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

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s six-pack

More NBA over/under win totals for the coming season:

Minnesota Timberwolves 48.5

Miami Heat 43.5

Philadelphia 76ers 42.5

New York Knicks 30.5

Brooklyn Nets 28.5

Atlanta Hawks 25.5

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

13) 5:15 into the Boston Celtics’ season, Gordon Hayward severely injured his leg/ankle when he came down on an attempted alley-oop. It was a gruesome injury, reminiscent of Jason Kendall or Joe Theismann’s grotesque leg injuries.

12) Damn, this is Lebron James’ 15th year in the NBA? Time flies. I remember sitting in a bar having dinner, watching his high school game that ESPN showed. Think Bill Walton was the TV analyst that night; people were excited that Lebron scored 31 points.

Hell, I thought, if he’s going to be in the NBA next year, he SHOULD score 31 points in a high school game, shouldn’t he?

Obviously, Lebron has outperformed those huge expectations; good for him.

11) By the way, sounds like pretty soon, kids will able to go straight from high school to the NBA once again, which helps everyone, except veterans trying to hang on in the G-League.

10) Indianapolis Colts in the fourth quarter this season: they’ve been outscored 85-22, allowing 1,034 yards on 139 plays, an average of 7.4 yards per play.

Colts are 2-4, but they haven’t trailed at halftime since Week 1 against the Rams.

9) Tennessee Titans have 7 takeaways in six games, but they’re the only team in NFL that hasn’t scored a touchdown after one of their takeaways.

Titans-Colts game Monday night had no punts in the first half, the first game in NFL this season without a first half punt.

8) Injured Vikings’ QB Teddy Bridgewater is practicing this week, as he comes back from his severe knee injury; Minnesota has three weeks to decide whether to activate Bridgewater or IR him for the rest of the season. Bridgewater and Sam Bradford are both in the last year of their contracts; Vikings have some interesting decisions ahead of them.

7) Chicago Bulls Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic got into a fight today at practice and Mirotic wound up with broken bones in his face; he’s going to be out for a few weeks, at least.

Curious how the analytics geniuses take this into account when they measure Portis, Mirotic as players. There is a human element to sports that can never be quantified— these guys live and travel together for months at a time. Part of being a good teammate is staying out of fights that send yourself or teammates to the hospital.

6) Best red zone offenses in NFL:
Packers 5.68 pts/possession, Eagles 5.56, Cowboys 5.33, Texans 5.25— Aaron Rodgers is gone for the year, so going forward, Green Bay’s numbers figure to drop dramatically.

5) Best offenses on drives starting 75+ yards from end zone:
Saints 2.47, Chiefs 2.46, Titans 2.37, Patriots 2.16

Worst offenses on drives starting 75+ yards from end zone (includes points lost on TD”s scored by the opposing defense):
Colts 0.42, Bengals 0.51, Buccaneers 0.91, Lions 0.97

4) Most plays of 20+ yards this season:
Rams 31, Vikings 30, Patriots/Cardinals 29, Chiefs 27

3) Most TD’s on plays of 20+ yards:
Raiders 8 (out of 13 total TD’s), Chiefs 7 (18 total TD’s), Titans 7 (13 total TD’s), Jets 6 (11 total TD’s), Lions 6 (14 total TD’s)

2) Baseball update:
AL: New York 6, Houston 4— Astros’ bullpen imploded; series is tied 2-2.
NL: Dodgers 6, Cubs 1– Chicago is going down meekly.

1) One of the best days of the year for me is when the Blue Ribbon Yearbook arrives at my door every October; the bible of college basketball, Blue Ribbon has a ton of useful information in it, and it got here Monday. If you like college basketball, it is well worth your time.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, October 18


Brooklyn @ Indiana

Game 701-702
October 18, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brooklyn
117.751
Indiana
117.897
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Brooklyn
Even
217
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Indiana
by 3 1/2
214
Dunkel Pick:
Brooklyn
(+3 1/2); Over

Philadelphia @ Washington

Game 703-704
October 18, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
114.515
Washington
120.162
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 5 1/2
224
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 7
215 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+7); Over

Miami @ Orlando

Game 705-706
October 18, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
120.491
Orlando
115.010
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 5 1/2
201
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 3
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-3); Under

Charlotte @ Detroit

Game 707-708
October 18, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Charlotte
111.429
Detroit
119.160
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 7 1/2
197
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
by 3
204
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(-3); Under

Milwaukee @ Boston

Game 709-710
October 18, 2017 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
120.343
Boston
118.369
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 2
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 5 1/2
206 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(+5 1/2); Under

New Orleans @ Memphis

Game 711-712
October 18, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
117.723
Memphis
118.041
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans
Even
201
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 3
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
New Orleans
(+3); Under

Atlanta @ Dallas

Game 713-714
October 18, 2017 @ 8:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Atlanta
116.044
Dallas
117.025
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Dallas
by 1
192
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Dallas
by 6 1/2
197 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(+6 1/2); Under

Denver @ Utah

Game 715-716
October 18, 2017 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
127.283
Utah
122.487
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Denver
by 5
203
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 2
206
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(+2); Under

