Tuesday 3/29/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nets (21-52) at Magic (30-43)

Date: March 29, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Orlando Magic are all but officially eliminated from playoff contention, but they're surely feeling good about Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo potentially returning.

Matchups with the Brooklyn Nets usually help, too.

While the statuses of their top two scorers are unknown, the Magic attempt to sweep the season series from the Nets on Tuesday night.

With nine games left in the regular season, Orlando (30-43) is 8 1/2 back of Detroit for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Despite teetering on the brink of elimination from the postseason race, the Magic are looking for a strong finish. They ended a six-game slide by beating Chicago 111-89 on Saturday.

"It's been a long year," Oladipo said. "I think finishing out strong would be good for all of us individually and as a team going into the summer, and seeing what we need to work on.

"Continue to get better. Things like that. We just gotta take it one game at a time and just finish strong and enjoy the process."

That would certainly be a lot more tolerable if Oladipo and Vucevic are playing. Vucevic has missed 12 games with a right groin strain, while a sore wrist has sidelined Oladipo for two.

"Conditioning wise, I feel pretty good. Better than I thought I would," Vucevic said. "I'm not as fast as I usually am, but I don't think it'll take me too long to get back to where I was."

"Just want to see day by day how it feels. We're going to see how it feels (Tuesday). How it reacts."

Vucevic leads the Magic with 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, while Oladipo's 16.0 points rank second.

Vucevic is averaging 20.2 points over the past six meetings with the Nets (21-52). He had 20 points with 10 boards, while Oladipo had 20 and nine in an 83-77 win at Brooklyn on Jan. 8.

Orlando has won all three meetings so far this season, its longest winning streak in the all-time series since taking 10 straight from 2009-12.

If Vucevic is unable to play, the Magic will give Dewayne Dedmon an 11th straight start at center. He had a career-high 18 points and a season-best 13 rebounds against the Bulls, a major improvement from his season averages of 3.9 in both categories.

The Nets were denied a season-high third straight win Monday, losing 110-99 at Miami thanks in part to 20 turnovers that led to 23 points for the Heat.

"I don't think our offense was the problem," said center Brook Lopez, who had 26 points. "We turned the ball over a bit too much and that led to their offense."

Lopez is averaging 25.0 points over the last four games. He had 24 with 15 rebounds, five blocks and three steals in a 100-93 loss at Orlando on Dec. 30.

Thaddeus Young has averaged 22.0 points on 57.5 percent from the floor over his past five visits to Amway Center.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (36-37) at Pacers (39-34)

Date: March 29, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Indiana Pacers' longest home win streak in three months has helped them stay ahead of a contentious pack in the race for the Eastern Conference's final postseason berths.

The Chicago Bulls' road woes are one of the major reasons why they're currently out of playoff position and they'll try to aid their fading chances Tuesday night.

Indiana (39-34) pushed a half-game ahead of eighth-place Detroit with a 104-101 victory against Houston on Sunday, the Pacers' third in a row on their own floor. Paul George scored 16 of his 25 points in the opening period and Monta Ellis chipped in 23 in his team's third win in four overall contests.

The Pacers will next seek to match their four-game home win streak from Dec. 11-18 while taking another step toward their first playoff berth since 2013-14.

"It's a big game, probably the biggest game of the season for us right now," George said. "We have a chance to put a team away and give ourselves one more game up in the win column."

Indiana will get to face a scuffling Central Division rival in Chicago (36-37), which dropped 2 1/2 games behind Detroit with its fourth straight defeat Monday, 102-100 to Atlanta. The Bulls rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter but couldn't keep themselves from falling under .500 for the first time since they were 24-25 on Feb. 6, 2014.

"We just fell a little bit short. There are going to be games like this where we play hard and compete, and still end up with a loss. But I like that we competed tonight," point guard Derrick Rose said. "We've just go to keep it up. We know it's going to be hard. We're still fighting. We're still trying to find our rhythm."

Chicago's chances of breaking out of its funk and avoiding a tie of its longest skid this season - from Feb. 5-18 - don't appear promising. The Bulls have lost 11 of 12 on the road, losing to also-rans New York and Orlando in their last two away from Chicago.

The team reportedly held a meeting after a 111-89 drubbing to the Magic on Saturday. The Bulls have yielded an average of 110.1 points in their last 15 road games and will play six of their final nine there.

"Keep hope alive. We know that we're in tough times right now," Rose said. "We know that we still have nine games to go and we need everybody. ... We're trying to figure things out."

Chicago has lost in six of its last seven visits to Indiana and suffered a 104-92 defeat there Nov. 27. The Bulls have won three of four overall against the Pacers, needing Jimmy Butler's alley opp layup with 1.2 seconds left in overtime for a 102-100 victory Dec. 30.

