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**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:23 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Timberwolves (20-43) at Hornets (33-28)

Date: March 07, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Charlotte Hornets continue to show their second-half surge is no fluke, and it doesn't figure to stop anytime soon.

The rising Hornets will be favored to win a fourth straight game when they continue a lengthy homestand Monday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Charlotte (33-28) has kept climbing the East by compiling a 14-5 record since Jan. 22, the conference's third-best mark behind Toronto and Boston over that span. It's in sole possession of sixth place following Friday's 108-101 victory over Indiana that opened a seven-game stay at Time Warner Cable Arena.

The Hornets have won nine of 11 to move within a game of fifth-place Atlanta as they enter a favorable stretch. Four of their final six games on the homestand are against sub-.500 teams, and they've won four straight and seven of eight at Charlotte.

Defense has been the club's calling card during the upswing, though it's also been quite efficient on the offensive end of late. The Hornets are averaging 117.7 points and 43.4 percent shooting from 3-point range during the streak, making 10 or more 3s in all three wins.

"I don't think they just have our number," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said after the Hornets completed a three-game season sweep. "They're playing as one of the best teams in the league right now and they've been too much for us.'

Charlotte has been increasingly tough to handle when Kemba Walker hasn't had to carry the offense. That was the case Friday as Nicolas Batum scored 31 points to complement Walker's 33 and 10 assists.

Walker is averaging 29.6 points during the streak and 24.8 over his last 20 games, and should have a good chance to continue that scoring binge against a Timberwolves team that's allowed 103 or more in 14 straight.

Minnesota (20-43), though, has been better during a 6-7 stretch in which its promising young trio of Karl Anthony-Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine has continued to progress.

All three were factors in Saturday's 132-118 home win over Brooklyn in which the Timberwolves shot a franchise-best 68.4 percent, the highest by any team since the Los Angeles Clippers hit 69.3 against the Raptors on March 13, 1998. Towns had 28 points on 14-of-18 shooting, Wiggins scored 26 on 10 of 14 and LaVine added 21 while making nine of 12.

Minnesota also did a far better job of protecting the basketball, committing 12 turnovers one night after recording a season-high 26 in a 116-101 loss at Milwaukee. Interim coach Sam Mitchell had benched four starters for much of the second half against Bucks.

'We responded well,' Wiggins said. 'We knew (Friday) night was not how we play. We all know we're better than that.'

Giveaways were an issue when these teams met in Minneapolis on Nov. 10, with the Hornets scoring 22 points off 22 turnovers in a 104-95 victory. The Timberwolves did limit Walker to 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting despite playing without Wiggins and Ricky Rubio.

Charlotte has won four straight in the series and is 9-2 at home against Minnesota since re-joining the NBA in 2004-05.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:23 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Grizzlies (37-25) at Cavaliers (44-17)

Date: March 07, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

LeBron James pointed to the Cleveland Cavaliers' defensive turnaround as the reason for their comeback win over the weekend.

It was the type of stingy play that has the Cavaliers back on track during a four-game homestand, which they close Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Cleveland (44-17) seemed like it might lose for the fourth time in seven games Saturday when it faced an 18-point deficit in the first quarter against Boston, which shot 60 percent for a 35-22 lead after 12 minutes.

However, the Cavaliers regrouped and held the Celtics to 68 points on 41.8 percent shooting in the final three periods on the way to a 120-103 win.

"I like the fact that we took the challenge, took the hit, the biggest hit that they could give us, and responded the best way we know how, by defending and sharing the ball," James said.

When meeting that criteria, Cleveland is solid this season. The Cavs are 21-3 when holding opponents to 96 points or fewer and 29-3 when finishing with at least 22 assists - both of which they did in the first two games of their homestand.

Cleveland has rebounded from three losses in four games by winning all three at Quicken Loans Arena to improve to 27-5 there.

After a 100-96 win over Indiana last Monday, Cleveland held Washington to 39.5 percent shooting in Friday's 108-83 victory - its sixth in the last nine games holding opponents to fewer than 100 points.

The Cavaliers' defensive prowess carries over to its recent history in this series. Memphis (37-25) has averaged just 85.3 points in three straight losses - Mike Conley has been held to 9.7 per game - and 93.2 in 15 games dating to February 2008.

