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**TheGame** · 01-24-2016, 06:53 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

NBA notebook: LeBron 'caught off guard' by Blatt firing
By The Sports Xchange

LeBron James said he was "surprised and caught off guard" when the Cleveland Cavaliers fired head coach David Blatt on Friday.
James, addressing reporters Saturday morning, stressed he did not influence the Cavs' decision to replace Blatt with assistant Tyronn Lue despite the team leading the Eastern Conference with a 30-11 record.
At Friday's news conference, Cavaliers general manager David Griffin said the four-time MVP "doesn't run this organization."
James said Saturday he was not involved with the decision despite the perception of his impact on coaching decisions.
"That's not my concern," James said. "I found out about it just like every other player on this team at 3:30 yesterday. ... I think (Griffin) was right on everything he said. ... Like it or love it or hate it, we got to respect it."
James reportedly was not a supporter of Blatt from the outset and team officials were aware of his sentiments.
James has a strong relationship with Lue and often consulted with him on strategy during games.
"We've been friends since I was 17 years old, but at the end of the day, he's still the coach and I'm underneath him," James said.
Lue is in his second season with the Cavaliers after being hired as the associate head coach in June 2014. He was previously an assistant coach on Doc Rivers' staff with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Lue also spoke to the media Saturday and was asked about his relationship with James.
"Me and Bron were friends before when I played. We had a great relationship then," Lue said. "But what you guys don't understand from what you see is that when the players are coming and talking to me as an assistant coach, like, I'm the defensive coordinator. So if guys are getting scored on or guys are in the wrong spots or guys are not doing the right thing defensively, they come and talk to me because I'm in charge of the defense."

---The Golden State Warriors featured a new look on the sidelines Friday night, but when it came to the on-court product ... why mess with perfection?
Steve Kerr returned from complications following back surgery to coach his first game, and watched his Warriors remain undefeated at home this season with a 122-110 triumph over the Indiana Pacers.
Point guard Stephen Curry buried 48- and 60-footers, only one of which counted, in a 39-point, triple-double performance, helping the Warriors sweep the two-game season series from the Pacers for the first time since 2000-01.
"Great coaching," Kerr said with a laugh when asked about Curry's amazing heaves, the longer of which came just after the first-quarter buzzer and the shorter on the final play of the first half.
"Steph hits half-court shots all the time in practice," Kerr said. "So when he hits one, the coaches don't even blink. There he goes again."

---The Denver Nuggets signed guard Sean Kilpatrick to a second 10-day contract.
Kilpatrick initially signed with the Nuggets on Jan. 12 and has averaged 2.3 points in four games with Denver. He appeared in 22 games (21 starts) for the Delaware 87ers of the NBA Development League this season, averaging 27.1 points and 4.1 rebounds.

---Guard Aaron Harrison was recalled by the Charlotte Hornets from the Oklahoma City Blue of the NBA D-League.
Harrison has appeared in nine games for Charlotte. He was signed by the Hornets as a rookie free agent out of Kentucky on July 14.

**TheGame** · 01-24-2016, 06:53 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: Mavericks (25-20) at Rockets (23-22)

Date: January 24, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

Chandler Parsons is emerging into a key role midway through the season after a long road back from injury, but Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is calling on his entire team to turn in more complete performances.

The forward will try to continue doing his part Sunday against his former team in Houston as the Rockets try to work their own recently returned forward into the mix.

The Mavericks (25-20) got 26 points from Parsons in Friday's 109-106 home loss to Oklahoma City, and he's averaged 24.0 while shooting 57.4 percent and hitting 11 of 18 from 3-point range over his last three games.

Parsons has played in 37 games this season with the occasional day off while working his way back from hybrid microfracture surgery on his right knee, and the first 34 came with the 27-year-old averaging 9.6 points and shooting 45.7 percent.

"Just trying to string a couple together," Parsons told the team's official website. "You know, it wasn't enough tonight, but it felt great. My knee felt great, and I'm shooting the ball at a very high level of confidence right now.