Butler finished with 28 points and Aaron Brooks, averaging 7.2, had a season-high 29 with Rose out because of an ailing hamstring. George was held to 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting after scoring a combined 59 points in his first two matchups this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hornets (42-31) at 76ers (9-65)

Date: March 29, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Kemba Walker's fifth season with the Charlotte Hornets stands to be the most successful on both an individual and team level in terms of regular-season accomplishments.

What gnaws at him most, though, is that they've made only one postseason appearance during his tenure and still haven't experienced a playoff win.

Only a dramatic collapse over the final nine games would keep Charlotte having a chance to realize that this season, but Walker isn't taking anything for granted as the Hornets prepare to visit the lowly Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.

Walker's 21.0 points per game would set a new career high, as would his field-goal percentage of 43.0 that is an impressive increase from the 38.5 percent he shot last season as Charlotte (42-31) missed the playoffs.

The Hornets ranked last in the league with a 31.8 3-point percentage in 2014-15 but have been one of the league's best from deep this season at 36.3 percent, in part because Walker is shooting more than seven percent better. He's hit 9 of 15 from 3 over his last two and finished with 18 points in Saturday's 115-91 win over Milwaukee.

Charlotte hasn't lost back-to-back games since late January, an awfully good sign heading into the season's final weeks for a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since 2002.

"We have guys who have chips on their shoulders and guys who have a lot to prove," Walker said. "It's been two years since we've been (to the playoffs) and it's special. We don't get to the playoffs as often as we would like, so hopefully we can get there and start a new trend."

He mentioned players like Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams, who scored 25 and 21 points, respectively, against the Bucks. The Hornets improved to 11-5 on the road since Jan. 22 and have an excellent chance to surpass the 44 wins of the 2009-10 team that are the most since Charlotte was given a second franchise.

Walker scored 30 points in a 119-99 win at Philadelphia on March 2 after the Hornets won the first meeting 113-88 on Nov. 20.

"We're still battling to clinch a spot in the playoffs," Walker said. "We just want to keep our rhythm going and keep playing well with each other."

The 76ers (9-65) lost the second and third stops on their four-game trip by a total of four points, but fell 117-105 at Golden State in Sunday's finale to extend their latest losing streak to nine.

Carl Landry scored 22 points and Ish Smith added 20, but Jerami Grant left early with a right knee and quad contusion, leaving his status for this contest unclear. Coach Brett Brown also isn't sure if Nerlens Noel will miss a fourth straight game with a knee contusion.

Elton Brand, who is averaging 4.0 points in 11 games since signing as a free agent Jan. 4, had to play a season-high 16-plus minutes and scored 10 points while hitting 5 of 6 from the field.

"We did take our hits recently, most recently with Jerami," Brown said. "We'll have to try and find a way to get back on that recovery path over the next few days."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (52-22) at Pistons (39-35)

Date: March 29, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

With Russell Westbrook perhaps in the best stretch of his career, the Oklahoma City Thunder continue to make a strong case that the Western Conference isn't a two-team race.

Fresh off another triple-double, Westbrook attempts to lead the Thunder to a ninth straight win in Tuesday night's matchup with a Detroit Pistons team that failed its last test from another red-hot opponent.

Though virtually resigned to the No. 3 seed behind Golden State and San Antonio, Oklahoma City (52-22) is building plenty of momentum for the playoffs with its longest winning streak since a 10-game run from Jan. 16-31, 2014. Westbrook has been the catalyst, with the All-Star Game MVP notching his fifth triple-double of the surge with 26 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in Monday's 119-100 victory at Toronto.

Westbrook's 16 triple-doubles are the most in a season since Magic Johnson's 17 in 1988-89 and he's nearly averaging one over the streak, posting 20.8 points, 11.1 assists and 9.6 rebounds per game.

'I think it's something I never take for granted but I like winning, so regardless of what the numbers say I like to win the game and make sure my teammates feel good about themselves," he said.

With Westbrook and Kevin Durant both in top form, the Thunder are shooting 51.1 percent over the streak while eclipsing 110 points in each victory. Durant had 34 points against Toronto after recording 31 on 13-of-20 shooting in Saturday's 111-92 win over San Antonio.

Detroit (39-35) had been in an offensive groove as well prior to Saturday's 112-95 loss to Atlanta. After averaging 110.4 points over five straight home wins, the Pistons were held to 38.6 percent from the field by one of the league's premier defensive teams.

'They played at a level that we couldn't match. I thought it was more about them,' coach Stan Van Gundy said. 'I didn't come away from that game, like I come from a lot, thinking we weren't ready to play or we didn't try. I think we kept trying to hang in there and hang in there.'

