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

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, MARCH 20
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

TOR at ORL 07:00 PM
ORL +9.5
U 212.0

DAL at NO 08:00 PM
DAL +7.0
U 218.5

LAC at MIN 08:00 PM
MIN -4.0
O 227.0

OKC at BOS 08:00 PM
BOS +5.0
U 208.5

ATL at UTA 09:00 PM
UTA -14.0
U 207.5

DET at PHO 10:00 PM
PHO +6.5
O 217.0

HOU at POR 10:30 PM
POR +5.0
O 218.0

[StarDust Bum]

Celtics end Thunder's win streak on Morris' 3-pointer
March 21, 2018

BOSTON (AP) Marcus Morris made a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left and the Boston Celtics stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-99 on Tuesday night.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Morris added 21 points as Boston snapped the Thunder's six-game win streak.

Russell Westbrook finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for Oklahoma City, which fell apart in the closing minute.

TIMBERWOLVES 123, CLIPPERS 109

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Karl-Anthony Towns racked up 30 points and 10 rebounds for his NBA-best 60th double-double and Andrew Wiggins scored 27 points in an all-around performance, leading Minnesota over Los Angeles.

Jeff Teague pitched in 20 points and 12 assists for the Timberwolves, who swept the four-game season series and sent the weary Clippers to their fourth consecutive loss on the commencement of a four-game, six-night trip.

Jamal Crawford scored 20 points and Taj Gibson had 15 points and eight rebounds as the Timberwolves pushed their lead over the Clippers (37-33) to three games. With five losses in their last seven games, the Wolves (41-31) had fallen into eighth place in the Western Conference. Denver (38-33) is in ninth.

DeAndre Jordan led the way for the Clippers with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but Tobias Harris played with flu-like symptoms and finished with only 10 points on 5-for-16 shooting, missing all five of his 3-point tries.

HAWKS 99, JAZZ 94

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Dennis Schroder scored a career-high 41 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and Atlanta stunned Utah.

Dewayne Dedmon had 15 points and 15 rebounds to help the Eastern Conference-worst Hawks snap their six-game losing skid and end Utah's winning streak at nine. Taurean Prince made four free throws in the final 11 seconds to clinch the victory.

The Jazz, who won 21 of 23 games in between losses to the Hawks, made their final field goal on Gobert's basket with 2:33 to play and missed their last five shots.

PELICANS 115, MAVERICKS 105

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Anthony Davis scored 37 points, and New Orleans overcame the absence of second-leading scorer Jrue Holiday to beat struggling Dallas.

Rajon Rondo added 19 points and 14 assists, and Ian Clark also scored 19 points for the Pelicans, who are in a tight, seven-team race for one of the final five Western Conference playoff spots.

Davis made 15 of 21 shots, helped by Rondo setting him up for several easy baskets inside. New Orleans shot 52.7 percent (48 of 91) as a team.

Dirk Nowitzki and Harrison Barnes each scored 19 for the Mavericks, who've lost three straight and four of five.

RAPTORS 93, MAGIC 86

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Kyle Lowry scored 25 points and Toronto used a strong fourth-quarter defensive effort to beat Orlando.

Toronto limited Orlando to 3-of-19 shooting (15.8 percent) in the fourth quarter, helping the Raptors overcome an eight-point deficit and win for the 12th time in their last 13 games. Serge Ibaka had 14 points and Deion Wright and Norman Powell had 10 apiece for Toronto.

Shelvin Mack led Orlando with 17 points. Aaron Gordon, returning after missing five games with a concussion, added 16 points. Nikola Vucevic had 15 points and nine rebounds for Orlando, which has lost seven of its last eight.

[StarDust Bum]

March NBA Record:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

03/20/2018 9-5-0 64.29% +17.50
03/19/2018 10-6-0 62.50% +17.00
03/18/2018 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
03/17/2018 9-13-0 40.91% -26.50
03/16/2018 4-8-0 33.33% -24.00
03/15/2018 5-13-0 27.78% -46.50
03/14/2018 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
03/13/2018 13-8-0 61.90% +21.00
03/12/2018 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
03/11/2018 10-8-0 55.56% +6.00
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...........141 - 139......50.35%....- 19.50


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Wednesday’s 6-pack

Current odds to win the college basketball national title:

3-1: Villanova

7-2: Duke

7-1: Gonzaga

8-1: Kansas, Kentucky

10-1: Michigan

12-1: Purdue

15-1: West Virginia

25-1: Clemson, Texas A&M, Texas Tech

40-1: Florida

50-1: Nevada, Kansas State, Loyola

60-1: Syracuse

Quote of the Day
“If you can’t spot the sucker in your first half-hour at the table, then you are the sucker.”
Mike McDermott, from the movie Rounders

Wednesday’s quiz
What actor played Teddy KGB in the poker movie Rounders?

