NBA Betting Info. 3/4

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

NBA ATS

NBA > (825) PHOENIX@ (826) ORLANDO | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 4 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-14.7 units)

NBA > (829) NEW YORK@ (830) BOSTON | 2016-03-04 19:35:00 - 2016-03-04 19:35:00
Play ON BOSTON against the spread in All games when the total is greater than or equal to 210
The record is 24 Wins and 6 Losses for the last three seasons (+17.4 units)

NBA > (825) PHOENIX@ (826) ORLANDO | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX against the spread in Road games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 0 Wins and 9 Losses for the this season (-9.9 units)

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NBA MONEYLINE

NBA > (825) PHOENIX@ (826) ORLANDO | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games in non-conference games
The record is 5 Wins and 17 Losses for the this season (-19 units)

NBA > (825) PHOENIX@ (826) ORLANDO | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 23 Wins and 30 Losses for the last two seasons (-40.45 units)

NBA > (833) UTAH@ (834) MEMPHIS | 2016-03-04 20:05:00 - 2016-03-04 20:05:00
Play ON MEMPHIS using money line in All games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 28 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+20.5 units)

NBA > (821) MIAMI@ (822) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in Road games against Atlantic division opponents
The record is 12 Wins and 3 Losses for the last two seasons (+14.1 units)

NBA > (823) INDIANA@ (824) CHARLOTTE | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA using money line in All games revenging a home loss vs opponent
The record is 2 Wins and 11 Losses for the this season (-12.55 units)

NBA > (835) MINNESOTA@ (836) MILWAUKEE | 2016-03-04 20:05:00 - 2016-03-04 20:05:00
Play AGAINST MINNESOTA using money line in All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 46 Wins and 90 Losses for the last three seasons (-62.9 units)

NBA > (821) MIAMI@ (822) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play ON MIAMI using money line in Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 27 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (+24.55 units)

NBA > (833) UTAH@ (834) MEMPHIS | 2016-03-04 20:05:00 - 2016-03-04 20:05:00
Play ON MEMPHIS using money line in Home games when playing against a team with a losing record
The record is 15 Wins and 1 Losses for the this season (+13.45 units)

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NBA FIRST HALF

NBA > (825) PHOENIX@ (826) ORLANDO | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 3 Wins and 16 Losses for the this season (-14.6 units)

NBA > (821) MIAMI@ (822) PHILADELPHIA | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHILADELPHIA ?>in the first halfin All games against Southeast division opponents
The record is 7 Wins and 23 Losses for the last two seasons (-18.3 units)

NBA > (823) INDIANA@ (824) CHARLOTTE | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA ?>in the first halfin All games in March games
The record is 8 Wins and 26 Losses for the last three seasons (-20.6 units)

NBA > (825) PHOENIX@ (826) ORLANDO | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST PHOENIX ?>in the first halfin All games versus the first half line in all games
The record is 20 Wins and 39 Losses for the this season (-22.9 units)

NBA > (829) NEW YORK@ (830) BOSTON | 2016-03-04 19:35:00 - 2016-03-04 19:35:00
Play ON BOSTON ?>in the first halfin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 17 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+11.5 units)

NBA > (823) INDIANA@ (824) CHARLOTTE | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play AGAINST INDIANA ?>in the first halfin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 24 Wins and 52 Losses for the last three seasons (-33.2 units)

NBA > (831) WASHINGTON@ (832) CLEVELAND | 2016-03-04 20:05:00 - 2016-03-04 20:05:00
Play ON CLEVELAND ?>in the first halfin All games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 39 Wins and 18 Losses for the last two seasons (+19.2 units)

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CBB TOTALS

NBA > (833) UTAH@ (834) MEMPHIS | 2016-03-04 20:05:00 - 2016-03-04 20:05:00
Play UNDER UTAH on the totalin Road games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 14 Overs and 54 Unders for the last three seasons (+38.6 units)

NBA > (839) ATLANTA@ (840) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-04 22:35:00 - 2016-03-04 22:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 1 Overs and 14 Unders for the this season (+12.9 units)

NBA > (823) INDIANA@ (824) CHARLOTTE | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin Road games against Southeast division opponents
The record is 6 Overs and 27 Unders for the last three seasons (+20.4 units)

NBA > (839) ATLANTA@ (840) LA LAKERS | 2016-03-04 22:35:00 - 2016-03-04 22:35:00
Play UNDER ATLANTA on the totalin Road games after scoring 105 points or more
The record is 0 Overs and 10 Unders for the this season (+10 units)

NBA > (823) INDIANA@ (824) CHARLOTTE | 2016-03-04 19:05:00 - 2016-03-04 19:05:00
Play UNDER INDIANA on the totalin Road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season
The record is 1 Overs and 13 Unders for the last two seasons (+11.9 units)

NBA > (837) BROOKLYN@ (838) DENVER | 2016-03-04 21:05:00 - 2016-03-04 21:05:00
Play OVER DENVER on the totalin Home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 16 Overs and 4 Unders for the this season (+11.6 units)

NBA > (837) BROOKLYN@ (838) DENVER | 2016-03-04 21:05:00 - 2016-03-04 21:05:00
Play OVER DENVER on the totalin All games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game
The record is 28 Overs and 12 Unders for the this season (+14.8 units)