The Pistons, 5-2 on a nine-game homestand and 2 1/2 games up on Chicago and Washington for eighth in the East, have won eight of 10 as the host but have had little recent success in this series. The Thunder have won five straight in Detroit and 12 of the last 13 overall meetings, including a 103-87 victory on Nov. 27 in which Durant had 34 points and 13 rebounds and the Pistons shot 34.4 percent.

Oklahoma City has won the last 12 matchups that Durant has played, and he's averaging 35.3 points over his last four against Detroit. He and Westbrook were both injured in the Pistons' 96-87 road overtime win last season.

The Thunder outrebounded Detroit 58-38 in the previous meeting, limiting Andre Drummond to seven in 33 minutes. Drummond has shot 66.7 percent while averaging 22.3 points over a three-game stretch, however, and is coming off a 19-point, 17-rebound effort on Saturday.

Former Thunder guard Reggie Jackson is shooting just 34.0 percent over his last four and finished 4 of 16 in the Nov. 27 loss, his first game against Oklahoma City since being sent to Detroit at last season's trade deadline.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (36-38) at Cavaliers (52-21)

Date: March 29, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The playoff chase for two of last season's conference finalists couldn't be much more different. The Cleveland Cavaliers are inching toward wrapping up the Eastern Conference's top seed, while the Houston Rockets are trying to keep a two-month slide from costing them a playoff spot altogether.

Though there's work to be done in both cases, the Cavaliers will give LeBron James a rest as they look to sweep the season series Tuesday night after Houston had done the same for the previous three seasons.

The Rockets (36-38) are 11-16 since Jan. 27 and 1-4 in their last five after Sunday's 104-101 loss at Indiana. They hadn't been two games under .500 all season until last week as they compete with Portland, Utah and Dallas for the West's last three playoff spots.

Against the Pacers, James Harden had 34 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, but the Rockets settled for 3-pointers and went 7 of 33. They've shot 31.3 percent from beyond the arc in the last 14 games and continued to go that route after finishing the first half 2 of 18.

"We need to be more aggressive," said Harden, who's averaged 28.3 points and 11.5 assists in his last six games.

It could get worse before it gets better with the stop in Cleveland followed by home games against Chicago and Oklahoma City before visiting Dallas. If Houston can get through that stretch in decent shape, it closes the season at home against Phoenix and the Los Angeles Lakers, at Minnesota and home versus Sacramento.

Regardless of opponent, Houston remains focused on playing its own way. That just hasn't been as effective this season with the Rockets assured of their worst 82-game regular-season record since going 43-39 and missing the playoffs in 2010-11.

"I think we're playing at our best when we're moving the basketball and defensively rebounding the basketball or just moving at a high pace," Harden said. "That's our brand of basketball, so no matter who we're playing, if we play that way, we'll be in good hands."

Coach Tyronn Lue has said James is feeling particularly strong of late, and that was a tough notion to dispute after watching the four-time MVP put up 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Saturday's 107-93 win at New York.

But with Tuesday's contest the Cavaliers' only one between that win and Thursday's game against Brooklyn, Lue announced after Monday's practice that he'd give James a night off against the Rockets.

"Not too many chances and opportunities to rest one game and have four days off, so I thought it was a good opportunity to rest him," Lue said.

The Rockets did Cleveland (52-21) a favor by beating Toronto on Friday, but it doesn't look like the Cavs will necessarily need the help to lock up the top seed over the second-place Raptors. They've won 11 of 15 and are after a fourth straight home win.

The win over the Knicks followed Thursday's 104-95 letdown in Brooklyn, which seems fresh in their minds.

"Play hard and play for each other (and) respect the game," guard J.R. Smith told the team's official website. "When we played in Brooklyn, we disrespected the game. We came out relaxed, and we can't do that."

Another victory will match last season's win total in eight fewer games and move Cleveland a game closer to its first top seed since 2009-10.

The Cavs opened the series with a 91-77 win in Houston as both teams shot under 40 percent. In three matchups since the start of last season, Cleveland has shot 40.4 percent.

Kyrie Irving, however, has averaged 26.6 points in five career games against the Rockets, scoring 38 in the last home meeting Jan. 7, 2015.

Cavaliers swingman Iman Shumpert is questionable with a sore left knee after missing Monday's practice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (36-37) at Warriors (66-7)

Date: March 29, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Washington is in the midst of an Eastern Conference chase to get back to the playoffs for a third straight season. The only team Golden State has had to pursue all season is an Eastern Conference ghost.

The Warriors can match their single-season win record and join Chicago as the only franchise to win at least 67 games in consecutive seasons Tuesday night against the Wizards, who are playing the second of a five-game West Coast swing that could effectively send their season to an early grave.

Golden State (66-7) reached 67 wins in its final game last season, and repeating the feat has been a formality for some time. What's looking more and more like a formality now is the all-time league record. Chicago went a record-setting 72-10 in 1995-96 - 65-8 through 73 games - and followed it up with a 69-win campaign.