Its latest offensive struggles came in a 106-76 home loss on Oct. 28. James scored only 12 points, but eight Cleveland players finished with at least nine. Nobody on Memphis scored more than a dozen as the Grizzlies shot 35.4 percent.

The Cavaliers have won nine of the last 10 games in this series in Cleveland.

Memphis has won seven of its last 10 games, but its last two losses came to lowly Phoenix. The latest was Sunday's 109-100 home defeat as the Grizzlies shot just 40 percent.

The Suns are the only team to score more than 100 points in the Grizzlies' last six games, doing it twice.

'I didn't have a good game making shots, and we've got to get better,' Zach Randolph said. 'We've been playing good, but (it) was just one of those nights.'

Randolph had picked up the slack inside since Marc Gasol's season ended, averaging 18.2 points as the Grizzlies went 7-2 in their first nine games without him.

However, Randolph made only 3 of 10 shots for six points Sunday, his lowest-scoring output in 33 games since Dec. 19.

Memphis continues to battle through health issues as starting center Chris Andersen did not return Sunday after injuring his left shoulder in the second quarter. The Grizzlies have played eight games without Tony Allen and four without Brandan Wright due to knee injuries.

Coach Dave Joerger said Allen could return Monday, while there is no timetable for Wright. It is unclear how serious Andersen's injury is.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:23 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Spurs (53-9) at Pacers (33-30)

Date: March 07, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

With a spectacular return, Manu Ginobili played a major role in keeping short-handed San Antonio perfect at home. He'll next try to help the Spurs extend their longest road win streak in two seasons.

San Antonio seeks a seventh consecutive victory away from home and ninth in row overall Monday night against the Indiana Pacers.

Ginobili scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 15-plus minutes Saturday in a 104-94 victory against Sacramento after missing 12 games following testicular surgery.

"I felt great," he said. "(The performance) was very unexpected. Of course, I'm happy. Besides the stat sheet, I felt explosive. I wasn't sore. I was free. I played in a good mood. That was the main thing."

Kawhi Leonard had team highs of 25 points and 13 rebounds for San Antonio (53-9), which improved to 30-0 at home and extended its franchise-record start through 62 games despite resting starters Tim Duncan and Danny Green. LaMarcus Aldridge also sat out because of migraine headaches.

The Spurs still kept up their recent second-half defensive intensity. They've allowed an average of 36.7 points after halftime in three games this month and gave up 13 points in the third quarter to Sacramento.

"The last three games our second halves have been really good defensively," coach Gregg Popovich said.

The Spurs will next try to win seven straight on the road for the first time since March 4-31, 2014. They've won their last seven games in Indiana and 15 of 16 overall meetings.

A 106-92 victory in San Antonio on Dec. 21 was their fourth in a row in the series. Leonard, who is averaging 27.3 points in his last four games, led the way with 24 points in the last matchup and helped keep Pacers leading scorer Paul George to a season-low seven on 1-of-14 shooting - the worst performance of his career when attempting at least 10 shots.

A night after scoring 35 in Charlotte, George had 38 in a 100-99 victory against Washington on Saturday, including the go-ahead free throws with three seconds left. Indiana finished 2-2 on its trip to maintain its slim hold on one of the Eastern Conference's final playoff spots.

"It's just to build off of this, watch tape, see what we can do better with, and there is a lot of stuff we could improve on," George said. "We didn't play well at all. It's just great that we got the win."

Indiana has lost three of four at home and will seek to avoid a season-high third consecutive defeat on its own floor. The Pacers, 18-11 at home, haven't defeated the Spurs in Indianapolis since a 100-99 victory April 1, 2007.

Indiana is hoping to get a little more help with C.J. Miles trying to work his way back from a strained left calf. Miles, averaging 12.0 points, has missed the past eight contests but was a game-time decision before Saturday's win.

San Antonio forward David West will make his return to Indiana, where he played from 2011-15. West, averaging 6.9 points, had 12 - two shy of matching his season high - in the win over Sacramento.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:24 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Kings (25-36) at Pelicans (23-38)

Date: March 07, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Injury concerns continue to pile up for the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings, stacking more doubt onto what would be an already unlikely postseason climb for each.

