Cnotes 2018 - 2019 NBA Thru The Playoffs-Picks/Trends/News !

[Cnotes53]

NBA FEB. RECORD OPINIONS AND BEST BETS !


DATE W-L-T % UNITS RECORD

02/14/2019 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
02/13/2019 13-8-1 61.90% +21.00
02/12/2019 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00
02/11/2019 10-8-0 55.56% +6.00
02/10/2019 4-6-0 40.00% -13.00
02/09/2019 11-6-0 64.71% +22.00
02/08/2019 6-10-0 37.50% -25.00
02/07/2019 6-6-0 50.00% -3.00
02/06/2019 5-9-0 35.71% -24.50
02/05/2019 7-9-0 43.75% -14.50
02/04/2019 7-5-0 58.33% +7.50
02/03/2019 3-3-0 50.00% -1.50
02/02/2019 11-12-1 47.83% -11.00
02/01/2019 5-4-0 55.56% +3.00


Totals.............96-93-1......50.79%......-47.50




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BEST BETS:


DATE........................ATS................... ..UNITS..................O/U..................UNITS.............TOTALS

02/14/2019...............1 - 2....................-6.00....................2 - 1................+4.50..............-1.50
02/13/2019...............4 - 1...................+14.50..................5 - 4................+3.00.............+17.50
02/12/2019...............0 - 3...................-16.50...................2 - 3.................-6.50...............-23.00
02/11/2019...............2 - 4...................-12.00...................5 - 2.................+19.00............+7.00
02/10/2019...............1 - 3...................-11.50...................2 - 3.................-6.50...............-18.00
02/09/2019...............4 - 4...................-2.00.....................6 - 2................+19.00............+17.00
02/08/2019...............2 - 3...................-6.50.....................3 - 3.................-1.50...............-8.00
02/07/2019...............2 - 2...................-1.00.....................3 - 2.................+4.00..............+3.00
02/06/2019...............2 - 4...................-12.00...................2 - 4.................-12.00..............-24.00
02/05/2019...............3 - 2..................+4.00.....................3 - 3.................-1.50...............+2.50
02/04/2019...............1 - 1...................-1.00.....................3 - 2.................+4.00..............+3.00
02/03/2019...............1 - 1...................-1.00.....................2 - 1.................+4.50..............+3.50
02/02/2019...............4 - 3...................+3.50....................5 - 5.................-2.50...............+1.00
02/01/2019...............2 - 1...................+4.50....................1 - 3.................-11.50..............-7.00


Totals.....................28 - 33.................-43.00...................44 - 38...............+16.00..............-27.00

 

[Cnotes53]

Armadillo: Sunday's six-pack

Odds to win the Big East basketball tournament next month:

3-2? Villanova

11-4? Marquette

9-2? St John?s

8-1? Butler, Creighton

15-1? Georgetown, Seton Hall

20-1? Providence

30-1? DePaul, Xavier


**********

Armadillo: Sunday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports Saturday

13) 12-2pm:
? Louisville 56, Clemson 55? Cardinals came damn close to blowing a 7-point lead in last 0:15 of the game; they had to block a 5-footer with 0:02 left to preserve the win.
? North Carolina 95, Wake Forest 57? Tar Heels led this game, 32-7. Oy.
? Georgia 64, Vanderbilt 53? Bryce Drew is a good coach, but Vandy is 0-12 in the SEC.

12) 2-4pm:
? Minnesota 84, Indiana 63? On Jan 5, Hoosiers were 12-3; now, they?re 13-12.
? Virginia 60, Notre Dame 54? Red flag for the Cavaliers; they easily could?ve lost this.
? Fordham 66, Rhode Island 63, OT? URI lost five of last six games, after an 11-7 start.

11) 4-6pm:
? Iowa State 78, Kansas State 64? Wildcats lost big guy Dean Wade with an ankle injury.
? Texas State 67, Ark-Little Rock 60? Bobcats lead Sun Belt by a game over Georgia State.
? VCU 69, Dayton 68? Rams led by 22 early in 2nd half, needed layup with 0:06 left for the win.

10) 6-8pm:
? South Dakota State 78, North Dakota State 77? Jackrabbits banked in a 40-footer at the buzzer for the win.
? Temple 70, South Florida 69, OT? Owls improve to 18-7, 8-4 in the AAC.
? Iowa 71. Rutgers 69? Hawkeyes banked in a 3-ball from the corner (hard to do) with 0:00.2 left for the road win.

9) 8-10 pm:
? Kentucky 86, Tennessee 69? Wildcats scored first 14 points of the second half.
? Mississippi State 77, Arkansas 67? Bulldogs suspended Nick Weatherspoon, then got a solid road win. Go figure.
? Washington 72, Washington State 70? Coogs led by 14 at one point, didn?t play well in last 3:00, but they?re getting better.

8) 10pm-midnight
? Oregon State 72, Oregon 57? Beavers sweep Civil War for first time in nine years.
? Gonzaga 79, San Diego 67? Bulldogs won their 30th consecutive WCC road game.
? Stanford 104, UCLA 80? Game was delayed for a while by a broken rim, with score 49-40; Bruins seemed disinterested when game resumed.

7) Upsets of the Day
? Fordham (+10) 66, Rhode Island 63
? NC-Wilmington (+10) 87, Hofstra 79
? UAB (+7) 68, Western Kentucky 60
? SE Missouri State (+7) 88, Eastern Illinois 79
? Xavier (+6) 75, Providence 61
? Oklahoma (+5.5) 71, TCU 62
? Western Michigan (+5.5) 84, Miami OH 79, OT

6) Have to stay away from wagering on Baylor games, because of Makai Mason?s health issues; he is a damn good player, but his feet are so brittle that he missed two of their last three games, after playing in only one game the last two years. With Mason in the lineup, Baylor can beat anyone; without him and without a couple other injured Bears, not so much.

5) If I had Bryce Harper or Manny Machado on my fantasy team, I?d be very annoyed right about now; make a decision already!!! Doubt the offers are going to get any higher at this point.

Also has to be screwing around with betting totals in Las Vegas on props regarding home runs over/unders and team wins over/unders, not to mention just fouling up the players? actual preparation for the season. This is abnormal.

4) 5-foot-9 Chris Clemons of the Campbell Camels went over 3,000 career points Saturday, which is really hard to do. He is only the 9th D-I player ever to score 3,000 points.

If you want to scoff at Clemons, the Big South and the Camels, keep in mind that they played at Georgetown November 24, and Clemons scored 45 points, going 9-19 on the arc, in a 93-85 loss to the Hoyas. Campbell is 15-11 this season, 8-4 in the Big South.

3) When Alabama?s football team starts practice this spring, they?ll have seven new assistant coaches, which is very unusual. There were murmurs last season that Alabama?s staff was the weakest they had in the Nick Saban era; 7 of LY?s 10 assistants have moved on.

2) Nevada 82, Wyoming 49? Wolf Pack is thought to be the first D-I team ever where all five starters transferred into that school. Five 5th-year starters for Eric Musselman.

1) Wild year in the MAAC; with five games left in regular season, Canisius leads by a half-game at 9-4; three teams have five losses, two more have six. Highest-ranked team in the league is Rider, which is 8-6 in the league but is ranked only #216 (out of 353) by KenPom.

 

[Cnotes53]

Team LeBron vs Team Giannis NBA All-Star Game betting picks and predictions

The favorite has covered the spread in the NBA All-Star Game in five straight seasons and this time around LeBron James has selected the favored squad personally.

The best and brightest stars in the basketball universe converge upon Spectrum Center in Charlotte on Sunday night in the latest edition of the NBA All-Star Game. It?s the second year the mid-season spectacle has gone pick-up style, with captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo choosing their respective squads. The result: Teammates facing off against each other, and allegiances you would never see outside of an Olympic Games.

