NBA Betting Info. 3/26

[TheGame]

StatFox Super Situations


NBA | PHILADELPHIA at PORTLAND
Play On - Home teams (PORTLAND) revenging a same season loss vs opponent, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a terrible team (<=25%)
41-15 since 1997. ( 73.2% | 24.5 units )
1-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 1.0 units )


NBA | TORONTO at NEW ORLEANS
Play Against - Any team vs the money line (NEW ORLEANS) revenging a loss vs opponent of 10 points or more, off a road cover where the team lost straight up as an underdog
583-252 since 1997. ( 69.8% | 154.6 units )
23-10 this year. ( 69.7% | 6.2 units )


NBA | INDIANA at BROOKLYN
Play Against - Road teams vs. the 1rst half line (INDIANA) after going under the total by 36 or more points total in their last five games, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a bad team (25 to 40%)
104-55 since 1997. ( 65.4% | 43.5 units )
8-5 this year. ( 61.5% | 2.5 units )

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Pacers (38-33) at Nets (20-51)


Date: March 26, 2016 6:00 PM EDT


Playing significantly inferior teams has helped the Indiana Pacers in their battle at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and they face another one Saturday night.


Yet, the woeful Brooklyn Nets just showed they're capable of beating any team in the East, and there's a chance the Pacers will play them without Paul George.


This is the only game on the road of Indiana's final nine in March, part of an easy remaining schedule for a team trying to claim a playoff berth. The Pacers (38-33) are seventh in the East but have Detroit and Chicago within two games of them. Only three of their final 11 games come against teams with winning records, and they've won nine straight against sub-.500 opponents.


They lost close games to division leaders Toronto and Oklahoma City last week before taking advantage of this week's matchups with league-worst Philadelphia and a New Orleans team missing its top six scorers. Still, Indiana led by only four in the final minute of that eventual 92-84 victory over the last-place Pelicans.


"A win is a win right now," point guard Ty Lawson said. "We'll get the wins any way we can get them. We're in a playoff run trying to move up in the standings, so we've got to win any way we can."


Indiana got a scare when George left in the third quarter with a bruised right leg, the same one he broke in August 2014. He's considered day to day, though the Pacers might be cautious with their leading scorer Saturday - especially with another game 24 hours later against Houston.


"I just got kneed," George said. "Nothing too serious, hopefully."


Indiana has won six straight over the Nets when George plays, including two this season. Brooklyn (20-51) won two of three meetings last season when he was sidelined.


The Nets own the second-worst record in the East but stunned conference-leading Cleveland 104-95 on Thursday after limiting the Cavaliers to 12 fourth-quarter points - none by LeBron James.


"Our intensity was up, we had a lot more bounce on the court than we normally have," interim coach Tony Brown told the team's official website.


One player providing a spark was third-year guard Shane Larkin, who had 16 points and seven assists in his first start since early January. Larkin will remain a starter for the rest of the season as the Nets evaluate their younger talent.


"I just want to take advantage of the opportunity," Larkin said.


He won't be the only Brooklyn player getting one. Brown said he would sit veterans Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young for some games so younger players could get more time.


Since the beginning of 2012, the Nets are 1-6 against Indiana when Lopez doesn't play. He's averaged 22.3 points in the past four meetings.


The Pacers have a youngster of their own making an impact. Myles Turner had 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds Thursday on his 20th birthday. The 6-foot-11 forward also blocked three shots for the second consecutive game.


'Turner is becoming a big-time threat,' coach Frank Vogel said. 'He is improving and is getting a lot better defensively. We're asking him to guard a lot of different people."

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Raptors (48-23) at Pelicans (26-45)


Date: March 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


The Toronto Raptors are trying to bounce back from a frustrating loss that ended with their top two scorers unable to play.


It's a scenario the New Orleans Pelicans have become quite accustomed to.


Seeking to avoid their first three-game skid in four months, the Raptors conclude a trying road trip with Saturday night's matchup with the injury-riddled Pelicans.


After gaining ground on Cleveland in the race for the East's No. 1 seed by winning four straight prior to this three-game trip, Toronto (48-23) has fallen 2 1/2 games behind the Cavaliers following defeats at Boston and Houston. The Raptors began the trek with one of their poorest offensive showings in Wednesday's 91-79 loss to the Celtics, then faltered in the fourth quarter in Friday's 112-109 setback to the Rockets.


After falling behind 92-80 after Houston opened the final period on a 13-2 run, the Raptors had any comeback hopes dashed after DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry were both ejected in the final three minutes for arguing with the officials.


"We can't lose our two best players and expect to win," coach Dwane Casey said. "The word we used before the game was discipline and we didn't have it down the stretch. That's something we have to learn. Every game is not going to be a piece of art and you have to win ugly sometimes and if we kept our guys together down the stretch, kept churning, we would have been right there in the game."


The Raptors also couldn't overcome an off night from Lowry, who shot 4 of 19 after being rested against Boston.


'I personally didn't play well at all.'


DeRozan is in a slump as well, shooting 38.8 percent over his last five.


Toronto figures to have less trouble against a battered Pelicans team set to play its fourth consecutive game without Anthony Davis (knee surgery) and Ryan Anderson (groin). New Orleans (26-45) also may not have Jrue Holiday for a second straight due to a toe injury.


With Holiday out and Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon also done for the season, the Pelicans were minus their top five scorers in Thursday's 92-84 loss at Indiana.


