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

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  • Hoop Trends - Friday
    March 9, 2018


    ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

    -- The Lakers are 14-0 ATS (10.68 ppg) on the road off a win in which their opponent shot over 50% from the field.

    OU TREND OF THE DAY:

    -- The Nuggets are 11-0 OU (20.55 ppg) at home off a loss as a home favorite in which their opponent shot over 50% from the field.

    PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

    -- The Raptors are 0-12-2 OU (-9.96 ppg) as a dog off a win as a favorite in which Kyle Lowry had at least 10 assists.

    CHOICE TREND:

    -- The Hawks are 10-0 ATS (5.15 ppg) with rest coming off a 10+ point loss in which they led after the third quarter.

    ACTIVE TRENDS:

    -- The Wizards are 0-12 ATS (-11.96 ppg) coming off a win as a home favorite that went to overtime.

    -- The Trailblazers are 8-0-1 ATS (9.06 ppg) as a dog off a win in which Damian Lillard was the high scorer.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

    Comment


    • FRIDAY, MARCH 9
      GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


      ATL at IND 07:00 PM
      ATL +8.5
      U 211.5

      CHI at DET 07:00 PM
      CHI +7.5
      U 215.0

      HOU at TOR 07:30 PM
      TOR +3.0
      U 220.0


      WAS at NO 08:00 PM
      NO +2.5
      U 219.0

      UTA at MEM 08:00 PM
      UTA -9.5
      U 197.5

      NY at MIL 08:00 PM
      MIL -9.5
      U 214.5

      LAL at DEN 09:00 PM
      LAL +7.0
      O 229.5


      GS at POR 10:00 PM
      GS +1.0
      O 218.0

      ORL at SAC 10:00 PM
      SAC -3.0
      U 205.5

      CLE at LAC 10:30 PM
      LAC +1.5
      U 229.5
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

      Comment


      • Raptors end Rockets' 17-game win streak with 108-105 victory
        March 10, 2018


        TORONTO (AP) Kyle Lowry scored 30 points, DeMar DeRozan had 23 and the Toronto Raptors beat Houston 108-105 on Friday night, snapping the Rockets' 17-game winning streak.

        James Harden scored 40 points but the Rockets lost for the first time since Jan. 27 at New Orleans.

        Jonas Valanciunas had 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors won their seventh straight in a matchup between the respective conference leaders.

        The Rockets shot 9 for 27 from 3-point range, matching their fewest made 3-pointers of the season.

        WIZARDS 116, PELICANS 97

        NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Otto Porter Jr. scored 19 points and Washington cruised past New Orleans, which couldn't overcome the absence of All-Star Anthony Davis and had its 10-game winning streak snapped.

        Markieff Morris scored 17 and Bradley Beal added 16 for the Wizards, who led by as many as 27 points en route to their second straight victory.

        Without the 6-foot-10 Davis' ability to affect opponents' shots or prolong Pelicans possession with offensive rebounds, New Orleans looked overmatched on the boards. Washington outrebounded New Orleans 49-38, and converted 10 offensive rebounds into 18 second-chance points.

        Darius Miller scored 20 points and Cheick Diallo a season-high 14 for the Pelicans, who'll hope to have Davis back for their next game against Utah.

        BUCKS 120, KNICKS 112

        MILWAUKEE (AP) - Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 13 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, outmuscling New York in the lane to help Milwaukee hold on.

        Khris Middleton had a game-high 30 points for the Bucks, who got a head-start on their fourth-quarter surge when Antetokounmpo rejected Emmanuel Mudiay's attempted layup before the third-quarter buzzer to preserve a 91-89 lead.

        The Bucks took control with a 19-7 run over a six-plus minute stretch of the fourth to build a 16-point lead that withstood a late run by the Knicks. Antetokounmpo wheeled his way past defenders to get to the foul line, while Middleton provided balance from the perimeter after his 3 with 5:03 left gave Milwaukee a 112-96 advantage.

        New York, which finished a winless four-game road trip, has lost 14 of its last 15 games.

        NUGGETS 125, LAKERS 116

        DENVER (AP) - Paul Millsap scored 21 points and hit a key 3-pointer in the final minutes, and Denver beat Los Angeles.

        Jamal Murray had 22 points and Nikola Jokic also scored 21 to help the Nuggets end a three-game home losing streak and stay in the thick of the playoff race.

        Millsap missed 44 games with a left wrist injury before returning Feb. 27 against the Clippers. Friday was his sixth game back and his best performance, which included six rebounds and three blocked shots.

        Brook Lopez led Los Angeles with 29 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Lonzo Ball had 15 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. The Lakers had their four-game road winning streak snapped.

        PISTONS 99, BULLS 83

        DETROIT (AP) - Blake Griffin had 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Detroit ended a four-game losing streak.

        The Pistons (30-36) had lost 10 of 12 to fall five games out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Reggie Bullock added 21 points while Andre Drummond had 17 rebounds.

        Chicago (22-43) had won two of three after a five-game losing streak. Cameron Payne led the Bulls with 17 points, while Kris Dunn was the only other player to reach double figures with 13.

