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**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:02 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Hornets (41-30) at Pistons (38-34)

Date: March 25, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

It's become pretty common for a point guard to be at the center of many Charlotte Hornets victories over the past few months, but usually his name is Kemba Walker.

Reserve Jeremy Lin has stepped up during Walker's shooting slump, a dry spell the Hornets hope won't continue as they look for their 18th win in 22 games Friday night with a season sweep of the streaking Detroit Pistons.

Charlotte (41-30) has shot up the Eastern Conference standings the last two months, going from a postseason hopeful to tied with Miami for fifth - a half game back of Atlanta and Boston for the third seed.

Only Golden State (19-3) and San Antonio (18-3) have been better than the Hornets (17-4) since Feb. 6.

Walker had been a huge part of that run, averaging 25.4 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 47.9 percent during the first 16 games of that stretch. However, those numbers dip to 14.4, 3.8 and 32.5 over the last five - leaving an opening for Linsanity version 2.0.

Lin has been on fire, averaging 22 points on 62.5 percent shooting the last three games. The last two have been the most eye-opening as he scored 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter of Monday's 91-88 win over the Spurs before dropping 21 in Tuesday's 105-100 victory at Brooklyn.

Lin made 19 of 30 shots between the two games, including 5 of 6 3-pointers. He brought the Hornets back from a 30-7 deficit against San Antonio, the largest comeback against the Spurs in the Tim Duncan era.

'We learned a lot about ourselves, and we just want to keep seeing what we can do,' Lin said. 'We don't know what our ceiling is and we don't want to say what our ceiling is because we don't know.'

To earn home-court advantage in the East's first round, the Hornets will have to win on the road. Friday is the second contest on a four-game trip that's part of nine of 12 away from home to close the regular season. After opening 6-17 on the road, Charlotte has won eight of its last 10.

The Hornets have two home wins over the Pistons this season and have taken seven of the last nine overall. However, they got trounced 116-77 their last visit to Detroit in April.

Walker has made only 8 of 31 shots the last three meetings for an average of 12.3 points, while Lin has averaged 10.5 this season.

Detroit (38-34) has been up and down in February and March but matched its longest winning streak of the season with Wednesday's 118-102 victory over Orlando. The Pistons logged their fourth straight victory to move to 4-1 on a nine-game homestand.

They are hoping to hold onto one of the East's final two seeds while hosting current playoff teams Charlotte, Atlanta, Oklahoma City and Dallas to close the home-heavy stretch before opening a three-game trip at ninth-seeded Chicago.

The Pistons have won seven of their last eight at The Palace.

'You're not going to sneak in as a sub-.500 team like teams have been doing for years,' coach Stan Van Gundy said. 'If we get in, we'll be getting in playing very good basketball, because there's no other way to do this.'

Andre Drummond led seven Pistons in double figures against the Magic with 30 points and 14 rebounds. Marcus Morris chipped in 15 points, making 2 of 4 3s. He is 18 of 25 from deep while averaging 15.9 points over the last seven games.

Fourth-leading scorer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and little-used Reggie Bullock sat out due to an illness, and it is unclear if they will be available Friday.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:03 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Bucks (30-42) at Hawks (42-30)

Date: March 25, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Finally, the Atlanta Hawks are resembling the team that produced the Eastern Conference's best record last season.

Back atop the Southeast Division, they'll look to continue their late-season surge in Friday night's home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

After hovering around .500 through the season's first four months, the Hawks are playing their best basketball as they near the stretch run. They've won 11 of 14 since Feb. 26 to move a half-game ahead of Miami and Charlotte in a tight Southeast race and pull even with Boston for third in the East.

Atlanta (42-30) regained the division lead with Wednesday's 122-101 bounce-back victory at Washington, avenging Monday's 117-102 home loss to the Wizards that halted a five-game winning streak. It did so by hitting a season-high 17 3-pointers and re-establishing the defensive presence that's sparked its recent turnaround.

The Hawks held Washington to 42.4 percent shooting and scored 25 points off 18 turnovers in the rematch. The Wizards finished 50.5 percent from the field and 13 of 25 from 3-point range while having only nine giveaways in Monday's meeting.

"We just got more aggressive," center Al Horford said. "We changed our strategy a little bit. That was the biggest difference."

Atlanta has limited opponents to 40.3 percent overall and 29.8 percent from 3 - both league bests - during its 14-game run.

The Hawks also have rediscovered their touch from the perimeter, having averaged 13.4 3-pointers over their last seven. Atlanta ranked second in the NBA in 3-point percentage and fifth in makes en route to a franchise-record 60 wins in 2014-15.

Kyle Korver is 20 of 38 over that stretch and went 5 of 10 in Wednesday's 15-point effort. Tim Hardaway Jr., buried on the bench for much of the season, is 13 of 24 while averaging 17.8 points over his last four.

The Hawks, however, haven't shot well from outside in two prior matchups with Milwaukee this season, both overtime losses. They ended 9 of 41 from beyond the arc in a 117-109 double-overtime defeat at home on Feb. 20 and were 9 of 30 in a 108-101 road loss on Jan. 15.

Milwaukee (30-42) also dominated the glass in those games, outrebounding Atlanta by a combined plus-33 margin. The Bucks, though, haven't been nearly as proficient in that department during a three-game skid they'll take into Philips Arena.

Cleveland recorded 20 second-chance points and 17 offensive rebounds to hand the Bucks a 113-104 defeat on Wednesday, two days after Milwaukee opened a three-game trip with a 92-91 loss to Detroit in which the deciding points came on Andre Drummond's putback in the final seconds.

