The Bum's NBA October - Novemberr Best Bets-Trends,Stats,News !

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Sunday

November 9, 2014


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Kings are 0-12 ATS (-11.71 ppg) since 2001 as a road favorite when they have won and covered their last three games.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Mavericks are 0-10 OU (-15.55 ppg) since Mar 10, 2010 as a home favorite after a road win where their field goal attempt to turnover ratio was at least eight.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Lakers are 11-0 OU (10.73 ppg) since Feb 20, 2013 when the total is under 218 after Kobe Bryant was the Lakers’ high scorer in a loss.

NBA BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Warriors are 0-11 ATS (-7.82 ppg) as a favorite when they won and covered as a favorite in each of their last two games.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Jazz are 0-9 OU (-9.33 ppg) since Feb 08, 2014 after Derrick Favors scored fewer than 10 points in a loss.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Monday's six-pack

Latest odds to win the college football national title.......

3-1-- Alabama-- 7-point home favorites over #1 Mississippi State this week.

4-1-- Oregon-- Fell behind early, then hung half a hundred on Utah.

6-1-- TCU-- Seems like long time ago that QB Boykin was suspended.

7-1-- Ohio State, Florida State, Mississippi State

10-1-- Baylor-- Got first-ever win at Oklahoma this weekend.

15-1-- Arizona State-- Pac-12 South is highly competitive.

**********


Armadillo: Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend.......

13) Browns 24, Bengals 3-- Dalton's 10-33 for 86 yard passing night was dismal; all four teams in AFC North are 2+ games over .500. Last time that happened was way back in 1935. Ravens only have one divisional game left.

12) Cowboys 31, Jaguars 17-- Turnovers had a huge influence this week; eight of 12 games so far this week had one team with a +2 or better turnover ratio; all eight won their game. Teams with a 10+-yard edge in field position are now 49-1 this year.

11) Lions 20, Dolphins 16-- Detroit finds a way to win late in game for third game in row; Lions visit Arizona/Foxboro next two weeks. We'll know lot more about them then. In a pregame interview, Calvin Johnson sounded like he wasn't too crazy about Jim Schwartz, the previous coach of the Lions. Interesting stuff.

10) Chiefs 17, Bills 13-- Huge play in game with 9:47 left in third period and Bills up 10-3. Bryce Brown was running for TD, but was stripped of ball on 4-yard line. TE Chandler had clean shot to recover ball in end zone, but fumbled it out back of end zone and Chiefs got ball on their 20. Game swung on that play.

9) 49ers 27, Saints 24 OT-- Niners drove 51 yards in 1:08 to kick tying FG, then Brees fumbled on sack in OT and Saints lost at home for first time. Kaepernick was 14-32 passing, which has to be a concern, especially in a domed stadium.

8) Ravens 21, Titans 7-- Tennessee ran 24 plays for 137 yards on first two drives of game, then for rest of game, ran 30 plays 73 yards- not good. Titan fumble on 1-yard line on first series became a huge play. Ravens forced seven 3/outs, which resulted in their having a 12-yard edge in field position.

7) Jets 20, Steelers 13-- Nine of top ten people in Westgate handicapping contest had Jets in this game, which defies logic. Jets forced four turnovers (+4) after having three takeaways total in their first nine games. Roethlisberger threw 12 TD passes in his last two games; Steelers scored three points in three red zone drives here, as they fell to 0-2 on artificial turf this season (one TD on 19 drives).

6) Falcons 27, Buccaneers 17-- Favorites covered nine of 11 games Sunday; home sides were 6-5 vs spread, over was 6-5. Bucs converted 12 of 17 on third down but turned ball over four times (-4), as they remained winless at home. If Carolina wins Monday night, they'll be 4-5-1 and tied for first in the woeful NFC South.

5) Broncos 41, Raiders 17-- Oakland led 10-6 in second quarter, then the roof fell in; Denver outgained Raiders 471-222; four of their five TD drives were 62 or less yards. All five of Manning's TD passes were 10+ yards, unusual for Denver. I hope Justin Tuck is enjoying his big contract, because he signed to play on the Titanic.

4) Cardinals 31, Rams 14-- Arizona gave Carson Palmer $50M extension this week with $20M guaranteed; he tore his ACL with Rams up 14-10 in 4th quarter. Backup QB Stanton came in to lead go-ahead TD drive, then defense scored twice in 1:15 to seal game, but now only QB behind Stanton is highly suspect rookie Logan Thomas.

3) Seahawks 38, Giants 17-- Seattle ran ball for 350 yards, very rare for an NFL team; those yards were most rushing yards allowed by the Giants in game since Week 13 of the '78 season, when they allowed 366 against OJ Simpson and the Bills. This was a game Seattle trailed until 4:13 was left in third quarter- they outscored Giants 21-0 in fourth quarter. .

2) Packers 55, Bears 14-- Game was 42-nil at half. Chicago was terrible, the kind of non-effort that gets coaches fired. Why exactly did they fire Lovie Smith, a coach who had a winning record? Jay Cutler is gradually turning into this generation's version of Jeff George, a skilled passer who isn't much of a leader.

1) Next time I talk to you will be from Las Vegas, America's favorite city. Time for a little vacation. Have an excellent Monday.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

Atlanta at New York
The Hawks head to New York tonight to face a Knicks team that is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 games versus Southeast Division opponents. Atlanta is the pick (-1 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Hawks favored by 4. Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-1 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10

Game 701-702: New Orleans at Cleveland (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Orleans 115.130; Cleveland 123.216
Dunkel Line & Total: Cleveland by 8; 205
Vegas Line & Total: Cleveland by 6; 201 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (-6); Over

Game 703-704: Utah at Indiana (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Utah 114.868; Indiana 114.706
Dunkel Line & Total: Even; 185
Vegas Line & Total: Indiana by 2; 189 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Utah (+2); Under

Game 705-706: Atlanta at New York (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 118.898; New York 114.929
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 4; 199
Vegas Line & Total: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 195 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-1 1/2); Over

Game 707-708: Detroit at Chicago (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Detroit 111.870; Chicago 120.678
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 9; 186
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago by 11 1/2; 191 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Detroit (+11 1/2); Under

Game 709-710: San Antonio at LA Clippers (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 120.893; LA Clippers 127.457
Dunkel Line & Total: LA Clippers by 6 1/2; 207
Vegas Line & Total: LA Clippers by 2 1/2; 202 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Clippers (-2 1/2); Over




NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, November 10

Hot Teams
-- Jazz won three of last five games (4-1 vs spread).
-- New Orleans won its last two games, allowing 95 ppg.
-- Bulls won four of their last five games.
-- Clippers are 4-2, but 0-6 vs spread, 0-4 as home favorites.

