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**Udog** · 12-25-2016, 08:12 AM

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

Six most popular picks in Week 16 of the Westgate Super Contest:

6) Patriots (430) -16.5- W

5) Lions (433) +7

4) Ravens (456) +5.5

3) Raiders (501) -3.5- W

2) Buccaneers (593) +3- L

1) Steelers (603) -5.5

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Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up an NFL Christmas Eve

Redskins 41, Bears 21— Washington stayed alive in playoff race by picking off five passes and scoring five TDs on 10 drives, converting 8-13 on 3rd down. Very hard to lose an NFL game with a +5 turnover ratio. Redskins host the Giants next week; they’ll need to win and Green Bay to lose its game with Detroit.

Dolphins 34, Bills 31 OT— Miami gave up 589 yards on 90 plays and won; in two games vs Buffalo this season, Dolphins ran ball for 517 yards in sweeping pair of 3-point games. Kicker Franks (from RPI, an engineering/hockey school in Troy, NY) drilled a 55-yard FG with 0:06 to force OT, then ended game with 27-yard FG with 0:47 left in OT. Looks like Miami is going to make playoffs for first time since ’08, but they do host New England next week. Over is 12-2 in last fourteen Buffalo games.

Falcons 33, Panthers 16— Exhibit A why Kyle Shanahan should be the Rams’ next coach; in their last five games, on their first drive of the game, Atlanta has run 36 plays for 286 yards and FIVE TD’s. He’s made Matt Ryan a much better quarterback.

Atlanta jumps into the #2 seed in the NFC, with Seattle losing Sunday. That comes with a week off so it is a big deal.

NFL refs have called three roughing/passer penalties on Carolina opponents this year; they’ve called 13 on New Orleans’ opponents. I’m guessing Cam Newton’s dad knows that stat.

Packers 38, Vikings 25— Green Bay won its last five games, can win NFC North if it wins at Detroit next week; Pack is +12 in turnovers in its last three games. Minnesota is now 2-8 in its last ten games after a 5-0 start. Over is 7-2 in last nine Green Bay games. Three of Packers’ five TD drives were less than 60 yards. It was 37 degrees at kickoff in Green Bay, oddly warm for Christmas Eve.

Patriots 41, Jets 3— Sitting in the sportsbook all day watching games is great fun; group of guys near me bet the Jets (+24) in a teaser, because “……even if they’re way behind at the end they can still cover.” That sounded a lot better at 9:55am than it did at halftime, when New England led 27-0. Patriots won 21 of the 29 third down plays in the game.

Bryce Petty got KO’d before he completed a pass. Good news for Jets; apparently Todd Bowles only had kidney stones, so he made it to Foxboro for the game and will be fine.

Jaguars 38, Titans 17— Not only did Tennessee lose when they were tied for first in AFC South, they lost QB Mariota (broken leg). Jacksonville broke its 9-game losing streak, but they’ve trailed at halftime in only one of last six games- they have some potential. NFL-wide, home underdogs are 16-11 vs spread in divisional games this season. Over is 7-3 in Jaguars’ last ten games.

Browns 20, Chargers 17— Cleveland blocked a last-second FG to seal its first win of the year. This was fifth game this season Browns led at halftime. Last five times they had the ball, San Diego ran 23 plays for 23 yards and zero points. Hard to win that way.

As for San Diego, they’re probably moving to LA next season, they’re probably going to have a new coach and with Philip Rivers closer to 40 years old than 30, they might rebuild with a young QB too. Under is 6-1 in Browns’ last seven games, 4-0-1 in Chargers’ last five games.

Raiders 33, Colts 25— It can go rotten so quickly; Derek Carr broke his leg near the end of this game when the outcome was pretty much already decided- Raiders were up 33-14 when he got hurt. Oakland ran ball for 210 yards, threw for 249; they still lead AFC West but now Matt McGloin is the starter going forward. Indy is 0-5-1 vs spread in games following a win; AFC South non-divisional underdogs are 9-15 vs spread this season.

49ers 22, Rams 21— So the early games are almost all over and I’m waiting for the Ram game to start; this middle-aged Asian lady sits next to me in the sportsbook, whips out a thick wad of $100 bills and counts out $7,000 in cash. I know, I counted along with her.

Then she tells me how if the Falcons and Miami win their games, she will cash another $4,500 (she showed me those two tickets).

When Miami won, I asked her if she wanted to buy me dinner (she didn’t).

