Cnotes National Basketball League December Picks/Trends/News !!

[CNOTES]

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, December 2

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LA LAKERS (2 - 15) at WASHINGTON (7 - 8) - 12/2/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA LAKERS are 20-33 ATS (-16.3 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
LA LAKERS are 40-57 ATS (-22.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 346-416 ATS (-111.6 Units) in home games since 1996.


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




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GOLDEN STATE (19 - 0) at CHARLOTTE (10 - 7) - 12/2/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
GOLDEN STATE is 70-48 ATS (+17.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 33-21 ATS (+9.9 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 65-42 ATS (+18.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 32-16 ATS (+14.4 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 40-24 ATS (+13.6 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
GOLDEN STATE is 43-26 ATS (+14.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
CHARLOTTE is 139-176 ATS (-54.6 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.


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




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PHOENIX (8 - 10) at DETROIT (9 - 9) - 12/2/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 102-76 ATS (+18.4 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 55-32 ATS (+19.8 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 63-41 ATS (+17.9 Units) in a road game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.
PHOENIX is 50-30 ATS (+17.0 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 39-24 ATS (+12.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
DETROIT is 16-37 ATS (-24.7 Units) in a home game where where the total is between 200 and 204.5 points since 1996.


Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 5-0 against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 3-2 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




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PHILADELPHIA (1 - 18) at NEW YORK (8 - 10) - 12/2/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW YORK is 19-31 ATS (-15.1 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 7-18 ATS (-12.8 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
NEW YORK is 15-28 ATS (-15.8 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses over the last 2 seasons.


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




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DENVER (6 - 12) at CHICAGO (10 - 5) - 12/2/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 18-30 ATS (-15.0 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 12-26 ATS (-16.6 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
DENVER is 4-15 ATS (-12.5 Units) after scoring 85 points or less over the last 3 seasons.
CHICAGO is 114-152 ATS (-53.2 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.
CHICAGO is 54-84 ATS (-38.4 Units) in home games off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.


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




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NEW ORLEANS (4 - 14) at HOUSTON (7 - 11) - 12/2/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
HOUSTON is 41-24 ATS (+14.6 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
HOUSTON is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) in all games this season.
HOUSTON is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) as a favorite this season.
HOUSTON is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in home games this season.
HOUSTON is 4-14 ATS (-11.4 Units) first half of the season this season.


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




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TORONTO (11 - 7) at ATLANTA (12 - 8) - 12/2/2015, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
ATLANTA is 64-50 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
ATLANTA is 35-19 ATS (+14.1 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 28-14 ATS (+12.6 Units) in road games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.


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




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MILWAUKEE (7 - 11) at SAN ANTONIO (14 - 4) - 12/2/2015, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 225-281 ATS (-84.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) after allowing 85 points or less over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 916-797 ATS (+39.3 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 726-615 ATS (+49.5 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 467-387 ATS (+41.3 Units) in home games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 307-243 ATS (+39.7 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 305-249 ATS (+31.1 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 190-133 ATS (+43.7 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 48-31 ATS (+13.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 3 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 41-28 ATS (+10.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.


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




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INDIANA (11 - 5) at LA CLIPPERS (10 - 8) - 12/2/2015, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 23-37 ATS (-17.7 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 9-22 ATS (-15.2 Units) in home games after 3 or more consecutive wins over the last 3 seasons.
LA CLIPPERS are 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.


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

 

[CNOTES]

Sharp bettors are drooling over these can't-miss spot bet opportunities


Long Beach State plays four games in six days this week, featuring a trip to the thin air at Colorado State and back-to-back games this weekend.


Letdown spot


The USC Trojans are coming off a big week. Not only did the program name interim head coach Clay Helton its permanent head coach but it also scored a victory over rival UCLA, knocking off the Bruins in blowout fashion 40-21 as a 3-point favorite Saturday. It snapped a three-year losing skid to its California cousins and punched the Trojans ticket to the Pac-12 title game, facing Stanford as 4.5-point underdogs.


Southern Cal’s big win and improbable path to the conference championship game sets USC up for a possible letdown. The Trojans’ season was marred by the firing of Steve Sarkisian after his problem drinking was brought to the forefront and many counted out Southern Cal, which could give USC a false sense of accomplishment entering Saturday’s game. The Trojans lost 41-31 to Stanford as 9.5-point home favorites in September.


Lookahead spot


It’s hard to look past a lineup with guys like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook at the top, but the Miami Heat find themselves in a tough spot hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday with former star LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers next on the schedule. Miami plays host to the Cavs on Saturday in what will be an intense game between two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.


The Heat went 1-3 SU and ATS in their four games before playing Cleveland last season, which was James’ first back with the Cavaliers after opting out with Miami and shunning the franchise in free agency. The Heat lost both matchups with the Thunder SU and ATS last year and have gone 5-1 SU versus the West but just 3-3 ATS so far this season.


Schedule spot


Long Beach State knows that if you want to impress the selection committee come March, you have to test your mettle against some big-name programs. The 49ers have already played power conference members like Oklahoma State (twice), Virginia, and Seton Hall as well as mid-major contender BYU in their tune-up slate before Big West play tips off.


But Long Beach State isn’t done there. It plays a hectic schedule this week, starting with a home game against San Diego State Tuesday. Then the 49ers travel to Colorado State Thursday, are back home to play New Mexico State Saturday, then head to UCLA to take on the Bruins Sunday evening. That’s a stretch of four games in six days, including a trip to the thin air of Fort Collins, Colorado.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Dunkel

Wednesday, December 2


LA Lakers @ Washington

Game 501-502
December 2, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
107.853
Washington
121.710
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 14
212
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 9 1/2
203 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Washington
(-9 1/2); Over

Golden State @ Charlotte

Game 503-504
December 2, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Golden State
131.446
Charlotte
118.996
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 12 1/2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 8 1/2
211 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-8 1/2); Under

Phoenix @ Detroit

Game 505-506
December 2, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Phoenix
116.995
Detroit
118.825
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 2
208
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
by 4
200 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix
(+4); Over

Philadelphia @ New York

Game 507-508
December 2, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
110.100
New York
115.747
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
New York
by 5 1/2
184
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York
by 9
192
Dunkel Pick:
Philadelphia
(+9); Under

Denver @ Chicago

Game 509-510
December 2, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Denver
111.182
Chicago
125.038
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 14
202
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 9 1/2
197
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(-9 1/2); Over

New Orleans @ Houston

Game 511-512
December 2, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
New Orleans
112.955
Houston
118.917
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Houston
by 6
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Houston
by 4
212
Dunkel Pick:
Houston
(-4); Under

Toronto @ Atlanta

Game 513-514
December 2, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Toronto
118.744
Atlanta
125.114
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Atlanta
by 6 1/2
206
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Atlanta
by 3
198
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(-3); Over

Milwaukee @ San Antonio

Game 515-516
December 2, 2015 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
112.220
San Antonio
128.697
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 16 1/2
182
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 12
190 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(-12); Under

Indiana @ LA Clippers

Game 517-518
December 2, 2015 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
125,601
LA Clippers
124.999
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 1
209
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 3
No Total
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana
(+3); N/A

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Lakers (2-15) at Wizards (7-8)
Date: December 02, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

An eight-game road trip is serving as the start of Kobe Bryant's farewell tour. The first stop of it couldn't have gone much worse.


The Lakers try to avoid an eighth straight loss Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards, who are coming off their most impressive performance of the season.