Minnesota @ San Antonio

Game 717-718
October 18, 2017 @ 9:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
120.392
San Antonio
121.370
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 1
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 2
205 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+2); Over

Houston @ Sacramento

Game 719-720
October 18, 2017 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
120.085
Sacramento
119.649
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Sacramento
Even
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 9
218 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(+9); Over

Portland @ Phoenix

Game 721-722
October 18, 2017 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
118.562
Phoenix
114.664
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 4
225
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 1 1/2
220
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(-1 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 18

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BROOKLYN (20 - 62) at INDIANA (42 - 44) - 10/18/2017, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 5-3 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 6-2 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PHILADELPHIA (28 - 54) at WASHINGTON (56 - 39) - 10/18/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 49-32 ATS (+13.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 49-30 ATS (+16.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 4-3 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 5-2 straight up against PHILADELPHIA 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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MIAMI (41 - 41) at ORLANDO (29 - 53) - 10/18/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 49-33 ATS (+12.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 33-48 ATS (-19.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 14-26 ATS (-14.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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CHARLOTTE (36 - 46) at DETROIT (37 - 45) - 10/18/2017, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 4-3 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 4-3 straight up against CHARLOTTE 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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MILWAUKEE (44 - 44) at BOSTON (62 - 38) - 10/18/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 129-95 ATS (+24.5 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.

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

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NEW ORLEANS (34 - 48) at MEMPHIS (45 - 43) - 10/18/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 5-3 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 6-2 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ATLANTA (45 - 43) at DALLAS (33 - 49) - 10/18/2017, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-1 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 4-0 straight up against DALLAS 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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DENVER (40 - 42) at UTAH (55 - 38) - 10/18/2017, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 48-31 ATS (+13.9 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 4-3 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 6-2 straight up against DENVER 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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MINNESOTA (31 - 51) at SAN ANTONIO (69 - 29) - 10/18/2017, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 1004-879 ATS (+37.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 805-686 ATS (+50.4 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 510-430 ATS (+37.0 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 43-23 ATS (+17.7 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 4-3 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 7-0 straight up against MINNESOTA 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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HOUSTON (61 - 32) at SACRAMENTO (32 - 50) - 10/18/2017, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 6-2 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 7-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (41 - 45) at PHOENIX (24 - 58) - 10/18/2017, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 4-3 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 4-3 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, October 18

Not a lot to go on for the first 7-10 days, until these teams get some games under their belts. I’ll give you what relevant information I have:

Home side won 5 of last 6 Net-Pacer games; Brooklyn lost its last four games in this building, covering once. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Favorites covered four of last five series games.

Washington won 7 of last 9 games vs Philly but 76ers covered four of last five, all as an underdog. Sixers lost their last four visits here (1-3 vs spread), losing by 16-8-12-13 points.

Orlando won its last three games with Miami, by 11-9-6 points; underdogs covered 5 of last 6 series games. Heat won 3 of its last 5 visits to Orlando.

Home side won 8 of last 9 Charlotte-Detroit games; Hornets lost their last four visits to Motor City (1-3 vs spread), losing by 6-1-7-39 points. Favorites covered 8 of last 10 series games.

Boston is without injured star Hayward- they lost by 3 in Cleveland last nite. Celtics won 6 of last 8 games with Milwaukee, covering 3 of last 4. Bucks lost 3 of last 4 visits to Beantown, but are 3-2 vs spread in last five. Over is 6-2-1 in last nine series games.

Pelicans won their last two games with Memphis after losing previous seven meetings; underdogs covered 6 of last 8 series games. Three of last four series games stayed under the total. New Orleans lost four of last five games in Memphis (2-3 vs spread).

Hawks won their last seven games with Dallas (6-1 vs spread); they won last three visits here, by 3-3-15 points. Under is 6-1 in last seven series games.

Home side won 6 of last 7 Denver-Utah games; favorites covered last five series games. Nuggets lost their last five games in this building (1-4 vs spread). 8 of last 9 series games stayed under total.

Spurs won their last 10 games with Minnesota, but are 3-3 vs spread in last six, all covered by the road team; Timberwolves covered their last three visits to the Alamo, losing by 7-8-6 points. Under is 3-1 in last four series games.

Portland won its last three games with Phoenix, by 3-9-13 points; three of last four series games went over total. Trailblazers won three of last five games in this building. Underdogs covered 4 of last 6 series games.

Rockets won five in row, 9 of last 10 games with Sacramento, covering four of last five- they won a tough game in Oakland last night. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Houston is 4-1 in last five visits here (3-2 vs spread).