I asked her who her favorite NFL team was and she told me this: “I don’t have a favorite team; you have a favorite, you lose. I play to gamble.” And with that, she was gone. A fine woman.

Cardinals 34, Seahawks 31 OT— Seattle drops out of the #2 seed in NFC- both their games with Arizona this season went OT. Home team is now 1-6-1 in last eight series games, with Arizona winning three of last four visits here. Last six Redbird games went over total.

Seattle is a legitimately strange team; they’re 9-5-1 but they split with the Rams, went 0-1-1 vs Arizona, they lost to the Saints/Bucs- none of those teams are going to the playoffs.

Saints 31, Buccaneers 24— Tampa Bay was -2 in turnovers; so far this week, teams that were -2 or worse in turnovers are 0-7 vs spread. This is why handicapping can be so difficult; there is no way to accurately predict the bounce of an oblong ball.

Green Bay assumes lead for last Wild Card spot with this result. Tampa Bay’s program has progressed in Dirk Koetter’s first year as head coach, but it could’ve been a lot better. As for the Saints, they could look a lot different next year, with Sean Payton rumored to be a candidate in Los Angeles and Drew Brees advancing in age.

**Udog** · 12-25-2016, 08:17 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Sunday, December 25

LA Clippers @ LA Lakers

Game 509-510
December 25, 2016 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
116.138
LA Lakers
118.597
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Lakers
by 2 1/2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 7
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
(+7); Under

Minnesota @ Oklahoma City

Game 507-508
December 25, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
115.244
Oklahoma City
124.225
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Oklahoma City
by 9
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 5
209 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Oklahoma City
(-5); Over

Chicago @ San Antonio

Game 505-506
December 25, 2016 @ 5:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
118.585
San Antonio
123.170
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 4 1/2
195
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 9
198 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(+9); Under

Golden State @ Cleveland

Game 503-504
December 25, 2016 @ 2:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
135.053
Cleveland
125.591
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 9 1/2
204
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 2 1/2
222 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-2 1/2); Under

Boston @ New York

Game 501-502
December 25, 2016 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
119.578
New York
121.461
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
by 2
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 2 1/2
212 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+2 1/2); Over

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, December 25

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BOSTON (17 - 13) at NEW YORK (16 - 13) - 12/25/2016, 12:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 46-33 ATS (+9.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) in road games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 5-4 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 7-2 straight up against NEW YORK 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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GOLDEN STATE (27 - 4) at CLEVELAND (22 - 6) - 12/25/2016, 2:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 130-102 ATS (+17.8 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 120-93 ATS (+17.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 54-36 ATS (+14.4 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 71-52 ATS (+13.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 61-43 ATS (+13.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 9-8 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 10-7 straight up against CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
10 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHICAGO (14 - 15) at SAN ANTONIO (24 - 6) - 12/25/2016, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 256-309 ATS (-83.9 Units) first half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 971-845 ATS (+41.5 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 63-48 ATS (+10.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 143-110 ATS (+22.0 Units) as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 492-411 ATS (+39.9 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 40-23 ATS (+14.7 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 322-266 ATS (+29.4 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 200-154 ATS (+30.6 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 293-237 ATS (+32.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 392-312 ATS (+48.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 4-1 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 3-2 straight up against SAN ANTONIO 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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MINNESOTA (9 - 20) at OKLAHOMA CITY (18 - 12) - 12/25/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 84-106 ATS (-32.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 36-54 ATS (-23.4 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 197-242 ATS (-69.2 Units) after scoring 105 points or more since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 13-29 ATS (-18.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 38-51 ATS (-18.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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LA CLIPPERS (22 - 9) at LA LAKERS (11 - 22) - 12/25/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) as a road favorite of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 57-83 ATS (-34.3 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 52-73 ATS (-28.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 5-3 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-0 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, December 25

Knicks lost seven of last eight games with Boston; Celtics won three of last four visits to Manhattan. Under is 5-1 in last six series games. Boston won/covered four of its last five games; they’re 8-3 as road favorites, covering six of last seven road game. Over is 2-0-1 in their last three games. Knicks won/covered 10 of last 12 home games; they’re 2-2 as home underdogs. Over is 6-3 in their last nine games.

Cavaliers/Warriors split last two NBA Finals; Cleveland won four of last five series games, with under is 4-2-1 in last seven meetings. Golden State won three of last five games in Cleveland. Golden State won its last seven games, is 1-5 vs spread in last six games as a road favorite. Under is 5-1 in Warriors’ last six games. Cavaliers won nine of last ten games; they’ve won their last six home games. Three of their last four games went over total.