Los Angeles (2-15) owns the worst record in the Western Conference as it continues its rebuilding phase. Bryant won't be part of the project beyond this one, announcing Sunday that he's retiring at the end of the season.


The Lakers may have had their best chance for a victory Tuesday against winless Philadelphia, Bryant's hometown. Although Bryant hit his first three shots - all from 3-point range - he finished with 20 points on 7 of 26 from the field and watched as the 76ers earned their first win of the season, 103-91.


Philadelphia ended a 28-game losing streak - a record in major U.S. pro sports - as the sellout crowd cheered Bryant throughout the game.


"I wasn't expecting that type of reaction, ovation," Bryant said. "Deeply appreciative beyond belief. It was really, really special."


Similar receptions are expected for Bryant, but the Lakers have bigger concerns and chief among them is a seven-game losing streak and an eight-game skid on the road.


This entire season has been a struggle for the retiring superstar but Bryant's last four games have been particularly alarming. He's averaged 14.5 points on 23.8 percent (19 for 80) shooting, including 8 for 36 (22.2 percent) from beyond the arc.


Facing Washington (7-8) isn't likely to help. Los Angeles has surrendered an average of 109.0 points while losing five straight to the Wizards.


Bryant missed three of those matchups because of injury, totaling 50 points over the other two.


Washington ended a four-game losing streak in the unlikeliest of places Tuesday, winning 97-85 at Cleveland to send the East-leading Cavaliers to their first home loss. John Wall had a season-high 35 points, 10 assists and five rebounds for the Wizards, who scored the game's first 10 points and went on a 9-0 run to begin the second half.


"We are an unpredictable team," said center Marcin Gortat, who had 15 points and 11 boards. "Last year, we proved we could beat good teams by 20, but we can lose at Philly. We are a crazy team."


Wall's performance came after he averaged 13.6 points and shot 33.8 percent from the floor in the five previous games.


'Every team is trying to make me make jump shots this year, so I was just being aggressive and getting to the basket. I got into a rhythm early and it helped us get going,' he said.


Wall is averaging 24.2 points while shooting 50.0 percent from the field over the last five meetings with the Lakers.


Bradley Beal is scoring 21.3 points per game during the past three matchups. He had 27 points and connected on 11 of 19 field-goal attempts while Wall scored 17 with 16 assists in a 111-95 home victory over Los Angeles on Dec. 3.


The Lakers are getting 20.0 points per game out of Jordan Clarkson over the past three contests. The second-year guard had 18 against the Wizards in January.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Warriors (19-0) at Hornets (10-7)
Date: December 02, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Charlotte Hornets have played their best basketball of the season on this homestand, though the biggest challenge of all lies ahead.


The Golden State Warriors look to extend the best start in NBA history when the Hornets conclude their seven-game home stretch against the defending champions Wednesday night.


Golden State withstood a strong challenge from improving Utah and moved to 19-0 on Monday, winning 106-103 on the road. Stephen Curry snapped a tie with a 3-pointer with 51.9 seconds left, then made two critical free throws after the Jazz's Rodney Hood missed a potential go-ahead shot with 5.9 remaining.


Curry scored 10 of his 26 points in the final 6:20 to lead the Warriors to a 23rd straight regular-season win.


"What gets lost in the record is the tough games we've had to claw our way out of like (Monday's)," he said. "Just because we are 19-0 doesn't mean we can just show up and blow teams out and guarantee a win, we actually have to do something about it.'


The victory opened a seven-game trip that continues with Curry's return to his hometown of Charlotte, where he's averaged 29.0 points in five visits. He scored 43 in a 115-111 loss there Dec. 9, 2013.


He'll face a surging Hornets team that's tightened up defensively on its homestand. Charlotte has limited four of its last five opponents to 95 or fewer points and held its past three to 42.0 percent shooting or below.


The Hornets held Milwaukee to 36.1 percent over the final three quarters in rallying for an 87-82 win Sunday, their fifth in six games.


Stopping the Warriors, the league's highest-scoring team at 115.3 points per game, figures to be a considerably tougher task. Golden State has shot under 42 percent once on the season and has reached the 100-point mark in every game.


Curry was 1 of 10 from 3-point range and the Warriors made 42.4 percent from the field in last season's visit to Time Warner Cable Arena, but they won 106-101 on Nov. 28, 2014 behind reserve forward Marreese Speights' 27 points.


Charlotte won't have one of its top scorers available for Wednesday's matchup, however, as center Al Jefferson will be sidelined two to three weeks after straining his left calf against the Bucks.


With Jefferson out and backup point guard Jeremy Lin uncertain with a sprained right ankle, the Hornets will rely more heavily upon their perimeter trio of Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum and Jeremy Lamb. All three players are shooting 36.1 percent or better from beyond the arc.


Walker has gone 15 of 31 from 3-point range while averaging 23.4 points in his last seven games, while Lamb continues to produce in his sixth-man role, averaging 12.8 points on the season.


"It's been a great month for us,' Walker said. 'We've got great depth now. Guys are always willing to step up and make plays.'


Golden State will play a third straight game without Harrison Barnes due to a left ankle sprain he sustained Friday at Phoenix.


The Warriors swept the 2014-15 season series, also winning 112-87 at home last Nov. 15.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: 76ers (1-18) at Knicks (8-10)
Date: December 02, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

After finally ending their nightmare with an elusive first victory, the rebuilding Philadelphia 76ers are hoping they won't have to wait nearly as long for the next one.


As prized rookies Jahlil Okafor and Kristaps Porzingis meet for the first time, the visiting 76ers go after their first consecutive wins in 8 1/2 months Wednesday night against the New York Knicks.


Philadelphia (1-18), which hadn't won since March 25, snapped a 28-game slide that was the longest in major U.S. professional sports in Tuesday's 103-91 home victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.


'Finally,' said forward Nerlens Noel, who had 14 points and nine rebounds while coming off the bench for the second time this season.


Robert Covington led six double-digit scorers with 23 and hit 5 of 11 from 3-point range.


The third-year forward has found his rhythm after battling a knee injury earlier this season. He's averaging 18.8 points while hitting 21-of-47 (44.7 percent) from long range over his last six games.


Now Philadelphia can avoid the worst 20-game start in NBA history at 1-19, set by the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets, with its first back-to-back wins since March 18-20 versus Detroit and New York.


Noel led the way with 23 points and 14 boards in that 97-81 victory over the Knicks that marked the 76ers' only win over the last six meetings. They've lost three straight at Madison Square Garden.


"We're going to get greedy," coach Brett Brown told the team's official website. "We want a little bit more."


These once-proud franchises finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season, netting the third and fourth picks in the 2015 draft. Okafor, who went third to Philadelphia, leads all rookies with 17.2 points per game but has totaled 32 while shooting 35.1 percent over his last three while dealing with some off-the-court issues.


The center has been cited for reckless driving and driving at an excessive rate of speed, and also was involved in two fights while leaving nightclubs. Okafor has apologized for his poor decision making and Brown said the 19-year-old will be accompanied by team security on public outings.


Porzingis, however, has become a fan favorite after he was booed by hundreds of frustrated Knicks fans on draft night when he was announced as the team's fourth selection. The 20-year-old leads all rookies with 9.4 rebounds per game and ranks third with 13.7 points.


He's been more productive of late, averaging 17.0 points and 11.6 boards over his last five games. He posted his eighth double-double Sunday with 20 and 13 in a 116-111 overtime loss to Houston.


