The Bum's NBA Regular and Playoff Season's Best Bets !!

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, April 14

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CHICAGO (43 - 36) at MIAMI (63 - 16) - 4/14/2013, 1:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-6 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 8-7 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CLEVELAND (24 - 55) at PHILADELPHIA (32 - 47) - 4/14/2013, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 37-25 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 73-105 ATS (-42.5 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 6-4 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 7-3 straight up against CLEVELAND 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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INDIANA (49 - 30) at NEW YORK (52 - 27) - 4/14/2013, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 45-33 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
NEW YORK is 44-29 ATS (+12.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 22-13 ATS (+7.7 Units) second half of the season this season.
NEW YORK is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
INDIANA is 71-47 ATS (+19.3 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW YORK is 5-5 against the spread versus INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
NEW YORK is 5-5 straight up against INDIANA 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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BROOKLYN (47 - 32) at TORONTO (31 - 48) - 4/14/2013, 3:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) on Sunday games over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 99-71 ATS (+20.9 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1996.
BROOKLYN is 66-43 ATS (+18.7 Units) in road games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.
TORONTO is 142-181 ATS (-57.1 Units) in home games second half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-4 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 7-4 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (33 - 46) at DENVER (54 - 25) - 4/14/2013, 5:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 33-42 ATS (-13.2 Units) in all games this season.
PORTLAND is 17-26 ATS (-11.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PORTLAND is 5-14 ATS (-10.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
PORTLAND is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
PORTLAND is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
PORTLAND is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 48-31 ATS (+13.9 Units) in all games this season.
DENVER is 33-22 ATS (+8.8 Units) as a favorite this season.
DENVER is 27-12 ATS (+13.8 Units) in home games this season.
DENVER is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) second half of the season this season.
DENVER is 27-17 ATS (+8.3 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.
DENVER is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 6-4 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 5-5 straight up against PORTLAND 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 (39 - 40) at NEW ORLEANS (27 - 53) - 4/14/2013, 6:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) in home games in April games over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 45-33 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games this season.
DALLAS is 106-76 ATS (+22.4 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1996.
DALLAS is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 134-181 ATS (-65.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

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

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SACRAMENTO (28 - 51) at HOUSTON (44 - 35) - 4/14/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) against Southwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 83-113 ATS (-41.3 Units) in home games against Pacific division opponents since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 7-2 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 7-2 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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SAN ANTONIO (58 - 21) at LA LAKERS (43 - 37) - 4/14/2013, 9:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 6-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 6-3 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]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Sunday, April 14

Hot Teams
-- Miami won its last five games (4-1 vs spread).
-- New York won 14 of its last 15 games (14-2 vs spread in last 16).
-- Nets won last four games, all by 8+ points; they're 9-4 vs spread in last thirteen road games. Toronto won/covered four of last five.
-- Denver won 20 of last 23 games, covered five of last seven.
-- Dallas won 13 of last 19 games, covered four of last five.
-- Lakers won seven of last eight games; this is their first game without Kobe Bryant, who tore his achilles tendon Friday.

Cold Teams
-- Bulls lost three of their last four games (8-1 vs spread last nine as an underdog).
-- Cavaliers lost 13 of last 15 games, covered four of last five on road. 76ers lost four of last six games (1-4-1 vs spread last six F).
-- Pacers lost three of last four games, are 0-6 vs spread in last six.
-- Trailblazers lost their last ten games (1-9 vs spread).
-- New Orleans lost seven of last nine games (4-2 last six HU).
-- Rockets covered once in their last six home games. Sacramento lost five of its last six games (6-2 last eight A).
-- Spurs are 3-4 in last seven games, losing last five on road.

Totals
-- Five of last seven Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last twelve Cleveland games stayed under total.
-- Five of last six Indiana games went over the total.
-- 12 of last 16 Brooklyn games went over the total; four of Toronto's last five stayed under.
-- Six of last nine Portland games went over the total; seven of last ten Nugget games stayed under.
-- Three of last four New Orleans home games went over the total.
-- Under is 11-3-1 in last fifteen Houston games.
-- Seven of last ten San Antonio games stayed under the total.