NBA > (829) NEW YORK@ (830) BOSTON | 2016-03-04 19:35:00 - 2016-03-04 19:35:00
Play OVER BOSTON on the totalin Home games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 10 Overs and 0 Unders for the last three seasons (+10 units)

NBA > (835) MINNESOTA@ (836) MILWAUKEE | 2016-03-04 20:05:00 - 2016-03-04 20:05:00
Play OVER MILWAUKEE on the totalin Home games after a division game
The record is 20 Overs and 5 Unders for the last three seasons (+14.5 units)

NBA > (829) NEW YORK@ (830) BOSTON | 2016-03-04 19:35:00 - 2016-03-04 19:35:00
Play UNDER NEW YORK on the totalin All games after scoring 85 points or less
The record is 9 Overs and 25 Unders for the last two seasons (+15.1 units)

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: Phoenix At Orlando
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
The Orlando Magic feel they can still be part of the Eastern Conference playoff race but the deck is certainly stacked against them. Orlando is 3 1/2 games behind eighth-place Detroit entering Friday’s contest against the struggling Phoenix Suns before playing nine of its next 11 games on the road.
The Magic won a crucial game against the floundering Chicago Bulls on Wednesday and need to parlay the victory into a string of successes. “We need to play very well, we need as many wins as we can get and we’re going to need help,” Orlando coach Scott Skiles told reporters. “More than likely that’s what’s going to have to happen. So it would be nice to get on a streak, but we just have to win the next game. That’s how we have to approach it – just win the next game.” The Suns continue to set rapidly and Thursday’s 108-92 loss against the Miami Heat was their 15th in 16 games. Phoenix matched the club record of 17 consecutive road losses and hasn’t won away from home since a 103-101 victory over Chicago on Dec. 7.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE SUNS (15-46): Phoenix has lost 30 of its last 33 games and the play of rookie sharpshooter Devin Booker has been one of the few high points. Booker scored 34 points Thursday for his second 30-point outing of the season and has scored in double digits in 26 of 30 games since receiving a more prominent role. “The last few games, I haven’t been shooting the ball well,” Booker said after the loss to the Heat. “I knew it would come, so I just kept shooting. They started falling so I stayed aggressive and I had the opportunity so I took advantage of it.”
ABOUT THE MAGIC (27-33): Shooting guard Evan Fournier (wrist) missed the last three games and that has opened up playing time for rookie Mario Hezonja and the fifth overall pick in last summer’s draft scored a season-best 21 points in Wednesday’s 102-89 victory over the Chicago Bulls. The 21-year-old Hezonja has been brought along slowly and is considered one of the club’s building blocks. “He played very, very well. He was confident, he was decisive and he knocked down shots and executed plays,” power forward Aaron Gordon told reporters. “We all know that Mario is a baller and it’s just a matter of time with him.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Suns have won the past two meetings, including a 107-104 home victory on Dec. 9.
2. Orlando C Nikola Vucevic scored 24 points against the Bulls and has tallied 20 or more points in seven of the past 11 games.
3. Phoenix C Alex Len has posted three straight double-doubles and is averaging 17.3 points and 13.7 rebounds during the stretch.
PREDICTION: Magic 117, Suns 90

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: Indiana At Charlotte
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, North Carolina
The battle for sixth place in the Eastern Conference takes center stage on Friday, when the Charlotte Hornets face the Indiana Pacers. The Hornets are a half-game clear of the Pacers for the No. 6 spot in a tightly-packed Eastern Conference.
Charlotte has won eight of its last 10 games to move from outside the top eight into the No. 6 slot and could end Friday in fifth with a win and a loss by the Atlanta Hawks. Indiana pulled even on its road trip and snapped a three-game slide overall by pulling out a 104-99 win at Milwaukee on Wednesday but remains in a precarious position in seventh place, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls tied for ninth. The Nos. 5 thru 10 teams in the East are separated by just 2 1/2 games, and the Pacers get a chance to do direct battle with the competition in games against the Hornets and the Wizards this weekend. “We knew this was a must-win game for us,” Indiana guard Rodney Stuckey told reporters after Wednesday’s win. “This road trip is not going to get any easier.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, FSN Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE PACERS (32-29): Indiana nearly squandered a 19-point, third-quarter lead at Milwaukee before Solomon Hill finally iced the game at the free-throw line. The Pacers have struggled closing teams out since the All-Star break, including a 96-95 home loss to Charlotte on Feb. 26, and are scheduled to play eight straight games against teams without losing records starting on Friday. “We make it too difficult on ourselves by mental breakdowns defensively and turnovers offensively,” Indiana coach Frank Vogel told reporters. “That was kind of my message. We don’t need to make things this difficult on ourselves. You just play the game the right way.”
ABOUT THE HORNETS (32-28): Kemba Walker played the hero with the go-ahead bucket at Indiana last week and continues to carry the offense for Charlotte with a combined 56 points in wins over Phoenix and Philadelphia in the last two games. Walker finished with 22 points and 10 assists in the win over the Pacers and has gone for 20 or more points in 10 of the last 11 contests. Walker is a better scorer at home (21.7 points) than on the road (19.9), and the Hornets will play the next seven in a row and nine of the next 10 games in their own arena.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hornets G Nicolas Batum is averaging 13.5 points in the last two games after failing to reach double figures in three straight.
2. Stuckey scored 15 points on Wednesday after totaling 12 in the previous three contests.
3. Charlotte took each of the first two meetings this season – both on the road.
PREDICTION: Hornets 109, Pacers 106