"From that point, it's a positive. But I still forced some bad ones and missed some ones that I should make right now. It's just tough to play that hard, fight, give ourselves a chance and come up a little short."

It was an overall improvement for the Mavs, who hit 46.0 percent following a 3-2 span in which they were limited to 40.2, but Carlisle still found plenty to criticize.

"We missed too many 50-50 balls," he said. "We got killed on the boards. It's not all about scoring. There are just too many other things that went wrong. The third quarter was a debacle. That was very poorly played by us and really well played by them. That doomed us."

That disadvantage is nothing new for Dallas, which has lost the battle on the boards by an average of 6.1 over a 3-4 span, including a minus-4.9 mark on the offensive glass.

The Mavs are beginning a three-game trip as Houston (23-22) concludes a three-game homestand. The teams have split two meetings this season with the Mavericks winning the first in Houston 110-98 on Nov. 14.

The Rockets are coming off a 102-98 win over Milwaukee on Friday in which they welcomed back Josh Smith, who played in Houston for the second half of last season before signing with the Los Angeles Clippers. He was traded back to the Rockets earlier in the day and debuted immediately, though he had just two points on 1-of-10 shooting.

It was his first game under interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who's looking beyond Smith's finishing in terms of carving out his role.

"The thing that's important for us is Josh's ability to pass the ball," Bickerstaff said. "It's infectious when he makes the extra passes over and over again and everybody's a recipient of it."

James Harden scored 30 points and continued to impress from beyond the arc. The league's No. 2 scorer has averaged 28.5 points over his last four games while connecting on 14 of 29 from 3-point range, though he's been held to 34.1 percent overall and 2 of 12 from outside against Dallas this season.

Fellow guard Patrick Beverley has missed two straight games with a sprained left ankle, though he said he expects to face the Mavericks.

Dwight Howard is expected to remain out after sitting out Friday with his own left ankle injury.

**TheGame** · 01-24-2016, 06:53 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: Thunder (33-12) at Nets (11-33)

Date: January 24, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

The massive winter storm that's leveled New York City and much of the East Coast had placed Sunday afternoon's game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brooklyn Nets in question.

It may have been the Nets' only chance to stop one of the NBA's hottest teams.

The contest is expected to go on as scheduled, with the Thunder aiming to extend their season-high winning streak and deal the hapless Nets a sixth consecutive loss.

Oklahoma City (33-12) arrived in the New York metro area early Saturday morning, hours after recording a seventh straight victory with Friday's 109-106 win over Dallas that opened a four-game trip. One more would give the Thunder their longest unbeaten stretch since a 10-game run from Jan. 16-31, 2014.

Presuming the game isn't ultimately called off, the odds will be heavily in their favor to lengthen the streak. Brooklyn (11-33) has lost five straight and 10 of 11 and won't be drawing a favorable matchup with the Thunder, the league's second-highest scoring team at 108.6 points per game.

The Nets rank 29th in that category (95.1 ppg) and have been held under 90 points seven times during their 1-10 stretch. They're struggling badly on the defensive end as well, having permitted 107.3 points per game and 51.2 percent shooting in seven games under interim coach Tony Brown.

Utah shot 57.3 percent overall and went 16 of 22 while outscoring the Nets 37-17 in the third quarter en route to Friday's 108-86 rout at Barclays Center, Brooklyn's 13th loss in its last 14 at home.

'They made shots, we didn't. The same song and story as it's been the last couple of games," forward Thaddeus Young said. "We get off to good starts and have good first halves and then the second half, we'll have two crucial turnovers that kind of turns the game and it just slips away from us.'

The Thunder outscored Dallas 37-18 in the third quarter to take an 85-74 lead into the fourth, then held on after the Mavericks cut a 17-point deficit down to one in the final minute.

"There was some adversity," coach Billy Donovan said. "I felt like our guys stuck together. They played together and played for each other. That was encouraging to see because on the road, you're going to have to play together and stick together. Adversity is going to come in one form or another. Whatever it is, you have to be able to handle it collectively."

Oklahoma City also had to deal with the absence of center Steven Adams, who'll miss Sunday's game as well with a sprained right elbow.

