Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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02-13-18 | Hawks +7.5 v. Bucks | 92-97 | Win | 100 | 3 h 28 m | Show | |
Atlanta is in an ambush spot catching the Bucks in their first home game since returning from a four-game road trip. The Bucks are 2-6 ATS in their last eight home games and minus key contributors Malcolm Brogdon and John Henson. The Hawks are below-the-radar going a much more respectable 8-9 during their last 17 games. Both teams average the same amount of points per game at 104. The Hawks have a good history, too, in Milwaukee covering in eight of their last nine visits. |
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02-13-18 | Heat +7.5 v. Raptors | Top | 112-115 | Win | 100 | 15 h 49 m | Show |
Toronto has been a play-on team especially at home. Toronto has the best record in the Eastern Conference and the No. 1 home record in the NBA. The Raptors have won five in a row with their average winning margin being 21 points during this span. So why buck the Raptors? Spot, line value and Miami's track record in these instances. While the Raptors were destroying the Hornets at Charlotte on Sunday in their last game, the Heat were resting. Miami last played on Friday. You know that with the Heat you're going to get good coaching and game preparation from Erik Spoelstra, a top-seven defense, strong team effort and solid bench play enhanced with the addition of Dwayne Wade. The Raptors have lost only four home games, but one of them was to the Heat. Miami has a winning road mark, own a 15-7-1 ATS record the past 23 times playing Eastern Conference foes and have covered in five of its last six away games. The Heat also are 22-7 ATS during their past 29 road games versus foes with a winning home record. I want all this going for me. I like the spot, too, I perceive the Raptors being a little fat and happy while the fully rested Heat should be in line for a strong performance. This isn't by any means a fade on the Raptors. It's a play on the Heat with what I believe is enough line value to get involved.
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02-13-18 | Maryland v. Nebraska -112 | 66-70 | Win | 100 | 7 h 32 m | Show | |
Nebraska doesn't receive any respect in the marketplace or from the oddsmaker. All the Cornhuskers do is cover spreads, though. The Cornhuskers are a mind-boggling 15-1 ATS in their last 16 lined games. |
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02-12-18 | Knicks +12 v. 76ers | Top | 92-108 | Loss | -103 | 16 h 45 m | Show |
The Knicks aren't just tough to back on the road, but anywhere these days riding a six-game losing streak with only one cover during this span. But there's enough line value to get behind New York in this division matchup. Philadelphia has opened its five-game homestand with three straight wins and covers. The 76ers finish their homestand against Miami on Wednesday. The 76ers have become a playoff team because of the tremendous talent of youngsters Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. But Philadelphia doesn't have the maturity and that much talent to cover double-digit spreads without playing very well. This is a flat spot for the 76ers. Philadelphia has already dropped games to bottom-feeders, including the Kings twice, Nets, Suns, Grizzlies and Lakers. New York lost its best player, Kristaps Porzingis, for the season to a torn ACL. So the Knicks are in rebuild mode, which means minutes for hungry youngsters looking to make their mark such as their point guards, rookie Frank Nitlikina and newly acquired Emmanuel Mudiay, who was impressive in his Knicks debut Sunday in a 121-113 loss to Indiana. Fatigue shouldn't factor for the Knicks since they were idle Friday and Saturday. Michael Beasley has fulfilled Porzingis' role by averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds in two games replacing him. Beasley actually has played well during the entire season and now his role is greatly enhanced. Enes Kanter is having a big year and Tim Hardaway Jr. is healthy and underrated. The Knicks are a level higher than the NBA's worst dregs. They also have covered 11 of their last 16 games at Philadelphia. There's always the possibility of the 76ers resting the fragile Embiid. This will be the 76ers' third game in four days. Embiid hurt his knee in the 76ers' 112-98 win against the Clippers Saturday sitting out several minutes. He did return to the game. But the 76ers may choose to be careful with their franchise center in what appears to be an easy game for them especially with a tougher matchup on deck. The 76ers have a losing record when Embiid hasn't played.
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02-12-18 | Notre Dame +10.5 v. North Carolina | 66-83 | Loss | -106 | 5 h 34 m | Show | |
This is too many points for North Carolina to be laying carrying a high fatigue rating and in a letdown spot. The Tar Heels are in letdown mode after posting victories on Thursday against Duke and North Carolina State on Saturday. |
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02-11-18 | Mavs +15.5 v. Rockets | 97-104 | Win | 100 | 6 h 4 m | Show | |
I wasn't looking to step in front of the Rockets, winners of seven in a row, including burying the Nuggets, 130-104, this past Friday. Dallas isn't going to have Dirk Nowitzki, Wesley Matthews and backup point guard J.J. Barea for this matchup. The oddsmaker is begging to get money on the Mavericks and the marketplace has made Dallas even more inviting by betting the Rockets up. So I'll oblige by firing on Dallas at what I believe is an inflated number. Only once in their last 27 games have the Mavericks lost by more than 15 points. The teams last met on Jan. 24. The Mavericks were 6 1/2-point home 'dogs and lost 104-97. The Mavericks are 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games against opponents with a winning home mark. Dallas also has covered in eight of its last 11 away matchups. The Mavericks had their best offensive showing of the season in beating the Lakers, 130-123, at home against the Lakers last night. So they should enter this division game with confidence. Not having Matthews is tough. He may be the Mavericks' best overall player, but Nowitzki isn't worth anything on the line being far over-the-hill. The Mavericks have some underrated talent with Dennis Smith Jr., Harrison Barnes, Yogi Ferrell, Dwight Powell and newly acquired Doug McDermott. Of course these players can't compare to the Rockets' loaded lineup headed by superstars James Harden and Chris Paul. But the Dallas youngsters should be counted on to play big minutes - and to play hard. Houston doesn't have any special incentive or motivation for this game. The Rockets, in fact, should use this game to cut back the overextended minutes of their star players since this is their fourth game in six days and they have a much more challenging game on deck when they play the Timberwolves on the road Tuesday. The Rockets have failed to cover in five of their last six home games versus foes with a losing road record.
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02-11-18 | Raptors -3 v. Hornets | Top | 123-103 | Win | 100 | 6 h 57 m | Show |
Normally an early start time would be bad for the road team. But the visiting Raptors have been idle since Thursday while the Hornets just flew back into Charlotte early Saturday following a four-game West Coast swing that conluded Friday night when the obviously tired Hornets could manage only 17 points in the fourth quarter against the Jazz in a 106-94 loss. Toronto has the best record in the Easterm Conference. Charlotte is 23-32 and playing for the third time in four days. It's doubtful the Hornets make the playoffs. The Raptors have dominated weaker competition losing just three times all season to below .500 opponents. Toronto has matched up well, too, to Charlotte going 2-0 this season winning by 13 and 18 points, respectively.
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02-10-18 | Wizards -5 v. Bulls | Top | 101-90 | Win | 100 | 16 h 12 m | Show |
The Bulls are 2-7 since losing point guard Kris Dunn to a concussion. One of those victories occurred last night when the emotional Bulls hosted their former star, Jimmy Butler, and former coach, Tom Thibodeau. Chicago upset Minnesota, 114-113, as 7 1/2-point home 'dogs coming back from 17 points down. I don't see the Bulls being able to repeat that emtional type of performance a second straight day. Chicago is 1-7 when playing in the second of back-to-back games. Not only will the Bulls be missing Dunn again, but also shooting guard Zach LaVine, who is averaging 26.5 points in his last four games after missing 42 games due to an ACL injury. So the Bulls are going to be missing their two most talented players. Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said he didn't want to play LaVine in this back-to-back spot so soon after his injury. The Wizards are vastly superior to Chicago missing those two players even though they remain without John Wall. The Wizards are 5-2 minus Wall during the past seven games, but those defeats have come in their last two games. They were against the 76ers on the road when they were playing without rest and to the Celtics two days ago in overtime. Washington hasn't lost three in a row all season. The Bulls have lost four in a row to Washington and are 3-10 ATS the past 13 times hosting the Wizards.
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02-10-18 | Wyoming +6.5 v. UNLV | 70-85 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 10 m | Show | |
I don't trust the Rebels, nor their coach, Marvin Menzies, to cover this number in a letdown spot. UNLV is off a huge and highly-satisfying 86-78 road victory against arch-rival Nevada-Reno this past Wednesday. UNLV is 1-8 ATS following a victory. Now the Rebels take on a hot Wyoming team that has won five of its last six. The Cowboys' latest victory was 83-65 against Utah State, a team that beat the Rebels 85-78 last month.
Wyoming has covered 20 of the past 28 times when going against an opponent with a winning record. UNLV has failed to cover in six of its last seven home contests, |
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02-10-18 | George Washington v. George Mason OVER 140 | 65-72 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 55 m | Show | |
George Washington has played three straight Over the totals game. Look for that trend to continue as the Colonials aren't that strong defensively, but have picked up their tempo offensively. George Mason is weaker defeinsvely than George Washington. The Patriots have gone Over in seven of their last eight games. These teams hit 148 in their first meeting won by George Washington, 80-68.