Tuesday’s quiz
John Calipari went 72-112 as the head coach NBA’s Nets.

Monday’s quiz
Bernard King co-starred with Gabe Kaplan in the 1979 basketball movie Fast Break.

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

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

13) Memphis Tigers were down to 4,000 season tickets this season; they claim their program lost $4.7M this year, which is why they named Penny Hardaway basketball coach Tuesday.

Not great being a struggling college team in a city where there is also an NBA franchise.

12) Shortly after that, the first domino fell: 4-star PG Alex Lomax got out of his commitment to Wichita State and signed on with Memphis— he played for Hardaway in high school.

If Penny Hardaway dominates recruiting in talent-rich Memphis, the Tigers will be back in the NCAAs soon. Hardaway won three state titles in his brief career as a high school coach.

11) Dodgers lost 3B Justin Turner with a broken left wrist, after he was hit by a pitch. That’ll put him out for 4-6 weeks. Will they move Logan Forsythe to 3B and platoon Taylor/Utley at 2B?

10) Alex Cobb signed a 4-year deal with the Orioles; lot of teams could’ve used him.

9) If you’re betting games in Las Vegas this week, go to SouthPoint Casino- they’re offering bets at -$105 instead of the normal $110, so if you go 7-5 on $100 bets, you win $175 instead of $150. Plus its a good casino with good pizza and a very good ice cream stand on the way out the door.

8) Ole Miss signed Middle Tennessee State coach Kermit Davis; his salary goes from $750K to $2.5M. Davis’ dad was the coach at Mississippi State a long time ago; he is very good.

7) Jacksonville State’s campus was hit hard by a tornado in Alabama Monday night; the Gamecocks’ hoop team is still playing- they’re at North Texas tonight.

6) ESPN signed former NFL coach John Fox as a studio analyst; will be interesting to see what he has to say. When he was coaching the Panthers, he got Carolina to the Super Bowl with Jake Delhomme as his quarterback.

5) Graduate transfer QB Gardner Minshaw moves from East Carolina to Washington State; he threw for 2,140 yards LY, with 16 TD’s, 7 INTs. Before he heads to Pullman, the young man is being tutored by Hal Mumme, the father of the Air Raid offense, who is OC at Jackson State these days. Playing for Mike Leach is good for a quarterback.

4) Shohei Ohtani is 3 for 28 batting in spring training— I started to call it hitting, but 3-28 isn’t hitting, it is batting. Angels may have been sold a bill of goods with Ohtani being a 2-way player- they gave CJ Cron away to Tampa Bay to make room for Ohtani’s bat.

3) On April 17, Oakland A’s are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their move to Oakland- they’re playing the White Sox that night, and admission is free. Team got 300,000 requests for tickets for that night.

In 1968, the A’s sold out their home opener; they had 5,700 fans the next night. Probably won’t be a whole lot different this year, on April 18.

2) Back in the early 70’s, Austin Peay (pronounced Pee) had a really good player named James (Fly) Williams; he played in the ABA for a season after that. Prolific scorer.

Austin Peay fans had a great chant: “The Fly is Open. Let’s go Peay!!!”

1— Underrated gambling day today; first round of the Match Play golf tournament, with 32 matches going on. Kind of like a country club version of March Madness. Kind of.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, March 21

Cavaliers won eight of last ten games with Toronto; over is 6-2 in last eight. Raptors are 2-2 vs spread in last four visits to Cleveland. Toronto won 10 of its last 11 games; they covered four of their last six road games. Under is 7-4 in their last 11 games. Cavaliers won three of their last four games; they split their last four home games. Four of their last five games went over the total.

Grizzlies won their last 10 games with the 76ers; they’re 3-2 vs spread in their last five visits to Philly. Three of last four series games went over the total. Memphis lost 20 of their last 21 games; they’re 3-6 in last nine games as road underdogs. Three of their last four games went over the total. 76ers won four of their last five games; they’re 12-3 in last 15 games as a home favorite. Four of their last six games stayed under.

Miami is 6-4 in its last ten games with the Knicks; road team won six of last eight series games. Knicks covered their last four visits to Miami. Under is 7-2 in last nine series games. New York won its last two games after a 9-game skid; they’re 3-7 in last 10 games as road underdogs. Four of their last six games went over. Heat won six of their last nine games; they’re 6-1 in last seven games as home favorites. Six of their last eight games went over.

