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

[StarDust Bum]

Three-year trend says Houston Rockets are a bad bet as home favorites

The Houston Rockets begin the final stretch of the regular season as the clear No. 1 threat to the Golden State Warriors' NBA title defense. The Rockets are far exceeding the preseason expectations and own a half game lead over the Dubs for the best record in the Western Conference at 44-13.

But Houston’s success hasn’t equaled a boom for NBA bettors. The Rockets are just 28-28-1 against the spread on the season and 11-17 ATS on their home floor. Covering the spread as favorites at the Toyota Center has been a problem for the Rockets. The club is 42-62-1 ATS (40.4 percent) as home chalk since the start of the 2015-16 campaign and 10-16-1 this season.

To be fair to Houston supporters, the stat is a three-year trend and this is only Year 1 of the Chris Paul-James Harden partnership. Both players have missed time along with starting center Clint Capela. GM Daryl Morey will tell anyone who’ll listen his squad is 28-1 (17-11-1 ATS) in games with Paul, Harden and Capela in the lineup.

Oddsmakers are making bettors pay a premium to back the soaring Rockets. Houston has been favored by an average of 12.5 points over its last six home games and has covered the spread just once the last 10 times it's been favored by double digits.

There are reasons to be optimistic about the Rockets’ chances as 8.5-point faves at home to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night and moving forward. Mike D’Antoni’s group enters the last 25 games of the season with a clean bill of health and reinforcements from the buyout market.

Joe Johnson and Brandan Wright fill out an all-ready deep frontcourt rotation. Johnson didn’t do much for the Utah Jazz this season but he was one of their best performers in the playoffs last spring. D’Antoni is known for using a short bench but he trusts more players on this year’s Rockets team.

Houston allows 110 points per 100 possessions in the fourth quarters of home games which is the third most in the Association and owns a -3.6 net rating in the final frames of home games. Adding Johnson and Wright into the mix should help their bench unit hold leads and avoid ugly, backdoor covers.




Leonard expected to miss rest of season; oddsmakers drop Spurs' title odds

The Westgate SuperBook adjusted the San Antonio Spurs’ odds to win the NBA title from +2500 to +4000 after head coach Gregg Popovich told reporters on Wednesday he’d be surprised if former NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard returns this season.

The Spurs opened as the third favorite to win the 2018 championship at +1000 behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors, but their odds had dropped to +2500 by the All-Star break. San Antonio’s increased odds have come with the Houston Rockets edging ahead as the clear second choice in the Western Conference. The Westgate lists the Rockets as the clear second fave to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy at +200 after opening them at +3000 last May.

Leonard has played only nine games this season because of a lingering quad injury, and the Spurs are 30-20 straight up and 24-21-2 against the spread without their two-time All-NBA first teamer. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday night that Leonard has been cleared to play by San Antonio’s medical staff.

Oddsmakers told us at the start of the season that Leonard was worth about seven points to the Spurs’ game odds. He entered the campaign as the preseason co-favorite to win the NBA MVP award along with LeBron James at +400.

San Antonio limped into the All-Star break with a 1-5 record in its last six games and just two ATS wins in its last seven contests. The Spurs get back to work on Friday night with a game at Denver and then play at Cleveland on Sunday.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, February 23

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BOSTON (40 - 19) at DETROIT (28 - 29) - 2/23/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 33-23 ATS (+7.7 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 46-27 ATS (+16.3 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) in road games against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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ATLANTA (18 - 41) at INDIANA (33 - 25) - 2/23/2018, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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CHARLOTTE (25 - 33) at WASHINGTON (34 - 24) - 2/23/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 22-32 ATS (-13.2 Units) in all games this season.
CHARLOTTE is 6-18 ATS (-13.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
CHARLOTTE is 25-37 ATS (-15.7 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
WASHINGTON is 401-469 ATS (-114.9 Units) in home games since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 151-197 ATS (-65.7 Units) on Friday nights since 1996.

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

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MILWAUKEE (32 - 25) at TORONTO (41 - 16) - 2/23/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 366-441 ATS (-119.1 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 133-97 ATS (+26.3 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 43-25 ATS (+15.5 Units) in road games after scoring 115 points or more since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 40-20 ATS (+18.0 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.
TORONTO is 190-239 ATS (-72.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 10-6 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 13-3 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
10 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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MIAMI (30 - 28) at NEW ORLEANS (31 - 26) - 2/23/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 78-60 ATS (+12.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 50-32 ATS (+14.8 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 20-11 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games this season.
MIAMI is 145-109 ATS (+25.1 Units) in February games since 1996.
MIAMI is 26-14 ATS (+10.6 Units) in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 40-25 ATS (+12.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 24-10 ATS (+13.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 18-4 ATS (+13.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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CLEVELAND (34 - 23) at MEMPHIS (18 - 38) - 2/23/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 18-38 ATS (-23.8 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 9-33 ATS (-27.3 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in road games when playing on back-to-back days over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CLEVELAND is 5-20 ATS (-17.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CLEVELAND is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) on Friday nights over the last 3 seasons.