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, October 18

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Trend Report
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CHARLOTTE @ DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Charlotte's last 11 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Charlotte's last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Detroit's last 11 games when playing at home against Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Detroit's last 10 games at home

BROOKLYN @ INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Brooklyn's last 8 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Brooklyn's last 13 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Indiana's last 8 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
Indiana is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

MIAMI @ ORLANDO
Miami is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 6 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Orlando's last 6 games when playing Miami
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Orlando's last 11 games when playing at home against Miami

PHILADELPHIA @ WASHINGTON
Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Philadelphia is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games on the road
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

MILWAUKEE @ BOSTON
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 7 games at home
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee

NEW ORLEANS @ MEMPHIS
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New Orleans's last 10 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New Orleans's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Memphis's last 7 games
Memphis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans

ATLANTA @ DALLAS
Atlanta is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
Atlanta is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Dallas's last 8 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing Atlanta

DENVER @ UTAH
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 5 games
Denver is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Denver
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Utah's last 9 games when playing Denver

MINNESOTA @ SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Minnesota's last 11 games on the road
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games at home

PORTLAND @ PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Portland

HOUSTON @ SACRAMENTO
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento
Houston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games when playing at home against Houston
Sacramento is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

'17-'18 NBA Season Preview
October 18, 2017

The NBA opens on its earliest starting date since tipping off on Oct. 10 in 1980. The objective, to limit back-to-backs and improve the on-court product, is a sound compromise to not budging from trimming the scheduled number of regular-season games to 82.

While that change hasn't been ruled out, other revenue streams are being explored, which is why you'll see patches advertising corporate sponsors on your favorite team's jerseys this season. What else will you see?

Make sure your printer has ink. Press control and P together and take this down to your favorite sportsbook. It's time to cash some pro basketball futures.

We'll start with playoff props, where the Golden State Warriors are amusingly -1000000 at Westgate's SuperBook to make the playoffs. Fading the defending champs getting to the postseason pays +10000, but probably isn't a good idea. My eight playoff teams in the Eastern Conference are, in order, Boston, Cleveland, Washington, Toronto, Milwaukee, Miami, Philadelphia and Charlotte. There's no money to be made on any of those since the 76ers (-200) are the one team out of the eight worth the investment since the odds on them aren't astronomical. Orlando at +300, New York (+450) and Indiana (+400) are potentially worth nibbling on if the 76ers stumble or injuries derail the Hornets or Heat.

In the Western Conference, Golden State, Houston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Minnesota, Memphis, Portland and New Orleans are my top eight, which leaves out the Nuggets, Clippers, Jazz, Mavs and Lakers. The Grizzlies are +250 to make the playoffs and my favorite play on these "will they or won't they" futures, while fading Denver (+250) and the L.A. Clips (+170) also pays handsomely.

The Grizzlies may have moved on from Zach Randolph, Tony Allen and Vince Carter, but are still built to win now with Mike Conley and Marc Gasol now each in their 30s. If Chandler Parsons can stay healthy, there's potential for improvement on the wing with Ben McLemore and Tyreke Evans on board. Mario Chalmers has returned from an Achilles tear 19 months ago and looks like he can be a factor after a strong preseason. With David Fizdale coaching and winners leading the way at key positions, it's strange to see them being written off. I'm all over the 'over' 37.5 wins prop.

New Orleans is at 39.5 and pays out +150 if it reaches the postseason. Rajon Rondo is out 4-to-6 weeks after surgery to repair a core muscle injury, so the plan to have him and Jrue Holiday work together to ensure the Pelicans get the most out of their Anthony Davis/DeMarcus Cousins tandem. Grindfather Tony Allen and ex-Warriors sniper Ian Clark were brought in to add depth, so this team has the ingredients to challenge for only their second postseason appearance since drafting Davis No. 1 in 2012.

Denver's win total is way up at 45.5, which is a little steep considering they haven't been over .500 in any of the last four seasons. Nikola Jokic is great, but the Nuggets guards are still young and prone to mistakes. The Clippers' number has been set at 45 despite the fact they haven't won fewer than 51 in any of the last five years, but losing Chris Paul makes it likely that they take a step back with Patrick Beverley and Milos Teodosic taking over point guard duties for Doc Rivers.

Despite its loss on opening night, you're very likely to see Golden State win its third championship in four years. The Warriors already overcame getting everyone back on the same page after Kevin Durant's arrival, not to mention a season-threatening knee injury to the eventual NBA Finals MVP. Head coach Steve Kerr overcame complications following back surgery to make it back on to the bench and is feeling much better these days, so his influence on a stacked roster that appears to be even deeper means the Dubs should make a run at 70 wins and are rightfully a heavy favorite to win it all again.

Westgate has installed Golden State as a 5-to-12 (-240) favorite to win a championship if you want to get in to start the season. I would counsel that you wait in case there is an injury that knocks the odds back in your favor since even an injury to Durant, Steph Curry, Draymond Green or Klay Thompson would be unlikely to remove the favorite tag off the defending champs. There's more than enough firepower remaining on the roster to overcome one significant injury and hang another banner.

The Thunder (16/1) have already won big thanks to the stealthy work from GM Sam Presti, who came through on keeping Russell Westbrook in Oklahoma in jaw-dropping fashion. In acquiring Paul George and Carmelo Anthony in packages surrounding Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter as the main pieces, OKC significantly upgraded its roster. Westbrook signed his extension, confident that he'll always have a chance to compete for titles despite its small-market status. With Steven Adams, Andre Roberson, Patrick Patterson, Ray Felton, Nick Collison and Kyle Singler providing a veteran supporting cast, this roster is built to win now.