Before last season, ?defense is optional? didn?t even properly describe the All-Star Game and the compete level was at an all-time low after 192-182 West victory in New Orleans back in 2017. So, last year?s result made the new format was a resounding success. Team LeBron defeated Team Steph 148-145 in a game where the intensity turned up in the fourth quarter and came down to the final possession. Will this year?s edition put the Buzz in Buzz City and will Team Giannis put a stop to the Team LeBron All-Star Dynasty before it really gets going? We break down the best ways to wager the NBA All-Star Game.
Team LeBron vs Team Giannis (+5.5, 312)

First things first, here are the rosters for Team LeBron and Team Giannis:

QUICK HITTER

While many can make fun of the ?GM? job LeBron has done over the course of his career, there is no denying that the King can sure put together an All-Star roster. LeBron is at his best when he is surrounded with shooters and that?s exactly how he built his team. He took Kevin Durant with his first pick (thanks to being the leading overall vote getter) and followed that up with James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Heck, his last starter pick was MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard. All five can shoot from deep and create their own shots.

It will be interesting to see who Joel Embiid will open the game covering. With James, Harden and Irving all elite playmakers, they could take advantage of the Philly big man not having a natural position to defend and find some open shooters and nab an early advantage.

PREDICTION: Race to 20 ? Team LeBron (-150)

FIRST HALF BET

After seeing 374 total points two year?s ago and 369 the year before that, last year?s game was the first time since 2013 that neither team hit 150 points in the All-Star Game, but oddsmakers are expecting a bit of a regression to the mean we have seen for the majority of this decade, as the total currently sits a 312. But if things remain at least a little like last year, the opening half will be the one that is more carefree and lose, before things tighten up in the second half.

Last season 154 points were scored in the first half, while just 139 were scored in the second. Of those 154, 81 came in the second quarter, which makes a lot of sense. The starters will have found their groove and the reinforcements will come out firing. Expect a similar result this time around.

PREDICTION: Highest scoring quarter ? 2nd (+270)

MVP Odds

The All-Star game MVP is essentially a crap shoot. Anyone could win it and it wouldn?t be a surprise. Steph Curry winning in his hometown would be a nice little story, so he?s got a little value. A much more fun player to back would be a guy like Nikola Jokic, whose skills can flourish in an All-Star setting and has crazy good value. Here?s the complete odds for the NBA All-Star Game MVP:

FULL GAME TOTAL

Last year was just the second time in eight years the All-Star Game went Under the total. It was of course record total of 334 after years of lackadaisical play. The total for this year?s edition of the NBA All-Star Game has settled around 312 at most sportsbooks. That?s quite the drastic change. But the game played out much different than in years past and went Under by a whopping 41 points. Like we said before, oddsmakers are expecting a bit of a regression to the mean here, but that?s still an expected increase of nearly 20 points.

If last year was any indication of how this year will be played that number is too high. So, while it looks like Giannis got a little out foxed on draft night, his reasoning for picking a lot of first-time All-Stars was that he thought they would ?play harder.? Sounds like maybe a little defense will be played Sunday night.

PREDICTION: Under 312

FULL GAME SIDE

Tampering jokes aside. A quick glance at the teams is all it takes to see that LeBron selected the better squad here. Even if Anthony Davis is unable to suit up, the benches are ridiculously uneven. Team James will have the like of Davis. Karl-Anthony Towns and LaMarcus Aldridge to deal with Team Giannis? big men. Plus, he has even more shooters with Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal coming off the bench.

Tampering jokes not aside, James is going to want to give his potential free agent targets a first-hand showcase of what playing with him everyday will be like. Some may like this pitch more than others, but either way it should promote a competitive environment. Team LeBron goes to a perfect 2-0 SU/ATS in All-Star games as the favorite will cover the NBA All-Star game for the sixth straight year.

PREDICTION: Team LeBron -5.5

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday?s 6-pack

Six states in this country where a case of beer is most expensive:

1) Alaska $31.21

2) Wyoming $26.68

3) Hawai?i $22.39

4) Montana $22.28

5) Tennessee $22.25

6) Vermont $21.56

Quote of the Day
?I didn?t know what to do. I?d wake up, my wife would drag me to this yoga class that she does. I?d have coffee with my wife and her friends and we?d talk about the Real Housewives of something.?
Former Iowa State/Bulls? coach Fred Hoiberg

Thursday?s quiz
Who led the major leagues in stolen bases last year?

Wednesday?s quiz
Purdue (23) has won the most Big 14 basketball championships.

Tuesday?s quiz
Mike Woodson was the Knicks? coach the last time they made the playoffs, in 2012-13.


**********************

Thursday?s List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud?..

13) Joel Embiid played 23:00 in Sunday?s NBA All-Star Game; now comes news that Embiid will miss the next week with a sore left knee. No bueno.

Embiid missed all of the first two seasons of his career because of injuries, and then he missed 51 games in his third year. This is his fifth year.

Over this season and the next four years, Philadelphia will pay Embiid $146M; playing for the 76ers is more important than playing in the damn All-Star Game.

12) Will the Big East get more than two teams in the NCAA?s?

As of Wednesday morning. Villanova/Marquette are locks for the tournament, but no one else in the league is ranked in KenPom?s top 50.

Joe Lunardi has St John?s as a 9-seed, Seton Hall as a 10-seed, so if they don?t stumble in the next three weeks, they?ll probably to get in, because nationally, this is a down year for quality teams. There will be a few teams in the NCAA?s this year that aren?t really that good.

Big East had six teams in NCAA?s last year, seven the year before, so even if St John?s/Seton Hall both get in the field of 68, it is a down year for the league.

11) Florida State?s Mfiondu Kabengele is the only player in the country who leads his team in scoring, but hasn?t started one game this season.

10) Georgetown 85, Villanova 73? Wildcats lost their third straight road games, as Patrick Ewing?s Hoyas improve to 16-10, 6-7 in Big East.

9) Mississippi State 68, Georgia 67? Georgia fan threw a small stuffed bulldog on the court while Miss State was shooting a foul shot with 0:00.5 left and game tied. Kid missed the first of two foul shots, but a technical foul was called, he made the second one, then missed the third foul shot on purpose as MSU escapes Athens with a road win.

8) Upsets of the Night:
? Air Force (+14.5) 64, Fresno State 61
? North Carolina (+9) 88, Duke 72
? San Diego State (+8.5) 65, Nevada 57
? Xavier (+6.5) 70, Seton Hall 69
? Northern Iowa (+6) 63, Missouri State 43
? Georgetown (+5.5) 85, Villanova 73
? Florida (+5.5) 82, LSU 77, OT

7) Kentucky?s big man Reid Travis sprained his knee Tuesday night, is expected to be out until the SEC tournament, which starts in three weeks.

6) Watching the first two weeks of the AAF, it seems like it might become a throwback league, a throwback to a time where teams ran the ball a lot instead of passing it all the time.

Why? Because the quality of QB?s in the AAF ain?t that good. When Mike Martz reverts to a run-based attack, and then it works, you realize that this league might be a little different, not better or worse than expected, just different. More like old-school football.

5) Joe Gibbs has had an underrated career, parlaying being a great NFL coach with his tremendous success as a NASCAR owner. Very unique combination.

4) Franklin Pierce is the only first-term American President who had been elected president and then was denied re-nomination four years later; four other Presidents didn?t win their party?s nomination in the next election either, but all four of those guys became president because their predecessor passed away.

3) At halftime of the Villanova-Georgetown game last night, FOX?s Gus Johnson gave a very nice tribute to a young man who passed away in a car accident recently. The man?s father is the stat guy on FOX?s broadcasts lot of the time. Johnson fought back tears as he spoke

2) North Carolina 88, Duke 72? Zion Williamson played 33 seconds in this game, hurt his knee and never returned. His foot went right thru his sneaker; never saw that before.

If you like to bet futures, this could change EVERYTHING; if Williamson is done for the year, Duke is in the ashcan as far as a national title goes- more than twice as much money has been bet on the Blue Devils to win the national title as has been wagered on any other team.

1) For some reason, betting over/unders on the first period of NHL games has become a hot topic in some corners of Twitter. Blackhawks are 47-13 over in the first period; Dallas Stars are 41-18 under. You get a trend that goes 47-13, and people get interested.

 

[Cnotes53]

76ers All-Star C Embiid out a week
February 20, 2019
By The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Philadelphia 76ers All-Star center Joel Embiid will miss at least a week with a sore left knee.

