The Bum's 2017 NBA Best Bets-Trends-News Thru Playoffs !

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, October 31

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SACRAMENTO (1 - 5) at INDIANA (3 - 3) - 10/31/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 158-198 ATS (-59.8 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1996.

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

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PHOENIX (2 - 4) at BROOKLYN (3 - 4) - 10/31/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 30-47 ATS (-21.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 33-16 ATS (+15.4 Units) against Pacific division opponents since 1996.

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

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OKLAHOMA CITY (3 - 3) at MILWAUKEE (4 - 2) - 10/31/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 389-453 ATS (-109.3 Units) in home games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 252-310 ATS (-89.0 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 57-91 ATS (-43.1 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 426-513 ATS (-138.3 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=98 points/game since 1996.

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

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DETROIT (5 - 2) at LA LAKERS (2 - 4) - 10/31/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 15-33 ATS (-21.3 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Tuesday
October 31, 2017

Week 3 of the NBA season tipped off last night with nine games and the visitors dominated the slate with a 6-3 record. Four of the six winners were underdogs, which included notable victories by the Magic (+8, ML +260) and 76ers (+7, ML +240) over the Pelicans and Rockets respectively. Underdogs were 5-4 straight up and 5-3-1 against the spread.

Including the above wins, the Eastern Conference went 6-1 against the Western Conference on Monday and the lone team to come out on top was Minnesota, who needed overtime to defeat Miami 125-122 as a three-point road favorite.

After watching the ‘under’ go 35-17 (67%) from last Monday through Sunday, we finally saw the ‘over’ rebound last night with a 7-2 mark. There were actually three totals that closed in the nineties and all of those results went to the high side.

The Association sticks with the non-conference theme on Tuesday as all four games will feature East vs. West matchups and below is my quick handicap.

Check out more NBA Odds & Props at Heritage Sports!

Sacramento (1-5 SU, 2-4 ATS) at Indiana (3-3 SU, 4-2 ATS)

The Kings (+5 ½) will be looking to snap a four-game losing skid in this spot and based on their upcoming schedule, this could be the game they take. However, if you’re backing Sacramento then you better hope they play some defense because they don’t have the offensive talent to win games. They’re ranked 28th in the league with 96 points per game and they’re also 28th in effective field goal percentage (47.3%).

Even without center Myles Turner (concussion) out of the lineup, Indiana is the more talented team of the pair but I’d be hesitant to lay the points here. The Pacers just upset the Spurs 97-94 on Saturday as 6 ½-point home underdogs and we haven’t seen them win back-to-back games yet this season.

The Pacers swept both games against the Kings last season but the outcomes were decided by four and six points. Sacramento covered at Indiana last year and is 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in its last three trips to the Hoosier State. The ‘under’ is on a 4-1 run in this series.

Phoenix (2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS) at Brooklyn (3-4 SU, 4-3 ATS)

Since the Suns fired head coach Earl Watson and disciplined starting point guard Eric Bledsoe, they've gone 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS. The lone loss came Saturday at Portland (114-107) and the Suns were in the game late but the youngsters couldn’t execute on the road. This matchup against the Nets will be the second game of their five-game road trip and first of three on the East Coast. Bledsoe remains ‘out’ and the latest rumors have him getting traded to a handful of teams in the East.

Brooklyn, like many teams in the NBA, lives and dies by the 3-pointer. Lately, the Nets have been dead ducks as they enter this game with two straight losses after starting the season 3-2. Brooklyn doesn’t boast any All-Stars but it has a lot of guys who chuck from distance and none of them play defense. The unit is ranked last in scoring (118.3 PPG). The Suns are just below them defensively (117.2 PPG) and while they have more size than the Nets, they send their opponents to the line 24.2 times per game (ranked 29th).

This has been a very one-sided series with the Nets winning four straight and eight of the last 10 meetings against the Suns. During this span, Brooklyn has covered four in a row and it dropped 126 and 128 points on Phoenix last season.

The Nets opened as four-point favorites and they have gone 2-0 both SU and ATS in this role. The total in those games ranged from 218 ½ to 227 and Tuesday’s number opened at 230. It’s hard to argue an ‘under’ look based on the pace and defensive liabilities for both teams. If the shots fall, the loser will likely put up 115 in this game.

Oklahoma City (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS) at Milwaukee (4-2 SU, 3-2-1 ATS)

Of the four matchups, this is the best one on paper and NBATV will provide national coverage of this game at 8:05 p.m. ET. It’s a good test for both teams and it’s not an easy handicap.

The Thunder sit at .500 through six games and the three wins came against inferior clubs while the losses occurred to the Jazz on the road plus a pair of nail-biters against the Timberwolves. Meanwhile, Milwaukee hasn’t proven to me that it’s a contender just yet. They had a nice road win at Boston to start the season and they stole a game at the Bradley Center against Portland, but home setbacks to the Cavaliers and Celtics keeps you wondering how good they really are.

OKC has been installed as a favorite in all six of its games and its laying a short price (-1 ½) for this matchup. The Thunder are 1-2 on the road and the only victory came on Saturday in wire-to-wire (101-69) fashion at Chicago. Milwaukee hasn’t been a home ‘dog yet this season but the oddsmakers had a good feel on them last season as the team was just 4-6 SU and 5-5 ATS when catching points.

The home team won and covered both contests between the pair last season and the ‘under’ connected in both of the games and the low side is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.