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: Miami At Philadelphia
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Miami Heat have won 20 of their past 23 games against Philadelphia and look to add two more victories to the total when they face the 76ers in back-to-back games, beginning Friday in Philadelphia. Miami enters the first contest with wins in six of its last eight games as it resides in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia has dropped 10 consecutive games – the last two without rookie center Jahlil Okafor (shin) – and has allowed an average of 116.5 points during the skid. “As a team, we have shown an inability at the frequency that I want to just guard our own man,” 76ers coach Brett Brown told reporters. “Just guard your man. As basic as that sounds, there’s a lot to be said on that.” Miami All-Star guard Dwyane Wade is averaging 24.4 points over the past five games and figures to be a hard guard for the 76ers, and made it clear the cold he’s dealing with won’t cause him to sit out either of the two games. “It’s the time of the year where you’ve got to win games you’re supposed to win,” Wade said after Thursday’s 108-92 victory over the Phoenix Suns. “You’re not going to play great every night, but you’ve got to find ways to win.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Miami), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE HEAT (35-26): Wade (27 points) and backcourt mate Goran Dragic (25) scored nearly half of Miami’s points against the Suns in a contest in which the Heat never trailed. “We’re playing unselfish basketball,” Wade told reporters. “Any given night, anybody can be more aggressive than other guys, depending on matchups, depending on the night.” Dragic has picked up his scoring with All-Star forward Chris Bosh (blood clot) sidelined and is averaging 19.6 points with four 20-point outings over the past seven games.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (8-53): Okafor missed practice Thursday and Philadelphia won’t have a clear picture in terms of his availability until at some point Friday. Brown said the offense is hindered without Okafor – “It’s not like we have a bunch of go-to, what the NBA would call scorers, bucket-makers, shot-makers,” Brown told reporters – and the Duke product made it clear he would like to play. “The games are really long when you’re not out there,” Okafor said. “But the medical staff is telling me not to play. If you know anything about the Sixers, and the medical staff, they’re super cautious and super careful about us playing with any injuries or any types of pain.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wade scored 27 points as the Heat delivered a 96-91 home victory over the 76ers on Nov. 21.
2. Miami C Hassan Whiteside blocked five shots against Phoenix to raise his season total to 204 – joining Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning as the only players in franchise history with consecutive 200-block campaigns.
3. Philadelphia PF Nerlens Noel didn’t practice Thursday after falling hard a couple times during Wednesday’s loss to Charlotte, but is expected to play.
PREDICTION: Heat 108, 76ers 85

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: New York At Boston
When: 7:30 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Celtics seek their 13th straight home win when they finish a five-game stay at TD Garden with a Friday night matchup against the reeling New York Knicks. Perhaps the most impressive of the 12 consecutive wins in Boston was Wednesday’s 116-93 rout of the Portland Trail Blazers, who had won 14 of their previous 16 games.
Isaiah Thomas scored 30 points and five others hit double figures as the Celtics stayed within 4 1/2 games of second-place Toronto in the Eastern Conference and pulled to 6 1/2 games behind East-leading Cleveland. “Teams, players, the NBA — they still don’t respect us. And we know that,” Thomas told reporters. “We go into every game with a chip on our shoulder knowing that we have to earn the respect, and we have to earn what we get, and take what’s ours. We feel like every game we’ve got a chance to win if we play the right brand of basketball.” While Boston looks stronger by the day, New York is in a tailspin with 15 losses in 18 games. There seems to be a daily drama surrounding star forward Carmelo Anthony, who had 23 points and 10 rebounds in a 19-point home loss to Portland the last time out and punctuated the night by telling a frustrated fan to ask owner James Dolan for his money back.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (25-37): New York is 10-19 on the road and plays seven of its next eight games away from home, a stretch that could cement the team’s third straight losing season. Among the few positives in the loss to the Blazers was the return from a one-game layoff by shooting guard Arron Afflalo, who had 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Seven reserves combined to go a woeful 7-of-36 from the floor as the Knicks fell a season-high 12 games below .500.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (37-25): While Thomas does the bulk of the scoring, Boston has unsung heroes at many other spots, one of whom – Jared Sullinger – is quietly on an impressive run of his own. Sullinger needed just 24 minutes to notch 15 points and 11 rebounds versus Portland for his fifth double-double in the last eight games, all in 31 minutes or less. After the Knicks leave town, the Celtics have six straight games against teams currently in a playoff position.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Thomas is averaging 25 points and 7.3 assists in three games against the Knicks this season.
2. Anthony hit 36.5 percent of his 3-point shots in November, 33.9 percent in December, 28.9 percent in January, 27 percent in February and was 0-for-3 from beyond the arc in the first game this month.
3. New York entered Thursday leading the NBA in foul shooting (80.9 percent), while Boston was sixth (79 percent).
PREDICTION: Celtics 109, Knicks 97

