The Bum's December's NBA POD'S-Trends-Stats-News !

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Monday

December 2, 2013


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Trailblazers are 12-0 ATS (10.88 ppg) since Mar 17, 2005 with no rest after a game in which more than 70% of their baskets were assisted.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Jazz are 0-12 OU (-11.29 ppg) since Dec 05, 1995 at home after a win on the road in which they shot at least 50% from the field and at least 85% from the free-throw line.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Spurs are 10-0 ATS (8.95 ppg) since Mar 07, 2012 after Manu Ginobili played fewer than 30 minutes in a home loss.

CHOICE TREND:

-- The Magic are 11-0 OU (10.18 ppg) since Nov 23, 2012 after Etwaun Moore shot worse than 33% from the field at home.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Wizards are 0-8 OU (-9.38 ppg) since Nov 12, 2010 at home after John Wall had at least 10 assists in a win.

-- The Hawks are 8-0 ATS (7.81 ppg) since Mar 31, 2012 on the road after Jeff Teague had at least 5 turnovers.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Monday
December 2, 2013
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

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The first month of the NBA regular season is in the books and Indiana owns the best record in the league. The Pacers have started 16-1 straight up and even more impressive, 13-4 against the spread. If you’ve been following the hardwood so far, you should be well aware of how bad the Eastern Conference is and that’s where Indiana has been cleaning up.

To put things in perspective, the Pacers have only defeated one team with a winning record this season and that came in yesterday’s 105-100 road win over the Los Angeles Clippers. They have beaten a pair of teams with .500 records in Memphis and New Orleans, but the other 13 wins have come against losing teams.

Indiana and Miami (14-3) are the only teams with a record above .500 in the East and as long as both clubs stay healthy, it’s likely that the pair will meet in next summer’s Eastern Conference Finals.

The Pacers are still the second choice (+140) to win the East behind the Heat (+100) and the next closest team after that is Chicago (+700).

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Indiana has another chance to continue to flex its muscle on Monday when it visits Portland (14-3 SU, 12-5 ATS). The Trail Blazers have been a pleasant surprise this season and they currently sit in first place of the Northwest Division.

Similar to the Pacers, the Trail Blazers played at the Staples Center yesterday as well. The club earned a 114-108 road win over the Los Angeles Lakers last night in a game that wasn’t as close as the final margin.

Portland is averaging 104.9 points per game this season and a lot of that production comes from great 3-point (41.4) and free throw (79.9%) percentages. In last night’s win over the Lakers, the Blazers hit nine 3-points and connected on 29-of-34 (85.3%) shots from the charity stripe.

This year’s squad hasn’t been hampered by injuries like last season and the depth still remains a question but the starters are playing at high levels. Forward LaMarcus Aldridge leads the team in points (22.4) and rebounds (9.5) while second-year point guard Damian Lillard (20.2 PPG, 5.9 APG) is making a run at an All-Star spot.

The Trail Blazers offense will be tested tonight against Indiana, who leads the league in scoring defense (86.5 PPG). The stifling pressure has helped the ‘under’ go 12-5 this season for Portland.

Despite owning a 6-1 record at home this season, Portland has been installed as a short underdog (1 ½) to Indiana. The Pacers’ lone loss this season did come on the road when they lost to Chicago 110-94 on Nov. 15. The Blazers have only caught points one other time this season and they answered the bell with a 115-105 victory over San Antonio on Nov. 2 as 2 ½-point underdogs.

Both teams are playing on zero days rest tonight and they’ve both been solid in these situations. Indiana has gone 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS, while Portland owns a 4-0 record both SU and ATS.

After tonight, the Blazers will visit Utah on Wednesday before wrapping up the trip this weekend with a tough back-to-back set against San Antonio and Oklahoma City.

There are four other games on tap for Monday and we’ve leaned on a few of our VegasInsider.com experts to help break down the action.

Orlando (6-10 SU, 8-8 ATS) at Washington (8-9 SU, 9-8 ATS)

Washington opened as a 5 ½-point favorite and the number jumped to 6 ½ quickly. The Wizards have been a tough out at home (5-2) this season and the Magic have struggled on the road (1-5).

Total players might want to look at this matchup closer. Washington is averaging 105.1 PPG at home compared to 94.9 PPG on the road. The Wizards tend to run more at home and they also get to the free throw line more. Also, for whatever reason the Magic have averaged more points on the road (101.5 PPG) than at home (98.2 PPG).

The number on tonight’s game is hovering between 194 and 195 points.

New Orleans (8-8 SU, 6-9-1 ATS) at Chicago (7-8 SU, 6-9 ATS)

VegasInsider.com handicapper Stephen Nover offered up his analysis on this non-conference matchup.

“The Bulls return home after being on the road for two weeks. Chicago is unbeaten in five games at United Center and draw New Orleans, which defeated the Knicks on the road Sunday. It was a costly victory, though, for the Pelicans as they lost their one star player, Anthony Davis. He suffered a broken hand. The Pelicans haven't beaten a winning team on the road. They have a losing road mark against the spread. They also have lost nine of their past 10 games to the Bulls,” said Nover.

Rest could be an issue for New Orleans tonight as well after playing at MSG on Sunday. The Pelicans have gone 2-2 both SU and ATS in back-to-back spots this season but they’ve lost their last two.
The visitor has won three of the last four meetings in this series.

Atlanta (9-9 SU, 10-8 ATS) at San Antonio (14-3 SU, 9-8 ATS)

The Spurs have dropped two of their last three games after beginning the season with a 12-1 record. San Antonio lost its first home game of the season on Saturday to Houston (112-106).