Embiid underwent an MRI on Tuesday, which revealed no structural damage, and he will undergo physical therapy until he is evaluated again next week.

The 24-year-old Embiid is averaging 27.3 points and 13.5 rebounds in 54 games for the Sixers. He had 10 points and 12 rebounds in 23 minutes in last Sunday's All-Star game.

Embiid was the No. 3 overall pick of the 2014 draft and missed his first two seasons with multiple foot and knee injuries.

''It's reached the stage where he just felt uncomfortable with it,'' Sixers coach Brett Brown said. ''It's a little bit of tendinitis. It's stuff I think that's quite common, actually.''

Brown said he did not believe the injury was connected to the All-Star game.

''Nobody needs to read into anything here,'' he said. ''This is an NBA athlete that has some soreness in the knee, has had an MRI and we all should move on. We'll miss him, obviously, playing-wise. But it's not anything that isn't completely pointed toward keeping him ready and especially ready when it matters most at the end of the year.''

The Sixers are 37-21 and in fifth place in the Eastern Conference heading into Thursday's game against the Miami Heat.

 

[Cnotes53]

The NBA playoff push starts now
February 20, 2019
By The Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) Golden State is still the favorite for a fourth title in five years.

Milwaukee, Toronto, Indiana, Boston, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City and Denver can all go ahead and cancel those mid-April vacation plans if they were foolish enough to have made them in the first place.

For LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, some work awaits.

The All-Star break ends Thursday, with about one-third of the season remaining for most clubs - and that means the playoff push now gets very serious. Nobody has officially clinched a spot yet, though it would take a highly improbable series of events for the current top teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences to miss the postseason.

''Every year is a new challenge, different circumstances,'' Golden State guard Stephen Curry said. ''We are motivated. We understand what's at stake.''

James has been to the NBA Finals in each of the last eight seasons, all out of the East - four with Miami, four with Cleveland. His Los Angeles Lakers currently are 10th in the West, three games behind the Clippers for the final playoff berth.

James has been to the playoffs in 13 consecutive seasons.

''I hope that first off, we all get healthy,'' Lakers President Magic Johnson said. ''This has been one of the worst seasons I've ever been around Laker basketball as far as injuries are concerned. When we were healthy, we were in fourth place. Now we're like 10th place. But when you've got LeBron James, anything is possible.''

The Miami Heat are part of a six-team, three-spot race in the East, and Wade is hoping for one last postseason trip out of his 16th and final season. Heat President Pat Riley said he thinks the way the Heat ended its pre-All-Star schedule - with a 2-3 road trip, though one where Miami could have won four of the games - is a good sign.

''It looks as though there's something happening here,'' Riley said.

Sacramento is right in the race to end the NBA's longest current playoff drought; the Kings haven't been to the postseason since 2006. Phoenix's drought will hit nine straight seasons, but Orlando - currently holders of the third-longest drought at six seasons - hit the break with a five-game winning streak and is in the East mix.

''I think we feel good about ourselves,'' Magic All-Star forward Nikola Vucevic said. ''I know we have good confidence.''

Here's some other things to know going into the final third of the season:

LEBRON AND MICHAEL

LeBron James is finally going to pass Michael Jordan.

In scoring, at least.

While the debate will rage forever about which player is better, James will soon have scored more points than Jordan. James is 211 points shy of passing Jordan (32,292) for the No. 4 spot in NBA history. When he gets there, each of the top four spots on that list will be occupied by current or former Los Angeles Lakers - No. 1 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,392), No. 2 Karl Malone (36,928), No. 3 Kobe Bryant (33,643), and James.

SCORING AND PACE

Unless every team drastically changes the way it plays over the next two months - which won't happen - the league will finish this season with its highest scoring average and fastest pace in 30 years.

Teams are averaging 110.7 points and 100 possessions per game this season. That's the best scoring number since 1984-85 (110.8 points per game) and fastest pace since 1988-89 (100.6 possessions per game).

All 30 teams are on pace to average at least 100 points per game this season. The last time every team in the league averaged 100 was 1986-87, when the NBA had 23 franchises.

3'S ARE WILD

The NBA is on pace to see records in 3-pointers made and 3-pointers attempted. If that sounds like an annual statement, it is: This will be the seventh consecutive season where both marks fall.

Houston's James Harden has a shot at the record for 3s in a single season. He has 274 (which would be fifth-best for a season already), putting him on pace for 401 if he plays in all 25 of the Rockets' remaining games. Golden State's Stephen Curry holds the mark with 402 makes from deep in 2015-16.

Harden seems like a lock for the 3s-taken record - Curry took 886 in his record-setting year, Harden has 733 now and is on pace for 1,072.

MORE HARDEN

The Houston All-Star is in the throes of a historic offensive season.

Harden's current scoring average - 36.6 points per game - would be eighth-best all-time, and the best mark since Michael Jordan averaged 37.1 points in 1986-87. Jordan (once), Elgin Baylor (once) and Wilt Chamberlain (five times) are the only players to finish a season with a higher average than the one Harden is toting now.

Harden leads Oklahoma City's Paul George by 7.9 points per game in this year's scoring race. That is an enormous number. To put that in perspective: If George stays at his current scoring rate, 28.7 per game, Harden would remain the NBA's scoring leader even if he went scoreless in each of his next 14 games.

GOOD BUCKS

Already with 43 wins this season, it's already safe to say this the best year for Milwaukee in a long time.

The Bucks won 44 games last season, and 46 in 2009-10. This will almost certainly be Milwaukee's first 50-win year since 2000-01 (52-30), and the Bucks could flirt with their first 60-win year since 1980-81. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says he joined Milwaukee at the perfect time.

''The fans there, the energy in our arena, it's off the charts,'' Budenholzer said. ''New practice facility, a roster that's in a great place, ownership, front office - everything is just really, really set up to have great success.''

BAD KNICKS

David Fizdale, the very likable and highly respected first-year Knicks coach is overseeing a team that's on pace for 16 wins - which would be the worst record in franchise history. Obviously, it's all about the draft and free agency for the Knicks, who are in position to be major players when the NBA's annual superstar-shopping window opens on July 1.

Phoenix is also on pace to have its worst season ever. Chicago and Cleveland probably won't hit all-time rock bottom, but look like they'll come close. In all, four teams will likely finish the season with a winning percentage under .250 - the most since six teams were that bad in the 1997-98 season.

The draft lottery is May 14, and that's when the Knicks, Suns, Bulls and Cavaliers could declare this season's suffering worthwhile.

 

[Cnotes53]

Love healthy, optimistic as Cavs fight
February 20, 2019
By The Associated Press

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) Kevin Love relaxed on the beach under the warm Caribbean sun during the All-Star break.

He hopes it finally shines on him and the Cavaliers in the second half of a depressing, gloomy season.

Offering optimism about his future and Cleveland's, Love returned to the practice floor with his teammates on Wednesday following the league's annual midseason celebratory interruption.

The five-time All-Star recently came back after missing more than 50 games following foot surgery. He was rested for the Cavs' final game against Brooklyn - part of his recovery plan - before the break, but Love said he plans to play Thursday against Phoenix and intends to build up his minutes over the next few weeks. Cleveland has 24 games left.

''I think you'll see me more on a steady basis and not miss games after the break, I'm hoping,'' said Love, who has played in just two games since November. ''So just continue to improve the minutes and make sure that I'm feeling good and go from there.''

With Cleveland's training staff keeping a diligent eye on him, Love took part in the 5-on-5 scrimmage without any problems and said the only issue now is improving his conditioning. Overall, he's pleased with his progress and believes the Cavs are close to turning a corner.

The team has been besieged by injuries, but with Love back and forward Tristan Thompson close after missing 13 games with foot soreness, the Cavs are as healthy as they've been in months.

There won't be any playoffs this season, but Love is excited about what the Cavs can accomplish down the stretch.

''Hopefully we'll have everybody back,'' said Love, his arms showing some residual redness from his vacation. ''You just have to continue to find motivation and know that there's a bigger picture involved. And you know, for me, it is tough. It's the longest I've missed consecutively in my whole career but I just gotta find opportunity, find ways to get better and in a lot of ways my body feels really fresh. I guess that's the good thing in this and just continue to get better in my game.''