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

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MINNESOTA (36 - 25) at HOUSTON (44 - 13) - 2/23/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 362-425 ATS (-105.5 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 53-83 ATS (-38.3 Units) after scoring 115 points or more since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 32-15 ATS (+15.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 31-44 ATS (-17.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 6-3 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 8-1 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (35 - 24) at DENVER (32 - 26) - 2/23/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
DENVER is 27-15 ATS (+10.5 Units) in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 47-30 ATS (+14.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 1033-905 ATS (+37.5 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 6-4 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 8-2 straight up against DENVER over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (32 - 26) at UTAH (30 - 28) - 2/23/2018, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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LA CLIPPERS (30 - 27) at PHOENIX (18 - 41) - 2/23/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 52-35 ATS (+13.5 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) after a division game this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 6-4 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (18 - 40) at LA LAKERS (23 - 34) - 2/23/2018, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 133-96 ATS (+27.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.
DALLAS is 402-328 ATS (+41.2 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 498-417 ATS (+39.3 Units) in road games since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 161-204 ATS (-63.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 7-2 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 8-1 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Tip Sheet
February 23, 2018

Game of the Night: Timberwolves at Rockets (-8 ½, 226) – 8:05 PM EST

Two teams that will be headed to the Western Conference playoffs hook up in Houston to begin the second half of the season. The Rockets (44-13 SU, 28-28-1 ATS) closed the first half on a 10-game winning streak, which includes a 126-108 victory at Minnesota on February 13 to cash as 3 ½-point road favorites. Houston continues to dominate at the Toyota Center by winning nine straight home games with the last loss coming to Golden State on January 4.

The Timberwolves (36-25 SU, 28-31-2 ATS) ended the first half by failing to cover in their last five contests, including as 10-point favorites in a 119-111 home victory over the Lakers last Thursday. Minnesota’s road woes have been well-documented, as the Wolves have dropped 10 of their past 11 games away from Target Center, while covering only twice in this span. Since the calendar flipped to 2018, Minnesota owns one road victory, which came against the Clippers in a 126-118 win as 2 ½-point underdogs on January 22.

The Wolves are currently riding a six-game OVER streak, while drilling the OVER in five of the past seven road contests. Minnesota has had its struggles with Houston over the years by posting a 1-12 record since the start of the 2014-15 season, including an 0-2 mark this season. However, the Wolves have covered in five of their past six visits to the Toyota Center.

Boston Blues

The Celtics (40-19 SU, 34-23-2 ATS) were rolling atop the Eastern Conference through the first three months of the season. However, a recent three-game home skid, coupled with Toronto’s seven-game winning streak has resulted in Boston falling back to second place in the Atlantic division. The Celtics lost all three games on their homestand to the Pacers, Cavaliers, and Clippers, while allowing 121 points to Cleveland and 129 points to Los Angeles.

Boston begins a two-game road swing on Friday that starts in Detroit (28-29 SU, 26-29-2 ATS), as the two teams have split a pair of meetings this season. The Pistons have been ice-cold against the number by failing to cover in five straight games, while snapping a three-game skid in a 104-98 home victory over the Hawks last Wednesday. Detroit has yet to be listed as an underdog with Blake Griffin in the lineup, while the Pistons own a dreadful 3-14 ATS record the past 17 games.

Avoid Buck-to-Buck Losses

Milwaukee (32-25 SU, 24-28-5 ATS) closed the first half with an atrocious defensive performance in a 134-123 home setback to Denver. The Bucks not only allowed the Nuggets to shoot 55% from the floor, but also yielded 24 three-pointers. Milwaukee has done a nice job of bouncing back from a defeat since late December by compiling an 8-2 mark off a loss, while winning four of its past six games away from BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The Bucks are playing with double-revenge after losing twice to the Raptors in a five-day span last month. Toronto (41-16 SU, 32-25 ATS) is riding a seven-game winning streak, while covering six times in that stretch to take over first place in the Atlantic division. The Raptors are currently on a 9-1 run at Air Canada Center, but Dwane Casey’s team owns a 5-5 ATS record in this span with all five ATS losses coming as a favorite of six points or more.

Dazzling Jazz

One month ago, Utah (30-28 SU, 31-27 ATS) was blown out at Atlanta as 2 ½-point favorites to slip to 19-28. The Jazz seemed on their way to the draft lottery, but 11 victories later and they are right back in the playoff conversation. Quin Snyder’s club is riding an 11-game winning streak, which included seven victories on the highway. One of those road wins in this stretch came at Portland in a 115-96 triumph as four-point underdogs on February 11, led by rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell’s 27 points.

The Jazz seek their third win over the Blazers (32-26 SU, 28-25-5 ATS) this season as the two teams meet up in Salt Lake City. Portland closed the first half with victories in three of its final four contests, including a 123-117 win over Golden State as six-point underdogs. However, the Blazers have lost six straight games in the role of a road underdog, while allowing at least 111 points in five of those defeats.

You Again?

In a rare instance, one teams is playing in consecutive matchups at the same venue in the regular season. The Nuggets (32-26 SU, 28-27-3 ATS) outlasted the Spurs last Thursday, 117-109 as seven-point favorites to pick up its first win over San Antonio in three tries this season.

San Antonio heads back to the Pepsi Center again to face a Denver squad that has won six of its past seven games. The Nuggets finished the first half with a lights-out shooting performance in a 134-123 triumph at Milwaukee to hit the OVER for the fifth straight game.

The Spurs (35-24 SU, 30-27-2 ATS) went into the break on a sour note by losing five of six games, while eclipsing the OVER in each of the past five contests. San Antonio has lost six straight games as a road ‘dog, while the last victory in the role of an away ‘dog came back on December 20 at Portland.

Waving the Wand

Following a 27-point comeback in a 118-113 victory at New York last Thursday, the Wizards (34-24 SU, 28-30 ATS) rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat the Cavaliers last night, 110-103 as six-point underdogs. Washington improved to 8-2 since John Wall has been sidelined, while owning a perfect 5-0 SU/ATS record in the role of a favorite. The Wizards welcome in the Hornets, looking to avenge an embarrassing 133-109 loss at Charlotte last month. In that defeat, Charlotte lit up Washington for 77 first half points, while the Hornets knocked down 15 three-pointers.