Back-to-backs
-- Sacramento is 5-8 vs spread if it played night before.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Sunday, April 14

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Trend Report
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1:00 PM
CHICAGO vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Miami
Chicago is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Miami's last 17 games at home
Miami is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Chicago

3:30 PM
BROOKLYN vs. TORONTO
Brooklyn is 4-8-1 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Toronto
Brooklyn is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
Toronto is 8-15 ATS in its last 23 games

3:30 PM
INDIANA vs. NEW YORK
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Indiana's last 10 games on the road
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York's last 8 games at home
New York is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

3:30 PM
CLEVELAND vs. PHILADELPHIA
Cleveland is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games
Cleveland is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

5:00 PM
PORTLAND vs. DENVER
Portland is 3-13 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver's last 7 games when playing Portland
Denver is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Portland

6:00 PM
DALLAS vs. NEW ORLEANS
Dallas is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
Dallas is 4-8-2 ATS in its last 14 games when playing New Orleans
New Orleans is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans's last 7 games when playing at home against Dallas

7:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. HOUSTON
Sacramento is 3-14 SU in its last 17 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Sacramento's last 13 games on the road
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Houston's last 15 games

9:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. LA LAKERS
San Antonio is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
San Antonio is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
LA Lakers are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games
LA Lakers are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Sunday, April 14

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Spurs at Lakers: What bettors need to know
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San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers (+6, 204)

After carrying the Los Angeles Lakers all season, Kobe Bryant will have to watch his team make its final playoff push without him. Bryant will miss the rest of the season after suffering a torn left Achilles’ tendon in the final minutes of Friday’s win over Golden State, and the Lakers will need to regroup quickly in order to hold onto the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They have two regular-season games remaining, starting with Sunday’s matchup against the visiting San Antonio Spurs.

The game could be a first-round playoff preview if San Antonio grabs the first seed and Los Angeles maintains its one-game lead over ninth-place Utah. The Lakers, who finish the regular season on Wednesday at home against Houston, have no margin for error since the Jazz own the tiebreaker. The Lakers have lost four straight to the Spurs, who clinched at least the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference on Friday. San Antonio has struggled recently, losing four of their last seven games.

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, KENS (San Antonio), TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE SPURS (58-21): San Antonio made a surprising move on Friday, waiving veteran small forward Stephen Jackson just six days before the end of the regular season. “We’re getting ready for playoffs and putting our team together, what we want to do and who we want to do it with,” coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. Jackson, 35, averaged 6.2 points in 55 games this season. His release was prompted by several factors, including the emergence of Kawhi Leonard, who leads the team in steals.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (43-37): Los Angeles controls its playoff destiny, but hardly anyone was thinking about that after Bryant’s injury. “It’s a tough blow for everyone,” forward Pau Gasol told reporters in a quiet locker room after Friday’s 118-116 victory over the Warriors. “It’s difficult to ****** what happened.” Gasol registered his sixth career triple-double in the win, and the Lakers will need a repeat performance against the Spurs. Reserve guard Jodie Meeks is expected to start in place of Bryant.

TRENDS:

* Spurs are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall.
* Under is 7-0 in Spurs’ last seven road games.
* Over is 4-0 in Lakers’ last four overall.
* Road team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Spurs F Boris Diaw will miss three to four weeks after having back surgery on Friday.