For the Warriors to not reach 73 wins, they'd have to lose at least three of their last nine. They haven't lost three in less than an 11-game span all season, so the more pressing question might be if they'll get to 74-8 to match the Bulls' record 141 wins over a two-season span.

They've long since passed Chicago's former record of 44 straight home wins, and Golden State's run stands at 53 after Sunday's 117-105 win over Philadelphia.

Klay Thompson scored 40 points for a second straight game for the first time in his career, then caught some lighthearted flack from his teammates for the 80-point span being accompanied by one assist. It's been such a smooth ride for this team that it's started fabricating inner strife.

"Y'all are excited about the 80 points, I'm more concerned about the one assist in two games," said Draymond Green, who recorded his franchise-record 12th triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. "I think you've got to try to do that. We've been in here messing with Klay, 'You can't make a mistake and get an assist?'"

Thompson has averaged 37.3 points in his last three games and has hit 28 of 45 from 3-point range (62.2 percent) in his previous four as part of the Splash Brothers' own record. Thompson (253) and Stephen Curry (350) have 603 combined 3s, the most by a pair of teammates in a season.

Curry, already the first NBA player with 300 3s in a season, has nine games left to chase 400. He averages exactly five makes per game, so he's on pace for 395, but that could spike against the Wizards given his latest performance in the series.

Like plenty of the East, the Wizards are winless against the Warriors since the start of last season, going 0-3 with an average losing margin of 17.0 points. That includes a 134-121 final in Washington on Feb. 3 behind Curry's 51 and 11 of 15 from outside.

While Golden State competes against the peak of a dynasty for another few weeks, the Wizards (36-37) are merely going at it with the present-day Bulls and Detroit for the No. 8 seed. The Pistons hold a 2 1/2-game edge over Washington, which is seeking its first four-game road winning streak of the season.

The Wizards started the trip with Sunday's 101-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers while shooting 54.2 percent. It was their third game at 50.0 or better in the last four, but they've balanced that lately by averaging 17.7 turnovers over the previous three.

John Wall had 22 points and 13 assists against the Lakers for a career-best ninth straight double-double, but that came with seven turnovers.

"There's a lot to play for," said Wall, who's averaged 4.28 turnovers in the last seven games with four contests of seven or more.

"Detroit has a tough schedule. Other guys have a tough schedule. All we can do is control our own destiny, try to win as many games as we can. We've got the tiebreaker against Detroit and Chicago, and plus we play Detroit one more time. We've just got to take care of our own business first."

His 41 points on 17-of-25 shooting last month against Golden State wasn't nearly enough to do so.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Game of the Day: Wizards at Warriors

Washington Wizards at Golden State Warriors (-13, 226.5)

The Golden State Warriors are trying to pull off the balancing act of fine tuning for the postseason, keeping players fresh and going after the record for regular-season wins. The Warriors will try to push their NBA-record home winning streak to 54 straight and draw one win closer to the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ regular-season mark when they host the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.


Golden State coach Steve Kerr wants the team to clean up its turnovers and tighten up the defense in preparation for the playoffs, and allowing the NBA-worst Philadelphia 76ers to shoot 46.7 percent while committing 18 turnovers in a 117-105 win on Sunday was not a giant step in the right direction. Klay Thompson’s 40 points, Draymond Green’s triple-double and an offense that handed out 32 assists ensured the Warriors would avoid a letdown, but bigger challenges remain. The Wizards are desperate for wins as they cling to hope of catching the Detroit Pistons for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington earned a 101-88 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday to draw within 2 1/2 games of the Pistons.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), CSN Bay Area (Golden State)

LINE HISTORY: The point spread opened with the Warriors as 13-point favorites and hasn't moved. The total debuted at 225.5 and was quickly bumped up to 226.5 by Monday afternoon.

INJURY REPORT:

Wizards - SG B. Beal (Probable Tuesday, leg), SG A. Anderson (Questionable Tuesday, ankle), PF M. Morris (Questionable Tuesday, calf).

Warriors - SF B. Rush (Probable Tuesday, knee), SF K. Looney (Questionable Tuesday, hip), SF A. Iguodala (Out Tuesday, ankle).