Anthony is the x-factor since he'll have to deal with not being the first option on offense for the first time since playing with Allen Iverson, which was an issue for both. That experiment lasted less than two full seasons and produced a 1-8 playoff record. A decade later, it's on Melo to make the best of this situation in order to reach a conference finals for only the second time in his career. On paper, this team should be among the NBA's final four. George's ability to combat the Warriors' versatility is viewed as a game-changer. Hopefully we'll get to see it in a series. Back the over 53.5 wins.

Houston (16/1) adding Paul to the mix is a monumental move for the team best-equipped to match the Warriors' preferred tempo. It will keep James Harden fresher, giving him a better opportunity to improve as a shooter, a weakness that ultimately derailed the Rockets when the postseason came and he'd used up most of his legs racking up triple-doubles and chasing a scoring title. Mike D'Antoni has a lot of talent at his disposal, while the addition of PJ Tucker and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute gives them additional options beyond Trevor Ariza to try and defend opposing wings. Shooters Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson are also back, so this roster is loaded with pieces. It's up to Paul to add the missing ingredients and push this team over the top. The 55.5 leaves little room for error, so I'd stay away there.

In the East, the Cavs (13/4) are favored to reach a fourth straight NBA Finals despite granting Kyrie Irving's trade request, shipping him to Boston. Isaiah Thomas won't be ready to be a significant factor until around the All-Star break considering he's got to get healthy first, then get acclimated to a new system where the ball won't be in his hands all the time. Dwyane Wade came on board, showing up in fantastic shape and claiming J.R. Smith's spot in the starting lineup. Kevin Love moves up a spot in becoming LeBron's No. 2, which should keep him happy and productive. Tristan Thompson needs to recover from his NBA Finals no-show and emerge as more of a factor, while Derrick Rose and Jose Calderon were brought in to split Irving's minutes. It wouldn't be surprising to see this group slip to second or even third in the Eastern Conference given all the moving parts, but you can expect them to be the team to beat come April and May so long as LeBron remains healthy. He's demonstrated that his on-court IQ masks any physical regression, and there hasn't been much of that anyway. He's becoming more efficient as he ages, a testament to his brilliance.

The Celtics (20/1) added Irving and Gordon Hayward away from Utah on July 4, piling on to a nucleus that includes Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier and No. 3 pick Jayson Tatum. Fellow newcomers Marcus Morris and Aron Baynes will add frontcourt depth, which makes this the deepest team in the East from a talent standpoint. Hayward's gruesome ankle fracture on Tuesday night forced Westgate to move them from 10/1 to win a title.

It's going to be up to the very capable Brad Stevens to manage young egos and keep this group straight through rough patches, especially when the playoffs arrive and they're tested by veterans. Irving coveted this challenge, and this will end up being his team since the more reserved Hayward and Horford are likely to let him lead. He's the one with the championship. If Irving gets Boston past Cleveland, he'll have ideas on how to take down Golden State too. He's done it before.

Washington won 49 games last season, its highest win total since 1978-79. Books have set the Wizards' number at 49, which should be attainable if everyone stays healthy. Scott Brooks got his team to play at a high level after a slow start and returns virtually the entire roster. Trey Burke and midseason acquisitions Bojan Bogdanovic and Brandon Jennings aren't back, but Tim Frazier, Jodie Meeks and Mike Scott should be capable replacements in the rotation. Expect them to win 50-plus.

The Bucks also have the look of a 50-win team and should come in over the total set at 46.5. Reigning Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon came into his own late last season and should continue taking some pressure off Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jabari Parker should return by the All-Star break to provide a boost for the stretch run, and with the Pistons, Pacers and Bulls all likely to be below .500, there will be plenty of opportunities for Milwaukee to pad its win total against its Central Division foes.

Antetokounmpo is an interesting MVP choice at 8/1, but it wouldn't be surprising to see James (4/1) rise up for one last award at the age of 33. He hasn't won since 2013, but could get his fifth in what might end up being his final season in Cleveland. My favorite longshot is Karl-Anthony Towns (40/1), who will be involved in significantly more victories this season with Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague on board, increasing his profile and making those eye-popping numbers he's capable of moving up very meaningful.

Philadelphia's Ben Simmons (2/1) is my choice to win Rookie of the Year over teammate Markelle Fultz (15/1), L.A.'s Lonzo Ball (3/1), Dallas' Dennis Smith, Jr. (4/1), Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox (10/1) and Phoenix's Josh Jackson (12/1)

[StarDust Bum]

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

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/17/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50


Best Bets:

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

10/17/2017.......................1 - 0..............+5.00...............1 - 0..................+5.00


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

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PHI at WAS 07:00 PM

PHI +6.5 *****

O 217.5 *****

BK at IND 07:00 PM

IND -2.5

O 217.0

MIA at ORL 07:00 PM

O 206.0

CHA at DET 07:00 PM

CHA +3.0

U 203.0

MIL at BOS 07:30 PM

U 204.0 *****

NO at MEM 08:00 PM

NO +2.0

O 206.0 *****

ATL at DAL 08:30 PM

ATL +5.0 *****

U 198.5 *****

DEN at UTA 09:00 PM

U 204.5

MIN at SA 09:30 PM

MIN +1.5

U 204.5

POR at PHO 10:00 PM

PHO +1.5 *****

HOU at SAC 10:00 PM

HOU -7.5 *****

O 217.5 *****

[StarDust Bum]

NBA roundup: Bucks spoil Celtics' emotional home opener
October 18, 2017

BOSTON -- Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as the Milwaukee Bucks spoiled the Boston Celtics' emotional home opener with a 108-100 victory Wednesday night.

