest off a win as a road dog.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Pacers are 0-8 ATS (-8.88 ppg) since Nov 29, 2015 after Paul George was the Pacers’ high scorer in a home win.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
March 24, 2016

As the NCAA Tournament comes to a close over the next couple weeks, the end of the NBA regular season is just around the corner too. Thursday’s slate has five games on tap and like any other night in the Association, I would advise bettors to expect the unexpected.

Favorites continue to win but covering the number in the NBA isn’t that easy. Since Monday, the ‘chalk’ has gone 19-6 (76%) straight up but underdogs have been competitive at the betting counter with a 14-11 (56%) mark against the spread. Total bettors have seen the ‘under’ go 15-10 (60%) during this span.

Most of the ‘dogs have been short but the Knicks (+9) dominating 115-107 win over the Bulls last night returned nearly 4/1 odds on the money-line. And for those bettors who has the 76ers on the money-line last night versus Denver, accept my apologies.

We’ve got a handful of teams playing on no rest tonight and that’s always a big factor in my handicapping.

Let’s break down the card!

New Orleans (26-44 SU, 29-41 ATS) at Indiana (37-33 SU, 36-34 ATS)

The first game on the board looks like a pass as a healthy Pacers squad hosts a beat-up Pelicans team as 13-point favorites. Indiana has been a great bully, going 22-8 versus opponents under. 500 and that includes eight straight wins. The Pacers are in a dogfight for one of the final two remaining playoff spots in the East so the sense of urgency should be high in this spot. Indiana has owned the Pelicans recently, winning nine straight encounters and they’ve covered eight of those games. On Jan. 8, Indiana notched a 91-86 road win over New Orleans as a two-point favorite. Make a note that the Pacers are 5-0 SU as double-digit favorites this season but just 2-3 ATS.

Chicago (36-34 SU, 29-41 ATS) at New York (29-43 SU, 38-34 ATS)

These teams will be completing a home-and-home Thursday as the Knicks will look to sweep the Bulls at Madison Square Garden. Chicago was laying nine points in last night’s loss (see above) and are now 4 ½-point road favorites for the rematch. Despite losing last night, the Bulls have won four of the last six games against the Knicks and three of the four wins came by double digits. If the playoffs started today, the Bulls would miss the postseason. They’re one game behind Detroit for the eighth seed but they do have two games in hand.

New York hasn’t put together back-to-back wins since mid-January but for what it’s worth, it did sweep its only home-and-home set of the season against Atlanta on Jan. 3 and 5. Déjà vu on Thursday?

Before last night’s loss, Chicago had won three straight but it was playing with fire in those games and survived a couple close calls. The team is finally healthy but certainly rusty and backing a club that is 5-3 SU and 4-4 ATS as a road favorite doesn’t appear to be a great investment. However, the Knicks have been horrible home underdogs (4-15 SU, 6-12-1 ATS) this season and continue to disappoint at MSG.

Chicago has gone 5-9 both SU and ATS on zero days rest and the ‘over’ has gone 9-5 in those games. New York hasn’t been much better in these spots, going 7-9 SU and 9-6-1 ATS.

Cleveland (51-20 SU, 31-38-2 ATS) at Brooklyn (19-51 SU, 35-34-1 ATS)

The magic number for the Cavaliers to clinch the top spot in the East is 12 and the next two games in New York (Nets, Knicks) should be a formality for the club. Cleveland is listed as an eight point-favorite and it’s won six of seven versus the Nets which includes two wins this season (1-1 ATS). The ‘under’ has cashed in the last three meetings between the pair.

Cleveland has gone 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS in its last six road games and they earned double digits wins in three of those games. The Cavs ran out the Bucks 113-104 last night and have been somewhat respectable on zero days rest (10-5 SU, 7-7-1 ATS) this season considering they were laying healthy numbers in the majority of those games.

Brooklyn has gone 5-11 since the All-Star break but has earned a small profit (9-7 ATS) for bettors while their fast tempo has helped the ‘over’ go 9-7.

These teams will meet once more on Mar. 31 when the Nets head to Cleveland.

Utah (35-36 SU, 35-34-2 ATS) at Oklahoma City (30-39-2 ATS)

Tough game to handicap here with the Jazz coming off a huge 89-87 victory over the Rockets last night as two-point road underdogs. Utah moved into the eighth playoff spot in the West ahead of Houston and could move up to the seventh seed over Dallas with a win tonight. Including last night’s victory, the Jazz have won and covered six of their last seven games and playing in a back-to-back spot hasn’t been much of an issue for them. Quinn Snyder’s team has gone 9-6 both SU and ATS on no rest this season but this will be the fourth game in six nights for Utah and that’s never easy.