While the nicked-up Kings hope to snap a four-game skid in this series Monday night, the host Pelicans look to end their own four-game slide as they start life without one of their top scorers.

New Orleans (23-38) has lost four straight and is 1-5 since Anthony Davis scored 59 points in a 111-106 win at Detroit on Feb. 21 - its final victory of a 4-1 stretch that seemed to briefly ignite postseason aspirations.

Those have fizzled as the Pelicans have slipped to 12th place in the Western Conference, two games back of the 10th-place Kings (25-36).

While Davis is averaging 19.4 points since the league's top-scoring game this season, missing one contest with a right foot injury, the roster continues to crumble around him.

The biggest blow came in Saturday's 106-94 loss to Utah when Eric Gordon left in the first half with a fractured right ring finger just eight days after returning from the same injury.

Gordon averaged 22.7 points in his first three contests back from a 16-game absence, but coach Alvin Gentry speculated he could miss another 6-8 weeks, likely ending his season.

One of the only offensive positives last week for New Orleans was Gordon. The Pelicans shot 40.2 percent for an average of 91.7 points in three losses, the final two dropping them to 16-15 at home.

"We've just got to keep believing and keep staying together," Davis said. "This is not a time where we start falling apart. We've got to come closer and keep fighting and whatever happens, happens."

While 7-footer Omer Asik returned against Utah after missing five games with a right ankle sprain, it came just two days after 7-footer Alexis Ajinca was ruled out indefinitely with a fractured sternum.

Gentry said he will likely start point guard Jrue Holiday for the first time since early December, filling one of the guard spots left vacant by Gordon. Holiday has averaged 20.5 points in 11 games since Feb. 8.

Point guard Rajon Rondo is an injury report all by himself for Sacramento, which has lost five of six and is 5-13 since January's season-high five-game winning streak.

Rondo had nine points and eight assists in Saturday's 104-94 road loss to the Spurs, playing 36 minutes through a right ankle sprain, sprained right thumb and turf toe.

Three days after going scoreless for six minutes in Wednesday's 104-98 loss at Memphis, Sacramento went without a point for 5 1/2 minutes to open the second half against San Antonio - which played without LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan and Danny Green.

The loss dropped the Kings to 11-20 away from home.

'There have been a lot of teams disappointed on this court,' coach George Karl said.

While Rudy Gay played through a right shoulder sprain, Kostas Koufos (food poisoning) and Seth Curry (right foot sprain) sat out.

Rondo and Gay are probable for Monday, while Curry is questionable.

New Orleans is guaranteed another matchup against DeMarcus Cousins, who has averaged 30.3 points, 15.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.8 blocks the last four games of this series - including Pelicans' wins of 109-97 at Sacramento on Jan. 13 and 114-105 in New Orleans on Jan. 28.

Davis finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds the first meeting but missed the second with a concussion. Ryan Anderson matched a career high with 36 points in the Pelicans' home win.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:24 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Bucks (26-37) at Bulls (31-30)

Date: March 07, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

In 12 games without Jimmy Butler, Chicago fell out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. In one with him back, it's returned to the No. 8 spot and started to ease some of the stress of the unnerving fall.

The climb back toward more comfortable ground continues Monday night as the Bulls host Milwaukee, and Butler's been particularly effective against the Bucks this season.

Butler's first game back from a sprained left knee was Saturday's 108-100 home win over Houston with the guard contributing 24 points and 11 rebounds. The 3-9 span without the defensive standout had the Bulls (31-30) allowing 109.7 points per game with teams shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point range.

"Obviously, you see the impact Jimmy has because of his ability to make life difficult for the elite wing players in this league," coach Fred Hoiberg told the team's official website. "... He gives you that great physical presence out there and stays in front of guys and bodies up. Offensively, he's a guy who can flat out get you a basket and get you to the free-throw line and get you some points."

It also marked the return of Nikola Mirotic, who had missed 16 games because of a complicated bout with appendicitis. Pau Gasol, who had 28 points and 17 rebounds, noted that there's plenty of time left to re-ascend the East, but it has to happen now with five games separating the Bulls from home-court advantage in the first round.

"We have 21 games to play, a quarter of the season," Gasol said. "It's a lot of games to play, but now our margin of error is gone. We've just got to play with a little more consistency that we did tonight with the same type of energy and competitiveness and go after every single win."