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: Portland At Toronto
When: 7:30 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
The Portland Trail Blazers’ express train came to a screeching halt in Boston on Wednesday, but the Western Conference playoff hopefuls will get another chance to prove they can tangle with the East’s elite. The Trail Blazers will try to bounce back from a rare loss when they visit the second-place Toronto Raptors on Friday.
Portland won the first three in a stretch of four road games in five nights but could not come up the energy necessary to hang with the Celtics in a 116-93 setback and ended up with their third loss in the last 17 games. “They played very well defensively, they pushed the tempo on offense, they got after the boards,” Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts told reporters of Boston. “They beat us in a lot of the aspects of the game.” Portland now gets to face one of the other two teams to knock them off in the last 17 games in the Raptors, who took a 110-103 decision at the Trail Blazers on Feb. 4 behind 30 points from Kyle Lowry. Toronto’s All-Star point guard scored 32 points on Wednesday as the Raptors cruised past Utah 104-94 to earn their 11th consecutive home victory.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Northwest (Portland), TSN (Toronto)
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (33-29): The rigors of the recent schedule make it easy to brush off Wednesday’s loss, but star guard Damian Lillard wasn’t willing to use fatigue as an excuse. “They played harder than us to start the second half and we just weren’t good enough,” Lillard told reporters. “We didn’t do a lot of the things that we’ve been doing at the level we’ve been doing them. You can’t go out there and let a team, at home, compete harder than you and not execute the game plan coming in.” Lillard’s superb all-around play of late has lifted Portland into a battle for the No. 6 spot in the West, and it remains four games clear of the ninth-place Jazz.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (40-19): Lowry scored a career-high 43 points in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers last Friday and got Sunday off to rest for his efforts, only to watch the team struggle without him in a 114-101 loss at the Detroit Pistons. Lowry was back with his All-Star backcourt partner DeMar DeRozan on Wednesday, and the two showed off how dynamic they are together with a combined 63 points on 24-of-35 shooting. “It’s very comfortable to have the two All-Stars but again, it’s a 48-minute game,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told reporters. “We can’t live on the roller coaster going up and down. We got to get some consistency but again it’s great to have Kyle and DeMar get what you need offensively.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Raptors F Patrick Patterson scored seven or fewer points in each of his last five games and is coming off a 1-of-9 effort from the floor on Wednesday.
2. Lillard had a streak of 48 straight made free throws come to an end on Wednesday, when he went 1-of-2 from the line.
3. Toronto’s win in Portland on Feb. 4 snapped a four-game losing streak in the series.
PREDICTION: Raptors 108, Trail Blazers 105

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: Minnesota At Milwaukee
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: BMO Harris Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Milwaukee Bucks are not battling for playoff spots in their respective conferences but have two of the most exciting young rosters in the NBA. The two improving teams will put their talent up against each other when the Bucks host the Timberwolves on Friday.
Minnesota has the No. 1 picks from each of the last two drafts in guard Andrew Wiggins and center Karl-Anthony Towns headlining a young group that also includes 20-year-old dunk champion Zach LaVine and veterans Shabazz Muhammad (23 years old), Gorgui Dieng (26) and Ricky Rubio (25) in prominent roles. Those six logged the most minutes again on Wednesday against the Washington Wizards and all but Dieng (six points, eight rebounds and five assists) scored in double figures in a 104-99 loss. Milwaukee forward Jabari Parker was the No. 2 overall pick behind Wiggins in the 2014 draft and is beginning to have his breakout after recovering from knee surgery. Parker is averaging 22.1 points in the last seven games and shot 50 percent or better from the floor in all but one of those contests.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (19-42): Minnesota has given its team over almost entirely to young players and is willing to deal with the short term setbacks while watching Towns average 17.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in a campaign destined to end in a Rookie of the Year Award. That would make two straight Rookies of the Year for the Timberwolves after last year’s winner Wiggins, who leads the team in scoring at 20.7 points. LaVine has been thrust into the starting five in a three-guard unit alongside Rubio and Wiggins and went over 20 points in two of the last three contests.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (25-36): Milwaukee began the season with playoff aspirations but finds itself six games behind the No. 8 spot in the East with 21 games left. The Bucks can still look toward a positive future thanks to the healthy return of Parker and the continued emergence of 21-year-old nominal small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. The “Greek Freak” has spent time since the All-Star break playing point guard with the first unit and is averaging 17.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists in the last five games with a pair of triple-doubles.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Bucks G Khris Middleton is averaging 25 points in the last four games.
2. Rubio scored 22 points in Wednesday’s loss to mark his first 20-plus performance since opening night at the Los Angeles Lakers.
3. Milwaukee has taken three straight in the series, including a 95-85 win at Minnesota on Jan. 2.
PREDICTION: Bucks 102, Timberwolves 96