Charlotte (25-33 SU, 23-31-4 ATS) plays with no rest after pulling away from Brooklyn on Thursday, 111-96 as eight-point favorites. The Hornets halted a six-game ATS skid with the cover, but Charlotte looks to end an 0-5 ATS slump on the road. Charlotte has seen its struggles in D.C. over the years by dropping five straight meetings at Capital One Arena, while making its first visit to Washington this season.

Back on Track?

The Cavaliers (34-23 SU, 18-38-1 ATS) had their four-game winning streak end to Washington on Thursday in a seven-point defeat. LeBron James scored 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting in the loss, but the Cavs fell to 5-19-1 ATS in the role of a home favorite this season. Cleveland turns around quickly with a visit to Memphis as the Cavaliers are 9-1 to the UNDER on the second of a back-to-back set this season.

The Grizzlies (18-38 SU, 24-30-2 ATS) suffered seven straight losses to close out the first half, including owning a 1-4 ATS mark in the final five games. Memphis has compiled a 6-6 ATS record since the start of December in the role of a home underdog, while losing four straight when receiving points at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies picked up a cover as 11 ½-point ‘dogs at Cleveland in early December in a 116-111 defeat, the third ATS win in the last four meetings with the Cavaliers.

[StarDust Bum]

Thursday's Result + Feb. Record

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

02/22/2018 6-6-0 50.00% -300

02/14/2018 10-7-0 58.82% +1150

02/11/2018 6-4-0 60.00% +800

02/10/2018 6-8-0 42.86% -1400

02/09/2018 7-7-0 50.00% -350

02/07/2018 3-5-0 37.50% -1250

02/01/2018 4-6-0 40.00% -1300

Totals...............42 - 43......49.41.......-26.50

[StarDust Bum]

TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

CHA at WAS
CHA +3.5
O 210.5

ATL at IND
ATL +7.0
O 209.5

BOS at DET
DET +2.0
U 208.0

MIL at TOR 07:30 PM
MIL +7.5
O 215.5

MIA at NO 08:00 PM
NO -2.5
U 214.5

MIN at HOU 08:00 PM
MIN +8.0
U 224.5

CLE at MEM 08:00 PM
CLE -5.0
U 213.5

LAC at PHO 09:00 PM
LAC -5.5
O 229.5

POR at UTA 09:00 PM
UTA -4.5
U 206.5

SA at DEN 09:00 PM
O 212.0

DAL at LAL 10:30 PM
LAL -3.5
U 222.5

[StarDust Bum]

Rockets beat Timberwolves 120-102 for 11th straight win
February 23, 2018

HOUSTON (AP) James Harden scored 31 points and the Houston Rockets won their 11th straight game with a 120-102 victory Friday night over the Minnesota Timberwolves, who lost All-Star Jimmy Butler to a knee injury.

Butler left late in the third quarter. After grabbing a rebound, he pivoted and planted hard on his right foot before collapsing and grabbing his right knee. He was on the floor for at least three minutes before he was carried off the court by two teammates.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Butler will have an MRI and be re-evaluated on Saturday.

Clint Capela had 25 points and 11 rebounds for Houston, getting his 10th double-double over the past 13 games. Chris Paul added 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.

The Rockets trailed for much of the first half before going ahead to maintain the NBA's best record.

Andrew Wiggins led Minnesota with 21 points, and Jeff Teague and Karl-Anthony Towns both had 18 points. Towns added 13 rebounds.

TRAIL BLAZERS 100, JAZZ 81

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - CJ McCollum scored 26 points, Damian Lillard added 24 and Portland snapped Utah's 11-game winning streak.

McCollum and Lillard drove through and around the Jazz defense, which was ranked at the top of the league during their streak.

The Jazz finally got within single digits at 90-81, but McCollum scored on three consecutive isolation plays, all contested jumpers.

Jusuf Nurkic scored 15 points and Al-Farouq Aminu had 12 for the Blazers.

Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points for Utah, and Rudy Gobert had 15.

PELICANS 124, HEAT 123, OT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Anthony Davis had 45 points, 17 rebounds, five blocked shots and five steals, and New Orleans earned its fourth consecutive victory.

Goran Dragic scored 30 points and Dwyane Wade hit two runners to give the Heat the lead twice in the last 36 seconds of overtime, but Davis responded to the first with a layup as he was fouled, and Jrue Holiday answered the second with a runner in the lane with 7 seconds left.

Wade had one last shot for the win with Holiday defending him closely. It bounced off the rim to Josh Richardson, whose rushed put-back missed the basket as time expired in Miami's third straight loss.

Holiday finished with 29 points and nine assists, connecting with Davis on a couple of alley-oop dunks.

CAVALIERS 112, GRIZZLIES 89

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - LeBron James had 18 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists in his 11th triple-double of the season, and Cleveland pulled away after a slow start.

George Hill also scored 18 points, while Larry Nance Jr. finished with 15 and Jordan Clarkson had 14 as the newcomers had good nights in the Cavaliers' fifth win in the last six games.

Tyreke Evans and JaMychal Green each had 15 points for Memphis, with Evans also dishing out 10 assists and Green grabbing 10 rebounds. Marc Gasol had 14 points and nine rebounds.

Cleveland outscored Memphis 58-40 in the second half, sending the Grizzlies to their eighth straight loss.

BUCKS 122, RAPTORS 119, OT

TORONTO (AP) - Giannis Antetokounmpo had 26 points and 12 rebounds, helping Milwaukee snap Toronto's seven-game win streak.

Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton each scored 21 points as the Bucks won the opener of an eight-game stretch against teams in playoff contention. Jason Terry scored 14 points, and John Henson and Thon Maker each had 12.