2. Lakers PG Steve Nash has missed the last six games with lingering right hip and hamstring issues.

3. The Lakers are 3-7 in their last 10 games against San Antonio.

[StarDust Bum]

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record

04/13/13 2-*6-*0 25.00% -*2300 Detail
04/12/13 7-*7-*0 50.00% -*350 Detail
04/11/13 1-*3-*0 25.00% -*1150 Detail
04/10/13 8-*12-*0 40.00% -*2600 Detail
04/09/13 7-*13-*0 35.00% -*3650 Detail
04/07/13 7-*3-*0 70.00% +*1850 Detail
04/06/13 4-*7-*1 36.36% -*1850 Detail
04/05/13 16-*7-*1 69.57% +*4150 Detail
04/04/13 2-*4-*0 33.33% -*1200 Detail
04/03/13 8-*16-*0 33.33% -*4800 Detail
04/02/13 2-*4-*0 33.33% -*1200 Detail
04/01/13 11-*5-*0 68.75% +*2750 Detail

Totals 75-*87-*2 46.30% -*10350


Sunday, April 14

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Chicago - 1:00 PM ET Miami -8.5 500
Miami - Under 188.5 500

Brooklyn - 3:30 PM ET Brooklyn -3.5 500 ( POD # 4 )
Toronto - Over 194.5 500

Indiana - 3:30 PM ET Indiana +3.5 500 ( POD # 1 )
New York -Under 194 500

Cleveland - 3:30 PM ET Cleveland +5.5 500 ( POD # 2 )
Philadelphia - Over 197 500

Portland - 5:00 PM ET Denver -14.5 500
Denver - Under 209 500

Dallas - 6:00 PM ET Dallas -3 500
New Orleans - Under 195.5 500

Sacramento 7:00 PM ET - 7:00 PM ET Sacramento +10.5 500 ( POD # 3 )
Houston -Over 217 500

San Antonio - 9:30 PM ET San Antonio -5 500
L.A. Lakers - Under 196.5 500 ( POD # 5 )

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Toronto at Atlanta
The Raptors look to take advantage of an Atlanta team that is 0-6 ATS in its last 6 home games against a team with a losing road record. Toronto is the pick (+6) according to Dunkel, which has the Hawks favored by only 3 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+6). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, APRIL 16

Game 701-702: Toronto at Atlanta (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 114.940; Atlanta 118.331
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 3 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 6; 197
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+6); Under

Game 705-706: Portland at LA Clippers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 111.918; LA Clippers 127.355
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 15 1/2; 209
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A




NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 16

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TORONTO (32 - 48) at ATLANTA (44 - 36) - 4/16/2013, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 24-39 ATS (-18.9 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
ATLANTA is 14-24 ATS (-12.4 Units) in home games this season.
ATLANTA is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ATLANTA is 5-4 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
ATLANTA is 8-1 straight up against TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (33 - 47) at LA CLIPPERS (54 - 26) - 4/16/2013, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, April 16

Hot Teams
-- Raptors won/covered five of their last six games.
-- Clippers won their last five games (4-1 vs spread).

Cold Teams
-- Hawks are 2-3 in last five games; covered twice in last eight.
-- Portland lost its last eleven games (2-9 vs spread).

Totals
-- Last three Atlanta games went over the total; five of last six Toronto games stayed under.
-- Indiana-Boston game has been postponed.
-- Seven of last ten Portland games went over the total.

Back-to-backs
-- None.




NBA

Tuesday, April 16

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
TORONTO vs. ATLANTA
Toronto is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Toronto's last 19 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games at home

10:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. LA CLIPPERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Portland is 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Clippers last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 5 games when playing at home against Portland

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Tuesday, April 16

Toronto at Atlanta, 7:35 ET
Toronto: 60-45 ATS after playing a game as an underdog
Atlanta: 5-17 ATS in home games after 1 or more consecutive wins

Indiana at Boston, 8:05 ET TNT
Indiana: 15-5 ATS off a road loss
Boston: 5-16 ATS off a road win by 10 points or more

Portland at LA Clippers, 10:35 ET TNT
Portland: 14-27 ATS after one or more consecutive overs
LA Clippers: 24-12 ATS when the total is 200 to 209.5