Boston, which lost for the second straight night under the cloud of the gruesome injury sustained by newcomer Gordon Hayward in Cleveland on Tuesday, appeared to tire late as the Bucks turned a six-point, fourth-quarter deficit into a win.

In addition to his points in the fourth quarter, Antetokounmpo had two steals, two (of his 13) rebounds and two assists as the Bucks used a 17-4 run to take control.

Hayward addressed the crowd pregame from his hospital bed, stating, "I'm gonna be all right." With 3:21 left in the first half, the crowd broke into a chant of "Gor-don Hay-ward." Hayward was undergoing surgery Wednesday night, his father tweeted.

Wizards 120, 76ers 115

WASHINGTON -- John Wall scored 18 of his 28 points in the second half, Bradley Beal had 25 and Washington opened the season with a victory over Philadelphia.

Marcin Gortat had 16 points and 17 rebounds for the Wizards. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jodie Meeks each scored 14 points off the bench for Washington, which opened at home for the first time since 2011.

Joel Embiid had 18 points, 13 rebounds and one block in 27 minutes for the 76ers. Robert Covington had 29 points and sank 7 of 11 3-pointers, and Ben Simmons finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds in his NBA debut after missing all of last season with a foot injury.

Pacers 140, Nets 131

INDIANAPOLIS -- Victor Oladipo scored 22 points to lead eight Indiana players in double figures as the Pacers topped Brooklyn in the season opener for both teams.

Oladipo, a former Indiana University standout, was making his regular-season debut after coming to Indiana from Oklahoma City with Domantas Sabonis in the Paul George trade. Sabonis scored 16 points.

D'Angelo Russell was high for the Nets with 30 points on 12-of-22 shooting. Trevor Booker added 20 points and 10 rebounds. Brooklyn's Jeremy Lin, who scored 18 points, was hurt with 4:53 left and needed help to get off the court with an apparent right knee injury.

Grizzlies 103, Pelicans 91

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Mike Conley scored 27 points as Memphis defeated New Orleans in the season opener for both teams.

The Pelicans got double-doubles from Anthony Davis (33 points, 18 rebounds) and DeMarcus Cousins (28 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks). Cousins also picked up his first technical of the season with 50 seconds left.

Conley got support from Marc Gasol, who posted 14 points and 11 rebounds plus four assists. Rookie Dillon Brooks scored 19 points with five rebounds and four steals in his NBA debut for the Grizzlies.

Jazz 106, Nuggets 96

SALT LAKE CITY -- Rudy Gobert had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Alec Burks added 16 points off the bench to lift Utah over Denver in the opener for both teams.

Derrick Favors added 14 points and Joe Johnson chipped in 13 for the Jazz. Utah used hot fourth-quarter shooting to rally after trailing by as many as 15 points, going 9 of 18 from the field in the final 12 minutes.

Will Barton scored 23 points to lead the Nuggets. Paul Millsap added 19 points in his Denver debut, and Gary Harris chipped in 14. The Nuggets could not overcome a cold shooting fourth quarter, making only five field goals.

Hawks 117, Mavericks 111

DALLAS -- Dennis Schroder scored 28 points to lead Atlanta past Dallas in the season opener for both teams.

Marco Belinelli and John Collins combined to add 34 points off the bench as Atlanta extended its winning streak to eight against Dallas. With the score tied at 111, Dewayne Dedmon gave Atlanta the lead for good with a rebound and putback with 58 seconds left.

Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith Jr., a 19-year-old point guard, looked like a veteran while running the offense, producing 16 points and 10 assists in his first NBA game. Nerlens Noel had 16 points and 11 rebounds backing up Dirk Nowitzki, who shot only 4 of 14 and scored 10.

Pistons 102, Hornets 90

DETROIT -- Tobias Harris poured in 27 points, and Detroit celebrated its first regular-season game at Little Caesars Arena with a victory over Charlotte.

Harris also grabbed 10 rebounds in the new downtown building. Avery Bradley, who was acquired in a trade with Boston during the summer, had 15 points in his Pistons debut. Langston Galloway contributed 16 points off the bench.

Kemba Walker's 24 points led the Hornets in the opener for both teams. Jeremy Lamb added 15 points, and Dwight Howard supplied 10 points and 15 rebounds in his Hornets debut. Howard was acquired in an offseason trade with Atlanta.

Magic 116, Heat 109

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Evan Fournier scored 23 points, including seven in the last two minutes, to lead Orlando over Miami.

It was the first time since 2012 the Magic won their season opener. Orlando rode a well-balanced attack with six players scoring at least 12 points. Nikola Vucevic led the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Terrence Ross had 15 points.