"Offensive rebounds, that's something that has been a problem for us all year," coach Jason Kidd said following Wednesday's game.

Milwaukee did receive 24 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo in another strong performance for the 21-year-old. He's averaging 20.6 points, 8.1 assists and 7.8 rebounds in 12 games this month.

Antetokounmpo is averaging 21.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in his last four matchups with Atlanta and had 28 and 16 in last month's victory.

Atlanta's Paul Millsap is averaging 22.0 points and 11.5 rebounds over the series' past four games, but Jeff Teague has struggled in recent meetings. The point guard has shot 27.6 percent while failing to score in double figures in three straight against Milwaukee.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:03 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Raptors (48-22) at Rockets (35-37)

Date: March 25, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Houston is already making a mess of a difficult stretch as it tries to sneak into the postseason, but if it can weather six more games, its final four are as favorable as it gets.

That might seem quite a ways off with a three-game losing streak heading into Friday night's visit from the Toronto Raptors, which kicks off the pivotal 10-game stretch for one of last season's Western Conference finalists.

The Rockets (35-37) flubbed what could turn out to be the most important game of the closing month in Wednesday's 89-87 home loss to Utah. They're competing with the Jazz and Dallas for the West's final two playoff spots.

"The season's not over," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "We're in a position where, we take care of business we can still get into the playoffs. But we've got to take care of business. There's no more excuses."

Those final four games come against Phoenix, the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota and Sacramento - they face only the Timberwolves on the road - but the Raptors (48-22), Indiana, Cleveland, Chicago, Oklahoma City and the Mavericks could render those games trivial if the skid continues.

Another would match two other losing streaks for the Rockets' longest this season after never going beyond two in 2014-15.

James Harden had 26 points, 10 assists, eight steals and seven rebounds against the Jazz, but Houston conceded a 48-32 rebounding advantage, including 13-4 on the offensive glass. It was the club's second-worst rebounding effort of the season, though it's been less of an overall concern on the skid than offense.

The Rockets have averaged 97.0 points and shot 42.4 percent in the losses, falling to 2-16 when failing to reach 100 points and 5-20 when shooting below 43.0 percent.

Houston and Toronto have traded wins and losses since the start of 2011-12 with the Rockets winning five of nine, including a 113-107 final in Toronto on March 6 behind Harden's 40 points and 14 assists. It was the first road win by either team in the series in that time, and the Rockets have won the last eight in Houston.

The Raptors' formality of wrapping up the Atlantic Division stalled in Wednesday's 91-79 loss in Boston, and their offensive effort made the Rockets' recent work look impressive. It was the first time they'd been held under 100 points in 13 games and the fifth time under 90 all season while shooting 34.8 percent.

DeMar DeRozan had 21 points but has shot 37.5 percent in his last four games.

"Miss as many open looks as we had, we didn't deserve to win," said coach Dwane Casey, whose team is playing the second of a three-game trip.

"That team, they beat us, they spanked us. They are a very good team and we talked about how good defensively they were. If you don't play with force you are not going to score and we had trouble scoring."

Granted, Kyle Lowry sat out to rest a sore elbow, and that could become the norm for key players down the stretch. Casey isn't above resting his players heading into the final 12 games and said he will prioritize that over any standings push.

"Health is more important," said Casey, who has the only team within reach of Cleveland for the East's top seed.

"I think we are all fighting for it, but if it comes between a guy fighting a sore ankle, a sore calf, a sore knee or whatever fighting for that spot. My team's health is more important than putting him out there and maybe further damaging him."

Point guard replacement Cory Joseph went 4 of 16 and has shot 23.1 percent in his last six games.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:03 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Magic (29-42) at Heat (41-30)

Date: March 25, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Miami Heat are coming off a loss that coach Erik Spoelstra said felt like 10, so a return home to open a light stretch of the schedule is welcomed.

It starts with an in-state foe the Heat have lost to only once in over four years.

Miami hopes to rise out of a crowded top half of the Eastern Conference in the season's final three weeks, which features Friday night's first of three matchups against the fading Orlando Magic.

The Heat (41-30) beat the Magic 108-101 on Dec. 26 to continue a dominating 13-1 stretch in the series. Another victory would be their eighth in nine meetings in South Beach.

They can continue beating up on Orlando (29-42) with three matchups in the final 11 games, including a home-and-home set April 8-10.

Miami's fourth straight win in this series would help soften the blow of Wednesday's 112-88 loss at San Antonio, which featured a 31-point deficit. The Heat shot 48.1 percent but still finished with their lowest point total in 27 games by making only 7 of 12 free throws and committing 15 turnovers.

Eight of those miscues came while getting outscored 32-16 in the third quarter.

But after falling flat against the league's best defensive team, the Heat move on to the struggling Magic.

Orlando has allowed opponents to average 110.5 points on 48.8 percent shooting during a 5-13 stretch. The Magic are one of the league's worst teams with a 10-29 record since Jan. 1 and have lost five straight.

Miami has won seven of nine at home and plays its next four against teams without 30 wins. After hosting Orlando and Brooklyn, the Heat open a three-game road trip with matchups against the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento.

Miami hopes the easy stretch helps it catch Atlanta and Boston for the East's third seed, which it trails by one-half game along with Charlotte.

"We've just got to come out and take care of business," Dwyane Wade said. "Don't think too far ahead, play each game for what it's worth and what it is and keep going from there."

