Cnotes53 2017 NBA Best Bets-Trends-News Thru Playoffs !

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, January 24

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

CHICAGO (18 - 29) at PHILADELPHIA (22 - 21) - 1/24/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 73-51 ATS (+16.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 37-23 ATS (+11.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 17-5 ATS (+11.5 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 34-16 ATS (+16.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 53-36 ATS (+13.4 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 28-16 ATS (+10.4 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 23-14 ATS (+7.6 Units) as an underdog this season.
CHICAGO is 89-52 ATS (+31.8 Units) in road games in January games since 1996.
CHICAGO is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 7-2 against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 8-1 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW ORLEANS (25 - 21) at CHARLOTTE (19 - 26) - 1/24/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW ORLEANS is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) against Southeast division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
NEW ORLEANS is 71-43 ATS (+23.7 Units) in road games in January games since 1996.
CHARLOTTE is 53-67 ATS (-20.7 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 48-79 ATS (-38.9 Units) against Southwest division opponents since 1996.

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

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

UTAH (19 - 28) at DETROIT (22 - 23) - 1/24/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 52-77 ATS (-32.7 Units) in road games in January games since 1996.
DETROIT is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in non-conference games this season.
DETROIT is 15-5 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games off a upset loss as a favorite over the last 3 seasons.

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

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

PHOENIX (17 - 30) at INDIANA (25 - 22) - 1/24/2018, 7:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

TORONTO (31 - 14) at ATLANTA (14 - 32) - 1/24/2018, 7:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

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

SAN ANTONIO (31 - 18) at MEMPHIS (17 - 29) - 1/24/2018, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 11-8 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 16-4 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
10 of 20 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

HOUSTON (33 - 12) at DALLAS (16 - 31) - 1/24/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 399-324 ATS (+42.6 Units) as an underdog since 1996.
DALLAS is 250-200 ATS (+30.0 Units) vs. division opponents since 1996.
DALLAS is 19-9 ATS (+9.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
HOUSTON is 40-26 ATS (+11.4 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 48-30 ATS (+15.0 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 114-84 ATS (+21.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.
HOUSTON is 21-10 ATS (+10.0 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 6-3 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 7-2 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

MINNESOTA (31 - 18) at PORTLAND (25 - 22) - 1/24/2018, 10:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PORTLAND is 7-3 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
PORTLAND is 6-4 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

BOSTON (34 - 14) at LA CLIPPERS (23 - 23) - 1/24/2018, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 3-1 against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 2-2 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday's Best Bet
January 24, 2018

Wednesday NBA Best Bet
Phoenix Suns vs Indiana Pacers

The Phoenix Suns are still one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, but in terms of their numbers ATS they are in the middle of the pack. At 23-22-2 ATS, the Suns haven't treated NBA bettors all that poorly this year and they enter tonight's game in Indiana on a three-game winning streak against the number.

Phoenix is just 1-2 SU in those games and wrap up a four-game trip with tonight's contest, but can they cash another ticket for bettors, or will Indiana and their 26-21 ATS mark get bettors to the payout window once again?

Indiana (-7.5); Total set at 216.5

This is the second time in 10 days that these two will meet after Indiana went to Phoenix and came away with a 120-97 victory. The Pacers were laying just 3.5 points that day as they jumped out to a 14-point lead after the first frame, scored 30+ in each of the first three quarters, and were able to put cruise control on for the entirety of the fourth. Losses like that tend to stick in the memory bank of professional athletes, and with the return match being so soon, there is no chance that Phoenix has forgotten about that defeat.

The good news for those looking to take the points with the Suns tonight is the fact they've responded as a team every since that loss, covering the number in the three games since and giving themselves an opportunity to win SU each time. This Phoenix team knows they aren't the most talented and that they aren't expected to win often this year, but that doesn't prevent them from growing/improving as the season goes on, and that embarrassing loss at the hands of the Pacers definitely sparked some growth for this team.

For Indiana, the offense has dried up a bit since that victory, as they came out and scored 109 in beating Utah the next time out, but since that victory, the Pacers have scored 86, 86, and 94 points respectively. That's some brutal offensive performances for a team that averages 106.2 per game and they'll need to fix those recent offensive problems tonight against a Suns team that loves to play fast. Thankfully for Pacers backers is that they've recently seen their team light up this sub-par Phoenix defense and facing them again might be the perfect medicine to cure Indiana's scoring woes.

Cases can be made for either side on the point spread, and gun to my head I think I'd lean with the Suns and all those points. They know how bad that loss to Indiana looked last time and the last thing the Suns want tonight is to get blown out of the building again. But Phoenix +7.5 isn't my favorite betting option in this game as this total of 216.5 isn't getting the respect I believe it should.

Currently, VegasInsider.com's betting percentage numbers have this total at an 80/20 split in favor of the low side of things and given Indiana's struggles offensively of late, you can understand that line of thought. Phoenix can be a tough team to trust offensively at times as well, but they do average more points scored (106.4) on the road then they do overall (105.4). Throw in Indiana's six straight 'unders' against the number and the fact that their last three games haven't had more than 186 points scored in them and you can see why this total looks quite lofty to the majority.

However, like I touched on earlier, facing this inept Suns defense is just what this Pacers team needs to see at the moment. Indiana and their normal rotations scored 30+ in each of the first three quarters of that previous game with Phoenix, and had the game been closer, we may have seen 240+ points in that one. I do expect the Suns to put up a much better effort on the whole this evening, pushing Indiana for the full 48 minutes, and if indeed that does happen, getting to 240+ tonight might not be out of the question. After all, even in a blowout contest ? blowouts tend to be better for 'unders' with extended garbage time late ? we still saw 217 points scored 10 days ago and that would be good enough for an 'over' here.

So with the Pacers being 5-1 O/U in their first game back at home after being on the road for a week, and this Suns defense being the perfect ailment for their offensive woes, look for this game to be a track meet from the start with the team that can knock down more shots late getting the ATS victory.


Best Bet: Over 216.5

 

[Cnotes53]

Wednesday's Tip Sheet
January 24, 2018

Game of the Night: Wolves at Blazers ? 10:05 PM EST

Minnesota (31-18 SU, 24-23-2 ATS) picked up its third victory over the Clippers on Monday night, 126-118 to not only cash as 2 ?-point underdogs, but improve to 24-7 against Western Conference foes. Jimmy Butler sat out for the second straight game with soreness in his knee as the guard?s status is questionable for tonight. The Wolves snapped a four-game road skid on Monday thanks to a 40-point effort from Andrew Wiggins and a season-high 30-point output from Jeff Teague.

The Blazers (25-22 SU, 21-21-5 ATS) return home following Monday?s 104-101 setback at Denver to snap a three-game winning streak. Portland shot 8-of-25 from three-point range, while guard C.J. McCollum struggled from the floor by shooting 3-of-14 and finished with 12 points. The Blazers managed a push as three-point underdogs, but suffered their fourth consecutive road defeat. However, Terry Stotts? team is excelling at Moda Center of late by winning six straight home games, including victories over Philadelphia, Indiana, and San Antonio.

The Wolves have captured the first two meetings this season with the Blazers at Target Center, as Minnesota routed Portland 10 days ago, 120-103 as six-point favorites. Minnesota has dropped three of the past four visits to Portland, including a pair of defeats last season as a road underdog. Following a 3-1 mark to the UNDER in their four matchups last season, each of the first two meetings this season have eclipsed the OVER.

L.A. Story ? Take Two

The Celtics (34-14 SU, 27-19-2 ATS) remain in Los Angeles for the second straight night after slipping up against the Lakers on Tuesday, 108-107 to drop their fourth game in a row. Boston led by eight at halftime before getting outscored in the second half, 63-54, as Kyrie Irving paced the Celtics with 33 points. The C?s hadn?t lost three straight prior to Sunday?s home setback to the Magic, but the four consecutive losses are a season-high, while Brad Stevens? club owns a 1-5 ATS mark the last six contests.

Exit the purple and gold court and enter the red and blue court of the Clippers (23-23 SU, 25-20-1 ATS), as L.A. tries to end a two-game skid following defeats to Utah and Minnesota. In those two setbacks, the Clips allowed 125 and 126 points, as center DeAndre Jordan is expected to be out once again with a sprained ankle. Since starting the season 0-3 at home against the Eastern Conference, the Clippers have won four consecutive games when facing Eastern foes at Staples Center, while L.A. is 5-0 in the past five home matchups with Boston.

Texas Tussle

Following a sweep of its three-game homestand, Houston (33-12 SU, 22-22-1 ATS) makes the short trip to Dallas to begin a mini two-game road swing. The Rockets failed to cover as 11-point favorites in Monday?s 99-90 victory over the Heat, but Houston knocked off three first-place teams in this stretch by beating Minnesota, Golden State, and Miami. Houston has racked up five consecutive UNDERS, while holding three of those opponents to 98 points or fewer.

The Mavericks (16-31 SU, 24-22-1 ATS) dismantled the Wizards for the second time this season on Monday in a 98-75 blowout as short home underdogs. Dallas owns a remarkable 15-2-1 ATS record in its last 18 opportunities in the ?dog role since late November, including five consecutive covers as a home underdog. The Mavs will be looking to turn around their luck against the Rockets after dropping their last five matchups since the start of last season, including a 107-91 setback at Toyota Center as 11 ?-point ?dogs in October.

More from the Southwest

The Spurs (31-18 SU, 26-21-2 ATS) bounced back from Sunday?s ugly home loss to the Pacers by burying the Cavaliers on Tuesday, 114-102 as 2 ?-point ?dogs. Gregg Popovich?s team has lost six consecutive games off a win as they travel to Memphis with no rest, as the Spurs own a 3-6 record the last nine contests away from AT&T Center. San Antonio and Memphis have amazingly hooked up 20 times since the start of the 2015-16 season as the two division rivals met in the playoffs the last two seasons. In this span, the Spurs have compiled a 16-4 record, including two victories this season.

