The Bum's March National Basketball Association News-Trends-Picks !

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Umpire Dale Scott's stats the last five years; check out the consistency of the percentage of strikes in his games behind the plate......

Year H/A +/-. $ O/U PT/g % strikes

2008 20-14 299 13-20 289.9 .621
2010 19-16 -230 19-15 297.9 .626
2011 17-18 -484 18-16 302.2 .622
2012 22-9 1368 15-16 291.0 .624
2013 16-17 -348 12-20 307.0 .621

*****

Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Happy Opening Day, everyone.......

13) With due respect to Australians and ESPN, today is Opening Day, not last night, not last week. Opening Day is always exciting, a time everyone is optimistic, even the bad teams. Optimism might not last until Tax Day in a few places but as of this morning, there are 26 teams in first place.

12) Is Frank Sinatra really buried with a bottle of Jack Daniels?

11) Marquette/South Florida need to get together on this coaching search thing; USF got turned down by Dave Rice, who might get fired by UNLV in a year and pulled the plug on Steve Masiello after they found out his resume wasn't 100% truthful. Internet keeps listing guys Marquette wants to hire as its new coach, but since none of them have been hired, what gives?

Steve Wojciehowski is the latest name Marquette has floated as its new coach; if another Coach K assistant gets a bigtime job despite having zero head coaching experience, they're going to force me to do a research project, but we'll wait until he gets hired to do that.

10) Richard Sherman and DeSean Jackson once played on the same Little League team. Don't know how that team made out, but I'm guessing their dugout wasn't very quiet.

9) MLB Network was tremendous in March, exhibition games every day and all night, really a good station. Probably won't watch it much rest of the season though, since I have the Extra Innings package, which is even better.

8) Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins is declaring for NBA Draft today; he scored four points in his last game, a loss to Stanford. He averaged 17.1 ppg and 5.9 rebounds, a solid season but rarely did you watch Kansas and see this player dominating a game. Maybe the NBA style will be more his thing.

For me, a kid like this going to college was a joke; he should've been allowed to go to the NBA right from high school, like baseball players can.

7) QB Stephen Rivers (Philip's brother) is transferring from LSU; word has it probably to Vanderbilt; he'll be eligible to play this fall, but no one knows how good he is, since he never played at LSU. Jordan Rodgers was Vandy's QB couple years ago, so they're used to having a QB with a famous brother. If only either one of them was as half as good as their brother.

6) John Gasaway of ESPN Insider reports that this Final Four's average seed is 4.5, making it the fourth wackiest since 1985. Wackier: 2011 (6.5), 2000 (5.5), 2006 (5.0). Anyone who had UConn in the Final Four is a genius or is somehow related to someone on their team.

UConn was down 3 with 0:45 to play in their first tournament game against St Joe's; wonder what their odds of making the Final Four were then?

5) Carl Crawford makes $21M a year but doesn't start on my fantasy team in a 16-team keeper league, and my team is mediocre at best in our league. If I cut him, I'm not sure how many teams he would start for, and the guy makes $21M a year!!!! Is his contract the worst one ever?

4) Wisconsin-Arizona game Saturday night was a great game; neither team led by more than three points, in the final 18:00 of the game. How many times does that happen?

3) So Ray Rice gets indicted for knocking his girlfriend out cold in a casino this winter; the day after he gets indicted, the happy couple gets married. If this world isn't going crazy, then maybe I am.

2) Greedy bastard update: prices of unleaded gas at Mobil gas stations:
-- corner of Fuller/Central: $3.79
-- gutless Sunoco station across street: $3.77-- they're always two cents a gallon cheaper than the Mobil station, like that matters.
-- corner of Wolf/Sand Creek, $3.85
-- Western Ave by UAlbany: $3.71
-- route 9, just south of Siena College, $3.73.

Why are the stations by my house more expensive????

1) Dodger bullpen gagged away a 1-0 lead (and my fantasy win for Ryu) Sunday night, lost 3-1 in San Diego. Padres' magic number is 162, and thats part of why Opening Day is so great. Padre fans can be dreamers today.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, March 31

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

WASHINGTON (38 - 35) at CHARLOTTE (35 - 38) - 3/31/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) in road games in March games over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 41-29 ATS (+9.1 Units) in all games this season.
CHARLOTTE is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
CHARLOTTE is 50-28 ATS (+19.2 Units) in home games in March games since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 21-11 ATS (+8.9 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHARLOTTE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.
CHARLOTTE is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
WASHINGTON is 60-39 ATS (+17.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 23-14 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games this season.
WASHINGTON is 26-10 ATS (+15.0 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 53-38 ATS (+11.2 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) in home games vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

SAN ANTONIO (57 - 16) at INDIANA (52 - 22) - 3/31/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 9-19 ATS (-11.9 Units) after allowing 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 50-36 ATS (+10.4 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 140-97 ATS (+33.3 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
INDIANA is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in home games after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 143-108 ATS (+24.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 117-88 ATS (+20.2 Units) as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) in road games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) second half of the season this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in March games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 30-15 ATS (+13.5 Units) after a division game over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 42-24 ATS (+15.6 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 64-40 ATS (+20.0 Units) after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 6-22 ATS (-18.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
INDIANA is 2-15 ATS (-14.5 Units) in March games this season.
INDIANA is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season this season.