Wade's 27.2 career scoring average against the Magic is shy of only his 27.3 mark against Golden State. It's the third-highest average against Orlando behind Michael Jordan's 29.5 and Allen Iverson's 27.7.

One of Wade's three 50-point games came against the Magic in 2009, and he finished with 24 points and six assists in December.

Miami forward Luol Deng is expected to play after missing Wednesday's loss with a sore left quadriceps.

Orlando's playoff hopes have been all but dashed for the fourth straight season after a 2-9 slump leaves it with four teams to pass.

Elfrid Payton had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in Wednesday's 118-112 loss at Detroit. The Magic shot 39.8 percent as leading scorer and rebounder Nikola Vucevic sat his 10th straight game with a right groin strain. Vucevic, averaging 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds, is day to day.

The Pistons became the fourth team in the last seven games to shoot at least 50.0 percent against Orlando, finishing at 53.8.

'They pretty much had everything going that they wanted tonight, and we weren't doing anything to take it away,' Payton said. 'We needed to force them into tougher shots, but we weren't doing it.'

The Magic have lost five straight and 18 of 22 away from home.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:03 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Grizzlies (41-31) at Spurs (60-11)

Date: March 25, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Memphis has needed the help of a serious handicap over the past 12 meetings to beat San Antonio: If Kawhi Leonard has played, the Spurs have won. If not, the Grizzlies have.

The forward is coming off matching a career-high scoring performance, but it happens to have included an injury that will keep him out Friday night.

Memphis will also be without key players, so it seems particularly unlikely San Antonio's 45-game home winning streak will come to an end.

The teams will play twice in four days with the Spurs (60-11) sandwiching in Saturday's stop in Oklahoma City on their way to Memphis for Monday's rematch, while the Grizzlies (41-31) will have a little more rest.

They figure to need it considering the Spurs have won the last three meetings by double digits while limiting the Grizzlies to 84.7 points on 41.5 percent shooting and 23.1 from 3-point range. Their last three losses to Memphis came with Leonard hurt, and San Antonio has won nine straight in the series with its star, who has connected on 61.2 percent overall and 65.6 from 3.

It was also Leonard leading the way in Wednesday's 112-88 home win over Miami, scoring 32 points in 24 minutes while the rest of the starters combined for 26.

"I never saw him aggressive like that," point guard Tony Parker said. "He was very aggressive. It was going in. He was playing well. He was rolling."

None of the starters played more than 25 minutes, and Leonard left for good with 6:01 remaining in the third quarter with a bruised right quadriceps. Leonard won't play Friday, and the Spurs are also resting Danny Green, Boris Diaw and Patty Mills.

"As time goes on, he's learning how to understand how to feel his oats and channel it wisely," coach Gregg Popovich said.

It put a slight damper on the Spurs' 60th overall victory, though they remain on target to match a franchise-best 63 wins from 2005-06 as early as next week in Memphis. The home winning streak ranks second ahead of Chicago's 44-game run in 1995-96, but San Antonio is still chasing an active NBA record (51) as Golden State continues to win, and the Spurs can only get to 50 this season.

The continuously banged-up Grizzlies, who are without Marc Gasol for the rest of the season, have also had Mike Conley sidelined for the last 10 games because of an Achilles injury, though he's expected back before the end of the regular season.

Dating to his last game March 6, Memphis has gone 4-7 after falling 107-100 Tuesday at the Los Angeles Lakers. The Grizzlies have also lost home games to Phoenix and Minnesota in that span, so this was just the latest letdown against a weak team.

"It's a game that we needed, and we didn't win," Vince Carter said. "They had more energy than us. I don't know what they're playing for, but I know what we're playing for."

That's home-court advantage in the first round, for which the fifth-seeded Grizzlies would need an impressive run in their last 10 games to catch the Los Angeles Clippers.

The unlikely replacement for Conley's offense lately has most often been Tony Allen. The defensive specialist returned from an eight-game absence for Conley's first game out of the lineup, and he had a season-high 27 points while hitting all 12 shots against the Lakers. He's averaged 15.0 points on 53.1 percent in the last 10 games.

His starting backcourt mate over the last three games has been former Spurs guard Ray McCallum, who signed a second 10-day contract with Memphis on Tuesday.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:04 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Suns (20-51) at Kings (27-44)

Date: March 25, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

DeMarcus Cousins missed out on facing a fellow Kentucky-bred big man, and it's unclear if he'll get a chance against another top rookie from the same program.

The Sacramento Kings are being careful with their best player as their postseason hopes disintegrate, and Friday night's visit from the Phoenix Suns is no different.

There was a big hole in the paint for Sacramento (27-44) when it closed a 1-3 trip with Wednesday's 113-104 defeat at Minnesota that was its fourth loss in five games.

Rajon Rondo finished with 25 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, and Kosta Koufos posted 15 points and 15 boards, but the paint was owned by the Timberwolves.

Former Wildcats star Karl-Anthony Towns made 11 of 17 shots for 26 points and 11 rebounds after Cousins, who played with Kentucky in 2009-10, was scratched earlier in the day due to a bruised right knee.

Minnesota matched a season high for a Kings opponent with 64 points in the paint, and Sacramento went 12 of 23 from the free throw line with 17 turnovers. The Kings trailed by two at halftime but were outscored 34-24 in the third quarter.

"In the third quarter, we just didn't have any presence," coach George Karl said. "It felt like they scored about every possession on the offensive court."