Home side won last five Chicago-San Antonio games; Bulls lost by 11-8 points in last two visits to Alamo. Under is 5-3 in last eight series games. Chicago lost five of its last six games, is 5-6 as a road underdog. Under is 5-0-1 in Chicago’s last six games. San Antonio won five of its last six games; they’re 4-7 vs spread as a home favorite. Four of Spurs’ last six games went over the total.

Thunder won nine of last ten games with Minnesota (2-3 vs spread in last five); Timberwolves lost five of last six games in this building (3-3 vs spread). Four of last five series games stayed under the total. Minnesota covered five of its last six games, winning last two road games SU; Wolves are 5-5 as road underdogs. Oklahoma City won three of its last four games; they’re 9-5 as a home favorite. Last three Thunder games went over the total.

Clippers won their last ten games with the Lakers but covered only one of last five; last seven series games stayed under the total. Clippers won six of last eight games; they’re 7-6-1 as a favorite in Staples Center (this is both teams’ home court). Over is 8-3 in last eleven Clipper games. Lakers lost 12 of their last 13 games (3-10 vs spread); they’re 4-4 as an underdog in Staples Center. Three of last four Laker games went over total.

NBA

Sunday, December 25

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Trend Report
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12:00 PM
BOSTON vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Boston's last 10 games when playing on the road against New York
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
New York is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 6 games

2:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Golden State's last 10 games
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Cleveland's last 16 games
Cleveland is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games

5:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chicago's last 10 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of San Antonio's last 10 games when playing at home against Chicago
San Antonio is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games when playing at home against Chicago

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Minnesota is 7-15-1 ATS in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing Minnesota

10:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. LA LAKERS
LA Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 1-12 SU in their last 13 games
LA Lakers are 3-10 ATS in their last 13 games

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**Udog** · 12-25-2016, 08:21 AM

The Gift of Christmas Day NBA betting trends

The NBA takes center stage over the NFL this Christmas Sunday with five games on tap on the hardwood as opposed to only two on gridiron. Here a basketball lover’s take on NBA action scheduled this season on December 25th.

Enjoy the games and the holiday and remember, with the Cavs and the Warriors set to take off in flight, a Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

CHRISTMAS PAST...

Here’s a breakdown of the 10 teams playing on Christmas Day this season and how they’ve performed in games played on Dec. 25 since 1990:

• Boston Celtics: 2-5 SU and 3-4 ATS and 3-4 O/U
1-4 UNDER last five games

• Chicago Bulls: 10-2 SU and 8-4 ATS and 3-8-1 O/U
Trending: 1-6-1 UNDER last eight games

• Cleveland Cavaliers: 3-3 SU and 3-3 ATS and 1-5 O/U
0-5 UNDER last five games

• Golden State Warriors: 3-2 SU and 1-4 ATS and 2-3 O/U
Trending: 0-4 ATS last four games

• Los Angeles Clippers: 4-4 SU and 4-4 ATS and 3-5 O/U
4-1 ATS last five games

• Los Angeles Lakers: 7-12 SU and 11-7-1 ATS and 5-12-2 O/U
0-7-1 UNDER last eight games

• Minnesota Timberwolves: 0-0 SU and 0-0 ATS and 0-0 O/U
First-ever Christmas day appearance this season

• New York Knicks: 3-7 SU and 2-8 ATS and 6-4 O/U
0-4 ATS last four games

• Oklahoma City Thunder: 4-4 SU and 4-4 ATS and 3-5 O/U
4-2 ATS last six games

• San Antonio Spurs: 3-5 SU and 3-4-1 ATS and 2-6 O/U
0-3 SUATS last three games

AND THE STOCKINGS WERE STUFFED...

Most recent noteworthy trends wrapped inside each Christmas Day game…

• Boston vs. New York: Celtics 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS last eight games in this series / 1-7 SU and 2-6 ATS following Oklahoma City... Knicks 3-0 SUATS last three games on Sundays / 1-9 UNDER last ten home games on Sundays... 5 of the last 6 games in this series have played UNDER the total.

• Golden State vs. Cleveland: Cavaliers 8-1 SU last nine games on Sundays / 5-2 SU but 2-5 ATS vs. non-conference foes this season... Warriors 16-8 SU last twenty-four games in this series / 0-4 ATS last four games on Sundays / 3-9 ATS before the Raptors.