It should help that everyone is back who's coming back. When Butler was healthy, Mike Dunleavy wasn't, so the two played together for the first time this season Saturday. Joakim Noah is out for the season, so this is as close to a full roster as the Bulls will have.

Perhaps diminished in Butler's return is the fact that backcourt mate Derrick Rose has shot at least 50 percent in six straight games interrupted by his own injury issues, averaging 21.3 points.

"I don't ever think we are going to lose," Butler said. "As long as we're confident in each other we'll be fine. It helped me a lot having Mike to space the floor and Doug (McDermott) as confident as he is now, I think it helps everybody. Offense is always there, but we need the defense and rebounding. We won. That's all I'm worried about."

That hasn't been a problem in Chicago against the Bucks (26-37). The teams have split two games thus far with the home team winning each, and the Bulls have won the last four meetings in Chicago while holding the Bucks to 88.5 points per game. Butler has reached 30 points in both games this season while totaling 16 assists.

Milwaukee ended a 2-3 homestand with Sunday's 104-96 loss to Oklahoma City while shooting 3 of 19 from 3-point range. However, the forward duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker each had 26 points.

Antetokounmpo notched a triple-double with 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and he's averaged 23.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 9.0 assists in his last four games. All three of his career triple-doubles have come in his last seven games, and he scored 29 points on 10-of-14 shooting in a 106-101 home win over the Bulls on Jan. 12. Parker has averaged 24.0 points in his last four.

"When you look at Oklahoma City, they're veteran guys who have gone through the process that Giannis and Jabari are going through," coach Jason Kidd said. "We can take that path because those two are both pretty talented. I think Giannis and Jabari can do that."

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:24 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Clippers (40-21) at Mavericks (33-30)

Date: March 07, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Clippers have taken to firing up 3-pointers at a pretty eye-catching rate lately with varying results, but they might want to keep with the habit for one more game.

Teams have been doing that against Dallas with plenty of frequency, and the outcomes are negative for the Mavericks more often than not.

Dallas begins a three-game homestand Monday night hoping to avoid a three-game losing streak while the Clippers need a win to dodge consecutive losses for the first time since before Christmas.

The Clippers (40-21) haven't lost consecutive games in 2 1/2 months - which is surprising considering Blake Griffin has only played once in that span - going 24-8 since a three-game skid from Dec. 18-21.

Three of those losses have come in the last seven games with Los Angeles attempting an average of 31.7 shots from beyond the arc, which is higher than any team's season mark. But they've won once in the last six games they've attempted 30 or more. That includes Saturday's 107-97 home loss to Atlanta after being limited to 42 second-half points.

"We just let them back in it," said Chris Paul, who has averaged 24.6 points and 11.6 assists with eight double-doubles in his last nine games. "I had some bad turnovers, and we just didn't have it tonight. Low energy. It's too late in the season to have letdowns like the one we had. That can't happen."

It did the last time out against the Mavericks with Los Angeles building an eight-point lead after one quarter only to be held to 19 points in the second of a 118-108 Dallas win on Nov. 11. Dirk Nowitzki had 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting and 5 of 6 from beyond the arc, and Paul was held to 11 points on 2 of 11. In his last three games against Dallas, Paul has averaged 10.3 points and 7.7 assists while shooting 37.0 percent.

The teams have split two games this season with the home side winning each, and the Mavericks (33-30) have taken the last two played in Dallas by an total of 40 points while shooting 58.1 percent.

Of the nine teams yielding at least 25 3-point attempts per game, the Mavericks' 33.7 percent opponent mark is the lowest, but it's not taking a ton of success from deep for teams to beat them. When opponents put up at least 25 3s and make more than a third of them, Dallas is 7-13.

One of those was Sunday's 116-114 overtime loss in Denver after D.J. Augustin's 3 tied the game with 29 seconds remaining in the extra period.

"You know, we've got to lead the league in being up three and catching 3 balls," Nowitzki told the team's official website after finishing with 30 points and hitting 5 of 8 from long range. "You know, we're a veteran team, and we don't show it lately down the stretch. If you're up three, you've got to protect the 3-point line, and we haven't been doing a good job. And when you leave yourself open to that, it goes to OT and anything is possible."