New Orleans has lost 11 of 14 but has been mostly competitive despite the injury bug, with several role players stepping up in increased roles. Alexis Ajinca posted a season-high 22 points and nine rebounds against Indiana and Luke Babbitt had 23 in Tuesday's 113-99 loss to Miami. Tim Frazier, signed to a 10-day contract last week, scored a career-high 18 against the Pacers and is averaging 14.6 points in five games since joining the team.


"I thought we came out and competed, played hard," forward Alonso Gee said following Thursday's loss. "They made some big shots at the end. But we were in it until the end of the game and I thought we played hard the whole time."


The Pelicans did have Anderson, Holiday and Gordon but still shot just 36.6 percent in a 100-81 loss at Toronto on Nov. 13.


Toronto will be aiming for its third season sweep of New Orleans in four years. The Pelicans won each of last season's two matchups but have lost seven of the last nine overall.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Bulls (36-35) at Magic (29-43)


Date: March 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT


This was supposed to be an easy stretch of the schedule for the Chicago Bulls, one that would help bolster their chances of reaching the playoffs.


After being swept in a home-and-home set against one of the league's also-rans, however, the visiting Bulls look to rebound Saturday night against the sputtering Orlando Magic before the schedule takes a major turn.


Chicago (36-35) was percentage points ahead of Detroit for eighth place in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday, but after back-to-back losses to New York coupled with the Pistons pushing their winning streak to five, the Bulls have dropped two games out of a playoff spot.


Chicago's losses to a New York team 13 games under .500 came after it opened a favorable homestand with wins over Brooklyn, Utah and Sacramento.


'These are two extremely tough losses,' Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said after Thursday's 106-94 defeat at Madison Square Garden. 'I wish I could tell you it was one thing. If we want to have any chance of competing and playing after the regular season we have to find ways to get stops.'


Getting stops has been a major problem over the last two months for Hoiberg's team. The Bulls are yielding an average of 107.5 points in their last 26 games, allowing teams to reach the century mark 24 times. Opponents reached triple digits in 22 of their first 45 games.


The Magic (29-43) rank in the bottom third of the league in scoring, but had 102 in a 13-point home win over the Bulls on March 2, and are averaging 107.6 points in their last eight in Orlando.


Still, Chicago has an advantage seeing as the Magic are mired in a six-game losing streak and will play the second half of a back-to-back. Orlando has lost four straight and nine of 11 in the second game on consecutive nights.


"We can't come out flat (Saturday) because we've been known to come out flat in back-to-backs," Elfrid Payton told the Magic's official website after Friday's 108-97 loss to Miami. "We have to make sure that we're ready to go."


Beating Orlando is crucial for the Bulls, who next host Atlanta on Monday before playing five of six on the road prior to a home date with Cleveland. Excluding the Magic, seven of their next eight are against teams currently in control of a playoff spot.


While stepping up defensively remains a priority for the Bulls, so is getting Jimmy Butler right. Butler, who missed the last meeting with Orlando because of a left knee strain, is clearly hampered by the injury, averaging 14.6 points on 38.0 percent shooting and 4.1 rebounds in playing the last seven games.


Pau Gasol is also dealing with a knee injury and is questionable after sitting out Thursday for the fifth time in seven games.


The Magic have injury problems of their own as Victor Oladipo (right wrist) and Ersan Ilyasova (right shoulder) sat out Friday after being hurt in Wednesday's loss to Detroit.


Like the Bulls, the Magic are also struggling mightily defensively, allowing an average of 110.1 points in their last 20 games, giving up at least 100 19 times. The only time they didn't let a team reach triple figures was when they held Chicago to 89.


In this season's two meetings, Orlando has limited Chicago to an average of 90.5 points and 38.2 percent shooting - 27.7 percent on 3s.


The Magic are 23-8 when holding teams to 101 points or fewer and 6-35 when allowing 102.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Hawks (43-30) at Pistons (39-34)

Date: March 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

After quieting some critics with their latest impressive win, the Detroit Pistons still feel they have more to prove.

An opportunity for further validation comes Saturday night, when the rolling Pistons host the Atlanta Hawks in a matchup of two of the East's hottest teams.

Detroit (39-34) has won a season-high five straight after opening a nine-game homestand with a 118-114 loss to the Hawks on March 16, enhancing its prospects for a first playoff berth since 2009. The first four came against sub.-500 opponents, but the Pistons were up to a rise in competition in Friday's 112-105 victory over surging Charlotte.

The streak has placed Detroit in a virtual tie with Indiana for seventh in the East, two games ahead of sliding Chicago.

"We're playing for something right now and we need to string together as many wins as possible," center Andre Drummond said. "We're doing a great job of doing that so far."

After gaining a measure of revenge against the Hornets, who won the previous two season meetings by a combined 35 points, Detroit next has a chance to atone for its lone defeat in its past nine outings at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Atlanta (43-30) presents a formidable challenge, having won seven of eight and 12 of 15 to move a half-game ahead of second-place Miami in the Southeast Division and a half-game in front of Boston for third in the East.

Defense has keyed the revival, with the Hawks holding opponents to 40.4 percent shooting and 29.6 percent on 3-pointers - both league bests - over that 15-game span. They stifled Milwaukee down the stretch of their latest win, forcing six fourth-quarter turnovers and causing the Bucks to miss 13 of their last 18 shots in Friday's 101-90 victory.

Milwaukee, first in the league in points in the paint, was outscored 58-42 in the lane.

'We made a concerted effort to protect the paint,' Jeff Teague said. 'We said we were going to live with them making outside shots.'

The Pistons are coming off a strong defensive performance of their own, limiting Charlotte to 36.5 percent inside the arc.