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

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

TORONTO (42 - 31) at MIAMI (50 - 22) - 3/31/2014, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 6-3 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 9-0 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

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

MILWAUKEE (14 - 59) at DETROIT (26 - 47) - 3/31/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 70-87 ATS (-25.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 2-14 ATS (-13.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) second half of the season this season.
MILWAUKEE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
DETROIT is 32-41 ATS (-13.1 Units) in all games this season.
DETROIT is 40-55 ATS (-20.5 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

PHILADELPHIA (16 - 57) at ATLANTA (31 - 41) - 3/31/2014, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

BOSTON (23 - 50) at CHICAGO (41 - 32) - 3/31/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 17-31 ATS (-17.1 Units) against Central division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) revenging a home loss vs opponent this season.
BOSTON is 14-6 ATS (+7.4 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
CHICAGO is 34-50 ATS (-21.0 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 32-51 ATS (-24.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 180 and 184.5 points over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 8-2 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 7-3 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SACRAMENTO (25 - 48) at NEW ORLEANS (32 - 41) - 3/31/2014, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

LA CLIPPERS (52 - 22) at MINNESOTA (36 - 36) - 3/31/2014, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 6-5 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-3 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW YORK (31 - 43) at UTAH (23 - 51) - 3/31/2014, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 32-42 ATS (-14.2 Units) in all games this season.
UTAH is 111-81 ATS (+21.9 Units) in home games after a division game since 1996.
UTAH is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
NEW YORK is 67-49 ATS (+13.1 Units) second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 31-39 ATS (-11.9 Units) in all games this season.
UTAH is 11-21 ATS (-12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
UTAH is 15-27 ATS (-14.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season.
UTAH is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.

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

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

MEMPHIS (43 - 30) at DENVER (32 - 41) - 3/31/2014, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in March games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 92-74 ATS (+10.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 61-47 ATS (+9.3 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 48-35 ATS (+9.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 25-13 ATS (+10.7 Units) against Northwest division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
MEMPHIS is 53-36 ATS (+13.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MEMPHIS is 5-4 against the spread versus DENVER over the last 3 seasons
MEMPHIS is 5-4 straight up against DENVER 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

Monday, March 31

Hot teams
-- Spurs won last 17 games, covered 10 of last 11.
-- Raptors won four of their last five games. Miami won three of last four games, covered last three.
-- Bulls won three of last four games, but covered once in their last five home games.
-- Clippers won 15 of their last 17 games. Timberwolves won four of last five home games.
-- New Orleans won five of its last six games.
-- Knicks won 10 of their last 13 games.

Cold Teams
-- Charlotte lost four of its last six games. Wizards lost four of their last seven games (2-5 vs spread).
-- Pacers lost four of their last five games.
-- Atlanta lost its last six games (1-5 vs spread). 76ers lost 26 of last 27 games, covered five of last seven.
-- Bucks lost nine of last ten games, covered four of last six. Detroit lost eight of its last nine.
-- Celtics lost nine of their last ten games.
-- Kings lost six of last eight games (6-2-1 vs spread in last nine).
-- Grizzlies lost three of last four road games (0-4 vs spread). Denver lost four of its last five games.
-- Jazz lost 15 of their last 17 games.

Series records
-- Wizards won four of last six visits to Charlotte.
-- Pacers won by 11 in San Antonio Dec 7, ending 9-game series skid.
-- 76ers lost four of their last five games with Atlanta.
-- Pistons won five of last seven games with Milwaukee.
-- Heat won last 14 games with Toronto (6-2 vs spread in last eight).
-- Bulls won nine of last 12 games against Boston.
-- Clippers won their last eight games with Minnesota.
-- Kings won three of last four games with New Orleans.
-- Grizzlies lost last three visits to Denver, by 5-7-3 points.
-- Knicks won their last five games with Utah.

Totals
-- Last four Washington games stayed under the total; four of last five Charlotte games went over
-- Five of last six San Antonio games stayed under.
-- Seven of last ten Philly games stayed under total.
-- Over is 48-25 in Detroit games, 25-13 at home.
-- Five of last six Miami games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Boston games went over total.
-- Seven of last nine Clipper games stayed under total.
-- Eight of last nine King-Pelican games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Memphis-Denver games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Utah games went over the total.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, March 31

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

7:00 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. INDIANA
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Indiana is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing San Antonio
Indiana is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games at home

7:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. CHARLOTTE
Washington is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games on the road
Charlotte is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Washington
Charlotte is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

7:30 PM
PHILADELPHIA vs. ATLANTA
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Philadelphia's last 19 games on the road
Atlanta is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing Philadelphia