Tonight, San Antonio is listed as a healthy 12-point home favorite. Even though the Spurs have gone 7-1 at home, they’re just 4-4 ATS.

Atlanta has been in a funk lately, going 1-4 both SU and ATS in its last five games and the lone win came on a buzzer-beater against Dallas (88-87). However, the Hawks own a stable 5-5 SU and 6-4 ATS mark on the road.

San Antonio has won five straight against the Hawks and swept the regular season series last season but the two wins came by a combined seven points.

Houston (13-5 SU, 12-6 ATS) at Utah (3-15 SU, 8-9-1 ATS)

The Rockets have won and covered five straight games, which includes Saturday’s impressive 112-106 victory at San Antonio. Houston has already defeated Utah this season, beating the Jazz 104-93 in Salt Lake City on Nov. 2 as a six-point road favorite. The win for the Rockets was the fourth straight over the Jazz.

After starting the season 1-14, the Jazz have won and covered two of their past three games and VegasInsider.com handicapper Jimmy Boyd believes the underdog has value.

He explained, “The Jazz are not getting enough respect from the oddsmakers on their home court tonight. This is Houston's fourth game in the last six days, while Utah has played just two games during that span. I expect to see Houston beginning to wear down, especially after battling it out with the Spurs in their last game. The Rockets defense is already bad, but it should be even worse than normal today. The Jazz may not have a great overall record, but two of their three wins have come on their home court, and they are a respectable 4-4 ATS in home games this season. The defense has been solid, allowing 99.2 points per game at home when their opponents are averaging over 100 points per game on the season. I think Utah has a great opportunity to boost their own scoring average today against a Rockets defense that is allowing 109.4 points in road games this season.”

Houston is listed as a 7 ½-point road favorite tonight and it’s gone 2-1 both SU and ATS when laying points on the road this season.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Orlando at Washington
The Wizards look to build on their 6-1 ATS record in their last 7 games against the Magic. Washington is the pick (-6) according to Dunkel, which has the Wizards favored by 8. Dunkel Pick: Washington (-6). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2

Game 701-702: Orlando at Washington (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 112.930; Washington 120.685
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 8; 190
Vegas Line & Total: Washington by 6; 194 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-6); Under

Game 703-704: New Orleans at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 116.714; Chicago 119.528
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 3; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 5; 193
Dunkel Pick: New Orleans (+5); Over

Game 705-706: Atlanta at San Antonio (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 117.284; San Antonio 126.126
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 9; 205
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 707-708: Houston at Utah (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 126.739; Utah 113.145
Dunkel Line & Total: Houston by 13 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 709-710: Indiana at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Indiana 126.645; Portland 123.633
Dunkel Line & Total: Indiana by 3; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 1 1/2; 188
Dunkel Pick: Indiana (-1 1/2); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, December 2

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ORLANDO (6 - 10) at WASHINGTON (8 - 9) - 12/2/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 30-18 ATS (+10.2 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 20-8 ATS (+11.2 Units) after scoring 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 144-183 ATS (-57.3 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.

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

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NEW ORLEANS (7 - 8) at CHICAGO (7 - 8) - 12/2/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 22-10 ATS (+11.0 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 47-61 ATS (-20.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 19-35 ATS (-19.5 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 17-34 ATS (-20.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 16-28 ATS (-14.8 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 12-23 ATS (-13.3 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 2-2 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 3-1 straight up against NEW ORLEANS 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 (9 - 9) at SAN ANTONIO (14 - 3) - 12/2/2013, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 2-1 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 3-0 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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HOUSTON (13 - 5) at UTAH (3 - 15) - 12/2/2013, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
UTAH is 4-4 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 5-3 straight up against UTAH 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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INDIANA (15 - 1) at PORTLAND (13 - 3) - 12/2/2013, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all games this season.
INDIANA is 46-26 ATS (+17.4 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) first half of the season this season.

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

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NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, December 2

Hot teams
-- Washington won six of its last eight games.
-- Pelicans won five of last seven games, but lost Davis with broken hand Sunday.
-- Spurs won 12 of their last 14 games.
-- Rockets won/covered eight of their last nine games.
-- Pacers are 16-1 SU, covering six of their last seven games. Portland won 12 of its last 13 games, covered seven of last nine.

Cold Teams
-- Magic lost five of their last seven games.
-- Bulls lost five of their last six games.
-- Hawks lost four of their last five games.
-- Jazz are 3-15 SU but covered seven of their last ten games.

Totals
-- Five of last seven Washington ganes went over the total.
-- Eight of last nine New Orleans games went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Atlanta games stayed under the total; six of last seven San Antonio games went over.
-- Six of eight Houston road games went over the total.
-- Seven of last nine Portland games went over the total.

Series records
-- Magic won 11 of last 14 games with Washington.
-- Bulls won nine of their last ten games with New Orleans.
-- Spurs won five in row, eight of nine vs Atlanta (6-2 vs spread).
-- Rockets won last three games with Utah, by 8-45-7 points.
-- Pacers won three of their last four games with Portland.




