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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, October 24

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

CHICAGO @ CLEVELAND
Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Chicago is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
Cleveland is 15-6 SU in its last 21 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cleveland's last 7 games

BROOKLYN @ ORLANDO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games when playing Orlando
Brooklyn is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games
Orlando is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 5 games when playing Brooklyn

NEW YORK @ BOSTON
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of New York's last 11 games
New York is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Boston is 13-6 ATS in its last 19 games
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games

INDIANA @ MINNESOTA
Indiana is 10-2-1 ATS in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 14 of Minnesota's last 20 games
Minnesota is 5-13-1 ATS in its last 19 games

NEW ORLEANS @ PORTLAND
New Orleans is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Portland is 17-6 ATS in its last 23 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Portland's last 9 games

UTAH @ LA CLIPPERS
Utah is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
Utah is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 5 games
LA Clippers is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, October 24

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

BROOKLYN (2 - 1) at ORLANDO (2 - 1) - 10/24/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 35-49 ATS (-18.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 60-90 ATS (-39.0 Units) in home games when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
ORLANDO is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

CHICAGO (0 - 2) at CLEVELAND (2 - 1) - 10/24/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 257-314 ATS (-88.4 Units) in the first half of the season since 1996.
CLEVELAND is 8-20 ATS (-14.0 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 30-48 ATS (-22.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

NEW YORK (0 - 2) at BOSTON (1 - 2) - 10/24/2017, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 54-83 ATS (-37.3 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.

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

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

INDIANA (1 - 2) at MINNESOTA (2 - 1) - 10/24/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) in home games in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games after scoring 115 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

NEW ORLEANS (1 - 2) at PORTLAND (2 - 1) - 10/24/2017, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

UTAH (2 - 1) at LA CLIPPERS (2 - 0) - 10/24/2017, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 7-7 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-6 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday's NBA Essentials
October 24, 2017

Utah at L.A. Clippers (Prime Ticket, 10:35 ET)

Perhaps wanting to prove that Chris Paul abandoning the team via his trade request and then divulging that he wanted out because of a lack of a winning culture didn't phase anybody, the L.A. Clippers have opened the season taking no prisoners. It could also just be that they've played the Lakers and Suns, two of the league's youngest teams, making it easier for them to impose their will.

We'll get a better sense of just how formidable the Clips truly are early in their inital post-Paul stage with the Jazz in town. While the division mates they've vanquished are unlikely to challenge for a playoff berth, Utah is very likely to be in the mix for a spot in the West' top eight and comes in perfect agaist the spread, losing on the road at Minnesota while beating Denver and Oklahoma City impressively. The Jazz held each under 100 points and have adjusted well to losing superstar Gordon Hayward via free agency this offseason. Defensive stalwart George Hill left too, moving on to Sacramento, but replacement Ricky Rubio has hit the ground running in providing a spark at both ends of the floor.

It will be interesting to see how he handles his first conventional road game as Utah's floor general since his first trip was easy to get up for, being back in Minnesota for the first time in a visiting uniform after spending his entire career there. Teammates played hard for him and he was obviously engaged, coming up with his best performance in a Jazz uniform thus far with 19 points and 10 assists.

Interfering with with rhythm here will be the primary objective of the guard who replaced Paul, defensive standout Patrick Beverley. An agitator with boundless energy, he now regularly screams out First-Team All-Defense after being honored for last season's work in Houston and made headlines to open the season by harrassing Lonzo Ball into an embarrassing debut. Eight months ago, he and Rubio got into a bit of a skirmish in a competitive Rockets-Wolves game, so it will be fun to see them get together again and see if any bad blood lingers despite their new circumstances. Rubio shot 30 percent against the Rockets in those games, losing two of three games.

Squaring off as catalysts for their respective teams provides an interesting wrinkle in a series that has been mostly about the bigs.

These teams met in a memorable first-round series that went the distance in April and effectively ended the CP-3 Clippers era. Instead of getting that crack at Golden State everyone on the roster coveted, L.A. blew a 2-1 series lead after Blake Griffin was lost for the rest of the series in Game 3 and lost Game 7 on their home floor despite DeAndre Jordan doing his part in dominating with 24 points and 18 rebounds. Paul shot 6-for-19. while Rudy Gobert's awful foul-riddled clincher that saw him disqualified in less than 14 scoreless, block-less minutes was bailed out by Derrick Favors coming up with 17 points and 15 rebounds off the bench.

Griffin and Jordan vs. Favors and Gobert has always been an attractive tag-team matchup to monitor when everyone has been healthy enough to play. Griffin averaged 16.8 points and 8.8 boards in helping the Clips go 3-1 against Utah during last regular-season, scoring just eight points on 3-for-8 shooting in the loss. He scored a combined 50 points in the first two games before being injured and opted to become the face of the franchise going forward, signing a five-year, $173 million in July after Paul had already forced his way out. Two years ago, he saw the Jazz only once but exploded for 40 points on 18-for-23 rebounds, grabbing 12 boards. Clearly, his play is going to be the driving force in this contest, so it's a positive sign for L.A. that he's started so well, averaging 29 points and 10 boards thus far. Jordan averaged 14.7 boards in last season's wins but was kept off the glass by the Jazz in the lone loss. He's averaging 18.5 rebounds through this season's two wins.