7:30 PM
MILWAUKEE vs. DETROIT
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing Detroit
Milwaukee is 5-18 SU in its last 23 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

7:30 PM
TORONTO vs. MIAMI
Toronto is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Miami
Toronto is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games on the road
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Miami is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing at home against Toronto

8:00 PM
BOSTON vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing Chicago
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Chicago's last 7 games when playing Boston
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston

8:00 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. NEW ORLEANS
Sacramento is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New Orleans
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Sacramento's last 12 games
New Orleans is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of New Orleans's last 9 games

8:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. MINNESOTA
LA Clippers are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games on the road
LA Clippers are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games on the road
Minnesota is 0-5 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
Minnesota is 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games when playing at home against LA Clippers

9:00 PM
MEMPHIS vs. DENVER
Memphis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Memphis's last 8 games on the road
Denver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver's last 7 games at home

9:00 PM
NEW YORK vs. UTAH
New York is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
New York is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Utah is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Utah is 1-10 SU in its last 11 games

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Monday, March 31

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Spurs at Pacers
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

San Antonio Spurs at Indiana Pacers (+4.5, 190)

Monday's game between the San Antonio Spurs and host Indiana Pacers may be a matchup between conference leaders, but make no mistake: the teams are headed in vastly different directions. San Antonio comes into this one on a franchise record-tying 17-game winning streak and will look to wrap up the second unbeaten complete month in franchise history. The Spurs will look to extend their run against a Pacers team that has lost four of its last five games.

San Antonio's incredible hot streak has allowed it to build a three-game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and with just nine games remaining for both teams it would take a major collapse for the Spurs to not finish on top. But Gregg Popovich only needs to look to the other sideline for proof it can happen. The Pacers lead Miami by one game, and will face the Heat in a pivotal showdown April 11.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBA TV, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), FSN Indiana

LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened as 3.5-point road faves but have been bet to -4.5. The total opened 190.5 and is currently 190.

INJURY REPORT: Spurs: G Danny Green (Questionable, Foot), F Matt Bonner (Early April, Calf). Pacers: G C.J. Watson (Early April, Hamstring), C Andrew Bynum (Out indefinitely, Knee)

WHY BET THE SPURS (57-16 SU, 40-33 ATS, 41-31-1 O/U): It's one thing for San Antonio to own the league's best record; it's another altogether for the Spurs to be so productive despite ranking 20th in the NBA in payroll. At approximately $63 million, the Spurs - through Saturday - have spent roughly $1.11 million per victory, well ahead of the runner-up Houston Rockets ($1.18 million per win). Head coach Gregg Popovich told the San Antonio News-Express: "(General manager R.C. Buford) and his group work very hard at trying to be as frugal as we can possibly yet put a product on the floor that everybody will be proud of."

WHY BET THE PACERS (52-22 SU, 35-38-1 ATS, 29-43-2 O/U): Indiana is fourth on the payroll-dollars-per-victory chart at $1.29 million, but could use some extra cash to buy an offense. Indiana shot just over 37 percent in Sunday's 90-76 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and has surpassed the 80-point mark just once in the previous five games - an 84-83 win over Miami that makes up Indiana's slim lead over the Heat. "We're losing games at an alarming rate to teams that are inferior to us," power forward David West said. "We can't figure out a way to perform better. We're kind of looking for answers right now."

TRENDS:

* Over is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Indiana.
* Spurs are 6-0 ATS in their last six road games.
* Pacers are 0-5 ATS in their last five vs. Western Conference.
* Over is 9-1 in Spurs last 10 vs. a team with a winning S.U. record.

CONSENSUS: 58 percent of wagers are on the Spurs.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

San Antonio at Indiana
The Spurs head to Indiana tonight with the Pacers coming off a 90-76 loss yesterday to Cleveland and carrying an 0-7 ATS record in their last 7 games following a SU defeat of more than 10 points. San Antonio is the pick (-4) according to Dunkel, which has the Spurs favored by 13. Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-4). Here are all of today's picks.

MONDAY, MARCH 31

Game 731-732: Washington at Charlotte (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 117.066; Charlotte 117.899
Dunkel Line & Total: Charlotte by 1; 196
Vegas Line & Total: Charlotte by 3; 192 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+1); Over

Game 733-734: San Antonio at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 130.217; Indiana 117.243
Dunkel Line & Total: San Antonio by 13; 186
Vegas Line & Total: San Antonio by 4; 190 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Antonio (-4); Under

Game 735-736: Toronto at Miami (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 121.216; Miami 122.224
Dunkel Line & Total: Miami by 1; 191
Vegas Line & Total: Miami by 6; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (+6); Under

Game 737-738: Milwaukee at Detroit (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Milwaukee 110.018; Detroit 112.745
Dunkel Line & Total: Detroit by 2 1/2; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Detroit by 6 1/2; 205 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (+6 1/2); Over