Cold Teams
-- Pacers lost their last six games (3-3 vs spread).
-- Cleveland lost three of its first five games.
-- New York lost its last four games, three by 7+ points. Hawks are 0-3 on road, losing by 7-2-3 points.
-- Detroit lost four of first six games (0-6 vs spread); their last three tilts were decided by total of seven points.
-- San Antonio lost three of its last four games.

Series Records
-- Jazz lost four of last five games with Indiana, losing last three visits here, by 15-20-3 points.
-- Pelicans won six of last seven games with (Lebron-less) Cavaliers.
-- Knicks lost three of last four games with Atlanta; they lost 103-96 to the Hawks in Atlanta Saturday.
-- Bulls won 21 of last 25 games with Detroit, but underdogs covered six of last seven.
-- Clippers lost four of last five games with San Antonio.

Totals
-- Five of seven Indiana games went over total.
-- Three of last four New Orleans games went over.
-- Four of five games for both Hawks, Knicks went over the total.
-- Four of last six Chicago games went over total.
-- Four of last five Clipper games went over the total; four of five Spur games stayed under. Last five series games went over.

Back-to-Backs
--

East vs West
SU: West 16-7 ATS: West 14-9
East teams HF vs West: 3-4
East teams HU vs West: 3-1
West teams HF vs East: 5-3
West teams HU vs East: 4-0




NBA

Monday, November 10

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

7:00 PM
UTAH vs. INDIANA
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Utah's last 8 games on the road
Utah is 6-19 SU in its last 25 games
Indiana is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
Indiana is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

7:00 PM
NEW ORLEANS vs. CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Orleans's last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
New Orleans is 6-11-3 ATS in its last 20 games on the road
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against New Orleans
Cleveland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing New Orleans

7:30 PM
ATLANTA vs. NEW YORK
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
Atlanta is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing New York
New York is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing Atlanta
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games

8:00 PM
DETROIT vs. CHICAGO
Detroit is 4-9-1 ATS in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Detroit is 1-13 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing at home against Detroit
Chicago is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Detroit

10:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. LA CLIPPERS
San Antonio is 14-3 SU in their last 17 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 9 of the LA Clippers last 13 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of the LA Clippers last 25 games when playing at home against San Antonio

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Monday, November 10

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

NEW ORLEANS (3 - 2) at CLEVELAND (2 - 3) - 11/10/2014, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 160-209 ATS (-69.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.
CLEVELAND is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) in November games over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

UTAH (3 - 4) at INDIANA (1 - 6) - 11/10/2014, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

ATLANTA (2 - 3) at NEW YORK (2 - 5) - 11/10/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 14-3 ATS (+10.7 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW YORK is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in November games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 12-25 ATS (-15.5 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

DETROIT (2 - 4) at CHICAGO (5 - 2) - 11/10/2014, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

SAN ANTONIO (2 - 3) at LA CLIPPERS (4 - 2) - 11/10/2014, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 860-753 ATS (+31.7 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 26-12 ATS (+12.8 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.

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

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Short Sheet

Monday, November 10

New Orleans at Cleveland, 7:05 ET
New Orelans: 2-11 ATS in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points
Cleveland: 15-4 UNDER in home games after 3 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers

Utah at Indiana, 7:05 ET
Utah: n/a
Indiana: n/a

Atlanta at NY Knicks, 7:35 ET
Atlanta: 91-65 ATS as a road favorite
NY Knicks: 31-18 OVER after 1 or more consecutive losses

Detroit at Chicago, 8:05 ET
Detroit: n/a
Chicago: n/a

San Antonio at Los Angeles, 10:35 ET
San Antonio: 26-12 ATS off a upset loss as a favorite
Los Angeles: 1-9 ATS in home games after 3 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers




NBA

Monday, November 10


Pacers C Roy Hibbert, probable Monday

Hibbert left Saturday's game with a bruised left knee. He is expected to play Monday against the Jazz.


Clippers PF Blake Griffin, probable Monday

Griffin is dealing with an illness but is expected to play against the Spurs on Monday.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Monday

November 10, 2014


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Pistons are 0-13 ATS (-11.8 ppg) since 2006 on the road with no rest after a loss in which they shot less than 40% from the field.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Spurs are 11-0-1 OU (8.25 ppg) since May 11, 2004 as an away favorite after a game where they had more turnovers than assists.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Pistons are 12-0 OU (8.12 ppg) since Nov 11, 2013 after Kentavious Caldwell shot worse than 33% from the field at home.

NBA BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Clippers are 11-0 ATS (9.77 ppg) at home after a game at home in which less than 45% of their baskets were assisted.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Jazz are 7-0 OU (8.14 ppg) since Feb 12, 2014 after Derrick Favors had a double double on the road.

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Six of the more intriguing college football games this weekend

Clemson @ Georgia Tech-- Paul Johnson has his option attack rolling.

LSU @ Arkansas-- Bielema is still winless at Arkansas in SEC games, but Hogs are off a bye, while LSU had tough game with Alabama Saturday.

Auburn @ Georgia-- Dawgs are bully team; they won't be bullying Auburn.

South Carolina @ Florida-- Gators much improved with Harris at QB.

Florida State @ Miami-- This is where I point out Winston's 22-0 record.

Mississippi State @ Alabama-- #1 team in country getting seven points

**********


Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Happy Veterans' Day.......

13) Greetings from Las Vegas, where it seemed kind of quiet on my first night here. I highly recommend non-stop flights to/from Las Vegas; changing planes with a 2-hour layover made for a very long day.

12) Eagles 45, Panthers 21-- Have to feel good for Mark Sanchez, who got openly mocked by the wiseasses on ESPN before the game. Sanchez has started in two AFC title games; there are lot of NFL QBs who never played a conference championship game. Chip Kelly is on his third starting QB in 26 games, though.