Gobert averaged 13.8 points and 11.8 rebounds last season and had his higher-scoring games at Staples. Favors played in just two of last year's meetings, losing both and shooting just 31.6 percent while averaging 9.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. He's healthier now and should play a larger role in tonight's contest, making him an x-factor.

The Clippers have dominated this series over the past five years, going 18-2 over the last 20 regular-season meetings since Feb. 1, 2012. Two of last season's meetings were won by double-digits despite identical 88-point scoring games. The 72 points L.A. held Utah to last February was their lowest-scoring output of the season as Quin Snyder lauded Jordan for his defensive IQ, admitting the center "steals all of our calls" because he can identify what's coming. Although that game was played in Utah, it's significant because Paul sat out with a thumb injury, proving they can certainly beat this Jazz team without him.

Utah has lost only beat the Clippers once (2015) in its last 10 regular-season trips to Staples Center, but went 3-1 there in the playoff series. We'll find out tonight if that success has exorcised their recent demons against the Clips in the building.

Injury Concerns

The Jazz list Rodney Hood as questionable with a calf strain that I expect will keep him out a few more games. Many thought he may have torn his achilles as he was being carried off the floor after stepping on Karl Anthony Towns' foot last Friday, so to the fact he went through portions of practice, according to the Salt Lake Tribune's Tony Jones, is fantastic news for Utah. Even without Hayward, Utah is in good shape with Joe Johnson, Alec Burks, Joe Ingles and rookie Donovan Mitchell on the roster, but Hood is on another level and could have a breakout season if he gets healthy.

Milos Teodosic, who was signed to ease the burden of losing Paul by bringing his playmaking skills that made him a legend in Europe, is going to be sidelined indefinitely with a plantar fascia injury. Austin Rivers is expected to move into the Clippers starting lineup, while Lou Williams is probably in line for more minutes unless rookies Sindarius Thornwell or Jawun Evans break into Doc Rivers' rotation.

Pacers forward Myles Turner has been ruled out due to a concussion and sore neck that should keep him out until at least Sunday's home date with the Spurs. Young Domantas Sabonis, veteran Al Jefferson and rookie T.J. Leaf will fill in until he's back, and all are defensive liabilities in a matchup against Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns.

Boston's Marcus Smart is dealing with an ankle injury that could sideline him in the Celtics first season to Madison Square Garden this season. After losing Hayward, his minutes and impact were expected to incresase, especially with the recently acquired Marcus Morris not ready to play until next week. Boston is already starting young Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but may have to give Abdel Nader or rookies Jabari Bird and Semi Ojeleye minutes if Smart can't go.

Orlando point guard Elfrid Payton is expected to miss another game due to a hamstring issue, but forward Aaron Gordon should return from a two-game abasence due to an ankle injury. Payton was hurt in last Friday night's 126-121 road loss to the same Brooklyn team the Magic will see tonight. The Nets won that game after learning they had lost PG Jeremy Lin (ruptured patella) for the season by featuring six double-digit scorers, none of whom scored more than 17 points.

The Bulls are still without suspended power forward Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic, who remains out with facial injuries after being punched by his teammate. Cleveland's Derrick Rose isn't going to play against his former team due to an ankle injury, while Tristan Thompson is questionable after missing practice with a sore knee.

Notable Head-to-Head Trends

-- The last five meetings between the Nets and Magic have all gone over the posted total and featured at least 222 combined points. The 247 scored last week were the most scored in this series since a triple-OT game way back in 1995.

-- Cleveland has lost seven of eight regular-season games since eliminating the Bulls from the 2015 Eastern Conference semis by erasing a 2-1 series deficit with three straight wins, the first of which was delivered on a rare LeBron James buzzer-beater. Chicago won both meetings at Quicken Loans Arena last season by a combined 30 points despite being an underdog each time.

--Since 2015, Boston is 9-2 against New York and 5-1 overall at the Garden.

--Tonight's second-most attractive contest pits the Pelicans and Trail Blazers in Portland for a matchup of Western Conference playoff hopefuls. After acquiring DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans won both meetings against the Blazers, who retooled themselves by adding Jusuf Nurkic. Expect a fun matchup since the Pels have the obvious edge up front thanks to their two All-Stars while Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum will give the home team a major boost with their decided edge over a New Orleans backcourt that now features Jameer Nelson in addition to Jrue Holiday, E'Twuan Moore and Ian Clark.

[StarDust Bum]

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

BK at ORL 07:00 PM
ORL -4.5 *****
O 229.0

CHI at CLE 07:00 PM
CHI +15.0
U 205.5 *****

NY at BOS 07:30 PM
BOS -7.0 *****
U 207.0

IND at MIN 08:00 PM
MIN -12.0
O 218.5

NO at POR 10:00 PM
NO +5.0 *****
U 216.5

UTA at LAC 10:30 PM
UTA +4.5 *****
U 198.0 *****

[StarDust Bum]

NBA roundup: James makes point in Cavs' victory
October 24, 2017

CLEVELAND -- LeBron James scored 34 points and piled up 13 assists while serving as the Cavaliers' point guard in Cleveland's 119-112 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.