NBA

Monday, December 2

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. WASHINGTON
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Orlando's last 7 games
Orlando is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
Washington is 3-11 SU in its last 14 games when playing Orlando
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing at home against Orlando

8:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. CHICAGO
New Orleans is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games
New Orleans is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games at home

8:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. SAN ANTONIO
Atlanta is 2-13 ATS in its last 15 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Atlanta is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Atlanta
San Antonio is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games

9:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. UTAH
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Houston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Utah
Utah is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Utah's last 8 games when playing Houston

10:00 PM
INDIANA vs. PORTLAND
Indiana is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 17 of Portland's last 25 games at home
Portland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home


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NBA

Monday, December 2

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Rockets at Jazz: What bettors need to know
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Houston Rockets at Utah Jazz

The Houston Rockets are rolling up points and victories and figure to have a chance to do both once again when they visit the Utah Jazz on Monday. Houston won its fifth straight game with Saturday’s impressive 112-106 victory over San Antonio, marking the fourth time the Rockets have scored 112 or more during their winning streak. Utah has won two of three contests after a 1-14 start and is coming off a 112-104 victory at Phoenix on Saturday.

The Rockets lead the league in scoring at 109.4 points per game while Utah ranks near the bottom at 90.5. Houston overcame a 19-point deficit to post a 104-93 victory in Salt Lake City earlier this season and handed the Jazz their worst home loss in the Utah era last season – 125-80, the fifth-worst beating in franchise history. Rookie point guard Trey Burke has provided the Jazz with a lift since returning from a broken finger and had a season-best 20 points in the win over the Suns.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, CSN Houston, ROOT (Utah)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (13-5): Star guard James Harden was back on his game with 31 points against the Spurs after having just nine points the previous night against Brooklyn in his return from a foot injury. The ailment had sapped Harden’s explosiveness – leading to a three-game absence – but he moved much better while playing 37 minutes in the intense contest. “I just have to have confidence,” Harden said after the outing in which he knocked down the tying 3-pointer during a game-ending 9-0 run. “Even though I haven’t played and missed a couple games, I have to make sure I get my teammates involved and make sure that when they look at me, they know that we’re ready to win this game.”

ABOUT THE JAZZ (3-15): Utah has topped 100 points in consecutive games after reaching the figure just once over its first 16 outings. The improved offense has come under the direction of Burke, who missed the first 12 games and his absence left the Jazz without a bona fide point guard. Veteran forward Marvin Williams also has provided a boost and has scored 14 or more points in six of his last seven appearances despite playing with a broken nose.

TRENDS:

* Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last five games overall.
* Under is 7-1 in the last eight meetings.
* Under is 9-1 in Jazz last 10 games following a ATS win.
* Jazz are 4-0 ATS in their last four vs. NBA Southwest.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Houston has won the last four meetings and eight of the past 12.

2. Burke went 4-of-6 from 3-point range on Saturday and is averaging 15.7 points over the past three games.

3. Rockets C Dwight Howard has scored 15 points or fewer in five consecutive games while averaging 12.4 during the stretch.


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NBA

Monday, December 2

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Bank shots: NBA's weekly betting news and notes
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For the week of Nov. 25 to Dec. 1.

Hottest ATS - Houston Rockets (4-0 SU, 4-0 ATS)

The Rockets have definitely kicked it into overdrive after a bit of a bumpy ride to begin the season. They are currently on a five-game winning streak and have won eight of their last nine, including 8-1 against the spread in that time. The Rockets have been a very balanced team scoring the rock with four players scoring at least 15 points per game. More importantly, Dwight Howard has looked more like the Dwight Howard of old, scoring 16.7 points per game to go along with 12.4 boards and 1.9 blocks per game. This week Houston travels to Utah take on the last place Jazz before two games at home against Phoenix and Golden State.

Coldest ATS - Toronto Raptors (0-3 SU, 0-3 ATS)

The Raptors have not been in first place in the Atlantic Division since 2007 and despite losing three games in a row and sitting at 6-10 for the season, that is exactly where they are. This is thanks to the utterly putrid basketball that is being played in the Eastern Conference right now, where only two teams have winning records. The Raptors had a chance this week to take a pseudo-strangle hold on the division, but were only able to go 1-3 in a four game home stand. It doesn't get any easier this week for the Raps as they begin a west coast road trip with stops in Golden State, Phoenix and Los Angeles to take on the Lakers.

Best Over play - Phoenix Suns (2-2 SU, 3-1 O/U)

The Suns are still one of the best teams in the NBA this ATS, but after putting a stop to the Portland Trailblazers torrid winning streak and two contests against the hapless Utah Jazz, the Suns were a great Over play last week. The Suns have become a good over play this season (10-7 O/U overall) by finding good balance on offense and defense. They are in the top half of the league when it comes to scoring at 101.7 points per game and they give up 99.7 points per game. This week, Phoenix heads to Memphis and Houston before taking on Toronto at home.

Best Under play - Charlotte Bobcats (1-3 SU, 1-3 O/U)

Not only are the 8-10 Charlotte soon-to-be-Hornets-again Bobcats, one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this season, but are roaring when it comes to hitting the Under. In addition to hitting the Under three times this week, the Bobcats are 0-9-1 O/U in their past 10 games. The Bobcats have able to accomplish this by being a very good defensive team and a pretty lousy one on offensive. They rank second and fourth in points against per game (91.4) and opposing field goal percentage (42.4) respectively and on offense they are dead last in those categories, scoring 88.6 ppg and shooting 40.7 percent from the floor.