The Kings are riding a 3-13 slump and play their next two at Sleep Train Arena hoping to snap a seven-game skid there.

Through a sixth straight losing season to open his career, Cousins has solidified himself as one of the league's most productive big men with averages of 27.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.5 steals.

Still, the Kings are on their way to missing the playoffs for a 10th consecutive year, short of only Minnesota's current drought of 12. Phoenix (20-51) has long been guaranteed its sixth straight season watching the playoffs from home, which would be the third longest if Detroit clinches an Eastern Conference spot.

Scoring hasn't been an issue for Sacramento, which ranks third in the league with 106.4 points per game. That showed in the last series matchup as the Kings rolled to a 142-119 home win Jan. 2 that marked the most points scored in a non-overtime game over the last two seasons. Cousins had 32 points and nine rebounds, Rondo had 15 points and 15 assists, and Sacramento shot a season-high 60.9 percent.

The contrast with and without Cousins was evident for the Kings, who rebounded from a 118-97 loss in Phoenix on Nov. 4 when he sat with a strained right Achilles.

The Suns have floated around the bottom of the league all season but are playing better basketball during a 6-7 stretch. Wednesday's 119-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers was their third in five games and seventh road victory of the season.

"We're in a process of building," interim coach Earl Watson said. "We have a chance to go 7-7 next game."

Devin Booker, another former Wildcat, has been a big part of the spurt by averaging 21.4 points and 4.9 rebounds over the last 13 games.

The 19-year-old rookie made 12 of 22 shots for 28 points against the Lakers, and Jon Leuer had a season-high 22 points and career-high 14 rebounds.

Leuer started in place of Tyson Chandler, who sat out with back spasms. It is unclear if Chandler will be ready for Friday.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:04 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Nuggets (30-42) at Lakers (15-56)

Date: March 25, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Emmanuel Mudiay never played college basketball, but he gave Denver Nuggets fans a taste of the NCAA Tournament with his latest highlight.

The Nuggets' recent road games have left them feeling a different kind of March Madness, but they have dominated recent visits to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Denver will seek a sixth consecutive road win in the series Friday night while attempting to tighten up its defense on an opposing court.

Mudiay chose to forgo his chance to play at SMU and instead headed to China. That decision paid off for the point guard with a top-10 selection in the NBA draft and a starting job for the Nuggets.

He had one of his finest performances in his fledgling career Wednesday when he scored 27 points, capped by a 35-foot buzzer beater, in a 104-103 victory against Philadelphia. Mudiay also grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds.

"I was thinking of March Madness because anything can happen," Mudiay said.

That feeling of open possibility hasn't extended to the Nuggets' playoff chances, and their recent road struggles are largely to blame for pushing them further out of contention. Denver (30-42) has given up an average of 115.8 points on 52.1 percent shooting while dropping five of six away from home.

The Nuggets have yielded 103.8 per contest in their five consecutive road wins over the Lakers (15-56) while prevailing by an average of 11.4 points.

They won 120-109 in their only other visit this season Nov. 3 and for the 11th time in 13 overall matchups March 2. D.J. Augustin had a season-high 26 points and Mudiay scored 22 in that 117-107 victory, which gave Denver a 2-1 edge in the 2015-16 series.

The Lakers enter this season's final matchup having lost five of six, and a 119-107 defeat in Phoenix on Wednesday put them one step closer to their storied franchise's worst finish. They won 19 games in 1957-58 while in Minneapolis and had a .256 winning percentage last season by going 21-61.

Los Angeles had 13 assists - one shy of matching a season low - against the Suns after registering at least 20 in three consecutive games. The Lakers had 21 in a 107-100 victory over Memphis on Tuesday that snapped a four-game home losing streak.

"We've all been 'the guy' our entire lives. Eventually, we've got to realize that everybody's got to sacrifice something," forward Julius Randle told the Lakers' official website after registering team highs of 19 points and 15 rebounds. "Really figure out how everybody plays around each other, what works best for each other and learn how to play with each other instead of us all try to do it ourselves."

Kobe Bryant is set to play his last of 83 games against the Nuggets, a total that includes 17 in three postseason series victories, but he has been dealing with a sore right shoulder. His 31.9 scoring average in those playoff matchups was his highest against any Western Conference opponent.

Bryant has averaged 24.8 points in 65 regular-season games against the Nuggets and had 31 in a 111-107 road victory Dec. 22. Shoulder issues limited him to 10-plus minutes and five points in the loss earlier this month.

The Nuggets might not have Kenneth Faried, who had 28 points and 15 rebounds in the road win over the Lakers in November. He's missed the past four games due to an ailing back.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:04 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Mavericks (35-36) at Warriors (64-7)

Date: March 25, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Though still not the highest priority, Steve Kerr won't deny his Golden State Warriors players the opportunity to chase history.

The defending NBA champions look to move another step closer to achieving the league's single-season victories record when they put their unprecedented home winning streak on the line Friday night against the fading Dallas Mavericks.

Having spent much of his team's brilliant season side-stepping questions pertaining to the Warriors' flirtation with the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' benchmark of 72 regular-season wins, Kerr - a member of that legendary Bulls team - finally acknowledged his willingness to see his players reach the milestone.

'That's pretty enticing," Kerr said of the record prior to Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. "It's the players who are setting the record. It's not the organization, so they will absolutely have some say in matters down the stretch in terms of how we approach everything.'