Kevin Love added 20 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland, which snapped a five-game losing streak to Chicago. Jeff Green and Dwyane Wade came off the bench to score 16 and 11, respectively, for the Cavaliers.

Justin Holiday paced the Bulls with 25 points. Rookie Lauri Markkanen scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half and finished with five 3-pointers. Markkanen is the first rookie in league history to make 10 treys in his first three games.

James usually handles the ball for Cleveland and is its assists leader on the season, but he played the point because Derrick Rose (sprained left ankle) was out and coach Tyronn Lue sought a bigger lineup.

Magic 125, Nets 121

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Aaron Gordon scored a career-high 41 points and hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining to lead Orlando over Brooklyn.

The Magic's Evan Fournier scored 28 points, including 12 in the final 5:22. Gordon, who was 5 of 5 from beyond the 3-point arc, added 12 rebounds. D.J. Augustin, starting at point guard for Orlando in place of injured Elfrid Payton, scored 19 points.

D'Angelo Russell led the Nets with 27 points. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 18 points, and DeMarre Carroll had 16. Caris LeVert scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds for Brooklyn.

Clippers 102, Jazz 84

LOS ANGELES -- Blake Griffin had 22 points, nine rebounds and six assists as Los Angeles improved to 3-0 with a victory over Utah.

Patrick Beverley added 19 points and Austin Rivers, making his first start of the season, added 16 points. DeAndre Jordan had 11 points and 18 rebounds, and Danilo Gallinari added 14 points for the Clippers.

Rookie Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with 19 points, including 15 in the final quarter. Rudy Gobert scored 12 points, and Thabo Sefolosha had 11 points and 12 rebounds for Utah.

Trail Blazers 103, Pelicans 93

PORTLAND, Ore. -- CJ McCollum scored 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and Portland closed the game with a 9-0 run to win its home opener over New Orleans.

Evan Turner and Damian Lillard each scored 13 points, and Ed Davis added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Portland has won an NBA-record 17 consecutive home openers dating to a 96-86 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000.

DeMarcus Cousins collected 39 points and 13 rebounds for the Pelicans. New Orleans' Anthony Davis played only the first five minutes before departing with a left knee injury.

Celtics 110, Knicks 89

BOSTON -- Jaylen Brown scored 23 points, rookie Jayson Tatum delivered 22 and Boston threw a defensive blanket over Kristaps Porzingis en route to a victory over winless New York.

Kyrie Irving had 20 points and seven assists, Al Horford added 13 points and 13 rebounds, and Daniel Theis scored 11 points for the Celtics. Brown and Tatum, both with early season highs, became the first Celtics pair younger than 21 to score 20 points in the same game.

Porzingis, who was attempting to become the first Knick to scored 30 points in each of the first three games, was 1-for-12 from the floor before hitting two fourth-quarter baskets. Porzingis left with 4:44 remaining, finishing with 12 points and five rebounds.

Pacers 130, Timberwolves 107

MINNEAPOLIS -- Victor Oladipo scored a team-high 28 points as Indiana routed Minnesota.

Cory Joseph scored 21 points -- thanks to shooting 5 of 6 from 3-point range -- and Bojan Bogdanovic added 19 points as five Pacers scored in double-figures. Indiana shot 66.7 percent from the floor.

Karl-Anthony Towns led the way for the Timberwolves with 28 points on 12-of-17 shooting, and Jamal Crawford and Nemanja Bjelica each chipped in 18 points.

[StarDust Bum]

Davis leaves Portland game with left knee injury
October 24, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Anthony Davis left the Pelicans' game against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday night with a left knee injury.

Davis left for the locker room midway through the first quarter. It appeared that he bumped knees with Blazers guard Damian Lillard.

Davis, in his sixth NBA season, had 27 points and 17 rebounds in New Orleans' 119-112 victory over the Lakers in Los Angeles on Sunday. He had a basket and a rebound through the first 5 minutes against the Blazers.

Davis averaged a career-best 28 points and 11.8 rebounds last season with the Pelicans.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA notebook: Agent says Fultz has shoulder injury
October 24, 2017

Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz, the Ni. 1 overall pick in this year NBA draft, is off to a slow start and his agent claims it is because of a shoulder injury.

Raymond Brothers, who represents Fultz, said Fultz had fluid drained from his right shoulder and plans to visit a specialist.

"Markelle had a shoulder injury and fluid drained out of the back of his shoulder," Brothers told ESPN. "He literally cannot raise up his arms to shoot the basketball. He decided to try and fight through the pain to help the team. He has a great attitude. We are committed to finding a solution to get Markelle back to 100 percent."

Fultz has played in each of Philadelphia's four games and is averaging 6.0 points on 9-of-27 shooting. His free-throw shooting has also been poor as he has made just 6 of 12 attempts.

Fultz tallied just two points in 16 minutes during Monday's win over the Detroit Pistons.