The Grizzlies (17-29 SU, 20-24-2 ATS) have played better recently by winning five of their last seven games, including rallying past the 76ers on Monday, 105-101 as three-point underdogs. Memphis has covered five consecutive games and 10 of the past 12 contests, while pulling off five straight victories at FedEx Forum. The Grizzlies had problems scoring earlier in the season, but are currently on a 4-1 OVER run thanks to topping the 104-point mark in each of the previous five contests.

Returning Home

Following a 3-2 west coast swing, the Pacers (25-22 SU, 26-21 ATS) come back to the Hoosier State to host the Suns. Indiana dominated Phoenix to begin the road trip on January 14 as 3 ?-point favorites, 120-97, while limiting all five opponents to less than 100 points. The Pacers are riding a six-game UNDER streak, as Indiana tries to pick up its fourth home victory in its past five tries.

The Suns (17-30 SU, 23-22-2 ATS) finish off their four-game road trip after falling short at Milwaukee on Monday, 109-105. In spite of the defeat, Phoenix managed its third cover on the swing in spite of losing four of its past five away from the desert. Similar to Indiana, Phoenix is on a solid UNDER run by cashing in seven of the last nine, in spite of allowing at least 100 points in 11 straight games.

Chicago Cash

The Bulls (18-29 SU, 29-17-1 ATS) have turned into a terrific team to back over the last six weeks by compiling a 20-5 ATS mark. The latest cover came in Monday?s double-overtime setback at New Orleans as 6 ?-point ?dogs, as Chicago blew a 17-point lead with five minutes remaining in regulation. The Bulls are currently on a six-game ATS hot streak as they travel to Philadelphia tonight.

The 76ers (22-21 SU, 24-18-1 ATS) saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt in Monday?s meltdown at Memphis following victories over Toronto, Boston, and Milwaukee. Since a 1-6 ATS run in December, Philadelphia has cashed in seven of the past nine games, while riding a four-game winning streak at Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers look to avenge a 117-115 defeat at Chicago in mid-December as leading scorer Joel Embiid sat out; Philadelphia owns a 2-7 record when the former Kansas standout doesn?t play, but is 20-14 with him in the lineup.

Fast Break

-- The Pelicans have won five of their last six games as New Orleans makes a quick trip to Charlotte. Three of those victories came in overtime, while the lone loss came by one point in Atlanta. The Hornets are riding a 3-1 run following a close victory over the Kings on Monday, while looking to avenge a pair of overtime losses to the Pelicans from last season.

-- Utah fell to 5-19 on the road after dropping a 14-point decision at Atlanta on Monday. The Jazz remain on the highway with a trip to Detroit to face the struggling Pistons. Detroit has lost five consecutive games, including three at Little Caesars Arena. Utah swept Detroit last season as the Pistons scored 77 and 83 points in the two defeats.

-- Toronto seeks its third victory over Atlanta this season as the two Eastern foes meet at Philips Arena. The Raptors have failed to cover in four straight games coming off Saturday?s loss at Minnesota, while compiling an 0-6 ATS mark in its last six opportunities as a favorite. Atlanta has fared well in the home underdog role of late by winning and covering six straight since December 23 at Philips.

 

[Cnotes53]

Warriors enjoy smooth sailing in NBA
January 24, 2018

Coaches get fired. Players get fired up.

A lot happens over the course of the NBA season. In this wacky week, it came in one day.

The Cavaliers lost more games and apparently some patience with Kevin Love, and Jason Kidd lost his job in Milwaukee. Not even the stoic Spurs were immune on the manic Monday, with ESPN reporting there were differences between Kawhi Leonard and the team due to frustration in his recovery from a quadriceps injury.

In a time of turbulence around the NBA, the only smooth sailing, it seems, remains by the Bay Area.

The Golden State Warriors seem to be drama free, in part because of lessons Steve Kerr learned while playing for Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson. They understood that losing games didn't mean having to lose control, and their championship teams weathered whatever storms popped up quickly and quietly.

''Wonderful balance of this is our job and we should be passionate about it, we should work our tails off every day and we should be competitive and want to win and get after it, but if we don't, it's OK,'' Kerr said of those coaches. ''It's not the end of the world. You've got other things going on in your lives.''

Teams are beyond the midway point of their seasons, when they want to be building championship habits. But the only thing the Cavs are creating is more chaos.

They followed their blowout loss to Oklahoma City on Saturday with a team meeting Monday in which fingers were reportedly pointed at Love, who missed practice Sunday because of an illness.

''I'm numb to it at this point,'' he said Tuesday in San Antonio, hours before another loss. ''We've been to three straight Finals. We've been able to thrive under a certain amount of chaos at some points.''

The Warriors just avoid it.

---

MILESTONE MOMENTS

LeBron James reached a major milestone Tuesday and now two of his close friends are approaching others.

Carmelo Anthony needs 30 points to become the 21st player in NBA history to reach 25,000. He has three games remaining this week, starting when Oklahoma City hosts Washington on Thursday.

With 10 more points, Dwyane Wade will move ahead of Hall of Famer Larry Bird (21,791 points) for 32nd place on the career scoring list. His Cleveland Cavaliers have games remaining this week against Indiana on Friday and Detroit on Sunday.

James became the youngest player with 30,000 points and just the seventh ever during Tuesday's loss in San Antonio, when Wade had 12 points off the bench.

''It was an HONOR to not only be in the building for this moment-but to be on the court as your teammate,'' Wade wrote in an Instagram post featuring a picture of himself congratulating James . ''In the midst of this darkness that we're experiencing as a team-THANK YOU for this light!!!''

James, Anthony and Wade were all taken among the top five picks in the 2003 NBA draft.

---

COMING THIS WEEK

Minnesota at Portland, Wednesday. There could be a celebratory feel in the Moda Center after Damian Lillard was selected for the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

Washington at Oklahoma City, Thursday. Scott Brooks brings his current team back to face his old one in a matchup of the fifth-place team in each conference.

Minnesota at Golden State, Thursday. Half the Western Conference All-Stars in one game, with four Warriors and Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns from the Timberwolves.

Boston at Golden State, Saturday. The current No. 1 seeds meet in a nationally televised showdown.

Philadelphia at Oklahoma City, Sunday. Rematch of perhaps the game of the season in the NBA, the Thunder's 119-117, triple-overtime victory on Dec. 15.

---

STAT LINE OF THE WEEK: DeMarcus Cousins, New Orleans. With 44 points, 24 rebounds and 10 assists Monday in a double-overtime victory over Chicago, the All-Star center became the first NBA player since Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1972 to have as many as 40 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

 

[Cnotes53]

AP NBA writers pick All-Star rosters
January 24, 2018

LeBron, Stephen, you have some big decisions to make.

We're here to help.

Just like in fantasy sports, where you know most people are relying on a mock draft they found online or in some magazine anyway, AP Basketball Writers Brian Mahoney and Tim Reynolds have drafted the teams for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game - in case captains LeBron James and Stephen Curry needed a bit of guidance on how to put together their rosters for the Feb. 18 game in Los Angeles.

Mahoney won a coin toss and goes first, where he drafts as if he were picking Team LeBron; Reynolds drafted as if he were picking Team Stephen. And since the NBA isn't planning to make the draft details public, this might be as close as you get to the real thing anyway.

---

STARTER ROUND

First Pick

Mahoney: Giannis Antetokounmpo.

He's a dominant athlete who wants to dunk on everyone and is too young and hungry to know you're not supposed to go all out in the All-Star Game.

Reynolds: Kevin Durant.

Because he's Kevin Durant and I know if he doesn't go here he'll be very annoyed.

---

Second Pick

Mahoney: Anthony Davis.

I'm not passing on a guy who scored a record 52 points last year in his first All-Star start. Besides, imagine him as LeBron's teammate - in Cleveland.

Reynolds: DeMarcus Cousins.

The man just had one of the stat lines for all-time, a 44-24-10 game the likes of which hadn't been seen in 46 years.

---

Third Pick

Mahoney: Kyrie Irving.

Though he left him, LeBron knows as well as anyone just how good Kyrie is.

Reynolds: DeMar DeRozan.

There are no Lakers and no Clippers in this game, but DeRozan is a Compton native and former USC star. LA fans love him.

---

Fourth Pick

Mahoney: James Harden.

In an All-Star game you can't have too many scorers, now Team LeBron has the NBA's leading scorer on a squad that already has Nos. 2-4.

Reynolds: Joel Embiid.

The only player left in the starter pool, and it's kind of crazy to think someone that good is a default pick to this team.

---

RESERVE ROUND

First Pick

Reynolds: Russell Westbrook.

Reigning MVP who averaged a triple-double last year, is nearly doing it again this year, and loves All-Star Games.

Mahoney: Jimmy Butler.

The guy's done two stints with Tom Thibodeau, he doesn't know how to not go hard.

---

Second Pick

Reynolds: Draymond Green.

This will be a brutally tough pick for Steph, with Klay Thompson still available.

Mahoney: Damian Lillard.

Worthy of being an All-Star every year and capable of doing something big now that he finally is again.

---

Third Pick

Reynolds: Klay Thompson.

If Steph pulls this off, getting all four Warriors on the same team, Bob Myers might not be the best GM in his organization.

Mahoney: Kristaps Porzingis.

He never gets to play in the playoffs, so he'll relish a shot in the All-Star game.

---

Fourth Pick

Reynolds: Karl-Anthony Towns.

A first-time All-Star, a deserving All-Star, he'll be motivated to show he belongs on the elite stage.

Mahoney: Victor Oladipo.

How can you pass on a guy who became an All-Star after getting traded for Paul George and Paul George is not an All-Star this season?

---

Fifth Pick

Reynolds: Kevin Love.

No team meetings questioning his desire are planned, and it'll make Cleveland's collective heads explode.

Mahoney: LaMarcus Aldridge.

He would have been a starter by the media panel vote, and media know what they're talking about.

---

Sixth Pick

Reynolds: Kyle Lowry.

DeRozan and Lowry belong together, and by the looks of college basketball right now Villanova guys should be in demand.

Mahoney: Bradley Beal.

Team LeBron is led by a 14-time All-Star, so who better to show first-timers Porzingis, Beal and Oladipo the ropes.

---

Seventh Pick

Reynolds: John Wall.

