The Bum's 2016 NBA Best Bets-Trends-News-Stats !

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, January 25

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SACRAMENTO (17 - 27) at CLEVELAND (30 - 13) - 1/25/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 30-47 ATS (-21.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 30-46 ATS (-20.6 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
CLEVELAND is 20-37 ATS (-20.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 4-1 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 4-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO 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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HOUSTON (34 - 14) at BOSTON (26 - 17) - 1/25/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 33-20 ATS (+11.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 29-19 ATS (+8.1 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
HOUSTON is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games this season.
HOUSTON is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
HOUSTON is 48-28 ATS (+17.2 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 313-253 ATS (+34.7 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 94-57 ATS (+31.3 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
HOUSTON is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
HOUSTON is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 21-42 ATS (-25.2 Units) in home games against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
BOSTON is 124-160 ATS (-52.0 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.

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

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MIAMI (15 - 30) at BROOKLYN (9 - 35) - 1/25/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 61-47 ATS (+9.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 7-21 ATS (-16.1 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) after a non-conference game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 7-1 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 7-1 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (15 - 27) at MILWAUKEE (21 - 23) - 1/25/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-15 ATS (+7.5 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 69-46 ATS (+18.4 Units) as a road underdog of 9.5 to 12 points since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 19-36 ATS (-20.6 Units) as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 52-87 ATS (-43.7 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 22-39 ATS (-20.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-3 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 7-1 straight up against PHILADELPHIA 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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ATLANTA (26 - 19) at CHICAGO (22 - 23) - 1/25/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 56-70 ATS (-21.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 7-21 ATS (-16.1 Units) against Southeast division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 35-52 ATS (-22.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 7-2 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 8-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (28 - 16) at MEMPHIS (26 - 20) - 1/25/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
TORONTO is 112-147 ATS (-49.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
MEMPHIS is 28-16 ATS (+10.4 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 26-17 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all games this season.
MEMPHIS is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 2-2 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 4-1 straight up against MEMPHIS 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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GOLDEN STATE (38 - 7) at CHARLOTTE (23 - 22) - 1/25/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 77-107 ATS (-40.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
GOLDEN STATE is 136-110 ATS (+15.0 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 126-101 ATS (+14.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-17 ATS (+13.3 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 75-54 ATS (+15.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 67-47 ATS (+15.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 202-160 ATS (+26.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 2-2 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-0 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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OKLAHOMA CITY (26 - 19) at NEW ORLEANS (18 - 27) - 1/25/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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NEW YORK (20 - 26) at DALLAS (15 - 29) - 1/25/2017, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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LA LAKERS (16 - 32) at PORTLAND (19 - 27) - 1/25/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 56-72 ATS (-23.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 20-38 ATS (-21.8 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 25-39 ATS (-17.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) against Northwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 39-55 ATS (-21.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 22-37 ATS (-18.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PORTLAND is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 8-1 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 9-0 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, January 25

Sacramento lost five of last six games, is 6-2 in its last eight games as a road underdog. Three of its last four games stayed under total. Cleveland lost five of last six games, is 9-6-2 in its last 17 games as a home favorite. Four of their last five games went over. Cavaliers won/covered their last four games with Sacramento; last three series games went over the total. Kings lost last three visits here, by 10-11-20 points.

Rockets are 3-5 in last eight games, 11-7 vs spread as a road favorite. Four of their last five games stayed under. Boston lost its last three games, is 1-2 vs spread as a home underdog. Last three Celtic games went over total. Celtics lost six of last seven games with Houston; last nine series games stayed under total. Rockets won their last three visits to Boston, by 12-6-4 points.

Heat won/covered their last four games, all at home; they lost five of last six road games (2-4 vs spread)- they’re 0-1 as a road favorite. Under is 6-1 in their last seven games. Nets lost 13 of last 14 games, are 10-10 as home dogs. Four of last six Brooklyn games went over. Miami won nine of last ten games with Brooklyn (8-2 vs spread); Heat won/covered last five games in Barclays Center. Four of last five series games went over total.

76ers won nine of last 12 games, are 3-3 in last six road games, 8-4 in last 12 games as a road dog, 3-6 if they played night before. Milwaukee lost five of last six games, is 7-8 as a home favorite. Over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Bucks won nine of last ten games wth Philly but 76ers covered three of last four; Sixers lost five of last six games in this building (2-4 vs spread). Five of last six series games went over.

Atlanta won 11 of last 14 games, one of last 11 road games; they’re 4-6 as road favorites. Five of their last six games went over. Bulls won four of last six games, are 4-0 as home underdogs. Last three Chicago games stayed under the total. Hawks won six in row, eight of last nine games with Chicago; four of last five series games stayed under total. Atlanta won three of last four visits to Windy City.