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: Utah At Memphis
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
The Utah Jazz have lost a season-worst four straight games and are in danger of falling further behind in the Western Conference playoff race when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. Utah is 0-2 on a four-game swing and has been dismal away from home all season, losing its last five as part of a porous 9-20 road mark.
The Jazz fell 104-94 to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday to slip 1 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Houston Rockets for the final playoff berth in the West. Fifth-place Memphis is trending in the other direction with six victories in eight contests since losing standout center Marc Gasol (foot) to season-ending surgery. The Grizzlies moved to a season-high 12 games above .500 after posting a 104-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Memphis power forward Zach Randolph is playing well with a 20-point average over the past three games and 13 consecutive double-figure outings.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (28-32): Utah may be without shooting guard Rodney Hood after he suffered a minor head injury from colliding with Toronto center Bismack Biyombo during the loss to Toronto. Hood scored a career-high 32 points against Memphis earlier this season and small forward Gordon Hayward said Hood’s absence would only make things tougher. “It’s huge. He’s another guy who can make plays for himself, make plays for our team,” Hayward told reporters. “A defense has to respect him. It was huge – a bad, bad loss for us.”
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (36-24): Point guard Mike Conley has been more aggressive on offense with Gasol sidelined and scored 24 points for the second time in five games when he was 9-of-12 shooting against Sacramento. “I think I saw earlier in the game that I could have a lot of opportunities to make plays and score,” Conley told reporters. “I decided just to go for my offense a little bit more when I had a shot, take it, don’t pass up any open looks and they were falling for me.” Conley has scored 20 or more points in five of the last nine games but is just 13-of-41 from the field in two games against Utah this season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Jazz are 2-0 against the Grizzlies this season and have held Memphis to an average of 83 points.
2. Hayward scored 26 points against Toronto and has scored 20 or more points in eight of the past 11 games.
3. Memphis G Tony Allen (knee) will likely miss his seventh consecutive game.
PREDICTION: Grizzlies 93, Jazz 85

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Preview: Washington At Cleveland
When: 8:00 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
The Cleveland Cavaliers endured one of their most embarrassing performances of the season last weekend at Washington and will get a chance for some revenge when they host the Wizards on Friday. The Cavaliers gave LeBron James a day off to rest at Washington on Sunday and fell behind by as much as 30 points in a 113-99 loss.
That loss to Washington was the second of two straight and left a sky-is-falling narrative around Cleveland until it pulled out a 100-96 win over the Indiana Pacers at home on Monday and got a few days off to practice and work out the kinks. “You have to be able to adjust no matter what type of game or situation that will be going on,” James told reporters after Monday’s win. “And we’re a team that, we put ourselves in dark spots and we have to build our way out of them.” The Wizards are working out of their own dark spot with four straight wins that have brought them to .500 for the first time since Jan. 15. Washington is tied for ninth place in the East, a half-game behind eighth-place Detroit, and began a stretch of five of six on the road with a 104-98 win at Minnesota on Wednesday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), FSN Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (30-30): Washington is 7-2 since the All-Star break to get back into the race in the East, where the Nos. 5-10 teams are separated by only 2 1/2 games. The Wizards are getting strong contributions from John Wall and Bradley Beal, and got another offensive threat back recently in veteran guard Alan Anderson, who played just his fourth game on Wednesday after dealing with ankle surgery. “We can’t just rely on our starting five to will us to a win every night,” Anderson, who scored 18 points in 21 minutes off the bench on Wednesday, told the Washington Post. “It’s got to be all 12, 13 guys, whoever’s suited up to go out there and contribute.”
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (42-17): James took some time away from Cleveland and worked out in Miami with former teammate Dwyane Wade this week, and the Cavaliers have been aggressive in making sure James gets the proper rest and treatment necessary to keep him at the top of his game deep into June. Last weekend that meant holding him out against Washington, and guard J.R. Smith accused his teammates of a “lack of energy” in the big loss. James certainly looked refreshed against the Pacers on Monday, going for 33 points on 14-of-22 shooting in the win.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wizards SG Garrett Temple is 4-of-17 from the field over the last four games.
2. Cavaliers F Kevin Love is 17-of-51 from the floor in the last four contests.
3. Washington earned a 97-85 win at Cleveland on Dec. 1 behind 35 points and 10 assists from Wall.
PREDICTION: Cavaliers 120, Wizards 105

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Preview: Brooklyn At Denver
When: 9:00 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
The Brooklyn Nets have thoroughly enjoyed their past two visits to Denver and look for their third consecutive rout in the Mile High City when they face the Nuggets on Friday. Brooklyn has won the past two games in Denver by an average of 25.5 points, marking the only time the Nets have won consecutive road games against the same opponent by 20 or more points in the franchise’s NBA history.
Brooklyn is 2-3 on a nine-game road excursion but dropped the last two games – both in Los Angeles to the Clippers and Lakers. Forward Thaddeus Young had 19 points and matched a season high with 15 rebounds in Tuesday’s 107-101 loss to the Lakers to raise his career-high double-double count to 25. Denver posted a 117-107 victory over the Lakers on Wednesday for only its second victory in the past seven games. The Nuggets will be searching for someone to pick up the scoring slack on a nightly basis with small forward Danilo Gallinari (team-best 19.5 scoring average) possibly done for the season with an ankle injury.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE NETS (17-44): Center Brook Lopez scored 23 points in the loss to the Lakers and has scored 20 or more points in 11 of the past 17 games. Lopez is averaging 23.3 points and eight rebounds during the stretch and has been much more efficient in the offense since interim coach Tony Brown replaced the fired Lionel Hollins. Shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic is averaging 17.3 points over the last four games after becoming a starter when the club bought out the contract of Joe Johnson.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (24-37): Veteran backup point guard D.J. Augustin is certainly taking advantage of increased opportunities and he scored 22 of his season-best 26 points in the fourth quarter of the victory over the Lakers. “Just going with the flow. It happens sometimes,” Augustin modestly told reporters. “I took what they gave me.” Augustin was recently acquired from the Oklahoma City Thunder and is averaging 19 points and shooting 57.6 percent from the field over the past three games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Nets have won the past four meetings.
2. Brooklyn PG Donald Sloan has scored in double digits in five straight games and six of the past seven.
3. Denver rookie PG Emmanuel Mudiay had 22 points against the Lakers after averaging 5.3 points on 5-of-26 shooting over the previous game.
PREDICTION: Nuggets 105, Nets 103