Game 739-740: Philadelphia at Atlanta (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Philadelphia 107.309; Atlanta 115.033
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 7 1/2; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 13; 208
Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+13); Over

Game 741-742: Boston at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Boston 110.858; Chicago 122.416
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 11 1/2; 177
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 10; 182 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-10); Under

Game 743-744: Sacramento at New Orleans (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 115.693; New Orleans 117.325
Dunkel Line & Total: New Orleans by 1 1/2;
Vegas Line & Total: New Orleans by 4 1/2; 200
Dunkel Pick: Sacramento (+4 1/2); Under

Game 745-746: LA Clippers at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Clippers 125.729; Minnesota 118.623
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 7; 225
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 2; 217
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (-2); Over

Game 747-748: New York at Utah (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New York 117.594; Utah 112.044
Dunkel Line & Total: New York by 5 1/2; 191
Vegas Line & Total: New York by 3; 196
Dunkel Pick: New York (-3); Under

Game 749-750: Memphis at Denver (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Memphis 122.669; Denver 117.238
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 5 1/2; 206
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 3 1/2; 200 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Memphis (-3 1/2); Over

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Monday, March 31

Washington at Charlotte, 7:05 ET
Washington: 23-14 ATS in road games
Charlotte: 5-16 ATS in home games vs. division opponents

San Antonio at Indiana, 7:05 ET
San Antonio: 19-10 ATS as a road favorite
Indiana: 6-22 ATS second half of the season

Toronto at Miami, 7:35 ET
Toronto: n/a
Miami: n/a

Milwaukee at Detroit, 7:35 ET
Milwaukee: 22-13 OVER in road games
Detroit: 21-12 OVER as a favorite

Philadelphia at Atlanta, 7:35 ET
Philadelphia: n/a
Atlanta: n/a

Boston at Chicago, 8:05 ET
Boston: 14-5 ATS revenging a home loss vs opponent
Chicago: 7-18 ATS as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points

Sacramento at New Orleans, 8:05 ET
Sacramento: n/a
New Orleans: n/a

LA Clippers at Minnesota, 8:05 ET
LA Clippers: n/a
Minnesota: n/a

New York at Utah, 9:05 ET
New York: 7-15 ATS after playing 2 consecutive games as an underdog
Utah: 15-6 ATS after allowing 105 points or more

Memphis at Dever, 9:05 ET
Memphis: 61-47 ATS as a favorite
Denver: 1-9 ATS in home games after having lost 3 of their last 4 games

[StarDust Bum]

Spurs, Pacers clash

March 31, 2014


SAN ANTONIO SPURS (57-16) at INDIANA PACERS (52-22)
Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: San Antonio -4.5 & 188.5

The top teams in their respective conferences clash on Monday night when the smoking-hot Spurs, winners of 17 straight, visit the scuffling Pacers.

San Antonio is 13-4 ATS during its amazing SU win streak that began on Feb. 26. The team is averaging a blistering 111.7 PPG on 49.4% FG and 43.8% threes, and has held opponents to 95.7 PPG on 42.6% FG and 32.5% threes during the 17-game run. Indiana has retained its one-game lead for the top spot in the East over Miami despite a 2-5 SU mark (1-6 ATS) in its past seven contests.

Dating back to the same Feb. 26 timeframe, the Pacers are a pathetic 2-16 ATS (9-9 SU) and have failed to reach 100 points in 14 of its past 16 games. Over the past five contests, they have not tallied as much as 85 points, with an atrocious scoring average of 77.2 PPG on 36.6% FG.

But they had no trouble scoring in San Antonio on Dec. 7, coasting to a 111-100 win thanks to 54% FG, 47% threes and 93% FT in that victory with seven players registering at least a dozen points. But that was a rare result in this series, as the Spurs had prevailed in 11 straight meetings (7-4 ATS) before that defeat this season. S

an Antonio enters Monday with a six-game road win streak (SU and ATS), making the club an astounding 28-8 SU (23-13 ATS) away from home this season. Indiana has won four straight home games SU, but covered in only one of those contests, making the team 33-4 SU (20-16-1 ATS) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse this season. The Pacers suffered an embarrassing 90-76 loss at Cleveland on Sunday, and are a subpar 7-12 ATS with zero days' rest this season.

Both teams have positive betting trends for Monday, as the Spurs are 28-14 ATS (67%) versus poor foul drawing teams (attempting 24 or fewer free throws per game this season), outscoring these clubs by a hefty +11.4 PPG margin. But Indiana benefits from the fact that cold teams (ATS losses in 12+ games in a 15-game stretch) facing opponents on a 4-1 ATS run are a hefty 39-13 ATS (75%) since 1996.

Both clubs are dealing with a couple of injuries, as San Antonio will be without PF Matt Bonner (calf) and possibly SG Danny Green (foot). The Pacers continue to miss the services of two reserves -- C Andrew Bynum (knee) and PG C.J. Watson (hamstring).

