Announcement

**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 10:09 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

College football trends for Week 8:

— Washington State is 15-5 in last 20 games as a road underdog.

— Home side covered 7 of last 10 Wisconsin-Northwestern games.

— Pitt is 8-15-1 vs spread in its last 24 home games.

— Kansas covered once in its last six games as a home underdog.

— New Mexico covered only two of last nine conference games.

— North Carolina covered six of its last eight games vs Virginia.

**********

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Random facts on a fall Friday

13) Thru seven weeks, NFL teams are 35-59 (59.3%) on 2-point conversions.

12) Kerryon Johnson ran for 158 yards Sunday for the Lions, the best day for a Detroit RB in seven years; Lions drafted Johnson with a pick they got from New England on draft day- the pick was originally the 49ers’ pick, but San Francisco traded that pick to New England in the Jimmy Garoppolo deal.

Funny how the Patriots trading Garoppolo wound up benefitting Detroit.

11) Ravens have allowed only one TD on the opening drive of a half this year, and that came on a 6-yard drive by Denver after a blocked punt. In their last four games, Baltimore has forced three turnovers on their opponents’ first drive of the game.

10) Last year, the Eagles converted 51.4% of 3rd down plays in the red zone, which was the 3rd best %age in the NFL. This year they are at 21.1%, ranking second-last in the NFL.

9) Dallas traded for WR Omari Cooper because their offense needs a jolt; in their seven games this season, Cowboys have gone 3/out on their first drive five times. Maybe Cooper can make their offense more explosive, allow them to get off to better starts.

8) In Buffalo Bills’ last four games: they were outscored 56-7 in first half. Bills had the ball 42 times in those games; they scored two TD’s, turned ball over 12 times.

7) Atlanta Falcons converted 32 of their last 55 third down plays.

6) 54 teams have led a World Series 2-0; 43 of them went on to win that World Series.

5) Best ppp in red zone this season:
Seattle 5.73 (15 drives), Baltimore 5.65 (26 drives), Kansas City 5.61 (33 drives)

4) Best ppp on drives that started 75+ yards from end zone:
Kansas City 3.05, New Orleans 2.86, Atlanta 2.72

3) Thru first nine days of the NBA season, home favorites were 24-20 vs spread, home underdogs 14-5.

Teams playing 2nd consecutive night are 9-5 vs spread; 3-3 when favored, 6-2 as dogs. 10 of those 14 games went over the total.

2) Cleveland Browns have played four OT games already this season; only one of their seven games was decided by more than four points. How many games does Hue Jackson have to win to keep his job?

NFL teams with a +2 or better turnover margin are 36-3-1 this season; Cleveland is 1-1-1, and everyone else is 35-2.

1) Since 2012, Denver Broncos have drafted five quarterbacks; none of those five guys is still on the Broncos.

**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 10:15 AM

NBA
Dunkel

Friday, October 26

Chicago @ Charlotte

Game 501-502
October 26, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
103.925
Charlotte
123.159
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Charlotte
by 19
221
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Charlotte
by 9
227
Dunkel Pick:
Charlotte
(-9); Under

Dallas @ Toronto

Game 503-504
October 26, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
108.239
Toronto
122.641
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 14 1/2
222
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 10 1/2
229
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-10 1/2); Under

Golden State @ New York

Game 505-506
October 26, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
127.108
New York
118.940
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 8
215
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 12
229
Dunkel Pick:
New York
(+12); Under

Brooklyn @ New Orleans

Game 507-508
October 26, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brooklyn
117.408
New Orleans
123.820
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New Orleans
by 6 1/2
234
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New Orleans
by 9 1/2
237
Dunkel Pick:
Brooklyn
(+9 1/2); Under

LA Clippers @ Houston

Game 509-510
October 26, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Clippers
112.500
Houston
122.976
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 10 1/2
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 3
218 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-3); Under