Surveying the schedule:

The Denver Nuggets have found their groove on the offensive end of the floor during their six game winning streak. The rank in the top 10 in four major categories, including points per game, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and offensive rebounds. They are currently on game two of a six game East coast road trip, which sees them play six games in nine days. The team during that stretch with the most wins is Washington, who sit at 8-9.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Monday, December 2

Orlando at Washington, 7:05 ET
Orlando: 8-18 ATS after playing 2 consecutive home games
Washington: 20-8 ATS after scoring 105 points or more

New Orleans at Chicago, 8:05 ET
New Orleans: 9-20 ATS after 2 or more consecutive overs
Chicago: 22-10 ATS off a upset loss as a favorite

Atlanta at San Antonio, 8:35 ET
Atlanta: 41-64 ATS in road games in December games
San Antonio: 8-0 ATS off a home loss

Houston at Utah, 9:05 ET
Houston: 96-56 ATS in road games after allowing 105 points or more
Utah: 8-1 UNDER after playing a game as a road underdog

Indiana at Portland, 10:05 ET
Indiana: 17-5 ATS as a road favorite
Portland: 9-19 ATS after playing 2 consecutive road games

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, December 2

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Orlando - 7:00 PM ET Orlando +7 500 *****
Washington - Under 194 500

New Orleans - 8:00 PM ET New Orleans +7 500
Chicago - Over 191 500

Atlanta - 8:30 PM ET San Antonio -12 500 *****
San Antonio - Under 198 500

Houston - 9:00 PM ET Utah +8 500
Utah - Under 202 500

Indiana - 10:00 PM ET Portland +1.5 500 DOUBLE POD
Portland - Under 191.5 500

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Magic (6-11) at 76ers (6-12)

Date: December 03, 2013 7:00 PM EDT


The Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers have both seen last month's struggles carry into December.

Orlando, though, may feel better about getting on track given its recent efforts in the series.

Hoping to have Nikola Vucevic available, the visiting Magic try to continue their domination of the 76ers as these teams meet for the second time in six days on Tuesday night.

Currently last in the Southeast Division, Orlando (6-11) has dropped nine of 12 after getting blown out 98-80 at Washington on Monday. Arron Afflalo had 21 points and Maurice Harkless added 16 off the bench, but the Magic shot just 39.0 percent while being held to a season low in points.

"We had great looks, I think we had great opportunities, but we just didn't finish," said rookie Victor Oladipo, who scored 13. "So you live to play again. We got a back-to-back, so we just got to bounce back."

The Magic have had the 76ers' number over the years, taking three straight matchups and 21 of 25 dating to December 2006. They won 105-94 on Wednesday behind 21 points and 16 rebounds from Vucevic, outscoring Philadelphia 52-36 in the paint.

"When you look at their interior bigs ... we couldn't guard them, and we had to go to schemes and different ways to get help to our bigs," 76ers coach Brett Brown told the NBA's official website. "It's a problem."

Philadelphia, though, could catch a break if Vucevic can't go. The third-year center suffered an ankle injury Monday, leaving his status uncertain.

Vucevic, who spent the first season of his career with the 76ers, has averaged 14.0 points and 16.5 boards in four meetings against his former team.

Philadelphia (6-12) has dropped a season worst-tying four straight and eight of nine, falling 115-100 at Detroit on Sunday. Thaddeus Young had 24 points and Evan Turner scored 20 for the 76ers, who were outscored 70-46 in the first half and never recovered.

The 76ers are giving up a whopping 110.1 points per game to rank last in the league, 7.1 more than the next-closest team. They've also yielded a league-worst 192 3-pointers.

"It's pretty obvious we need to come out better," said rookie Michael Carter-Williams, who had 15 points and six steals. "We need to play better defense. We're doing fine scoring the ball, it's not the points, it's our defense. We have to come together, stop penetration, stop their big men from scoring easily at the basket. It's a team effort and we have to put the pieces together."

Carter-Williams recorded 23 points and four steals against the Magic last week while Oladipo had 18 and five. The first-year stars are averaging 17.0 and 13.2 points to rank first and second, respectively, among all rookies.

"Through the draft process we grew our relationship, so it's always fun being competitive going against your friends," Oladipo, who had eight turnovers in the first matchup, said of Carter-Williams. "So I'm looking forward to doing it again."

While Oladipo's mark of 3.8 turnovers per game ranks as one of the worst in the NBA, he's had only three in the two games since Wednesday's loss.

"His decision making, he's starting to realize that simplicity is a good key for him," coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Overall, he's been correcting a lot of mistakes that he can correct."

In addition to Vucevic, Orlando could again be without Jameer Nelson, who has missed back-to-back games with a sprained left foot.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bucks (3-13) at Celtics (7-12)

Date: December 03, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


The Milwaukee Bucks probably wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of the Boston Celtics.

After snapping their longest losing streak in over 16 years in the opener of a home-and-home set with the Celtics, the Bucks will try to win consecutive games for the first time this season in Boston on Tuesday night.

Two of Milwaukee's three victories have come against the Celtics, who handed the Bucks (3-13) their only road win with a 105-98 loss at TD Bank Garden on Nov. 1.

Following that win, the Bucks dropped 12 of their next 13, including an 11-game skid that was their worst since a franchise-record 15-game slide in March 1996.

Milwaukee got out in transition and scored easy baskets against Boston on Saturday, holding a 16-4 edge in fast break points in a 92-85 win. O.J. Mayo scored 22 and Brandon Knight added 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

"Same old, same old, just continue to play hard," Mayo said. "Obviously, every night's going to be a challenge all around the board – outside, inside. Just about continuing to play hard and playing the right way."

In their win at Boston last month, the Bucks rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Celtics 34-15 in the fourth quarter.

"When those guys get going, you can throw everything else out the window. They are a tough team to stop," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. "Bottom line is that we have all got to tighten it back up on Tuesday night. We weren't great (on Saturday) but the Bucks had a lot to do with that."