San Antonio has the NBA's best record because it doesn't have a glaring weakness. On offense, the club scores 105.6 PPG (6th in NBA) on 48.9% FG (2nd in league) and an NBA-best 40.1% threes. These high shooting percentages are a result of a league-high 25.5 APG. The Spurs are also an excellent defensive team, limiting opponents to 97.4 PPG (4th in league) on 44.2% FG (7th in NBA) and 35.3% threes (9th in league). The only disadvantage they have in this matchup is on the glass, where they have a pedestrian +1.1 RPG margin (13th in league), while Indiana ranks second in the NBA with a hefty +3.9 RPG margin.

The Spurs' 17-game win streak has been all the more impressive considering PG Tony Parker (17.0 PPG, 6.0 APG) hasn't been himself lately. Hampered by an Achilles injury, he has tallied a paltry 5.3 PPG on 29% FG in 26.2 MPG over his past three contests. Parker had only two assists in 26 minutes in that December home loss to Indiana, posting a minus-18 rating.

PF Tim Duncan (15.3 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.9 BPG) also had a minus-18 rating in that Dec. 7 loss, scoring a mere 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting. But lately, Duncan has been outstanding, averaging 20.0 PPG (63% FG), 8.5 RPG, 4.3 APG and 2.0 BPG in just 26.9 MPG over his past four contests.

SF Kawhi Leonard (12.4 PPG, 6.2 RPG) has also stepped up his game recently, averaging 15.0 PPG (49% FG, 44% threes) and 6.3 RPG over his past seven contests. He scored a team-high 18 points in the earlier loss to the Pacers, but he didn't do much on the defensive end with only three rebounds and a game-worst minus-25 rating.

Indiana continues to struggle on the offensive end of the court, averaging only 97.0 PPG (23rd in NBA) on 44.8% FG (18th in league) and 35.0% threes (23rd in NBA). The team is not very efficient either, as its 1.37 Ast/TO ratio (20.0 APG, 14.6 TOPG) ranks fifth-worst in the league. But the reason the Pacers have the best record in their conference is rebounding and an outstanding defense. They lead the league in scoring defense (91.7 PPG) and shooting defense (41.7% FG), while placing third in three-point defense (34.1% threes).

For Indiana to get back on track offensively, SF Paul George (21.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.9 SPG) has to shoot much better. In the past seven games, he has made a pathetic 31% FG with more turnovers (24) than assists (23). But George was clearly the best player on the court when these teams first met back in December, pouring in a game-high 28 points (9-of-14 FG, 4-of-4 threes) with six assists, four rebounds and a +25 rating. PF David West (13.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG) also came up big in many facets against San Antonio with 20 points (9-of-12 FG), eight boards, four assists, three steals, two blocks and a game-high rating of +33.

Two other frontcourt players loomed large on Dec. 7 as well, as C Roy Hibbert (11.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.4 BPG) and PF Luis Scola (7.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG) each contributed a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards. Hibbert has been a non-factor during his team's current 1-4 skid though, averaging only 8.4 PPG (33% FG) and 3.2 RPG in these five games. SG Lance Stephenson (14.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.6 APG), who had 15 points, four assists and a +24 rating against the Spurs, continues to carry this offense. Over the past 10 games, he has scored 14.9 PPG (47% FG) with 7.9 RPG.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday's Tips

March 31, 2014


Wizards at Bobcats – 7:05 PM EST

Washington: 38-35 SU, 37-35-1 ATS
Charlotte: 35-38 SU, 41-29-3 ATS

Two teams in the Southeast Division that have made massive strides this season meet up in Charlotte on Monday playing for seeding in the Eastern Conference. Since a four-game winning streak in mid-March, the Bobcats have won just two of its last six games, while blowing a 16-point lead in Friday’s overtime setback at Orlando. The road team has won each of the first two meetings between the Wizards and Bobcats, as Charlotte topped Washington at the Verizon Center, 98-85 on March 12 as 5 ½-point underdogs.

Washington is going through a roller-coaster ride of late, splitting their last 10 games, but the Wizards are coming off consecutive home victories over the Pacers and Hawks. Randy Wittman’s club is riding a four-game ‘under’ streak, while limiting each of its last three opponents to 99 points or less. Since a 6-0 ATS run in the role of a road underdog, the Wizards have failed to cover each of their last three when receiving points on the highway.

Spurs at Pacers – 7:05 PM EST

San Antonio: 57-16 SU, 40-33 ATS
Indiana: 52-22 SU, 35-38-1 ATS

The Spurs are running away from the rest of the Western Conference by putting together a 17-game winning streak, as San Antonio travels to Indiana. During this hot streak, the Spurs have covered 13 times, including in Saturday’s home blowout of the Pelicans as 14-point favorites. Gregg Popovich’s squad is playing with revenge after falling at home to the Pacers in December, 111-100 as four-point favorites, snapping an 11-game winning streak against Indiana dating back to 2008.