Milwaukee @ Minnesota

Game 511-512
October 26, 2018 @ 8:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
121.889
Minnesota
116.855
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 5
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 1 1/2
234
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-1 1/2); Under

Washington @ Sacramento

Game 513-514
October 26, 2018 @ 10:05 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Washington
120.741
Sacramento
111.513
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 9
216
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 4 1/2
237 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-4 1/2); Under

**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 10:17 AM

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, October 26

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CHICAGO (1 - 3) at CHARLOTTE (2 - 3) - 10/26/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 16-3 ATS (+12.7 Units) against Southeast division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 71-91 ATS (-29.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 6-2 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 6-2 straight up against CHARLOTTE 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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DALLAS (2 - 2) at TORONTO (5 - 0) - 10/26/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 43-27 ATS (+13.3 Units) in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 412-337 ATS (+41.3 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 503-426 ATS (+34.4 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 186-141 ATS (+30.9 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1996.
DALLAS is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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GOLDEN STATE (4 - 1) at NEW YORK (1 - 4) - 10/26/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in home games in the first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 111-81 ATS (+21.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.

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

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BROOKLYN (2 - 2) at NEW ORLEANS (3 - 0) - 10/26/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 55-38 ATS (+13.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 31-18 ATS (+11.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 220 over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) after allowing 90 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 16-5 ATS (+10.5 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

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

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LA CLIPPERS (2 - 2) at HOUSTON (1 - 3) - 10/26/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 109-144 ATS (-49.4 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.

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

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MILWAUKEE (4 - 0) at MINNESOTA (2 - 3) - 10/26/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 24-42 ATS (-22.2 Units) in road games against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 268-323 ATS (-87.3 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 135-173 ATS (-55.3 Units) after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 54-100 ATS (-56.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 48-28 ATS (+17.2 Units) in road games after scoring 115 points or more since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 44-24 ATS (+17.6 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.

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

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WASHINGTON (1 - 3) at SACRAMENTO (2 - 3) - 10/26/2018, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 19-35 ATS (-19.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 153-202 ATS (-69.2 Units) on Friday nights since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 23-44 ATS (-25.4 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.
SACRAMENTO is 54-78 ATS (-31.8 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
SACRAMENTO is 60-87 ATS (-35.7 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.

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

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**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 10:18 AM

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, October 26

Home side won seven of last nine Bull-Hornet games; Charlotte lost by a hoop in Chicago two nites ago. Bulls lost three of first four games (over 2-2); they’re 0-2 as road underdogs, losing by 19-6 points on road. Charlotte lost its two home games by total of three points; over is 3-2 in their games. Bulls are 2-3 vs spread in their last five visits here. Over is 6-1 in last seven series games.

Dallas split its first four games, losing road games (favored in both) by 21-7 points (over 2-2); they scored 115+ in their wins, 100-104 in losses. Toronto is off to a 5-0 start (over 3-1-1); they’re 3-1 as home favorites. Raptors won five of last six games with Dallas; under is 5-2 in last seven games. Mavericks covered three of last four visits to Canada.

Warriors are off to a 4-1 start, splitting two road games that were decided by total of 3 points (0-2 as AF). Under is 3-2 in their games. New York lost its last four games but covered three of them; under is 3-1 in their last four games. Golden State won its last eight games with the Knicks, but NY covered three of last four. Under is 6-3 in last nine series games. Warriors are 3-2 vs spread in their last five visits to Manhattan.

New Orleans won/covered its first three games, scoring scoring 132 ppg (over 3-0); winning their home games by 20-7 points. Brooklyn split its first four games (under 3-1); they’re 2-1 as road underdogs, losing road games by 3-20, with win in Cleveland. Pelicans won eight of last nine games with Brooklyn (7-2 vs spread, over 7-2). Nets are 2-3 vs spread in their last five visits to Bourbon Street.