--Phoenix Suns rookie forward Josh Jackson was fined $35,000 by the NBA for directing inappropriate language toward a fan.

The incident occurred with 6:10 remaining in Phoenix's 130-88 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Jackson also was cited for making a menacing gesture on the playing court, which appeared to an imaginary gun gesture towards a fan who was heckling him.

--Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles became the fifth player to be fined in the first week of the regular season when he was handed a $15,000 penalty for an incident with Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams.

With 8:53 left in the third quarter of Utah's 96-87 win on Saturday, Ingles hit Adams in the groin area as Oklahoma City forward Paul George committed a turnover near the paint.

--Atlanta Hawks swingman DeAndre' Bembry underwent wrist surgery and will be sidelined four to six weeks, the team announced.

Bembry fractured his right wrist during last Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks. He had six points and six rebounds in 18 minutes before exiting.

--The Denver Nuggets announced that reserve forward Juancho Hernangomez was diagnosed with mononucleosis and will not travel on their four-game road trip.

Symptoms of the virus include fatigue, sore throat and fever and typically last four to six weeks.

Hernangomez, 22, entered this season as the primary backup to Wilson Chandler at small forward. He has played just 13 minutes this season and has yet to score.

--The Los Angeles Lakers announced they picked up the options on forwards Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. through the 2018-19 season.

Teams have until Oct. 31 to pick up options on rookie contracts and both players now have guaranteed salaries through next season. Ingram will make $5.75 million, while Nance will make $2.27 million.

In Los Angeles' first three games, Ingram is averaging 14.7 points and three rebounds. Nance is averaging 11.3 points and seven rebounds.

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday’s six-pack

— Dodgers 3, Astros 1— Taylor/Turner homered in quickest WS game since 1992.

— North Carolina PG Joel Berry broke his hand, will miss the start of the hoop season.

— Kansas 93, Missouri 87— This exhibition basketball game raised $1.75M for a hurricane relief fund, but it also shows that Missouri’s talent level has risen dramatically this year.

— Pacers 130, Timberwolves 107— Indiana shot 77% in the second half.

— Magic 125, Nets 121— Brooklyn is 2-2, with an average total of 221 in their games.

— Injured 1B Adrian Gonzalez is away from the Dodgers, is on vacation in Europe with his family, which just seems odd.

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

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

13) Good news if you like sports and live in the Albany area; Arena Football is coming back to downtown Albany next spring.

Arenaball was big in Albany in the 90’s; the Firebirds won the 1999 Arena Bowl, behind a star WR named Eddie Brown, whose son is current Steelers’ star Antonio Brown. But the league tried to expand to bigger markets; the Firebirds moved to Indianapolis, and later pretty much failed.

Now the rebuilding AFL is back in town; Albany is 6th team in the AFL, mostly eastern teams; hopefully they will add another franchise or two before next season.

12) Couple of quick Arena League memories from 20 years ago:
— Former Ohio State QB Art Schlichter played against the Firebirds here in Albany; him and Major Harris, who played at West Virginia. Schlichter was great in the AFL, but Harris needed to run to succeed and there was nowhere to run in the Arena League. It is a passing league.
— Then there was this other guy who played QB for the Iowa Barnstormers; they won a 77-76 game in Albany one night, a great game. The Iowa QB wound up in the NFL, played in three Super Bowls, just got inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

You may have heard of him…..Kurt Warner

Bottom line…the Arena League is great fun. Glad it is coming back to town.

11) Phoenix Suns have had a season’s worth of drama in a week; they fired their coach, one of their best players asked off the team and is now in exile, awaiting a trade.

After an 0-3 start, with two losses by 40+ points and a 132-130 loss to the Lakers, the Suns went out with an interim coach and without Eric Bledsoe and they beat Sacramento, holding on to win by a point, after leading by 19 after the first quarter. Go figure.

Very curious to see what they get for Bledsoe when they trade him; they don’t exactly have a lot of leverage here.

10) So far in the postseason, Dodger hitters have drawn 46 walks; their opponents? Only 12.

9) Over the last 23 years, Washington Redskins have used 21 different kickers. Oy.

8) This year in the major leagues, there were 6,104 home runs hit, and 40,104 strikeouts.

40,104 strikeouts in 2,430 games; that works out to 16.5 strikeouts per game.

7) Chargers’ WR Keenan Allen has caught 16 3rd down passes this season that resulted in first downs for the Bolts; no one else in the NFL has more than 11 of those catches.

6) Kentucky is favored over Tennessee this week for only the second time in the last 21 years; last time the Wildcats were favored over Tennessee was 2007, when the Vols (+2.5) won 52-50. Tennessee is 19-1 in the last 20 series games, winning the last five in a row.

5) Best three red zone teams so far: Packers-Eagles-Texans, but you have to eliminate Green Bay, with Aaron Rodgers being on the sidelines. Other two teams have a rookie QB and a 2nd-year QB, which is really surprising.

Worst red zone teams: Cleveland-Arizona-Denver/Indianapolis. Broncos are only one of those four teams that haven’t changed QB’s yet this season.

