Announcement

**StarDust Bum** · 01-16-2018, 04:40 PM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MIN at ORL 07:00 PM
MIN -8.5
O 217.5

NO at BOS 07:30 PM
NO +5.0
U 214.5

DAL at DEN 09:00 PM
DAL +6.0
U 210.0

PHO at POR 10:00 PM
PHO +11.0
O 216.5

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 01:04 AM

Davis has 45, Pelicans end Celtics' 7-game win streak in OT
January 17, 2018

BOSTON (AP) Anthony Davis had 45 points and 16 rebounds to lead the New Orleans Pelicans to a 116-113 overtime victory over Boston on Tuesday night, ending the Celtics' seven-game winning streak.

Davis, who scored 48 on Sunday in an overtime win in New York, had four points in overtime and blocked two shots for the Pelicans, who overcame a sluggish start to the fourth quarter and erased a five-point deficit in the final few minutes of regulation.

DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and 15 rebounds, and Jrue Holiday added 23 points and seven assists. Ian Clark added 15 points for the Pelicans, whose size inside ended up prevailing in overtime when Boston's barrage of 3-pointers stopped falling.

Kyrie Irving led Boston with 27 points and Al Horford had 14 points and nine rebounds. Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown added 16 points apiece for the Celtics, who attempted a season-high 50 3-pointers.

MAGIC 108, TIMBERWOLVES 102

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Evan Fournier scored a season-high 32 points to help Orlando break a seven-game losing streak with a victory over Minnesota.

D.J. Augustin added 11 points and three assists in the fourth quarter, when the Magic scored 35 points after trailing by two through three.

Jimmy Butler had 28 points and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who had won five straight games by an average of 18.8 points.

Bismack Biyombo had 16 rebounds for the Magic, leading the team with the NBA's worst rebound percentage to a 51-37 advantage.

NUGGETS 105, MAVERICKS 102

DENVER (AP) - Nikola Jokic scored 29 points and grabbed a season-high 18 rebounds, Gary Harris hit two late free throws and Denver led by as many as 23 points before holding on for a victory over Dallas.

Harris finished with 25 points and Will Barton added 22 for the Nuggets, who won for just the second time in six games.

The Nuggets led 82-59 with 4:04 left in the third before Dallas staged a massive comeback. The Mavericks cut the deficit to one on a three-point play by Dennis Smith Jr. with 10.4 seconds remaining. After Harris made two free throws, the Mavericks had a chance for a last-second shot, but Dwight Powell couldn't corral a long pass as the buzzer sounded.

Smith had 25 points for the Mavericks, while Harrison Barnes contributed 17.

TRAIL BLAZERS 118, SUNS 111

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Damian Lillard scored 31 points and Portland snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over Phoenix.

CJ McCollum had 27 points, including six 3-pointers, and the Trail Blazers led by as many as 27 points in third quarter.

Devin Booker had 43 for the Suns, who have lost three straight and five of their last six.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 01:15 AM

SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY JANUARY 17, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Washington Wizards Charlotte Hornets Spectrum Center
7:30 PM Detroit Pistons Toronto Raptors Air Canada Centre
7:30 PM New Orleans Pelicans Atlanta Hawks Philips Arena
7:30 PM San Antonio Spurs Brooklyn Nets Barclays Center
8:00 PM Golden State Warriors Chicago Bulls United Center
8:00 PM Los Angeles Lakers Oklahoma City Thunder Chesapeake Energy Arena
8:00 PM Miami Heat Milwaukee Bucks BMO Harris Bradley Center
8:00 PM New York Knicks Memphis Grizzlies FedExForum
10:00 PM Utah Jazz Sacramento Kings Golden 1 Center
10:30 PM Denver Nuggets Los Angeles Clippers Staples Center

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

January's NBA Record ( Best Bets & Opinions )

DATE W-L-T % UNITS

01/16/2018 5-3-0 62.50% +8.50
01/15/2018 11-7-0 61.11% +16.50
01/14/2018 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
01/13/2018 7-7-0 50.00% -3.50
01/12/2018 5-2-0 71.43% +14.00
01/11/2018 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
01/10/2018 8-11-0 42.11% -20.50
01/09/2018 6-2-0 75.00% +19.00
01/08/2018 8-7-1 53.33% +1.50
01/07/2018 6-4-0 60.00% +8.00
01/06/2018 5-11-0 31.25% -35.50
01/05/2018 9-11-0 45.00% -15.50
01/04/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
01/03/2018 11-12-0 47.83% -11.00
01/02/2018 5-5-0 50.00% -2.50
01/01/2018 ......1-7-0....... 12.50% ....-33.50

Totals..............95- 99.........48.96%......-69.50

January's NBA Record ( Best Bets )

01/16/2018......................3 - 1...............+9.50.........................2 - 2................-1.00
01/15/2018......................2 - 4.............. -12.00........................3 - 3................-1.50
01/14/2018......................2 - 2...............-1.00..........................0 - 1................-5.50
01/13/2018......................3 - 4...............-7.00..........................4 - 3................+3.50
01/12/2018......................4 - 1...............+14.50.......................1 - 1.................-0.50
01/11/2018......................2- 1................+4.50........................1 - 2..................-6.00
01/10/2018......................4 - 4................-2.00.........................3 - 2.................+4.00
01/09/2018......................2 - 0................+10.00......................3 - 1.................+9.50
01/08/2018......................0 - 3................-16.50........................4 -1.................+14.50
01/07/2018......................0 - 3................-16.50.......................4- 1..................+14.50
01/06/2018......................2 - 4.................-12.00......................0- 1..................-5.50
01/05/2018......................2- 3..................-6.50........................2 - 5.................-17.50
01/04/3028......................1 - 1.................-0.50........................0 - 2.................-11.00
01/03/2018......................2 - 3.................-6.50........................4- 6..................-13.00
01/02/2018......................2 - 1................+4.50........................2 - 3..................-6.50
01/01/2018......................1 - 3.................-11.50......................0 - 4..................-22.00

Totals:.............................32- 38..............-49.00......................33 - 38................-41.00

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 01:20 AM

Midseason Outlook
January 16, 2018

The NBA has delivered the goods thus far in 2018. Isaiah Thomas has debuted, Kyrie Irving got on the board against LeBron James’ Cavs and basketball looks perfectly poised to continue bridging the gap on football as it prepares to take the sports entertainment baton full-time for the next few months.

We’ve had skirmishes, Chris Paul running up the score on Portland and running into locker rooms with posses to confront former teammates, so he's certainly added to the drama. Cleveland is looking vulnerable enough that people are letting their minds wander about other possible finalists out of the East.

With James Harden hoping to return by the end of the week and the Clips going on a run after getting Blake Griffin back to give us a ninth playoff candidate in the Western Conference, there are interesting story lines developing beyond Stephen Curry’s ankle injuries.

Following Philadelphia’s Martin Luther King Day upset of the Raptors, every team has now reached the halfway point of the season, playing at least 41 games. Here’s a breakdown of how they’ve done and what’s to come:

Atlanta: The Hawks need to play John Collins more. The 20-year-old rookie has had his minutes restricted for most of the season, surpassing 29 minutes only twice. In those games, losses to the Spurs and Clippers, he shot 17-for-21 and grabbed 19 boards. With center Dewayne Dedmon back, the Hawks could become a live ‘dog later in the month despite reaching the halfway point with the fewest victories. The duo combined for 24 points and 18 rebounds off the bench in the MLK Day upset of Utah. This was meant to be a rebuilding year where rookies got on-the-job training, so it’s hard to call Atlanta a failure when Taurean Prince is excelling, but it would be nice to see Collins develop more.

Boston: Halfway to wrapping up the homecourt edge in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics have found a way to overcome losing Gordon Hayward on Opening night in a way no one could’ve foreseen. Jayson Tatum’s brilliance as a rookie has been something to behold, while Jaylen Brown’s emergence has been a terrific surprise. The Celtics started 0-2 but then took off and won 16 straight to set the pace in the East. They were the first team to 30 wins and need to stay ahead of the Raptors, Cavs and Wizards to maximize their potential since they won’t be able to get to a Finals without it. Only homecourt advantage can help Boston overcome is youth. The stamina of Tatum and Brown is going to be tested. The same goes for Kyrie Irving’s ability to lead a team on his own.