The Heat's Hassan Whiteside posted game highs with 26 points and 22 rebounds. He had 14 points in the fourth quarter to lead a comeback that fell short.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday’s six-pack

NFL trends with Week 7 upon us……..

— Chiefs covered 7 of last 9 games as a favorite.

— Colts covered 12 of last 14 tries as a home underdog.

— Cleveland is 3-13 vs spread in its last 16 games.

— Panthers are 1-6-1 in last 8 tries as a road favorite.

— Dallas is 9-3 vs spread in its last 12 post-bye games.

— Atlanta is 8-1 in its last 9 games as a road underdog.

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

Thursday’s List of 13: Nobody asked me, but…….

13) Philadelphia Eagle fans are not happy with NFL referee Pete Morelli; the last four times Morelli worked an Eagle game, his crew called a total of 40 penalties for 396 yards on the Iggles, only 8 penalties for 74 yards on their opponents. Its enough to make a guy paranoid.

A petition was circulated; last I heard, over 60,000 people had signed it, requesting that Morelli not work any more Eagle games. Alrighty then.

12) Andrew Luck had a setback with his injured shoulder, and now there is talk he won’t play at all this season, which is bad news for everyone in Indianapolis except Jacoby Brissett.

11) 2018 NFL Draft will be at Jerry World in Dallas, the first time the draft will be in an actual NFL stadium.

10) General Electric shelled out a lot of money to put their patch on the Boston Celtics’ uniforms this season; less than six minutes into the Celtics’ season, newly-acquired star Gordon Hayward breaks his ankle, is lost for the season. So much for seeing those patches in June.

9) Celtics were the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference last year, but they’ve got 11 new players on their team this season. Am I the only person who finds this unusual?

8) Jacksonville told its kicker Jason Myers to take a hike, signed former Chargers’ kicker Josh Lambo, who in a perfect world, would kick for the Packers (Lambeau Field…..get it??)

7) BYU’s football team is 1-6, with only win 20-6 against I-AA Portland State; they’re off to their worst start since 1969. Cougars need to join a league- -maybe when the new dome gets built in Las Vegas, UNLV/BYU can join the Big X as a western tandem.

6) When I was a kid, I loved game shows, totally enjoyed them. One of the games was Jokers’ Wild, hosted by Jack Barry, where contestants played with a simulated slot machine to try and win their money/prizes. It wasn’t the best show, but it had an odd appeal.

Now it is coming back on WTBS and it is being hosted by Snoop Dawg. I have no opinion on this, other than I’ve got to watch it at least once. In the commercials I saw, Snoop Dawg appears to be wearing a velour smoking jacket. If gameshows make a comeback, that would be good.

5) Yu Darvish walked with the bases loaded Monday night; he is the first pitcher in 40 years to walk with the bases loaded in a playoff game. Larry Christensen of the Phillies was the last pitcher to draw a bases loaded walk in a playoff game, in 1977.

4) Nick Young scored 23 points for the Warriors Tuesday night, but Golden State was also -10 in the 29:00 he was on the floor in their 122-121 loss to Houston. Warriors were +9 in the 19:00 he was on the bench, -10 when he was on the floor. Thats more important than his point total.

3) There are rumors that the Big 14 is considering moving to 20 conference games next season, with the eventual goal of juicing up their teams’ power ratings so mid-majors get blocked out of at-large bids for the NCAA tournament. That would be sad, if that is the reason.

2) Baseball playoffs:
New York 5, Houston 0— Astros have scored 9 runs in five series games.

1) When you watch NBA/college games this season, consider this:

Several years ago, I was sitting at an AAU tournament talking to a college basketball coach who is very good at his job. I was asking him lot of questions, trying to pick his brain as far as what he looked for at these tournaments with mostly glorified pickup games being played.

“I look at what their college skill is” the coach said. “Some guys shoot it well, others pass it well, some rebound well. I’ll tell you this, getting loose balls is a skill, too”

So when there is a loose ball in an NBA game and the same couple guys are getting most of them, know that their toughness/quickness is what helped get them to the NBA in the first place. Its not an accident.

[StarDust Bum]

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

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/18/2017 8-10-0 44.44% -15.00
10/17/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50

Totals:..............11 - 11......50.00%.....-5.50


Best Bets:

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

10/18/2017.......................2 - 2..............-1.00................1 - 4..................-17.00
10/17/2017.......................1 - 0..............+5.00...............1 - 0..................+5.00

Totals................................3 - 2..............+4.00...............2 - 4..................-12.00

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, October 19

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

CHICAGO (0 - 0) at TORONTO (0 - 0) - 10/19/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 257-313 ATS (-87.3 Units) in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 7-0 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 6-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW YORK (0 - 0) at OKLAHOMA CITY (0 - 0) - 10/19/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

LA CLIPPERS (0 - 0) at LA LAKERS (0 - 0) - 10/19/2017, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 5-3 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 7-1 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, October 19

Not a lot to go on for the first 7-10 days, until these teams get some games under their belts. I’ll give you what relevant information I have:

Bulls won nine of last ten games with Toronto (10-0 vs spread), losing last meeting in OT. Over is 9-1 in last ten series games. Chicago won three of last four visits here, with wins by 2-2-13 points. This is the season opener for both clubs.