DC will not be united in this All-Star Game, and really, where else on Earth could John Wall be a fourth-string point guard?

Mahoney: Al Horford.

I'll take a guy like Big Al as the ''Mr. Irrelevant'' in my draft any day.

---

So there you have it.

The rosters for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, at least if we were in charge:

Team LeBron, as picked by Brian Mahoney: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Jimmy Butler, Damian Lillard, Kristaps Porzingis, Victor Oladipo, LaMarcus Aldridge, Bradley Beal, Al Horford.

Team Stephen, as picked by Tim Reynolds: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins, DeMar DeRozan, Joel Embiid, Russell Westbrook, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, John Wall.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA Capsules
January 24, 2018

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Ben Simmons had 19 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 115-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

Dario Saric added 21 points and 10 rebounds and Joel Embiid had 22 points for the 76ers, who have won seven of 10.

Bobby Portis scored 22 points and Zach LaVine had 21 for the Bulls.

Philadelphia played without guards JJ Redick (left leg), T.J. McConnell (personal) and Jerryd Bayless (left wrist), but Simmons picked up the slack.

The rookie was just two assists away from a triple-double in the first half when he helped the 76ers to a 55-41 halftime lead with 11 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. His slam dunk with 7:40 left in the third quarter was part of a dominating period for Philadelphia.

ROCKETS 104, MAVERICKS 97

DALLAS (AP) - James Harden scored 25 points after getting named to his sixth straight Western Conference All-Star team and the Houston Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks.

Trevor Ariza had 23 points as the Rockets beat their Texas rivals for the sixth straight time, a streak that started with a four-game sweep last season. Houston won its fourth straight game and seventh in the past nine.

Eric Gordon scored 17 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range. Southwest Division-leading Houston was up and down from beyond the arc, going 10 of 14 in the first quarter and 2 of 15 in the second. The Rockets finished two shy of their season high in 3s, going 21 of 51.

Wesley Matthews matched his season high with 29 points for the Mavericks, who lost for the seventh time in 10 games since a season-best four-game winning streak that helped lift them out of last place in the West.

CELTICS 113, CLIPPERS 102

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kyrie Irving scored 20 points, Jayson Tatum had 18 and the Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Clippers to snap a season-high four-game losing streak.

The Celtics connected on 14 of 40 3-pointers and outrebounded the Clippers 47-40. Irving also had eight rebounds and seven assists.

Marcus Morris and Terry Rozier III each added 15 points for Boston.

Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 23 points and Lou Williams had 20 in Los Angeles' third consecutive loss. Griffin, however, was 1 for 7 on 3-pointers and Williams 6 of 18 from the field.

The Clippers had won six straight before starting their current losing streak.

TRAIL BLAZERS 123, TIMBERWOLVES 114

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Damian Lillard had 31 points a day after getting his third All-Star nod and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves.

CJ McCollum added 28 points in Portland's seventh straight win at home, longest streak of the season. Lillard made six 3-pointers and the Blazers had 17 3s in the game, one shy of their season high.

Andrew Wiggins had 24 points for the Timberwolves, who had won seven of their last nine games but trailed by 19 points during the fourth quarter.

Minnesota didn't have Jimmy Butler, who missed a third straight game with a sore right knee. Jamal Crawford returned after missing two games with a strained big toe on his left foot.

SPURS 108, GRIZZLIES 85

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Pau Gasol finished an assist short of a triple-double, Patty Mills scored 15 points and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Memphis Grizzlies.

Gasol had 14 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Bryn Forbes and Danny Green also finished with 14 points each. Davis Bertans and Dejounte Murray each had 11 points.

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Deyonta Davis added 12 points as the Grizzlies were hampered by 43 percent shooting, including 2 of 18 from outside the arc, and 17 turnovers.

Between illness and rest, each team was down at least four players, creating some makeshift lineups. Spurs leading-scorer LaMarcus Aldridge took the night off for rest.

PELICANS 101, HORNETS 96

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis each scored 19 points, DeMarcus Cousins had 16 points and 13 rebounds and the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Charlotte Hornets for their sixth win in the last seven games.

Cousins had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Pelicans.

Dwight Howard had 22 points and 16 rebounds in his 1,000th career game to lead the Hornets, who fell to 2-2 on the five-game homestand.

Holiday made a pair of driving layups late in the fourth quarter to help spark the Pelicans.

With 2:14 left, Holiday drove left through the lane and a made a tough contested shot over Nic Batum. After a turnover by the Hornets, Holiday took Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to the hole and scored again.

Batum answered with a 3 from the wing to cut the lead to one with one minute remaining - but that was as close as the Hornets would get.

PACERS 116, SUNS 101

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Thaddeus Young scored 22 points, Victor Oladipo had 21 points and nine assists and the Indiana Pacers pulled away from the Phoenix Suns.

The Pacers have won five of six, blowing out the Suns for the second time in 10 days.

Josh Jackson had 20 points, while Greg Monroe had 16 points and a season-high 17 rebounds to lead Phoenix, which never led and didn't get closer than 10 over the final three quarters. The Suns have lost two straight and five of six.

Indiana sealed it by closing the first half with a 13-4 flurry to make it 63-44. It opened the second half on a 16-2 run to make it 79-46 with 9:20 left.

Devin Booker and Troy Daniels each scored 19 points.

JAZZ 98, PISTONS 95, OT

DETROIT (AP) - Joe Ingles made a tying layup in the final seconds of regulation, then added two straight 3-pointers in overtime to lift the Utah Jazz over the Detroit Pistons.

The Pistons lost their sixth straight by blowing a nine-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Detroit had a chance to tie at the end of overtime, but Tobias Harris missed from the left corner, and the rebound went out of bounds off the Pistons.

Andre Drummond had 30 points and 24 rebounds for Detroit, and he fueled a 10-0 run that put the Pistons ahead 88-79, but Utah closed strong in the fourth quarter.

Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell each had 15 points for Utah.

RAPTORS 108, HAWKS 93

ATLANTA (AP) - Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and the rested Toronto Raptors used strong 3-point shooting to beat the Atlanta Hawks.

Playing in its first game since Saturday's loss at Minnesota, Toronto made 14 3-pointers, including eight in the first half. The Raptors improved to 25-6 when making at least 10 3s this season.

Fred VanVleet added 19 points off the bench and All-Star starter DeMar DeRozan had 14 as Toronto moved to 3-0 against Atlanta this season. The Raptors won the first two games of the season series by an average of 23.5 points and were even more dominant in the third of four matchups between the teams.

Dennis Schroder led Atlanta with 20 points, and John Collins had 13 points and career-high 16 rebounds.

 

[Cnotes53]

SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY JANUARY 25, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:30 PM Sacramento Kings Miami Heat AmericanAirlines Arena
8:00 PM Washington Wizards Oklahoma City Thunder Chesapeake Energy Arena
9:00 PM New York Knicks Denver Nuggets Pepsi Center
10:30 PM Minnesota Timberwolves Golden State Warriors ORACLE Arena


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

NBA looks to capitalize on sports betting
January 24, 2018

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) The NBA and other professional athletic leagues deserve a cut of the proceeds if legalized sports betting expands across the country, a league executive told New York state lawmakers on Wednesday.

Leagues would receive 1 percent of the total wagered on their sporting events under the proposal detailed by NBA Senior Vice President Dan Spillane. He said leagues should also have the right to restrict betting on their events.

''Without our games and fans, there could be no sports betting,'' Spillane said in his testimony at a legislative panel studying the prospect of legalized sports gambling in New York.

Lawmakers in several states are examining the issue following New Jersey's legal challenge to the 1992 federal law banning sports betting in all but four states: Delaware, Montana, Nevada and Oregon. The case is pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. A recent report from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, which tracks gambling legislation nationwide, predicts that as many as 18 states will introduce bills to regulate sports betting this year.

Giving them a piece of the sports betting pie could create lucrative new revenue streams for pro sports leagues - but would potentially diminish the revenue set aside for public education or government programs.

The NBA once opposed expanded sports betting but now supports robust regulation instead, Spillane said. He said the league would prefer a federal law, but that the NBA cannot ''sit on the sidelines'' while New Jersey's court challenge proceeds and other states consider their response.

The league also wants clear rules to protect consumers, and monitoring of unusual betting activity to ensure players or other league insiders aren't placing bets on their own sport, Spillane said.

Some of the concerns expressed by lawmakers include how sports betting would not take away from the state's other legal gambling enterprises, such as casinos and Saratoga Race Course. State Sen. James Tedisco - who was a star basketball player in the Albany area during the same era as current Miami Heat President Pat Riley, a native of Schenectady - asked Spillane how the NBA would try to avoid having prop bets that hinge on player performance manipulated.

Spillane said issues like those are among many reasons why the league is proceeding cautiously.

''We want to make sure that legal operators can compete with the illegal operators,'' Spillane said.

Lawmakers in New York have no plans to vote on any new regulations that would take effect if the federal ban is struck down. But they say they want to study the issue now so the state is ready to act quickly.

The American Gaming Association, a national trade group that represents casinos and other businesses involved in gambling, said it was pleased the NBA is supporting ''vigorously regulated sports wagering.'' But it dismissed the league's proposal to share in the profits.

''We can all agree that the 25-year ban on sports wagering has been a failure in every regard,'' AGA President and CEO Geoff Freeman said. ''Now, let's get real about eliminating the illegal market, protecting consumers and determining the role of government - a role that most certainly does not include transferring money from bettors to multi-billion dollar sports leagues.''

NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the 1 percent figure is in line with what happens in other countries that have legal and regulated betting.

''Sports leagues provide the foundation for sports betting while bearing the risks it imposes, even when regulated,'' Bass said. ''If sports betting is legalized federally or state by state, we will need to invest more in compliance and enforcement, and believe it is reasonable for operators to pay each league 1 percent of the total amount bet on its games to help compensate for the risk and expense created and the commercial value our product provides them.''

 

[Cnotes53]

Futures Best Bet - Spurs
January 24, 2018

Bet the San Antonio Spurs Everywhere

On Tuesday night, LeBron James closed the first quarter against the San Antonio Spurs by stepping to his left for a spot-up jumper. The moment was special. Against the monolith of the Spurs, LeBron scored his 30,000th point becoming the youngest player to do so. He put his team up 29-25 to close the first stanza?and then went on to lose the game by twelve points.