The total for Tuesday opened 210 and was pushed up quickly to 212 and you could question that move based on what we’ve seen from OKC. The Thunder are ranked third in shooting defense (41.9%) and fourth in scoring defense (96.5 PPG), which has helped the ‘under’ go 4-2.

Detroit (5-2 SU, 6-1 ATS) at L.A. Lakers (2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS)

The expression ‘Hunter to Hunted’ is often used in sports betting circles and it applies to the late-night matchup between the Pistons and Lakers. Detroit has had a solid start to the season and it enters this game off a pair of big upsets against the Clippers and Warriors over the weekend as an underdog. In those wins, Detroit outscored Los Angeles 50-32 in the second-half and followed that effort with a 63-50 effort in the final 24 minutes against the Warriors.

Tonight, the Pistons are expected to win as they look to wrap up their three-game road trip in California as favorites (-4) against the Lakers. Los Angeles has dropped two straight and the offense was held to 92 and 81 points, which has been a major weakness this season. Bottom line is that the Lakers just can’t shoot from the outside, ranked last in 3-point percentage (27.8%) and head coach Luke Walton is already trying to sugarcoat the issue.

"We're better when we're out in transition and we're not bogged down against a half-court defense," Walton said. "Because we're playing so many young guys ... we've got to get out, let them make plays, where they can use some of their skills, some of their youth to their advantage."

The Lakers have started the season 4-2 to the ‘under’ and the oddsmakers continue to drop their totals down, which is the right move. The first five games ranged from 219 to 229, while Tuesday’s number is hovering around 210.

Stan Van Gundy’s squad went 2-0 both SU and ATS versus the Lakers last season and that includes a 102-97 win at the Staples Center.

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

SAC at IND 07:00 PM
IND -5.5
U 208.0 *****

PHO at BK 07:30 PM
BK -5.0 *****
U 231.0 *****

OKC at MIL 08:00 PM
MIL +1.5 *****
U 209.0

DET at LAL 10:30 PM
DET -4.0 *****
O 208.5 *****

[StarDust Bum]

NBA roundup: Suns win again under interim coach
October 31, 2017

NEW YORK -- The Phoenix Suns beat the Brooklyn Nets 122-114 on Tuesday to improve to 3-1 since interim coach Jay Triano replaced Earl Watson last week.

ns blew an 18-point lead in the third quarter but made enough timely plays down the stretch to win.

Devin Booker scored 32 points for Phoenix, his second 30-point game of the season and the 22nd of his career. Rookie Mike James added 24 for the Suns. He capped his sixth straight double-digit scoring game with jumper that pushed the lead to 118-110 with 1:37 to go.

TJ Warren scored all 20 of his points after halftime and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Suns, who controlled the glass by a commanding 66-44 margin.

D'Angelo Russell scored a season-high 33 points as the Nets (3-5) dropped their third straight.

Thunder 110, Bucks 91

MILWAUKEE -- Paul George scored 20 points, Carmelo Anthony had 17 and Russell Westbrook added 12 as Oklahoma City cruised past Milwaukee on the Bucks' home court.

Westbrook finished an assist short of his fourth triple-double of the season, dishing out nine assists while grabbing 10 rebounds.

Jeremi Grant also finished with 17 for the Thunder, who won consecutive games for the first time this season, while Milwaukee (4-3) lost for the second time in three games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with a team-high 28 points to lead the Bucks but failed to reach the 30-point mark for just the second time this season.

Pacers 101, Kings 83

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana put five players in double figures, led by Bojan Bogdanovic with 17 points, in a romp over Sacramento.

Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis delivered his third double-double of the season with 12 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Thaddeus Young added 15 points for Indiana (4-3). Victor Oladipo, who led the Pacers in scoring each of the first six games, finished with 14 points.

Rookie De'Aaron Fox was the high scorer for the Kings (1-6) with 18 points on 9-of-18 shooting. Sacramento has dropped five consecutive games.

Indiana scored the first nine points of the game and never looked back.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA notebook: 76ers decline option on Okafor's contract
October 31, 2017

The Philadelphia 76ers exercised four contract options on Tuesday but more noteworthy is that they passed on picking up center Jahlil Okafor's fourth-year option.

The third overall pick of the 2015 NBA draft has fallen out of favor and has seen action in just one game this season.

The club's failure to pick up the option worth $6.3 million will make Okafor an unrestricted free agent after the season. Philadelphia has been trying to trade Okafor.

The 76ers announced that they picked up the third-year options of forward Ben Simmons and Dario Saric as well as guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. Philadelphia also picked up the fourth-year option of forward Justin Anderson.

Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds as a rookie before falling to 11.8 and 4.8, respectively, last season.

---The Memphis Grizzlies exercised the fourth-year contract of forward Jarell Martin, the team announced.

The move comes after the Grizzlies reportedly told Martin prior to training camp that they planned to cut him to clear a regular-season roster spot. Memphis elected to waive 2016 first-round pick Wade Baldwin and Rade Zagorac instead.

--Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert is expected to miss at least another week with a sore right knee.

Shumpert underwent an MRI exam on Monday, with the team saying tests didn't reveal any structural damage. He will be out five to seven days while undergoing treatment and rehab.

The 27-year-old Shumpert is averaging 6.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 18.2 minutes for the Cavaliers (3-4), who have dropped three in a row.