POWER RANKINGS: Wizards (-2) - Warriors (-15.2) + home court (-3) = Warriors -16.2

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (36-37, 37-36 ATS, 37-34-2 O/U): Sunday’s performance marked a big step in the right direction for Washington, which held the Lakers to 37.9 percent shooting after allowing its previous two opponents to shoot better than 53 percent from the field in a pair of losses. The win marked the opener of a five-game road trip for the Wizards, who will see two more losing teams in Sacramento and Phoenix later in the trip. All-Star point guard John Wall is doing his part to keep the team in the race and recorded 22 points and 13 assists on Sunday for his ninth straight double-double.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (66-7, 40-31-2 ATS, 41-31-1 O/U): Thompson scored 40 points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career and Green extended his franchise single-season record with his 12th triple-double on Sunday, and Kerr came away pleased with the effort despite some mistakes. “I know how much of a grind this is at this point, especially down several guys,” Kerr told reporters. “I’m proud of them. They continue to put forth the effort and grind out these wins.” Kerr rested reserves Shaun Livingston and Anderson Varejao on Sunday but does not expect to rest any starters as Golden State gears up for back-to-back games on Tuesday and at Utah on Wednesday.

TRENDS:

* Wizards are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Favorite is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings.
* Over is 5-1 in Wizards last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
* Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Golden State.

CONSENSUS: The public is evenly split on the -13 point spread but the over 226.5 is getting pounded at a 67 percent clip.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Tuesday, March 29 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

The Los Angeles Clippers now know when they will get Blake Griffin back from his broken hand and quad injury: April 3. Griffin has been cleared medically but first must serve a four-game suspension because he broke that hand while punching out a member of the team's equipment staff outside a Toronto restaurant earlier this season. The Clippers have played well without Griffin, but anyone who says they are better without him doesn't know basketball. Could the Clips perhaps trade him this offseason if they flame out in the playoffs again? It's possible. The Clips really have nothing to play for the rest of the regular season other than to get Griffin re-integrated. They are going to finish No. 4 in the West and probably host the Grizzlies in the first round. That's a great matchup for the Clippers since the Grizz are without Marc Gasol and might not have Mike Conley back for the postseason. Griffin will have seven regular-season games to get back into game shape. That should be enough time.

Bulls at Pacers (TBA)

Chicago hosted Atlanta on Monday; the team aired out some grievances among the players and coaches following a really bad loss in Orlando on Saturday. Something is not right in that locker room. Indiana beat Houston 104-101 on Sunday behind 25 points from Paul George and 23 from Monta Ellis. Chicago leads the season series with Indiana 2-1. Those two wins are by a combined three points. The Bulls lost by 12 in Indianapolis on Nov. 27.

Key trends: The Bulls are 1-6 against the spread in the past seven meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in five of the past six meetings.

Early lean: TBA because the Bulls have a few banged-up players, but they were all expected to play Monday. Might not do both. Like Indiana by double digits here.

Nets at Magic (TBA)

Brooklyn was in Miami on Monday. Orlando beat Chicago 111-89 on Saturday to end a six-game losing streak. Dewayne Dedmon had a career-high 18 points and season-high 13 rebounds. The Magic were without leading scorers Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo; both practiced on Monday and Oladipo is at least likely to play here. Orlando looks for the four-game sweep. Brooklyn hasn't topped 93 points in any of the first meetings. And it still had Joe Johnson for all those.

Key trends: The Nets are 2-6 ATS in the past eight meetings. The under is 4-1 in Orlando's past five overall.

Early lean: Wait on that Magic duo.

Hornets at 76ers (+10, 210.5)

Charlotte won in Milwaukee 115-91 on Saturday. Nic Batum had 25 points, 23 of those in the first half. That was a career high for any half. Marvin Williams, who has been hampered by an ankle injury, had 21 points. Philly was a 21.5-point dog Sunday at Golden State but covered in a 117-105 defeat, the team's ninth straight loss. It was the second-largest spread in an NBA game in the past 20 seasons, trailing only a 2008 Celtics-matchup in which Boston was -22. Philly big man Nerlens Noel missed his third straight game with a contusion on his right knee. Forward Jerami Grant suffered a right knee injury early and didn't return. Charlotte is 2-0 against Philly this season, winning them by a combined 45 points.

Key trends: The road team is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 5-2 in those seven.

Early lean: Hornets and over.

Thunder at Pistons (+4, 213)

Oklahoma City was in Toronto on Monday. Wouldn't totally shock me if Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook got this game off with OKC pretty much locked into the No. 3 seed in the West. Detroit's five-game winning streak ended in a 112-95 home defeat to Atlanta on Saturday. Andre Drummond had 19 points and 17 rebounds in the loss. The Pistons missed their first seven shots from the field and never recovered. Oklahoma City beat visiting Detroit 103-87 on Nov. 27. Durant had 34 points and 13 rebounds. Westbrook had one of his worst games with 14 points and 11 turnovers while fouling out.

Key trends: OKC is 2-5 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 7-2 in Detroit's past nine at home.

Early lean: Pistons and over.