• Chicago vs. San Antonio: Bulls 5-1 SU last six games on Sundays / 10-3 SU before the Pacers... Spurs host 4-1 ATS last five games in this series / 0-4 UNDER last four games on Sundays.

• Minnesota vs. Oklahoma City: Timberwolves 4-1 SU and 5-0 ATS following the Kings / 0-3 SUATS vs. division opponents this season / 4-25 SU last twenty-nine games in this series... Thunder 0-3 ATS Sundays vs. division foes / 4-8 ATS before the Heat.

• LA Clippers vs. LA Lakers: Clippers 14-1 SU in this series, including 10-0 the last ten / 0-3 SUATS last three games on Sundays / 1-5 ATS following the Mavericks ... Lakers 3-25 SU and 6-21-1 ATS vs. .400 or greater foes on Sundays / 2-13 SU before the Jazz.

DEFENDING CHAMPION DOLDRUMS...

Christmas Day has not been a gifting experience for NBA’s defending champions.

That’s confirmed by their lousy 6-9 SU and 4-101 ATS overall mark since 1999, including 2-6 SU and 1-6-1 ATS vs. quality foes with a win percentage of .700 or greater.

The Cavaliers will look to add to that number when they host the revenge-minded Warriors at the ‘Q’ this Sunday.

UNDER THE CHRISTMAS TREE...

Non-conference games certainly bring the best defensive effort out in teams on Christmas Day.

Of the 22 non-conference clashes played on Dec. 25 since 1991 involving Eastern and Western Conference foes, as these matchups have gone 4-17-1 UNDER.

Watch the intensity in the Bulls-Spurs and the Cavs-Warriors games on Xmas.

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING...

Christmas Day underdogs with a win percentage of .740 or more (see the Warriors – check the line) are 1-8 SU and ATS.

**Udog** · 12-25-2016, 08:24 AM

Last minute shopping list for NBA Christmas Day bettors

Like the NFL on Thanksgiving, the National Basketball Association has sunken its collective teeth into the Christmas Day ham by adding a welcomed layer of both intrigue and entertainment to the holiday festivities. If the fourth Thursday in November is synonymous with family, football and feasting, then the end of December should be recognized as a time for presents, poinsettias and pick-and-pop treys.

Five marquee showdowns comprise this year’s NBA Christmas Day slate, with an NBA Finals rematch between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers (2:30pm ET) headlining the card. The holiday season is often an expensive proposition, so please join me in thanking the Association for presenting us with an opportunity to replenish our respective bank accounts as we head into the New Year.

Boston Celtics at New York Knicks

When: 12:00pm ET
Opening line: Pick, 212.5

Boston Celtics: This is the third game in four nights for a Celtics team that had won and covered in four straight matchups entering Friday evening’s showdown against Oklahoma City. Boston currently ranks fourth in the NBA in turnover ratio and ninth in offensive efficiency. Additionally, the Celtics have covered the spread in five of their last eight encounters with the Knicks, which includes a 115-87 blowout win over New York back on November 11 as 5.5-point favorites.

New York Knicks: Defeated the Orlando Magic 106-95 on Thursday and will now enjoy two full nights of rest prior to Christmas Day. Despite ranking 14th in the NBA in offensive efficiency and 25th in defensive efficiency, New York has cashed in nine of its last 12 contests, with the over hitting in six of the last nine Knickerbocker outings. Be advised that the Knicks are 10-2 ATS over their last 12 home dates and 5-1 ATS over their last six Sunday performances. In addition, take note that the under is 7-3 in the last ten meetings between these two clubs that have taken place at Madison Square Garden.

Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers

When: 2:30pm ET
Opening line: Warriors -1.5, 223.5

Golden State Warriors: The new-look Dubs lead the league in wins, scoring, point differential, field goal percentage, assists and a bevy of other categories thanks to a loaded nucleus that added former MVP Kevin Durant during the offseason. All-Star Draymond Green will be back in the mix after missing Thursday night’s game at Brooklyn due to the birth of his first child. This is Golden State’s first big test since being humiliated at Oracle Arena 129-100 by the San Antonio Spurs in the season opener, so expect a playoff-type level of focus for this NBA Finals rematch. It’s also worth paying particular attention to the fact that despite the insane level of scoring, the under had cashed in nine consecutive Warriors games entering Friday night’s road date at Detroit.

