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

[StarDust Bum]

Matt Barnes retires from NBA at 37
December 11, 2017

LOS ANGELES (AP) Matt Barnes is retiring from the NBA after playing for nine teams over 14 years and winning a championship with Golden State last season.

The 37-year-old small forward hasn't played this season. He posted his retirement announcement on Instagram on Monday.

''Traveled the world met alota cool people, some will be brothers for the rest of my life!'' he wrote in part. ''But now.... You telling me I can dress like this for business meetings & make more money off the court than in made on?? & spend more time with my kids??!!Ha... MEEEEE the one that wasn't supposed to be (expletive) & ended up making it!!''

His post was accompanied by a photo of Barnes in gray sweatpants, a dark T-shirt and denim jacket.

''Love me or hate me, I did it my way!'' he wrote.

Last month, Barnes received his NBA championship ring during Golden State's game against Sacramento, which released him last season. He went to high school in the state capital.

''It was an amazing opportunity, a tremendous blessing,'' he said that night. ''I was one of those guys who wasn't supposed to make it in this league.''

Barnes had repeat stints with Golden State, Sacramento and the Los Angeles Clippers, for whom he played the longest. He also was with the Lakers, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Orlando and Memphis.

He averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds during his career. He often came off the bench and was known for his hard-nosed approach.

''He was a physical, tough kid,'' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. ''He was an instigator to say the least, and as Red Auerbach said every day when I was in Boston, you can never have enough of those.''

Barnes played four years at UCLA before he was selected by Memphis in the second round of the 2002 draft.

Off the court, Barnes made headlines during his marriage to Gloria Govan, with whom he has twin sons. The couple divorced and she began dating Barnes' ex-Lakers teammate Derek Fisher. In October 2015, the two men got into an altercation at Govan's Los Angeles home. Barnes was suspended two games without pay by the NBA for his part in it.

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs list Kawhi as probable for Tuesday
December 11, 2017

DALLAS (AP) San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard is expected to make his season debut Tuesday when the Spurs visit Dallas.

Leonard has missed all 27 of the Spurs' games this season while recovering from right quadriceps tendinopathy, a condition that causes pain and weakness in the knee.

Leonard last played in Game 1 of last season's Western Conference finals. He hurt his left ankle in the opener of that series against Golden State, turning it while trying to land after a jump shot and coming down on the foot of Warriors center Zaza Pachulia.

The Spurs are listing Leonard as probable. Even without Leonard, who averaged a career-best 25.5 points last season and is a two-time defensive player of the year, the Spurs are 19-8 this season and third in the Western Conference.

[StarDust Bum]

Slumping Wizards lead lowly Southeast

The Wizards entered Tuesday barely two games over .500, tied with the Pistons for the sixth-best record in the East. The only reason you haven’t heard many hitting the panic button on a team expected to compete for the No. 1 overall seed in the conference is that they continue to lead a disappointing Southeast Division where the Heat are running second at 13-13 and everyone else has a losing record.

Miami is likely to provide Washington’s stiffest competition this season, but has lost center Hassan Whiteside indefinitely to a bone bruise in his left knee that’s likely to keep him out a few more games.

The Heat had surrendered over nine points per game more without him clogging the middle and had been routinely outrebounded prior to Monday night’s win in Memphis.

As a result, they’ve been able to make up no ground on the Wizards, who have been without John Wall for eight games but are likely to get him back for Tuesday’s visit to Brooklyn or Wednesday’s home date against Memphis.

Wall's return coincides with favorable schedule

Wall practiced over the weekend for the first time and said he felt great, which bodes well for the team’s prospects of gaining some separation and joining the Cavs and Celtics among the East’s elite.

Boston put together a 16-game winning streak. Cleveland managed 13 straight wins. That kind of run is one the Wizards are capable of replicating over the rest of the month given how the schedule lays out.

They would already be on a three-game win streak if Lou Williams and Austin Rivers hadn’t knocked down clutch 3-pointers in the closing stages of a 113-112 road loss to the Clippers on Saturday, but seem to have found themselves.

Washington hit rock bottom in a 116-69 loss in Salt Lake City to open the five-game road trip, but improved and steadily made strides. Washington now settles in to play 13 of its next 18 at home, with short road trips to Brooklyn and Boston making for a very cozy stretch.

The Cavs, Celtics and Rockets are among the teams the Wizards will face between now and Jan. 15, but for the most part, they’ll be facing opponents with losing records and should be favored on most nights. This appears to be the perfect point for Washington to start living up to its potential.