This isn?t about LeBron. Many others will write about the spectacular milestone achievement that he accomplished last night. It?s huge. He?s incredible, and you should digest some pieces about how amazing it actually is. But this particular piece is not about him ? it?s about the San Antonio Spurs.

Gregg Popovich does such a masterful job of roster building and coaching that we almost take it for granted. How does he keep doing this considering that the Spurs are never in the draft lottery and hardly ever overspend in free agency?

Drafting studs like Dejounte Murray late in the first round certainly help. Consider for a moment that Murray was selected 29th overall in an absolutely stacked 2016 NBA Draft. There are at least nine effective NBA talents from the top twelve selected in that draft. After that, there are just a handful of names you?ll recognize. Denzel Valentine was taken 14th, Pascal Siakam was selected 27th and the new starting point guard of the Spurs was drafted twenty-freaking-ninth.

Murray stole LeBron?s show on Tuesday night with a 19-10-3 line that showed just how promising the second year player is going to be. He?s not truly better than Tony Parker yet, but the Spurs are smart to give him as much first-team run as they can.

It?s becoming a long standing tradition that you just trust what the Spurs do in the draft. Murray is part of a long line of non-lottery picks that are helping the team as we speak. That list also includes Kawhi Leonard, who was selected 15th overall in 2011 by Indiana and swapped out for George Hill.

Kawhi has gone from an MVP candidate to a mystery in the span of a year. His quad tendon injury seems to be much more severe, or much more complicated, than everyone thought. Parker suffered what seemed like a similar injury in the playoffs last year, and returned in late November of this year. The fact that Kawhi isn?t back remains puzzling?but that?s also why the Spurs are a huge value play right now.

People argue incessantly about whether or not Kawhi is an MVP-caliber player, which is bonkers to me. He earned this stature during a magnificent championship run where he helped stifle Kevin Durant and LeBron James (who still put up insane numbers). Regardless of the holes you think you can poke in Kawhi?s game, he?s an exceptional talent.

The question is whether or not Kawhi is coming back. As we saw in the playoffs last year, if the Spurs don?t have Leonard then they don?t have a chance of beating the Golden State Warriors or the Houston Rockets this spring. We all remember the Spurs laying waste to the Warriors in the first half of Game 1 during the Western Conference Finals. And we all remember what happened after he had to miss the rest of that game, and that series.

A lot of the blame for that playoff defeat fell on the shoulders of LaMarcus Aldridge, which was fair at the time. The guy ghosted in that series. But this season, he?s been a revelation and finally delivered on the promise of his potential when he arrived in the summer of 2015. And of course the whole reason for this turnaround was Gregg Popovich ?having a talk? with Aldridge over the summer. Unbelievable.

Aldridge has rightfully earned an All-Star reserve spot, but his re-ascension to the top of the league is not a needle-moving type of rise. Combined with the ongoing absence of Kawhi Leonard, the bookmakers have leveled the Spurs in the NBA betting playing field. Last night they were just +2.5 home dogs against Cleveland. They?re opening as a pick ?em against Memphis this week as well. Memphis!

Next Games for San Antonio: at Memphis (1/24), vs Philadelphia (1/26), vs. Sacramento (1/28), vs. Denver (1/30), vs. Houston (2/1)

The Spurs have presented all season long as a work in progress, and now that we?re at the halfway point we can safely surmise what they are. At 16-6-1 ATS when hosting, San Antonio is one of the safest home bets in the entire league. Where they fall off is on the road, but that is probably going to change given the emerging chemistry of this deep roster. In short, they?re an absolutely terrific regular season bet.

Where they stand long term is based on Kawhi?s injury, which flat out doesn?t look great. There was even a report that Kawhi wanted to be ? gasp! ? traded from the team. Obviously, Kawhi and the Spurs have since denied this drama that was simply Jalen Rose spouting his own opinion on television. Listen, if Popovich can get a sullen guy like Aldridge to buy-in, he can convince Kawhi to take the proper path to recovery and stay on track. He?s. Not. Getting. Traded.

Right now, the Spurs are +2000 to win the NBA Championship. Are they better than the Golden State Warriors? They?re not that far behind if Kawhi can return and get in to shape. Experience matters in the playoffs, and the Spurs still have a lot of it. The biggest kicker is that they have Aldridge playing as part of the team instead of shadowing in the background somewhere. It?s a big shift.

The point isn?t whether or not you?re going to bet on the Spurs when Kawhi comes back eventually. Instead the point is that the Spurs are being graded as if Kawhi is never coming back this season. If Leonard is able to overcome this injury ? which I believe he will ? then the Spurs will go from a +2000 outsider to a +1000 consideration in the NBA Championship futures. Or something like that.

What?s crazy is that Popovich has built a winner without his best player, and then turned his second-best player (Aldridge) in to an absolute team anchor on both ends of the floor. Parker and Ginobli have found new roles on the team and thrived in them, giving the Spurs a deadly bench that?s pivotal in the playoffs. If Leonard returns, it?s more than feasible that the Spurs offence jumps from 16th in offensive rating to within top-eight in a matter of weeks.

For the record, their defence is currently ranked 2nd in points per 100 possession. Without Kawhi Leonard. Repeat ? without Kawhi Leonard. In kitchen sink stats, they?re ranked 1st overall with just 97.6 points allowed, and the 4th best field goal percentage defence. If Leonard comes back, not only does that defensive ranking solidify, the offensive metrics will spike. You know this and you have to remain optimistic that he will return. That?s why the Spurs are a hot item in the NBA futures.

Turns out the most valuable asset San Antonio had all along was sitting right on the bench. His name is Gregg Popovich and goddamnit he?s brilliant enough to warrant a heavy lean through the rest of the month and a solid flier at +2000 to win the title. As he does every single season, Popovich has earned your trust.

 

[Cnotes53]

Thursday?s 6-pack

11 quarterbacks who started games for the Eagles since their last Super Bowl:

63? Donovan McNabb

40? Michael Vick

29? Carson Wentz

27? Nick Foles

14? Sam Bradford

10? Mark Sanchez

7? Mike McMahon, Kevin Kolb

6? Jeff Garcia

3? Vince Young

2? AJ Feeley

Quote of the Day

?It?s not about being drafted high. It?s being drafted high to the right team. If I?m a better fit somewhere else, that?s where I belong.?
Wyoming QB Josh Allen, a top NFL draft prospect

Thursday?s quiz

What is the capital of Wyoming?

Wednesday?s quiz

Since the last time they were in the Super Bowl, 11 QB?s have started a game for the Eagles?

Tuesday?s quiz

Before DeMarcus Cousins did it Monday night, David Lee was last NBA player with 30 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists in a game.

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

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

13) ESPN officially named Matt Vasgersian and Alex Rodriguez to join their Sunday Night Baseball crew; unusual that they went outside ESPN for their play-by-play guy, but they did. My initial reaction: think A-Rod will do a fine job. Vasgersian is very good, though Jon Sciambi is an ESPN guy who is just as good.

12) Golden State has played 48 games this year; they?re 38-10. Kevin Durant sat eight of those games out with injuries; he?s been thrown out of four other games, most in the NBA.

So he was thrown out of 10% of his team?s games, finished only 75% of their games. $25 million doesn?t buy as much as it used to.

Just seems like there are an awful lot of unhappy people in the NBA, and yet everybody makes a boatload of money. Its not a good look for the league.

11) Dick LeBeau has been in the NFL for 59 consecutive years, but now that Mike Vrabel is the new head coach in Tennessee, LeBeau is out of a job and he?s 80- kind of doubtful he?s going to get another job. End of an era, for sure.

Funny thing is, Titans hired Vrabel as their new head coach- he was Houston?s DC this past season and Tennessee had a better defense than Houston, but is LeBeau is the guy out of a job. Go figure.

10) Last three years, the NFC champ was a team that was at .500 or under the year before.

9) Think about how great a year Jacksonville Jaguars had; they were up 10 in 4th quarter in AFC title game? Jags were 22-74 the last six years before this one. Quite a leap they made.

8) Disappointing that Lou Williams didn?t make the NBA All-Star Game; he deserves it.

7) Irrelevant Stat of the Day: 12 of the last 13 Super Bowl winners wore white jerseys; Patriots chose to wear white next week- Brady is 3-0 in Super Bowls with white jerseys.

6) Oklahoma?s Trae Young has an irrational fear of birds, otherwise known as Ornithophobia.

5) With the Senior Bowl this week and NFL Network devoting most of the next three months to the 2018 NFL Draft, keep in mind that Antonio Brown was the 195th player taken in the 2010 Draft. Tom Brady was also a 6th round pick. Kurt Warner wasn?t drafted.

In other words, despite all the man-hours spent on this important part of the league, it is still an inexact science and it always will be, which is a big part of why it is so fascinating.

4) Alabama?s football program made a $45.9M profit last year; I feel sorry for the poor bastard who replaces Nick Saban when he leaves Tuscaloosa.

3) Villanova loses one of its starters, Phil Booth with a broken hand. Booth is shooting 43% on the arc this season. Wildcats? bench is #289 in minutes played; this is a big blow.

2) In the first minute the Super Bowl odds were up on the board, Golden Nugget took a $10K money line bet on the Eagles. Spread is 5 right now, though there are 4.5 and 5.5?s out there.

1? Richmond 77, Duquesne 73 OT? Third Dukes home game in a row that went to overtime.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, January 25

Miami won nine of last ten games with Sacramento; over is 9-1 in those games. Kings are 2-3 vs spread in last five visits to South Beach. Sacramento lost eight of its last nine games; they?re 10-12-1 as road underdogs. Four of their last six road games stayed under. Miami is off a 2-3 road trip; they?re 5-9-1 as home favorites, but did won last three home games. Over is 6-4 in their last ten games.