Rockets at Cavaliers (TBA)

First of a TNT doubleheader and will have live betting at sportsbooks. Houston lost 104-101 in Indiana on Sunday. James Harden had 34 points. The Rockets were just 7-for-33 from long range. Cleveland won in New York 107-93 on Saturday playing without Kyrie Irving, who was simply resting. LeBron James had his third triple-double of the season with 27 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. He's about to pass Dominique Wilkins for 12th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Tristan Thompson will presumably play in his 362nd straight game here, which would set the franchise record. Houston lost at home to Cleveland 91-77 on Jan. 15. Irving had 23 points and LeBron 19. The Cavs held the Rockets to a season low in points with just 11 points from Harden on 2-for-10 shooting. Houston had won the previous six meetings.

Key trends: Houston is 2-5 ATS in its past seven in Cleveland. The over is 4-1 in the Cavs' past five overall.

Early lean: Reportedly James will get the night off. Might some other Cavs too? Houston pulls the upset.

Wizards at Warriors (-13.5, 228.5)

Second TNT game with live betting. Washington started a five-game West Coast trip with a 101-88 victory at the Lakers on Sunday. John Wall had 22 points and 13 assists. Monitor Bradley Beal's status here as he took a fall in the first half and had just four points. Markieff Morris missed the game with a strained right calf and is questionable. Golden State won its fourth in a row Sunday, 117-105 against Philadelphia. Klay Thompson had 40 points, his second straight with that many, and Draymond Green his 12th triple-double of the season. It was the Warriors' 53rd straight home win. They joined the 1995-96 and 1996-97 Bulls as the only teams to win at least 66 games in consecutive seasons. The Warriors need to go only 7-2 the rest of the way to set the single-season wins record. These two played a fun game on Feb. 3 in D.C., a 134-121 Warriors win. I remember thinking the Wizards had a chance for the upset then, but Curry went off for 51 points, tying Gilbert Arenas and Michael Jordan for the Verizon Center record. Wall was no slouch, hitting 17-for-25 for 41 points while adding 10 assists.

Key trends: The Wizards are 1-5 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 5-1 in Washington's past six road games vs. teams with a winning home record.

Early lean: Wizards and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Tuesday's hot teams
-- Indiana won three of its last four games (5-7 last 12HF).
-- Charlotte won five of its last seven games (5-1 last 6AF).
-- Oklahoma City won its last seven games (5-1 last 6AF). Detroit won five of its last six games (1-5 last 6HU).
-- Cleveland won eight of its last 11 games (3-6 last 9HF).
-- Golden State won 11 of its last 12 games (5-3 last 8HF). Washington won six of its last eight games (1-4 last 5AU).

Cold teams
-- Nets lost four of their last six games (1-4 last 5AU). Orlando lost six of its last seven games (8-5 last 13HF).
-- Chicago lost its last four games (2-4 last 6AU).
-- 76ers lost their last nine games, covered five of last seven.
-- Rockets lost four of their last five games (1-3 last 4AU).

Series records
-- Nets lost their last three games with Orlando.
-- Bulls won three of last four games with Indiana.
-- 76ers lost six of last seven games with Charlotte.
-- Thunder won nine of last ten games with Detroit.
-- Rockets won six of last seven games with Cleveland.
-- Warriors won nine of last ten games (7-3 vs spread) vs Washington.

Totals
-- Four of last five Orlando games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last six Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Five of 76ers' last seven games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Detroit games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Houston games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Golden State games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Nets covered one of last six games if they played night before.
-- Bulls are 3-10 in last 13 games if they played night before.
-- Oklahoma State is 5-7-1 if it played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Tuesday 3/29 Analysis
By Brewster Smith

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 84 - 324 / $570.80

BEST BETS: 9 - 37 / $36.30

Best Bet: ARTHUR (1st)

Spot Play: ARROW (5th)


Race 1

(1) ARTHUR was very sharp last out missing the victory by only a neck. All systems go for gelding to greet the cameraman for pictures. (6) AUTOMATIC SLIMS put in a mild rally last time out for fourth money. (2) OPEN WATER gets serious post relief and that should help his cause.

Race 2

(8) DRIVING MISS CRAZY tucked in the pocket at the mile pole but could not get it done and had to settle for the show spot in her latest. Mare will have to take these to task from the 8-hole and this seems to be a perfect spot for this gal to top these. (4) AMALFI COAST has put in two good efforts in a row and could make some noise down the lane. (2) ALEXANDER LUKAS showed speed in his qualifier last out and could land a share.

Race 3

(7) ILLUSIONSNDREAMS was very wide and did pick up a check for the fourth spot last out. Gelding might be ready to put his best foot forward; we shall see. (4) FOX VALLEY STEFFEN had a good rally for the place spot last time around. (2) STAR STUDDED CAST took charge from the start and had a easy victory at the Meadowlands last week.