        PACERS 112, HAWKS 87

        INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Bojan Bogdanovic scored 21 points, Cory Joseph scored 10 of his 18 points in the opening quarter, and Indiana was never seriously threatened in a rout of Atlanta.

        Joseph, starting for point guard Darren Collison, hit two of the team's five 3-pointers to help build a 34-15 lead after 12 minutes.

        Collison came off the bench and scored 17 points in 21 minutes. Victor Oladipo and Myles turner also scored 17 apiece for Indiana, which has won 12 of 15 home games since the start of the new year.

        The Pacers (38-28) led by as many as 21 in the second quarter and went ahead by 31 points in the third quarter. They finished 14 of 27 from 3-point range.

        Rookie reserve guard Tyler Dorsey scored all of his career-high 18 points in the second half for the Hawks, who dropped to a league-worst 5-27 on the road.

        JAZZ 95, GRIZZLIES 78

        MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Jae Crowder scored a season-high 22 points and Utah won its fifth straight with a victory over Memphis, which has lost 16 in a row.

        Joe Ingles added 16 points for Utah, while Ricky Rubio had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

        Dillon Brooks led Memphis with 18 points, and Ben McLemore finished with 14. Jarell Martin contributed 13, while making only five of his 15 shots as Memphis shot 37 percent for the game.
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

        Comment


        • SCHEDULE FOR SATURDAY MARCH 10, 2018
          Time (ET) Away Home Site
          5:00 PM Phoenix Suns Charlotte Hornets Spectrum Center
          7:30 PM Washington Wizards Miami Heat AmericanAirlines Arena
          8:30 PM Memphis Grizzlies Dallas Mavericks American Airlines Center
          8:30 PM San Antonio Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder Chesapeake Energy Arena
          10:30 PM Orlando Magic Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center


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


          March NBA Record:

          DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

          03/09/2018 13-7-0 65.00% +26.50
          03/08/2018 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00
          03/07/2018 4-10-0 28.57% -35.00
          03/06/2018 7-7-1 50.00% -3.50
          03/05/2018 7-7-0 50.00% -3.50
          03/04/2018 5-9-0 35.71% -24.50
          03/03/2018 10-4-0 71.43% +28.00
          03/02/2018 9-10-0 47.37% -10.00
          03/01/2018 6-2-0 83.00% +19.00
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • NBA
            Dunkel

            Saturday, March 10


            I'll edit this reply after Dunkel runs the missing matchups....

            Phoenix @ Charlotte

            Game 501-502
            March 10, 2018 @ 5:05 pm

            Dunkel Rating:
            Phoenix
            00.000
            Charlotte
            00.000
            Dunkel Team:
            Dunkel Line:
            Dunkel Total:
            Phoenix

            Vegas Team:
            Vegas Line:
            Vegas Total:
            Phoenix

            Dunkel Pick:
            Phoenix
            ( );

            Washington @ Miami

            Game 503-504
            March 10, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

            Dunkel Rating:
            Washington
            00.000
            Miami
            00.000
            Dunkel Team:
            Dunkel Line:
            Dunkel Total:
            Washington

            Vegas Team:
            Vegas Line:
            Vegas Total:
            Washington

            Dunkel Pick:
            Washington
            ( );

            San Antonio @ Oklahoma City

            Game 505-506
            March 10, 2018 @ 8:35 pm

            Dunkel Rating:
            San Antonio
            119.894
            Oklahoma City
            121.374
            Dunkel Team:
            Dunkel Line:
            Dunkel Total:
            Oklahoma City
            by 1 1/2
            215
            Vegas Team:
            Vegas Line:
            Vegas Total:
            Oklahoma City
            by 4 1/2
            210 1/2
            Dunkel Pick:
            San Antonio
            (+4 1/2); Over

            Memphis @ Dallas


            Game 507-508
            March 10, 2018 @ 8:35 pm

            Dunkel Rating:
            Memphis
            110.257
            Dallas
            116.338
            Dunkel Team:
            Dunkel Line:
            Dunkel Total:
            Dallas
            by 6
            208
            Vegas Team:
            Vegas Line:
            Vegas Total:
            Dallas
            by 9
            204
            Dunkel Pick:
            Memphis
            (+9); Over

            Orlando @ LA Clippers


            Game 509-510
            March 10, 2018 @ 10:35 pm

            Dunkel Rating:
            Orlando
            114.674
            LA Clippers
            122.589
            Dunkel Team:
            Dunkel Line:
            Dunkel Total:
            LA Clippers
            by 8
            224
            Vegas Team:
            Vegas Line:
            Vegas Total:
            LA Clippers
            by 12
            218
            Dunkel Pick:
            Orlando
            (+12); Over





            NBA
            Armadillo's Write-Up

            Saturday, March 10


            Hornets won three of last four games with Phoenix; last six series games went over the total. Suns are 2-2 vs spread in last four visits to Charlotte. Phoenix lost four in row, nine of last 10 games; they’re 3-6 vs spread in last nine games as road underdogs. Three of their last four games stayed under. Charlotte lost its last five games; they covered last five games as home favorites. Over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games.

