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

[StarDust Bum]

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

IND at ATL 01:00 PM

IND +3.0

O 208.5

GS at NY 03:30 PM

GS -10.0

U 219.5

BOS at PHO 05:00 PM

PHO +6.0

O 227.5

ORL at WAS 05:00 PM

WAS -10.5

O 215.0

UTA at SAC 06:00 PM

UTA -9.5

U 194.5

OKC at DAL 08:30 PM

DAL -1.0

U 206.0

NO at LAL 09:30 PM

NO -6.5

O 216.0

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

— Longtime NFL assistant, 77-year old Monte Kiffin will join his son’s coaching staff at Florida Atlantic.

— San Diego Padres have 68 players in major league camp; 36 pitchers, 7 catchers.

— Hawai’i Rainbows are eligible for postseason; they weren’t sure of that until the other day, so that has to be a big lift for their players/coaches.

— Cavaliers made 25 3-pointers (25-46) Friday night in Atlanta, an NBA record.

— Washington Huskies’ WR John Ross ran a 4.22 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.

— Some team at the NFL Combine asked Texas Tech QB Patrick Mahomes “are you a cat or a dog?” What is the purpose of asking that?

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Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend…….

13) Siena 89, Monmouth 85— Only way the MAAC tournament makes money is if it is in Albany, because if Siena is good, then they’ll draw 9-10,000 for semis/finals. Nowhere else in the league would this happen, so the MAAC tourney is most always in beautiful downtown Albany (I live here, but didn’t go to Siena).

Monmouth is the best team in the MAAC but they had to play a true road game Sunday and they played lousy defense, blowing a 14-point halftime lead. Nico Clareth scored all 27 of his points in the second half for the Saints, who get to play in the MAAC final on their home court Monday.

12) There is one solution to the MAAC’s dilemma that would still make money for the league; divide the tournament up, totally on campus sites, with higher seeded team hosting every game. Some of the smaller leagues do it that way.

Next weekend, the Ivy League has its first tournament; Penn is the host. Princeton went 14-0 in the Ivy this year, but their first game Saturday in the tournament is at Penn. In the Palestra.

11) Wichita State 71, Illinois State 51— Redbirds are 27-6, going 19-2 in MVC games, with both losses to Wichita. I’d much rather see ISU get in the NCAA’s than a 10th team from the ACC, but the reality of life is that the big-$$$ schools have an advantage in this.

Guarantee you this; going to be a VERY long week for coach Mullen and the Redbirds.

10) Purdue 69, Northwestern 65— I’m not a big Matt Painter fan, but his team sucked it up at the end and won a tough road game here. Freshman G Edwards has made a difference this year for the Boilers, who are 11-2 in their last thirteen games.

9) Lehigh 91, Boston U 88, 2OT— Top seed in Patriot League takes a hike, which could mean that whoever wins the tournament is headed to Dayton for a play-in game.

8) CAA tournament gets top two seeds in their final Monday night; NC-Wilmington and Charleston in North Charleston, but not in the Cougars’ gym.

7) It bothers me that Mike Krzyzewski’s son-in-law is an analyst for ESPN and they never say he is related to Coach K, occasionally they refer to his having coached at Duke. Anyway, Clemson coach Brad Brownell had to be thrilled when Mr Spatola was speculating on air this week that the Clemson job could come open this spring. Mind your own business, sir.

6) ESPN now seems to interview Lonzo Ball’s dad during every UCLA game; turns out he played at Washington State briefly under Kelvin Sampson 30 years ago, but washed out and wound up playing at LA City College or LA State College. His son is really good and will be in the NBA next year, just do not understand why his dad needs to be on TV so much.

5) Horizon League tournament might be the weirdest conference tournament ever; first three tourney games all resulted in upsets, with underdogs of 12.5/8.5/6 points all winning- those three teams combined to 16-38 in the Horizon regular season this year.

4) Missouri fired coach Kim Anderson, a Mizzou alum who went 8-46 in SEC games in his three years in Columbia. Tough job; will be interesting to see who takes it on next.

3) Not only is the Big 14 tournament in Washington this week, next year it is moving to New York City for a year and will be a week earlier than normal so it doesn’t interfere with the Big East tournament, which is always in Madison Square Garden.

2) The #6-#11 seed game in Mountain West tournament is UNLV-San Diego State, which seems very weird to type. Its like if Wily E Coyote finally got the upper hand on the Road Runner; just doesn’t make a lot of sense.

1— Over the last five years, in college conferences that got only one bid to the NCAA’s, the #1 seed won only 37 of 100 conference tournaments.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, March 6

New York lost nine of last 12 games; they’re 5-8 vs spread in last 13 road games, 5-6 vs spread if they played night before. Last five NY games stayed under. Orlando lost 8 of last 11 games; they’re 3-7 vs spread in last 10 home games. Under is 4-2 in their last six games. Knicks won three of last four games with Orlando; they beat Magic by 11 at home five days ago. Teams split last four games played here. Six of last eight series games stayed under.

Miami won five of last seven games but is 2-3 in last five road games. Under is 4-2 in their last six games. Cavaliers lost three of last five games; they’re 5-2 vs spread in last seven games. Six of their last seven games stayed under. Home side won last nine Miami-Cleveland games; Cavs lost by 28 in Miami Saturday. Heat lost last four visits to Ohio (0-4 vs spread). Over is 3-2 in last five series games played here.

Milwaukee won six of its last nine games, covering three of last four on road. Under is 4-0-1 in their last five games. Philly lost four of last five games; they’re 13-1 vs spread in last 14 home games. Over is 8-3 in their last 11 games overall. 76ers won last two games wth Milwaukee after losing previous eight series games; six of last seven series games went over total. Bucks won their last four visits to Philly (3-1 vs spread).

Chicago won five of its last seven games but lost three of last four on road; five of their last seven games stayed under the total. Detroit won eight of its last ten home games, four of last six overall. Under is 6-3 in their last nine games. Pistons won six of last nine games with Chicago; under is 5-2 in last seven series games. Bulls lost four of last five visits to Detroit (1-4 vs spread).

Golden State won five of last seven games but is 0-6 vs spread in last six games, 3-7 vs spread on road if they played night before. Last five Warrior games stayed under total. Hawks lost three of last four home games, are 1-5 vs spread in last six at home. Under is 5-1-2 in their last eight games. Warriors won nine of last ten games with Atlanta, winning four of last five visits here (3-2 vs spread). Over is 3-2 in last five series games.