Raptors lost their last four games, are 5-2-1 vs spread as road underdogs. Three of their last four games stayed under. Memphis lost three of last four games, is 5-3 vs spread in last eight games as a home favorite. Under is 4-2-1 in their last seven games. Toronto won six of last seven games with the Grizzlies, going 3-2 in last five visits here. Under is 7-2 in last nine series games.

Golden State won seven of last eight games, is 10-10 as a road favorite, 3-3 in game following a loss. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games. Hornets won three of last four overall; they’re 9-2 in last 11 home games, 0-3 as a home underdog. Last six Charlotte games stayed under. Warriors won last four games with Charlotte, winning by 5-17 points in last two visits here, which is also Steph Curry’s hometown. Over is 4-1 in last five series games played here.

Oklahoma City lost three of last five games, is 4-6 vs spread in its last ten road games. Under is 5-2 in their last seven games. Pelicans lost three of last five games but covered five of last seven; last three New Orleans games went over the total. Thunder won four of last five games with New Orleans; over is 5-2 in last seven series games. OKC lost three of last five visits to Bourbon Street.

New York lost seven of last ten games, is 10-4 in last 14 games as a road underdog. Six of their last nine games stayed under total. Mavericks won four of last six games, are 2-1 as road favorites. Six of their last nine games stayed under the total. Knicks lost five of last six games with Dallas, lost four of last five visits here, but covering last three. Three of last four series games stayed under total.

Lakers lost six of last seven games, are 4-11 in last 15 games as a road underdog. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games. Portland lost four of last five games, is 9-5 as a home favorite. Under is 8-2 in their last ten home games. Lakers lost their last ten games with Portland (1-9 vs spread); they lost last five games here, by 9-18-12-16-4 points (0-4 vs spread in last four). Three of last four series games went over total.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, January 25


LA Lakers @ Portland

Game 519-520
January 25, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
115.467
Portland
115.292
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Lakers
Even
230
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 10
220
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
(+10); Over

New York @ Dallas

Game 517-513
January 25, 2017 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New York
122.655
Dallas
117.966
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
by 4 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 2 1/2
204
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+2 1/2); Under

Oklahoma City @ New Orleans

Game 515-516
January 25, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma City
117.430
New Orleans
118.533
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans
by 1
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Orleans
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
N/A

Golden State @ Charlotte

Game 513-514
January 25, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
127.185
Charlotte
124.735
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 2 1/2
227
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 9 1/2
221 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Charlotte
(+9 1/2); Over

Toronto @ Memphis

Game 511-512
January 25, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
110.300
Memphis
125.723
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 15 1/2
211
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 6
200
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis
(-6); Over

Atlanta @ Chicago

Game 509-510
January 25, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
123.535
Chicago
116.032
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 7 1/2
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 1
203
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(-1); Under

Philadelphia @ Milwaukee

Game 507-508
January 25, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
112.027
Milwaukee
124.635
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 12 1/2
204
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 11
209 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-11); Under

Miami @ Brooklyn

Game 505-506
January 25, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
122.425
Brooklyn
109.200
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 13
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 4
214
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-4); Under

Houston @ Boston

Game 503-504
January 25, 2017 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
120.116
Boston
121.686
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 1 1/2
224
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 3 1/2
230
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(+3 1/2); Under

Sacramento @ Cleveland

Game 501-502
January 25, 2017 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
114.810
Cleveland
121.031
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 6
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 11 1/2
214
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(+11 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, January 25

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. CLEVELAND
Sacramento is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Sacramento is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing at home against Sacramento
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento

7:30 PM
MIAMI vs. BROOKLYN
Miami is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Miami is 1-12 SU in its last 13 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games at home
Brooklyn is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. BOSTON
Houston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Houston's last 17 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games when playing Houston
Boston is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Houston

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

8:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. NEW ORLEANS
Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans's last 7 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City

8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Toronto's last 17 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Toronto is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Memphis is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
Memphis is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Toronto

8:00 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. CHARLOTTE
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Golden State's last 21 games when playing Charlotte
Charlotte is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games at home
Charlotte is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State

8:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. MILWAUKEE
Philadelphia is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Milwaukee is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Philadelphia

8:30 PM
NEW YORK vs. DALLAS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of New York's last 9 games
New York is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
Dallas is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games at home

10:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. PORTLAND
LA Lakers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing Portland
LA Lakers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing Portland
Portland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Portland is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
January 25, 2017

There were several high-scoring affairs in the NBA on Tuesday as the OVER cashed in four of six contests. The most impressive victory of the night came by the suddenly streaking 76ers, who erased a 19-point third quarter deficit to stun the Clippers, 121-110 to win their sixth consecutive home game. The Spurs edged the Raptors, 108-106 as 2 ½-point road underdogs as Kawhi Leonard sat out for San Antonio. Favorites posted a 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS record, as the only ‘dog to cash in a loss was Phoenix in a one-point setback to Minnesota.