"We did a great job of pulling over and whenever I did go and help, somebody was back there to help me," Drummond said. "We were just on a string defensively."

Detroit has been making shots as well, averaging 110.4 points during its run. The league's worst free throw shooting team, the Pistons have gone 76.6 percent from the line over the streak.

Marcus Morris, who had 20 points against Charlotte, is 21 of 32 on 3-pointers over the last eight games. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is averaging 19.9 points over his last eight and returned from a one-game absence (illness) with 21 in Friday's win.

The Hawks overcame a 5 of 32 performance from long range against Milwaukee after recording at least 12 3s in six consecutive games. Teague and Kyle Korver were a combined 0 for 9, though Teague scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help put the Bucks away.

Teague had eight fourth-quarter points and 22 overall in the March 16 win, Atlanta's second in three 2015-16 matchups with Detroit. He's averaging 21.0 points in the season series.

Drummond is averaging 20.3 points and 16.3 rebounds in the series and had 18 and 19 in Detroit's 106-94 road win in the Oct. 27 opener.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Cavaliers (51-21) at Knicks (30-43)


Date: March 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT


If LeBron James really wants to play with Carmelo Anthony, Saturday night is as close as he'll get for a while.


For now, he might want to concentrate on how he and his current teammates can co-exist for 48 minutes.


Following another loss in which his team's effort was questioned, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers try to avoid going 0-for-2 on their trip to the Big Apple against Anthony's New York Knicks.


Rather than the focus being on Cleveland's tight race with Toronto for the Eastern Conference's top seed, most of the recent attention around the Cavaliers (51-21) has centered on James' social media habits.


Shortly after pointing out that he was preparing to stay away from such distractions as the playoffs neared, James found himself in the midst of a big one due to the Wednesday publication of an article based on a February interview. The four-time MVP admitted to wanting to play with friends Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul at some point before their careers end, a diversion so odd that general manager David Griffin addressed it with James before the day was out.


The air may have been cleared, but the Cavaliers' on-court problems are lingering. Cleveland followed its 113-104 victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday with a dud in Brooklyn a night later, as Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith shot a combined 14 for 46 (30.4 percent) in a 104-95 loss.


"Tonight we took a step backwards, and we can't afford to do that late in the season like this," said James, who had 30 points on 13-of-16 shooting but was scoreless in the fourth quarter.


"What bothers me is our effort sometimes. That's the only time I get a little frustrated because I understand the moment we have, and it's not given every year that you have a team like this where you have an opportunity to do something special."


James at least seems to be on the same page as his coach.


'The biggest thing for me is just competing for 48 minutes," Tyronn Lue said.


James won't have a chance for an on-court reunion with Wade or Paul unless one arises in the playoffs, so sharing the floor with Anthony will have to suffice for now.


They didn't get that chance in the most recent meeting, a 91-84 Cavs home win Dec. 23. Anthony sat out with a sprained right ankle as both Love and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds while James scored 24.


James outscored him 54-43 in two Cleveland victories in November. The Cavs have shot just 40.2 percent - 23.4 from 3 - against New York (30-43) this season, but have held the Knicks to an average of 84.7 points.


New York found offensive life much easier this week against a team fighting to make the playoffs. Porzingis had 29 points in a 115-107 win at Chicago on Wednesday, then had 19 and 10 boards while Anthony scored 26 in a 106-94 victory in Thursday's rematch at Madison Square Garden.


Porzingis hit five 3-pointers in the back-to-back - one fewer than he knocked down in his first eight games this month - as the Knicks went 27 of 55 from beyond the arc.


"I've been working a lot on my shot," Porzingis said. "The game is kind of getting easier for us, and we're finding our rhythm, I'm finding my rhythm and we're trying to be aggressive."


Irving was still recovering from knee surgery in the November trip to MSG, but he's been awfully assertive in previous visits. His 28.4-point average in five games there is easily his highest at any venue.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Jazz (35-37) at Timberwolves (24-48)


Date: March 26, 2016 8:00 PM EDT


The Utah Jazz have had contrasting performances in their two matchups with the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, and they were hardly at their best in their latest visit to the Target Center.


The Jazz will try for a better effort there Saturday night while moving back in control of a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference.


Utah (35-37) had one of its worst offensive performances this season in a 94-80 loss in Minnesota on Dec. 30, shooting 35.0 percent and finishing with 19 turnovers to just 15 assists. The Jazz connected at 52.6 and went 10 of 25 from 3-point range with 24 assists to 14 giveaways in a 103-90 victory over the Timberwolves (24-48) on Jan. 29.


They're now facing Minnesota twice in the next week. Their matchup with the Timberwolves on Friday is among their six home games in the final nine contests.


First, the Jazz will seek to wrap up a season-high five-game road trip with a winning record. They dropped to 2-2 on the trek with a 113-91 loss to Northwest Division-champion Oklahoma City on Thursday, allowing the Thunder to score 32 points off their 18 turnovers.


Utah is averaging 19.7 miscues in its last three games.


"We sit here and say it - we have to not turn it over," coach Quin Snyder said. "There's nothing, there's no magic potion or drill."


That loss helped keep the Jazz in a virtual tie with Dallas for the final playoff spot in the West. The Mavericks currently own the tiebreaker with a superior conference record.


The Jazz can leapfrog that idle team by earning a sixth win in eight games in Minnesota. They'll face a Timberwolves team, though, that's averaging 113.0 points on 50.6 percent shooting in its last six games.


Minnesota shot 53.1 percent while pulling out a 132-129 double-overtime win in Washington on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points and Zach LaVine had 25, including a 3-pointer to force the second extra period.