Cleveland Cavaliers: This is LeBron’s first shot at the Kevin Durant-led Warriors, so we should anticipate some growing pains. And that’s before you take into account the fact that J.R. Smith’s 28.9 minutes per night are unavailable for the next 12-14 weeks after the 31-year-old shooting guard underwent thumb surgery earlier this week. The Cavs had covered the number in seven of their last nine outings entering Friday night’s matchup with Brooklyn, with the over cashing in three straight contests.

Chicago Bulls at San Antonio Spurs

When: 5:00pm ET
Opening line: Spurs -7.5, 201.5

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls had dropped four of their last five outings entering Friday night’s game at Charlotte and currently rank 23rd in the NBA in scoring and 16th in offensive efficiency. To make matters worse, Chicago had failed to cover the number in eight of the team’s ten outings prior to the Charlotte matchup. But its not all gloom and doom for this Jimmy Butler-led squad as the Bulls rank eighth in the Association in defensive efficiency and have covered the number four of their last five showdowns with the Spurs, which includes a 95-91 upset win as 3.5-point underdogs back on December 8.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs had won an astonishing 18 of 20 games, including a 102-100 victory on Tuesday over a Houston Rockets club that had won ten straight, prior to falling 106-101 in Los Angeles against the Clippers on Thursday night. That defeat was immediately followed by a road date at Portland on Friday prior to traveling all the way back to San Antonio for Sunday’s matchup with Chicago. The Spurs had covered five of their previous six point spreads entering the Portland game, with the over cashing in four of the last six. Take note that the Spurs rank sixth in offensive efficiency and fourth in defensive efficiency.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder

When: 8:00pm ET
Opening line: Thunder -4.5, 204

Minnesota Timberwolves: After a disappointing 6-18 start to the Tom Thibodeau era in Minnesota, the Wolves appear to have found their stride with three wins over the team’s last four outings entering Friday night’s matchup with Sacramento. And that lone defeat came by way of a thrilling 111-109 loss to the white-hot Houston Rockets last Saturday. Minnesota finally looks to have gotten organized on the defensive end of the court, as the under had cashed in four of the team’s last five outings prior to the Sacramento game.

Oklahoma City Thunder: One of the streakiest teams in the NBA, the Thunder turned a six-game winning streak into a seven-game stretch that featured four losses prior to Friday night’s clash with the Celtics in Boston. Oklahoma City currently ranks 17th in offensive efficiency, 22nd in turnover ratio and had seen the under cash in nine of its previous 12 contests prior to the Boston showdown.

Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers

When: 10:30pm ET
Opening line: +6, 219

Los Angeles Clippers: No Blake Griffin, no problem as the Clippers smashed the Nuggets 119-102 and upset the Spurs 106-101 in the team’s first two outings after the All-Star power forward underwent right knee surgery. Doc Rivers’ club currently ranks in the top-five in offensive efficiency, defensive efficiency and turnover ratio and had seen the under cash in six of the club’s previous seven contests prior to Friday’s home date with the Dallas Mavericks. Take note that this is the Clippers’ first showdown of the year with the new-look Lakers led by former Warriors assistant head coach Luke Walton.

Los Angeles Lakers: Call it “Addition by subtraction” in the “City of Angels” as the 17-win Kobe Bryant-led Lakers team from a year ago has already notched 11 victories in 32 outings in the franchise’s first season post-Bryant. Los Angeles is scoring an average of 7.5 more points per game this season thanks to new head coach Luke Walton’s style of offense that emphasizes passing and assists over isolation basketball. Be advised that after failing to cover the number in eight straight contests, the Lakers had cashed in three of four outings entering Friday night’s road date at Orlando.

**Udog** · 12-25-2016, 08:34 AM

Christmas Day NBA betting preview and odds

It doesn't matter if you've been naughty or nice this year, Santa is bringing you stocking stuffed full of epic NBA action this Christmas Day. We break down each holiday matchup in our Christmas Day betting cheat sheet, highlighted by a finals rematch between the Cavaliers and Warriors.

Boston Celtics at New York Knicks (+2, 212.5)

The New Orleans Pelicans have looked a lot like a playoff contender the last two games instead of the last-place club that struggled through the first eight weeks of the season. The Pelicans will try to prove the latest improvements are no fluke in front of a national audience when they visit the Miami Heat on Friday.