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02-10-18 | Louisiana-Monroe v. Georgia State -12.5 | 90-82 | Loss | -110 | 4 h 20 m | Show | |
I see this as a kill spot for Georgia State, which has won 10 in a row with its last three victories coming by a combined 55 points. There is little chance of Georgia State taking Monroe lightly after the Warhawks upset Georgia Southern, 66-64 in overtime, as 10-point road 'dogs this past Thursday. |
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02-10-18 | Oklahoma v. Iowa State +6.5 | 80-88 | Win | 100 | 2 h 5 m | Show | |
There is enough value to make a play on Iowa State. The Cyclones can take advantage of Oklahoma;s defense to make this game close if not pull the outright upset. The Sooners have allowed 79 points or more in seven of their last eight games. Oklahoma also has failed to cove in its last five road contests. |
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02-09-18 | Hornets v. Jazz -5.5 | Top | 94-106 | Win | 100 | 17 h 46 m | Show |
Jazz minus 5 1/2 hosting Hornets You may be surprised to know that Utah owns the longest active win streak in the NBA right now with seven consecutive victories. Expect the streak to reach eight after this game. The red-hot Jazz draw Charlotte in a vulnerable spot carrying a high fatigue rating. The Hornets are playing in their fourth road game in six days while coming off a tough overtime loss last night to Portland. Charlotte last won at Utah in 2006 having lost 10 road games in a row to the Jazz. Utah has added motivaiton for a 99-88 road loss to the Hornets last month. The Jazz are playing their best ball and can make a serious move in the West with eight of their next 10 games at home. Ricky Rubio has spurred the Jazz. He played well during the second half of last season and he's continued that pattern averaging 22.1 points, 7.7 assists and shooting 53.8 percent from the floor in the last seven games. The Jazz traded Rodney Hood for Jae Crowder on Thursday. Hood is the better offensive player, but this was a good trade for Utah. Crowder is the better all-around player and fills a greater need at small forward than Hood does at shooting guard where his minutes were limited with the rise of rookie Donovan Mitchell.Crowder is expected to play against the Hornets. |
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02-09-18 | Pacers +4 v. Celtics | 97-91 | Win | 100 | 15 h 18 m | Show | |
When the Pacers have Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner both healthy, which is the case here, they can be dangerous. Given this situation, Indiana is in a great ambush spot. The Pacers last played on Monday. Their game on Wednesday against the Pelicans was postponsed because of a wet floor. Indiana hasn't forgotten its last game against Boston. That occurred on Dec. 18 at home when the Celtics pulled off a one-point win when Terry Rozier stole the ball and scored a winning layup with 1.2 seconds left. It probably was the Pacers' toughest loss of the season. Oladipo, who leads the Pacers in scoring at 24 points per game, did not play in that game. Indiana is 6-2 in its last eight games that Oladipo has played in. While the Pacers should have plenty of energy and motivation, the Celtics drag themselves to Boston after nipping the Wizards in overtime at Washington Thursday night. This will mark the Celtics' third game in four days and fourth in six days. The Celtics might get caught looking ahead, too, to hosting the Cavaliers on national television Sunday. That's the game where the Celtics will retire Paul Pierce's No. 34 in a special ceremony.
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02-09-18 | Pelicans v. 76ers UNDER 220 | 82-100 | Win | 100 | 6 h 7 m | Show | |
The 76ers have been playing good defense surrendering fewer than 100 points per game during their last three games. They've been last in terms of tempo during their past 10 games. There's a chance Philadelphia could be without star center Joel Embiid, too. He's questionable with an ankle injury. He leads the 76ers in scoring at 23.7 points a game. The Pelicans are down DeMarcus Cousins and haven't played since Monday because their Wednesday game against the Pacers was postponed due to a leaky roof. So there could be a rust factor. The extra time also enabled the Pelcians and their new addition, Nikola Mirotic, to work on defense and game plan for this matchup.
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02-09-18 | Davidson +6.5 v. Rhode Island | 59-72 | Loss | -108 | 5 h 10 m | Show | |
Rhode Island is fat, happy and rusty having won 14 in a row but not having played for a week. I see the Rams having problems with Davidson, which is off three straight blowout victories. The Wildcats are road-proven having beaten Fordham, George Mason and Charlotte while losing by one point to Dayton. The Wildcats certainly won't lack for motivation after Rhoe Island ended their season in the Atlantic-10 Conference Tournament last season. Davidson is 7-1-1 ATS in its last nine conference games. |
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02-09-18 | Davidson v. Rhode Island UNDER 144.5 | 59-72 | Win | 100 | 5 h 8 m | Show | |
Davidson has switched its primary defense playing more zone. It has paid off as the Wildcats have held nine of their last 10 foes to 70 or fewer points. The Wildcats have moved up to No. 2 in defensive efficiency in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The No. 1 team in the conference in terms of defensive efficiency? It's Rhode Island. The Rams figure to be rusty, too, having not played in a week. So look for points to be harder to come by than the oddsmaker believes. |
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02-08-18 | Washington v. Oregon UNDER 146 | 40-65 | Win | 100 | 12 h 56 m | Show | |
Not only does Washington have the No. 1 ranked defense in the Pac-12, but the Huskies also are top-ranked in the conference in 3-point defense. Oregon has slowed down its tempo, but still shoots a lot from beyond the arc. The Under has cashed an unbelievable 22 times in Washington's last 26 Pac-12 games. The Under also has cashed in 18 of the Huskies' past 22 road contests. Oregon has gone Under in seven of its last 10 games. |
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02-08-18 | Celtics +2 v. Wizards | Top | 110-104 | Win | 100 | 17 h 36 m | Show |
Washington isn't a better team than Boston especially minus John Wall. The Celtics have covered 64 percent of their road games. If you think that is impressive try this: Boston is an amazing 10-1 (91 percent) as an underdog this season. The Celtics will look to redeem themselves after an embarrassing 20-point loss to Toronto this past Tuesday. The good news for the Celtics is that Kyrie Irving returned from injury and Terry Rozier continued to play at a high level. The Wizards had won five in a row before running out of gas in a 115-102 road loss to the 76ers on Tuesday. The fatigue factor is still there for the Wizards as this is their third game in four days and fourth in six days. Brad Stevens is the sharpest coach in the Eastern Conference. He'll have a good game plan to adjust to the Wizards' fill-in point guards. The Celtics rank either first or second in the major defensive categories. They surrender seven points per game than the Wizards.
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02-08-18 | Duke -112 v. North Carolina | Top | 78-82 | Loss | -112 | 11 h 46 m | Show |
Duke may have got caught peeking ahead to this game after losing 81-77 to St. John's in its last game this past Saturday. Expect the Blue Devils to be fully focused. They also are the better team. Duke has covered the past four times following a loss. The Blue Devils have defeated the Tar Heels in six of the last eight meetings. The Blue Devils certainly are road tested going 10-3-1 ATS during their past 14 road outings. Duke is 4-1, too, versus ranked teams this season. Duke leads the nation in scoring averaging nearly 90 points a game. North Carolina is 1-3 in its last four games giving up more than 80 points in each of its losses during this span. Duke can hurt the Tar Heels from long-distance as North Carolina ranks 324th in 3-point defense.
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02-08-18 | Knicks v. Raptors UNDER 211.5 | 88-113 | Win | 100 | 8 h 7 m | Show | |
Early money has come on the Over in this matchup and I disagree with the line move. The Knicks are not a good road team - they've scored 90 and 73 points in their last two away matchups - and now don't have injured Kristaps Porzingis. The Knicks score 3.4 points fewer per 100 possessions without their scoring star. Toronto is a top-10 defensive club that plays its best defense at home ranking in the top-five in points per 100 possessions. The Knicks lack the scoring and penetrating point guards to dent Toronto's defense. The oddsmakers are calling for a blowout here. If that occurs, the Raptors would be able to rest DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowery, their two best offensive players.
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02-07-18 | UNLV +9.5 v. Nevada | 86-78 | Win | 100 | 15 h 26 m | Show | |
UNR has the best frontcourt in the Mountain West Conference with Jordan Caroline and twins Caleb and Cody Martin. But UNLV can counter that with 7-foot-1 Brandon McCoy, who is five inches taller than Caroline. McCoy is backed by Shakur Juiston, another good frontcourt player. The Wolf Pack haven't faced a big man as talened as McCoy this season. The Rebels have double revenge, which means a lot in this bitter intrastate rivalry. The Rebels are capable of posting big wins such as defeating Utah by 27 points. They have been at their point spread best as underdogs taking Northern Iowa, Arizona and Boise State to overtime all as a 'dog. The Rebels have the offense - ranking in the top eight in scoring and shooting percentage - along with the athleticism and talent to hang in against the Wolf Pack.
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02-07-18 | CS-Northridge v. Cal-Irvine UNDER 131.5 | Top | 56-77 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 15 m | Show |
Cal State Northridge is a huge Under team. The Matadors are 16-4-1 to the Under in their last 21 games, including 7-0 to the under in their last seven Big West Conference games. |
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02-07-18 | Nets +9.5 v. Pistons | Top | 106-115 | Win | 100 | 17 h 56 m | Show |
Brooklyn has some below-the-radar talented players. But the oddsmaker never gives the Nets much respect. Brooklyn is 19-36. Spread-wise, though, the Nets have the second-best ATS mark in the NBA. Brooklyn is at its point spead best, too, on the road where it constantly gets undervalued. The Nets have covered 62 percent of their away matchups this season. The Pistons are playing their best ball winning four in a row. They will have the two best players on the court in Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond. Brooklyn, however, has some emerging young talent with D'Angelo Russell back healthy, breakout-guard Spencer Dinwiddie, emerging rookie Jarrett Allen and intriguing Jalil Okafor. It's a bonus if Rondae Hollis-Jefferson can suit up having missed the past six games with a groin injury. The Pistons are at their worst when laying big points going 2-8 ATS the past 10 times as chalk of four or more points. Detroit also is 1-10-1 ATS at home versus opponents with a winning percentage of less than .400. It's going to be easy for the Pistons to overlook the Nets especially with the Clippers on tap. Detroit hosts LA on Friday. Normally that would be a ho-hum nonconference matchup, but it has turned into a grudge game following the Clippers trading Griffin to the Pistons for Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley.