            Miami won six of last eight games with Washington (over 5-3). Wizards are 2-2 vs spread in last four visits to South Beach. Washington split its last eight games; they covered last five games as road underdogs. Five of their last six games stayed under total. Miami won five of its last seven games, covered four of last five games as a home favorite. Seven of their last ten games went over the total.

            Thunder is 5-3 in its last eight games with the Spurs; four of last five series games stayed under the total. San Antonio is 3-3 vs spread in last six visits to Oklahoma. Spurs lost seven of their last nine games; they covered six of last eight tries as a road underdog. Seven of their last ten games went over total. OKC won six of its last nine games; they’re 1-4 vs spread in last five games as home favorites. Over is 6-2-1 in their last nine home games.

            Dallas won three of its last four games with Memphis, which is 1-4 vs spread in its last five visits here. Under is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Grizzlies lost their last 16 games; they’re 13-11-1 as road underdogs. Five of their last six games stayed under the total. Mavericks lost seven of their last nine games; they’re 6-8 vs spread as home favorites. Six of their last eight games went over the total.

            Clippers won their last eight games with Orlando (5-2-1 vs spread); Magic is 1-2-1 vs spread in last four series games played in Staples. Eight of last ten series games stayed under the total. Orlando lost nine of its last 11 games; they’re 9-4 vs spread in last 13 games as road underdogs. Six of their last seven games stayed under. Clippers won five of their last seven games; they’re 3-6 in last nine games as home favorites. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games.




            NBA

            Saturday, March 10


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

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

            WASHINGTON @ MIAMI
            Washington is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
            Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
            The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
            Miami is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

            MEMPHIS @ DALLAS
            The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games
            The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing Dallas
            The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games at home
            Dallas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Memphis

            SAN ANTONIO @ OKLAHOMA CITY
            San Antonio is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
            San Antonio is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
            Oklahoma City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio
            The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games when playing San Antonio

            ORLANDO @ LA CLIPPERS
            The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Orlando's last 7 games
            The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Orlando's last 6 games on the road
            LA Clippers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Orlando
            LA Clippers is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • Inside the Paint - Saturday
              March 10, 2018


              The NBA takes a step back to “March Madness” on Saturday with just five games on the card. Bettors following the Association last night watched the favorites produce some eye-opening results as the ‘chalk’ went 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS while the ‘under’ went 7-3.

              (Straight Up – SU, Against the Spread – ATS)

              San Antonio (37-28 SU, 33-30-2 ATS) at Oklahoma City (38-29 SU, 25-40-2 ATS)
              Opening Odds: Thunder -4 ½, Total 210 ½


              This week’s ABC showcase is a very tough matchup to handicap because you can make cases to fade both clubs in this spot rather than back them. San Antonio currently holds the fifth seed in the Western Conference due to a tiebreakers but a home win tonight would have Oklahoma City jump into that position.

              Many pundits expected the Spurs to clinch the No. 3 spot in the West but they’ve been in terrible form lately. San Antonio has gone 3-9 SU and 5-7 ATS in its last 12 games, which includes a 110-107 loss at Golden State as an 11-point underdog. The Spurs haven’t figured out a way to finish and five of the previous seven losses have come by five points or less.

              The difference in this year’s San Antonio squad has been its play on the road. The club has gone 14-20 SU and 16-17-1 ATS, which includes Thursday’s loss to the Warriors.

              After this game, the Spurs finish off this road trip with another tough task at Houston on Monday so the sense of urgency should be very high for this winnable game.

              Another glaring trend that could have you hesitant to back San Antonio is its record against winning teams (13-22). The Spurs have the most wins (24-6) in the Western Conference against losing clubs.

              Even though the Thunder are a short favorite and they’ve gone 22-11 at home, they’ve burned bettors with a 13-19-1 ATS mark.

              Oklahoma City has been in better form than San Antonio lately, going 7-5 in its last 12 games but four of the five losses came against playoff teams while all seven of the wins were against clubs below .500.

              Sticking with that trend could have you leaning San Antonio tonight and taking the points has been the sound investment lately in this series with the underdog going 4-0 ATS in the last four encounters. Also, the last three meetings in this series have been decided by five points or less.

              In their first two matchups this season, San Antonio captured a 104-101 home win on Nov. 17 while OKC returned the favor with a 90-87 win on Dec. 3. The teams will meet for the fourth and final time of the season on Mar. 29 from San Antonio.

              Total bettors could be scratching their heads on this game. The ‘under’ has gone 3-1 in the last four in this series yet we’re staring at a higher total for this matchup. San Antonio has been a strong ‘under’ bet (21-13) away from home this season and Oklahoma City has also leaned to the ‘under’ (18-15) at home.

              Spurs center Pau Gasol (shoulder) sat out Thursday’s game at Golden State and is listed as ‘questionable’ for tonight.

              Zero Days Rest

              Four teams will be playing on no rest Saturday and listed below are their records when facing back-to-back spots this season and notable trends as well. Three of the four will be on the road with the exception of the Clippers, who are hosting the Magic and they're also facing two games in two days.