Dallas has shot 50.1 percent on a five-game stretch, all against under-.500 teams, but has only a 3-2 record to show for it. The Mavericks have won one of their last seven games against teams above that mark and are 4-10 against the five teams leading them in the Western Conference - Golden State, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, the Clippers and Memphis.

Los Angeles is 4-6 against the other teams in that top six.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:25 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Magic (27-34) at Warriors (55-6)

Date: March 07, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Raise your hand if you saw that one coming.

After a shocking road loss to the Western Conference's worst team, the Golden State Warriors hope to rebound by breaking the NBA record for consecutive home wins Monday night against the Orlando Magic - who a suddenly cold Stephen Curry torched less than two weeks ago.

It wasn't just the result of Sunday's 112-95 loss at the Los Angeles Lakers that opened eyes, it was the way it unfolded for Golden State (55-6).

Curry and Klay Thompson made a combined 1 of 18 3-pointers, and the Warriors finished without a 20-point scorer for the first time since a Nov. 28 win over Sacramento - though six players scored in double figures in that game while Curry and Thompson were the only two this time around.

Curry finished with 18 points on 6-of-20 shooting, ending his five-game run of 30-point performances while missing nine of 10 3-pointers. Thompson had 15 on 7 of 20.

The Warriors' 4-for-30, 13.3-percent showing from long range was their worst since making 2 of 16 in a loss at Houston on Dec. 6, 2013. The NBA's top-scoring team shot 40.2 percent overall, committed 20 turnovers and allowed its sixth straight opponent to shoot better than 45 percent.

The result was the end of a seven-game win streak while a wrench was thrown in Golden State's quest to break Chicago's 1995-96 72-10 mark.

The Warriors can win their 45th straight home game on Monday, breaking the Bulls' record that ran from March 30, 1995-April 4, 1996.

'We got what we deserved,' coach Steve Kerr said. 'I joke with Steph all the time that this team is full of millennials, and millennials can't focus, so we looked like millennials today. ... But every team is going to have a tough time being locked in for 82 games. It's hard.'

Though the players largely echoed Kerr's sentiment about speed bumps in a long season - with Curry and Draymond Green each saying "it happens" - the Warriors did schedule a shootaround ahead of Monday's game, their first prior to the second game of a back-to-back.

Maybe to make sure another monumental upset isn't on the agenda.

Sunday's game was the first in NBA history in which a team with a winning percentage above .900 played a team below .200 after 60 games. Orlando (27-34) hasn't experienced woes like the Lakers' this season as a whole, but its 8-21 mark since Jan. 1 is one of the league's worst.

Another upset is far less likely at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors play 15 of their final 21 games.

The Magic are 10-18 away from home, and they will have to deal with Curry 11 days after he dropped 51 points on them in a 130-114 Golden State win - the Warriors' fifth straight in this series.

Curry made 20 of 27 shots and 10 of 15 3s to become the seventh player to hang 50 points on the Magic - and first since LeBron James went for 51 in February 2011.

Winning in Oakland seems like a tall task for the Magic after they supplied Phoenix with its first road win in nearly three months with Friday's ugly 102-84 loss. Orlando shot 34.7 percent against one of the NBA's worst defensive teams, and it sits four games back of Chicago and Detroit for the East's eighth playoff spot.

"It is very disappointing," coach Scott Skiles said. "It is a game we had to have.'

Victor Oladipo sat out with a lower-back contusion, but he is expected to return Monday.

Golden State is being cautious with Andre Iguodala (left hamstring tightness), and there is a chance he sits Monday for the third time in four games.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:25 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

NBA

Monday's hot teams
-- Charlotte won eight of its last ten games (5-2 last 7HF).
-- Cavaliers won last three games (5-6HF with Lue). Memphis won five of its last seven games (1-4 last 5AU).
-- San Antonio won its last eight games (4-6 last 10AF).
-- Clippers won three of last four games (7-1 last 8AF).
-- Golden State won seven of last eight games (4-7 last 11HF).

Cold teams
-- Minnesota lost six of its last nine games (4-7 last 11AU).
-- Indiana lost four of its last six games (2-3HU).
-- Kings lost five of their last six games (2-5 last 7AU). New Orleans lost its last four games (1-7 last 8HF).
-- Bucks lost four of their last six games (3-0 last 3AU). Chicago lost four of its last five games (1-3 last 4HF).
-- Dallas lost last two games by total of five points (5-3HU).
-- Orlando lost four of its last six games (3-8-1 last 12AU).