OKC is rolling again, winners in five straight and it’s actually covered a few of them (3-2 ATS) as well. Utah isn’t a pushover but it does have a losing record and the Thunder have cleaned up against inferior opponents (below .500) this season with a 35-6 record. Possible look-ahead on deck for the Thunder with San Antonio visiting on Saturday.

The Thunder captured the first three meetings (2-1 ATS) against the Jazz this season but the pair hasn’t met since the middle of December. Utah hasn’t won at OKC since the 2010 season when it had a lineup that included Deron Williams, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Andrei Kirilenko. How times have changed in Salt Lak City.

This series has watched the ‘under’ cash in seven straight and Utah is starting to get back into ‘under’ form, cashing to the low side in six straight games. Tonight’s total opened 199 ½, which is low for OKC standards, and has already dropped to 197 ½ at a few major offshore outfits.

Portland (37-35 SU, 40-32 ATS) at L.A. Clippers (43-27 SU, 32-34-4 ATS)

Even though we’ve got a handful of great players on the court, this could be an ugly game due to the situation. Both clubs played late last night and will have to do the quick turnaround and that usually favors the home team, in this case the Clippers.

Los Angeles dropped a 114-98 decision at Golden State on Wednesday and that was its fifth loss in six games. The Clippers look like they’re playing out the string, knowing that the worst playoff scenario for them is the fifth seed in the Western Conference. They’re 7-10 ATS since the All-Star break and the ‘under’ has gone 11-6 during this span.

These teams have met three times already these season and the first three outcomes were decided by double digits, with the Clippers capturing two of those wins. The ‘under’ has gone 2-1.

Portland has gone 5-11 SU and 7-9 ATS on zero days rest this season and that includes a 3-7 mark on the road. The Trail Blazers did beat the Mavericks 109-103 last night but this is a difficult travel spot tonight, playing their third game in four nights and on the road. The club is 1-7 SU and 3-5 ATS in its last eight away from home and four of those losses were blowouts.

Los Angeles has won seven of its last eight games (5-3 ATS) on no rest and stand at 9-6 SU and 7-8 ATS overall. Oddsmakers have installed the Clippers as five-point home favorites and they’ve gone 20-7 in that role this season, which includes a 5-2 mark (4-3 ATS) when laying five or less points.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Here are bonuses earned and potentially earned by some coaches in Sweet 16:

-- Roy Williams, UNC: $ already earned, just in NCAAs: $250K. Potential earnings if Tar Heels win national title: $650K more

-- Billy Kennedy, Texas A&M: Already earned: $241,667. Potential: $83,334 more

-- Tom Crean, Indiana: Already earned: $85K. Potential: $425K more.

-- Dana Altman, Oregon: Already earned: $75K. Potential: $475K more.

-- Steve Prohm, Iowa State: Already earned: $50K. Potential: $350K more.

-- Mark Turgeon, Maryland: Already earned: $105K. Potential: #395K more

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud........

13) People in Idaho were waiting on line for three hours to vote in the primary there on Tuesday night; I wouldn't wait on line for three hours to vote for myself.

12) HBO announced its team for Hard Knocks this summer: the Los Angeles Rams, so I'll get an inside look at my favorite team. Hopefully they'll focus a little more on how the team moved and settled in to LA, giving it a little variety from most years.

11) Alexei Ramirez has been in major leagues eight years, is 34 years old, but still speaks no English; has to be difficult to live in a country where you don't speak the language, but then again, if he hasn't learned English, he must be able to get by. He has earned roughly $40M in his career, so his translator is probably very well-paid.

10) Former Louisville Cardinal Russ Smith scored 65 points in a D-League game last night; just a reminder of how hard it is to make an NBA roster. All these kids who bolt college early to go pro; many of them are in for a rude awakening.

9) Los Angeles Clipper players have 38 technical fouls this year, most in NBA.

8) Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos went 7-20 with three homers since he had Lasix surgery last week; it helps to be able to see the ball.

7) Minnesota Twins played RF Miguel Sano the whole game Wednesday, which is unsuual; they were hoping someone would hit a ball to rightfield so his defense could be tested, but it never happened. In reality, I could've stood out there and done same thing Sano did- nothing. Twins obviously think highly of him, though.