Golden State (64-7) needs to go 9-2 to eclipse the mark and has the remaining schedule working in its favor. The Warriors play eight more times at Oracle Arena, where they extended their own NBA standard with a 51st consecutive regular-season win in Wednesday's 114-98 victory.

The first order of business remains securing the West's top seed. With San Antonio still four games off the pace and two games remaining versus the Spurs, Kerr plans to keep going at full throttle until that objective is reached.

'I've maintained all along we're trying to get the 1 seed. That's a really important deal for us. We're not there yet,' he said. 'Could a couple of our guys use a little mental rest and take a night off? Probably,' Kerr said. 'But I wouldn't do that at the expense of losing games and possibly losing the 1 seed.'

Golden State figures to have a good chance of moving nearer to both goals with Dallas (35-36) having lost eight of 10 and without third-leading scorer Chandler Parsons, sidelined by a potential season-ending meniscus tear in his right knee.

The swoon continued in Wednesday's opener of a four-game trip, where the Mavericks committed 17 turnovers that led to 22 Portland points in a 109-103 loss that trimmed their dwindling lead over Houston and Utah for seventh in the West to one-half game.

'We didn't shoot particularly well,' guard Wesley Matthews said. "But 17 turnovers, and how we turned it over, was fueling their break. They're a tough team when you give them possessions like that.'

Dallas is allowing 110.4 points per game since Feb. 5 and has permitted 101 or more 17 times over that 19-game stretch. Golden State, the league's highest scoring team, is 63-2 when scoring 100 or more.

The Mavericks did deal the Warriors a 114-91 defeat on Dec. 30, though Stephen Curry didn't play due to a lower leg injury. They haven't stopped Klay Thompson in the two other matchups, with the All-Star guard recording 45 points in a 127-107 home win on Jan. 27 and 39 in last Friday's 130-112 road victory.

Curry had 33 against the Clippers after going 3 of 21 from 3-point range in his previous two games. Thompson added 32 and is shooting 59.7 percent from 3 while averaging 24.4 points over his last nine.

Dallas' best hopes rest on a continued hot streak from Dirk Nowitzki, who scored a season-high 40 in Sunday's 132-120 win over Portland and is averaging 26.1 over a nine-game stretch.

Matthews is 11 of 17 on 3s over the last two games but was held to six points on 2-of-9 shooting in last week's loss to Golden State.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:05 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Friday's Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers

Hornets at Pistons – 7:35 PM EST

The best division race down the stretch is in the Southeast as the Hawks, Heat, and Hornets are separated by less than one game heading in Friday’s action. Charlotte (41-30 SU, 37-33-1 ATS) has won the first two meetings with Detroit this season, beating the Pistons by double-digits each time at Time Warner Cable Arena. In the previous matchup two weeks ago, Charlotte dominated Detroit, 118-103 as four-point favorites, while seven Hornets scored in double-figures, led by 22 points from Marvin Williams.

Charlotte is continuing a four-game road trip after holding off Brooklyn on Tuesday, 105-100 as six-point favorites. Steve Clifford’s team has won eight of its past 10 games on the highway, while finishing ‘under’ the total in five of the last six contests overall. Eight of the final 11 games for the Hornets come away from Charlotte, while seven of those games are against teams currently outside the playoff race.

Detroit (38-34 SU, 36-34-2 ATS) is starting to distance themselves from Chicago and Washington for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Pistons have won four straight games, beating four non-playoff teams at home over the last week (Sacramento, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, and Orlando), while the loss on their current homestand came to Southeast-leading Atlanta. Since late February, Stan Van Gundy’s club has won seven of their last eight games at the Palace of Auburn Hills, while covering five times.

Raptors at Rockets – 8:05 PM EST

Houston (35-37 SU, 31-41 ATS) is going the wrong way at the worst possible time, losing three straight games to fall below the .500 mark and outside the Western Conference playoff picture. The Rockets squandered an 18-point lead in Wednesday’s 89-87 home setback to the Jazz, while finishing ‘under’ the total for the third straight game. Houston scored just 38 points in the second half against Utah, while getting outrebounded for the first time in the last five games.

Toronto (48-22 SU, 38-32 ATS) saw its four-game winning streak come to an end in Wednesday’s 91-79 setback at Boston as 3 ½-point underdogs. The Raptors couldn’t pull off the season sweep of the Celtics as point guard Kyle Lowry sat out to rest an injured right elbow, as Toronto cashed the ‘under’ for the fifth consecutive contest. The absence of Lowry obviously hurt Toronto’s offense, who scored below 100 points for the first time in 13 games.

The Rockets rallied past the Raptors in their previous matchup at the Air Canada Center earlier this month, 113-107. Houston cashed as eight-point underdogs, while erasing a 10-point halftime deficit thanks to a 40-point effort by James Harden. The Raptors haven’t had much luck at the Toyota Center, losing eight consecutive meetings in Houston dating back to 2007.

Grizzlies at Spurs – 8:35 PM EST

In spite of numerous injuries to key personnel over the last two months, Memphis (41-31 SU, 38-33-1 ATS) is hanging on to second place in the Southwest division. The Grizzlies are still without point guard Mike Conley and center Marc Gasol, but forward Zach Randolph has averaged 19.3 points per game in his last three games since returning to the lineup from a knee injury. Memphis suffered a brutal loss on Tuesday at Staples Center, falling to the Lakers, 107-100 as three-point favorites to end a modest two-game winning streak.