Trailblazers is 4-7 in its last 11 games, 3-7 vs spread in its last ten road games. Last four Blazer games went over total. Timberwolves won four of last six games; they’re 4-7 vs spread in last 11 home games. Six of last seven Minnesota games stayed under. Portland won five of last six games with Minnesota; they won last three visits to Twin Cities by 5-6-6 points. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games.

Indiana is 3-2 since All-Star break; they covered last three road games. Last seven Pacer games stayed under total. Charlotte is at home for first time in three weeks; they’re 3-2 in last five games, 0-8 vs spread in last eight home tilts. Under is 7-3 in their last ten games. Hornets won four of last five games with Indiana; Pacers lost four of last five visits to Charlotte (0-5 vs spread, over 4-1).

Brooklyn lost 18 of last 19 games; they’re 7-4 vs spread in last 11 road games. Five of their last seven games went over. Grizzlies lost four of last six games, are 2-5 vs spread in last seven home games. Last three Memphis games went over total. Nets lost their last five games with Memphis; four of last six series games went over total- they lost three of last four visits here, but covered the last three.

Rockets won eight of last ten games, covered last three road games. Last four Houston road games stayed under. San Antonio won its last seven games, is 13-5 vs spread in last 18 home games. Five of their last six games stayed under the total. Spurs won eight of last ten games with Houston; last four series games stayed under. Rockets lost four of last five visits to the Alamo (1-4 vs spread).

Pelicans lost four of last six games; they’re 3-9 vs spread if they played night before. NO is 4-3 vs spread in last seven road games. Utah won five of last seven games, is 3-7 vs spread in last ten home games. Three of their last four games went over the total. Jazz won four of last six games with New Orleans; over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Teams split last four meetings in Utah.

Sacramento lost its last four games, is 1-3 vs spread in last four road games. Seven of their last eight games stayed under total. Nuggets lost five of their last nine games, losing three of last four home games. Under is 5-2 in their last seven games. Kings won their last five games with Denver, winning last three visits here, by 4-9-7 points. Eight of last nine series games went over total.

Boston is 3-4 in its last seven games, 2-3 vs spread in its last five road games, 5-3 vs spread on road if they played night before. Under is 6-0-1 in their last seven games. Clippers lost four of last six games, are 1-5 vs spread in last six home games. Under is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Home side won seven of last nine Celtic-Clipper games; Boston lost last four series games here- they did beat Lakers here Friday. Under is 4-1 in last five series games played here.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, March 6

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. ORLANDO
New York is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 5 games
Orlando is 5-13-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing New York
Orlando is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games when playing New York

7:00 PM
MIAMI vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games
Miami is 18-4 SU in its last 22 games
Cleveland is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Cleveland is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games

7:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games on the road
Milwaukee is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Philadelphia is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games at home
Philadelphia is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing Milwaukee

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. DETROIT
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games on the road
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Chicago
Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

7:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 5 games
Atlanta is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Golden State
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
BROOKLYN vs. MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Brooklyn's last 7 games
Brooklyn is 1-18 SU in its last 19 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Memphis's last 16 games
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Memphis's last 24 games at home

8:00 PM
INDIANA vs. CHARLOTTE
Indiana is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games on the road
Charlotte is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana

8:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. MINNESOTA
Portland is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games
Portland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 9 games at home
Minnesota is 4-14 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Portland

8:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games on the road
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
San Antonio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston

9:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. DENVER
Sacramento is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Sacramento's last 9 games when playing Denver
Denver is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Sacramento
Denver is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Sacramento

9:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. UTAH
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New Orleans's last 9 games when playing on the road against Utah
New Orleans is 5-10-1 ATS in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Utah
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Utah's last 13 games
Utah is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games

10:30 PM
BOSTON vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Clippers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games at home
LA Clippers are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, March 6

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NEW YORK (25 - 38) at ORLANDO (23 - 40) - 3/6/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 33-21 ATS (+9.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) in home games this season.
ORLANDO is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 5-4 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
ORLANDO is 5-5 straight up against NEW YORK 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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MIAMI (29 - 34) at CLEVELAND (42 - 19) - 3/6/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in home games against Southeast division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 37-26 ATS (+8.4 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 25-42 ATS (-21.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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MILWAUKEE (28 - 33) at PHILADELPHIA (23 - 39) - 3/6/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 25-36 ATS (-14.6 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 349-423 ATS (-116.3 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) against Atlantic division opponents this season.
MILWAUKEE is 10-22 ATS (-14.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 38-23 ATS (+12.7 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 38-21 ATS (+14.9 Units) as an underdog this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 23-9 ATS (+13.1 Units) in home games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 5-4 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 7-2 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (31 - 31) at DETROIT (30 - 32) - 3/6/2017, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 7-3 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 6-4 straight up against CHICAGO 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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GOLDEN STATE (51 - 11) at ATLANTA (34 - 28) - 3/6/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 78-109 ATS (-41.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
ATLANTA is 71-52 ATS (+13.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 143-119 ATS (+12.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 133-110 ATS (+12.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 36-21 ATS (+12.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 80-56 ATS (+18.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-2 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-1 straight up against ATLANTA 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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PORTLAND (26 - 35) at MINNESOTA (25 - 37) - 3/6/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 25-36 ATS (-14.6 Units) in all games this season.
PORTLAND is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games this season.
MINNESOTA is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 24-12 ATS (+10.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 23-38 ATS (-18.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 30-43 ATS (-17.3 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 21-34 ATS (-16.4 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 24-40 ATS (-20.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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INDIANA (32 - 30) at CHARLOTTE (27 - 35) - 3/6/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing on back-to-back days this season.
CHARLOTTE is 60-37 ATS (+19.3 Units) in home games in March games since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.