Wall has been out three weeks after undergoing the popular procedure of placing platelet-rich plasma into his left knee, a pick-me-up of sorts. He’s been bothered by knee soreness this season and banged knees with a Dallas defender on Nov. 7, leading to his absence. The All-Star point guard has also dealt with shoulder pain and sprained an ankle, but has still averaged 20.3 points and 9.2 assists.

His return means Tim Frazier can return to the backup role he’s best suited in, but a major development in Wall’s absence is one the Wizards hope to carry forward.

Shooting guard Bradley Beal enters the week on a run where he’s averaging 36.7 points over his last three games, having scored a career-high 51 on Dec. 5. He’s often flourished as the lead ball-handler, getting teammates great looks in the two-man game due to the respect he’s begun to command.

After breaking through to average 23.1 points last season, Beal is up to 23.8 thus far. Wall told the Washington Post that he’s been so impressed by Beal’s run that it has opened his eyes to the need of allowing him to find his rhythm as a primary ball-handler.

“I got to tell him, ‘you score the ball so well, at times you can be the point guard and run pick-and-rolls,’” Wall said. “There’s times I have to take the benefit role to spot up and be able to knock down shots the way he’s done for me.”

There’s no guard tandem in the East more lethal than Wall and Beal, who are up there with Golden State’s Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and Portland’s Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in terms of production. Having them back intact should provide a major boost, especially since they’ll make the game easier for a frontcourt that has largely struggled.

Small forward Otto Porter has shown flashes of last season’s brilliance that led to him signing a 4-year/$107 million offer sheet from the Nets that Washington quickly matched, but he’s been inconsistent.

Center Marcin Gortat’s averages (9.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg) are his lowest since joining the Wizards in 2013, while power forward Markieff Morris has been incredibly disappointing since returning from offseason hernia surgery. Although he was on a minutes restriction early on upon making his season debut, he’s scored in double-digits in just three of his last eight games. His season-high rebounding total is just eight and there’s no question he’s been extremely flat without Wall to get him going.

The Wizards were 4-to-9 to win the Southeast at Westgate just before the season began, which looks to be a smart bet given the fact they’ve maintained their advantage despite not being whole or sharp. Miami played its best basketball after January last season and can’t be written off, but there’s no question that the Wizards are the superior team when completely intact.

Charlotte has been incredibly disappointing despite Dwight Howard performing better than expected, winning only one of its first 11 road games. Orlando started fast, but has an uphill climb to even reach the postseason, so don’t expect them to challenge in the division. Atlanta is rebuilding.

All of this puts little pressure on Washington in terms of a sense of urgency, but you can expect them to start performing better with Wall returning to the mix feeling spry. Now is a great time to take a shot at them winning the Eastern Conference, since the 15-to-1 available at Westgate will likely never be more lucrative. The same can be said about 50-to-1 to win the NBA title, although I don’t see any way the Warriors are coming up short there if they stay healthy.

Keep an eye on the Wizards as a team to back consistently over the next few weeks. They should start living up to their billing.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Tuesday
December 12, 2017

ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Cavaliers are 0-13 ATS (-13.92 ppg) as a home 8+ favorite.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Wizards are 14-0 OU (17.29 ppg) off a road game in which they shot over 50% from the field.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Cavaliers are 17-0 OU (14.53 ppg) as a home 8+ favorite off a home game in which LeBron James had a double double with rebounds.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Knicks are 0-10 ATS (-16.00 ppg) with rest off a home game in which they scored at least 25% of their points from free throws.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Suns are 15-0 OU (8.37 ppg) as a dog with more than one day of rest off a loss.

-- The Pistons are 0-10 ATS (-9.05 ppg) at home after Andre Drummond shot worse than 33 percent.