Thunder won seven of last nine games with Washington; Wizards are 1-3-1 vs spread in last five visits here. Five of last six series games went over total. Washington lost three of its last four games; they?re 9-3 vs spread as road underdogs. Five of their last seven games went over total. Oklahoma City won its last five games; they?re 3-12 vs spread in last 15 games as home favorites. Four of their last six games stayed under.

Knicks lost five of last six games with Denver; they?re 1-4 vs spread in last five games in this arena. Last three series games went over total. New York lost six of its last eight games; they?re 6-3 in last nine games as road underdogs. Knicks? last eight games went over the total. Denver lost six of its last nine games; they?re 9-6 in last 15 games as home favorites. Nine of last ten Nugget games stayed under total.

Golden State won eight of last ten games with Minnesota; under is 4-1 in last five series games. Wolves are 3-1-1 vs spread in last five visits to Oakland. Minnesota lost three of last five games; they?re 6-8 vs spread as road underdogs. Five of their last seven games went over total. Golden State won eight of its last ten games; they?re 2-5-2 vs spread in last nine home games. Three of their last four games stayed under total.




NBA

Thursday, January 25

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

SACRAMENTO @ MIAMI
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 5 games when playing on the road against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Sacramento's last 5 games when playing Miami
Miami is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento

WASHINGTON @ OKLAHOMA CITY
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 7 games when playing on the road against Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
Oklahoma City is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

NEW YORK @ DENVER
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games on the road
Denver is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 5 games

MINNESOTA @ GOLDEN STATE
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Minnesota's last 8 games on the road
Golden State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Minnesota
Golden State is 18-3 SU in its last 21 games when playing Minnesota


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

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, January 25

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

SACRAMENTO (14 - 33) at MIAMI (27 - 20) - 1/25/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SACRAMENTO is 50-78 ATS (-35.8 Units) against Southeast division opponents since 1996.
MIAMI is 71-56 ATS (+9.4 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 2-2 against the spread versus SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 4-0 straight up against SACRAMENTO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

WASHINGTON (26 - 21) at OKLAHOMA CITY (27 - 20) - 1/25/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) as an underdog this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 18-28 ATS (-12.8 Units) in all games this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) after a non-conference game this season.

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

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

NEW YORK (21 - 27) at DENVER (24 - 23) - 1/25/2018, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
DENVER is 4-1 against the spread versus NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
DENVER is 4-1 straight up against NEW YORK over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

MINNESOTA (31 - 19) at GOLDEN STATE (38 - 10) - 1/25/2018, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
MINNESOTA is 5-3 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 6-2 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

 

[Cnotes53]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
January 25, 2018

Thursday?s NBA slate has four games on tap and three of them will be non-conference matchups where the Eastern Conference will be looking to avenge some recent knocks to their counterparts in the Western Conference.

On Tuesday, the West went 5-0 straight up and 3-2 against the spread in these head-to-head battles but the East rebound a little bit last night with a 2-2 ledger. Since Sunday, the West has gone 12-6 (67%) straight up in these matchups and the trend could keep rolling tonight with clubs from the East listed as ?dogs in two of the three games.

Let?s handicap the card.

Sacramento (14-33 SU, 29-25-3 ATS) at Miami (27-20 SU, 22-23-2 ATS)

The lone Eastern Conference team favored on Thursday is Miami (-10 ?), who hosts Sacramento from American Airlines Arena. This series has been as one-sided as it gets with Miami winning 25 of the last 30 encounters and that includes a run of six straight wins.

Sacramento has lost 15 straight trips to South Florida during this span and it hasn?t won at Miami since the 2001 regular season when Sacramento had international standouts Peja Stojakovic and Vlade Divac roaming the court. Total bettors should note that the ?over? has cashed in 11 of the past 12 meetings between the pair but the oddsmakers are expecting a low-scoring affair (200 ?) for this matchup.

Despite the recent head-to-head edge, you could be hesitant to back the Heat knowing the team is playing its first game at home after a five-game road trip that saw them go 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS. Plus Miami hasn?t been that great at home (12-9 SU), especially for bettors (6-13-2 ATS). The Heat have been listed as a favorite of nine or more points four times this season and they haven?t lost (4-0) but a 1-2-1 ATS mark offers trepidation.

The Kings have gone 7-19 SU and 10-13-3 ATS on the road this season and they covered their last two games which includes a 105-99 win at Orlando on Tuesday as 7 ?-point road underdog. Knowing Sacramento has gone 2-11 off a win this season doesn?t boast much confidence in backing them to capture another one tonight. Another reason to lay the lumber with Miami is that Sacramento has lost 21 games this season by 10 points or more, which is the most in the league.

Goran Dragic (knee) sat out the last two games for Miami but is listed as ?probable? for Thursday.

Washington (26-21 SU, 20-27 ATS) at Oklahoma City (27-20 SU, 18-28-1 ATS)

The Thunder will look to tie their season-high winning streak of six games on Thursday when Washington pays a visit to Chesapeake Energy Arena. Oklahoma City opened as a 4 ?-point favorite and the line was pushed up quickly to -5 and is listed as high as -6 on Thursday morning.

OKC has gone 3-2 ATS during the five-game run but four of the victories came against teams with losing records and the other was against the dysfunctional Cavaliers but they did drop an eye-opening 148 points in that blowout.

Washington has been just as tough to figure out as Cleveland this season and you never know which team will show up. On Tuesday, the bad one did as the Wizards were embarrassed 98-75 at Dallas as two-point road favorites. Including that setback, the club is 1-8 ATS in their last night games.

Losing to clubs below .500 has been an issue all season for Washington (15-11) yet they turn around and surprise you from time to time with a nice victory. When listed as road underdogs, the Wizards are a respectable 7-6 SU and 9-4 ATS which includes solid wins over the Celtics, Timberwolves, Heat and Raptors.

I would put OKC in the same class as that quartet and would expect Washington to bounce back in this spot, if not tonight then definitely on Saturday at Atlanta. I mention that because Washington hasn?t lost more than two games in a row all season and that?s why their record is still solid despite the inconsistencies.

For this series, the home team won and covered both encounters last season with each win coming by double digits. Prior to those results, OKC had won four straight against Washington. The Wizards have come up short in their last eight trips to Oklahoma City, which includes last year?s 126-115 setback.

Both OKC (27-20) and Washington (26-19-2) have been solid ?under? wagers this season, especially the Wizards on the road (16-7). Despite knowing that, the opener on this game (212 ?) seems a tad high and that could have me leaning ?over? based on the oddsmakers opinion.

TNT will provide coverage of this game at 8:05 p.m. ET.

New York (21-27 SU, 25-23 ATS) at Denver (24-23 SU, 20-24-3 ATS)

The Knicks stopped the Nuggets 116-110 on Oct. 30 as 4 ?-point home underdogs. The win for New York snapped a six-game losing streak to Denver and capturing two straight could be tough knowing the club is 1-9 SU and 5-5 ATS in its last 10 trips to the Pepsi Center.

For the rematch, no opener was sent out last night due to the status of Knicks All-Star forward Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) but he's currently listed as 'probable.' New York is 1-5 this season without the big man in the lineup.

Denver opened -4 ? and was pushed up to -5 and that number seems a bit short considering the Nuggets have been solid at home (17-6 SU, 12-10-1 ATS) plus New York has struggled on the road (6-18 SU, 10-14 ATS).

The head scratcher in this matchup will be the total. The Knicks have seen the ?over? cash in eight straight and 10 of their last 11 game. The defense has allowed 114.6 points per game during this span but they could catch a break Thursday against a sputtering Denver offense. The Nuggets are averaging 98.7 PPG in their last seven games and that?s led to a 7-0 ?under? streak.

In eight home games versus the East, Denver has shown some offensive flashes that has led to a 5-3 SU and 3-5 ATS mark while the ?under? went 5-3 in those games. Meanwhile, New York is 3-7 SU and 5-5 ATS in road games versus Western foes and the ?over? has gone 7-3 in those games.

On this current ?Grammys? road trip, New York has allowed 127 and 123 points in its last two games to the Lakers and Warriors respectively. Denver enters this game off a 104-101 home win over Portland on Monday but its 1-4 in its last five games after a victory.

Minnesota (31-19 SU, 24-24-2 ATS) at Golden State (38-10 SU, 21-26-1 ATS)

Two of the top four teams in the West will close out Thursday?s festivities with a nationally televised game on TNT at 10:30 p.m. ET.

These teams met on Nov. 8 from the Bay Area and Golden State posted a 125-101 win as an 8 ?-point home favorite. The game was tight at halftime (51-50) but that was before the Warriors outscored the Timberwolves 74-51 in the final 24 minutes. What was more surprising is that Golden State didn?t have Kevin Durant in the lineup due to injury. Including this win, the Warriors have won 18 of the last 21 meetings in this series.

No overnight number was posted due to the status of Timberwolves guard Jimmy Butler (knee). The All-Star sat out his third straight game on Wednesday as Minnesota lost a 123-114 decision at Portland as a 3 ?-point underdog. Despite the loss, the club has gone 7-3 both SU and ATS in its last 10 games.

The fatigue factor will be in play tonight and the Wolves have gone 4-4 both SU and ATS on zero days rest this season. Make a note that the team went 1-4 on the road in those games.

Golden State remains the odds-on favorite (5/8) to win the NBA Finals and yet it remains a difficult team to back due to the inflated lines. The oddsmakers have done a great job with the Warriors, especially at home where they?ve gone 17-6 SU and 9-13-1 ATS.

I thought this line should've opened close to double digits, perhaps Warriors -9 ? or -10, but seeing Golden State -12 ? is a mistake in my eyes. As of 11:00 a.m. ET. most books have dropped the number to 11 ? and I'd bet that number drops another point or two when and if Butler gets upgraded to 'probable.'

In their last five contests played at Oracle Arena, Golden State is a pedestrian 3-2 SU and 0-4-1 ATS but it was a double-digit favorite in all the games. The issue with the non-covers has been the defense, which has allowed 118 PPG during this span and that?s helped the ?over? go 4-1.

For what it's worth, Minnesota hasn't been listed as a double-digit underdog all season but it was in this role six times in the 2016-17 season. The T-Wolves went 0-6 SU but produced a 4-1-1 ATS mark.