After shooting 35.7 percent over its previous three games, New York (8-10) shot a season-high 57.7 percent Sunday but committed a season-worst 23 turnovers in its fourth straight defeat.


"If we just kind of stay in our roles and allow each other to do what we do best, we'll have more successful nights," veteran guard Arron Afflalo said.


With Carmelo Anthony sidelined due to illness, Afflalo had his best game as a Knick with 31 points against the Rockets.


Anthony, averaging a team-high 22.1 points, is expected to return against the 76ers. The All-Star totaled 52 points and 18 rebounds while playing in two of the four meetings last season.


Brothers Jerami (Philadelphia) and Jerian Grant (New York), sons of former 76ers forward Harvey Grant, will face each other for the first time in the NBA.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Suns (8-10) at Pistons (9-9)
Date: December 02, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

Coach Stan Van Gundy figured the Detroit Pistons were going to take their lumps navigating through a difficult first portion of the schedule with Brandon Jennings still recovering from offseason surgery.


That's why he considers it an accomplishment to be heading into December sitting at .500.


Detroit continues its homestand Wednesday night against a Phoenix Suns team going through a rough patch that has dropped it below the break-even mark.


Jennings hopes to return at some point this month after suffering a torn left Achilles last season that forced him to miss the final 38 games and the first portion of this campaign, but the Pistons (9-9) have been playing decent basketball without him.


They won five of their first six before a three-week slump, then capped November with Monday's 116-105 victory over Houston to begin a four-game homestand. Being at .500 is more than respectable considering Detroit has played 11 road games, tied for the second-most behind Toronto's 12.


"We got through a difficult month and a week," Van Gundy said. "When I looked at the schedule in the summer - with all the new guys and the young guys and all of that - 9-9 would've been pretty good."


Reggie Jackson agrees. The Pistons rank near the bottom of the league in field-goal percentage at 41.5 and points per game with 96.6, but they put that aside Monday.


Detroit shot a season-best 52.9 percent and Jackson finished with 31 points while Andre Drummond had 24 and 13 rebounds. Rookie Stanley Johnson had his first double-double with 19 and 10.


"We'll take it. We'll take .500 right now," said Jackson, who shot a combined 8 for 36 over his previous two. "But we think we're a better team. We've got a long way to go. We've still got to prove to ourselves we're better than this. We've just got to shore up some things offensively. We feel like we're getting better, but still have a long way to go."


Jackson scored a game-high 23 points in a 100-92 win over the Suns (8-10) on Nov. 6, and Marcus Morris added 20 in his return to Phoenix after being traded in the offseason.


Morris' twin brother, Markieff, demanded a trade out of Phoenix following that deal but ultimately remained with the Suns and scored 18 points in the first meeting.


Markieff is coming off back-to-back rough outings, though, after going 3 for 11 from the field and scoring six points in Tuesday's 94-91 loss to Brooklyn. He made just 3 of 12 from the floor in Sunday's loss to Toronto that began a six-game road trip.


Former Piston Brandon Knight scored 26 points against the Nets and Eric Bledsoe added 17 for Phoenix, which has dropped six of eight following a three-game winning streak.


'We gave up a (nine-point) lead,' Knight said. 'We were up in the third (quarter), second half. We just stopped getting stops and they executed down the stretch, got the stops they wanted and they played better to close the game.'


Alex Len had 13 points and a career-best 14 rebounds starting in place of center Tyson Chandler for the third time in four games. Chandler first was dealing with an illness before suffering a right hamstring strain in Friday's loss to Golden State.


Chandler's status for this matchup is uncertain.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Raptors (11-7) at Hawks (12-8)
Date: December 02, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Atlanta Hawks continue to have much more success on their home floor behind better shooting.


They'll look to continue that trend Wednesday night against the visiting Toronto Raptors, who hope their latest loss doesn't have a snowball effect like previous defeats.


Atlanta is 7-3 at home behind 47.4 percent shooting - which is one of the top marks in the league - and 37.2 percent from 3-point range. On the road, they are in the middle of the pack with a 44.0 field-goal percentage and 33.6 mark from deep.


The Hawks (12-8) have dropped five of six on the road, but they've won three in a row at home, including Monday's 106-100 victory against Oklahoma City.


Jeff Teague scored 25, the third time in four games he's had at least 20 after doing so as many times in his previous 13 contests. He scored 10 in the fourth quarter and has become a closer of sorts for Atlanta, averaging a club-high 5.4 fourth-quarter points.


Paul Millsap, who is averaging a career-high 18.6 points, also had 26 points and 11 rebounds to help overcome Russell Westbrook's 17 points in the final period.


"We're learning ... that when a team is making a run, not to get rattled," Millsap said after three of the team's previous five losses came by four points or fewer. "I felt like we kept our composure really well. (Westbrook) got hot, and when a guy like that gets hot, he's tough to stop. But we stayed cool, finally got some stops and scored the basketball when we needed to."


Toronto (11-7) won four in a row before losing 107-102 against Phoenix on Sunday. The Raptors will try to avoid another roller coaster of wins in losses, as their first six defeats came in the form of two three-game losing streaks.


They trailed for nearly the entire game before taking a 97-96 advantage on DeMar DeRozan's jumper with 2:54 remaining. Luis Scola's potential tying 3-point attempt was blocked with less than a second left.


"We have to stop putting ourselves in a tough predicament by having to fight our way out, when we don't have much time to," said DeRozan, who scored a season high-matching 29. "We find ourselves in that position a little too much. Once we clean up the little things at both ends, it will be easier for us to close out games."


Kyle Lowry, second on the Raptors in scoring at 20.7 points per game, is averaging 11.5 points on 32.6 percent shooting over his last four meetings with Atlanta.


Toronto has won four of the last five meetings, including a 105-80 road win Feb. 20, holding the Hawks to a season-low 33.0 field-goal percentage while forcing 23 turnovers. Kyle Korver hit 2 of 11 3-point attempts after knocking down 57.9 percent in his previous nine matchups.


DeRozan, a career 44.1 percent shooter, is averaging 25.6 points on 52.2 percent shooting in his last nine games against Atlanta.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Nuggets (6-12) at Bulls (10-5)


Just over a month into the season, the Chicago Bulls' offense still hasn't taken off in Fred Hoiberg's up-tempo system.


They're still well ahead of the Denver Nuggets.


Coming off a scrappy win over one of the league's best teams, the Bulls look to send the scuffling Nuggets to an eighth straight loss Wednesday night at the United Center.


Chicago (10-5) has the Eastern Conference's third-best record but the success hasn't been a product of Hoiberg's touted fast-paced offense. The Bulls are averaging 98.9 points, 1.9 less than last season when they ranked 15th under the defensive-oriented Tom Thibodeau.


They channeled their old defensive mindset late Monday against San Antonio, getting blocks from Pau Gasol and Derrick Rose in the final 66 seconds to hang on for a 92-89 win.


'It was one of those nights where everybody that stepped out on the floor not only contributed but contributed in a big way,' Hoiberg said.


The contributions were much greater on the defensive end, however, as the offense again failed to find any rhythm. The Bulls didn't make a field goal in the final 6:31, missing four attempts and committing three turnovers, and leading scorer Jimmy Butler finished with as many field goals (five) as turnovers.


Chicago has scored 94 or fewer in each of its last four games while shooting 38.9 percent.


In the last two, Butler has totaled 30 points and nine turnovers while Rose has 21 points on 27.3 percent shooting. Gasol is shooting 30.6 percent in the last three.