Rockets star Harden (hamstring is probably out; Chris Paul returns). Clippers split their first four games (under 3-1), losing by 7 in New Orleans in their only road game. Houston lost three of its first four games (over 3-1), losing both home games, by 19-11 points. Clippers won four of last six games with Houston (5-1 vs spread); they covered three of last four visits here. Under is 5-2 in last seven series games.

Milwaukee is off to a 4-0 start (over 4-0), winning only road game by point in Charlotte. Minnesota is off to a 2-3 start (over 4-1); they won both their home games. Home side won last five Milwaukee-Minnesota games; Bucks lost by 17-19 points in their last two visits to Minnesota. Under is 7-2 in last nine series games.

Washington lost three of its first four games (over 4-0); they split two road games, with totals of 249-266. Sacramento is off to a 2-3 start (over 4-1), splitting pair of home games (2-0 as HU). Wizards won their last four games with Sacramento; they’re 1-3-1 vs spread in their last five visits here. Under is 5-2 in last seven series games.

**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 10:23 AM

NBA

Friday, October 26

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

Chicago Bulls
Chicago is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
Chicago is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
Chicago is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Chicago is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Chicago is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Charlotte
Chicago is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing Charlotte
Chicago is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Chicago is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Charlotte is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Charlotte's last 9 games
Charlotte is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
Charlotte is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Charlotte's last 7 games when playing Chicago
Charlotte is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago
Charlotte is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Charlotte's last 8 games when playing at home against Chicago

Dallas Mavericks
Dallas is 4-14 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Dallas's last 9 games
Dallas is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Dallas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Dallas's last 9 games when playing Toronto
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Dallas's last 12 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Toronto is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games at home
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Dallas
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Toronto's last 12 games when playing at home against Dallas

Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Golden State's last 19 games
Golden State is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 6 games on the road
Golden State is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games when playing New York
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games when playing New York
Golden State is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against New York
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 9 games when playing on the road against New York
New York Knicks
New York is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games
New York is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games
New York is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games at home
New York is 5-18 SU in its last 23 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of New York's last 5 games at home
New York is 6-12 ATS in its last 18 games when playing Golden State
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing Golden State
New York is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing at home against Golden State
New York is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York's last 9 games when playing at home against Golden State

Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games
Milwaukee is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 5 games
Milwaukee is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Milwaukee is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Milwaukee's last 10 games on the road
Milwaukee is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Minnesota
Milwaukee is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 9 games when playing Minnesota
Milwaukee is 4-14 SU in its last 18 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Milwaukee's last 8 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Minnesota is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Minnesota's last 8 games
Minnesota is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Minnesota is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games at home
Minnesota is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Milwaukee
Minnesota is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing Milwaukee
Minnesota is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Minnesota's last 8 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

Los Angeles Clippers
LA Clippers is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
LA Clippers is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 6 games
LA Clippers is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
LA Clippers is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 6 games on the road
LA Clippers is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Houston
LA Clippers is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 7 games when playing Houston
LA Clippers is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of LA Clippers's last 9 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston Rockets
Houston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games
Houston is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Houston is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Houston's last 22 games at home
Houston is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing LA Clippers
Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games when playing LA Clippers
Houston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 9 games when playing at home against LA Clippers

Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 games on the road
Brooklyn is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Brooklyn is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans
Brooklyn is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games when playing New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Brooklyn's last 15 games when playing New Orleans
Brooklyn is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Brooklyn's last 5 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans is 15-2 ATS in its last 17 games
New Orleans is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 6 games
New Orleans is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home
New Orleans is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
New Orleans is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Brooklyn
New Orleans is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 12 of New Orleans's last 15 games when playing Brooklyn
New Orleans is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

Washington Wizards
Washington is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
Washington is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games
Washington is 2-11 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Washington is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
Washington is 4-1-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Sacramento
Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing Sacramento
Washington is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Washington is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Washington's last 11 games when playing on the road against Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
Sacramento is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Sacramento's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Sacramento's last 16 games
Sacramento is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Sacramento is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Sacramento's last 14 games at home
Sacramento is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Sacramento is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Sacramento's last 7 games when playing Washington
Sacramento is 4-7-1 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Washington
Sacramento is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Sacramento's last 11 games when playing at home against Washington