That could play a factor in this one, as the Nets owned a 66-44 advantage in the paint when the teams met in Oklahoma City on Nov. 25. Brooklyn shot just 27.5 percent outside of it, however, and the Thunder shot 52.6 percent overall in earning a 110-99 win.

Brook Lopez scored 26 points for the Nets but managed only eight with three rebounds against Utah. Joe Johnson has just 11 points in two games after matching a season high with 22 in Sunday's 112-100 loss at Toronto.

The Nets did sweep last season's home-and-home series with Oklahoma City, though Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook missed both with injuries. Durant had 30 points and Westbrook 27 with 13 assists and five steals in the most recent matchup.

**TheGame** · 01-24-2016, 06:53 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: Clippers (28-15) at Raptors (28-15)

Date: January 24, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

The last time the Los Angeles Clippers faced Toronto, they scored a season low and were left searching for answers at the close of a 2-7 tailspin.

Since that night, however, they haven't been losing all that much.

Chasing their 13th victory in 15 games, the Clippers face a stiff test Sunday against a lock-down Raptors team looking to extend its season-best win streak to eight.

The Clippers (28-15) rank fourth in the NBA with 105.0 points per game and have been even better with 110.2 since Dec. 25 - all the more impressive considering leading scorer Blake Griffin has been sidelined the entire span with a partial tear in his left quadriceps.

Griffin, averaging 23.2 points, isn't expected to return until Tuesday at Indiana at the earliest.

Even with him in the lineup Nov. 22, Los Angeles couldn't get anything going in a 91-80 home loss to the Raptors (28-15). The game marked one of two in which the Clippers were held under 90 points - they also had 80 in a loss at Chicago on Dec. 10 - and they missed 25 of 32 3-point attempts while shooting 39.2 percent overall.

"We're pretty frustrated," Griffin said after scoring nine in that one. "But we can't let that frustration affect us negatively moving forward."

Los Angeles has moved on - it's 22-8 since that loss and showed a fierce level of camaraderie in a 116-88 rout of the New York Knicks on Friday to improve to 1-1 on a five-game trip.

DeAndre Jordan had 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting and earned a technical foul for defending Chris Paul after the point guard took a shot in the face from New York's Robin Lopez in the third quarter that left him with a swollen lip.

Jordan responded by shoving Lopez from behind, and after the two big men tussled again later, Jordan was whistled for the technical.

"I was just upset," said Jordan, who had 13 points and 15 boards in the first meeting with Toronto. "Chris is the smallest dude on the floor, you know what I'm saying? So we've got to protect him."

Paul held his own with 16 points, 13 assists and six rebounds. He was 1 for 8 in the first half but scored 14 in the third - perhaps fired up by the hit from Lopez.

"Chris is a competitor, so if I'm going to turn a guy on, it would probably not be him," coach Doc Rivers said of Paul, who has averaged 20.2 points and 10.8 assists with a 3.78 assists-to-turnover ratio since Christmas.

The reserves played a huge role with 56 points, and the Clippers shot 56.6 percent while going 13 of 23 from beyond the arc.

That may be tough to sustain against the Raptors, who rank fourth in the league with 96.8 points allowed per game and are coming off Friday's 101-81 home win over Miami on the 10th anniversary of Kobe Bryant torching them for that same amount by himself.

DeMar DeRozan scored 33 while Kyle Lowry added 15 and the moment of the game when he landed on a fan while chasing a loose ball and gave the woman a kiss on the forehead.

"We're just playing, man," said Lowry. "We're just out there playing with confidence. No matter what happens in the game, we're just trying to keep it smooth and not get too up or down."

DeRozan scored 21 against the Clippers in November, but he and Lowry shot a combined 6 of 27 from the field.

Toronto's seven-game streak is its longest since winning a franchise-record nine in a row from March 22-April 9, 2002.

**TheGame** · 01-24-2016, 06:54 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: Celtics (23-21) at 76ers (6-38)

Date: January 24, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia 76ers were forced to wait one more day in a bid for their first win streak this season, and that extra time might have provided a chance to get two ailing starters healthier.