              Memphis (3-10 SU, 7-6 ATS, 8-4-1 O/U) at Dallas: The Grizzlies have lost five straight on zero days rest and the offense has been held to 96.6 points per game during this span.

              Orlando (5-6 SU, 6-5 ATS, 5-6 O/U) at L.A. Clippers: The Magic have gone 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS in their last four back-to-back spots but make a note that the three wins came at home.

              L.A. Clippers (2-8 SU, 4-6 ATS, 4-5- O/U) vs. Orlando: Eight of the 10 were played away from home and the Clippers haven’t won (0-2) at home on no rest this season.

              Washington (5-5 SU, 5-5 ATS, 5-4-1 O/U) at Miami: The Wizards are just 1-4 both SU and ATS in their last five on no rest and the defense (113.9 PPG) has been very suspect during this skid.

              Fearless Predictions

              This feature has gone 8-5 (61%) since the All-Star break and I’m only putting out one selection on Saturday because nothing major sticks out. As always, Press, Pass or Fade but in the end – Good Luck!

              L.A. Clippers (-11 ½) over Orlando

              Even though the ATS numbers and B2B trends point to Orlando in this matchup as a double-digit underdog, I’m going with my eyes and backing the more talented team at home. The Clippers have been great against teams below .500 this season (23-6) and they’ve scored 123, 128, 128 in their last three against losing clubs. The Magic have been decimated by injuries and they might have trouble breaking the century mark. Twenty of the 35 wins this season by the Clippers have come by double digits and I’m expecting another blowout at home tonight.

              Slight Leans
              Suns +12, Over 219 ½ Suns-Hornets
              Miami -4 ½, Miami Team Total Over (105 ½)
              San Antonio Money Line (+160)
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • Pro Basketball Trend Report

                PHOENIX (19 - 48) at CHARLOTTE (28 - 38) - 3/10/2018, 5:05 PM

                There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

                WASHINGTON (38 - 28) at MIAMI (35 - 31) - 3/10/2018, 7:35 PM

                There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

                SAN ANTONIO (37 - 28) at OKLAHOMA CITY (38 - 29) - 3/10/2018, 8:35 PM
                Top Trends for this game.
                OKLAHOMA CITY is 22-8 ATS (+13.2 Units) in home games on Saturday games since 1996.
                SAN ANTONIO is 1036-908 ATS (+37.2 Units) in all games since 1996.
                SAN ANTONIO is 187-145 ATS (+27.5 Units) in March games since 1996.
                OKLAHOMA CITY is 26-40 ATS (-18.0 Units) in all games this season.
                OKLAHOMA CITY is 20-35 ATS (-18.5 Units) as a favorite this season.
                OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
                OKLAHOMA CITY is 10-20 ATS (-12.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

                Head-to-Head Series History
                OKLAHOMA CITY is 9-6 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
                OKLAHOMA CITY is 8-7 straight up against SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
                10 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

                MEMPHIS (18 - 47) at DALLAS (20 - 45) - 3/10/2018, 8:35 PM
                Top Trends for this game.
                MEMPHIS is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
                DALLAS is 251-202 ATS (+28.8 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
                DALLAS is 7-16 ATS (-10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

                Head-to-Head Series History
                DALLAS is 8-3 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
                DALLAS is 7-4 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
                5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

                ORLANDO (20 - 46) at LA CLIPPERS (35 - 29) - 3/10/2018, 10:35 PM
                Top Trends for this game.
                ORLANDO is 63-82 ATS (-27.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
                ORLANDO is 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
                ORLANDO is 22-37 ATS (-18.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
                LA CLIPPERS are 36-27 ATS (+6.3 Units) in all games this season.
                LA CLIPPERS are 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
                LA CLIPPERS are 21-8 ATS (+12.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
                LA CLIPPERS are 166-208 ATS (-62.8 Units) in home games in the second half of the season since 1996.

                Head-to-Head Series History
                LA CLIPPERS is 2-2 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
                LA CLIPPERS is 5-0 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
                3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                Comment


                • SATURDAY, MARCH 10
                  GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS


                  PHO at CHA 05:00 PM
                  PHO +11.5
                  O 220.5


                  WAS at MIA 07:30 PM
                  WAS +5.0
                  O 206.0

                  SA at OKC 08:30 PM
                  OKC -5.0
                  O 210.0


                  MEM at DAL 08:30 PM
                  DAL -9.0
                  U 206.0

                  ORL at LAC 10:30 PM
                  LAC -11.5
                  U 218.5
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                  Comment


                  • Grizzlies fall to Mavericks 114-80 for 17th straight loss
                    March 10, 2018


                    DALLAS (AP) Harrison Barnes scored 25 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat Memphis 114-80 on Saturday night, extending the Grizzlies' losing streak to 17 games.

                    The Grizzlies (18-48), who have the longest losing streak in the NBA this season and the league's worst record, trailed by 26 points after shooting 26 percent in the first half and didn't lead after the 9:20 mark of the first quarter.

                    The only longer losing streaks in franchise history were skids of 23 and 19 games in the expansion season of 1995-96 in Vancouver. It's the longest losing streak in Memphis pro basketball history.