--Golden State Warriors legend Al Attles has been released from the hospital, the team revealed Tuesday.

Attles was released on Monday night and is resting comfortably at his home, according to the team. The Warriors didn't divulge the reason for the hospitalization.

Attles, who turns 81 on Nov. 7, missed Friday's night game against the Washington Wizards when the team was paying tribute to his 58 years of service with the franchise.

[StarDust Bum]

October NBA Best Bets And Opinions ( Based on 5 Units )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/31/2017 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
10/30/2017 12-6-0 66.67% +27.00
10/29/2017 8-5-1 61.54% +12.50
10/28/2017 8-6-0 57.14% +7.00
10/27/2017 ......8-6-0 .57.14%. +7.00
10/26/2017 1-7-0 12.50% -33.50
10/25/2017 11-7-0 61.11% +16.50
10/24/2017 7-5-0 58.33% +7.50
10/23/2017 8-6-1 57.14% +7.00
10/22/2017 4-2-0 66.67% +9.00
10/21/2017 8-9-1 47.06% -9.50
10/20/2017 7-10-0 41.18% -20.00
10/19/2017 4-2-0 66.67% +9.00
10/18/2017 8-10-0 44.44% -15.00
10/17/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50

Totals:............100-87-3.......53.47%.....+26.50


Best Bets:

Date.................................ATS.......... .....Units.............Over/Under............Units

10/31/2017....................0 - 3.............-16.50..............1 - 2..................-6.00
10/30/2017....................2 - 2.............-1.00................2 - 1.................+4.50
10/29/2017....................2 - 2.............-1.00................4 - 0.................+20.00
10/28/2017....................1 - 1.............-0.50................2 - 3..................-6.50
10/27/2017....................1 - 2.............-6.00............... 3 - 1..................+9.50
10/26/2017....................0 - 2.............-11.00..............1 - 2..................-6.00
10/25/2017....................2 - 1.............+4.50...............4 - 3.................+3.50
10/24/2017....................1 - 3.............-11.50..............1 - 1..................-0.50
10/23/2017....................1 - 1.............-0.50................3 - 3..................-1.50
10/22/2017....................1 - 1.............-0.50................1 - 1..................-0.50
10/21/2017....................5 - 2............+15.00..............1 - 4..................-17.00
10/20/2017....................2 - 4.............-12.00..............1 - 1..................-1.00
10/19/2017....................2 - 1..............+4.50..............2 - 1..................+4.50
10/18/2017....................2 - 2..............-1.00...............1 - 4..................-17.00
10/17/2017....................1 - 0..............+5.00..............1 - 0..................+5.00

Totals............................23 - 27..........-32.50...............28 - 27.................-9.00

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s six-pack

NFL trends with Week 9 approaching…….
— Carolina covered twice in its last ten home games.
— Buffalo is 5-1-1 vs spread in its last seven games.
— Colts are 3-7-1 in last 11 games as a divisional road underdog.
— Bengals covered once in last six tries as a road underdog.
— Arizona is 4-14 vs spread in its last 18 games.
— Denver is 9-17 as a non-divisional road underdog.

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Wednesday’s List of 13: Mid-week musings…….

13) First of all, our thoughts/prayers to the people who lost friends/family in New York City Tuesday afternoon, in another act of senseless violence.

Not sure what to say really, other than appreciate every day and hug the people you love and tell them you love them.

12) I’m not usually fond of beating a dead horse, but five minutes before the trade deadline Tuesday, Bengals/Browns agreed on a trade, with Cleveland sending 2nd/3rd round draft picks to Cincinnati for Cincy’s backup QB, AJ McCarron. Cleveland desperately needs a better QB

Cincinnati sent approval of the trade into the NFL office, but for whatever reason, the Browns sent their approval in late, and alas, the NFL wouldn’t approve the trade. There were murmurs on Twitter that the geniuses in Cleveland’s front office were celebrating the trade and simply neglected to do their job and send their approval into the NFL before 4pm, as the league’s rules require them to. Oy.

11) Like I said the other day, they should just fire all of them, the whole Browns’ front office. Their coaching staff and players deserve some help, don’t you think?

10) Miami Dolphins are 4-3 and are a playoff contender- they’re tied with Jacksonville for the second AFC Wild Card right now, but they traded their best RB Jay Ajayi to the Eagles Tuesday for a 4th-round draft pick.

9) Carolina Panthers sent WR Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills for 3rd and 7th-round picks.

8) Georgia-Alabama-Notre Dame-Clemson are the top four college football teams right now, as the countdown to the end of the regular season begins. Oklahoma/Ohio State are #5 and #6.

7) Denver Broncos turned the ball over 11 times in their last three games; you cannot win that way. Turnovers are a variable that makes picking NFL games so tough; Buffalo isn’t that good a team, but they’re +14 in turnovers, so they’re 5-2. Denver is -9 in its last three games, so they lost all three games.

Sometimes a QB is called “a game manager” and it sounds like an insult, but what it really means is that he doesn’t screw the game up by turning the ball over, and that is important.

6) The average lifespan of a $10 bill? 4.5 years, according to the TV show Pawn Stars.

5) It is interesting to watch TV and listen to political historians talk about current events and what will happen going forward, as far as investigations, witnesses flipping and then maybe charges being brought upon other people targeted by the prosecution.