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02-06-18 | Thunder v. Warriors -10 | Top | 125-105 | Loss | -102 | 21 h 10 m | Show |
Darn this spread is high. But I want the Warriors going for me here being rested in a huge revenge spot and drawing the Thunder at low ebb. Oklahoma City embarrassed Golden State, 108-91, at home on Nov. 23. The Warriors don't get embarrassed too often. That also was the only time during the past eight meetings the Thunder have covered against the Warriors. The Warriors should be fresh being idle for two days. The Thunder, by contrast, will be playing for the fourth time in six days. They are 1-4 since losing underrated Andre Roberson, their best defender, for the season because of a knee injury. This is a big number to lay. Understand. But the Warriors have the offense to overcome it ranking No. 1 in the major scoring categories, including points, shooting percentage, free throw percentage and 3-point percentage. The Thunder have allowed each of their last three opponents to make at least 13 3-pointers. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant are all in line for big games.
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02-06-18 | Suns +8 v. Lakers | 93-112 | Loss | -108 | 7 h 12 m | Show | |
The Suns aren't going to have Devin Booker, who is their best player by far. But the Lakers are in a letdown spot and still will be minus Lonzo Ball. This is the Lakers' first home game since returning from a five-game road trip that concluded Sunday. They are coming off wins against the Nets and Thunder. The underdog and road team has covered the last four in the series. The Lakers lack the maturity to cover this big of a number in the letdown spot they are in. |
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02-06-18 | Missouri v. Ole Miss -120 | 75-69 | Loss | -120 | 8 h 43 m | Show | |
Mississippi is in stop-the-pain mode having lost three in a row, including getting blown out by Tennessee in its last game. Missouri, on the other hand, is in a letdown spot after beating Kentucky for the first time this past Saturday. The Rebels figure to push pace, which is bad news for the depth-shy Tigers, who have only eight healthy players on scholarship. Mississippi has covered six of its last seven home games.
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02-06-18 | Nebraska +1.5 v. Minnesota | 91-85 | Win | 100 | 13 h 6 m | Show | |
Nebraska has covered in its last seven road games. Minnesota is having a disastrous season. |
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02-06-18 | Wizards +6 v. 76ers | 102-115 | Loss | -107 | 18 h 6 m | Show | |
The Wizards are 5-0 since losing John Wall to a knee injury. It's kind of ironic that Washington is playing its best ball since losing its best player. But the Wizards are doing a fantastic job of passing the ball recording 27 assists in each of their last five games, a franchise record. I prefer the 76ers taking points rather than laying. Philadelphia is 1-4 in its last five games. The 76ers have a lot of youthful talent that could be unfocused entering this matchup after all the celebrations going on in Philadelphia following the Eagles winning the Super Bowl.
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02-06-18 | Rockets v. Nets +10.5 | 123-113 | Win | 100 | 18 h 44 m | Show | |
There are two key handicapping factors when it comes to beating the NBA - sometimes going against logic and taking advantage of situations. Both apply here. The Rockets should bury the Nets - on paper. But this spot sets up well for Brooklyn. Houston goes from just having impressively beaten the Spurs and Cavaliers in nationally televised games to playing the 19-win Nets and their cast of no-names. The Rockets also have a much tougher game on deck when they play at the Heat on Wednesday. Before dispatching the Spurs and Cavaliers in double-digit style, the Rockets hosted the Suns and Magic. Those two teams have fewer victories than Brooklyn. The Rockets defeated the Suns by 11 and Magic by seven. Houston has covered only 32 percent of the time the past 29 times against sub .500 opponents. The Rockets also have failed to cover in five of their last six meetings versus the Nets. Brooklyn has been home for the last three games going 1-2. The Nets just lost 109-94 to the Bucks this past Sunday. Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson ripped his team after that loss. He's optimistic the Nets will play much better in this game. I am, too. The Nets have been huge money-makers as an underdog especially when catching four or more points going 21-11 (66 percent) in that role this season. The Rockets are talented enough, though, to cover a double-digit road spread here even if the Nets produce a strong effort. It's only fair to point that out. James Harden and Chris Paul can absolutely dominate. But if the Rockets do happen to build up a big lead, there would be no reason for Harden and Paul to play big minutes with a physical game in Miami looming Wednesday. So the backdoor should swing wide open if a garbage time scenario unfolds.
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02-05-18 | Mavs +7 v. Clippers | Top | 101-104 | Win | 100 | 12 h 33 m | Show |
Dennis Smith Jr. has started to live up to his strong rookie hype. The Mavericks have gone 13-4 ATS the past 17 times they've been 'dogs when Smith has been in the lineup. They have covered in seven of their past nine road contests and their confidence is up after ending a five-game losings skid with a victory against the Kings this past Saturday. I realize the Clippers are much better than the Kings. But Dallas gets up for this opponent still holding a justifiable grudge from when DeAndre Jordan said he was going to sign with the Mavericks as a free agent and then went back on his word returning to the Clippers. Dallas has won three of the last five in the series, including defeating the Clippers, 108-82, at home on Dec. 2. The Mavericks' bench is as good if not stronger than the Clippers' reserves bolstered by the return of sparkplug point guard J.J. Barera. He had missed three games until returning to dish off 11 assists in 24 minutes against Sacramento. |
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02-05-18 | Siena +8 v. Fairfield | 65-78 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 57 m | Show | |
The premise here is simple: Fairfield isn't good enough to lay this many points in a conference matchup. Siena is the better defensive team. Siena has a good history at Fairfield going 8-3-1 ATS in its last 12 visits. The Saints also are 8-2 ATS the past 10 times being on the road playing a foe with a winning home record.
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02-04-18 | Tulsa v. South Florida +7.5 | 63-54 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 49 m | Show | |
Tulsa isn't very good on the road and is in a letdown spot. The Golden Hurricane have won only two true away games all season. They have dropped their last four road contests and failed to cover in 11 of their last 16 away matchups. Tulsa very well could overlook South Florida, too. The Golden Hurricane are coming off a huge 76-67 home upset victory against SMU. South Florida has begun to play better. The Bulls upset Tulane three games ago so they are capable.
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02-04-18 | Bucks v. Nets UNDER 209 | 109-94 | Win | 100 | 7 h 34 m | Show | |
Perception-wise this total looks about right. But reality-wise, it is not. The Bucks are playing much stronger defense since sacking Jason Kidd. Milwaukee is giving up an average of 97.5 points on 44 percent shooting from the floor in its first six games under interim coach Joe Prunty. During Kidd's last 11 games, the Bucks yielded 107.9 points a game on 49.4 percent shooting. Jabari Parker will be playing in his second game of the season after returning from ACL surgery. He is rusty. The Bucks are without underrated scorer Malcolm Brogdon. The Nets aren't the up-tempo they were earlier in the season. They have become more half-court with more looks inside to emerging center Jarrett Allen. During their last eight games, the Nets have played at the fourth-slowest tempo in the league. They have failed to reach 100 points in four of their last five games.
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02-04-18 | Blazers v. Celtics -120 | 96-97 | Win | 100 | 7 h 33 m | Show | |
Portland had its four-game winning streak snapped by the Raptors on Friday night in a 130-105 stinging road defeat. Now, less than 48 hours later, the Trail Blazers are back in action for this early start. This marks their fourth game in six days all at different venues. Portland has lost five of its last seven away matchups. The Trail Blazers could be without their No. 3 guard, Shabazz Napier, due to a toe injury. Boston has won 20 of its 28 home games and is 15-11 ATS at home. It's a bonus for the Celtics if Kyrie Irving and newly-signed Greg Monroe are able to play. I'm not expecting that to happen, though. Terry Rozier has been brilliant filling in for Irving scoring 48 points, grabbing 18 rebounds, dishing off 12 assists and shooting 53 percent from the floor in the two games Irving has missed. The Celtics rank No. 2 defensively giving up 98.5 points a game. The Trail Blazers have surrendered 108 or more points in nine of their last 14 games.
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02-04-18 | Blazers v. Celtics OVER 201.5 | 96-97 | Loss | -106 | 7 h 32 m | Show | |
Portland has scored in triple-digits in each of its last 17 games. The Trail Blazers have one of the most explosive backcourts in the league with Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, who is on fire with 71 points in his last two games. The Trail Blazers just gave up 19 3-pointers to the Raptors on Friday in a 130-105 loss. Boston ranks fourth in 3-point shots made per game. The Celtics aren't likely to have Kyrie Irving again, but Terry Rozier has been brilliant replacing him. The Trail Blazers' defense has slipped while their offense has picked up. Portland has yielded 110 or more points in 11 of its last 17 games.
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02-03-18 | Rockets v. Cavs +3.5 | 120-88 | Loss | -102 | 8 h 59 m | Show | |
Call it a hunch, but I believe the Cavaliers will show up hard today and protect their home floor against the Rockets. The Cavaliers just may be a better team minus Kevin Love. The Rockets are short-handed, too, with Eric Gordon out and Trevor Ariza questionable. LeBron James wants to prove that rumors of his going to the Warriors are pure speculation. His top priority is getting the Cavaliers straighten out. Cleveland has been a pure fade this season when laying points. But being a home 'dog in a game with much pride at stake is a different story.