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Tuesday

April 16, 2013

ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hawks are 0-12 ATS (-9.1 ppg) since April 24, 2010 with two or more days of rest after a game in which they were whistled for fewer than 15 personal fouls.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hawks are 0-11 OU (-14.6 ppg) since January 09, 2001 with two or more days of rest off a win which did not break a 5+ game losing streak, where they trailed at the end of each of the first three quarters.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hawks are 0-11 ATS (-8.8 ppg) since November 07, 2012 at home with at least a day of rest after a win in which Kyle Korver took fewer than 10 shots.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Trail Blazers are 0-10 OU (-11.9 ppg) since December 26, 2001 on the road after a road loss in which they scored more than 30% of their points from the three-point line and trailed by at least 10 in the game.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Clippers are 0-6 OU (-8.1 ppg) since November 23, 2009 at home after winning the previous matchup at home in which Deandre Jordan shot better than 66% from the field.

-- The Trailblazers are 0-8 OU (-10.9 ppg) since February 13, 2005 on the road with at least one day of rest after a road loss in which their opponent stole the ball at least twelve times.

[StarDust Bum]

Tuesday, April 16

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Toronto - 8:00 PM ET Atlanta -6 500
Atlanta - Under 196.5 500

Portland - 10:30 PM ET L.A. Clippers -15 500
L.A. Clippers - Under 204 500

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Wednesday's six-pack

Odds for the US Open in June in Ardmore, PA.........

11-2-- Eldrick Woods-- Was gifted with $352,000 after fiasco last week.

12-1-- Rory McIlroy-- Was taking Nike's money a good idea?

22-1-- Lee Westwood-- Has never won a major, will he?

25-1-- Brandt Snedeker-- Contended for while at Augusta.

25-1-- Phil Mickelson-- Hasn't won much in the northeast.

25-1-- Justin Rose-- Had a nine on the par-4 12th hole Sunday.


*****

Armadillo:Wednesday's List of 13: Some of our favorite events of the year........

There are certain things we look forward to each year which give our year a rhythm, a pace we’re used to. Here are some of my favorite sports-related events each year………
13) Australian Open on TV, January—When you’re up late at night writing about and handicapping basketball, always good to have some live TV on to keep you company. This is probably the only tennis tournament I’ll watch all year, but it is good stuff.

12) NFL schedule getting released—the old Viking coach Bud Grant always said, “Its not who you play, its when you play them.” Seeing the regular season, who gets what primetime games, the difficult schedule spots the league puts the better teams in, its always an interesting night when the schedule comes out.

Its also fun when the Las Vegas sportsbooks put lines out for every game from Weeks 1-16, so people can speculate in the spring/summer what will be happening in the fall. Not as easy as it sounds.

11) When our keeper league fantasy baseball draft starts, whenever they drop the green flag at the Daytona 500 (unrelated events, just a milestone that winter is almost over).

The original 18-team, 24-player per team draft took 82 days to complete eight years ago; the shorter drafts now last a week or so.

10) You can make a solid argument now that Thanksgiving weekend is the best sports weekend of the year: late season NFL games, rivalry games in college football, some of the better pre-conference college basketball games, plus coconut custard pie and cranberry sauce. Whats not to like?

9) British Open—My favorite golf tournament because I’m out in Las Vegas that weekend and the TV coverage comes on at like 4am out there and it totally ruins whatever sleep patterns have existed until that part of the trip. By time tournament ends, I’m clueless as to what time it is, what day it is, but I know vacation is almost over.

8) NBA Summer League—Same July trip in Vegas is the showcase league for both NBA teams and all the overseas leagues that sign American players. Usually spend 2-3 full days watching games.

Underrated and surprisingly inexpensive fun.

7) Daily routine of baseball—From 7pm-1am Monday-Saturday from April until Labor Day, you’ll probably find me in front of the TV/laptop following baseball; in September football joins in too.

Something about the daily routine of it that makes it special, gives life a timeline to follow every day.