                    Dillon Brooks led the Grizzlies with 17 points, and JaMychal Green had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

                    The Mavericks (21-45), also among the NBA's worst teams, allowed their fewest points in any half this season while building a 56-30 halftime lead on the way to their largest margin of victory this season.

                    THUNDER 104, SPURS 94

                    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Russell Westbrook scored 21 points and posted his 19th triple-double of the season to help the Oklahoma City Thunder defeat the San Antonio Spurs.

                    Westbrook had 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the 98th triple-double of his career.

                    Jerami Grant scored 15 points, Corey Brewer added 12, Paul George and Alex Abrines each scored 11 and Patrick Patterson had 10 for the Thunder. Nick Collison scored all seven of his points in six critical minutes in the fourth quarter for Oklahoma City, which improved to 6-3 since the All-Star break.

                    Rudy Gay and Davis Bertans each scored 14 points for the Spurs, who have lost eight of 10.

                    HEAT 129, WIZARDS 102

                    MIAMI (AP) - James Johnson scored 20 points, Wayne Ellington added 17 and the Miami Heat ran away in the third quarter to beat the Washington Wizards.

                    Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder and Kelly Olynyk all scored 13 for the Heat, who never trailed and outscored Washington 43-28 in the third. That was Miami's highest-scoring quarter in a regular-season contest since Oct. 30, 2013 - 394 games ago.

                    Dwyane Wade got the 8,000th field goal of his career in the first half, but left less than a minute into the fourth quarter with what was diagnosed as a mild left hamstring strain. He doesn't expect to play on Monday when the Heat start a three-game road trip in Portland.

                    Jodie Meeks scored 23 for the Wizards, whose five-game winning streak was snapped.

                    HORNETS 122, SUNS 115


                    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Dwight Howard had 30 points and 12 rebounds, Nic Batum flirted with a triple-double and the Charlotte Hornets held on to beat the Phoenix Suns to snap a five-game losing streak.

                    Batum added 29 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Marvin Williams chipped in with 16 points as the Hornets won despite nearly squandering a 22-point fourth quarter lead to a Suns team playing without star Devin Booker.

                    The Hornets led by eight at halftime and seemed ready to put this one on cruise control after outscoring the Suns 35-21 in the third quarter behind 14 points from Batum. But Phoenix wouldn't go away. The Suns cut the lead to two with less than a minute to go, but Howard and Batum each added two clutch free throws down the stretch to secure the win for Charlotte.
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • SCHEDULE FOR SUNDAY MARCH 11, 2018
                      Time (ET) Away Home Site
                      1:00 PM Toronto Raptors New York Knicks Madison Square Garden
                      3:30 PM Chicago Bulls Atlanta Hawks Philips Arena
                      3:30 PM Golden State Warriors Minnesota Timberwolves Target Center
                      4:00 PM Utah Jazz New Orleans Pelicans Smoothie King Center
                      5:00 PM Sacramento Kings Denver Nuggets Pepsi Center
                      7:00 PM Houston Rockets Dallas Mavericks American Airlines Center
                      7:30 PM Indiana Pacers Boston Celtics TD Garden
                      7:30 PM Philadelphia 76ers Brooklyn Nets Barclays Center
                      9:00 PM Cleveland Cavaliers Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center

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

                      March NBA Record:

                      DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

                      03/10/2018 7-3-0 70.00% +18.50
                      03/09/2018 13-7-0 65.00% +26.50
                      03/08/2018 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00
                      03/07/2018 4-10-0 28.57% -35.00
                      03/06/2018 7-7-1 50.00% -3.50
                      03/05/2018 7-7-0 50.00% -3.50
                      03/04/2018 5-9-0 35.71% -24.50
                      03/03/2018 10-4-0 71.43% +28.00
                      03/02/2018 9-10-0 47.37% -10.00
                      03/01/2018 6-2-0 83.00% +19.00

                      Totals.............72 - 65........52.55%....+42.50
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                      Comment


                      • Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

                        Over last two years, best 3-point shooters in NBA:

                        6) Seth Curry, 137-322, 42.5%

                        5) Darren Collison, 145-339, 42.8%

                        4) Klay Thompson, 471-1101, 42.8%

                        3) Otto Porter Jr, 257-595, 34.2%

                        2) Kyle Korver, 307-698, 44.0%

                        1) Joe Ingles, 289-649, 44.5%
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                        Comment


                        • NBA
                          Long Sheet

                          Sunday, March 11


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

                          TORONTO (48 - 17) at NEW YORK (24 - 42) - 3/11/2018, 1:05 PM
                          Top Trends for this game.
                          TORONTO is 37-28 ATS (+6.2 Units) in all games this season.
                          TORONTO is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
                          TORONTO is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
                          NEW YORK is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in the second half of the season this season.
                          NEW YORK is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
                          NEW YORK is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.