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Preview: Atlanta At L.A. Lakers
When: 10:30 PM ET, Friday, March 4, 2016
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
With 21 games remaining in the NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks sit almost the same distance from a division title as they do from missing the playoffs. Atlanta plays Friday at the Los Angeles Lakers, and while the Hawks trail Miami by just 1 1/2 games in the Southeast Division, last season’s Eastern Conference regular-season champion sits only 2 1/2 games ahead of two team tied for ninth.
The Hawks nearly upset defending NBA champion Golden State in the opener of a four-game road trip Tuesday, losing 109-105 in overtime to fall for the sixth time in 10 games as Paul Millsap fueled a rally from 14 points down with 19 points. The Lakers have dropped nine of their past 10 and sit last in the Western Conference, and injuries are piling up for several players, including the soon-to-be retired Kobe Bryant. “As much as I can get out there and play, I’ll get out there and play,” Bryant told reporters after playing just 11 minutes with a sore right shoulder in Wednesday’s 117-107 loss at Denver. Starting guard Jordan Clarkson strained his left knee Wednesday and did not return.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), Time Warner Cable SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (33-28): Atlanta battled hard against the Steph Curry-less Warriors in the road trip opener, and coach Mike Budenholzer described the difference to reporters as, “they made a couple of tough shots, crazy shots, and offensively we didn’t get quite enough to go down for us.” The Hawks hope newly signed forward Kris Humphries, who is expected to make his Atlanta debut on Friday, can add depth to the front line. The Hawks have struggled offensively at times despite a solid season from Millsap and Al Horford, but defensively Atlanta ranks seventh entering Thursday’s play in points allowed (99.8) and third in forcing turnovers (15.8).
ABOUT THE LAKERS (12-50): Bryant leads Los Angeles in scoring at 16.8 points but is shooting 35.1 percent from the field and has missed 12 games due to injury. Los Angeles already is without Larry Nance Jr. (right knee) and Lou Williams (left hamstring) and hopes for good news on Clarkson, who has averaged 17.3 points during his past 10 games. Rookie guard D’Angelo Russell scored 24 points on Wednesday and is averaging 26.8 points in his past four games, including scoring 39 in Tuesday’s 107-101 victory over Brooklyn.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Los Angeles allowed 27 fast-break points against Denver, leading coach Byron Scott to describe his team’s transition defense as “terrible.”
2. Millsap averages team highs in points (17.5) and rebounds (8.6), while Horford is shooting 50.6 percent from the field and averaging 15.4 points.
3. The Hawks held off the Lakers in the teams’ first matchup of the season on Dec. 4 in Atlanta, with Horford scoring 16 points while Williams led the Lakers with 18 and Bryant added 14.
PREDICTION: Hawks 104, Lakers 96