The Spurs (60-11 SU, 42-29 ATS) continue to roll at home by improving to 36-0 at the AT&T Center after routing the Heat on Wednesday, 112-88 as 10 ½-point favorites. San Antonio owns a 23-13 ATS record at home, while allowing 88 points or less in four of its past five home contests. In spite of the cover on Wednesday, Gregg Popovich’s team hasn’t picked up back-to-back ATS wins since early March, while compiling a 4-7 ATS record in the past 11 games. San Antonio will be without dynamic forward Kawhi Leonard, who left the victory against the Heat with a quad injury.

San Antonio cruised past Memphis in each of the first two matchups this season, limiting the Grizzlies to 82 and 83 points in the two victories. In the first meeting at the AT&T Center in November, the Spurs held on for a 92-82 triumph as eight-point favorites, while owning an 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS record in the past 10 games against Memphis since 2013.

Mavericks at Warriors – 10:35 PM EST

There has never been a team to finish undefeated at home in the NBA regular season, but two clubs can accomplish that goal this season. San Antonio has won all 36 home games, while Golden State (64-7 SU, 40-29-2 ATS) isn’t far behind with a 33-0 record at Oracle Arena as the defending last lost a regular season home contest on January 27, 2015 in overtime to Chicago. The most recent home win for the Warriors came on Wednesday against the Clippers, pulling off the four-game season sweep in a 114-98 triumph to cash as 10 ½-point favorites.

Dallas (35-36 SU, 38-32-1 ATS) continues its four-game road trip after falling at Portland on Wednesday, 109-103, but the Mavs covered as 6 ½-point underdogs. In spite of the loss, Rick Carlisle’s team owns a solid 4-1 ATS record in the last five games (all as a ‘dog), while covering three straight games away from the American Airlines Center. Dallas has allowed at least 100 points in 17 of the last 19 contests, but the Mavs are 3-0 to the ‘under’ in their past three road games.

These teams are hooking up for the second time in a week after the Warriors chased the Mavericks in Dallas, 130-112 last Friday night as nine-point road favorites. Golden State dropped 42 points in the opening quarter, while Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined to knock down 16 three-pointers. The Mavericks are one of seven teams to hand the Warriors a loss this season, beating Golden State (without Curry) in late December, 114-91. Dallas has lost six straight visits to Oracle Arena, as each of the past four defeats in Oakland have come by 14 points or more.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:05 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

NBA Odds: Friday, March 25, 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

I remember briefly when Michael Kidd-Gilchrist came back from his shoulder injury surprisingly early and the Hornets were playing well. I wrote that Charlotte might be a solid longer-shot bet to win the Eastern Conference. I jumped off that bandwagon when MKG, a great defender, went down for the season with an injury to that same shoulder. Perhaps I was a bit too hasty. The Hornets have changed their offensive style to a more up-tempo team and are using big man Al Jefferson off the bench. Jeremy Lin has become a very good player again. And Charlotte has the East's best record since the All-Star break at 14-4. The Hornets could finish as high as third in the East or as low as sixth. Clearly getting home court as long as possible is crucial for this club as it's 27-11 at home but just 14-19 on the road. Not ready to pick Charlotte to unseat Cleveland, but it wouldn't shock me if the Hornets reached the conference finals if they are in the opposite side of the bracket. And then you never know what could happen in one series with injuries, etc.

Timberwolves at Wizards (-7.5, 218.5)

Minnesota ended a two-game losing streak with a 113-104 win over Sacramento on Wednesday. Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks, taking advantage of fellow former Kentucky star DeMarcus Cousins' absence. Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins each added 23 points. Washington's five-game winning streak ended in the back end of a home-and-home with the Hawks on Wednesday, 122-101 in D.C. John Wall had just 13 points on 6-for-17 shooting. The Wiz were attempting to get over .500 for the first time since late November. Minnesota beat visiting Washington 104-98 on March 2. The home team has won 10 of the past 12 meetings.

Key trends: The Wolves are 1-9 against the spread in their past 10 in Washington. The "over/under" has gone under in seven of the past 10 meetings.

Early lean: Wizards and under.

Hornets at Pistons (TBA)

Lone national TV game, on NBA TV, opposite the NCAA Tournament. Charlotte nearly fell into a trap on Tuesday in Brooklyn after beating San Antonio on Monday night, but the Hornets held on for a 105-100 win over the Nets. Nic Batum had 23 points and Lin 21. Marvin Williams sat out with a sprained left ankle but thinks he will play here. Detroit won a fourth straight Wednesday, 118-102 over Orlando. Andre Drummond had 30 points and 14 rebounds, and the Pistons never trailed. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed the game with an illness. Probably back here. Charlotte is 2-0 vs. Detroit this season, winning each by at least 15 points. But those were both at home.

Key trends: The home team is 4-0 ATS in the past four. The over has hit in 11 of the past 15 meetings.

Early lean: Like Pistons whether KCP and/or Williams plays or not.

Magic at Heat (-7, 210.5)

Orlando dropped a fifth in a row Wednesday, 118-102 in Detroit. Elfrid Payton had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The Magic were again without Nik Vucevic, and it doesn't seem likely he plays here. Miami was clobbered on Wednesday in the second of a back-to-back, losing 112-88 in San Antonio. Luol Deng sat out for the Heat with a sore left quad but plans on playing here. Miami won the first meeting 108-101 in Orlando on Dec. 26 and has taken 12 of the past 13 overall against their Sunshine State neighbors.

Key trends: The Heat have covered seven of the past 11 meetings. The under is 7-3 in the past 10 in Miami.