Brooklyn: Since the Nets are also on the first floor of their rebuilding stage, they must continue developing center Jarrett Allen. The 6-foot-10 teen won’t turn 20 until after the regular-season ends and appears to be a great building block. He opened ’18 by setting a career-high with 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting in a win over the Magic and matched that on Saturday by going 6-for-10 in a career-high 28 minutes against Washington and has reached the point where he should stop being restricted to just 20 minutes per game. Tyler Zeller returned from a hip injury to start so there will be less minutes available for Allen and Jahlil Okafor, the hope should be that they help make one another better. Caris LaVert is developing some nice chemistry with him, while D’Angelo Russell’s return is imminent, so Brooklyn can really make strides over the next few months after being stifled by injuries so early.

Charlotte: Nicolas Batum must play better. The talented wing has had a dreadful season interrupted by injuries and hasn’t been able to find a rhythm. His lack of production is the main reason the Hornets have been a disappointment, but there’s still time to get things turned around. Batum entered the new year on a 4-for-17 run from 3-point range and has lacked the explosion to routinely get to the free-throw line, shooting no more than two in 14 of his 15 December outings. He opened ’18 with a 21-point game, making 8-for-12 shots, but has followed that up by going 4-for-20 from beyond the arc. With Kemba Walker playing the best ball of his career and Dwight Howard enjoying a resurgence with his back feeling healthy, the Hornets can still hope to reach the playoffs by catching one of the Central Division teams currently in position to finish top-eight. They’ll need Batum and Marvin Williams to turn their level up to do so.

Chicago: There’s no way the Bulls wanted to have a stretch where they won seven straight games since the plan this season was to rack up the losses and play all the kids, but the deep collection of young talent apparently has other ideas. With Zach LaVine now healthy enough to join Kris Dunn in the backcourt landed through the Jimmy Butler deal, Fred Hoiberg has an explosive backcourt working with a trio of very capable young power forwards in Lauri Markkanen and Bobby Portis in addition to 26-year-old Nikola Mirotic, who has come into his own after returning from being pulverized by Portis. How will the Bulls manage to tank as envisioned? Will Mirotic be moved?

Cleveland: Bringing Isaiah Thomas along responsibly, but doing so effectively enough to truly generate confidence will be the Cavs’ primary focus going forward. The x-factor for the Cavs this season will be how they manage the biggest asset gained from appeasing Irving’s trade request. He’s coming off a hip issue and needs to find his niche, be it coming off the bench or taking pressure off LeBron among the starting five, so there are a lot of potential mines in incorporating him into the King’s court now that he’s healthy enough to play. So long as he’s back to 100 percent, there are assets he brings to the table that James will be able to lean on. It doesn’t matter where the Cavs finish as far as seeding is concerned. Unlikely to be the top seed, they’re going to have to win on the road in key playoff games. That’s nothing James and many others on this roster shy away from.

Dallas: Winning just three of their first 17 games crushed all hope that the Mavericks might find a way to compete for another playoff spot in the Western Conference, so the second half of the season has to be entirely about Dennis Smith, Jr.’s continued development. He’s shooting just 39 percent in January and is just a 33 percent 3-point shooter, so working on his outside shot is going to be essential. He’ll face off against John Wall, Chris Paul and Damian Lillard during next week’s homestand and can generate confidence by performing well against vets. Maybe he’ll get baptized. Either way, it will be good for him.

Detroit: Andre Drummond must finish as strongly as he started for the Pistons to stay in the playoff hunt. The 7-footer has become one of the NBA’s top big men by becoming more polished, avoiding foul trouble and hitting a career-best from the charity stripe. He’s stopped being a liability late in games. If he stays healthy, continuing his strong, steady play will serve as the Pistons’ backbone. That’s why it’s not a good sign that he managed to score just 3 points in being dominated by Charlotte’s Howard on Monday while battling a foot issue. If he breaks down, with Stanley Johnson ailing and Reggie Jackson out, Detroit could fall apart or have a fire sale.

Denver: The Nuggets have run out of gas in games to start the new year, an issue related to Will Barton getting worn down by extended minutes initiating offense behind point guard Jamal Murray since Emmanuel Mudiay has lacked inconsistency. After opening January with a 134-111 rout of Phoenix, Denver only topped the century mark once in its next six outings. In order to make the most out of the built-in edge the altitude offers them, they’ve got to get better use of their guards and their overall depth. Trey Lyles has stepped up and Paul Millsap has his cast off after undergoing wrist surgery in late November, so they’re going to remain in the mix for a playoff berth so long as they can get their batteries recharged. I expect Millsap will beat estimates that had him out until the All-Star break.

Golden State: The Warriors were first to 35 wins and should again emerge as the No. 1 seed in the conference. Considering all the injuries they’ve dealt with, from Curry’s ankle to various issues Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala have suffered through, Steve Kerr has done a nice job making sure everyone is on track to be fresh in June. It’s easy to get caught up in golden State’s offense, but the number of bodies Steve Kerr is able to deploy against elite wings -- Green, Klay Thompson, Durant, Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Patrick McCaw and even Nick Young, is a major edge. Keeping those guys all healthy would make them virtually invincible as they seek out another title.

Houston: The Rockets caught a break in the fact James Harden’s hamstring strain won’t linger into February as originally feared, so they’ll be able to challenge Golden State for the homecourt edge. Chris Paul was able to integrate seamlessly into Houston’s style after missing so many weeks early, doing so expertly enough that he was able to run the team as it has been his for years when Harden went down. That should prove invaluable in the postseason. Harden’s injury will end up being a blessing in other ways too, keeping his mileage down, allowing Eric Gordon to show he’s again ready for a large role and creating a void that signing Gerald Green filled. He’s been a find who should also pay dividends.

Indiana: Nate McMillan needs to take it easy on Victor Oladipo. The Pacers must be responsible with their standout shooting guard, the clear favorite in the race for Most Improved and a likely All-Star given his production to date. He’s complained of knee soreness and can’t be allowed to push it despite how rough Indiana looks without him. He’s driven, so the organization needs to take the cautious approach to ensure he doesn’t wear himself out after playing the best basketball of his career these last few months. Their unlikely playoff push depends on having him and Myles Turner fresh in late March. Turner is out with an elbow sprain that will have him week-to-week, but should return with some juice.

L.A. Clippers: Blake Griffin has helped spark the Clippers on a run to get back over .500, turning a first half that looked destined to be a disaster into a salvageable situation. Paul’s projected replacement, Patrick Beverley, went down for the season in the first few weeks, but Doc Rivers may be able to survive his absence since Lou Williams has become an elite scorer and “rookie” Milos Teodosic and more traditional first-year player Jawun Evans are holding down the fort. Steve Ballmer’s team has a pulse and is playing for one another, so it’s important they avoid a lull after defeating Paul’s Rockets in what could be a galvanizing experience given the nonsense afterward.

L.A. Lakers: Despite all the hype, both positive and negative, the bottom line is that Lonzo Ball makes the franchise that took him No. 2 better, so if he continues to mature, there should be plenty of progress made from this young group. Kyle Kuzma is a gem and Brandon Ingram is coming along nicely, so they’ll be like most young teams going forward, exciting, yet maddeningly inconsistent. Their four-game winning streak following a nine-game skid just ended in Memphis, which sounds about right.

Memphis: The Grizzlies are 7-22 since losing Mike Conley, so outside of turning Tyreke Evans’ emergence into something that can aid their future, there isn’t much to look forward to. Rookie Dillon Brooks has been a find and the bench is going to be an asset if everyone stays healthy since they’ve got a lot of guys who hustle, so they’ll probably be a tough team to fade consistently if Marc Gasol stays healthy. Make no mistake, though, losing Conley killed what would’ve been an interesting run given their excellent start.