Game of the Night – Warriors (-9 ½, 222) at Hornets – 8:00 PM EST – ESPN

Golden State (38-7 SU, 20-24-1 ATS) had its seven-game winning streak disappear on Dion Waiters’ three-pointer in the final seconds of its loss at Miami on Monday, 105-102 as 11-point favorites. The Warriors struggled from downtown by hitting only 8-of-30 attempts, including a 1-of-8 effort from Kevin Durant, who scored a team-high 27 points. Steve Kerr’s squad cashed the UNDER for the fifth straight game, while posting their lowest point total since getting held to 89 points at Memphis on December 10.

Charlotte (23-22 SU, 21-23-1 ATS) also saw its hot streak end, albeit at only three games in Monday’s 109-99 setback to Washington as 6 ½-point favorites. The Hornets were held to 39% shooting from the floor, as Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum combined to shoot 9-of-33 from the floor for 25 points. Charlotte wraps up a five-game homestand as the Hornets are seeking their first victory in the home underdog role by posting an 0-4 SU and 1-3 ATS mark.

The Warriors have captured each of the past four meetings with the Hornets since 2014, including a pair of victories at Spectrum Center. Charlotte’s last home victory over Golden State came in December 2013, even though Stephen Curry lit up the Hornets for 43 points.

Not So Lucky

The Celtics began January by winning six of their first seven games, but Boston has gone backwards of late by losing three consecutive contests. Boston’s defense has fallen apart during this losing streak by allowing 117, 127 (overtime), and 123 points, while giving up 58% shooting to Washington in last night’s 15-point defeat. The Celtics have yielded at least 100 points in 16 of the last 17 games, while cashing the OVER 15 times in this stretch.

Boston returns home and things don’t ease up tonight against a high-powered Houston offense. The Rockets have alternated wins and losses in each of the past seven games, coming off a 127-114 defeat at Milwaukee on Monday as 4 ½-point favorites. Tonight’s total opened at 230, as Houston is 3-2 to the OVER on totals at 230 or higher, including a 2-0 OVER mark on the road in this situation. In their last meeting in Houston in early December, the Rockets edged the Celtics, 107-106 as 5 ½-point favorites.

Phantastic Philly

The 76ers are no joke anymore, as Philadelphia has won nine of its past 12 games, including Tuesday’s comeback victory over the Clippers. To put things in perspective, Philadelphia grabbed only 10 victories all of last season, as the 76ers travel to Milwaukee tonight. The Sixers have covered 11 of their previous 13 contests, including a 6-2 ATS mark in their last eight games away from Wells Fargo Center.

One of those wins came at Milwaukee on January 16 as the Sixers topped the Bucks, 113-104 as 8 ½-point underdogs. However, Philadelphia has struggled on the road with no rest by posting a 1-7 SU and 2-6 ATS record, while coming off recent losses by 16 and 17 points. Center Joel Embiid will sit out tonight for Philadelphia, as the 76ers have compiled a 3-10 SU and 6-7 ATS record with the former Kansas star sidelined. The Bucks snapped a five-game skid in Monday’s 127-114 underdog victory over the Rockets, but Milwaukee owns a 1-6 ATS record in its last seven in the favorite role as it opened as 11-point chalk tonight.

Pelican Power

New Orleans has seen both sides of the spectrum over the last few days by allowing 143 points to Brooklyn, who owns the worst record in the NBA, while defeating Cleveland (the top team in the East) without its best player, Anthony Davis, in Monday’s 124-122 upset as 9 ½-point underdogs. Terrence Jones and Jrue Holiday combined to torch Cleveland for 69 points, while New Orleans drilled 16 three-pointers.

Davis is probable tonight against the Thunder, who wrap up a six-game road swing. Oklahoma City bounced back from a pair of blowout losses by edging Utah on Monday, 97-95 on Russell Westbrook’s jumper in the final seconds. The Thunder have captured each of the first two matchups with the Pelicans this season, including a 121-110 victory in New Orleans last month as two-point favorites.

Toronto Troubles

The Raptors suffered their fourth consecutive setback in last night’s 108-106 defeat to the Spurs, as Toronto continues to play without leading scorer DeMar DeRozan. The shooting guard will sit out again tonight at Memphis with a sprained ankle, suffered in Sunday’s loss in Phoenix. The Raptors have allowed at least 100 points in nine of the past 10 games, while dropping six of the previous eight contests away from Air Canada Center.

The Grizzlies have lost three of their past four games, coming off Saturday’s 119-95 home blowout loss to the Rockets. Memphis has cashed the UNDER in six of the last seven contests, including four of the past five at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies have struggled with the Raptors the last few seasons by losing six of the previous seven meetings, including a 120-105 setback in Toronto in late November.