The Nuggets (6-12) have been an even bigger mess offensively, recording 80, 81 and 74 points in the last three games.


They had their lowest point total of the season in Monday's 92-74 loss to Milwaukee, turning the ball over a season-high 24 turnovers while getting outscored 52-36 in the paint.


'We've got to find a way to wake up and win some games because we definitely cannot keep doing what we're doing and playing the way we play,' said leading scorer Danilo Gallinari, who is shooting 28.6 percent during the losing streak. 'We've got to want to win the game. We've got to put more effort.'


Stepping up in the second half would go a long way to help Denver avoid its first eight-game skid since Dec. 17, 2013-Jan. 1, 2014.


The Nuggets were down by two to the Bucks at halftime before being outscored 46-30 after the break. During its losing streak, Denver is averaging 51.7 points and 40.4 percent 3-point shooting in the first half and 39.6 points and 23.3 percent shooting on 3s in the second.


'We're one of the poorer shooting teams in the NBA, one of the poorer finishing teams in the NBA,' coach Michael Malone said.


The Nuggets are also one of the worst road teams in the league. They were 2-6 away from Denver in November, with their wins coming against New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers - the only teams they're ahead of in the West.


They've lost two straight in Chicago and have one win in their last 13 games at East arenas.


Denver split last season's two games with the Bulls, with Butler totaling 58 points and 17 rebounds.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Pelicans (4-14) at Rockets (7-11)
Date: December 02, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

If the Houston Rockets are going to turn things around in arguably the NBA's toughest division, they're going to have to start winning some games against some of the Southwest's own.


A logical place to start might be at home against the New Orleans Pelicans, another of the division's playoff teams from a season ago that's in an even bigger hole. The teams meet Wednesday night in Houston with the Rockets seeking their first win against a division opponent, while the Pelicans are already facing their third substantial losing streak of the season.


After Monday's 116-105 loss in Detroit, Houston (7-11) seems more concerned with avoiding poor starts in general than beating any particular team. The Pistons led by 28 in the first half and were up 64-41 at halftime. The Rockets trailed by 13 at the half in Sunday's 116-111 win in New York, and they've been down on average by 9.3 points at the break over the last 10 games, so the deficits have caught their attention.


"We're playing with fire when we keep giving teams these big leads," said coach J.B. Bickerstaff, whose team has lost all three games against division opponents. "You put so much pressure on your defense and so much pressure on your offense that you have to play an almost perfect game to have a chance."


James Harden had 29 points and is averaging 33.7 in the last seven games, but it's resulted in only three wins as the Rockets struggle defensively. They've allowed their last four opponents to shoot 51.8 percent.


"It's not just how we start," Dwight Howard said. "Throughout the game, we can't allow teams to get easy shots. All of us got to play better."


The teams split four games a season ago with New Orleans limiting Harden to 21.8 points per, but the Rockets have won 10 of the last 15 and seven of eight in Houston.


New Orleans (4-14) never lost more than four in a row last season but are in danger of reaching that mark for the third time in 19 games. It lost six straight to start the season, then dropped five after its first win. A three-game winning streak followed, but after Tuesday's 113-104 home loss to Memphis, the Pelicans have since canceled that out.


New Orleans' latest lost came despite the return of starting guard Tyreke Evans and top reserve Norris Cole. Evans, who's averaging 21.5 points on 56.3 percent shooting in his last four games against Houston, led the Pelicans with 20 points and 10 assists, but they allowed a 14-point lead to slip away.


They too have struggled defensively, allowing 111.0 points in their last five while being outrebounded by a margin of 13.0 in the last two. Anthony Davis said the process of working players back into the lineup further complicates the things they need to correct.


"It's tough when you have two of your key guys come back and all the lineups are messed up and everybody's trying to get back accustomed to one another," Davis said. "But that's not an excuse. We've still got to come out and play defensively. Offensively we'll be fine, but defensively we've got to come out and play a lot better than what we're doing the past couple of games."


Ryan Anderson, who has shot 27.0 percent in his last three games, agreed there will be a learning curve.


"You've got to build some chemistry back," he said. "It's not just going to happen overnight. There were glimpses of great basketball tonight, and that's what we need to take into (Wednesday)."

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Bucks (7-11) at Spurs (14-4)
Date: December 02, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Gregg Popovich isn't happy with how his team is performing on offense. Conversely, Jason Kidd likes his team's progress on defense.


That still doesn't mean anyone should expect Milwaukee to win in San Antonio on Wednesday night. Popovich's Spurs haven't lost a regular-season game there in nearly nine months, and Kidd's Bucks enter with six-game losing streaks on the road and in this series.


Kidd, though, does have a coaching win in San Antonio from his lone season with Brooklyn in 2013-14, and the Bucks did come close Jan. 25 before losing 101-95. The teams' last matchup wasn't as tight, with Milwaukee losing 114-103 at home March 18.


The Bucks (7-11) haven't won in San Antonio since 2008, and the Spurs (14-4) have won 18 consecutive regular-season games there since losing to Cleveland in overtime March 12. They've yet to give up 100 points in nine home games this season, winning by an average of 14.4.


Scoring 100, though, has been tough to do recently. San Antonio has been held to an average of 93.7 points in its last seven games and ranks in the bottom third of the NBA (98.8 per game) after finishing seventh last season (103.2). The Spurs are last in the league with 17.6 free-throw attempts per game.


They had a five-game winning streak halted with a 92-88 loss in Chicago on Monday.


"We are not good offensively, and may not be until March," Popovich said. "Offense will take a while. We have a lot of guys getting used to each other, and how to play together."


Among them is newcomer LaMarcus Aldridge, though he had one of his best performances in a Spurs uniform with 21 points and 12 rebounds. He's averaged 25.4 points in his last nine games against the Bucks.


Manu Ginobili has been struggling, shooting 25.0 percent in his last three games while missing all 11 3-point tries. Tim Duncan has averaged 6.3 points in his last four, attempting just 26 field goals (making 11), and has failed to get to the foul line in three straight.


Duncan has been tough on the Bucks even as he's aged, averaging 19.3 points and 11.3 rebounds during San Antonio's current win streak in the series. The Spurs have averaged 110.2 points in those six games.


It's been a similar story for Milwaukee lately on the road, losing six straight while allowing 109.5 points per game on 50.3 percent shooting.


However, Kidd liked what he saw on defense in Sunday's 87-82 defeat at Charlotte and the following night in a 92-74 win over Denver.


"I think you can see the guys are turning the page and understand what we're trying to get done defensively," he said. "The last two games, they're getting better. So now we get back out on the road against a very talented team in San Antonio, so we're gonna need that defense to compete and win on the road."


Kidd specifically mentioned Jabari Parker's strong defense Monday, when he had two blocks and two steals along with 16 points.


"We just gotta keep locking in (on defense)," Parker said. "Myself, gotta keep playing good defense and help contribute."


Last year's No. 2 overall pick and 2013 lottery selection Michael Carter-Williams have come off the bench in the last two games. Carter-Williams had one of his best games of the season Monday with 12 points, nine assists, six rebounds, three blocks and three steals.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Pacers (11-5) at Clippers (10-8)
Date: December 02, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

Paul George has carried the Indiana Pacers during their hot stretch. Blake Griffin may have to do the same for the Los Angeles Clippers to maintain theirs.


The Clippers host the red-hot Pacers on Wednesday night possibly without Chris Paul after the point guard strained his rib cage Monday.