Carmelo Anthony sees his old team on Opening Night. Knicks lost six of last eight games with Oklahoma City- they’re 1-3 in last four visits here (1-3 vs spread), losing by 12-11-29 points. Under is 4-2 in last six series games. This is the season opener for both sides.

Clippers won nine of last ten games with the Lakers (under 8-2), though Lakers are 6-3 vs spread in last nine meetings. This is season opener for both teams.




NBA

Thursday, October 19

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO @ TORONTO
Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago

NEW YORK @ OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of New York's last 9 games
New York is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oklahoma City's last 9 games

LA CLIPPERS @ LA LAKERS
LA Clippers is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of LA Clippers's last 11 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Lakers's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of LA Lakers's last 11 games when playing LA Clippers

[StarDust Bum]

Draymond Green has MRI exam on injured knee, status unclear
October 18, 2017

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Warriors forward Draymond Green underwent an MRI exam on his strained left knee and his status for an upcoming road trip is unclear.

Golden State expected to release results of the test Wednesday or early Thursday prior to departing for a game Friday at New Orleans.

Green got hurt in the closing seconds of the third quarter of Tuesday's season-opening 122-121 home loss to Houston when he drove left to the basket, took an off-balanced shot and landed awkwardly. He came up hobbling and grabbing at his knee.

Golden State missed his presence down the stretch and Green finished just shy of a triple-double with nine points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds.

''I don't think it's serious but we'll see,'' coach Steve Kerr said after Wednesday's practice, in which Green didn't participate.

Omri Casspi's Warriors debut was cut short after he sprained his left ankle late in the third quarter. He had come into the game questionable with a mild sprain of his right ankle. Casspi did some shooting but didn't practice.

''He just slipped on the floor,'' Kerr said. ''We'll see if he's OK. It was a tough break, he's sprained both ankles in the last week.''

Andre Iguodala, meanwhile, practiced Wednesday after missing the opener with a strained back.

Kerr remains hopeful he will play on the road trip that includes the team's first back-to-back with Friday's matchup against the Pelicans followed by a game Saturday at Memphis.

Golden State plays Monday at Dallas before returning home for three games next week.

The Warriors are being extra cautious at this stage with Iguodala, who is such a valuable contributor off the bench.

Kerr has said his team still must get in better shape - mentally and physically - and that led to foul trouble throughout the game. Kevin Durant's baseline jumper at the end went in just too late and Golden State squandered a big lead on the night it received its championship rings.

The Warriors only spent about 30 minutes practicing on the court Wednesday with the focus on skill work, instead using more time to study film.

''We were not ready mentally to play that game, even when we weren't tired,'' Kerr said. ''When I say we're not in great shape, I can't come in here today and run them because they're tired from last night. So the physical conditioning will come as we play these games in the next week or two but what we can do is really lock in mentally.''

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

Emotional Celtics drop first 2 games after Hayward's injury
October 19, 2017

BOSTON (AP) Celtics fans lined up to sign a banner urging Gordon Hayward to ''come back stronger than ever.'' One player wrote his injured teammate's initials on his shoe. The crowd that bought tickets to see him make his Boston debut chanted his name.

A few miles away, Hayward was being wheeled into surgery to repair the ankle he mangled in the season opener.

Hayward's agent said the surgery Wednesday night ''went really well.''

Mark Bartelstein said Thursday that doctors ''got everything sort of fixed and put back in the right place. So that's great. There's no doubt we'll get him back to be better than he was before.

''There's no doubt in my mind about that.''

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said the situation is difficult for him personally, but Hayward will have lots of support.

''Having known him as long as I've known him, it's tough to see him go through this,'' said Stevens, who was also Hayward's college coach at Butler. ''We'll make sure he knows that we've got our arms around him.''

After signing a four-year, $128-million free agent contract to come to Boston from the Utah Jazz, his only professional team, Hayward's Celtics career was less than six minutes old when an awkward landing in Cleveland on Tuesday night left him with a broken left tibia and dislocated ankle.

Bartelstein didn't have details on a timeframe for Hayward's recovery.

''It will be awhile,'' Bartelstein said. ''I think it's very unlikely he'll play this season. But we're not even thinking about a timeframe right now.''

Players on both teams reacted in horror to Hayward's gruesomely bent leg. Stevens said he couldn't watch the replay. The Celtics, who trailed the Cavaliers by 16 at halftime, lost when Kyrie Irving missed the potential tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Unable to attend the home opener against Milwaukee a night later, Hayward recorded a video message from his hospital bed before heading into surgery, telling Boston fans: ''It's hurting me that I can't be there.''

In the 30-second message, which was also sent out by the team on Twitter, Hayward thanked the fans for all the messages of support.

''I'm going to be all right,'' Hayward said. ''It's hurting me that I can't be there for the home opener. I want nothing more than to be with my teammates and walk out on that floor tonight. But I'll be supporting you guys from here, and wishing you the best of luck.''

Boston fell to 0-2 when Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 16 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter, adding 13 rebounds to help the Milwaukee Bucks to a 108-100 victory. Irving scored 17 points for Boston on 7-for-25 shooting, and Jaylen Brown scored 18.