DeMar DeRozan scored 33 points for the Raptors, who had won five straight home meetings with the Bucks. Serge Ibaka had 18 points, and Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam each scored 17.

Jonas Valanciunas' buzzer-beating dunk for Toronto sent the game to overtime. He finished with 10 points.

CLIPPERS 128, SUNS 117

PHOENIX (AP) - Super-sub Lou Williams had 35 points in 33 minutes, and the Clippers scored the first 19 points of the game while handing the Suns their eighth loss in a row.

Tobias Harris added 30 points and 12 rebounds for the Clippers. They have won eight of 11.

Devin Booker and T.J. Warren scored 27 apiece for the Suns, who have dropped 13 of 14. Alex Len had 14 points and 13 rebounds.

HORNETS 122, WIZARDS 105

WASHINGTON (AP) - Kemba Walker scored 20 of his 24 points in the second half, leading Charlotte to the road win.

Frank Kaminsky added 23 points as the Hornets (26-33) improved to 3-0 against the Wizards this season. Charlotte jumped out to a 20-point lead in the first half and matched its season high with 17 3-pointers in its third consecutive win. Marvin Williams scored 15 points, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 14.

Washington returned from the All-Star break with a rousing 110-103 win at Cleveland on Thursday, but could not keep the momentum going despite All-Star Bradley Beal scoring 33 points.

The loss dropped the Wizards (34-25) into a fourth-place tie with Indiana in the Eastern Conference.

NUGGETS 122, SPURS 119

DENVER (AP) - Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for Denver, and Wilson Chandler had 18 points and a season-high 16 rebounds.

Jokic has a triple-double in three straight games and six this season, but didn't stick around for the finish. He was called for five fouls in the fourth quarter and fouled out on a charge with 1:46 left.

Gary Harris scored 23 points to help Denver win its fourth straight and seventh in its last eight.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 36 points and Patty Mills scored 20 for San Antonio.

CELTICS 110, PISTONS 98

DETROIT (AP) - Kyrie Irving scored 18 points and rookie Daniel Theis had a career-high 19 to lift Boston to the victory.

Jayson Tatum scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half for the Celtics, who went into the All-Star break on a three-game losing streak but returned with a solid win on the road. Boston took control by outscoring the Pistons 38-21 in the second quarter.

Blake Griffin scored 17 points for Detroit but shot just 5 of 19 from the field.

Theis eclipsed his previous career high of 12 points. He played an important role after Aron Baynes, the starting center for the Celtics, went to the locker room in the first half with left elbow soreness.

PACERS 116, HAWKS 93

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Thaddeus Young scored 16 of his 20 points in the first half, and Indiana never trailed in a runaway victory.

The 11th-year pro had 10 points by the end of the opening quarter and the Pacers led by 17 by halftime. They were ahead 83-66 entering the final quarter.

The Pacers (34-25) won their fourth in a row and improved to 15-6 since Jan. 6, the league's best winning percentage (.714) in that span. Domantas Sabonis led Indiana with 21 points and 13 rebounds.

The Hawks (18-42), who have the NBA's worst record, are 5-25 on the road and have dropped three in a row overall.

LAKERS 124, MAVERICKS 102

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Julius Randle had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball made a triumphant return to the lineup.

Ball, who was sidelined for 15 games with a knee injury, had nine points, seven rebounds and six assists in 17 minutes. Isaiah Thomas had 17 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brandon Ingram scored 15 apiece to help Los Angeles stop a three-game slide.

It was Randle's second triple-double this season and No. 5 for his career.

Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes each scored 19 points for the Mavericks, who have dropped five of six.

[StarDust Bum]

Friday's Result + Feb. Record

DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

02/23/2018 12-8-1 60.00% +1600

02/22/2018 6-6-0 50.00% -300

02/14/2018 10-7-0 58.82% +1150

02/11/2018 6-4-0 60.00% +800

02/10/2018 6-8-0 42.86% -1400

02/09/2018 7-7-0 50.00% -350

02/07/2018 3-5-0 37.50% -1250

02/01/2018 4-6-0 40.00% -1300

Totals...............54 - 51......51.42.......-10.50

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday’s 6-pack

Six top prospects for the Baltimore Orioles:

1) Austin Hays, OF— Jumped from A ball to the majors last season.

3) Chance Sisco, C— Lefty batter hit .267 in AAA last year.

4) Hunter Harvey, P— Father Bryan was a closer who had 177 MLB saves.

6) Tanner Scott, P— Allowed 45 hits in 69 IP in Eastern League LY.

9) Cedric Mullens, OF— 5-8 centerfielder who played in college for Campbell Camels.

16) DJ Stewart, OF— Was ACC Player of the Year at Florida State in 2014.

Quote of the Day
“You’d love to say, ‘This is a really isolated situation,’ but I think anyone that’s in this knows that it’s not. You could be probably be changing a lot of names and you could be changing on all different levels. You could be putting another name here, another name there.”
Former Indiana coach Tom Crean

Saturday’s quiz
What state is Quinnipiac University located in?

Friday’s quiz
Lansing is the capital of Michigan.

Thursday’s quiz
Of the ten teams currently in the Big East, Butler is the only team yet to win a game in the Big East tournament since the league re-configured.

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

Saturday’s List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind……

13) There is a high school QB in Alabama named Paul Tyson who has 18 college offers, but people are pretty much assuming that he will sign with the Crimson Tide.

Paul Tyson is Bear Bryant’s great-grandson. Alabama royalty.

12) I heard a schoolteacher say this on TV Thursday night:

“Red pens are traumatizing. I make corrections with purple ink.”

I’m hoping she was kidding; if kids aren’t spunky enough to get over having their work criticized with red ink, what chance will they have in the real world? It is probably best that I don’t have any kids; they’d be traumatized every 10 minutes.