 

[Cnotes53]

Westbrook has season-best 46 to lead Thunder past Wizards
January 26, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Russell Westbrook scored a season-high 46 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Washington Wizards 121-112 on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory.

Westbrook made 19 of 29 field goals in one of his most efficient shooting performances of the season. Paul George scored 18 points and Steven Adams added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which has won 20 of 28 after an 8-12 start. The Thunder shot 52 percent from the field.

Bradley Beal scored 41 points and Markieff Morris added 20 for the Wizards, who committed 23 turnovers.

WARRIORS 126, TIMBERWOLVES 113

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Kevin Durant had 28 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, and Golden State made a season-high 21 3-pointers in a victory over Minnesota.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each added 25 points for the Warriors, who matched their previous season high of 18 3-pointers by the end of the third quarter. They made 57 percent from behind the arc in the game, with Thompson hitting seven, Durant adding six and Curry connecting on five.

Durant hit two 3s and Curry added a third in a 67-second span late in the third quarter, during which the Warriors (39-10) went 8 of 11 on 3-pointers, leading Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau to throw up his arms in frustration.

Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Jamal Crawford added 21 points and Jeff Teague had 17 points and seven assists for Minnesota, which played its fourth straight game without Jimmy Butler, who has a sore right knee.

KINGS 89, HEAT 88

MIAMI (AP) - De'Aaron Fox's rebound dunk with 3 seconds left capped a huge comeback by Sacramento, which rallied from a 12-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Miami.

The Kings outscored the Heat 17-4 in the final 5:46, winning at Miami for the first time since 2001.

Buddy Hield scored 24 points for Sacramento, which got 14 from Fox, 11 from Bogdan Bogdanovic and 10 from Zach Randolph.

Goran Dragic scored 23 points for Miami, and he was the only Heat starter to finish in double figures. Wayne Ellington had 20 and Justise Winslow added 11 for the Heat.

NUGGETS 130, KNICKS 118

DENVER (AP) - Gary Harris scored 23 points, Trey Lyles had 21 and Denver beat New York.

Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic added 18 points apiece for the Nuggets, who defeated the Knicks for the 10th time in a row in Denver. New York hasn't won in the Mile High City since 2006.

Seven Nuggets scored in double figures.

Kristaps Porzingis, returning to action after missing Tuesday's loss at Golden State with a sore knee, and Michael Beasley each scored 21 points for the Knicks. Enes Kanter had 20 and Trey Burke 18.

 

[Cnotes53]

SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY JANUARY 26, 2018
Time (ET) Away Home Site
7:00 PM Atlanta Hawks Charlotte Hornets Spectrum Center
7:30 PM Indiana Pacers Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena
7:30 PM Utah Jazz Toronto Raptors Air Canada Centre
8:00 PM Brooklyn Nets Milwaukee Bucks BMO Harris Bradley Center
8:00 PM Houston Rockets New Orleans Pelicans Smoothie King Center
8:00 PM Los Angeles Lakers Chicago Bulls United Center
8:00 PM Los Angeles Clippers Memphis Grizzlies FedExForum
8:30 PM Philadelphia 76ers San Antonio Spurs AT&T Center
8:30 PM Portland Trail Blazers Dallas Mavericks American Airlines Center
9:00 PM New York Knicks Phoenix Suns Talking Stick Resort Arena

 

[Cnotes53]

LeBron picks KD in NBA All-Star draft
January 25, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) LeBron James got Kevin Durant and reunited with Kyrie Irving in the NBA's first All-Star draft.

Stephen Curry picked James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA's top two scorers, and grabbed his other two Golden State teammates in the selections Thursday.

The draft was not televised, and neither James nor Curry would reveal who they chose first when they were interviewed on TNT when the rosters were unveiled.

James was among those who said fans should have watched the proceedings and his decision to draft Irving could have made for a must-see moment. The point guard asked out of Cleveland last summer and the Cavaliers traded him to conference rival Boston.

''Kyrie was available on the draft board, he's one of the best point guards we have in our league,'' James said. ''It was an easy choice for me.''

James and Curry will be the captains Feb. 18 in Los Angeles for the first NBA All-Star Game that doesn't use the Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference format.

James had the No. 1 pick as a result of earning the most votes in fan balloting, while Curry had the first pick in the reserve round after the starters were selected. He passed on Russell Westbrook, the NBA MVP who instead ended up on Team LeBron.

The league is hoping that trying something new will bring back some old-school intensity that has been absent from the last two games, when the West nearly scored 200 points.

James also took the New Orleans duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins. His other reserves are Cleveland teammate Kevin Love, Washington guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, LaMarcus Aldridge of San Antonio, Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Kristaps Porzingis of New York.

After taking starters Joel Embiid of Philadelphia and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto, Curry rounded out his roster with Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, Minnesota's Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns, Toronto's Kyle Lowry, Portland's Damian Lillard, and Boston's Al Horford.

The league was widely criticized for not televising the draft, a decision that was made to protect players from any embarrassment over being chosen last.

''The fans should have been a part of this for sure and everybody who loves the game,'' James said, ''but it's the first year and I think it's going to be pretty cool going into the future.''

Team LeBron has all five players in the game who have won All-Star Game MVP awards: James (2006, 2008), Westbrook (2015, 2016), Davis (2017), Durant (2012) and Irving (2014)

 

[Cnotes53]

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Early look at some Super Bowl props:

? Will team that scores first win? Yes -$155, No, +$135

? Team with more offensive plays: Patriots, -$140, Eagles +$120

? Will there be a TD on defense/special teams? No -$160, Yes +$140

? Will there be a lead change in second half? No, -$170, Yes, +$150

? Team with longest made field goal: Patriots, -$130, Eagles +$110

? Team with longest scoring drive: Patriots -$120, Eagles, even


**********

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Clearing out a cluttered mind??.

13) Miami Marlins had the best outfield in baseball last year; now they?re all gone. Christian Yelich got dealt to Milwaukee Thursday, for OF Lewis Brinson and three minor leaguers.

Marlins might as well fire all their ushers; ain?t going to be lot of fans in their home ballpark this year. Looking forward to seeing what the Marlins? over/under win total will be.

12) Vince McMahon is bringing the XFL back in January 2020; eight teams, 10-game schedule. Sounds like it is going to be more mainstream this time around, unlike 2001, when there were lot of gimmicks involved.

There are rumors on the Interweb that McMahon is using this as a way to tell NFL owners he wouldn?t mind buying the Carolina Panthers when Jerry Richardson sells them.

Some college basketball thoughts from the past few nights:
11) Penn State 82, Ohio State 79? Tony Carr scored 28 points, nailed a 40-footer at the buzzer to hand the Buckeyes their first conference loss. Penn State is much-improved.

10) Wyoming 104, Nevada 103, 2OT? Great game late Wednesday night; high altitude got the Nevada kids in the overtimes- they don?t have a lot of depth because they have several transfers sitting out for next season. First conference loss for the Wolf Pack.

9) Oklahoma 85, Kansas 80? Lon Kruger made sure the shots were more spread around for this game; Trey Young only took nine shots, had nine assists, playing the whole 40:00.

8) Fresno State 69, UNLV 63? Very bad beat if you took the Rebels, +4.5; they fouled a Fresno player with 0:03.5 left, down 2- the kid made both foul shots. UNLV then threw a pass to mid-court, but the passer stepped over the line before he threw the pass, Fresno got the ball under the hoop and UNLV fouled again, wound up losing by six.

7) South Carolina 77, Florida 72? When an SEC team beats Kentucky, there is a hangover; Gators actually had a revenge motive over South Carolina here after losing to Gamecocks in Elite 8 last year, but they lost to Carolina at home.

6) Miami 78, Louisville 75 OT? Two really good teams here; Louisville is little underrated because Pitino is gone, but they?ve still got really good players.

5) USC 69, Stanford 64? Trojans avenged their loss in Palo Alto when Stanford nailed a shot from half-court at the buzzer. Cardinal started season 6-8, but they?re healthier now and aren?t an easy out in the Pac-12.

4) Loyola, Chi 80, Drake 57? Ramblers take over first place in the Missouri Valley.

3) Richmond 77, Duquesne 73 OT? Spiders won their last four games after starting season 3-13.

2) Santa Barbara 70, Cal State-Fullerton 65? Titans lost by 18 in the Thunderdome eight nights ago, but jumped out to a 14-point lead in this game before the Gauchos stormed back late and swept the season series. Max Heidegger scored 28 for UCSB? he was 12-12 on foul line.

1) Bad Beat of the Night? Towson State (-7) 96, William & Mary 82 OT? Tribe led by 10 at the half, by 6 with 3:39 left, but got outscored 17-3 in overtime- they were 16-37 on arc but they did not cover. Tigers shot 64.6% inside the arc- they?re 15-7 now.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, January 26

Charlotte won four of last five games with Atlanta; last ten series games all stayed under the total. Hawks are 0-4-1 vs spread in last five visits here. Atlanta is 4-3 in its last seven games; they?re 9-3 vs spread in last 12 tries as road underdogs. Last five Atlanta games stayed under the total. Hornets split their last eight games; they?re 4-8 in last dozen tries as home favorites. Four of last five Charlotte games went over.

Indiana won its last three games with Cleveland; Pacers covered their last four visits to Ohio. Three of last four series games stayed under the total. Indiana won five of its last seven games; they?re 9-8 as road underdogs. Eight of their last ten games stayed under the total. Cavaliers lost six of their last seven games; they?re 3-18-1 vs spread at home. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games.

Raptors won eight of last nine games with Utah; over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Jazz is 0-4 vs spread in last four visits to Canada. Utah is 4-6 in its last ten games; they?re 7-12 as road underdogs. Three of their last four road games stayed under total. Toronto won three of its last four games; they?re 0-4 vs spread in last four tries as home favorites. Three of their last four games stayed under the total.

Rockets won eight of last ten games with New Orleans; they?re 2-2 vs spread in last four visits to Bourbon Street. Four of last six series games stayed under total. Houston won seven of its last eight games; they?re 12-8 as road favorites. Last six Houston games stayed under. New Orleans won six of its last seven games; they?re 3-1 as home underdogs. Five of their last seven games went over the total.