11) I'll never forget this story about Sanchez; NFL teams go to colleges to work out draft prospects every spring. Obviously, if you're looking at a QB, you will also need RBs/WRs to be there, to run routes and catch his passes. Sometimes this can be a problem; when Josh Freeman worked out at Kansas State, two kids showed up to catch his passes.

When Sanchez worked out at USC, around two dozen kids showed up; USC guys, kids who played in high school with Sanchez. He is a beloved teammate by most who know him and thats a big part of being a professional quarterback.

10) NFL officials toned down the penalty stuff this weekend; teams got only 35 first downs in 13 games (2.69 per game) via penalty. Number had been around 4.3 per game for the first nine weeks of the season.

9) Chicago Bears are first team since 1923 to allow 50+ points in consecutive games; at this rate, hard to imagine all their coaches surviving the season with jobs intact.

8) Odd twist to the Alabama/LSU rivalry; LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron replaced Nick Saban as coach of the Dolphins when Saban bolted for Alabama.

Enjoy watching Bama-LSU games, but this year's was a little painful: Crimson Tide hit on only 20 of 46 passes. LSU was just 8-26. Oy.

7) #1 Mississippi State is a 7-point underdog this week in Tuscaloosa. Maybe the committee that picks the Final Four for playoffs should use Las Vegas power ratings as part of their selection process. Lot of brain power behind power ratings.

6) An 18-year old kid won NASCAR Nationwide championship? When did he get his license? How does an 18-year old become a professional driver and a good one?

5) Nine of the top ten in the Westgate handicapping contest were right when they had the Jets over Pittsburgh this week. They're smarter people than I am-- how did they know the Jets would have four takeaways, when they had a total of three in their first nine games? They were +4 and only won 20-13.

4) Speaking of which, top six picks each week in Westgate contest are now 33-27 this season; those picks had a lousy record (42-57-4) last year.

3) Washington State's redshirt freshman Luke Falk was 44-61 for 471 yards in his first college start last week, in a 39-32 upset win at Oregon State. Say what you want about Mike Leach, but the man can coach quarterbacks.

2) Michigan 10, Northwestern 9-- This was a terrible, sloppy game, but the ending was dramatic. Wildcats were down 10-3; they score with 0:02 left-- instead of going to OT by kicking the PAT, they try for two points and the win, in a game that had been devoid of any semblance of offense for 3.5 hours.

I think Pat Fitzgerald is a terrific coach but I hated this decision- it tells his kids they aren't as good as Michigan when for this year at least, they probably are. This is not a second guess; was yelling at my TV as it happened live and I had no stake in who won the game. It cheated the kids out of playing it out the right way. Too bad.

1) If you care about such things, over is now 23-8 in NFL night games this year.

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Dunkel

LA Lakers at Memphis
The Lakers (1-5 SU) head to Memphis tonight to face a Grizzlies team that is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games versus teams with a losing SU record. LA is the pick (+10 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Grizzlies favored by only 7 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+10 1/2). Here are all of today's NBA picks.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

Game 501-502: Orlando at Toronto (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 124.239; Orlando 111.365
Dunkel Line & Total: Toronto by 13; 206
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto by 10 1/2; 202 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-10 1/2); Over

Game 503-504: LA Lakers at Memphis (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Lakers 115.577; Memphis 122.969
Dunkel Line & Total: Memphis by 7 1/2; 192
Vegas Line & Total: Memphis by 10 1/2; 197 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Lakers (+10 1/2); Under

Game 505-506: Oklahoma City at Milwaukee (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Oklahoma City 121.645; Milwaukee 115.453
Dunkel Line & Total: Oklahoma City by 6; 185 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Milwaukee by 3; 189 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Oklahoma City (+3); Under

Game 507-508: Sacramento at Dallas (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Sacramento 117.935; Dallas 127.468
Dunkel Line & Total: Dallas by 9 1/2; 210
Vegas Line & Total: Dallas by 7; 205
Dunkel Pick: Dallas (-7); Over

Game 509-510: Charlotte at Portland (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Charlotte 114.181; Portland 127.825
Dunkel Line & Total: Portland by 13 1/2; 209
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

Game 511-512: San Antonio at Golden State (10:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: San Antonio 124.584; Golden State 129.407
Dunkel Line & Total: Golden State by 5; 191
Vegas Line & Total: No Line
Dunkel Pick: N/A

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Long Sheet

Tuesday, November 11

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

ORLANDO (2 - 5) at TORONTO (6 - 1) - 11/11/2014, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ORLANDO is 73-94 ATS (-30.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 78-107 ATS (-39.7 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1996.
TORONTO is 54-39 ATS (+11.1 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 31-16 ATS (+13.4 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 6-1 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 8-0 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

LA LAKERS (1 - 5) at MEMPHIS (6 - 1) - 11/11/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 31-51 ATS (-25.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

OKLAHOMA CITY (2 - 5) at MILWAUKEE (3 - 4) - 11/11/2014, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 299-247 ATS (+27.3 Units) in all games since 1996.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 98-71 ATS (+19.9 Units) first half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 34-52 ATS (-23.2 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 35-60 ATS (-31.0 Units) against Northwest division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 210-264 ATS (-80.4 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 2-11 ATS (-10.1 Units) off an upset win as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

SACRAMENTO (5 - 2) at DALLAS (4 - 3) - 11/11/2014, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 101-76 ATS (+17.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 276-224 ATS (+29.6 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
DALLAS is 46-27 ATS (+16.3 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 450-379 ATS (+33.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
DALLAS is 51-32 ATS (+15.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 4-4 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 7-1 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

CHARLOTTE (3 - 4) at PORTLAND (4 - 3) - 11/11/2014, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

SAN ANTONIO (3 - 3) at GOLDEN STATE (5 - 1) - 11/11/2014, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
GOLDEN STATE is 7-7 against the spread versus SAN ANTONIO over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 10-4 straight up against GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
9 of 14 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[StarDust Bum]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, November 11

Hot Teams
-- Raptors won/covered six of their first seven games.
-- Memphis won five of last six games (1-1 HF).
-- Milwaukee covered three of last four games, is 1-0 as HF.
-- Kings won/covered five of their last six games.
-- Portland won its three of last four games (4-0 vs spread).
-- Warriors won/covered five of first six games.