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02-03-18 | Bulls v. Clippers UNDER 222 | 103-113 | Win | 100 | 6 h 22 m | Show | |
Rust, new faces and an early start time all work in favor of Under the total in this matchup. Note this is an early West Coast starting time being a day game. There should be lots of defensive energy and potential rust on offense as the Clippers have been idle since Tuesday while the Bulls have been off the past two days. The extra time off should work in favor of the defense given additional practice and preparation. The Clippers already have been through 16 different lineups and that number is rising today as newly acquired Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley are expected to make their LA debuts here. There's going to be an adjustment period as the Clippers work these two in while no longer having the outstanding, consistent scoring of Blake Griffin. Bradley also is an ace defender. The Bulls are missing point guard Kris Dunn, who remains out with a concussion. Chicago is averaging 102 points in its last four games. The Bulls no longer have Nikola Mirotic, who was their leading scorer. He was traded to the Pelicans for a bunch of players who don't figure to make major offensive contributions.
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02-03-18 | Missouri State v. Loyola-Chicago UNDER 131.5 | 75-97 | Loss | -105 | 4 h 9 m | Show | |
Missouri State has gone Under in 10 of its last 12 games. The Under is 10-3-1 in Loyola's last 13 games. I see that trend continuing here as these are two defensive-minded teams who go at a slow pace. That was clear in the first meeting, which Missouri State won, 64-59, for a combined 123 points. Missouri State ranks 19th on defense while Loyola is even better ranking ninth in the country. |
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02-02-18 | Warriors -12.5 v. Kings | Top | 119-104 | Win | 100 | 13 h 18 m | Show |
I want the Warriors going for me here and I'm willing to lay the wood. Not only does Golden State have revenge for a 110-106 shocking home loss to the Kings from Nov. 27, but it is coming off an embarrassing 30-point road loss to the Jazz this past Tuesday. The Warriors have had two full days off to think about that horrific loss to Utah. Sacramento, meanwhile, is fat and happy having just concluded a six-game road trip with an upset victory against the Pelicans on Tuesday. The Kings haven't been home since Jan. 17, a span of more than two weeks. They have failed to cover in five of their past six home contests. Golden State hasn't lost two games in a row all season. The Warriors aren't going to lose here. The question is can they cover this high road number? They didn't have Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant when they lost to the Kings earlier. Now the Warriors have all their key players healthy. They should be highly motivated and playing one of the five worst teams in the league. So this sure spells blowout to me
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02-02-18 | Heat v. 76ers UNDER 202 | 97-103 | Win | 100 | 15 h 49 m | Show | |
Miami surrenders the third-fewest points per game in the NBA. The 76ers are an underrated defensive club raking in the top-five in defensive efficiency. The 76ers' defense will be made easier by the Heat's slow tempo. Miami rates 30th in offensive efficiency during the past 10 games. Miami has failed to break the 95-point barrier during its past five games.
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02-02-18 | Heat +4.5 v. 76ers | 97-103 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 4 m | Show | |
The Heat usually play better on weekends - 17-8 on Friday-through-Sunday games - and are 8-3-1 ATS in their last 12 games. The 76ers are much better in an underdog role. The 76ers have talent, but are full of youth and inexperience. Already they have blown leads of 11 or more points eight times. This also is Philadelphia's first home game following a four-game road trip that ended Wednesday night. So concentration may be a problem. The Heat can neutralize Joel Embiid's impact with Hassan Whiteside, the top rim protector in the Eastern Conference. The Heat are well-coached, disciplined and have a deep bench. They make for a worthy underdog here.
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02-01-18 | San Francisco v. St. Mary's UNDER 140.5 | Top | 43-79 | Win | 100 | 18 h 16 m | Show |
St. Mary's beat San Francisco in its two meetings last season winning 66-46 at home for a total of 112 points and 63-52 on the road for a combined 115 points. Things shouldn't be any different in this matchup, certainly not to the extent of where this total opened.
San Francisco ranks 74th defensively holding foes to 67.9 points a game. The Dons are much worse offensively ranking 281st averaging 69.4 points per game and ranking 306th in field goal percentage at 41.8. San Francisco does not play at a fast tempo and figures to really struggle at this tough venue. The Dons are going to have problems getting any easy baskets with St. Mary's 7-foot star Jock Landale patrolling the middle. The Gaels lead the nation in defensive rebounding. St. Mary's rates 28th-best in the country in defensive scoring holding foes to 65.2 points a game. The Gaels have won 16 in a row. They are going to control tempo here - and that tempo is not going to be fast. The Geals play at an extremely slow and deliberate pace. That pace is perfect when protecting a big lead, which the Gaels should build. |
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02-01-18 | Bucks v. Wolves -5.5 | 89-108 | Win | 100 | 5 h 30 m | Show | |
Minnesota has won its last 10 home games. The Timberwolves, however, have dropped their last two games, both on the road. So they are in stop-the-pain mode. The Bucks will be minus Eric Bledsoe. Milwaukee is 4-0 since letting Jason Kidd go. However, they've been very fortunate during this span. That 4-0 record is deceiving as they've played three lottery teams and the 76ers minus Joel Embiid. |
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02-01-18 | Grizzlies +8 v. Pistons | 102-104 | Win | 100 | 8 h 55 m | Show | |
There's a buzz in Detroit today with Blake Griffin set to make his Pistons debut. But this buzz can't hide the fact the Pistons are 1-8 in their last nine games, have failed to cover the past five times they've been favored and they no longer have Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley, their two leading scorers. They were traded to the Clippers as part of the deal for Griffin. The Grizzlies have signaled they are in rebuild mode after declaring their intentions to sit out Tyreke Evans until he can be traded. Mike Conley is out for the season. But Memphis still is a strong defensive team - ranking sixth in fewest points allowed per game - and have been playing well covering seven of its last nine games. Memphis opened its current road trip with a four-point road loss to Indiana Wednesday. Now they are nearly getting that many points against the Pistons, who have been much worse than the Pacers. Griffin could make a difference, but there's going to be an adjustment period. Memphis 7-1-1 ATS the past nine times following a loss. The Pistons aren't good enough to cover a spread this high. They are 2-5-1 ATS the eight times this season they've been favorites of six points or more. They are 1-5 in their last six home games and 3-13-1 ATS versus opponents with a winning percentage below .400.
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02-01-18 | Raptors v. Wizards UNDER 214 | 119-122 | Loss | -105 | 6 h 53 m | Show | |
Take away John Wall and the Wizards become more of a grinder team. They have to with Tomas Satorasnky and Tim Frazier at the point. Those two took advantage of a weak and tired Hawks defense when Washington put up 129 points on Atlanta this past Saturday. But they've lost their surprise element. The Wizards are an above average defense team and they relied on that in beating the Thunder, 102-96, this past Tuesday. The Raptors are familar now with Satoransky and Frazier. The Wizards averaged only 95.5 points per 100 possessions against the Thunder, who were missing their star defender, Andre Roberson. Toronto has a top-10 defense. The Raptors have held four of their last seven foes to fewer than 98 points a game. The Raptors will be hurt offensively by Fred VonVleet, their No. 3 guard, being out. VonVleet had scored 19 and 25 points during two of his last four games.
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01-31-18 | Cal-Irvine v. Long Beach State OVER 147 | 75-68 | Loss | -110 | 20 h 11 m | Show | |
These two teams met earlier this season and UC Irvine won, 86-73. There were 159 points scored in that game despite only 28 free throws being shot. Look for that many to be scored in the rematch as Irvine won't mind running with the 49ers based on their earlier outcome. Long Beach State has scored at least 75 points in five of its last six games. The 49ers, though, rank 324th defensively giving up nearly 80 points per game.
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01-31-18 | Knicks +8.5 v. Celtics | Top | 73-103 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 37 m | Show |
This is Boston's fifth game in nine days and fifth different venue. The Celtics haven't played at home since Jan. 21. So the Celtics' focus could be off and their energy level down. Boston played Golden State extremely tough before losing by four points this past Saturday. The Celtics then edged Denver by one point in the rocky mountain high altitude in another tough game this past Monday. Now they are back on East Coast time drawing a division rival. The Knicks have been playing more respectable on the road covering six of their last 10 away games. Boston is 1-6-1 ATS the past eight times hosting opponents with losing road marks. New York has won two in a row beating the Suns and Nets last night by 16 points. Fatigue shouldn't be a factor for Brooklyn, though. None of the Nets logged more than 32 minutes Tuesday night and the team had been idle the previous three days. The Celtics are shorthanded in the backcourt with Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart both out. |
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01-30-18 | Blazers v. Clippers UNDER 219.5 | 104-96 | Win | 100 | 10 h 9 m | Show | |
This is the Clippers' first game without Blake Griffin, their major inside scoring threat and top offensive focal point. The Clippers are going to go through an adjustment period minus Griffin. There is no guarantee that Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley, who the Clippers received as part of the deal for Griffin, will be able to play in this game. If that's the case, the Clippers will be very much short-handed as they also have a number of injuries. The Trail Blazers face a rust factor as they've been idle the past three days. Their defense should be better, though, than it has been with fresh legs and added practice time. |
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01-30-18 | Blazers -135 v. Clippers | 104-96 | Win | 100 | 10 h 8 m | Show | |
Portland is 5-1 in its last six games. The Trail Blazers are playing their best ball of the season, according to point guard Damian Lillard. This spot sets up great, too, for Portland. The Trail Blazers last played on Friday and draw the Clippers in their first game without Blake Griffin. Griffin was traded to the Pistons on Monday. As part of the deal, the Clippers received Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley. It's not a given that Harris and Bradley will be ready to play today. Griffin was the Clippers' second-leading scorer and focal point of their offense. The Clippers lack sufficient scoring inside minus Griffin. The trade has to be a shock for the Clippers. Griffin has been with the team since drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in 2009. There is going to be a mental and physical adjustment for the Clippers minus Griffin especially in this first game without him. The well-rested Trail Blazers should be able to take full advantage. They have covered the last five times when enjoying three or more days rest.