Bucks won their last eight games with Brooklyn; Nets are 2-3 vs spread in last five games in this building. Under is 3-1 in their last four visits in Milwaukee. Brooklyn lost seven of its last ten games, but is 14-3 vs spread in last 17 games as road underdogs. Three of their last four games stayed under total. Milwaukee lost four of its last six games; they?re 2-4-1 in last seven games as home favorites. Under is 7-2 in their last nine games.

Clippers are 5-3 in their last eight games with Memphis; they?re 2-1-1 vs spread in last four visits to Tennessee. Last six series games went over the total. Clippers lost their last three games, by 12-8-11 points; they?re 12-9 vs spread on the road. Eight of their last ten games went over total. Memphis won four of its last six games; they?re 11-15 vs spread at home. Five of their last six games went over the total.

Lakers lost six of last nine games with Chicago; they?re 2-2 vs spread in last four visits to the Windy City. Four of last six series games went over total. Lakers won seven of their last nine games; they?re 10-9 vs spread as road underdogs. Three of their last four road games stayed under total. Bulls lost three of their last four games; they?re 6-2 as home favorites. Three of their last four games stayed under.

Spurs won nine of last ten games with Philly; under is 7-3 in last ten series games. 76ers are 2-2 vs spread in their last four visits to the Alamo. Sixers won eight of their last ten games; they?re 8-9 as road underdogs. Six of their last nine games went over total. San Antonio split their last ten games; they?re 8-2 vs spread in last ten home games. Six of Spurs? last eight games stayed under the total.

Portland won four of its last six games with Dallas; they?re 1-3 vs spread in their last four games in this building. Six of last nine series games went over the total. Trailblazers won four of their last five games; they?re 12-8-1 vs spread on the road. Eight of their last ten games went over the total. Mavericks lost four of their last five games; they?re 12-14 vs spread at home. Six of their last eight games stayed under the total.

Suns are 5-3 in their last eight games with New York; three of last four series games went over the total. Knicks are 1-3-1 vs spread in their last five visits to the desert. New York lost seven of its last nine games; they?re 2-5 vs spread on road if they played night before. Knicks? last nine games went over the total. Phoenix lost seven of its last nine games; they?re 8-16 vs spread at home. Six of their last eight games stayed under the total.

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA

Friday, January 26

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

ATLANTA @ CHARLOTTE
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing Charlotte
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Charlotte's last 5 games when playing at home against Atlanta

INDIANA @ CLEVELAND
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games on the road
Indiana is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Cleveland is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing at home against Indiana
Cleveland is 14-2 SU in its last 16 games at home

UTAH @ TORONTO
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Utah's last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Utah's last 12 games when playing Toronto
Toronto is 8-0-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Utah
Toronto is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games when playing Utah

LA LAKERS @ CHICAGO
LA Lakers is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games
LA Lakers is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Chicago's last 7 games at home
Chicago is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games

LA CLIPPERS @ MEMPHIS
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 5 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
Memphis is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games at home

BROOKLYN @ MILWAUKEE
Brooklyn is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games when playing Milwaukee
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Brooklyn
Milwaukee is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

HOUSTON @ NEW ORLEANS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Houston's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Houston's last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 12 of New Orleans's last 13 games at home
New Orleans is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

PORTLAND @ DALLAS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Portland's last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Portland's last 11 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games at home
Dallas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Portland

PHILADELPHIA @ SAN ANTONIO
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing San Antonio
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

NEW YORK @ PHOENIX
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix's last 6 games at home
Phoenix is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against New York

 

[Cnotes53]

NBA
Long Sheet

Friday, January 26

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

ATLANTA (14 - 33) at CHARLOTTE (19 - 27) - 1/26/2018, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHARLOTTE is 53-68 ATS (-21.8 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHARLOTTE is 6-2 against the spread versus ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
CHARLOTTE is 5-4 straight up against ATLANTA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

INDIANA (26 - 22) at CLEVELAND (27 - 19) - 1/26/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 216-163 ATS (+36.7 Units) on Friday nights since 1996.
INDIANA is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 12-33 ATS (-24.3 Units) in all games this season.
CLEVELAND is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 this season.
CLEVELAND is 6-29 ATS (-25.9 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 3-18 ATS (-16.8 Units) in home games this season.
CLEVELAND is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) in January games this season.
CLEVELAND is 16-32 ATS (-19.2 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 18-31 ATS (-16.1 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 5-16 ATS (-12.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent this season.
CLEVELAND is 1-9 ATS (-8.9 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more this season.
CLEVELAND is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 11-3 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 10-5 straight up against INDIANA over the last 3 seasons
9 of 15 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

UTAH (20 - 28) at TORONTO (32 - 14) - 1/26/2018, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 53-77 ATS (-31.7 Units) in road games in January games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 4-0 against the spread versus UTAH over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 4-1 straight up against UTAH over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

HOUSTON (34 - 12) at NEW ORLEANS (26 - 21) - 1/26/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 41-26 ATS (+12.4 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
HOUSTON is 115-84 ATS (+22.6 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
HOUSTON is 5-4 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
HOUSTON is 7-2 straight up against NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

BROOKLYN (18 - 30) at MILWAUKEE (24 - 22) - 1/26/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BROOKLYN is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) in all games this season.
BROOKLYN is 25-12 ATS (+11.8 Units) as an underdog this season.
BROOKLYN is 16-7 ATS (+8.3 Units) in road games this season.
BROOKLYN is 19-7 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
MILWAUKEE is 396-464 ATS (-114.4 Units) in home games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 8-19 ATS (-12.9 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 0-8 ATS (-8.8 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MILWAUKEE is 4-3 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
MILWAUKEE is 7-0 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

LA CLIPPERS (23 - 24) at MEMPHIS (17 - 30) - 1/26/2018, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 5-4 against the spread versus MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 6-4 straight up against MEMPHIS over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

LA LAKERS (18 - 29) at CHICAGO (18 - 30) - 1/26/2018, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 28-17 ATS (+9.3 Units) in all games this season.
CHICAGO is 126-174 ATS (-65.4 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.

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

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

PHILADELPHIA (23 - 21) at SAN ANTONIO (32 - 18) - 1/26/2018, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 1030-899 ATS (+41.1 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 824-700 ATS (+54.0 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in home games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 17-6 ATS (+10.4 Units) on Friday nights over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 345-283 ATS (+33.7 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 211-160 ATS (+35.0 Units) in home games after a win by 10 points or more since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 289-240 ATS (+25.0 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 183-137 ATS (+32.3 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 74-51 ATS (+17.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 60-38 ATS (+18.2 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 18-5 ATS (+12.5 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 33-19 ATS (+12.1 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 36-24 ATS (+9.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

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

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

PORTLAND (26 - 22) at DALLAS (16 - 32) - 1/26/2018, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 19-10 ATS (+8.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DALLAS is 6-2 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
DALLAS is 4-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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

NEW YORK (21 - 28) at PHOENIX (17 - 31) - 1/26/2018, 9:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

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

 

[Cnotes53]

Friday's Tip Sheet
January 26, 2018

Game of the Night: Rockets at Pelicans ? 8:05 PM EST

New Orleans (26-21 SU, 24-22-1 ATS) has caught fire of late by winning six of its past seven games to move into the sixth position in the Western Conference. The Pelicans held off the Hornets on Wednesday, 101-96 as 2 ?-point road underdogs to improve to 8-2 in their last 10 games against Eastern Conference foes. New Orleans has covered in two of three opportunities as a home underdog with its only straight-up victory in this situation coming against Cleveland in late October.

The Rockets (34-12 SU, 23-22-1 ATS) own a four-game edge over the Spurs in the Southwest division as Houston is fresh off its fourth consecutive victory. Following a sweep of a three-game homestand against division leaders (Minnesota, Golden State, and Miami), Houston held off Dallas on Wednesday, 104-97 to barely cover as 6 ?-point favorites. The Rockets led by 18 points heading into the fourth quarter before the Mavericks rallied to make it interesting as Houston knocked down 21-of-51 attempts from three-point range.

Since the start of the 2015-16 season, the Rockets have won seven of nine meetings with the Pelicans, including a 130-123 home victory in mid-December. New Orleans cashed as 13-point underdogs in the loss as Jrue Holiday and E?Twaun Moore combined to score 53 points on 31-of-41 shooting. The Rockets have compiled a 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS mark against division opponents, while the Pelicans are 3-4 SU/ATS within the Southwest.

Four Times a Charm?

It?s been a rough month for the Cavaliers (27-19 SU, 12-33-1 ATS), who are 3-10 SU and 1-12 ATS since Christmas. In fact, Cleveland has failed to cover the number in nine consecutive games and only twice in the past 19 contests. The most recent defeat came on Tuesday at San Antonio, 114-102 as 2 ?-point favorites to suffer their fourth straight road loss. Cleveland returns home to host Indiana as the Cavaliers have lost all three meetings with the Pacers this season. In the last two losses to Indiana, Cleveland has fallen by a combined six points, while blowing a 22-point lead in a two-point setback on January 12.

The Pacers (26-22 SU, 27-21 ATS) are seeking their first season sweep of the Cavaliers since 2012-13, while trying to jump the Wizards for the fifth position in the Eastern Conference. Indiana returned home from its five-game road swing to rout Phoenix on Wednesday, but will play in its seventh different city in a 12-day span. The Pacers have finished UNDER the total in five consecutive road contests, while holding nine of the past 10 opponents to less than 101 points.

The Kidd Bowl

It?s been an underachieving season so far for Milwaukee (24-22 SU, 18-23-5 ATS), who was expected to compete with Cleveland for the Central division title. The Bucks are still in the playoff hunt in the East, but parted ways with head coach Jason Kidd earlier this week. Milwaukee hosts Brooklyn tonight, the first team Kidd coached before taking the Bucks job in 2014. The Bucks snapped a two-game skid by holding off the Suns on Monday, 109-105, but failed to cash as 5 ?-point favorites.