Cold Teams
-- Orlando lost five of first seven games, is 2-1 as road underdog.
-- Lakers lost five of first six games, covered three of last four.
-- Thunder lost five of first seven games (1-3 as AU).
-- Mavericks lost two of last three games (1-2 as HF).
-- Hornets are 0-3 on road, losing by 3-9-15 points (1-1 AU).
-- Spurs split first six games (1-5 vs spread, 1-2 on road).

Series Records
-- Raptors won their last eight games with Orlando.
-- Lakers lost six of last eight games with Memphis.
-- Thunder won four of last five games with Milwaukee.
-- Kings lost 18 of last 20 games with Dallas; Mavs' last three series wins were all by 4 or less points.
-- Hornets lost last six visits to Portland (0-6 vs spread).
-- Spurs won last six games (5-1 vs spread) with Golden State.

Totals
-- Five of seven Toronto games went over total.
-- Four of last five Laker games went over total. Last five Memphis tilts stayed under. Four of last five series games stayed under.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in Oklahoma City games this season.
-- Last three Dallas games stayed under total. Over is 3-0-1 in last four Sacramento games.
-- Five of seven Portland games stayed under total.
-- Five of six San Antonio games stayed under.

Back-to-Backs
--

East vs West
SU: West 16-9 ATS: West 14-11
East teams HF vs West: 5-4
East teams HU vs West: 3-1
West teams HF vs East: 5-3
West teams HU vs East: 4-0

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, November 11

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

7:30 PM
ORLANDO vs. TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games
Orlando is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Orlando
Toronto is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home

8:00 PM
LA LAKERS vs. MEMPHIS
LA Lakers are 1-5 SU in their last 6 games
LA Lakers are 4-7-2 ATS in their last 13 games
Memphis is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Memphis's last 8 games at home

8:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. MILWAUKEE
Oklahoma City is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Oklahoma City is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Milwaukee is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
Milwaukee is 5-20 SU in its last 25 games

8:30 PM
SACRAMENTO vs. DALLAS
Sacramento is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Sacramento's last 17 games when playing on the road against Dallas
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Dallas's last 17 games when playing at home against Sacramento

10:00 PM
CHARLOTTE vs. PORTLAND
Charlotte is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland
Charlotte is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 6 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Portland's last 7 games when playing at home against Charlotte

10:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Antonio's last 9 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Antonio's last 8 games
Golden State is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Golden State is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing San Antonio

[StarDust Bum]

NBA

Tuesday, November 11


Klay Thompson, Golden State - Prob Tues

Thompson missed the last game with a sprained right hand but is expected to play Tuesday against the Spurs.


Trend shows Kings covering in meetings with Dallas

The Sacramento Kings have enjoyed a nice start to the season, surprising many by going 5-2 SU out of the gate.

The Kings travel to the Lone Star State for a matchup with the Dallas Mavericks, and history is showing Sacramento has been fantastic against the spread in those games.

Sacramento is 4-0 ATS in their last four games vs. Dirk Nowitzki's group. The Mavs are presently -7 home faves with the total sitting at 206.


Bucks becoming a nice Under play for totals bettors

The ailing Oklahoma City Thunder seek their first road win in a showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks in Wisconsin Tuesday.

The Durant and Westbrook-less Thunder are 0-4 SU away from home this season. The Bucks have been a scorching-hot Under play as of late, evidenced by each of their last four games going Under the total.

Milwaukee is currently 2.5-point home faves with a total of 188 for the affair.


Raptors tied with Warriors for league's top ATS play

The Toronto Raptors have gotten off to a red-hot start to the NBA season, and as a result, are now tied for the league's top spread play.

Fresh off of a 120-88 blowout (and an easy -13.5 cover) against the lowly Philadelphia 76ers Sunday, the Raps (6-1 SU) are 6-1 against the spread throughout their first seven games. The Golden State Warriors fell 107-95 and failed to cover the +2.5 spread against the Phoenix Suns Sunday, but sit tied with Toronto as the only two teams in the Association with just one ATS loss (5-1).

DeMar DeRozan's squad is in action Tuesday north of the border versus the Orlando Magic, while Golden State hosts the reigning champion San Antonio Spurs in a clash of Western Conference heavyweights Tuesday evening.

[StarDust Bum]

Hoop Trends - Tuesday

November 11, 2014


ATS TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hornets are 11-0 ATS (15.15 ppg) since Mar 12, 2013 with at least one day of rest after a double digit loss in which they allowed at least 50% from the field.

OU TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Hornets are 9-0 OU (15.1 ppg) since Mar 08, 2013 when at least one team is rest and they scored at least 25 points more two games ago than last game.

PLAYER TREND OF THE DAY:

-- The Magic are 0-9 OU (-16.94 ppg) since Apr 03, 2013 on the road after Nikola Vucevic had a double double in an away loss.

NBA BIBLE ACTIVE TREND:

-- The Trail Blazers are 14-0 ATS (7.39 ppg) at home with at most one day of rest after a double-digit home win in which they allowed less than 40.25% from the field.

ACTIVE TRENDS:

-- The Mavericks are 0-10 ATS (-4.25 ppg) as a home favorite after a home game in which they allowed at least 55% from the field.

[StarDust Bum]

Inside the Paint - Tuesday

November 11, 2014


After five straight years of missing the playoffs, the Toronto Raptors won the Atlantic Division last season and earned a trip to the postseason. Unfortunately the club lost in the first round to the Nets in seven games.

Fast forward to this season and Toronto is starting to show that it isn’t a fluke. The Raptors have started the season 6-1 both straight up and against the spread.

VegasInsider.com NBA expert Paul Bovi has followed the Raptors closely and has scooped up future tickets on the Canadian club.

He said, “I scooped up the Raptors to win the Atlantic at even money at the beginning of the season and I also played them to win the East and the NBA Finals. Anything can occur over the course of a long season but it’s hard to believe anybody else in their division can challenge them. Point guard Kyle Lowry is living up to his offseason contract and the addition of veteran Lou Williams should only make his game improve. Playing at Air Canada Centre is a tough venue to win at and the Raptors are fortunate to play 11 games in November at home.”

The latest future odds on Toronto per Sportsbook.ag:

NBA Finals – 35/1 (Bet $100 to win $3,500)
Eastern Conference – 10/1 (Bet $100 to win $1,000)
Atlantic Division – 5/11 (Bet $100 to win $45)

Last season, Toronto went 26-15 at home last year and it’s already started 4-0 this season, with wins coming by an average of 17.5 points per game last Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Raptors will look to stay hot at home when the Magic visit.