Good grief, part of growing up is developing some thick skin to get through life’s ups and downs. Red ink from a high school teacher shouldn’t be much of an obstacle.

11) A Canadian women’s hockey player took off her silver medal as soon as it was placed around her neck this week; she wanted to win the gold medal, just like everyone else, but she couldn’t stand to have that reminder of her team’s losing around her neck.

That reminded me of something I read a long time ago; Hugh Durham was a basketball coach at both Florida State and Georgia; he made the Final Four at both stops, but his team finished 2nd in a Christmas tournament one year, and when someone handed him the 2nd-place trophy in the locker room, he fired it against the wall and smashed it to bits.

I was probably 10 years old when I read that; remember thinking, “Wow, that guy is serious.” I understand it better now, but it was eye-opening back then.

10) Kentucky Fried Chicken had to close 800 of its 900 stores in the UK/Ireland for a few days last week, and for a very good reason.

They ran out of chicken. Seriously, they did.

KFC changed its delivery company, and the new company fowled up (ha!!!) its delivery schedule big-time, leaving most of the stores without chicken, which is a problem.

9) Interesting article on SI.com about how Tom Crean spent the first few months after being fired by Indiana last spring. He has gone around and visited teams in all sports, and learned from them, on different/better ways to do things.

Crean visited the Patriots, the Chargers, with Tony LaRussa and with his ESPN broadcasting duties, a lot of college basketball teams. The theme of all this is that you should never stop learning, and can always get better at your job.

8) 76-year old Jerry Glanville, who coached the Atlanta Falcons from 1985-93, is the new defense coordinator of the CFL’s Hamilton TigerCats, who are coached by June Jones III. There is a chance that Johnny Manziel might be the TiCats’ QB this season, which would put them in the running to be North America’s most interesting pro football team.

7) Purdue is a really good basketball team, but they’re 0-8-1 vs spread in their last nine games, same way that Gonzaga is 2-10 vs spread in its last twelve games.

6) A’s/Mariners will open the 2019 season in Tokyo; my initial reaction to stuff like this is most always negative, but last time the A’s opened the season in Japan was 2012 and they went on to have a fantastic second half of the season and made the playoffs, so we’ll see.

5) Corey Dickerson hit .282 with 27 HR’s for Tampa Bay LY, so of course they traded him to the Pirates Thursday, for Daniel Hudson and a minor leaguer.

4) There is an agent named Jimmy Sexton who represents 11 of the 14 head football coaches in the SEC. Pretty influential guy.

3) Right now, the SEC basketball race has a 6-way tie for 3rd place at 8-7, with Kentucky one of those teams. I’m guessing the selection committee is going to have a headache sorting out all these teams with similar resumes.

2) Charles (Peanut) Tillman, an NFL cornerback for 13 years with Chicago/Carolina, is making good use of his post-NFL time. He is now an FBI agent, becoming one at age 37, the latest you can become an FBI agent. Good for him.

1– They broke ground in Las Vegas Friday on a new ballpark for the AAA Las Vegas 51’s, up in the northwest part of town, in Summerlin; Mets are leaving town after this season- they haven’t said who the new team will be.

It also snowed in Las Vegas Friday; not sure if there is a connection there or not.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Saturday, February 24


Orlando @ Philadelphia

Game 501-502
February 24, 2018 @ 5:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Orlando
115.626
Philadelphia
121.509
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 6
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
by 10
215 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Orlando
(+10); Over

Boston @ New York

Game 503-504
February 24, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
118.143
New York
116.009
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 2
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
by 4 1/2
207
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+4 1/2); Over

Memphis @ Miami

Game 505-506
February 24, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Memphis
112.362
Miami
124.298
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Miami
by 12
190
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Miami
by 7
195
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(-7); Under

Oklahoma City @ Golden State

Game 507-508
February 24, 2018 @ 8:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Oklahoma City
117.453
Golden State
129.801
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 12 1/2
127
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 9
234 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-9); Under

Dallas @ Utah

Game 509-510
February 24, 2018 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
112.357
Utah
123.872
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Utah
by 11 1/2
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Utah
by 7 1/2
206
Dunkel Pick:
Utah
(-7 1/2); Under

Portland @ Phoenix

Game 511-512
February 24, 2018 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
120.413
Phoenix
110.376
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 10
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 5 1/2
221
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(-5 1/2); Under

Chicago @ Minnesota

Game 513-514
February 24, 2018 @ 9:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
114.879
Minnesota
119.326
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 4 1/2
224
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 8 1/2
218 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(+8 1/2); Over

LA Lakers @ Sacramento

Game 515-516
February 24, 2018 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
114.723
Sacramento
115.664
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Sacramento
by 1
226
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Lakers
by 1 1/2
220
Dunkel Pick:
Sacramento
(+1 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Saturday, February 24

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ORLANDO (18 - 40) at PHILADELPHIA (31 - 25) - 2/24/2018, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 60-78 ATS (-25.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 9-21 ATS (-14.1 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 80-57 ATS (+17.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in home games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 9-1 ATS (+7.9 Units) in home games in February games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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BOSTON (41 - 19) at NEW YORK (24 - 36) - 2/24/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
BOSTON is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in road games this season.
BOSTON is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 8-21 ATS (-15.1 Units) in February games over the last 3 seasons.

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

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MEMPHIS (18 - 39) at MIAMI (30 - 29) - 2/24/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
MIAMI is 79-60 ATS (+13.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 146-109 ATS (+26.1 Units) in February games since 1996.
MIAMI is 27-14 ATS (+11.6 Units) in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) when playing on back-to-back days over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in home games in non-conference games this season.
MIAMI is 42-64 ATS (-28.4 Units) in home games after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.