Nets lost eight of last ten games with Charlotte; under is 3-1 in last four series games. Hornets are 1-3 vs spread in last four visits to Brooklyn. Charlotte lost eight of its last ten games; they’re 5-3 as road favorites this season. Six of their last seven games went over. Brooklyn won last two games after a 1-7 skid; they’re 0-5 in last five tries as home underdogs. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Clippers won seven of last ten games with Milwaukee; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five visits here, four of which went over total. Clippers lost their last four games; they’re 5-7 vs spread if they played night before- they’re 1-3 vs spread in last four road games. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games. Milwaukee is 4-6 in its last ten games; they’re 1-4 vs spread in last five home games. Bucks’ last five games went over the total.

Nuggets won their last four games with Chicago; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five visits to the Windy City. Over is 8-2 in their last ten games. Denver lost three of its last four games; they’re 4-9 vs spread as road favorites this season. Six of their last nine games went over. Chicago lost three of its last four games; they covered their last four tries as home underdogs. Under is 3-2 in their last five home games.

Spurs won eight of last ten games with Washington; last three series games went over the total. Wizards are 2-3 vs spread in their last five visits to the Alamo. Washington won four of its last six games; they’re 6-2 in last eight games as road underdogs. Five of their last six games went over total. San Antonio won its last four games; they covered last four games as home favorites. Seven of their last eight games stayed under.

Pacers won eight of last ten games with the Pelicans; they covered four of last five visits to Bourbon Street. Eight of last ten series games stayed under. Indiana won seven of its last ten games; they covered four of last five road games. Nine of their last ten games stayed under the total. New Orleans is 3-4 in its last seven games; they covered last three home games. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, March 21

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Trend Report
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TORONTO @ CLEVELAND
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games
Cleveland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing at home against Toronto
Cleveland is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing Toronto

MEMPHIS @ PHILADELPHIA
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing at home against Memphis

CHARLOTTE @ BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Charlotte's last 7 games
Charlotte is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games when playing Brooklyn
Brooklyn is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Brooklyn's last 7 games at home

NEW YORK @ MIAMI
New York is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Miami
New York is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

DENVER @ CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Denver's last 8 games when playing Chicago
Denver is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing Denver
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing at home against Denver

LA CLIPPERS @ MILWAUKEE
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 6 of LA Clippers's last 8 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing at home against LA Clippers

INDIANA @ NEW ORLEANS
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Indiana's last 11 games
Indiana is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing New Orleans
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing Indiana

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, March 21

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TORONTO (53 - 18) at CLEVELAND (41 - 29) - 3/21/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 193-241 ATS (-72.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
TORONTO is 40-31 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all games this season.
TORONTO is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
CLEVELAND is 23-46 ATS (-27.6 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 11-24 ATS (-15.4 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 this season.
CLEVELAND is 8-25 ATS (-19.5 Units) in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 23-35 ATS (-15.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) after scoring 115 points or more this season.
CLEVELAND is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 10-7 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 12-6 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
11 of 18 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MEMPHIS (19 - 51) at PHILADELPHIA (39 - 30) - 3/21/2018, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-2 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 5-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA 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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NEW YORK (26 - 45) at MIAMI (38 - 33) - 3/21/2018, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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CHARLOTTE (30 - 41) at BROOKLYN (23 - 48) - 3/21/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 28-39 ATS (-14.9 Units) in all games this season.
CHARLOTTE is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) against Atlantic division opponents this season.
CHARLOTTE is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
BROOKLYN is 40-30 ATS (+7.0 Units) in all games this season.
BROOKLYN is 33-22 ATS (+8.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
BROOKLYN is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) against Southeast division opponents this season.
BROOKLYN is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROOKLYN is 7-2 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 8-2 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (37 - 33) at MILWAUKEE (37 - 33) - 3/21/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 225-275 ATS (-77.5 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 217-273 ATS (-83.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 28-37 ATS (-12.7 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 33-46 ATS (-17.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) in home games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) in the second half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 45-71 ATS (-33.1 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 264-321 ATS (-89.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 198-243 ATS (-69.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 2-2 against the spread versus LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 2-2 straight up against LA CLIPPERS 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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DENVER (38 - 33) at CHICAGO (24 - 46) - 3/21/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 130-175 ATS (-62.5 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.

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

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WASHINGTON (40 - 30) at SAN ANTONIO (41 - 30) - 3/21/2018, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 1040-910 ATS (+39.0 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 830-706 ATS (+53.4 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 531-443 ATS (+43.7 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 191-147 ATS (+29.3 Units) in March games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 92-53 ATS (+33.7 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 347-284 ATS (+34.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 213-163 ATS (+33.7 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 186-141 ATS (+30.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

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

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INDIANA (41 - 30) at NEW ORLEANS (41 - 30) - 3/21/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 40-31 ATS (+5.9 Units) in all games this season.
INDIANA is 68-49 ATS (+14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA (PROFESSIONAL)

DUNKEL'S HIGHLIGHTED GAME

LA Clippers at Milwaukee - Wednesday March 21, 2018

The Clippers head to Milwaukee tonight and come into the contest with a 2-5 ATS record in their last 7 games versus the Bucks. Milwaukee is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Bucks favored by 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-4).