[StarDust Bum]

DECEMBER NBA BEST BETS & OPINIONS (BASED ON 5 UNITS )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

12/11/2017 NO PLAYS
12/10/2017 6-6-0 50.00% -3.00
12/09/2017 6-13-0 31.58% -41.50
12/08/2017 7-9-0 43.75% -14.50
12/07/2017 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
12/06/2017 10-8-2 55.55% +6.00
12/05/2017 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
12/04/2017 6-10-0 37.50% -25.00
12/03/2017 5-5-0 50.00% -2.50
12/02/2017 7-8-1 46.66% -9.00
12/01/2017 4-12-0 30.00% -46.00

Totals.........49 - 69 - 1......41.52%.......-134.50

BEST BETS:.......................ATS................... ......UNITS...........................O/U............................UNITS

12/11/2017.............................................. N O P L A Y S................................................. .............
12/10/2017....................1 - 3...........................-11.50............................3 - 0.........................+15.00
12/09/2017....................1 - 6...........................-28.00............................3 -1..........................+4.50
12/08/2017....................3 - 2...........................+4.00................. ..........3 - 3..........................-1.50
12/07/2017....................0 - 2...........................-11.00...........................2 - 1.........................+4.50
12/06/2017..................2 - 2 - 1.........................-1.00..........................4 - 1 - 1......................+14.50
12/05/2017....................2 - 1...........................+4.50................. ..........3 - 0.........................+15.00
12/04/2017....................4 - 4...........................-2.00.............................1 - 3..........................-11.50
12/03/2017....................2 - 2...........................-1.00............................ 2 - 1..........................+4.50
12/02/2017....................1 - 3 - 1......................-11.50...........................4 - 3..........................+3.50
12/01/2017....................2 - 5 - 1......................-17.50...........................1 - 3..........................-11.50

Totals.......................18 - 30 - 3........................-75.00......................26 - 13- 1.......................+37.00

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 12
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

DEN at DET 07:00 PM
DET -6.5
U 210.0

LAL at NY 07:00 PM
LAL +2.5
O 212.0

ATL at CLE 07:00 PM
CLE -11.0
U 217.0

WAS at NJ 07:30 PM
NJ +3.0
O 213.5

SA at DAL 08:30 PM
DAL +6.0
U 200.0

PHI at MIN 09:30 PM
MIN -5.0
U 215.0

PHO at SAC 10:00 PM
PHO +4.0
O 212.0

[StarDust Bum]

NBA roundup: Porzingis, Knicks beat Lakers in OT
December 12, 2017

DALLAS -- Kawhi Leonard made his long-anticipated season debut Tuesday and looked to be in mid-season form, although his San Antonio Spurs fell apart in the fourth quarter without him and lost to the Dallas Mavericks 95-89.

The Spurs' All-Star forward missed the first 27 games of the season because of a quad injury. He quickly displayed his all-around excellence, producing 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting and adding six rebounds, one assist, one steal and a block.

Leonard did it all in 16 minutes as coach Gregg Popovich promised a gradual reintroduction. Leonard's lone offensive rebound was a tip-out to himself that led to a bucket for a 55-50 San Antonio lead, and Popovich pulled him for good soon after.

The Mavericks, sparked by guard J.J. Barea's aggressive drives to the basket, opened the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run, went up 91-80 with 4:01 to go and held on to snap the Spurs' four-game winning streak as well as end their own three-game skid.

76ers 118, Timberwolves 112 (OT)

MINNEAPOLIS -- Joel Embiid had 28 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and J.J. Redick scored 26 points as Philadelphia pulled out an overtime victory over Minnesota.

Ben Simmons was held scoreless until 1:17 remained in regulation, but he ended up with seven points and eight assists for Philadelphia. The 76ers snapped a four-game losing streak by scoring the first six points of overtime and holding on in the back-and-forth game.

Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 38 points for Timberwolves, who shot only 40.7 percent from the field. Karl-Anthony Towns had his league-leading 22nd double-double with 19 points and 16 rebounds, and Andrew Wiggins scored 20 points for Minnesota.

Knicks 113, Lakers 109 (OT)

NEW YORK -- Kristaps Porzingis scored 37 points as New York emerged with an overtime victory over Los Angeles.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope paced the Lakers with 24 points. Los Angeles rookies Lonzo Ball (17 points, eight rebounds, six assists) and Kyle Kuzma (19 points) played well in their Madison Square Garden debuts.

Kuzma hit a 3-pointer with 23.9 seconds left to tie the game at 99, but New York's Michael Beasley had two baskets and an assist on a Doug McDermott layup during a 69-second run in overtime to give the Knicks a six-point lead they would not relinquish.

Cavaliers 123, Hawks 114

CLEVELAND -- Setting a season high with 20 3-pointers, Cleveland topped Atlanta.

LeBron James scored 25 points and tied a career high with 17 assists. He made two 3-pointers. Kyle Korver (19 points) drained six 3-pointers, and Kevin Love (17 points, 12 rebounds) added four treys, as did Jose Calderon (14 points, tying a season high).