Miami: The Heat were 11-30 at last season’s halfway point before rallying to finish 30-11, narrowly missing the playoffs on the final night. They’re in much better shape this season despite injuries to center Hassan Whiteside, forward James Johnson and wing Justise Winslow throwing a wrench into things, so if they can get everyone healthy, they could be a team to ride going forward. After winning seven straight, Miami moved into the Southeast Division lead, but won’t have Dion Waiters available the rest of the way and just lost Tyler Johnson to a knee injury, so there will be more obstacles to overcome, including Whiteside’s stretches of mindless miscues. Still, the Heat just find ways to win, which is most valuable and more trait than skill.

Milwaukee: Jabari Parker has the potential to elevate everyone’s play by the time the playoffs roll around, which is exciting since the Bucks could use a boost from the form they’ve shown coming into the season’s second half. Eric Bledsoe is starting to better impose his will, so another adjustment will have to be made when Parker is ready to return in two or so weeks. Coming off an ACL injury, he’ll be brought along slowly, but the former No. 2 pick is eventually going to be expected to play major minutes in a small lineup alongside Giannis Antentokounmpo, Khris Middleton and guards Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon. If it all comes together, Milwaukee will be a force.

Minnesota: The Timberwolves picked up their fifth consecutive outright win and improved to 6-0 against the spread since Jan. 6 by blowing out Portland on Sunday night. The team will play seven of the next nine outside Minneapolis, giving the Vikings an opportunity to soak up all of the attention as they make their miracle run at playing in the Super Bowl the city is set to host. That’s not to say they’re not deserving of some love themselves since Jimmy Butler has delivered the goods as the veteran presence Tom Thibodeau badly needed to guide his team. If he can do a better job developing the bench, the Wolves should be a force as potential top-four seed.

New Orleans: Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins have improved their chemistry well enough to where one allows the other to carry the team when they have a matchup they can exploit, so if sharing is caring, this group is headed in the right direction. How high the Pelicans’ ceiling lies hinges on consistency at point guard, where Rajon Rondo has been the best option but has struggled with his energy level from night to night. Signing Mike James is a move that could supply a temporary offensive boost since he gives them someone who can penetrate better than anyone on the current roster.

New York: Frank Ntilikina has to factor in more. The French 19-year-old rookie had injuries hold him up over the summer and he started slowly, but he’s being counted upon to play starter’s minutes lately and dished out a career-high 11 assists on Dec. 28 in San Antonio. Considering how well he defends, if he’s able to get comfortable on the offensive end, the Knicks will be able to move forward confident they’ve secured an asset in this past lottery. His 10 points, 10 assists and team-best plus-17 in an MLK Day win in Brooklyn was a fantastic sign for a team still dreaming about making the playoffs.

Oklahoma City: Still dealing with a number of continuity issues, the Thunder have remained afloat long enough so that it would be surprising to see them move Paul George prior to the trade deadline since it’s worth the risk to ride this out even if it means watching him walk in the offseason. His partnership with Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony has produced wins against some of the NBA’s best, including the hunted Warriors, but leaves you wanting more on a nightly basis. Steven Adams is a factor as a Top-10 center, so that emergence has been great to watch, but OKC must improve to truly reach its potential. Can they add another bench piece?

Orlando: Aaron Gordon must continue to be the first option even when Nikola Vucevic returns from a broken finger sometime next month. Since that injury makes it less likely that they’ll be able to deal him, seeing what the team’s new brain trust does before their first trade deadline at the helm becomes most important. Jonathan Isaac’s rookie season has been marred by injuries and Gordon’s emergence has been one of the few bright spots, but don’t expect the Magic to move on from Frank Vogel since they were fortunate he was available when Scott Skiles opted to bail out. A season that started off promisingly has certainly gone awry since not even a run at the No. 8 seed appears to be in the cards.

Philadelphia: Joel Embiid has to go back to playing no more than 30 minutes. He’s special, but certainly brittle, entering the new year doubtful to play in the first game due to a hand injury. He dominated in December and played more than 30 minutes in all but one game, but scaling back some is essential to keep him fresh for March and April as the 76ers attempt to crash the playoffs. Treating with kid gloves needs to remain the norm in January.

Phoenix: The Suns are running third in the Pacific Division despite their awful record, but playoff contention isn’t in the cards for this group either. Rookie Josh Jackson scored a career-high 21 points in a start on Sunday and can team with Devin Booker, Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender to continue gaining experience. Chriss is starting to truly develop, Booker is already a star and Jackson has the potential to be, so if nothing else, Phoenix has to be pleased with its recent draft picks and just needs Bender to also turn the corner over the next few months in order to feel good about what was always going to be a rebuilding season.

Portland: The Blazers have seen center Jusuf Nurkic pick up his production, but Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum could certainly use more help. Terry Stotts’ team has really struggled against the league’s best, which is cause for concern that they’ll wear down in the second half without some sort of upgrade. There are a lot of young frontcourt pieces to dangle in order to secure veteran help, but it remains to be seen what approach is taken. The idea that Portland’s ceiling will once again be the eight-seed wasn’t part of the plan.

Sacramento: After relying on veterans George Hill, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter and Kosta Koufos to help set a tone, the Kings are now going to rely on youth the rest of the way, which should give them a chance to wind up with the NBA’s worst record. Sacramento is 2-10 since Dec. 23 and will host Utah on Wednesday before embarking on a season-long six-game road trip that won’t see them return home until February. There should be plenty of long nights ahead, but Isaiah Fox, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Buddy Hield and Skal Labissiere are worth developing alongside Willie Cauley-Stein as the team’s primary core. Bring on the growing pains.

San Antonio: Kawhi Leonard has barely played all season and is still shaking off rust, not to mention with a shoulder injury, but the Spurs have played well enough that they’ll still be in the mix for a top-four seed and were given the exact same odds as the upstart Rockets (17/4) by Westgate when they released their Western Conference numbers. With better knowledge of how to get the most of LaMarcus Aldridge and a roster that’s as deep as there is in the league, not to mention the NBA’s best coach, San Antonio remains a factor to win it all so long as Leonard is able to get back to 100 percent.

Toronto: DeMar Derozan’s killer instinct must continue to be a weapon. After scoring 52 points on New Year’s night, it’s clear that he can carry the Raptors to unprecedented levels since he’s playing the best ball of his career as one of the East’s most gifted scorers. With a talented, deep supporting cast around him, he’s got a shot at fueling Toronto past Boston and into the East’s top seed, which is a prerequisite if they’re going to shock the world by coming out on top. Taking care of business at home the next few weeks will go a long way since they’re embarked on a stretch where 12 of 16 games are being played at the Air Canada Centre between Jan. 9-Feb. 8.

Utah: Losing Rudy Gobert on two separate occasions has really disrupted the season, likely putting a stop to realistic playoff aspirations since the Jazz haven’t handled his absence well. Even Derrick Favors’ resurgence and the unexpected rise of rookie guard Donovan Mitchell haven’t been enough to keep the team from sinking to the bottom of the competitive Northwest Division. Gordon Hayward’s absence was a huge blow, but could’ve been overcome had Gobert stayed healthy. Rodney Hood’s shooting struggles haven’t helped either, since the offense looks especially stagnant when he’s in a rut and settling for tough jumpers.

Washington: Markieff Morris and Marcin Gortat have each seen their numbers dip. Morris has dealt with a hip issue, while Gortat is starting to feel his age, but maximizing this group’s potential means that the frontcourt must take advantage of the freedom playing with John Wall and Bradley Beal affords. The Wizards enjoyed one of the NBA’s most productive starting lineups last season, but they’ve taken a step back and have seen the Heat rise up as a contender to snatch the Southeast out of their clutches. Washington will play 11 of its next 14 outside of D.C., making it one of the most important stretches of the season.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 01:25 AM

Books adjust to Cavs
January 16, 2018

The Cavaliers Don’t Have Anything To Trade

The biggest news in and around the NBA is the cataclysmic collapse of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that routinely sleep walks through the first half and then ignites that championship fire down the stretch. Everyone seems to think that they’re in line to make some sort of big move that will alter the trajectory of their pitiful season. I don’t see how they do it.

Who in the hell are they going to trade?