Nerlens Noel and JaKarr Sampson could suit up Sunday night when the 76ers also try to end a six-game skid against the Boston Celtics.

With Winter Storm Jonas slamming the East Coast, the NBA chose to postpone this game at the Wells Fargo Center 24 hours.

The 76ers (6-38) are looking to build on their 96-87 win in Orlando on Wednesday, their second victory in three games. They prevailed despite losing Noel for the second half because of a headache and blurred vision.

"I had it a little bit last year, a couple headaches. They last a few days, but I don't think it's a big deal," Noel said. "I'm ready to play."

Sampson played just seven-plus minutes due to a hip pointer, but Philadelphia shot 48.6 percent and hit 9 of 19 from 3-point range. Jahlil Okafor had 20 points on 9-of-17 shooting and is averaging 21.7 while connecting at 62.0 percent in his last three games.

"This team is just growing up and this is a huge step for us as far as closing out games down the stretch," guard Ish Smith said. "I can name numerous games that we would have won if we would have closed it the right way."

The 76ers have aided their cause by averaging 13.8 turnovers in their last four games, 4.5 fewer than in their first 40 contests. They nearly earned two other wins in that stretch but fell in overtime to Chicago on Jan. 14 and double overtime at New York on Monday.

Philadelphia now faces one of the NBA's best teams at forcing turnovers in Boston (16.8 per game), and the Celtics (23-21) pressed Chicago into 20 miscues in a 110-101 victory Friday.

Boston has been dealing with travel uncertainty ahead of its attempt to build on that win and earn just its second in seven road games. The Celtics practiced at their facility Saturday while waiting to head to Philadelphia and reportedly will travel for the game Sunday morning.

"We've been pretty much on call for whenever the runways get cleared and they can get people out there, when buses can get on the roads and everything else," coach Brad Stevens said.

Marcus Smart said he didn't think it would affect the team's attitude heading into its pursuit of a third straight win at Philadelphia and fifth in the last six visits there.

"I don't think it's a challenge. Everybody here has played summer ball or AAU. It's kind of what this is. Wake up, drive to the game and play," he said.

Boston is making its first trip to the Wells Fargo Center this season after beating Philadelphia twice at home. Isaiah Thomas had 57 points on 21-of-40 shooting in those two wins, and he scored 30 in the most recent meeting, an 84-80 victory Nov. 25.

Okafor is averaging 22.5 points in his two games against the Celtics. He was involved in a fight at a Boston nightclub after the latest loss in the series and was later suspended for two contests.

The 76ers haven't won back-to-back games since taking home victories over Detroit and New York from March 18-20, which was also their most recent home win streak.

**TheGame** · 01-24-2016, 06:54 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

NBA

Sunday's hot teams
-- Thunder won their last seven games (0-5 last five AF).
-- Clippers won eight of their last ten games (3-3AU).
-- Toronto won its last seven games (4-0 last four HF).
-- 76ers won two of last three games, covered last five games.

Cold teams
-- Rockets lost three of last five games (7-12HF). Dallas is 3-4 in its last seven games (9-8AU).
-- Nets lost their last five games (0-4-1 vs spread).
-- Celtics lost five of last six road games (4-1 last 5AF).

Series records
-- Rockets won six of last eight games with Dallas.
-- Thunder lost four of last six games with Brooklyn.
-- Clippers lost their last three games with Toronto.
-- 76ers lost last six games with Boston (1-5 vs spread).

Totals
-- Seven of last nine Houston games went over total.
-- Five of last seven Thunder games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Toronto games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Boston games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- None

**TheGame** · 01-24-2016, 06:54 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Los Angeles Clippers at Toronto Raptors January 24, 6:00 EST

Expect the Raptors and Clippers to do what they typically do and that's light up the scoreboard. The Raptors aiming for its eight straight victory have netted 108.2 points per 100 possesions over the streak and enter 11-4 the past fifteen dropping 109.0 points/100 Pos (11-4 O/U). The Clippers bring to the court a 12-2 stretch netting 111.7 points/100 pos (7-7 O/U). Both capable of an explosive offense, there's an 'Over'-Whelming chance this one busts 'Over' the posted total. The series is 7-3 'Over' in Toronto and the teams enter a combined 9-4 O/U this season vs a teams with an Effective Offensive Rating => 105.0. One final nugget, Clippers 5-1 O/U after a 55.0% or better shooting performance.