Bull Busters

The Hawks have won six consecutive meetings with the Bulls, including a pair of victories at Philips Arena earlier this season. Atlanta looks to bounce back following a 10-point defeat to the Clippers on Monday as the Hawks have won seven straight off a loss since early December. The Bulls are looking to build on a two-game winning streak after Tuesday’s 100-92 victory at Orlando, the fourth straight UNDER cashed by Chicago.

Head-to-Head Trends

-- Cleveland has won four straight matchups with Sacramento, as the Cavaliers have scored exactly 120 points in each of the last three meetings. The Cavs have covered in all four of these wins, including as six-point road favorites earlier this month, 120-108.

-- The Heat and Nets are meeting for the first time this season, as Miami captured three of four matchups last season. Miami has had its way at Barclays Center recently by winning and covering the last five visits to Brooklyn, but the Heat are currently on a 1-12 stretch on the road.

-- Dallas entered this season with five consecutive wins over New York before the Knicks dominated the Mavericks in mid-November, 93-77. The teams meet at American Airlines Center tonight as the Knicks have covered in each of their past three trips to Dallas, despite losing by two points in Texas last season.

-- The Lakers are coming off their worst loss in franchise history, falling to the Mavericks on Sunday, 122-73. Los Angeles will try to turn things around tonight at Portland against a Blazers’ squad that has beaten the Lakers twice this season. Portland has won 10 consecutive meetings with Los Angeles, while covering eight times in this stretch, including four straight covers at Moda Center.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Wednesday
January 25, 2017

ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Grizzlies are 0-12-1 ATS (-5.62 ppg) with more than one day of rest off a 10+ loss as a home dog since Dec 14, 2007.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Warriors are 0-11 OU (-12.41 ppg) on the road with rest since Nov 18, 2016.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Rockets are 10-0 ATS (10.05 ppg) since Mar 06, 2016 on the road after James Harden was the Rockets’ high scorer in a loss.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Kings are 0-10 ATS (-13.70 ppg) with less than two days rest off a win in a road game in which they had 6+ double digit scorers since Apr 06, 2011.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Hornets are 9-0 ATS (6.44 ppg) since Nov 29, 2013 at home after Kemba Walker shot worse than 33% from the field at home.

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

SAC at CLE 07:00 PM

SAC +12.0

U 216.0

MIA at BK 07:30 PM

MIA -3.5

U 215.0

HOU at BOS 07:30 PM

BOS +4.0

U 229.0

TOR at MEM 08:00 PM

MEM -5.5

O 201.5

ATL at CHI 08:00 PM

CHI +1.5

U 202.5

GS at CHA 08:00 PM

GS -10.0

O 223.0

OKC at NO 08:00 PM

NO +1.5

O 217.5

PHI at MIL 08:00 PM

PHI +11.0

O 207.0

NY at DAL 08:30 PM

NY +4.0

U 201.5

LAL at POR 10:30 PM

POR -8.5

O 220.0

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Odds to win the PGA Tour event at Torrey Pines this weekend

9-1— Jason Day, Dustin Johnson

12-1— Hideki Matsuyama

25-1— Rose-Fowler-Koepka-Reed-Snedeker-Walker

30-1— Eldrick Woods, Phil Mickelson

40-1— Casey-Steele-Howell-Woodland

50-1— Rahm-An-Berger-Grillo-Oosthuizen-Holmes-Molinari-Horschel-Leishman-Laird-Finau

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Wrapping up last two nights of hoops

13) The great Brent Musburger is retiring from TV broadcasting next week, the end of an era where he was one of America’s most recognizable voices.

Musburger trivia: When he was a young man, in 1959, Brent was an umpire in Class A ball out in the Pacific Northwest. He once umpired a game where the catcher was a young Tim McCarver, who went to play a long time in the big leagues and who also became a prominent broadcaster.

12) Turns out that Musburger is leaving ESPN to become the main voice for the soon-to-be-launched Vegas Sports Information Network, which has a nearly completed studio on the floor of the South Point Casino. The network will be available on SiriusXM radio.

As luck would have it, my next Las Vegas vacation is going to be at South Point, so that could turn out to be very cool.

11) Celtics 120, Rockets 109— Quote from Boston TV guy Mike Gorman: “This is like when you go to a high school rival and they have two local guys officiating.”

Gorman is supposed to be the reasonable guy on Celtic telecasts. Oy.

10) Georgia Tech 75, Florida State 56— So Florida State beats Duke/Louisville, everyone is touting them as a Sweet 16 team (at least) and then they’re down 41-15 at the half in this game. Now as a handicapper, I cannot trust the Seminoles.

Josh Pastner might be doing the best coaching job in the whole country.

9) Louisville 106, Pitt 51— Think Jamie Dixon enjoyed this score? He bolted Pitt because he felt unappreciated, now the Panthers are 1-6 in the ACC while Dixon has TCU contending to get into the NCAA’s. And Louisville played this game without their injured point guard.