Paul did not return after exiting a 102-87 win over Portland midway through the third quarter. The Clippers will re-evaluate his status prior to Wednesday's game while bracing for an absence of some sort.


"You can't replace Chris, obviously," center DeAndre Jordan said. "But we have to learn to play with somebody down. I may be down a game, Blake might be out. Injuries happen, things happen, and we want to be able to fill that void."


Los Angeles (10-8) lost two of the three games Paul missed earlier this season with a groin strain. It was able to overcome his departure against a Trail Blazers team that played most of the second half without Damian Lillard.


Coach Doc Rivers said Griffin will handle the ball more if the All-Star guard again misses time.


"Whenever Chris is out, Blake and the point guard do the ball-handling duties," Rivers said. "It's nice when you have a guy like Blake that can do stuff like that."


Griffin had a season-high nine assists with Paul sidelined for a 101-96 win over Detroit on Nov. 14 and has averaged 6.7 in the last three games - all wins. The Clippers had previously lost eight of 11.


He's averaging 27.3 points on 57.5 percent shooting over his last four and now has 450 points this season, the most through 18 games since the franchise moved from San Diego in 1984-85.


George enters on an even more impressive roll. The versatile forward has gone 16 of 28 from 3-point range while averaging 37.3 points over the last three games and has totaled 20 or more in 12 straight.


Indiana (11-5) has won five in a row and 11 of 13 after beginning this four-game western trip with a 107-103 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at an emotionally charged Staples Center. George scored 11 of his 39 points in the final 1:27 to keep Indiana in front in the Lakers' first game since Kobe Bryant announced he will retire at the season's end.


"I had the utmost confidence to put this game in my hands," George told the team's official website.


With George and C.J. Miles leading the way, the Pacers are averaging 113.8 points and shooting 45.7 percent on 3-pointers in winning their last five by an average of 19.4 points. Miles is 25 of 50 from beyond the arc while averaging 19.5 points over his last six.


Indiana was swept in last season's two meetings with the Clippers as George missed both. Griffin averaged 24.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists while Jordan grabbed a combined 42 boards.


Jordan had a season-high 24 rebounds Monday along with 18 points, but he also missed 22 free throws to tie Wilt Chamberlain's NBA record and set a franchise record with 34 attempts. Jordan's 153 attempts are third-most in the league and his 37.9 free-throw percentage is the worst.

 

[CNOTES]

Standings

EASTERN CONFERENCE - ATLANTIC


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Toronto Raptors 11 7 0.611 0 4-2 7-5 6-3 6-4 L-1
Boston Celtics 10 8 0.556 1 6-4 4-4 8-6 6-4 W-1
New York Knicks 8 10 0.444 3 3-6 5-4 4-8 4-6 L-4
Brooklyn Nets 5 13 0.278 6 4-3 1-10 3-7 4-6 W-2
Philadelphia 76ers 1 18 0.053 10 1-7 0-11 0-11 1-9 W-1

EASTERN CONFERENCE - CENTRAL


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Cleveland Cavaliers 13 5 0.722 0 9-1 4-4 11-5 6-4 L-1
Indiana Pacers 11 5 0.688 1 6-2 5-3 9-3 8-2 W-5
Chicago Bulls 10 5 0.667 1 6-1 4-4 6-3 7-3 W-1
Detroit Pistons 9 9 0.500 4 5-2 4-7 4-4 4-6 W-1
Milwaukee Bucks 7 11 0.389 6 5-4 2-7 6-9 3-7 W-1

EASTERN CONFERENCE - SOUTHEAST


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Miami Heat 10 6 0.625 0 8-3 2-3 5-5 7-3 L-1
Atlanta Hawks 12 8 0.600 0 7-3 5-5 7-4 4-6 W-1
Charlotte Hornets 10 7 0.588 0 8-2 2-5 6-6 7-3 W-1
Orlando Magic 10 8 0.556 1 7-3 3-5 5-5 7-3 W-4
Washington Wizards 7 8 0.467 2 3-4 4-4 6-7 4-6 W-1

WESTERN CONFERENCE - SOUTHWEST


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


San Antonio Spurs 14 4 0.778 0 9-0 5-4 8-2 8-2 L-1
Memphis Grizzlies 11 8 0.579 3 6-3 5-5 8-6 8-2 W-2
Dallas Mavericks 11 8 0.579 3 5-2 6-6 9-6 6-4 W-1
Houston Rockets 7 11 0.389 7 4-7 3-4 4-6 3-7 L-1
New Orleans Pelicans 4 14 0.222 10 3-5 1-9 4-9 3-7 L-3

WESTERN CONFERENCE - NORTHWEST


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Oklahoma City Thunder 11 7 0.611 0 8-3 3-4 6-2 6-4 L-1
Utah Jazz 8 8 0.500 2 3-3 5-5 4-4 4-6 L-1
Minnesota Timberwolves 8 10 0.444 3 2-7 6-3 3-4 4-6 L-2
Portland Trail Blazers 7 12 0.368 4 4-5 3-7 7-9 3-7 L-2
Denver Nuggets 6 12 0.333 5 3-6 3-6 5-11 2-8 L-7

WESTERN CONFERENCE - PACIFIC


Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak


Golden State Warriors 19 0 1.000 0 10-0 9-0 15-0 10-0 W-19
Los Angeles Clippers 10 8 0.556 8 8-4 2-4 9-7 5-5 W-3
Phoenix Suns 8 10 0.444 10 5-5 3-5 7-7 4-6 L-1
Sacramento Kings 7 12 0.368 12 5-6 2-6 2-9 5-5 W-1
Los Angeles Lakers 2 15 0.118 16 1-6 1-9 0-9 1-9 L-7

Updated Wed Dec 2 12:04 PM EDT

 

[CNOTES]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Conference championship games this weekend..........

-- MAC-- Bowling Green (-11.5) vs Northern Illinois

-- C-USA-- Western Kentucky (-7) vs Southern Mississippi

-- AAC-- Houston (-6) vs Temple

-- Pac-12-- Stanford (-4.5) vs USC

-- SEC-- Alabama (-17.5) vs Florida

-- MW-- San Diego State (-3.5) vs Air Force

-- ACC-- Clemson (-5.5) vs North Carolina

-- Big 14-- Michigan State (-3.5) vs Iowa

**********

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

13) First of all, our thoughts and prayers go out to the people in San Bernadino after yesterday's killings at a county office complex. It is just very sad; I'm not going to go on a rant here about guns or anything, but stuff like this needs to stop.

12) It is interesting how CNN brings in experts in to talk about these situations as cameras from helicopters show police activity. Former CIA people, police offficers, military experts- they all speculate on a fluid situation-- live TV is very interesting.

On to more pleasant subjects........
11) There is an interesting article in ESPN the Magazine on agent Jimmy Sexton, who is one of the major power brokers in college football- he represents fifty college coaches, and NFL players like Philip Rivers and Julio Jones.

Put it this way: last week, Alabama-Auburn, Florida-Florida State, USC-UCLA all played rivalry games. Sexton represents the head coach from all six of those schools.

10) David Price got $31M a year from the Red Sox; he's a damn good pitcher, but his 0-7, 5.27 career postseason record has to raise eyebrows. He is also 30 years old, so he will be 37 when his contract runs out. Lot of $$$ to commit to one player.

Price is 104-56, 3.09 in 213 career regular season starts; he was 18-5, 2.45 in 2015.

9) Miami Marlins are really going to hire Barry Bonds as a hitting coach? Does that mean he has to talk to the media? Don Mattingly as a manager, Bonds as hitting coach would put a lot of hitting expertise in Miami's dugout.