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

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OKLAHOMA CITY (34 - 26) at GOLDEN STATE (45 - 14) - 2/24/2018, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 24-35 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 16-31 ATS (-18.1 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 58-33 ATS (+21.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 58-37 ATS (+17.3 Units) on Saturday games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 10-5 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 11-5 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
12 of 16 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DALLAS (18 - 41) at UTAH (30 - 29) - 2/24/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 402-329 ATS (+40.1 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 498-418 ATS (+38.2 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 37-20 ATS (+15.0 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

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

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PORTLAND (33 - 26) at PHOENIX (18 - 42) - 2/24/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 167-122 ATS (+32.8 Units) after allowing 115 points or more since 1996.
PORTLAND is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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CHICAGO (20 - 38) at MINNESOTA (36 - 26) - 2/24/2018, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 6-14 ATS (-9.4 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CHICAGO is 24-13 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 362-426 ATS (-106.6 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 24-38 ATS (-17.8 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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LA LAKERS (24 - 34) at SACRAMENTO (18 - 40) - 2/24/2018, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 134-96 ATS (+28.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive overs since 1996.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Saturday, February 24

Orlando won seven of last ten games with Philly; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five games played here. Eight of last ten series games went over. Magic lost their last four games; they covered their last seven tries as road underdogs. Four of their last six games stayed under. 76ers won their last six games; they’re 9-1 in last ten games as home favorites. Four of their last six home games stayed under.

Knicks lost seven of last nine games with Boston, seven of which stayed under total. Celtics covered three of last four visits to Manhattan. Boston lost three of its last four games; they’re 1-4 in last five tries as road favorites, 4-6 if they played night before. Over is 3-1-1 in their last five games. New York lost eight of its last nine games; they’re 0-4 in last four tries as home dogs. Three of their last four games went over.

Miami/Memphis split their last six meetings; Grizzlies are 3-1-1 vs spread in last five visits to Miami, four of which went over the total. Memphis lost its last eight games; they’re 11-10-1 as road underdogs. Four of their last six games stayed under. Heat lost eight of their last nine games; they’re 2-5 in last seven games as home favorites. Six of last seven Miami games went over the total.

Thunder is 2-0 vs Golden State this season, after losing previous seven series games; OKC is 2-4 vs spread in last six visits to Oakland. Seven of last eight series games stayed under. Thunder won three of last four games; they’re 5-2 as road underdogs. Last four OKC games went over the total. Golden State won four of last five games; they’re 13-15-2 vs spread at home. Four of their last five games went over.

Dallas lost four of last five games with the Jazz; they’re 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to Utah. Six of last seven series games went over. Mavericks lost five of their last six games; 9-3 in last 12 games as road underdogs. Four of their last five games went over. Utah won 11 of its last 12 games; they’re 2-10 vs spread in last 12 games as home favorites. Four of last six series games stayed under.

Portland won its last six games with Phoenix; they’re 3-3 vs spread in last six visits to the desert. Over is 5-2 in last seven series games. Trailblazers won four of their last five games; they’re 6-4 as road favorites. Three of their last four games went over. Suns lost their last eight games; they are 1-8 in last nine games as home underdogs. Five of their last eight games went over the total.

Butler got hurt last night (check status). Minnesota won four of last five games with Chicago; Bulls are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to the Twin Cities. Three of last four series games went over. Chicago lost eight of its last ten games; they’re 0-4 in last four tries as road underdogs. Under is 6-4 in their last ten games. Wolves lost four of their last six games; they’re 8-2 in last 10 games as home favorites. Six of their last seven games went over.

Lakers lost seven of last ten games with Sacramento; they’re 2-3 vs spread in last five visits here. Seven of last eight series games stayed under total. Lakers lost three of last four games; they’re 13-12 as road underdogs. LA’s last four games went over the total. Sacramento lost six of its last eight games; they’re 2-2 vs spread as home favorites. Four of their last five games went over the total.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Saturday, February 24

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trend Report
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ORLANDO @ PHILADELPHIA
Orlando is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Orlando's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

BOSTON @ NEW YORK
Boston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of New York's last 11 games

MEMPHIS @ MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Memphis's last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Miami's last 7 games
Miami is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

OKLAHOMA CITY @ GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Oklahoma City's last 10 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Oklahoma City's last 8 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Golden State's last 10 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Golden State's last 8 games when playing Oklahoma City

DALLAS @ UTAH
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 7 games when playing Utah
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing on the road against Utah
Utah is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Utah's last 7 games when playing Dallas

PORTLAND @ PHOENIX
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 6 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing at home against Portland

CHICAGO @ MINNESOTA
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Chicago is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Minnesota's last 7 games

LA LAKERS @ SACRAMENTO
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Lakers's last 8 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Sacramento's last 8 games when playing LA Lakers
Sacramento is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

[StarDust Bum]

Saturday's Tip Sheet
February 24, 2018

Game of the Night: Thunder at Warriors (-9, 233 ½) – 8:30 PM EST

Oklahoma City (34-26 SU, 25-35 ATS) is a perfect 2-for-2 this season against Golden State as the two Western Conference rivals meet up at Oracle Arena. Round 1 prior to Thanksgiving was all Thunder in a 108-91 blowout of the Warriors at Chesapeake Energy Arena as 5 ½-point underdogs. OKC one-upped itself in the next matchup in Oakland earlier this month by dominating Golden State, 125-105 as 10-point underdogs, led by the 1-2 punch of Paul George (38 points) and Russell Westbrook (34 points).