6) College football Saturdays—From noon til 2am every Saturday from Labor Day until early December, listen to bands and watch lot of football. Vegas casinos are great during college football; people coming from all over to back their favorite teams. I’ve been to games at Penn State, Tennessee, South Carolina; the tailgating experience is really something, and by that I mean its way better in warmer weather!!!!

5) Stanley Cup playoffs—Any overtime game in hockey is tremendous drama; this sport is best suited for the best-of-7 format, unlike the NBA, which would be better off with a best-of-3 format. Hockey playoffs are great fun, especially if you’ve ever hung out in a sportsbook with women from Vancouver watching the Canucks play.

4) Minor league baseball is underrated fun, whether over the river here in Troy (Astros’ Class A team) or Las Vegas (Mets’ AAA team). Inexpensive tickets, hot dogs; what could be better?

3) College basketball Championship Week—Wall-to-wall game for 3-4 days, all with tremendous meaning. In some ways, Championship Week is more fun than the NCAA tournament; certainly has lot more action.

2) NFL Sundays—When the Rams are good, NFL Sundays are the pinnacle of any week for me, but even in lean years, they’re great fun. Only reason I have DirecTV is so I can have the NFL Sunday Ticket in my house, that’s how much fun it is.

1) First weekend of NCAA tournament— the best four days of the sports year, simple as that.
Reply With Quote

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Utah at Memphis
The Grizzlies look to follow up their 103-97 win over Dallas on Monday and build on their 4-1 ATS record in their last 5 games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game. Memphis is the pick (-5) according to Dunkel, which has the Grizzlies favored by 7. Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-5). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

Game 501-502: Philadelphia at Indiana (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 114.752; Indiana 117.851
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 3; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 5 1/2; 186
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+5 1/2); Over

Game 503-504: Orlando at Miami (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 107.785; Miami 126.530
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 18 1/2; 184
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 505-506: Boston at Toronto (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 117.623; Toronto 114.044
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 3 1/2; 183
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 507-508: Washington at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 112.814; Chicago 119.349
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 6 1/2; 190
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 8 1/2; 186
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+8 1/2); Over

Game 509-510: Milwaukee at Oklahoma City (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 116.616; Oklahoma City 130.970
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 14 1/2; 210
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 511-512: Atlanta at New York (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 115.021; New York 125.846
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 11; 188
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 513-514: Detroit at Brooklyn (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 115.118; Brooklyn 123.340
Dunkel Line & Total: Brooklyn by 8; 187
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 515-516: Cleveland at Charlotte (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland 111.801; Charlotte 110.386
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 1 1/2; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Charlotte by 3; 203
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+3); Over

Game 517-518: New Orleans at Dallas (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 114.912; Dallas 118.734
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 4; 202
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 7 1/2; 197 1/2
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+7 1/2); Over

Game 519-520: Minnesota at San Antonio (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota 114.182; San Antonio 122.424
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 8; 190
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 521-522: Utah at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 120.034; Memphis 127.225
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 7; 185
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 5; 180
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-5); Over

Game 523-524: Phoenix at Denver (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 114.164; Denver 127.450
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 13; 208
Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 11 1/2; 212 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Denver (-11 1/2); Under

Game 525-526: LA Clippers at Sacramento (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 123.811; Sacramento 115.301
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 8 1/2; 202
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 6 1/2; 209
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (-6 1/2); Under

Game 527-528: Golden State at Portland (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 120.226; Portland 115.462
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 5; 216
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 529-530: Houston at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 119.232; LA Lakers 124.230
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Lakers by 5; 197
Vegas Line & Total: LA Lakers by 2 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (-2 1/2); Under
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NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, April 17

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PHILADELPHIA (33 - 48) at INDIANA (49 - 31) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 33-50 ATS (-22.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 6-5 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 6-5 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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ORLANDO (20 - 61) at MIAMI (65 - 16) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
ORLANDO is 6-5 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 7-4 straight up against ORLANDO 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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BOSTON (41 - 39) at TORONTO (32 - 48) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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WASHINGTON (29 - 52) at CHICAGO (44 - 37) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 45-35 ATS (+6.5 Units) in all games this season.
WASHINGTON is 36-23 ATS (+10.7 Units) as an underdog this season.
WASHINGTON is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO is 36-44 ATS (-12.4 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 15-27 ATS (-14.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
CHICAGO is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) in home games this season.