Toronto has been installed as an 11-point favorite against Orlando. The Magic have gone 1-3 SU on the road (2-2 ATS) this season, with the one victory coming on a buzzer beater against Philadelphia (91-89).

The Raptors have won eight straight matchup against the Magic, which includes a 108-95 won on Nov. 1 as a six-point road favorite. In two games played in Toronto last season, Orlando lost by 15 points (105-90, 98-83) in each contest.

Including the Magic-Raptors matchup, Tuesday’s card features five more games on tap.

Last night, favorites went 4-1 both SU and ATS while the ‘under’ produced a 3-2 record.

Here’s my quick handicap.

Lakers at Grizzlies: Oddsmakers opened Memphis as an 11-point favorite and the line has dropped to 10 at most shops. The Grizzlies lost their first game of the season on Saturday, falling 93-92 at Milwaukee. Coincidentally, the Lakers won their first game of the year on Sunday as they ran past Charlotte 107-92 as 2 ½-point home underdogs. It’s very clear that L.A. isn’t a good team and the only way it will win games is if they shoot the ball well, which they did against the Hornets (51%). I don’t have an issue laying double digits in the NBA as long as you have a good defensive team. Ironically, the Grizzlies lead the league in points allowed (87.6) while the Lakers (112.7) are ranked last. Last season the Grizzlies went 3-1 in the four head-to-head meetings but the Lakers produced a 3-0-1 record ATS. The ‘under’ has gone 3-1 in this span.

Thunder at Bucks: This particular game has pass written all over it for me. Oklahoma City and Milwaukee both enter this game off victories and neither club has won back-to-back games all season, which means something has to give in this spot. OKC hasn’t proven it can score on the road and that would make me lean ‘under’ but the opening total received some early money and has jumped from 187 ½ to 190 ½. Since Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are out, it’s hard to consider recent meetings but make a note that Oklahoma City has gone 4-1 both SU and ATS in its last five encounters vs. Milwaukee.

Kings at Mavericks: Sacramento has turned some heads this season with its 5-2 record both SU and ATS. The Kings were brought back to life on Sunday as they lost at OKC (101-93) but hard to ignore a 3-1 mark on the road. Dallas hasn’t been a great home favorite in past seasons and it’s started off with a 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS mark this year. The Mavericks couldn’t buy a shot (42%) on Sunday as they were humbled at home to the Heat, 105-96. Despite a 1-3 record against Dallas last season, you could say Sacramento turned the corner. The Kings captured the first meeting before losing the final three by a combined nine points. I would expect a much better effort and focus from the Mavericks tonight, knowing they have two winnable games at home on deck versus Philadelphia and Minnesota. This game has the highest total (207) on the board. The Kings have seen the ‘over’ cash in their last four games while the Mavs are on a 3-0 run to the ‘under.’

Hornets at Trail Blazers: Portland is a tough team to go against at home and this season is no different. The Trail Blazers have gone 4-1 both SU and ATS at the Moda Center and all four victories came by double digits. The Hornets are winless on the road this season, going 0-3 SU and 1-2 ATS. On Sunday, the club ran out of gas in Los Angeles and dropped a 107-92 decision to the Lakers. Charlotte is listed as a 7 ½-point underdog for this matchup and that’s the highest point-spread they’ve seen all season. The home team won both meetings last season, coincidentally both outcomes were by 30 points. The ‘over’ cashed easily in both games and is on a 4-0 run in this series.

Spurs at Warriors: If Golden State wants to be considered a serious contender, it will have to beat San Antonio, which is something they haven’t done in six straight meetings. During this span, the Spurs have gone 5-1 ATS and three of the victories have come in the Bay Area. San Antonio is on a back-to-back spot and we could see the club rest starters, especially after watching them beat the Clippers 89-85 last night. Oddsmakers are certainly expecting the Spurs to rest, opening the Warriors as five-point favorites and that number already jumped to 7 and 7 ½ at most shops. Last Thursday, the Spurs were blasted by the Rockets 98-81 as 6 ½-point road underdogs on zero days rest as both Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili sat out.

[StarDust Bum]

***** NBA Previews from The Sports Network *****
Wednesday, November 12
(All times Eastern)


DETROIT PISTONS (2-5) AT WASHINGTON WIZARDS (5-2), 7 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Washington Wizards return home from a two-game
roadie for four straight, starting Wednesday night when the Detroit Pistons
visit the Verizon Center.

The Wiz went 1-1 on the sojourn, losing to the ultra-tough Toronto Raptors on
Friday. Washington pulled out a 97-90 victory Saturday night over the Indiana
Pacers.

"We couldn't make a shot yesterday," All-Star point guard John Wall said after
the win on Saturday. "Today we just did a better job moving the ball and
getting our defense going."

Wall scored 18 points and the Wizards held off Indiana for the second time
this week.

Nene did a little bit of everything, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds,
five assists and a big steal with 30 seconds remaining that helped the Wizards
hold off a late rally by the Pacers.

After trailing by as many as 22 points, Indiana had it down to five with under
a minute left. Out of a timeout, Chris Copeland tried to break down Nene, but
the big man swiped the ball free and chased it down. He found Paul Pierce, who
canned two free throws to help secure the game.

Kevin Seraphin chipped in 13 points off the bench for Washington, which
bounced back from a humbling 19-point loss to Toronto on Friday and had lost
12 straight regular-season games in Indianapolis.

The Pistons have dropped two straight after a two-game winning streak.

On Sunday, Detroit fell at home to the Utah Jazz by a point, then fell at the
United Center, 102-91, Monday night to Central Division rivals, the Chicago
Bulls.

Derrick Rose returned for the Bulls and Chicago built a 17-point lead in the
second half. The Pistons battled to make it a ball game.

Josh Smith had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Pistons. Greg Monroe
added 16 points and 10 rebounds and D.J. Augustin added 16 points off the
bench.

Caron Butler's right-corner 3-pointer got the Pistons within 87-84 with 4:41
remaining and they were as close as two minutes later on Augustin's bucket,
but scored just three points over the last 2:43.