New Orleans seemed to find another low in a 104-88 loss at Phoenix on Dec. 18 that dropped the team to 7-19. The Pelicans, who shot 36.6 percent from the field in that loss, turned things around as Anthony Davis fought off an illness in a 130-125 win at Denver on Sunday and put it together on both ends in Wednesday’s 115-89 home triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers. Davis will get a challenge on the inside from the Heat frontcourt of Hassan Whiteside and Chris Bosh, who are combining to average 30.4 points and 18.8 rebounds. Whiteside grabbed 16 boards and blocked four shots on Tuesday but could not keep the team from squandering an 18-point lead in a 93-92 loss to Detroit.

TV: Noon ET, ESPN, FSN Sun (Miami)

LINE HISTORY: The Knicks opened as 1.5-point home pups and that line has been bet up to 2. The total opened at 211 and was quickly bumped up to 212.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Celtics - SG James Young (out indefinitely, illness)

Knicks - PF Kristaps Porzingis (probable, knee)

POWER RANKINGS: Celtics (-5.1) - Knicks (-.6) + home court (-3) = Celtics -1.5

TRENDS:

* Celtics are 6-1-1 ATS in their last 8 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Knicks are 10-2 ATS in their last 12 home games.
* Under is 9-1 in Celtics last 10 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 6-1 in Knicks last 7 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

Chicago Bulls at San Antonio Spurs (-9, 198.5)

The last thing the struggling Chicago Bulls need is a trip to San Antonio in a nationally televised game, but that's just what they're going to get Sunday when they visit the Spurs on Christmas. The Bulls are making a series of small mistakes while dropping five of their last six contests, and San Antonio is the type of disciplined group that takes advantage of those miscues.

"It's just not enough consistency," Chicago guard Dwyane Wade told reporters after a 103-91 setback in Charlotte on Friday. "We have to get to the point where we decide, as a team, to be more consistent in what we do - in our coverages, in the way we run the offense. We're not going to make shots all the time. But we have to shoot our shots. We have to get back in transition and make them see as many defenders as possible." The Bulls failed to reach 100 points in seven of their last nine games and fell below .500 with Friday's setback. The Spurs are cruising right along and bounced back from a rare loss by pounding the Portland Trail Blazers 110-90 to close out a three-game road trip on Friday. San Antonio rested Pau Gasol, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in Portland and should have its full lineup ready for Sunday.

TV: 5 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened as 8.5-point home favorites over the struggling Bulls and that line was bet up to 9. The total opened at 199.5 and has dropped half-point to 199. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Bulls - PG Michael Carter-Williams (early January, knee)

Spurs - No injuries to report

POWER RANKINGS: Bulls (-4.8) - Spurs (-10.1) + home court (-3) = Spurs -8.3

ABOUT THE BULLS (14-15 SU, 14-15 ATS, 9-19-1 OU): Chicago shot 39.6 percent from the field on Friday but Wade was reluctant to blame anything specific about the offense. "I'm not mad at the shots we're getting," Wade told reporters. "We're just not making enough of them. Some of them, yeah, are tough. Some of them are forced. Every team takes those. But I'm not mad, for the majority of it, the shots that we're getting, honestly we're just not making enough of them at this point in the season." Wade is 12-of-36 from the field in the last two games while backcourt mate Rajon Rondo is 4-of-20 in that span.

ABOUT THE SPURS (24-6 SU, 16-13-1 ATS, 16-14 OU): The player San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich is most reluctant to rest is star small forward Kawhi Leonard, who logged an average of 34 minutes on the three-game trip and capped it off with 33 points on 9-of-15 shooting in Friday's triumph. The 25-year-old was more aggressive than normal on the excursion and attempted at least 10 free throws in each contest (going 31-of-34) after failing to log double-digit free-throw attempts in any of the first eight games this month. Leonard was joined in his efficiency on Friday by guard Patty Mills, who went 7-of-9 from the floor and buried five 3-pointers in the win.

TRENDS:

* Bulls are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Spurs are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Bulls last 6 overall.
* Under is 6-0 in Spurs last 6 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
* Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in San Antonio.

Minnesota Timberwolves at Oklahoma City Thunder (-5, 209.5)

Russell Westbrook gets another big stage on which to display his prodigious talents Sunday when the Oklahoma City Thunder host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas. Westbrook posted his 51st career triple-double and scored 20 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter on Friday in a win at the Boston Celtics.