4) Teams with most plays of 20+ yards: Patriots (34), Rams/Vikings (33), Cardinals/Chiefs(32).

Teams with fewest plays of 20+ plays: Ravens (14), Bears/Giants (16), Dolphins (17).

3) With Jay Cutler (ribs) banged up, Miami Dolphins signed former San Jose State QB David Fales as a backup; he has two career NFL completions, for the Bears. He was in camp with Miami, so he knows the offense- they hope the hell they don’t have to play him.

2) ESPN college football analyst Joey Galloway had a really good NFL career; he played 16 years in the NFL, scored 78 TD’s, averaged 15.6 yards/catch. He averaged 19.8 ypc in 2003 for Dallas, leading the league when he was 32 years old.

1) This from the great Gil Brandt on Twitter:

In last 30 years, only 3 NFL QBs won games completing four or fewer passes that day: Chris Weinke (4), Tim Tebow (2), Mitch Trubisky (4). What else did those three QB’s have in common?

John Fox was head coach of all three of those teams at the time.

[StarDust Bum]

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

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

10/24/2017 7-5-0 58.33% +7.50
10/23/2017 8-6-1 57.14% +7.00
10/22/2017 4-2-0 66.67% +9.00
10/21/2017 8-9-1 47.06% -9.50
10/20/2017 7-10-0 41.18% -20.00
10/19/2017 4-2-0 66.67% +9.00
10/18/2017 8-10-0 44.44% -15.00
10/17/2017 3-1-0 75.00% +9.50

Totals:............49-45-2......52.12%.....+2.50

Best Bets:

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

10/24/2017....................1 - 3.............-11.50..............1 - 1..................-0.50
10/23/2017....................1 - 1.............-0.50................3 - 3..................-1.50
10/22/2017....................1 - 1.............-0.50................1 - 1..................-0.50
10/21/2017....................5 - 2............+15.00..............1 - 4..................-17.00
10/20/2017....................2 - 4.............-12.00..............1 - 1..................-1.00
10/19/2017....................2 - 1..............+4.50..............2 - 1..................+4.50
10/18/2017....................2 - 2..............-1.00...............1 - 4..................-17.00
10/17/2017....................1 - 0..............+5.00..............1 - 0..................+5.00

Totals...........................15 - 14...........-1.00.............11 - 15.................-28.00

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

SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Denver Nuggets Charlotte Hornets Spectrum Center
7:00 PM Houston Rockets Philadelphia 76ers Wells Fargo Center
7:00 PM Minnesota Timberwolves Detroit Pistons Little Caesars Arena
7:30 PM Cleveland Cavaliers Brooklyn Nets Barclays Center
8:00 PM Indiana Pacers Oklahoma City Thunder Chesapeake Energy Arena
8:00 PM San Antonio Spurs Miami Heat AmericanAirlines Arena
8:30 PM Memphis Grizzlies Dallas Mavericks American Airlines Center
10:00 PM Utah Jazz Phoenix Suns Talking Stick Resort Arena
10:30 PM Toronto Raptors Golden State Warriors ORACLE Arena
10:30 PM Washington Wizards Los Angeles Lakers Staples Center

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY OCTOBER 26, 2017
Time (ET) Away Home Site
8:00 PM Atlanta Hawks Chicago Bulls United Center
8:00 PM Boston Celtics Milwaukee Bucks BMO Harris Bradley Center
8:00 PM Dallas Mavericks Memphis Grizzlies FedExForum
10:00 PM Los Angeles Clippers Portland Trail Blazers Moda Center at the Rose Quarter
10:30 PM New Orleans Pelicans Sacramento Kings Golden 1 Center

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, October 25

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

Pistons won/covered their last four games with Minnesota; Wolves lost by 8-25 points in their last two visits to the Motor City. Over is 4-1 in last five series games. Pacers shot 77% in second half vs Minnesota last nite; Wolves are 2-2 to start season (over 3-0-1); they split two road tilts. Detroit also split its first four games (over 2-2); they split their two home games.

Rockets won their last seven games with Philly, but Sixers were 4-3 vs spread in those games; Houston is 1-4 vs spread in last five visits here. Over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Rockets won three of first four games (under 3-1), winning road games in Oakland/Sacramento. 76ers lost three of first four games (over 2-2), losing by 10 to Boston in their only home game.

Hornets won six of last eight games with Denver (under 7-1); Nuggets are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Charlotte. Denver lost two of first three games (under 3-0), losing by 10 at Utah in their only road game. Charlotte lost two of first three games (under 3-0); they beat Atlanta by 18 in their only home game this season.

Cavaliers won six of last seven games with Brooklyn; under is 6-2 in last eight series games. Cleveland is 0-3-1 vs spread in their last four visits to Barclays Center. Cavaliers beat the Bulls by 7 at home Tuesday; they’re 3-1 to start season (over 2-2), beating Milwaukee by 19 in their only road game. Brooklyn split its first four games (over 3-0-1), beating Hawks/Magic in their two home games.