I don’t think we worry about the Cleveland Cavaliers making the playoffs in general. But what’s interesting is that the prices for winning the Central Division have changed recently. Last week, I wrote a lengthy piece about the Milwaukee Bucks not being a safe bet but the cost of taking the Cavs to win the division has gone from -2500 to -800 in that span. The Bucks have gone from +1000 to +800. I guess the sharks smell blood.

More likely the oddsmakers are seeing what we’re all seeing. Cleveland is losing games and losing them badly. Their recent run of 2-8 SU and 1-9 ATS is amongst the very worst in the league, and their 12-30-1 ATS record is ranked dead last across the NBA. If you’re betting Cavaliers just because of LeBron, you’re an absolute moron and deserve to give your money away.

There’s reasons to be optimistic about the Cavaliers in general despite having the best player alive. Isaiah Thomas’s return was always going to take time, and while he exploded for 17 points during just 19 minutes in his return against Portland, the production has been unsteady overall. All of this was expected. We were never going to see Thomas at full throttle until after the All-Star Break at the minimum.

Derrick Rose hasn’t played since early November. Dwyane Wade looks like a shell of himself, averaging just 11.1 points and just 3.8 assists which both stand as career lows for him. Even as a bench specialist, Wade isn’t producing what the team needs as that shot-in-the-arm sparkplug. Crowder hasn’t found his place on the team, Korver’s barely shooting threes. Jeff Green is practically unrecognizable. J.R. Smith has regressed in to something veritably useless on the court, while Shumpert, Calderon, Frye and basically everyone else on the roster is a literal and figurative non-starter.

These are all just rambling talking points that you’re familiar with. The Cavs still score a ton at 109.5 points per game, but their post defence is non-existent and their defensive rating is barely worse than the Phoenix Suns and only slightly better than Sacramento Kings. All things told, Cleveland is the second worst defensive team by output alone.

As is always the case with the NBA, the magic pill cure is the miracle trade. But look at their list of assets. It’s awful. There are literally only three players that anyone would want, and they all require someone to take back players that simply aren’t worth their weight in contract. Making imaginary deals is one (very fun) thing. Pulling them off in real life requires some sorcery that Cleveland doesn’t have.

Who In Their Right Mind Would Trade For Kevin Love?

I absolutely adore Love as a player, but probably because I remember him being on a Minnesota team where he’d do things like drop 30 points and 30 boards, be awesome in the media…but never do anything of note in the league because his team never made the playoffs. And then when he was on a contender, he sort of became a miscast scapegoat all at once. It was weird and unfair.

The major issue is that he’s due to make $72.4 million over the next three years. That’s a lot of money for a player who is a 20-10 guy that is a huge minus on defence. Love was supposed to be the perfect weapon alongside LeBron, but something never clicked. There are just too many times that Love vanishes in important games. By comparison, the Raptors faced scrutiny for giving Ibaka a three-year, $65 million deal this past summer. Comparatively, they’re much different players but at least Ibaka helps anchor a defence while also contributing offensively in meaningful ways.

The market for Kevin Love should be non-existent. It’s too high of a price tag for someone who is the ideal third banana, that may not start against a more offensively minded team like – oh I don’t know – EVERYONE WHO MIGHT CONTEND FOR THE NBA TITLE.

Love deserves better than this, but his time in Cleveland and his struggles in Minnesota have painted him as a player who is truly difficult to work in unless he’s the primary offensive threat and the other players on team are making up for all of his defensive shortcomings. Craft me a list of teams that are willing to build around that risk while sending someone impactful back to Cleveland. I dare you.

Tristan Thompson Has Zero Trade Value

The fact that the Cavaliers don’t even play Thompson enough to bump his trade value is horrendous decision making. Everyone seems convinced that Thompson is headed to Los Angeles just because of DeAndre Jordon’s supposed availability and since he knocked up a Kardashian.

Reports have come out that Jordan actually wants to go to Houston, which seems even funnier given that the Clippers and Rockets already swapped pieces this summer and have some sort of blood feud going on after Monday’s totally awesome brawl. Unless the Clippers see some real, long term value in Montreezy, there’s no way that a package of Smith, Thompson and a pick make their way to the Clippers for DeAndre. They want to win this season, not in three years.

Nobody’s going to see Thompson, despite all the intangibles he brings to the table, and convince themselves that he’s worth paying $52 million for 10-10 at best, when he’s only putting up 5-5 this year anyways.

I’m not saying that Cleveland can’t move him in a package, but he’s not the type of player that the league covets overall. You don’t build around a guy like Tristan Thompson even though you love having him on your team at the right price. To be clear, $52 million over three years is not the right price, especially if it means dealing a useful asset along the lines of DeAndre Jordan to a team that’s already a threat for the championship.

Is That Brooklyn Pick Worthy Anything To Other Teams?

On the surface, the Brooklyn pick that Cleveland was able to squeeze from the clutches of Danny Ainge was supposed have a high probability of being the top overall. But something unexpected happened this first half – Brooklyn wasn’t terrible and they’re only getting better. That means that the trade chip that Ainge used to acquire Irving could fall anywhere from 7th to 12th in a draft that isn’t that good outside of the top-three.

So what is a bottom top-10 pick worth to other teams? Is it worth shedding salary? Is it worth getting in line for a guy like Kevin Knox at Kentucky and waiting for him to take three years to develop? What team is going to take a chance by dealing away a useful player of All-Star potential for a draft pick alongside fodder? I don’t know. The draft has become an increasingly risky place to find superstars and general managers are no longer just unabashedly taking big swings for draft picks unless they’re absolutely fleecing the other side (like how Boston got those Brooklyn picks to begin with).

Outside of Boogie Cousins suddenly getting shipped to Cleveland, I don’t see what move they can make. It’s almost difficult to tell what their needs are. The Cavaliers certainly need defensive presences on the interior and along the perimeter.

I’m just unsure of who’s going to be willing to make a move with them. There just isn’t much in Cleveland to send back…unless you’re putting LeBron James on the table. That’s about as far fetched as the Cavaliers engineering some sort of one-sided trade that nets them a difference maker.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 01:26 AM

Wednesday’s 6-pack

Longshots’ odds to win the 2018 World Series

125-1— White Sox, Reds, Tigers, A’s

100-1— Braves, Padres

80-1— Marlins, Phillies

66-1— Pirates

50-1— Orioles, Royals

40-1— Rays

Quote of the Day

“I’d love to [sneak the ball],, I actually literally tuned in to you guys for two minutes and heard you guys and the fans bashing us for not quarterback sneaking and not believing me when I say that we don’t run it and I want to do it. Since it’s my show now, I can speak freely and tell you guys, my co-hosts, that I truly have never said ‘I don’t want to run it’ and I don’t have the freedom to check to a quarterback sneak because we don’t have that call if we’re not in the huddle.”
Ben Roethlisberger

Wednesday’s quiz

Where did Ben Roethlisberger play his college football?

Tuesday’s quiz

Roy Williams was basketball coach at Kansas before Bill Self.

Monday’s quiz

In 15 of the last 17 Super Bowls, the starting QB for the AFC team has been either Brady, Peyton Manning or Roethlisberger. During that time, Rich Gannon, Joe Flacco are the only other QB’s who have started for AFC teams.

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

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

13) A young man named Tyler Hilinski took his own life Tuesday; he was 21 years old.

What makes this newsworthy is that Hilinski was supposed to be Washington State’s starting QB next fall- he started the Coogs’ Holiday Bowl game against Michigan State last month. Playing QB for Mike Leach is often a ticket to playing pro football, he is that good a coach.

Apparently a suicide note was left; my thoughts and prayers go out to his family, who are now left with a near-infinite number of unanswered questions. It is a very sad thing.

12) You never know what demons lurk inside a person; would it be that terrible if we were all a little nicer to each other? In today’s society, kindness is often mistaken for weakness. Swagger and cockiness are attractive, but what if we were just nicer to each other?

Playing quarterback is a tough thing; you’re the most important player on the field. In this age of social media overload, people can hide behind their keyboards and be quite cruel. Hopefully that is not what happened here. I just hope his family can find peace when all of this settles down.

11) After consecutive 5-11 seasons, New Jersey Jets lowered season-ticket prices for 2018 by an average of 11%, lowest tickets have been for Jet games since 2008.