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

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BROOKLYN (10 - 51) at MEMPHIS (36 - 27) - 3/6/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 25-34 ATS (-12.4 Units) in all games this season.
BROOKLYN is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
BROOKLYN is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) after allowing 115 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 23-35 ATS (-15.5 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive overs over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 44-28 ATS (+13.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 7-15 ATS (-9.5 Units) in non-conference games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 3-2 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 5-0 straight up against BROOKLYN 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 (44 - 19) at SAN ANTONIO (48 - 13) - 3/6/2017, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 83-69 ATS (+7.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 78-61 ATS (+10.9 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 501-417 ATS (+42.3 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 180-135 ATS (+31.5 Units) in March games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 173-127 ATS (+33.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 17-3 ATS (+13.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
HOUSTON is 36-27 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) in road games this season.
HOUSTON is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
HOUSTON is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 7-4 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-3 straight up against HOUSTON 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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NEW ORLEANS (25 - 38) at UTAH (39 - 24) - 3/6/2017, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 5-3 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 4-4 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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SACRAMENTO (25 - 37) at DENVER (28 - 34) - 3/6/2017, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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BOSTON (40 - 23) at LA CLIPPERS (37 - 25) - 3/6/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games this season.
BOSTON is 33-17 ATS (+14.3 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 200-258 ATS (-83.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, March 6

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Monday’s NBA Game of the Day: Rockets at Spurs
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The Spurs, who sit five games clear of the Rockets, might be the only team with a realistic shot at the Warriors and are winners of seven in a row.

Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs (-4, 221)

The knee injury suffered by Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant is giving a team or two reason to believe it can jump up and challenge for the top spot in the Western Conference. The San Antonio Spurs, who sit second in the West, will try to keep the pressure on when they host the third-place Houston Rockets on Monday.

The Spurs, who sit five games clear of the Rockets, might be the only team with a realistic shot at the Warriors and are winners of seven in a row after outlasting the Minnesota Timberwolves in a second straight overtime victory on Saturday. San Antonio, which hosts the Warriors this weekend, began a stretch with six of seven at home with Saturday's triumph after playing nine of 10 on the road. Houston won eight of its last 10 games and just got done breezing past a pair of West playoff contenders with wins over the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies by an average of 17 points. "It doesn't matter who we're playing," Rockets star point guard James Harden told reporters. "We're winding down to the end of the season, and it's very important for us to take care of business and lock in. We can face any of these opponents at any point in the postseason. We just want to continue to get better and win as many games as we can."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ROOT Southwest (Houston), FSN Southwest (San Antonio)

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened as 4-point home favorites and the point spread has yet to move off that opening number. The total hit the betting board at 220 and was bumped up a full point Monday morning.

INJURY REPORT:

Rockets - No injuries to report.

Spurs - No injuries to report.

POWER RANKINGS: Rockets (-9.1) - Spurs (-12.2) + home court (-3) = Spurs -6.1

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (44-19 SU, 36-27 ATS, 33-30 O/U): Harden continues to make a strong case for MVP and scored 20 of his 33 points in the third quarter on Saturday as Houston pulled away from the Grizzlies. Harden, including assists, accounted for 30 of the team's 38 points in the decisive period and takes his playmaking responsibilities seriously. "I've been scoring and just being aggressive," Harden told reporters. "I'm a playmaker, as well as a point guard, so I just pick and choose when I'm able to make plays. And in that third quarter was just about being aggressive."

ABOUT THE SPURS (48-13 SU, 33-27-1 ATS, 33-28 O/U): One of Harden's challengers for the MVP is San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard, who is the offensive and defensive anchor for the team with the second-best record in the NBA. Leonard showed off his broad skillset in Saturday's 97-90 win over Minnesota by collecting 34 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and six steals. "I try not to praise Kawhi too much," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "He's getting paid to do that."

TRENDS:

* Rockets are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 vs. Western Conference.
* Spurs are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Monday games.
* Under is 5-0 in Rockets last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Under is 10-1 in Spurs last 11 games following a straight up win.
* Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

CONSENSUS: 53 percent of users are taking chalk with the home favorite San Antonio Spurs and Under is picking up 57 percent of the totals wagers.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's NBA Essentials
March 6, 2017

Game of the Night - Boston at LA Clippers, (TNT, 10:35 ET)

The last time Paul Pierce saw the Celtics just happens to be the last time he took the floor in a competitive situation. He knocked down a 3-pointer on the game's final shot to help the Clippers cover in a 107-102 road loss, then kissed the floor at the TD Garden, where he won so many games over 15 seasons and helped hang Boston's most recent championship banner in 2008.

It was a nice moment, but the fact Pierce hasn't played since illustrates just how far he's fallen out of Doc Rivers' rotation. That was the only time the 39-year-old has taken the floor in 2017 and that may remain the case if his head coach can't find a moment for him tonight. While Draymond Green was wrong for his "can't get no farewell tour" comments directed at the future Hall of Famer late last month, he wasn't incorrect. Pierce is averaging just 3.7 points in his final season, shooting just over 36 percent.

His Clippers opened the month with losses to Houston and Milwaukee before registering a 10-point win in Chicago on Saturday night and are just 2-3 since getting Chris Paul back early following a 14-game absence after thumb surgery. L.A. went 6-8 without him and have to be encouraged that he was able to shake off a wrist issue that forced him to leave the loss to the Bucks early. He's shot 14-for-26 from 3-point range since returning, so the hope is that he can finish these final six weeks on a strong note in order to help the Clips clinch a top-four seed in the Western Conference, securing the homecourt advantage in a first-round series that goes with it. They open the week fifth, 1.5 games behind Utah, but are just 2.5 games up on Oklahoma City, which sits in seventh place. This will be the Clippers' final home game until March 11, as they'll be on the road in Memphis and Minnesota later this week.

The Celtics looked like they were going to be flying into town fresh off a win in Phoenix since they were putting on the finishing touches on what would've been a third straight win, but a wild finish robbed them of that. After blowing a 3-point lead they held with 20 seconds left when Eric Bledsoe made his second of two late layups with four seconds left, All-Star Isaiah Thomas, who had uncharacteristically left the door open with a free-throw miss, called for the ball to try and frantically get up the floor and fumbled it away. Rookie Tyler Ulis scooped it up and sent everyone home with a game-winning 3-pointer.

Boston has only lost consecutive games once since Jan. 25, so it will be looking to bounce back quickly in order to keep the heat on Cleveland in the race for the Eastern Conference's top seed. The Celtics' 19-14 road record is the best in the East and fifth-best overall, and they just made themselves at home at Staples Center to open their current Western swing with a 115-95 win at the Lakers on Friday. This will be their 10th road game in a 13-game stretch with their next to stops coming in Oakland and Denver, so they could really come to regret Sunday night's collapse if it leads to a skid.