                          Head-to-Head Series History
                          TORONTO is 6-5 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
                          TORONTO is 9-2 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
                          7 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

                          CHICAGO (22 - 43) at ATLANTA (20 - 46) - 3/11/2018, 3:35 PM
                          There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

                          GOLDEN STATE (51 - 15) at MINNESOTA (38 - 29) - 3/11/2018, 3:35 PM
                          Top Trends for this game.
                          GOLDEN STATE is 27-36 ATS (-12.6 Units) in all games this season.
                          GOLDEN STATE is 59-33 ATS (+22.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
                          MINNESOTA is 364-429 ATS (-107.9 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.

                          Head-to-Head Series History
                          MINNESOTA is 5-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
                          GOLDEN STATE is 7-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
                          5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

                          UTAH (36 - 30) at NEW ORLEANS (38 - 27) - 3/11/2018, 4:05 PM
                          There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

                          Head-to-Head Series History
                          UTAH is 6-3 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
                          UTAH is 7-3 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
                          6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

                          SACRAMENTO (21 - 45) at DENVER (36 - 30) - 3/11/2018, 5:05 PM
                          There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

                          HOUSTON (51 - 14) at DALLAS (21 - 45) - 3/11/2018, 7:05 PM
                          Top Trends for this game.
                          DALLAS is 406-330 ATS (+43.0 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
                          DALLAS is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
                          DALLAS is 252-202 ATS (+29.8 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
                          DALLAS is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
                          HOUSTON is 22-12 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games this season.
                          HOUSTON is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in road games in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
                          HOUSTON is 17-8 ATS (+8.2 Units) after a non-conference game this season.
                          HOUSTON is 101-64 ATS (+30.6 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
                          HOUSTON is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

                          Head-to-Head Series History
                          HOUSTON is 7-4 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                          HOUSTON is 9-2 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
                          8 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

                          INDIANA (38 - 28) at BOSTON (46 - 20) - 3/11/2018, 7:35 PM
                          Top Trends for this game.
                          BOSTON is 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) in all games this season.
                          BOSTON is 13-2 ATS (+10.8 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
                          BOSTON is 45-31 ATS (+10.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
                          BOSTON is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
                          INDIANA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
                          INDIANA is 66-47 ATS (+14.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

                          PHILADELPHIA (35 - 29) at BROOKLYN (21 - 45) - 3/11/2018, 7:35 PM
                          Top Trends for this game.
                          BROOKLYN is 38-27 ATS (+8.3 Units) in all games this season.
                          BROOKLYN is 32-20 ATS (+10.0 Units) as an underdog this season.
                          BROOKLYN is 7-0 ATS (+7.0 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
                          BROOKLYN is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
                          BROOKLYN is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
                          PHILADELPHIA is 85-60 ATS (+19.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
                          PHILADELPHIA is 57-40 ATS (+13.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
                          PHILADELPHIA is 38-25 ATS (+10.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
                          PHILADELPHIA is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
                          PHILADELPHIA is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
                          PHILADELPHIA is 38-20 ATS (+16.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
                          PHILADELPHIA is 21-5 ATS (+15.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

                          CLEVELAND (38 - 27) at LA LAKERS (29 - 36) - 3/11/2018, 9:05 PM
                          Top Trends for this game.
                          CLEVELAND is 21-43 ATS (-26.3 Units) in all games this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 11-38 ATS (-30.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 220 over the last 2 seasons.
                          CLEVELAND is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) against Pacific division opponents this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 21-36 ATS (-18.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
                          CLEVELAND is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 7-21 ATS (-16.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 7-20 ATS (-15.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
                          CLEVELAND is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
                          LA LAKERS are 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) in March games over the last 3 seasons.

                          Head-to-Head Series History
                          LA LAKERS is 4-1 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
                          CLEVELAND is 5-0 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
                          5 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                          Comment


                          • NBA
                            Armadillo's Write-Up

                            Sunday, March 11

                            Knicks lost nine of last ten games with Toronto; five of last six series games stayed under. Raptors are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Manhattan. Toronto won its last seven games; they’re 5-2 vs spread in last seven games as road favorites. Five of their last six games went under the total. New York lost its last six games; they’re 0-6 in last six games as a home underdog. Six of their last eight games went over.

                            Bulls won their last three games with the Hawks; they’re 1-4 vs spread in last five visits to Atlanta. Six of their last nine games stayed under. Chicago lost seven of its last nine games; they’re 0-8 in last eight tries as road underdogs. Three of their last four games went under the total. Hawks lost seven of their last nine games; they’re 3-4 as home favorites. Eight of their last nine games stayed under.

                            Golden State won eight of its last ten games with Minnesota, but are 2-5-1 vs spread in last eight series games. Four of last six series games stayed under. Warriors won seven of their last eight games; they’re 2-8 vs spread in last ten road games. Four of their last five games stayed under. Timberwolves lost their last three games; they’re 2-1 as home underdogs. Eight of their last ten games went over.

                            Jazz won six of their last seven games with the Pelicans; they covered three of last four visits to Bourbon Street. Six of last eight series games went over. Utah won its last five games; they’re 8-2 vs spread in last ten road games. Eight of their last nine games stayed under. New Orleans won nine of its last ten games; check status of Davis (ankle). Pelicans are 2-2 vs spread in last four home games. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games.