A common theme in Milwaukee's victories over Boston (7-12) this season has been defense. In the first meeting, the Bucks forced 17 turnovers, and they held the Celtics to 4-of-19 shooting from 3-point range Saturday.

"We were running zone," Bucks coach Larry Drew said. "We didn't run a lot of man-to-man that first half, but when we started running our zone, we just waited to see if they were going to make shots. They didn't fall for them, so we stuck with it and it seemed to have an effect."

Milwaukee's defense is ninth in the NBA, allowing 98.8 points per game, but the offense has been abysmal with an 89.2 average - tied with Charlotte for the league's lowest.

Jared Sullinger had 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Jeff Green and Jordan Crawford added 18 points apiece Saturday for the Celtics, who had won three of four following a six-game losing streak.

Green, who leads the team with 16.7 points per game, is shooting just 39.3 percent against the Bucks this season. He was 4 of 13 for 13 points Nov. 1.

Similar to that loss, the Celtics had another very poor quarter against the Bucks on Saturday - though this time it was the second. Milwaukee outscored Boston 28-14 in the period, shooting 52.4 percent overall and hitting all four of its 3-point attempts.

The Bucks also outrebounded the Celtics 17-10 in the period, helping them to a 49-41 margin for the game.

"We didn't defend the 3 very well," said Celtics guard Avery Bradley. "Another thing is that they were making everything. They were just moving the ball well and playing well as a team. We stopped getting consistent stops and it showed, and they were making shots and got a lead."

The Bucks will try to tie a team record with their fourth straight win in Boston. They last won four in a row on the road against the Celtics from April 15, 1998 to Nov. 26, 1999.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Pistons (7-10) at Heat (14-3)

Date: December 03, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


As if the Miami Heat hitting their stride wasn't intimidating enough for opponents, there seems to be a new element of Chris Bosh's game to cause concern.

The Heat look to extend their latest winning streak to 11 games Tuesday night when they host the Detroit Pistons.

In Sunday's 99-98 victory over the Bobcats, Bosh scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds, but it was where his points came from that was surprising. The forward scored 13 straight points in the fourth quarter, including three 3-pointers - his most ever in a quarter and tied for his single-game career high.

"It kind of just happened," Bosh said. "I was wide open so I figured I would take a step back and in the words of our late teammate Mike Miller, `let it fly.' That was really it."

Bosh is playing nearly five fewer minutes per game than he was last season, but that hasn't kept him from adding some range to his jumper. He's seven 3-point makes away from matching his career high - set in 2012-13 - and is attempting nearly two per game.

With the Heat (14-3) leading the NBA in field goal percentage (51.3), Bosh's ability to be a threat from beyond the arc has made them that much more difficult to defend.

"We have no problem shooting wide-open looks," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "(Bosh) has been putting a lot of time in, before and after practice.

"Once he hit the first one, the second one, you could tell he wanted it.'

Miami's shooting percentage is so impressive partially thanks to James, who is shooting 59.8 percent from the field - by far the best mark of any forward in the league. James is shooting 64.8 percent in his last seven home games.

James has averaged 29.3 points on 63.2 percent shooting in his last four home games versus Detroit. The Heat have won all five at home against the Pistons since James and Bosh's arrival, including two last season by a combined 46 points.

Bosh and James will have their hands full in the post with Pistons center Andre Drummond, who is coming off one of the best single-game performances in the NBA this season. Drummond had career highs of 31 points, 19 rebounds and six steals Sunday in Detroit's 115-100 win against the 76ers, becoming the first player since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990 to record that line.

"It was a great team win," Drummond said. "For me, it was a good game for me; played well. I was in the right spots at the right times."

Drummond is shooting 65.2 percent from the field, but he's just 17 of 53 (32.1 percent) from the free-throw line. The 76ers started intentionally fouling him in the third quarter, and Drummond missed 11 of his 18 attempts from the stripe.

'Andre's a great young player, but I told him tonight that he needs to learn from this,' coach Maurice Cheeks said. 'If he becomes a better free-throw shooter, no one will be able to knock him out of a game.'

To have a chance to knock off Miami, the Pistons (7-10) may need Drummond and Greg Monroe to dominate the glass - something they've proven capable of doing lately. Detroit's plus-6.1 rebound differential since Nov. 20 is the Eastern Conference's best, while Miami's minus-3.2 margin this season is among the worst in the league.

The Pistons had a plus-5.3 margin against the Heat last season but lost two of three meetings. Monroe averaged 27.0 points and 13.5 rebounds in the two losses in Miami.

The Heat have won seven of the past eight meetings at home by an average of 12.0 points.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Nuggets (10-6) at Nets (5-12)

Date: December 03, 2013 7:30 PM EDT


The Denver Nuggets have gone unbeaten over the last two weeks thanks in part to a collective group effort.

While the injury-plagued Brooklyn Nets continue to play short-handed, they pulled out a rare win over the weekend.

The Nuggets will try to extend their winning streak to seven when they visit Brooklyn on Tuesday night.

Reserve guard Nate Robinson led the way with 23 points as Denver (10-6) opened a season-high six-game road trip with Sunday's 112-98 win over Toronto. Five other players scored in double figures, and the Nuggets' bench outscored the Raptors' reserves 72-16.

"Seventy-two points off our bench is huge for us tonight and that's what it takes, contributions from everybody on this team," said coach Brian Shaw, whose club is averaging 45.2 bench points to rank second in the NBA.