"The second half tonight was a positive for us by and large," said Pistons
coach Stan Van Gundy. "But, when you give away the first half and then play
better, but still come up short, I can't accept it. You have to play to win."

The Pistons have won eight of the last 10 meetings between the two teams and
four of their last five in Washington D.C.


INDIANA PACERS (2-6) AT MIAMI HEAT (5-2), 7:30 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - When the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat tangled in recent
seasons, it was required viewing.

One summer made the matchup a little less appealing, but the two squads will
duke it out Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena in South Beach.

These two met in the Eastern Conference Finals the last two seasons and the
series were entertaining.

Everything changed this offseason.

LeBron James left the Heat to try and save the city of Cleveland Cavaliers.
Pat Riley and the Heat brass replaced him as best they could and the results
have been solid. Miami is tied for the lead in the Southeast Division.

The Pacers lost Lance Stephenson, a skilled play-maker, premiere defender and
master agitator. Then, Paul George's horrific leg injury with USA Basketball
left the Pacers in shambles.

"That's the nature of pro sports right now, is teams turn over very quickly,
much more rapidly than it was 15, 20 years ago, certainly," Heat coach Erik
Spoelstra told the Sun Sentinel. "And you have to be able to adapt the best
that you can in this business. So both teams look quite a bit different than
they did in the Eastern Conference finals last year."

The Heat have won two in a row after a pair of losses. The four-time reigning
Eastern Conference champs dispatched the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on
Friday, then earned a terrific victory Saturday night.

Miami beat the Dallas Mavericks in Big D, 105-96.

Luol Deng turned in his best game as a member of the Miami Heat, scoring 30
points. Deng's previous high this season was 18, but he filled it up against
the Mavs as Miami's new Big Three all contributed to the victory.

Dwyane Wade supplied 20 points with 10 assists and Chris Bosh posted 20 points
and 10 rebounds for the Heat.

"We wanted to come up with a much tougher mindset to make plays and keep our
head in the game collectively and just find a way to close out the game," said
Spoelstra. "The ball was moving and it was encouraging to see."

The Pacers halted a six-game losing streak with a 97-86 home victory over the
Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Roy Hibbert scored a season-high 29 points two days after leaving a game with
an injured knee. Hibbert scored 11 of his 29 points in the first quarter after
suffering a knee bruise in the first quarter of Saturday's game against
Washington.

A.J. Price scored 22 points off the bench four days after the banged-up Pacers
signed him to bolster their depleted backcourt.

Price, who played his first three NBA seasons with the Pacers from 2009-12,
made two 3-pointers during a 13-2 run in the fourth quarter that turned a
three-point deficit into an eight-point lead.

"He obviously gave us a big-time lift tonight," said Pacers Frank Vogel, who
expects the team to re-sign Price when his 10-day contract is up as long as
the team still needs bodies.

Solomon Hill added 13 points and Lavoy Allen scored 12 with a game-high 15
rebounds off the bench.

The Pacers, who avoided what would have been their longest losing streak in
five years, are still without David West, George Hill, CJ Watson and Rodney
Stuckey. CJ Miles missed the last two with a migraine.

The home team has won the last nine regular-season meetings between these two.
Indiana has lost six in a row and is 2-13 in its last 15 regular-season
matchups down in South Beach.


OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (2-6) AT BOSTON CELTICS (3-3), 7:30 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Celtics will try to extend their winning
streak to three games Wednesday night when they welcome the struggling
Oklahoma City Thunder to TD Garden.

The Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers at home on Friday, then picked up
their most impressive victory of the season on Saturday - a 106-101 road win
over the Chicago Bulls.

Evan Turner started in place of Rajon Rondo and totaled 19 points, six assists
and five rebounds in the win. Rondo sat out after having screws removed from
his surgically repaired left hand Saturday morning, and Marcus Smart began
mending a sprained left ankle he suffered in Friday's win over the Pacers.

"Screws were irritating me a little bit," admitted Rondo.

The Celtics shot 52 percent from the floor and saw seven players score in
double figures. Kelly Olynyk contributed 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Jeff
Green added 14.

The C's led by 16 after three quarters, but the Bulls rallied. It was a three-
point game with a minute to go, but Olynyk made 1-of-2 at the foul line with
45.8 seconds remaining.

Chicago scored at the other end, but Olynyk came down with a huge offensive
rebound and stayed inbounds to extend Boston's next possession. Turner was
fouled with 17.7 ticks left and made both free throws, and Jimmy Butler missed
an elbow jumper to all but seal the outcome.

"We weathered the storm and made some plays," Olynyk said. "We found a way."

The Celtics will host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, then the
Phoenix Suns on this homestand.

The Thunder ended a three-game slide on Sunday, but laid an egg on Tuesday
night in Milwaukee. OKC fell to the Bucks, 85-78, for its lowest regular-
season offensive output since April 16, 2012.

"We didn't make shots," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "Not one guy is
trying to go out there and miss shots, but we can help ourselves make shots by
moving our bodies and moving the basketball."

Reggie Jackson poured in a career-high 29 points for Oklahoma City, while
Serge Ibaka and Anthony Morrow tallied 12 and 10, respectively. Steven Adams
pulled down 10 rebounds in the loss.

The Thunder have dropped four of their last five overall and their last seven
straight on the road dating back to last season.

The Thunder have won three straight against the Celtics and six of the
previous seven meetings. Oklahoma City has taken four of its last five
matchups in Boston.


UTAH JAZZ (3-5) AT ATLANTA HAWKS (3-3), 7:30 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Atlanta Hawks got back to .500 and will try to post
a winning record for the first time all season when the Utah Jazz come to
Philips Arena Wednesday night.

The Hawks knotted their record thanks to a home-and-home sweep of the New York
Knicks over a three-day span. Atlanta won by seven at home on Saturday, then
left Madison Square Garden with a 91-85 victory on Monday.

Paul Millsap had 19 points for the Hawks. Kyle Korver netted 17 points to go
with eight rebounds and Al Horford posted 12 points and six boards in the win.

"We feel like our record should be better already. A few games we lost at the
end of games because we weren't focused at the end of games," Millsap said.

Dennis Schroeder scored 14 for the reserves on Monday and head coach Mike
Budenholzer has shortened his bench a bit. That second unit may have to expand
a bit on Tuesday as the Hawks, who went 27-for-28 from the foul line Monday,
may be without DeMarre Carroll (groin strain) and Mike Scott (low back
contusion). Carroll is listed as doubtful, while Scott is questionable.