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**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 10:28 AM

Friday's Essentials
Tony Mejia

Game of the Night - L.A. Clippers at Houston (-3/218.5), Prime Ticket, 8:05 ET

The Rockets will get Chris Paul back in the lineup after losing both games without him in the mix after being suspended for his part in Saturday night’s fight with Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo. His return coincides with the first of at least two games without backcourt mate James Harden, who will miss this game with a hamstring strain that is expected to sideline him into next week.

Mike D’Antoni will now look to help his team avoid a third straight home loss against a Clippers team they’ve already lost to, having dropped Sunday’s game at Staples 115-112. Paul sat the game out after being suspended that afternoon, so Harden took over at the point and finished with 31 points and 14 assists, scoring nine straight down the stretch to key the Rockets’ ultimately futile comeback effort.

Eric Gordon started next to Harden and will presumably get the call next to Paul tonight, but the dilemma facing D’Antoni is whether to start Carmelo Anthony, disrupting the much-debated original plan to bring him in off the bench. James Ennis III is also dealing with a hamstring injury that has him out of the starting five, so there’s a vacancy up front next to P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela that must be filled by Anthony, Michael Carter-Williams or Gerald Green.

No matter what D’Antoni decides, what’s at stake is potentially falling to 1-4 on the young season. It’s obviously very early, but considering how little room for error there is in the Western Conference, piling up losses at any point in the season carries major risk. The Rockets owned the NBA’s top home record last season (34-7) and never lost three games at the Toyota Center in the same month. That hasn’t happened since Feb. 2017. Houston hasn’t dropped three straight home games since Nov. 2015.

The Clippers are looking to bounce back from Tuesday night’s loss in New Orleans on the first leg of this two-game trip that is part of a tough stretch where they play five of six away from Staples, almost exclusively against playoff teams. It’s a tough early test for a roster that lacks star power but is loaded with depth and guards who cite defense as their calling card. Paul will have to deal with the player he replaced, Patrick Beverley, in addition to Avery Bradley and 6-foot-7 long-limbed rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose work on Harden made a huge impact in Sunday’s win.

L.A. ended up favored in that game due to Paul’s absence and has actually won four of six in this series, which has turned personal given the former Clippers’ point guard noisy exit where he essentially forced himself out. Doc Rivers won’t need to twist Beverley’s arm too hard to get the team’s bulldog to set a physical tone against his former team. He missed out on every meeting last year after knee microfracture surgery, so this will be his first contest in Houston, where he played from ’13-’17. He’s always revved up, so it will be fascinating to see if his energy level can rise up further as he takes the floor against Paul, who you can count on trying to use his aggressiveness against him. Beverley will have to be wary of the new freedom of movement initiative to ensure he doesn’t land in early foul trouble.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute has been playing a significant role for Rivers as the first forward off the bench behind Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari, L.A.’s top two scorers. He’ll likely get plenty of work against the small forward who is replacing him in D’Antoni’s rotation. Although Carter-Williams started in Wednesday’s loss to Utah, Anthony played a season-high 39 minutes and was more impressive than he’s looked since the early in his OKC stint, scoring 22 points. Even if D’Antoni’s decision is to bring him off the bench again, count on Melo playing starters’ minutes with some heavy usage in tandem with Paul.

L.A. has scored an average of 120.3 points in its four most recent wins against the Rockets and was held to a clip of just 94.0 in last season’s two losses, shooting 11-for-41 from 3-point range in those games. This will be the lone meeting in Houston this season as these teams don’t get together again until meeting inside Staples Center on April 3.