If you watch Billions on Showtime, lot of the stuff that happened this week sounds familiar.

Hollywood scriptwriters must be smiling, as their future scripts get written for them.

4) If you’re ever having trouble sleeping late at night, NBA TV usually replays one of the better games of the night at 3am, a good way to kill some time while you’re heating up some milk or counting sheep until you can go back to sleep.

3) Phoenix Suns lost their first three games in embarrassing fashion, so they fired their coach and told Eric Bledsoe to go away until they could trade him- Bledsoe is/was one of their best players. A week later, and Bledsoe still hasn’t been traded- Suns are 2-1 since they changed coaches, but Bledsoe is still sitting there, collecting his $14,500,000 salary while working out, waiting to find out who his next employer will be.

2)

1) Antonio Cromartie played cornerback for 11 years in the NFL, for four teams, mostly the Jets and Chargers. He has six children with his wife; he has also fathered eight other children, by seven different women. He has fathered three children since having a vasectomy and re-defines the term “productive player”.

So of course, in this day and age, Cromartie and family will soon star in a reality TV show that begins on the USA Network November 9. Back when I was a kid, the Brady Bunch was a big TV show, husband/wife remarrying— she had three daughters, he had three sons. This is the 2017 version of that. Wonder who will reprise Ann B Davis’ role as the maid.

Cromartie pays $330,000 a year in child support, so maybe he needs the money. I guess it’ll be interesting to see how many of the seven other women get included in the show.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday,November 1

Phoenix @ Washington

Game 701-702
November 1, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
112.101
Washington
127.094
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 15
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 12 1/2
226 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-12 1/2); Under

Milwaukee @ Charlotte

Game 703-704
November 1, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
116.501
Charlotte
122.442
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Charlotte
by 6
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Charlotte
by 3
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Charlotte
(-3); Under

Atlanta @ Philadelphia

Game 705-706
November 1, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
105.993
Philadelphia
123.305
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 17 1/2
214
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
by 8 1/2
210
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(-8 1/2); Over

Indiana @ Cleveland

Game 707-708
November 1, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
112.574
Cleveland
125.510
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 13
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 10 1/2
215 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(-10 1/2); Over

Sacramento @ Boston

Game 709-710
November 1, 2017 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
109.422
Boston
125.815
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 16 1/2
200
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 12 1/2
196 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-12 1/2); Over

Chicago @ Miami

Game 711-712
November 1, 2017 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
111.503
Miami
119.750
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 8
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
N/A

Orlando @ Memphis

Game 713-714
November 1, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
123.096
Memphis
122.067
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Orlando
by 1
196
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Orlando
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Orlando
N/A

Houston @ New York

Game 715-716
November 1, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
115.781
New York
122.246
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
by 6 1/2
207
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 5 1/2
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+5 1/2); Under

Minnesota @ New Orleans

Game 717-718
November 1, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
118.464
New Orleans
118.017
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
Even
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Orleans
by 2
224
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+2); Under

Toronto @ Denver

Game 719-720
November 1, 2017 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
123.778
Denver
121.766
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 2
205
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver
by 1 1/2
213 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(+1 1/2); Under

Portland @ Utah

Game 721-722
November 1, 2017 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
121.365
Utah
123.432
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 2
190
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 4
196
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(+4); Under

Dallas @ LA Clippers

Game 723-724
November 1, 2017 @ 10:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
116.469
LA Clippers
120.481
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 4
198
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 9 1/2
204 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Dallas
(+9 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday,November 1

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PHOENIX (2 - 4) at WASHINGTON (4 - 2) - 11/1/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 105-149 ATS (-58.9 Units) in November games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 3-1 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 4-0 straight up against PHOENIX 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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MILWAUKEE (4 - 2) at CHARLOTTE (4 - 3) - 11/1/2017, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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ATLANTA (1 - 6) at PHILADELPHIA (3 - 4) - 11/1/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 54-34 ATS (+16.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 22-9 ATS (+12.1 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 47-31 ATS (+12.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 113-147 ATS (-48.7 Units) in home games in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 7-0 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 7-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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INDIANA (3 - 3) at CLEVELAND (3 - 4) - 11/1/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 75-51 ATS (+18.9 Units) in road games in November games since 1996.
INDIANA is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 14-27 ATS (-15.7 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 8-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 10-2 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
8 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SACRAMENTO (1 - 5) at BOSTON (5 - 2) - 11/1/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 127-163 ATS (-52.3 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
BOSTON is 12-27 ATS (-17.7 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 220-281 ATS (-89.1 Units) in home games versus poor offensive teams - scoring <=98 points/game since 1996.

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

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CHICAGO (1 - 4) at MIAMI (2 - 4) - 11/1/2017, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 6-1 against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 5-2 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (5 - 2) at MEMPHIS (5 - 2) - 11/1/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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HOUSTON (5 - 3) at NEW YORK (3 - 3) - 11/1/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 317-264 ATS (+26.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 98-62 ATS (+29.8 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.

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

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MINNESOTA (4 - 3) at NEW ORLEANS (3 - 4) - 11/1/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 46-74 ATS (-35.4 Units) after scoring 115 points or more since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 12-24 ATS (-14.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 5-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 5-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TORONTO (4 - 2) at DENVER (3 - 4) - 11/1/2017, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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PORTLAND (4 - 3) at UTAH (4 - 3) - 11/1/2017, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 83-58 ATS (+19.2 Units) in home games in November games since 1996.