Schroeder played more minutes than starter Jeff Teague and was on the floor
for critical fourth-quarter minutes.

The Jazz will be playing game three of a five-game eastern road trip. They
started with a one-point win in Detroit, but fell in Indiana, 97-86, to the
Pacers on Monday.

Indianapolis native Gordon Hayward poured in 30 points for Utah. Enes Kanter
had 18 points and Derrick Favors scored 13 in the loss.

"Got to credit them, they hit some tough shots, they battled," Hayward said.

The starting frontline was good for the Jazz, but the rest of the team,
especially the starting backcourt, struggled badly from the field.

Alec Burks (9) and Trey Burke (5) combined to shoot 6-for-25 from the field
for a terrible 24 percent shooting night. To contrast, Hayward, Favors and
Kanter went 23-for-36 for a 63.8 percent shooting night, while the rest of the
Jazz shot 9-for-38.

The Jazz will visit the New York Knicks on Friday, then travel north of the
border to face the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

The Hawks have won six straight against the Jazz and nine of the last 10
meetings. Utah has dropped three straight and six of the last seven in
Atlanta.


ORLANDO MAGIC (2-6) AT NEW YORK KNICKS (2-6), 7:30 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Knicks will try to snap a five-game losing
streak Wednesday night when they welcome the Orlando Magic to Madison Square
Garden.

The Knicks haven't won in 10 days when they beat the Charlotte Hornets at MSG.
Since, New York is 0-2 at home and 0-3 on the road, but there is one
consistent variable in its troubled start.

The offense.

Head coach Derek Fisher implemented team president, Phil Jackson's vaunted
triangle offense. The Knicks have yet to score 100 points in a game and rank
dead last at 91.1 ppg.

Commissioner Adam Silver even weighed in on the Knicks, saying it looked like
they were having some trouble with the triangle offense. Jackson dismissed the
words, but the Knicks are reeling.

They lost both ends of a home-and-home series with the Atlanta Hawks over a
three-day span. The Knicks fell by seven in Atlanta on Friday, then lost,
91-85, at home on Monday.

Carmelo Anthony tallied 25 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, Iman
Shumpert supplied 18 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 15 for New York.

Anthony was 11-of-25 from the field. He's now taken at least 20 shots in his
last six games, but has just shot 50 percent or better just once.

"We've just gotta stay with it, stay focused, stay positive as a team,"
Anthony said.

The Knicks welcome the Denver Nuggets on Friday, then hit the road for five of
their next six.

The Magic lost a heartbreaker in Toronto Tuesday night, falling to the red-hot
Raptors, 104-100.

Evan Fournier paced Orlando with 24 points while Tobias Harris went for 23
points and 13 rebounds. Nikola Vucevic scored 18 points with eight rebounds
and six assists and Channing Frye hit five 3-pointers for the Magic, who only
got 14 points from their bench.

"This was a test for us," said Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn. "We played this
team ten days ago. Were we more prepared, were we a better team, were we
smarter than the first time we played them? It was a good challenge for us
tonight."

Toronto trailed 83-72 through three quarters, but Lou Williams and Patrick
Patterson hit consecutive threes to cap a swift 11-0 run that tied the game.

Fournier's corner trey out of a timeout briefly silenced the crowd and the
Magic led until 6:36, when Patterson sank another long ball to give the
Raptors their first lead since the first quarter.

The lead was one when Patterson was fouled with 11.8 seconds left and split
the pair of free throws, setting up Harris' final look at the basket. He
didn't get a great attempt off thanks to great defense from James Johnson.

Wednesday's game ends a three-game road trip for the Magic.

The Knicks took two of three from Orlando last season and are 8-1 in their
last nine against the Magic. The two squads split the last 10 meetings in New
York City.

Orlando has lost four in a row at MSG.


LOS ANGELES LAKERS (1-6) AT NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (3-3), 8 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Lakers will try again for their second
win of the season Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie Kin
Center.

After claiming victory versus Charlotte on Sunday, the Lakers dropped a
107-102 decision in Memphis Tuesday night. NBA leading scorer Kobe Bryant
(26.7 ppg) had 28 points and Carlos Boozer scored a season-high 20 points with
eight rebounds.

Wesley Johnson (15), Jordan Hill (13) and Jeremy Lin (12) all scored in double
digits for the Lakers, who fell to 1-6 on the season and shot 47.1 percent.
The Lakers only made 7-of-22 3-pointers and Bryant hit on just three of his 10
attempts from beyond the arc. Hill had 14 boards in defeat.

"We just had to keep fighting," said Lakers big man Ed Davis. "We were in the
game at halftime. We came out, they had a good start. We made a comeback and
gave ourselves a chance to win, we just couldn't finish it out."

The Lakers are playing five of seven games on the road and didn't have guard
Wayne Ellington against the Grizzlies after his father was shot and killed on
Sunday in Philadelphia.

Forward Ryan Kelly (hamstring) did not play Tuesday and is questionable. He
has appeared in just one game this season.

Los Angeles will return home for two tough games versus San Antonio and Golden
State before hitting the road for three more games. LA is 0-3 as the visitor
this season.

The Pelicans are home for two games versus Los Angeles and Minnesota, and had
a two-game winning streak stopped with Monday's 118-111 road loss to LeBron
James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James and Kyrie Irving had 32 points apiece, while the Pelicans were led by
Ryan Anderson's 32 points off the bench. Anderson made 8-of-12 3-pointers and
Anthony Davis contributed 27 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks for New
Orleans, which has lost three of five games and gave up 67 points in the
second half.

"Our defense got us tonight. We didn't play much," said Pelicans coach Monty
Williams. "And our shot selection was poor."

Tyreke Evans had 10 assists, but shot just 2-of-14 from the field for six
points before fouling out late. Jrue Holiday scored 16 points in the loss.

The Pelicans went 2-1 against the Lakers last season, but Los Angeles has won
12 of the previous 14 matchups between the teams. The Lakers have won eight of
their past 10 trips to the Big Easy.


BROOKLYN NETS (4-2) AT PHOENIX SUNS (4-3), 9 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Brooklyn Nets will play three straight and six of
their next eight games on the road, starting with Wednesday's contest against
the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center.