Timofey Mozgov scored 16 to go along with 15 rebounds as Denver erased an early 15-point deficit. Fellow reserve Darrell Arthur scored a season-high 14 on 7-of-7 shooting.

"I knew we were going to grind our way back into it, like we do. We are starting to get it now," Arthur said. "I think our chemistry is getting a lot better; this is our sixth game in a row that we have won. I think we are playing really well right now."

Robinson has given the Nuggets a huge lift during the winning streak, posting 15.3 points per game after averaging 6.9 over the first 10. Denver is shooting 48.3 percent during its run.

"For us, we just stick together. Like coach said, we have a tag-team mentality which is, first team wear them down and second team wear them out," Robinson said. "Early in the year a lot of guys on the team, a lot of guys on the bench, weren't making shots and now we are in our rhythm."

The Nuggets have dropped three of four road matchups against the Nets (5-12), who return home after beating Memphis 97-88 on Saturday. Joe Johnson compiled 26 points, Andray Blatche had 21 and Brook Lopez scored 12 of his 20 in the fourth quarter in his second game back after missing seven with a sprained ankle.

"We've got somebody at the end of the game who can close the game for us," Blatche said of Lopez. "That's key. That's been one of our downfalls, not finishing quarters. Now that he's back, we can feed him and play off him."

While the Nets are glad to have Lopez back, Saturday marked their first game since losing Paul Pierce to a broken bone in his right hand. Point guard Deron Williams, who has missed eight of the last nine games with a lingering ankle injury, also remains out along with Andrei Kirilenko (back) and Jason Terry (knee).

"Injuries are a part of the game," coach Jason Kidd told the Nets' official website. "You just hope that there are speedy recoveries. And for the guys in that locker room that can play, I believe in each one of those guys and that we can find a way to win until we do get whole."

Lopez, averaging a team-leading 20.0 points, has scored a combined 50 on 60.6 percent shooting in the last two home meetings against Denver.

The Nets, though, have lost four in a row at home to match their longest skid at Barclays Center since it opened last season.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Suns (9-8) at Grizzlies (8-8)

Date: December 03, 2013 8:00 PM EDT


The Memphis Grizzlies were one of the NBA's toughest teams to beat on their home floor in 2012-13.

This season? Not so much.

They'll again try to solve their home woes Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns, though they might have to do so without Zach Randolph again in addition to the already-sidelined Marc Gasol.

The Grizzlies (8-8) can pin a big portion of the blame for their mostly lackluster start on their poor play at home. At 3-5 compared to 5-3 away from home, they're the only Western Conference team with a better record on the road than at home.

Memphis' 97-88 setback against Brooklyn on Saturday - the opener of a six-game homestand - marked its fourth straight home defeat. It's unfamiliar territory for a team that posted a franchise-best 32-9 home record last season. The Grizzlies' 143 wins at home over the last three seasons tied for the league's sixth most over that span.

They're allowing opponents to shoot 51.0 percent in the first quarter of home games.

"It's very frustrating," said point guard Mike Conley, who had 16 points and 10 assists against the Nets for his second double-double. "We're a great home team. We've always been a great home team. Our fans are great and they deserve better. We have to come ready to play from the first quarter with more energy."

Turning things around could be particularly difficult with Gasol still out due to a sprained MCL. Zach Randolph missed Saturday's game after having surgery on an ingrown toenail earlier in the day and is considered day-to-day. Each averages 16.0 points, second on the team behind Conley's 18.3. They're also Memphis No. 1 and No. 2 rebounders with Randolph averaging 9.1 and Gasol 7.1.

Randolph is averaging 22.7 points and 12.5 rebounds while shooting 57.6 percent from the field over his last 16 games versus Phoenix.

The starting front line of Kosta Koufos, Tayshaun Prince and Ed Davis combined for 20 points on 10-of-25 shooting with 20 rebounds Sunday.

Memphis had won five of six home meetings in the series until a 96-90 defeat on Feb. 5.

Phoenix (9-8) comes in having won three of its last four road games but is still seeking better consistency overall. The Suns took a 112-104 home loss to Utah on Saturday after knocking them off 112-101 in Salt Lake City a night earlier and ending Portland's 11-game winning streak on Wednesday.

They have yet to win more than two games in a row.

"Our guys thought they could just show up tonight and win the game and in this game it doesn't happen that way, but they don't want to listen to it," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "Coaches are telling them they have to be ready and that's what happens."

Goran Dragic, who had 24 points and nine assists Saturday, is scoring 20.8 points per game with 9.7 assists in his last six contests.

Conley is averaging just 8.5 points on 28.9 percent shooting in his last four games against Phoenix.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Bobcats (8-10) at Mavericks (10-8)

Date: December 03, 2013 8:30 PM EDT


The Dallas Mavericks are enduring their worst stretch of the season, and a visit from the Charlotte Bobcats would appear to give them a good chance to get back on track.

Charlotte, though, is playing pretty well on the road, and it just took the two-time defending NBA champions down to the wire on their own court.

Dallas tries to improve to 10-0 all-time at home against the Bobcats and avoid a fifth loss in six games Tuesday night.

The Mavericks (10-8) lost two in a row for the third time this season Saturday when they fell 112-106 at home to Minnesota. Monta Ellis scored 26 points and Dirk Nowitzki had 23 for Dallas, which lost 88-87 at Atlanta on Friday night after blowing a 17-point lead in the second half and losing starting point guard Jose Calderon to a bone bruise on his right ankle.

Calderon, averaging 11.1 points and 4.9 assists, didn't play against the Timberwolves and will be a game-time decision Tuesday.