Spurs won their last nine games with Miami (8-1 vs spread); over is 3-1 in last four series games. San Antonio covered its last five visits to South Beach- they’re 3-0 to start the season (under 2-1), winning by 10 in Chicago in their only road game. Miami won two of its first three games (over 2-1), beating Pacers/Hawks by 4-11 in their two home games (0-1-1 as HF).

Pacers won four of last five games with Oklahoma City; over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Indiana won their last two games in this building- they’re 2-2 to start season (over 3-1) after winning last nite in Minnesota- they shot 77% in 2nd half, are 2-0 as road underdogs. Thunder lost two of first three games (under 2-1); splitting their first two home games.

Mavericks won five of last seven games with Memphis; over is 6-3 in last nine series games. Grizzlies are 1-3 vs spread in last four visits to Dallas- they’re 3-0 to start season (under 3-0), with wins over Golden State/Houston- they beat Rockets in only road game. Mavericks are 0-4 to start season (0-4 vs spread, over 2-2), losing home games by 6-5-30 points.

Jazz won their last seven games with Phoenix (0-2-1 vs spread in last three); they’re 2-3 vs spread in last five visits here. Under is 6-3 in last nine series games. Utah split its first four games (3-1 vs spread, under 3-0-1); they lost by 18 in LA last nite. Jazz is 0-2 on road, losing by 3-18 points. Suns lost three of first four games (over 2-2), losing two of three home games.

Lakers lost eight of last nine games with Washington; over is 3-1 in last four series games. Wizards are 4-1 vs spread in last five series games played here. Washington won its first three games (over 2-1): road team covered all three. Wizards won by 5 in Denver in their only road game. Lakers open the season 1-2, losing both home games, by 16-7 points (over 2-1).

Warriors won nine of last ten games with Toronto (6-3-1 vs spread); Raptors are 1-4 vs spread in last five visits to Oakland. Over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Toronto won two of its first three games (over 2-1), losing by 4 at San Antonio in its only road game. Golden State split its first four games (over 3-1), losing to Houston 122-121 in their only home game.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, October 25

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

MINNESOTA @ DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Detroit's last 12 games at home
Detroit is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota

DENVER @ CHARLOTTE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Denver's last 8 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Charlotte's last 8 games when playing Denver

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

CLEVELAND @ BROOKLYN
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games on the road
Brooklyn is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Brooklyn is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

INDIANA @ OKLAHOMA CITY
Indiana is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 19 of Oklahoma City's last 25 games when playing Indiana
Oklahoma City is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Indiana

SAN ANTONIO @ MIAMI
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
San Antonio is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
Miami is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Miami's last 5 games

MEMPHIS @ DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Memphis's last 9 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Memphis's last 17 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Dallas's last 9 games when playing at home against Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Dallas's last 17 games when playing Memphis

UTAH @ PHOENIX
Utah is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
Utah is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 5 games when playing at home against Utah
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Phoenix's last 8 games at home

WASHINGTON @ LA LAKERS
Washington is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Washington is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Lakers's last 8 games

TORONTO @ GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Golden State
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, October 25

Minnesota @ Detroit

Game 501-502
October 25, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
118.405
Detroit
111.638
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 7
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 1 1/2
208
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(-1 1/2); Over

Houston @ Philadelphia

Game 503-504
October 25, 2017 @ 7:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
120.405
Philadelphia
113.583
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 7
227
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 3
220 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-3); Over

Denver @ Charlotte

Game 505-506
October 25, 2017 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
121.343
Charlotte
117.306
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Denver
by 4
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Denver
by 1 1/2
212
Dunkel Pick:
Denver
(-1 1/2); Under

Cleveland @ Brooklyn

Game 507-508
October 25, 2017 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Cleveland
129.111
Brooklyn
113.503
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Cleveland
by 15 1/2
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 7
228
Dunkel Pick:
Cleveland
(-7); Under

San Antonio @ Miami

Game 509-510
October 25, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Antonio
122.871
Miami
123.080
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
Even
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 4
195 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+4); Over

Indiana @ Oklahoma City

Game 511-512
October 25, 2017 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
120.824
Oklahoma City
120.900
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
Even
228
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Oklahoma City
by 14
218
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana
(+14); Over

Memphis @ Dallas

Game 513-514
October 25, 2017 @ 8:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Memphis
121.112
Dallas
114.033
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Memphis
by 7
187
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Memphis
by 4
195 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Memphis
(-4); Under

Utah @ Phoenix

Game 515-516
October 25, 2017 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Utah
121.741
Phoenix
110.492
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 11
195
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 6
203
Dunkel Pick:
Utah
(-6); Under

Washington @ LA Lakers

Game 517-518
October 25, 2017 @ 10:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
121.536
LA Lakers
118.313
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 3
218
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 7
230 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
LA Lakers
(+7); Under

Toronto @ Golden State

Game 519-520
October 25, 2017 @ 10:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
120.300
Golden State
133.846
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 13 1/2
234
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
No Line
N/A
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
N/A

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 25

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

MINNESOTA (2 - 2) at DETROIT (2 - 2) - 10/25/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 13-26 ATS (-15.6 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

HOUSTON (3 - 1) at PHILADELPHIA (1 - 3) - 10/25/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 51-34 ATS (+13.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 51-31 ATS (+16.9 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 41-18 ATS (+21.2 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 24-9 ATS (+14.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 316-262 ATS (+27.8 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 111-80 ATS (+23.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
HOUSTON is 98-61 ATS (+30.9 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 112-147 ATS (-49.7 Units) in home games in the first half of the season since 1996.