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01-30-18 | Cavs -5.5 v. Pistons | Top | 114-125 | Loss | -107 | 8 h 36 m | Show |
The Pistons have become one of the worst teams in the NBA since point guard Reggie Jackson suffered an ankle injury. They've gone 3-12 following Jackson's injury and have lost eight in a row. Detroit's latest defeat came to Cleveland, 121-104, as 7 1/2-point road underdogs two days ago. Now look at the spread. It's much lower. Detroit's home-court advantage isn't nearly worth that. The Pistons have lost and failed to cover during their past five games at Little Caesars Arena, losing to three Eastern Conference teams worse than the Cavaliers during this span. Cleveland has now beaten the Pistons in its last three meetings, winning those games by an average of 25.7 points per game. The Cavaliers are playing better with two straight victories. If newly acquired Blake Griffin doesn't play, and he's not expected to play, the Cavaliers will have the four best players on the court. The big news is the Pistons acquired Griffin on Monday. Detroit gave up its two leading scorers, Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley, as part of the cost to get Griffin. Bradley is a premier defensive guard.
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01-30-18 | Thunder v. Wizards OVER 219 | 96-102 | Loss | -115 | 16 h 47 m | Show | |
The teams just met this past Thursday at Oklahoma City and the Thunder beat the Wizards, 121-112. That's a combined 233 points being scored. Andre Roberson is the Thunder's best defensive player. He logged more than 23 minutes in that game. However, Roberson suffered a season ending injury against the Pistons on Saturday. Oklahoma City gave up 112 points to the 76ers on Sunday in its first game without Roberson. The Wizards average 107 points, same as the 76ers. If you discount a flat road performance against the Mavericks, the Wizards are averaging 118 points in their last four games. The Wizards scored 129 points and had excellent ball movement in their last game against the Hawks despite missing John Wall, who is questionable for this game with a sore knee. The Thunder are averaging 122.5 points in their last six games. Russell Westbrook and Paul George have been playing at their superstar levels during this span.
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01-29-18 | Celtics v. Nuggets OVER 205.5 | 111-110 | Win | 100 | 5 h 11 m | Show | |
The Celtics play differently on the road against Western Conference opponents. This total doesn't fully reflect that. Boston's last three games - against the Lakers, Clippers and Warriors - have all been on the road. And all three of those games resulted in the combined score being at least 214 or more points. |
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01-29-18 | Nebraska v. Wisconsin -3 | 74-63 | Loss | -107 | 14 h 51 m | Show | |
Wisconsin is in revenge mode and draws Nebraska playing for the fourth time in eight days. The Badgers are way down after losing four senior starters from a year ago, but they still are tough at home where they are 9-3 with a winning spread mark. The Cornhuskers have been overacheiving, but face a heavy fatigue factor in this matchup. Nebraska nipped the Badgers at home, 63-59, on Jan. 9. Wisconson missed 14 of 19 3-point shots in that gamd and only got to the free throw line 10 times missing six free throws. I see a reversal happening here. |
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01-29-18 | Heat -118 v. Mavs | Top | 95-88 | Win | 100 | 19 h 17 m | Show |
The Heat came on strong during the second half of last season and they're displaying signs of repeating that performance winning nine of their last 13. Miami has been strong on the road covering seven of its last nine away matchups. The Heat have covered in five of their past six trips to Dallas. When backing the Heat you can count on good coaching with Erik Spoelstra, a full team effort and strong bench play. The Heat's depth was on display when they met the Mavericks on Dec. 22. Miami won 113-101 despite not having Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic, its two best players. Key reserves James Johnson and Justise Winslow also missed that game. All four players are healthy now. Whiteside should be able to dominate the boards against the Mavericks, who rank last in rebounding margin. The Heat surrender the third-fewest points in the league at 101.3. The Mavericks are averaging 96.7 points during their last four games, failing to reach triple-digits in any of those games. Dallas is just 10-17 at home, 12-15 ATS. The Mavericks have lost six of their last seven overall games, including the past three. They could remain shorthanded in the backcourt with J.J. Barea and Devin Harris each questionable. Monday Free Play Pacers minus 2 1/2 hosting Hornets Victor Oladipo has become the face of the Pacers franchise with a breakout season and well deserved All-Star berth. But 6-foot-11 center Myles Turner is Indiana's second-best player and a huge key. Turner played for the first time in 10 games two days ago. Turner logged just 11 minutes and was noticeably rusty in the Pacers' 114-112 home win against Orlando. Turner should be less rusty here. His presence is going to be huge for the Pacers even if he doesn't score because he provides spacing and open driving lanes for Oladipo, Thaddeus Young, Darren Collison and a hot Lance Stephenson, who plays better at home and is 19-of-34 shooting from the floor in his last four games. Turner can neutralize Dwight Howard on the defensive end, too. Turner ranks second in the NBA in blocked shots per game. The Pacers have become a respectable middle-of-the-road type team at 27-23. The Hornets continue to regress and are unlikely to make the playoffs once again. They are 20-28 and talking about dealing their star guard, Kemba Walker. Charlotte is 6-14 on the road. Only Atlanta has fewer away victories in the Eastern Conference than the Hornets. Charlotte went 0-2 at Indiana last season losing by an average of 18.5 points. The Hornets carry a high fatigue rating in action for the fourth time in six days. This is the first time the teams are meeting this season. Charlotte hosts Indiana on Friday. So the Pacers should have the added urgency of protecting their home floor.
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01-29-18 | Lehigh v. Holy Cross OVER 139 | Top | 71-67 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 17 m | Show |
There were 160 points scored when the teams met earlier this season with Lehigh winning, 83-77. Lehigh averages 76.2 points per game and plays terrible defense. The Mountain Hawks surrender 79.4 points per game, which ranks 319th in the country. So it's no surprise the Over has cashed 69 percent of the time during Lehigh's past 13 Patriot League games. The Over also has won in five of Lehigh's last six road contests. Holy Cross is coming off a season-high 85-point game. |
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01-28-18 | Connecticut v. Temple -6 | 57-85 | Win | 100 | 10 h 51 m | Show | |
Circumstances line up well here for Temple. The Owls played one of their worst games of the season losing 75-42 on the road to eighth-ranked Cincinnati on Tuesday. Connecticut, on the other hand, is coming off a huge upset home win against SMU on Wednesday. The Huskies are 2-6 ATS following a spread cover. The Huskies are in a letdown spot and their concentration is further going to be tested by breaking news that the program is being investigaged by the NCAA. Connecticut remains without second-leading scorer Terry Larrier, who is out with a nose injury.
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01-28-18 | Clippers v. Pelicans -118 | Top | 112-103 | Loss | -118 | 10 h 15 m | Show |
You can find the Pelicans listed in the obituary section rather than the sports pages after they just lost DeMarcus Cousins for the season. Cousins suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon in the final seconds of the Pelicans' victory against the Rockets Friday. That was New Orleans' seventh win in its last eight games and fourth straight. Cousins' injury is likely to doom the Pelicans' chances of making the playoffs. But right now the Pelicans are playing their best ball and they will be highly motivated to win this first matchup minus Cousins especially this being a Sunday home game. The Clippers are nothing special. They are just a .500 club with plenty of injuries of their own with Austin Rivers, Patrick Beverley and Danilo Galinari all out. |
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01-27-18 | Nets +11 v. Wolves | 97-111 | Loss | -107 | 8 h 0 m | Show | |
The Timberwolves are a rising power with an impressive 24-9 record against fellow Western Conference opponents. Strangely, though, the Timberwolves struggle versus the lesser Eastern Conference going 7-11 against those teams. The Nets have been huge underdog money-makers all season especially on the road where they have covered 16 of 24 times in that role for 67 percent. When catching four or more points, the Nets are 20-8 on the season for 71 percent. D'Angelo Russell has been back for four games now. He looked the best he has since returning from a knee injury in the Nets' last game. Brooklyn was blasted in that game, however, by the Bucks losing 116-91 last night. Nets coach Kenny Atkinson questioned the effort of his team following that loss. So I expect the Nets to play very hard in this matchup. They are 7-3 ATS the past 10 times when playing without rest. They also had covered six in a row on the road until that loss to the Bucks. The Timberwolves haven't had All-Star guard Jimmy Butler in their last four games. He's a game-time decision for tonight.