Mark McGwire is going to be the Padres' bench coach; interesting times we live in.

8) Mark Richt is the new football coach at Miami, his alma mater, where he backed up Jim Kelly in the early 80's. Richt is highly regarded as a person, averaged 9.6 wins a year at Georgia. I am very, very curious what Michael Irvin says about this hire.

7) Interesting development: Ivy League is considering having a postseason hoop tournament, starting in 2016-17. Guess they've finally seen the light that getting the whole league together for a weekend would be a money maker, plus it would give the league's basketball programs some national publicity. Right now, Ivy League is the only Division I league that doesn't have a postseason tournament.

6) 76ers suspended Jahlil Okafor for two games; they can't do anything right. This is why teams do exhaustive research on draft prospects and still, problems pop up and screw things up. I mean, the season is five weeks old and he's already had incidents involving the police three times. No bueno.

Meanwhile, Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis says the 76ers never worked him out before the draft. Seriously? The NBA should make these idiots sell the team, or hire a new GM, at the least. The guy running things now is an imbecile.

5) San Diego State-San Diego are playing basketball outdoors at Petco Park Sunday, just before the Chargers play Denver at Qualcomm. Interesting concept; Toreros have a new coach, Aztecs are offensively challenged. Big sports day in San Diego.

4) ESPN's Dan Dakich last night said that he's always thought Rick Pitino is the best coach in the country at player development. Interesting comment coming from a guy who both played and coached at Indiana.

3) Basketball scheduling note: Duke doesn't play a true road game until their ACC slate starts January 2 at Boston College. Until then, Blue Devils play nine home tilts, only one of which (vs Indiana, ACC-Big 14 challenge) is against a team in top 100.

They're also playing four neutral court games, all in New York City, all against top 50 opponents, all on national TV. Interesting how different teams schedule.

2) Central Florida signed Oregon OC Scott Frost as its new coach; UCF is a really big school, a sleeping giant athletically. Frost played at both Nebraska/Stanford, then played in NFL for six years with four different teams.

1) Michigan State 71, Louisville 67-- Funny how the new rule, really going back to an old rule, how coaches can't call timeouts while the clock is running, has created a few problems early on-- players haven't adjusted to calling timeouts yet.

Wisconsin 66, Syracuse 58, OT-- Jim Calhoun is worth listening to on TV; he talks lot slower than he did when he was coaching, he obviously knows a ton and gives out good basic basketball knowledge.

I have to look this up; teams that win these Thanksgiving tournaments at fun places tend to let down in their first game back on campus. Something I sense, have to find out for sure. There are peaks and valleys to every season.

Butler 78, Cincinnati 76-- You have to be damn good to score 78 on Cincy.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, December 3

Hot teams
-- Thunder won four of last five games (1-3AF). Miami won four of its last six games (0-0HU).
-- Toronto won five of its last six games (3-3HF).
-- Magic won their last four games (1-1AU).
-- Spurs won six of their last seven games (5-3AF). Memphis won four of its last five games (0-1HU).
-- Celtics won three of their last four games (1-3AF). Kings won three of last four home games (1-3 last four HU).
-- Indiana won its last five games (1-1AF).

Cold teams
-- Denver lost its last seven games (0-6 vs spread in last six0.
-- Utah lost six of its last ten games (2-3HF).
-- Portland lost three of its last four games (2-2HU).

Series records
-- Thunder won three of last four games with Miami.
-- Raptors won four of last five games with Denver.
-- Jazz won eight of last ten games with Orlando.
-- Spurs won eight of last ten games with Memphis.
-- Home side won last seven Boston-Sacramento games.
-- Pacers lost four of last five games with Portland.

Totals
-- Five of last six Okahoma City games stayed under.
-- Last four Denver games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Utah games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten San Antonio games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Boston games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Indiana games went over the total.

 

[CNOTES]

NBA

Thursday, December 3

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

7:00 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY vs. MIAMI
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oklahoma City's last 6 games when playing Miami
Oklahoma City is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Miami
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Miami's last 6 games when playing Oklahoma City
Miami is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Oklahoma City

See more trends!
DECEMBER 3, 7:30 PM
DENVER vs. TORONTO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Denver's last 6 games on the road
Denver is 1-5-1 ATS in its last 7 games
Toronto is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games when playing Denver
Toronto is 6-16 SU in its last 22 games when playing Denver

See more trends!
DECEMBER 3, 9:00 PM
ORLANDO vs. UTAH
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games on the road
Orlando is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Utah is 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 games
Utah is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Orlando

See more trends!
DECEMBER 3, 9:30 PM
SAN ANTONIO vs. MEMPHIS
San Antonio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing on the road against Memphis
Memphis is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Memphis's last 13 games when playing San Antonio

See more trends!
DECEMBER 3, 10:00 PM
INDIANA vs. PORTLAND
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games
Indiana is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Portland
Portland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Portland's last 10 games when playing Indiana

See more trends!
DECEMBER 3, 10:00 PM
BOSTON vs. SACRAMENTO
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games on the road
Sacramento is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Sacramento is 4-11 SU in its last 15 games when playing Boston

 

[CNOTES]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, December 3

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


OKLAHOMA CITY (11 - 7) at MIAMI (10 - 6) - 12/3/2015, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) in road games when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
OKLAHOMA CITY is 68-41 ATS (+22.9 Units) off a upset loss as a favorite since 1996.
MIAMI is 115-154 ATS (-54.4 Units) in home games first half of the season since 1996.
MIAMI is 14-25 ATS (-13.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
MIAMI is 40-57 ATS (-22.7 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.


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




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


DENVER (6 - 13) at TORONTO (12 - 7) - 12/3/2015, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DENVER is 156-206 ATS (-70.6 Units) when playing on back-to-back days since 1996.
TORONTO is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.


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




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


ORLANDO (10 - 8) at UTAH (8 - 8) - 12/3/2015, 9:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
UTAH is 55-40 ATS (+11.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 43-14 ATS (+27.6 Units) revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 2 seasons.
UTAH is 15-3 ATS (+11.7 Units) after allowing 105 points or more over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 28-15 ATS (+11.5 Units) in road games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) in road games in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.


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




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


SAN ANTONIO (15 - 4) at MEMPHIS (11 - 8) - 12/3/2015, 9:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MEMPHIS is 113-82 ATS (+22.8 Units) off an upset win as an underdog since 1996.
MEMPHIS is 70-42 ATS (+23.8 Units) versus good defensive teams - allowing <=91 points/game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 917-797 ATS (+40.3 Units) in all games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 727-615 ATS (+50.5 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 308-243 ATS (+40.7 Units) after a non-conference game since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 42-28 ATS (+11.2 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.


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




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


BOSTON (10 - 8) at SACRAMENTO (7 - 12) - 12/3/2015, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BOSTON is 32-52 ATS (-25.2 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less since 1996.
BOSTON is 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 210 over the last 2 seasons.
BOSTON is 32-19 ATS (+11.1 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 40-56 ATS (-21.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 37-54 ATS (-22.4 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 1-12 ATS (-12.2 Units) in December games over the last 2 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 16-29 ATS (-15.9 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
SACRAMENTO is 6-19 ATS (-14.9 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.


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




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


INDIANA (12 - 5) at PORTLAND (7 - 12) - 12/3/2015, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PORTLAND is 52-32 ATS (+16.8 Units) as a home underdog of 3 points or less since 1996.
INDIANA is 31-17 ATS (+12.3 Units) first half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) in road games after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.