"It just shows the integrity of our team, to go out there and continuously fight no matter what happens during the game," said Towns, averaging 27.3 points and shooting 59.5 percent in his last four contests.


Towns is averaging 28.5 points while connecting at 69.7 percent in his two games against Utah, his highest scoring mark against any team. He had 32 points on 13-of-17 shooting in the January meeting and LaVine had 19 while making nine of 12 shots.


Utah's Derrick Favors had 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting in that one and sat out the game at the Target Center because of back spasms.


Trey Burke had 23 points that night and is averaging 25.5 in his last four games in Minnesota. The point guard scored a team-best 17 points in 12 minutes Thursday, his first appearance in four games.


Utah's starters combined for 34 points and only Rodney Hood reached double figures with 11.


The Timberwolves are seeking to match a season-high three-game win streak, set Nov. 23-27.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Spurs (61-11) at Thunder (50-22)


Date: March 26, 2016 8:00 PM EDT


If everything plays out as projected, the Oklahoma City Thunder would meet the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.


The Thunder didn't appear ready for that matchup earlier this month in San Antonio and won't get a true test Saturday night at home as the Spurs are set to rest at least five key players.


Oklahoma City (50-22) has a 5 1/2-game cushion over the Los Angeles Clippers for the third spot in the West, the highest the Thunder can reach. San Antonio (61-11) still isn't out of the race for the conference lead and the NBA's No. 1 overall seed, but Golden State has a four-game lead with time running out.


That might lead to the Thunder and Spurs fighting it out in a best-of-seven series for the right to take on the defending champs. They split a pair of conference finals matchups in the past four seasons.


In the latest preview to that possible meeting, San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 38.3 percent shooting in a 93-85 victory March 12.


The Thunder, who matched a season low for points, have averaged 118.0 points on 51.5 percent shooting in winning six in a row since, one shy of matching a season high Jan. 12-22. They connected at 54.2 percent in a 113-91 rout of Utah on Thursday, their third straight home victory since a 1-4 stretch there.


Oklahoma City has won in 10 of the last 12 visits from San Antonio, including the postseason, claiming a 112-106 home victory in the season opener Oct. 28.


"It's just another game. It's just another opportunity to keep building the habits that we've built these last couple weeks," forward Kevin Durant said. "It means nothing. I'm sure it means nothing to those guys. It's not a playoff game. It's just another opportunity to get better."


The Spurs obviously have the same feeling that this is just "another game" as LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are scheduled to rest. Kawhi Leonard will remain out because of a bruised right quad suffered in a 112-88 win over Miami on Wednesday.


Starting guard Danny Green as well as reserves Boris Diaw and Patty Mills joined Leonard on the bench in Friday's 110-104 victory against visiting Memphis. Aldridge scored 32 points on 12-of-16 shooting after contributing just eight Wednesday.


The Spurs have dropped two of three on the road since a season-best six consecutive wins there.


"We better put our defensive hats on (Saturday)," guard Kevin Martin said. "I'm sure they're back (in Oklahoma City) waiting on us and excited for the opportunity."


Martin played one season for the Thunder in 2012-13 alongside their stars Durant and Russell Westbrook, who had a string of three consecutive triple-doubles snapped Thursday.


The Thunder point guard has six of his 15 triple-doubles in the last 10 games. He has never recorded one in 38 all-time matchups with the Spurs, including the playoffs, failing to register more than eight rebounds in any of those games.


Westbrook had a team-best 33 points in the matchup in October but had 19 with nine turnovers in the loss in San Antonio.


Durant had eight assists in the latest game against the Spurs and has continued to share the ball, averaging 7.3 assists in his last seven games - 2.6 more than in his first 58 contests.


Durant also scored 28 points in the last matchup and has at least 20 in a career-best 57 consecutive games.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Hornets (41-31) at Bucks (30-43)


Date: March 26, 2016 8:30 PM EDT


The Charlotte Hornets remain well within range of home-court advantage for a first-round playoff series and could bolster their chances during an advantageous stretch in their schedule.


The Hornets will try to bounce back from a loss on their four-game trip by extending their recent road dominance against the scuffling Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.


Charlotte (41-31) dropped one game behind fourth-place Boston and fifth-place Miami in the Eastern Conference with Friday's 112-105 defeat to Detroit. The Hornets couldn't overcome a 26-point deficit in the fourth quarter, and Kemba Walker was the only player to score more than 11 points with 29.


"We've just got to move on from it. We've got another game (Saturday)," center Al Jefferson said. "We are still where we want to be. We just have to play better. We have to have a better intensity to start the game. In that first half, we just didn't have it."


Charlotte will next take on two teams that are well out of playoff contention in its next three games, with a home-and-home set against league-worst Philadelphia beginning Tuesday.


The Hornets, 17-5 in their last 22, will try to avoid a slip-up by sending Milwaukee (30-43) to a fifth consecutive defeat. The Bucks shot 41.7 percent in a 101-90 loss in Atlanta on Friday after topping 52.0 percent in each of their previous three games and had 16 assists with 16 turnovers.


"Guys are trying to do it themselves and sometimes that happens," coach Jason Kidd said. "Moving the ball, trusting one another. Tonight we just didn't trust one another."


Charlotte, a winner in eight of 11 on the road, has prevailed in each of its last four visits to Milwaukee and claimed a 98-95 victory there Feb. 19. Walker scored 25 points and Cody Zeller had a career-high 23 while making nine of 12 shots.


Walker has shot a combined 55.6 percent in his last six games in Milwaukee and has totaled 52 points in the past two.