                            Nuggets won four of last five games with Sacramento; five of last six series games stayed under the total. Kings are 3-2 vs spread in last five visits to Denver. Sacramento is 3-2 in its last five games; they’re 7-3 vs spread in last ten road games. Kings’ last four games stayed under total. Denver is 3-4 in its last seven games; they’re 4-7 in last 11 games as home favorites. Eight of their last ten games went over.

                            Rockets won their last seven games with Dallas; they’re 4-1 vs spread in last five games in this arena. Seven of last eight series games stayed under. Houston had their 17-game win streak snapped Friday; they’re 9-2 vs spread in last 11 road games. Six of their last nine games went under the total. Mavericks lost seven of their last nine games; they’re 7-4 in last 11 games as home underdogs. Six of their last eight games went over.

                            Celtics won five of last six games with Indiana; four of last five series games went over the total. Pacers are 2-2 vs spread in their last four visits to Benton. Indiana won four of its last five games; they’re 4-2 in last six games as road underdogs. Eight of last nine Pacer games stayed under the total. Celtics won six of their last seven games; they’re 1-6 in last seven games as a home favorite. Over is 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

                            76ers/Nets split their last ten games; Philly is 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Brooklyn. Under is 6-3-1 in last ten series games. Sixers are 3-4 in their last seven games; they’re 1-5 in last six games as road favorites. Five of their last seven games stayed under. Brooklyn lost eight of its last ten games; they’re 1-4 in last five games as home underdogs. Four of their last five games went over.

                            Lakers lost their last seven games with Cleveland; last nine series games went over. Cavaliers are 2-3 vs spread in last five series games played in Staples. Cleveland is 4-5 in its last nine games; they’re 2-11 in last 13 games as road favorites. Seven of their last nine games stayed under total. Lakers won six of their last eight games; they’re 5-2 in last seven games as home underdogs. Over is 7-2-1 in their last ten games.
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                            Comment


                            • NBA

                              Sunday, March 11


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

                              TORONTO @ NEW YORK
                              Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
                              Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
                              The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New York's last 6 games when playing Toronto
                              New York is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Toronto

                              CHICAGO @ ATLANTA
                              The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Chicago's last 22 games when playing Atlanta
                              The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games
                              Atlanta is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
                              Atlanta is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago

                              GOLDEN STATE @ MINNESOTA
                              Golden State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
                              Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
                              The total has gone OVER in 5 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home
                              Minnesota is 15-2 SU in its last 17 games at home

                              UTAH @ NEW ORLEANS
                              The total has gone OVER in 5 of Utah's last 5 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
                              Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
                              The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing at home against Utah
                              New Orleans is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games

                              SACRAMENTO @ DENVER
                              The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games when playing Denver
                              The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games on the road
                              The total has gone OVER in 6 of Denver's last 7 games at home
                              The total has gone OVER in 11 of Denver's last 13 games

                              HOUSTON @ DALLAS
                              Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Dallas
                              Houston is 17-1 SU in its last 18 games
                              The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Dallas's last 8 games when playing Houston
                              The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games at home

                              INDIANA @ BOSTON
                              The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games
                              The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 6 games on the road
                              Boston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
                              Boston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

                              PHILADELPHIA @ BROOKLYN
                              Philadelphia is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games
                              The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games
                              Brooklyn is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
                              The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games

                              CLEVELAND @ LA LAKERS
                              Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
                              The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
                              The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Lakers's last 5 games when playing Cleveland
                              LA Lakers is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games at home
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                              Comment


                              • Sunday's Essentials
                                March 11, 2018


                                Game of the Night - Cavaliers at Lakers, 9:05 ET

                                Selection Sunday will have its time. We’ll see whether this new format of announcing teams in alphabetical order works out – I’m keeping an open mind since they’re going to treat it like the NBA Draft lottery with the golf whispers as we work down the list.

                                “Look, Chuck, there’s Gonzaga. This means Georgia did in fact miss the tournament.”

                                “Well, it’s a good thing since they don’t have a coach!”

                                Could be good stuff. It has a shot to be better than the thud of seeing that final bracket unveiled to know if you’re in it. Keep an open mind.

                                Regardless of how it goes down, get the kids to bed early and save the bracket work for halftime of this Sunday night showcase.

                                Normally, a disjointed Cleveland team getting together to face a Lakers team that isn’t going to make the playoffs wouldn’t be can’t miss-TV other than seeing whether the Cavs can handle business as 2-point favorites, but an overflow of drama adds to the allure. We’ve got reunions everywhere you look, not to mention pandering.

                                Lakers fans have their chance to show LeBron James in-game love after the Clippers got their shot in a 116-102 win on Friday night, snapping Cleveland’s two-game winning streak.

                                Isaiah Thomas will get his chance too. It’s not clear whether there are any hard feelings between the two, but Thomas obviously knows that James was notified of the deal that sent him out of town before it was consummated.