Stevens said it's going to take them a little more time to figure this all out.

''I'm hopeful that we can find the right combinations,'' he said. ''We obviously didn't anticipate going maybe this far into the bench this early.''

Hayward was expected to make a full recovery, but Stevens did not know if he would be able to return this season.

''It's definitely been tough,'' said rookie forward Jayson Tatum. ''We're just keeping Gordon in our prayers, hoping everything is all right.''

Hayward's acquisition was part of a near-complete roster overhaul for the team that finished first in the East last season before losing to the Cavaliers in the conference finals.

The team also traded fan favorite Isaiah Thomas to Cleveland for Irving and shipped out regular starters Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder. In all, just four players on the roster finished last season with the team.

''As you saw in the Cleveland game, they fought back,'' Bucks guard Matthew Dellavedova said. ''They're not going to quit.''

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

Nets' Lin expected to miss season with right knee injury
October 19, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin is expected to miss the rest of the season because of a ruptured patella tendon of the right knee.

Lin was hurt midway through the fourth quarter of the Nets' 140-131 loss at Indiana on Wednesday in their opener. He landed hard behind the baseline after a drive to the basket and was in tears as he clutched at his knee.

The former Harvard guard was hoping for a stronger second season with the Nets. He was limited to just 36 games in 2016-17 while Brooklyn finished with the NBA's worst record.

General manager Sean Marks says Thursday in a statement that Lin worked hard during the offseason.

Marks says its ''awful that the injury will cost him the season'' and the organization ''will be there to support Jeremy in every way possible throughout his recovery.''

[StarDust Bum]

NBA (PROFESSIONAL)

DUNKEL'S HIGHLIGHTED GAME

LA Clippers at LA Lakers - Thursday October 19, 2017
The Clippers open their season tonight against a Lakers team that is 4-0 ATS in its last 4 home games. The Lakers are the pick (+5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Clippers favored by only 3. Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+5 1/2).


THURSDAY OCTOBER 19, 2017

Chicago
@
Toronto
Game 501-502
October 19, 2017 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating: Chicago
110.554
Toronto
125.630
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Toronto
by 15
203
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Toronto
by 12 1/2
208 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto
(-12 1/2); Under

New York
@
Oklahoma City
Game 503-504
October 19, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating: New York
107.478
Oklahoma City
124.941
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Oklahoma City
by 17 1/2
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Oklahoma City
by 12
213
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City
(-12); Over

LA Clippers
@
LA Lakers
Game 505-506
October 19, 2017 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: LA Clippers
123.518
LA Lakers
120.727
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: LA Clippers
by 3
224
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: LA Clippers
by 5 1/2
218
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers
(+5 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

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

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/18/2017 8-10-0 44.44% -15.00
10/17/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50

Totals:..............11 - 11......50.00%.....-5.50


Best Bets:

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

10/18/2017.......................2 - 2..............-1.00................1 - 4..................-17.00
10/17/2017.......................1 - 0..............+5.00...............1 - 0..................+5.00

Totals................................3 - 2..............+4.00...............2 - 4..................-12.00


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

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CHI at TOR 07:30 PM

CHI +12.5

O 207.5 *****

NY at OKC 08:00 PM

OKC -12.5 *****

O 215.5

LAC at LAL 10:30 PM

LAC -6.5 *****

U 217.5 *****

[StarDust Bum]

NBA roundup: Knicks no match for Thunder's Big 3
October 19, 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma City Thunder's new-look roster got off to a big start Thursday night.

New additions Carmelo Anthony and Paul George teamed up with Russell Westbrook to score a combined 71 points as the Thunder beat the New York Knicks 105-84 in the season opener for both teams.

Westbrook turned in a triple-double with 21 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds. George finished with 28 points while Anthony added 22.

Kristaps Porzingis led the Knicks with 31 points and 12 rebounds. The only other New York player to score in double digits was Enes Kanter, who had 10 points.

Clippers 108, Lakers 92

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers continued their recent domination of the Los Angeles Lakers with a victory in the season opener for both teams. The Clippers have won 19 of the past 21 meetings with the Lakers since the start of the 2012-13 season.

Blake Griffin had 29 points and 12 rebounds, and DeAndre Jordan finished with 14 points and 24 rebounds to lead the Clippers.

Rookie Lonzo Ball made his NBA debut for the Lakers, and the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA Draft finished with three points, nine rebounds, four assists and two turnovers while shooting 1 of 6 from the floor.

Raptors 117, Bulls 101

TORONTO -- Jonas Valanciunas scored 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, C.J. Miles added 22 points off the bench, and Toronto defeated Chicago in the opening game of the season for each team.

Norman Powell added 15 points for the Raptors, while Kyle Lowry scored 12 points and had nine assists. Delon Wright added 13 points with DeMar DeRozan contributing 11.

Robin Lopez scored 18 points and nabbed eight rebounds for the Bulls. Rookie Lauri Markkanen had 17 points and eight rebounds, Justin Holiday added 15 points, and Denzel Valentine scored 12.