Charlotte has won two of the three overall meetings with the Bucks and will seek to claim the season series for the third straight time. Milwaukee will try to force a split while avoiding a tie of its season-high five consecutive losses Jan. 28-Feb. 5.


"(The Bucks) have a lot of length. They have a lot of young talent," Zeller said. "We're going to have to come out with more energy than we did (against Detroit)."


The Bucks are averaging 90.0 points in their last three home games - 12.7 fewer than in their first 32 - and lost 94-85 to Utah on Sunday despite shooting 52.3 percent.


Khris Middleton is averaging 21.0 points against Charlotte this season but has shot worse than 40.0 percent in two of those games. Middleton, averaging 18.1 points, has a combined 19 in his past two games.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Celtics (42-30) at Suns (20-52)


Date: March 26, 2016 10:00 PM EDT


The Boston Celtics got the momentum they desired ahead of a challenging five-game Western Conference road trip. Kicking that off against one of the league's worst teams gives them a strong chance to keep it going.


With a stretch of three games against likely playoff teams looming, the Celtics will try to capitalize on a meeting with the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.


Boston (42-30) has followed a four-game slide with three straight wins after beating Atlantic Division-leading Toronto 91-79 on Wednesday.


"It's big," said guard Isaiah Thomas, who is averaging 25.7 points during the win streak. "We wanted some confidence and momentum going into this tough West Coast trip and we got it. We wanted these three games and we got them."


The Celtics enter the trip tied with Miami for fourth in the East, one-half game behind Southeast Division-leading Atlanta.


While reaching the playoffs for a second straight season seems to be a formality, Boston has already secured a winning record for the first time in three seasons under coach Brad Stevens.


"I feel like there's real progress. And it's pretty consistent progress," Stevens said. "But ... you don't sign up to come to the Boston Celtics to win 42 games. So we've got a long way to go."


The trip poses some potentially valuable tests for the Celtics. After facing the Suns, they'll meet the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland - two teams likely headed for the playoffs - before visiting league-leading Golden State, which is 34-0 at home.


"I don't really look at it as the next chunk of the schedule," Stevens told the team's official website. "I just look at it as now we go to Phoenix and play a game."


Boston won 115-110 in its most recent visit to the desert Feb. 23, 2015, and beat the Suns 117-103 at home Jan. 15 with Marcus Smart registering 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his only triple-double.


Thomas has totaled 40 points on 11-of-27 shooting with 12 assists in his first two games against the Suns since Phoenix dealt him to Boston on Feb. 19, 2015.


The Celtics have made 47.5 percent from 3-point range in those two meetings, and they lead the East with 105.8 points per game.


That bodes well matching up against a Phoenix team that ranks near the bottom of the league in scoring defense (107.7).


The Suns (20-52) have lost six of their last nine games and are giving up 114.8 in those defeats after falling 116-94 at Sacramento on Friday.


Devin Booker had 26 points, but also committed a season-high nine turnovers.


"Personally, it was one of the worst games I've had this year," the rookie guard said. "It was evident with all the turnovers I had. I feel like that's why we started off so bad. But I'll take this one. That's what's good about the NBA. We play again tomorrow night."


Booker is averaging 22.8 points over the last 10 games, a major increase from his 12.9 season mark. He only had nine points while missing 7 of 9 from the field at Boston.


Mirza Teletovic led Phoenix with 22 points off the bench in that matchup, but he's been limited to 9.2 on 34.8 percent shooting over the last five.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: 76ers (9-63) at Trail Blazers (37-36)


Date: March 26, 2016 10:00 PM EDT


One of the only low points for the Portland Trail Blazers during a hot streak through January and February was a blowout loss at Philadelphia.


The Trail Blazers look to avoid a new rock bottom on their current cold spell and a disheartening season sweep at the hands of the league-worst 76ers on Saturday night.


An 18-4 stretch from Jan. 10-March 1 jolted Portland (37-36) into solid postseason standing, which it still holds despite a 4-8 mark over the last three-plus weeks.


However, the sixth through ninth places in the Western Conference are packed tightly and the Trail Blazers could drop from the top of that list to the bottom - and out of the playoffs - with nine games left on the schedule.


Portland was worse than only two teams, Golden State (19-3) and San Antonio (18-3), during its run earlier this year but is without back-to-back wins since. It salvaged a split of a key home-and-home set with Wednesday's 109-103 win over Dallas before falling victim to a buzzer-beater in Thursday's 96-94 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers.


Chris Paul inbounded a ball through the legs of a leaping Mason Plumlee with 1.1 seconds left and J.J. Redick drained the winner from just inside the 3-point line, keeping the race for the West's final three spots tight between the Trail Blazers, Mavericks, Houston and Utah.


"Tough way to lose," Damian Lillard said. "We put ourselves in position to win a road game against a really good team and they come up with a really, really tough shot to win it. It happens."


The upside is the conclusion of a stretch of 12 of 15 games away from home, which resulted in a 7-8 record and eight losses in the final nine road games. The Blazers play seven of their final nine at Moda Center, where they've won 14 of 17.


Lillard finished with 18 points and eight assists against the Clippers, making only 4 of 16 shots and 2 of 8 from long range - similar shooting woes to the January loss against Philadelphia (9-63).


The 76ers pulled out a shocking 114-89 win Jan. 16 after Lillard shot only 4 for 18 and had 14 points while backcourt mate C.J. McCollum finished 6 of 18 for 13 points.


That marked Portland's third-largest margin of defeat this season, and it sets the Sixers up with a chance for their first season sweep of the Blazers since 2008-09 while going for their second win in Portland in six tries.