**Satch** · 01-24-2016, 09:31 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

NBA
Long Sheet

Sunday, January 24

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BOSTON (23 - 21) at PHILADELPHIA (6 - 38) - 1/24/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 72-56 ATS (+10.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 40-25 ATS (+12.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 43-29 ATS (+11.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 28-48 ATS (-24.8 Units) as a home underdog of 6.5 to 9 points since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 97-140 ATS (-57.0 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game since 1996.

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

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DALLAS (25 - 20) at HOUSTON (23 - 22) - 1/24/2016, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 11-22 ATS (-13.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 10-21 ATS (-13.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 29-16 ATS (+11.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DALLAS is 27-18 ATS (+7.2 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 336-268 ATS (+41.2 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 73-49 ATS (+19.1 Units) as a road underdog of 3 points or less since 1996.
DALLAS is 453-375 ATS (+40.5 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 122-90 ATS (+23.0 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1996.
DALLAS is 176-139 ATS (+23.1 Units) in road games revenging a loss vs opponent since 1996.
DALLAS is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) after allowing 105 points or more this season.
HOUSTON is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) in all games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 10-5 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 10-5 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
8 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

OKLAHOMA CITY (33 - 12) at BROOKLYN (11 - 33) - 1/24/2016, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in road games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 3-12 ATS (-10.2 Units) against Atlantic division opponents over the last 2 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
BROOKLYN is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in January games this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
BROOKLYN is 4-1 against the spread versus OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
BROOKLYN is 3-2 straight up against OKLAHOMA CITY over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

LA CLIPPERS (28 - 15) at TORONTO (28 - 15) - 1/24/2016, 6:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 177-241 ATS (-88.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
LA CLIPPERS are 138-176 ATS (-55.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
TORONTO is 159-202 ATS (-63.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

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

**Satch** · 01-24-2016, 09:32 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

NBA

Sunday, January 24

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

3:30 PM
DALLAS vs. HOUSTON
Dallas is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 6 games when playing on the road against Houston
Houston is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 8 games at home

3:30 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. BROOKLYN
Oklahoma City is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 5 games on the road
Brooklyn is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Brooklyn is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games

6:00 PM
LA CLIPPERS vs. TORONTO
LA Clippers are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
LA Clippers are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
Toronto is 4-2 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Clippers

7:00 PM
BOSTON vs. PHILADELPHIA
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Philadelphia is 7-16-1 ATS in its last 24 games at home
Philadelphia is 3-21 SU in its last 24 games at home

**Satch** · 01-24-2016, 09:34 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: Oklahoma City At Brooklyn
When: 3:30 PM ET, Sunday, January 24, 2016
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
The Brooklyn Nets are losers of five straight and 10 of their last 11, and things don’t appear to be getting much easier. The Nets will try to avoid falling to 0-3 on their four-game homestand when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
Brooklyn managed an average of 82 points in going down quietly to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Utah Jazz in the first two games of the homestand and have another winning team in Miami set to visit on Tuesday before closing the month with a pair of road games. The Jazz rank among the bottom quarter of all NBA team in scoring average but had no trouble shooting 57.3 percent from the floor in Friday’s 108-86 win over the Nets. The Thunder are a decidedly better offensive club, featuring a pair of All-Stars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and have won seven straight and 22 of the last 26 games. Oklahoma City was looking forward to its four-game road trip and started things off by squeezing out a 109-106 victory at Dallas on Friday.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma, YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (33-12): Oklahoma City is preparing itself for a long playoff run this spring and saw the four-game trip as an opportunity to bring the team closer together. “They played together and played for each other,” coach Billy Donovan told reporters after Friday’s win. “That was encouraging to see, because on the road you’re going to have to play together and stick together. Adversity is going to come in one form or another. Whatever it is, you have to be able to handle it collectively.” The Thunder received “only” a combined 40 points from Durant and Westbrook on Friday but got plenty of help with four other scorers reaching double figures.
ABOUT THE NETS (11-33): Brooklyn was outscored 63-34 in the second and third quarters of Friday’s game after a decent start. “They made shots and we didn’t,” forward Thaddeus Young told reporters. “It’s the same song and story as it’s been the last couple of games – we get off to good starts, we have good first halves, then in the second half the game just slips away from us.” Point guards Donald Sloan and Shane Larkin combined for four points on 1-of-9 shooting in Friday’s loss.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Thunder C Steven Adams (elbow strain) sat out Friday and is day-to-day.
2. Nets G/F Joe Johnson is 18-of-29 from 3-point range in the last eight games.
3. Westbrook and Durant combined for 57 points, 18 assists and 12 rebounds in a 110-99 home win over Brooklyn on Nov. 25.
PREDICTION: Thunder 115, Nets 90