Westbrook is in the MVP discussion and might top the list of most exciting players in the NBA after posting his third straight 40-plus performance on Friday and scoring at least 40 in a triple-double for the third time this season. "It’s important for me to know how to close games," Westbrook told reporters after Friday's triumph. "I watch film and figure out the best way to close games for my team. Tonight was a night where some shots fell and we got the shots we wanted." The Timberwolves have several players on the roster capable of exciting moments but no one that has yet developed the consistency of Westbrook. Zach LaVine scored a career-best 40 points for Minnesota on Friday but the Timberwolves crumbled in the fourth quarter of a 109-105 home loss to Sacramento and missed out on a chance to post their first three-game winning streak of the season.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Oklahoma

LINE HISTORY: The Thunder opened as 4.5-point home favorites and has since been risen to 5. The total opened at 210 and has been bet down to 209.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Timberwolves - No injuries to report

Thunder - PG Cameron Payne (questionable, foot)

POWER RANKINGS: Timberwolves (-.6) - Thunder (-2.9) + home court (-3) = Thunder -5.3

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (9-20 SU, 12-17 ATS, 15-14 OU): Minnesota brought in coach Tom Thibodeau to mold its young roster, and he is trying hard to get them to understand that consistent effort on defense is the key to winning games. Thibodeau was upset after watching his team allow the Kings to shoot 52.5 percent from the floor and bury 15 3-pointers. "We didn’t take anything away," Thibodeau told reporters. "We were trying to outscore them, and we gave them everything. We gave them the paint, we gave them the three. We lacked discipline. There were stretches when we played well defensively. But you can’t pick and choose, you can’t rest, you can’t take plays off. Until we understand that, it’s going to be up and down."

ABOUT THE THUNDER (18-12 SU, 15-14-1 ATS, 13-17 OU): Finding a second and third scorer to compliment Westbrook is a nightly challenge for Oklahoma City, though a pair of rookies are beginning to emerge. Shooting guard Alex Abrines came off the bench and buried five 3-pointers en route to a season-high 18 points in a 121-110 win at New Orleans on Wednesday while starting forward Domantas Sabonis scored a season-high 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting in Friday's triumph. "My teammates were finding me open looks and I was just taking advantage of them," Sabonis told the team's website. "It was just fun out there. The most important thing was that we got the win."

TRENDS:

* Timberwolves are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
* Under is 4-1 in Timberwolves last 5 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
* Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers (6, 213.5)

The battle of Los Angeles in the NBA has been pretty one-sided over the past few seasons, with the Clippers working among the elite teams in the NBA and the Lakers lounging in the lottery. The Lakers will try to turn the tables and snap an 11-game skid in the series when they host the Clippers on Sunday.

The Lakers started out solid behind young stars Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell, but dropped 12 of their last 13 to drift back into the bottom third of the Western Conference and limp home after a 1-6 road trip. "We should’ve won some of those," Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters after finishing out the trip with a 109-90 loss at Orlando on Friday. "We’re obviously disappointed. But we’re not going to quit." The Clippers are not exactly at the top of their game at the moment with All-Star forward Blake Griffin on the shelf and suffered a 90-88 home loss to the struggling Dallas Mavericks on Friday. Fellow All-Star Chris Paul (hamstring) sat out Friday as well but could return by Sunday.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Prime Ticket (Clippers), Spectrum Sportsnet (Lakers)

LINE HISTORY: The Lakers opened the latest edition of the battle of LA as 6-point home dogs and that's where the number currently sits. The total opened at 213.5 and hasn't moved off that number. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Clippers - PG Chris Paul (questionable, hamstring), PF Blake Griffin (late January, knee)

Lakers - PF Julius Randle (probable, personal), C Tarik Black (doubtful, ankle), PF Larry Nance Jr. (out indefinitely, knee)

POWER RANKINGS: Clippers (-11.8) - Lakers (-3.6) + home court (-3) = Clippers -5.2

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (22-9 SU, 15-16 ATS, 20-11 OU): Los Angeles' modified lineup included Paul Pierce and Raymond Felton in the starting five on Friday, and the loss of the two players who handle the ball most was evident in the 20 turnovers the team committed. The Clippers' most productive play came off the bench as Jamal Crawford continued a slow climb out of a shooting slump. The former Sixth Man of the Year scored in single digits in four straight games before going 5-of-9 from the floor en route to 11 points on Thursday and scoring a game-high 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting Friday.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (11-22 SU, 14-18-1 ATS, 19-13-1 OU): Los Angeles squandered 19-point leads in consecutive losses at Charlotte and Miami but could not find a way to build a lead in Orlando and never recovered from a deep hole. Randle missed the final two games on the trip due to the birth of his child but Russell scored 15 points and saw some progress despite the team shooting 35.6 percent from the floor against a sub-.500 team. "We’re slowly figuring it out," Russell told the Los Angeles Daily News. "We’re definitely not quitting. We’re just trying to figure it out."