Race 4

(1) GLOBAL REVOLUTION was sitting the pocket most of the way with good trot and lost glory by only a nose; seems to be heading in the right direction and the 1-hole should do the trick. (5) ELYSIUM LINDY Two sharp qualifiers at Freehold puts this sophomore in the mix. (8) POWERFUL PEACE Upstate invader was sent down the road in his last try for all the marbles.

Race 5

(5) ARROW did win one of the divisions of the Sagamore two starts ago. If you throw out his last flop this 4-year-old seems to fit with these; threat at his best. (2) SOME POWER last two tries were not so good, but he was a down the road winner three starts back; worth a play. (3) STEVE SAID Mild rally for the show spot last time around so this guy must be considered for the exotics.

Race 6

(4) SPORTS BETTOR Very consistent gelding is too sharp to deny. Was sent off as the chalk and lost glory by a 1/2 length; can boss these at his best. (2) RODEO did not have enough gas in the tank to get the job done last out but saved the place spot. (7) J T took the pocket route home to victory in his last try.

Race 7

(2) TENDTOWIN should appreciate the drop in class and moves to the 2-hole. Has a good chance to pick them up and lay them down with Sears in the bike. (3) BURKENTINE HANOVER Easy victory at Saratoga in his last trip to the post. (4) CEE PEE PANIC Was late on the scene from 8th to land down the show money last out.

Race 8

(8) TAPIT was flashing good speed in her last try. Trotting mare got the job done from the 7-hole down the road two tries ago. Post hurts but this gal is very capable of making today a winning one. (1) FOR YOU ALMOSTFREE made a tough break at the start in his last start but seems to fit in here. (3) UNDERCOVER STRIKE makes his first start in 2016 off a nice qualifier at Pompano last out; factor.

Race 9

(8) BJANTHONY trotter was on the rim and still grinded out a victory in his last trip at the Big M. Was a strong second here two starts back and this gelding should have no problem from the 8-hole. (4) TROPICAL STORM BI Two fine efforts in Jersey and this gelding must be considered in all the exotic slots. (1) CAPT SERIOUS Upstate shipper is knocking at the door based on his last two outings.

Race 10

(4) SMOKING JOEY showed life in his last start and he drops a notch in class; ready to pounce and score against these. (1) FEELS LIKE MAGIC N raced evenly for fourth money last out so the rail should help his chances; maybe. (2) BUGGER BRUISER did show speed at the 1/4 pole but could not go forward in his latest.

Race 11

(5) DOMINUS HANOVER put in a strong finish to get the job done last time out. Sophomore colt is in sharp form and two straight is clearly not out of the question. (6) NORTHERN OBSESSION has hit the board in her last four outings; makes her a true contender in here. (2) COVERT OPERATIVE was very game for second money last out despite being on the rim; watch out.

Race 12

(7) NASSAU COUNTY is clearly knocking at the door based on his last three starts. Gelding fits well in here and could boss these with a well rated drive. (4) DREAMLANDS ART was very wide at the 3/4 pole and held on for show money last out. (1) KING ROYALTY drops a notch and should fare well from the fence.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Tuesday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Mahoning Valley (1st) Jackie Kaz, 5-1
(5th) Notsofree, 4-1


Parx Racing (3rd) Big Town, 4-1
(9th) Duchess of Wicklow, 3-1


Sunland Park (4th) Kacy, 3-1
(7th) Slew's Royal Tower, 8-1


Turf Paradise (3rd) Lil Barbie Doodle, 7-2
(8th) Awesome Auggie, 3-1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tuesday's six-pack

-- Utah 123, Lakers 75-- Not a professional-level effort by the visitors.

-- Morehead State 86, Nevada 83-- Best-of-3 CBI final continues Wed. in Reno.

-- Old Dominion 75, Tennessee Tech 59-- ODU was only up 32-30 at half.

-- UCSB 70, Northern Illinois 63-- Gauchos were down 15 in first half.

-- Oakland 90, Towson State 72-- Grizzlies were 31-39 on the charity stripe.

-- East Tennessee State 88, Louisiana Tech 83-- Guyn had 34 pts, 10 reb, 6 ass't.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Jim Feist

Jim Feist's Comp NBA Pick, Tuesday, March 29, 2016 7:05 PM ET

(765) CHARLOTTE HORNETS VS (766) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Take: (766) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Reason: Your Bonus Play for Tuesday, March 29, 2016 is in the NBA scheduled contest between the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers. Charlotte sits in 6th place in the East playoff picture. They are just two games back of third place Atlanta along with Boston and Miami (who are both 1 game back). However, the Hornets are just 3 1/2 in front of 8th place Detroit. Expect a lot of positioning during these final games in the lower six teams of the East. The Hornets can thank a nice set of games for their rise in the East standing. Charlotte is 12-3 S/U their last 15 games. The Hornets aren't quite as good against the number, going 3-5 ATS their last eight games. Meanwhile, Philly has been long eliminated from any postseason. However, there is plenty of fight left in this club. They overcame a huge deficit at Portland a few nights ago to lead with less than a minute left only to lose down the stretch. Then on Sunday, the Sixers were down double digits at half at Golden State, but fought back and got the cover. The Sixers are 5-1 ATS their last six games. Charlotte gets a home and home set against the Sixers here, but they better not overlook them. I like Philly plus double digits at home tonight.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Dave Cokin

Bonus Play Tuesday

777 UC IRVINE at 778 COLUMBIA 7:00 PM

Take: 778 COLUMBIA -1.5

If you’re into scheduling dynamics, this is one of the better spots you’re likely to find at any point in the college basketball season.