**Satch** · 01-24-2016, 09:34 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: Dallas At Houston
When: 3:30 PM ET, Sunday, January 24, 2016
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas
Josh Smith has never been known for his defensive prowess, but the Houston Rockets sure looked better on that end with the lanky forward back for his second stint with the team. The Rockets will try to make it back-to-back victories in the second Smith era when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Smith helped Houston reach the Western Conference finals last season after coming over from the Detroit Pistons in a trade but left over the summer for the Los Angeles Clippers in a move that never worked for either side. The Rockets made the decision to trade for Smith again on Friday, and he immediately helped that night with six assists, three blocks and two steals in a 102-98 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Mavericks have plenty of talent to counter the Rockets despite the addition of Smith but are having some trouble against the top teams in the league. Dallas dropped a 109-106 decision at home to Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, and its last four losses have come against San Antonio, Cleveland and the Thunder (twice).
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Dallas), ROOT (Houston)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (25-20): Dallas had played two straight overtime games and looked set for a third on Friday before Chandler Parsons’ 3-point attempt missed the mark. The Mavericks battled back from deficits to force overtime and earn the win over Boston and Minnesota but could not make it all the way out of a 10-point hole against Oklahoma City. “It’s good from the standpoint that we never give up, and we continue to fight and give ourselves a chance to win,” Parsons told reporters. “But when you come across a team like the Thunder, who are so talented and have so many lethal weapons, it’s tough.”
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (23-22): The team change did not magically cure the shooting woes of Smith, who went 1-of-10 from the field in his debut, but his passing ability gave the team an added boost on Friday. “One of the things you’ll begin to see as we go forward, the more involved everyone is, the more energy we have on the defensive end of the floor,” interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. “We’ve got multiple playmakers on the floor. Everyone seems to touch it more, and they’re willing to get off of it and move it. When the ball moves like that, we’re hard to guard because we have so many weapons offensively.” Smith played 21 minutes in his debut after not getting off the bench in his last two games with Los Angeles.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Rockets C Dwight Howard (ankle) and G Patrick Beverley (ankle) are both day-to-day.
2. Parsons is averaging 28 points on 21-of-36 shooting in the last two games.
3. The road team took the first two meetings this season, with Dallas earning a 110-98 win at Houston on Nov. 14.
PREDICTION: Mavericks 106, Rockets 101