This has been an exceptionally challenging season for the 30-year-old Love, who signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension in July. But despite personal setbacks and the Cavs' stunning descent from NBA powerhouse to lottery participant, Love has remained engaged and committed.

Coach Larry Drew has admired the way he's handled adversity.

''He has done a magnificent job in the way he has conducted himself and he has stayed the course with his rehab through his injury,'' Drew said. ''I know how bad he wants to be out there, but things happen and you have to push through them, which he has done. Now he's able to play. He's gradually getting his legs under him and gradually getting to the point where he can play extended minutes.

''I'm certain that once he is able to get out there and really play extended minutes he's going to make the most of it.''

With less than two months left in the season, the Cavs (12-46) have the league's third-worst record. But there have been some encouraging signs, including the development of rookie guard Collin Sexton. And, although there have been some lopsided losses along the way, the Cavs have played much better over the past few weeks.

Although Love was sitting, the Cavs took the Nets to three overtimes before losing last week.

There's no quit in this group.

''We have guys that fight,'' Love said. ''We have guys who play really, really hard, some veterans with five or six years in the league that have put in their time and have been around playoff basketball. Any team when you have bad luck like that you're going to lose a lot of basketball games. The record indicates that obviously we are at the bottom, but we feel like we have a team that can really compete with anybody on any given night. That's the beauty of this game.''

''We have a good group of guys that want to be better and guys that haven't given in to losing. That can be easy when so many games come at you so fast, but we've had a mentality that any given night we can win a basketball game. We're going to continue to be like that.''

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA stuff

Thursday?s games

Embiid is out here. Miami lost six of its last eight games; they?re 4-2 vs spread in last six visits to Philly. Under is 10-5 in Miami?s last 15 games. 76ers won three of its last four games; they?re 4-5 vs spread in last nine home games. Six of last eight series games stayed under the total. Sixers won their last four games with Miami; Heat is 2-3 vs spread in their last five visits to Philly. Under is 5-3 in last eight series games.

Suns lost their last 15 games; they?re 1-5 vs spread in last six road games. Five of their last six games stayed under. Cleveland lost five of its last six games; they?re 2-3 as a favorite this year, 4-2 vs spread in last six home games. Three of their last four games went over. Phoenix lost its last seven games with the Cavaliers; they?re 0-3 vs spread in last three visits to Cleveland. Three of last four series games went over the total.

Portland lost three of its last five games; they?re 2-4 vs spread in last six road games. Over is 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Brooklyn lost five of its last seven games; they?re 1-4-1 vs spread in last six home games. Nets? last four games went over the total. Trailblazers won eight of their last ten games with the Nets; they?re 3-2 vs spread in their last five visits to Brooklyn. Five of last six series games went over.

Milwaukee won eight of its last nine games; they covered their last seven road games. Bucks? last three games stayed under. Boston won seven of its last nine games; they?re 4-5 vs spread in last nine home games. Three of their last four games went over. Home side won nine of last ten Celtic-Buck games; Boston is 2-2 vs spread in its last four trips to Milwaukee. Eight of last ten series games went over total.

Houston split its last eight games; they?re 2-6-1 vs spread in last nine road games. Under is 3-1-1 in their last five games. Lakers lost four of their last five games; they?re 3-4 vs spread in last seven games at Staples. Three of their last four games went over the total. Rockets won eight of last nine series games; over is 8-2 in last ten series games. Houston is 2-2 vs spread in last four series games played here.

Kings won six of their last seven games; they?re 3-8 vs spread in last 11 road games. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six games. Golden State won 16 of its last 18 games; they?re 2-3 vs spread in last five home games. Over is 10-6 in their last 16 games. Warriors won their last four games with Sacramento, but Kings covered six of last eight series games. Sacramento covered its last four visits to Oakland.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA's Top ATS Teams at the All-Star Break:

1. Bucks 34-20-3 ATS
2. Mavs 34-22-1 ATS
3. Kings 34-23 ATS
4. Thunder 33-24 ATS
5. Nets 33-26 ATS
6. Magic 32-26-1 ATS
7. Clippers 32-27 ATS
8. Blazers 31-26 ATS


NBA's Worst ATS Teams at the All-Star Break:

30. Knicks 24-33-1 ATS
29. Suns 25-34 ATS
28. Warriors 24-32-1 ATS
27. Hawks 25-33 ATS
26. Lakers 24-31-2 ATS
t25. Cavaliers 25-32-1 ATS
t25. Bulls 25-32-1 ATS


NBA's Top Over Teams at the All-Star Break:

t1. Spurs 36-22-1
t1. Wizards 36-22
3. Celtics 34-24
4. Rockets 32-24-1
5. Hawks 32-26
t6. Warrior 31-26
t6. Timberwolves 31-26
t8. Raptors 32-27
t8. Nets 32-27


NBA's Top Under Teams at the All-Star Break:

1. Grizzlies 36-23
2. Lakers 34-22-1
3. Pacers 34-24
4. Bulls 32-25-1
t5. Pistons 31-25
t5. Mavs 31-25-1
t7. Magic 32-27
t7. Suns 32-27


NBA's Top OVER Referees (based on Over %, min. 5 games):

1. Leroy Richardson 26-12
2. Michael Smith 25-13
3. Derek Richardson 23-12
4. Matt Boland 25-14
5. Karl Lane 28-17


NBA's Top UNDER Referees (based on Under %, min. 5 games):

1. Gediminas Petraitis 29-16
2. Derrick Collins 27-15
3. Brian Forte 28-17
4. Justin Van Duyne 23-13
5. Brandon Adair 23-13

 

[Cnotes53]

Denver's Jekyll & Hyde play and other NBA betting trends & analysis
Rohit Ponnaiya

The Denver Nuggets have been one of the best teams in the league ATS at home and one of the worst teams ATS on the road, and the play of center Nikola Jokic has reflected that.

With the NBA taking a break for the All-Star game now is the perfect time to look back on the first two-thirds of the regular season for betting trends and see who have been some of the best teams to back - and to fade - this season.

Top Over Teams

San Antonio 36-22-1
Washington 35-22-1
Boston 34-24

Surprising San Antonio has been the best Over play in the league despite an average offense and defense. It might have something to do with being the top defensive team in the league last year and regressing to the middle of the pack this season. The second-best Over bet this season? The Washington Wizards who allow the second most points per game in the league.

Top Under Teams

Memphis 36-22-1
L.A. Lakers 34-22-1
Indiana 34-24

Memphis and Indiana both combine good defenses with anemic offenses and then throw in a dash of extremely slow pace to be two of the best Under bets in the league. The Lakers are a bit more of a surprise. L.A. sits smack dab in the middle of the league in scoring offense and are in the bottom-ten of the NBA in terms of how many points they allow, they even play at one of the fastest paces in the league, yet they are also a good bet to hit the Under.

Best ATS Teams at home

Sacramento 21-8-1
Dallas 20-9
Denver 20-9

Yes Sacramento plays like kings when on their home court. Part of that success is their ability to win the games they are supposed to. The Kings have gone a very impressive 8-1 ATS as a home favorite.

Worst ATS Teams at home

Atlanta 8-18
New York 9-16-2
Chicago 11-18

The Hawks, Knicks and Bulls are three of the worst teams in the league and it doesn't get any better for them at home. If you're wondering if these teams can cover the spreads that are usually against them, the answer is usually no.

Best ATS teams on the road

Milwaukee 17-10-2
Brooklyn 18-11
Miami 18-11

Milwaukee's performance away from home is one of the reasons they currently have the best record in the league. The Nets and Heat might not be quite as good but they have also been road warriors for bettors.

Worst ATS teams on the Road

Washington 9-21
Houston 10-18
Denver 10-18

Interestingly the Nuggets are the third-best ATS team at home and the third-worst ATS team on the road. Part of the reason has been the play of Nikola Jokic who scores 2.6 fewer points, grabs 1.9 fewer rebounds and dishes out 1.3 less assists when playing away from Denver. Something to keep in mind when betting on his player props.