WEDNESDAY MARCH 21, 2018

Toronto
@
Cleveland
Game 751-752
March 21, 2018 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating: Toronto
121.409
Cleveland
120.512
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Toronto
by 1
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Cleveland
by 1 1/2
227 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto
(+1 1/2); Under

Memphis
@
Philadelphia
Game 753-754
March 21, 2018 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating: Memphis
107.448
Philadelphia
122.538
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Philadelphia
by 15
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Philadelphia
by 12
211
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia
(-12 ); Over

New York
@
Miami
Game 755-756
March 21, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating: New York
113.688
Miami
121.263
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Miami
by 7 1/2
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Miami
by 10 1/2
214
Dunkel Pick: New York
(+10 1/2); Over

Charlotte
@
Brooklyn
Game 757-758
March 21, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating: Charlotte
109.549
Brooklyn
114.465
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Brooklyn
by 5
231
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Brooklyn
Pick
221 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn
Over

LA Clippers
@
Milwaukee
Game 759-760
March 21, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating: LA Clippers
117.213
Milwaukee
124.675
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Milwaukee
by 7 1/2
231
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Milwaukee
by 4
224 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee
( -4); Over

Denver
@
Chicago
Game 761-762
March 21, 2018 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Denver
116.409
Chicago
109.272
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: Denver
by 7
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Denver
by 9
222
Dunkel Pick: Chicago
(+9); Under

Washington
@
San Antonio
Game 763-764
March 21, 2018 @ 9:30 pm

Dunkel Rating: Washington
118.737
San Antonio
125.893
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: San Antonio
by 7
210
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: San Antonio
by 5
203 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio
(-5); Over

Indiana
@
New Orleans
Game 781-782
March 21, 2018 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating: Indiana
120.204
New Orleans
121.338
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total: New Orleans
by 1
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total: Indiana
by 1 1/2
221
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans
( +1 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
March 21, 2018

Game of the Night: Raptors at Cavaliers – 7:05 PM EST

The top seed in the Eastern Conference currently belongs to Toronto (53-18 SU, 40-31 ATS), who currently holds a five-game edge over Boston after both teams won in comeback fashion last night. The Raptors trailed the Magic by eight points heading into the fourth quarter before Toronto went on a 23-4 run over the next 10:30 to take control and grab a 93-86 victory as 9 ½-point favorites. DeMar DeRozan sat out for the Raptors, but backcourt mate Kyle Lowry dropped in 25 points, including seven three-pointers as Toronto bounced back from Sunday’s home loss to Oklahoma City.

The Cavaliers (41-29 SU, 23-46-1 ATS) have won three of their past four games, including Monday’s 124-117 home triumph over Milwaukee to cash as 2 ½-point favorites. Kevin Love returned to the lineup following a 20-game absence with a left hand injury to score 18 points and seven rebounds. However, the star of the show once again was LeBron James, who burned the Bucks for 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, while four different Cavaliers knocked down at least three treys.

Cleveland has eliminated Toronto in each of the past two postseasons, including a four-game sweep of the Raptors in last season’s second round. The two squads may see each other again in this season’s playoffs, as they will hook up twice at Quicken Loans Arena in the next two weeks. In the lone matchup this season at Air Canada Center in January, the Raptors destroyed the Cavaliers, 133-99 as 2 ½-point home underdogs, as seven Toronto players finished in double-figures in spite of Lowry sitting out.

Make-up Match

The Pelicans and Pacers were supposed to hook up in the Big Easy back in February, but a roof leak at Smoothie King Center prevented the teams from playing. Nearly six weeks later, the teams are back at it with exact records trying to improve their playoff seeding.

New Orleans (41-30 SU, 38-32-1 ATS) is in the midst of three games in three nights at home following Tuesday’s 115-105 triumph over Dallas as 6 ½-point favorites. Guard Jrue Holiday sat out due to an illness, but MVP candidate Anthony Davis carried New Orleans again by scoring 37 points on 15-of-21 shooting to lift the Pelicans to their third win in the last seven games.

Indiana (41-30 SU, 40-31 ATS) snapped a two-game skid in Monday’s 110-110 home victory over the Lakers to cash as 5 ½-point favorites. The Pacers have won four of their last five games away from Bankers Life Fieldhouse, as all four covers came in the underdog role including recent wins at Philadelphia and Boston. Indiana looks to avenge a 117-112 home setback to New Orleans in November, only the second loss to the Pelicans in the last 10 meetings.