Golden State (45-14 SU, 26-32-1 ATS) bounced back from a loss at Portland prior to the All-Star break to knock off the Clippers on Thursday, 134-127. The Warriors failed to cash as 11-point home favorites, but the defending champions shot a scorching 62% from the floor, highlighted by a 44-point effort from Stephen Curry. The two-time Most Valuable Player drilled 8-of-11 three-pointers, while Kevin Durant chipped in 24 points to lead the Warriors to their 23rd home win in 30 tries this season.

The Thunder built an early 23-point lead at Sacramento on Thursday, but the Kings rallied all the way back to lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Westbrook broke a 107-107 tie by knocking down the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to lift OKC to a 110-107 triumph and its third win over Sacramento this season. Although the Thunder didn’t cover as an eight-point favorite, OKC improved to 6-3 in their past nine road contests.

Oklahoma City is currently on a four-game OVER streak, while topping the 110-point mark during each game in this stretch. Golden State has hit the OVER in four of the past five contests, while the two matchups with Oklahoma City have finished UNDER the total.

Cashing Celtics

A three-game losing streak going into the All-Star break spelled trouble for the Celtics (41-19 SU, 35-23-2 ATS). However, Boston got back on the winning track in Friday’s victory at Detroit as two-point favorites to improve to 7-3 in the past 10 road contests. The Celtics seek their third win over the Knicks this season after routing New York twice at home, but falling at Madison Square Garden in late December, 102-93

New York (24-36 SU, 29-31 ATS) ended a nine-game skid by outlasting Orlando on Thursday, 120-113 as 3 ½-point underdogs. The Knicks yielded 41 first quarter points, but limited the Magic to 44 points in the second half, as Trey Burke dropped 26 points off the bench for New York. This is a difficult two-game stretch for New York, who hosts Golden State on Monday prior to a four-game road swing beginning Friday in Los Angeles against the Clippers. Following a solid home start, the Knicks have dropped to 1-7 SU/ATS in the last eight games at MSG since beating Boston on December 21.

Right on Target

The last time the Timberwolves and Bulls hooked up at the United Center earlier this month, Chicago picked up a 114-113 upset as 7 ½-point underdogs in Jimmy Butler’s return to the Windy City. Butler posted 38 points against his former team, but Minnesota suffered its 10th road loss in 11 tries since the start of January. Minnesota lost again on the road last night at Houston, while Butler suffered a non-contact knee injury and is listed as doubtful for tonight's action. The Wolves (36-25 SU, 28-31-2 ATS) return to the Target Center where they have fared slightly better than the road by going 14-1 in the past 15 home contests.

The Bulls (20-38 SU, 31-26-1 ATS) squandered a five-point lead in the final 35 seconds of Thursday’s 116-115 home setback to the 76ers. Chicago managed a cover as 7 ½-point underdogs, but slipped to 2-10 in the last 12 games in spite of a career-high 38 points off the bench from Bobby Portis. The Bulls are winless in their last five games away from the United Center, which includes ATS losses in their past four road contests.

On the Road Again

The Lakers (24-34 SU, 31-27 ATS) closed out the first half of the season with three consecutive road losses at Dallas, New Orleans, and Minnesota, while allowing an average of 129.3 points per game. Los Angeles hits the highway for a four-game swing starting in Sacramento, coming off Friday’s 124-102 blowout victory over Dallas as seven Lakers finished in double-figures, led by Julius Randle’s 18 points.

The Kings (18-40 SU, 26-29-3 ATS) covered for the fourth straight time in Thursday’s buzzer-beating setback to the Thunder, but slipped to 1-7 in the past eight at Golden 1 Center. Sacramento owns a 1-10 ATS record in its last 11 attempts as a home underdog, but the Kings have won four of the previous five home matchups with Los Angeles dating back to the start of the 2015-16 campaign.

Stop the Music

The All-Star break definitely came at a bad time for Utah, who was riding an 11-game winning streak. The Jazz (30-29 SU, 31-28 ATS) lost to the Trail Blazers for the first time in three tries this season on Friday, 100-81 as 4 ½-point favorites. Not only did Utah’s hot streak ended, but the Jazz couldn’t do much offensively by shooting 42% from the floor and 6-of-25 from three-point range. Utah slipped to 0-3 ATS the last three games, but Quin Snyder’s team owns a solid 8-4 SU and 9-3 ATS record with no rest this season.

Utah welcomes Dallas, as the Mavericks (18-41 SU, 29-29-1 ATS) dropped to 7-22 on the road following Friday’s 22-point setback to the Lakers. The Mavs have lost eight of their last nine games away from American Airlines Center, but Rick Carlisle’s squad has compiled a 12-2-1 ATS record in their 15 tries as a single-digit road underdog. Dallas looks to avenge a 104-89 defeat at Utah in October, while losing in four of the past five visits to Salt Lake City.

[StarDust Bum]

Dinero Tracker - Feb. 24
February 24, 2018

Read the Dinero Tracker's mission statement here
Last night's ATS Records
NBA: 4-4 | NCAA BB: 10-4

It could've been a 13-1 night in college had a few timely shots fallen, but it was nonethless filled with prosperity. Meanwhile, a .500 night in the NBA carried grave consequences, from Jimmy Butler leaving with a non-contact knee injury to the annoying instance of getting in on a game too early. Take it as a lesson to always shop lines. Both guaranteed plays came in. Here is Friday's recap, complete with some of the highlights (and lowlights):

SATURDAY'S FREE SELECTION

The pick: Oregon -2
With Allonzo Trier sidelined, DeAndre Ayton's recruitment under scrutiny and Sean Miller potentially having already coached his last game given the taped conversations the feds have reportedly uncovered to doom him, Arizona is in shambles. Dana Altman's Ducks are in the midst of a successful l run as they try to land on the right side of the bubble and and won't have any sympathy for the plight of the Pac-12's leader. Ride Oregon.