8) USC 82, UCLA 74— Bruins got their butts kicked by a more athletic, tougher team that also made 14-34 on the arc. UCLA is soft and very young, but they’re way better than this. Trojans held Bryce Alford to 3 points; if he isn’t scoring, he is totally bleeping useless.

7) Marquette 74, Villanova 72— Hard to win when you go 6-34 on the arc. Villanova led this game 68-55 with 5:43 left to play, but faded down stretch. Wildcats played only seven guys.

6) VMI 80, Chattanooga 64— Keydets were a 22.5-point underdog. 22-point underdogs don’t win very much.

5) Tennessee 82, Kentucky 80— Vols fell behind 8-2 early, survived shaky (17-27) foul shooting and pulled off a big upset. Kentucky’s last three road games were all decided by 7 or less points.

4) Penn 77, LaSalle 74— Last two years, Ivy League teams are now just 3-14 against A-14 teams. LaSalle had been playing well until the last couple games, which were awful.

3) West Virginia 85, Kansas 69— Bob Huggins gets a $25,000 bonus every time he beats Kansas; he donates the money to cancer research, in honor of his late mother. Jayhawks have now lost their last four visits to Morgantown.

2) Wyoming 66, UNLV 65— Cowboys were up 18 at the half, but trailed by 3 with 1:35 left before they pulled game out down the stretch. Teams combined to go 18-34 on foul line.

1— RIP Mary Tyler Moore. I spent a ton of time as a kid watching her TV show and the old Dick Van Dyke Show. A terrific actress. She also had a variety show on CBS in the late 70’s that helped launch David Letterman’s comedy career.

I’m having lunch at a bar yesterday and had to explain to one of the younger workers who Mary Tyler Moore was. Showed him some pictures of her off the Interweb and he says “Oh, she was beautiful.” Indeed.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, January 26

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INDIANA (22 - 22) at MINNESOTA (17 - 28) - 1/26/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
INDIANA is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in road games this season.
INDIANA is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
MINNESOTA is 19-33 ATS (-17.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 41-61 ATS (-26.1 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 200-245 ATS (-69.5 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.

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

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DALLAS (16 - 29) at OKLAHOMA CITY (27 - 19) - 1/26/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 21-36 ATS (-18.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DALLAS is 365-301 ATS (+33.9 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 474-396 ATS (+38.4 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 74-50 ATS (+19.0 Units) in road games against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
DALLAS is 312-260 ATS (+26.0 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
DALLAS is 260-213 ATS (+25.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
DALLAS is 188-149 ATS (+24.1 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-6 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 9-4 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
9 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHOENIX (15 - 30) at DENVER (19 - 25) - 1/26/2017, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) in road games in January games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) in road games after scoring 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 168-130 ATS (+25.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 5-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 5-4 straight up against PHOENIX 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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LA LAKERS (16 - 33) at UTAH (29 - 18) - 1/26/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 57-72 ATS (-22.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 26-39 ATS (-16.9 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) against Northwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 6-4 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 8-2 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, January 26

Pacers lost their last three games, are 5-9 as road underdogs. Four of their last five games stayed under totL. Timberwolves won three in row, six of last eight games; they’re 5-5 as home favorites. Under is 5-1 in their last six home games. Indiana won seven of last ten games with Minnesota, winning by 9-14 points in last two visits to Twin Cities. Over is 5-2-1 in last eight series games.

Oklahoma City won six of last nine games, is 8-1 in last nine games as a home favorite. Under is 6-3 in their last nine home games. Dallas won five of last seven games (6-1 vs spread); they are 10-12 as road underdogs (6-3 in last nine). Under is 7-3 in their last ten games. Thunder won eight of last nine games with Dallas, winning four of last five here, but Mavericks covered three of last four visits to OKC. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games.

Suns split last six games, are 5-3 vs spread in last eight road games- they’re 14-11 overall as a road underdog. Over is 6-2 in their last eight games. Denver won five of last seven games, is 8-8 (3-0 in last three) as a home favorite. Last three Denver games stayed under total. Nuggets won their last four games with Phoenix, winning by 16-18 in last two played here. Over is 4-2 in last six series games played in Denver.

Lakers lost seven of last eight games, are 1-5 in last six games as a road underdogs. Under is 6-2 in their last eight games. Jazz won six of its last seven home games, is 7-11 vs spread as a home favorite. Under is 5-2 in their last seven home games. Lakers lost seven of last eight games with Utah, losing 27-48-7 points in last three played here. Over is 3-2 in last five series games.