The Pacers’ offense has fallen flat of late, scoring 84 points in each of the last five games, including a 90-76 clunker in Sunday’s loss at Cleveland. Frank Vogel’s team has hit the ‘under’ in eight straight contests, while not hitting the 100-point plateau once during this stretch. Indiana has been pointspread poison since the end of February, going 2-16 ATS the last 18 games, including a 1-6 ATS mark at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Raptors at Heat – 7:35 PM EST

Toronto: 42-31 SU, 43-28-2 ATS
Miami: 50-22 SU, 33-37-2 ATS

The Heat returns home after consecutive blowouts at Detroit and Milwaukee, limiting each team to 78 points or less. Miami is just one game behind Indiana for the top seed in the Eastern Conference, as the Heat play the next five contests at the American Airlines Arena. Erik Spoelstra’s club goes for the season sweep of the Raptors tonight, while Toronto hasn’t busted the 100-point mark in any of the three losses to Miami.

The Raptors held off the Magic on Sunday night, 98-93 to push as five-point road favorites, as Toronto threw away a 19-point halftime lead. Dwane Casey’s team is riding a three-game winning streak, but the Raptors have won just one road game since the start of February against a team currently sitting above .500 (Washington on February 18). The Raptors look to win successive away contests for the first time since late December, while posting a 1-5 ATS record the last six times off a road victory.

Clippers at Wolves – 8:05 PM EST

Los Angeles: 52-22 SU, 41-32-1 ATS
Minnesota: 36-36 SU, 35-37 ATS

The Clippers are pretty much locked into the third seed in the Western Conference behind the Spurs and Thunder. Los Angeles continues a five-game road swing after knocking off Dallas and Houston the last two contests, as the Clips look to beat the Wolves for the fourth time this season. Blake Griffin is listed as doubtful tonight after suffering a back injury in Saturday’s win over the Rockets, but the Clips still managed to score 118 points at Houston.

The Wolves fell apart late in last night’s 114-99 defeat at Brooklyn as four-point underdogs, the fourth loss in the last five away from the Target Center. Now, Rick Adelman’s club returns home where it has won four of five, but those victories came against the Lakers, Hawks, Kings, and Bucks. Minnesota’s atrocious defense of late has resulted in a 6-1 run to the ‘over’ the last seven games, but the past five home meetings with Los Angeles have finished ‘under’ the total.

[StarDust Bum]

Monday, March 31

Game Score Status Pick Amount

Washington - 7:00 PM ET Charlotte -3 500 *****
Charlotte - Over 194 500

San Antonio - 7:00 PM ET San Antonio -4 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Indiana - Over 188 500

Philadelphia - 7:30 PM ET Philadelphia +12.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Atlanta - Under 211 500

Milwaukee - 7:30 PM ET Detroit -6.5 500
Detroit - Under 206 500

Toronto - 7:30 PM ET Toronto +5.5 500 *****
Miami - Under 192.5 500

Boston - 8:00 PM ET Chicago -9.5 500 DOUBLE PLAY
Chicago - Over 185 500

L.A. Clippers - 8:00 PM ET L.A. Clippers -3.5 500
Minnesota - Over 215.5 500

Sacramento - 8:00 PM ET Sacramento +3.5 500
New Orleans - Over 198 500

Memphis - 9:00 PM ET Memphis -4.5 500
Denver - Over 200.5 500

New York - 9:00 PM ET New York -3.5 500 TRIPLE PLAY
Utah - Under 194 500

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Houston at Brooklyn
The Nets play host to Houston (49-23) tonight and come into the contest with a 7-0 ATS record in their last 7 games versus teams with a winning SU record. Brooklyn is the pick (-3) according to Dunkel, which has the Nets favored by 5. Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn (-3). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, APRIL 1

Game 761-762: Houston at Brooklyn (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Houston 123.192; Brooklyn 128.031
Dunkel Line & Total: Brooklyn by 5; 212
Vegas Line & Total: Brooklyn by 3; 208
Dunkel Pick: Brooklyn (-3); Over

Game 763-764: Golden State at Dallas (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Golden State 121.580; Dallas 123.377
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 2; 198
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 4 1/2; 204
Dunkel Pick: Golden State (+4 1/2); Under

Game 765-766: Portland at LA Lakers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Portland 121.279; LA Lakers 110.847
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 10 1/2; 225
Vegas Line & Total: Portland by 8; 222
Dunkel Pick: Portland (-8); Over




NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, April 1

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

HOUSTON (49 - 23) at BROOKLYN (39 - 33) - 4/1/2014, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in home games second half of the season this season.
HOUSTON is 274-213 ATS (+39.7 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
HOUSTON is 84-52 ATS (+26.8 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
HOUSTON is 103-64 ATS (+32.6 Units) in road games after allowing 105 points or more since 1996.

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

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

GOLDEN STATE (45 - 28) at DALLAS (44 - 30) - 4/1/2014, 8:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

PORTLAND (48 - 27) at LA LAKERS (25 - 48) - 4/1/2014, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, April 1

Hot teams
-- Nets won six of last eight games. Rockets won five of their last six.
-- Warriors won three of their last four road games.
-- Trailblazers won last three games, by 15-17-7 points.