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

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DALLAS (1 - 7) at LA CLIPPERS (4 - 2) - 11/1/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 381-314 ATS (+35.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 483-407 ATS (+35.3 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 158-123 ATS (+22.7 Units) in road games in the first half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 266-217 ATS (+27.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 218-268 ATS (-76.8 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday,November 1

Wizards won their last four games with Phoenix but Suns covered six of last seven series games. Under is 7-1-1 in last nine series games. Suns covered three of last four games in this building. Phoenix won three of last four games after an 0-3 start; they’re 2-1 as a road underdog. Wizards won their two home games by 4-5 points but didn’t cover either one. Under is 3-1 in their last four games.

Bucks won their last three games with Charlotte; road team won five of last seven series games. Milwaukee covered its last four visits to Charlotte. Under is 6-3 in last nine series games. Bucks are 4-3 to start season but won both their road games; three of their last four games stayed under. Hornets won three of last four games; they’re 3-1 vs spread at home. Under is 5-2 in Charlotte games this season.

Hawks won/covered their last seven games with Philly; they’re 5-1 vs spread in last six visits to Philly. Over is 5-2 in last seven series games. Atlanta lost its last six games; they’re 0-3-1 vs spread in last four road games. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six games. 76ers won three of last four games after an 0-3 start (over 4-3); they’re 0-2 at home, losing by 1-10 points.

Cavaliers won their last seven games with Indiana (4-3 vs spread); Pacers covered four of their last five visits to Cleveland. Four of last five series games went over total. Indiana won three of last four games; their last three games stayed under total. Pacers covered two of their three road games. Cleveland lost its last three games, by 5-22-19 points; they’re 1-6 vs spread, 0-4 at home. Under is 4-3 in their games.

Home side won nine of last ten Kings-Celtics games; Sacramento is 1-4 vs spread in last five visits to Boston. Under is 3-1 in last four series games. Kings lost their last five games (0-5 vs spread); they’re 1-3 as road underdogs- under is 5-2 in their games. Boston won/covered its last five games; they’re 2-1 as home favorites. Under is 4-1 in their last five games.

Heat won five of last seven games with Chicago; road team is 7-3 in last ten series games. Bulls are 3-2 vs spread in their last five visits to Miami. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Chicago are 1-4 to start season, but they covered three of last four games. Under is 3-1 in their last four games. Miami lost its last three games, all at home; they’re 0-4-2 vs spread this season. Over is 4-2 in their games this season.

Memphis won eight of last ten games with Orlando; home team won last five. Magic is 1-3 vs spread in last four visits to Music City. Three of last four series games went over total. Orlando won four of last five games; they’re 2-2 vs spread as a road underdog. Over is 4-3 in their games. Grizzlies are 5-2 to start season; they’re 3-2 vs spread at home. Under is 5-1-1 in their games.

Rockets won nine of last ten games with New York; they covered their last five visits to Madison Square Garden. Four of last five series games went over. Houston won four of its first five road games; they’re 1-4 vs spread in last five games overall. Under is 6-1 in their last seven games. Knicks won their last three games after a 3-0 start; they’re 2-1 at home. Under is 4-2 in their first six games.

Pelicans won eight of last ten games with Minnesota (7-3 vs spread); Timberwolves are 1-4 vs spread in last five visits to Bourbon Street. Last seven series games went over. Minnesota won four of its first six games (over 5-0-1); they split four road games (1-2-1 vs spread). New Orleans is 3-4 to start season, losing two of three home games- four of their last six games went over the total.

Raptors won five of last seven games with Denver; over is 8-1-1 in last ten series games. Toronto is 3-2 vs spread in its last five visits to Denver. Raptors won four of their last six games (5-1 vs spread); their last four games stayed under. Toronto is 3-1 vs spread on road. Nuggets are 3-4 to start season, splitting pair of home games. Five of their first seven games stayed under the total.

Home side won last seven Portland-Utah games; Trailblazers are 0-3 vs spread in their last four visits to Utah. Last three series games stayed under total. Portland is 4-3 to start season, 2-0-1 vs spread on road; their only road loss was by 3 at Milwaukee. Under is 5-2 in Portland games. Jazz won/covered all four home games; they’re 0-3 on road- under is 5-1-1 in their games this season.

Clippers won four of last six games with Dallas (under 4-2). Mavericks are 1-2-1 vs spread in last four series games played here. Dallas is 1-7 to start season, 1-2 vs spread on road, losing away games by 16-5-15 points- over is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Clippers lost their last couple of games after a 4-0 start (under 5-1); they’re 2-1 vs spread as a home favorite.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday,November 1

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Trend Report
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INDIANA @ CLEVELAND
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Indiana's last 12 games on the road
Indiana is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana

PHOENIX @ WASHINGTON
Phoenix is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Phoenix is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Washington
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington's last 9 games when playing Phoenix

MILWAUKEE @ CHARLOTTE
Milwaukee is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Milwaukee is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Charlotte's last 9 games
Charlotte is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

ATLANTA @ PHILADELPHIA
Atlanta is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing Atlanta

SACRAMENTO @ BOSTON
No trends to report

CHICAGO @ MIAMI
No trends to report

HOUSTON @ NEW YORK
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of New York's last 15 games
New York is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games