Boston starters Al Horford (elbow sprain) and Avery Bradley (hamstring strain) missed the Suns loss. Horford's issue isn't considered a long-term issue, but he's not a lock to be back out there tonight against Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Bradley sitting was more of a precaution to get him some rest with a back-to-back in store, so he'll be expected to take the floor. If Horford can't go, Jonas Jerebko is expected to start again next to Amir Johnson with Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Zeller and Jordan Mickey all available off the bench.

The Clippers are looking to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Celtics for the first time since '08, when Rivers and Pierce were on the other side. L.A. has won five of seven in the series and haven't lost at home against Boston since March 2012.

Game of the Night II - Houston at San Antonio (FS-Southwest, 8:35 ET)

The top teams in the Southwest Division will battle for the final time this regular season as the Spurs look to put more distance between themselves and the Rockets with a third straight win against their in-state rival, who they lead by five games. Each of this season's contests has been close and come in under the posted total, with today's number opening at 220, the highest seen in a game in this series in years.

Consider it part of the Mike D'Antoni effect, as the top candidate for Coach of the Year will also be looking to engineer a sweep of both meetings in San Antonio, something the Rockets have pulled off only once in the last eight years. The Spurs have won eight of 10 over the Rockets, which includes back-to-back wins in Houston, the most recent of which came in comeback fashion on Dec. 20. James Harden scored 31 points but shot 1-for-11 from 3-point range in that loss, while the Spurs made 12-of-23 shots from beyond the arc to overcome Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge combining to shoot 11-for-30. Leonard committed seven turnovers in that game, so both teams will look for a better effort here.

The Rockets have since added elite bench scorer Lou Williams since they last saw the Spurs and come in off an impressive 123-109 win over Memphis on Saturday. Harden had 33 points and 11 assists, strengthening his case for MVP by securing his league-leading 49th double-double. Houston has won four of five but still hasn't been able to make up ground on San Antonio, which owns the NBA's longest winning streak at seven games. The Spurs registered overtime wins against New Orleans and Minnesota over the weekend, clinching a 20th straight playoff berth.

Although Tony Parker has been out of the lineup with a quad contusion and has been bothered by nagging injuries, both he and Manu Ginobili will be available tonight, which means this team is at full strength.

Pau Gasol has provided a major boost since returning from a broken finger and is averaging 16 points and 7.8 rebounds in 26.8 minutes off the bench. Considering he and Aldridge struggled defensively earlier this season when Gregg Popovich was starting them in tandem, it appears that having him fill a reserve role is the best may to maximize his efficiency. Houston's ability to run the floor and punish opponents via the pick-and-roll could limit his effectiveness here, but he's clearly returned with fresh legs, which means San Antonio will get a great look at how to get the most out of him against the Rockets should the teams wind up meeting in a playoff series.

Houston has averaged 129 points in their four wins since the All-Star break and were held to 108 in their lone loss against Indiana, so D'Antoni's wish to try and get up 50 3-point shots per game is clearly paying dividends. It will be interesting to see how the Spurs look to slow them down or if they show off their own firepower in a track meet. Only one opponent has managed to score 100 or more points against San Antonio in its last nine games. The under is 7-2 in that span.

Injury Concerns

Orlando's Nikola Vucevic (14.4 ppg, 10.1 rpg) sat out the Magic's 115-114 loss to the Wizards on Sunday with a sore Achilles and is questionable to suit up against New York. After blowing a 16-point halftime lead in a game it led by double-digits entering the fourth, Orlando will look to avoid consecutive home losses against the Knicks in a six-day span. Vucevic left that March 1 game after reaching his averages in less than 27 minutes action, so the Magic can certainly use him against Kristaps Porzingis, whose 20 points led the way in that 101-90 win.

After sitting out Saturday's 120-92 loss in Miami, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving are expected to be back in the mix for Cleveland in this rematch. Bickering ensued at the very end of the Heat's blowout win when injured guard J.R. Smith took exception to the Heat's Rodney McGruder late dunk, leading to both benches emptying as time expired. Andrew Bogut, who joined the Cavs after reaching a buyout with Philadelphia following his trade from Dallas, is available to make his debut.

The 76ers have already shelved Joel Embiid for the season and won't be exposing Ben Simmons either, but they've still got other injury-related issues to be concerned with. Center Jahlil Okafor (knee) and shooting guard Gerald Henderson (hip) are questionable tonight as Philadelphia attempts to bounce back from Saturday's 30-point home loss to Detroit. Milwaukee's Michael Beasley (Achilles) will be re-evaluated this week but remains out. He had taken Jabari Parker's place in the starting lineup after the young forward tore his ACL last month.

The Pistons could catch a break as they try and remain ahead of the pack in the race for the East's No 8 seed since Chicago's Dwyane Wade (thigh) and Rajon Rondo (ankle) are questionable to play. The Bulls are just one game ahead of Detroit in the No. 7 spot and come off a puzzling 30-point second-half in a home loss to the Clippers where Jimmy Butler took just seven shots.

Head-to-head trends

-- The Warriors look to sweep the Hawks for the second consecutive season, but should face a difficult test in Atlanta. The Hawks have actually covered the last two meetings and get Golden State coming in on a second of a back-to-back after it survived in New York on Sunday afternoon to snap a two-game losing streak. Six of the Warriors' last seven games have come in under the posted total, including four straight on the road. The under has prevailed in 10 of 13 Hawks games since Feb. 2. Atlanta also played a day game on Sunday, losing 97-96 to Indiana when Glenn Robinson III hit a 3-pointer in the final second. The Hawks are currently 1-2 on a six-game homestand to open March.

-- In the first game of tonight's TNT doubleheader, the Pacers will look to continue building momentum as they take the floor in Charlotte for the last of a five-game road trip that has seen them alternate wins and losses. Indiana is on a seven-game under run and has covered four of five. They snapped a four-game losing streak at the hands of the Hornets with a 110-94 home win on Dec. 12, but have dropped their last two games in the Queen City. Charlotte just concluded a seven-game road trip, so it will be playing on its home floor for the first time sine Feb. 13. The Bees are 1-6 SU/0-7 ATS at home since Jan. 25.