Cold Teams
-- Mavericks covered twice in their last seven games.
-- Lakers lost six of their last eight games.

Series records
-- Rockets won their last ten games with Brooklyn.
-- Home side won last five Dallas-Golden State games.
-- Lakers won six of last eight games with Portland.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight Houston games, last seven Brooklyn games went over total.
-- Six of last seven Dallas-Golden State games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Portland games stayed under the total.




NBA

Tuesday, April 1

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

8:00 PM
HOUSTON vs. BROOKLYN
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 7 games when playing Brooklyn
Houston is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Brooklyn
Brooklyn is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Houston
Brooklyn is 1-8-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Houston

8:30 PM
GOLDEN STATE vs. DALLAS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Golden State's last 5 games on the road
Golden State is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
Dallas is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing Golden State

10:30 PM
PORTLAND vs. LA LAKERS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games
LA Lakers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Portland
LA Lakers are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games at home

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, April 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game of the Day: Rockets at Nets
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Houston Rockets at Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets seek a franchise-record 14th straight home win Tuesday while the Houston Rockets aim for their 15th consecutive victory over the Nets when they meet Tuesday in a matchup of teams close to clinching playoff spots. Brooklyn entered Monday with a chance to wrap up a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with a New York loss in Utah, or it can do the trick with a win over the Rockets, whose magic number to clinch a spot in the West was at three entering Monday. The Nets' run at the Barclays Center continued with a 114-99 win over Minnesota on Sunday, matching Oklahoma City's NBA-high 13-game run at home earlier this season.

Houston had won five in a row before a 118-107 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, which left the Rockets two games behind the Clippers in the race for third place in the West entering Monday. Starters Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley missed the game for Houston with injuries; Howard is day-to-day with a left ankle strain and Beverley is out indefinitely with a torn meniscus in his left knee. Howard was one of six Rockets to score in double figures in a 114-95 win over Brooklyn on Nov. 29.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

LINE HISTORY: The line opened at -2 for Brooklyn but quickly moved to -3 for the Nets.

INJURY REPORT: Rockets: C Dwight Howard (Out, Ankle), G Patrick Beverley (Out indefinitely, Knee). Nets: F Andre Kirilenko (Questionable, Ankle), F Kevin Garnett (Out indefinitely, Back)

WHY BET THE ROCKETS (49-23 SU, 37-33-2 ATS, 37-33-2 O/U): Some of those relied upon to pick up the slack for Howard and Beverley fell flat against the Clippers. Guard Jeremy Lin went 1-of-9 from the floor in his first start since Feb. 12 while power forward Terrence Jones managed two points in 19 minutes while dealing with foul trouble. James Harden continued his hot play with 32 points and is averaging 30.8 over his last five games.

WHY BET THE NETS (39-33 SU, 39-33 ATS, 37-31-1 O/U): After a sluggish showing in Brooklyn's last loss Wednesday in Charlotte, Paul Pierce has found the stroke once again, hitting 10-of-14 3-pointers over the course of consecutive 22-point efforts. The veteran has scored a total of 33 points in the last two first quarters, setting the tone for a squad that has won 13 of 17 overall to continue to turn its poor start into little more than a footnote. "I think a lot of teams with bad character, bad leadership in the locker room would've laid down a long time ago," Pierce told reporters Sunday. "Probably by Christmas would've been making summer plans. But not this group."

TRENDS:

* Rockets are 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last five road games.
* Nets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven vs. Western Conference.

CONSENSUS:
57 percent of backers are taking the Rockets

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, April 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bank Shots: NBA's weekly betting news and notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the week ending March 24-30

Hottest ATS - Orlando Magic (2-1 SU, 2-0-1 ATS)

With no team going truly perfect against the spread last week, the lottery-bound Magic stand alone as the team providing the most value. Orlando doesn't appear content to float to the end of the regular season, posting an impressive 2-1 mark through the first three games of a four-game home stand. The Magic opened the stretch with a 95-85 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers before outlasting the Charlotte Bobcats 110-105 in overtime and earning the rare push in a 98-93 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Raptors.


Coldest ATS - Indiana Pacers (1-3 SU, 0-4 ATS)

The Pacers are struggling to maintain their lead over the Miami Heat atop the Eastern Conference standings, and have been absolute poison when it comes to spread and over bets. Indiana is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games, including a winless week that saw it drop road decisions to Chicago, Washington and Cleveland while pulling out a one-point win over the Heat. A major offensive collapse has plagued the slumping Pacers, who have scored more than 80 points just once in their last five games.


Best Over play - Memphis Grizzlies (2-2 SU, 3-1 O/U)

A handful of teams represented solid over plays this week, and the Grizzlies are at the top of the list. Despite being a below-average over team on the season, the Grizzlies found themselves in some higher-scoring outcomes en route to a break-even SU week. Memphis opened the stretch with a 109-92 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves and a 91-87 triumph over the Utah Jazz, but suffered defensive breakdowns once it hit the road, surrendering triple-digit totals in losses to Golden State and Portland.