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01-27-18 | Tennessee-Martin v. Tennessee Tech -6 | 55-63 | Win | 100 | 11 h 19 m | Show | |
I'm going to fade Tennessee-Martin in this spot. The Skyhawks are playing on the road for the fourth straight time. They also are coming off a huge upset of Jacksonville State from two days ago. The Skyhawks have lost 10 of 13 road games this season. |
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01-27-18 | Rutgers +8.5 v. Penn State | Top | 43-60 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 19 m | Show |
Rutgers is the wrong team to be laying a big number against especially in a monster letdown spot. That's the position Penn State is in today. The Nittany Lions are off their biggest win of the season, stunning 13th-ranked Ohio State on the road, 82-79, this past Thursday night on a long 3-pointer by Tony Carr at the buzzer. Now, less than two days later, the Nittany Lions face the No. 6 ranked defense in the nation. Rutgers is weak offensively. But the Scarlet Knights give up the sixth-fewest points per game in the country and rank 12th in defensive field goal percentage. They have allowed 62.1 points per game during their last six games, which is their season average. Rutgers upset Penn State as an 8-point road 'dog last season and are in great position to repeat.
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01-27-18 | St. John's v. Butler -9 | 45-70 | Win | 100 | 5 h 2 m | Show | |
The buy sign is back on for Butler. The Bulldogs are back on track and surely don't want to be the first Big East team to lose to St. John's this season. They lost at home to St. John's last season so they surely should be ready this time. The Bulldogs have covered 10 of their last 13 lined home games. |
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01-26-18 | 76ers v. Spurs -3.5 | Top | 97-78 | Loss | -104 | 15 h 51 m | Show |
The 76ers beat the Spurs for the first time in six years, 112-106, at home a little more than three weeks ago. I can't see the 76ers sweeping the Spurs by winning in San Antonio, a place they haven't won at since 2004. The prideful Spurs are down Kawhi Leonard, but still have been dominant at AT&T Center going 20-3 SU, 16-6-1 ATS at home this season. They are 15-1 in their last 16 home contsts winning their last six home games by an average of 13.3 points a game. The 76ers have turned the corner. So they are far more of a threat to end their 13-game losing skid at San Antonio than in previous years. But they must prove they have the maturity and discipline to beat what should be a fired-up Spurs club bent on revenge. Gregg Popovich has made sure he has a fresh LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol for this game. Newly-appointed starting point guard Dejounte Murray is in the midst of a break-out type season.The Spurs have a deep bench, too. They aren't just about Leonard.
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01-26-18 | Lakers v. Bulls -4 | 108-103 | Loss | -102 | 15 h 22 m | Show | |
The spot and situation set up for Chicago here. The question is can the Bulls be trusted to cover a margin at home? I believe they are. Since opening 3-20, the Bulls have turned things around going 15-10. Chicago has been one of the hottest ATS teams covering 20 of its past 26 games. The Bulls have won nine of their last 13 home games with the losses during this span occurring to the Warriors, Rockets, Raptors and Trail Blazers in overtime. Chicago has covered 10 of its last 13 at United Center. The Bulls have done the job versus bad teams going 8-0-1 ATS versus sub .500 opponents. The Lakers enter the road fat and happy after a 3-0 homestand with the last victory coming against the Celtics, 108-107, this past Tuesday. LA hasn't been nearly as good on the road going 6-14 away from Staples Center. The Bulls have revenge for a November loss to the Lakers when they weren't playing nearly as well and are coming off an embarrassing 14-point road loss to the 76ers from two nights ago. That was a rare flat game for the Bulls and it occurred following a tough road overtime loss to the Pelicans. The Bulls are back home now, rested and ready.
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01-26-18 | Wagner +3.5 v. St Francis PA | 91-61 | Win | 100 | 8 h 43 m | Show | |
Sources point me to Wagner. The Seahawks have been playing good ball winning five of their last six games They just beat St. Francis, 73-64, eight days ago. Wagner dominated the boards in that game outrebounding St. Francis, 36-23. |
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01-25-18 | Knicks v. Nuggets -4.5 | 118-130 | Win | 100 | 11 h 42 m | Show | |
The Knicks are a horrendous 6-18 SU, 10-14 ATS away from home. The Nuggets are 17-6 at Pepsi Center with a winning point spread mark there. Given the Knicks' high fatigue ranking - fifth game in nine days - and terrible defense, I'm not going to get fancy. I'll just lay the points. New York is giving up an average of 125 points in its last two games. This is the Knicks' sixth straight road game. They have a far more winnable game on Friday against the Suns. Denver has a number of underrated players with Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris and Jamal Murray coming to mind. The Nuggets are well rested, too, having last played on Monday.
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01-25-18 | Wizards +5.5 v. Thunder | 112-121 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 23 m | Show | |
The Thunder have been terrible as chalk going 7-13 ATS versus foes with a winning record and 13-27 overall when favored. Washington actually has a worse record than Oklahoma City by just one game and has more All-Stars than the Thunder do. The Wizards should have Otto Porter back and are out for redemption following a horrendous 98-75 loss to Dallas on Monday. So expect a strong effort.
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01-25-18 | SMU -5.5 v. Connecticut | 52-63 | Loss | -115 | 11 h 57 m | Show | |
UConn has failed to cover in 22 of its last 30 home games and I don't like its chances here. SMU have the sixth stingiest defense in the country holding foes to 62 points a game. The combination of the Mustangs' defense and outstanding outside shooting should mean a double-digit victory. UConn just can't concentrate on one SMU player because every Mustang starter averages double figures. The Huskies are down second-leading scorer Terry Larrier. He's out with a fractured sinus wall.
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01-24-18 | Temple +14 v. Cincinnati | 42-75 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 56 m | Show | |
Temple has revenge for a narrow 55-53 loss to Cincinnati earlier this month. The Bearcats won that game with a late basket. So this spread is out of whack especially given Temple's quality defense that gives up less than 69 points a game. I envision another defensive struggle here so this many points should be more than enough for the Owls to cover. The Owls are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games versus the Bearcats.
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01-24-18 | Suns +7.5 v. Pacers | 101-116 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 38 m | Show | |
This point spread is too high considering the situation. The Suns have covered all three game of their current road trip so far and should be motivated for this matchup since the Pacers embarrassed them at home just 10 days ago. Despite that loss, the Suns still have covered 11 of the last 14 in the series, including going 6-1 at Indiana. This is Indiana's first home game following a five-game road swing that concluded with the the Pacers upsetting the Spurs on Sunday night. Myles Turner, the Pacers' best big man, has been out with a right elbow injury and is questionable here. The Pacers are a bit fat and happy being back home following their highly-satisfying victory against San Antonio. The Pacers also have a much more important game on deck when they play the Cavaliers on Friday.
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01-24-18 | Nebraska +1.5 v. Rutgers | 60-54 | Win | 100 | 8 h 6 m | Show | |
After facing Ohio State and Michigan, Nebraska drops down in class here. The Cornhuskers upset the Wolverines and nearly did the same to the Buckeyes. The Cornhuskers have revenge motivation for a 65-64 loss to Rutgers from last season. Nebraska had defeated the Scarlet Knights five straight times before then. Both teams are improved. But I'm going to ride the Cornhuskers, who are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games. |
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01-24-18 | Mercer v. East Tennessee State UNDER 134 | Top | 75-84 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 7 m | Show |
The Mercer Bears lost their top scorer, Ria'n Holland, two games ago to a wrist injury. They played their first game without him this past Saturday and lost 70-66 in overtime to NC Greensboro. The Bears scored 55 points in regulation No Mercer player scored more than 11 points in that game. The Bears are really hurting on the offensive end without Holland, who is leading the team in scoring at 19 points a game. The next highest scorer for Mercer averages 10.6 points per game. The Under has cashed 11 of the last 13 times Mercer has lost during its previous game. East Tennessee State ranks in the top-25 in scoring defense and defensive field goal percentage. The Buccaneers have held heir last four opponents to an average of 54.2 points a game.
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01-23-18 | Celtics -4 v. Lakers | Top | 107-108 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 4 m | Show |
Technically speaking the Celtics haven't won in the United States since Jan. 6. They did beat the 76ers in London. But Boston hasn't won since losing three straight games, all at home. It's the first time Boston has dropped three consecutive games all season. Now the Celtics head West to warm weather and to find their groove. I see that happening here against the Lakers. I have a lot of confidence in Brad Stevens. The Celtics meet the Clippers on Wednesday followed by games at Golden State on Saturday and Denver on Monday. Those will not be easy games. So this is the matchup the Celtics need to win to get out of their funk. The Lakers have been playing better. But this is a lottery team that has backcourt injuries. Lonzo Ball is out with a knee injury and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has missed the past two games with an Achilles injury. That's LA's starting backcourt. The Lakers are 2-8 without Ball, their point guard. Boston has covered 71 percent of its road games this season. Kyrie Irving is back so the Celtics are healthy. Boston rolled past the Lakers, 107-96, in the earlier meeting this season on Nov. 8. The Celtics achieved that 11-point victory despite not having Al Horford and losing Jayson Tatum for the second half because of an ankle injury.