                                After being given up on after a few weeks on on-court action because the Cavs had no choice but to move on from something that clearly wasn’t working, he’s looked much improved coming off the bench for L.A. Thomas proclaimed that he had his powers back after playing his first game in the purple and gold and opened the month with a 29-point outburst, but he’s shot 34 percent since, going 21-for-62 over a four-game span, including 5-for-22 from 3-point range.

                                It’s likely that Thomas will be aggressive off the bench given the opposition and his improved state of health, but that won’t be a good thing for L.A. if he remains in a slump.

                                For Larry Nance, Jr. Jordan Clarkson, Jr., it’s a chance to go at former teammates that they’ve learned with and worked against in practice throughout the majority of their pro careers. The times Nance gives James a break in squaring off Julius Randle in this game’s most defining individual matchup will be vital.

                                James is helping turn Nance into a formidable offensive weapon simply by playing to his strengths. The new Cavs big man is averaging 15.6 points and 11 rebounds in March and has done a nice job staying out of foul trouble since he’s playing center whenever he’s on the floor. That should give Randle and Brook Lopez an advantage in the post since they know Nance has to be cautious.

                                Randle has unquestionably been the most consistent Lakers performer with Brandon Ingram sidelined. An improved shot selection has him averaging about 20 points and nearly nine rebounds since Jan. 31. Can he take whatever weaknesses Nance he’s exposed against Nance in countless practices to live action and deliver a win? The Lakers are 6-2 since the All-Star break thanks, more than anything else, to his steady development.

                                Ironically, most Lakers fans would love to see James playing his role next season, which should make for an interesting atmosphere. Seriously, who is Jack Nicholson going to be cheering for come fourth quarter?

                                James is averaging 30 points, 8.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists in March and is just missing out on a triple-double since the All-Star break. He’s shot a tremendous 58 percent and has only worked one back-to-back, so he’ll be fresh for this one.

                                Ante Zizic is due for some extended run given the absence of Cedi Osman, which combined with Rodney Hood being sidelined due to a lower back injury, thrusts Jeff Green into the starting lineup and really ties Tyronn Lue’s hands in terms of depth. Kyle Korver figures to get a lot of run as only eight should play significant minutes.

                                Clarkson scored 21 points in his Staples return in Friday’s 116-102, his largest output since joining the Cavs in early February. He’s averaged over 13 points per game and shot the ball well, providing an upgrade from what Thomas brought to the table since he’s a much better defender.

                                Clarkson gets to go at Lonzo Ball, who has participated in L.A.’s last six games since returning from a knee issue and has averaged roughly 13 points, six boards, six assists and three steals. The Lakers are 4-2 in those games, but one can argue they would’ve beaten the Nuggets on Friday night if not for Ball’s 1-for-8 3-point shooting.

                                The total opened at 228.5, in part because the over is 8-2-1 over the Lakers’ last 11 games. Cleveland’s defensive issues are well-documented, but the low-side has actually prevailed in their last three games. Over their last seven, the Cavs have surrendered an average of 111 points per game.

                                These teams looked different when the Cavs beat L.A. 121-112 on Dec. 14 but surpassed that total (221). Ingram was available and led the Lakers with 26 points, while Randle was coming off the bench and played just over 21 minutes. Kevin Love led Cleveland with 28 points but is still out with a broken hand, though he’s hoping to return sooner than expected. There isn’t much to take from that matchup or the fact that Cleveland has won the last seven meetings between the teams other than the obvious. Cleveland has been good and L.A. has been a doormat.

                                Things are slowly changing, however, as this 2-point spread would indicate.

                                Injury report

                                James Harden is considered doubtful against Dallas as Houston wraps up a stretch of road games in seven of eight. After their 17-game winning streak was snapped in Toronto, it appears that the Rockets are going to give the MVP frontrunner a breather since he’s been playing at a high level despite knee soreness and the Rockets find themselves in a back-to-back situation with San Antonio coming into town on Monday night.

                                They’ll have a few days off before hosting the Clippers on Thursday before hitting the road to face the Pelicans, Timberwolves and Blazers. This looks like a well-earned night off for Harden, but does expose the Rockets to an upset since the pressure to keep a winning streak going has dissipated and the Mavs have been playing well. The number opened at Rockets -12.5.

                                Jaylen Brown has been put in concussion protocol after taking a nasty spill on Thursday, injuring his neck. The Celtics host Indiana, which got back Darren Collison on Friday but brought him off the bench, keeping Cory Joseph in the lineup for now.

                                Anthony Davis, still nursing a tender ankle, is considered a game-time decision for tonight’s big home date with the surging Jazz. Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com reported that Davis felt a lot better and has been upgraded to questionable. Utah is up 2.5 games on New Orleans in the tightly-packed Western Conference and the Pels stand no chance against Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors without him, so I’d expect him to play. The game was off the board at most places but some early numbers listed the Jazz as a 2.5-point road favorite.

                                Atlanta point guard Dennis Schroder is questionable with an elbow strain as the Hawks host Chicago. With backup Malcolm Delaney sidelined due to an ankle issue, Isaiah Taylor could be in for major minutes despite playing with a tweaked ankle. The Bulls opened as a 3-point underdog, but the line has come down to 2.5 at most shops.
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                                Comment

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