10) Clippers are 12-4 with PG Milos Teodosic in the lineup, 10-17 without him.

9) U of Arizona’s new football coach Kevin Sumlin will make $21.5M over the next four years; $11M from Arizona, $10.5M from Texas A&M, which fired him last month.

8) North Carolina 87, Clemson 79— Tigers are now 0-59 in Chapel Hill. Zero. and. 59.

Clemson played scared in the first half, were down 18, then caught fire, made 15 shots in a row and got within 71-69, but their rally fell just short. Clemson should make the NCAAs.

7) The Alabama linebacker who tried to punch an assistant coach during the national title game has transferred to I-AA Tennessee State.

6) When the Vikings took a knee on the PAT after the game-winning TD Sunday, it had to be been the first time since punters became specialists that both teams’ punters were on the field on the same time.

There was a time where some punters played other positions (Danny White, Dan Pastorini were QB’s, Donny Anderson was a RB) but that was a long time ago.

5) Jordan Tucker was #82 recruit in the Class of 2017; he signed with Duke. After playing only 14 minutes in two games for the Blue Devils, Tucker is transferring to Butler.

4) April 6, the Lakers will unveil a statue honoring Elgin Baylor outside Staples Center. Baylor played for the Lakers for 14 years- he was 1st-team NBA 10 of those years. He will be the sixth Laker to have a statue outside Staples.

3) According to the Wall Street Journal, the world’s busiest K-Mart is located…….in Guam.

2) Some limited partners of the Pittsburgh Steelers will apparently lobby owner Art Rooney to fire coach Mike Tomlin. This is a bad idea.

Tomlin is 116-60 (.659) with an 8-7 playoff record, a Super Bowl title and no losing seasons in his 11-year stint as the Steelers’ head coach…….

In case you were wondering, Bill Cowher was 149-90-1 as Steelers coach (.623). with a Super Bowl ring and a 12-9 playoff record.

1) Steelers are 45-19 in regular season games the last four years, but only 3-5 in playoffs since Tomlin won his Super Bowl. QB Ben Roethlisberger is nearing the end of his great career, and there is no promising young QB on the Steelers’ roster.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 01:30 AM

Celtics great Jo Jo White dies at 71
January 16, 2018

BOSTON (AP) Basketball Hall of Famer Jo Jo White, a two-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics and an Olympic gold medalist, has died. He was 71.

The Celtics announced his death Tuesday night. No cause was provided.

The team said it was ''terribly saddened'' by White's passing, calling him a ''champion and a gentleman; supremely talented and brilliant on the court, and endlessly gracious off of it.''

White played 10 seasons for Boston, which drafted him ninth overall from Kansas in 1969. He averaged 17.2 points per game over 13 years, also playing for Golden State and the Kansas City Kings before retiring in 1981.

The Celtics retired White's No. 10 the following year, and he still was working with the club as a director of special projects at the time of his death.

White averaged 18.1 points as a member of the 1974 Celtics championship team and was chosen MVP of the NBA Finals two years later when Boston won again, scoring 33 while leading the Celtics to a 128-126 win in triple overtime against the Phoenix Suns.

Boston traded White to the Warriors midway through the 1978-79 season and he remained with Golden State through the following season. He played one final season in Kansas City, but was always beloved in Boston as a Celtic.

''His contributions to the team's championship legacy may have only been surpassed by the deep and lasting impact that he had in the community,'' the Celtics said in the statement. ''The thoughts and sympathies of the entire Celtics organization are with the White family.''

White, who won an Olympic gold medal with the U.S. team in 1968, was a seven-time NBA All-Star. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, when he recalled his performance in the triple-overtime victory over the Suns that put Boston one game away from winning another title.

White played 60 of a possible 63 minutes of the game. Former Boston coach and player Tommy Heinsohn said the induction into the Hall of Fame was long overdue for White, who was thrilled it happened after battling health problems, including a brain tumor, late in life.

''I absolutely adored playing this game,'' White said.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 09:56 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, January 17

Home side won nine of last ten Wizard-Hornet games; Washington is 2-3 vs spread in last five visits here. Six of last eight series games went over total. Washington lost three of its last five games; they’re 9-3 vs spread as road underdogs. Three of their last four games went over total. Charlotte won four of its last six games; they’re 10-6 as home favorites. Six of their last nine games stayed under total.

Toronto won five of last seven games with Detroit; Pistons are 4-1 vs spread in last five visits to Canada. Seven of last ten series games went over total. Detroit lost five of its last seven games; they’re 3-6 in last nine tries as road underdogs. Three of their last four games went over total. Toronto lost three of its last four games; they’re 9-7 as home favorites. Seven of their last eight games went over the total.

Spurs won their last five games with Brooklyn; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five visits to Kings County. Seven of last eight series games stayed under the total. Spurs are 4-5 in their last nine games, 6-10 vs spread as road favorites- their last three games stayed under the total. Brooklyn lost five of its last six games; they’re 10-5 as home underdogs. Four of Nets’ last five games went over the total.

Pelicans are 6-4 in their last ten games with Atlanta; they’re 4-1 vs spread in their last five visits here. Last four series games stayed under the total. New Orleans won four of its last five games; they’re 7-2 as road favorites, 4-1 vs spread if they played night before. Three of their last four games went over the total. Hawks lost five of their last seven games; they’re 8-8 as home underdogs. Under is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Heat won their last three games with Milwaukee, by 12-18-18 points; they’re 2-3 vs spread in last five visits here. Home side won five of last six series games. Over is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Miami won seven of its last eight games; they’re 8-5 as road underdogs. Six of their last eight games went over total. Milwaukee split its last 12 games; they’re 9-7-2 as home favorites. Last five Buck games stayed under the total.

Knicks lost seven of their last nine games with Memphis; they’re 1-3 vs spread in last five visits here. Three of last four series games stayed under the total. New York lost 10 of its last 13 games; they’re 7-11 as road underdogs. Six of Knicks’ last seven games went over the total. Memphis split its last ten games; they’re 3-9 as home favorites. Three of their last four games stayed under.

Warriors won four of last five games with Chicago; they beat the Bulls by 49 back in November. Golden State is 2-2 vs spread in last four visits here. Over is 6-4 in last ten series games. Golden State won eight of its last nine games; they’re 12-11 as road favorites. Seven of their last nine games went over the total. Chicago won its last three games; they’re 9-6 as home underdogs. Over is 17-4 in their last 21 games.

Lakers lost nine of last ten games with Oklahoma City; they’re 0-5 vs spread in last five visits here. Under is 5-3 in last eight series games. Lakers won four of their last five games; they’re 7-3 in last ten games as road underdogs. Three of their last four games stayed under total. Oklahoma City is 4-5 in its last nine games; they are 2-11 vs spread in last 13 games as home favorites. Under is 4-1 in last five Thunder games.

Jazz won four of last five games with Sacramento; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five visits here. Four of last five series games stayed under the total. Utah lost eight of its last ten games; they’re 1-4 vs spread as road favorites. Under is 9-3 in their last dozen games. Sacramento lost five in row, eight of last nine games; they’re 2-6 in last eight tries as home underdogs. Over is 8-4 in their last dozen games.