-- It's a big night in the race for the final playoff spot in the West since five of the six teams in the chase are in action and four are in head-to-head matchups with one another. Denver is 1.5 games up on Portland and two ahead of idle Dallas as they take the floor against the Kings, who they currently lead by three games. The Nuggets have lost five straight times against Sacramento, including a blowout loss as the Kings opened the DeMarcus Cousins-less era in style against them on Feb. 23 with a 116-100 win. The Nuggets have been favored in each of the last four losses, while the over has hit in seven of the last eight games involving Denver and Sacramento.

-- The Trail Blazers are in Minnesota looking to win a third straight game, which would match their longest run of success this season. Portland has opened March with home wins over Brooklyn and OKC and have seen the over prevail in each of its last four games. They'll have Allen Crabbe in the mix to help lead the bench but are a slight underdog despit the fact they've won three consecutive games in Minneapolis. These teams will square off three times between now and April 6. Minnesota hung tough at San Antonio on Saturday to continue a strong run that saw them go on the road and blow out the Kings and Jazz. The under has prevailed in five of the last six Timberwolves games as Tom Thibodeau has finally gotten through in getting his young team to play at a more deliberate pace, allowing them to set their defense.

-- On the heels of a wild, last-second win in OT in Sacramento, Utah returns home to clash with the surging New Orleans, which has covered three consecutive games, winning two outright. The under is 8-1 over the last nine Pelicans games as the posted total has been surpassed only once since they acquired Cousins at the All-Star break. The Jazz posted a 127-94 blowout win on Feb. 8 in the only meeting between the teams this season, but obviously face a far different challenge in dealing with both Cousins and Anthony Davis.

[StarDust Bum]

Warriors to take bizarre route to SA
March 6, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) It looms as the biggest game of the week: Golden State at San Antonio in a matchup of the NBA's top two teams.

Forgive Steve Kerr if he doesn't enjoy looking ahead.

His Warriors have to navigate what he calls a ''bizarre'' schedule just to get there, one that won't leave them fresh for a matchup with the team trying to chase them down for home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Golden State beat New York on Sunday, then flew to Atlanta for a game against the Hawks on Monday that will end their five-game road trip. From there, they will fly back to the Bay Area - but not for long.

The Warriors host Boston on Wednesday, then go right back on the road for a back-to-back. They visit Minnesota on Friday before their showdown Saturday with the Spurs.

''Never seen anything like it, so it's the toughest part of the schedule for us,'' Kerr said, ''but it is what it is and every team has their own point in the schedule that they circle and everybody is justified in complaining. It's just the way it goes. You can't do anything about it, so you complain about it a little bit, get it off your chest and then you go play the games and see what happens.''

The schedule allows the Warriors just one practice to work in Matt Barnes, who they signed after Kevin Durant was lost to a sprained left knee, before the game against the Spurs. San Antonio has closed within 2 + games of Golden State after winning seven in a row.

Kerr said the Warriors took note of this portion of the schedule long ago.

''We looked at it and it just seemed crazy,'' he said, ''and it still seems bizarre.''

---

HOPING FOR HEALTH

Kevin Love had to miss the All-Star Game. Joel Embiid will miss the rest of the season.

Kevin Durant and Kyle Lowry just hope they don't have to miss the playoffs.

It's been a rough stretch for some NBA stars because of injuries, some of which threaten to jeopardize their team's postseason plans.

Love should be back with the NBA champions next month after knee surgery that kept the Cleveland forward from playing in New Orleans. Not long after the break ended, Lowry was recommended to have wrist surgery after the Raptors initially believed he was improving, and then Durant was knocked out for at least four weeks by a sprained left knee early in Golden State's visit to Washington last Tuesday.

Philadelphia decided to shut Embiid down for the season because a knee surgery that was worse than originally believed, joining young stars such as teammate Ben Simmons, Milwaukee's Jabari Parker and Minnesota's Zach LaVine among those sidelined for the season.

''What a rough month for injuries, myself included,'' Love wrote Wednesday on Twitter . ''League is so much better with everyone on the floor. Stay Healthy (at) NBA.''

---

COMING THIS WEEK

HEAT-CAVS, AGAIN: There were words exchanged after Miami routed Cleveland at home on Saturday, and they meet Monday in Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavaliers might not talk a better game, but they will surely play one, since LeBron James and Kyrie Irving will return after sitting out Saturday to rest.

SPURS' SLATE: Before the Spurs can worry about the high-powered Warriors, they have to deal with the high-powered Rockets on Monday in San Antonio, and later brace for Russell Westbrook on Thursday in Oklahoma City, a week that should test one of the league's best defenses.

MARCH MADNESS: With their arenas hosting college conference tournaments, Cleveland, Washington, New York and Brooklyn will spend all or much of the week on the road.

SURGING SUNS: After outlasting Boston in overtime on Sunday for its third straight victory, Phoenix hosts another Eastern Conference contender when Washington visits Tuesday.

---

STAT LINE OF THE WEEK

Ricky Rubio, Minnesota: 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists on Saturday in a 97-90 overtime loss to San Antonio. Rubio's fifth career triple-double was also the 79th in the NBA this season, a record.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA BETTING TRENDS

ATS

8:35 pm 3/6/2017
(517) HOUSTON @(518) SAN ANTONIO
Play ON SAN ANTONIO against the spread in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game.
The record is 17 Wins and 3 Losses this season (+13.7 units)
BET NOW!

*************************

NBA BETTING TRENDS

Half Time

7:35 pm 3/6/2017
(509) GOLDEN STATE @(510) ATLANTA
Play ON GOLDEN STATE in the first half in All games when playing against a team with a winning record.
The record is 19 Wins and 6 Losses this season (+12.4 units)
BET NOW!

*******************************

NBA BETTING TRENDS

Half Time Over

7:05 pm 3/6/2017
(501) NEW YORK @(502) ORLANDO
Play OVER NEW YORK on the first half total in All games as an underdog vs. the 1rst half line.
The record is 29 Overs and 13 Unders this season (+14.7 units)
BET NOW!