"We're going to learn about our team right now," coach Rick Carlisle said. "Lose four out of five, have a tough loss like last night and then another tough one like tonight - it's going to test the togetherness and the collective will."

Carlisle is upset with his team's defensive play. The Mavericks rank near the bottom of the league with 103.0 points allowed per game and a 47.0 defensive field-goal percentage.

"A lot of work defensively," Carlisle told the team's official website while summing up Monday's practice. "You know, keeping people out of the paint is a real priority right now, and we got hurt with that badly against Minnesota. It's been our most consistent challenge defensively, and we're working hard on that. It's got to be a collective group challenge that we take on."

Dallas hasn't had much trouble stopping Charlotte (8-10) when it comes to town. The Mavericks have held the Bobcats to an average of 90.4 points on 42.1 percent shooting in taking all nine meetings, and they were 16-0 in the series before a 101-97 overtime loss Nov. 10, 2012.

Charlotte visited Miami on Sunday and owned the lead for a stretch of 23:21 before the Heat went ahead with 1:20 left and held on for a 99-98 win.

Kemba Walker scored 27 points, Gerald Henderson had 17 and Al Jefferson finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds for Charlotte.

"It's disappointing because I felt we had them. We outplayed them," Henderson said. "They just came up with the plays at the end of the game that championship teams tend to do."

Charlotte fell to 4-4 on the road after going 6-35 away from home last season, and the Bobcats are one of the top defensive teams in the league with 91.8 points allowed per game while holding opponents to 42.9 percent shooting.

However, they couldn't stop Miami from scoring 34 points in the final 8:20.

"It started with us," coach Steve Clifford said. "Instead of playing possession by possession, we made mistakes. They started going to the basket and we couldn't get them under control."

Nowitzki didn't play in either matchup against Charlotte last season after averaging 28.6 points in the five previous meetings.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Thunder (12-3) at Kings (4-11)

Date: December 03, 2013 10:00 PM EDT


There's usually little discouragement during an extended winning streak, though Oklahoma City hopes having to overcome double-digit deficits doesn't become a trend.

The Thunder seek a more complete effort as they go for their eighth straight victory overall and seventh in a row against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.

Oklahoma City (12-3) has been on a roll since falling to Golden State on Nov. 14, extending its streak to seven with a 113-103 victory over Minnesota on Sunday.

The Thunder won after trailing by 11 in the first half, marking the second time during their run that they've had to rally after falling behind big. They climbed out of a 14-point hole in a 115-113 win over Denver on Nov. 18.

"You always want to play tough, aggressive defensive basketball for 48 minutes," coach Scott Brooks said. "We didn't do it (Sunday), but we came back in the second half and made some adjustments and took care of the things we thought were important. We have to play much better going on the road."

Kevin Durant recorded the fourth triple-double of his career, finishing with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists while adding four steals and four blocks. He joined Michael Jordan on Jan. 16, 1988 as the only players to record a 30-10-10-4-4 stat line since blocks and steals became an official statistic in the 1973-74 season.

"Kevin is a stat filler," Brooks said. "He can do it all and he has the ability to have large scoring nights, rebounding, assists and steals and blocked shots. He's one of the few guys that can do that. That's what makes us a good defensive team, because he can guard not only his man, he can guard multiple positions."

Durant, though, would like to see a better effort on the defensive end moving forward.

"I'm glad we got the 'W'," he said. "We came out a little sluggish on the defensive end early on, but ... holding them to (41.6) percent (shooting) for the game was really big."

Oklahoma City has won 12 of 13 against Sacramento after Durant had 29 points, seven rebounds and eight assists in a 104-95 victory in the most recent meeting April 15.

DeMarcus Cousins had only seven points in that contest for the Kings, who dropped their fourth in a row with Sunday's 115-113 loss to Golden State. They fell behind by as many as 16 before taking the lead in the fourth, but couldn't hang on.

"What I like about our guys is that it could have been a 16-point deficit that turned into 30, but it turned into a two-point lead and giving ourselves a chance to win," coach Michael Malone said. "We were only one defensive rebound away from winning the game."

Cousins had 24 points in only 20-plus minutes while battling foul trouble for Sacramento (4-11), which committed a season-worst 24 turnovers. It ranks among the best in the league with only 13.8 giveaways per game.

"I think a lot of those turnovers was us being soft and us telegraphing our passes," said Isaiah Thomas, who had 19 points but also seven turnovers. "Two or three of them I just telegraphed - they knew where it was going."

Russell Westbrook is shooting just 36.5 percent in his last four against the Kings, while Cousins is averaging 10.3 points on 29.7 percent shooting in his last three versus the Thunder.

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Raptors (6-10) at Warriors (10-8)

Date: December 03, 2013 10:30 PM EDT


Coming off a much-needed win, the Golden State Warriors are hoping they've put their recent struggles behind them.

A visit from the Toronto Raptors could help them take another step in the right direction.

The Warriors look to continue their recent success against the Raptors, who try to avoid a season-worst fourth consecutive defeat Tuesday night.

Golden State (10-8) had lost five of six before bouncing back with Sunday's 115-113 win at Sacramento. Stephen Curry made a pair of free throws with 8.6 seconds left and Andrew Bogut blocked a potential game-tying layup in the closing moments.

The Warriors had dropped their previous two games by a combined five points, including Friday's last-second 113-112 overtime loss at Oklahoma City.

"It's been frustrating of late, not being able to close out games," said Curry, who finished with 36 points and 10 assists. "Everyone pitched in. It was a good learning lesson for us to continue to stick to the program."