Taurean Prince paced the Hawks with 24 points, and Kent Bazemore added 20.

Nuggets 103, Pistons 84

DETROIT -- Jamal Murray fired in 28 points and reserve Trey Lyles tossed in 20, leading Denver to the easy victory over slumping Detroit.

Wilson Chandler scored 18 points, while Mason Plumlee supplied 10 points and a season-high 13 rebounds for the Nuggets, who never trailed. Gary Harris added eight points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals.

The Pistons lost their seventh straight, their longest skid since dropping 10 in a row during February and March 2015. Langston Galloway led Detroit with 18 points.

Nets 103, Wizards 98

NEW YORK -- Allen Crabbe shook off a rough shooting night to hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 44 seconds left as Brooklyn beat Washington.

Crabbe was among seven Nets in double figures, finishing with 13 points. He shot 3 of 15 overall, 3 of 14 from 3-point range on a night when Brooklyn made 23.3 percent from long range.

Bradley Beal led Washington with 28 points but only scored three points in the fourth quarter. He shot 11 of 33 and missed all seven of his 3-point attempts.

Kings 99, Suns 92

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Zach Randolph scored 11 of his 17 points during the final five minutes, and his three-point play with 44.9 seconds left helped lift Sacramento past Phoenix.

George Hill scored 18 points, and Buddy Hield contributed 14 points off the bench as Sacramento ended a three-game home losing streak.

TJ Warren scored 18 points to lead the Suns, who have dropped four in a row and nine of their past 11. Reserve Mike James scored 17 points in 20 minutes, Tyler Ulis added 10 points, and Tyson Chandler had seven points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix.

[StarDust Bum]

B]SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 13, 2017[/B]
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Los Angeles Clippers Orlando Magic Amway Center
7:00 PM Memphis Grizzlies Washington Wizards Capital One Arena
7:00 PM Oklahoma City Thunder Indiana Pacers Bankers Life Fieldhouse
7:30 PM Denver Nuggets Boston Celtics TD Garden
7:30 PM Portland Trail Blazers Miami Heat AmericanAirlines Arena
8:00 PM Milwaukee Bucks New Orleans Pelicans Smoothie King Center
8:00 PM Utah Jazz Chicago Bulls United Center
9:00 PM Toronto Raptors Phoenix Suns Talking Stick Resort Arena
9:30 PM Charlotte Hornets Houston Rockets Toyota Center


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DECEMBER NBA BEST BETS & OPINIONS (BASED ON 5 UNITS )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

12/12/2017 5-9-0 35.71% -29.50
12/11/2017 NO PLAYS
12/10/2017 6-6-0 50.00% -3.00
12/09/2017 6-13-0 31.58% -41.50
12/08/2017 7-9-0 43.75% -14.50
12/07/2017 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
12/06/2017 10-8-2 55.55% +6.00
12/05/2017 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
12/04/2017 6-10-0 37.50% -25.00
12/03/2017 5-5-0 50.00% -2.50
12/02/2017 7-8-1 46.66% -9.00
12/01/2017 4-12-0 30.00% -46.00

Totals.........54 - 78 - 1......40.90%.......-164.00

BEST BETS:.......................ATS................... ......UNITS...........................O/U............................UNITS

12/12/2017....................1 - 4...........................-17.00............................3 - 2.........................+4.00
12/11/2017.............................................. N O P L A Y S................................................. .............
12/10/2017....................1 - 3...........................-11.50............................3 - 0.........................+15.00
12/09/2017....................1 - 6...........................-28.00............................3 -1..........................+4.50
12/08/2017....................3 - 2...........................+4.00................. ..........3 - 3..........................-1.50
12/07/2017....................0 - 2...........................-11.00...........................2 - 1.........................+4.50
12/06/2017..................2 - 2 - 1.........................-1.00..........................4 - 1 - 1......................+14.50
12/05/2017....................2 - 1...........................+4.50................. ..........3 - 0.........................+15.00
12/04/2017....................4 - 4...........................-2.00.............................1 - 3..........................-11.50
12/03/2017....................2 - 2...........................-1.00............................ 2 - 1..........................+4.50
12/02/2017....................1 - 3 - 1......................-11.50...........................4 - 3..........................+3.50
12/01/2017....................2 - 5 - 1......................-17.50...........................1 - 3..........................-11.50

Totals.......................19 - 34 - 3........................-92.00......................29 - 15- 1.......................+41.00

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's List of 13: Mid-week musings……

13) In 2004, there were 31 unbeaten college basketball teams on December 10; 12 of them were at least 10-0. This year, there were only seven unbeaten teams on December 10, five of whom were 10-0 or better.