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The Spurs (41-30 SU, 37-32-2 ATS) may not reach the 50-win mark for the first time in a non-lockout season since 1997 unless it goes 9-2 in the final 11 games. However, San Antonio is streaking at the right time by winning four straight games, including Monday’s 89-75 triumph over short-handed Golden State. The Spurs have cashed in all four of these victories as favorites, while limiting three teams to below 93 points.

The Wizards (40-30 SU, 33-36-1 ATS) travel to Texas for just one game before returning home on Friday to battle Denver. Washington hasn’t taken the court since Saturday’s 109-102 home victory over Indiana to pick up its second straight win since a two-game skid. The Wizards have dropped three straight off consecutive victories, while hitting the OVER in four straight games. These teams have not met this season but will hook up twice over the next week with the second matchup coming at Capital One Arena next Tuesday.

Washington has lost 17 consecutive visits to San Antonio dating back to 2001, while topping the 100-point mark only once in this span. That one time came in last season’s 107-105 defeat as nine-point underdogs, but the Wizards own a dreadful 2-9 ATS record in their last 11 visits to AT&T Center.

Hot at Home

The 76ers (39-30 SU, 37-30-2 ATS) improved to 15-1 in their last 16 games at Wells Fargo Center after knocking off the Hornets on Monday, 108-94 as 8 ½-point favorites. Ben Simmons racked up another triple-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 15 assists, while Joel Embiid posted a 25-point, 19-rebound effort in the victory. Philadelphia snapped a three-game ATS slide, while beating Charlotte for the third time this season.

The Sixers welcome in another underachieving team tonight as the struggling Grizzlies (19-51 SU, 29-39-2 ATS) invade the City of Brotherly Love. Memphis has covered two straight games after cashing as eight-point underdogs in Monday’s 118-115 setback at Brooklyn. However, the Grizzlies have lost 20 of their last 21 games overall and 15 consecutive contests away from FedEx Forum since the calendar year turned to 2018.

Skidding Clips

Things were looking up for the Clippers (37-33 SU, 37-32-1 ATS), who were riding a 14-5 run from January 26 through March 13. However, the ship may be sinking for Doc Rivers’squad, who has lost four straight games, all to Western Conference playoff teams. The most recent setback came in Tuesday’s 123-109 defeat at Minnesota as 3 ½-point underdogs, the fourth loss this season to the Timberwolves. The Clippers slipped to 2-7 ATS the last nine games, while allowing at least 121 points in three straight contests.

The four-game road trip continues in Milwaukee as the Bucks (37-33 SU, 27-38-5 ATS) try to get back on track following Monday’s loss at Cleveland. The Bucks are currently on a five-game OVER run after giving up at least 112 points in four of the past five contests. Milwaukee owns a horrific 1-9 ATS mark in its previous 10 games at BMO Harris Bradley Center, including an 0-8 ATS stretch as a favorite. The Bucks and Clippers haven’t met this season, but Milwaukee pulled off the season sweep in 2016-17 with both victories coming in the underdog role.

[StarDust Bum]

Raptors, Cavs set to battle
March 21, 2018

Wednesday's Game to Watch - Raptors at Cavaliers

The Toronto Raptors may have the inside track for home court advantage in the Eastern Conference, but they know who the road to the title runs through. The Cleveland Cavaliers have struggled during the regular season, yet LeBron James has always turned it on in the postseason. His teams have won the last seven Eastern Conference titles, and until the Cavaliers lose, they have to be considered the favorite. A road win for Toronto would be a shot across the bow to Cleveland though.

This war on the floor will go down Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. ET at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The game will be televised live on ESPN.

Opening NBA Betting Odds - Cavaliers -1 ½, 226

Cleveland has been an awful team to bet on this season. The Cavaliers are an abysmal 23-46-1 ATS and have lost bettors more money than any other team in the NBA. Those issues have been magnified at home, where the Cavaliers are a paltry 8-25-1 ATS this season. Cleveland has won and covered in its last two home games though.

Toronto has no such issues at home, and the Raptors have been great at covering on the road too. This team is 21-14 ATS on the road, and that success is a large reason why they are on their way to grabbing the No. 1 seed in the East.

Coaching Angle

The big story surrounding Cleveland involves head coach Tyronn Lue. Lue announced on Monday that he is stepping away from his coaching responsibilities for a while in order to focus on his health.

Lue has been the Cavaliers’ coach for a little over two years. He took over in January 2016 after the mid-season firing of David Blatt, and immediately established himself in Cleveland lore by helping the Cavaliers win their first ever NBA title.