Best ATS Teams overall

Milwaukee 34-20-3
Dallas 35-22
Sacramento 34-22-1

No big surprises here with the best ATS team on the road and the two best ATS teams at home taking the top spots.

Be wary of backing Dallas for the remainder of the season though. The Mavs are 1-3 SU and ATS over their last four games and should have a much harder time winning games without DeAndre Jordan and Harrison Barnes who were both jettisoned at the trade deadline.

Worst ATS Teams overall

Phoenix 25-34
Golden State 24-32-1
Toronto 25-33-1

Now this might be a bit of a shocker. The two teams with the best odds to make the NBA Finals have the second and third-worst ATS records in the league. Suffice to say the oddsmakers might be setting the lines a bit too high for the Raptors and Warriors, making it difficult for them to cover the spread.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, February 21

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

MIAMI (26 - 30) at PHILADELPHIA (37 - 21) - 2/21/2019, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 7-17 ATS (-11.7 Units) after a win by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 130-101 ATS (+18.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 46-29 ATS (+14.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 29-17 ATS (+10.3 Units) in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) after a division game this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 58-39 ATS (+15.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 72-49 ATS (+18.1 Units) as an underdog over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 42-28 ATS (+11.2 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 150-114 ATS (+24.6 Units) in February games since 1996.
MIAMI is 33-18 ATS (+13.2 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MIAMI is 25-14 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 9-5 against the spread versus MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 9-5 straight up against MIAMI over the last 3 seasons
7 of 14 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

PHOENIX (11 - 48) at CLEVELAND (12 - 46) - 2/21/2019, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 25-34 ATS (-12.4 Units) in all games this season.
PHOENIX is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) after a division game this season.
PHOENIX is 13-25 ATS (-14.5 Units) after allowing 115 points or more this season.
PHOENIX is 19-28 ATS (-11.8 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
PHOENIX is 29-14 ATS (+13.6 Units) after allowing 130 points or more since 1996.
CLEVELAND is 66-93 ATS (-36.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 26-51 ATS (-30.1 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 29-51 ATS (-27.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 10-23 ATS (-15.3 Units) against Pacific division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 5-13 ATS (-9.3 Units) in non-conference games this season.
CLEVELAND is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) after scoring 115 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 10-24 ATS (-16.4 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 32-52 ATS (-25.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CLEVELAND is 3-1 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 4-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

PORTLAND (34 - 23) at BROOKLYN (30 - 29) - 2/21/2019, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 79-61 ATS (+11.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 44-28 ATS (+13.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
PORTLAND is 76-60 ATS (+10.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PORTLAND is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) after a win by 10 points or more this season.
PORTLAND is 32-16 ATS (+14.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PORTLAND is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

BOSTON (37 - 21) at MILWAUKEE (43 - 14) - 2/21/2019, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 34-21 ATS (+10.9 Units) in all games this season.
MILWAUKEE is 29-19 ATS (+8.1 Units) as a favorite this season.
MILWAUKEE is 26-16 ATS (+8.4 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
MILWAUKEE is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
BOSTON is 89-65 ATS (+17.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 145-111 ATS (+22.9 Units) in road games revenging a home loss vs opponent since 1996.
BOSTON is 34-19 ATS (+13.1 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 46-32 ATS (+10.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 57-43 ATS (+9.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 61-42 ATS (+14.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 420-488 ATS (-116.8 Units) in home games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 55-91 ATS (-45.1 Units) in home games in February games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 384-462 ATS (-124.2 Units) in the second half of the season since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 206-253 ATS (-72.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
BOSTON is 11-5 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
BOSTON is 9-7 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
11 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

HOUSTON (33 - 24) at LA LAKERS (28 - 29) - 2/21/2019, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) after allowing 115 points or more this season.
HOUSTON is 15-27 ATS (-14.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
LA LAKERS are 40-26 ATS (+11.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 107-70 ATS (+30.0 Units) in road games off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA LAKERS is 5-5 against the spread versus HOUSTON over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 8-2 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
8 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

SACRAMENTO (30 - 27) at GOLDEN STATE (41 - 16) - 2/21/2019, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 76-48 ATS (+23.2 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
SACRAMENTO is 34-23 ATS (+8.7 Units) in all games this season.
SACRAMENTO is 75-56 ATS (+13.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 25-15 ATS (+8.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 69-87 ATS (-26.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-46 ATS (-18.6 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 39-53 ATS (-19.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 18-27 ATS (-11.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SACRAMENTO is 8-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 8-3 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA

Thursday, February 21

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

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Phoenix's last 6 games
Phoenix is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Phoenix is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
Phoenix is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Phoenix's last 18 games when playing Cleveland
Phoenix is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Phoenix's last 9 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Cleveland is 4-21 SU in its last 25 games
Cleveland is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Cleveland is 2-12 SU in its last 14 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 13 of Cleveland's last 18 games at home
Cleveland is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Cleveland's last 18 games when playing Phoenix
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Phoenix
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Cleveland's last 9 games when playing at home against Phoenix

Miami Heat
Miami is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Miami's last 12 games
Miami is 15-7 ATS in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Miami's last 12 games on the road
Miami is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Miami is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Philadelphia
Miami is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Miami is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Philadelphia
Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia is 10-5 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 8 games
Philadelphia is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games at home
Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Miami
Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Miami
Philadelphia is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing at home against Miami
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Miami

Portland Trail Blazers
Portland is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games
Portland is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Portland's last 9 games
Portland is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Portland is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Portland's last 14 games on the road
Portland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Portland's last 6 games when playing Brooklyn
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Portland's last 5 games when playing on the road against Brooklyn
Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn is 10-5 ATS in its last 15 games
Brooklyn is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games
Brooklyn is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games at home
Brooklyn is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Brooklyn is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games at home
Brooklyn is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Portland
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Brooklyn's last 6 games when playing Portland
Brooklyn is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Portland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games when playing at home against Portland

Boston Celtics
Boston is 12-3 SU in its last 15 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 6 games
Boston is 2-5-1 ATS in its last 8 games on the road
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games on the road
Boston is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Boston's last 11 games when playing Milwaukee
Boston is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Milwaukee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Milwaukee's last 19 games
Milwaukee is 11-2 SU in its last 13 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games at home
Milwaukee is 3-9 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Boston
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Milwaukee's last 11 games when playing Boston
Milwaukee is 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 games when playing at home against Boston
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 7 games when playing at home against Boston

Houston Rockets
Houston is 4-10 ATS in its last 14 games
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Houston is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games on the road
Houston is 14-6 ATS in its last 20 games when playing LA Lakers
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
Houston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games when playing LA Lakers
Houston is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Houston is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing on the road against LA Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
LA Lakers is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Lakers's last 6 games
LA Lakers is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
LA Lakers is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Lakers's last 7 games at home
LA Lakers is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Houston
LA Lakers is 6-14 ATS in its last 20 games when playing Houston
LA Lakers is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Houston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Lakers's last 6 games when playing Houston
LA Lakers is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Houston
LA Lakers is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Houston

Sacramento Kings
Sacramento is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Sacramento is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 14 of Sacramento's last 18 games
Sacramento is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Sacramento is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Sacramento's last 8 games on the road
Sacramento is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
Sacramento is 3-20 SU in its last 23 games when playing Golden State
Sacramento is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Sacramento is 2-9 SU in its last 11 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Sacramento's last 9 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games
Golden State is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games
Golden State is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Golden State is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
Golden State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Sacramento
Golden State is 20-3 SU in its last 23 games when playing Sacramento
Golden State is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento
Golden State is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games when playing at home against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Golden State's last 9 games when playing at home against Sacramento

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, February 21


Miami @ Philadelphia

Game 501-502
February 21, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Miami
115.988
Philadelphia
121.080
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Philadelphia
by 5
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Philadelphia
by 7 1/2
218
Dunkel Pick:
Miami
(+7 1/2); Over

Phoenix @ Cleveland

Game 503-504
February 21, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
107.216
Cleveland
104.749
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Phoenix
by 2 1/2
224
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Cleveland
by 1
218
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix
(+1); Over

Portland @ Brooklyn

Game 505-506
February 21, 2019 @ 7:31 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Portland
124.398
Brooklyn
114.468
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Portland
by 10
235
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Portland
by 1
229 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Portland
(-1); Over

Boston @ Milwaukee

Game 507-508
February 21, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Boston
119.203
Milwaukee
127.933
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 8 1/2
223
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Milwaukee
by 5
228
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(-5); Under

Houston @ LA Lakers

Game 509-510
February 21, 2019 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Houston
122.629
LA Lakers
110.940
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 11 1/2
227
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 2
233
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-2); Under

Sacramento @ Golden State

Game 511-512
February 21, 2019 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Sacramento
112.569
Golden State
128.842
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 16 1/2
244
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 11 1/2
239
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-11 1/2); Over

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday's Essentials
Tony Mejia

Game of the Night - Houston (-2.5, 233) at L.A. Lakers, 10:35 ET, TNT

Rockets point guard Chris Paul says he ?forgot about? the incident with Rajon Rondo back on Oct. 20 that resulted in a skirmish. The new Lakers? floor general was ruled to have spit on Paul, whether by accident or intentionally, and ended up suspended for two games while Paul was shelved for one after both threw punches.