College basketball season starts earlier now than it did in ’04, but still, there don’t seem to be any great teams this year.

12) Aaron Rodgers was medically cleared to play in the Packers’ game in Carolina this week. Rodgers broke his collarbone in a game against the Vikings October 15- he has 13 screws in his collarbone. It hasn’t been announced if he’ll play, but you figure if they cleared him, he will.

11) Philadelphia Eagles were 6-1 to win the Super Bowl before last Sunday’s game; had Carson Wentz not gotten hurt, they would’ve been 4-1 after the game. Instead, they’re going to wind up around 14-1 to win the Super Bowl with Nick Foles playing QB.

10) ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla tweeted Tuesday that the Lithuanian coach the Ball brothers will soon be playing for:

1) Doesn’t speak any English
2) Sells meat to his players out of the trunk of his car after practice.

This should go really well.

9) Rams LT Andrew Whitworth celebrated his birthday Tuesday by giving bicycles to 550 elementary students in the Watts section of Los Angeles. Thats a lot of bikes to give away.

8) Wyoming QB Josh Allen is probably the #3 QB prospect in next April’s NFL Draft, but he hurt his shoulder against Air Force and missed Wyoming’s last two games. Allen says his shoulder is now 90% healed and he expects to play in Wyoming’s bowl game. Playing well in that game will quiet lot of questions about his health heading into the draft.

7) OF Marcell Ozuna can be a free agent in two years; his agent is Scott Boras, so you know the Miami Marlins are trading him, too. Christian Yelich is owed $43M over the next four years, so he is affordable and Miami might keep him.

6) Texas Longhorns loses their top scorer Andrew Jones for a while with a broken wrist; he is averaging 15.3 ppg. Longhorns’ first Big X game is December 29 at home vs Kansas.

5) SMU hired former Cal coach Sonny Dykes to replace Chad Morris, who is the new football coach at Arkansas. Dykes went 22-15 as coach at Louisiana Tech, 19-30 at Cal.

4) Patriots signed WR Kenny Britt to a 2-year contract, which will be interesting; Rams, Browns were both starved for talent when they had Britt, but they both let him walk, and New England gobbles him up. Want to see Belichick’s reaction the first time Britt gets a taunting penalty after one of his teammates scores a touchdown.

3) Set-up guy Bryan Shaw gets $9M for three years from Colorado; Shaw appeared in 79 games for Cleveland last year, the most games pitched in the big leagues. Colorado must’ve outbid the other teams by a lot; why else would a pitcher sign to pitch in the Mile High City?

2) Knicks 113, Lakers 109 OT— Kristaps Porzingis had 37 points, 11 rebounds, 5 blocked shots and 5 made 3-pointers as Knicks beat LA in overtime.

1) Angels just signed P/DH Shohei Ohtani; now there are reports the Ohtani has a sprained UCL in his elbow, and got one of those platelet-rich injections in his arm to help fix the injury. Oy.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, December 13

Clippers won their last seven games with Orlando (4-2-1 vs spread); seven of last nine series games stayed under. LA is 3-2 vs spread in their last five visits to Orlando. Clippers are 5-4 in last nine games; they’re 3-6 vs spread as road underdogs. Five of last seven Clipper games went over total. Orlando lost three of its last four games; they’re 1-6 as home favorites. Over is 8-3 in their last 11 games.

Wizards won four of last six games with Memphis; over is 5-5 in last ten series games. Grizzlies are 1-4 vs spread in last five games intros building. Memphis lost 15 of its last 16 games; they’re 5-4 vs spread as road underdogs. Under is 9-4 in their last 13 games. Washington is 5-7 in its last 12 games; they’re 4-6 vs spread as home favorites- four of their last five games stayed under the total.

Paul George returns to Indiana with the Thunder, who are 4-2 in last six games. OKC 2-10 vs spread on the road. Four of their last six road games went over. Pacers won their last four games, are 5-2 vs spread as home favorites. Under is 6-2-1 in their last nine home games. Pacers won four of last six games with Oklahoma City; over is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Thunder is 3-2 vs spread in last five visits here.