ORLANDO @ MEMPHIS
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

MINNESOTA @ NEW ORLEANS
No trends to report

PORTLAND @ UTAH
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games
Portland is 15-8 ATS in its last 23 games

TORONTO @ DENVER
No trends to report

DALLAS @ LA CLIPPERS
No trends to report

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
November 1, 2017

Game of the Night: Blazers at Jazz – 9:05 PM EST

Utah (4-3 SU, 5-2 ATS) continues its four-game homestand following 15-point triumphs over the Lakers and Mavericks. The Jazz owns a perfect 4-0 SU/ATS record at home, while limiting each of their opponents to 96 points or less. In Monday’s 104-89 victory over the Mavs, Utah erased a nine-point halftime deficit by outscoring Dallas 60-36 in the second half to cash as 8 ½-point favorites. The starting backcourt duo of Ricky Rubio and Rodney Hood combined to score 45 points, while knocking down nine three-pointers.

Portland (4-3 SU, 3-3-1 ATS) is playing the only road contest in an 11-game stretch following a 2-2 homestand. The Blazers were tied with the Raptors at 29-29 after one quarter on Monday night before the lid was placed on Portland’s rim. Amazingly, the Blazers scored only six points in the second quarter, while their only field goal came from Evan Turner with five seconds remaining in the half. Terry Stotts’ squad was held below 100 points for the first time this season, while failing to cover in the last three games.

The home team captured all four matchups between these Northwest division squads last season, including a pair of blowouts by the Jazz in Salt Lake City. In the last eight matchups dating back to New Year’s Eve 2015, the team with the home court advantage has come out on top, including three consecutive victories at Vivint Smart Home Arena by the Jazz.

Quicken Change

It’s early in the season, but the Cavaliers had an October to forget after going 3-4. It wasn’t too bad following a 3-1 start, as three consecutive losses to the Nets, Pelicans, and Knicks have dropped Cleveland to below .500 this late in the season for the first time since 2014. Cleveland’s Sunday night setback to New York was the low point, falling to the Knicks as 10 ½-point favorites, 114-95, while the Cavaliers shot 38% from the floor.

Cleveland (3-4 SU, 1-6 ATS) hosts Indiana for the first time since sweeping the Pacers in the opening round of the playoffs last season. The Cavaliers have won seven straight meetings with Indiana, but the Pacers have covered in their last three trips to Quicken Loans Arena. Indiana (3-3 SU, 4-2 ATS) plays with no rest following Tuesday’s home victory over Sacramento as the Pacers are 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS this season on the second end of a back-to-back.

Magic Men

Of course Golden State is the top-scoring offense in the NBA, but right behind them is Orlando? The Magic (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) are averaging nearly 117 points per game through seven contests, while coming off their fourth outright victory in the underdog role. Orlando followed up a seven-point loss on Sunday at Charlotte by pulling away from New Orleans in the second half of a 115-99 triumph on Monday as 7 ½-point underdogs. The Magic have yet to cover back-to-back games, as they will look to accomplish that feat for the first time at Memphis.

The Grizzlies (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) suffered their first home loss of the season in Monday’s late meltdown to Charlotte, 104-99 as 5 ½-point favorites. Memphis covered its first three games of the season prior to a 1-3 ATS mark the last four contests. Since busting the 100-point mark in each of the first two games, the Grizzlies have failed to reach triple-digits in four of the past five contests, while hitting their first OVER of the season in Monday’s setback to the Hornets.

New York Win It

The Knicks (3-3 SU, 3-3 ATS) fell into an early 0-3 hole, which included blowout road losses to Oklahoma City and Boston. New York has rebounded nicely by putting together a three-game winning streak, including underdog victories over Cleveland and Denver on a back-to-back set. The Knicks continue a five-game homestand at Madison Square Garden with a suddenly struggling Houston club invading the Big Apple.

The Rockets (5-3 SU, 3-5 ATS) have dropped two straight since a 5-1 start, including a surprising 115-107 home setback to the 76ers on Monday as seven-point favorites. Houston allowed Philadelphia to shoot 55% from the floor, compared to 40% for the Rockets, who were led by James Harden’s 29 points in the loss. The Rockets have captured nine of the past 10 matchups with the Knicks since 2012, including five consecutive wins at MSG.

Howl at the Moon

Big things are expected out of Minnesota this season after acquiring Jimmy Butler from Chicago and the recent emergence of Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Timberwolves (4-3 SU, 2-4-1 ATS) lost their opener at San Antonio, then won two straight, lost two in a row, but are coming off back-to-back victories over the Thunder and Heat by three points each. Minnesota has gone OVER the total in six of seven games this season, but its defense has been scratched up recently by allowing 113 points or more in five straight games.

The Wolves travel to New Orleans to face a Pelicans (3-4 SU, 4-3 ATS) squad that has seen plenty of ups and downs this season. The Pelicans drilled the Cavaliers as short home underdogs last Saturday, 123-101, but ran out of gas in Monday’s 115-99 setback to the Magic as 7 ½-point favorites. Last season, the Pelicans owned the Wolves by capturing all three meetings, while the last seven matchups between these teams have sailed OVER the total.

Head-to-Head Matchups

-- The Bucks hit the road following a 110-91 home defeat to the Thunder on Tuesday as Milwaukee travels to Charlotte to face the Hornets. Milwaukee knocked off Charlotte at home last Tuesday, 103-94 as seven-point favorites, the third consecutive win in the series. The Bucks are 1-0 this season with no rest, while winning five of their last six on the second of a back-to-back since last season.