He has a great rapport with James, and he has a reputation of being a player’s coach. Without him on the sidelines, it will be interesting to see how Cleveland will do. Lue has told reporters that he has been suffering from a variety of troubling symptoms, and that his health is the clear priority. He stated that he only expects to be away from the team for a week, but it may be longer.

Player to Watch

At this point, DeMar DeRozan cannot be considered underrated. DeRozan has been fantastic this year for the Raptors. He has played in every game this season, showcasing a durability that few superstars have nowadays.

DeRozan’s numbers may not jump off the page at you. He is shooting just 46.1 percent from the field on the season. However, he gets to the line and is very active in the other phases of the game, leading by example as a team player. The advanced stats show this, as he is fourth in the Eastern Conference in Win Shares.

The one thing he needs to keep improving is his three-point shooting. DeRozan has never been a great three-point shooter, averaging under 30 percent for his career. His 32.4 percentage this season is better, but he is nowhere near what teams are looking for.

Free NBA Betting ATS Picks

This line will be very tight and close to pick 'em and the Cavaliers could still be without some key players like Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood. Kevin Love returned on Monday but Tristan Thompson will probably be out as well.

These teams have met just once this season, with Toronto hammering Cleveland 133-99 north of the border in early January. This time around, look for Cleveland to get the victory. The Cavaliers don’t need to send messages, but a strong showing could rattle Toronto come playoff time.

NBA Projection: Cavaliers 124, Raptors 110

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MEM at PHI 07:00 PM
MEM +12.5
O 208.5

TOR at CLE 07:00 PM
CLE +1.5
O 227.0

CHA at BK 07:30 PM
CHA -1.0
U 221.5

NY at MIA 07:30 PM
NY +10.0
U 217.0

IND at NO 08:00 PM
IND -1.0
U 220.0

LAC at MIL 08:00 PM
MIL -5.5
O 223.0

DEN at CHI 08:00 PM
CHI +9.5
O 217.5

WAS at SA 09:30 PM
WAS +6.0
O 202.0

[StarDust Bum]

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WKU at OKST 08:00 PM
WKU +6.5
O 149.5

JVST at UNT 08:00 PM
JVST +1.0
U 138.5

UIC at PEAY 08:00 PM
UIC +4.5
U 154.5

UTAH at SMC 10:00 PM
UTAH +6.5
O 140.0

UNCO at USD 10:00 PM
USD -4.0
O 146.5

[StarDust Bum]

LeBron sets record, carries Cavs past Raps
March 21, 2018

CLEVELAND (AP) LeBron James scored 35 points and added 17 assists, his last setting up a late a 3-pointer by Kevin Love, and the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers ended Toronto's nine-game road winning streak with a 132-129 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Raptors on Wednesday night.

The Cavs were missing five rotational players and coach Tyronn Lue, who missed his second straight game because of health reasons.

But they had James, who earlier in the day said, ''I'll be available, so we got a chance.''

James didn't have a turnover in 40 minutes and he made three free throws in the final 7.8 seconds. He missed one with 3.9 seconds left, giving Toronto a final shot, but DeMar DeRozan's 3-pointer - contested by James - was wide left. DeRozan and Toronto coaches complained the All-Star was fouled to no avail.

HORNETS 111, NETS 105

NEW YORK (AP) - Dwight Howard had 32 points and a franchise-record 30 rebounds, becoming the first player with a 30-30 game against the Nets since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1978.

Kemba Walker scored 10 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter for the Hornets, who trailed by as many 23 points in the second half but won in front of an announced crowd of 10,231 at Barclay Center while a heavy snowfall outside blanketed the New York City area.

Trailing 105-102 with 2:14 left in regulation, the Hornets went on a 9-0 run to pull off the impressive comeback. Jeremy Lamb, who had 17 points to help end Charlotte's two-game losing streak, made a layup to cut the deficit to 105-104. The Hornets then called a timeout after a miss by Caris LeVert with 23 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Walker spun around Quincy Acy and capped a three-point play to put Charlotte up 107-105, the Hornets' first lead of the night since a 16-15 advantage with 5:46 in the opening quarter.

D'Angelo Russell scored 19 points and LeVert added 11 for the Nets.

CLIPPERS 127, BUCKS 120

MILWAUKEE (AP) - DeAndre Jordan had 25 points and 22 rebounds to lead Los Angeles past Milwaukee.

Austin Rivers added 22 points and Lou Williams scored 19 for Los Angeles, which bounced back after a deflating loss to Minnesota on Tuesday night.

The Bucks lost All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to a right ankle sprain late in the first half. Antetokounmpo appeared to get hurt when he tripped over teammate Shabazz Muhammad under Milwaukee's basket. He stayed in the game for a brief period, but hobbled around the court while grimacing. He went to the locker room with about four minutes remaining in the second quarter and did not return.