The card

Chicago at Charlotte (-10/226), 7:05 p.m. ET: The Bulls knew they would be young this season but still harbored hopes that Zach LaVine’s return to the lineup and the drafting of Wendell Carter would generate quality depth, especially once Lauri Markkanen got healthy. In the Eastern Conference, that might be enough to land in the top eight, but Chicago’s hopes are being sabotaged by misfortune before this group ever really got started.

Point guard Kris Dunn was away from the team for the birth of his son, then returned and sprained an MCL. As if that was contagious, forward Bobby Portis suffered the same injury and will similarly miss 4-to-6 weeks. On the bright side, Carter and newcomer Jabari Parker will get more touches and probably get more comfortable, but Fred Hoiberg will now be fighting an uphill battle in terms of quality depth. Cameron Payne will continue to start at the point, but newly signed Shaquille Harrison should get a look sooner than later.

Charlotte threw away an opportunity to at least go to OT in Wednesday’s 112-110 loss at United Center when LaVine managed to knock the inbounds pass off intended recipient Kemba Walker. The short turnaround ensures the Hornets will want revenge for a tough loss, but LaVine scored 32 points and got wherever he wanted, so new Charlotte head coach James Borrego will have to come up with a better plan to stop him. Borrego’s desire to play fast has resulted in his team averaging 112.2 points per game over the first five. Chicago is averaging 111.3 but surrendering 117.5.

Dallas at Toronto (-11.5/225.5), 7:35 p.m. ET: The Mavericks learned a painful lesson on Wednesday night, blowing a 26-point lead on national television in playing victim in Atlanta’s home opener. Wes Matthews threw up some awful shots down the stretch and rookie Luka Doncic also got a look at what can happen if he’s not more assertive since Dallas is already his team since he’s its best player. Harrison Barnes will make his regular-season debut after overcoming a hamstring injury and gives Rick Carlisle another option to play through. Dennis Smith, Jr. has taken well to Doncic’s arrival taking some of the ball-handling responsibilities off his workload, but he too made some careless decisions in the collapse against the Hawks. J.J. Barea has a hamstring issue to be concerned about that may keep him sidelined here.

Dallas gets its only look at old nemesis Kawhi Leonard in his new habitat, making its lone stop in Toronto. Leonard has played so well in helping the Raptors match a franchise-best start that no one can question whether he’s 100 percent. The former Finals MVP scored 35 points on 15-for-23 shooting in Wednesday’s win over the Timberwolves and is averaging 28.0 points per game. Kyle Lowry has been sharp next to his new tag-team partner, while the bench mob looks as fierce as ever. Fred VanVleet (toe) will play and run the second unit, but Delon Wright (groin) is back to being out of the mix after a brief return.

Golden State (-12/226.5) at New York, 7:35 p.m. ET, NBATV: Stephen Curry scored 51 points in three quarters on Wednesday against Washington and loves putting on a show at Madison Square Garden, where he once scored 54 points and knocked down 11 3-pointers like he did the other night. That big game came in 2013 in his only loss as a pro in the building and he hasn’t shot better than 50 percent since, so we’ll see how he fares in this one. Kevin Durant is another one to watch since there’s a billboard out there begging him to come to New York via free agency next season. Expect fans to continue recruiting efforts tonight, which the current Knicks may not appreciate.

Since crushing the Hawks in the season opener, New York has dropped four straight and lost promising rookie Kevin Knox for weeks due to an ankle sprain, so there’s not a lot to get excited about outside of this Warriors’ visit. Tim Hardaway, Jr. has started fast and hungry young kids like Dameyan Dotson and Allonzo Trier are looking to run with the opportunity David Fizdale is giving them due to injuries to Knox, Courtney Lee (neck) and Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle). Mudiay and Lance Thomas (knee) are listed as questionable.

Brooklyn at New Orleans (-9.5/235), 8:05 p.m. ET: The Pelicans bring their robust scoring average of 132 points per game into tonight’s date with the Nets, but must be wary of not looking ahead to Saturday night’s game against Utah. It might be tempting for Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and a few others to try and pace themselves to ensure they’ve got enough in the tank for the season’s first back-to-back, especially since it’s one of two New Orleans will have this week as they play at Golden State and Portland next Wednesday and Thursday.