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

Friday’s Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers
Pacers at Hornets – 7:05 PM EST
The final four playoff positions in the Eastern Conference are up for grabs as Indiana and Charlotte are right in that mix. The Hornets (32-28 SU, 31-28-1 ATS) have gotten the best of the Pacers this season by beating Indiana twice on the road, including a 96-95 victory as 3 ½-point underdogs on February 26. In both losses, the Pacers were limited to 95 points, while Charlotte has allowed less than 100 points in eight of the past nine games. Charlotte has won eight of the last 10 contests, including three consecutive victories at Time Warner Cable Arena.
The Pacers (32-29 SU, 30-30-1 ATS) snapped a three-game losing streak in Wednesday’s 104-99 triumph at Milwaukee to cash as three-point favorites. Frank Vogel’s squad has cashed the ‘under’ in five of the last six road games, as Indiana is seeing its lowest road total since a 199 against Brooklyn on February 3 (the Pacers won 114-100). The Pacers own a 2-4-1 ATS record in its past seven games in the underdog role, with the only straight-up win coming at Oklahoma City in the first game after the All-Star break.
Blazers at Raptors – 7:05 PM EST
Portland (33-29 SU, 35-27 ATS) saw its three-game winning streak go up in flames in Wednesday’s 116-93 setback at Boston, as the Blazers scored less than 100 points for the first time in 10 games. Terry Stotts’ club has won 14 of its last 17 games in spite of Wednesday’s defeat, including six of the past seven contests away from the Moda Center. The Blazers continue to be a money-maker by posting an 8-3 ATS record the past 11 games, while going 6-3 ATS in the last nine instances as a road underdog since late December.
The Raptors (40-19 SU, 33-26 ATS) look to extend their hot streak at the Air Canada Center to 12 games after beating the Jazz on Wednesday, 104-94 as five-point favorites. Dwane Casey’s team has fared well in the ATS department during this 11-game home winning streak by compiling an 8-3 ATS record, as the three ATS defeats came as a favorite of eight points or more. Toronto goes for the season sweep of Portland following a 110-103 victory at the Moda Center last month, as the backcourt duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan outscored Portland’s pair of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, 59-48.
Wizards at Cavaliers – 8:05 PM EST
In spite of a disappointing start to the season, Washington (30-30 SU, 32-28 ATS) has climbed back to the .500 mark to get back in the Eastern Conference playoff mix. The Wizards have won four straight games, even though the competition can be questioned. Washington knocked off Philadelphia twice, Minnesota, and Cleveland without LeBron James in the lineup, as Randy Wittman’s club owns a 7-2 SU and 6-3 ATS record since the All-Star break. The Wizards have covered in all three matchups with the Cavs this season, including a 97-85 triumph at Quicken Loans Arena in December as nine-point ‘dogs.
Cleveland (42-17 SU, 25-31-3 ATS) continues a four-game homestand after rallying past Indiana on Monday, 100-96 as eight-point favorites. The Cavaliers have failed to cover the number in six of the past eight contests, while compiling a 4-7 ATS mark as a home favorite since Tyronn Lue took over as head coach on January 22. Following a 7-4 start to the ‘over’ in Lue’s first 11 games as coach, the Cavaliers have cashed the ‘under’ in five of the past seven contests, including a 3-1 mark to the ‘under’ in the last four home games.
Jazz at Grizzlies – 8:05 PM EST
Utah (28-32 SU, 28-32 ATS) played with plenty of momentum to close out the first half of the season, winning seven of eight games. However, Quin Snyder’s team is going backwards at the wrong time by losing six of eight games since the break, including five consecutive losses away from Salt Lake City. The most recent setback came at Toronto on Wednesday as the Jazz have been limited to fewer than 96 points in each of their past four losses. Utah owns a dreadful 1-8 ATS record the last nine games, including an 0-5 ATS mark on the highway in this stretch.
Memphis (36-24 SU, 31-28-1 ATS) continues to be undervalued since Marc Gasol’s season-ending foot injury. The Grizzlies have won 15 of their last 20 games, while posting a 9-2 record in its past 11 contests at FedEx Forum with the two losses coming in overtime to Dallas and Portland. Memphis got past Sacramento on Wednesday, 104-98 to improve to 5-2 ATS in the last seven games since the All-Star break. Utah captured each of the first two meetings with Memphis at home this season, while the Jazz have cashed in seven of the past eight matchups with the Grizzlies since 2014.
Hawks at Lakers – 10:35 PM EST
Following an overtime loss at Golden State on Tuesday, Atlanta (33-28 SU, 30-30-1 ATS) continues a five-game road swing in Los Angeles. The Hawks erased an 11-point halftime deficit against the short-handed Warriors as six players finished in double-figures of a 109-105 setback as 5 ½-point underdogs. Atlanta lost in overtime for the third time since the start of February, while its three-game ‘under’ streak came to an end on Wednesday. Mike Budenholzer’s team goes for the sweep of the Lakers after knocking off Los Angeles at Philips Arena in early December as 11-point favorites, 100-87.
It took 62 games for the Lakers (12-50 SU, 29-33 ATS) to reach the 50-loss mark this season as Los Angeles has dropped nine of its past 10 contests. After knocking off the Nets on Tuesday, the Lakers fell short at Denver on Wednesday, 117-107, while Kobe Bryant left the game with a shoulder injury and is questionable against Atlanta. The Lakers have profited at home since January by posting a 5-3 ATS ledger, but Los Angeles owns one home victory this season against a team that is currently above the .500 mark (Detroit, who sits at 31-30).