Clippers lost their last three games with Denver; under is 8-2 in last ten series games. Nuggets are 3-3 vs spread in last six series games played here. Denver lost six of its last nine games; they’re 5-7-2 as road underdogs, 3-4 vs spread if they played the night before. Five of their last six games stayed under total. Clippers won their last five games; they’re 11-5 as home favorites. Seven of their last eight games went over the total.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 09:57 AM

NBA

Wednesday, January 17

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

WASHINGTON @ CHARLOTTE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
Washington is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Charlotte
Charlotte is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Charlotte's last 8 games when playing Washington

NEW ORLEANS @ ATLANTA
New Orleans is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing New Orleans
Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

SAN ANTONIO @ BROOKLYN
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of San Antonio's last 9 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Brooklyn's last 9 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Brooklyn's last 8 games when playing at home against San Antonio

DETROIT @ TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Detroit's last 16 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Detroit is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Toronto's last 8 games
Toronto is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games at home

GOLDEN STATE @ CHICAGO
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Chicago's last 10 games

NEW YORK @ MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 5 games on the road
Memphis is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New York
Memphis is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against New York

LA LAKERS @ OKLAHOMA CITY
LA Lakers is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
LA Lakers is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Oklahoma City is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

MIAMI @ MILWAUKEE
Miami is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Miami is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Milwaukee's last 13 games at home

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

DENVER @ LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Clippers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of LA Clippers's last 8 games

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 09:58 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, January 17

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

WASHINGTON (25 - 19) at CHARLOTTE (17 - 25) - 1/17/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 8-17 ATS (-10.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CHARLOTTE is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) after scoring 115 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) as an underdog this season.
WASHINGTON is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

DETROIT (22 - 20) at TORONTO (29 - 13) - 1/17/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 188-233 ATS (-68.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-3 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-2 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
4 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SAN ANTONIO (29 - 16) at BROOKLYN (16 - 28) - 1/17/2018, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 5-0 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 5-0 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
4 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW ORLEANS (23 - 20) at ATLANTA (12 - 31) - 1/17/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 71-42 ATS (+24.8 Units) in road games in January games since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 3-2 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA 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

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

MIAMI (25 - 18) at MILWAUKEE (23 - 20) - 1/17/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 43-30 ATS (+10.0 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 38-24 ATS (+11.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 396-462 ATS (-112.2 Units) in home games since 1996.

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

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

NEW YORK (20 - 24) at MEMPHIS (14 - 28) - 1/17/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
MEMPHIS is 2-12 ATS (-11.2 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
MEMPHIS is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

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

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

GOLDEN STATE (36 - 9) at CHICAGO (17 - 27) - 1/17/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 25-16 ATS (+7.4 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 48-35 ATS (+9.5 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 44-66 ATS (-28.6 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.
CHICAGO is 125-174 ATS (-66.4 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.

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

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

LA LAKERS (15 - 28) at OKLAHOMA CITY (24 - 20) - 1/17/2018, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-2 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 7-1 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

UTAH (17 - 26) at SACRAMENTO (13 - 30) - 1/17/2018, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 51-76 ATS (-32.6 Units) in road games in January games since 1996.
UTAH is 17-30 ATS (-16.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in road games after a loss by 10 points or more this season.

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

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

DENVER (23 - 21) at LA CLIPPERS (22 - 21) - 1/17/2018, 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 4-3 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-3 straight up against LA CLIPPERS over the last 3 seasons
4 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

**StarDust Bum** · 01-17-2018, 05:45 PM

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

WAS at CHA 07:00 PM
CHA -2.0
O 215.0

SA at BK 07:30 PM
BK +5.0
O 205.5

NO at ATL 07:30 PM
NO -2.5

DET at TOR 07:30 PM
TOR -7.5

LAL at OKC 08:00 PM
OKC -9.5
U 216.5

MIA at MIL 08:00 PM
MIA +4.0
U 202.0

GS at CHI 08:00 PM
GS -8.5
O 233.0

NY at MEM 08:00 PM
NY -1.5
U 202.5

UTA at SAC 10:00 PM
SAC +4.5
O 203.5

DEN at LAC 10:30 PM
DEN +3.5
U 221.5

**StarDust Bum** · 01-18-2018, 02:13 AM

Warriors beat Bulls 119-112 for 14th straight road win
January 17, 2018

CHICAGO (AP) Klay Thompson scored 38 points, Stephen Curry added 30 and the Golden State Warriors beat the Chicago Bulls 119-112 on Wednesday night for their franchise record-tying 14th straight road win.

Kevin Durant had 19 points as Golden State moved into a tie for the third-longest road winning streak in a season in NBA history. The Los Angeles Lakers hold the record with 16 straight road wins during the 1971-72 season.

Next up for the NBA-leading Warriors is a trip to Houston for a showdown with the Rockets on Saturday night.

Nikola Mirotic scored 24 points for Chicago, which dropped to 14-8 since its 3-20 start. Robin Lopez scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half, and Kris Dunn also had 16.

The Warriors played without Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala due to injuries, and Jordan Bell sprained his left ankle when he challenged Lopez's dunk on the Bulls' first possession.

THUNDER 114, LAKERS 90

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Carmelo Anthony scored 27 points to help Oklahoma City beat Los Angeles, which was still without Lonzo Ball.

Steven Adams had 21 points and 10 rebounds and Russell Westbrook added 19 points and seven assists for the Thunder, who won their third straight. The Thunder shot 48 percent overall and outrebounded the Lakers 54-30.

Ball sat out his second straight game with a sore left knee, and LA dropped to 0-8 without its rookie point guard. The injury news got worse for the Lakers. Rookie forward Kyle Kuzma left with a finger joint sprain, and forward Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left with a right Achilles tendon strain. Neither returned.

Julius Randle scored all 16 of his points in the first half for the Lakers.

HAWKS 94, PELICANS 93

ATLANTA (AP) - Kent Bazemore hit a jumper with 2.1 seconds remaining and Atlanta rallied from 19 points down to beat New Orleans.

With the score tied at 92, DeMarcus Cousins drew a blocking foul on John Collins with 13.7 seconds remaining, earning a trip to the foul line. Cousins made only one, giving the Hawks a chance to pull out the victory.

Bazemore knocked down the winning shot with Anthony Davis in his face. New Orleans had one last chance, inbounding the ball to Cousins near the hoop. He came up short on a quick shot, pleading with the officials for a foul call while the Hawks celebrated.

Bazemore led the Hawks with 20 points, while rookie John Collins added 18. Jrue Holiday paced the Pelicans with 22 points, while Cousins had 19 points and 14 rebounds. But Davis was held to just eight points on 2-of-8 shooting.

SPURS 100, NETS 95

NEW YORK (AP) - LaMarcus Aldridge scored 34 points, Patty Mills made seven 3-pointers and San Antonio responded to the latest absence of Kawhi Leonard by beating Brooklyn.

Mills finished with 25 points and combined with Aldridge on the most important play of the game, a three-point play for Aldridge with 53 seconds remaining on a pass from the reserve guard after the Nets had cut a 17-point deficit to three.

The Spurs announced earlier Wednesday that Leonard would be out indefinitely so he can continue rehabilitating from the right thigh injury that forced him to miss the start of the season.

They were fine without him Wednesday, thanks also to Pau Gasol's 13 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

HORNETS 133, WIZARDS 109

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 21 points, Dwight Howard had another double-double and Charlotte used a record-setting first half to beat Washington in coach Steve Clifford's return.

The Hornets made 12 of their first 13 shots and scored a franchise-record 77 points in the first half to build a 16-point lead. They extended that to 28 in the second half in a game that was never close.

Kemba Walker had 19 points, Howard had 18 points and 15 rebounds and Jeremy Lamb had 16 points for the Hornets, who won for the fifth time in their last seven games.

Clifford returned after missing 21 games because of headaches caused by sleep deprivation. The Hornets were 9-21 in Clifford's absence and had fallen eight games under .500.

CLIPPERS 109, NUGGETS 104

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Blake Griffin had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Los Angeles held off Denver for its season-high sixth straight win.

Montrezl Harrell added 18 points and Lou Williams had 17 for the Clippers. Los Angeles is 12-3 in its last 15 games, tied with Golden State for the NBA's best record over that span.

The Clippers were just 7 of 14 from the free-throw line over the final 3:09, but they hung on after last-second turnovers by Will Barton and Wilson Chandler.

Gary Harris scored 19 points in the Nuggets' fifth straight road loss. Nikola Jokic added 18 points, Barton had 17 points and Mason Plumlee had 16 points and 14 rebounds.

GRIZZLIES 105, KNICKS 99

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Tyreke Evans had 23 points, including three free throws in the closing seconds, along with 10 assists to lift Memphis over New York.

JaMychal Green added 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Dillon Brooks and Jarell Martin added 17 points each to help Memphis win its second straight.

Kristaps Porzingis led the Knicks with 21 points, while Enes Kanter finished with 20, including 18 in the first half. Courtney Lee and Michael Beasley had 18 points each.