-- Atlanta won its season opener at Dallas, but the Hawks haven’t picked up a victory since by losing six straight games. In three of their last four road defeats, Atlanta has been limited to 93 points or less as the Hawks head to Philadelphia. The 76ers have won three of their past four games, but have dropped seven consecutive meetings with the Hawks, including all four last season.

-- Phoenix continues its road trip after knocking off Brooklyn on Tuesday as the Suns travel to Washington. The Suns have dropped four straight meetings with the Wizards, but covered both matchups last season. Washington returns home following a 2-2 trip out west, but hasn’t cashed yet at Capital One Arena in two victories this season.

-- Sacramento suffered its fifth straight loss on Tuesday at Indiana as the Kings venture to Boston as double-digit underdogs. The Kings are 0-5 ATS in this stretch, but were 2-0 ATS against the Celtics last season. Boston is going the other way by winning and covering five consecutive games.

-- The Heat are the only team in the league that has failed to cover a game as they try to turn around their luck tonight against the Bulls. Miami lost two of three matchups with Chicago last season, while the underdog covered in all three meetings.

-- Toronto continues its six-game road trip in Denver, going for its third straight win. The Raptors captured both matchups with the Nuggets last season by a combined five points, but Denver has covered the last four meetings in the series. Denver is back home following a 2-2 road trip, while going 1-4 ATS the past five games overall.

-- Both the Clippers and Mavericks have been struggled of late as L.A. has dropped two straight since a 4-0 starts, while Dallas is riding a three-game skid since beating Memphis for its only victory of the season. The Clips and Mavs split four games last season as each team won once at home and once on the road.

[StarDust Bum]

Kerr says Finals hangover is real
November 1, 2017

There's still no reason to think that a fourth consecutive NBA Finals matchup between Golden State and Cleveland cannot happen, even though both teams have been often less than razor-sharp to start this season.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, frankly, isn't surprised by some early struggles.

Golden State has had uncharacteristic issues with turnovers and defense to start this season - though the Warriors started to look like themselves again in a 141-113 romp past the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. Cleveland has dealt with defensive lapses as well, and the Cavaliers went into LeBron James' annual Halloween party this week on a three-game losing streak.

Kerr has seen this before. He played for the Chicago Bulls in 1997-98, part of a team that was coming off two straight titles but started just 8-7.

''Everybody was fried,'' Kerr said.

Those Bulls figured things out, eventually finishing off a repeat threepeat by getting their sixth title in eight seasons. And Kerr has no doubt that whatever's been plaguing the Warriors and Cavaliers in October will be long forgotten when the playoffs start in April.

''It's not easy,'' Kerr said. ''I think that's the hardest thing probably for people to understand, fans, media, whoever - whomever, my mom would want me to say - is the fatigue, the emotional and spiritual fatigue that sets in when you've been going to The Finals. That's why LeBron going to The Finals seven years in a row, to me, is one of the most amazing accomplishments ever for a player in this league.''

For all the talent in the Warriors' lineup, players still take their cues from Kerr.

And since he wasn't panicking after a 4-3 start to this season, neither were they. Scoring 141 points on the Clippers' home floor Monday night was the clear reminder that the Warriors are still the Warriors.

''Not to sound arrogant, but we knew it was coming,'' two-time MVP Stephen Curry said of the breakout night by the reigning champions.

---

ODD START

Parity, anyone?

For the first time since 1968-69, no team started 6-1 or 7-0. The best seven-game start in the NBA this season was 5-2.

The last time that happened, the league's 14 teams included ones in Cincinnati, Baltimore, San Diego and Seattle - and Bill Russell was busy leading the Boston Celtics to their 11th championship in 13 years.

So while plans of going 82-0 went out the window early this season, so did fears of going 0-82: For the first time since 2010-11, no team started 0-7.

---

LEBRON MILESTONES

LeBron James is coming up on a pair of milestone moments.

The Cleveland star is 41 points away from 29,000 in his career going into Wednesday night's home game against Indiana. He'll be the seventh NBA player to score that many, and - as he's been for countless other milestones in his career - he's on pace to be the youngest to reach that mark.

And Friday could be the night where he records his 800th consecutive regular-season game of scoring at least 10 points. The last time James didn't score 10 in a regular-season game was Jan. 5, 2007 in Milwaukee, where he scored only eight on 3-for-13 shooting.

He has been held to single-digits in the postseason during that span, most recently when he scored seven at Indiana on May 28, 2014.

---

THE WEEK AHEAD

A look at some of the games to keep an eye on in the coming days:

- Orlando at Memphis, Wednesday: Two of the best surprise stories in the NBA so far.

- Golden State at San Antonio, Thursday: Until proven otherwise, the standards in West.

- Brooklyn at L.A. Lakers, Friday: Brook Lopez goes against the Nets for the first time.

- Oklahoma City at Portland, Sunday: Last time they played, Russell Westbrook scored 58.

- Milwaukee at Cleveland, Tuesday: Giannis Antetokounmpo faces off with LeBron James.

---

STAT LINE OF THE WEEK

DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans: He had 41 points, 23 rebounds and six assists in his return to Sacramento on Oct. 26. It was the first time any NBA player finished a game with that many points, rebounds and assists since Joe Barry Carroll in 1987.