Early lean: Heat and under.

Bucks at Hawks (-8.5, 206.5)

Milwaukee lost a third straight Wednesday, 113-104 in Cleveland. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points with six rebounds and six helpers. Atlanta avoided that home-and-home sweep to Washington on Wednesday -- as I said it would -- with a 122-101 road win. Reserve guard Dennis Schroder wasn't a lock to even play after tweaking his ankle on Monday but did and had 23 points. The Hawks attempted a season-high 42 3-pointers and made 17 of them, also a season best. Perhaps expect overtime here as the Bucks are 2-0 vs. the Hawks this season, one in OT at home and one in double OT in Atlanta.

Key trends: The Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their past five in Atlanta. The under is 6-2 in the Hawks' past eight at home overall.

Early lean: Hawks and under.

Raptors at Rockets (TBA)

Toronto's four-game winning streak ended in a 91-79 loss in Boston on Wednesday. Not shocked that happened since All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry surprisingly sat with a sore right elbow. Patrick Patterson missed a second straight game with a sore ankle. The Raptors had won 33 straight games when holding a team under 100 points. Houston lost a third in a row Wednesday, 89-87 at home to Utah. The Rockets led by as many as 18 in the second half. James Harden had 26 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds and a career-high eight steals. He was the first Rocket with at least 20/7/7/7 since Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler 20 years ago. Toronto lost 113-107 at home to Houston on March 6 to end a franchise-record 12-game home winning streak. The Raptors have dropped eight straight in Houston.

Key trends: Toronto has covered only two of its past eight in Houston. The over is 16-5 in Houston's past 21 after a loss.

Early lean: Wait on Lowry.

Grizzlies at Spurs (TBA)

Memphis lost 107-100 at the Lakers on Tuesday to end a two-game winning streak. Tony Allen had the offensive game of his life considering he's a terrible shooter (but great defender), going 12-for-12 for 27 points in the loss. It was his final matchup against Kobe Bryant, who called Allen the toughest defender he ever faced. Allen was the first player on a losing team to go at least 12-for-12 since December 1978. San Antonio bounced back from Monday's loss in Charlotte with a 24-point blowout of Miami on Wednesday to stay unbeaten at home. Kawhi Leonard tied his career high with 32 points but left in the third quarter with a bruised right quad, so I somewhat doubt you see him here. San Antonio leads the season series vs. Memphis 2-0, both very low scoring.

Key trends: The Spurs are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings at home. The under is 11-4 in San Antonio's past 15 overall.

Early lean: Spurs don't need Leonard to win this game easily. Go way under any total.

Suns at Kings (TBA)

Phoenix won for the third time in five games Wednesday, 119-107 over the Lakers. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 28 points as he was jacked up to play Kobe Bryant for the first time in his career. Kobe had missed the previous three meetings with the Suns this season. He gave Booker some autographed shoes after the game. Suns center Tyson Chandler was out with back spasms. Sacramento lost 113-104 in Minnesota on Wednesday without DeMarcus Cousins due to a bruised right knee. Rajon Rondo had 25 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds playing through his own injury. The teams have split two meetings, with Sacramento scoring a series record 142 points in the last meeting on Jan. 2 at home.

Key trends: The Kings are 0-7 ATS in their past seven at home. The over has hit in nine of the past 12 meetings.

Early lean: Wait on Cousins.

Mavericks at Warriors (-15, 226.5)

Dallas lost 109-103 in Portland on Wednesday. Salah Mejri, making his fourth start of the season, added 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Mavs were again without the injured Chandler Parsons, who won't play here. Golden State completed the season sweep of the Clippers with a 114-98 win on Wednesday, the Warriors' 51st straight home victory. Steph Curry had 33 points and Klay Thompson 32. Andrew Bogut returned from a minor injury and played 20 minutes. For the first time since Dec. 28, the Warriors did not have a lead after the first quarter at home. That's amazing. Golden State is 2-1 vs. Dallas this season, averaging 128.5 points in those wins. The Warriors have won six straight at home vs. the Mavs.

Key trends: The Mavs are 0-4 ATS in their past four at Golden State. The over is 7-1-1 in the Warriors' past nine at home vs. teams with a losing road record.

Early lean: Warriors and over.

Nuggets at Lakers (+3, 214.5)

Denver beat Philadelphia 104-103 on Wednesday on a 35-foot off-balance buzzer-beater from rookie Emmanuel Mudiay. Total luck. He had 27 points and 11 rebounds. Kenneth Faried missed a fourth consecutive game because of a back injury. The Lakers lost by 12 in Phoenix on Wednesday in Kobe Bryant's final game there. He had 17 points. Bryant's 2,330 career points against the Suns are No. 2 all-time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I'm thinking Kobe might sit here since he has played back-to-back games. Denver leads the season series 2-1 and has won five straight in Los Angeles.

Key trends: The Nuggets are 5-0 ATS in their past five in L.A. The over is 13-3-1 in the past 17 meetings.

Early lean: Lakers (if Kobe goes) and over.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:05 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

NBA

Friday's hot teams
-- Wizards won five of their last six games (5-3 last 8HF).
-- Charlotte won eight of its last ten games (5-3 last 8AU). Detroit won its last four games (15-5-1 last 21HF).
-- Hawks won six of their last seven games (4-2 ast 6HF).
-- Raptors won seven of their last nine games (9-5AU).
-- Miami won three of its last four games (2-5 last 7HF).
-- Spurs won seven of their last eight games (3-1 last 4HF).
-- Golden State won nine of its last ten games (6-2 last 8HF).