Three months later, Houston and L.A. will square off again at Staples Center as NBA action resumes after the All-Star break. The teams have seen one another twice at the Toyota Center since that early-season start, resulting in a pair of high-scoring Rockets? victories, only one of which came in a game LeBron James participated in. Rondo missed both games and Paul only played once, so Thursday night?s contest will certainly be a reunion.

Adding to the party will be the return of Rockets center Clint Capela, who will be back in the lineup for the first time since Jan. 13 after undergoing thumb surgery. James Harden, Paul and Capela, Houston?s ?Big Three,? will be on the court together for the first since Dec. 20. Considering Harden has made no secret that he?s grown weary of the hero-ball act that has helped keep the Rockets afloat while his most talented teammates have been on the mend, Capela?s return couldn?t come at a better time.

Although he shot just 4-for-13 and finished with only eight points in the All-Star Game, Harden?s run of 30-point games remains intact at 31 games, tying Wilt Chamberlain?s second-longest streak in league history. The NBA?s leading scorer (36.6 ppg), Harden has played through shoulder issues and some knee soreness, but has legitimately strapped the Rockets to his back in order to keep them in position for a top-four seed in the Western Conference. As action starts back up, Houston leads the Southwest Division by a game over the Spurs and is just one game back of the Trail Blazers for the No. 4 seed.

The Lakers are one game below .500 for the first time since Nov. 7, on the outside looking in as far as the West playoff race is concerned. L.A. is playing at Staples for the first time since facing off against their co-tenants, the Clippers, back on Jan. 31. The Grammy Awards displaced them for weeks, resulting in a 1-4 stretch that has closed with a demoralizing 117-113 loss in Atlanta on Feb. 12, adding the Southeast Division?s cellar dweller to a list of teams they?ve had no business losing to. If the Lakers ultimately miss the playoffs, you?ll be able to point to setbacks against the Hawks, Knicks, Cavs, Grizzlies and Wizards as to why. The Orlando Magic have swept them.

While the Lakers haven?t made the playoffs since 2013, James has reached the postseason 13 straight years, last missing out back in 2005, his second season as a pro. He says he?s already ?activated? playoff-level intensity, declaring himself about 90 percent despite lingering concern that the groin strain that resulted in the longest injury-related absence of his career isn?t fully healed.

?I fall in love with being uncomfortable. This is another uncomfortable thing for me and I love it,? James said on Wednesday. ?My level of intensity has to be (high), unfortunately for me because I don?t like to do it at such an early time. I?m a little bit different, but it?s been activated.?

After hosting Houston, the Lakers close February with a home-and-home against the Pelicans sandwiched around a trip to Memphis to face the depleted Grizzlies. All of those games are winnable, so it?s important L.A. hits the ground running considering March?s schedule looks far more daunting.

The Rockets have won all three meetings against the Lakers this season, averaging 129.3 points per game. Harden has averaged 44.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists, so he?ll be looking for another big night to help fuel a sweep that would be only their second over L.A. in franchise history (2015-16). Although Capela is back, Houston isn?t at full strength since trade deadline acquisition Iman Shumpert will miss this week?s action due to knee soreness.

L.A. point guard Lonzo Ball remains out with an ankle issue, but wing Josh Hart (knee) and newly acquired stretch-four Mike Muscala (ankle) will be available. Backup center Tyson Chandler is listed as questionable due to a stiff neck.

Expect James to be surrounded by Brandon Ingram, JaVale McGee, Rondo and another new acquisition, shooter Reggie Bullock, who the Lakers picked up from Detroit in exchange for rookie shooter Svi Mykhailiuk and a second-round pick.

All three meeting between these teams have resulted in games that have surpassed the posted total. The first number was the largest (238), while the most recent meetings have each seen the total close under 230, so tonight?s figure should be the second-highest involving these teams this season. The ?over? is 5-2-1 in Rockets? games since Jan. 29 and is 3-1 in Lakers? games. L.A. has seen at least 225 points scored in its games in 10 of its past 12, an indication the team?s defense has left much to be desired.

Houston visits Golden State on Saturday night and is in the midst of a stretch where it is playing six of eight away from home, closing with visits to Boston and Toronto. While Mike D?Antoni has his team largely back intact, they?re maybe an adjustment period in place since Paul and Capela will still be getting to know guys like Austin Rivers and Kenneth Faried, who were signed to help fill in while they were out. The Lakers are hoping a little rust can help their cause as they look to avoid their 30th loss of the season. L.A. is 1-5 SU and ATS as a home underdog, beating only Denver on Oct. 25.

Best of the Rest

Miami at Philadelphia, 7:05 p.m. ET: Sixers center Joel Embiid is dealing with knee soreness that is expected to keep him out for at least a week, so the Heat won?t have to deal with Philadelphia?s All-Star big man, its leading scorer and rebounder. Miami, tied for eighth in the Eastern Conference with Detroit and just a half-game back of Charlotte for the Southeast Division lead, may also have starting point guard Goran Dragic back in the mix as he looks to return from a knee injury that has limited him to seven games since November and has kept him out since Dec. 12. Athletic forward Derrick Jones, Jr. is also expected to return after practicing fully, so the Heat should be at full strength as they attempt to snap a four-game losing streak in Philadelphia. The ?under? has hit in six of the last eight 76ers games.

Portland at Brooklyn, 7:35 p.m. ET: Damian Lillard is legitimately questionable with a left ankle sprain, which means the Trail Blazers may be opening back up for business without their lone All-Star. Portland is opening up a seven-game stretch of road games and will have played just three of 16 games at Moda Center by the time March 16 rolls around. If Lillard can?t go, C.J. McCollum will become the primary ball handler and Evan Turner, Seth Curry and Rodney Hood will be in line for more minutes. The Blazers signed center Enes Kanter to backup Jusuf Nurkic and should have him debut tonight. The Nets remain without injured sixth man Spencer Dinwiddie (finger), but are otherwise back at full strength with wings Rodions Kurucs (elbow), Jared Dudley (hamstring) and Treveon Graham (personal) all available for minutes. Emerging standout Caris LeVert and shooter Allen Crabbe are back in the mix. The ?over? has connected in nine of 12 involving Portland and in four straight Nets? games. Portland has won eight of 10 over Brooklyn but the teams haven't played since Nov. 2017.

Boston at Milwaukee, 8:05 p.m. ET: Giannis Antetokounmpo was headed to his first All-Star Game MVP trophy before his team collapsed, but he?s still an MVP frontrunner driving the team with the NBA?s top record. Although he appeared on the injury report with knee soreness, the ?Greek Freak? will be out there for this Eastern Conference showdown. Kyrie Irving, who has been in and out of the lineup with his own knee issues, will also play and start, while backup Terry Rozier (illness) will be in the mix as well. The Bucks have won eight of nine and 14 of 16 overall, while the Celtics are 12-3 over their last 15. Gordon Hayward sprained his ankle during a Tuesday workout and is considered ?day to day,? while rookie center Robert Williams may be back in the lineup. Nikola Mirotic, acquired from the Pelicans at the trade deadline, is expected to make his team debut after healing from a calf injury. This will be the only meeting of the season between the teams in Milwaukee, so the Celtics will be playing at Fiserv Forum for the first time. The teams split game on Nov. 1 and Dec. 21, with the Bucks winning the most recent meeting 120-107. Both games have gone ?over.?