[StarDust Bum]

Cavs dealing with numerous issues
November 1, 2017

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) LeBron James dressed up as Pennywise, the devilishly demented clown from the movie ''It'' for his annual Halloween party.

The makeup made him unrecognizable. He was menacing, frightening.

Lately, James and his Cavaliers teammates haven't scared anyone on the floor.

With four losses in their past five games, defensive issues, injuries and new players still trying to figure things out, the Cavs had a lengthy meeting on Tuesday before they practiced. It was a chance to clear the air and perhaps reset a season for a team that hasn't come close to playing up to its potential.

''The slow start that we've had prompted us to just all get on the same page and kind of figure out what we need to do,'' center Kevin Love said. ''I feel like we can get in better shape, that's going to help us on the defensive end. Communication, energy and just getting the new guys adjusted. So time will tell how it's going to play out, but we have a lot of really good positive energy from today, so, it was a great practice.''

After a night of connecting in costume, the Cavs, who host Indiana on Wednesday, didn't hide their problems during their pre-practice discussion that coach Tyronn Lue described as a ''long talk.''

''Off the court we've got great chemistry, great bond,'' Lue said. ''On the court we just gotta be better. Like, talking, communicating, enjoying the game together. Having fun. Right now guys are not having fun.''

There isn't much to smile about.

Following losses to Orlando, Brooklyn, New Orleans and New York in the past 10 days, the Cavs are ranked near the bottom of the NBA in defense and are giving up nearly 14 3-pointers per game. They're coming off losses by a combined 41 points in their past two games, prompting Lue to say that James, who missed much of the preseason with an ankle injury, and others need to get in better shape.

Cleveland's transition defense has been brutal, and Lue said some of that may be due to conditioning. He pushed the Cavs hard at both ends during Tuesday's workout and noticed a change.

''Watching us today, damn,'' Lue said. ''It's a big difference. I'm screaming play with pace, and move the ball, move bodies, we got to get in better shape to do that.''

James sprained his left ankle during Cleveland's second practice in training camp and only played in one exhibition. Although he hasn't shown any major decline in his game, the 32-year-old is not having the impact Lue needs James to have on the defensive end.

It's hard to ask him for more, but Lue has no choice.

''Missing the whole training camp and getting hurt the second day of practice really set him back as far as being able to fly around and push the pace offensively and defensively fly around,'' Lue said. ''He's trying to work himself back in shape, but the games are coming so fast and it's hard to really do that. The best way to do that is by him playing more minutes and getting in game shape and we just got to go from there.''

Lue knew this would take time. With Dwyane Wade, Derrick Rose, Jeff Green and Jae Crowder among the new players on Cleveland's roster this season, there were bound to be growing pains. Lue just didn't expect them to hurt this much.

However, Lue has confidence the group is beginning to gel.

''They've been in winning situations,'' he said. ''We're just trying to figure it out. Today's start of film and practice, I think guys are getting a clear understanding of what they need to do.''

As the Cavs work out the kinks, they were able to relax at James' party, which has become a social media must-see-event.

Love shaved off his beard and endured a long makeup session to dress up as WWE wrestler Sting. Kyle Korver was the Johnny Depp version of Willy Wonka, and Wade and his wife, Gabrielle Union, went as pop lip-synching sensations Milli Vanilli.

''I think it was good for us,'' Love said. ''I think it definitely lightened the mood and it was definitely a get-to-know-you moment with a lot of guys. We all get along, have fun, but I think in some odd way it will definitely help us.''

At this point, it can't hurt the Cavs.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA notebook: 76ers decline option on Okafor's contract
October 31, 2017

The Philadelphia 76ers exercised four contract options on Tuesday but more noteworthy is that they passed on picking up center Jahlil Okafor's fourth-year option.

The third overall pick of the 2015 NBA draft has fallen out of favor and has seen action in just one game this season.

The club's failure to pick up the option worth $6.3 million will make Okafor an unrestricted free agent after the season. Philadelphia has been trying to trade Okafor.

The 76ers announced that they picked up the third-year options of forward Ben Simmons and Dario Saric as well as guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. Philadelphia also picked up the fourth-year option of forward Justin Anderson.

Okafor averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds as a rookie before falling to 11.8 and 4.8, respectively, last season.

---The Memphis Grizzlies exercised the fourth-year contract of forward Jarell Martin, the team announced.

The move comes after the Grizzlies reportedly told Martin prior to training camp that they planned to cut him to clear a regular-season roster spot. Memphis elected to waive 2016 first-round pick Wade Baldwin and Rade Zagorac instead.

--Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert is expected to miss at least another week with a sore right knee.

Shumpert underwent an MRI exam on Monday, with the team saying tests didn't reveal any structural damage. He will be out five to seven days while undergoing treatment and rehab.

The 27-year-old Shumpert is averaging 6.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 18.2 minutes for the Cavaliers (3-4), who have dropped three in a row.

--Golden State Warriors legend Al Attles has been released from the hospital, the team revealed Tuesday.

Attles was released on Monday night and is resting comfortably at his home, according to the team. The Warriors didn't divulge the reason for the hospitalization.

Attles, who turns 81 on Nov. 7, missed Friday's night game against the Washington Wizards when the team was paying tribute to his 58 years of service with the franchise.