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

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MILWAUKEE (37 - 44) at OKLAHOMA CITY (60 - 21) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-1 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-1 straight up against MILWAUKEE 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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ATLANTA (44 - 36) at NEW YORK (53 - 28) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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DETROIT (29 - 52) at BROOKLYN (48 - 33) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 6-4 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 6-4 straight up against DETROIT 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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CLEVELAND (24 - 57) at CHARLOTTE (20 - 61) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CLEVELAND is 15-2 ATS (+12.8 Units) against Southeast division opponents this season.
CLEVELAND is 13-3 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 29-51 ATS (-27.1 Units) in all games this season.
CHARLOTTE is 15-24 ATS (-11.4 Units) in home games this season.
CHARLOTTE is 14-29 ATS (-17.9 Units) in home games in April games since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 13-23 ATS (-12.3 Units) second half of the season this season.
CHARLOTTE is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 23-43 ATS (-24.3 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
CHARLOTTE is 12-21 ATS (-11.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
CHARLOTTE is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
CHARLOTTE is 5-15 ATS (-11.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 7-1 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 6-2 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NEW ORLEANS (27 - 54) at DALLAS (40 - 41) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 4-12 ATS (-9.2 Units) in road games second half of the season this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 134-182 ATS (-66.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.
NEW ORLEANS is 75-103 ATS (-38.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
DALLAS is 46-34 ATS (+8.6 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 18-6 ATS (+11.4 Units) in home games after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 19-8 ATS (+10.2 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
NEW ORLEANS is 44-26 ATS (+15.4 Units) in road games after 3 or more consecutive losses since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 5-4 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 6-4 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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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MINNESOTA (30 - 51) at SAN ANTONIO (58 - 23) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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UTAH (43 - 38) at MEMPHIS (55 - 26) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 46-32 ATS (+10.8 Units) in all games this season.
MEMPHIS is 35-24 ATS (+8.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
MEMPHIS is 70-50 ATS (+15.0 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 60-40 ATS (+16.0 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.

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

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PHOENIX (25 - 56) at DENVER (56 - 25) - 4/17/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 32-47 ATS (-19.7 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 13-22 ATS (-11.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
PHOENIX is 19-28 ATS (-11.8 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
PHOENIX is 15-26 ATS (-13.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
PHOENIX is 17-29 ATS (-14.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 48-33 ATS (+11.7 Units) in all games this season.
DENVER is 18-3 ATS (+14.7 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
DENVER is 33-24 ATS (+6.6 Units) as a favorite this season.
DENVER is 27-13 ATS (+12.7 Units) in home games this season.
DENVER is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 210 this season.
DENVER is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
DENVER is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) against Pacific division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 46-30 ATS (+13.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 6-2 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 7-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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LA CLIPPERS (54 - 26) at SACRAMENTO (28 - 53) - 4/17/2013, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 95-133 ATS (-51.3 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 44-36 ATS (+4.4 Units) in all games this season.
LA CLIPPERS are 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.

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

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GOLDEN STATE (46 - 35) at PORTLAND (33 - 47) - 4/17/2013, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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HOUSTON (45 - 36) at LA LAKERS (44 - 37) - 4/17/2013, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 80-48 ATS (+27.2 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
HOUSTON is 92-55 ATS (+31.5 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 33-47 ATS (-18.7 Units) in all games this season.
LA LAKERS are 52-71 ATS (-26.1 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 36-49 ATS (-17.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 43-67 ATS (-30.7 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA LAKERS are 43-61 ATS (-24.1 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 7-2 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 5-4 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
8 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Wednesday, April 17

Tonight is the last night of the regular season; other than Utah/Lakers, playoff teams are set. Playoff teams are looking ahead to the playoffs, most of the losing teams are looking forward to the offseason. Caution is advised when playing these games.