Sacramento at Golden State, 10:35 p.m. ET:The Warriors will be extending DeMarcus Cousins? minutes, so we?re going to get a clearer indication of what to expect from their new-look group over the next few months. Cousins will be facing his former team for the first time, squaring off with ex-teammates Willie Cauley-Stein and Kosta Koufos. The Kings have a winning record, ranking ninth in the Western Conference as they look to make the playoffs for the first time since ?06, having struggled throughout the Cousins? era. Golden State leads the West again, so this could be a potential preview of a first-round series. The Dubs have won the first three meetings between the teams, although Sacramento has covered each time. The Kings have lost by one point, five points and four points and actually swept last season?s meetings in Oakland, so they?ve played the defending champs tough of late. Former Warrior Harrison Barnes has been handed a major role upon his arrival from Dallas, while Sacramento also picked up guard Alec Burks and veteran defensive wing Corey Brewer, so this should be a fun, wide open affair. Golden State is looking to avoid consecutive losses for the first time in 2019. The ?under? is on a 14-2-1 run in Kings games.

 

[Cnotes53]

Hoop Trends - Thursday
February 21, 2019
By Vince Akins

ATS Play ON Trend of the Day:

-- The 76ers are 14-0 ATS (+8.25 ppg) as a home favorite with more than one day of rest off a win as a favorite when they are facing an opponent with an assist-to-turnover ratio greater than 1.50.

ATS Play AGAINST Trend of the Day:

-- The Rockets are 0-11 ATS (-8.27 ppg) on the road when the line is within three of pick with rest and they are facing a team that is averaging more than 30 points per game from threes.

OU Play OVER Trend of the Day:

-- The Suns are 13-0 OU (+14.69 ppg) with more than two days of rest after a game in which they allowed 50-plus points in the paint.

OU Play UNDER Trend of the Day:

-- The Heat are 0-19 OU (-12.26 ppg) as a road dog with rest off a win as a dog when they are facing a team that is getting less than 25 percent of their rebounds on the offensive end.

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday's Top Wager
February 21, 2019
By Bookmaker

by Kyle Markus

NBA Game Preview - Boston Celtics at Milwaukee

The Boston Celtics have not been as successful as expected this season, but the oddsmakers are still high on their ability to win the title. Boston has the third-best odds to hoist the trophy coming out of the All-Star Break. The Golden State Warriors are the heavy favorites, of course, and the Celtics will face off against the team with the second-best odds in their first game after the All-Star Break.

Boston will be on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks, who currently boast the best record in the NBA. These two teams, the Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers are the clear top teams in the East. Any of them has the ability to make the NBA Finals, but it won?t be easy for Boston if it finishes as a middle seed and fails to get home court advantage after the first round.

The Celtics would love to pull closer to Milwaukee and kickstart a nice run down the stretch, but it certainly won?t be easy. The Bucks will be favored to win this game in NBA betting lines.

This NBA basketball game between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks will be held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 21st, 2019. The game will be nationally televised on TNT.

We'll have NBA basketball odds at BookMaker.eu available for every game of the 2019 NBA season.

Odds Analysis

The Celtics have a record of 37-21 on the year, which is pretty good, but not quite at the level of the team expected to win the East heading into the season. Boston has won two in a row and seven of its past 10. The Celtics have the second-best point-differential in the conference behind Milwaukee, which could bode well moving forward. Boston is 14-13 on the road this season.

The Bucks are 43-14, which is a game ahead of the Raptors for the top mark in the league. Milwaukee has won eight of its past 10 games and continues to play extremely well. The Bucks are 23-5 at home this season, so it is easy to see why they will be the team to beat in this matchup.

Injury Report

Celtics forward Gordon Hayward sprained his ankle in a recent workout, putting into question his availability for this game. It is the latest blow in a frustrating tenure for Hayward with the Celtics. The former Jazz star was signed to a big money deal in free agency last year but missed nearly the entire year due to injury.

He returned this season but has not been the same dominant player, averaging 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Hayward is shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 33.7 percent from three-point range.

The Celtics have a lot of depth but they hope to have Hayward in this matchup.

Player To Watch

Giannis Antetokounmpo -- The Bucks have made the jump to elite due to the standout play of the Greek Freak. Antetokounmpo is having an unbelievable year, averaging 27.2 points, 12.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.4 blocks per game.

Antetokounmpo is a handful for any team to stop. While the Celtics have a solid defensive squad, it will be hard to contain him in this game. Milwaukee has some other talented starters but Antetokounmpo?s leap to superstardom has been the catalyst to turning this team into a contender.

Free NBA ATS Picks

The Bucks are great at home but the Celtics have an equally impressive team. Boston is young in some areas but the level of intensity should shoot up down the stretch. Look for the Celtics to make a statement by hanging in this one from start to finish.

Milwaukee is likely to sneak out a win but Boston is the easy choice to cover the spread in NBA gambling.

NBA ATS Pick: Milwaukee Bucks 115, Boston Celtics 112

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday's Top Action
February 21, 2019
By BetDSI

by Tom Wilkinson

Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

The NBA gets back into action on Thursday with six games, including the Houston Rockets visiting the Los Angeles Lakers in a game that can be seen on TNT. The Rockets feature James Harden who has scored 30 points or more in 31 straight games, while the Lakers have LeBron James. The Rockets are in 5th place in the Western Conference, while the Lakers are in 10th place and three games out of a playoff spot. Let?s look at the game on Thursday and NBA picks.

Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
Date and Time: Thursday, February 21, 2019, 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
NBA Odds at BetDSI: Rockets -3, O/U 232.5
Rockets vs. Lakers TV Coverage: TNT

The Rockets are going to get a big boost to their lineup on Thursday, as center Clint Capela will return from injury. He has missed the last 15 games because of a thumb injury, but he is ready to return. He is averaging 17.6 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, so his return is a big deal for Houston. It should be noted that the Rockets are 15-8 this season with Capela, Chris Paul and James Harden in the lineup. "I just know we're pretty good," coach Mike D'Antoni said to the media, "We've got to get three guys integrated a little bit and get Clint back, and then we'll see what we've got."

The Rockets have not been a good team to bet on the road, as they are 10-18 ATS, with 14 games going over and 14 going under the total. They are averaging 113.1 points per game and giving up 111.1 per contest.

The Lakers have lost two straight and 7 of their last 10 and there are serious questions as to whether the team is actually going to make the playoffs. The Lakers are just 16-12 at home straight up and 10-16-2 ATS. They have been a very good team to bet under the total at home, with 20 games going under, just seven going over, with one push. Los Angeles is averaging 112.2 points per game and giving up just over 113 per contest.

Key Stats

These teams met about a month ago and it was the Rockets winning 138-134, as Harden scored 48 points. The Rockets are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings in Los Angeles. The Rockets are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 vs. the Pacific. The Rockets are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 road games. The Rockets are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games playing with three days or more of rest. The Lakers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.

Looking at the total, the Over is 5-1 in the Rockets last 6 vs. the Pacific. The Under is 6-2 in the Rockets last 8 games playing with three days or more of rest. The Over is 35-15-2 in the Lakers last 52 games playing with three days or more of rest. The Under is 34-16-1 in the Lakers last 51 home games. The Over is 23-9 in the last 32 meetings in this series.

Rockets vs. Lakers Free Picks

It is always tricky betting the first couple of games after the All-Star break. The Rockets should be improved now that Capela is back in the lineup, but I really don?t know what to expect from the Lakers. Most people believe that the Lakers will make a run and get into the playoffs, but the clock is ticking. The Rockets are slight road favorites in this contest and that makes sense, as they are the better team.

I lean a little bit to Houston in this game, but I think the better option is the total. The Lakers have been an excellent bet to go under the total when they are at home and there is no question that the public will be expecting a high scoring game. I will go against the public and take this game to go under the total at BetDSI.