NBA

Thursday, January 26

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
INDIANA vs. MINNESOTA
Indiana is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Indiana is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Minnesota is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games

8:00 PM
DALLAS vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Dallas is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oklahoma City's last 10 games when playing at home against Dallas
Oklahoma City is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games

9:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. DENVER
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver
Phoenix is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Denver
Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix

10:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. UTAH
LA Lakers are 1-7 SU in their last 8 games when playing Utah
LA Lakers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games on the road
Utah is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Utah is 7-1 SU in their last 8 games when playing LA Lakers

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, January 26


LA Lakers @ Utah

Game 707-708
January 26, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
109.349
Utah
124.109
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 15
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 13
202
Dunkel Pick:
Utah
(-13); Over

Phoenix @ Denver

Game 705-706
January 26, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
122.855
Denver
119.766
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Phoenix
by 3
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver
by 6 1/2
229 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix
(+6 1/2); Under

Dallas @ Oklahoma City

Game 703-704
January 26, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
114.635
Oklahoma City
127.148
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 12 1/2
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 8 1/2
197 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma City
(-8 1/2); Over

Indiana @ Minnesota

Game 701-702
January 26, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
118.788
Minnesota
119.277
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 4
211 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana
(+4); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, January 26

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Thursday’s NBA Game of the Day: Lakers at Jazz
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Utah is looking to finish off a four-game season sweep of the Lakers for the first time after winning the first three meetings this season by an average of five points.

Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz (-13, 202)

The Utah Jazz followed up a season-best six-game winning streak with back-to-back defeats and look to halt the skid when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Utah played four games in five nights and dropped the last two, including dragging through a 103-93 road loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

Jazz coach Quin Snyder pointed to the schedule for the reason why his club experienced a sluggish effort in the loss to the Nuggets. "Everybody's fatigued. This is January. It's hard," Snyder said afterward. "You're not fatigued when you're not fouling people. You're not disciplined. We started making some undisciplined plays and we had breakdowns where we put them on the foul line. All of a sudden, we were playing against a set defense every possession. We were stuck in mud at that point." Utah is looking to finish off a four-game season sweep of the Lakers for the first time after winning the first three meetings this season by an average of five points. Los Angeles has dropped seven of its last eight games after suffering a 105-98 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The Jazz opened as massive 13-point home favorites and briefly were bumped up to 13.5 before returning to the opening number. As for the total, it opened at 203.5 and has been bet down to 202. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Lakers - PG D’Angelo Russell (Early Feb, knee)

Jazz - SG Rodney Hood (Questionable, knee)

POWER RANKINGS: Lakers (4) - Jazz (-8.1) + home court (-3) = Thunder -6

ABOUT THE LAKERS (16-33 SU, 21-27-1 ATS, 26-22-1 O/U): The Los Angeles starters totaled just 27 points — 15 by shooting guard Nick Young — in the loss to Portland while backup guards Lou Williams (31) and Jordan Clarkson (22) combined for 53. Clarkson played 35 minutes against the Trail Blazers and will continue to receive extensive minutes while starting point guard D'Angelo Russell is sidelined with knee and calf injuries. Williams matched his season high of six 3-pointers against Portland and is averaging 24.6 points over the past five games.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (29-18 SU, 21-25-1 ATS, 22-25 O/U): Standout small forward Gordon Hayward has shot less than 37 percent from the field in four of the past five games and had one of his worst performances of the seasons against the Nuggets. Hayward scored nine points on 2-of-10 shooting, marking just the second time he finished in single digits in the past two-plus months. "He had a bad game," Snyder said afterward. "He's had a lot of really good games. I'm telling everybody not to talk about fatigue, but some of it was he has to get his juice back. That's hard to do if you don't have off-days; you just have to grind."

TRENDS:

* Lakers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.
* Jazz are 1-11 ATS in their last 12 vs. Western Conference.
* Under is 5-1 in Lakers last 6 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 9-2 in Jazz last 11 vs. Western Conference.

CONSENSUS: 56 percent of the picks on Covers are siding with the road underdog Los Angeles Lakers and Over is picking up 56 percent of the totals wagers.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
January 26, 2017

It’s been a week of upsets in the NBA and bettors playing underdogs have produced solid profits and could be really ahead if they invested in money-line tickets. Last night, Sacramento (+575) and Philadelphia (+600) cashed in with impressive road wins over Cleveland and Milwaukee respectively.

It was the second time this week that the Cavaliers failed to cash as heavy favorites and also the second healthy money-line ticket for the 76ers. The confidence is really high in Philadelphia these days and I hope bettors have the same attitude with the team considering they’ve gone 10-5 straight up and 12-3 against the spread since Christmas Day.

Through three days of action this week, underdogs have gone 13-11 SU and 16-8 ATS while the ‘over’ is 13-11.

There are only four games on Thursday’s NBA card and all of the home teams have been installed as favorites.