Series records
-- Hornets won six of last seven games with Minnesota.
-- Cavaliers won four of last five games with Memphis.
-- Spurs won nine of last ten games with Indiana.
-- Pelicans won their last four games with Sacramento.
-- Chicago is 5-3 in its last eight games with Milwaukee.
-- Clippers won six of their last nine games with Dallas.
-- Warruors won their last five games with Orlando.

Totals
-- Eight of last ten Minnesota games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine Cleveland games stayed under the total.
-- Last six San Antonio games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Sacramento-New Orleans games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Nine of last ten Clipper-Dallas games went over the total.
-- Six of last nine Orlando games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- Memphis is 8-4 vs spread if it played the night before.
-- Mavericks are 8-6 vs spread if they played night before.
-- Golden State is 10-4 vs spread if it played night before.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:25 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

'Bugs Sting TWolves'

Charlotte Hornets improved to 33-28 (32-28-1 ATS) on the campaign with its 108-101 home win over Pacers Friday covering the -3.5 point spot. Hornets playing solid hoops have now won three consecutive SU/ATS and fourteen of nineteen on the hardwood (13-6 ATS). In their last game, Timberwolves upped the mark to 20-43 (28-34-1 ATS) with a 132-118 home victory over road weary Brooklyn Nets.

Expect Bugs to sting Timberwolves as home-court advantage plays a key roll in Charlotte winning this contest. The Hornets thriving on home court (21-9, 16-13-1 ATS) this season have won seven of eight in front of the friendly crowd (6-2 ATS). Meanwhile, life on the road a nightmare for Minnesota (9-22, 17-14 ATS) enter this contest a lowly 2-16 (7-11 ATS) the past eighteen in hostile territory. Additionally, Hornets have enjoyed success vs Timberwolves winning/covering the past four meetings. One final betting nugget pointing towards Charlotte. Timberwolves hitting 68.4% from the field in their victory over Nets are just 2-7-1 ATS after dropping => 55.0% of their shots the previous effort.

**TheGame** · 03-07-2016, 08:29 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

MEMPHIS vs. CLEVELAND
Memphis is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Memphis is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Cleveland's last 9 games

SAN ANTONIO vs. INDIANA
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games
Indiana is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Indiana is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games

MINNESOTA vs. CHARLOTTE
Minnesota is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Minnesota's last 9 games when playing on the road against Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Charlotte's last 9 games when playing Minnesota
Charlotte is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Minnesota

MILWAUKEE vs. CHICAGO
Milwaukee is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 12 games when playing Chicago
Chicago is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

SACRAMENTO vs. NEW ORLEANS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Sacramento's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Sacramento's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 13 of New Orleans's last 15 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans's last 5 games when playing Sacramento

LA CLIPPERS vs. DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 9 of the LA Clippers last 10 games when playing Dallas
LA Clippers are 4-13 SU in their last 17 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Dallas's last 10 games when playing LA Clippers
Dallas is 4-9 SU in their last 13 games when playing LA Clippers

ORLANDO vs. GOLDEN STATE
Orlando is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 15 of Orlando's last 22 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State is 3-7-1 ATS in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Golden State's last 6 games