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01-23-18 | Oklahoma State v. Texas Tech UNDER 142.5 | 70-75 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 8 m | Show | |
Texas Tech has gone Under in six of its eight home games this season. The Red Raiders rank in the top-five in defensive efficiency and should be playing intense defense after getting blown out at Iowa State this past Saturday. Oklahoma State has tightened up its defense. Both teams rank among the bottom four in the Big 12 in terms of tempo. |
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01-22-18 | Suns v. Bucks -4.5 | 105-109 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 19 m | Show | |
First the bad news. Giannis Antetokonumpo isn't going to play. Now the good news, the point spread is greatly reduced because of that and the Bucks still should be able to take care of business against a bottom-feeder they have dominated. Milwaukee has defeated Phoenix five consecutive times, including 113-107 at Phoenix on Nov. 22. The Bucks didn't have Antetokounmpo for that game either. But former Sun Eric Bledsoe and Kris Middleton made up for Antetokonumpo's absence by scoring a combined 70 points. The Bucks will have Malcolm Brogdon back after he missed the Bucks' last game. The Bucks are in stop-the-pain mode going 1-4 in their last five games. Their losses during this time frame have come to teams much better than the Suns - Warriors, Heat twice and 76ers. Phoenix, by contrast, is fat and happy coming off a 108-100 upset road victory against the Nuggets. The Suns had dropped their previous three road matchups by a combined 44 points. Phoenix has failed to cover five of the last six times following a straight-up victory.
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01-22-18 | 76ers v. Grizzlies +3.5 | 101-105 | Win | 100 | 10 h 18 m | Show | |
The 76ers are riding an impressive three-game win streak beating three of the best Eastern Conference teams - the Raptors, Celtics and Bucks. The 76ers host the Bulls on Wednesday. But first is this nonconference matchup against Memphis. The 76ers are talented. They also are young, possibly short-handed in the backcourt with JJ Redick out and Jerryd Bayless questionable due to a sore wrist and excited like the rest of Philadelphia about the Eagles reaching the Super Bowl following Sunday's upset victory against the Vikings. So the 76ers may lack the focus necessary to win a road game against a top-five defensive team. The Grizzlies are under-the-radar. They are 4-2 SU, 5-1 ATS in their last six games. They also are 5-0-1 ATS during their past six home contests and have won six of their last eight at FedEx Forum. Memphis also has dominated this series beating the 76ers nine straight times.
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01-22-18 | Jazz -135 v. Hawks | Top | 90-104 | Loss | -135 | 12 h 20 m | Show |
One of the most difficult schedules in the league and Rudy Gobert missing 26 games has contributed to the Jazz's disappointing 19-27 record. But now Gobert is back and the schdule has lightened up for Utah. The Jazz have won two of their last three while averaging 120 points during this span, their highest three-game offensive span of the season. Utah just played one of its best offensive games of the season in beating the Clippers, 125-113, this past Saturday. I'm seeing a buy sign on Utah - at least against this opponent. The Hawks are 13-32 on the season. That's tied with Sacramento for the worst mark in the league. The Hawks are better at home, but still have lost 13 of 22 games at Philips Arena. The Jazz are 4 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. So this becomes almost a must-win spot for Utah considering the lowly caliber of opponent.
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01-21-18 | Nets v. Pistons UNDER 209 | 101-100 | Win | 100 | 10 h 9 m | Show | |
There are a lot of ingredients here that point to this game going Under the total. Let's start with the situation. It's a day game. That's often a plus for the Under. It's a stop-the-pain game for Detroit, losers of four in a row. It's the Nets' revenge game of the year. They suffered their worst home loss of the season 11 days ago losing to the Pistons, 114-80. Brooklyn was in a vulnerable spot for that game having just taken the Raptors to overtime before losing by one point the night before. Their energy was lacking. It won't be here. Now let's talk current form. The Nets have slowed things down ranking in the middle of the pack in tempo during the last two weeks. Brooklyn ranks last in offensive efficiency during this span, too. However, the Nets have played stronger defense in January than they did earlier in the season. If you discount that bad performance against the Pistons, the Nets have held five of their last nine opponents to fewer than 101 points. Only two opponents in the last 10 games have scored more than 107 points on the Nets during regulation. The Nets just held the Heat to six points under their season average in a 101-95 home win this past Friday. The Pistons rank 25th in scoring. They are a bottom-10 team, too, in field goal percentage and free throw shooting. Now let's discuss matchup. There are key players back from injury who are pluses for the Under. The Nets have back DeMarre Carroll and D'Angelo Rusell. Both are underrated defensive players. Russell played 14 minutes against the Heat after missing the previous 32 games following knee surgery. He was rusty shooting-wise, as expected, but provided a defensive spark. Detroit has reserve sparkplug Stanley Johnson back from a hip injury. Johnson is a stiff on offense, but a good defender.
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01-20-18 | Mavs v. Blazers OVER 208 | Top | 108-117 | Win | 100 | 16 h 18 m | Show |
Since the end of Christmas both Dallas and Portland have become strong offensive, rather than defensive, teams. But the oddsmaker hasn't fully caught up to this. Dallas has reached triple digits in eight of its last nine games. The Mavericks have scored 114 points or more in six of those nine games. Portland is on a streak of 10 straight triple digit scoring games. The Trail Blazers have scored 110 or more points in eight of those 10 games. During this time span, both teams are ranking in the top-five in offensive efficiency and in the bottom-10 in defensive efficiency. Increased tempo and strong guard play has contributed to this. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. has started to live up to his hype, while the Trail Blazers are finding extra minutes for Shabazz Napier joining sharpshooters Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum in the backcourt giving Portland an effective small-ball lineup. |
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01-20-18 | Raptors v. Wolves -3 | 109-115 | Win | 100 | 9 h 30 m | Show | |
The Timberwolves are in stop-the-pain mode and catch the Raptors off a huge, physical 86-83 home win against the Spurs last night. That was a hugely satisfying victory for the Raptors. It's hard to imagine they are going to be as hungry for this non-conference matchup as the Timberwolves, losers of two in a row. Minnesota hasn't lost three consecutive games all season. But the Timberwolves are off back-to-back road losses to the Magic and Rockets. They looked past the Magic and paid the price. There's no shame in losing to the Rockets at Houston especially with James Harden back in the Rockets' lineup like he was for that game. The Timberwolves are 18-6 at Target Center this season. Their last six home games have all been double-digit victories, including wins against the Cavaliers. Thunder and Trail Blazers.
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01-20-18 | Montana v. Montana State +7 | 67-52 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 27 m | Show | |
Granted Montana is playing well. However, I want the home underdog going for me in this state rivalry matchup. |
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01-20-18 | Thunder +3.5 v. Cavs | 148-124 | Win | 100 | 11 h 46 m | Show | |
Lot of superstars with a lot of egos. They're all going to be together here in this nationally televised day game. This is just the fifth time the Thunder will be underdogs this season. They are 3-1 ATS as 'dogs. Oklahoma City has gone 21-13 since opening 4-7. The Thunder have won three in a row. Cleveland is 1-4 in its last five games and has been terrible as a favorite failing to cover 12 of the last 13 times in that role. Oklahoma City has the far superior defense and just got back defensive ace Andre Roberson. The Thunder have been idle since Wednesday so their energy and pride levels should be off the charts.
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01-19-18 | Pacers -125 v. Lakers | 86-99 | Loss | -125 | 12 h 39 m | Show | |
Thanks to Victor Oladipo's All-Star-caliber season, the Pacers have reached mid-level respectability. The Lakers are back to being a bottom level type team losting 12 of their last 17 games. The Pacers played flat in a 100-86 road loss to Portland last night. But they were 5-1 SU and ATS in their previous six games. It's not too much to ask the Pacers to beat the Lakers especially considering all of LA's key injuries. The Lakers will be missing their starting backcourt of Lonzo Ball (knee) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Achilles). Ball leads the Lakers in assists and rebounds. In addition, the Lakers also could be missing their two top scorers, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram. Both are banged up. The Lakers' depth isn't nearly strong enough to compensate for so many missing starters.
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01-19-18 | Spurs +6.5 v. Raptors | 83-86 | Win | 100 | 7 h 13 m | Show | |
No Kawhi Leonard here. Rudy Gay reamins out, too. Still, this is too many points for the Raptors to lay to an elite team. Gregg Popovich is an "A" coach and he has a strong bench. Even without Leonard, the Spurs have gone 25-12 in the games he's missed. Toronto hasn't been playing that well losing two of its past three games and going 2-4 ATS in its last six. Only once in their last six games have the Raptors won by more than five points.
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01-19-18 | Indiana +15.5 v. Michigan State | Top | 57-85 | Loss | -108 | 17 h 31 m | Show |
There are a lot of peaks and valleys during the long college basketball season. Right now Indiana is playing well and Michigan State isn't. The Hoosiers have won five of their last six, including their last three. Indiana is playing tremendous defense, getting strong play from Juwan Morgan and rebounding production from its guards. Michigan State would be 0-3 in its last three games if not for a home overtime victory against Rutgers. The Spartans are 1-6 ATS the past seven times playing an above .500 opponent. They are going to look to run more being at home. Indiana, though, ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in steals and turnover margin at plus 3.7. Michigan State, by contrast, ranks near the bottom in turnover margin at minus 3.2. The Hooisers have covered the past five times they've met opponents with a winning percentage above .600. They have stepped up their play enough where they can be trusted to hang in on the road against the Spartans especially taking this big of a number.