Indiana (22-22 SU, 18-26 ATS) at Minnesota (17-28 SU, 20-25 ATS)

The Timberwolves have shown some quality lately, winners in six of their last eight games and a few of those wins came against playoff teams. Indiana has been a very streaky team this season and it’s currently mired in a three-game skid. Since returning from London, the offense is only averaging 100.6 points per game and the unit was rolling (117.5 PPG) in in six games prior to the overseas visit.

The Pacers swept the regular season series against the Timberwolves last season, which included a 102-88 victory at the Target Center. However, this year’s Indiana team is 6-16 both SU and ATS on the road. Minnesota hasn’t been great at home (10-13 SU, 12-11 ATS) but a 6-4 record when laying points is a decent mark.

Dallas (16-29 SU, 23-22 ATS) at Oklahoma City (27-19 SU, 25-20-1 ATS)

The Thunder opened as a seven-point favorite for this matchup and this is a tough game to handicap, especially with the Mavericks sitting out four players. Oklahoma City just finished a six-game road trip that saw them go 3-3, which includes a win last night at New Orleans. The Thunder’s January schedule has been road heavy and after this game, they finish the month at Cleveland on Sunday and San Antonio on Tuesday. With that being said, the urgency should be high to get a win tonight.

Dallas isn’t a slouch lately, winners of two straight and five of its last seven. Plus the Mavericks have covered six of seven during this stretch. Bettors could be hesitant to back either squad tonight since they’re both playing on no rest. The Mavericks are winless (0-9 SU, 3-6 ATS) in back-to-back spots while Oklahoma City is 2-6 SU and 3-5 ATS in these situations. This series has been one-sided lately and in Oklahoma City’s favor. The Thunder took eight of nine against the Mavericks, which included a 4-1 win in the first round of last year’s playoffs. Dallas has actually been competitive during this stretch by covering five of the games.

TNT will provide national coverage of this game at 8:05 p.m. ET.

Phoenix (15-20 SU, 24-20-1 ATS) at Denver (19-25 SU, 24-20 ATS)

The young guns of the NBA will be on hand for this matchup and the oddsmakers are expecting a wide-open affair, listing the total at 229. Most books have Denver as a six-point favorite and the clubs will be looking to win and cover its fifth straight game at home. Make a note that one of the victories came in London but it was a designated home contest. Including those wins, the Nuggets have gone 5-2 SU and 6-1 ATS in their last seven and one of the losses came by three points.

Meanwhile, Phoenix is just 5-5 SU in its last 10 games but it’s managed to post an impressive 8-2 ATS mark during this span. Recent road wins over the Raptors and Knicks were very impressive and Earl Watson’s team is playing fast and confident. Denver has won and covered four straight in this series and that includes two wins this season. The Nuggets posted 120 in each of the recent victories and the ‘over’ connected in both games.

L.A. Lakers (16-33 SU, 21-27-1 ATS) at Utah (29-18 SU, 20-26-1 ATS)

The Jazz have been installed as the heaviest favorite (-13) on Thursday’s board and that line is based more on the opponent. The Lakers have dropped seven of their last eight games, which includes a 105-98 loss at Portland on Wednesday. Luke Walton’s squad is allowing 111.2 PPG in January and the offense just isn’t good enough to make up for that kind of effort. Playing on no rest this season has been a struggle for Los Angeles, who is 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS while the ‘over’ is 6-4 in those games.

The Jazz have dropped two straight after winning six in a row and fatigue could be a factor tonight with the team playing their fifth game in seven nights. Utah has won all three matchups against Los Angeles this season but the outcomes were fairly tight. The Jazz captured a pair of wins at the Staples Center by a combined eight points and the first decision in Salt Lake City back in October was decided by seven points. Utah has gone 14-5 SU and 9-9-1 ATS as a home favorite this season, which includes a 5-0 record when laying double digits. However, the Jazz are just 2-3 ATS in those games. L.A. has gone 3-7 SU and 4-6 ATS as a ‘dog of 10-plus points this season.

National coverage of this game tips at 10:35 p.m. ET on TNT.

[StarDust Bum]

LeBron, front office differ on Cavs' roster needs
January 26, 2017

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are at odds over the superstar's view of the organization's payroll spending, ESPN reported on Thursday, citing multiple sources.

James has been critical of the organization during the team's losing stretch, which extended to six of the last eight games following Wednesday's 116-112 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

James, who rejoined the Cavaliers in 2014, has been vocal about adding another playmaker as the team attempts to repeat as NBA champions. The superstar went as far as to call his team "top-heavy" earlier in the week and had been lobbying the Cavaliers' front office to acquire a backup point guard to lessen the ball-handling duties for himself and Kyrie Irving.

For its part, Cleveland has spent more than any other NBA team over a three-year span, and is committed to $127.6 million and $27 million in luxury taxes this season.

"I just hope that we're not satisfied as an organization," James said earlier this week.