6) Iona and Dayton gave their basketball coaches contract extensions, just because other teams have job openings. Archie Miller has apparently turned down Pitt, his hometown team; so did his brother Sean, who played for Pitt.

5) Final 4 of the NIT: Valparaiso-BYU, George Washington-San Diego State. Semis and finals are next week at Madison Square Garden.

4) I had no idea MMA wasn't legal in New York State; it is just becoming legal now. New York was the last state to OK MMA. Go figure.

3) Arizona Diamondbacks' last seven spring training home games have sold out; the Padres' game the other day- they said it cost $7 to sit on a hill behind the outfield fence. Have to check spring training out one of these years- I've never been.

2) Sean Payton gets a 5-year $45M extension from the Saints, to usher his team into the post-Drew Brees era. Brees still has a year or two to play, but New Orleans has to start developing a QB to play after Brees retires.

1) RIP to Joe Garagiola 90, and Ken Howard 71, who passed away Wednesday.

Garagiola parlayed an average playing career into a great broadcasting gig that grew past baseball- he did sports on The Today Show and became a gameshow host. He was still appearing on Diamondbacks TV games once a week last year. He did a ton of good work for baseball alumni groups and seemed like a great guy.

Howard played Coach Ken Reeves in The White Shadow, one my favorite TV shows of all-time; it ran on CBS for three years (1978-81). My dad and I would watch it just before Monday Night Football came on- very realistic program that focused on a high school basketball team in inner-city Los Angeles.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, March 24

Hot teams
-- Cleveland won seven of its last nine games (3-5 last 8AF).
-- Bulls won four of last six games (4-3AF).
-- Utah won six of its last seven games (4-7 last 11AU). Thunder won their last five games (10-4 last 14HF).

Cold teams
-- Pacers lost three of last five games (4-6 last 10HF). New Orleans lost six of its last eight games (2-3-1 last 6AU).
-- Brooklyn lost seven of its last eight games (6-4 last 10HU).
-- New York lost four of its last six games (1-6 last 7HU).
-- Portland lost seven of its last eight road games (1-3 last 4AU). Clippers lost four of their last five games (1-4 last 5HF).

Series records
-- Pelicans lost their last nine games with Indiana.
-- Nets lost six of last seven games with Cleveland.
-- Knicks lost four of last six games with Chicago.
-- Thunder won five of last six games with Utah.
-- Clippers won five of last seven games with Portland.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Indiana games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland-Brooklyn ganes stayed under.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Chicago-New York games.
-- Last seven Jazz-Thunder games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last nine Portland games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- Cavaliers are 2-5-1 vs spread on road last eight times they played the night before.
-- Chicago is 3-9 last 12 times they played night before. Knicks covered four of last six if they played night before.
-- Jazz is 9-6 vs spread if they played night before.
-- Blazers covered three of last four if they played night before. Clippers are 5-3 vs spread last eight times they played night before.




NBA

Thursday, March 24

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. INDIANA
New Orleans is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 6 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing New Orleans
Indiana is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans

7:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. BROOKLYN
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Brooklyn
Brooklyn is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Brooklyn's last 9 games when playing at home against Cleveland

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Chicago's last 22 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing on the road against New York
New York is 6-17 SU in its last 23 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of New York's last 13 games

8:00 PM
UTAH vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Utah is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Utah is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing Utah

10:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. LA CLIPPERS
Portland is 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games
LA Clippers are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing at home against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 6 games when playing Portland

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, March 24

New Orleans @ Indiana

Game 801-802
March 24, 2016 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
115.150
Indiana
123.123
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 8
213
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 13
207 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(+13); Over

Cleveland @ Brooklyn

Game 803-804
March 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
119.790
Brooklyn
114.868
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 5
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 8
208
Dunkel Pick:
Brooklyn
(+8); Under

Chicago @ New York

Game 805-806
March 24, 2016 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
118.259
New York
110.052
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 8
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 4 1/2
203
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-4 1/2); Over

Utah @ Oklahoma City

Game 807-808
March 24, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
115.937
Oklahoma City
128.068
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 12
194
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 9 1/2
198
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma City
(-9 1/2); Under

Portland @ LA Clippers

Game 809-810
March 24, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
117.717
LA Clippers
120.252
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 2 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 5
213
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(+5); Under