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01-18-18 | Pacers v. Blazers OVER 213 | 86-100 | Loss | -110 | 15 h 16 m | Show | |
The perception is Portland is a strong defensive team and a below average offensive club. The season statistics bear that out where the Trail Blazers rank eighth defensively and 20th in scoring. But since the start of January those perceptions have turned wrong. The Trail Blazers have become a top-five offense in terms of points per possession and their defense ranks 26th since the calendar turned to 2018. Star point guard Damian Lillard is close to 100 percent. He's averaged 26 points in his last four games while shooting 50.7 percent from the floor. The Trail Blazers have started to play more small ball going with three guards - Lillard, C.J. McCollum and Shabazz Napier, who shined in Lillard's absence. This means increased tempo. The Pacers remain without their rim protector Myles Turner, who ranks second in the NBA in blocked shots. The Pacers have been playing well despite the absence of Turner. Indiana is averaging 111 points per game game during its last six games. Victor Oladipo has emerged as a star ranking 12th in scoring at 24.3 points per game. |
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01-18-18 | Illinois-Chicago v. Youngstown State +3 | 92-78 | Loss | -105 | 6 h 45 m | Show | |
The oddsmaker has the wrong favorite here. Illinois-Chicago should not be a conference road favorite. The Flames have won only once in eight away contests this season. |
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01-17-18 | Fresno State v. San Diego State UNDER 148 | 77-73 | Loss | -115 | 20 h 18 m | Show | |
Two strong defenses square off here in what should be an intense conference matchup. San Diego State is No. 1 in the Mountain West Conference in fewest points allowed and defensive field goal percentage. The Aztecs could catch the Bulldogs minus two of their three best guards, including their point guard and most accurate 3-point shooter. Both have eligibility problems that need to be fixed. |
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01-17-18 | Fresno State v. San Diego State -7 | Top | 77-73 | Loss | -105 | 21 h 35 m | Show |
San Diego State is the top defensive team in the Mountain West Conference. The Aztecs are 7-1 at home and have revenge for a home loss to Fresno State last season. Fresno State could be missing guards Jaron Hopkins and Jahmel Taylor. They are the third and fourth leading scorers on the Bulldogs. Taylor ranks fifth in the Mountain West in 3-point shooting percentage. Neither player traveled with the team on Tuesday because they are not technically enrolled in school. There's the possibility this problem may not get straighten out before tip-off. San Diego State is at its best against smaller, perimeter-shooting based teams such as Fresno State. So the loss of two key guards really would hurt the Bulldogs. Fresno State has failed to cover in six of its last seven Mountain West Conference matchups. |
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01-17-18 | Knicks v. Grizzlies OVER 202 | 99-105 | Win | 100 | 5 h 42 m | Show | |
The Knicks haven't been playing much defense surrendering triple digits in nine of their last 10 games. Sparked by the return of Tim Hardaway Jr., though, the Knicks have been producing offensively. New York has scored 103 or more points in its last seven games. The Grizzlies just scored 123 points in their last game and are playing more up-tempo. There's a chance Marc Gasol doesn't play due to illness, but I still like this total to go Over based on how poorly the Knicks are playing defense and how well Memphis looked offensively in its last game with crisp passing and unselfish play. The Over has cashed 12 of the last 16 times the Knicks have visited the Grizzlies.
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01-17-18 | Southern Illinois v. Loyola-Chicago UNDER 136 | 65-79 | Loss | -115 | 15 h 40 m | Show | |
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers are coming off a rare higher scoring game, but this is a team that has been consistently under this number. In fact, their first five MVC games were all 129 points or lower. Last game, they shot the ball extremely well and they won 81-65. I think that game was the exception rather than the rule. That last game though is giving us value on the number here. Southern Illinois and Loyola Chicago both like to slow the game down. There is no reason this tempo should be quick at all. Neither of these team get many second chance points, and that is a clear help here. |
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01-17-18 | Duquesne +6 v. St. Louis | 63-76 | Loss | -103 | 8 h 35 m | Show | |
The marketplace has been slow to see the full improvement with Duquesne this season. The Dukes rank among the top three teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference in defense and I believe they can hang with St. Louis. They have won and covered four of their last five games. |
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01-16-18 | Drake +6.5 v. Northern Iowa | 54-68 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 40 m | Show | |
I like backing underdogs in the defensive-minded Missouri Valley Conference especially here with much-improved Drake. The Bulldogs have won and covered five of their last six games. I see them hanging in against Northern Iowa. |
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01-16-18 | Wolves v. Magic +8 | 102-108 | Win | 100 | 8 h 14 m | Show | |
Fresh off their first 5-0 homestand since 2001, the Timberwolves get ready to face a big road test against the Rockets on Thursday. But first Minnesota must play at Orlando today. It's going to be difficult for the talented - and youthful - Timberwolves to take the Magic serious. Orlando has lost seven in a row. I smell a dangerous situation for the Timberwolves here. I suspect Minnesota is going to be too overconfident for this game. Orlando is more competitive now that its two leading scorers, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier, are healthy. The Magic have lost by seven points or fewer in five of their last seven defeats. The Magic have had three full days to get ready for this matchup having last played on Friday. Minnesota is a sparkling 23-6 versus Western Conference foes. However, the Timberwolves are a perplexing 6-10 against Eastern Conference teams. They have a bad history, too, at Orlando losing eight of the past nine times there. The Magic have covered eight of the last 10 games against the Timberwolves. Minnesota won by just six when they hosted the Magic earlier this season.
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01-15-18 | Maryland +7 v. Michigan | 67-68 | Win | 100 | 9 h 58 m | Show | |
Maryland has had Michigan's number winning five of the last six times the teams have met, including a victory in Ann Arbor last season. The Terrapins catch the Wolverines off a huge 82-72 win against rival Michigan State this past Saturday. I doubt the Wolverines can regain their full intensity for this matchup following that huge win. Maryland is out for redemption having suffered a 91-69 loss to Ohio State on Thursday.
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01-15-18 | Lakers v. Grizzlies -138 | Top | 114-123 | Win | 100 | 8 h 49 m | Show |
The Lakers are fat and happy after opening their road trip with an overtime victory against the Mavericks this past Saturday. The Grizzlies have been playing better. They are are 3-2 in their five home games, but off an 87-78 road loss to Denver. That game was on Friday and ended the Grizzlies' string of six straight games of scoring triple-digits. The Grizzlies were idle during the weekend and should be ready for this early-start MLK Day matchup. Memphis is the stronger defensive club. The Grizzlies have defeated the Lakers the past six times at home. The Lakers are playing for the fourth time in seven days. They won't be helped by an earlier start time than normal for them. LA also is banged-up as both Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are questionable.
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01-15-18 | Knicks v. Nets UNDER 213 | 119-104 | Loss | -110 | 3 h 53 m | Show | |
Both teams carry a high fatigue rating that isn't going to be helped playing at this early start time. That means tired jump shooters. The Knicks are playing for the third time in four days, including going into overtime on Sunday. Kristaps Porzingis logged nearly 44 minutes yesterday. The Nets also are playing for the third time in four days. The Nets have gone Under in seven of their last eight games. This is a rivalry game, too, so the defensive intensity should be up.
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01-15-18 | Hornets v. Pistons -150 | 118-107 | Loss | -150 | 4 h 27 m | Show | |
Charlotte isn't a good road team. The Hornets have lost 13 of their 18 away contests. Charlotte is 2-11 versus .500 or better clubs when playing on the road. The Pistons are 13-5 at home. Detroit is in a strong scheduling advantage here since this is an early start because of Martin Luther King Day. The Hornets ran out of gas on Saturday night after also playing on Friday. Now they're playing a very early Monday game making this their third game in four days.
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01-15-18 | Hornets v. Pistons UNDER 205 | 118-107 | Loss | -105 | 4 h 26 m | Show | |
Charlotte is averaging just 95 points in its last two games. The Hornets face a severe fatigue factor here playing for the third time in four days, which is made worse by this being a very early daytime start because of Martin Luther King Day. So the Hornets are not going to have interest in running and their perimeter game could be off because of tired legs. This likely means a lot of standing around on offense watching Dwight Howard hog the ball inside and miss free throws. He's shooting less than 53 percent from the foul line. The Pistons rank fifth defensively. Detroit has held its past four opponents at home to an average of 91 points per game. The teams met early in the season and the Pistons beat the Hornets, 102-90, at home. |
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01-14-18 | Pacers v. Suns +4 | 120-97 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 30 m | Show | |
Granted, asking the Suns to cover a short number carries a certain risk. Phoenix has some young talent, but is in clear rebuild mode. Still, the spot, situation and history set up well for the Suns to stay close - if not pull the outright upset. The Pacers won't have center Myles Turner, their best big man and second-best player next to Victor Oladipo. He'll miss a third straight game due to an elbow injury. Indiana takes to the road for the first time in 11 days fat and happy after overcoming a 22-point deficit to defeat the Cavaliers, 97-95, on Friday night. The Pacers have lost their last three away matchups falling by a combined 57 points to the Bucks, Bulls and Pistons. This marks only the Pacers' third game versus a Western Conference opponent since Dec. 14. Indiana lost to Dallas by four points at home and were blown out by Minnesota at home by 17 points the past two times it faced a Western Conference foe. The last time Indiana played a road game against a Western Conference team was way back on November 29. The Suns aren't as good as the Timberwolves and Mavericks. But they are home where they have covered five of the last six times against the Pacers. All together, the Suns have covered 11 of the last 13 times versus the Pacers. Phoenix also should be motivated after a 112-95 home loss to Houston this past Friday. The Suns were short-handed in the backcourt, but expect to have back point guard Isaiah Canaan and swingman Josh Jackson. The return of Canaan frees up rising superstar Devin Booker to play other positions besides point guard setting up favorable matchups. The Suns have responded well following a blowout home loss covering 72 percent of the time in their next game during the past 27 instances. They also are 6-1-2 ATS the past nine times after not covering the spread in their previous game.
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