Brooklyn is talented enough to take advantage if overlooked, having gotten Rondae Hollis-Jefferson back in the mix to place another solid defender into the rotation. Guards D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert have all had some nice moments to help fuel a 2-2 start. The last three meetings between the Nets and Pelicans have produced an average of 254.7 points, including a 138-128 double-overtime result in Brooklyn in the most recent meeting in February. Anthony Davis scored 44 points but should get more resistance here since Nets center Jarrett Allen has made great strides and veteran Ed Davis came on board.

Milwaukee (-1.5/233.5) at Minnesota, 8:05 p.m. ET: Andrew Wiggins is a game-time decision with a quad injury that forced him out of only the second game up in Toronto, ruining the Canadian’s annual homecoming game. The Timberwolves managed to cover despite another no-show from the slumping Karl-Anthony Towns, but it’s no surprise to see the Bucks favored at Target Center given the form both teams have displayed to date. It’s obvious that Towns has been greatly affected by his drama with Jimmy Butler, whose status for this one is another variable worth watching. The Rockets are said to be ramping up its pursuit of the standout wing, a Houston native. It seems inevitable that he’s moved, but that hasn’t stopped him from playing a prominent role through his first four games, averaging 24.8 points per game. His duties here will be to try and help against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, the highest-scoring combination in the Eastern Conference (52.8 ppg).

Only Golden State’s Curry and Durant (62.0 ppg) and New Orleans’ Davis and Nikola Mirotic (58.3) average more points per game than the Bucks’ wings, who have led the team to a perfect start through four games. After a 113-112 win in the opener in Charlotte where Milwaukee nearly blew a huge lead, three double-digit victories have followed against the Pacers, Knicks and 76ers. All those games were at home in the new downtown arena, where the Bucks will return tomorrow to host the Magic before an excellent early matchup against the Raptors on Monday. Mike Budenholzer’s team has taken to his offense and desired up-tempo style beautifully but must prove that they can do it consistently on the road. The Bucks have lost their last two games in Minneapolis, last winning in 2016.

Washington (-5/235.5) at Sacramento, 10:05 p.m. ET, NBATV: The Kings are looking for their first winning streak of the season after rallying to take down Memphis for their first home win on Wednesday. After surrendering 129.5 points over their first four games, Sacramento clamped down and took to Memphis’ slower pace well. De’Aaron Fox’s on-ball defense is a weapon, but we’ll see if he can disrupt the stronger, more physical John Wall here. Bradley Beal left the loss to Golden State due to a chest injury that affected his breathing, but he’s expected to play in this one after scoring 23 points in just 19 minutes trying to keep up with Curry’s shooting show.

This is a huge game for the Wizards, who opened this five-game road trip with an upset in Portland before losing in Oakland and can secure a second victory before stops in L.A. (Clippers) and Memphis to help take some of the pressure off. Washington continues to work short-handed with Dwight Howard sidelined by a back injury and now may not have backup center Ian Mahinmi, whose back is also acting up. Scott Brooks may have no choice but to play small against a Kings team that employs a lot of length. The Wizards have really struggled giving up second-chance opportunities thus far but have won four straight in the series, winning the 2016-17 meetings in OT before sweeping last season’s contests by a combined margin of 45 points.

**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 02:08 PM

Hoop Trends - Friday
Vince Akins

ATS Play ON Trend of the Day:

-- The Wizards are 13-0 ATS with less than two days rest off a road loss in in which they allowed 50-plus points in the paint. and it is before the All-Star break.

ATS Play AGAINST Trend of the Day:

-- The Bucks are 0-12 ATS on the road off a double-digit win as a favorite when they are facing a team that is averaging more than 24 assists per game.