**Satch** · 01-24-2016, 09:34 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: L.A. Clippers At Toronto
When: 6:00 PM ET, Sunday, January 24, 2016
Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario
The Toronto Raptors will put their season-high seven-game winning streak on the line when they host the surging Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday. The Clippers will provide the toughest test of the winning streak so far, which has included a pair of victories over sub-.500 Brooklyn and another over the woeful Philadelphia 76ers.
Toronto took advantage of a banged-up Miami Heat squad on Friday and cruised to a 101-81 victory behind 15 points and six assists from newly-minted All-Star Kyle Lowry. The backcourt combination of Lowry and DeMar DeRozan fuels the Raptors offense, and the pair combined for 48 points on Friday as DeRozan topped 30 for the third straight game. Los Angeles boasts some prolific scorers as well and is averaging 110.2 points while winning 12 of the last 14 games. The Clippers dropped the opener of the road trip 115-102 at Cleveland on Thursday but bounced back by trouncing the New York Knicks 116-88 the following night.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), TSN (Toronto)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (28-15): Los Angeles brought in a pair of veterans over the summer in an effort to bolster the bench, but Josh Smith and Lance Stephenson did not last long in Doc Rivers’ rotation and have been fixtures on the end of the bench. The Clippers decided to make a move with one of them on Friday and sent Smith to Houston in exchange for cash and the draft rights to Sergei Lishouk. “He was very good, a good teammate and all that, but it just didn’t work,” Rivers told reporters of Smith. “So we wanted to go in another direction.”
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (28-15): The seven-game winning streak is the longest for the franchise since the 2002 squad set a record with nine in a row, and the team has pushed its way into second place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto limited the Heat to 40.7 percent shooting, including 4-of-17 from 3-point range in improving to 18-0 in its last 18 games when holding opponents under 100 points. That defense is anchored in the middle by centers Jonas Valanciunas and Bismack Biyombo, and the two combined for five blocks on Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Stephenson has logged a total of 20 minutes in the last eight games.
2. Toronto F Terrence Ross is 8-of-12 from 3-point range in the last three games.
3. DeRozan scored 21 points and Lowry handed out 10 assists in a 91-80 victory at Los Angeles on Nov. 22.
PREDICTION: Raptors 106, Clippers 101

**Satch** · 01-24-2016, 09:35 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/24

Preview: Boston At Philadelphia
When: 7:00 PM ET, Sunday, January 24, 2016
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
After Mother Nature pushed things back a day, the Boston Celtics will look to maintain their recent dominance of the Philadelphia 76ers when the teams meet Sunday in the snowy City of Brotherly Love. Winter Storm Jonas was expected to dump over a foot of snow in Philadelphia over the weekend before tapering off late Saturday, forcing the league to move the game to Sunday.
That gave the Celtics a little more time to rest following Friday’s 110-101 win at home against Chicago, their fourth victory in six games following a 1-6 stretch. Isaiah Thomas continued his push for an All-Star Game nod with 22 points for Boston, which has won six straight meetings with the 76ers, including two this season at home. The second of those two triumphs gave Philadelphia an 0-16 mark, but the last-place team has been a bit more competitive of late and is coming off a 96-87 win at Orlando on Wednesday for its first victory against an Eastern Conference team in 26 tries. The 76ers are 5-8 in their last 13 games and their last two losses have come in overtime.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN New England (Boston), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE CELTICS (23-21): Boston has given up at least 101 points in eight of its last nine games but it was solid down the stretch against Chicago, limiting the Bulls to 19 points on 6-of-19 shooting in the fourth quarter. “We were guarding, that was pretty clear,” coach Brad Stevens told reporters. “Usually when you guard, you’re locked and you’re engaged, good things can happen offensively.” While Thomas stayed hot, fellow starting guard Avery Bradley finished with 21 points for his best output since Dec. 12.
ABOUT THE 76ERS (6-38): Rookie Jahlil Okafor is emerging as a more consistent offensive threat for Philadelphia and reached the 20-point mark for the third straight time in the win over the Magic. He has shot better than 50 percent in nine of 10 games this month after shooting 44.5 percent in December. Fellow big man Nerlens Noel left Wednesday’s game with a migraine headache but has been cleared to return for this one, while the status of guard JaKarr Sampson – who also left the contest with a hip issue – is uncertain.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Thomas is averaging 28.5 points and 6.5 assists against the Sixers this season.
2. Philadelphia PG Ish Smith has two straight double-doubles and five in 13 games since being acquired from New Orleans.
3. Celtics PF Amir Johnson missed Friday’s game due to personal reasons and is expected to return to the lineup.
PREDICTION: Celtics 104, 76ers 100

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NBA Betting Info. 1/24

NBA Betting Info. 1/24

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