Irvine is playing its fourth straight road game, covering roughly 4800 miles of travel, in less than a one-week span. That’s not easy for a professional team, let alone a college squad that obviously isn’t used to enduring trips of this nature.

As for Columbia, they’re basking in the comfort of playing at home for the fourth straight game. Zero miles of travel, same bed every night, same routine every day.

Owning an advantage doesn’t automatically translate into a win, but it sure can’t hurt and the scheduling factors here clearly point to Columbia.

I also think it’s a decent style matchup for the Lions. Irvine is, as always, the much bigger team, and the Anteaters are really to tough to score against on the inside. But Columbia doesn’t play that type of game. Their offense is designed to generate open looks from beyond the arc, and Irvine can definitely be had by a team knocking down the three-ball.

I have to think all these home games is also a plus for Columbia in terms of their being able to knock down those treys. It has to be nice to have that comfort zone feeling of shooting at familiar targets.

I would put the magic number tonight at about ten. If Columbia generates 30 or more points on their threes, I like their chances. If they have an off night on those deep shots and don’t get to double figures on threes made, they’re likely in trouble. Under the conditions outlined here, I make the Lions a favorite to get to that goal. I’ll try Columbia as short home chalk tonight.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Arthur Ralph Sports

Bonus Play: TUES Over 215 Okl City/Pistons

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Brandon Shively

Rockets vs Cavs (Tuesday, 8:00 PM EST)

1* Bonus Play Game #769 Houston Rockets

No Lebron James tonight for the Cavs and the line has been adjusted, but the Rockets are in position for a win tonight in my opinion based on the Cavaliers three games played this season without LeBron James as they are 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS

Cleveland’s lone win without Lebron in the lineup this season came only by one point against Dallas. The Mavericks were in position to win the game or send it into overtime, but the refs missed a call and therefore they lost by a point.

This is a legit revenge game for Houston after Cleveland ran them out the gym in Houston a few months ago. Before that, Houston had won six straight against the Cavs. They beat them 105-93 last year in Cleveland and that was a game that LeBron did not play either. The Rockets were a 6 point road favorite in that game and even though that was last season, this is a big swing in the point spread for tonight’s game as we are seeing roughly a 7-8 point swing.

Motivation: The Rockets are clinging to the 8th seed in the West currently but nobody wants to play Golden State in the first round so they are looking to at least grab the No.7 or No.6 seed. I’ll put Cleveland on upset alert tonight and look for the Rockets to bring home the bacon for us. After Toronto lost last night, Cleveland has a 3 game lead in the Eastern Conference to claim the No.1 seed in the Playoffs. By resting Lebron, Head Coach Lue is basically saying they can afford to lose a game and I’m betting they do so. (1* Houston)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Scott Spreitzer

Thunder vs Pistons

Bonus Play Detroit Pistons

I'm recommending a play on the Pistons plus the points on Tuesday. The Thunder have kicked it into gear of late, winning eight straight games, including last night's 19 point win at Toronto. But while the Thunder have virtually nothing to gain or lose in the Western Conference playoff standings, the Pistons are playing to hold off Chicago and Washington for the final spot in the Eastern Conference, with a chance to catch the Pacers for the 7-seed. Detroit can't afford losses, but that's just what they did last time out. The Pistons lost by 17 to Atlanta, as a 1 1/2 point favorite. We should note that Detroit is 11-2 ATS this season off a SU loss as a favorite. They're also 10-2 ATS if they're at home and in revenge of a double-digit loss. Detroit has won 12 of their last 18 outright, and just had a five game winning streak snapped last time out. But I expect the Pistons to land right back in the win column tonight. I'm recommending a play on the Pistons plus the points on Tuesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Marc Lawrence

Bulls vs Pacers

Play - Indiana Pacers

Edges - Pacers: 6-1 ATS in this series; and 11-2 ATS in division games this season. Bulls: 1-6 ATS away with no rest this season. With the Pacers out to avenge a 102-100 loss suffered at Chicago in late December, and 6-1-1 ATS with same season loss revenge against the Bulls, we recommend a 1* play on Indiana. Thank you and good luck as always.