*****************************

NBA BETTING TRENDS

Half Time Under

10:35 pm 3/6/2017
(523) BOSTON @(524) LA CLIPPERS
Play UNDER BOSTON on the first half total in All games versus the 1rst half line in road games.
The record is 37 Overs and 80 Unders for the last three seasons (+39.3 units)
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9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(521) SACRAMENTO @(522) DENVER
Play UNDER SACRAMENTO on the first half total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season.
The record is 1 Overs and 13 Unders for the last three seasons (+11.9 units)
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9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(521) SACRAMENTO @(522) DENVER
Play UNDER SACRAMENTO on the first half total in All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season.
The record is 0 Overs and 10 Unders for the last two seasons (+10 units)
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9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(519) NEW ORLEANS @(520) UTAH
Play UNDER UTAH on the first half total in All games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season.
The record is 12 Overs and 37 Unders for the last three seasons (+23.8 units)
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9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(519) NEW ORLEANS @(520) UTAH
Play UNDER UTAH on the first half total in All games in March games.
The record is 6 Overs and 28 Unders for the last three seasons (+21.4 units)
BET NOW!

8:35 pm 3/6/2017
(517) HOUSTON @(518) SAN ANTONIO
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the first half total in All games in the second half of the season.
The record is 28 Overs and 65 Unders for the last three seasons (+34.2 units)
BET NOW!

8:35 pm 3/6/2017
(517) HOUSTON @(518) SAN ANTONIO
Play UNDER SAN ANTONIO on the first half total in All games in the second half of the season.
The record is 1 Overs and 12 Unders this season (+10.9 units)
BET NOW!

7:35 pm 3/6/2017
(509) GOLDEN STATE @(510) ATLANTA
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the first half total in All games versus the first half line in all games.
The record is 52 Overs and 101 Unders for the last two seasons (+43.8 units)
BET NOW!

7:35 pm 3/6/2017
(509) GOLDEN STATE @(510) ATLANTA
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the first half total in All games in the second half of the season.
The record is 14 Overs and 38 Unders for the last two seasons (+22.6 units)
BET NOW!

[StarDust Bum]

NBA BETTING TRENDS

Over


9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(521) SACRAMENTO @(522) DENVER
Play OVER DENVER on the total in Home games revenging a loss vs opponent.
The record is 29 Overs and 11 Unders for the last two seasons (+16.9 units)
BET NOW!

9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(521) SACRAMENTO @(522) DENVER
Play OVER DENVER on the total in Home games off a upset loss as a favorite.
The record is 12 Overs and 0 Unders for the last three seasons (+12 units)
BET NOW!

***************************

NBA BETTING TRENDS

Under


10:35 pm 3/6/2017
(523) BOSTON @(524) LA CLIPPERS
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the total in Home games in the second half of the season.
The record is 11 Overs and 30 Unders for the last three seasons (+17.9 units)
BET NOW!

10:35 pm 3/6/2017
(523) BOSTON @(524) LA CLIPPERS
Play UNDER LA CLIPPERS on the total in Home games in the second half of the season.
The record is 5 Overs and 19 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.5 units)
BET NOW!

9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(519) NEW ORLEANS @(520) UTAH
Play UNDER NEW ORLEANS on the total in All games in road games.
The record is 23 Overs and 48 Unders for the last two seasons (+22.7 units)
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7:05 pm 3/6/2017
(501) NEW YORK @(502) ORLANDO
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the total in All games in March games.
The record is 2 Overs and 16 Unders for the last two seasons (+13.8 units)
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7:05 pm 3/6/2017
(501) NEW YORK @(502) ORLANDO
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the total in All games in March games.
The record is 8 Overs and 25 Unders for the last three seasons (+16.2 units)
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*******************************

NBA BETTING TRENDS

Money Line

10:35 pm 3/6/2017
(523) BOSTON @(524) LA CLIPPERS
Play ON BOSTON using the money line in All games when playing on back-to-back days.
The record is 34 Wins and 17 Losses for the last three seasons (+31.85 units)
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10:35 pm 3/6/2017
(523) BOSTON @(524) LA CLIPPERS
Play ON BOSTON using the money line in Road games when playing on back-to-back days.
The record is 21 Wins and 13 Losses for the last three seasons (+25.15 units)
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9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(521) SACRAMENTO @(522) DENVER
Play ON DENVER using the money line in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record.
The record is 25 Wins and 24 Losses for the last three seasons (-34.75 units)
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9:05 pm 3/6/2017
(519) NEW ORLEANS @(520) UTAH
Play ON UTAH using the money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game.
The record is 14 Wins and 3 Losses this season (+11 units)
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8:35 pm 3/6/2017
(517) HOUSTON @(518) SAN ANTONIO
Play ON HOUSTON using the money line in All games revenging a home loss vs opponent.
The record is 9 Wins and 1 Losses this season (+9.85 units)
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8:05 pm 3/6/2017
(515) BROOKLYN @(516) MEMPHIS
Play ON MEMPHIS using the money line in All games after 3 or more consecutive overs.
The record is 18 Wins and 6 Losses for the last three seasons (+16.85 units)
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8:05 pm 3/6/2017
(513) INDIANA @(514) CHARLOTTE
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The record is 31 Wins and 10 Losses since 1996 (+22.9 units)
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8:05 pm 3/6/2017
(515) BROOKLYN @(516) MEMPHIS
Play ON MEMPHIS using the money line in All games after 3 or more consecutive overs.
The record is 15 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (+15.25 units)
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7:35 pm 3/6/2017
(507) CHICAGO @(508) DETROIT
Play ON CHICAGO using the money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record.
The record is 62 Wins and 49 Losses for the last three seasons (-59.25 units)
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7:05 pm 3/6/2017
(501) NEW YORK @(502) ORLANDO
Play AGAINST ORLANDO using the money line in Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season.
The record is 1 Wins and 5 Losses for the last two seasons (-14.45 units)
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[StarDust Bum]

Curry, Nowitzki lead Mavs past Thunder
March 5, 2017

DALLAS (AP) It seems so long ago when Dirk Nowitzki was sidelined with a sore Achilles and the Dallas Mavericks were at the bottom of the Western Conference.

Things sure have changed in just a few months.

Nowitzki is now closing in on another milestone and the Mavs are making a serious run at the playoffs.

Nowitzki had 18 points and 12 rebounds and Seth Curry scored 22 as Dallas beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-89 on Sunday night. Nowitzki tied his season high for rebounds and is 20 points away from becoming the sixth player to score 30,000. He'll likely set the mark at home, where Dallas plays its next three games.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks are 26-36 and just two games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, having won 12 of 19 overall and 10 of 12 at home.