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

 

[CNOTES]

NBA


Thursday, December 3




NBA roundup: Bryant scores 31 as Lakers end skid


WASHINGTON -- Guard Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 31 points including the go-ahead jumper with 30.8 seconds remaining as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 108-104 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.


Bryant, who announced his retirement Sunday, scored 18 points in the first half and 12 in the fourth quarter for the Lakers (3-15). Displaying vintage moves with pull-up and fadeaway jumpers before a crowd roaring his every move with approval, the 20-year veteran efficiently scored in the first half while leaving enough energy left for the fourth quarter.


After the lead switched sides eight times in the fourth quarter, Bryant drained his fourth 3-pointer for a 101-99 lead. Washington center Marcin Gortat's layup tied the game on the next possession, but Bryant put Los Angeles ahead with a long jumper, his fifth basket of the period.


Guard John Wall had 34 points and 11 assists for the Wizards (7-9). Gortat had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Guard Jordan Clarkson scored 18 for the Lakers. Forward Julius Randle had 15 points and 19 rebounds.


Warriors 116, Hornets 99


CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Stephen Curry erupted for 40 points in his annual homecoming, scoring the final 24 points of the third quarter, and Golden State remained perfect with a victory over Charlotte.


The Warriors were in control throughout, racing to a 28-13 lead midway through the first quarter and building the lead to as many as 26 in the second half.


Curry, who grew up in Charlotte and played collegiately at nearby Davidson, finished 14 of 18 from the field and eight of 11 from 3-point range. He had just 12 points at halftime, and then exploded for 28 third-quarter points, including the Warriors' last 24 over the final 4:55 of the period. He hit four 3-pointers in the final 1:53 of the third. He then sat out the entire fourth quarter with the game well in hand.


Knicks 99, 76ers 87


NEW YORK -- New York snapped a four-game losing streak, turning back Philadelphia at Madison Square Garden.


Rookie Kristaps Porzingis registered his ninth double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for the Knicks. Arron Afflalo added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Carmelo Anthony returned after missing one game due to illness, scoring 12 points in the wire-to-wire win.


Philadelphia, which ended its 18-game losing streak at the start of the season with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, was without Jahlil Okafor, who was suspended for two games earlier on Wednesday. Okafor, the third pick in the NBA draft out of Duke, will also miss Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets.


Raptors 96, Hawks 86


ATLANTA -- Kyle Lowry shook off flu-like symptoms to score 31 points and help Toronto overcome a 17-point deficit en route to defeating Atlanta.


Lowry actually left the court with 4:11 in the first half when he felt sick to his stomach. He returned in the second half and scored 16 of the team’s points during an 18-4 run in the fourth quarter, when the Raptors went from seven points behind to seven points ahead. He scored 22 points in the fourth quarter.


Lowry shot 9-for-17 from the field and was 11-for-12 from the line. He added five rebounds and five assists. DeMar DeRozan added 17 points and guard Cory Joseph added 10 points for the Raptors.


Pistons 127, Suns 122 (OT)


AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Reggie Jackson scored 18 of his game-high 34 points after the third quarter to help Detroit rally from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to earn an overtime win over Phoenix at The Palace of Auburn Hills.


The Pistons (10-9) trailed 102-86 with 8:25 remaining in the fourth quarter, but rallied with a 21-2 run to take a 107-104 lead with 1:47 left in the fourth after a layup by Jackson, a guard.


Phoenix answered and took a 112-110 lead with 30.7 seconds left in the fourth on a 3-pointer by Brandon Knight, but the Pistons tied the game with 14.3 seconds to go on two free throws by Andre Drummond, who was fouled at midcourt unintentionally by P.J. Tucker of the Suns.


Bulls 99, Nuggets 90


CHICAGO -- Pau Gasol had 26 points and 19 rebounds to lead Chicago to a comeback win over Denver at the United Center.


The Bulls trailed the Nuggets by four points entering the fourth quarter and outscored them 31-18 in the final 12 minutes. The Nuggets were ahead 79-77 when the Bulls went on a 12-2 run. Gasol had six points during the run.


The Bulls won their fourth consecutive home game and improved to 7-1 at the United Center this season. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the only other team in the Eastern Conference with just one home loss.


Spurs 95, Bucks 70


SAN ANTONIO -- Tim Duncan scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds despite not playing in the fourth quarter as San Antonio shrugged off some early ragged play and defeated Milwaukee to remain undefeated at home.


San Antonio substituted liberally beginning in the first two minutes and kept running fresh players at the young Bucks, whose starting five combined have the number of years in the league as Duncan, who is in his 18th year in the NBA.


The Spurs trailed by three points in the game's first two minutes but reeled off a 14-4 run and never looked back. San Antonio rested most of its starters the entire fourth quarter but still outscored the Bucks 19-15 in the period.

Rockets 108, Pelicans 101


HOUSTON -- James Harden posted a double-double, and three Houston reserves scored in double figures for the first time this season as Houston clawed out a win over New Orleans at Toyota Center.


Harden finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds while adding six assists. He didn't hit his first 3-pointer until the 3:15 mark of the fourth quarter, a huge basket that pushed the Rockets to a 99-92 lead.


Terrence Jones (15 points), Corey Brewer (14) and Ty Lawson (12 points and six assists) delivered off the Houston bench. Trevor Ariza added 13 points and Patrick Beverley had 10 for Houston.


Pacers 103, Clippers 91


LOS ANGELES -- Paul George scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Indiana won its sixth in a row with a victory over short-handed Los Angeles at Staples Center.


Reserve Rodney Stuckey added 18 points, Ian Mahinmi chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds and Jordan Hill contributed 13 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who have captured 12 of 14 after an 0-3 start.


Blake Griffin and reserve Lance Stephenson, the former Pacer, scored 19 points apiece for the Clippers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Jamal Crawford finished with 16 points.

 

[CNOTES]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
December 3, 2015




Thursday’s six-game slate in the Association features five non-conference games plus a quality matchup in the Western Conference between the Grizzlies and Spurs.


It’s been a great back-and-forth week at the betting counter so far, with favorites going 13-10 straight and the underdogs producing a 13-10 against the spread mark.


For tonight’s action, it’s all about picking the winner with five of the games featuring point-spreads at 3 ½ or less.


Let’s break down the action.


Oklahoma City at Miami (TNT, 7:00 p.m. ET): This is a great matchup but certainly not an easy one to handicap. Oklahoma City is an elite team but it’s struggled on the road (3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS) and it’s been real mediocre against the Eastern Conference (5-5) this season.


Miami has gone 8-3 SU (5-6 ATS) at home this season but the effort has been lackluster at times and it’s certainly been caught napping in losses to the Timberwolves and Celtics.


I believe the Heat have only been tested five times this season against what I consider legit playoff opponents (Cavs, Hawks, Pacers, Raptors, Rockets). In those games, they’ve gone 2-3 and some would say that I’m giving too much credit to Houston.


The Thunder have been installed as short road favorites (-2) for this game and Miami has only been catching points twice this season, in road games versus the Cavaliers and Pistons. The Heat lost both those games by double digits.


Oklahoma City has won and covered three of the last four meetings against the Heat and that includes two straight victories (94-86, 112-95) at American Airlines Arena. Miami is 5-1 versus the Western Conference this season, 4-1 at home.