Fellow guard Klay Thompson also came up big with 28 points while making a career-high eight 3-pointers. Thompson and Curry each recorded three steals as Golden State scored 33 points off a season high-tying 24 forced turnovers.

"I have a great backcourt with two guys that can light up a scoreboard," coach Mark Jackson said. "The thing that I love most about them is people fall in love with shooting, which is the obvious, but they compete. They have really developed into a good defensive tandem. I thought both guys did an outstanding job on the defensive end."

The Warriors will try to clamp down again versus the Raptors (6-10), who have averaged 93.7 points on 40.8 percent shooting during a three-game skid.

Rudy Gay had 23 points and nine rebounds while Jonas Valanciunas posted 18 and 11 in a 112-98 loss to Denver on Sunday. Toronto went up by as many as 15 in the first quarter but was outplayed down the stretch.

"Personally, I'm frustrated. Period. We've just got to figure it out and turn it around on the road," said guard DeMar DeRozan, whose team opens a three-game trip Tuesday. "It's correctable but we shouldn't have to keep doing the same thing over and over before we realize that we are doing something wrong. We have to understand what we're doing out the gate."

The Raptors, who were outscored 50-38 in the paint and 18-7 in transition, have dropped nine of their last 10 when posting 11 fastbreak points or fewer. Toronto's bench was also outscored 72-16.

"Our bench has got to give us something. Our guys (starters) can't play for 48 (minutes)," coach Dwane Casey said. "The guys coming in have got to develop a toughness, a resilience of getting stops. And, it starts on the defensive end."

The Raptors dropped to 1-8 when allowing at least 92 points. That doesn't bode well for a team that's surrendered 113.1 per game during a 3-12 stretch against Golden State.

Toronto will need to keep a close eye on Thompson, who averaged 20.5 points while going 7 of 12 from beyond the arc as the Warriors swept last season's series. Thompson leads the NBA with 62 made 3s, and Golden State is 9-2 when he hits at least three.

"I let it fly," he said. "That's how I got to play - just let it fly and not think about it."

The Warriors, expected to be without Andre Iguodala (hamstring) for a sixth consecutive game, have won 12 of 16 at home against Eastern Conference foes since the start of 2012-13.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Denver at Brooklyn
The Nets host Denver tonight and look to take advantage of the Nuggets 4-7 ATS record in their last 11 games as road favorites of 3 1/2; to 6 points. Brooklyn is the pick (+4 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Nuggets favored by only 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn (+4 1/2). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3

Game 501-502: Orlando at Philadelphia (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Orlando 116.981; Philadelphia 112.129
Dunkel Line & Total: Orlando by 5; 182
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 503-504: Detroit at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 112.409; Miami 131.000
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 18 1/2; 207
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 10 1/2; 200 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Miami (-10 1/2); Over

Game 505-506: Milwaukee at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 105.499; Boston 120.852
Dunkel Line & Total: Boston by 15 1/2; 206
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 507-508: Denver at Brooklyn (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Denver 119.850; Brooklyn 118.465
Dunkel Line & Total: Denver by 1 1/2; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Denver by 4 1/2; 205 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn (+4 1/2); Under

Game 509-510: Phoenix at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 118.830; Memphis 120.532
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 1 1/2; 185
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 511-512: Charlotte at Dallas (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 112.222; Dallas 123.550
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 11 1/2; 211
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 513-514: Oklahoma City at Sacramento (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 125.628; Sacramento 114.723
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 11; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 6 1/2; 203
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (-6 1/2); Under

Game 515-516: Toronto at Golden State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 118.167; Golden State 121.182
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 3; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Golden State by 8; 201
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+8); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, December 3

Hot teams
-- Nuggets won last six games, covered three of last four.
-- Miami won its last ten games, covered six of last eight.
-- Suns covered eight of their nine road games.
-- Thunder won last seven games, covered six of last eight.

Cold Teams
-- Philly lost four in row, eight of last nine games. Magic lost six of their last eight games.
-- Bucks are 3-13 this season, but 2-0 against Boston, which lost eight of its last eleven games.
-- Nets lost seven of their last nine games.
-- Pistons lost five of their seven road games (3-3 AU).
-- Memphis lost its last four home games.
-- Dallas lost four of its last five games. Bobcats lost three of last four games, are 6-1-1 vs spread on road.
-- Kings lost last four games; they're 2-8 vs spread at home.
-- Warriors lost five of their last seven games. Toronto also lost five of last seven games; they're 5-2 vs spread on road.

Totals
-- Five of last six Orlando-Philly games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last eleven Buck-Celtic games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Denver road games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Detroit games went over the total; six of last eight Miami games stayed under.
-- Seven of last nine Phoenix games went over the total.
-- Under is 8-1-1 in Bobcats' last ten games.
-- Seven of last ten Sacramento games stayed under the total.
-- Seven of last ten Toronto games went over the total.

Series records
-- 76ers lost six of last seven games with Orlando.
-- Celtics lost five of last six games against Milwaukee.
-- Nets lost six of their last eight games with Denver.
-- Pistons lost nine of last ten games with Miami (5-4 vs spread last 9).
-- Suns lost three of last four visits to Memphis.
-- Mavericks won eight of last nine vs Charlotte, but Bobcats are 3-2 vs spread in their last five visits to Dallas.
-- Kings lost 14 of last 16 games with Oklahoma City, but covered three of last four.
-- Warriors won seven of last eight games with Toronto, which lost last four visits to Oakland by 6-12-38-7 points.