However, much of Philadelphia's production in the latest meeting came inside from Jahlil Okafor, who has been out since Feb. 29 and will miss the rest of the season following knee surgery.


The Sixers are 1-12 without their rookie center and have lost seven straight during a 1-20 stretch. They are still searching for their 10th win to avoid matching their 1972-73 team for the worst record in an 82-game season.


The latest loss might have been more heartbreaking than that of Portland after Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay controlled a loose ball before sinking a 36-foot heave at the buzzer to drop the 76ers 104-103 on Wednesday.


It was Philadelphia's 11th straight road defeat.


"That is a cruel loss," coach Brett Brown told the team's official website. "I bleed for the guys. They put in fantastic days, they deserve a win, and we didn't get one tonight."

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

NBA Odds: Saturday, March 26 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews


Boston visits Phoenix on Saturday night, and that brings me back to the 2015 NBA trade deadline in a deal that altered the directions of the Celtics and Suns franchises. On that deadline day, the Suns traded guard Isaiah Thomas to Boston and Goran Dragic to the Heat while acquiring Brandon Knight from Milwaukee. Big mistake. Knight's an OK player, but Thomas is on a very team-friendly contract and has blossomed into an All-Star in Boston. All the Suns got back for him from Boston was Cleveland's 2016 first-round draft pick, which will be near the bottom of the first round, and journeyman Marcus Thornton (now with Wizards). The Suns figured they were set at guard with Eric Bledsoe and Knight and that Thomas was just a good sixth man. Suns GM Ryan McDonough, who came from the Boston organization, has since admitted dealing Thomas was a mistake. Boston could finish as high as third in the East this season led by Thomas, while the Suns have the fourth-worst record in the West.


Pacers at Nets (TBA)


Indiana won a second straight Thursday, 92-84 over New Orleans. On his 20th birthday, rookie Myles Turner had 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. However, Paul George left in the third quarter with a bruised right leg -- the same leg he gruesomely broke in August 2014. George appears to have avoided anything serious but certainly is in doubt here. Brooklyn ended a three-game losing streak with a pretty surprising 104-95 win over visiting Cleveland on Thursday. The Nets used a late 14-0 run for the upset. Shane Larkin had 16 points and seven assists for the Nets in his return to the starting lineup. The youngster will start the rest of the season so the Nets can see what they have. Indiana has won the first two meetings this season by an average of 10.5 points per game.


Key trends: The road team is 5-1 against the spread in the past six meetings. The "over/under" is 6-1 in the past seven.


Early lean: Nets if George is out.


Bulls at Magic (TBA)


Orlando was in Miami on Friday again without center Nik Vucevic. Victor Oladipo was questionable with a wrist injury. Chicago somehow got swept in a home-and-home by the Knicks on Thursday in New York, 106-94. Sometimes that team looks like it doesn't care. "We're playing against teams that are not playing for anything and we're just laying down." Taj Gibson said after. Pau Gasol missed the game with knee inflammation, so he's questionable here. These teams have split two low-scoring meetings, each winning at home.


Key trends: The Bulls are 0-6 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 6-0 in Orlando's past six in the second of a back-to-back.


Early lean: Bulls and under, whether Gasol plays or not.


Raptors at Pelicans (+9, 206.5)


Toronto was in Houston on Friday looking to avoid back-to-back losses. With this the second of a back-to-back, you might see the Raptors rest one of DeMar DeRozan or Kyle Lowry (who was to play Friday after missing the last game). New Orleans lost 92-84 in Indiana on Thursday playing without just about everyone you have ever heard of on that team. The starters were: Toney Douglas, Alonzo Gee, Dante Cunningham, Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca. Yikes! Toronto beat visiting New Orleans 100-81 on Nov. 13. The Raptors lost last season in the Big Easy.


Key trends: The Raptors have covered nine of the past 12 in the series. The over 21-4-1 in the Pelicans' past 26 playing on one day of rest.


Early lean: New Orleans is a D-League team right now, but I can't give that many points with Toronto coming off a back-to-back. Go over.


Hawks at Pistons (pick'em, 204)


Atlanta hosted Milwaukee on Friday and Detroit hosted Charlotte. Atlanta leads the season series vs. Detroit 2-1 and has won nine of the past 13 meetings. Detroit won the most recent one 118-114 at home on March 16. Andre Drummond is averaging 21.5 points and 16.3 rebounds against Atlanta this season, while Jeff Teague is averaging 21.0 points against the Pistons.


Key trends: The Hawks are 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 4-0 in the past four.


Early lean: Pistons and over.


Cavaliers at Knicks (+8.5, 204.5)


I thought Cleveland might rest a guy or two in the second of a back-to-back Thursday in Brooklyn, but everyone was on the court physically if not mentally in a 104-95 loss. LeBron James could be seen yelling at his own bench during the fourth quarter after a Nets make. He's clearly not happy right now. But perhaps he should look inward as James was 13-for-14 from the floor for 30 points in the first three quarters but scoreless in the fourth. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were a combined 11-for-36 from the field. New York completed the home-and-home sweep of Chicago with a 12-point win at the Garden on Thursday. Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and now gets to face his good buddy LeBron. New York has completed all 17 back-to-backs this season, finishing 8-9. New York is 0-3 vs. Cleveland and hasn't scored more than 86 points.


Key trends: The Cavs are 1-5 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 6-0 in the past six.


Early lean: Assuming Cavs got a wake-up call Thursday. Give the points and definitely under.