**Satch** · 03-07-2016, 09:39 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Minnesota At Charlotte
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, March 7, 2016
Where: Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte, North Carolina
The Charlotte Hornets are working their way up the standings in the Eastern Conference and are looking impressive on the way. The Hornets will try to secure their fourth consecutive victory and keep the pressure on fifth-place Atlanta in the East when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
Charlotte suffered an 87-76 loss at Atlanta on Feb. 28 but turned the offense around completely over the next three games while averaging 117.7 points. The Hornets won games on back-to-back nights by 20 or more points each for the first time in franchise history with big wins over bottom-feeders Phoenix and Philadelphia on Tuesday and Wednesday last week and proved it was no fluke with a 108-101 triumph over Indiana on Friday that vaulted them over the Pacers and into the No. 6 spot in the East. Charlotte might need to put more emphasis on the defensive end against the Timberwolves, who are coming off a team-record performance in a win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. Minnesota shot a franchise-best 68.4 percent from the field in the 132-118 triumph, led by young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Southeast (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (20-43): Towns went 14-of-18 from the field and Wiggins was 10-of-14 in Saturday’s win, which snapped a three-game slide for Minnesota. Interim coach Sam Mitchell sat most of his starters in the second half of a 116-101 loss at Milwaukee on Friday and criticized their effort after the game, and harsh words seemed to get through to the players. “We all came out and played as a team; really moved the ball and helped each other defensively,” Wiggins told reporters. “…We responded well. We knew last night, that’s not how we play. We all know we’re better than that.”
ABOUT THE HORNETS (33-28): Kemba Walker is the engine that runs Charlotte, and he has been in high gear the last three games with an average of 29.7 points on 51.9 percent shooting. The 25-year-old guard became only the fifth player in franchise history to record at least 30 points and 10 assists in a game when he went for 33 and 10 in Friday’s triumph. Walker is at his best at home, averaging 22.1 points in front of the Charlotte fans and 19.9 on the road, and the Hornets began a stretch of seven straight and nine of 10 in their own building with Friday’s win.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hornets G Nicolas Batum posted his second 30-plus scoring outing of the season with 31 points on 12-of-22 shooting Friday.
2. Timberwolves G Zach LaVine has scored 20 or more points in three straight and four of the last five games.
3. Walker managed just 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting at Minnesota on Nov. 10, but G Jeremy Lin stepped up with 19 off the bench in a 104-95 Charlotte win.
PREDICTION: Hornets 122, Timberwolves 118

**Satch** · 03-07-2016, 09:40 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Memphis At Cleveland
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, March 7, 2016
Where: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, Ohio
A stretch of seven straight games against sub-.500 opponents will come to an abrupt end for the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, when they hit the road for a visit to the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers. The Grizzlies were crushed at home 106-76 by the Cavaliers on Oct. 28 and seemed to be looking ahead to the rematch when they closed out their homestand with a loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
The Cavaliers are wrapping up a four-game homestand on Monday and came together over the last week after dropping two in a row at home. Cleveland blew out Washington 108-83 to avenge a loss on Friday and showed no drop-off on the second night of a back-to-back Saturday, recovering from an early 18-point deficit to cruise past the Boston Celtics 120-103. “I liked the fact that we took the challenge,” Cavaliers star LeBron James told reporters after Saturday’s win. “We took their biggest hit that they could give us and responded the best way we know how – by defending and sharing the ball.” The Grizzlies went 5-2 in their stretch against losing teams, with both loses coming against the Suns, and sit in fifth place in the West.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Southeast (Memphis), FSN Ohio (Cleveland)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (37-25): Memphis struggled against Phoenix’s size in the frontcourt with center Marc Gasol (foot) out and allowed the Suns to shoot 52.1 percent from the field. “We’re a team that’s going to struggle to score when we’re the way we are right now offensively, so we’ve got to play great, great defense,” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger told reporters. “Our defense has taken a couple steps back so we’ve got to keep building the trust.” Memphis could get a big piece of their defense back on Monday in guard Tony Allen, who sat out the last eight games with a knee injury but is close to a return.
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (44-17): Getting his teammates to step up and pick up some of the slack has been a concern for James in the past, but Cleveland has looked like a most cohesive unit during the homestand. The play of the reserves was especially notable on Saturday, with Iman Shumpert recording 12 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and two steals to lead the way. “It was a great team win,” Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. “We had eight guys in double figures. (Shumpert), defensively was awesome. He rebounded the ball and made his shots. If he continues to play like that, we’re going to be tough to beat.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Cavaliers F Kevin Love is 18-of-57 from the floor over his last five games.
2. Memphis F Chris Andersen (shoulder) left Sunday’s game and is day-to-day.
3. Cleveland has taken the last three meetings by an average of 22 points.
PREDICTION: Cavaliers 110, Grizzlies 95