Best Under play - Miami Heat (3-1 SU, 0-4 O/U)

Miami has taken a minimalist approach to its pursuit of the top seed in the Eastern Conference, relying on lockdown defense to win three of four last week. After a narrow victory over Portland and that one-point loss to the Pacers, the Heat limited the Detroit Pistons to 78 points in a one-sided win before completely overwhelming the Milwaukee Bucks 88-67. Expect more of the same from Miami if it has to do without injured guards Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen and Mario Chalmers for any extended period of time.


Surveying the schedule

The San Antonio Spurs are doing exactly what they do at the end of every regular season, laying waste to opponents as the look to secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs enter the week on a franchise record-tying 17-game winning streak, and can break the club mark with a victory Monday night against the tumbling Pacers. The rest of the week looks a little more challenging, with home games against the Golden State Warriors and Grizzlies and a road date with the Oklahoma City Thunder looming.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, April 1


Clippers Griffin opts for more rest

Los Angeles Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin did not play Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves and is likely to remain idle all week to rest his ailing back for the playoffs.

Griffin was hurt in Saturday's game against the Houston Rockets. He felt back spasms strong enough that he removed himself from the game. He had been dealing with back spasms for 10 days.

Griffin decided to rest again Tuesday, when the Clippers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night and is leaning toward sitting Wednesday night.


Hibbert says Pacers "don't deserve" the No.1 seed

The Indiana Pacers held first in the Eastern Conference all season long, but a loss to the Spurs Tuesday dropped them to No.2. The Miami Heat, who have been nipping at the Pacers heals all season have taken over the No.1 slot.

Pacers Roy Hibbert told reporters "Good for them. We don't deserve it."

Indiana is 12-11 since the all-star break and have dropped six of their last eight straight-up. They've also failed to break 90 points in seven of those eight games. The Pacers have gone Under in 11 of their past 12 games because of this offensive deficiency and have only covered once in that same span.


Bucks barely cover with meaningless basket in last seconds

The Detroit Pistons already put the final nail in the Milwaukee Bucks' coffin Monday, but that didn't stop the Bucks from hurting bettors.

Down 109-116 with only 7.3 seconds left on the clock, Jeff Middleton drained a meaningless hook shot down low for the Bucks. This bucket did not change the fortune for the players, but for bettors it meant the the Bucks covered by 1.5-points.

The Bucks now covered for of their past five on the road and have increased their record against the spread to 19-18 away from Milwaukee. The Pistons on the other hand have failed to cover in their last four at home and continue to be terrible for bettors at home with an ATS record of 15-24 at home.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Short Sheet

Tuesday, April 1

Houston at Brooklyn, 8:00 ET
Houston: 14-5 ATS after allowing 110 points or more
Brooklyn: 45-63 ATS after a game where they covered the spread

Golden State at Dallas, 8:35 ET
Golden State: n/a
Dallas: n/a

Portland at LA Lakers, 10:35 ET
Portland: n/a
LA Lakers: n/a




NBA

Tuesday, April 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This week's best NBA spot bet opportunities
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Letdown spot

Minnesota has a big week ahead of them, and it begins Monday night when they host the Los Angeles Clippers. The Timberwolves host Memphis on Wednesday, and then play in Miami on Friday night. Their final game of the week comes the following night in Orlando, and that sets up as a bad spot for Minnesota.

The Timberwolves have been in poor form, so they will be primed for big efforts against the Clippers, Grizzlies, and Heat. Minnesota will be in letdown mode on Saturday night when they play the Magic, especially since they already beat Orlando this season.


Look-ahead spot

Chicago comes into this week currently with the #4 seed for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are just one game out of third place, and just 1.5 games ahead of fifth place. Chicago will play two teams in playoff contention, in Atlanta on Wednesday and in Washington on Saturday.

The Bulls host the lowly Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night, and there’s a good chance Chicago will overlook that game, especially with a huge game against the Wizards the following night. The Bulls are 0-2 versus Washington this season, and with the Wizards sitting just three games behind Chicago in the standings, the game is quite important. The Milwaukee game is simply a bad spot for the Bulls on Friday night.


Schedule spot

San Antonio goes into their Monday night game in Indiana on an incredible 19-1 SU and 15-5 ATS run over their last 20 games. The Spurs have been the best team in the NBA since the All-Star break as they’ve taken advantage of a slew of home games and a very easy schedule during that span.

The Spurs will play four games this week against playoff-contending teams. After Monday, San Antonio will host Golden State on Wednesday, play in Oklahoma City on Thursday, and close the week at home against Memphis on Sunday. The Spurs will be in a tough scheduling spot on Thursday at Oklahoma City as it will be a no-rest situation and the Spurs' third game in four nights, while the Thunder will have three full days of rest entering the game.