Hot Teams
-- 76ers won seven of their last eleven games.
-- Miami won its last six games (5-1 vs spread).
-- Raptors won/covered six of their last seven games.
-- Thunder won seven of last eight games (6-2 vs spread).
-- Knicks won 15 of last 17 games (9-1 vs spread last ten H).
-- Pistons won last four games, covered last eight. Brooklyn won five of its last six games.
-- Charlotte won last two games, are 7-4 vs spread in last 11.
-- Mavericks won four of last six games (6-4 vs spread last ten F).
-- Jazz won eight of last ten games; they need to win, then hope Lakers lose later on, for Utah to make playoffs. Memphis also won eight of its last 10 games.
-- Nuggets won seven of last eight games (0-3 vs spread last three).
-- Clippers won their last six games (4-1-1 vs spread). Kings covered four of their last five games.
-- Golden State won 11 of last 17 games (4-10 vs spread last 14 A).
-- Lakers won eight of last nine games; if Utah won earlier, LA needs to win to make the playoffs.

Cold Teams
-- Pacers lost four of last five games, are 0-7 vs spread in last seven.
-- Magic are 3-5 vs spread in last eight games as a road underdog.
-- Celtics lost five of their last eight games.
-- Chicago lost four of last six games, are 2-5 vs spread in last seven. Wizards lost four in row, covered twice in last ten games.
-- Bucks lost last five games, are 5-14 vs spread in last 19.
-- Hawks lost four of last six games, covered twice in last nine.
-- Cavaliers lost last five games (0-4 vs spread in last four).
-- Hornets lost six of their last seven games.
-- Spurs lost six of their last nine games. Minnesota lost four of last five games, covered twice in last seven.
-- Suns lost 14 of their last 17 games (6-4 vs spread in last ten).
-- Portland is 2-9-1 vs spread in its last twelve games; they've lost their last seven home games.
-- Rockets lost three of their last five games.

Totals
-- Eight of last ten Philadelphia games stayed under total; five of last seven Pacer games went over.
-- Four of last five Orlando road games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Boston games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Washington games went over the total.
-- 10 of last 13 Oklahoma City games stayed under the total.
-- Last four Atlanta games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Detroit games went over the total.
-- Five of last seven Cleveland games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four New Orleans games went over the total.
-- Under is 8-4 in San Antonio's last twelve games.
-- Four of last five Utah games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Denver games went over the total.
-- Last three Clipper games stayed under the total.
-- Golden State's last three games all went over the total.
-- Four of last five Laker games went over the total.

Back-to-backs
-- Toronto is 0-6 vs spread last six times they played night before.
-- Atlanta is 8-5 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Clippers are 5-2 vs spread last seven times they played nite before.
-- Portland is 2-5 vs spread last seven times it played nite before.
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NBA

Wednesday, April 17

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. OKLAHOMA CITY
Milwaukee is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Milwaukee is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Oklahoma City is 18-3 SU in its last 21 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Oklahoma City's last 7 games when playing Milwaukee

8:00 PM
ATLANTA vs. NEW YORK
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Atlanta is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games
New York is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of New York's last 9 games at home

8:00 PM
UTAH vs. MEMPHIS
Utah is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Memphis's last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Memphis's last 25 games when playing at home against Utah

8:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. DENVER
Phoenix is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Denver
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 6 games when playing on the road against Denver
Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Denver's last 5 games

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CHICAGO
Washington is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Washington is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Chicago is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Washington
Chicago is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing Washington