Jazz at Timberwolves (+3, 200.5)


Minnesota was in Washington on Friday. Utah lost 113-91 in Oklahoma City on Thursday. Gordon Hayward, who averages 20 points, was held to six on 2-for-6 shooting. Jazz starters had just 34 combined points in the second of a back-to-back. Utah turned it over 18 times and it led to 32 Thunder points. These teams have split this season, each winning at home.


Key trends: The Jazz are 6-2 ATS in the past eight in Minnesota. The under is 5-2-1 in the previous eight meetings there.


Early lean: Love Utah ... and under.


Spurs at Thunder (TBA)


No ABC Primetime Game this week opposite the Elite Eight, so this is on NBA TV instead. San Antonio hosted Memphis on Friday with Kawhi Leonard in doubt. I'd be shocked if Gregg Popovich doesn't rest him and a couple of others here. It really means nothing for the Spurs. OKC routed the tired Jazz on Thursday for its sixth straight win. Kevin Durant had 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Russell Westbrook probably would have had a fourth straight triple-double if he didn't sit out the fourth quarter with the game in hand. He had 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. These teams have split two meetings, each winning at home.


Key trends: San Antonio is 2-10 ATS in the past 12 in OKC. The under is 7-2 in the past nine there.


Early lean: Wait on the Spurs' lineup, but I actually think Thunder roll here regardless. Just doesn't matter to San Antonio.


Hornets at Bucks (+2.5, 204.5)


Charlotte was in Detroit on Friday and Milwaukee in Atlanta looking to end a three-game losing streak. Charlotte leads the season series 2-1 and has won four straight in Milwaukee. Most recent meeting was a 98-95 Hornets road win on Feb. 19. The Hornets were down 13 in the third quarter. Charlotte has won eight of its last 10 games against Milwaukee overall.


Key trends: The road team is 8-0 ATS in the past eight meetings. The under is 4-0 in the past four.


Early lean: Hornets and under.


Celtics at Suns (+7.5, 216)


Phoenix was in Sacramento on Friday. Boston won a third in a row Wednesday, 91-79 over Toronto. Thomas had 23 points. He has scored 20 or more points in 11 straight games. The victory ensured that Boston would finish with at least a .500 record -- its first since coach Brad Stevens took over three years ago. Boston beat Phoenix 117-103 at TD Garden on Jan. 15 in the first meeting behind 19 points from Thomas. Marcus Smart had 10 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, becoming the first Celtics player to record a triple-double off the bench since Art Williams on Jan. 6, 1971.


Key trends: The road team is 6-2 ATS in the past eight. The over is 6-2 in the Suns' past eight at home.


Early lean: Celtics and over.


76ers at Trail Blazers (-13, 217)


Philly dropped a seventh straight Wednesday, 104-103 in Denver on a fluke buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Emmanuel Mudiay. Robert Covington, who missed the previous six games with a concussion, had 16 points for the Sixers. Nerlens Noel missed the game with a right knee contusion. Portland lost 96-94 at the Clippers on Thursday on a buzzer-beater. Damian Lillard scored 18 points in the loss. The Blazers ended a stretch playing 12 of 15 road games. Philadelphia upset visiting Portland 114-89 on Jan. 16 behind 25 points and 10 rebounds from Jahlil Okafor, now out for the season. Portland has won four of its past five games against the 76ers at the Moda Center.


Key trends: The Sixers are 4-11 ATS in their past 15 road games vs. teams with a winning home record. The over is 7-2 in Portland's past nine at home.


Early lean: Sixers and over.

[TheGame]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

NBA


Saturday's hot teams
-- Indiana won six of its last nine games (4-2 last 6AF).
-- Hawks won seven of their last eight games (5-1 last 6AU). Detroit won its last five games (16-5-1 lst 21HF).
-- Cavaliers won seven of their last ten games (0-4 last 4AF). Knicks won their last two games, by 8-12 points (2-6 last 8HU).
-- Utah won six of its last eight games (5-2 last 7AF). Minnesota won its last two games, but needed double OT to win last night (5-2 last 7HU).
-- Spurs won eight of last nine games, may be resting several guys here. Thunder won their last six games.
-- Charlotte won seven of its last ten games (4-1 last 5AF).
-- Celtics won their last three games (7-3 last 10AF).
-- Portland won its last three home games (11-3 last 14HF).


Cold teams
-- Nets lost seven of their last nine games (5-2 last 7HU).
-- Toronto lost last two games by 12-3 points (2-5 last 7AF). Pelicans lost seven of their last nine games (6-4 last 10HU).
-- Chicago lost three of its last four road games. Orlando lost its last six games overall.
-- Bucks lost five of their last six games (1-4 last 5HU).
-- Suns lost six of their last nine games (2-6 last 8HU).
-- 76ers lost their last seven games (4-3 last 7AU).


Series records
-- Pacers won seven of their last nine games with Brooklyn.
-- Raptors won seven of last nine games with New Orleans.
-- Bulls are 5-3 in their last eight games with Orlando.
-- Hawks won five of last seven games with Detroit.
-- Knicks lost their last five games with Cleveland.
-- Jazz won five of last seven games with Minnesota.
-- Spurs won five of last seven games with Oklahoma City.
-- Hornets won eight of last ten games with Milwaukee.
-- Celtics won last two games with Phoenix by 5-14 points.
-- 76ers lost six of their last nine games with Portland.