FRIDAY'S FREE SELECTION

The pick: Celtics/Pistons UNDER 205
Brad Stevens has gotten the better of Stan Van Gundy in five of their last seven games. It's helped to have the better team, but since their first two meetings went OT and both coaches want their teams to lock down defensively after getting sloppy before the break, there's definitely a competitive vibe in play here over your typical first outing after All-Star. Marcus Smart returns to help the Celtics try and shore things up, so I expect this game to see defense tighten up and tempo to slow down. Ride the under.

Result: Most of you read this well after I posted, so in that case, you were fortunate and either pushed or won at under 208.5 when Greg Monroe missed a pair of free throws and Detroit's Dwight Buycks got denied in the final 24 seconds of Boston's 110-98 win. I didn't see the big bump coming, but still liked my chances up 105-90 with two minutes to go. I did not enjoy the finish.

FRIDAY'S LOCK

The pick: Clippers/Suns OVER 229
After cashing with a big play on the Clippers' lack of defense last night, the expectation here is that this matchup against the Suns will yield a similar track meet. Devin Booker and Elfrid Payton are going to push at all costs, while the Clips are mindful that the only way that they're reaching the playoffs this season is to collect gimmes against teams like the Suns. Ride the over, guaranteed.

Result: L.A. raced out to a 19-0 lead, but once Phoenix started scoring, this game got on the right track. The Clippers did the heavy lifting in the first half by building a 79-50 lead, while a 72-point fourth quarter aided by a little Hack-a-DeAndre Jordan brought this in easily. The Clips won 128-117.

FRIDAY'S OTHER LOCK

The pick: Western Michigan/Ball State OVER 146
The Cardinals scored just 58 points in Kalamazoo when these teams squared off on Jan. 13, one of the three lowest outputs of the season, but they're a completely different team at home. Over the past four games, they've averaged 88 points, so don't expect the tempo to slow down in this rematch in Muncie, which should suit Thomas Wilder and the Broncos just fine. Ride the over, guaranteed.

Result: The Broncos caught the Cardinals from behind, pulling off an 87-80 upset. After a slow start, both teams got going as the respective stars for both teams, Thomas Wilder ande Tahjai Teague, each had big nights.

TOTAL RECALL

The pick: Brown/Columbia OVER 156.5
These teams played a 91-88 game in Rhode Island two weeks ago, and this game may get close to that number even if there's no OT. Columbia dominated Princeton last week and has scored 77 or more in seven of the last eight, while Brown is more than willing to run since they lack much size. Ride the over.

Result: The Lions and Bears gave us an early scare, but combined for 102 second-half points to easily clear this hurdle. Columbia won 89-82.

UPSET CITY

The pick: Hornets +3.5
The Hornets rocked the Nets last night and have come out of the break with a mission to try and work their way back into the East playoff picture. They'll run into a Wizards team that is playing only their second back-to-back since losing John Wall, which is bad news since they lack depth and have guys that aren't exactly built for the grind at the moment. Take the points and ride Charlotte.

Result: Charlotte took control early and never let go. Make a mental note of Washington back-to-backs going forward, because the Hornets rolled, hitting 17 3-pointers in a 122-105 win.

CARDIAC ATTACK

The pick: Indiana +2.5, IU/Ohio State UNDER 139
Ohio State has already secured a top-three seed in the Big Ten Tournament, while the Hoosiers will be playing on March 1 and can improve their chances of playing against a team that will have played the night before if they can win on Senior Night here. Archie Miller's first squad has been dramatically better in Bloomington than they've been away from home, so expect a competitive affair against a Buckeyes team that has dropped their last two road game. Take the points with Indiana and ride the under for the in-game parlay.

Result: The Buckeyes and Hoosiers flirted with delivering the under by each going cold down the stretch, but blew it up due to a failure to execute in the final minute. The teams even flirted with delivering the under in spite of playing a whole OT session, but went into a second one tied at 70. This would've been a total loss had I not waited until late and grabbed Indiana +2.5, allowing me to survive C.J. Jackson's game-winner in Ohio State's 80-78 win.

SWING AND A MISS

The pick: Timberwolves +9, Rockets/Wolves OVER 224.5
Tonight's nationally televised opening half of ESPN's doubleheader could very well be a playoff preview, but I don't anticipate we'll see a premium placed on defense coming out of the break. The expectation here is that the TImberwolves will be able to execute well and hang around all night via a rested Jimmy Butler, who controversially sat out All-Star Weekend despite remaining on the West roster. Ride Minnesota and the over for the in-game parlay.

Result: We'll find out what happens with Butler's knee soon, but it didn't look good. Hopefully, it's not season-ending. It was definitely wager-ending since the Rockets took control in his absence. We almost gained a split on the total, but Shabazz Muhammad fumbled away the Wolves final possession in a 120-102 loss.

PROOF OF CLAIRVOYANCE

The pick: Rhode Island -10.5
The Rams are definitely up for this nationally televised clash against a rival that was expected to provide the stiffest challenge to their A-10 dominance, so I'd expect them to be up for this one. Although the Flyers have dropped consecutive games, this is by far their toughest road trip of the conference season and I just don't trust them to hang within single-digits. Lay the points and ride Rhode Island. ?

Result: This started off rough since the Flyers came out intent on showing a little backbone, but that didn't translate to the second half. The Rams took control immediately after the break and coasted to an 81-56 win. Rhody -6.5 in the second half was an easy winner.

[StarDust Bum]

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

ORL at PHI 05:00 PM
ORL +9.5
O 216.5