Memphis played without starting center Marc Gasol, who sat out with an illness.

RAPTORS 96, PISTONS 91

TORONTO (AP) - Jonas Valanciunas had 17 points and 16 rebounds, C.J. Miles scored 21 points and Toronto beat Detroit.

Kyle Lowry scored 18 points and DeMar DeRozan had 17 to help the Raptors avoid their first three-game skid of the season.

Andre Drummond had 25 points and 17 rebounds but the Pistons lost for the seventh time in eight road games.

JAZZ 120, KINGS 105

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Donovan Mitchell scored 23 of his 34 points in the second half and Utah beat Sacramento.

Rodney Hood had 25 points and eight rebounds, Joe Ingles added 14 points and Derrick Favors had 14 points and 11 rebounds. Utah won for only the fifth time in 20 games.

Mitchell, who set a franchise rookie record with 41 points against New Orleans on Dec. 1, provided the game's signature moment 30 seconds later.

HEAT 106, BUCKS 101

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Hassan Whiteside had a season-high 27 points with 13 rebounds and six blocks to lead Miami over Milwaukee.

Goran Dragic and Kelly Olynyk added 15 points apiece to help Miami rebound from a loss at Chicago that snapped the Heat's season-high seven-game winning streak.

Khris Middleton had 25 points to lead Milwaukee, which lost to Miami for the second time in four days.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-18-2018, 02:20 AM

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 18, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Orlando Magic Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena
7:00 PM Philadelphia 76ers Boston Celtics TD Garden
9:30 PM Minnesota Timberwolves Houston Rockets Toyota Center
10:00 PM Indiana Pacers Portland Trail Blazers Moda Center at the Rose Quarter

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

DATE W-L-T % UNITS

01/17/2018 7-10-1 41.18% -20.00
01/16/2018 5-3-0 62.50% +8.50
01/15/2018 11-7-0 61.11% +16.50
01/14/2018 4-4-0 50.00% -2.00
01/13/2018 7-7-0 50.00% -3.50
01/12/2018 5-2-0 71.43% +14.00
01/11/2018 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
01/10/2018 8-11-0 42.11% -20.50
01/09/2018 6-2-0 75.00% +19.00
01/08/2018 8-7-1 53.33% +1.50
01/07/2018 6-4-0 60.00% +8.00
01/06/2018 5-11-0 31.25% -35.50
01/05/2018 9-11-0 45.00% -15.50
01/04/2018 1-3-0 25.00% -11.50
01/03/2018 11-12-0 47.83% -11.00
01/02/2018 5-5-0 50.00% -2.50
01/01/2018 ......1-7-0....... 12.50% ....-33.50

Totals..............102 - 109.........48.34%......-89.50

January's NBA Record ( Best Bets )

01/17/2018....................2 - 5 - 1............-17.50........................3 - 3................-1.50
01/16/2018......................3 - 1...............+9.50.........................2 - 2................-1.00
01/15/2018......................2 - 4.............. -12.00........................3 - 3................-1.50
01/14/2018......................2 - 2...............-1.00..........................0 - 1................-5.50
01/13/2018......................3 - 4...............-7.00..........................4 - 3................+3.50
01/12/2018......................4 - 1...............+14.50.......................1 - 1.................-0.50
01/11/2018......................2- 1................+4.50........................1 - 2..................-6.00
01/10/2018......................4 - 4................-2.00.........................3 - 2.................+4.00
01/09/2018......................2 - 0................+10.00......................3 - 1.................+9.50
01/08/2018......................0 - 3................-16.50........................4 -1.................+14.50
01/07/2018......................0 - 3................-16.50.......................4- 1..................+14.50
01/06/2018......................2 - 4.................-12.00......................0- 1..................-5.50
01/05/2018......................2- 3..................-6.50........................2 - 5.................-17.50
01/04/3028......................1 - 1.................-0.50........................0 - 2.................-11.00
01/03/2018......................2 - 3.................-6.50........................4- 6..................-13.00
01/02/2018......................2 - 1................+4.50........................2 - 3..................-6.50
01/01/2018......................1 - 3.................-11.50......................0 - 4..................-22.00

Totals:.............................34- 43..............-66.50......................36 - 41................-42.50

**StarDust Bum** · 01-18-2018, 02:22 AM

Inside the Paint - Thursday
January 17, 2018

Orlando (13-31 SU, 18-26 ATS) at Cleveland (26-17 SU, 12-30-1 ATS)

Despite losing four straight and eight of its last 10 games, Cleveland opened as a 10 ½-point home favorite for Thursday’s matchup against Orlando. Coincidentally, the Cavaliers haven’t won a game since they defeated Orlando 131-127 on Jan. 6 as a nine-point road favorite.

Winning has been a big issue lately, but covering numbers has been an absolute disaster for the Cavaliers this season and that’s what matters to the VegasInsider.com users.

So will Cleveland snap the skid and rebound tonight at home against one of the worst teams in the league?

It’s hard to make a reasonable case for the Cavaliers, knowing they’ve gone 0-11 ATS as double-digit home favorites this season. They have managed to win seven of those games but one of the losses came to the Magic.

However, backing Frank Vogel’s team requires serious thinking.

Orlando did just snap a seven-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 108-102 win over Minnesota as an 8 ½-point home underdog. Still, the club is 4-27 in their last 31 games after starting the season 9-4. Despite having a horrible season, the Magic have had a knack of earning back-door covers and they enter this game on a 4-1 ATS run. Also, while Orlando has gone 1-4 SU as a double-digit road underdog, they’ve managed to produce a 4-1 ATS record for bettors.

These teams split the first two meetings this season and the visitor won both games, which includes Orlando’s 114-93 win at Cleveland on Oct. 21 as an 11 ½-point underdog. That outcome was definitely surprising when you realize the Magic had dropped its previous nine games at Quicken Loans Arena and they were 1-8 ATS in those contests plus six of the losses came by double digits.

The total on this game has been inflated to 226 but it’s hard to argue for the low side when you look at the defensive numbers. Cleveland’s defense is ranked 25th in both scoring at 108.7 points per game and field goal percentage (47.2%). Orlando’s defensive scoring (110.9, No. 28) and field goal percentage (47.3 % No. 27) are ranked near the bottom on the league as well.

Cleveland is certainly ‘due’ to run somebody out of the building and this matchup sets up as a ‘get right’ game. Knowing the Cavs will "step up" in class again on Saturday when Oklahoma City visits, I would expect a sense of urgency. Lastly, the Magic haven’t won back-to-back games since early November and it has gone 0-5 in the last five games off a win while losing by an average of 13.2 PPG.

Philadelphia (20-20 SU, 22-18 ATS) at Boston (34-11 SU, 27-16-2 ATS)

No overnight line was posted at most betting shops on this game due to the status of Boston point guard Kyrie Irving, who injured his shoulder in Tuesday’s 116-113 home loss in overtime to New Orleans. The setback for the Celtics snapped a seven-game winning streak and dropped the club’s record at TD Garden to 18-6 SU and 13-9-2 ATS. Head coach Brad Stevens and company has been very solid off a loss this season, going 8-2 SU and 7-2-1 ATS.

This particular series has been very one-sided with the Celtics winning 16 of the past 20 matchups and that includes all three encounters this season versus the 76ers, which were decided by double digits.

The most recent tussle took place last Thursday at the O2 Arena from London on Jan. 11 and Boston earned a 114-103 win as a two-point favorite. Philadelphia looked like it was on its way to finally solving the Celtics as they led 57-48 at halftime. However, Boston shot lights out in the third quarter (39) and ended up outscoring the 76ers by 20 points (66-46) in the second-half for the comfortable win.

Now that Philadelphia is stateside, my lean for this matchup is with the visitor. Prior to the trip overseas, the club had won and covered four straight and five of six. After that run, they had a six-day layoff before the London game and the momentum was obviously halted.

Circle back to this past Monday and the 76ers faced a similar situation against Toronto, who was looking to pull off the four-game regular season sweep. Sure enough, Philly responded with a solid 117-111 win as a two-point home ‘dog over the Raptors.This was the first game back for the team from the UK.