8:00 PM
CLEVELAND vs. CHARLOTTE
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games when playing Charlotte
Charlotte is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Charlotte's last 6 games at home

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Antonio's last 9 games when playing at home against Minnesota

8:00 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. INDIANA
Philadelphia is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Indiana is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Indiana's last 23 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

8:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. MIAMI
Orlando is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Orlando is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Miami is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games when playing at home against Orlando

8:00 PM
BOSTON vs. TORONTO
Boston is 2-8 SU in its last 10 games on the road
Boston is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Toronto is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Boston
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Detroit's last 9 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
Detroit is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games on the road
Brooklyn is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Brooklyn is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. DALLAS
New Orleans is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games on the road
New Orleans is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Dallas is 20-3 SU in its last 23 games when playing at home against New Orleans
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Dallas's last 12 games when playing New Orleans

10:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Golden State's last 13 games when playing on the road against Portland
Golden State is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Portland
Portland is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 6 games when playing Golden State

10:30 PM
HOUSTON vs. LA LAKERS
Houston is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
Houston is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of the LA Lakers last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
LA Lakers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against Houston

10:30 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. SACRAMENTO
LA Clippers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of the LA Clippers last 23 games when playing Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Sacramento's last 12 games at home
Sacramento is 3-6-1 ATS in their last 10 games when playing LA Clippers

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Wednesday, April 17

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Rockets at Lakers: What bettors need to know
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Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers (-2.5, 203)

The Los Angeles Lakers can make the playoffs by beating the visiting Houston Rockets on Wednesday or having Utah lose to Memphis. Los Angeles has won seven of eight games in its late-season push and would actually claim the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference by beating the Rockets. Houston is one game ahead of Los Angeles entering the contest and also one game behind the Golden State Warriors, who are in sixth place heading into the final day.

The Rockets suffered a dreadful 119-112 loss to lowly Phoenix on Monday and that defeat has put them in danger of slipping into the No. 8 spot with the loss to the Lakers. Houston coach Kevin McHale is aware that winning the contest at the Staples Center is going to be an arduous task. “We are going to play a determined L.A. team,” McHale said. “We have to play well.” The Lakers will be playing their second game since losing Kobe Bryant to a torn Achilles’ tendon. Los Angeles notched a 91-86 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday without the superstar. The Lakers are 1-2 against the Rockets this season.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Comcast SportsNet Houston, Time Warner Cable SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (45-36, 41-39-1 ATS): Houston has lost three of its last five games despite playing a light April schedule. That has prompted concern with the playoffs about to commence. “I think that has been one of our problems all season – focus,” point guard Jeremy Lin said. “It usually comes with a younger team. At this point of the season, it is really not an excuse. Every game means so much. We are talking about playoff seeding. We are talking about matchups and things that are more important than anything we played for all season.” Leading scorer James Harden was just 5-of-18 from the field while scoring 16 points in the loss to the Suns. Harden averages 25.9 points.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (44-37, 33-46-2 ATS): Center Dwight Howard had a monster game against San Antonio with 26 points and 17 rebounds. He is one rebound away from becoming the youngest player in NBA history to reach 9,000 career rebounds. Howard will be 27 years, 130 days old on Wednesday and legends Wilt Chamberlain (27 years, 144 days) and Bill Russell (27 years, 357 days) are the only other players to reach 9,000 before age 28. Guard Steve Blake stepped up with a season-best 23 points against the Spurs and will play a key role the rest of the season with Bryant sidelined. Blake averages 6.9 points.

TRENDS

- The over is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings.

- Houston is 1-4 ATS in the past five games.

- Lakers are averaging 106.5 points over the past four games, better than the 102.2 season average.

- James Harden has averaged 22 points in three games against the Lakers this season, down from his season average of 25.9.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Houston has won four of the past five meetings.

2. Lakers PG Steve Nash (hip, hamstring) will miss his eighth consecutive game.

3. Rockets F Carlos Delfino has made 10 3-pointers over the past two games.