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

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

DENVER (1 - 2) at CHARLOTTE (1 - 2) - 10/25/2017, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 48-32 ATS (+12.8 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
DENVER is 38-21 ATS (+14.9 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

CLEVELAND (3 - 1) at BROOKLYN (2 - 2) - 10/25/2017, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

SAN ANTONIO (3 - 0) at MIAMI (2 - 1) - 10/25/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 49-35 ATS (+10.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 1006-879 ATS (+39.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 806-686 ATS (+51.4 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 45-23 ATS (+19.7 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 86-51 ATS (+29.9 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 38-22 ATS (+13.8 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 333-274 ATS (+31.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MIAMI is 126-169 ATS (-59.9 Units) in home games in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 3-1 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 4-0 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

INDIANA (2 - 2) at OKLAHOMA CITY (1 - 2) - 10/25/2017, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 82-57 ATS (+19.3 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.

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

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

MEMPHIS (3 - 0) at DALLAS (0 - 4) - 10/25/2017, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 4-16 ATS (-13.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 379-313 ATS (+34.7 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 131-97 ATS (+24.3 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.

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

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

UTAH (2 - 2) at PHOENIX (1 - 3) - 10/25/2017, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 154-113 ATS (+29.7 Units) after allowing 115 points or more since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 4-2 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
UTAH is 7-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

WASHINGTON (3 - 0) at LA LAKERS (1 - 2) - 10/25/2017, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 14-34 ATS (-23.4 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 14-27 ATS (-15.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

TORONTO (2 - 1) at GOLDEN STATE (2 - 2) - 10/25/2017, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 2-1 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-0 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

Wednesday's Best Bets
October 25, 2017

Well most of the betting world focuses on Game 2 of the World Series, basketball bettors have a 10-game NBA slate to break down tonight and there are plenty of intriguing matchups littered throughout.

From San Antonio in Miami to take on the Heat, to the highly publicized John Wall vs Lonzo Ball ordeal coming in the Washington/LA Lakers game, there are plenty of matchups you can sink your teeth into, here are two games I've decided to get down on this evening.

Best Bet #1: Oklahoma City -14

If you aren't a bettor that normally considers laying big numbers in the NBA, that mentality may have to change somewhat this year. The disparity in talent between the 5-8 teams that have a legitimate shot to win it all and the rest of the league is just so vast with all the “super teams” out there now, that big numbers like this one will be ATS winners on the regular.

Add in a prime situational spot for the Thunder tonight and it being Paul George's first game against his old squad, and this game has OKC blowout written all over it.

First off, the Pacers are playing their second game in as many nights after they shot the lights out to beat Minnesota 24 hours ago. The 130 points they put up on 66% shooting was actually quite remarkable for a Pacers squad that was catching 11 points last night as they couldn't be stopped en route to the 23-point outright win.

But we are still in the second week of the year and playing back-to-backs isn't ideal for guys still working into 'game shape' for the season, let alone facing a NBA championship contender that's a little salty right now. It's highly unlikely that the Pacers come close to that type of shooting percentage again tonight, and if regression to the mean works it it's full effect, don't be surprised to see the Pacers really struggle with their shots tonight and possibly not even break 40% from the field.

OKC's last outing was a controversial buzzer-beating defeat to those same Minnesota Timberwolves. The NBA came out after the fact and said that Andrew Wiggins final shot shouldn't have counted on the grounds of an illegal screen being set to spring him free and as mad as the Thunder were at the time, the NBA's ruling after the fact probably only stoked those flames.

Now after two consecutive losses, OKC welcomes George's old organization into town and when you combine OKC's pissed off attitude from the Minnesota loss, and George wanting to put a beatdown on his old, and now rebuilding franchise, I believe we see the best game of the year to date by the Thunder tonight.

And while 14 points may be a lot to lay, the fact that Indiana's dominant win last night as big dogs has made them a public underdog tonight. VegasInsider.com shows about 60% of the ATS bets and more than 90% of the ML bets (not surprising), are on Indiana right now, making the Thunder that much more attractive in my eyes. Public underdogs are ones you should steer away from the majority of the time in any sport, but that's especially true here given the situation facing both teams.

Best Bet #2: Dallas +4

Speaking of teams in a bad spots, the 3-0 SU and ATS Memphis Grizzlies are in Dallas tonight. Memphis has consecutive wins over Golden State and Houston entering play this evening, and given those results it's not shocking to see the majority of bettors already laying this small number on Memphis against a Mavericks team that just lost by 30 to the same Warriors team Memphis has already beaten.

But this line actually opened up at -5, and reverse line movement like we've seen suggests the home dog will be a live one tonight.