Including that win, Philadelphia is just 2-6 both SU and ATS in eight divisional games while Boston has gone 8-1 SU and 6-3 ATS versus Atlantic Division opponents.

Make a note that the 76ers won’t have J.J. Redick (leg) for this matchup and along with Irving, the C’s Marcus Smart (illness) is ‘questionable’ for Thursday.

TNT will provide national coverage of this game at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Minnesota (29-17 SU, 22-22-2 ATS) at Houston (30-12 SU, 20-21-1 ATS)

This contest didn’t have an opening number sent out on Wednesday because Houston All-Star guard James Harden (hamstring) may make a return after missing the last seven games with the Rockets. The team has gone a pedestrian 4-3 in his absence and are coming off a 113-102 road loss to the Clippers on Monday, where a ton of drama ensued at the end of the game and repercussions were dealt out.

Houston’s Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green were both suspended two games for entering the Los Angeles locker room to confront another player. Ariza is averaging 12.4 PPG and has started 40 games this season and while Green just joined the team (10 games), he’s averaging 15.6 PPG albeit in erratic fashion.

With or without Harden, the Rockets haven’t been the same team that started the season 25-4 and ripped off 14 consecutive victories during that run. Since then, Houston is 5-8 in its last 13 and it has burned bettors with a 4-9 ATS mark. At home, the club has gone 2-3 SU and 1-4 ATS during this span.

Fast forward to Thursday and Minnesota invades the Toyota Center. The Timberwolves got caught in a trap on Tuesday as it dropped a 108-102 decision to Orlando as 8 ½-point road favorites. That loss was preceded by a 5-0 home stand both SU and ATS for Minnesota.

The Rockets will be favored but this has been a tough series to handicap because Houston has gone 10-2 in the last 12 versus Minnesota but the Timberwolves have gone 9-3 ATS during this span. Last season, Minnesota was 4-0 ATS versus Houston despite going 1-3 SU. Along with backing the Wolves recently in this series, the ‘over’ has been golden too with an 11-1 record during their last 12 encounters.

Minnesota has gone 11-11 away from the Target Center this season but outside of a buzzer beater win at Oklahoma City, it doesn’t have a signature road triumph. Against opponents similar in stature to the Rockets, the Wolves came up short on two occasions to the Celtics (91-84) and Warriors (125-101).

The total on this game is high but along with the ‘over’ trend in this series, you can make a case for the high side based on Houston’s tendencies at home. The Rockets have seen the ‘over’ go 14-7 at the Toyota Center and that includes a run of eight straight headed into this game. The Rockets lead the league in scoring at home (117.8 PPG) and they’re averaging 122 PPG during this ‘over’ streak.

Tip-off is slated for 9:35 p.m. ET with TNT providing national coverage.

Indiana (24-20 SU, 25-19 ATS) at Portland (23-21 SU, 19-23-2 ATS)

Thursday’s finale is arguably the toughest one to handicap since both teams have many similarities. Along with their overall record and great guard play, I would label both teams as bullies who have put themselves into playoff position by dominating teams with losing records. I won’t discredit them for doing so but both Portland (9-16) and Indiana (10-17) have been humbled when stepping up in class against teams above .500.

The Trail Blazers opened as 3 ½-point home favorites while the total is sitting at 213 ½ and normally I would think that number was a tad short but playing at the Moda Center hasn’t been as tough this season.

Portland has gone 11-10 SU at home and it’s been a disappointing 6-14-1 ATS for bettors. They have won their last four at home and that includes a 118-111 win over Phoenix on Tuesday as an 11-point favorite.

Winning five straight won’t be easy against the Pacers, who have started to streak up again. Indiana has won and covered three straight and five of its last six. On Monday, the club posted an impressive 109-94 win over the Jazz at Salt Lake City and that decision came on no rest after they avoided a trap in the desert and ran past the Suns, 120-97.

The win at Utah was a tad surprising knowing Indiana is only 3-6 on no rest this season. However, the Pacers are 6-3 on the front end of back-to-back spots and they’ll be playing at the L.A. Lakers on Friday.

These teams met in the first week of the season and the Trail Blazers captured a 114-96 win over Indiana on Oct. 20 as 5 ½-point road underdogs. Including this win, Portland has won six of the past seven meetings against Indiana. The last time Indiana won at Portland came in 2007 when Danny Granger was the first option for the Pacers.

Total bettors could be scratching their heads for this one. Indiana has watched the ‘under’ cash in five of their last six. While Portland still owns a solid ‘under’ record (26-18) mark on the season, the pendulum has swung the other way lately. The Blazers have seen the ‘over’ cash in six straight and nine of the last 11.

**StarDust Bum** · 01-18-2018, 11:57 AM

Thursday’s 6-pack

— SMU 83, Wichita State 78— Pretty big upset in the AAC.

— Alabama 76, Auburn 71— Crimson Tide won, even though Sexton didn’t play

— Fresno St 77, San Diego St 73— Mountain West might get only one team in NCAA.

— Stanford 86, Arizona State 77— ASU is 2-4 in Pac-12; they were 12-0 before that.

— Missouri 59, Tennessee 55— Cuonzo Martin wins first game against his old team.

— Surprising: last year, Forbes magazine listed the Pirates as the 17th (out of 30) most valuable MLB franchise. Thought they’d be lower than that.

Quote of the Day

“It’s refreshing to come to an environment where the team is willing to continually put resources into the club and continue to move forward and try to provide the best possible product for its fans.”
ex-Pirate Gerrit Cole, the newest Houston Astro

Thursday’s quiz

Who holds the NFL record for quickest TD scored in an overtime game?

Wednesday’s quiz

Ben Roethlisberger played his college football at Miami, OH

Tuesday’s quit

Roy Williams was basketball coach at Kansas before Bill Self.

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

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

13) Webster’s defines scapegoat this way: “a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency.”

Pittsburgh Steelers lost a home playoff game 45-42 Sunday; there was much unrest in Steelers’ Nation, so a scapegoat was found— offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

You would think defensive coordinator would take some grief, but no. Maybe when the QB, a future Hall of Famer, tells the media that he isn’t allowed to audible to a QB sneak, maybe that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

12) Speaking of quarterbacks not being allowed to audible, when Mike Martz ran the Rams’ offense, his QB’s, Kurt Warner and Marc Bulger, weren’t allowed to audible either. Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, especially when you have a veteran QB, but coaches have big egos, too.

11) TCU’s best guard, Jaylen Fisher, is out indefinitely after hurting his knee in practice. TCU is 2-4 in Big X, with five of the six games decided by 5 or less points- 3 of the 5 games went to OT.

10) Shaquille O’Neal’s son Shareef is a 6-7 power forward who is committed to play for Arizona next year- he is considered a 4-star (out of 5) recruit.

9) South Carolina 76, Kentucky 68— Wildcats led by 14 points with 11:30 left, lost in Columbia brickfest Tuesday where teams combined to go 6-34 on arc. Kentucky used nine players; six freshmen (five of them started) and three sophomores.

8) Thru Tuesday’s college basketball games, the national average on free throws was 70.9%, which would be the highest it has been the last 17 years, and 3rd year in row it has gone up.

Some conference championship game trends:
7) Over last four years, favorites are 7-1 vs spread in conference championship games.

6) In Belichick/Brady era, Patriots are 7-4 in AFC title games (6-5 vs spread), 5-1 at home (3-3 vs spread).

5) Last 12 years, road favorites in conference title games are 1-2-1 vs spread.

4) According to ESPN Stats, the last five NFL teams that won playoff games with a walk-off TD lost their next game, by an average of 23 points.

3) Gene Steratore will be the referee in the Super Bowl; he’s also worked 24 D-I basketball games this winter, 22 of them involving Big 14 teams.

Steratore wound up working 60 basketball games last year, 63 the year before.

2) Teams are averaging 70.2 possessions per game this season, most in the last 17 years. Teams are playing a little faster, but the shot clock was 0:35 most of that time, not the current 0:30.

1) Teams are scoring 73.6 ppg, most in the last 17 years; five years ago, teams averaged only 66.9 ppg, so that is positive change. People like to watch good offense, even if it is really bad defense.

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