Celtics are 5-3 in last eight games with Denver, but Nuggets covered three of last four; Over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Denver is 2-3 vs spread in last five visits here. Nuggets are 5-3 in their last eight games, are 4-5 as road underdogs; three of their last four road games stayed under. Boston won five of its last seven games; they’re 7-4-1 as home favorites. Three of last four series games stayed under total.

Portland won its last three games with Miami; home side won six of last seven series games. Over is 4-1 in last five series games played here. Blazers are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Miami. Portland lost its last five games; they’re 2-2-1 as road underdogs. Four of their last six games stayed under total. Miami is 6-4 in its last ten games; they’re 1-4-1 as home favorites. Under is 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

Bulls won three of last four games with Utah; nine of last ten series games stayed under total. Jazz is 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to the Windy City. Utah lost its last three games, by 6-11-17 points; they’re 1-2 as road favorites. Four of their last six games went over total. Chicago won its last three games; they’re 6-5 vs spread as home underdogs. Under is 9-3 in their home games this season.

Pelicans won seven of last nine games with Milwaukee; six of last eight series games went over total. Bucks are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Bourbon Street. Milwaukee won six of its last seven games; they’re 6-6 vs spread on road, 3-1 as a favorite. Seven of their last nine games went over total. New Orleans lost six of last nine games; they’re 7-7 vs spread at home, 3-1 as an underdog. Pelicans’ last eight games went over the total.

Suns won six of last nine games with Toronto; six of last nine series games went over the total. Raptors are 1-4 vs spread in their last five visits to the desert. Toronto won six of its last seven games; they’re 3-4 as road favorites. Four of their last six games went over total. Phoenix lost eight of last ten games; they’re 4-7 as home underdogs. Three of their last four games stayed under total.

Rockets won nine of last ten games with Charlotte (under 8-2); Hornets are 1-3-1 vs spread in their last five games in this building. Charlotte lost seven of its last nine games; they’re 3-6-1 vs spread as road underdogs. Over is 3-1-1 in their last five road games. Houston won its last ten games; they’re 6-6 vs spread as home favorites. Last three Rocket games went over the total.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, December 13

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Trend Report
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OKLAHOMA CITY @ INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Oklahoma City's last 14 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 18 of Oklahoma City's last 25 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Indiana's last 14 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

LA CLIPPERS @ ORLANDO
LA Clippers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Orlando
LA Clippers is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Orlando's last 11 games
Orlando is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 games when playing LA Clippers

MEMPHIS @ WASHINGTON
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Memphis's last 13 games
Memphis is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games when playing Washington
Washington is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Memphis
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Memphis

This source is showing "no trends to report" for all today's remaining NBA matchups

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, December 13

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LA CLIPPERS (10 - 15) at ORLANDO (11 - 17) - 12/13/2017, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 2-1 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 4-0 straight up against ORLANDO 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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MEMPHIS (8 - 19) at WASHINGTON (14 - 13) - 12/13/2017, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 2-2 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 2-2 straight up against MEMPHIS 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 (12 - 14) at INDIANA (16 - 11) - 12/13/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in the first half of the season this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in home games after scoring 115 points or more over the last 3 seasons.

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

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DENVER (15 - 12) at BOSTON (23 - 6) - 12/13/2017, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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PORTLAND (13 - 13) at MIAMI (13 - 13) - 12/13/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 23-35 ATS (-15.5 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 128-175 ATS (-64.5 Units) in home games in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 3-1 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 3-1 straight up against MIAMI 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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UTAH (13 - 14) at CHICAGO (6 - 20) - 12/13/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 269-324 ATS (-87.4 Units) in the first half of the season since 1996.
CHICAGO is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CHICAGO is 62-97 ATS (-44.7 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.
CHICAGO is 1-13 ATS (-13.3 Units) in home games after allowing 90 points or less over the last 3 seasons.

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

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MILWAUKEE (15 - 10) at NEW ORLEANS (14 - 14) - 12/13/2017, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW ORLEANS is 2-2 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 2-2 straight up against MILWAUKEE 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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TORONTO (17 - 8) at PHOENIX (9 - 20) - 12/13/2017, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 34-22 ATS (+9.8 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 5-0 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 3-2 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CHARLOTTE (10 - 16) at HOUSTON (21 - 4) - 12/13/2017, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 48-78 ATS (-37.8 Units) against Southwest division opponents since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 21-35 ATS (-17.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 17-33 ATS (-19.3 Units) as a home favorite of 12.5 to 18 points since 1996.
HOUSTON is 18-34 ATS (-19.4 Units) as a home favorite of 12.5 or more points since 1996.
HOUSTON is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, December 13