Rockets vs. Lakers ATS Pick: Under 232.5
Rockets vs. Lakers Score Prediction: Rockets 110, Lakers 107

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday's Best Bet
February 21, 2019
By BetDSI

Thursday NBA Betting Preview
Miami vs. Philadelphia

The NBA is back after a week off for the All-Star break, and as the national double-header with the big name teams (Boston, Milwaukee, Houston, LA Lakers) aim to take as much of the spotlight for themselves this evening, there are still four other games on the betting card.

One of those is an Eastern Conference showdown between Miami and Philadelphia, as both teams look to improve on their playoff positioning ? in Miami's case, get into a playoff spot as they are currently tied for 8th. But the big news here is that Philadelphia All-Star Joel Embiid will be in street clothes as he's been shut down for a few weeks to rest an ailing knee.

An absence for a guy like Embiid is always going to have the market take notice, but it's not like the Sixers haven't found success before without him on the floor, and they've still got the likes of Ben Simmons and Jimmy Butler (among others) to rely on to get the job done. Will that be the case tonight, or will a refreshed Heat team begin their post-All Star break playoff push with an upset win this evening.

BetDSI.eu Odds: Philadelphia (-5.5); Total set at 219

Without question, not having Embiid on the floor is a loss for the Sixers, and while his presence inside will be missed against someone like Hassan Whiteside for Miami, Philadelphia should be fine overall. It's a solid long-term approach to give a guy like Embiid who's battled injuries a lot already in his young career a few more days of rest, especially when outside of possibly two games, the Sixers will still open as the betting favorites for their next handful of games.

But this is all about covering the spread or not for Philly and as is typically the case when a big name is going to be in street clothes, action has already come in on Miami. After all, it's the Heat who currently sit on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, and with only about 25 games remaining in their season, the time is now for them to make a push and take advantage of a team like Philly missing one of their superstars.

Yet, for the Heat ? who are also just a half-game out of 1st in their division ? it's tough to really consider this a good spot at all for them. Obviously the time off brings its own set of concerns for every team, but Miami went into the break on after a five-game western road swing and conclude that road trip tonight in Philly. That's a lot of travel, even with the break, and after spending about a week relaxing with family and friends, it's got to be hard to want to get on that plane yet again, for what is essentially a one-game road trip out of the break.

Not to mention, on paper, even without Embiid, Philly comes into this game with arguably a big talent edge at basically every position, as Simmons, Butler, Tobias Harris, and Reddick are a solid starting four regardless. It's hard to argue against the notion that their isn't value in the Sixers at this price now given an already short number because of Embiid's absence getting shorter, and the favorite is on a 5-2-1 ATS run the last eight times these two have met.

It's not unheard of in NBA betting theories either to bet on the team missing their superstar in spots like this, as they do tend to hit more often than not. It's a combination of a good team getting a short (or inflated as underdogs) number, out there looking to prove they are just as capable without Player X.

With the Sixers having covered three of their last four overall, and having their last two wins come by at least 15 points, I think we see this Philly team be the ones to take advantage of a road weary Miami squad that just doesn't have enough talent to keep this one within the spread.

Odds per - BetDSI.eu

Best Bet: Philadelphia -5.5

 

[Cnotes53]

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

MIA at PHI 07:00 PM
MIA +5.5
U 219.0

PHO at CLE 07:00 PM
CLE -1.0
O 221.0

POR at BK 07:30 PM
BK +2.5
O 231.0

BOS at MIL 08:00 PM
BOS +5.5
O 228.0

HOU at LAL 10:30 PM
LAL +3.0
O 232.5

SAC at GS 10:30 PM
SAC +12.5
U 238.5

 

[Cnotes53]

76ers overcome Embiid's absence to top Heat 106-102
February 21, 2019
By The Associated Press

MILWAUKEE (AP) Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 12 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Khris Middleton hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks held off the Boston Celtics 98-97 on Thursday night.

On the second-to-last position, Marcus Smart forced a jump ball with Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo tipped the jump to Brook Lopez, who deflected it toward the basket, but missed as the shot clock expired.

The referees huddled during the timeout and put 3.5 seconds on the clock for the Celtics.

Smart inbounded the ball over the towering Lopez and dropped a pass into Kyrie Irving's hands at the top of the key. With Eric Bledsoe draped all over him, Irving drove the lane, seemed to stumble and missed an awkward shot as time expired. The Bucks won the season series 2-1, their first over the Celtics since 2014-15.

Antetokounmpo added 13 rebounds, Middleton had 15 points and a season-high 13 rebounds, and Malcolm Brogdon had 15 points for the Bucks. They have won 15 of the last 17 games, including nine of the last 10, to improve to 44-14. Horford added 21 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for Boston.

LAKERS 111, ROCKETS 106

LOS ANGELES (AP) - LeBron James scored 29 points, Brandon Ingram added 27 and the Lakers rallied from a 19-point deficit midway through the third quarter to defeat the Rockets.

The Lakers trailed most of the game and were down 95-88 with 7:49 remaining when they went on a 17-4 run over a six-minute span. James, who scored eight points during the run, gave Los Angeles a 99-97 lead with 4:15 remaining. They would lead by as many as eight in the final minute.

It is Los Angeles' sixth comeback victory this season when trailing by 15 or more at any point.

James Harden led Houston with 30 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists before fouling out with 1:24 remaining. It is his 32nd consecutive game where he has scored 30 or more points, overtaking Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest streak in NBA history. Chamberlain also holds the record at 65 games.

WARRIORS 125, KINGS 123

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Stephen Curry scored 36 points, hitting 10 3-pointers, and the Warriors survived a hectic finish to beat the Kings.

Kevin Durant added 28 points, nine rebounds and tied his career-high with seven blocks. DeMarcus Cousins had 17 points and 10 rebounds in his first game against his former team since signing with the Warriors this past offseason.

The Warriors led most of the fourth quarter behind Curry's 11 points. The two-time MVP shot 12 of 23 overall and was 10 of 16 beyond the arc.

Golden State still had to hold on to avoid back-to-back losses.

Sacramento trailed 123-117 with 25.5 seconds remaining but closed within 125-123 following back-to-back 3s by Buddy Hield.

After Andre Iguodala missed a pair of free throws, the Kings had a chance to tie but Hield shot an airball as time expired.

Marvin Bagley III had 28 points and 14 rebounds for the Kings.

76ERS 106, HEAT 102

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Tobias Harris had 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, JJ Redick hit a late 3-pointer and Philadelphia overcame All-Star center Joel Embiid's absence to beat Miami.

Ben Simmons added 21 points, Boban Marjanovic had 19 - including three free throws in the final 1 1/2 minutes - and Jimmy Butler 18. Embiid will be out at least a week with a sore left knee.

Dwyane Wade scored 19 points for Miami, and Dion Waiters added 18.

Miami led 99-98 after Wade's runner with 1:56 left. Marjanovic made two free throws to put Philadelphia ahead 100-99. Following Wade's missed jumper, Redick made the 3 from the top of the key to make it 103-99 with 1:04 left.

Kelly Olynyk then missed a 3-point attempt, and Marjanovic made the first of two free throws with 38.3 ticks left to put Philadelphia up five.

CAVALIERS 111, SUNS 98

CLEVELAND (AP) - Cedi Osman scored 19 points, Kevin Love had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Cleveland sent Phoenix to its franchise-record 16th straight loss.

NBA-worst Phoenix (11-49) topped the record of 15 set March 2- April 1, 2018. The Suns' last victory was Jan. 12 over Denver.

Love played 22 minutes in his third game since returning from foot surgery. He was 6 of 13 from the field.

Devin Booker scored 30 points for Phoenix, and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 23.

TRAIL BLAZERS 113, NETS 99

NEW YORK (AP) - Jusuf Nurkic had 27 points and 12 rebounds, new backup Enes Kanter added 18 points and nine boards in his Portland debut, and the Trail Blazers beat Brooklyn.

The center tandem was so good that the Trail Blazers didn't even need a big night from All-Star guard Damian Lillard, who was just 5 for 21 from the field. He finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Kanter, who signed last week with the Blazers after losing his job with the Knicks, made his first seven shots and finished 8 for 9, missing only a 3-pointer.

Allen Crabbe had 17 points for the Nets.