76ERS 119, GRIZZLIES 105

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Robert Covington, J.J. Redick and Dario Saric each had 15 points to pace all five Philadelphia starters in double-figures, and the 76ers continued their push for home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Joel Embiid added 14 points and Ben Simmons had 13 points, nine assists and seven rebounds for the 76ers (40-30), who won their fourth straight to improve to a season-best 10 games over .500. None of the starters played in the fourth quarter.

Wayne Selden Jr. had 18 points to lead Memphis (19-52), which has lost 21 of 22 overall and 16 in a row on the road.

SPURS 98, WIZARDS 90

SAN ANTONIO (AP) - LaMarcus Aldridge had 27 points and nine rebounds, and San Antonio won its fifth straight game.

San Antonio remained in sixth place in the Western Conference, one-half game behind fourth-place Oklahoma City. The Spurs close out a six-game homestand Friday against Utah, which is 1+ games behind San Antonio in eighth place.

Bradley Beal and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 21 points to lead the Wizards, who dropped into sixth in the Eastern Conference.

PELICANS 96, PACERS 92

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Anthony Davis capped a 28-point, 13-rebound, five-block performance with a 15-foot baseline fade, a gritty put-back and two free throws in the final minute, and New Orleans outlasted Indiana.

E'Twaun Moore scored 23 points for New Orleans, which had to overcome a scrappy defensive effort by Indiana to win its third straight.

The Pacers shot only 36.6 percent (34 of 93), but kept the game close with 15 offensive rebounds and 17 second-chance points.

NUGGETS 135, BULLS 102

CHICAGO (AP) - Nikola Jokic had 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists on ''Serbian Heritage Night,'' and Denver routed Chicago.

Denver shot 61.4 percent (51 for 83) from the field and had seven players score in double figures. Paul Millsap had 22 points and eight rebounds in 27 minutes, and Wilson Chandler made five of the Nuggets' 20 3-pointers on his way to 19 points.

The Nuggets (39-33) improved to 1-2 on a seven-game trip and pulled within 1 1/2 games of idle Utah for eighth in the Western Conference playoff race.

HEAT 119, KNICKS 98

MIAMI (AP) - Kelly Olynyk scored 22 points and handed out a career-high 10 assists, Tyler Johnson added 22 points and Miami had little trouble on the way to beating New York.

Wayne Ellington scored 16, Justise Winslow added 15, Goran Dragic had 14 and Josh Richardson finished with 12 for the Heat, who remained seventh in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Enes Kanter scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Knicks. Michael Beasley added 22 points on 10 for 15 shooting for New York, and Trey Burke scored 16 off the bench.

[StarDust Bum]

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY MARCH 22, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Memphis Grizzlies Charlotte Hornets Spectrum Center
7:00 PM Philadelphia 76ers Orlando Magic Amway Center
8:00 PM Detroit Pistons Houston Rockets Toyota Center
8:00 PM Los Angeles Lakers New Orleans Pelicans Smoothie King Center
8:30 PM Utah Jazz Dallas Mavericks American Airlines Center
10:00 PM Atlanta Hawks Sacramento Kings Golden 1 Center


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March NBA Record:

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

03/21/2018 8-7-1 53.33% +1.50
03/20/2018 9-5-0 64.29% +17.50
03/19/2018 10-6-0 62.50% +17.00
03/18/2018 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
03/17/2018 9-13-0 40.91% -26.50
03/16/2018 4-8-0 33.33% -24.00
03/15/2018 5-13-0 27.78% -46.50
03/14/2018 3-5-0 37.50% -12.50
03/13/2018 13-8-0 61.90% +21.00
03/12/2018 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
03/11/2018 10-8-0 55.56% +6.00
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...........149 - 146......50.50%....- 18.00

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday’s 6-pack

Over/under win totals for baseball season

— Philadelphia Phillies, 77.5

— Texas Rangers 76.5

— San Diego Padres 73.5

— Tampa Bay Rays 73.5

— Cincinnati Reds 73.5

— Kansas City Royals 67.5

Quote of the Day

“I grew up in California and I had an aunt that lived in Central California. And when she’d drive to see us, she would stop at the fruit stands on the side of the road, and she’d get these big trays of strawberries. And she’d bring them up to our house, and she would put them into our refrigerator. And every time the refrigerator door was opened, the smell of strawberries would permeate the room. And I could not stand it. And since then, I’ve never eaten a strawberry. The thought of a strawberry is just … terrible for me.”
Tom Brady

Thursday’s quiz
What is the capital of Kansas?

Wednesday’s quiz
John Malkovich played Teddy KGB in the poker movie Rounders.