NBA's Top ATS Teams:

1. Celtics 20-8-1
2. Nets 17-9
3. Pacers 17-10
4. Pistons 16-9-2
5. Sixers 16-10-1

NBA's Worst ATS Teams:

30. Thunder 8-18
29. Grizzlies 9-17-1
28. Cavs 10-17-1
27. Magic 11-16-1
26. Nuggets 11-16

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
December 13, 2017

Game of the Night: Hornets at Rockets – 9:35 PM EST

The offensive numbers for Houston (21-4 SU, 14-11 ATS) are astounding through 25 games as the team is averaging 115 points per game. Granted, they rank second in the league in PPG behind Golden State (for the second straight season), but the Rockets are coming off 124 and 130 point efforts in the last two contests. Houston rallied past New Orleans on Monday, 130-127, as the Rockets led the Pelicans at halftime, 78-76. The Rockets are riding a 10-game winning streak, while Mike D’Antoni’s squad has won 16 of their past 17 contests (11-6 ATS).

The Hornets (10-16 SU, 11-14-1 ATS) picked up only their second road victory in 12 tries this season as Charlotte took care of a struggling Oklahoma City club on Monday, 116-103. Charlotte snapped a three-game losing streak, as Dwight Howard paced the Hornets with 23 points, while the Hornets outscored the Thunder in the third quarter, 40-22 after the score was tied at halftime. The Hornets improved to 3-8-1 ATS away from Spectrum Center, while winning their first road game since October 30 at Memphis.

The Rockets have captured nine of the past 10 meetings with the Hornets since February 2013. Houston cruised past Charlotte in the first meeting in North Carolina in late October, 109-93 as three-point favorites. James Harden recorded a triple-double for the Rockets with 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Houston knocked down 22 three-pointers in the win.

Hello George

When Paul George was dealt from Indiana to Oklahoma City in the offseason, the Thunder were expected to compete for the Western Conference title while the Pacers seemed like a lottery club. However, the Pacers (16-11 SU, 17-10 ATS) have exceeded expectations early as they look to extend their winning streak to five. Indiana has won each of the first four games of their six-game homestand, including rallying from a double-digit deficit to stun the Nuggets in overtime for a front-door cover on Sunday, 126-116 as five-point favorites.

The Thunder (12-14 SU, 8-18 ATS) have been dreadful on the road this season by losing nine of 12 away contests, while posting a horrendous 0-9 ATS mark in the past nine contests overall. In all nine of those ATS losses, OKC was listed as a favorite, as the Thunder is flipped to a short underdog tonight in George’s return to Indiana. Billy Donovan’s team has closed as an underdog only once in 26 games, beating the Warriors at home last month, 108-91, while last being a road ‘dog in Game 5 of the Western Conference opening round at Houston in April.

Cracking .500

Both the Blazers and Heat enter Wednesday’s action sitting at the .500 mark as the two squads meet up at American Airlines Arena. Miami (13-13 SU, 10-14-2 ATS) finished off a three-game road swing on a high note by blasting Memphis on Monday, 107-82 as 1 ½-point underdogs. Seven members of the Heat registered double-figures, led by Goran Dragic’s 19 points as Miami shot a scorching 56% from the floor. Miami is currently on an 8-1 UNDER run, while winning seven of 10 games this season in the favorite role.

Portland (13-13 SU, 10-13-3 ATS) continues a five-game road swing after dropping a 111-104 decision at Golden State on Monday. The Blazers managed a cover as 8 ½-point underdogs, but lost their fifth consecutive game following a three-game winning streak in late November. Portland swept the season series from Miami last season, while snapping a four-game skid at American Airlines Arena in an 11-point victory back in March.

Taking Off

Plenty of young stars will be on display in New Orleans as the Pelicans welcome in the Bucks. Milwaukee (15-10 SU, 10-11-4 ATS) is heating up of late by winning six of its past seven games, while sweeping a three-game homestand capped off by Saturday’s triumph over Utah. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and pulled down 13 rebounds for Milwaukee, who looks to improve on a 2-7 mark in its last nine matchups with New Orleans.