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Red-hot Blazers burning up the book for lucky NBA bettors
By BIG AL MCMORDIE
In the NBA’s previous 60 seasons, no player has been unanimously voted the MVP. Shaquille O’Neal in 2000, and LeBron James in 2013 each fell one vote short. But with his 3-point, game-winning shot on Saturday night vs. the Thunder, Steph Curry likely sewed up the first unanimous MVP season.
Curry has single-handedly dominated games against the other four best players in the West this season (Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul), and his Warriors have gone 6-0 in those games. And what’s most scary for the rest of the NBA: Golden State’s three best players have yet to enter their prime.
Spread watch
Pop quiz: name the NBA’s three hottest teams. Even a casual fan would likely correctly guess the two hottest teams (Golden State, San Antonio, each 9-1 its last 10 games). But most fans would fail to identify the third, which is the Portland Trail Blazers.
Portland is 8-2 its last 10, and 17-4 its last 21. Even better for basketball bettors, Portland is 15-6 ATS over its last 21 games. In comparison, the Spurs (18-3 SU; 11-10 ATS) and Warriors (18-3 SU; 10-10-1 ATS) have not returned a profit over the same span.
This week, the Blazers will play four road games against the Knicks, Celtics, Raptors and Pistons. The game against Boston isn’t particularly ideal, as Portland will be playing without rest and it’s 5-8 ATS this season in that situation (compared to 29-18 ATS when rested).
However, Portland will not only be rested for its other three games, but it will also be playing with revenge from home losses earlier this season to those opponents (Knicks, Raptors, Pistons). And Portland is 6-0 ATS its last six games, and 10-2 ATS its last 12 when rested and playing with revenge.
Totals watch
Kawhi Leonard, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, missed San Antonio’s first three games after the All-Star Break due to a calf injury. And the Spurs struggled on defense in those three games. San Antonio gave up 105 to the Clippers (50.0 FG%), 113 to the Lakers (49.4 FG%) and 111 to the Suns (46.2 FG%).
Since Leonard’s return, the Spurs have gone 3-0 SU/ATS, and held the Kings (92), Jazz (78) and Rockets (94), on average, to 15.7 ppg less than their scoring average. Not surprisingly, all three games stayed Under the total.
This week, the Spurs will play their first home game (Wednesday, vs. Detroit) following their eight-game rodeo road trip. And the Spurs have gone 11-2 SU, 9-4 ATS and 5-8 Over/Under in their first game back at home following their “Rodeo Trip”.
After that, the Spurs will hit the road Thursday for a game at New Orleans, before coming back home for another game vs. Sacramento. And the last three meetings (and six of the last eight) between the Kings and Spurs have gone Under the total
Injury watch
Nuggets small forward Danilo Gallinari injured his ankle in Friday’s loss to Dallas, and is expected to miss upwards of four weeks. This is really bad news for a Denver team which still has hopes for making a run at the eighth playoff spot out West.
Gallinari has been Denver’s best player this season, as he has a 19.29 PER, and is averaging 19.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Unfortunately, Denver got a glimpse in December at what life without Gallo would be like. In the six games he missed earlier this season, Denver went 1-5 SU and 2-3-1 ATS, with its only victory against the dreadful Phoenix Suns.
If there is a silver lining, it’s that Denver’s first four games without Gallinari will all be at home, and all against beatable opponents (Grizzlies, Lakers, Nets, Mavericks). Its game versus Memphis Monday looks to be the best of the bunch to play on the Nuggets.
Not only is Denver 5-1 ATS its last six home games vs. Memphis, but it will be Memphis’ third game in four nights. And the Nuggets are 128-84 ATS at home when rested and matched up against non-division foes playing their third game in four nights.
Schedule watch
This season, Commissioner Adam Silver’s intent was to make the schedule much less taxing for NBA players. Back-to-backs were reduced 7.8 percent, while four-games-in-five-nights were reduced 60.8 percent. The result has been fascinating, to say the least.
NBA teams have actually been terrific this season when playing without rest in either their fourth game in five nights or fifth game in seven nights (against opponents not in such a situation). They’re 43-20-1 ATS, including 16-4 ATS at home. And it makes perfect sense. With a less grueling schedule, the players are more rested, generally. So, when they’ve faced a difficult schedule this season, they’ve been able to overcome it and outperform expectations.
This week, three teams will play their fifth game in seven nights without rest: Orlando (Wednesday), Portland (Wednesday) and Miami (Friday). Of the three, Orlando (vs. Chicago) would rate as my favorite, as it will be playing at home.

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Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/4

NBA Basketball Betting Trends – Fri – March, 4
Miami at Philadelphia, 7:05 ET
Miami: 7-4 ATS when playing on back-to-back days
Philadelphia: 3-10 ATS against Southeast division opponents
Indiana at Charlotte, 7:05 ET
Indiana: 1-10 ATS revenging a straight up loss vs opponent as a favorite
Charlotte: 9-1 ATS after a blowout win by 15 points or more
Phoenix at Orlando, 7:05 ET
Phoenix: 7-22 ATS in road games
Orlando: 15-7 ATS in non-conference games
Portland at Toronto, 7:35 ET
Portland: 2-13 ATS after 3 consecutive non-conference games
Toronto: 20-11 ATS when the total is greater than or equal to 200
New York at Boston, 7:35 ET
New York: 30-43 ATS after 2 or more consecutive losses
Boston: 41-27 ATS after playing a home game
Washington at Cleveland, 8:05 ET
Washington: 3-10 ATS off a road win
Cleveland: 5-1 ATS revenging a SU loss vs opponent as a road favorite
Utah at Memphis, 8:05 ET
Utah: 36-17 UNDER after a non-conference game
Memphis: 5-15 ATS after 2 consecutive covers as a favorite
Minnesota at Milwaukee, 8:05 ET
Minnesota: 19-37 ATS after having lost 3 of their last 4 games
Milwaukee: 11-3 ATS in home games after 1 or more consecutive losses
Brooklyn at Denver, 9:05 ET
Brooklyn: 18-6 ATS in road games off a road loss
Denver: 3-11 ATS in home games after scoring 105 points or more
Atlanta at LA Lakers, 10:35 ET
Atlanta: 21-18 ATS after a loss by 6 points or less
Los Angeles: 5-11 ATS revenging a road loss vs opponent of 10 points or more