Denver at Toronto: The Raptors opened as 10 ½-point favorites for this game and this is the highest spread that they’ve given all season. The number seems a bit inflated but both clubs are going in opposite directions right now. Toronto captured a solid 96-86 road win at Atlanta last night and has won five of its last six after fighting through a 2-6 struggle. The Raptors have only played six home games and they’re a respectable 4-2 both SU and ATS, with the two losses coming by a combined seven points.


Including last night’s loss at Chicago, the Nuggets have dropped eight straight games. More importantly, they’ve gone 2-6 ATS during this run and are only averaging 91.2 PPG during this skid. On the road, Mike Malone’s team is 3-7 SU and 5-5 ATS.


The Raptors swept the season series (1-1 ATS) against the Nuggets last season while scoring 112 and 116 points. The ‘over’ cashed in both game and is 5-1 in the last six meetings between the pair. However, Denver enters this game on a 4-0 ‘under’ run.


The Nuggets have struggled on zero days rest (0-4 SU, 2-2 ATS) this season and Toronto (2-2 SU, 2-1-1 ATS) hasn’t been much better.


Orlando at Utah: These teams met in early November at Orlando ran past Utah 102-93 as a 1 ½-point home underdog. The Jazz didn’t have center Rudy Gobert in the lineup and the big man will be ‘out’ against tonight due to a knee injury. Utah has gone 0-2 in his absence this season and will certainly miss his size (10.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG) in the middle.


Orlando (10-8 SU, 12-6 ATS) has been very competitive this season, especially on the road for bettors (3-5 SU, 5-3 ATS). Scott Skiles and his troops come into this game with a four-game winning streak and that confidence should help at this venue. The Magic captured a 98-93 road victory last season at Utah but was 0-5 (2-3 ATS) in its previous five trips to Salt Lake City.


Utah has had a difficult schedule thus far and only played six games at home. The Jazz are 3-3 both SU and ATS from Salt Lake City but two of the losses came to the Thunder and Warriors. The Magic are decent but certainly not in the class of those teams.


San Antonio at Memphis (TNT, 9:30 p.m. ET): The Grizzlies opened as 1 ½-point home underdogs and as of Thursday morning, the number is up to 3 ½ at most betting shops. Memphis has gone 6-3 SU but 3-6 ATS at home this season and San Antonio hasn’t been spectacular on the road (5-4 SU, 5-4 ATS) this season.


The Grizzlies are 0-1 as home ‘dogs this season and dating back to last season, they’re 3-7 in their last 10 when facing this situation, which tells you that it’s rare to see them win big games at home versus top-tier opponents.


The Spurs have won eight of 10 against the Grizzlies, which includes a 92-82 victory on Nov. 21 as eight-point favorites. The ‘under’ is on a 3-0 but the ‘over’ is 6-4 during this span.


San Antonio ripped Milwaukee last night and has only played two back-to-back games this season. They won and covered both contests, one of them being the aforementioned win over Memphis.


Boston at Sacramento: The Association heads to Mexico City on Thursday as the Celtics (-2) meet the Kings in a neutral game. Boston continues to improve under head coach Brad Stevens, who has received a great effort from a lot of good NBA players and when they make shots, they can beat anybody. Boston just knocked off Miami 105-95 on the road this past Monday and this travel spot seems difficult but it would be worse if the game was in Northern California.


The Kings (7-12 SU, 9-10 ATS) are still finding their way under George Karl and they’ve been okay at home for their standards (5-6 SU, 5-6 ATS). The tempo has been fast and that’s resulted in a 10-8-1 ‘over’ record. Tonight’s total is 215 and the pace will from both teams will get close to that number.


Bettors have seen this series split the last three seasons and the home teams have won all six of those games. The total has gone 3-3 during this run but the ‘over’ has cashed in all three of the games played at Sleep Train Arena.


Indiana at Portland: It’s hard to go against the Pacers, who have won six straight and 12 of their last 14 games after starting the season 0-3. During this span, Indiana has produced a 12-2 ATS mark and the two losses came on the road by a combined six points to quality opponents in the Cavaliers (101-97) and Bulls (96-95).


This could be a spot they get tripped up after beating the Chris Paul-less Clippers 103-91 last night at the Staples Center. The Pacers have gone 2-1 both SU and ATS on zero days rest this season and the ‘under’ is 2-1 in these games as well.


If you’re leaning to the Trail Blazers (7-12 SU, 9-10 ATS), then you need them to score. In all of their seven wins, they break the century mark. Knowing Indiana is ranked fourth in defensive scoring (95.3 PPG) could have you backing away.


Portland took both regular season affairs against Indiana last season and has won and covered four of the last five games. The Pacers haven’t won at Portland since the 2007 season. The Blazers are 4-5 both SU and ATS at home this season.

 

[CNOTES]

Preview: Thunder (11-7) at Heat (10-6)
Date: December 03, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

It seems clear the Oklahoma City Thunder need offensive contributions from others besides Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to be successful.


It's the defensive end where the Miami Heat need to keep having everyone help.


The league's No. 2 scoring offense takes on the No. 2 scoring defense as the Thunder visit the Heat on Thursday night.


"We're not gonna shut Kevin Durant down, you're not gonna shut Russell Westbrook down, only thing we can hope for is they have bad shooting nights," Dwayne Wade said. "... It's our job to make sure that we make it as tough as possible, play our defensive concepts and don't give them too many easy baskets and play the way we play."


Both teams have had two days off following disappointing losses.


Oklahoma City (11-7) overcame a 16-point deficit in Atlanta to take a four-point lead on Westbrook's back-to-back baskets with 2 1/2 minutes left, but he was 0 for 2 with a turnover down the stretch in a 106-100 loss. The Thunder, who average 108.9 points, fell to 0-5 when failing to top 100.


Westbrook scored half of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, grabbed 11 rebounds and handed out seven assists, but Oklahoma City had a four-game winning streak snapped. Durant had 25 points, including the Thunder's only four in the final two minutes, but felt he "could've been a lot better."


Oklahoma City's reserves certainly could have been, matching a season low with 19 points on 7-of-31 shooting. The Thunder are 11-1 when their bench scores at least 30 and 0-6 when they don't.


Dion Waiters averaged 13.5 points in the previous 11 games as Oklahoma City went 8-3, but he was 0 of 7 from the field and had one point Monday. Fellow reserve Anthony Morrow hit three 3-pointers but missed his other nine shots. The Thunder are 6-0 when Morrow hits at least 40.0 percent from the field.


"Every game is different and every day is different," Morrow told the team's official website. "It's about keeping that same steady work ethic and mentality."


Those areas have pleased first-year coach Billy Donovan.


"These guys are really committed to the game," he said after Tuesday's practice in Miami. "They're committed to their personal development. They get in the gym and they work."


Heat veteran Chris Bosh sounds similarly pleased despite Monday's 105-95 home loss to Boston. It was the third defeat in 10 games for Miami (10-6), which leads the Southeast Division after failing to make the playoffs last season.


"Before the season started, if you would've told me your team would be 10-6 in the first 16, I'm gonna take that," said Bosh, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds Monday playing through an illness. "... We're better than I thought we would be. That's one thing that we understand. We do wanna win and can win ball games, but we're an inexperienced group as far as together is concerned."


The Heat are giving up 96.3 points per game and are 9-1 when holding opponents under that mark.


Wade had a season-high 30 points Monday but also committed six turnovers. He was held to a combined 30 points in two meetings with the Thunder last season as the Heat lost both despite Westbrook totaling 31 points and Durant scoring 19 in the only one he played.