Tuesday’s quiz
John Calipari went 72-112 as the head coach NBA’s Nets.

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

Thursday’s List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud……

13) It is likely that three NFL teams will start their 6th different Opening Day QB in six years when they open the season in September.

Vikings will be starting newly-signed Kirk Cousins; Houston and Cleveland have dealt away their Week 1 starting QB from last year, so Deshaun Watson will go for Houston if healthy and who knows what the Browns will do at QB, but it’ll be someone new.

It is really hard to win when you have no continuity; Vikings are strong at every other position, but their decision to let Case Keenum walk after he played so well LY will be highly scrutinized. Houston seems set at QB for the next decade if they can keep Watson healthy.

12) Dodgers won 40 more games than the Giants last year, which is eye-opening. San Francisco adds Longoria/McCutchen this year, but neither one of them pitches, although Bumgarner was not healthy last year, and now he is, so that’ll help.

Once your nucleus of talent gets old, it is tough to re-boot and stay a contender without a total rebuild. Will be interesting to follow the Giants this season.

11) Damn, the Red Sox hit only 168 homers last year, least in the AL. My A’s hit 234 and they were a bad baseball team. Will JD Martinez help that correct their power shortage?

10) Speaking of Boston, they’ve got $30M of dead money on their payroll this year, most in the major leagues— Rusney Castillo and Pablo Sandoval account for all of that.

9) Three NFL teams proposed a rule that would limit the amount of early games a western team can play during the regular season. Under the proposal, no team would be scheduled “to play more than three away games with a scheduled kickoff time prior to 1:00 p.m. in the time zone of their home stadium (without consent).”

For instance, during the 2017 season, the 49ers played five road games that kicked off at 1pm ET, which feels like a 10am game to them. Couple years ago, the Rams played a 9:30am game in England, which is a 6:30am start if you’re on West Coast time.

8) Cubs’ 1B Anthony Rizzo has been hit with 70 pitches the last three years, seven more than anyone else in the major leagues during that time.

7) Graceland 83, LSU-Alexandria 80— NAIA national title game drew 6,377 fans in Kansas City, as Graceland, from Lamoni, IA won the championship. Tough loss for Alexandria, which lost in the national semifinals by a basket last year.

6) Louisville sent interim basketball coach David Padgett packing; he’ll be fine eventually, but where do the Cardinals go from here?

If you’re Chris Mack, do you really leave your alma mater (Xavier) for a job where the team is likely to go on probation? Louisville might be a lucrative job, but the fanbase is spoiled and the chances of winning right away are almost nil, which won’t please the fanbase.

5) Western Kentucky 92, Oklahoma State 84– Hilltoppers are headed to New York City for the NIT semifinals next week- they won at USC, then 46 hours later, won in Stillwater, OK. Not an easy thing to do.

4) This made me feel old; Bobby Orr turned 70 this week.

For my 9th birthday, friend of my parents gave me a subscription to Sports Illustrated; the first issue that came in the mail had Bobby Orr on the cover and I became a huge Bruins fan- their loss in OT in Game 7 of the ’79 Stanley Cup semifinals remains one of my saddest moments as a sports fan.

Got to meet Bobby Orr at a minor league baseball game in the mid-80’s; nice man with really bad knees. He was playing in a celebrity softball game and he purposely hit fly balls so he didn’t have to run.

Do a search on Bobby Orr rushing the puck and you’ll see a guy who revolutionized the sport; he was so exciting to watch. Hard to believe he is 70 years old; to me, he’ll always be the guy flying thru the air after scoring the game-winning goal in the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Happy birthday!!!!

3) There are no instant replays in spring training baseball games; I’m pretty sure the umpires have adopted a “When in doubt, call him out!!” mentality.

2) This is the 11th year in a row the defending national champ in March Madness didn’t make it to the Sweet 16.

1— Combined seeds for the teams in the Sweet 16 this year is 85, the highest total since 2000.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Thursday, March 22

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Trend Report
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PHILADELPHIA @ ORLANDO
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia's last 8 games when playing Orlando
Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Orlando's last 8 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

MEMPHIS @ CHARLOTTE
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Memphis's last 8 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Charlotte's last 8 games when playing at home against Memphis
Charlotte is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Memphis

DETROIT @ HOUSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Detroit's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 6 games
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

LA LAKERS @ NEW ORLEANS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Lakers's last 10 games on the road
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games

UTAH @ DALLAS
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Utah is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games
Dallas is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Utah
Dallas is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Utah

ATLANTA @ SACRAMENTO
Atlanta is 17-2 SU in its last 19 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Atlanta's last 8 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Sacramento's last 8 games when playing at home against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 6 games at home