Cold teams
-- Minnesota lost four of its last six games (3-1 last 4AU).
-- Bucks lost four of their last five games (5-1 last 6AU).
-- Houston lost four of its last five games (3-5 last 8HF).
-- Orlando lost its last five games (2-4 last 6AU).
-- Memphis lost five of its last seven games (3-2 last 5AU).
-- Sacramento lost eight of its last ten games (2-4 last 6HF). Suns lost five of their last eight games (4-2 last 6AU).
-- Denver lost four of its last six games (2-5 last 7AU). Lakers lost five of their last six games (3-3HF).
-- Dallas lost eight of its last ten games (3-0 last 3AU).

Series records
-- Minnesota lost last three visits to Washington by 14-4-13 points.
-- Hornets won four of their last five games with Detroit.
-- Hawks are 7-3 in last 10 games with Milwaukee, but lost last two.
-- Home side won nine of last ten Toronto-Houston games.
-- Magic lost nine of last ten games with Miami.
-- Spurs won last three games with Memphis by 20-10-14 points.
-- Kings won three of last four games with Phoenix.
-- Lakers lost four of last five games with Denver.
-- Warriors won nine of last 10 (8-2 vs spread) games vs Dallas.

Totals
-- Under is 4-1 in Washington's last five home games.
-- Five of last six Charlotte games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Milwaukee games stayed under total.
-- Last five Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Last eight Miami games went over the total.
-- Seven of last ten Memphis games went over the total.
-- Six of last eight Sacramento games stayed under.
-- Five of last seven Denver games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Golden State games stayed under total.

Back/backs
-- None

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:06 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Toronto Raptors at Houston Rockets March 25, 8:00 EST

Houston scrambling to sneak into postseason, Toronto with their spot wrapped up and Casey not above resting players the Rockets are the choice in this one. The fact this contest is in Houston is yet another nod towards Rockets, since the team has compiled an impressive 8-0 (5-2-1 ATS) streak and 13-2 (9-5-1 ATS) stretch hosting the Raptors.

**TheGame** · 03-25-2016, 08:06 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

StatFox Super Situations

NBA | DENVER at LA LAKERS
Play On - All teams where the line is +3 to -3 (LA LAKERS) after allowing 105 points or more against opponent after a close win by 3 points or less
46-18 over the last 5 seasons. ( 71.9% | 26.2 units )
9-5 this year. ( 64.3% | 3.5 units )

NBA | MINNESOTA at WASHINGTON
Play Against - Home favorites of -165 to -500 vs. the money line (WASHINGTON) good offensive team - scoring 99+ points/game on the season against opponent after 3 straight games where both teams scored 100 points or more
32-34 over the last 5 seasons. ( 48.5% | 33.7 units )
9-17 this year. ( 34.6% | 0.1 units )

NBA | MILWAUKEE at ATLANTA
Play Under - All teams where the first half total is 100.5 to 105 hot shooting team - 2 straight games making >=50% of their shots against opponent after 2 straight games making 9 or more 3 point shots
49-20 since 1997. ( 71.0% | 27.0 units )
4-5 this year. ( 44.4% | -1.5 units )

**Satch** · 03-25-2016, 09:54 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/25

Preview: Minnesota At Washington
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, March 25, 2016
Where: Verizon Center, Washington, District of Columbia
The Washington Wizards can’t afford any more losses as they try to track down the Detroit Pistons for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards will try to bounce back from a loss when they host the dangerous Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
Washington had a five-game winning streak come to an end with a 122-101 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, dropping the team 2 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Pistons with the Chicago Bulls sitting in between in ninth. Defense had been the key during the winning streak but a letdown on that end Wednesday allowed the Hawks to bury 17 3-pointers and go off at 53.6 percent from the floor. The Timberwolves shot 56.3 percent from the floor in a 113-104 win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday, two nights after giving the NBA-best Golden State Warriors all they could handle in a tight loss. Minnesota is being led by rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns, who has broken through the rookie wall with six straight double-doubles.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (23-48): Towns went 11-of-17 from the floor and finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday, providing a strong anchor inside for slashing second-year wings Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins. Those two guards each scored 23 points on Wednesday and logged a combined 85 minutes – the second straight game that both Wiggins and LaVine went over 40 minutes each. LaVine is averaging 22.6 points on 55.4 percent shooting in the last five games and has settled nicely into a three-guard starting lineup alongside Wiggins and Ricky Rubio.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (35-36): Washington squandered its chance to pull over .500 for the first time since November with Wednesday’s setback and is looking at just 11 regular-season games left to make up the gap and make the playoffs. “We still have life,” Wizards guard Garrett Temple told the Washington Post. “There’s still a great chance for us to get into the playoffs. We win five in a row again, trust me, we’ll be all right.” The schedule is not lining up in favor of the Wizards, who will head out on a five-game trip after Friday’s game and will play seven of the last 10 games on the road.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Rubio handed out double-digit assists in seven of the last nine games but managed only six in a 104-98 home loss to the Wizards on March 2.
2. Washington PG John Wall has recorded seven straight double-doubles, including a pair of triple-doubles.
3. Minnesota’s loss on March 2 ended a six-game winning streak for the home team in the series.
PREDICTION: Wizards 106, Timberwolves 97

Announcement

NBA Betting Info. 3/25

NBA Betting Info. 3/25

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