This is actually the first of a home-and-home between these two teams over the next 48 hours, and with Dallas starting off the year winless – both SU and ATS – they do not want to go into the Grindhouse tomorrow looking for their first cash. The Mavericks were always expected to be a team in transition this year, but starting out the campaign with two losses as favorites of -5 or more against the likes of Atlanta and Sacramento was highly disappointing.

Defeats to Houston and Golden State followed and bettors should be able to excuse those somewhat, especially when the 30-point beatdown Golden State put on them last time out was when the Warriors were a salty bunch after their loss in Memphis – see OKC above.

Dallas is 5-2 ATS the last seven times they've squared off against Memphis, and their 12-5 ATS run after allowing 125+ puts them in a nice spot to bounce back tonight. With Memphis in a potential letdown role after two outright upset victories against two of the league's best, this is exactly the type of spot where Memphis could struggle.

[StarDust Bum]

Cavs' Dwyane Wade sidelined with bruised knee
October 25, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dwyane Wade has a bruised left knee and won't play Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets.

Wade came off the bench and scored 11 points in 19 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Bulls. It was Wade's first game with Cleveland's second unit, and the 35-year-old added four assists and three rebounds as the Cavs' reserves cut into Chicago's early 14-point lead.

Earlier this week, Wade asked coach Tyronn Lue to take him out of the starting lineup because he thought it would benefit the team. Lue has been juggling his lineups and rotations while trying to blend new players and deal with injuries.

Starting point guard Derrick Rose is expected to miss his third straight game with a sprained ankle. LeBron James made a rare start at point guard and scored 34 points with 13 assists as the Cavs improved to 3-1. James also tweaked his right ankle.

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

Wolves rule Butler out for 2nd straight game, with illness
October 25, 2017

DETROIT (AP) Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Jimmy Butler will miss his second straight game because of an upper respiratory infection.

The Wolves announced before playing at Detroit on Wednesday that Butler won't play against the Pistons. He sat out on Tuesday at home against Indiana, which blew out the Timberwolves 130-107.

Butler, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Chicago on draft night, has 40 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and six steals over his first three games with the Wolves while shooting 17 for 43 from the floor for 39.5 percent. Shabazz Muhammad started in his place against the Pacers.

Butler has played an entire season only once, in his second year in the NBA with the Bulls, in 2012-13.

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

Pelicans' Davis (knee) considered day-to-day
October 25, 2017

New Orleans Pelicans All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who played only the first five minutes before departing with a left knee injury in Tuesday night's game, is considered day-to-day.

Coach Alvin Gentry said after the Pelicans' 103-93 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers that an MRI on Davis' left knee came back negative.

Davis, 24, appeared to tweak the knee in the first quarter and may have aggravated it while battling for a long rebound. He did not return after exiting the game.

"I don't know a whole lot. Our trainers just said the MRI came back negative. I'm sure we'll know more (Wednesday)," Gentry said after the game.

Davis was not walking with a noticeable limp when he left the arena, according to ESPN.

Teammate DeMarcus Cousins had 39 points and 13 rebounds in carrying the Pelicans (1-3) with Davis out of the game.

"At halftime I was hoping AD was going to come back out there," Cousins told reporters. "That didn't happen. I had to step up to the plate, and that's what I tried to do."

The 6-foot-10, 253-pound Davis is averaging 24.3 points and 12.8 rebounds in four games this season. He had two points and one rebound before leaving Tuesday's game.

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

Tony Parker practicing with Spurs' G League team
October 25, 2017

MIAMI (AP) Tony Parker is taking another step toward returning to the San Antonio lineup.

The Spurs' point guard, who hasn't played since rupturing a tendon in his left quadriceps during last season's Western Conference semifinals, practiced Wednesday in San Antonio with the team's G League affiliate.

The Austin Spurs are holding their training camp at the Spurs' facility, which gave Parker the chance to get a workout.

It is unclear how many times Parker will practice with Austin. The Spurs, who formally assigned Parker to Austin on Wednesday, say he will work out with the G-League club again Friday.

''He wants to come back immediately,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said Wednesday in Miami, where the Spurs are playing the Heat. ''But he knows he's got to be prepared for it, be 100 percent before he can come back. It's not an injury where you can come back too soon.''

Parker has been able to play some 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 in recent days, but the team has not released any timetable for when they expect to get their longtime starter back on the floor.

Parker was quoted Sunday in the San Antonio Express-News saying that his return will come ''when Dr. Popovich says so.''

Parker was one of three Spurs players out for Wednesday - neither he nor All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard (right quad) have played yet this season, and Joffrey Lauvergne (right ankle sprain) is also sidelined after getting hurt Monday.

''I just don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about when somebody's going to come back,'' Popovich said. ''They're going to come back when they're ready, when the docs say they're ready. When it happens, it happens.''

When Parker does return, this will be his 17th NBA season - all with San Antonio. He's a six-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion, who averaged 10.1 points and 4.5 assists last season.

For his career, Parker has averaged 16.2 points and 5.8 assists. He and Popovich have won 831 games together, the second-most for any player-coach combination in NBA history behind only the 1,001 victories that Popovich had with Spurs legend Tim Duncan.