Totals
-- Six of last seven Indiana-Brooklyn games went over.
-- Five of last six Toronto games stayed under total.
-- Last six Orlando games stayed under if it played night before.
-- Five of last six Atlanta-Detroit games went over total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland games went over total.
-- Six of last seven Utah games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last six Oklahoma City games went over total.
-- Last four Charlotte-Milwaukee games stayed under.
-- Five of last seven Boston games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Philly games stayed under the total.


Back/backs
-- Toronto covered five of its last seven if it played night before.
-- Orlando is 4-7 in its last 11 games if it played night before.
-- Hawks covered last three games if they played night before. Detroit covered its last seven games if it played night before.
-- Minnesota is 3-7 in last ten games if it played night before.
-- Spurs are 9-5 vs spread (14-0SU) if they played night before.
-- Charlotte covered four of last six if it played night before. Milwaukee is 12-6 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Phoenix is 4-9 in last 13 games if it played the night before.

[Satch]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Indiana At Brooklyn
When: 6:00 PM ET, Saturday, March 26, 2016
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
Fresh off a stunning victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Brooklyn Nets will get another chance to play spoiler when they host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Indiana strengthened its hold on the No. 7 spot in the Eastern Conference with a win over the New Orleans Pelicans but lost All-Star forward Paul George in the process.
George left the 92-84 victory in the third quarter with a contusion in his lower right leg – the same leg he broke in gruesome fashion while playing for USA basketball in the summer of 2014 – and did not return. “He’s moving around. He’ll be OK,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters of his star, who downplayed the injury following the game and is considered day-to-day. Indiana could use George against the Nets, who allowed the opposing small forward (LeBron James) to go for 30 points on 13-of-16 shooting on Thursday. Brooklyn managed to shut down nearly everyone else on the Cleveland roster and even held James scoreless as it outscored the Cavaliers 24-12 in the fourth quarter en route to a 104-95 triumph.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE PACERS (38-33): C.J. Miles came in to pick up some of the slack when George went down and Myles Turner celebrated his 20th birthday with 24 points and 16 rebounds in Thursday’s win. “That kid just plays as hard as he can every time he’s out there,” Vogel told reporters of Turner. “Sometimes he makes mistakes, sometimes he gets it going. He’s a big-time threat. He’s improving and he’s working hard on the defensive end. He did have a little bit of an extra bounce (Thursday).” Indiana enters play on Friday just a half-game ahead of eighth-place Detroit and two clear of the ninth-place Chicago Bulls in the East.
ABOUT THE NETS (20-51): Interim coach Tony Brown vowed after a 105-100 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday to give the most playing time to the guys showing the most effort, and 11 different players logged at least 13 minutes against the Cavaliers. “The energy was definitely way up,” Brown told reporters. “Our intensity was up.” Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Sean Kilpatrick each scored in double figures off the bench while veteran center Brook Lopez continued his steady play with 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the win.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hollis-Jefferson is 7-of-12 from the field in the last two games after missing the previous 50 games with an ankle injury.
2. George is 7-of-27 from 3-point range in the last four contests.
3. Indiana took each of the first two meetings this season, including a 114-100 victory at Brooklyn on Feb. 3.
PREDICTION: Pacers 103, Nets 95

[Satch]

Re: NBA Betting Info. 3/26

Preview: Chicago At Orlando
When: 7:00 PM ET, Saturday, March 26, 2016
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
The Chicago Bulls are in serious jeopardy of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007-08 after being humbled in back-to-back losses by the draft lottery-bound New York Knicks. The Bulls attempt to pull themselves off the mat and start a positive run when they visit the Orlando Magic on Saturday — continuing a stretch of eight road games in the final 12 of the regular season.
“The majority of us haven’t been in this position since we’ve been in the league,” Chicago leading scorer Jimmy Butler told the Chicago Tribune. “We’ve always been at the top of the Eastern Conference. Right now, it’s a fight. But when it’s a fight I think everybody has to man up. We have to stay in this thing together.” The Bulls trail Detroit and Indiana by two games for the final two playoff spots in the East while injury-depleted Orlando has dropped six straight contests. The Magic have been without leading scorer and rebounder Nikola Vucevic (groin) for 11 games and second-leading point producer Victor Oladipo (wrist) missed Friday’s 108-97 loss at Miami. Orlando’s main remaining threat, Evan Fournier, poured in 20 points Friday and had 19 against Chicago earlier in the season.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE BULLS (36-35): Center Pau Gasol, averaging a double-double with 16.8 points and 11.1 rebounds, has missed five of the last seven games with a sore knee and his status is uncertain for Saturday. Butler (21.4 points) has struggled with his shot over the last three contests, converting just 13-of-36 attempts, while backcourt partner Derrick Rose is averaging 22.8 per game over the past four. Forward Nikola Mirotic had 35 points in the first meeting with the Knicks on Wednesday and was held to eight one day later.
ABOUT THE MAGIC (29-43): Rookie Mario Hezonja took Oladipo’s spot in the starting lineup Friday and scored eight points while point guard Elfrid Payton had his second straight solid game with 14 points, seven assists and seven boards. Payton notched his third career triple-double and first of 2015-16 in Wednesday’s loss at Detroit after scoring in single digits in five of his previous six outings. Ersan Ilyasova is also out indefinitely with a sprained right shoulder and fellow forward Andrew Nicholson stepped up to score 19 on Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Orlando C Dewayne Dedmon scored in double figures (10) for the first time in 13 games on Friday.
2. Chicago F Doug McDermott is averaging 7.8 points on 11-for-28 shooting the last four games after scoring at least 20 in three straight.
3. The Magic have won three of the past five meetings, splitting a pair this season after a 102-89 victory at home on March 2.
PREDICTION: Bulls 103, Magic 95