The superstar took to social media to continue the conversation, saying, "I not mad or upset at management 'cause (general manager David Griffin) and staff have done a great job...I just feel we still need to improve in order to repeat...if that's what we wanna do."

Cleveland acquired Kyle Korver earlier this month, opening a roster spot that the team has yet to fill and reducing payroll in the process.

James elected against addressing the report Wednesday of the Cavaliers adding friend Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks.

"I have no reaction," James said. "We've got 14 guys in here. We need to be ready every night. Who we've got in here, we've gotta play. We can't play fantasy basketball. We've got who we've got and we've gotta go out and play."

"Yes, I do think he'd want me to play with him," Anthony said at Wednesday's shootaround. "I don't think he wouldn't, but I don't know if that comment was about me. I don't think I'm the only playmaker in the NBA."

Last season, James helped Cleveland end a 52-year professional sports championship drought while helping the Cavaliers erase a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

[StarDust Bum]

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

DAL at OKC 08:00 PM

OKC -9.5

O 197.0

IND at MIN 08:00 PM

IND +3.0

U 211.5

PHO at DEN 09:00 PM

PHO +7.0

U 231.0

LAL at UTA 10:30 PM

UTA -13.0

O 201.5

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

— Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker made a 75-yard FG at practice for the Pro Bowl.

— North Carolina 91, Virginia Tech 72— Tar Heels had 16 offensive rebounds……in the first half.

— Oklahoma City big guy Enes Kanter broke his arm Thursday when he punched a chair. No bueno.

— West Virginia’s senior forward Nathan Adrian is the first high school player from Morgantown to get a basketball scholarship from the Mountaineers since the late 50’s.

— Packers told offensive assistant Tom Clements to take a hike; they let his contract expire, a nice way of saying he is fired.

— Felix Hernandez had $1.5M in jewelry stolen from his home in Seattle in November; the thieves were recently captured and most of the loot recovered.

**********

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random thoughts with weekend here……

13) January 14, 1974 was the first Super Bowl played in Houston, at Rice Stadium; the Dolphins beat Minnesota 24-7. For the entire game, Miami QB Bob Griese was 6-7 passing for 93 yards. FOR THE WHOLE GAME. Seven passes, plus he was sacked once.

Football has changed tremendously in the last 40 years.

12) From 1975-80, Duke and Clemson both had basketball coaches named Bill Foster, which is a little odd, since they’re conference rivals in the ACC.

Duke’s Bill Foster had the Blue Devils in the 1978 Final Four but left a couple years later, upset over some little things, one of which was the school’s refusal to pave the coaches’ parking lot.

So Mike Krzyzewski became Duke’s coach in part because the school wouldn’t pave a parking lot. Life is funny sometimes.

11) Ice Cube is starting a 3-on-3 half-court, summer basketball league for retired NBA players called Big3, which starts this June. The league will eight teams of five players each and the league will apparently tour the country together, with each team playing once in each city.

10) Three assistant football coaches at Michigan are now making over $1M a year; thats not counting head coach Jim Harbaugh. I get it that coordinators make $1M+, but the third guy?

9) Eldrick Woods started this week ranked #663 in the World Golf Rankings.

8) When Lebron James says “….we need a bleeping playmaker” he means someone who makes his teammates better by passing the ball. He wasn’t referring to Carmelo Anthony.

7) Louisville lost another point guard with Tony Hicks going down for 4-6 weeks with a broken hand. I doubt Pitt has much sympathy for them, after the 51-point drubbing Louisville put on the Panthers earlier this week.

6) Monday night, someone at The D Casino in Las Vegas bet a $5 parlay on the money line on these NBA teams: Miami Heat +$650, Knicks +$195, Clippers +$270, Sacramento +$240, Milwaukee +$195. When those five underdogs all won SU, that $5 ticket turned into $3,800.

5) 30 years ago, a 30-second commercial on the Super Bowl telecast cost $550,000. This year, that same commercial would cost $5,000,000. Thats million, with an M.

4) There will be at least one fewer bowl game next year; the Poinsettia Bowl is no longer, as San Diego will have only only one bowl, the Holiday Bowl next season. The Poinsettia Bowl existed for 12 years.

3) NBA teams will have corporate advertising on their uniforms next year; Celtics will have a GE patch on their uniforms. They’re supposedly making $7M from GE on the deal.

2) Late one night at the Australian Open earlier this week, Brad Gilbert interviewed Giants’ punter Brad Wing, who is from Australia and was at the tournament.

1— Haven’t made my summer travel plans yet, but would be fun to be in Las Vegas during the British Open. Couple years ago, I was sitting at a bar late one night in Vegas, watching the end of an extra inning baseball game in Arizona, while at the same time watching early morning golf from across the pond. Thursday night baseball, Friday morning golf. Not bad.