The Pelicans (14-14 SU, 15-12-1 ATS) lost a shootout at Houston on Monday, 130-123, in spite of Jrue Holiday and E’Twuan Moore combining for 73 points on 31-of-41 shooting from the floor. Anthony Davis sat out with a groin injury, as the Pelicans’ star is questionable against the Bucks. New Orleans has drilled the OVER in eight consecutive games, while alternating wins and losses in each of its past seven contests.

Not so Lucky

The Celtics (23-6 SU, 20-8-1 ATS) began the season at 22-4, but have lost two of their past three games, including Monday’s 108-85 blowout loss at Chicago. Kyrie Irving sat out on the second end of that back-to-back set following Sunday’s win at Detroit, as the Celtics’ guard is expected to return to the lineup tonight. Al Horford will sit for Boston tonight, as the Celtics have stumbled to a 3-5 ATS mark following a 7-1 ATS run in their previous eight games.

The Nuggets (15-12 SU, 11-16 ATS) play with no rest following Tuesday’s 103-84 blowout of the Pistons as 6 ½-point underdogs. Denver wraps up a six-game road swing looking for a 3-3 mark with a win, as the Nuggets own a 1-2 SU/ATS record on the second end of a back-to-back while hitting the OVER all three times. The Nuggets swept the Celtics last season, as both victories came by double-digits.

Head-to-Head Matchups

-- The Clippers embark on a four-game road swing that begins in Orlando. Los Angeles is coming off a pair of home underdog victories over Toronto and Washington, while posting a 3-1 ATS record the last four games. The Magic look to snap a two-game skid, while dropping seven consecutive meetings with the Clippers since 2014.

-- Memphis has lost 15 of its past 16 games, as the Grizzlies try to turn around its luck at Washington. The Wizards return home after falling at Brooklyn on Tuesday, 103-98. The home team has won each of the past four meetings between these squads, as Memphis last won at Washington in 2014.

-- Utah has stumbled of late by losing three straight games as the Jazz go for the season sweep of the Bulls. Chicago lost at Utah last month, 110-80, but the Bulls are riding a three-game winning streak while covering in each of its past four contests.

-- The Raptors finish up a four-game road swing in Phoenix after falling apart late in Monday’s five-point defeat to the Clippers. Toronto and Phoenix are meeting for the second time in eight days after the Raptors held off the Suns, 126-113 as 14 ½-point favorites on December 5. Phoenix tries to snap a four-game skid, while playing with no rest following Tuesday’s seven-point defeat at Sacramento.

[StarDust Bum]

Revised Totals From Yesterday:

DECEMBER NBA BEST BETS & OPINIONS (BASED ON 5 UNITS )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

12/12/2017 5-9-0 35.71% -24.50
12/11/2017 NO PLAYS
12/10/2017 6-6-0 50.00% -3.00
12/09/2017 6-13-0 31.58% -41.50
12/08/2017 7-9-0 43.75% -14.50
12/07/2017 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
12/06/2017 10-8-2 55.55% +6.00
12/05/2017 5-1-0 83.33% +19.50
12/04/2017 6-10-0 37.50% -25.00
12/03/2017 5-5-0 50.00% -2.50
12/02/2017 7-8-1 46.66% -9.00
12/01/2017 4-12-0 30.00% -46.00

Totals.........54 - 78 - 1......40.90%.......-159.00

BEST BETS:.......................ATS................... ......UNITS...........................O/U............................UNITS

12/12/2017....................1 - 4...........................-17.00............................3 - 2.........................+4.00
12/11/2017.............................................. N O P L A Y S................................................. .............
12/10/2017....................1 - 3...........................-11.50............................3 - 0.........................+15.00
12/09/2017....................1 - 6...........................-28.00............................3 -1..........................+4.50
12/08/2017....................3 - 2...........................+4.00................. ..........3 - 3..........................-1.50
12/07/2017....................0 - 2...........................-11.00...........................2 - 1.........................+4.50
12/06/2017..................2 - 2 - 1.........................-1.00..........................4 - 1 - 1......................+14.50
12/05/2017....................2 - 1...........................+4.50................. ..........3 - 0.........................+15.00
12/04/2017....................4 - 4...........................-2.00.............................1 - 3..........................-11.50
12/03/2017....................2 - 2...........................-1.00............................ 2 - 1..........................+4.50
12/02/2017....................1 - 3 - 1......................-11.50...........................4 - 3..........................+3.50
12/01/2017....................2 - 5 - 1......................-17.50...........................1 - 3..........................-11.50

Totals.......................19 - 34 - 3........................-92.00......................29 - 15- 1.......................+41.00