The Nets (18-30 SU, 30-18 ATS) couldn?t hold onto a double-digit lead in Tuesday?s 109-108 defeat at Oklahoma City, but Brooklyn managed to cover as 9 ?-point underdogs for its third straight ATS win. Brooklyn has cashed in six consecutive road games, while winning three of those contests outright. The Nets and Bucks have yet to meet this season, as Milwaukee swept the four-game series last season, but Brooklyn covered three times as an underdog.

Role Change

In two meetings last season, the Spurs were favored by 17 and 12 points over the 76ers. Fast-forward to this season, with Kawhi Leonard?s nagging quad injury and Philadelphia?s ascension from the basement of the Eastern Conference, the 76ers are receiving plenty of respect from the oddsmakers. San Antonio (32-18 SU, 27-21-2 ATS) is coming off a pair of impressive victories on a back-to-back set against Cleveland and Memphis, while seeking its 21st win at AT&T Center in 24 tries.

Philadelphia (23-21 SU, 25-18-1 ATS) seeks the season sweep of San Antonio after knocking off the Spurs earlier this month, 112-106 at Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers have won once in San Antonio in their last 20 tries, while dropping 13 consecutive visits to AT&T Center. Philadelphia has cashed tickets in eight of its past 10 trips to the court, including in Wednesday?s 115-101 home triumph over Chicago as rookie Ben Simmons compiled his 5th triple-double of the season.

Buzz Bounce-Back?

The Hornets (19-27 SU, 19-24-3 ATS) have been one of the biggest disappointments in the league this season as they sit five games behind the Bucks for the final spot in the East. Charlotte couldn?t get over the hump in Wednesday?s home setback to New Orleans, but that isn?t the worst thing in the world. The Hornets have won six consecutive games off a loss, while covering five times with the only non-cover coming in Monday?s victory over Sacramento as 10 ?-point favorites.

Charlotte welcomes in Atlanta (14-33 SU, 25-20-2 ATS), who is coming off a 15-point home defeat to Toronto on Wednesday. The Hawks look to improve on a 4-19 road mark, which includes a 109-91 setback at Charlotte back in October. Atlanta has dropped 10 of its past 11 contests away from Philips Arena, but have managed to cover as underdogs seven times in this stretch.

Trail Troubles

Portland (26-22 SU, 22-21-5 ATS) has been great at home recently by winning seven straight at Moda Center, including Wednesday?s 123-114 triumph over Minnesota as 3 ?-point favorites. However, the highway has been a tough place to pick up victories for the Blazers, who are currently riding a four-game road skid. The Blazers try to end that slump with a trip to Dallas, as Portland captured both matchups at American Airlines Center last season.

The Mavericks (16-32 SU, 24-23-1 ATS) have dropped four of their past five games, including a 117-108 defeat at Portland last Saturday. Dallas hasn?t been great at home of late as Rick Carlisle?s squad has compiled a 2-5 record in its past seven at the AAC, while scoring 98 points or less in regulation in four of the previous five games at home. The Mavs are 3-7 against teams from the Northwest division this season, with two of those wins at home against Oklahoma City and Denver.

Fast Break

-- The Jazz look to capitalize off Wednesday?s overtime victory at Detroit as Utah travels to Toronto. The Raptors have won three of their past four games, while owning a terrific 17-3 record at home. Toronto has won four consecutive matchups with Utah, including a 109-100 road triumph in November.

-- It?s not exactly MJ vs. Magic when the Bulls and Lakers lock horns at the United Center. The Lakers rallied past the Bulls in their last matchup at Staples Center in November, while L.A. is coming off an impressive 3-0 homestand. Chicago?s six-game ATS hot streak came to an end in Wednesday?s loss at Philadelphia, while the Bulls have compiled a horrific 1-8 home mark against Western Conference opponents.

-- The Clippers and Grizzlies meet for the final time this season as Memphis has captured two of the first three matchups. Los Angeles tries to snap a three-game skid, while the Grizzlies have won five of eight in spite of coming off a loss to San Antonio. All three meetings have eclipsed the OVER this season, while the Clippers and Grizzlies have hit the OVER in six straight hookups overall.

-- The Knicks finish off a seven-game road trip in Phoenix, as New York is coming off three straight defeats. New York is riding a nine-game OVER streak, while allowing at least 115 points seven times in this stretch. The Suns return home from a 1-3 road swing before hitting the highway again on Sunday in Houston. The Knicks dominated the Suns in their first meeting this season at Madison Square Garden, 120-107 as 4 ?-point favorites.

 

[Cnotes53]

Books come off Cavs, but only slightly

Doom and gloom surrounds the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Still, you have to keep things in perspective. Oddsmakers have.

The most recent numbers from the Westgate SuperBook still have the Cavs as a 4-to-5 Eastern Conference favorite, moving them from 1-to-2 the previous week, which means their odds of reaching the NBA Finals again went from 66.7 percent to 55.6. To win it all, they?ve gone from 9-to-2 (18.2 percent) to 6-to-1 (14.3).

When the season opened, Cleveland was 1-to-3 to win the East (75%) and 4-to-1 (20%) to get LeBron James his fourth title.

The Cavs have taken a hit and are as vulnerable as ever. Boston and Toronto look like potential worthy adversaries good enough to snatch up that crown. Kyrie Irving has a ring. DeMar DeRozan often shows flashes that he can be a closer when it matters most. The Raptors are deeper than ever.

Neither the Celtics, Raptors, Wizards or Heat have LeBron. That?s why the Cavs will remain favored, so long as he?s healthy.

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

Cavs still have time on their side despite chaos

The rumor mill has been working overtime with stories out of Northeast Ohio. Dan Gilbert is interesting in selling the team. Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder, newcomers, have somehow pointed fingers at All-Star Kevin Love. It?s all been embarrassing.

Click on any link you?ve seen this way and you?ll read a negative story about the Cavaliers? current plight. James went on the record saying he has no idea whether head coach Tyronn Lue will survive this, which sounds strange since it?s common knowledge that his influence put him in charge in the first place after predecessor David Blatt was deemed to be in over his head.

Nobody is truly safe until the trade deadline comes and goes, and Lue probably doesn?t get to feel comfortable until the calendar turns to March, which makes the next few weeks all the more interesting.

Despite getting Thomas healthy, the Cavs have been an absolute disaster. Any positive momentum that was expected to be garnered by getting the primary piece in the Irving deal into the lineup hasn?t materialized. Tristan Thompson returning has also had no impact. He?s returning to the starting five for Friday?s date with Indiana and is expected to be in the fold going forward, filling the center spot and allowing Love to be back at the power forward spot that he?s best suited to play.

There is certainly a lot to be concerned with if you?re a Cavaliers fan. LeBron won?t even talk postseason, saying that if the playoffs began today, he wouldn?t be surprised if the Cavs were bounced in the first round. Cleveland has been the worst team against the spread all season, failing to cover in seven of its first eight and never coming through more than twice in a row against the number. The Cavs are 12-33-1, costing anyone silly enough to back their resurgence a boatload thus far.

Despite getting closer to whole, Cleveland has lost 10 of 13 but remain installed behind only the heavily favored Warriors (2/5) as the most likely to win the title per the Westgate Superbook, coming in ahead of the Rockets (8/1) and everyone else.

Since Thomas got heathy to open 2018, the Cavs have failed to cover after their opening home win over Portland, a span of nine straight entering the Jan. 26 date with Indiana, which has closed within two games in the Central Division.

Oklahoma City came into Quicken Loans Arena and pulled off a 148-124 win, one of the most ridiculous results in the league this season. Thomas had no prayer of staying in front of Westbrook, which put the defense in a vulnerable position all afternoon. Privately, James is said to have told confidants that he?s worried his team can?t snap out of this. The depleted Spurs won easily at AT&T Center on Tuesday, rolling 114-102.

Cryptic tweets have already made the rounds throughout social media, adding to the intrigue.

Dwyane Wade tweeted: ?Look in the mirror and you?ll get all the answers you need.?

Since all the dirty laundry is being aired on various social media vehicles in addition to playing out in front of a press crew that does a diligent job in reporting every word uttered around the team, they?ll have to deal with distractions normally reserved for cities like New York or Los Angeles, not Cleveland.

Still, that?s nothing new for any of these guys. This is a veteran group, currently accused of having old legs but certainly capable of dealing with performing amid drama and increased attention.

Thomas (hip), Thompson (calf) and Derrick Rose (ankle) are all back in the mix, and while it?s worth wondering whether their absence wasn?t a reason why the Cavs took off and won 18 of 19 from Nov. 11 to Dec. 17 given the struggles all three have faced. Still, it?s also not exactly fair to expect them to immediately rediscover their form. Playing their way back into shape isn?t a luxury they?ve enjoyed.

Guard Iman Shumpert, a crucial piece who has already helped turn Cleveland?s fortunes around once before, made his first appearance since Nov. 27 against San Antonio on Jan. 23, logging six minutes after finally getting his knee right. J.R. Smith, who came over from the Knicks alongside Shumpert in 2015 and hasn played in three NBA Finals, hasn?t produced to his capability at either end of the floor, passing up open looks and struggling to defend to his potential.

Maybe George Hill can be plucked out of Sacramento to help stabilize the backcourt defense, forcing Lue to balance when he plays Thomas to limit his exposure on that side of the ball. Crowder has been demoted, but will also be a factor going forward off the bench and will be an asset so long as he shoots the ball better than he did when he originally came on board.

The Cavs have the personnel to get it together, but Lue, not Love, is currently in the hottest seat. He?ll have to figure out a way to stabilize his group and push the right buttons or risk losing his gig.

If you?ve settled on a No. 2 team you like in the East, now is probably the time to try and cash in, but do so with the knowledge that you?ll have to beat James in four out of seven somewhere along the way. Since there?s a chance they can put a lineup of LeBron, Love, Thompson, Shumpert and Crowder to go out and get a stop and may even add a talent like Hill to fortify the group, betting against the Cavs remains a dicey bet despite how lucrative it?s been so far.

Keep Cleveland?s struggles in perspective. It?s unlikely the doom and gloom will last too much longer. LeBron has found a way to reach the NBA Finals every season this decade since 2011. He?s still plenty dominant enough to get there again. All he needs is just a little more help.