''I want to play within the system,'' Nowitzki said. ''I don't want to just hoist shots to get (the milestone). I want to help the team win. We're still chasing a playoff spot, and I think wins right now are more important. Whenever it happens, it happens.''

Russell Westbrook scored 29 points after scoring more than 40 in each of his last four games. He had six rebounds and five assists, but the Mavericks frustrated him into both a technical foul and a flagrant-one foul. Both came in the midst of a 21-4 third-quarter run that allowed Dallas to blow the game open.

Westbrook picked up the technical with 8:15 to go in the third quarter when he bounced the ball angrily in referee Marat Kogut's direction after being called for an offensive foul. Then he got his flagrant with 4:27 to go in the quarter for shoving Harrison Barnes and sending him sprawling to the court.

Westbrook wouldn't discuss either play after the game, saying, ''It happened. It's over with.''

''He's a smart guy. He understands he'll have to do a good job there,'' Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. ''I think he understands what's in front of him and what we need to do. I know the team is important to him and the win is important to him.''

Barnes, who finished with 17 points, made the flagrant free throws and then another to give the Mavericks their biggest lead at 81-57.

''I probably won't be getting that invite to the NFL Combine,'' Barnes said of Westbrook's shove.

Steven Adams scored 19 for Oklahoma City, and Enes Kanter had 16.

TIP-INS

Thunder: Westbrook's combination of a technical and flagrant-one does not result in an ejection, and he stayed in the game and scored 15 of his team's 21 points in the third quarter. He had 14 in the first quarter and was held scoreless in the second and fourth quarters. ... Victor Oladipo missed his sixth straight game with back spasms.

Mavericks: Wesley Matthews was back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a hip injury, scoring nine points and taking the charge that led to Westbrook's technical foul. ... Nerlens Noel had his second straight game in double figures, scoring 13. ... Dallas beat the Thunder for the first time in the teams' past six regular-season meetings.

CURRY ON FIRE

Curry, who has scored more than 20 points in five of the team's last six games, scored eight of Dallas' last 10 in the second quarter to give the Mavs a 60-50 halftime lead. The Mavericks shot 14 for 20 in the second quarter.

''I just try to exceed expectations and play well,'' Curry said. ''And most importantly turn the season around and help the team win. As long as I'm helping the team win, then I'm doing my job.''

NOT MY MVP

It's a good thing for Westbrook that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn't have a vote in the MVP race.

Cuban said Sunday night that he would vote for either James Harden or LeBron James, and that Westbrook wasn't in the mix despite averaging a triple-double through 62 games.

''You look at what Harden is doing on a team that was 41-41 last year,'' Cuban said. ''Look what they're doing now. The Rockets have a top-three record after everybody wrote them off - because of James Harden. That's the difference.''

Cuban said last year that Westbrook wasn't a superstar because he hadn't led an otherwise average team to a 50-win season and a playoff series victory, and he's sticking to his classification.

''It's impressive; don't get me wrong,'' Cuban said. ''He's incredible in his own way. But the criteria is the criteria.'' Cuban later added: ''It'd be no fun if I changed my mind.''

UP NEXT

Thunder: Host Portland on Tuesday. The Trail Blazers have won two of the teams' previous three meetings this year, including a 114-109 win Thursday in Portland.

Mavericks: Host the Lakers on Tuesday, the start of a three-game stretch - all at home - against the three teams with the NBA's three worst record

[StarDust Bum]

MONDAY, MARCH 6

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

NY at ORL 07:00 PM

NY +4.0

U 206.5

MIA at CLE 07:00 PM

CLE -9.5

O 214.0

MIL at PHI 07:00 PM

PHI +5.5

O 213.5

CHI at DET 07:30 PM

DET -6.0

U 204.5

GS at ATL 07:30 PM

ATL +5.5

O 216.5

BK at MEM 08:00 PM

BK +10.5

O 213.0

POR at MIN 08:00 PM

MIN -4.5

U 214.5

IND at CHA 08:00 PM

IND +4.0

U 204.5

HOU at SA 08:30 PM

SA -3.5

U 222.0

SAC at DEN 09:00 PM

SAC +12.0

O 215.5

NO at UTA 09:00 PM

UTA -5.0

U 196.0

BOS at LAC 10:30 PM

BOS +7.5

O 217.0

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

— Cubs had 12 runs in first five innings Monday against the pitching-poor Angels.

— Saints turned down a trade of WR Brandin Cooks to the Patriots for the 32nd pick in this spring’s draft.

— Wright State hooper Grant Benzinger is the son of former big league 1B Todd Benzinger.

— Turns out the college degree a state senator from Iowa listed on his resume was a training course from the Sizzler Steak House where he used to work. Oy.

— Rams’ coach Sean McVay played WR at Miami, OH, after Miami alum Ben Roethlisberger had already been in the NFL for a couple of years.

— Search the Interweb for George W Bush’s interview on Jimmy Kimmel’s show last week. Good comedy. President Bush put together a book with his paintings in it that benefits our veterans, an excellent cause.

**********

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: College tournament tidbits………

Here are some tidbits for college tournaments starting this week. Hope they help.

13) American, Hartford— SMU won this event in 2015, their first conference tourney wins since 2006. Cincinnati went out in first round of this tourney last two years, losing in 4OT’s to UConn LY. UConn is 15-3 in its last five conference tournaments; hard to believe they’ll make much noise here, even with tourney in Hartford- they’ve run out of healthy players.

12) ACC, Brooklyn— North Carolina won this tournament LY for first time since 2008. #2 seed Florida State won this event in 2012, went W-L last four years. Last five years, Duke is 5-5 in ACC tourney; they last won it in 2011. Duke/UNC have met only once in last 12 ACC tournaments (Duke won ’11 final).

11) Atlantic 14, Pittsburgh— Only twice in last 13 years has top seed won this tournament. #1 seed Dayton is 5-5 in its five A-14 tourneys. Richmond is 2-5 here the last five years. St Joe’s won this two of last three years but has zero chance this year. VCU is 10-3 in this tourney last four years, but only won it once, two years ago.