TRENDS:

* Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
* Lakers are 1-10 ATS in their last 11 vs. Western Conference.
* Over is 10-2 in Clippers last 12 vs. Western Conference.
* Over is 9-2 in Lakers last 11 home games.
* Under is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings.

**Udog** · 12-25-2016, 08:38 AM

NBA

Sunday, December 25

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Christmas NBA Game of the Day: Warriors at Cavaliers
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The Warriors are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings with the Cavaliers. They're currently 1.5-point road faves on Christmas Day.

Golden State Warriors at Cleveland Cavaliers (+4, 223.5)

The Golden State Warriors were up 3-1 in the NBA Finals last spring before Draymond Green got suspended, Andrew Bogut got hurt and LeBron James unleashed the full arsenal of his talents to help the Cleveland Cavaliers storm to the title. Both teams look prepared to make it three straight meetings in the Finals and will see each other for the first time in the 2016-17 regular season Sunday when the Cavaliers host the Warriors on Christmas.

Cleveland largely kept its championship team intact and is enjoying a four-game winning streak while leading the Eastern Conference despite losing shooting guard J.R. Smith to a fractured right thumb. "Are we ready to set ourselves up for a seven-game series between us and the Warriors? Hell no," James told reporters. "Our starting 2-guard is out four months. And we have no sense of entitlement thinking we can even get to a seven-game series. We're not ready for that. We'll be as well-prepared as you can be for a regular season game." The Warriors are a different team but just as deadly with the subtraction of Harrison Barnes and Bogut but the addition of former MVP Kevin Durant. “They’re the best team in the East, and we’re the best team in the West," Golden State shooting guard Klay Thompson told ESPN.com "We’re both fighting for that home court through the playoffs, so it obviously means something. It’s always good to play the best teams in the league and see where you’re at."

TV: 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC

LINE HISTORY: The Cavaliers opened this Christmas Day showdown as slight 1.5-point home underdogs and that's where the number currently sits. The total also hasn't moved off the opening number of 223.5. Check out the complete line history here.

INJURY REPORT:

Golden State - No injuries to report

Cleveland - SG J.R. Smith (late March, thumb), PF Chris Anderson (out for season, knee)

POWER RANKINGS: Warriors (-16) - Cavaliers (-10.1) + home court (-3) = Warriors -2.9

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (27-4 SU, 14-16-1 ATS, 14-17 OU): Golden State beat the Cavaliers in six games in the 2015 NBA Finals and will face Cleveland in a Christmas Day game for the second straight season after winning last year's game at home. The Warriors come in riding a seven-game winning streak and are thriving behind Durant, who recorded 32 points in 32 minutes at Detroit on Friday and is shooting 61.8 percent from the floor in the last four contests as the team ramps up for its latest showdown with Cleveland. "It’s going to be a fun game," Golden State's other MVP, Stephen Curry told reporters. "We’ll enjoy the atmosphere, hopefully get a win and keep it moving."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (22-6 SU, 14-13-1 ATS, 15-13 OU): Cleveland got star power forward Kevin Love back from a knee injury on Friday and used him and the rest of the starters just long enough to shake the rust off before sitting out the entire fourth quarter in a 119-99 drubbing of the Brooklyn Nets. Kyrie Irving, whose 3-pointer in the final seconds of Game 7 proved to be the deciding basket in the series last spring, is looking forward to the rematch. "For us, we're just going to go out and play our game and have fun," Irving told reporters. "It's just a game at the end of the day. We're playing in the regular season and I know there definitely will be high emotions in both locker rooms. That's a given. If you're not getting up for this game - all the great players that will be on the floor at one time - you shouldn't be in there."

TRENDS:

* Warriors are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games.
* Cavaliers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS win.
* Under is 9-1 in Warriors last 10 overall.
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Cleveland.
* Warriors are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings.

CONSENSUS: The road Warriors are picking up 62 percent of the early spread wagering on Covers in this rematch of the 2016 NBA finals. The Over is grabbing 52 percent of the totals action.

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Sunday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 12/25

Sunday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 12/25

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