The Nets went 3-1 on a recent homestand and won for the fourth time in five
tries with Sunday's 104-96 triumph versus the Orlando Magic. Bojan Bogdanovic
and Deron Williams scored 22 and 18 points, respectively, while Joe Johnson
added 13 points.

Bogdanovic's 22 points were a career high.

The game was tied with 5:55 remaining when Nets coach Lionel Hollins subbed in
Bogdanovic, Johnson and Kevin Garnett for Mirza Teletovic, Jarrett Jack and
Mason Plumlee.

"We had a lot more intensity and quickness," Hollins said of his team after
the substitutions. "We matched up better with them."

Brook Lopez netted 12 points and has scored in double figures in all four
games he's appeared in this season.

Williams was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games
played from Nov. 3-9, and has recorded 15 or more points and six or more
assists in all six games.

Johnson posted his 4,000th career rebound on Sunday, becoming the seventh
player in NBA history to record 17,000 points, 4,000 rebounds, 4,000 assists
and 1,600 3-pointers. He also sprouted off on Tuesday, lamenting the Nets as
"selfish."

The Nets are third in the NBA in fourth quarter scoring (26.2).

Phoenix ended a two-game slide the last time out in a 107-95 victory over the
Golden State Warriors. It was Golden State's first loss of the season
following a 5-0 start.

The Suns put the Warriors away with a 36-16 advantage in the fourth quarter
and were led by Isaiah Thomas's 22 points off the bench. Thomas went 13-of-14
from the foul line.

"I was just making plays," said Thomas. "I was trying to be aggressive and I
would get in the lane and just make a play. Guys were open and they knocked
down shots. It started at the defensive end though, we got stops and got out
running."

Gerald Green and Goran Dragic scored 19 points apiece and Marcus Morris ended
with 17 for the Suns, who shot 43 percent and scored 30 points off 27 Golden
State turnovers.

Phoenix, which is averaging 41.4 ppg off the bench, is 4-3 this season and 1-2
on a four-game homestand, which comes to an end Friday versus Charlotte.

The Suns lost both meetings with Brooklyn last season and are winless in the
last five games in this series. The Nets go for their fourth straight win in
the desert, but are 4-16 in the last 20 trips there.


PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (5-3) AT DENVER NUGGETS (1-5), 9 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Portland Trail Blazers will play the Denver Nuggets
again when the Northwest rivals collide Wednesday at the Pepsi Center.

The division-leading Blazers defeated the Nuggets, 116-100, on Sunday and were
led by LaMarcus Aldridge's 28 points and nine rebounds. Wesley Matthews scored
21 points for Portland, which has won five in a row against the Nuggets.

Portland, though, has lost 18 of the past 21 games in the Rocky Mountains.

The Trail Blazers will make a quick turnaround after Tuesday's 102-100 triumph
versus the Charlotte Hornets. Gary Neal's game-tying basket came after the
buzzer sounded and the Blazers escaped with the win, They were led by Damian
Lillard's 29 points and seven assists, while Aldridge was a force with 25
points to go along with 14 rebounds.

"We just had to keep playing," Lillard said. "They came out and shot the ball
really well. We played physical."

Matthews scored 16 points for Portland, which has won four of five games.

Portland, which is averaging 102.4 ppg and allowing only 95.3 ppg, was without
swingman Nicolas Batum (knee contusion) and he is questionable against the
Nuggets.

The Nuggets are 29th in opponents' scoring at 108.0 ppg and have lost five in
a row after opening the season with a win. In Sunday's loss to the Blazers,
Kenneth Faried ended with 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

"It was a battle of who could get the most offensive boards and make the most
of opportunities when they got them," said Faried.

Arron Afflalo and Ty Lawson each scored 18 points, and Timofey Mozgov had
seven points to go along with his season-best 16 rebounds. Lawson missed the
loss to Cleveland last Friday with an ankle injury and dished out eight
assists against Portland.

After hosting the Blazers, the Nuggets will head east for three games against
Indiana, New York and Cleveland. They are 0-3 on the road and 1-2 at home.


HOUSTON ROCKETS (6-1) VS. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (2-4), 10 P.M.

(SportsNetwork.com) - The NBA will put its product on the line Wednesday at
Mexico City Arena, where the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves will
tip off in the league's expanded NBA Global Games schedule.

"We are very proud to once again represent the NBA in Mexico," said
Timberwolves President Chris Wright. "This is a great opportunity for the NBA
and the Minnesota Timberwolves to continue the incredible growth of our
international fan base. The Mexico City fans were phenomenal last year and we
look forward to visiting them again this season."

The Timberwolves were scheduled to play the San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City,
Mexico last season, but the game was postponed because of smoky conditions
inside the arena. A generator malfunction sent smoke pouring into the building
and the arena was evacuated about 45 minutes prior to tip off.

The last regular-season NBA game in Mexico was on Dec. 6, 1997, when the
Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks.

Minnesota is 2-4 on the season and went 1-2 on a recent road trip, which
culminated with Saturday's 102-92 loss at Miami.

Nikola Pekovic posted 19 points and 11 rebounds, and Thaddeus Young supplied
16 points and six boards for Minnesota, which was without its young point
guard Ricky Rubio for the first time this season. Rubio is dealing with an
ankle injury.

"We battled," Wolves coach Flip Saunders said. "We got a couple of groups
together that played hard. That was a positive to build on."

Rookie Andrew Wiggins scored 10 points in defeat.

The Rockets started the season 6-0 and came back to earth with Saturday's
98-87 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The two teams were both undefeated.

Stephen Curry scored 14 of his game-high 34 points in the fourth quarter to
lead the Warriors, while James Harden paced the Rockets with 22 points and
Isaiah Canaan ended with 21.

Terrence Jones (leg) missed his third straight game, Patrick Beverley
(hamstring) has been held out in four of five games and Dwight Howard was a
late scratch with flu-like symptoms.

"Tonight was just a tough game in general missing three of our starters,"
Harden said.

Jones and Beverly are still out and Howard should be back Wednesday. Howard is
posting an average of 19.7 points and 11.5 rebounds.

Houston went 3-1 against Minnesota last season and has won 20 of the past 26
matchups with the T-Wolves.

11/12 10:03:20 ET