10) Big East, NYC— Top seed won this tourney only four of last 13 years; all eastern teams have won this tournament in three years since the league re-organized with five midwestern members. Butler is 0-3 in Big East tourney, Villanova is 5-1 the last two years. This is St John’s home court; last time they won a game here was 2011.

9) Big 14, Washington— Michigan State was in finals last three years (2-1); they’re 12-2 in last five tourneys. Host Maryland last won a conference tourney in 2004. Michigan won its first tourney game the last 10 years. Last nine years, Iowa is 2-9 in this tourney. Over last decade, higher-seeded team won Big 14 title game eight of nine times (one year teams had same record).

8) Big X, Kansas City— Kansas won last 13 regular season titles; they won this tournament seven of last 11 years. Baylor is 7-5 in this event last five years but hasn’t won it. Iowa State won it in ’14/’15, lost in first round eight of other nine years. West Virginia won Big East tourney in 2010; since then, they’re 2-6 in conference tourneys, 2-4 in this tournament.

7) Big Sky, Reno— A top seed won this tourney last six years, but now event is more inclusive and is on a true neutral court in Reno. Weber State won Big Sky tourney two of last three years; but they come into this on a 1-4 skid. Montana won this event five times in nine years from ’05-’13, but hasn’t won it the last three years. North Dakota is top seed; this is only their 8th season of Division I basketball.

6) Big West, Anaheim— League was awful this season, dropping from 13th to 29th in national ranking; league POY Nelson played in only 13 games this season. Can Nelson’s hamstring hold up with three games in three days? Cal-Irvine is VERY young; they’re also best team. I’m looking at Cal State-Fullerton as a sleeper here; they’ve won eight of last 10 games, have a senior PG.

5) Conference USA, Birmingham— Three different teams won this tournament since kingpin Memphis bolted to AAC. Middle Tennessee is 30-6 in this league last two years; they’re by far best team this year. Louisiana Tech is 54-15 in four regular seasons in C-USA; they’re only 3-3 in this tournament. Host UAB comes in on a 2-6 skid; they’re 5-6 in this tourney last seven years, winning it two years ago.

4) Mountain West, Las Vegas— Nevada, Colorado State have best teams, but also have zero depth; can one of them win three games in three days? Fresno State won this LY, after going 2-9 in previous nine tourneys. New Mexico lost its first game last two years, after winning tourney three years in row, from ’12-’14. San Diego State hasn’t won this tourney since 2011. Lower-seeded team won last three conference finals.

3) Pac-12, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas— Arizona is 11-5 in this tourney last six years, but has only one Pac-12 tourney title (2015). Cal is 3-6 here the last six years. Colorado won its first tourney game the last six years. Oregon is 9-2 last four years, winning tourney in ’13/’16. UCLA won this tourney once in last eight years; since ’06, they’re 15-8 in this tournament. New site this year, the big new arena in Vegas.

2) SEC, Nashville— Kentucky is 8-1 in this tournament last three years, winning its last couple years- they’re 16-3 here last seven yearsVanderbilt is home team; they’re 0-3 in this event last three years. In six years as a head coach, Florida coach White is 73-29 in conference games; he is only 6-5 in conference tourney games.

1— Sun Belt, New Orleans— Last four years, four different schools won this tournament. Six of last seven years, tourney final was decided by 4 or less points. Texas-Arlington is best team, at 27-11 in Sun Belt last two years, but they lost here to ULM last year- lot of pressure on them. Sun Belt jumped to #15 league in country this year, its best rating in 12 years.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, March 7

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PORTLAND (26 - 35) at OKLAHOMA CITY (35 - 28) - 3/7/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 25-36 ATS (-14.6 Units) in all games this season.
PORTLAND is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 21-9 ATS (+11.1 Units) in home games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 172-124 ATS (+35.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 over the last 2 seasons.

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

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LA LAKERS (19 - 44) at DALLAS (26 - 36) - 3/7/2017, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 63-79 ATS (-23.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 81-67 ATS (+7.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
DALLAS is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) in home games this season.
DALLAS is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games in the second half of the season this season.
DALLAS is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
DALLAS is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 7-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 10-0 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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WASHINGTON (37 - 24) at PHOENIX (21 - 42) - 3/7/2017, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 11-26 ATS (-17.6 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.
PHOENIX is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in non-conference games this season.
PHOENIX is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 4-1 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 3-2 straight up against PHOENIX 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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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, March 7

Portland lost seven of last ten road games; they won last two overall, both at home. Last four Blazer games went over total. Oklahoma City is back from 0-3 road trip; they won/covered seven of last eight home games. Four of their last five games went over. Home side won last nine Blazer-Thunder games; Portland lost its last four visits to Oklahoma City (0-4 vs spread). Four of last six series games went over.

Lakers lost their last seven games (0-7 vs spread); they’re 1-3 vs spread in last four road tilts. Four of last five Laker games stayed under total. Mavericks won/covered six of their last seven home games- they won four of last five games overall. Under is 5-1-1 in their last seven games. Lakers lost their last ten games with Dallas (1-6 vs spread in last seven); under is 7-2 in last nine series games. LA lost its last four games in this building (1-3 vs spread).

Washington won three of its last four games; they’re 7-2 vs spread in last nine road games. Under is 5-2 in their last seven road games. Suns won/covered their last four home games; they won last three games overall, by 7-7-3 points. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Wizards won their last three games with Phoenix by 3-7-5 points; they won three of last four visits to desert. Under is 7-0-1 in last eight series games.




NBA

Tuesday, March 7

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Portland is 1-3-1 SU in its last 5 games ,on the road
Portland is 3-5-1 SU in its last 9 games ,
Oklahoma City is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games at home

8:30 PM
LA LAKERS vs. DALLAS
LA Lakers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Dallas
LA Lakers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

9:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. PHOENIX
Washington is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Phoenix
Phoenix is 16-6 SU in its last 22 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Tuesday, March 7


Washington @ Phoenix

Game 705-706
March 7, 2017 @ 9:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
121.546
Phoenix
111.532
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 10
230
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 4
225 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-4); Over

LA Lakers @ Dallas

Game 703-704
March 7, 2017 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
110.709
Dallas
114.293
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 3 1/2
199
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 10
205
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
(+10); Under

Portland @ Oklahoma City

Game 701-702
March 7, 2017 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
123.665
Oklahoma City
121.437
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 2
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 6 1/2
223 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(+6 1/2); Under