**Satch** · 03-07-2016, 09:40 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: San Antonio At Indiana
When: 7:00 PM ET, Monday, March 7, 2016
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Veteran guard Manu Ginobili was superb in his return from a brutal injury and attempts to record another strong outing when the San Antonio Spurs visit the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Ginobili scored a season-best 22 points in 15 minutes in Saturday’s victory over the Sacramento Kings after missing the previous 12 games due to testicular surgery.
Ginobili had been sidelined since taking a knee to the groin from New Orleans forward Ryan Anderson on Feb. 4, and he said he possesses no fear over aggravating the injury. “Not at all,” Ginobili, who is wearing a protective cup, told reporters. “The area that is fragile is protected. So I’ve been testing it, playing in the (practice) facility. I’m not worried. I know I’m not going to play like this every game, but that is not going to be the issue that I’m hesitating or not confident.” San Antonio has won its last eight games and has traditionally dominated the Pacers, winning 15 of the past 16 meetings. Indiana All-Star forward Paul George is averaging 36.5 points over the last two games, including 38 points in Saturday’s 100-99 road victory over the Washington Wizards.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE SPURS (53-9): San Antonio rolled to the victory over Sacramento despite being without All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (migraines) and center Tim Duncan and shooting guard Danny Green – the latter two held out to rest. Aldridge was on a three-game tear in which he averaged 25 points and 11.3 rebounds and the Spurs are hoping his headaches will subside and not be a problem down the stretch. All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard had 25 points, 13 rebounds and six assists against the Kings and is averaging 27.8 points over the past five games.
ABOUT THE PACERS (33-30): Indiana came dangerously close to its fifth loss in six games before George made two three throws with three seconds left to provide the winning points against Washington. The Pacers’ recent troubles have them in seventh place in the Eastern Conference playoff race and will keep them fighting to remain ahead of teams such as Chicago, Detroit and Washington. “We could be positioned a lot better than where we are,” George told reporters. “Of the eight playoff teams … I don’t think we should be below the (top) four.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs have been victorious in seven straight visits to Indiana, last losing 100-99 on April 1, 2007.
2. Pacers swingman C.J. Miles (calf) could return after an eight-game absence.
3. San Antonio is 23-9 on the road and has won nine of its last 10.
PREDICTION: Spurs 107, Pacers 105

**Satch** · 03-07-2016, 09:40 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/7

Preview: Milwaukee At Chicago
When: 8:00 PM ET, Monday, March 7, 2016
Where: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
Jimmy Butler excelled in his return after a one-month absence and the All-Star guard looks for another productive outing when the Chicago Bulls host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. Butler was solid with 24 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in Saturday’s 108-100 victory over the Houston Rockets after missing 11 consecutive games due to a knee injury.
The return of Butler helped pumped life into a sagging squad and was the impetus for halting the team’s four-game losing streak. “Jimmy makes a huge impact on both ends of the floor, especially on the defensive end,” Chicago center Pau Gasol told reporters. “His physicality and his activity and energy make a big difference because it kind of picks everybody up as well and sets the tone for the rest of the guys. We need everyone to make a push.” Butler has averaged 31 points in two games against Milwaukee this season and the Bucks arrive in Chicago with a porous 8-25 road mark. Milwaukee has dropped four of its last six overall contests after suffering a 104-96 home loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), WPWR (Chicago)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (26-37): The development of small forward Giannis Antetokounmpo as an emerging star continued when he posted 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in the loss to the Thunder. It was the 21-year-old Antetokounmpo’s third double-double of the season – he is the first Milwaukee player since Alvin Robertson in 1990-91 to achieve that – and the performances have all come within a span of seven games. “I thought Giannis was great,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said afterward. “I don’t know how much better he can get but with those triple-doubles, you have to start adding wins.”
ABOUT THE BULLS (31-30): Chicago is part of a six-team group fighting for the final four playoff spots in the Eastern Conference and the players are well aware there is little margin for error. “Every game for us is a playoff game if we really want to make the playoffs,” point guard Derrick Rose told reporters. “And I think guys do so we just got to come out and keep giving this effort.” Butler wasn’t the only key player to return against Houston as forward Nikola Mirotic (appendectomy) also was back after a 16-game absence.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams have split two meetings this season – with the home club winning both times.
2. Milwaukee PG Michael Carter-Williams (knee) will likely miss his fifth straight contest.
3. Gasol had 28 points and 17 rebounds against Houston for his fourth double-double in six games.
PREDICTION: Bulls 102, Bucks 94

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