OU Play OVER Trend of the Day:

-- The Knicks are 10-0 OU with less than two days rest when they are off a loss and they lost at least four straight vs current opponent and it is before the All-Star break.

OU Play UNDER Trend of the Day:

-- The Rockets are 0-11 OU with rest after a game in which there were 8-plus lead changes.

**Udog** · 10-26-2018, 04:00 PM

By: Monique Vág

Short-handed Bulls

The Chicago Bulls find themselves as 10-point road underdogs as they travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets. Injuries continue to pile up as they will be without key offensive players in Bobby Portis, Kris Dunn, Denzel Valentine, and Lauri Markkanen for at least four to six more weeks.

The Bulls have gotten out to quick starts, ranking in the Top 5 in average first-quarter points scored a game at 30, due to the fantastic shooting from guard Zach LaVine. He should have another high-scoring effort logging extended minutes versus a Charlotte team surrendering an average of 24.2 points per game to opposing shooting guards and allowing over 3.4 made 3-point shots from that position. Look at LaVine Over point total tonight.

Toronto’s first-half dominance

The Dallas Mavericks might be in for a long day as they travel to Toronto to take on the 5-0 Raptors, who have been dominant to open the schedule, scoring an average of 117 points and surrendering an average of only 105.8 points against.

The Mavs have struggled to score away from home and possess huge home and road splits. They’ve put up an average of 127.5 points in their two home games but have only managed 102 points as visitors.

Toronto has been particularly strong in the first half, allowing only 49.8 points scored in the opening two quarters. In a game that projects to be a blowout in the Raptors favor (Toronto -11) and might see some bench action early, Toronto and their starters to take away open looks from this young Mavs team on the road. Check out the Under for the Mavericks first-half total or size up the Raptors to cover the first-half spread.

The return of vintage Melo

Although the Rockets will be happy to get Chris Paul back from suspension versus the Clippers, unfortunately, they will be without James Harden, who will miss at least two games with a hamstring injury.

In their loss to Utah Wednesday night, the Rockets shot 40 percent from the field and 11 of 40 from beyond the 3-point arc. Eric Gordon had a particularly poor shooting night, going 5 of 21 from the field and only 1 of 12 from distance through 40 minutes of floor time.

Although Gordon struggled, it was Carmelo Anthony off the bench who logged his best game of the season in Utah. He was an efficient 9 of 17 from the field contributing seven rebounds and two assists. Although coach Mike D’Antoni is on the fence about potentially starting him tonight, he should see enough playing time to potentially be a factor in tonight’s matchup.

The surprise of the East

The Bucks hope to improve on a 4-0 start as they travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves. The Bucks are second in the league averaging 45.8 points from beyond the 3-point line. They have been incredibly efficient, shooting 37.4 percent from 3-point land and attempt over 40 shots from distance a game.

The Timberwolves are giving up an average of 116.2 points and have allowed opponents to shoot 38.8 percent from beyond the arc and 46.6 percent from the floor.

Offensively, the Bucks are off to a fantastic start and the Timberwolves may have a hard time keeping up the scoring especially if Andrew Wiggins, who is listed as questionable with a quad injury, is unable to suit up. Milwaukee should be able to do just enough to extend their record to 5-0, currently getting one point on the road.

Wizards hit the Wall

The Kings are allowing opponents to score an average of 122 points per game while only putting up 117.2. They meet a 1-3 Wizards team, which has struggled on the road but finally finds itself in a game it should win despite being 2-13 over its last 15 road games.

John Wall has been relatively quiet to start the season, but this is an exceptionally favorable matchup versus a Kings team surrendering an average of 26 points per game, 7.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game to opposing point guards.

With shooting guard Bradley Beal not at 100 percent due to the bruised sternum injury he suffered in a loss to the Warriors last time out, take Over 35.5 for Wall’s total points, rebounds and assists.

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Friday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 10/26

Friday's NBA Trends and Indexes - 10/26

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